chicken

Food on a stick is really fun! And easy. And healthy. Mine is made with lean chicken breast, two kinds of peppers, zucchini, and onion, all baked in the oven and it’s delicious. Marinating the chicken is important but my marinade is simple, with just a few ingredients. And I only marinate it while I prep everything else. Then I toss in the veggies just to quickly coat them with the marinade. Soft vegetables like peppers and zucchini are perfect for this quick bake. I tried other vegetables like thinly sliced carrots and halved Brussels sprouts but neither one cooked enough so I suggest sticking with this combo.

I use metal skewers because it’s less work. With wooden ones, they need to be soaked in water before using to keep the wood from burning. Some recipes say to soak for at least 30 minutes while others say overnight but I have never used wood so I can’t say for sure. A few things to note:

• It’s two skewers per person so try to make them the same so everyone gets served equally.
• I put the chicken & veggies on a plate only for easier handling & separating as you thread the skewers.
• It’s best to line your pan with foil, even the edges, because the juices can roll off and burn. I always put parchment paper on top of the foil in case the kabobs stick.
• Don’t crowd the pieces – it helps them cook faster.
• Use oven mits because the metal skewers get hot.

My marinade is simple but you can spice yours up any way you like. I always serve this with basmati rice. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

If you haven’t tried my chicken pot pie you’re missing something really good… and really easy. I haven’t had it for a while and when I made it today, I had forgotten how quick and easy it is and how absolutely delicious it is too! I use white meat chicken breast, carrots, celery and peas so it has lean protein, some vegetables, and I top it with my easy oil crust (made with extra-light olive oil) and wow – it was awesome! Here’s the recipe. I also made a salad (I make one just about every day) – this one had baby lettuce, cabbage, green onion, garbanzo beans, and a cherry vinegar dressing. And for dessert, I made chocolate cake.

But this is not just any chocolate cake. It’s the easiest and one of the healthiest cakes ever. It’s an easy one-bowl cake made without eggs or butter so only the frosting has butter and that’s only two tablespoons. But if someone wants to avoid butter completely, you could skip the frosting and just dust it with some powdered sugar. I don’t know why I haven’t posted the recipe. I think it’s because I just frost it in the pan and it’s not very fancy looking. But it’s so good, I will be posting the recipe. I make it all the time here at home.

We were just negotiating over the size of the servings. In order to avoid any hurt feeling, I try not to make my slice any bigger than his. It’s just easier that way. So that’s what I cooked today. …just sharing… – Jenny Jones