Do it delicious!

You'd think that with such interest in food I'd be a great cook, but infact I'm a pretty lazy cook. With a busy diary and a healthy appetite I rarely cook anything during the week that takes longer than 15 minutes to throw together. So I'm always on the lookout for quick and tasty recipes.

These two are new discoveries from cookbooks by Jessica Seinfeld .. yes as in wife of Jerry Seinfeld! The fast and juicy herb chicken produces a tasty and tender result that usually only comes with slower cooking, whilst the pasta with pea pesto is wonderful winter comfort food. I make it with gluten free pasta and instead of adding the parmesan and pine nuts just blend a generous amount of dairy free pesto with the peas ... sounds odd but it works!

Both recipes are from the Do It Delicious website:
http://www.doitdelicious.com/recipes/

Enjoy!

Fast & Juicy Herb Grilled Chicken

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Serves 4
This is a simple and speedy recipe we love—it only takes 3 minutes to cook in a panini press (george foreman grill works fine)! We also show you a no-mess way to pound a chicken breast. You'll want to prepare this yummy chicken dish over and over again, especially on busy nights.

4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (if you don't have fresh to hand then dried herbs work too)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, quartered

Heat a panini press or grill pan over medium-high heat. Wash and pat dry the chicken. One at a time, place the chicken in a plastic bag and pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness (I used a rolling pin to do this). Remove from the bag and coat both sides of the chicken with the herbs, oil, salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the press (you may be able to cook several at once depending on your press) and cook until cooked through, about 3 minutes. If you use a grill pan your cooking time will be longer. Serve with the lemon on the side.
 
 
Pasta with Pea Pesto

Prep time: 10 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes | serves 6
ingredients

Pesto
2 cups peas (fresh or frozen, blanched in boiling water for 30 seconds and shocked in cold water)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 medium cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
Chicken
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 1/4 lbs)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp olive oil
8oz whole-wheat pasta, such as penne or fusilli

1. For the pesto, combine the peas, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, water, and salt in a food processor. Blend until the ingredients are combined and form a thick sauce.
2. Season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken on each side until cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Toss together the pasta, pesto, and chicken and serve immediately.

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