Cost: $10  (CD)
Markets: Superstore
Notes: This feeds four adults

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• 4 Large green bell peppers
  
• 1 LBS lean ground chicken or turkey
  
• 1 can of black beans
  
• Fresh gaucamole via two ripe avocados click here for the recipe or make your own
• 1 chipotle in adobe – minced
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 small onion
• 1 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1 tsp of paprika
• t tsp of turmeric
• 1 TBS of dried oregano
• 1 tsp  of ground cumin
• 1 tsp of chili powder
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• Canola oil  spray for sauteing

Quickie Recipe:

Cook the brown rice. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Make the filling for the peppers by  sauteing onion and fresh garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add the ground chicken plus all of the seasonings and the chipotle and saute until the chicken is cooked. Add the can of black beans,(do not drain) fully cooked rice and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper if need be. Cut the peppers in half as pictured. Fill the peppers and bake for 25 minutes. Top with fresh guacamole.

Cost: $10 (CD)
Markets: Longos, No Frills
Notes: This was awesome. I got a panini press for Christmas and I have only used it about a dozen times. Wifey says this was the best sandwich that I have ever made her.

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• 1 Boneless chicken breast
• 1 Large slice of the best Proscuitto you can get
  
• 1 Small red onion (used only a small amount)
• 1 Small strips of roasted peppers from a jar
• 2 Slices of provolone cheese
• 1/4 cup of crumpled feta cheese
• 1 Cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• Zest of 1/4 lemon
• Some flour
• 1 Egg beaten
• 1 Ciabatta roll
• 1 teaspoon of mayo
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Some butter

Walnut Pesto

• 1 Small packet of fresh basil
• A handful of Italian parsley
• A few Tablespoons of gated Parmesan cheese
  
• Small handful of toasted walnuts

Quickie Recipe:

Add the lemon zest to the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. Bread chicken breast and fry it up in a neutral oil of choice and set aside. Make the pesto with less salt and reserve. Caramelize the onion and set aside. Now put it all together. Hollow out the ciabatta roll. Put mayo on one half. Add pesto sauce to both halves. Put a one slice of provolone on bottom. Wrap the proscuitto around the cooked chicken cutlet and place on the provolone. Add the onions and the peppers on top of the chicken. On the other side of the bread add the feta cheese and the other slice of provolone. Melt butter with lemon juice and brush on top of the panini. This will help to sear up and get those strips. Grill or put in panini press.

Cost: $8.00 (CD)
Markers: No Frills
Notes: This made a lot. Good for 4-6 . It was fantastic. Most pasta dishes I make are completely improvised.

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• Two chicken breasts, medium dice.
• 4 Cups of brown rice pasta, cooked
• 1 Cup of walnut Pesto. Click here for the recipe
• 4 Slices of proscuitto, medium dice
  
• 1 Medium onion, diced
• 1 Red bell pepper, diced
• 2-4 Cups of grated hard ricotta (salata) cheese
• 4 Slices of Provolone cheese
• 1 Cup of Parmesan cheese
  
• 2 Bags of cleaned spinach
• 1/2 Cup of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 Lemon, juice and zest
• Some butter
• Some EVOO
• Flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 Cup Vermouth
• 1/4 cup of White wine

Quickie Recipe:

Combine pasta and pesto in a bowl and set aside. Cook spinash with lemon zest, salt and pepper and set aside. Cook onions and peppers in EVOO and then add vermouth and boil off. Add to the cooked spinach. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour and cook in butter (like scampi) add lemon juice and reduce then add white wine and reduce. Cook the the proscuitto and then mix with the chicken. In a baking dish layer pasta, then all of the spinach, then ricotta cheese. Layer pasta then chicken then more cheese. Bake (covered) at 350 for 45 minutes. Take off the cover and add breadcumbs and more cheese and put under the boiler for 3-5 minutes.

Cost: $29.00
Markets: No Frills, Longos, LCBO
Notes: This recipe feeds 6-8. When I make risottos I don’t measure so this is an estimate of ingredients and method etc. It was delicious!

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• 3 Cups of short grain rice. I used Carnaroli rice. It’s the best for this type of risotto
• 2 Chicken breast, cubed (marinate in olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and steak seasoning)
• 1 8 oz Container of button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 King mushroom, sliced
• 1 Medium handful of Shitaki mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Large fist size of Oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Medium size Vidalia onion, small dice
• 1 40 g Packet of fresh sage leaves plucked from their stems
• 4-5 Cloves of sliced garlic
• 32-64 oz. Chicken stock,  Warm
• 1 Cup of White wine
• 1/2 Cup of Dry vermouth
• 1 Lemon, juice (for the chicken marinade)
• 3-4 TBSP of EVO (one for the chicken marinade)
• 1 TBSP of Dried Thyme (fro the chicken marinade)
• Grated Romano Cheese to taste
• Grated Parmesan Cheese to taste
• 3-4 TBSP of Unsalted butter
• Small handful of fresh Italian parsley

Quickie Recipe

Marinade chicken for at least an hour. Cook it until almost cooked. Cook mushrooms in butter and olive oil and finish with dry vermouth. Make sure it’s all cooked into the mushroom and set aside. Cook sage and garlic in butter until the sage is a bit crispy and set aside. Add butter and evo to a pan and cook onions until lucid. Add the 3 cups of rice and stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until absorbed. Ladle in chicken stock (one at a time) and cook risotto. When it’s almost done add chicken, mushrooms, sage and Romano cheeses. Add minced parsley and top with Parmesan cheese.

