Stuffed Turkey Loaf

Today I bring you a special-edition meatloaf: stuffed with delicious green herbs and spinach. It is simple and delicious. It is also healthy.

I saw a picture of a stuffed turkey meatloaf in a "Cooking Light" cookbook my mom purchased for us. I decided to give it a try, then proceeded to close the book. You know I'm not much for recipes.

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I mixed some ground turkey meat with half a cup of whole wheat bread crumbs, a tablespoon of garlic powder, and a small amount of tomato sauce. I kneaded it just long enough to incorporate the ingredients, then I patted it out on a piece of plastic wrap, making a rectangle about six inches by eight inches. When I had the desired shape, I covered the entire thing with chopped fresh spinach and basil. I then used the plastic wrap to roll the meat, keeping the greens tucked inside. If you've seen someone roll sushi, you know the technique. I was able to keep a tight hold (and a tight roll) in the meat by sort of sealing it with the plastic wrap. When I was finished, I turned the meatloaf into a bread pan (sprayed liberally with cooking spray) and brushed a little tomato sauce on top. I baked it for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

I served this delicious and juicy meatloaf with mashed carrots and russet potato, mixed with a little garlic and tiny bit of tomato sauce. It was simple and hit all the right flavor notes. It was a simple way to incorporate a little more fiber (and a ton of flavor) into an otherwise typical dish. I hope you will enjoy it with fork in hand.

Apple Juice Chicken

This dish was basically my mother's signature dish when we were kids. It was, by far, the most complex, "fancy" meal on her menu. We coined the name "Apple Juice Chicken" ourselves, but the recipe originally came from my Aunt Donna, I believe. Now, I'm claiming it as my own.

Apple Juice Chicken is breaded and baked chicken topped with a thick sauce of breadcrumbs, apple juice, and onion. Here's how to make it.

Start by cleaning chicken breasts, removing the skin and fat. Then, in one bowl, wisk an egg or two with a touch of water to create an egg dip. In another bowl, mix a couple cups of unseasoned or seasoned breadcrumbs (I found whole wheat breadcrumbs!), a tablespoon each of garlic powder and oregano, and some grated parmesean cheese (straight out of the shaker!). You're going to coat the chicken in egg, then roll it in the breadcrumb mixture until all of the chicken is covered. Placed the crumbed chicken in a baking dish (a casserole dish of your choosing). Be sure to spray the casserole dish for easier clean-up!

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You're going to bake the chicken for about fifteen minutes. While that's happening, mix the remaining breadcrumbs (add more if you need to) with some apple juice until you have a loose, runny sauce. Toss in onions. After the fifteen-minute bake, pull the chicken out, and pour the apple juice mixture over the chicken. Bake for another ten to fifteen minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.

For me, this dish always brings me back to my youth. In fact, I often cook it for family gatherings where my brother and/or sister will be present because I know how much all of us like it. But, here's the rub. When we were kids, my brother liked his chicken without any topping, so Mom baked his breaded breast separately. My sister, alas, did not like the onions but did like the apple juice mix, so Mom always left a breast with no onion. Thankfully, this is not a difficult recipe to problem-solve, if you have picky eaters. To this day, when I make Apple Juice Chicken during my visits to Florida, I have to make it three ways because my sister still doesn't eat the onions, and her husband likes his breaded chicken naked of the sauce.

What I love about this dish, besides the memories it brings back, is the fragrance of the warm apple juice and the crunch of the onions on top. It's a sweet, flavorful way to serve chicken, and most of us have the ingredients in our cupboards and fridges right now. If you're looking for something new, give this a try. And let me know what you think-- with fork in hand.

Indian Samosas

This is the blog you've all been waiting for! Or, well, this is the blog I've been waiting to write, and I hope enjoy it.

A ubiquitous Indian staple is the samosa. A samosa is a pocket of dough filled with vegetables or meat (and Indian spices, of course) that is fried and served with chutney or a sauce of some kind. Like the other Indian dishes I've attempted, samosas are more about technique than they are about prescribed fillings and flavors.

