Chili

Here's a good chili recipe, I hope you enjoy it Natalie!

CHILI
1lb ground meat (I use turkey)
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
290z can tomato sauce
3 (16oz) cans of kidney beans, drained
14 1/2 can stewed tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Bworn meat. Add chopped onion and green pepper halfway through the browning, drain when done. Pour meat mixture into crockpot, stir in the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Serve with the shredded cheese on top.

I'm not a big cornbread fan so I don't have a good recipe, I like it with sourdough rolls instead.

Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage

We had this delicious dish for dinner tonight and every single one of my kids thought it was good. It's really easy to make as well.


Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage
recipe from Cooking Light (6 WW points)
Ingredients
2 (4-ounce) links mild Italian turkey sausage (I used 5, 2 wasn't enough)
3 cups small cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
5 garlic cloves, sliced
4 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Pierce sausage several times with a knife. Combine sausage, cauliflower, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small roasting pan; toss. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Add garlic to pan; toss. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until sausage is done. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut sausage crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water. Combine pasta, reserved cooking water, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl; toss. Add cauliflower mixture, sausage, and cheese; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with black pepper.


Nutritional Information
Calories:436 (35% from fat)
Fat:16.8g (sat 5.2g,mono 7.5g,poly 1.8g)
Protein:24.1g
Carbohydrate:48.2g
Fiber:3.8g
Cholesterol:62mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:830mg
Calcium:185mg

Chimichangas (from Cooking Light)

Tonight we had these for dinner with brown rice, a very easy and healthy way to eat a delicious Mexican dish.

Chimichangas
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup bottled green salsa
Preparation

Preheat oven to 500°.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well.

Spread 1/4 cup beans down center of each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 2/3 cup chicken mixture; roll up. Place rolls, seam sides down, on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of chimichangas with cooking spray. Bake at 500° for 7 minutes. Serve with salsa. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 chimichanga and about 4 teaspoons salsa)

Nutritional Information
Calories:380 (23% from fat),Fat:9.7g (sat 3.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.6g), Protein:28.8g, Carbohydrate:42.5g, Fiber:6.5g, Cholesterol:55mg, Iron:3.8mg, Sodium:728mg, Calcium:157mg

Cilantro Burgers with Garlic Fries

Tonight I made two recipes from Cooking Light, which is quite possibly the best magazine ever! I don't ever use buns for these burgers, they are good just to eat by themselves.
Here are the recipes....

GARLIC FRIES

Tossing the fries in butter and garlic after cooking makes them unbelievably rich.


3 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, tossing to coat.
Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning after 20 minutes.
Place butter and garlic in a large nonstick skillet; cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, parsley, and cheese to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.


Yield: 6 servings

CALORIES 256 (27% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 2g,poly 2g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 55mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.3g; SODIUM 386mg; PROTEIN 5.9g; FIBER 3.5g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2002


CILANTRO BURGERS

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup (1 ounce) preshredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound ground turkey
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/3-inch-thick patty.

Heat a large grill pan or large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add turkey patties, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.

Crepes!

I had the pleasure of making crepes this morning with a recipe from Scotty and Chaundelle. Well, they were scrumptious!
We used pineapple mango jam, strawberry jam and lemon and powdered sugar as the fillings. I wish I had chocolate chips, but we improvised.
Here's the recipe for you to try.......

Crepes

1 1/8 cups of presifted flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Dash of salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 TBS melted butter
Butter for pan

Into mixing bowl sift together flour, granulated sugar and salt.

Combine eggs and milk; add to flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Stir in butter. Batter should just coasts spoon.

Put 1/2 teaspoon butter in 5 or 6 inch skillet. Swirl pan over high heat to coat sides and bottom. Pour in about 2 Tablespoons of the batter; swirl pan to spread evenly. Cook for about 1 minute, or until set and browned on one side. Turn and cook on other side until browned.

Filling suggestions: choc. chips, blackberry preserves, apricot preserves, ham and cheese, nutella, etc.

Fill, roll and enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was a delicious dinner, thanks Kristen!

