Christmas Dinner Side Dishes

A hot pizza when served with double coated cheese ginger bread as a side dish has a pleasing effect on our sense of taste. You can very well feel that your appetite has increased and so the flavor of the food. And this is exactly why side dishes are served along with the main course. During Christmas heartwarming, side dishes are prepared which uplift the mood of having dinner with friends and family. Furthermore, choosing a good side dish for complementing the main course is also an art requiring proper culinary expertise.

Side Dishes for Christmas Dinner

You cannot randomly mismatch any side dish with the main course. The taste of the side dish must blend perfectly with the main course and thereby make the food more scrumptious. In short, you will be relishing the side dish and the main course simultaneously. For example, a dish of crispy potato chips will serve as an excellent side dish for a sizzler. Let's find out some side dish menus for a Christmas dinner.

Side Dishes for Non-Veg Recipes
Turkey, beef, chicken, and mutton are pure non-veg food items, which are usually cooked with lots of spices. Sizzlers, roasts, grills, kebabs, etc are also served during Christmas. So what will be the best side dish to balance the hot and spicy flavor of these non-veg menus? Have a look.

• Baked sweet potatoes with ricotta cheese
• Creamed hash browns
• Mashed potatoes with caramelized onions
• Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
• California creamy potatoes
• Glazed butternut squash
• Broccoli with lemon crumbs
• Baked stuffed pumpkin
• Creamy herbed mashed potatoes
• Mozzarella, tomato and basil couscous
• Chive green beans
• Honey glazed carrots
• Green mango salad

Check out the recipe to make mashed potatoes here.

Ingredients

• Peeled potatoes, 2 pounds
• Olive wall, 1 tsp
• Garlic, 1
• Butter, 4 tsps
• Milk, 1/2 cup
• Pepper 1 pinch
• Salt, 1 pinch

Preparation

• First boil the potatoes in water and salt. Drain the water after the potatoes have boiled.
• Keep the oven at 375 F for baking the ginger.
• Put little olive oil in ginger and bake for 1 hour.
• Chop the boiled potatoes. Add milk, butter, pepper, and salt to it. Blend it smoothly.
• Now add the baked garlic to the mixture and blend it in an electric mixer to form the mash.

Side Dishes for Veg Recipes
Vegetable dishes like soups and casseroles are relished with dips, roasts and stuffing. Even a sweet side dish blends well with veg servings. You can toss the salad with crispy chicken and turkey pieces as they enhance the taste of any main course having vegetable dish. You can also garnish with Mozzarella cheese or brush with butter.

• White wine risotto
• Cucumber and wakame salad
• Chicken salad with mozzarella
• French finger chips
• Apple brown rice stuffing
• Asparagus & shrimp stir-fry
• Cranberry, sausage and apple Stuffing
• Orange ginger turkey
• Non-breaded chicken parm
• Caribbean rice and peas
• Cheddar cheese souffl
• Grilled asparagus rafts

Check out the recipe for non-breaded chicken parm

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts, 1 packet
• Seasoned tomatoes, diced, 1
• Basil, 1/tsp
• Oregano, 1 tsp
• Garlic, chopped, 2 tsp
• Salt, 1/2 tsp
• Pepper, 1/2 tsp

Preparation

• Heat the oven to 450 F.
• Marinate the chicken breasts with pepper, tomatoes, spices, and salt.
• Pour some cheese in aluminum foil and then wrap the chicken breasts with it.
• Bake inside the oven for 40 minutes. Take it out, garnish and serve.

Side Dishes for Soup Recipes
Soups are enjoyed better when there is a side dish with it. To make the soup delighting, you can serve with some quick and spicy vegetable roasts or grilled chicken. You can also have it with chips. The side dishes for soups are listed below.

• Corn cobs and green chili cornbread
• French roll with asparagus
• Baked chicken roll
• Fruit curried chicken pasta salad
• Beef short ribs with tomato wine sauce
• Black bean and chorizo chili
• Chunky chips with curry sauce
• Oven roasted kale chips
• Griddled sirloin and chip salad
• Lemon and parsley chicken with chips
• Cannellini with tomatoes and sage
• Texas-style beef chili
• Mole chicken chili
• Vegetarian tortilla chili

The recipe for making baked chicken roll is presented to you.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts boneless, 4
• Romano cheese, 1/3 cup
• Paprika, 1 1/2 tsp
• White bread crumbs, 1 cup
• Dried thyme, 1 1/2 tsp
• Muenster cheese, 4 ounces
• Olive oil, 3 tsp

Preparation

• First season the chicken breasts with pepper and salt.
• You will require waxed sheets to roll the stuff inside it. Clip a rolling-pin and make it ready to place inside a microwave, preheated at 400 F.
• Now blend thyme, paprika, bread crumbs, and Romano cheese.
• Roll the chicken breasts into the cheese sticks and dip into the crumb mixture.
• Place the rolls on the baking sheet and bake it for 15 minutes to make it crispy.

