Lemon Chicken Paillard

Make this for your next dinner party, to impress your husband's boss, or just for your kids.  It's that pretty (and delicious!).  Don't be scared by the sauce; it's just gravy! Sort of.  It's simple, though. Trust me.

By the way, paillard (pi-yahrd) is just a French term that refers to any meat thinly sliced for quick cooking.   This whole meal took about 20 minutes. Quick!

Lemon Chicken Paillard

4 thin cut chicken breasts (alternately, you can pound them thin with a meat cleaver)
olive oil
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
1 lemon, juice and zest
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock (I used homemade, just like Martha would, and I'll tell you all about it later this week)
Baby greens
handful of Italian parsley

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Drizzle chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs de provence, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.  Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes per side.  Remove chicken from pan when cooked and cover with foil to keep them hot.  

Reduce heat and add butter.  When the butter melts, add the flour to the butter and cook, stirring with a whisk, a couple of minutes to make a roux.  Whisk in the chicken stock a little at a time.  When the broth thickens to just coat the back of a spoon, remove pan from the heat. 

Toss the salad greens with lemon juice, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.  

To serve, cover the bottom of the plate with the warm sauce, top with a pile of salad greens, and add the chicken on top.  Sprinkle the plate with parsley.

Barbeque Chicken Pizza

This is quick and a great use for leftover chicken! Pile on the chicken, go easy on the cheese, and have a big salad on the side, and it's pretty healthy, too. 

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Homemade or store bought pizza crust (I used a thin one from my Walmart bakery)
Rotisserie chicken, white meat diced
1/2 cup barbeque sauce (I like the sauce from Rendevous in Memphis)
Fresh mozzarella cheese, very thinly sliced
1/2 whole red onion, cut in half and sliced thinly
chopped cilantro, to taste

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Spoon a couple of tablespoons of BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly. Top sauce with half the sliced mozzarella. Sprinkle on half the diced chicken and thinly sliced red onion.
Sprinkle with a little salt, about a tablespoon more of BBQ sauce, and then bake for 10-12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle on plenty of chopped cilantro.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Rice Bowl

I tried a variation of this recipe a while back, and I was not really a fan.  But THIS recipe I made for tonight was really, really, good.  I will certainly be making this again!  The easy to delicious ratio is high on this one!

 

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Rice Bowl

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

16 oz. jar salsa

1 can ranch style black beans

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp garlic powder 

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

_____

2 cups brown rice, cooked

about a cup of sharp cheddar, shredded

1/2 bunch cilantro 

1/4 cup water

fresh lime

Get this: put chicken into the slow cooker. Top with salsa, beans, and spices.  Press low. Walk away.  After 6-8 hours, make some rice, shred some cheese, chop the cilantro, and throw it all in a bowl. Squeeze a lime over the top.

Quick Chicken Parmesan

I do love Chicken Parm....fried chicken with cheese and sauce on top....yum.  But really, you can't eat stuff like that everyday, ya know?  Here's my version.  It's quick, healthy, and even got this compliment from one of my children: "wow, Mom, this is actually good."  Hmph.


Quick Chicken Parmesan

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thin sliced
salt, pepper, garlic powder
high quality jarred marinara
fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced (the stuff that comes in round packages)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (grate it fresh for this, it makes a difference, and even my Walmart carries it now)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Heat ovenproof skillet and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Salt, pepper, and garlic powder the chicken and brown it well on one side.  Flip chicken and add enough marinara to cover chicken.  Add thin slice of fresh mozzarella cheese to each chicken.  Place entire skillet in the oven until everything is hot and bubbly and chicken is cooked through (5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken).

 

When they are cooked through, sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese.  I served this with a little whole wheat pasta and roasted broccoli.  

