Lemon Thyme Pesto

Believe it or not, you can make a pesto out of just about any leafy fresh herb. Here, I had an abundance of lemon thyme in my mini garden and experimented with this recipe. Lemon thyme has a sweet and lemony flavor which is light, so it's great to use with poultry, fish, pasta or sauces.  Pesto is so simple and quick to make. Just pop all of your ingredients into your food processor and in 5 minutes you have fresh pesto you can use in your recipes. This one I used in some risotto (recipe to follow!). 

Lemon Thyme Pesto
1 c. Lemon Thyme, removed from stem
1 Garlic Clove
1/4 c. Pignoli Nuts
2 tbsp. Pecorino  Romano Cheese, grated
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Add the thyme, garlic, nuts and cheese to a food processor or blender and pulse until well blended. 
2. Next, gradually add the oil until the mixture forms resembles a paste-like consistency. 
3. Use immediately or store in an air tight container in the freezer for later use. Makes 1/2 cup. 

*Nutritional Information per Tablespoon: Calories 84, Carbs .6g, Fat 8.6g, Protein 1.2g, Fiber .5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy! 

Clemen-Thyme Baked Chicken Cutlets

So tell me...honestly! What do you think of the name of this recipe? I didn't want to make it too long so Rachael named this one for me. I thought it was kind of clever myself, though she did inherit my warped sense of humor...poor kid! Anyway, the night I made these I still didn't have a working stovetop to fry my chicken cutlets and the kids have been craving them so I wanted to try baking them instead. By using the cooking spray and Panko breadcrumbs, they came out super crispy without all of that added fat and they LOVED these. 

Clemen-Thyme Baked Chicken Cutlets
2 lb. Boneless Chicken Breasts (approx. 2-3 depending on their size)
1 c. All-Purpose Flour
2 eggs 
1/4 c. Milk (I use 2%)
1 Clementine, juice only
2 c. Panko Breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Thyme (you can also use regular thyme), pulled from the stem
Cooking Spray (I use Canola Oil)

Directions:
1. First, trim your chicken by placing it on a clean cutting board. Place one hand flat on top of the chicken and holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, slice the chicken horizontally from the thickest end to the thin end into 1/4 inch thick cutlets. You should get approximately 7-8 cutlets. 
2. Next, prepare three separate bowls. One for flour. One for the eggs, milk and clementine juice. And another for breadcrumbs and lemon thyme. 
3. Dip each cutlet first in the flour, then in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumb mixture. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, then place your chicken on top. 
4. Lightly spray the top of the chicken with the cooking spray. 
5. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway, making sure chicken is cooked through and lightly browned. Serves 4. 

Enjoy!

Shared at Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms 8/27/12
Shared at Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen 8/27/12

Raspberry & Orange Risotto

The day I made those Raspberry & Orange Chicken Breasts, I needed something to go with it. So I called on my Facebook friends to offer up some suggestions and rice/risotto seemed to be the popular favorite. I still had a little bit of Chambord left, so I decided finish up the bottle and use the same flavors in my side dish. I love when you have the same flavors in sides or vegetables that complement your main meal, it just ties everything together in a nice little package. This was so easy to make, was slightly sweet, but not overly so and was perfect with our chicken.


I've also started a small herb garden on my deck, as I can't grow anything in my yard (too many deer, bear, fox, coyote, etc...you name it...gotta love wildlife!). It's not very big but it suits my purpose just fine. This year I'm growing basil, cilantro, rosemary and lemon thyme. I had never seen this herb before and wanted to give it a try. You can really smell the combination of lemon and thyme in this herb and it brings out a nice, soft flavor. I've used it so far in vegetables, chicken and now rice but I bet it would also go well with seafood. 

Raspberry & Orange Risotto
1 tbsp. Butter
1 c. Arborio Rice
1 tbsp. Chambord
1/2 c. Orange Juice
1 c. Water
2 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1 tsp. Lemon Thyme, removed from stem


In a large, non-stick saute pan, melt the butter and add in the rice. Stir until the rice turns slightly brown, then add the Chambord and orange juice. Allow the liquid to evaporate, then add in the water. Again, allow the liquid to evaporate, then add in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time, allowing the liquid to evaporate after each addition. Add the lemon thyme, salt and pepper and mix well. Serves 6. 

Lemon Thyme in my mini herb garden. 

Enjoy!