BBQ Chicken Calzones

I love homemade pizza crust, but if I want to be honest with myself, I just don't have the time to make it very often. My new secret to a wonderful homemade pizza crust is to drive down the road to the local pizza shop and purchase the dough. I usually buy a couple of crusts and stick one in the freezer since they freeze really well.

This recipe is from the recipe swap that I participate in, and I was so pumped when I got this one. Chicken was the theme this week, and this recipe came from The Jey of Cooking. The original recipe is for a pizza, but I decided to make calzones. Who doesn't like their own little hand pie? These calzones were so good. My man helped me make these, and he kept raving about how good they were. He's already hinting around that he wants us to have these again, and I'm all in! I used the Easy Peasy BBQ Sauce for this recipe, and the flavors were perfect with the chicken and bacon.


BBQ Chicken Calzones

Ingredients:
1 recipe of pizza dough
2 chicken breasts from a rotisserie chicken, chopped or shredded
1/2  small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
Shredded cheddar cheese, to taste
1/2 package bacon, cooked and diced (I used turkey bacon)
1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
Olive oil cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven and pizza stone to 500-degrees.

In a bowl, mix together the bbq sauce and ranch dressing. Add the chicken and stir to combine.

Divide the pizza dough into 4 even pieces. Stretch each piece into a circle and place on a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking.

Spread 1/4 of the chicken mixture onto one half of each circle, leaving a 1-inch edge. Sprinkle with bacon, onion, cheese, and oregano. Fold into a half moon shape and crimp the edges with your fingers or with a fork. Spray the top of each calzone with cooking spray for even browning.

Place calzones onto the preheated pizza stone and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.

Serve warm with extra bbq-ranch sauce for dipping.

***Calzones freeze really well. Let them cool after baking and then wrap each one in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped calzones into a freezer bag and freeze.

Source: recipe from The Jey of Cooking

Easy Peasy BBQ Sauce

This recipe is from Aubrey's paternal grandmother, and it has been used for many many cookouts over the past few decades. I'm thankful to have the recipe in my hands because it's so delicious and unbelievably simple. If you like to make things "semi-homemade," you'll love this recipe. We use the Kraft Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce for the base, but feel free to use a sweet BBQ sauce if you like.  I realize that some people prefer a smoky flavor and others prefer sweet. My taste buds like a smoky vinegar based BBQ sauce, and thankfully my hubs likes the same.

 

Easy Peasy BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:
1 (18-oz bottle) Kraft Hickory Smoked BBQ Sauce
1/3 to 1/2 cup white vinegar
10 to 12 shakes of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once the sauce starts to boil, remove from heat.

Source: Doris Bishop (Aubrey's grandmother)

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

If you are searching for the perfect match for a grilled cheese sandwich, you should try these little suckers! They taste like little pizzas. You can get creative with the cheese and herbs to make it your own. I can't wait to try a slice fresh mozzarella topped with a basil leaf for a caprese or margarita pizza flavor.
I made one change to the recipe, which added a few more calories. The original recipe says to slice the tomato in half, and sprinkle the toppings on each half. I cut the tomato into 4 pieces and added the toppings to each piece. Of course, this added a bit more cheese to each serving, but I just felt like the 1/2-inch slices would be easier to cut/eat. The nutritional info at the bottom reflects the original recipe.

Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

Ingredients:
4 tomatoes, halved horizontally (I sliced each one into 4 slices)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450-degrees F.
Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until the tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Yield 4 servings

Nutritional Info (per serving): 91 calories; 6g fat; 4mg cholesterol; 6g carbs; 3g protein; 2g fiber; 355mg sodium; 363mg potassium

Source: Eating Well

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup

I had some spaghetti noodles in my pantry that have been staring me in the face for quite some time. I haven't really been in the mood for spaghetti, but I really wanted to get rid of them. Thankfully I found a recipe for a hearty soup that satisfied both my man and myself. The soup is started by making an easy roux, which gives the soup a thick consistency. The broccoli was nice and crisp, which is just how I like it (no thank you to soggy broccoli).

I did make a few changes in order to save calories. The nutritional info below does NOT reflect my changes, so the calories and fat are actually less than noted. I used fat free half-and-half instead of the full fat version like the recipe states. I also used skim milk instead of the 1% noted in the recipe.

