These days it seems like life is extra hectic (especially with it being the holiday season!) and sometimes planning dinner can be last on your list.

Thankfully grocers like Metropolitan Market, Whole Foods, and even Costco have you covered with their pre-made meals and dishes like their rotisserie roasted chickens.

These chickens are great if you’re time starved. Of course they are d’lish just carved up and served as your main alongside tasty sides like roasted veggies, mashed potatoes, etc. But there is so much more you can do.

Add the meat to stir-fry, layer into quesadillas, build onto an open-faced sandwich, or make a Quick and Easy Chicken Mandarin Salad – the possibilities are endless.

Once you have that chicken picked clean, don’t throw those bones away. Because next up is Homemade Chicken Broth! Add some carrots, celery, onion and the chicken bones to a big pot. Cover with water – if you want it extra rich, add in a can OR carton of chicken broth too.

Homemade Chicken Broth – perfect for this chilly weather!

Let this simmer for at least an hour or two (or throw it in your crock pot on low while you’re at work!)
Then strain, and there you have it – delicious Homemade Chicken Broth. And your house will smell delicious! –Kathy

Photo by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Quick and Easy Mandarin Chicken Salad
Makes 4 servings

1 tsp. curry powder
1 Sunkist® lemon
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
3 cups chopped cooked store-bought rotisserie/roasted chicken
1 cup thinly shredded red cabbage
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup roasted cashews or sliced almonds
3 peeled and sectioned Sunkist® Gold Nugget variety mandarins
Salt and black pepper
2 halved whole wheat pitas

Zest the lemon and set it aside, then juice the lemon.
In a large bowl, mix together lemon juice and zest, curry powder, yogurt and mayonnaise.
Mix in the chicken, cabbage, green onions, celery and nuts.
Add the mandarin sections and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with pita’s or on your favorite mixed greens.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com

On those days when you have time for more than a banana for breakfast, pancakes are a great morning treat.

I always start my pancake cooking with a “sacrificial” pancake. This one’s to test the heat, unless you like them a crispier than most.

How do you know when it’s time to flip? Look for bubbles starting to dot the top, then you know it’s time to get your spatula ready!

There are many types of pancakes from good old fashioned buttermilk to corn flap jacks. Mini silver dollar sized to ones that fill up the whole plate.

Try different pancake add-ins sprinkled on just before flipping: from blueberries to slices of fresh banana, lemon zest for zing or chocolate chips for those with a sweet tooth. Or get savory with fresh corn kernels, or chopped bacon – the possibilities are endless!

Try my Pan Sized Berry Pancakes with Zesty Lemon Syrup; combining fun add-ins and a citrus syrup. This one’s big in size and in flavor! –Kathy

Photo from Dishing with Kathy Casey.

Pan-Sized Berry Pancakes with Zesty Lemon Syrup
Folding whipped egg whites into the batter makes these pancakes fluffy good.

Makes 5 to 6 pan-sized pancakes

1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. minced lemon zest
2 eggs, separated
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 cups mixed fresh blueberries and blackberries, or substitute frozen berries
Zesty Lemon Syrup, warmed (recipe follows)

Mix the milk and lemon juice together in small bowl and let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and lemon zest.

Whisk the egg yolks into the milk and lemon juice mixture.

Add the liquid mixture all at once to the flour mixture, along with the melted butter, and stir until just incorporated. Do not overmix—some small lumps will remain.

Whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold half of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then gently fold in the remaining half. Gently fold in the berries.

Preheat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. To test the pan, sprinkle with a few drops of water. If they “skittle around,” the heat should be just about right.

Ladle 1 cup batter into pan, being sure to get an even amount of berries for each pancake. If necessary, move berries around quickly with your fingers to distribute evenly in pancake. Pancake should be pan-sized.

Turn pancake when it is puffed and golden brown and multiple bubbles have appeared. Be sure that the pancake has had enough time to set before turning, since larger pancakes take longer to cook through in the center. Cook on the other side until pancake is golden and done all the way through. Serve immediately with a drizzle of warmed Citrus Syrup.

Zesty Lemon Syrup
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. lemon zest

In a heavy saucepan, combine the water and sugar and heat over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is completely dissolved, turn the heat to high. When the syrup comes to a boil, cover the pan and start timing immediately. Boil the syrup for about 3 minutes.

Uncover and add the lemon juice and zest. Continue boiling, uncovered, for about 3 more minutes, or until the mixture is syrupy. If not using immediately, let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature or warm slightly before serving.

Chef’s Tips:
-Adjust the heat as needed. When cooking pancakes this large, you need good but slow browning to get the pancakes cooked all the way through in the centers.

-If you have an older, more worn nonstick skillet, you may need to oil the pan lightly before using it.

-If the Citrus Syrup is too thick when reheating, thin it with a little water. If syrup is a little too thin, boil for a minute or so to reduce it.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com

Avocados! The mighty superfood that’s SUPER delicious. Their creamy, rich flavor certainly feels indulgent but, surprise! There’s nothing to feel guilty about here.

These lovely little fruits- that’s right, I said FRUIT! – have stolen the hearts of health fanatics everywhere. Packed full of essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats- they are the MVP of almost every diet trend. Paleo, Whole 30, Keto, and even low-carb enthusiasts welcome avocados into their kitchens with open arms.