Tonight I made a couple of recipes my friend (whom I miss dearly) Kristen sent me. Well, I finally got all the stuff and tried them tonight. WOW, they were both so good and I wanted to share the recipes!


Crispy Pan Fried Chciken with Summer Sauce
Sauce ingredients:
2 cups fresh cilantro
3 garlic gloves, minced
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 cup mayonnaise (I used light)

Chicken ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup panko (find these by the breadcrumbs) or crushed tortilla chips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:
Process the cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, and water in a blender or food processor until pureed. Pour the misture into a bowl and whick in the mayop. chill, covered in the fridge.

For the chicken:
pound the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap with a meat mallet. Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken lightly with the flour mixture, shake off excess. Dip in the eggs and coat with panko.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the chicken. Cook over med/high heat about 5 minutes on each side or golden brown and cooked through. Serve immediately with the sauce.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Artichokes
Ingredients:
2 lbs. small red potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-2 cans artichokes, quartered. Drain first.
1 yellow onion chopped
1/2 cup crmbled feta cheese
paprika to taste

Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil, spray with nonstick spray. Combine the potatoes, olive oil, thyme and pepper in a ziploc bag, seal tightly and turn to coat. Pour the potato mixture into the prepared pan.

Roast at 425 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until they are tender. Add the artichokes and onions during the last 20 minutes of the baking time. When done, toss the potatoes with the feta cheese in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with paprika.

P.S. Don't be intimidated by the amount of work......it's so worth it!

Lasagna

So tonight I made lasagna, one for the Picketts and one for us. Instead of the usual garlic bread I bought some garlic flatbread (the brand is Tuscan Flatbread), and it is so good and soft, yet crunchy. I made a salad too with spring mix, cucumbers, carrots, bacon bits (the real stuff) and choice of dressing. Everyone raved about the dinner which makes me happy!

Lasagna Recipe

LASAGNA
10oz lasagna noodles (cooked according to package directions)
1lb. ground meat (I use ground turkey)
2 small cans tomato paste
1 (16oz) can tomatoes, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
dash of salt
1 tbsp. basil
2 eggs
3 cups cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, sometimes I mix them
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. parsley flakes
1lb. cube mozzarella cheese (thinly sliced)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil noodles. Brown meat, drain the grease. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, garlic, salt, and basil to the meat. simmer on med/low for 30 minutes. While meat mixture is cooking slice mozzarella cheese, set aside. In amixing bowl slightly beat eggs first, then add cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley, stir until blended. Use a 13 x 9 pan and layer starting with noodles, then half the egg mixture, add slices of mozzarella in a thin layer, then half the meat mixture. Repeat this process again, ending with the meat mixture. Cook for 30 minutes, let stand for 10 minutes. ENJOY!!!

Shepherd's Pie and Roasted Cauliflower

Tonight I made Susan's Shepherd Pie and Roasted Cauliflower from Everyday Food.
Both are so easy and yet so tasty. The roasted cauliflower has kind of a nutty flavor and the Shepherd's Pie can be altered however you like it. I used ground turkey as the meat and also reduced fat mushroom soup to lighten it all.

Here are before and after pictures of each......






Roasted Cauliflower

2 tbls. Olive oil
1 bunch cauliflower cored and made into to small pieces
Salt and pepper
1 ½ teaspoon paprika

Use a baking sheet lined with foil. Oven to 450. Place cauliflower on baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and paprika until all pieces are coated. Roast until tender and lightly browned (about 20-25 minutes, tossing once)


Susan's Shepherd Pie

1 Lb ground meat
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can corn, drained
1 package mashed potatoes, prepared
cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top before baking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat and then add soup and corn, combine. Layer in a pie pan or casserole dish, start with meat mixture, then prepared mashed potatoes, then sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Spaghetti

So, tonight we had spaghetti which is the easiest thing to make in the whole wide world. But, instead of ground turkey I used turkey italian sausage, it was super yummy and different.
I am inspired to make some new dishes this week....I'll let you know! Thanks Kristen for sending me some new recipes, they are greatness!

