Tantalizing Thursday

"Greek Chicken Pasta"

"This pasta dish incorporates some of the flavors of Greece. It makes a wonderfully complete and satisfying meal. For extra flavor, toss in a few kalamata olives." Yield: Serves 6.

Ingredients:
1.) 1 pound uncooked pasta
2.) 1 tablespoon olive oil
3.) 2 cloves garlic, crushed
4.) 1/2 cup chopped red onion
5.) 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into bite-size pieces
6.) 1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
7.) 1 large tomato, chopped
8.) 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
9.) 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
10.)2 tablespoons lemon juice
11.)2 teaspoons dried oregano
12.)salt and pepper to taste
13.)2 lemons, wedged, for garnish

Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and cooked pasta. Stir until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with lemon wedges.




"Balsamic & Rosemary Grilled Salmon"

"This is a quick and easy way to grill salmon. It's wonderful served with baked asparagus with balsamic butter sauce and boiled new potatoes!" Yield: Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1.) 4 (4 ounce) salmon fillets
2.) sea salt to taste
3.) 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4.) 3 tablespoons olive oil
5.) 1/4 cup lemon juice
6.) 1 clove garlic, minced
7.) 1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced

Preparation:
1. Season salmon fillets to taste with sea salt, and place into a shallow, glass dish. Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and rosemary; pour over salmon fillets. Cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate.
3. Remove salmon from marinade, and shake off excess. Discard remaining marinade. Cook on preheated grill until fish is opaque in the center and flakes easily with a fork, about 4 minutes per side.



"Watermelon-Yogurt Ice"

Ingredients:
1.) 1/4 cup water
2.) 1/4 cup sugar
3.) 4 cups diced seedless watermelon (about 3 pounds with the rind) (see Tip)
4.) 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
5.) 1 tablespoon lime juice

Preparation:
1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring, over high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a glass measuring cup and let cool slightly.
2. Puree watermelon in a food processor or blender, in 2 batches, pulsing until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in the cooled sugar syrup, yogurt and lime juice until combined. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another large bowl, whisking to release all juice. Discard pulp. Pour the extracted juices into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. (Alternatively, pour into a shallow metal pan and freeze until solid, about 6 hours or overnight. Remove from freezer to defrost slightly, 5 minutes. Break into small chunks and process in a food processor, in batches, until smooth and creamy.) Serve immediately or transfer to a storage container and freeze for up to 2 hours. Yield: Serves 8.

Tip: Melon selection & storage: Look for symmetrical unblemished melons, without flat sides, that have a creamy yellow spot on the bottom indicating ripeness. At 92% water, this fruit should feel heavy when you heft it. Precut melon flesh should be dense, firm and appear moist. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or keep in a cool, dark spot. Cover the cut surface of melon with plastic wrap and refrigerate.