Cinnamon Chicken with Pumpkin Grits

I found this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It was a reader submitted, prize winning recipe. You can see a prettier picture here. I made some little changes - only 2 chicken breasts for us, same amount of grits for a larger serving size, no fresh sage in mine.

Yummy!

CINNAMON CHICKEN WITH PUMPKIN GRITS

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
cooking spray
salt
black pepper
cinnamon
2 cups water
2/3 cup quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 /2 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Arrange chicken breast halves in a small baking pan. Spray chicken with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt, pepper and cinnamon (both sides).

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Meanwhile, in medium saucepan bring water to boiling. Stir in grits until combined. Stir in pumpkin, sage, and salt to taste. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.

To serve, spoon grits onto dinner plates and top with chicken breast halves.

Yield: 2 servings

Roasted Pear Salad

I found this Roasted Pear Salad in Publix Grape Magazine. It's very similar to this salad that I've been making for years.


ROASTED PEAR SALAD

Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper

Mix in a small jar and shake it up to mix. This dressing covers 2 side dish salads generously. (Publix says it covers 4 salads, I don't think so.........)

Salad:

Lettuce
Roasted pear slices (directions below)
Crumbled blue cheese
Pecans, chopped

Place lettuce on plates or in bowls. Top with pears, blue cheese, pecans and dressing.

Roasted Pears: Line a baking pan with foil. Place peeled and sliced pears on pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix it up and spread out on pan. Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes.


We had this salad with Seared Scallops and Seasoned Cheese Grits.

Pan Seared Scallops with Seasoned Cheese Grits

You can make this meal in under 15 minutes, maybe less... And it's so good.

The scallop recipe is so easy, I don't list any amounts for you. Use as many scallops as you want for how ever many people you are serving. The grits recipe serves 2 to 4 depending on serving size.

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS

olive oil (enough to barely cover bottom of pan)
sea scallops
Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Dredge the scallops in breadcrumbs. Add scallops to the pan, cook 2 to 3 minutes. Turn scallops and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until done.

Note: I buy frozen sea scallops from Publix. They come in a 24 ounce bag (6 to 8 servings). I just take out and thaw the amount that I need.

SEASONED CHEESE GRITS

2/3 cup quick-cooking grits

2 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup shredded Italian-blend cheese

2 tablespoons cooked bacon pieces

1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add grits and bring back to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients; cover and let stand 1 minute.

Note: For cooked bacon pieces, I use the ones that come in a little pouch, like Hormel brand. (I use a store brand) Heat them up first in a small skillet to get them crispy.

Shrimp and Grits

SHRIMP AND GRITS

3 cups water
1 cup quick grits
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 slices bacon
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 large clove garlic, minced

Cook grits according to package directions. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cheese.

Meanwhile, rinse shrimp and pat dry. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until crispy; drain bacon on paper towels and then chop. Remove some bacon grease, if needed, to leave just about one tablespoon in pan. Add shrimp to pan. Cook until shrimp start to turn pink. Add lemon juice, chopped bacon, parsley, green onion and garlic. Saute for about 3 minutes until shrimp are completely done.

Spoon grits into a serving bowl. Top with shrimp mixture.

Yield: 4 servings

Unfortunately, I had some fatty bacon that did not want to get crispy. It looks more like pieces of ham in the picture. You could do some shortcuts with the bacon, like Hormel bacon pieces or microwave the bacon, but the shrimp cooked in bacon grease is really yummy!