Sunday Chinese

Having chinese on Sunday is a pretty common affair at my house. But since we're being healthy, I decided to make my own. My recipe is adapted from my new Weight Watchers Complete Cookbook. I forgot to marinate the chicken. So I improvised by using the marinade as a guide for a sauce. I also had a small amount of Lawry's 10 minute Seasame Ginger marinade I used to get the chicken started. Serve this over brown rice.

Sunday Chinese Chicken and Veggies

1 1b chicken cut into bite size peices

3 tablespoons Seasame Ginger quick marinade

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablepsoons brown sugar packed

1 tablespoons Asian dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 scallions

2 garlic gloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 bag frozen stirfry vegetables

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and pour sesame ginger marinade over chicken. Place sesame seeds in a small dry pan and toast over medium-high heat until golden, 2-3 minutes. Set sesame seeds aside.

To prepare marinade mix chicken broth and next four ingredients in a small bowl using a whisk to blend in the cornstarch. Heat a non-stick pan with olive oil and add chicken and garlic to. Cook until done over medium-high heat.

Stir in frozen vegetables and pour sauce over. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and crushed red pepper according to your taste. Cook until vegetables are tender. Serve over rice.

New Year's Eve Party!!

This year we waiting until the last minute to plan something for New Year's Eve since I had to work. Normally we spend the week after Christmas at the beach and celebrate there. So this was our first year home. Since it was last minute we planned quick and easy appetizers. I also got two new cookbooks for Christmas so I made a few things from them. Paula Deen's Polynesian Chicken Wings were a big hit. I also made her spinach artichoke dip, but thought it needed more cheese and sour cream and/or mayo. Last year I made a Sugar Nut Brie for the cookie swap and decided it was an easy, yet classy dish and made it again. We had a ton of other food including mexican cheese dip, mozzarella sticks, buffalo chicken wings, shrimp cocktail, a cookie cake and chocolate fondue with fruit and marshmallows. And last but not least everyone loved the Flight Fuel...a quite original drink, made up by a family friend. We couldn't think of a better way to ring in the new year with good food, good drinks and of course good friends!

On Top of Spaghetti...

And covered in cheese...This is a slight variation on Chicken Parm, but a good way to sneak in a veggies. The chicken is stuffed with a spinach and cheese mixture, "breaded" in ritz crackers and parmesan cheese then baked. We wanted a more Chicken Parm meal, so I served it with spaghetti and extra sauce, but any side will work well too.

Chicken Parmesan Bundles (Kraft Foods)

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1-1/4 cups Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 egg
10 Ritz Crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, heated

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix cream cheese, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 3 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese until well blended; spread evenly onto chicken breasts. Starting at one of the short ends of each breast, roll up chicken tightly. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if desired. Set aside.

Beat egg in shallow bowl or pie plate. Mix remaining 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese and the cracker crumbs in separate shallow bowl or pie plate. Dip chicken bundles in egg, then roll in crumb mixture. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF). Remove and discard toothpicks, if using. Serve topped with the spaghetti sauce and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.

Ben's Italian Chicken Casserole

One Monday night as I was working late, I called Ben to let him he would be making dinner...imagine his shock and surprise that I'd let him in the kitchen and that he had do it. He has been helping out with the cooking lately since I've been working late a lot. I found this recipe in Southern Living and new it'd be awesome. Ben made a few modifications...added more italian seasoning and drained the tomatoes. This also made a ton...perfect for a week of leftovers or freeze it for later.

Italian Chicken Casserole (Southern Living)

2 (3.5-oz.) bags quick-cooking rice

1 pound chicken breast, cut into cubes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms

1 (10 3/4-oz.) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

1/2 (8-oz.) container sour cream

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained

Cook rice according to package directions.

Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Sauté, in 2 batches, in 2 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet.

Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet, and sauté onion 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in mushrooms, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Remove skillet from heat.

Stir together soup, sour cream, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir soup mixture into onion mixture in skillet; stir in rice. Gently stir in tomatoes and chicken just until combined. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.

To make ahead: Line a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing several inches of foil to extend over sides. Prepare recipe as directed through Step 4; spoon mixture into dish. Freeze 2 hours or until firm. Lift casserole from dish using foil sides; fold foil over casserole. Wrap in additional foil, or place in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Remove casserole from foil or freezer bag. Place in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Thaw in refrigerator 24 hours. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Fajita Pizza...

This fajita pizza taste just like the real thing. Using rotisserie chicken, red and green bell peppers, onions and chipotle cheddar cheesse...it was the perfect combination for a mexican inspired pizza.

Speedy Dinners...

This is another Kraft Food & Family recipe and perfect for our busy weeks. It's super quick, but the taste isn't compromised. Add whatever veggies you have on hand as well as either spaghetti, angel hair or vermacelli noodle pasta.

