Olive Garden's Tuscan Garlic Chicken

I have made this twice in the past month, and I wouldn't be shocked if it appears on our dinner menu again some time soon. I first made this a couple of weeks ago when we had some new neighbors over for dinner and then I made it again this past Sunday when we had Brad's parents over for dinner. I love this meal. It is filling and flavorful and you really do feel like you are eating Olive Garden in your own home.

Now for some notes. Mel from Mel's kitchen Cafe where I found this recipe said the recipe didn't lend a heap of sauce. Being a sauce lover, I decided to double the sauce portion of the recipe and it was perfect. However, that being said, though I don't mind mild flavor of peppers or capsicums as I know them in my food, I don't LOVE it when the pepper flavor overpowers a meal. Therefore, in doubling the sauce, I didn't double the amount of red pepper. In fact I used half of one large red bell pepper. So...if pepper's are your thing add more, if you are sensitive to them like my family is, add less.

I'm also slightly irritated that the pic isn't very good. You will just have to trust me when I tell you this meal is wonderful! Cooking the chicken this way makes for a moist and flavorful cut of chicken and the sauce is decadent but not too heavy.


Tuscan Garlic Chicken


Melskitchencafe.com

*Note: if the chicken breasts you are using are overly thick, you can butterfly them, cutting all the way through so you end up with two thinner cuts of chicken breast.
*Serves 4-6 (depending on if you are serving adults or kids)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (about 4-5 cloves)
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips or chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces fresh spinach- I just eyeballed this and ended up using about 2.5 cups spinach which I had sliced relatively thinly.
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup lowfat milk
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound fettuccine- I used wholewheat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a shallow pie plate or similar dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through (they’ll finish up in the oven). Don’t scoot the chicken around once you lay it in the hot oil! Let the oil work it’s magic to sear the crust on the chicken. If you get all antsy and try flipping too early and/or moving the chicken around the pan, the breading is lightly to fall off. Gently remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente. Also, wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in one tablespoon flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with half of the cheese sauce. Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.

Original Recipe Source: adapted from More of America’s Most Wanted Recipes

BEST Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

OMG! I can not say enough about this wonderful soup. I recently made it to take to our ward soup night and not only was it a hit with Brad and I but anyone who tried it and knew I made it was also singing it's praises. It is hearty, filling, creamy and the addition of the curry powder just added to it's deliciousness. This is currently HANDS DOWN my favorite chicken soup recipe and I'll be surprised if I find one that tops it. Pure heaven in a bowl.


Chicken and Wild Rice Soup


Recipe and photo courtesy of Mel from Melskitchencafe.com

*Note: The vegetables in this soup are very adaptable. I used a combination of carrots, celery and corn and use the guideline of having 2 cups total of any number of combinations (i.e. only carrots and corn, carrots and celery, carrots, celery AND corn, you get the picture).

½ cup butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
½ – 1 cup frozen corn
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup carrots, sliced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
¾ cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup slivered almonds- I left these out as I didn't have any.
2 cups nonfat half-and-half (use normal half-and-half if you prefer, but you won’t believe how delicious this is with the nonfat variety!)

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery, corn, chicken and carrots and sauté for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-4 more minutes. Then add flour and stir well. Over medium heat, gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring the soup just to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer, while stirring, for 5-6 minutes, until it has thickened slightly.

Next, add the rice, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper and almonds. Allow all the ingredients to heat through and then pour in the half-and-half. Let the soup gently simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The soup should not boil but should simmer over low heat so that it thickens slowly.

Chicken Cannelloni

I love Italian and I loved this dish. I hunted all over the web for a recipe for chicken cannelloni which is one of my favorite Italian dishes and ended up creating my own based on the aspects of a few recipes I liked. We all loved these. Tomorrow I will post the recipe for the drink my brothers fiance made to go with dinner which was simply AMAZING!


Chicken Cannelloni



Cannelloni Filling 8 ounces chicken breast (about 2), cooked thoroughly and diced into small pieces
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 small can of diced tomatoes in their juices
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon table-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
12 lasagna pasta sheets, approximate size of 5 x 6 inches

Cannelloni Sauce

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Once butter is melted add flour and whisk, let it cook in the saucepan for about a minute, be sure not to burn. Add milk to the butter and flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Once the mixture begins to thicken slightly add the Parmesan cheese salt and pepper. Continue to cook on medium heat until the cheese has melted.

