Chicken, Corn, and Black Bean Quesadillas

Mission accomplished, craving satisfied!  These quesadillas were so simple to make and something that I will definitely be making more often.  I'm even considering the possibility of making some to freeze for a rainy day.  I did change the recipe from what Elly had originally posted, if you have the ingredients on hand; go ahead and roast corn on the cob and add some onion and jalapeno into the mix, check out her version, I am sure they are incredible.

Chicken, Corn, and Black Bean Quesadillas
inspired by Elly Says Opa!

-Makes 4 hearty quesadillas-

Ingredients
2 tablespoon canola oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups corn kernels 

1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded or cubed*

1/3 cup water or broth

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 can black beans
2 ounces cream cheese
2 cups Mexican blend cheese (PepperJack would be great too)
4 large (burrito sized) flour tortillas

Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a large skillet, stir in the garlic and corn and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Add the chicken, water (or broth), cumin, chili powder, oregano, and black beans and bring to a light boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cream cheese.

Heat another large pan (grill pan, or cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat, brush pan surface with canola oil. Place a flour tortilla onto the hot pan.  Build a quesadilla by layering a handful of cheese, 1/4 of the chicken mixture and another handful of cheese on one half of the tortilla.  Fold tortilla in half and apply pressure to top to create a sear on the bottom of the tortilla and to make everything stick together.  Once the bottom of the tortilla is browned flip over and brown the other side, once again applying pressure to the top to help the browning process.  When both sides are browned remove quesadilla from pan and cut into 4 even triangles with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.  Repeat process with remaining tortillas, brushing pan with canola oil before each quesadilla. 

* I seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and chili powder and grilled it over an open flame to bring more flavor to the dish.

Cashew Chicken

I am sorry dear readers that all I have been posting lately is sweet, calorie laden foods. My friend Carrie informed me that she missed the dinner updates on my blog and challenged me to post something new this week. After searching for days (yes, literally days) I decided to make this cashew chicken recipe from the Williams-Sonoma website. My mom always orders cashew chicken but I had never had it before. Not only am I posting a new recipe this week but I am also posting something that I tried for the first time. Hopefully I can keep up the pace at post at least one new dinner recipe a week.

I was quite surprised how quickly this meal came together, I think it could easily be done from start to finish in about 40 minutes, even with the chicken taking 15 minutes to marinate. I have nothing to compare this to since I have never had cashew chicken before but I do have to say that this dish was pretty good. The only substitution that I made was to use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. My husband thought the recipe was great just how it was but I think it needed a bit more sauce. I think next time I will double the sauce recipe so I have enough to drizzle over my rice. All in all this was a delicious quick meal that I will definitely be making again.


Cashew Chicken

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

~makes 4 servings ~

Ingredients
3 tablespoons. soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup salted roasted cashews
Steamed rice for serving

Directions
Marinate the chicken - In a large bowl, stir together 2 Tbs. of the soy sauce, the wine and ginger. Stir in the chicken to coat evenly and set aside for 15 minutes.
Make the sauce - In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbs. water, the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce, the Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch, and stir to dissolve the sugar and cornstarch.
Stir-fry the chicken - Heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat until very hot and add 2 Tbs. of the corn oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, draining it well, and discard the marinade. Add the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until opaque, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a bowl.
Return the wok to medium heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. corn oil. Add the green onions and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Return the chicken to the wok and add the cashews. Give the sauce a quick stir, add to the pan and stir until the sauce thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the steamed rice.

Chinese: Take Out Fake Out

I was originally going to make stir-fry this evening but then decided I wanted to make something new. I was browsing through the starred items in my google reader and came across this recipe for sweet and sour chicken. I had the recipe starred twice from two different blogs and decided it was a sign that I needed to make this for dinner.


The process of making this was pretty easy. Coat and pan fry the chicken then put it into a baking dish, cover it with sauce and let the oven do the rest of the work. Since I am feeding only my husband and myself I used one large chicken breast and made one batch of the sauce, pouring half into the baking dish and thickening the other half on the stove with some red pepper flakes for a bit of added heat. I will definitely be making this dish again, it was so easy and virtually foolproof with an awesome taste.


I served this chicken over rice with stir-fried vegetables (carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts, and garlic chips) on the side.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
As seen on Mrs. Sac's Purple Kitchen and Cooking This and That originally from Taste and Tell

-Makes 4 servings -

Chicken Ingredients
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Directions
Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper.
Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce Ingredients
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions
Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stove top. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Chicken Club Squares

A couple weeks ago I was sent some promotional products from Pillsbury. Along with some other products inside my box was 2 rolls of their new crescent roll product called crescent recipe creations. I decided to throw together some things that were in my kitchen and came up with these Chicken Club Squares. Instead of having a club sandwich for your lunch or dinner you can now switch it up a bit and have the sandwich for an appetizer with these bars.