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I've wanted to make samosas for a while because I know they are something Ram misses from home. I also love anything I can eat with my hands, and samosas are perfect finger food. Besides those two suitable reasons, I also wanted to make samosas because they seemed hard to do, and I like a culinary challenge. I am sharing my strategy for making samosas and hope they'll seem more user-friendly for all of us.

Samosas have a couple components (dough and filling) and several steps. They are time-consuming, but the good news is, you can prepare the components ahead of time and finish them pretty quickly if you're, say, not graced with a few hours of dinner prep.

Step one of making samosas is to make the dough. I put about 3/4 of a cup of all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl and added a tablespoon of canola oil. I then added water slowly, mixing with a fork just until all of the flour was combined and formed a ball in the bottom of the bowl. When that happened, I turned the dough ball out onto a floured surface. (You might notice that my samosas look like they're made with whole wheat flour. That's because I ran out of all-purpose and had to knead on whole wheat. I noticed no problems with this regarding consistency or end product, so feel free to use whatever flour you like.) I kneaded the dough for about four minutes, forming a stiff ball. I left it to set for thirty minutes.

Step two for me was making the filling. After researching samosa fillings, which can range from veggie to ground meat, I decided to use one of my favorite foods: mashed potato. I boiled one large, peeled russet potato (they were on sale at Hannaford this week!) until the flesh was easy to pierce with a fork. I drained them fairly well, then dumped them into a mixing bowl. I added some frozen peas (a traditional Indian samosa filling) and mashed the peas and potatoes with my fabulous masher. I wanted to add spices, but I didn't want to add raw spices; I find raw Indian spices to be grainy and not as delicious as when they are processed somehow. Most Indian cooks fry their spices in oil, often grinding them themselves, too. But you know me: I've got to cut out the oil whenever possible. So I put half a teaspoon each of garlic powder, black pepper, red chili powder, and masala*, along with a quarter teaspoon of ginger paste (because that stuff is potent!) into a small frying pan with a few tablespoons of water. I let the spices cook into the liquid over low heat, until it was the consistency of a gravy. I let it simmer for just a minute, then added it directly to the mashed potatoes. I stirred it all together, and the aroma was fantastic. If you've ever stepped into an Indian grocery store, you know the smell.

I set the filling aside, just letting it rest at room temperature. It was time for step three: rolling out the dough. I kneaded the dough ball for another minute, then divided it into balls just slightly smaller than golf balls. I rolled out each ball with a rolling pin until the dough was flattened into a 6-inch circle (or sort-of-circle, since I'm not a great roller). I cut each circle in half, so I ended up with a bunch of semi-circles.

Step four: I took each semi-circle, one at a time, and placed about two tablespoons of filling on one half of the semi-circle. I left dough around the edge, and, using water that I dabbed on the edges of the dough with my finger, folded over the open side of the semi-circle. I used my fingers to pinch all three sides shut (two sides end up being straight, one is curved). When all of my samosas were filled and pinched, I placed them on baking sheets. I chose to bake my samosas rather than to deep fry them. Again, I wanted to reduce oil as much as possible. I baked my samosas for about twenty-five minutes on 300 degrees. They came out hot, and the edges were crunchy and delicious. I served them with a bowl of tomato sauce for dipping.

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I made these treats for Ram on Raksha Bandhan, an Indian holiday. Being so far from his family is hard for Ram, especially on holidays. Making this treat for him required some work and time for me, but it was important to recognize the day. He said I was "blowing [his] mind" with the samosas, and that made it all worth it.

The techniques required to make samosas are not difficult. Any dish that requires multiple steps and a span of time is intimidating, but by breaking it down into manageable steps, I was able to successfully execute this special Indian dish. I would be happy to make them again-- and to eat them again-- with fork in hand.

*FYI: Masala is a common component of Indian dishes. It is essentially a mixture of Indian spices-- but the mixture varies from masala to masala. Ram and I had a few different masalas in the cupboard, but I opted to use one that smelled like it had a little cinnamon in it. Just choose the masala you like best.

