1 LB Pasta of choice, cooked according to package directions 2 LB Cooked Chicken Breast, Boneless, Skinless, Cubed 1 16 OZ can Black Olives, Drained 1 Large Tomato, Diced 1 Cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing 8 Oz Feta Cheese, Crumbled
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and serve. This can be served hot or cold and is great as a main course with crusty bread or as a side dish. You can also slip other vegetables in, either raw or cooked. This is great with the addition of broccoli, spinach, zucchini or squash.
Fruit Braised Chicken - Finding it hard to get in your fruit each day? This is a great way to add it in.
3 LB Chicken Breast, Boneless and Skinless 1 Cup Orange Juice •1/2 Cup Honey 2 Tbl. Lemon Juice •1/2 Tsp. Curry Powder Salt and Pepper to taste 3 Cups combined of Prunes, Raisins, Pears, Peaches and Apples Orange Zest
Preheat oven to 350*. Melt Butter in a pan and brown chicken. Combine juices, honey, curry, salt and pepper. Place chicken in a baking dish and pour in juice mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Add fruit combination and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Chicken and Spinach - A tasty way to eat something green.
2 LB Chicken Breast, Boneless, Skinless, Cut into strips 6 to 8 Cups Raw Spinach •1/4 Cups Balsamic Vinegar 2 Tbl. Sesame Seeds •1/4 Cup Shredded Carrot
Coat skillet with Olive Oil and place chicken in. Once the chicken is cooked, add in the spinach. If moisture is needed to help wilt the greens, add a few Tbl. of water or chicken broth. Chicken broth will enhance the flavor as well. Once wilted, add the vinegar, sesame seeds and carrots. Toss together, heat through and serve. Serve over rice or noodles or just as a main dish with other sides.
Paprika Chicken - Colorful and fragrant, this tasty dish will have them asking for more.
3 LB Chicken Breast, Boneless, Skinless 2 Cups Fat Free Chicken Broth 2 Tbl.Butter 2 Tbl. 2 Tbl. Olive Oil 2 Tbl. Paprika 1 Cup Low fat Sour Cream 1/2 Cup Onion, Diced Salt and Pepper to taste
In a large pot melt butter and oil. Add the onion and paprika. Cook until onions are translucent. Add salt, pepper and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add the chicken. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add 1 cup of sour cream, stirring constantly until smooth. Serve over whole-wheat noodles or brown rice.
Chicken Stew - For white and dark meat lovers alike. Using thighs along with breast gives more of a flavor and satisfies all chicken lovers.
3 LB Chicken Breast and/or Chicken Thighs, Skinned and Boneless •1/2 Large Onion, Chopped 2 Cups Stewed tomatoes 1 Cup Okra, Cut Up 1 Cup Chicken Broth 2 Large Potatoes, Cut up 2 Cups Frozen Corn 1 Tbl Worcestershire Sauce
In a large stew pot, brown chicken in olive oil. Using a mixture of breast and thighs gives much more flavor. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add tomatoes, okra, chicken broth and potatoes. Simmer, covered, until chicken is tender and potatoes are cooked. Add the corn and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to a boil. Serve with a salad and crusty bread on the side.
Many people today prefer homes which provide space to lounge around and have a very casual and a very relaxed atmosphere. Hence most homes have decks and patios which are not exactly rooms in the traditional sense. The decks are open and have plenty of space which gives a very peaceful and laid-back feel to the place which what most people seek. Thus as the wooden decks get popular, so do the new ideas about the decks.
More about Wooden Decks
Wooden decks are the most popular form of decks which are built in the houses. These decks are easy to maintain and look beautiful. Wooden decks give a feeling of being down to earth and being one with nature. They are the perfect form of decks to have, especially if they are located near the garden or look out on the lawn.
People today prefer wooden decks for all purposes. Decks are great places to spend time with family and friends. It is also the place for an outdoor party or get-together for families and friends in the warm summer days. Wooden decks are also the preferred place for a quiet drink or as a favourite reading place. To enjoy the pleasant summer days and the breeze with a sweet smell of the wild flowers or the garden soil, there is no better place than a wooden deck.
Wooden decks can be built in several ways. There is a standard way of building wooden decks. However they can be built by adopting new and unique ways.
New Ideas for Wooden Decks
Wooden decks can be built using unique architectural styles, new ideas of decor and having a very unconventional look about the wooden decks. Wooden decks are normally made of simple treated wood. Instead decks can be made of different kinds of treated wood like red wood, cedar wood, rose wood, mahogany, walnut wood etc. Another feature which can be included is that the decks can have awnings or a roof for protection from the elements. They can be attached such that the awnings can be removed whenever required.
Decks can also be made to look interesting with unique planters and exotic kinds of plants. The decks can also have climbers and trellises. They can also have delicately carved railings and benches which are made of unique shapes and sizes. A deck can look more attractive if some sort of skirting is added. A real luxury touch can be given to the deck is a screened-in gazebo.
How to build a wood deck
After finishing up your deck design plans and assembling the necessary apparatus and supplies, step one of construction will begin, which is preparing the site. This step is essential if you'll be constructing the deck over an area that is currently grass-covered.
Once you get to know how large a rectangle you want the completed deck to occupy, quantify out this area and make marks on the ground to specify where the deck will lie. To make sure that your rectangle is true, measure crossways from corner to corner, both ways. Measure upper left to lower right, and upper right to lower left.
These measurements should be equal. Remove any grass or weeds from the measured area using a shovel, to shape your working space. Afterwards, before closing off this working space with decking, apply mulch over this space to restrain weeds.
Materials for wood deck
Some of the supplies from the hardware store, you will need to build a deck are likely to include the following materials. Flashing, Caulking compound, Pre-mixed concrete, Gravel or crushed stone, Cinder blocks, Post caps, Post bases, Seismic ties, Joist hangers, Cardboard tube concrete forms, Rebar.
If you want to use nails, use stainless steel or HDG nails. This can be either ring-shank nails or spiral-groove, for better holding power. But it would be preferable to use deck screws. Some of the other tools one might need for this deck project are follows. Shovel, Carpenter's level, Carpenter's square, Plumb bob, Wheelbarrow (for mixing concrete), Caulking gun, Drill, Wrench (to tighten lag screws), Hammer, Circular saw, Tape measure, Safety eyewear, Scrap lumber for bracing.
Final step
The final major step is wounding the decking boards themselves and screwing them to the tops of the joists. Totter the decking so that the seams don't all line up; the deck will not only be steadier structurally this way, but will also look superior.
If your deck will be elevated off the ground, building codes dictate adding a railing. By the way, an accepted substitute now to wood decking is composite decking. However, amalgamated materials still aren't as strong as good old wood, so composite decking must be support by wooden elements.
Conclusion:
For those who want to build wooden decks or want to renovate present decks, there are a wide range of ideas which can be implemented to make the decks look gorgeous and be a stand-out feature of the house.
Both Michael Russell & Allan Wilson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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