Although I did not make mine with tomatoes I added them into the ingredients of the recipe because I feel it would compliment the rest of the ingredients and it would also add some nice color. See my beautifully seasoned Pampered Chef stone? Isn't she beautiful. Her and her brothers and sisters are my bestest friends. ;) I <3>

My recipe testers all gave these 2 thumbs up. In fact, they liked them so much that they finished off the entire tray. But that was ok with me because they would have gone bad in the fridge overnight. They really are best if they are eaten within a few hours of being assembled. Wait, lets rewind a moment, I fibbed a teeny bit, my sister left the last one for my husband but he so graciously let me have it. What a man, what a man. :)


I came back because I forgot to mention the best thing about these new crescent recipe creations. They are trans fat free!! The same thing can not be said for the regular crescent rolls.

Chicken Club Squares
Source: Amber's Delectable Delights

Makes 15 squares

Ingredients
1 can Pillsbury Recipe Creations, crescent rolls
1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 small or 1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried dill
black pepper, to taste
1 cup chicken, cooked shredded and cooled
4 slices bacon, cooked crumbled and cooled
1 cup shredded cheese
1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 cup lettuce, chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll crescent sheet onto baking pan and roll out slightly with a rolling pin to flatten. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
2. Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, dill and black pepper. Set aside.
3. Once the crust has completely cooled top with cream cheese mixture. Cut into squares and then top with the chicken, bacon, cheese, tomato(if desired) and lettuce.

Applebee's Fake Out

Every Friday night my husband and I, along with another couple, go out to dinner. This past Friday they all wanted to go to Applebee's. I was not thrilled about the idea because I have had horrible experiences with both their service and food before. But I'm a team player so I went along with it. After contemplating over the menu I decided to try a Garlic Herb Chicken item that was on their weight watchers menu. I was pleasantly surprised at the taste, not to mention that it was low-fat. In fact I enjoyed the idea of the meal so much that I decided to try and recreate it at home.


I would like to say that I am very pleased with the results! Yay me, LOL. The sauce turned out great, it could use a little bit of tweaking but for throwing the idea in my head onto paper it turned out wonderful. Alongside the chicken I served herb roasted red potatoes and a broccoli and carrot veggie mixture, of course I drizzled the veggies with the leftover sauce and then ended up dipping the potatoes in it too. Delicious!


My husband and I both really enjoyed the meal and now I can say who needs Applebee's I can make the same, possibly better, meal at home. :)

Garlic Herb Chicken
Source: Amber's Delectable Delights

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 teaspoon parsley
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Pound chicken breasts so they are thin and even. Whisk together chicken broth and cornstarch; set aside.
2. Preheat sauté pan to medium heat and add in olive oil and garlic. Add chicken to pan and cook until done (approximately 20 minutes). Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate, tent with foil to keep warm.
3. Add chicken broth and cornstarch mixture to the pan and simmer until thickened. Add in remaining seasonings and stir to mix. Add chicken back into the pan and turn to coat both sides with sauce.
4. Drizzle remaining garlic herb sauce on potatoes or vegetables.

Fresh and Fabulous!

A month or so ago I purchased a pasta roller attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer, I decided that I would use it this evening to make some fresh pasta to accompany some alfredo sauce. Wow, homemade pasta tastes amazing. It is pretty fun and easy to make too. I love my new pasta roller/cutter attachments! They bring much happiness to my life. :)


Based on Chelle's experience with the recipe I decided to make a batch and a half of the fresh pasta and double the sauce recipe. I ended up with 13.5 ounces of pasta which made 2 healthy sized portions and left me with about half a portion for lunch tomorrow. As for the alfredo sauce, well I had a blonde moment while I was at the store and purchased half and half instead of heavy cream so my sauce was a little thin but it still tasted amazing . I definitely plan on making this recipe next time I am craving alfredo, it's absolutely perfect. I grilled up some chicken to toss into the pasta and had homemade Italian bread to accompany it.


I love how detailed the instructions were for this pasta recipe. It is perfect for people that started making pasta without actually reading the instruction booklet. Hey now, of course that was not me, I always read instructions. ;) Enjoy!