Once the chicken breast has been cooked thoroughly, allow it to cool.

Dice the cooled chicken breast into 1/2-inch pieces and place into a large mixing bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, ricotta, mozzarella, pepper and salt, and mix thoroughly.

Arrange precooked pasta sheets on a cutting board and place two or three rounded tablespoons of filling mixture down the center of each pasta sheet and carefully roll pasta around filling. Place the rolled cannelloni, side by side, into an ovenproof shallow baking dish. Place cheese sauce (or Alfredo sauce) and tomato sauce in bowl and mix until well incorporated. Pour sauce over cannelloni covering completely. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over top of sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.


Serves 6.

Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Pasta

You know how when were a kid you hated some vegies, but now that you are an adult you are finding that some of those rotten old vegies are actually pretty tasty? Meet Cauliflower. If you had of tried to feed this to me before the age of...probably 25 I would have said..."um thanks...but no thanks". I used to be the same way about broccoli, but then...I discovered a wonderful thing called cheese sauce. Slowly but surely as long as it was covered with cheese sauce I would eat my broccoli and my cauliflower. This past September I went to a new restaurant called Zupas and had THE best cauliflower soup. That soup has sparked in me a desire to get to know cauliflower a little better.

This pasta was AWESOME! I loved this new take on your typical pasta covered in some kind of sauce. It was full of flavor and simply...well awesome. I did however add some seasoned grilled chicken to mine to make it more kid and husband friendly. I have been wanting it ever since the day I made it a few weeks ago. This will certainly be on our table again soon! YUMMO!

Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Pasta
www.melskitchencafe.com


*Serves 4-6

2 heads garlic, papery skins removed, top quarter of heads cut off (on the pointy side of the garlic) and discarded
6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 pound short pasta (such as fusilli, rotini or campanelle)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 – 3 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (I'm not a fan of walnuts but I LOVE cashews so I substituted cashews here.)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, place a large rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Cut one 12-inch sheet of foil and spread it flat on the counter. Place the garlic heads, cut-side up, in the center of the foil. Drizzle ½ teaspoon olive oil over each head and fold up the sides of the foil to seal well. Place the foil packet directly on the oven rack (not on the preheating baking sheet) and roast until the garlic is very tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil packet from the oven, open the foil and set it aside to cool.

While the garlic is roasting, trim the outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut the stem flush with the bottom. Cut the head from pole to pole into 8 equal wedges and then cut the cauliflower into large bite-sized pieces. Place the cauliflower in a large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, salt, pepper, and sugar.

Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Carefully transfer the cauliflower to the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the cauliflower is well browned and tender, 15 to 20 minutes

While the cauliflower roasts, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook until al dente. Squeeze the cooled, roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a small bowl. Using a fork, mash the garlic to a smooth paste, then stir in red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Slowly whisk in remaining 1/4 cup oil.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water, and return the pasta to the pot. Add the chopped cauliflower to the pasta; stir in the garlic sauce, ¼ cup cooking water, parsley, and ½ cup cheese. Adjust the consistency of the pasta with additional cooking water and season with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately, sprinkling with remaining ½ cup cheese and toasted nuts.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Cook’s Illustrated

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

When I was planning my fortnightly menu earlier this week I went to the Better Homes and Gardens website for a little inspiration. This recipe sounded good to me from the get go. Hot creamy rice with chicken and vegies?! I mean c'mon...you can't go wrong.

We all LOVED this. Even my sick and fussy lately three year old loved it and gobbled it up. If he loves something as soon as he puts it in his mouth he will rub his tummy, say "mmmmm" and then proceed to tell me it is yummy in his tummy. The second night when we ate the left overs for dinner he said "This is really good mama." I was happy!