Parmesan Baked Eggs

I got a treat this morning when my friend brought over a dozen fresh eggs laid by their chickens.  We've had fresh eggs before, but never from a chicken-friend.  Ha!  Here is a pic from this summer of my baby with our friend Henry, and Nugget, his chicken.  Is that not the cutest name for a chicken?  And look at that adorable red chicken house!

Parmesan Baked Eggs

12 eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated really does make a difference)
pinch of dried rosemary for each ramekin
pinch of fresh thyme for each ramekin
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
6 ramekins

Heat oven to 400.  Spray 6 ramekins with nonstick spray.  Crack two eggs into a small bowl, and then  pour the two eggs into a ramekin and repeat until all 6 ramekins have eggs.  Add bacon, Parmesan cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper to each ramekin.  Add a dash of heavy cream to each one, too. 

Bake the eggs for 15 minutes or until the eggs have achieved desired doneness: less time for runny yolks, more time for firm yolks. Remember that shallow ramekins will cook faster than deeper ones and that they will continue to cook as they cool.   Note: you can easily remove the eggs from the ramekins to serve them to kids; the ramekins are too hot for them to touch.

Baked Pesto Chicken

I'm sure all you Martha types out there made homemade pesto with the end of season basil plants in your garden.  And that pesto will make this recipe just wonderful! But for those of us who quit watering around mid August, you can get a quality pesto in the refrigerated section of a good grocery store or Sams Club (those jarred ones at the grocery store by the spaghetti sauce? Well, don't buy them). 

This chicken was a real hit with the whole family!  And we all love roasted broccoli.  I added a little rice (about 1/4 cup per serving) when I realized all the yummy pesto sauce the chicken had made while cooking.   A big hunk of garlic bread would be awesome, too, but I've gotta wear a swimsuit next week so I'm steering clear of garlic bread right now....

Baked Pesto Chicken (another Pinterest recipe find)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup basil pesto
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (I used fresh mozzarella because it melts so well)

Preheat oven to 375; Cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 2 or 3 pieces strips.

Spray a 9x12 casserole dish with non-stick spray, then spread 1/4 cup basil pesto over the bottom of the dish. Lay chicken strips over the pesto, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then spread 1/4 cup more basil pesto over the chicken.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the chicken for 25-30 minutes, until chicken is firm and cooked through.

Remove foil and sprinkle chicken with 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese. Put dish back into the oven without foil and cook 5 minutes more, just until cheese is melted. After 5 minutes, turn on the broiler and cook until cheese is lightly browned.

Greek Salad with Chicken

This is a quick one.  It's also super healthy and yummy.  The kids made gagging noises at the thought of salad with feta in it.  I don't like fake (or real for that matter) vomit noises at the table (or anywhere else!),  but I was too exhausted to acknowledge said noises, so they just ate chicken.  John and I loved this salad. 

  

Greek Salad with Chicken

1/3 cup red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
white meat of rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
1/2 large seedless/hothouse cucumber, chopped
1/4 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Whisk vinegar, oil, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, red pepper, and feta; toss to coat.

Slow Cooker Tikka Masala

The easy to delicious ratio on this dish is really low, I'll be honest with ya.  It took a long time to prep, dirtied my dutch oven AND the crock pot (I keep forgetting about those slow cooker liners sitting in my cabinet!), and had a lot of ingredients, including garam masala that required a trip to the natural foods store.  But....it was delicious! It was a great change of pace!

 

Slow Cooker Tikka Masala (from Tasty Kitchen, but originally here)

• FOR THE CHICKEN:
• 9 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs (I used chicken breasts)
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Yogurt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion, Peeled And Diced
• 6 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
• 3 Tablespoons Garam Masala
• 1 piece Fresh Ginger, About 2-3 Inches, Peeled And Grated
• 4 cups Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• TO SERVE:
• Rice
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken  into 1- 1 1/2 inch pieces. Sprinkle the coriander, cumin and salt over the chicken, then stir in the yogurt until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover lightly and let sit for 10 minutes before proceeding.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Raise the heat to medium high and quickly brown about 1/4 of the chicken. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker as it is finished, and repeat until the chicken is all in the slow-cooker.
Prepare the sauce. Return the pan to the heat and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and kosher salt, then stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to lightly brown around the edges.
Stir in the garam masala and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) before raising the heat to high and adding the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Stir well, scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow-cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, or until the chicken is very tender.
Use a fork or whisk to stir the cornstarch into the heavy cream until smooth. Pour into the slow-cooker and stir gently until the color is even. Replace the lid and let cook for 10 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.
Serve over hot rice, topped with a generous amount of chopped cilantro.