Fresh Fettuccine Alfredo

Source: As seen on Brown Eyed Baker Adapted from Nook & Pantry

Fresh Pasta
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs

First make a mountain of flour on your work surface, then create a crater in the center (err on the larger size when creating the crater). Add your eggs in the crater. Use a fork and beat the eggs in the crater incorporating a little bit of the flour at a time. Once the egg mixture begins to look like a batter, you can start incorporating more of the flour into the dough. After incorporating all the flour, you will end up with a dough. If the dough is still sticky, add some more flour. Knead by pushing with the heel of your palm, fold the dough in half, give it a half turn, and repeat the process for 8 minutes or until it feels smooth.


Have 1 or 2 parchment-line baking sheets or trays ready. Divide the dough in half. Keep one half on the floured surface, covered with a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out. Before handling the dough, dust your hands, the machine, any accessories and the baking sheet with flour. Lightly flour the work surface. Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a rectangle thin enough to go through the rollers at the widest setting (#1 on my pasta machine). Feed the dough through the rollers while turning the handle, then lay the dough down on the work surface and flour it lightly. Fold the dough into thirds lengthwise to make a rectangle and lightly flour both sides. Flatten the dough with the rolling pin until it is thin enough to go through the rollers again. With one of the two open edges going first, pass the dough through the rollers nine times more at the widest setting; after each time, flour, fold and flatten the dough. After 10 trips through the wide rollers, the dough should be completely smooth and supple.

Now you are ready to thin the dough. Starting at the second-to-widest setting (#2), pass the dough repeatedly through the rollers, setting the rollers one notch narrower each time. When the dough becomes too long, cut it in half and roll one piece at a time until it reaches the desired thickness (my pasta maker has 6 settings, and for the fettuccine I rolled the pasta sheets to the second thinnest setting, #5).

Dust the baking sheets with flour, arrange the rolled out pasta sheets on the baking sheet, separating each layer with parchment and dusting with flour as needed. Cover with kitchen towels to prevent them from drying out. Repeat the entire process with the other half of the dough.

Wrap the tray of pasta with plastic wrap, making sure that it is completely sealed to prevent drying out. Let the pasta rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting so that it is not too soft.

Before cutting the pasta sheets, line a baking sheet or wide, shallow container with parchment paper and dust with flour. Keep additional flour nearby for dusting.

Feed the pasta sheets one at a time through the cutting attachment. Dust the pasta evenly but lightly with flour. Gently father the pasta together lengthwise in a bundle, dust with flour, and carefully twist and shape it into a small, nested mound. Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking sheet or container and dust the top lightly with flour. Repeat with the remaining pasta sheets.

If not cooking the pasta immediately, cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, drizzle some olive oil into the water, then add the pasta. Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta.


Alfredo Sauce
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Simmer the cream and butter in a saucepan over low heat until it has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese, remove from heat, and stir until mostly incorporated and melted. Add freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste. Toss with pasta.

Chicken Fried Rice

I had planned on making stir-fry for dinner tonight but while searching for recipes I came across a recipe for chicken fried rice. It sounded pretty good and I had never made it before so I figured that I would just go ahead and make it for dinner. Maybe you think it wasn't a well balanced meal but hey it had protein (2 kinds in fact), a starch and veggies so my husband and I were ok with that. I am not sure how authentic the recipe is but oh well, it was great!

My husband and I both enjoyed this dish (AKA we went back for seconds) and I think I will be making fried rice more often. It took minimal prep time and cooked rather quickly. It would be the perfect solution to leftover rice they may be sitting in the fridge, actually I might make extra rice more often just so I can make this. :)


I did make a few slight modifications to this recipe but nothing to drastic or serious. I seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder before cooking it. I also left out the onion and subbed low sodium soy sauce for the teriyaki sauce.

Chicken Fried Rice
Source: Bakespace, motherof2boys

Ingredients
6 ounces cooked diced chicken
2 tablespoons water
1/4 c. low sodium chicken broth or bouillon
1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
Pinch white pepper
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 1/2 cup cooked white rice
1/2 c. frozen peas

Directions
In small bowl, combine chicken, 2 tablespoon water, chicken broth, teriyaki sauce, ginger and pepper. Set aside. In large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add eggs; cook, stirring until set but moist. Remove egg to warm plate. Add remaining oil and heat. Add onion and carrot. Stir fry 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. Stir in rice and peas. Cook until rice begins to brown. Add chicken mixture and egg. Cook 5 minutes longer until heated through.

Hungry Man Mexican

It seems that I am always craving Mexican food, probably because my husband cannot survive if he does not eat some sort of Mexican food at least once every week. When planning the menu for this week I decided that enchiladas would be a great addition because it has been quite a while since I last made them. I know that real enchiladas use corn tortillas but I have the right to make them how I want and I wanted to use flour. So take that, humpf. :)


These were so simple to throw together and even easier since I had grilled the chicken last night while I had the grill on. So all I had to do tonight is take it from the fridge and shred it.