I did make some small modifications to it (see below) based on what I had in my pantry but I have no cause for complaint. The texture and this may be because I didn't use the wild rice was allot like a risotto. Again...I'm not complaining. =)

I couldn't seem to get a "pretty" picture of this dish and frankly I was so excited to dig in, I didn't even care. This will definitely make an appearance on our dinner table again. I'm craving it now!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole


Better Homes and Gardens
Ingredients


1 6-ounce package long grain and wild rice mix (I used plain rice because I had it on hand)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons butter
1 10.5- or 10.75-ounce can condensed chicken with white and wild rice soup or cream of chicken soup (I used Cream of chicken)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (I used chicken broth)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed (I used dry)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey (I used a left over rotisserie chicken I had in the fridge)
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Prepare rice mix according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet, cook onion and celery in hot butter over medium heat until tender. Stir in soup, sour cream, wine, and basil. Stir in cooked rice and chicken.

3. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 35 minutes or until heated through. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Velvet Soup

I love love love this soup. It is rich, creamy and oh so fast and easy to throw together. With the colder weather upon us, I am starting to want soups more and more. I love having homemade soup for dinner on a cold day. I first had this soup at my sister in law's mothers house a couple of years ago and I have been addicted ever since. In fact when I think back over time about those "favorite" meals I recall having which just tasted so good. This soup is one of them. It was chicken velvet soup in bread bowls served with a side of garden fresh salad and homemade ranch. When I make this, I serve it the exact same way.

This recipe isn't heavy on seasonings, so sometimes if I'm in the mood to kick it up a little I'll add some seasoning to the chicken when I cook it. I've used everything from my favorite dry and fresh herbs to some Mrs. Dash. For a little more I have also added cheese and cooked broccoli. This is a great base soup and you can really add what you like to suit your own tastes and cravings.

Chicken Velvet Soup
From the kitchen of Mrs. Treu
Serves 4


6 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. light cream (I will also use half and half depending on what I have on hand)
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. finely chopped cooked chicken
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter. Blend in flour. Add milk, cream and broth. Cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Reduce heat. Stir in chicken and dash of pepper. Heat again just to boiling. Serve hot.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Another terrific recipe from My Kitchen Cafe. This was easy to put together and was a fun take on pasta.

Chicken Enchilada PastaMy Kitchen Cafe


2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) cans green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut in half- I omitted these
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips.

Spaghetti with Chicken and Zucchini

The night I made this dish was one of those nights where I didn't feel like making or eating what was on our planned menu. I was inspired yet again by the fresh zucchini I was given by my mother in law. This dish was simple to put together, tasted fresh and was excellent as lunch left overs the next day.

Spaghetti with Chicken and Zucchini
By Nat


1 small zucchini, julienne or cut into ribbons
5 cups of homemade (or your faveorite red pasta sauce)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper flakes to taste

8 oz angel hair pasta cooked al dente

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to instructions.
While pasta is cooking, in a large saute pan, heat pan on medium-high flame, add oil when pan is hot. Add garlic and and saute about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until chicken is cooked through. Add zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes, add tomato sauce, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh parsley and adjust salt and pepper. Stir for another minute. Remove from flame.

Serve sauce mixture over the pasta and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Healthy Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

I am SO behind on my blogging. Too much working, not enough hours in the day blah blah blah. Lets get to it.

This is another recipe from Gina's Weight Watches recipes. This was awesome and oh so easy to make. We all loved this and it was the perfect Sunday meal. Put it on to cook in the morning, let it cook all day, get home from church and dinner is served.

Healthy Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken




Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 9.85 oz • Prep Time: 5 minutes • Points: 4.25 ww points

24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

salt to taste
Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra pts).

Chicken with Green Curry Sauce

Another fabulous recipe from Melanie over at My Kitchen Cafe. This dish was easy to make and oh so tasty. We all enjoyed this at our house and my two year old could not get enough of it. I served this with some garlic naan and it was the perfect compliment to the meal.

Chicken with Green Curry Sauce
adapted slightly from Robin Miller


2-3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup couscous, cooked according to package directions
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves

Season both sides of chicken with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes per side until golden brown.

In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, green chilies, curry powder, garam masala, and cumin. Add mixture to chicken and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce reduces slightly. The sauce will be quite runny. To thicken it up a bit, I mixed one teaspoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and added it to the sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Serve chicken and green curry sauce over couscous and garnish with cilantro.

