Homemade Ready

Here is a recipe for an easy one-pot meal that my family just loves. Tender chunks of chicken in seasoned yellow rice, all cooked in one pot – so easy and delicious. The added bites of spring-green asparagus give this dish a dash of crispness and color. I like to serve this along with a simple green salad. For the yellow color and a punch of flavor, I use sazón, a Latin spice blend. It contains annatto, a spice that gives a beautiful yellow color, plus some other spices like oregano and cumin. You can buy it in little packets in many supermarkets, or you can just substitute a little bit of turmeric. (The turmeric won’t give it much added flavor, but it will give the dish the yellow color.) Recipe Serves 4-6 Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided 2 tablespoons butter 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, chopped into bite-size pieces 1 small onion, diced 2 carrots, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups long grain ...

These meatballs are pure comfort food, but with a lightened-up flavor for spring. Made with ground turkey, then browned in a skillet, and smothered with a creamy mushroom and dill gravy. I used low-fat milk in the gravy, but you can make it more decadent by using whole milk or even adding some cream. I recommend using beef or vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, to give the sauce a rich, brown color. In our house, we like these meatballs served with some egg noodles or boiled baby red potatoes.  {Scroll for recipe} Recipe Serves 4 Ingredients: For the Meatballs 2 slices bread (sandwich-size) 1/4 cup milk 2 tablespoons minced or grated onion 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 ½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill) 1 pound ground turkey 3 tablespoons oil (any oil suitable for high heat, like vegetable or coconut) For t...