This soup is best served right away, but it also makes for great leftovers the next night. It will thicken up when stored in the fridge, but you can add some water or chicken broth to thin it out before reheating.

Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup


Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup presliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups 1% milk (I used skim)
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces uncooked vermicelli or spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cups (8-ounces) shredded light Velveeta cheese
4 cups (1-inch) cubed chicken breast
3 cups (8-ounces) small broccoli florets
1 cup half-and-half (I used fat free)
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add butter to mushroom mixture, stirring until butter melts. Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add pasta to pan; cook about 10 minutes. Add cheese to pan, and stir until cheese melts. Add chicken and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender and soup is thoroughly heated.
Yield: 10 (1 cup) servings

Nutritional Info (per serving): 317 calories; 12.3g fat (6.8g saturated; 2.9g monounsaturated; 0.9g polyunsaturated); 27.5g protein; 23.8g carbs; 1.9g fiber; 74mg cholesterol; 1.6mg iron; 723mg sodium; 179mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light, March 2009

Grilled Chicken Bruschetta

We've been enjoying our home grown tomatoes and basil over the past few weeks. One of my favorite summer time recipes is bruschetta on top of a piece of toasted french bread. I never would have thought to pair it with chicken, and I'm so glad I found this recipe. This is one of my favorite chicken recipes to date. It's like summer wrapped up in a meal. 


The bruschetta mixture is best when it has time to marinate. Make it the night before for the best flavor. Add the cheese while grilling the chicken the next night, and it makes for a very quick meal.


Grilled Chicken Bruschetta


Ingredients:
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 medium vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 small cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 ounces part skim mozzarella, diced
4 (4-ounce) pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Set aside for a few minutes.

Add the tomatoes, garlic, and basil to the onion mixture. You can add additional salt and pepper, if desired. Set aside and let it sit at least 10 minutes or preferably overnight. Toss in the cheese when ready to serve.

Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/2-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and grill on your indoor or outdoor grill. Top chicken with bruschetta and serve.
Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Info (per serving): 236.8 calories; 8.5g fat; 32.4g protein; 6.8g carbs; 1.3g fiber; 0.5g sugar; 182.9mg sodium (without the salt)

Source: Gina's Skinny Recipes

Chocolate Covered Oreo Cupcakes

OH. MY. STARS!!!! ..... as my Uncle David would say. (I think I should start a new trend of "OMS" instead of "OMG" in honor of him.) These cupcakes are absolutely amazing, and they are relatively easy to make since the recipe uses a box mix. If you have a favorite chocolate cupcake recipe, feel free to use that. The frosting is like an Oreo cookie turned inside-out since the cookie is mixed in between the cream filling. Try not to eat it all out of the bowl before frosting the cupcakes. You'll definitely need a big glass of milk when eating these. You know what they say.... "Milk is Oreo's best friend!" Or is it "Oreo is Milk's best friend."??? Who knows, but you get the point!

I got this recipe from a fellow food blogger (Lemons and Love) that's a member of a cooking forum that I frequent. Several bloggers participated in this dessert themed recipe swap, and I was thrilled when I got this recipe in my email inbox. The original recipe was for a chocolate covered cake, but I chose to make cupcakes and top them with chocolate covered Oreos. The picture above is the way I intended them to look, but we ate too many Oreos out of the box several of the Oreos magically disappeared and there weren't enough to coat with chocolate. The picture below is what I did with the remainder of the cupcakes. I just drizzled some of the chocolate over the cold frosting.

 

Chocolate Covered Oreo Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 box Devil's Food Cake mix

4- ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
8- ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups thawed whipped topping
12 Oreo cookies, crushed
12 Oreo cookies, broken in half to make 24 halves

Directions:
Make cupcakes according to directions on the box. Let cool.

In a heatproof bowl above a pot of boiling water (double boiler), melt chocolate and butter. Stir occasionally until the consistency is uniform. (You can also melt in the microwave, but make sure to stop the time and stir every 20 seconds, or so.)  Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Take the halved Oreos and dip them in the chocolate using a fork. Remove and place on a wire rack. Place in the fridge to harden.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with mixer until blended. Gently fold in whipped topping and crushed Oreos. Pipe or spread frosting on the cupcakes and top with a chocolate covered Oreo. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Source: recipe from Lemons and Love; originally from Kraft

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

This is one of the best crockpot recipes I've tasted. BBQ is so versatile, and you can put it on just about anything. One of my favorite things to do is to put it on a baked potato with a little cheese and fat free sour cream. I don't even need butter.

