This is a lighter version of Chicken Cordon Bleu without skimping on the flavors. Laughing Cow cheese is one of my favorite snacks. It comes in many different flavors, but the plain is my favorite. If you make this recipe feel free to use the flavored kind (garlic and herb would be good).
Don't be afraid to pound the chicken. Just make sure it's in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap so chicken pieces don't fly everywhere. Pounding it makes it easy to roll up, and it also makes the chicken very tender. I didn't add any salt since the ham contained a good amount, but feel free to season the chicken if you like.
Ingredients:
4 (4-ounce) pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 wedges Laughing Cow cheese (any flavor)
4 servings extra lean deli ham
Panko bread crumbs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
Pound each chicken breast to about 1/4-inch thickness. Spread one wedge of cheese on top of each breast. Then place 2 to 3 slices of ham on top of the cheese. Roll up the chicken and secure with toothpicks. Roll the chicken around in a dish of Panko bread crumbs.
Spray a baking dish lightly with PAM. Place the chicken in the baking dish and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
Yield: 4 servings
Estimated nutritional info (per serving): 217 calories; 5g fat; 80mg cholesterol; 1232mg sodium; 99mg potassium; 7g carbs; 32g protein
Source: Spark Recipes
I took a home economics class in 9th grade, and the very first thing (real food) I learned to cook was stuffed peppers. I was so proud of those peppers, too! I think they had ground beef and rice and a few other ingredients in them, and they were good.
I found this recipe on a blog that I frequent when I need ideas for healthy cooking. I was really pleased with how these turned out and with how filling they were. My man thought the same thing. He even brought a pepper over to his parent's house so his family could give it a try.
We ate these for two nights, and they are still good the next night. I stuck them in the oven just to warm them up, and they were perfect.
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup parsley or cilantro
5 bell peppers (red or green)
14-ounces shredded cooked chicken breast (I used 1 rotisserie chicken)
Cumin, to taste
Salt, to taste
1 (15.5-ounce) can white beans
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
In a medium pan, heat oil on medium heat. Add chopped onions, garlic, parsley and red pepper. Saute until soft, about 1-2 minutes. Add chicken and season with cumin and salt. Add beans and 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until it thickens and the liquid reduces. Adjust spices to taste.
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Cut peppers in half removing seeds and stem. Place peppers in an oven-proof dish. Fill each pepper with 1/3 cup of chicken and bean mixture. Pour about 1/3 cup water or chicken broth on the bottom of the dish. Cover tight with foil. Bake 30 minutes at 350-degrees. Remove foil, top with cheese and bake uncovered another 5 minutes.
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 2 halves)
Nutritional Info (per serving): 304 calories; 5.9g fat; 29.9g protein; 34.9g carbs; 6.5g fiber
Source: Gina's Skinny Recipes
This has been a very cold winter, so I've had a chance to try several new soup recipes. I absolutely love soup, and I don't think I could ever get tired of eating it. This soup is particularly good because it has lots of fiber and the chicken that keeps you feeling full. I also love the smoky flavor from the adobo sauce. I served this with a slice of Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread, and everyone was satisfied.
Ingredients:
6 cups chicken stock
2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup (I used light)
1 (16-ounce) jar salsa
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken (I used the meat from 1 Rotisserie chicken)
1-2 chilies in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
In a large stockpot over medium high heat, combine chicken stock, salsa, and cream of chicken soup. Bring to a boil, stirring until well combined. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Add cooked chicken, chilies in adobo, frozen corn and black beans. Simmer until heated through, 15-20 minutes. Stir in cilantro just before serving.
Source: Let's Dish
I wanted to try a new recipe of cornbread to go along side my soup recipes. I made a Southwest Chicken and Corn Chowder (recipe found here), and this cornbread sounded like it would be perfect. Aubrey loves jalapenos, so he really enjoyed this recipe. His brother also came over and ate several pieces of it. I'll definitely make it again. It's a tad bit on the sweet side, so you can reduce the amount of sugar if you want to make it less sweet. I think I'll use 2 tablespoons next time instead of 1/4 cup.
Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup sliced scallions, divided
3 Tablespoons fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
Directions:
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until most of the lumps are dissolved. Do not over mix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated cheddar cheese, about 1/3 cup scallions and the jalapenos. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares.
