Oven Braised Chicken Breast with Potatoes and Carrots

I know chicken can be a little mundane but when you braise it in the oven and add a little color to it you will be surprised how much your family will love it.

4 bone in, skin on chicken breast
2 potatoes peeled and sliced thin
5 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 onions sliced thin
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Moroccan 7 spice, Kabsah spice and Moroccan saffron. (You can use what ever spice your family likes, turmeric will add a yellow color)
Salt and pepper to taste

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge it in the flour being sure to shake off the excess. Heat a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat. Drizzle in some olive oil. Lay the floured chicken skin side down in the pan brown the chicken on all sides then remove and set aside. Add the onions and carrots to the pan season with salt and pepper. Let this cook for about five minutes. Add the garlic and the spices. Let this cook for another couple of minutes. Add in the potatoes. Let these cook for another five minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reintroduce the chicken to the pan. Cover and place the pan into a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and he potatoes are tender. For more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leach@gmail.com

Seafood Parmesan Casserole

This is a fun way to introduce seafood to your family, what isn't more delicious covered in cheese?

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound tilapia filets cubed
1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
1 8 ounce package imitation crab
1 8 ounce package imitation lobster
1/2 medium onion minced
1/4 green, yellow and orange bell peppers chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 packages whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles boiled in salted water for 7 minutes then drained (these will finishing the oven)

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon Old Bay
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups skim milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1/2 cup crushed crackers (or bread crumbs)


In a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat add the oil, peppers and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Let this cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and let cook for another minute or two. Now the tilapia and shrimp can be added. Let this cook until the shrimp start to turn pink and the fish is almost cooked through, about 10 minutes, then add the crab and lobster. Add the spices and let cook for another 5 minutes. While this is cooking get the noodles ready. In a medium sauce pot melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour, salt, pepper, cayenne and Old Bay. Let this bubble for a minute or two then whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer whisking often. Once the sauce starts to thicken add 1/4 cup of the parmesan. Let the sauce get thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Combine the noodles and fish ,mixture then stir in the cream sauce. Pour into a greased casserole dish and sprinkle with crushed crackers and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. For more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leah@gmail.com

Kitchen Sink Soup

This is what I make with the vegetables that are too few to make anything else and I haven't been to the store yet. And who doesn't love a hot bowl of soup on a cold day?

2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 stalks of celery with leaves roughly chopped
1 small bag of baby carrots roughly chopped
2 sweet potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
4 potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 onions minced
3 cloves garlic mince
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon Moroccan 7 spice (optional)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cans chick peas drained and rinsed
8 cups water
1 bullion cube of your choice ( I use a vegetable cube that I buy from a specialty market)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom stock pot over medium high heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and let cook until the onions become tender. Add the potatoes and sweet potatoes, let this cook for another few minutes. Add the chick peas, tomato paste, oregano, spices, salt and pepper. Let this cook for five more minutes. Add the water and bullion. Bring to a boil, en cove and simmer for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Ladle the sop into the blender, because this is hot cover the top with a kitchen towel before blending, purée the soup and place in a clean pot. You will need to do this in batches. Once all the soup is puréed stir in the cream and reheat. For more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leach@gmail.com

Beef and Noodles

This is another classic dish that will fill them up!

2 pounds cubed beef tender loin
3 large stalks of celery roughly chopped
4 carrots scrubbed well and roughly chopped
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 box chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 bag whole wheat egg noodles prepared according to package directions

Season the meat with the salt and pepper. Add the oregano to the flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the beef in the seasoned flour. Shake off the excess flour and place in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat with the olive oil already in it. Brown the meat on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the vegetables to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth being sure to scrap all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes, once this has reduced and started to thicken add the heavy cream. Let this simmer for another 10 minutes. While the sauce is reducing boil the noodles. Drain the noodles and dress with the sauce. This will change the way you see beef and noodles. For more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leach@gmail.com

Shredded Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

We all have those busy week nights when we have enough time to run home and run out again. On these nights I have a quick fix recipe that is sure to please.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

6-8 whole wheat sandwich buns
Sliced cheese of your choice

Any side item of your choosing (I like to use those steam fresh sides in the freezer)

Place the chicken, spices and BBQ sauce in the slow cooker on high heat. This should take about 1 hour to cook. The good part about this is you can leave it to cook and come home to dinner almost ready. Once the chicken is cooked through shred with a fork and serve over the whole wheat buns with a slice of cheese. Serve this with your favorite side dish. This is a fast, wholesome meal that your family will ask for time and time again. For more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leach@gmail.com

Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a great dish to feed a family have plenty for lunch the next day.


2 cups rice brown rice
4 cups water
1 bullion cube (any flavor)

1/2 green, red, orange and yellow bell peppers minced
1 medium onion minced
2 cups minced mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
4 strips turkey bacon chopped
1/2 package smoked turkey sausage cubed
1 pound raw shrimp deveined, shelled and rinsed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf

Place the rice, water and bullion in a medium sauce pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until rice is tender and water is absorbed. While the rice is cooking get all of your other ingredients prepared. Place a large heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the turkey bacon and let cook for a few minutes. Add the sausage, chicken and seasoning. Let the chicken cook about half way through then add the vegetables. Once the chicken is cooked through add the shrimp. Once the shrimp start to turn pink the rice should be ready, add the rice to the rest of the ingredients and let simmer for a couple of minutes. (There will be some liquid from the vegetables and meat this will be absorbed into the rice.) for more on this recipe or any others please email me at alesia.leach@gmail.com