This BBQ has a smoky flavor from the adobo sauce and a little punch of heat from the chiles. Aubrey said that he would have thought this was pulled pork if he wasn't the one to put the chicken in the crockpot. It makes a lot, so you can have leftovers for several nights or you can freeze it in several zipper top bags for later meals.

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons dry mustard
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts, trimmed of fat
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:
Stir tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chili powder and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth. Add chicken, onion, and garlic; stir to combine.

Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5-6 hours.

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve.
Serves 8-10

Source: Apple A Day; Originally from EatingWell.com

Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup

The best tomato soups I've made have always had roasted tomatoes in the ingredients. In my opinion, there is no other way to get that kind of flavor packed into tomato soup. Roasted tomatoes are a "must." And why not throw in some roasted garlic... roasted garlic makes everything better!
This soup was absolutely amazing. Even my meat-loving husband raved about it.


Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup

Ingredients:
4 pounds tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 bulb of garlic, cloves separated but unpeeled
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons sugar
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half (I used fat-free half and half)

Directions:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 350-degrees.

Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up , in a single layer on a large, shallow baking pan. Nestle garlic in between tomato halves. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast one hour, then cool in the pan on a rack. When fully cooled, peel the garlic.

Cook onion, oregano, and sugar in butter in a 6 to 8 quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about five minutes.

Add tomatoes, garlic, and stock and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.

Puree soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), then strain into cleaned pot, discarding solids.

Stir in cream. Salt and pepper to taste, then simmer two minutes more.
Serve with cheese bread.
Makes 6-8 servings

Source: Apple A Day; originally from Gourmet

Pork Tenderloin stuffed with Cream Cheese and Jalapenos

Aubrey's cousin came over a few weeks ago with a new recipe to try. She stuffed and grilled a pork tenderloin, and it was the best tenderloin I've ever put in my mouth. It was juicy, creamy, smoky, and spicy, all at the same time. I know that this is going to be a recipe that we use often. This recipe has already been repeated at family gatherings, and there are never any leftovers.

Pork Tenderloin stuffed with Cream Cheese and Jalapenos

Ingredients:
Worcestershire sauce (for marinating)
1 pork tenderloin
4 ounces cream cheese (regular or fat free), softened
1 jalapeno, diced
Bacon slices

Directions:
Marinate the tenderloin in Worcestershire sauce for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat grill to low-medium.
Mix the diced jalapenos into the cream cheese.
Slice the tenderloin down the center, lengthwise, but don't cut all the way through. Stuff the tenderloin with jalapeno cream cheese. Wrap several pieces of bacon around the tenderloin from one end to the other, securing with toothpicks.
Cook on a preheated grill for about 15 to 20 minutes then flip the meat over and cook an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until done (155 to 160-degrees in the center).
Slice the meat; each slice of meat should have a bacon slice around it.

Source: Justine Herlihy

Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon

This was definitely the star of our anniversary dinner a couple of weeks ago. My man is great when it comes to getting creative with meat, so I let him take charge. My favorite part was when he lit the Brandy on fire. It reminded me of making Bananas Foster with my dad.

The peppered crust added a nice little crunch to the tender meat. The filets were huge, but with a few deep breaths, we managed to clean our plates. This recipe definitely beat any steakhouse I've ever been to, and I'm looking forward to the next special occasion when we can make this.

Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon

Ingredients:
2 (10-ounce) filet mignon steaks
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup Brandy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Season the filets with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the pan is hot. Drizzle with olive oil. Place the filets in the pan and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Place skillet in the preheated oven and cook steaks for about 6 minutes for medium-rare, 8 minutes for medium and 10 minutes for well-done.

Carefully remove from the oven and pour Brandy into the skillet. Holding the skillet a good distance from your body, light the Brandy on fire with a long match. When the flames burn off, remove the filets from the pan. Top the steaks with butter. We like to use the white truffle butter from Fresh Market.

Source: My man