Source: Let's Dish
I got to go to my home town this past weekend. It was a great trip because I got to visit with friends and family. I haven't seen some of my friends since before Christmas, so we got to have Christmas all over again. I paired these marshmallows with hot chocolate mix and gave them as gifts. They were a big hit among my friends and family. My mom and I sat down and had a cup of hot chocolate, so I got to taste these creations. They were really beautiful in a cup of hot chocolate, and they also taste amazing by themselves. The peppermint adds a different dimension of flavor and goes great with the chocolate. You could top the chocolate with sprinkles (that would be great for a birthday party) or whatever else you fancy. You can also keep the marshmallows "naked" if you like them that way.
Chocolate-Dipped MarshmallowsIngredients:
1 cup cold water, divided
3 (1/4-ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, sifted
8-10 ounces good quality dark chocolate
1/3 cup crushed peppermint
Directions:
Lightly butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Then sift about 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar onto the bottom of the pan (this will help release the set marshmallow from the paper).
Place 1/2 cup cold water into the bowl of your electric mixer that is fitted with a whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a heavy two quart saucepan, place the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cold water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let boil for about 3 minutes to allow any sugar crystals to dissolve from the sides of the saucepan. Remove the lid and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Increase the heat to high and boil, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240-degrees-F, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase the speed to high and beat until mixture has tripled in volume and is very thick and stiff, about 10 minutes (looks like thick marshmallow cream). Add vanilla extract and beat to combine, about 30 seconds longer.
Scrape marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a damp offset spatula or rubber spatula. The mixture is very sticky so just smooth it out as best you can (I used an offset spatula dipped in water. Dust the top of the marshmallow with another 3 tablespoons of sifted powdered sugar and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature until set, about 12 hours.
Remove the marshmallow from the pan by first running a small sharp knife around the edge of the marshmallow to loosen it from the pan. Invert the pan onto a large cutting board that has been dusted with sifted powdered sugar. You might have to use your fingers to help loosen the marshmallow from the pan. Peel off the parchment paper (the marshmallow will be sticky) and dust the top of the marshmallow with sifted powdered sugar. Cut the marshmallow into squares using clean kitchen scissors, a pizza roller or a sharp knife. Dip the cut sides of the marshmallows in additional powdered sugar. Shake off excess sugar.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. I just put a heatproof glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl sits above the water so the chocolate doesn't burn.
Once chocolate is melted, dip the top of the marshmallows in chocolate and place them on a wax paper covered baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with crushed peppermint. Repeat until all marshmallows have been covered. Place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has set. Store the marshmallows in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks.
Yield about 24- 2 1/2 inch marshmallows. You could make them smaller if you like.
This risotto is a complete meal with the meat and carbs, and it left us feeling full and satisfied. Typically risotto requires lots of attention and constant stirring. However, this recipe only required a couple of stirs. Between stirs, I had time to shred the chicken, chop the chives, watch The Bachelor.... oh wait; did I say that out loud?!?
The end result was a rich and creamy risotto with chicken and caramelized onions mixed throughout.
Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
Pinch of sugar
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 Tablespoons minced fresh chives (optional)
Directions:
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sugar, stirring to coat. Allow the onion to cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and caramelized. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken broth and water and bring to a simmer. In the meantime, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet used to cook the onions set over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until each side is a light golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the chicken breasts to the saucepan with the simmering broth mixture. Let cook until cooked through (no longer pink). Remove the chicken from the broth and transfer to the plate with the onions.
Add the butter to a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice to the pan, stirring frequently, until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes.
Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Stir 5 cups of hot broth mixture into the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente, 16-19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.
Add 3/4 cup of the hot broth mixture to the risotto and stir gently and constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan. Remove pot from the heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Stir the shredded chicken and caramelized onions into the risotto with the lemon juice and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to 1/2 cup of the remaining broth mixture to add moisture and loosen the texture. Serve immediately.
Yield: about 6 servings
Source: Annie's Eats; originally from Cook's Illustrated May/June 2010
I gave Aubrey a BBQ Guru Digi Q for Christmas, and he has already smoked three pork butts. He has already perfected the smoking process, and the pork is the best I've ever put in my mouth (I'll post on that later).