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Who doesn't like buffalo wings?  Well, besides me?  I don't like chicken wings at all, buffalo or any other style. But I do like boneless wings, aka cut up chicken breasts tossed in buffalo sauce.  This recipe is a healthy way to eat them.  For the kids, I just took some chicken out before I tossed it all in the sauce.  It would definitely have been too hot for them! 

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

1 pound chicken breasts, skinless, boneless, cut into 1 inch pieces 

1/3 cup flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce (Frank’s Buffalo Wing was what I used)
1 Tablespoon olive oil

flour tortillas

Toppings:
cilantro 

avocado slices
homemade ranch dressing

green onions

lime

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

In a large bowl, combine cornstarch, flour, cayenne, and garlic powder. Season the chicken pieces with a little salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour mixture.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven and once it gets hot, add chicken and cook on both sides – about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Once the chicken is done, turn off the heat and throw in the buffalo wing sauce. Add a little bit of water if the sauce is too thick when it hits the hot pan.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I've been making Barefoot Contessa's Mexican Chicken Soup for years, and it's one of our favorites.  Recently, I've been shredding a Rotisserie chicken from Sams to cut down on the prep time, and I think it's even better this way.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 large chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2- 32 oz. boxes chicken stock
1- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 white corn tortillas
salt and pepper
Rotisserie chicken, shredded (I only use the white meat)

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot in a large pot and add the onions, celery, and carrots.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. The tortillas will thicken the soup.  Add the shredded chicken, cilantro, and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with avocado, sour cream, broken tortilla chips, and grated cheese.  

BBQ Chicken Pizza

I'm not sure why I thought my kids would eat this fabulous pizza....I guess I was just hoping.  I had to pick off the onions and cilantro,  but they did eat it after a little fussing about the "green stuff" and a promise of dessert.  I should have made a special one for them.  Anyway, it was awesome.  And fast. Perfect for an evening of perfect weather and playing outside! 

BBQ Chicken Pizza (inspired by PW)

Homemade or store bought pizza crust (I used a thin one from my Walmart bakery)
Rotisserie chicken, white meat diced
1/2 cup barbeque sauce (I like the sauce from Rendevous in Memphis)
Fresh mozzarella cheese, very thinly sliced
1/2 whole red onion, cut in half and sliced thinly
chopped cilantro, to taste


Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Spoon a couple of tablespoons of BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly. Top sauce with half the sliced mozzarella. Sprinkle on half the diced chicken and thinly sliced red onion.
Sprinkle with a little salt, about a tablespoon more of BBQ sauce, and then bake for 10-12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle on plenty of chopped cilantro. Cut into squares and serve immediately. Repeat with another other crust and other ingredients, or save for another time.

Kids' Favorite Chicken Tenders

We had the Kids' Favorite Chicken Tenders for dinner, and  I should mention that adults like them, too (we even dip them in barbeque sauce or ranch, like the kids do!).

You must excuse my poor phone pictures.  My 3 year old son stole the sim card to my camera, AGAIN!.

Kids' Favorite Chicken Tenders

4 thin skinless chicken breasts (I buy the thin ones)
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 flour
2 eggs

Mix Panko with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Cut chicken breasts in half to form chicken tenders.  Lightly salt and pepper each one.  Dredge each tender first in flour, then in egg, and then in the Panko/spice mixture.  Place tenders on oiled cookie sheet and bake at 450 for 7-10 minutes or until beginning to brown on top.  Flip each tender and bake 5 minutes more.