My husband had to work late this evening and I knew he would be pretty hungry when he got home. That is what inspired me to pack these full of protein and call them hungry man enchiladas. :) The husband managed to eat two of these and contemplated a third but decided to have some veggies instead. I on the other hand could only handle one. These were delicious, all the flavors melded together well and it was a great meal.


Hungry Man Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
Source: Amber's Delectable Delights

Ingredients
1/2 cup chili gravy, recipe below
6, 8" flour tortillas

Filling Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup 4 Cheese Mexican Blend
1/4 cup sour cream

Topping Ingredients
1 cup chili gravy, recipe below
1/2 cup 4 Cheese Mexican Blend

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line bottom of 9 x 13 pan with 1/2 cup chili gravy.
3. In a medium bowl mix shredded chicken, beans (I smashed mine a bit, I seem to have slight texture issues with whole beans), cheese, and sour cream.
4. Lay out one tortilla* and place 1/2 cup of filling mixture down the center. Fold up tortilla tucking in the ends and rolling into a cylinder. Place enchilada into pan, seam side down, and repeat process until all the filling mixture is gone.
5. Top enchiladas with chili gravy and cheese. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 additional minutes. Serve with a "dollop of daisy" aka sour cream. :)

*My secret for making flour tortillas pliable and easy to fold is to turn on a burner on the gas stove on and flop the tortilla over it. Let it set for about 15 seconds and then flip it over and let the other side warm for 15 seconds. Please remember that you are dealing with flames here so if your tortilla starts to smoke or catches on fire turn off the burner and remove the tortilla.

Chili Gravy
Adapted from original source Homesick Texan, found on Sweet-Savory-Southern

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp powdered garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano is preferred)
2 T chile powder (either homemade or a dark brand such as Gebhardt’s or Whole Foods)
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 cups chicken broth (or water)

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it makes a light brown roux.

3. Add all the dry ingredients and continue to cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring and blending ingredients.
4. Add chicken broth or water, mixing and stirring until the sauce thickens.5. Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes. If desired, add water to adjust the thickness.

Pasta with Chicken Meatballs

Yesterday morning I was browsing through my google reader and came across this recipe on a fellow Daring Bakers's blog and it instantly grabbed my attention. You see, I used to think I did not like spinach but I was a fool I tell you, a fool. I started chopping it up and mixing it in with romaine for salads and also putting it into baked pasta dishes. I soon realized that it was silly of me to not like spinach, after all it has pretty much no flavor and it is very nutritious. So anyway, since I was in the middle of making my grocery list when I came across this recipe I made sure to add all of the ingredients for this meal to it.


Although Rachel Ray claims this is a "30 minute meal" it took me more than 30 minutes to prepare it (no one preps all my ingredients for me like they do for her on the show) and I sure did dirty a lot of dishes in the process. But hey it's ok my husband and I gave the meal a thumbs up and I was happy to make something new for my blog. This was a pretty good dinner that would be easy enough to whip up on a weeknight.


I did make a few slight modifications to the recipe. For the meatballs I omitted the fennel seeds and used a rosemary herb seasoning that I have instead of the fresh rosemary and of course reduced fat ricotta. As for the rest of the meal, I used whole wheat pasta and reduced the amount of spinach to only one box. Two boxes of spinach seemed like way to much. Also, for whatever strange reason my sauce never thickened, maybe because I did not use whole milk maybe it was rebelling against me who knows. :)

Florentine Mac and Cheese and Roast Chicken Sausage Meatballs
(Source: FoodNetwork.com as seen on Culinography)

Ingredients
Salt

1 pound cavatappi corkscrew shaped hallow pasta

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken

Black pepper

2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

3 cloves garlic, grated

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano, divided

1 egg

3/4 cup bread crumbs, plus more, if needed*

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 boxes, 10 ounces, chopped frozen spinach

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup whole milk

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.

Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17 to 18 minutes until juices run clear.

Defrost spinach in microwave 8 to 10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave.
Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.

While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.

Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.

Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.

Before you leave, one more comment. Is Rachel Ray on crack? Can someone explain to me why these are "roast chicken sausage meatballs". Wouldn't they just be "roast chicken meatballs?" :)

Crunchy Little Devils

I was wondering around aimlessly on the Internet searching for something to make for dinner when I came upon this recipe. It was the featured "dinner tonight" recipe on Cooking Light and as soon as I saw the picture for these crispy little strips I got excited. I opened the recipe and saw that it was for catfish. What a bummer! I don't care for fish but no fear chicken will save the day.

