Braces-Friendly Recipes from Rachael’s Mom

Pasta with Chicken, Tomatoes and Feta

Ingredients:
Coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces penne pasta
2 large cooked boneless/ skinless chicken breasts
(Store bought rotisserie chicken works well)
4 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 to 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
1 cup torn fresh spinach leaves

Directions:
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente and drain.

Meanwhile, sauté the chicken in a large skillet until heated thoroughly – season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Using two dinner forks, shred chicken and set aside.

Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch chunks. Consider combining different varieties of tomatoes to give the dish more color.

Transfer cooked pasta to a large bowl, toss pasta with olive oil, lemon juice, feta cheese, tomatoes, chicken, basil and spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This dish can be served hot or chilled. Serves 3-4.

Sweet Potato, Chipotle and Apple Soup

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 Gala apples-peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced, crosswise
1 3/4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 quart and 14-ounces of low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup full bodied red wine
2/3 cup orange juice
2 cups water
2 tablespoons honey chipotle BBQ sauce
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1-2 flour tortillas cut into ½-inch by 3-inch strips

Directions:
In a medium sized pot, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook over low heat, stirring until softened (approximately 7 minutes). Add the apples and celery and cook for another 7-to-8 minutes. In the same pot, add the sweet potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are softened. Pour in the red wine and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and water and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the fruit and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in the orange juice.

Puree the soup in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and honey chipotle BBQ sauce. Return all contents to original cooking pot and gently reheat.

In a small bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar with a ½ teaspoon of salt. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet on high. Add the tortilla strips and fry, stirring for 2 minutes or until crisp and golden. Drain grease and place strips on paper towels - dab off excess grease. Then sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Serve the soup in shallow bowls and garnish with fried tortilla strips. Serves 6-8.