Chicken Salad in a Pita

Last week I was in Maine for a pseudo-reunion. My sister, brother-in-law, and niece voyaged up from Florida, and my aunt, uncle, and little 2nd cousin drove in from western New York. The house was hopping! That said, I did no food blogging. For those of you who noticed, I apologize.

But I'm back now, and I'm ready to give you a little more TLC. I'm starting with a simple chicken salad sandwich, which takes very little elbow grease and absolutely no finesse. Because I know we all have those days.

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For once, I think the picture does this meal justice. I served my chicken salad on a low-carb whole grain pita and topped it with diced cucumbers and carrots. The cold crunch of the vegetables acted in contrast to the softness of the chicken, and I think mixing textures and temperatures is a simple way to excite your tastebuds.

My chicken salad starts with a parboiled chicken breast. I boiled my chicken breast for about twenty-five minutes. The touch test works on parboiled chicken, too, so when you think it's done, pull it from the liquid, let it cool for a second, and give it a nudge. This is your only cooking method for this chicken, so it needs to be fully cooked. Give another bath if you're not sure. Or slice into the thickest part to check. That breast needs to be white from top to bottom; if it's pink, it needs more time in the pot.

When the chicken was cooked, I pulled it out, patted it dry a bit, and set it on a cutting board. You want this chicken to cool before you start hitting it with mayonnaise, so give it some time. Place your chicken in the refrigerator. To speed up the cooling process, cut it into cubes and then stick it in the fridge.

When my chicken was cool to the touch, I added a tablespoon of mayonnaise (FYI: I'm not a mayo fan, so if you are so inclined, feel free to add more), a teaspoon of minced garlic, a ton of black pepper (to taste, meaning: as much as you like), a little salt, and some finely diced onion. If I had had celery in the fridge, I would have added that too. Mix it all together. Give it a taste. If you like it, leave it. You can serve it right away or let it sit covered in the fridge for a bit. One chicken breast served two pitas plus a topping for Ram's salad the next day.

I'm not a fan of chicken salad, usually. That mushy, mayo-y, sort-of-light-brown stuff my mom bought when I was a kid turned me off instantly. But I have learned to like chicken salad when it contains some other things-- when it's actually a salad, not just pureed meat. A lot of people add cut grapes and walnuts to theirs, and for me that's acceptable. But whether you like it plain or fancy, chicken salad is a fairly low-fat/low-cal summer (and year-round) staple. Enjoy-- with fork in hand.

Vegetable Soup

As you know, I've made it my mission to squeeze as much fiber into our diets as possible, and one delicious way I've been doing that is be starting every meal with a bowl of homemade bean soup. It's super-easy, as all soups I've encountered are, and the variations are endless. And on those evenings when the entree is taking a little longer to cook than expected, the soup is a great way to pacify our stomachs. An added benefit: I've read several articles that cite research proving that starting a meal with soup fills our stomachs and encourages us to eat fewer calories when we dig into the entree. I do love to reap multiple benefits from one easy task.

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I start this soup by soaking (overnight) half a bag of a sixteen-bean mix. I choose to soak my own beans because a) it's cheaper than buying several cans and b) it's healthier! By soaking dried beans, I can ensure that no salt or preservatives have seeped into the beans before I get to them. For me, that gives me a level of peace of mind. And soaking the beans is as simple as it gets; remembering to do it the trick.

When I'm ready to assemble my soup, I always start by sauteing a diced onion and chopped carrot. If I regularly had celery in the house, I would use that too. It's the holy trinity of French cooking! But I am not generally a huge fan of celery, so I almost never keep it in the crisper. I saute the onions and carrot until both become a little soft. Then, I add spices. Remember that we're building a soup, so add enough spices to sufficiently flavor the entire pot when it's full of stock. I usually use black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, basil, and chili powder. By cooking the spices with the vegetables, I am deepening the flavor of the base of my soup. And since I'm going to reheat this batch of soup over the course of the week, the flavors need to be strong.