I'm sure you have liked the ideas explained for Christmas dinner side dishes. Combine the menus appropriately and treat your guests in a grand way. Merry Christmas.

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Meal Ideas with Chicken

Chicken is one of the most convenient meats available to try various delicious food recipes. But, sometimes, it happens so that we get bored by 'trying' the same old recipes over and over again. Which also evokes the need for some scrumptious and interesting chicken recipes that can be a great substitute for the regular chicken recipes that we try. Well, there are a few easy meal ideas with chicken that you can try to discover a new chicken recipes each day.

Poblano Chicken Chowder
Ingredients

• Grilled chicken, 3 cups
• Chicken broth, 3 quarts
• Chicken bouillon granules, 1 tablespoon
• Poblano pepper, 3, diced in inch pieces
• Large onions, 2, diced in inch pieces
• Large carrots, 3, diced in inch pieces
• Celery, 5 stalks, inch pieces
• White pepper, tablespoon
• Minced garlic, 1/8 cup
• Fresh cilantro leaves, bunch, minced
• Dried thyme, teaspoon
• Ground cumin, teaspoon
• Unsalted butter, cup
• Hot sauce, cup
• All-purpose flour, 1 cup
• Heavy cream, 1 cup
• Olive oil, cup

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot and add garlic, onions, carrots, poblano pepper, white pepper, celery, cumin, thyme and salt in it. Saut the vegetables well, until they get soft. Add cilantro, chicken bouillon and chicken broth in it and cook for 10 minutes more. Add the grilled chicken pieces and stir well. Keep on heating until the mixture is thick enough. By the time the chicken is getting cooked, heat a skillet and melt the unsalted butter in it. Now add the flour to the butter and stir really well. Stir the flour for 2 minutes, without letting it to turn brown.

Now, add 1 cup of chicken liquid from the stockpot into the flour and whisk it really well. Add 2 more cups of chicken liquid in the flour liquid (one cup at a time) and after stirring it, pour the whole mixture from the skillet into the stockpot. Cook this final batter for about 5 minutes or until it start to get thick. Now, remove the stockpot from the heat and pour in a serving bowl. Add hot sauce and cream on top and serve! You can increase the number of poblano peppers if you wish!

Monterey Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients

• Skinless boneless chicken breasts, 4, cut into strips
• Onion, 1, sliced
• Green pepper, 1, cut into 2 inch strips
• Salsa, cup
• Cream of mushroom soup, 1 can
• Olive oil, 2 tablespoons
• Warmed tortilla, 8
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 1 cup

Directions

Heat oil in a skillet and add chicken strips in it. Stir well and cook until it turns brown in color. Afterwards, add onion and pepper into it and cook until the onions get softened. Now, add mushroom soup and salsa in the skillet and heat the mixture until the chicken gets thoroughly cooked. Once the chicken is done, add some of it on each of the tortillas and garnish with generous amount of shredded Monterey Jack cheese and salsa.

Chicken Biryani
Ingredients

• Chicken breasts, 4, cut into pieces
• Basmati rice, 2 cups
• Onion,1, chopped
• Ginger paste, 1 teaspoon
• Garlic paste, 1 teaspoon
• Tomato puree, cup
• Garam masala powder, 2 teaspoons
• Milk, cup
• Yogurt, 1 cup
• Green chili paste, 1 teaspoon
• Ground coriander, 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric, 1 teaspoon
• Ground cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons
• Raisins, 10-12
• Oil, for frying
• Salt, to taste
• Green coriander leaves, for garnishing

Directions

Take a large bowl and combine onion paste, tomato puree, garlic paste, yogurt, ginger paste, green chili paste, cayenne pepper, turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and garam masala (black & white peppercorns, cloves, malibar leaves, long pepper, black cumin, cumin seeds, cinnamon, black, brown and green cardamom, nutmeg, star anise and coriander seeds) in it. Now, marinade the chicken breast pieces with this mixture and keep it aside for 3-4 hours. Now, heat oil in a large pan and saut the chopped onion in it. Once it turns to golden brown in color, add the marinated chicken breasts in it. Cook it well for about 10 minutes. Now, in a pressure cooker, add rice with 4 cups of water. Add cup milk, saffron (if available), cardamom and the chicken pieces to it. Now mix it well and pressure cook the rice. Once done, serve hot with green coriander leaves on top!