Cole slaw goes great with BBQ, so I knew I had to learn how to make my mother-in-law's recipe. Cole slaw is one of those recipes that I'm really picky about. I like a good vinegar flavor to my slaw, and it shouldn't be too creamy. I love the addition of bell peppers in this recipe; they really take the slaw to the next level. I also tend to go heavy on the pepper, so adjust to your taste.
This recipe makes enough to serve about 10-12 people. It can easily be cut in half.
Jenny Bishop's Cole Slaw
Ingredients:
2 packages chopped cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
12-ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) Hellman's Mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1 Tablespoon sugar or 2 packets of Equal or Splenda
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, or to taste
Directions:
Stir together the chopped cabbage, onion, and bell pepper in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients to make the dressing.
Combine the dressing with the vegetables and stir until combined. Refrigerate for several hours; preferably overnight.
Source: Jenny Bishop
I made these biscuits to go along with the Broccoli and Cheese soup I made the other day. I literally whipped these up in a matter of minutes. My man loves Tabasco sauce. He puts it on everything, and I mean EVERYTHING! I knew he would enjoy these. I'll definitely be making these again since they're so easy and delicious. I loved how the cheese oozed out of the biscuits. I love crispy cheese.
Tabasco-Cheddar Biscuits
Ingredients:
1 cup Jiffy All-Purpose Baking Mix or Bisquick
2-ounces sharp cheddar cheese, diced into tiny cubes
1/3 cup skim milk
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450-degrees.
In a mixing bowl stir the baking mix and cheddar together. Add the milk and stir until just combined. Sprinkle the two teaspoons of Tabasco over the dough; stir until the dough is streaked throughout with the Tabasco, but not integrated completely. Drop 9 equal sized dollops of dough onto a parchment paper or Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits give only slightly to the touch. If desired, sprinkle some extra Tabasco over the tops of the freshly baked biscuits for more spice.
Yield: 9 biscuits
Nutritional Estimate (per biscuit): 93 calories; 10g carbohydrates; 5g fat; 3g protein
Source: A Bird in the Kitchen
I made this soup for 2 reasons.
Reason #1: I love to make and eat soup when it's cold outside. It's so comforting!
Reason #2: I got some new china for Christmas that I've been dying to use. I'm collecting the Spode Woodland china, and I got these darling little cream soup bowls and plates.
This soup was delicious. I put more cheese in it than the recipe calls for since I like it really cheesy. I think I used about 12-ounces of the Velveeta. It was actually better the second night after the flavors had a chance to marry.
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)
Directions:
Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.
Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
Use an immersion blender to process soup to the desired thickness. You can also put 1/3 of mixture at a time into a blender or food processor.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)
Nutritional Info (per serving): 203 calories; 6.3g fat; 1.2mg iron; 24mg cholesterol; 385mg calcium; 21.7g carbohydrate; 897mg sodium; 15.6g protein; 2.9g fiber
Source: Adapted from Cooking Light
I hope everyone had a happy New Year. I sure did!
I wanted to start off this new year with a recipe that is dear to my heart. This is the cornbread dressing that I ate every Thanksgiving and Christmas until I was married. Hannah always made cornbread dressing for my family, and she'd also make extra for us to freeze and eat on Christmas. There are a thousand different recipes for dressing and stuffing. Every family has a certain way that they like theirs to be prepared, and this is the recipe that I love.
I volunteered to make this for Christmas lunch at my mom's house this year. My aunt sent me this recipe, but I also called Hannah to make sure I understood everything correctly. I wanted our Christmas cornbread dressing to taste just like Hannah's.
I was relieved when it did!
Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients:
Skillet Cornbread (dark bottom and edges removed)
1 biscuit or 2 slices of white bread (crust removed)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
4 cups chicken broth
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons pepper, or more to taste
Directions:
Crumble cornbread and biscuit (or white bread) in a large bowl. Stir in pepper.
Simmer celery and onion in chicken broth until tender (about 25 to 30 minutes). Pour chicken broth into cornbread mixture. Stir to combine.
Taste to see if it is seasoned to your liking. Add more pepper if you desire.
Stir in eggs until combined. It will be very runny, but it will thicken as it bakes.
At this point you can pour it in a Ziploc bag and freeze it or you can put it in a casserole dish sprayed with PAM.
Bake at 400-degrees for about 30 to 35 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes to thicken.