Cost: $6.50 (CD)
Markets: No Frills
Notes: The Chicken breasts were on sale.

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• 2 Skinless & boneless chicken breasts
• 1 Cup of Italian herb bread crumbs
• 1 Lemon, zest and slices
• 1 TBSP of EVO
• 1 Egg beaten
• 1/4 Cup of flour
• 3 TBSP of Chicken broth
• Cooking oil spray, as needed
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

In a medium bowl add bread crumbs, lemon zest, and garlic powder. Season chicken with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, egg batter and and bread crumbs. In non-stick skillet add the EVO and cooking oil spray. Brown cutlets and put in an oven proof baking dish. Add the chicken broth.  Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 F. for 35-40 minutes.

Cost: $6.00 (CD)
Markets: Bulk Barn & No Frills
Notes: This recipe could feed four
Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• 3 Cups of Brown rice pasta
• 2 Quarts of Chicken broth or stock to cook the brown rice pasta in
• 1 Boneless chicken breast
• 1 TBSP of season salt for the chicken
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 4 Medium sized red/orange bell peppers roasted and diced. (Roast pepper under broiler on high, turning until entire pepper is black. Let rest and take off skin. DO NOT RINSE UNDER WATER)
• 1 Small Spanish onion, small dice
• 1 Cup of frozen peas
• 4 Cloves of minced garlic
• 1 TBSP of EVO
• 1 TBSP of dried Basil
• 1/4 cup of Dry Vermouth
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese to taste
• Cooking oil spray as needed

Quickie Recipe

Cook pasta in chicken boiling broth as directed. In a non-stick skillet add cooking oil spray and then turn on the heat to medium high. Sauté onions until lucid and add garlic and cook for one minute. Add vermouth and reduce by 1/2 half. Add peas and peppers and cook for one minute. Set aside. Clean pan and add cooking oil spray. Sauté chicken until brown and add juice of lemon and cook for one minute. Combine veggies, chicken, lemon zest, EVO, dried basil and toss. Drain pasta but leave a thin layer of broth in the pot. Add the veggies and chicken. Toss, season and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cost: $7.50 (CD)
Markets: Longos and No Frills
Notes: Killer sale on boneless chicken breasts and peppers

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• 2 Orange bell peppers (with tops cut off)
• 1 Chicken breast small cubed
• 1 Cup of cubed sweet potato
• 1 TBSP of BBQ rub seasoning (I use Southern Pride)
  
• 1 Leek (white part cut in half and sliced)
• 1/4 Cup of minced fresh basil
• 1 Orange, zest and juice
• 1 TBSP of balsamic vinegar
• Cooking oil spray as needed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Sauté leeks in cooking spray oil (you can use EVO if you wish) until lucid add sweet potatoes, orange juice and reduce to low and cover. Cook for 20-30 minutes until al dente.  Sauté chicken in a non-stick pan and add the BBQ rub. In a bowl combine chicken, leeks and potatoes, basil, orange zest and balsamic vineger. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook Orange bell peppers for 3 minutes. Stuff peppers and place in an oven proof dish with 1/4 inch of water and bake for 40-45 minutes.

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Cost: $10.40 (CD)
Markets: Food Basics and Longos
Notes: Four breasts feeds four people

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• 4 Chicken breasts (bone in and skin on)
• 6 cups of cooked Lima or butter beans they are knows as (I soaked mine for 14 hours and then cooked them in chicken broth for one hour).
• 2 Leeks, cut in half and sliced
• Cooking oil spray as needed
  
• Several tablespoons of your favorite season salt
• 2 Lemons, sliced
• Hand full of flat leaf parsley
  
• 1 Serrano chili (optional, I diced and sauteed it and put this on the chicken breast to give it some kick)
• 3 Cloves of garlic
• 1 TBSP of Olive oil
• 1/4 Cup of white wine (for the mash)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. In an oven proof tray line all of the lemon pieces, but save four for garnish. Spray chicken breasts with oil and sprinkle on the season salt. Bake for 40-50 minutes until crispy. Sauté leeks until lucid. Add leeks, cooked Lima beans, garlic, white wine, olive oil and parsley in a food processor and mix until thick like a mash poratoes.

Cost: $6.50 (CD)
Markets: No Frills
Notes: This was simple, crispy and delicious! Serves two.

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• 2 Chicken breasts (bone in and skin on)
• 1 Head of broccoli cut into pieces (florets)
• 3-4 Cloves of minced garlic
• 2 TBSP of your favorite season salt. I like Lawry’s
• 1 Lemon, juice
• 1 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive oil
• Cooking oil spray

Quickie Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Spray chicken breasts with cooking oil. Sprinkle with season salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 40-45 minutes until crispy. Meanwhile steam your florets in a pot with one inch of water for 30 seconds. Take them out and add your olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Season to taste.

Cost: $5.50 (CD)
Markets: No Frills

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

• 2 Bone in chicken breasts
• 1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Quickie Recipe

Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken breasts in a food processor and mix until it’s like a light paste consistency. Take 2-3 TBSP and spread all over chicken breasts and marinate for a least 24 hours. Pre-heat oven to 350 F and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. Spread remaining sauce on breasts and serve.