Roasted Zucchini with Pesto

Have you tried pesto?

September is still harvest time. It sounds wonderful and feels so country.  Our local farmers' market should be as large with as many alternatives of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. One best thing about this whole thing is the opportunity to learn making food from scratch, from what is available.

Here's a recipe suggested by Your Smart Kitchen Blog.

Ingredients

• 2 Zucchini, chopped into 1 inch chunks
• 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
• Extra-virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Pesto
• Oregano
• Sea Salt
• Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Mix olive oil, pesto, oregano, garlic, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl. Coat each chunk of zucchini with the mixture and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast till browning (about 6 minutes) and then flip the zucchini pieces over and let roast for another 7 or so minutes until then are tender. Serve warm with other delicious sides.  

Source : Your Smart Kitchen Newsletter

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wraps

Try this sweet and spicy chicken wrap. We have tried this many times and it became one of my family and friend's favorite foodie requests every time. Perfect for your holidays.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely chopped seedless cucumber
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into thin strips
• 1 cup thick and chunky salsa
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 (10 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves

Directions

1. Mix together the mayonnaise, cucumber, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat, and cook and stir the chicken breast strips until they are beginning to turn golden and are no longer pink in the middle, about 8 minutes. Stir in the salsa, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have blended, about 5 minutes.
3. Stack the tortillas, 4 at a time, in a microwave oven and heat until warm and pliable, 20 to 30 seconds per batch.
4. Spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise-cucumber mixture, top with a layer of baby spinach leaves, and arrange about 1/2 cup of chicken mixture on the spinach leaves.
5. Fold the bottom of each tortilla up about 2 inches, and start rolling the burrito from the right side. When the burrito is half-rolled, fold the top of the tortilla down, enclosing the filling, and continue rolling to make a tight, compact cylinder.