Thursday, April 9, 2009

Zesty Italian Chicken


* 1 Tbl. vegetable oil
* 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves**
* 1 large green bell pepper, cut into small chunks
* 1 (10 oz.) pkg. mushrooms, sliced
* 1 (14 - 16 oz.) jar reduced sodium marinara or spaghetti sauce
* 1/4 c. Worcestershire Sauce
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook chicken 5 min. until browned on both sides. Remove to plate. Add pepper and mushrooms to same skillet. Cook, stirring, 3 min. until tender. Stir in marinara sauce and Worcestershire. Heat to boiling. Return chicken to skillet. Simmer, covered, 5 min. until no longer pink in center.
**You may substitute boneless pork chops. **

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Ultimate Vanilla Pound Cake


* 2 c. flour
* 3/4 tsp. salt
* 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 c. sugar
* 5 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325. Grease bottom and sides of a 9" loaf pan. Line bottom and long sides of pan with parchment, leaving about an inch of overhang on both sides. Grease and flour paper and pan, tapping out excess. Sift flour and salt together into a small bowl. Set aside. Put butter, vanilla and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until light & pale, 3 - 5 min. Add eggs one at a time, beating well and then scraping bowl between each. With mixer on low, add flour to mixture gradually until it is fully incorporated; do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hr. & 15 min. Cool cake on a wire rack for 15 min. Run a knife along unlined sides of pan and use parchment to carefully lift cake onto wire rack to cool completely. Serve with whipped cream and berries, if desired.