Photo from Kathy Casey’s D’Lish Deviled Eggs Cookbook

Instead of using butter or oil in your next dish, why not use avocado oil! Or make a delicious pesto by pureeing a ripe avocado with lots of garlic, fresh herbs and a touch of olive oil. Then just toss with your favorite pasta for an easy weeknight meal. You can even go gluten or carb free by using zucchini noodles- also known as zoodles.

Mash up an avocado and spread on a d’lish sandwich- it’s the perfect replacement for mayonnaise. Or try using them in a fun new way, like in my Green Goddess Deviled Eggs!

Healthy, satisfying, and sooo versatile. Three cheers for Avocados!
-Kathy

Green Goddess Deviled Eggs
Tarragon and avocado are the stars of these garden-fresh deviled eggs. Tarragon’s anise notes and bright, green personality bring an herbaceous attitude to the recipe. For a truly classic Green Goddess flavor, replace the salt with 1 to 2 teaspoons of anchovy paste.

Makes 24

1 dozen hard-cooked eggs (recipe follows)

Filling
1/2 ripe avocado
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping
24 fresh tarragon leaves
Fresh-cracked black pepper

Halve the eggs lengthwise and transfer the yolks to a small bowl. Set the egg white halves on a platter, cover, and refrigerate.

In a mixing bowl, mash the avocado well with a fork, then add the yolks and mash to a smooth consistency. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, tarragon, and salt, and mix until smooth. (You can also do this in a mixing bowl with a whip attachment.)

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain or large star tip, then pipe the mixture evenly into the egg white halves. Or fill the eggs with a spoon, dividing the filling evenly.

Top each egg half with a tarragon leaf and a grind of fresh-cracked black pepper.

Hard-Cooked Eggs

1 dozen large chicken eggs

Place the eggs in a large nonreactive saucepan and add cold water to 1 inch above the eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the stove and run cool water over the eggs in the pan until they are cooled. When cool, carefully peel them under running water.

Recipe from D’Lish Deviled Eggs by Kathy Casey

I love fried rice! Great from your favorite Chinese restaurant but also easy to make at home – a great way to turn leftover steamed rice into a fresh d’lish meal!

But Fried Rice can get fancy too — I’ve had it in NY with lobster and 24K gold on it!!

David Burke & Donatella’s “Millionaire’s Fried Rice”
with caviar, lobster, Kobe beef, and gold!

But let’s get to the basics — important fried rice tips are:
1. Use cold steamed white rice – NEVER INSTANT!
2. Almost anything is fair game: leftover cooked pork, seafood, chicken, veggies, etc. Throw those all in.

Start with a large HOT pan or wok and a little oil then add in the cold rice. Spread it out to get it cooking. Then add in the goodies (meats, veggies) and some minced garlic and ginger too, if you like.

Then make a “well” in the middle. Add in some beaten egg then scramble it up in the middle. Last, fold it all in.

I even love it for breakfast, with some bacon or sausage added!

So instead of take out tonight – STAY IN and try your hand at homemade fried rice! -Kathy

Egg and Shrimp Jasmine Fried Rice
To achieve that great “fried rice” consistency, make the rice the day before. Cook and refrigerate and then let set at room temperature for 30 minutes before frying. This recipe has cooked egg that is sliced thin and added, but you can also whisk the egg and scramble it right into the rice as well.

Makes 8 cups, serves 6 to 10

Rice
Makes 6 cups cooked rice

2 cups jasmine rice
1 tsp salt
3 cups water
1 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaf (optional)

Fried Rice Goodies
3 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp water
3 tsp vegetable oil
1 cup (about 8 ounces) uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut/split in half lengthwise or coarsely chopped
2 tsp minced ginger
1/4 cup small-diced (1/4-inch) carrots
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced fresh lemongrass (optional)
1/2 cup fresh shelled peas or thinly sliced pea pods
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
2 tsp soy sauce

Serve with:
additional soy sauce
sambal oelek or Asian chili condiment
lime wedges
cilantro sprigs

Cook the rice the day before, or at least 2 hours in advance, and chill.

To cook in a rice cooker:
Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. DRAIN WELL, then place in the rice cooker with all the remaining rice ingredients. Stir well, cover and steam until tender, per manufacturer’s directions.

After rice is cooked, fluff with a fork, let cool, then refrigerate.

To cook without a rice cooker:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Shake rice and DRAIN WELL.

Place rice in a large saucepan with remaining rice ingredients. Place pan over high heat and bring to a boil, stir. Quickly cover pan with a piece of foil AND a tight-fitting lid.

Place in preheated oven and cook for 15 – 20 minutes, or until tender. After rice is cooked, immediately remove the lid and foil. Fluff rice with a fork, let cool, then refrigerate.

When ready to finish the dish, have all remaining ingredients prepared and within reach of the range. Cook the eggs and let them cool while you fry the rice.

To cook the eggs:
In a small bowl, whisk eggs with the salt and water. Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a wok or heavy, large, non-stick skillet until hot. Add the eggs and, with a spatula, lift eggs as they cook, letting uncooked part run underneath until set. Transfer eggs to a cutting board. Let cool, then cut eggs into 1/4-inch strips.

To fry the rice:
Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in the same wok over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and stir-fry until just turning pink, about 15 seconds. Add the ginger, carrot, garlic, lemongrass, and the cooked rice. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the peas, green onions, and the shredded eggs. Stir-fry for 1 minute, until heated through, then drizzle with soy sauce and toss well.

Serve, immediately and pass the soy, chili condiment, lime and cilantro separately for guests to “customize” and season their rice the way they like it.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios® – www.KathyCasey.com