I only used about 3 tbls of the hot sauce mixture but that is what is so great about the recipe, you can use as much or as little as you like, or none at all if you so desire. The only thing left to say is that these crunchy little devils were amazingly good!!


Buffalo-Style Chicken Strips with Ranch Dressing
(Adapted from: CookingLight.com)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed cornflakes
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
Cooking spray
1/3 cup hot sauce (such as Crystal)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup fat-free ranch dressing
4 celery stalks, cut into 1/4 x 3-inch sticks
4 carrots, cut into 1/4 x 3-inch sticks

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Place cornflakes in a shallow dish. Working with 1 chicken strip at a time, dredge in flour mixture. Dip in egg whites; dredge in cornflakes. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken strips, flour mixture, egg whites, and cornflakes.

Lightly coat chicken strips with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until done, turning once.

Combine hot sauce, pepper sauce, and Worcestershire in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Drizzle hot sauce mixture over chicken. Serve with ranch dressing, celery, and carrots.

I Don't Like Soup

I am sure I have mentioned this before but just in case I have not... Every time I suggest making soup for dinner my husband says "I don't like soup". Well to bad for him because I do. Not to mention that he is stretching the truth anyway. He likes soup but he just wants to eat all the chunks out of it and little to no broth. This time I decided to pack the soup with so many veggies that he would not have anything to complain about. I searched the refrigerator, threw in a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and called it soup. :)

I am always trying to think of quick and easy meals to have on Tuesday and Thursday evenings since I do not get home from class until 7:30 and this was the perfect meal. I chopped all my veggies and cooked the chicken on Monday night so all I had to do was throw everything into the pot and cook it. This turned out wonderful and I will definitely have to make it again.

Cleaning Out the Fridge Chicken Tortellini Soup
(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

Ingredients
Splash of olive oil
1 cup carrots, sliced into bite size pieces
1/2 cup celery, sliced into bite size pieces
5 cans chicken broth (~70 ounces)
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Penzey's pasta sprinkle
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dash of red pepper flakes
2 cups frozen tortellini
1 cup broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup spinach, roughly chopped

Directions
- Add a splash of olive oil to a large pot. Toss in the carrots, celery and garlic. Saute the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Add the cooked chicken, chicken broth and seasonings into the pot and bring to a boil.
- Once the broth is boiling add in the tortellini, broccoli and spinach. Continue boiling until tortellini is done. Enjoy.

Inspired

I sat at work all day and contemplated what I was going to make for dinner. I had two different meat choices, chicken breasts or ground chicken. :) Wow, big decisions huh? I came across a few recipes that sounded good but I was not sold on either. When I got home and checked the mail I was happy to see my new edition of Kraft Food and Family magazine. I do not usually tend make anything from the magazine but I browsed through it quick and came across a recipe for Foil-Packet Taco Chicken. I was going to make that recipe until I realized that I had no salsa in the house. So I decided to improvise and use what I did have in the house. That is how this recipe was born.


This was the easiest thing ever to throw together and the final result was one of the juiciest pieces of chicken I have ever made. My husband and I both enjoyed and I think that it would be great with some green beans thrown into the mix too.


Foil Packet Italian Chicken
(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
3 red potatoes
1/4 cup marinara sauce
1/4 cup Italian cheese blend (or just mozzarella)

Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Lay 2 pieces of aluminum foil on a flat surface and spray the middle of each with non-stick cooking stray. Wash and scrub potatoes and slice into very thin slices (I used the slicer blade on my food processor). Arrange the potatoes in an oval shape onto the middle of the foil about the size of your piece of chicken and sprinkle them with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Mix all of the seasonings into small bowl and sprinkle on both sides of the chicken pieces and place a chicken breast on top of each pile of potatoes. Top each chicken breast with 1/8 cup of marinara sauce and 1/8 cup of cheese.
- Raise up the long sides of foil and fold down twice, do the same thing to the sides of the foil creating an air tight seal. Transfer packets to a baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is 170 degrees. Remove chicken from oven and let set a few minutes before poking a hole in the foil to release the steam before opening.

Chicken Noodle Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup with a soda on the side. That was probably the weirdest song that I have ever heard but anytime I think of chicken noodle soup I start to sing it.

