Grilled Chicken Breasts with Chimichurri Sauce

 This recipe was shared a little while ago by my brother in law Hyrum who served a church mission in Argentina.  He actually sent me two recipes and I combined and tweaked them a bit.  This is one of those dishes that may look a little odd at first (specially to my kids) because of the green color, but do not let that stop you from trying this delicious chicken.  The chimichurri gives the meat the perfect flavor! Marinate it a while longer and the flavor will sink even more into the meat.  You have to give this a try!

INGREDIENTS:

Chimichurri Sauce:

1.5 -2 c parsley (about 2 small bunches)

4 tsp minced garlic

4 tsp oregano

1/4 c red wine vinegar

1/2 c olive oil

2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt 

Blend all ingredients in the blender until you have a smooth sauce.

I used 6 large chicken breasts for this recipe.  Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts, salt them and them put them in a container to marinate.  Pour the chimichurri sauce over the chicken and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours to marinate.  Grill and enjoy!

Note:  If you want, reserve some of the sauce before pouring it on the chicken so you can add it to your chicken after it's grilled. Also, you can cut down on the red pepper flakes if you think it might be too spicy for you.  It was perfect for us with the amount I put in it, my kids ate it.

Avocado Green Salsa (Salsa Verde con Aguacate)

 This salsa is absolutely delicious!  Perfect for chips or to accompany any of your favorite Mexican dishes.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lbs Tomatillos

1-2 Fresh Jalapeños

1 small onion, quartered

1 bunch of cilantro

1 garlic clove

salt

2 avocados

Remove the husk (leaf) from the tomatillos and wash them.  In a sauce pan boil the tomatillos along with the jalapeños and onion. Make sure you don't overcook the tomatillos or they will break apart and you will have a hard time getting them out of the pan. Just cook them until they change color.  Let the tomatillos, onion, and jalapeños cool and then pour them in the blender with a little bit of the water. Add salt, garlic and cilantro and blend. Cut open the avocados and remove the pit.  Add the avocado pulp to the green salsa mix.  Blend once more.  The salsa will be thick and creamy at this point, just perfect!  Enjoy!!!

Note:  This salsa will keep for about 4-5 days.

Ricotta & Spinach Stuffed Manicotti

 Quick and easy delicious dinner!  Stuffing the manicotti will be the most time-consuming while making the recipe.  However, if you place all your filling in a plastic bag and then cut a hole in it, you'll be able to stuff the manicotti shells much faster.  Also, this is one of those recipes that you can make ahead and then bake when ready.  You can also freeze it for up to 1 month.

INGREDIENTS:
For the Sauce:
37 oz Spaghetti sauce (bought 45 oz jar but didn't use it all, you easily can)
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
salt to taste (for meat)

For the Filling:
5 oz Fresh spinach
2 c Ricotta cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground black pepper


1 pkg uncooked manicotti shells
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle on top when ready to bake)

Start by making your meaty sauce (you can easily skip the meat if you want).  In a pan, cook the meat, add salt.  When the meat is halfway done, add the minced garlic and chopped onions.  Mix well and continue cooking until meat is ready.  When the meat is ready, add the spaghetti sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes, set aside.

Steam the spinach, then squeeze to drain (you could also use frozen spinach).  Mix spinach, ricotta and Parmesan cheese, nutmeg and pepper.

Add about a third of your sauce to a ungreased 9x13 baking dish.  Fill the uncooked manicotti shells and place shells in sauce in dish.  Pour the remaining sauce evenly over shells, covering them completely.  Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 and 1/2 hours or until shells are tender.

Note:  If making ahead, cover and refrigerate manicotti for up to 24 hours.  You can also wrap airtight, and freeze for up to 1 month (when doing this,add 10 more minutes to the baking time).  When ready to use, unwrap frozen manicotti, cover and bake for 2 hours.  Enjoy!