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As a main course:

Sun-dried tomato pesto is wonderful. I eat it for lunch with fresh noodles frequently. If you delete the chicken from the recipe below, the pesto can be used on noodles as a primo course (first), as spreads on crostini (toasted thin bread), fish, etc. I have added the chicken to make this a main course. You can substitute Italian sausage for the chicken also (about 6 links, cut) for a main course.

Ingredients (5 servings):

* 1 pound – fresh pasta (penne if you can find it fresh)

* 3 – skinless, boneless chicken breasts

* 2 bottles (7 ounces each) – sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained

* 5 ounces – Parmesan cheese

* 1/4 cup – fresh basil (washed and packed in the cup)

* 3 tablespoons – pine nuts

* 6 cloves – garlic

* 3/4 cup – extra virgin olive oil

* Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, boil a few quarts of water in a pot with salt and cook the penne (fresh pasta should only take a few minutes). While you are waiting for the water to boil, rinse the chicken breasts and remove any fat. Place in a baking dish and cook in oven until brown and well done (about 30 to 40 minutes). Turn oven off once the breasts are finished but do not remove until you have completed cooking the pasta.

Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil in a food processor and blend until well mixed (can be refrigerated for up to two weeks, covered).

When the pasta is finished, set aside 1/2 cup water from the boiling pot, and then drain the pasta well. Place the pasta back into the cooking pot, add the sun-dried tomato pesto and mix well.

Remove the chicken from the oven and dice. Add the chicken along with salt and pepper and the 1/2 cup pasta water. Cook on medium high heat while mixing until it is hot enough to serve.

Almost everyone likes chicken–I am no doubt the exception to the rule, since I simply cannot stomach it–so this quick, easy, casserole is great for family meals, church pitch-ins, picnics, office luncheons, etc. It is also a diabetic friendly dish so there is no need to prepare a second dish for any diabetics in your group. For family meals, steam a vegetable and/or add a quick salad and you have a great meal that is sure to please.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM SPAGHETTI

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4-oz uncooked whole-wheat spaghetti

1/2 can (10 3/4-oz size) low-fat cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 jar (2-oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

nonstick vegetable cooking spray

In a large skillet combine the chicken and enough water to cover it completely; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Drain well. Chop chicken and set aside.

Meanwhile cook the spaghetti according to the package directions but omit any salt or butter. When spaghetti is tender, drain and set aside.

In a small saucepan combine the soup, milk, salt and pepper, stirring to blend. Over low heat, cook just until warm.

Coat a 12″ x 8″ x2″ glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add the spaghetti to the dish. Layer the chicken, soup mixture, then mushrooms over the spaghetti. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Enjoy!

Serves Four

Ingredients:

• A selection of fresh and salad leaves, 4 spring onions finely sliced, 15 ml roughly chopped flat leaf parsley, 115 gm unsmoked streaky bacon copped, 450 gm chicken livers, seasoned plain flour for dusting, 15 ml sunflower oil, 25 gm butter or margarine, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the dressing – 100 ml sunflower oil, 30-45 ml lemon juice, 5 ml French mustard, 1 small garlic clove, crushed salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cooking Method:

• To make the dressing, place the oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic and seasoning in a screw-top jar and shake vigorously to mix.
• Place the salad leaves in a large bowl with the spring onions and parsley. Pour over the dressing, toss briefly and then arrange on four individual serving plates.



• Dry-fry the bacon in a frying pan until it becomes golden brown. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon and keep warm.
• Trim the chicken livers, pat dry on kitchen paper and then dust them thoroughly with the seasoned flour.
• Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and fry the livers over a fairly high heat for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked to your preference, either cooked through or slightly pink inside.
• Arrange the chicken livers on the salad leaves and scatter the crisp bacon pieces over the top.

Turnips are popular in all parts of the Mediterranean, cooked with tomatoes and spinach in simple vegetarian dishes, or teamed with fish or poultry for a more substantial meal. This recipe comes from the Eastern Mediterranean.

Serves Four

Ingredients:
30 ml sunflower oil; 8 chicken thighs or 4 chicken pieces; 4 small turnips; 2 onions, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 6 tomatoes, peeled and chopped; 250 ml tomato juice; 250 ml chicken stock; 120 ml white wine; 5 ml paprika; good pinch of cayenne pepper; 20 black olives, pitted; ½ lemon, cut into wedges; salt and freshly ground black pepper; fresh parsley, to garnish couscous, to serve.

Cooking Method:

• Preheat the oven to 160 ºC. Heat 15 ml of the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken pieces until lightly browned. Peel the turnips and cut into julienne strips.
• Transfer the chicken to a large casserole. Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the onions and garlic for 4-5 minutes until lightly golden brown stirring occasionally.
• Add the turnip and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato juice, stock, wine, paprika, cayenne and seasoning. Bring to the boil. Pour over the chicken. Stir in the olives and lemon.
• Cover tightly and cook in the oven for 1-1 ½ hours until the chicken is tender.
• Garnish with fresh parsley and serve on a bed of couscous.

This biryani recipe may look rather complicated, but it is not difficult to follow. You can substitute lamb for chicken, if you prefer, but you would have to marinate it overnight.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped; 1 ½ tsp fresh garlic, crushed;
• 1 tbsp garam masala; 1 tsp chilli powder; ½ tsp turmeric; 2 tsp salt;
• 20 crushed green/white cardamom seeds, crushed; 300 ml natural yogurt;
• 1.5 kg chicken, skinned and cut into 8; 150 ml milk; ½ tsp saffron strands;
• 6 tbsp ghee; 2 medium onions, sliced; 450 gm basmati rice; 2 cinnamon sticks;
• 4 black peppercorns; 1 tsp black cumin seeds;
• 4 green chillies; fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped; and 4 tbsp lemon juice.

Cooking Method:

• Blend together the ginger, garlic, garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric,
• 1 tsp salt and cardamom seeds and mix with the yogurt and chicken pieces. Set aside to marinate for 3 hours.
• Boil the milk in a pan, pour over the saffron and set aside.
• Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the onions until golden brown. Remove half of the onions and ghee from the saucepan and set aside.
• Place the rice in a pan with twice as much water as rice. Add the cinnamon, peppercorns and the cumin. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat when half-cooked. Drain and place in a bowl. Mix with the remaining water.
• Using a sharp knife, finely chop the green chillies.
• Add the chicken mixture to the pan containing the onions and ghee. Add half each of the chopped green chillies, coriander, lemon juice and saffron.
• Add the rice and then the rest of the ingredients, including the fried onions and ghee. Cover tightly so no steam escapes.
• Cook on a low heat for about 1 hour. If the meat is not cooked through, cook for a further 15 minutes. Mix well before serving.