The ingredients which are used in the above mentioned recipes, especially like garam masala and Monterey Jack chicken are easily available in your nearest grocery store. So I guess there shouldn't be any problem for you in finding them. So, what are you waiting for? Go and make some of these easy and healthy meal ideas with chicken and enjoy them with your loved ones!

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Poached Chicken Breast

A very good and healthy method of cooking all types of poultry and meat is by poaching as no oil or fat is required. When skinless chicken breast is grilled or roasted, the resulting meat tends to turn quite dry and stringy. Poaching gives juicy, succulent and flavorsome chicken breast that can be used as filling for sandwiches, in salads or any other recipe. You can use plain water as well as wine, chicken stock, coconut milk or any other liquid for preparing poached chicken breast.

Basic Poached Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients

• 1 chicken breast, boneless
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 1 inch piece of ginger

Method

Place a medium-sized pan with a heavy bottom in medium heat and put the chicken breast in. Add the water, sea salt, bay leaf and sliced fresh ginger in the pan. Let the water come to a boil and cook the chicken breast for around 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cover it with a lid. Allow the chicken breast to rest in the liquid for 15 to 20 minutes. To check if it is done, take the chicken breast out from the pan and poke it slightly with your finger. If it is soft and yielding, then it is ready and you can use it for your recipe. This is the most basic recipe for poaching chicken breast and you can slice or shred it to use it in a salad or sandwich.

Chicken Breast Poached in White Wine
Ingredients

• 4 skinless chicken breast
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 cups chicken stock
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 small onions
• 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons flour

Method

Chop the celery stalk, carrots and the onions into small pieces and put them in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the chicken stock, white wine, bay leaf, dried thyme and tarragon and bring it to a boil. Add the chicken breast into this liquid and cover the pan and let it simmer in a low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the poached chicken breast from the pan and wrap them in an aluminum foil and let it rest for some minutes. Meanwhile add seasoning to the poaching liquid and reduce it to make a sauce. Remove cup of poaching liquid into a small bowl and add the flour and whisk until it is smooth. Add this back to the pan and stir until the sauce thickens.

Place the chicken breast on individual plates and spoon over some of the sauce over it with a ladle. Serve this chicken breast with a sprinkling of chopped chives.

Butter Poached Chicken Breast
Ingredients

• 4 boneless chicken breast, cut in half
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons plain unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• teaspoon paprika
• Juice of half a lemon

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F and rub the chicken breast thoroughly with salt, lemon zest, freshly ground black pepper, lemon juice and paprika. In a large roasting tin heat up the butter until it starts bubbling. Add the chicken breast into this and with the help of a spoon coat it evenly in the butter. Cover the roasting tin with aluminum foil and bake it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the chicken is tender. Serve the chicken breast in a plate accompanied by steamed asparagus and mashed potatoes.

Chicken Breast Poached in Oven
Ingredients

• 2 chicken breast
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups water
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

Method

In a medium-sized pot, heat the chicken stock and the water and let it simmer over low heat. In a roasting pan, place the boneless chicken breast and layer it with thinly sliced lemon, bay leaves and black peppercorns. Now ladle the simmering hot liquid over the chicken breast making sure that the chicken breast is fully submerged. Cover the pan tightly with an aluminum foil and place it in the oven at 350 C for 25 to 30 minutes. Once the poached boneless chicken breast is fully cooked, remove from the pan and transfer to a plate to let it cool.

To get better flavor of the chicken breast, you can add herbs and spices to the poaching liquid. Do not throw away the liquid that is used for poaching, as it can be used as chicken stock or reduced to make a sauce. Poached frozen chicken breast tastes just as delicious and all you need to do to get the same flavor is to let the chicken thaw completely before cooking. Now that you know how to poach chicken breast you can create some tasty and mouth-watering main course as well as appetizers with them.