I love soup but my husband always claimed that he did not. Come to find out, he hates all the broth. So he eats all the meat, veggies and noodles and leaves the broth behind. Me on the other hand, I love the broth. Soup broth is a perfectly good reason to eat crackers (like I really need another reason to eat more crackers. :) Tonight I used whole wheat Ritz, seriously though, have you ever tried them? I think they are better than the good old fashion white flour ones. Anyway, back to the soup. I did make a few small changes to the recipe but that was only to use up some ingredients I had on hand and I also used whole wheat noodles so if you are wondering why my noodles look off-white that is why. The soup is awesome (husband approved) and I can not wait to eat the leftovers. :) Thanks for sharing the wonderful recipe Elly.


Chicken Noodle Soup
(Source: Elly Says Opa!)

2 Tbsp. butter
1 large onion, diced
1.5 cups carrots, sliced
1.5 cups celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 cups homemade or good quality chicken broth or stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 (heaping) tsp. ground marjoram
1 tsp. thyme
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
4 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (always prefer it roasted, myself)
5 oz. (about 1.5 cups) uncooked egg noodles
fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes before adding the celery and carrots. Continue cooking a few more minutes before adding the garlic. Stir until fragrant.

Add the chicken, broth, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, parsley and ground pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce. Simmer lightly for 30 minutes.

Add the noodles* and simmer until cooked, about 8 minutes.

*Note: The noodles will continue to absorb the liquid as leftover sit in the pot/fridge. If you want to prevent your soup from thickening and becoming too chunky, you can reduce the amount of broth slightly and cook the noodles in a separate pot, combining with the soup in your bowl as you are about to eat.

Rollin Rollin Rollin

Quite a while ago I saw some recipes for lasagna rolls and I was quite intrigued at the thought of having a lasagna tasting dish without having to make a 10 pound pan full of food that my husband and I could never finish ourselves. I finally decided that I was going to give these little devil's a try and I am glad that I did. My husband must have reminded me a good 2 or 3 times that he really liked them.

I tried to make this recipe as healthy as I could by using whole wheat lasagna noodles, fat free cottage cheese, 2 % milk Italian cheese blend and spinach but by all means make it as healthy or unhealthy as you desire. This dish was a definite thumbs up this evening. But I think my favorite part of the whole thing is that I got to use my Pampered Chef small oval bakers again. They are so cute and I am so happy I bought them.


Chicken and Spinach Lasagna Rolls
(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

Ingredients
5 whole wheat lasagna noodles
2 cups spaghetti sauce

Filling ingredients
1 cup cooked chicken (shredded or finely chopped)
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 cup baby spinach (finely chopped)
1/4 cup 2% milk Italian cheese blend

1 egg
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

- Lay noodles into a rimmed baking sheet and cover with hot water; let rest for about 30 minutes, or until soft and pliable. (yes you can boil them if you want, this is just my short-cut)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add all of the filling ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.
- Lightly grease baking dish(s) and add enough sauce to coat the bottom.
- Remove the noodles from the baking sheet and carefully wipe the excess water off of them. Lay a noodle onto a flat surface and spread 1/5 of the filling mixture across it. Roll up and place seam side down into prepared baking dish; repeat with remaining noodles. Spoon the remaining sauce over all of the lasagna rolls.
- Cover with foil and bake 30-40 minutes.

Heaven on a Plate

I have had this recipe starred in my google reader for some time now and last night I finally had a reason to make it. My husband's parents joined us for dinner and since they were craving Italian I figured this pasta dish would be a great one to try out. It was very easy to make and besides roasting the garlic it took minimal time to make. This was a hit with everyone my husband and I both had two servings and my father in law had at least 3 and we still have lots of leftovers.


When looking at the recipe I was wondering how many heads of garlic I would have to roast to end up with 1/2 cup of garlic paste. I ended up roasting 6 small heads and that was just enough for this dish and the garlic herb swirl bread that I made to go along with it. When I told my husband that there was about 6 heads of garlic in the dish he was shocked, but I explained to him that it is roasted garlic and roasted garlic does not have as vibrant of a flavor as regular.


Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli in a White Wine Cheddar Sauce
(Source: Good Things Catered)

Ingredients:
1 lb. ziti
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup roasted garlic paste (made by roasting garlic in oven and squeezing garlic out of skin)
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 c. dry vermouth or dry white wine
2 c. low-sodium chicken stock
1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets(about 2 c.)
10 oz. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded (about 2 c.)
3 oz. aged reserve cheddar (preferably white), grated (about 1 1/2 c.)
4 - 6 thin strips of Parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and ground pepper

Directions:
-Bring 4 qt. of water to a boil in large pot and cook ziti according to box directions to only al dente and set aside.
-At the same time, lightly steam broccoli florets on to of pan in steamer and set aside.
-Meanwhile, melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
-When just coming to foaming, add garlic paste and cook until fragrant (about 1 min)
-Add flour and cook until beginning to turn golden (about 2 min.)
-Add vermouth and cook until evaporated (about 1 min).
-Stir broth into pan and simmer sauce until slightly thickened (about 2 min).
-Add cheddar and stir constantly while returning to a boil.
-Fold in ziti cook for one minute additional and remove from heat.
-Add broccoli and chicken and fold until sauce covers uniformly.
-Plate and top with one or two strips of Parmesan (optional) and serve.