Chicken Cordon Bleu- DELICIOUS!

YUMMO! This dish was so delicious. I can't get enough of Gina's weight watcher recipes. The lady is a genius! I made these last Sunday for dinner and both Brad and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Though mine aren't as pretty as Gina's (I need to work on my meat pounding skills) I was quite proud of myself for making these babies. I'll definitely be making these again. For step by step pictures head over to Gina's blog to take a peek. Her photography is fantastic.

A couple of things to note:
I didn't have any dried bread crumbs. In all honesty I have stopped buying them since I discovered it is so easy and delicious to make my own. However, this recipe really requires that you use the dried breadcrumbs. My homemade soft ones were too soft and I had a difficult time getting them to stick to the chicken.
Also, Brad and I are not fans of "stinky" cheeses and Swiss often falls into that category so I used slices of low fat mozzarella. I was a tad worried that using the mozzarella would make the meal tasteless but it worked great and this meal was full of flavor.

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Makes: 12 pieces • Time: 40 minutes • Points: 4 ww points each

4 chicken breast halves
2 egg
1 tbsp water
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
12 slices thin deli ham
12 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese (We don't love Swiss so I actually used low fat mozzarella)
salt
spray oil
toothpicks
Preheat oven to 350°.
Slice chicken breast halves into thin cutlets. I usually get 3 thin cutlets out of one breast half. Pound them to make them thinner if you wish. This helps when you wrap the cutlets.
Cut each slice of cheese into squares and stack on top of each other. Place a slice of ham on top of the chicken, top with cheese and wrap chicken around to completely cover cheese, using toothpicks to secure. (Make sure no holes so cheese doesn't leak out) Season with a little salt.
Dip chicken into egg wash, then breadcrumbs.
Spray cookie sheet with oil and place chicken on cookie sheet. Lightly spray chicken with oil and bake about 25 minutes, until cooked.

Oh My Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

Another amazing recipe from Gina's weight watcher recipe blog. I had been on the hunt for a mild chicken curry recipe for a while but just wasn't thrilled with the ones I had read. I love a good mild chicken curry and I especially love it when it also has potatoes in it. I had an amazing chicken curry once at an Indian restaurant in Australia and every time I heard chicken curry after that I would think back to that amazing dish. This dish was exactly what I was looking for and it met every expectation I had. I was a little worried about whether or not Brad and my 2 year old would like it but they both loved it. My two year old couldn't get enough. He ate his plate and then devoured mine too. I was thrilled! The only thing that would have made this dish any better was some homemade Naan on the side. It is definately a goal of mine to learn how to make that and soon.

Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
Servings: 6 servings • Time: 35 minutes • Points: 4.3 ww points


1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp roasted cumin
1 1-2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup light coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1 large potato, peeled and diced small
6 skinless chicken thighs (I used two boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
kosher salt to taste

Add oil to a large pan, on medium heat. When oil is hot add onion and garlic and sauté. Add cumin, masala and curry powder and mix well. Place chicken in the pan and season with salt. Mix together with all spices and brown on both side for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, cilantro, water, coconut milk and adjust salt to taste. Mix all ingredients and cover pan, simmer on low until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add potatoes and more water if neccesary and simmer, covered an additional 5-10 minutes. This dish is great served with rice or roti.

1 skinless chicken thigh = 3 pts
1/2 cup light coconut milk = 2.1 pts
1 large potato = 3 pts

Chicken Cacciatore - A healthier version

I recently stumbled upon a fantastic blog entitled Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes (http://weight-watchers-points-recipes.blogspot.com/) She has so many delicious looking recipes on her blog and lately I have been having fun making and trying some of them out. This was the first of Gina's recipes that I have tried. This meal was FANTASTIC. This dish was so full of fresh flavor and is so low in fat and calories. Both Brad and I loved it. It was also simple and relatively quick to make. I also found this dish provided for generous portions. After dinner and setting aside leftovers for Brad's lunch, UI had enough to freeze for another meal. It froze really well and was just as delicious the second time around. I will DEFINITLEY be making this again. Who ever thought healthy food could taste so good? Until now not me!