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Health Risks Associated with Grilling Food

During my childhood, my grandma would always be ready with her expert advice for me. She spoke of things beyond the understanding of an seven-year old kid but I always remembered them. One day, my mother grilled the chicken wings a little too much. My grandma threw the entire contents of my plate into a garbage bag. I was heartbroken, but she said, I would put my health at a risk if I ate overly grilled food. I pretty much remember her telling me that the black crust could cause cancer. Grilling is a method of cooking that roasts your food without the need of any additional frying agents like animal fats or oil. Direct heat is used to cook the food from both sides on a grill at a temperature ranging between 500 degrees F and 1,000 degrees F. It is mainly used to barbecue meats, fish and poultry or the MPF foods. It is one of the most recommended types of cooking for people who are aiming at weight loss. No added oils to cook makes it a favorite among people who relish low-fat food.

Popular Forms of Grilling
Legend has it, prehistoric man first learned to eat roasted food by eating the flesh of animals killed in a forest fire.

• Broiling is a form of grilling wherein the source of heat is located above the food.
• Char-grilling is essentially grilling that uses coal or charcoal as a medium of heat to cook food.
• Barbecuing is a socializing trend soon catching up among people as a great idea for a friendly get together. Most of us have been to at least one barbecue evening.
• Other forms include grid-ironing, charcoal kettle-grilling, flat top grilling, stove-top pan grilling and grill-braising. However, scientists have now discovered that grilling your food may be putting you at a major health risk.

Health Risks of Grilling Food
According to research, excessive grilling for long durations at a high heating point changes the chemical makeup of food and develops carcinogens, cancer-causing agents. The formation of two compounds, Hetero-cyclic Amines (HAs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) , leads to development of stomach and colon cancer on consumption of foods that they bind to. It interferes with the DNA structure of your body and stimulate the production of cancer-causing cells.

Dangers of Grilling Meat
When you grill food, the only barrier between the source of heat and food are the grills. Over-heating causes animal fat to melt, drip off your food and melt on to the medium of heat, which is often coal. At a temperature of 400F, too much heat leads to the transformation of amino acids present in muscle tissues in the meat into HAs and PAHs that vaporize due to the heat. These are one of the most catastrophic carcinogens. As the smoke rises and settles on to the food, these chemicals attach to your food. The brown-black spots are over-grilled parts of your food that contain the most amount of HAs and PAHs. But, the formation of HAs is observed in protein based food like meat. These mutagens provoke cardiomyopathy, a degenerative heart condition of tissue inflammation and destruction, which is an aging disorder in reality. However, scientists are still investigating to factually confirm this observation in humans.

As a matter of fact, people who have the highest consumption of grilled meats, also have a higher rate of pancreatic disorder, liver, breast and rectal cancer. Even if you are not eating it, but doing the cooking, the chemicals are present in the fumes and easily enter your respiratory system. But I must also add, that it is only harmful when done for days and not just a few hours. Even though beef is a lot richer in fat content as compared to chicken, deep-fried beef contains much lesser HAs and PAHs as compared to grilled chicken.

Grilling it Safe
You do not have to fear grilling because it is still safe to eat grilled food. After all, it is only a variation of roasting, the first cooking method discovered by man. However, there are some safe grilling techniques that you could practice to avoid the health risks associated with grilling.

• Choose lean and healthy meat cuts for your barbecue sessions. Low fat helps ensure reduced dripping of animal fat on the coal, thereby, minimizing the development of carcinogens.
• Do not grill meat for long periods.
• Reduce portion size of meat.
• Always clean cooking equipment post-grilling immediately to prevent bacteria from breeding on them.
• Do not consume the over-grilled parts of your food even if it is not meat. HAs form on meat products but PAHs can form on all kinds of food during excessive roasting. Even your vegetarian kebabs and skewers contain the risk.
• If you are using a microwave or oven for grilling, make sure you preheat them well, at least 10-15 minutes to reduce cooking time.
• To grill fish, you can wrap it in an aluminum foil and keep it chemical free.
• Supplement your food with antioxidants by marinating meat with lemon or orange juice, vinegar and red wine. Have a fruits and vegetables salad as a side-dish.

Think about all the greenhouse gases and soot particles that grilling produces. It not just affect your health but it mixes up and stays within the atmospheric layer of the environment. The more your barbecue meat stays in contact with flame and smoke, the more will be the carcinogen content on it. You could use a grilling machine that has a filter to block out smoke and prevent it from coming in contact with your food. If it suits you, you could substitute grilling with frying using avocado and safflower oil as they have a high smoke point. Also, it would be great health etiquette to reduce the portion size of those hamburgers. As the saying goes, "What you eat is what you become!"