The Light Side of Things

For Christmas I received The Best Light Recipe cookbook by Cook's Illustrated. I was browsing through it today and came across this recipe and it sounded pretty good so I headed out to the store and bought all the ingredients to make it.

I used chicken as my protein and broccoli, carrots and water chestnuts as my vegetables. My husband and I both enjoyed the dish but we also both agreed that it needed a little something else. I was thinking more of a kick, so if I make it again I would add a pinch more red pepper flakes.


Basic Stir-Fry
(Source: The Best Light Recipe by Cook's Illustrated)

3/4 pound protein (such as flank steak, pork tenderloin, chicken breasts, shrimp or extra-firm tofu), cut into small, even pieces
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp dry sherry
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbls grated fresh ginger
3 scallions, white parts only, minced
5 tsp peanut or vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds prepared vegetables, cut into small pieces and divided into batches based on cooking times
1 recipe for stir-fry sauce (below)

1) Toss the protein with the soy sauce and sherry in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine the garlic ginger, scallion whites and 2 tsp of the oil.
2) Heat 1 more tsp of oil in a 12" non-stick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the protein and cook, stirring occasionally and braking up the clumps, until lightly browned, 1 to 4 minutes. Transfer the protein to a clean bowl.
3) Add 1 more tsp oil to the pan and return to a high heat until shimmering. Add the first batch of longer-cooking vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp tender, 1 -5 minutes. (for very tough vegetables like broccoli and green beans, add 1/2 cup water to the pan with the vegetables , cover, and steam for about 2 minutes. Remove the lid and cook off the water, about 3 minutes, before continuing)
4) Add the remaining tsp oil and the faster-cooking vegetables, and cook until the vegetables are crisp tender, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5) Clear the center of the pan and add the garlic mixture. Cook, mashing the garlic mixture into the pan with the back of a spatula, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Stir the mixture into vegetables. Add the protein back into the pan and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine, then add it to the pan and bring to a simmer. Off the heat, toss until the protein and vegetables are well coated with the sauce and sizzling hot. Serve immediately.


Garlic Sauce
(Source: The Best Light Recipe by Cook's Illustrated)

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 tbls hoisin sauce
1 tbls low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1. Combine all ingredients except garlic and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Add the garlic and pepper flakes to the garlic mixture in step 1 of the stir fry recipe.

Chicken Sticks

School is almost out for the semester. I only have one more final until I can sing the praises of temporary freedom. But things have yet to actually slow down and at night I just find myself totally exhausted and have no urge to do anything (including cooking dinner). So yesterday I searched for a foolproof recipe that even the tiredest of all people could throw together. My husband and I really enjoyed it and these little chicken sticks would make a great finger food for a casual get together or a quick simple dinner.

I cut the recipe down to a little less than half since I only had 2 chicken breasts thawed. I also used egg whites instead of butter to dip the strips into before breading them because it is a little more healthy (sorry Paula). I think I would reduce the amount of thyme next time, I like it but only in small doses. Overall this was a very quick, easy and foolproof.


Italian Chicken Sticks
(Source: Food Network - Paula Deen)

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch ground red pepper
8 boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
Marinara sauce or honey mustard, for dipping

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a pie plate or platter, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, thyme, basil, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and red pepper. Dip the chicken strips in the melted butter, then dredge them in the bread crumb mixture. Place the chicken strips in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken sticks hot with marinara sauce, or serve hot or cold with honey mustard.

Alfredo bake

My inspiration for this meal was the shredded chicken I had sitting in my fridge leftover from the chicken and noodles I made the other night. No wait, I changed my mind, an even bigger inspiration for this dinner were the cute small oval baker stoneware pieces that I got from the Pampered Chef show that I hosted a couple weekends ago. They were so cute and I just could not resist them because they are perfect for individual sized portions of baked dishes and they give me the option to personalize my portion the way I want ::cough mushrooms cough::. :)

This was a quick meal that only takes a few minutes to throw together. Yeah I know it is nothing new and outrageous but I was happy to have the night off from school and anxious to update my blog.