Chicken and Green Chili Enchiladas

A wonderful neighbor friend from our old neighborhood brought these enchiladas to me one evening after Alpha was born (8 years ago!), and I've been making them ever since.  I like to use a rotisserie chicken to save time, but she poaches boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead.  You can do either.  And you can adjust the amount of chicken based on what you like.  I like mine less chicken-y and more creamy, so I use less chicken than the recipe calls for (just 2 chicken breasts from the rotisserie). 

Amy's (not me) Chicken Enchiladas 

3 cups cooked and chopped chicken
1 8oz package of cream cheese (don't bother to use low fat, read the rest of the recipe)
1 small onion, chopped
1 small can of chopped green chilies
salt and pepper to taste
large flour tortillas
8oz whipping cream
8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (more or less to taste)

Cook the onions and green chilies in a skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil until very soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the cream cheese and stir until it melts.  You can add a little cream if the mixture is not creamy enough.  Add the chopped chicken, salt and pepper, and stir.  Put some of the chicken mixture in each tortilla and place seam side down in a lightly greased baking dish.  Pour whipping cream over the enchiladas and then top with shredded cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes, remove foil and broil until browned on top, about 5 minutes.

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

I get asked all the time if I ever make anything that isn't any good.  Well, I typically just don't blog about that stuff (clever, right?). Really, I usually know what I like and I don't try difficult or weird recipes, unless they are given to me by a friend. 

But tonight, I made this chicken, because I saw it on Pinterest and it peaked my interest.  It seemed too good to be true in how easy it is.  Throw frozen chicken and some other stuff in the crock pot and that's it??  It was, in fact, really easy.  But I'll have to say it wasn't that good.  I mean, it was ok, and the kids really liked it.  But, I wouldn't make it again, though, at least this way.  It wasn't very flavorful, even after I added a bunch of spices, and it was kind of soup-y.  I still like the idea of adding frozen chicken breasts to a crockpot....I'm going to give it some more thought.  Maybe replace the rotel with salsa and omit the corn...

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken

5 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz package of lowfat cream cheese
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel (tomatoes and green chilies)
1 small bag of frozen corn
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Just dump it all in the crock pot and set it to low.  Cook for 8 hours.  At the end, turn the crock pot up to high and leave the lid off for a bit to let some of the liquid evaporate.  I served the chicken with tortillas, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, and fresh lime. 

Autumn Chopped Salad

I feel like a broken record saying this, but are you using Pinterest yet?  It's such a great place to get ideas.  Anyway, I found this recipe for Autumn Chopped Salad there, but I changed the recipe quite a bit.   I know it's not Autumn yet, but school started today around here, so it feels like it!

 

Autumn Chopped Salad

1 large head of romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
2 medium pears, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I did this in the microwave)
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Rotisserie chicken, chopped white meat

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Toss salad with vinaigrette right before serving.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

Combine ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake it up.

Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice

"Hawaiian Chicken" reminds of something one might have with a big pineapple ring on top at Luby's Cafeteria (I loved cafeterias when I was a kid because everything came on it's own plate), but this Hawaiian Chicken is awesome.  You can still put everything on it's on plate if you want.  I totally should have done that....

Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice (adapted from a recipe I found on Tasty Kitchen)

For the chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup coconut milk (from a can, save the rest for the rice)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 scallions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
salt and pepper

For the rice:
1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup (remaining from the can) coconut milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup cilantro, plus more for garnish

For the garnish:
fresh pineapple to taste
brown sugar
salt

Combine everything except the chicken in a large Ziploc bag, mush it around, and then put the chicken in. Seal it up, swish it around some more. Stick it in the fridge until you're ready to cook (10 minutes to 2 hours).