Speedy Chicken Stir Fry (Kraft Food & Family)

8 oz. angel hair pasta (capellini), uncooked
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. each: ground ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper
1/3 cup chopped Dry Roasted Peanuts

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time.

Meanwhile, spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 min. or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 1 min., stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta mixture; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon evenly into four serving bowls; sprinkle with the peanuts.

Pizza Experimenting

Lately, we've been experimenting with pizza toppings and using whatever meats, veggies and cheeses we have at home. We were both craving banana peppers, so we added that to leftover bbq chicken, onion and montrery and colby jack cheese. This was delicious!

Goat Cheese Inspired

A couple of weekends ago we had my college roommate, Meg, and her new hubby, Pat down for the weekend. Since they are from DC we had to find the coolest restaurant in town and decided to take them to Red Room for tapas. (We're secretly trying to convince them to move down to Raleigh and wanted to show them Raliegh has some cool places too.) While at Red Room I ordered a fried eggplant with goat cheese and fell in love with the cheese. Lately, I've also discovered I don't hate blue cheese like I thought. So, after I bought 3 lbs of chicken on sale I searched Cooking Light for a 5 star chicken recipe and I stumbled upon Artichoke Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken. Yeah I know it didn't take me very long to find something good...starting with the A's.

The ingredients sat in my fridge for a week and finally after a particularly very stressful week, I made this for dinner on Sunday. My pieces of chicken we're thick enough to stuff, so I used my meat mallet for the very first time in almost a year since we recieved it as a wedding gift to thin the chicken out a little bit more. Then, I wraped the chicken around the stuffing.

I was also supposed to save the artichoke juice from the can for the sauce, but didn't remember. I used a combination of chicken stock and white wine for the base of the sauce. After cooking the chicken in the pan, and making the sauce, I added the leftover stuffing mix for extra artichoke and creamyness from the goat cheese. I served with garlic mashed potates and salad. Needless to say, Ben was pretty impressed for a Sunday night dinner.


Artichoke and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken (Cooking Light)

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke bottoms
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat or feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped chives, divided
1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind, divided object2=" ?
8 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breasts halves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Drain artichokes in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Coarsely chop artichoke bottoms. Combine artichokes, cheese, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon lemon rind in a medium bpwl; stir well.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 1/4 cup artichoke mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken with pepper.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 chicken breasts, and sauté 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove chicken form skillet. Set aside; keep warm. Repeat procedure with 1 teaspoon oil and remaining chicken breats. Add reserved artichoke liquid, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind to skillet. Combine cornstarch and lemon juice; stir well. Add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Spoon sauce over chicken. Top with 2 tablespoons chives.

Decadent Pasta

If you don't get the Kraft Food and Family magazine, you should! It's free and comes quarterly with yummy, inexpensive and family friendly recipes. What I enjoy most is most recipes call for very few ingredients and most are quick and easy with time saving tips. This recipe takes regular spaghetti sauce and adds cream cheese to make a rich sauce. By cooking the chicken in an italian dressing it adds another layer of flavor. Usually, I go ahead and make the entire box of bow tie pasta to have tons of leftovers...the recipe makes a lot of sauce and is plenty.

Creamy Bow-tie Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli (Kraft Foods)

3 cups (8 oz.) farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked
4 cups broccoli florets
3 Tbsp. Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato-basil spaghetti sauce
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, cubed
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and garlic; cook 5 min. Turn chicken over; continue cooking 4 to 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF).

Drain pasta mixture in colander; return to pan and set aside. Add spaghetti sauce and Neufchatel cheese to chicken in skillet; cook on medium-low heat 2 to 3 min. or until Neufchatel cheese is completely melted, mixture is well blended and chicken is coated with sauce, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm. Add sauce mixture to pasta mixture; mix well. Transfer to six serving bowls.

Cut chicken crosswise into thick slices; fan out chicken over pasta mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.

Hot and Spicy!

I've had this recipe printed out for a while, just waiting for the perfect time to make it. I wish I had made it sooner. It will definitely be in our rotation for dinners. It could not have been quicker to make too. You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs as well as either broil the chicken or grill it. We had the time to start the grill on the night we made this, and it turned out wonderful and very moist. Next time I will probably half the spices since we only grilled 3 pieces of chicken, but the spices weren't overpowering since the honey balances it out.

Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken (Cooking Light)

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Cooking spray
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Preheat broiler.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.
Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.

All wrapped Up

I have made this "lunch" dish several times since it first appeared in the July edition of Cooking Light since techinically no cooking is required. Sweet potato chips go perfectly with this wrap.



Chicken & Bacon Roll Ups (Cooking Light)

1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 (2.8-ounce) whole wheat flatbreads (such as Flatout)
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped tomato (about 2 medium)
4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast

Combine reduced-fat mayonnaise, minced tarragon, and fresh lemon juice in a small bowl. Spread 2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixture over each flatbread. Top each with 1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1 bacon slice, crumbled, and 1/2 cup chicken. Roll up.