Alfredo Pasta Bake
(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

Ingredients:
8 oz pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup mushrooms
1.5 cups chicken, cooked and shredded or diced
1 jar alfredo sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbls butter

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Coat the bottom of the two small or one medium baking dish with a thin layer of alfredo sauce. In a medium bowl, mix the pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, chicken, garlic and alfredo sauce until combined. Place mixture into baking dish and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter on top of the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

Cold day comfort

Chicken and noodles was the one meal served in the high school cafeteria that I just could not get enough of. You have the chicken, the noodles and the gravy like sauce, what could be better? This was my first attempt at making this dish and I would have to rate it a 9 out of 10. You see, I am a big sauce person and the noodles soaked up all my sauce. I yelled at them and asked them to give it back, but they were thirsty and did not listen. ;) So next time I will have to add in more broth/stock to give me the sauce that I love so much. But the taste of the dish was right on target.

Notes: Although I poached an entire chicken I am only going to use half of the meat for this recipe and I will use the rest for a recipe later this week. But if you are serving a large group or want a lot of leftovers feel free to double all the remaining ingredients and use the entire amount of meat from the chicken.


Chicken and Noodles
(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cut up
3 Tbls butter
3 Tbls flour
48 oz chicken broth or stock
(^If you like a saucier dish than what is pictured add in more broth/stock)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
Pepper (to taste)
Dash of paprika
8 oz Egg noodles

Directions:
1) Put chicken pieces in the bottom of a large pot and fill with water. Bring water to a simmer and let simmer until the chicken is cooked through (30 minutes or so). Remove chicken from pot, discard the water and set aside to cool. Once chicken is cooled separate the meat from the fat and bones (save fat and bones to make chicken stock if desired) ad shred the chicken.
2) Melt butter in large pot and whisk in flour. Stir and cook for a minute or until flour is browned. Slowly whisk in chicken stock. Add in seasonings and bring broth/stock to a boil. Once at a boil add in noodles. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let simmer until noodles are done. Add in half of the shredded chicken (use the remaining for another recipe) and reduce heat to low to warm the chicken. Serve over mashed potatoes.

Light delight

I was very excited to be back in the kitchen tonight and to be able to cook a nice meal. And what better thing to make than chicken Parmesan. As always this was a hit and my husband and I gobbled it up. This may be a light recipe but it does not lack in flavor. This stuff is awesome. And a huge thanks goes out to Laura (the queen of all things Cook's Illustrated) who was nice enough to share this recipe with me last year.

Now, let's talk about Panko. Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs. They are not as tiny and coarse as regular breadcrumbs, they are bigger and have an airy texture to them which helps to provide a nice crunch to whatever you coat with them. I used Ian's whole wheat Panko, but regular and seasoned varieties are also available. Panko can be used in place of breadcrumbs in any recipe. I have even been putting Panko in my meatballs and meatloaf. Now go run out and buy some Panko and make something with it! Then report back to me and let me know how wonderful you think it is. ;)


Chicken Parmesan (Light Version)
(Source: Cook's Illustrated; The Best Light Recipe cookbook)

Ingredients:
1.5 cups Panko
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 oz. grated Parmesan (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper
3 large egg whites
1 tbsp water
vegetable oil spray
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to 1/4 inch thick, or sliced in half to make cutlets)
1 recipe for Simple Tomato Sauce for Chicken Parmesan
3 oz low-fat mozzarella, shredded (3/4 cup)
1 tbsp fresh basil, minced

Directions:
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475. Combine the bread crumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. Spread the bread crumbs in a shallow dish and cool slightly; when cool, stir in the Parmesan.
2. In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 tbsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper together. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray the rack with veg oil spray. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with S&P. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour, shaking of excess, then dip into egg whites, and finally coat with the bread crumbs. Press on the bread crumbs to make sure they adhere. Lay the chicken on the wire rack.
4. Spray the tops of the chicken with the veg oil spray. Bake until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon 2 tbsp. sauce onto the center of each cutlet and top with 2 tbsp. of mozzarella. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Per serving: 310 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2.5g sat fat, 75mg cholesterol, 20g carbs, 38g protein, 790g sodium

Simple Tomato Sauce
(Source: Cook's Illustrated)

Ingredients:
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Pulse the tomatoes with their juices in a food processor until mostly smooth, about 10 1-second pulses; set aside. Cook the garlic, tomato paste, oil, and pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pureed tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thickened and measures 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil and season with S&P to taste.

This is what the chicken looked like when it came out of the oven. Notice my very well seasoned stone. :) In case I have never said it before I absolutely love my Pampered Chef stoneware and have about 8 different pieces.