Whats for dinner? Honey Dijon Chicken..

I'll start my dinner series with this recipe...

Tomato Bruschetta

Honey Dijon Chicken

Pear, goat cheese, rocket salad

Fresh Strawberries dipped in Greek yogurt and brown sugar

Cheesecake bites

Last week Dan and I had our friends Mere and Eva over for dinner.  I had come up with a few ideas of what I wanted to fix before hand.  On my list was bruschetta, rocket (arugula) and spinach salad with goat cheese and pear, and for desert fresh strawberries dipped in Greek yogurt and brown sugar*. I was missing a main.  So who better to call on than one of my best friends Jessica.  The Chef. To get some advice on what to fix as a main.  

Jessica- hard at work

Jessica and her boyfriend, Trevor - also a chef- recently moved Mangenguey,  a remote island in the Philippines to cook and run the resort  (you can see their awesome life on their blog).  I sent Jessica and email asking for advice on the main and within minutes I got an email back with the answer.  I like that about Jessica- she is decisive, didn't give me options...just told me what to make.  She suggested honey Dijon chicken on the BBQ with cranberry and onion cous cous.  I took her advice and the dinner turned out amazing.  It was super easy- pretty quick- healthy and really good. So, thanks Jez.

Bruschetta mix, honey dijon marinade, strawberries and cheesecake

Cranberry cous cous

Pear, Rocket, Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients & Recipe

• Bruchetta:
• 6 medium heirloom tomatoes (any tomatoes will do)
• 1 red onion
• handful of fresh basil
• balsamic vinaigrette
• olive oil
• 1 pkg Greek feta
• salt / pepper
• 1 baguette

You can make this ahead of time- and let it sit in the fridge and soak up the flavor.  Basically I just make this according to taste- not measurements.. so taste as you go- you cant go too wrong.  You can cut the baguette into little pieces and toast in the over for a minute too if you want it warm and crispy.  

• Salad:
• 1 package of rocket (arugula) lettus (you can use spinach instead or spinach and rocket mixed is good too)
• 1 ripe pear
• crumbled goat cheese
• red onion
• olive oil (~4 tablespoons)
• balsamic (~3 tablespoons)
• Dijon mustard ( ~ 1 tablespoon)
• honey (~ 1 tablespoon)

Pour lettus into salad bowl- cut pear super thin- into slivers length wise- add super thin slivers of red onion.  To make the dressing whisk balsamic, olive oil and honey, then add olive oil and stir.  Taste it- and you be the judge if it needs more of one thing... I never measure- so that was just a guess.  It should taste tangy and only slightly sweet).  Top with crumbled goat cheese (you can use feta instead if you prefer). 

• Honey Dijon Chicken:
• 1/2 c honey
• 1/2 dijon mustard
• garlic- chopped
• 6 small chicken breasts (I cut some big ones in half to make smaller ones)

Jessicas directions:  "Salt, pepper and lightly oil chicken before grilling then brush with a pre-made mix of fresh chopped garlic, dijon and honey while grilling.  i would say equal parts honey and dijon, should be relatively thick and you can save leftovers, just be careful not to double dip whatever you brush the chicken with.  add minced or pureed garlic just for a little more flavor...maybe 2-4 cloves per 1/2 cup honey/1/2 cup dijon"

• Couscous:
• cous cous
• yellow onion
• dried cranberries
• Jessica's directions:  "Pair with a dried cranberry (or dried cherry or a mix of both), sauteed yellow onion (super small diced) Cous Cous pilaf.  Cook Cous Cous as directed.  Saute onions, add dried fruit, cous cous and a little water.  Salt and pepper to your taste."
• I make all my rices, cous cous, and quinoas in our rice cooker- and instead of water- I use reduced sodium chicken stalk- gives it more flavor.
• Desert:
• fresh strawberries (whole)
• Greek yogurt- 1 cup
• brown sugar- 1 cup
• cheesecake (I bought one frozen)
• Wash strawberries- put  Greek yogurt and brown sugar in separate small dishes.  Cut cheesecake into small squares and serve with toothpick. Dip strawberry in yogurt then brown sugar.

*One of the many tasty recipes we learned from Jodi Wes