When you’re ready to grill, preheat the grill to medium high. Add the chicken and grill until cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Take it off the grill and let it rest a couple of minutes.

Pour the coconut milk, a cup of water, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes, until the rice is cooked and fluffy. Stir in the cilantro before serving.

While everything is finishing up, heat a skillet to high and melt one tablespoon of butter.  Add chopped fresh pineapple and sprinkle with brown sugar and salt.  Cook, turning occasionally, until pineapple is browned.

Slice chicken, fan it out over a bed of rice, top with pineapple and cilantro.

Pomegranate and Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds

I ran across a package of pomegranate arils (those seeds inside a pomegranate) at my Walmart Neighborhood Market yesterday and I knew a big salad was in order! It was a perfect, quick dinner because all I had to do was throw it together.

The kids ate the chicken and some spinach, but didn't care for the pomegranates.  I think they are a little too tart for them.  But I love those things! And the creamy goat cheese goes perfectly with the tartness of the pomegranate.

Pomegranate and Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese and Almonds
arugula and baby spinach
rotisserie chicken
pomegranate arils
goat cheese
slivered almonds
Champagne vinaigrette
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
pinch of salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Mix ingredients in a lidded jar and pour over salad and toss.

Grilled BBQ Chicken with Sauteed Fresh Corn

This meal epitomizes summer to me.  Fast, simple, cooked outside, and healthy.   It helped that the kids were starving and worn out from a fun day, but they still ate every bite!

The Sauteed Fresh Corn with Basil is always a hit! And I made Pioneer Woman's marinated tomatoes (which were fantastic by the way), but I'll talk about those later.

 

BBQ Grilled Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin (or buy the thin ones in the store to save time)

1 cup bottled BBQ sauce

salt and pepper

Salt and pepper chicken.  Heat grill to HOT, and grill chicken, brushing with BBQ sauce until it's done.  HEALTH NOTE: remember the brush has touched raw chicken, as has the BBQ sauce you dipped the brush in.  Throw away any extra sauce and don't use the brush to put sauce on the cooked chicken.  Always be careful not to cross contaminate!

Chicken Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Sour Cream

Who doesn't love a taco salad?  Even a bad taco salad (e.g. Taco Bell) is still pretty good, in my opinion.  I set out to make a fresher, healthier, more tasty one for dinner tonight, and I think I succeeded.  And I love how colorful it is!

For 4 salads:
1 rotisserie chicken (I only used the white meat)
salad greens
2 avocados
4 small tomatoes
2 ears of fresh corn
fresh salsa from deli case (my new Walmart Neighborhood Market has a fresh salsa in the deli case that is pretty good)
1/2 cup shredded Monterrey Jack
tortilla chips
salt and pepper
Cilantro Lime Sour Cream (recipe follows)

Before assembling the salad, prep all the ingredients.  Shred the chicken from the rotisserie chicken.  Cut up avocado and spritz with lime juice if you're not using it immediately to keep it from browning.  Cut corn off the ears and microwave for just one minute to cook it.  Cut up tomatoes. Shred cheese. Assemble salad to your tastes, salt and pepper the whole thing, then top with the Cilantro Lime Sour Cream. 


Cilantro Lime Sour Cream
1/2 cup light sour cream
juice of one whole lime
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Mix well. And that's it. 

Chicken Salad with Basil and Pine Nuts

Now this is a QUICK meal.

Rotisserie chicken
Spinach and Arugula salad mix (something NEW at my NEW Walmart Neighborhood Market!)
Cherry Tomatoes
Fresh Basil (I got mine from my awesome Mother's Day garden)
Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Toasted Pine Nuts
Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic , crushed through a press or grated on a microplane
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• large pinch of sugar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper , to taste

Combine the balsamic, mustard and garlic in a small jar. Season with salt and pepper and add sugar.  Add olive oil and shake well until combined and thickened. Toss with greens and reserve leftover for lunch salads throughout the week.