Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken

My mother-in-law makes THE most wonderful, decadent, fresh pesto I've ever had. She has a simple recipe that we adore. And I knew I wanted to make chicken tonight, so I whipped up a quick filling and it was an instant family hit! The kids loved the chicken and the creamy, cheesy filling! And the sun-dried tomatoes added a tangy, almost sweet, bite. 

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1-2 tbsp. Pesto
• 3 pieces of sun-dried tomato, minced
• 2 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 chicken breasts
• Fresh basil
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Other: toothpicks or twine

I sliced the chicken down the center to create a pocket for the filling. I topped the filling with two basil leaves.

Then, I placed the stuffed chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I used 3-4 toothpicks to secure the opening on each breast. Or if you don't have toothpicks, you could also use kitchen twine.

Lastly, I drizzled some olive oil on each chicken breast and sprinkled them with salt and pepper. If you want, you could even skip the toothpicks and wrap each chicken breast with 2-3 pieces of bacon.

I baked the chicken in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. Use your discretion, as each oven cooks a different speeds. 

I served the chicken with broccoli, but mashed potatoes would also be a wonderful side to this dish.

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

Chicken Gyro

I'm a sucker for a good gyro. And this recipe for chicken gyros is crazy easy and tastes amazing!

Ingredients:

• Tsatziki sauce ( homemade or store bought)
• 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 6 pieces of pita bread (I used naan bread)

Optional toppings:

• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Iceberg lettuce, shredded
• Feta cheese, crumbled
• Kalamata olives
• Tomato, sliced or diced

I started by slicing the chicken into thin, small pieces. Then, I added all of the marinade ingredients into a glass bowl. 

I mixed the marinade, added the chicken, and coated the chicken in the marinade. I covered it and put it in the fridge for 1 hour.

When I was ready to cook the chicken, I poured it onto a small baking pan and spread it out -- creating one thin layer.

I heated the frozen naan bread (you might use pita) in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

I put the broiler in my oven on high and set the rack to be about 6 inches under the broiler. Then, I put the chicken under the broiler for about 10 minutes. Each oven is different, so keep an eye on the chicken. You might want to take it out every few minutes and toss the chicken so that you get even browning.

Today was a snowy day, so I didn't want to leave the house and get more toppings... therefore, I only had tzatziki sauce, yellow onion, and feta. I would have liked to have some tomato as well, but next time!

I like to spread a thin layer of tzatziki sauce on the bread, but you can always put it on top. The chicken was delicious and even the kiddos ate a bunch!

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

Brazilian Rice & Beans (Arroz com Feijão)

This recipe has been a long time coming. This is what I ate at least four days of the week growing up. This is my comfort food. This is home. And now my kids are obsessed with this as well!

Now I know many people have different recipes for black beans, but this is how my mom cooks it. The following is the recipe for black beans cooked in a pressure cooker. So if you don't have a pressure cooker - buy one. They are amazing! And you could also use this recipe for pinto beans, which is also delicious!

Ingredients for the beans:

• 16 oz. black beans (or pinto beans)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ham hock
• 2 links of smoked sausage
• Water
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 3 bay leaves
• Optional: fresh or dried cilantro

The day before you plan to make these beans, soak the beans in a bowl of water, covering them with about 2 inches of water. They will soak up most, if not all, of the water. 

Before you make the beans, drain them and set them aside.

In the pressure cooker, add the olive oil and sear the ham hock on all sides. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the smoked sausage.

Add water, about 1/2 - 2/3 up the side of the pressure cooker (Each pressure cooker has different safety measures. Read the instruction manual before you cook anything). Add beans, paprika, salt, black pepper, and bay leaves to the pot and stir. Taste to see if it is well seasoned. You can also add cilantro at this point if you like. My husband doesn't care for the taste of cilantro, so I didn't add it.

Put the lid on and make sure the lid is secure. Once the pressure cooker starts steaming (you'll know what I mean), cook the beans for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pressure cooker release the pressure a bit and cool down. 

All done!

Serve the beans over rice and if you want to be truly authentic, you can add farinha de mandioca on top. You'll be instantly transported to Brazil!

I love the way the sausage turns black from the beans. I also like to be heavy on the bean liquid when I eat rice and beans, but you don't have to add a lot of liquid. 

Ingredients for the rice:

• 2 cups of white rice
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• Salt
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Direction for the rice:

• Heal oil in large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute until onions are translucent. Add the rice and stir, coating it with the oil. Add the chicken broth and salt to taste. Cook covered until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. 

>> If you end up making this for dinner, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis