Patricia's First Meal

Good morning gang. Today is a special treat: Patricia will be cooking her first meal for you guys and it smells fantastic. While I'm abroad there still needs to be someone to cook delicious and nutritious meals and Patricia is testing the waters to see if it will work out for you and for her. Today's meal is roasted chicken breasts with a wonderful spice rub, stir-fried veggies over jasmine rice, and a spinach salad. Let us know what you think.

Roasted chicken breasts
Serves 12

Ingredients:
5 lbs bone in skin on chicken breasts
1 Tbs ground black pepper
1 Tbs dried marjoram
1 Tbs lemon thyme
2 Tbs dried sage
1 poof garlic powder over each piece, top and bottom
1 poof sweet smoked paprika over each piece, top and bottom
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven 425 degrees F.
2. Cover a baking sheet in tinfoil and place the chicken breasts on it, trim any large globs of fat.
3. Combine black pepper, marjoram, lemon thyme, and sage to make a rub and apply liberally to chicken on top, bottom, and under the skin. Apply poofs of garlic and paprika. Squeeze the lime over the chicken to add just a little extra zing.
4. Bake for 15 minutes to seal in juices.
5. Lower temperature to 350 and bake until no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear, about 1 hour.
6. Let rest for 5 minutes before carving.

Stir-Fried Veggies
Serves 12

Ingredients:
1 baby bok choy, bulbs and leaves separated and chopped
3 fist sized broccoli florets, chopped to bite size
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 bag baby carrots
2 bunches spring onion
1/2 inch finger of ginger, peeled and minced
1 bag spinach
1 bunch asparagus, wooden bits snapped off and chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 to 1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 Tbs Braggs Liquid Aminos (optionally replace with soy sauce)
4 cups jasmine rice, cooked according to package

Preparation:
1. In a large skillet heat 2 Tbs of olive oil over high heat.
2. Saute the chopped wooden bits of the asparagus to break them down.
3. Add the peppers, spring onions, and bok choy bulbs.
4. Grind pepper over cooking veggies to taste.
5. In a separate pot steam the broccoli and the main part of the asparagus by adding an inches of water to the bottom of the pot and heating over medium heat until the veggies have turned a richer green and become fragrant.
6. Wooden asparagus ends are done when able to be pierced by a fork.
7. Set aside cooked veggies and in the large skillet heat 2 Tbs of olive oil over high heat.
8. Saute the snow peas until they are slightly floppy yet still a little crunchy.
9. Combine rice, raw bok choy leaves, snow peas, and 2/3rds of the liquid aminos.

Spinach Salad
Served 12

Ingredients:
1 bag of spinach
1 head butter lettuce, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, stems removed and chopped
1 pear, cored and chopped
juice from 1.5 lemons
4 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs eucalyptus honey
1 Tbs Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. In a jar with a lid, combine lemon juice, oil, honey, liquid aminos, and pepper.
2. Close jar and shake dressing to emulsify, adjust to taste.
3. Combine spinach, lettuce, and pear and serve with dressing on the side so that people can dress their own salads as they like.