Blueberry Muffins......I added chocolate chips to experiment. WOW!

So I made these muffins today to bring to a friend's house and they turned out to be so delicious with the added chocolate chips!
You can just make plain blueberry muffins....but for that yummy twist add chocolate chips! The recipe is from Cooking Light, but they don't taste healthy at all!
Recipe:

Blueberry Cinnamon-Burst Muffins
Makes 18 muffins
¼ cup flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 ½ cups flour
5 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 ½ cup frozen blueberries
Cooking spray

1.preheat oven to 400 degrees
2.lightly spoon ¼ cup flour into a measuring cup, level with a knife. Combine ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and cut in 3 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
3.Place 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup butter in a bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed 1 minute or until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries and cinnamon mixture (batter will be thick)
4.Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coating with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove muffins from pans; place on wire rack.

Chicken and Dumplings.....perfect food for a cold night

Tonight I tried a new Chicken and Dumplings recipe from CL. Well, it was soooooo good and comforting on a cold night. It took a little longer than I thought it would but it was worth it. I would double it if Mike were home, this recipe is only 2 servings. But, I loved it!



Herbed Chicken and Dumplings

Cooking spray
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut celery
1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk


1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add celery and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf) to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute. Add broth to pan; bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, chopped parsley, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk, stirring just until moist. Spoon by heaping teaspoonfuls into broth mixture; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until dumplings are done. Discard parsley sprigs and bay leaf.



Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

CALORIES 285 (16% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.9g,poly 1.2g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 133mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.2g; SODIUM 596mg; PROTEIN 25g; FIBER 3.1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2008

Mac and Cheese.....the hard way.

I made the mac and cheese from Cooking Light tonight. It was good but not as cheesy as the Martha Stewart version. But I'm sure the calories are not the same. The kids all liked it which counts for me! Good for when you're craving it and don't want the boxed kind....which by the way is not good for you. I also added turkey polish sausage with it and then some berries on the side too.

Recipe:
Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni


1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 2/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
3 ounces light processed cheese (such as light Velveeta)
6 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 3 cups uncooked)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/3 cup crushed onion melba toasts (about 12 pieces)
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie margarine, softened


Preheat oven to 375°.

Place flour in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Add cheeses; cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in macaroni and salt.

Spoon mixture into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Combine crushed toasts and margarine in a small bowl; stir until well-blended. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Three-Pepper Variation: add these ingredients for a spicier version of our Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni. Add 1 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped seeded pickled jalapeño pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper at the same time the macaroni and salt are added.



Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 350 (29% from fat); FAT 11.2g (sat 6.3g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.9g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 32mg; CALCIUM 306mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.4g; SODIUM 497mg; PROTEIN 18g; FIBER 2.1g

Pizza Cupcakes (aka pouches)

Pizza Cupcakes
Makes 6 pouches, I doubled it.

1 can store bought pizza dough
6 tablespoons pizza sauce
6 fully cooked meatballs, you can use any cooked meat I think
6 tablespoons shredded mozzarella (I used more)
1 tablespoon grated parmesean (I used more than that)
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk

Preheat oven at 375. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick, cut into eighths (2 will be left over, I made a calzone) Grease muffin pan. Line each cup with a piece of dough, letting excess hang over sides. Fill each cup with 1 tablespoon sauce and a meatball cut into pieces. Divided cheeses equally among the cups. Gather the excess dough and cover the filling. Whisk the egg and milk and brush them on each pouch. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.


The whole family enjoyed these.

I feel like chicken tonight.....

Here's the recipe for the picture above.....the secret ingredient was the olive oil Mike brought back from Rome! I pity the day that stuff is gone. I also added green beans and long grain rice.

ENJOY!

Chinese-Style Glazed Chicken Breasts


1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon apricot preserves or fruit spread (I always use orange marmalade)
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (you can also cut these into bite size pieces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and sauté for 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat; carefully stir in broth mixture. Return chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until done, turning to coat.

Birthday Cupcakes

Birthday Cupcakes I've made in the past.