“Semi-Homemade” host Sandra Lee does her best to make Americans lives easier with her cooking style. Her method uses 70 percent store-bought items and 30 percent homemade items. Recently, Sandra published a memoir, “Made from Scratch,” and she revealed the driving force behind her cooking method: her grandmother. Sandra’s grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and she used shortcuts when cooking to ease her chronic pain, stiffness and swelling.To develop the recipes below Sandra met with people who have RA and developed special cooking tips to get RA sufferers back into the kitchen. For more information log onto RAInTheKitchen.com

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Click the picture below to see Sandra’s interview on Health Talk With Dr. Manny.   

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Recipes by Sandra Lee

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken

Makes 4 Servings

Prep 10 minutes, bake 20 minutes

Ingredients

- 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, Bertolli®

- 1 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning,- McCormick®

- 1 teaspoon salt-free citrus-herb seasoning, Spice Islands®

- Salt (optional)

- 3 organic lemons, thinly sliced- Fresh rosemary sprigs

- 1 1/4 cup organic chicken broth, Swanson®

- 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic, Christopher Ranch®

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush both sides of chicken pieces with olive oil and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning, citrus-herb seasoning, and salt (optional); set aside.

2. In a baking dish, arrange 2 to 3 slices of lemon and a sprig of rosemary for each chicken piece. Place chicken, smooth sides up, on lemon and rosemary. Top each chicken piece with another sprig of rosemary and 2 to 3 slices of lemon.

3. Bake chicken in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (165 degrees F). Remove chicken to platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

4. In a small saucepan, combine half of the rosemary from the baking dish and any browned bits from baking dish. Add chicken broth and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook until mixture is reduced by half.  Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain mixture. Discard solids. Serve mixture with chicken. Garnish with additional lemon slices and rosemary sprigs.

Mediterranean Vegetables

Makes 4 servings

Start to Finish - 10 minutes

Ingredients

- 1 package (16-ounce) loose-pack frozen mixed

- vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)

- 1 can (14.5-ounce) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and

- oregano, Del Monte®

- 1 tablespoon capers, drained

Instructions

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine frozen mixed vegetables, tomatoes, and drained capers. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave on high setting (100% power) for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.

NOTE:Another time, give this dish a whole new flavor by using a different package of mixed vegetables. Great mixtures include baby peas, baby carrots, snow peas, and baby corn or Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and carrots. If you can’t find a mixture with all your favorite vegetables, try mixing and matching to create a colorful combination of your own.

Lemon Pudding Brulee with Blueberries

Makes 4 Servings

Start to Finish - 20 minutes

Ingredients

- 1 box (3.4-ounce) instant lemon pudding mix, Jell-O®- 2 cups cold milk

- 1/2 pint fresh blueberries

- 1/4 cup sugar Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler. Place pudding mix in a medium bowl. Add milk; whisk for 2 minutes. Place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

2. Count out 12 blueberries; set aside for garnish. Fold remaining berries into the pudding. Divide pudding into four 8-ounce broiler-safe ramekins or soufflé dishes.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar on top of each pudding. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Broil 6 inches from heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until sugar has caramelized, rotating the baking sheet so the sugar caramelizes evenly.

4. Garnish with mint sprigs (optional). Serve with reserved berries.