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Summer Dinner Recipes

The summer season has arrived...with bright sunlight and warm evenings. The kids have their school vacations. It's a perfect time to try some new food recipes and get appreciation from your family members. In mid-summer, you will find a variety of fresh vegetables in the market. So, why not prepare tasty salads for the summer dinner? Summer is the right time for grilling. So, enjoy outdoor cooking and prepare tempting barbecue recipes like barbecue chicken or smoked meat. Well! How will you plan the menu for a summer dinner?

Start your dinner with mouth-watering summer appetizers like chicken and bacon kabobs, tortilla roll-ups and salads such as apple mango salad, chicken salad with peaches and walnuts or corn chip salad. You can serve chicken pasta, peach BBQ chicken, spinach cheese pie, zucchini tomato pie and summer zucchini casserole as the main course. After dinner, treat yourself to delicious desserts like chocolate pudding pie, black cherry ice cream, ice cream cone cupcakes or easy lemon bars. You can also enjoy refreshing, energizing and healthy drinks like milkshakes or cocktails prepared from fresh summer fruits like bananas, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, pineapple and oranges. Just check out the following easy-to-make summer dinner recipes.

Barbecue Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
Skewers

Preparation

Thread chicken, pieces of red bell pepper and green bell pepper and onion onto the skewers in an alternative manner. Before you start cooking, the grill grate should be lightly oiled. Then, place the kabobs on the preheated grill and apply barbecue sauce on the kabob pieces. Keep on turning and brushing the kabobs frequently. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the chicken juices run clear.

Summer Bean and Sweet Corn Salad

Ingredients

400g canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
155g fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
1 small onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil, or as needed
2 tbsp lime juice
Large bunch of fresh basil, finely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large mixing bowl, mix together beans, onion, sweet corn, tomatoes, lemon zest and lemon juice. Then, sprinkle with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix it well. Before serving, add finely chopped fresh basil.

Chicken Pasta with Spinach and Tomato

Ingredients

1 (16 oz) package dry penne pasta
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
4 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch strips
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (8 oz) package cold cream cheese, cubed
1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Preparation

Add penne pasta to the boiling water in a big skillet. Meanwhile, cook the chicken pieces in chicken broth in a large pan over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Then, add cubes of cream cheese and spinach. Allow it to boil and cook for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally. Following this, you can add cherry tomatoes to this mixture and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine together cooked and drained pasta and the sauce prepared earlier. Allow this mixture to stand for a few minutes, before you serve it.

Raspberry Lemonade Punch

Ingredients

1 (12 fluid oz) can frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate
1 (12 fluid oz) can or bottle lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
3 cups water
1 cup crushed ice
tsp lime juice
1 cup fresh raspberries, garnish
1 cup fresh mint, garnish

Preparation

In a large punch bowl, mix together raspberry lemonade concentrate, lime juice and water. Then, add lemon-lime soda and crushed ice to this mixture. Pour raspberry lemonade punch in the serving glass and garnish with fresh mint leaves and raspberries.

Pamper your taste buds to these delicious summer dinner recipes and enjoy a wonderful summer vacation.

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Baked Whole Chicken Recipes

Whole chicken makes up for an undeniably delicious meal. Cut it in parts or bake the whole chicken as it is, the meat provides high nutrition. Although there are several ways to cook whole chicken, baking it makes it fat-free and retains its original succulent flavor. Cleaning the whole chicken is the most important part of making any baked whole chicken recipes. It's a little difficult and a tricky process, as the big portion cannot be cut into pieces. So let's see how to clean chicken, before its cooked into a delectable meal.

Cleaning Whole Chicken

If you've bought frozen chicken, remove the packet of giblet from its tail end. Allow the meat to thaw completely. Rinse in cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Check the cavity of the chicken for its kidneys. They are dark red in colored and towards the tail end. If they aren't removed, push them out with your fingers. Rinse them with cold water once again. Check the tail area of the meat for unwanted fat and remove it with a knife. Pat dry the chicken with paper towel, so that its ready to marinate.

Marinade and Stuffing for Whole Chicken

Grilled Chicken Marinade
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Mix all these ingredients in a big bowl and let them soak for 30 minutes. Stuff some of this mix inside the chicken and pour the remaining outside. Allow the marinade to sit for 3 - 4 hours, so that the meat absorbs the flavor. Next, grill the chicken in an open grill or in a preheated oven. Serve it hot with coleslaw.