Once I've incorporated the spices, I add my beans and give them a minute to heat with the rest of the base. At this point, the kitchen smells fantastic; it's near-instant gratification! When the beans are heated up, I add six cups of water. Now here's the deal: I make one batch of soup for the week, ladling out two bowls each night, and reheating before we have dinner. Every night, I add more water to the pot order to stretch the soup. I also add more spices every night to make sure it doesn't taste watered down. Making a big batch on, say, Sunday afternoon lasts us until Friday evening. If you've got a larger family, you may want to make a bigger batch at the beginning of the week. Or, if you're more inclined, make a big batch of your base (minus the stock) on one day and just use it as needed during the week, adding stock as you go. Whatever works for your schedule and family is what works.

I let my soup boil for at least twenty minutes. I add a few chicken bouillon cubes to make the stock richer and because I like the slight saltiness that it adds. If you want to keep your soup vegetarian, add vegetable bouillon cubes. Simple.

You know how to serve up soup, so I won't get into the mechanics of ladling. But one thing I discovered that I love is adding a couple of croutons to the bowl. When they absorb the stock, I melt with them. It's such a delicious bite!

Adding soup to your menu (especially one packed with nature's miracle food: the bean) can stretch the rest of your food budget and will add fibrous nutrition to your diet. Besides that: it's delicious and comforting. Enjoy-- with fork (or spoon) in hand.

Cranberry-Glazed Chicken, Squash Puree

Since my successful venture into butternut squash soup, I've been itching to create more meals using this wonder of the frozen food aisle. I thought about the food pairings I've seen in restaurants and had in my own life. I kept returning to the realization that one of the only times my family has squash is for Thanksgiving dinner, so I decided to pair it with an icon of America's iconic holiday: cranberry sauce.

I have read about or seen cranberry glazes on chicken, so I decided to give it a try. I purchased a can of whole cranberries sauce, which I do not ordinarily like. But since the sauce itself doesn't exactly fall into the realm of "health food", I decided that, at the very least, I could maintain some of the integrity of the berry. I also picked up chicken breasts and a bag of frozen butternut squash.

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I started by making my butternut squash puree. This time, I added almost no liquid because I wanted it to maintain some thickness, since it was serving as the base of my chicken. The boiled squash chunks are pretty moist, anyway, when they're pulled from the boiling liquid, so I didn't need to add more than a spoonful of the liquid when I pureed it in my blender.

Next, I prepared my glaze. I added four tablespoons of cranberry sauce, a tablespoon of water, and some lemon juice and grated lemon rind to a small saucepan. I turned the heat low and let it all cook together. Soon, it was bubbling away on the stove-- and smelling delicious!

I simply baked the chicken breasts, which I dusted with some black pepper. I placed them on cooling racks atop a cookie sheet so that any drippings stayed away from the lean breasts. I cooked the chicken at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, occasionally smearing the glaze over the chicken, a spoonful at a time. When the chicken was firm to the touch, I plated up my newest creation.

The puree was a soft, comforting accompaniment to basic baked chicken, and the tartness of the cranberry glaze provided a great contrast to the squash. If I serve this again, I will probably marinate the chicken a bit before hand and serve it sliced over the puree, for ease-of-eating. But the flavors balanced exactly the way I was hoping. In the future, when you think about a particular ingredient or flavor you want to use in a dish but aren't sure how to pair it, think about your own food experiences. Have you seen this ingredient on a menu? On a friend's dinner table? In a recipe book? Then, spin the flavors your way, and enjoy with fork in hand.

Noodle Stir-Fry

Well, folks, it's time to debut one of my favorite dinners to make and eat because it's both easy and delicious! I call it a noodle stir fry, and it's pretty much foolproof. Which means: when I am tired and not channeling my inner Rachael Ray, I can still pull this one off.

I start this meal by marinading some sliced or small-chunked chicken in about a 1/4 cup of low-sodium soy sauce, a little minced garlic, and chopped ginger. You know what I always say about marinading: if you've got time, do it. If you haven't got time, proceed with the dish anyway. Marinading chicken infuses it with the flavor a little more thoroughly, but when you're pressed for time, I'm betting you won't notice. In the past I have used chicken breast for this dish. This time, I used chicken thigh, and I preferred it. The thigh meat stays juicier and more tender than chicken breast, and I love the way it cooked up in this recipe. Every bite was moist and soft.

