Mozerella chicken

littlespicejar.com
INGREDIENTS:
4 small chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup chopped onions
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
½ teaspoon EACH Italian seasoning AND red pepper flakes (see notes)
¼ teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato pesto (homemade or store-bought) (see notes)
salt and pepper + ¼ cup water
4 slices mozzarella cheese (or 1 cup shredded)
TO SERVE:
chopped parsley or basil + pasta or crusty bread
DIRECTIONS:

CHICKEN: Sprinkle the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat with the olive oil. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 3-5 minutes per side or until the chicken is completely cooked through, remove to a plate. If you are planning on serving this with pasta, get the water going and cook the pasta according to package directions.
TOMATO SAUCE: Preheat the oven on the broiler setting. Add the onions to the oil remaining in the pan. If there isn’t any, add in about ½ teaspoon and sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes until the soften, add the garlic and let cook for 30 seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, dried basil, and pesto and stir to combine. When the sauce reaches a simmer, add a ¼ cup of water, lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the sauce thickens a bit. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
ASSEMBLE: Nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce and using a spoon, cover the chicken with sauce. Top each breast with a slice of cheese. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese gets nice and bubbly and just melts. Top with chopped parsley or basil ribbons. Serve with pasta or crusty bread and a salad...


Homemade Pesto

Ingredients

• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoons salt + 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor except the olive oil. Start the food processor and drizzle in the olive oil slowly while still mixing. Stop the machine, scrape down the sides, and adjust salt nad pepper to liking.
2. [b]STORING: [/b] leftover pesto can be stored in a jar that has a tight fitting lid. Pesto can be refrigerated for up to one week. You can also place pesto into ice cube molds and frozen for up to 2 months.

Keto BBQ Ribs

From thedietdoctor.com

BBQ Ribs

Ingredients

3 lbs thin spare ribs

1 teaspoon salt

BBQ sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ finely chopped yellow onion

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons salt

14 oz. canned whole tomatoes

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Salad

2 lbs zucchini or squash

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

3 oz. thinly sliced celery stalks

2 oz. finely chopped scallions

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Salt the ribs on both sides and place in a slow cooker. Add half of the BBQ sauce and cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.

Take out the ribs and let them cool. (You can complete this step a day in advance if you wish.)

Finish off the ribs on the grill or under the broiler. Crisp up the surface of the meat; this takes about 15 minutes total. Flip the racks over at the half-way point.

Serve with the squash salad and the rest of the BBQ sauce.

BBQ sauce

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and stir in the tomato paste. Add the onion and fry over medium heat until soft and glossy.

Add a couple of tablespoons of water and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Add the spices, tomatoes, and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer for 15-20 more minutes. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until it reaches a smooth consistency. Let cool. (If you want a thicker sauce, let it simmer longer, until it reaches the desired consistency.)

Salad

Peel and cut the squash into cubes that are about half an inch square. (If necessary remove the seeds first.) Salt them and place in a colander. After 5-10 minutes, carefully press out the excess water.

Sauté the squash in butter for a couple of minutes over medium heat. Do not overcook. The squash should be firm and the cubes should have a nice golden color around the edges. Set aside and let cool.

Mix the other salad ingredients in a big bowl; fold in the squash.

You can prepare the salad 1-2 days beforehand. It becomes even more tasty if you let the flavors mingle in the fridge.