Basil Parmesan Chicken Marinade
Ingredients

• One 14 oz bottle of Kraft extra virgin olive oil basil
• Parmesan Vinaigrette
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced(stem as well)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6-8 chicken breast

Directions
Combine vinaigrette, onions, garlic powder and salt in a bowl. Pour this marinade over chicken and allow the meat to soak it for about 4 hours. When the chicken is ready to be cooked, throw away the remaining marinade and set the meat in a preheated oven to bake for an hour. Poke in toothpicks to see if the chicken is baked well. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the job is done well!

Roasted Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients

• 1/8 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large shallots quartered
• 2 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
• 4 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon quartered
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Basil leaves, for garnish
• Lemon slices, for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper for taste

Directions
Grind the tomatoes, fennel seeds, basil, lemon juice, cheese and salt in a paste. Stuff this paste and shallots inside the chicken. Be generous with your stuffing and spread it evenly. Make a few shallow slits on top of the chicken and pour and rub some olive oil on top. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top and let it roast in a preheated oven at 375 degrees. When the chicken will give out clear juice, the roasting will be complete. Remove the chicken from heat and garnish it with basil (or you can use any other herb) and lemon slices.

Barbecued in Beer Chicken
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups beer
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 cups bottled sweet barbecue sauce
• 1 small onion, chopped 1
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions
Saut onion and garlic in oil till they wilt. Add lemon juice, beer, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and salt to the pan. Mix all the ingredients well till it bubbles. Remove from heat and allow it to cool down. Pour half of the mix inside the whole mix and the remaining on top. For marinating the meat better, make a few slits on top before pouring the sauce. Let it sit for 3 - 4 hours and then bake in a preheated oven.

So these were some of the whole backed chicken recipes. You can either bake the whole chicken or bake chicken wings and legs separately for the purpose of convenience. Marinades and stuffing accentuate the juicy flavors and the intoxicating aromas of the meat. They provide high nutrition and give it a distinguishing taste. You can use various herbs and vegetables to make different kinds of stuffing. Hope these recipes help you bake a finger licking meal.

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How to Make Alfredo Sauce

Fettuccine Alfredo is one of the popular Italian-style dishes in the United States. Many types of Italian pastas are accompanied by this white Alfredo sauce. The traditional way of preparing the sauce is by using Parmesan cheese and butter. Although, many variations have been made to this classic recipe. So, wondering how to start by making the sauce that has the taste of fine Italian restaurant? Then look no further, because in this article we will reveal the secrets of how to make Alfredo sauce from scratch. You can serve these homemade recipes to your family as an every day meal or at special dinner parties.

Alfredo Sauce Recipe
This recipe works great with fettuccine pasta and seafood (crabs, shellfish, clams, and lobsters). You can also make more sauce and store it in the freezer to use on special occasions or emergencies.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons of salted butter
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
• Salt and pepper for taste

Melt the butter in a pan over low heat and add crushed garlic to it. Before the garlic turns brown, add cream to it and mix properly. Now add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to it. If your sauce gets too thick, add some more cream to it, or if the sauce is thin, add more cheese. Make sure the sauce is creamy and not too thin.

Low-fat Alfredo Sauce with Milk
This sauce has generous amounts of calories packed into it (1 cup Alfredo sauce = 251 kcal). But you don't have to give up on the delicious and creamy taste of the sauce because of the calories. Here's a simple recipe that can be made with milk and it has only 79 calories.

Ingredients

• 1 oz of margarine
• cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• cup skim milk
• Salt and white pepper for taste
• Dash of ground nutmeg
• Chopped parsley

Take a saucepan and add margarine in it over medium heat. As the margarine melts, pour in skim milk and grated Parmesan cheese; mix all the ingredients properly to avoid any lumps. Once the sauce is blended completely, add salt, white pepper, parsley, and nutmeg to it. Keep stirring the sauce till it gets smooth in consistency. Pour the sauce over pasta or seafood.

Few tips before you start preparing the perfect Alfredo sauce:

• The amount of butter controls the richness in the sauce.
• Keep stirring the sauce continuously.
• Always maintain a medium-low heat and add the pasta or seafood to the sauce as soon as it is ready. This will prevent the sauce from cooling down quickly.

Voila, now you know how the sauce is made from scratch. The recipes are not difficult to prepare and very easy to follow. There won't be any missing ingredients or the consistency, and your Alfredo sauce will come out perfect.

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