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Unlike virtually every other time I've sauteed meat, I chose to cook this meat in a little water in the bottom of a wide-bottom pan. I know that thigh meat can be a little tough to cook, and I also wanted to make sure my stir fry had some liquid to steam later in the process. So I put about a half-inch of water in the bottom of my chicken fryer, let it get to simmer, then added my chicken. I put the cover on and let it steam for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, I started some thin spaghetti to boil (I actually prefer angel hair for this recipe, but when you have spaghetti in the cupboard already, you use spaghetti).

When the ten minutes of meat steaming are up, you'll have a pan of light brown-colored chicken and some liquid. At this point, I added diced carrots (two large carrots) and about a cup-and-a-half of frozen broccoli. For future reference (and for your reference), wait a while before adding the broccoli. Mine was mushier than I like. Cover and cook the chicken and carrots for about five minutes, then add the broccoli for another five. Remove the lid and let the liquid cook down for a minute or two. Finally, add the drained spaghetti and toss, keeping a low heat. I love pasta tossed directly with its topping. I think cooking in the juices for a minute adds to the flavor of the pasta itself, so I try to use this technique whenever possible.

As a final touch to this dish, I added some thinly sliced romaine lettuce. I think adding lettuce to a noodle stir fry sounds odd, so I imagine you do, too. But at Penang, a fabulous Malaysian restaurant in Boston, I was served Singapore rice noodles with lettuce stirred in, and the contrast of texture and flavor was really cool. Imagine biting into a fork of hot noodles, soft carrot, and tender meat, then a piece of cool, crunchy lettuce. It's a great experience.

But, if you don't believe me, skip out on the lettuce. You will enjoy this noodle stir fry with or without it, assuming that you're eating with fork in hand.

PS: If you want to keep this vegetarian, skip the steaming the chicken step and throw in a ton of veggies instead. This one change takes the dish from carnivore-friendly to vegetarian-friendly in one easy step!

Black Bean & Potato Veggie Burgers

Well, you win some, you lose some, right? This is a case of losing some, unfortunately. I had the ambitious idea of making homemade veggie burgers, a compilation of veggie burgers I've had before. I didn't bother with a recipe (I almost never do). Maybe this is one time I should've consulted foodnetwork.com.

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My vision for the veggie burger was to combine smashed potatoes and black beans, quickly pan-fried in a tiny bit of canola oil. Unfortunately, the potato and black bean mash was too mushy. It held up to the frying, certainly, but when stuck in a pita with some lettuce and mustard, it just didn't hold up the way I was hoping. Perhaps, though, I'm being a little too critical. When I think about the veggie burgers I've eaten in my day, most have fallen apart or had a dubious texture, at best.

But my burger, sadly, lacked the flavor that I've come to enjoy in a good veggie burger. It needed some corn, roasted red peppers, maybe some rice. Whatever the flavor, it needed a little more.

I will embark on veggie burgers again. I'll survey some recipes and make it up as I go along, like I always do. But I promise you I will prevail-- with fork in hand.

Tomato & Spinach Stuffed Chicken

Stuffed chicken graces the menu of many restaurants, and it generally evokes a sense of fanciness. The chef cut open a piece of chicken, stuffed something inside it, then cooked it? That takes some time and effort, right? But the good news is, it's not that hard! Below is my rendition of stuffed chicken.

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The first thing you need to do is to decide what you're going to stuff inside that piece of chicken. I've seen chicken bursting with broccoli and cheese and ham and cheese. As you know, I'm trying to reduce the fat, salt, sugar, and calories in my dishes without diminishing flavor, so my version does not use cheese. Instead, I made use of some fresh vegetables: grape tomatoes, garlic, and spinach. I added all three to a small saucepan (with a tablespoon of canola oil) and let everything cook down into almost a chutney or salsa texture. If you recreate this dish, be sure to use more tomato and spinach than you think you need; both ingredients cook down to almost nothing with a little time. I let the cooked vegetable mixture sit and cool for a few hours, but you can certainly use it right away.