More Casseroles...

This must be the month of casseroles! Until recently I had never heard of Turkey Tetrazzini or Chicken Tetrazzini. After the holidays I used leftover turkey for the Turkey Tetrazzini casserole and recently found one for chicken. While making this I was slightly worried about the lack of flavor since there isn't much sauce to speak of, but it was full of flavor. The almond slivers add a wonderful crunch factor. The original recipe called for Sherry, but I only had vermouth and used that. It was a pretty strong taste, in a good way, but next time I think I'll use white wine. I served this with a side Southern Green Beans as something different than salad. We make these green beans quite a lot!

Chicken Tetrazzini (Southern Living)

3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
(10-ounce) container refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
7 ounces vermicelli, cooked

Stir together chicken, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and next 7 ingredients; stir in pasta. Spoon mixture into 6 lightly greased 6-ounce baking dishes or an 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Southern Green Beans (Rachel Ray)

1 1/4 pounds green beans
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar

Cook green beans in 1-inch simmering water, covered, for 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. Return skillet to stove and set burner to medium high. Add bacon and brown. When fat begins to render, add chopped onions to the pan and cook until tender with the bacon. Add cooked green beans to the pan and turn to coat in bacon drippings and onions. When the beans are hot and bacon crisp at edges and onions translucent add vinegar to the pan and season with beans with sugar. Allow the vinegar to evaporate and the sugar to combine with pan drippings, 1 to 2 minutes, then serve.

Sausage, Zucchini & Feta Casserole

This casserole sounded like a weird combination, but I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand. I also used Al Fresco Garlic and Herb chicken sausage....which I received a free coupon. This ended up being a pretty inexpensive dinner, which was also a casserole, so it made excellent leftovers for lunch. Don't be too afraid of the feta cheese...the strong flavor didn't come through as much as I thought it would. And I was a little worried the flavors wouldn't be very developed since there wasn't much "sauce." I think I was more surprised at Ben's reaction...which he loved it.

Sausage, Zucchini & Feta Casserole (Cooking Light)

2 1/2 cups uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)

8 ounces chicken sausage

Cooking spray

teaspoon olive oil

5 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes, omitting salt and fat; drain.

Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from pan. Heat oil in pan. Add zucchini, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and zucchini begins to brown, stirring occasionally.

Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute. Combine zucchini mixture, pasta, sausage, and feta cheese in a large bowl; toss well. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

An Oldie, but a Goodie

I can't really take credit for this recipe...Ben actually found the recipe and made it for the first time and we've modified it a little...Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole. I've been noticing a trend in our dinners which are mostly casseroles, but with Ben working most week nights it's the best to take to work, plus it's a yummy homecooked, complete meal.

Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

1 box Uncle Ben's® Country Inn® Broccoli Rice Au Gratin
2 cups water, boiling

1/2 can cream of broccoli condensed soup
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine rice and contents of seasoning packet in 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Add boiling water and cream of broccoli; mix well. Wash hands. Lay chicken breasts on top of rice, sprinkle with garlic powder, cover and bake 30 minutes.2. Add broccoli, cover and bake 4 to 6 minutes or until chicken is done (internal temp 170°F).3. Sprinkle with cheese and bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and begins to brown.

Diet Food...never so good!

I've been doing Weight Watchers since Feb. and someone sent me a huge file of WW friendly recipes. Since I'm the cook in the family, Ben eats whatever I fix, but I fooled him with the dish. Crispy chicken strips are the perfect comfort food, especially when I'm craving greasy fried foods. Serve this with a salad, mashed sweet potatoes or roasted seasoned potatoes.

Crispy Chicken Strips

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into slices

2 cups corn flakes, crushed

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp parlsey flakes

1/4 chili powder

2 tsp Montreal Chicken seasoning

1/2 cup light ranch dressing

Crush corn flakes and add all spices in a shallow bowl or plate. Pour ranch dressing in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken strips in ranch dressing coating both sides, then dredge in corn flake mixture. Place on wire rack roasting pan. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 F.

Chicken Divan

This "casserole" type dish is one of the many recipes that seem to satisfy us on busy nights. Any time I can find fresh broccoli I'll use that instead of the frozen. Also, I like to make everything in advance and it's all ready waiting for me to just cook after a long day. What better way to wind down on a week night with a delicious meal and a glass of the white wine you had to open for this recipe.

Chicken Divan

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 packages frozen broccoli

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup ritz cracker crumbs

1/2 cup margarine melted

Boil chicken until done, cut into strips. Cook broccoli until tender, drain and arrange stalks in a casserole dish. Place chicken down the center.

Combine soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and wine. Pour over chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine cracker crumbs and margarine; sprinkle all over.

Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.