Chicken Cacciatore

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 3 servings • Time: 30 minutes • Points: 4.3 ww points

3 chicken thighs, skin and fat removed (I used 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of the thighs and legs)
3 chicken legs, skin and fat removed
1 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ( 28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons drained capers (I didn't have any of these so left them out)
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Season chicken with salt. In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the pepper, onion and garlic to the pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes, broth, and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the saute pan and mix in with the sauce. Cover the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add the chopped basil when done. Serve over whole grain angel hair pasta if desired.

Chicken Divan

A few weeks ago now my husband told me that he wanted to go on a diet to try and lose some weight. My first reaction (trying to play the supportive wife role) was "Ok, I can start looking for recipes that are lower in fat and healthier for you." In my mind however, I was whining and thinking "Ah crap, that's no fun!" I need an attitude adjustment. I am still wrapping my head around the idea that meals can truly be healthy AND delicious. I have been blessed in so much that as long as I exercise my butt off on a regular basis at the gym (which thankfully I love) I can control my weight. I don't do diets. Oddly enough I have enough will power to exercise but not really "diet." Wish us luck!

So with this new mission in mind, I jumped online and started surfing blogs that promised healthier meals. This one is from a Weight Watchers website. My husband loved it and it was only 3.5 points (hope that means something to someone).

Chicken Divan
“Mayo Clinic’s Virtual Cookbook



2 packages frozen broccoli spears
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons grated Cheddar cheese (I may have snuck a little extra in) =)
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs ( I made my own)

Heat oven to 350° F. Steam broccoli until tender (about 2 minutes). Spray a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Drain broccoli and place in the bottom of the baking dish.

Boil chicken until done. Cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Add to broccoli. Combine the yogurt with the soup and curry powder. Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Top with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken

I saw this recipe on Melanie from My Kitchen Cafe's blog a while back and had been excited to try it. I finally got around to making it this past week. It was delicious. I had wondered if the cream added to the sauce may make it heavy but it was just the opposite. As Melanie said about this dish on her blog - "Creamy and light." I'll definitely be making this dish again.

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken
adapted from allrecipes.com via Clouse Cousins Cookin'

Serves 4-6

3 cups shredded or cubed Lemon Garlic Chicken (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (16 ounce) package tube pasta (I used shells because it is what I had)
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, season the chicken broth with the garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil and add lemon juice and pasta. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Stir chicken into cooked pasta, along with the cream, parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly before serving.

Lemon Garlic Chicken
Erin W.

Juice of 1 lemon, approximately 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound chicken breasts (I usually cut really thick chicken breasts down to thin them out and make the pieces a little smaller so they absorb the marinade better)

Combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a ziploc bag or tuppaware container and pour marinade over chicken. Place in fridge overnight. Grill (or cook in frying pan). Serve with sides of your choice or cut into bite sized pieces and add to desired recipe (I'll be sharing a few with you soon). Note: If you cut your chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces and then marinate it, you can get away with only letting it marinate for 5 or 6 hours instead of overnight.

La'ai's Samoan Sapasui or Chop Suey

Chop Suey is a dish that I have loved for as long as I can remember. I'm not sure when the first time I ate it was or whether I first had it while living in New Zealand or if I first ate it in Australia. Either way it would have likely been prepared by a New Zealand Maori native or a Samoan or Tongan islander native. Growing up in both New Zealand and Australia I would say that there was a fairly strong Maori/Samoan/Tongan influence in my life. Whether it be friends, family, food or church, the islands were always present in one shape or form. This is one of my favorite island dishes for sure. Before making this dish this time around, I hadn't eaten it since I lived in Australia so I was excited to have it once again. It didn't quite look like I remembered but it tasted spot on. Ahhh the islands.

Chop Suey
http://polynesiankitchen.blogspot.com



2 lbs. chopped beef (chuck steak) or chicken (I used chicken)- cubed and cooked through
5 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tsp ginger – I used fresh minced ginger
1 cup soy sauce
1 half head of cabbage chopped(veggies can be fresh or frozen)
Approx 1 cup of baby carrots chopped
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 bag of Long Rice Noodles (I just found a bag at my local Wal-mart)
3 Tbsp. oil

Prepare noodles – bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add noodles and turn off heat. Soak noodles until softened.

