How To Baked Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Sage-Pecan Pesto and Feta

Ingredients:

1. 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2. 1/4 cup Sage-Pecan Pesto (you could make this with purchased basil pesto if you don't have fresh sage)
3. 1/4 cup crumbled feta (packed)
4. 1/4 cup Almond Meal (can also use bread crumbs)
5. 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
6. 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a flat roasting pan with olive oil or nonstick spray. Trim all visible fat and tendons from chicken breasts, then put each chicken piece inside heavy plastic bag and pound with meal mallet until the chicken is 1/4 inch thick. (Don't worry if there are some ragged edges, you can tuck them in.) Lay chicken skin side down on cutting board.

2. Put crumbled Feta and pesto in a small bowl and mix together with a fork. Divide pesto mixture evenly among four chicken breasts, then use a spoon to spread it over the chicken, not going completely to the edge or the stuffing will leak out. Roll up each chicken breast, starting with the smallest end and tucking in any ragged edges, then secure each piece with two toothpicks.
Put beaten egg in one bowl and combine almond meal and parmesan in another. Dip each chicken piece first in egg, then in almond/parmesan mixture, turning over several times so chicken is well-coated.

3. Place chicken pieces in baking pan and cook until chicken feels firm but not hard to the touch (about 40 minutes, but start checking a little sooner.) If desired, put chicken under the broiler for 3-4 minutes to brown the top. (I did broil the top a bit.) Serve hot.

Handmade Ice Cream Recipe

An ice cream maker may be the easiest way to make homemade ice cream, but it's not the only way. With a little bit of kitchen science, you can make soft, smooth ice cream without any special appliances.

The key is preventing the formation of large ice crystals. Larger crystals mean a crunchy, icy texture whereas microscopic crystals keep things smooth and creamy. Since the constant churning motion of an ice cream maker prevents the formation of large crystals, for this method we’ll employ other tricks to keep the crystals small.

Step 1
Prepare Base:

 Most ice cream bases begin with milk, cream and sugar, but there are a few additional ingredients that will help stop the formation of large crystals. For that reason, custard-style ice cream bases with egg yolks work well. Start your base by combining half and half, sugar and egg yolks in a medium sauce pan.

TIP
Low fat or low sugar ice cream bases tend to not work as well when made by hand and will create an icy product.

Step 2
Chill the Base:

To quickly chill your ice cream base, place it in a bowl over a second bowl full of ice and whisk until it is chilled. When you're ready to begin freezing, pour the ice cream base into a large, shallow non-plastic dish. Using a shallow dish increases the surface area and speeds the freezing process.

TIP
Make sure your base is thoroughly chilled before beginning the freezing process — it helps the liquid freeze faster, which also prevents large crystals.






Step 3
Freeze & Scrape:

Cover the dish and place it in the freezer for about 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, the edges will just begin to solidify. Scrape the frozen edges from the side of the dish with a spatula or whisk and vigorously stir them into the rest of the liquid. Freeze for another 30 minutes, scrape the edges, stir and freeze again.

Step 4
Whisk in Crystals:

Keep repeating the freeze-and-stir process every 30 minutes. Once the ice cream begins to thicken slightly, use a whisk or immersion blender to vigorously beat the mixture instead of just stirring with a spoon.

TIP
Whisking breaks up the crystals better than a spoon and incorporates air, making for a fluffier product.

Step 5
Add In Goodies:

When the ice cream reaches "soft serve" consistency, it's ready for add-ins. Gently fold in anything from frozen fruit or strawberry syrup to chocolate chips, caramel drizzle or chopped peanut butter cups. After folding in the extras, return the ice cream to the freezer for one more hour to set.

TIP
Avoid adding in banana slices because they will turn black.

Step 6
Enjoy or Store:

Homemade ice cream is best consumed the day it's prepared, but it can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. Pressing a layer of cling wrap onto the surface of the ice cream, even if using a resealable container, will help keep the ice cream soft during storage. Once you've found your favorite ice cream base, the sky is the limit for add-ins, so have fun and get the kids involved in ice cream making this summer

Grilled Crusted Steak With Lemon Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

Lemon Butter
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder

Steak
4 sirloin steaks
1⁄4 cup ground black pepper
1 1⁄2 teaspoons white pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder  

Directions:

Mix together butter, parsley, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Place butter mixture in plastic wrap and roll into a log shape.

Chill until firm.

Combine black pepper, white pepper, red pepper flakes,     coriander, sugar,     salt and garlic powder.

Rub spice mix into both sides of steaks.

Shake off excess.

Place steaks on a hot grill and cook for 2 minutes.    

Turn and cook for 2 additional minutes.

Move steak to a cooler section of the grill and continue to cook until desired doneness.

Serve each steak with a slice of the lemon butter.