The next step (or the first step, if you're using a cold filler) is to butterfly and pound out chicken breasts. This might be intimidating, but here's the strategy I use. I set the chicken breast on a cutting board and find the thinner side of the breast. I carefully use a knife, sort of horizontally, to cut a slit in the thin side. Work the knife across the breast, stopping just short of the wider edge. You want to leave the edge intact. I find it helpful to peel the chicken breast apart gently as I'm cutting with the knife so that I can see the edge approaching and not cut through it. For stuffed chicken, it's essential that you not end up with holes, otherwise your stuffing is going to leak out.

Once you've made the cut, place the breast on a piece of plastic wrap, with another piece on top of it. Whack the heck out of the breast with a meat tenderizer (the flat side) or anything solid and flat. For this meal, I used a heavy ceramic mug. In the past I have used a small frying pan. You want to pound the meat in such a way that the thicker portions thin out and almost match the thinnest part of the chicken. You're also trying to create a nice, flat, wide surface on which to place your filling.

Once the meat is flattened, decide which direction you're going to roll your meat. Place the filling across the middle of the chicken perpendicular to the direction you're rolling it. When you've rolled the chicken, you may want to use a toothpick to keep it together. However, to brown and cook the meat, you'll need to remove or move the toothpick, so I opted not to use it. In a deep pan (my trusty chicken fryer, no less), I heated some canola oil (just enough to ensure the chicken won't stick). I placed the rolled pieces of chicken with the tucked end down (with the smooth chicken facing you). Brown both sides of the chicken (I seasoned the outside with black pepper), maneuvering it carefully so that your roll doesn't unfurl.

For my dish, because I used tomato in the filling, I chose to dump a can of stewed tomatoes (no salt added!) over the chicken and to let the meat cook in the tomatoes for about twenty minutes. The firm-to-the-touch test works for chicken cooked like this, too, so use it to determine when your chicken is done.

The side for this was simple: egg noodles tossed with some of the stewed tomatoes, spinach, and peas. I seasoned it with some black pepper and a pinch of salt. I thought the noodles needed a little more flavor, but Ram loved them. For my taste, I would probably add a little tomato sauce to the noodles, too, just to take them the extra mile.

When you learn the techniques to cook restaurant-style food at home (and when you've got the luxury of a little more prep time), you might find yourself having dinner in a little more often. Stuffed chicken has endless possibilities, so grab your favorite ingredients, and give it a try. You'll find yourself impressed with yourself with fork in hand.

The Picnic

What is more quaint than a picnic, I ask? The answer, of course, is "Nothing." And I think picnics should make a comeback. In a time when the economy continues to play a dramatic role in our lives, with most of us pinching pennies any way we can, picnics are a great way to "eat out" without depleting your bank account. And virtually any food can be picnic-friendly, assuming that it can be served and consumed at room temperature. I have started packing picnic lunches when I know Ram and I are going to be on the road, for two reasons. One, it's expensive to eat at a restaurant! When we drive from Massachusetts to Maine, we used to stop in Biddeford for dinner. It would easily cost us $20-30, about 1/3 of our weekly grocery bill! When I put it in that perspective, it's sort of hard to justify padding the pockets of Ruby Tuesdays while my pockets are empty. The second reason I started packing picnics is because it's the only way I can ensure my meals are nutritious (without tracking down nutritional information for the restaurant ahead of time).

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But the best reason for having a picnic is that it's fun. We are able to sit down, without a TV or Muzak blaring in the background, talking, eating, and relaxing. When we picnic, we tend to linger over the meal a little more than we do at home. We engage with our food, moving from bite to bite as if we have all day. Because if the setting is nice (i.e. beside the water in Rockport, MA, or at the tree-filled Visitor Center in southern Maine), we are compelled to enjoy it.

Some things to keep in mind when planning a picnic.

-- You want to pack foods that are delicious when served room temperature. I should confess that I like a lot of foods cold/lukewarm, so this is not a problem for me. For our last picnic, I packed my pureed butternut squash soup (in a Lock-and-Lock to prevent spillage), turkey burgers in pitas (wrapped tightly in aluminum foil), and vegetables with hummus (also packed in Lock-and-Lock because it stacks well, too). These foods kept well on the trip, but certainly there are some things that don't keep so well. I would be unlikely to pack, for example, lasagna because congealed cheese just isn't my thing. I would also hesitate to pack ice cream or popsicles, because those are dishes best served frozen.

But wait! There are storage and travel containers on the market that purport to keep your foods hot or cold for extended periods of time, so if you can't stand the idea of lukewarm pasta salad, there's a solution out there for you.

-- You want to remember to pack utensils. And napkins. And bottles of water/iced tea/whatever. When you pack your food up before heading out, take a minute to visualize the process of eating. What tools or condiments might you need? Does someone in your dinner party need milk to wash down his vittles? Maybe one of your kids is a neat-freak who needs to have clean hands at all times (not such a bad problem to have...). The idea is to have a simple, low-key meal out, but it's helpful to be prepared.

-- Believe me when I tell you that insects love picnics. If you're prone to becoming mosquito food, be sure to pack bug repellent, too. Just don't spray too close to the food.

-- Consider your location. Will you need a blanket to sit on? Should you bring sunglasses? Maybe you're going to the coast and you want to take advantage of some freshly-prepared seafood. Plan your meal around it! Preparing ahead in order to exploit your picnic location could lead to some great new memories.

I hope you'll consider picnic dining sometime this summer or fall. It's a great way to slow down, to soak in your surroundings, and to break out of your routine. Whether you're at the sea or in the mountains, picnics are meant to be fun and communal, relaxing and delicious, with fork in hand.

Onion-Smothered Chicken

When Ram and I dug into this dinner, we both groaned with every bite. This chicken had such a great flavor! It's an easy chicken dish, one you will want to make over and over again.

I started by sauteing chunks of a large onion in a little olive oil. I sauteed over low heat so I could draw out the natural sugars and so I wouldn't burn the onions. Let them work for about ten minutes, just until they've softened. Then, add a little minced garlic (or garlic powder if you that's what you have) and a few chicken breasts (lightly dusted with black pepper). Let the chicken breasts brown on both sides, but don't worry about cooking them through.

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Once the chicken is brown on both sides, add a cup and a half of water with a bouillon cube or chicken stock. Cover and let the whole thing cook over medium heat for twenty or so minutes (until the chicken is thoroughly cooked). Take the lid off with a few minutes to spare so that the liquid reduces. What you'll have is some simply seasoned chicken breasts in a rich broth of onion, garlic, and chicken stock. It melts in your mouth, and every bite tastes like so much more than it actually is. You will enjoy this with fork in hand.

Butternut Squash Soup

I wish I had been able to get a better photo of this soup, but I think no photo could do it justice. If you are a fan of squash, you must try this super-easy pureed butternut squash soup. Here's how I made it.

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Boil one bag of frozen butternut squash (I used Hannaford brand) and half an onion (roughly chopped) in a couple cups of water. Add a chicken bouillon cube or boil in stock to deepen the flavor if you want. I also threw in a couple cinnamon sticks because we had them in the cupboard. Add a table spoon of cinnamon to the finished product to achieve the same flavor. When the squash is soft, remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool for a half hour or so.

When the squash is cool, use a slotted spoon to drop the squash and onion (without the liquid) into a blender. Puree for ten seconds. If it looks like you need a little liquid to make the squash move, add it by the tablespoon. It won't take much liquid (if any) to loosen up the squash. Add some black pepper and puree until you achieve a smooth consistency.

I packed this soup up in a Lock-and-Lock (which don't leak!), along with turkey burgers and veggies with hummus for an easy picnic dinner. The soup was filling, flavorful, and 100% satisfying. A lot of people add some kind of cream to their pureed soups. Forgo the cream to get a dense and honest flavor. I'm telling you, this soup is to DIE for-- and super easy! You will enjoy it with (or without) for (or spoon) in hand. Trust me.