Sauté meat in oil for 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Add broth and soy sauce and cook 5 more minutes. Drain noodles and stir into meat mixture with vegetables. (You may have to add more liquid as needed as the noodles may absorb some of the liquid.

** Depending on your cut of meat, you may boil tougher cuts for ½ hour before sautéing.

Crockpot Buttermilk Ranch Chicken

I came up with this recipe on Monday when I realized that I didn't have some of the ingredients I needed for my planned dinner. I was having one of those days where I was having too much fun being home with Gabe playing, that I couldn't be bothered going to the store to grab a few items. I was able to make this using ingredients I already had at home which is always nice. Another huge plus was that it was quick and easy to put together and then the crock-pot just did the rest. Dinner is served!

Crockpot Buttermilk Ranch Chicken
By Nat

Serves 4-5 people

Ingredients
4 large chicken breasts (mine were frozen but I thawed them before cooking)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 package of dry ranch dressing mix
2 tablespoons of butter (cut into cubes)
1/2 cup of buttermilk]
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
2 tablespoons of water

Add soup, dressing mix, butter and buttermilk to crock-pot and stir to combine. Add thawed chicken breasts and cook on low for 6 hours. Just prior to serving mix cornstarch and water together and then add to crock-pot (just to thicken the sauce a little). Once sauce has thickened and is the desired consistency serve over a bed of rice or buttered noodles.

Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary

I found this recipe while searching online for a chicken drumstick recipe. It looked and sounded so delicious, that I knew I had to make it. This was SO good! I think it would have been a smidge better had I of used fresh rosemary as opposed to dry, but I didn't have any fresh rosemary on hand and I didn't want to make a trip to the store to pick up just one ingredient. Let’s face it any time you make a run to the store to get JUST ONE ingredient, you never leave with JUST ONE ingredient and before you know it $20.00 later...

Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary
http://oneperfectbite.blogspot.com/



Ingredients:
8 large chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (2 teaspoons dried may be substituted)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
1) Using a knife, make two diagonal cut in each chicken drumstick. Pat dry. Season legs with salt and pepper.

2) Place butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. When hot add drumsticks and cook until all sides are brown. Add garlic, lemon zest and rosemary.

3) Combine flour, chicken broth, mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add to saute pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until drumsticks are tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer drumsticks to a serving platter. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over drumsticks. Yield: 4 servings

Nats EASY any meat marinade

I have ALWAYS loved any kind of marinated meat. Grilled or Barbequed meat just tastes better when it is marinated - I think. I came up with the recipe for this marinade while I was a teenager living at home and my family always loved it. It tastes great on both chicken and red meat and is so easy to put together. This past week we enjoyed a little BBQ at home and I used this marinade on some chicken tenders I had. They were delicious!

Nats any meat marinade


1 cup of tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
splash of lemon juice
1 minced clove of garlic

Simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Once combined, place over meat in a tupperware container and let marinate. Over night marinating is best, but as long as the meat has at least an hour to sit in the marinade, the flavors will have enough time to permeate the meat.

Enjoy!

Ranch Chicken Appetizers

This recipe is one I came up with after making the tomato-basil appetizers I posted for Memorial Day. I really think that using the Pillsbury biscuits in this manner makes the possibilities for this appetizer endless. Use your imagination. I think that BBQ chicken appetizers would be great too. Hmmmm the wheels are spinning! I'll say it again - these are so easy to make and are simply delicious! These will have your guests thinking you slaved in the kitchen for hours when in fact it was just minutes!

Ranch Chicken Appetizers
By Nat


INGREDIENTS
1 Rotisserie chicken cut into small pieces
1/4 cup or more or less of ranch dressing (suit your own tastes)
1/2 cup of grated mozzarella cheese
2 cans (7.5 oz) Pillsbury® Grand buttermilk biscuits
finely shredded Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top of appetizer

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 20 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix chopped chicken, ranch dressing and mozzarella cheese.
2. Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Separate each biscuit into 2 rounds. Slightly roll out each round to flatten a little. Press 1 round in bottom and up side of each mini muffin cup. Spoon about 2 teaspoons chicken filling into each cup; press in lightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm.