Tater Tot Soup

Some friends pass this recipe around.  I made it tonight.  Not a bad option for a chilly fall weeknight.  Now we'll see what this kids think!

Tater Tot Soup

Ingredients
4 slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
48 tater tots (onion flavor suggested - I couldn't find onion so I used regular and added some sautéed onion)
1 15 oz can of corn kernels, drained
15 oz chicken broth
2 cups whole milk (I used 1%)
Pepper

Directions
In a heavy soup pot, brown the bacon until crispy.
Remove bacon to paper towels and drain the pot.

Add frozen tater tots to pot, cook until thawed, 1 or 2 minutes.

Add bacon, corn, broth and milk to pot.  Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer 12 - 15 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

Stir to break up tots some but leave a bit chunky.

Sprinkle pepper.

Baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

Another pinterest inspired recipe!  Maybe the easiest recipe I've gotten from there to date.  It was very tasty.  This will be a week night staple!

Baked Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 TBSP brown sugar

3 tsp olive oil

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 500 and lightly grease a casserole dish.

2.  In a small saute pan, saute garlic with oil until tender.

3.  Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar.

4.  Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture.

5.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

6.  Bake uncovered for 15 - 30 minutes.

Oven Baked Tacos

One of my 1st Pinterest inspired dinners.  This could become a staple in our home.  I could see this as a great thing to make for game day/Super Bowl as well.  I halved the recipe below and it turned out great.

Ingredients
2 lbs. ground beef
1 can refried beans
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
18-20 hard taco shells
lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc

Directions
Brown ground beef.  Drain off any fat and add refried beans, tomato sauce, and seasoning.

Spoon the mixture into taco shells

Place filled shells into 9X13 pan, standing up.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.

Enjoy!

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

PJ Chang's Lettuce wraps have always been something I've enjoyed.  I've been trying to find a suitable replacment for home.  This is the best I've found yet.  Easy.  Healthy. Quick.  My non-mushroom eating husband even loved them (I chopped the mushrooms up into oblivion!)

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Source:  Food Network.Com

Ingredients

Filling:

• 12 ounces ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 8 ounces white mushrooms, chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• One 6-ounce can water chestnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Drizzling Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or spicy mustard
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 8 to 12 large iceberg lettuce leaves, cleaned and dry
• Shredded carrots, for serving
• Bean sprouts, for serving
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Directions

For the filling: Brown the turkey in the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add the mushrooms, scallions, garlic and water chestnuts, and cook until the mushrooms soften. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar and vinegar, pour over the turkey mixture and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

For the drizzling sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, mustard, Sriracha, sesame oil and 1/4 cup water.

Serve the turkey mixture with the lettuce leaves, drizzling sauce and vegetables for lettuce wrap assembly.

Baked Ziti with Spinach

I think I've found a great new source for recipes ~ Gina's Skinny Recipes. So many good weight watcher friendly things to try. This is my first thing I've made. And it didn't disappoint. It was very tasty. Very easy. And provided us 3 meals. (None of which I took pictures of ~ sorry blogging community!) As I get better at meal planning, I see this making our rotation.

Baked Ziti with Spinach

Source: Gina's Skinny Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 lb high fiber ziti such as Ronzoni Smart Taste - I ended up using Penne
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic,minced
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 8 oz fat-free ricotta
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella
• Spray olive oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.

In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente.Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and chopped tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper.

Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.

Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.

This can be made up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1/8th • Points: 6 pts • Points+: 9 pts
Calories: 331.9 • Fat: 7.1 g • Protein: 17.5 g • Carb: 54.7 g • Fiber: 7.8 g

Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

We really have to make pork tenderloin more often in our home. It's so good & so so easy. This recipe came from a little Rachel Ray book "Guy Food". Well Rachel, I'd call this gal food as well. It was really tasty. We served it with green beans and mashed potatoes.

Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Source: Rachel Ray "Guy Food"

Ingredients
(I cut the recipe in 1/2 & only used 1 tenderloin)
4 1/2 pounds pork tenderloins, 2 packages with 2 tenderloins in each package
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, cracked
Steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and black pepper - Montreal Steak Seasoning
4 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves stripped and finely chopped (I only had dried herbs on hand - worked fine)
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and finely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Trim silver skin or connective tissue off tenderloins with a very sharp thin knife.

Place tender loins on a nonstick cookie sheet with a rim. Coat tenderloins in a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, rubbing vinegar into meat. Drizzle tenderloins with extra-virgin olive oil, just enough to coat. Cut small slits into meat and disperse chunks of cracked garlic cloves into meat. Combine steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and pepper with rosemary and thyme and rub meat with blend. Roast in hot oven 20 minutes.

Saucy Mexican Chicken

So, so easy. As the day draws near that I have to return to work... quick & easy meals will be of utmost importance. Here is one that should definetly be added into the rotation! I served this with rice & corn. The chicken could easily be shredded and this would be a tasty topper for some nachos!

Saucy Mexican Chicken
Source: Food & Family Magazine - Holiday 2009

Ingredients
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 small breasts)
1 16oz. jar of chunky salsa
1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed
1 cup shredded cheddar

Directions
Cook chicken in a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side or until browned on both sides.

Add salsa and beans. Bring to a boil, cover.
Simmer on medium low heat 5 minutes or until chicken is done.

Top with cheese. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chicken Pepper Penne

This is a simple, quick weeknight meal..... especially when peppers are in season. My mom used to make this all the time for us ~ I am not sure where she dug it up. I had forgotten about it. Why did I forget to make this all summer?!? I'll put this recipe back into our rotation for sure.



Chicken Pepper Penne

Cook pasta

Cut chicken in slices ~ 4 breasts
Put in skillet sprayed with Pam.
Cook through

Add:
1 TBSP garlic, thyme, rosemary
1/2 cup chicken broth (can use a whole can)

Cut a green pepper and a red pepper into slices
Add to skillet

16oz. tomato sauce

Simmer for a couple minutes

Blend with pasta

Sprinkle with parsley & parm cheese.

Ravioli with Balsamic Brown Butter

Thanks to my neighbor, Tricia, for passing on this recipe to me! So, so easy and tastes like a complicated meal you'd get in a fancy Italian restaurant. The longest part of the whole process is boiling the water to boil ravioli. So many different things you can do with this recipe ~ different types of ravioli, add spinach, serve with a salad or veggie ~~ a great base for many possibilities! I halved the recipe as I was only making it for myself.

Ravioli with Balsamic Brown Butter
Source: Giada De Laurentiis ~ Food Network

Ingredients
18 to 20 ounces store-bought ravioli (cheese, mushroom, or squash) - I used Buitoni whole wheat 4 cheese.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain ravioli onto a large serving platter.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat. Let cool for about 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Transfer the ravioli to the pan saucepan with the balsamic brown butter. Sprinkle walnuts and Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately.

Chicken Pineapple Stir-Fry

Getting a new Pampered Chef pineapple corer gadget sent me on the search with a recipe to use some pineapple! I found a quick, easy dinner. And better yet, a serving is only 4 weight watchers points.

Chicken Pineapple Stir-Fry
Source: Recipezaar.com
Servings: 6

Ingredients
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP cider vinegar
1 TBSP ketchup
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2 inch strips
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 (16 oz.) package stir fry vegetables
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple chucks, drained, reserve 1/4 cup juice (I used the fresh pineapple & white wine instead of wine juice)
hot cooked rice

Directions
1. Mix first ingredients with reserved 1/4 cup pineapple juice in small bowl.
2. In large skilet, stir fry chicken in hot oil 5 minutes.
3. Add vegetables, stir-fry 4 more minutes.
4. Stir in pineapple and sauce, heat through.
5. Serve over rice.

"Benchilada's"

Digging around the internet for a quick easy recipe - I ran into "Benchilada's" on Annie's Eats blog. HMMM, I have a Ben at hime, we like enchilada's. It's one of those recipes where I read the ingredients and become intrigued. Curious how these thing could come together, I gave it a try. It was tasty ~ quick & easy too. "Benchilada's" got a thumbs up from the Ben in my house!

Cheesy Chicken Benchilada's
Source: Annie's Eats

Ingredients
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. reduced fat sour cream
8 oz. Ranch salad dressing
flour tortillas (10-15) – we like Azteca, packs of 10
jar of salsa
shredded mexican cheese (I usually use close to 4 cups, I love cheese!)

Directions
Cook chicken breasts by preferred cooking method until cooked through. Set aside to cool a bit.
While chicken is cooling, mix up the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine half of the sour cream and half of the Ranch dressing. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the sour cream and Ranch dressing. Stir both until well combined. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and add to the large mixing bowl. Mix well with sauce.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 9 x 13″ pan (and possibly another, smaller pan if needed). Take one tortilla and top with a little less than 1 tbsp. of the sauce from the small bowl. Spread over the tortilla in an even layer. Add some of the chicken mixture to the center of the tortilla. Top with salsa to taste. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, to taste. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients (usually makes 10-15 enchiladas).
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (30 for a crispier tortilla). Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

When reheating, reheat in the oven at 350 for 10 - 15 minutes.

Chicken Cutlets with Herb Sauce

I love finding these really easy, fast weeknight meals. Most people probably have most of these things on hand at all times!

Chicken Cutlets with Herb Sauce
Source: Back to the Cutting Board

Ingredients
1 TBSP. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. Yukon gold or new/red potatoes, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 lbs. chicken cutlets (can pound out chicken breasts)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine (can use chicken stock)
2 TBSP unsalted butter
2 TBSP chopped fresh herbs - rosemary, chives, parsley or tarragon - (I used dried since I didn't have fresh)

Directions
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish and season with salt. Bake for 15++ (more) minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season both sides with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 pepper. Return skillet to medium high-heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on each side and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a platter.

3. Add the wine to the skillet, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 minutes, constantly scraping the bottom. Add 1 TBSP of butter and stir or whisk until completely combined. Repeat with remaining butter. Remove skillet from heat. Add the herbs and the remaining salt and pepper and whisk to combine.

4. Add the potatoes to the platter with the chicken and sppon the sauce over top.

Laughing Cow Chicken

I've seen this recipe floating around for a bit. Since I think laughing cow is darn near the perfect snack~ I had to try it! It didn't disappoint. Ben is not a fan of laughing cow cheese.... so, I served this to him without divulging the namesake ingredient. His comment were how moist the chicken was.... cha-ching.... dinner success!

I should be able to get back to taking recipe photos soon... My lovely husband treated me to a new camera for our 1st anniversary!

At any rate, make this & enjoy!

Laughing Cow Chicken
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, rinsed & dried
2 Laughing Cow cheese wedges
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Panko or Italian seasoned bread crumbs - I used a mix of both
Salt & Pepper
Cooking spray

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350.

Slit the chicken breast & stuff with the cheese. Secure with a toothpick if necessary.
Season the flour with salt & pepper.
Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour.
Spray the breasts with cooking spray.
Roll in the panko/breadcrumbs.
Cover baking dish with foil.
Bake about 1 hour. Take the foil off for the last 15 minutes.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Ben has been asking for stuffing. I found this recipe on the back of the stuffing box. Easy, quick, most ingredients will be things on hand. Husband approved. Try it!

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Source: Stove Top Box

Ingredients

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (I might try salsa next time, we like tomatoes to be in the smallest form possible!)

1 package Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken (they do have a whole wheat)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in bite sized pieces (I just pounded the breasts out & cut in smaller pieces ~ about 5 pieces)

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400. Place tomatoes with their liquid in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix, 1/2 cup hot water and the garlic. Stir just until the stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside.

Place the chicken in 13X9 baking dish; sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with the prepared stuffing.

Bake 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (170).

Serves 4-5.

Garlic Lime Chicken

I found this recipe on Le Petit Pierogi. I've kept it hand for a night just like tonight ~ one of those nights where ~ you have some chicken thawed with no plan for it. And wanted to use only ingredients on hand. It turned out great. I served it with a big salad and some couscous ~ the sauce really spruced up the couscous. It can be baked or pan fried.

Garlic Lime Chicken

Source: Le Petit Pierogi

Ingredients

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I used chicken breasts, pounded thin)

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons lime juice (I use the juice of a lime)
2-3 tbsp. chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts. Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. In another small bowl, combine lime juice, chicken stock and fresh garlic cloves and pour over cooked chicken breasts. Cook an additional 5 minutes or so, or until sauce has started to thicken. Stir frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

Cheez-It Chicken

Brilliant! Cheez its & chicken!! So easy & really good. Try it! Thanks The Novice Chef for sharing and making Weight Watchers friendly.

Cheez-It Chicken

Source: The Novice Chef

Ingredients

1/2 cup Reduced Fat Cheez-Its, crushed

1/2 cup fat free buttermilk (can use 1 tsp. vinegar and 1/2 cup fat free milk)

3 TBSP. all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 lb. chicken breasts (I used chicken tenders)

4 tsp. Canola oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour the buttermilk (vinegar/milk mixture) into a large shallow bowl. On a sheet of wax paper combine the Cheez-It crumbs, flour, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the Cheez-It mixture, coating completely.

Place the chicken on the baking sheets, drizzle with the canola oil.

If you are using chicken breasts cook for 30 minutes, then turn chicken over and bake until cooked through; 15 - 20 minutes.

If you are using chicken tenders, cook for 15 minutes, then turn chicken over and bake until cooked through; 10 - 15 minutes.

Red Chili Chicken and Rice with Black Beans

I just started eating black beans. So I searched for a recipe with them in it. This hit the spot! We really enjoyed this recipe. It can be eaten alone or even rolled into a burrito.

Red Chili Chicken and Rice with Black Beans

Source: Elly Says Opa!

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. canola oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1.25-1.5 lbs. total)
2.5 Tbsp. ancho chili powder, divided
1 medium onion, large dice
1 cup rice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped green onions, roots and wilted outer leaves removed before chopping (OR 1/3 cup cilantro OR 2-3 Tbsp. epazote or hoja santa)
1/2 to 1 cup salsa, such as Smoky Chipotle Salsa, or chipotle hot sauce for serving

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium-large heavy pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breast with salt and 1 Tbsp. of the ancho chili powder. Place the chicken in the hot oil and brown on each side, 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible.

Add the onion and rice to the pot. Stir for several minutes, until the rice turns from translucent to opaque. Add the garlic and the remaining 1.5 Tbsp. ancho chili powder. Cook one minute, and then add the broth and salt to taste. Stir well. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

Cut the chicken breast into 1″ pieces. Add them to the pot along with the beans. Re-cover and cook 12 minutes longer.

Sprinkle the green onions and test a kernel of rice. It should have no more than a hint of chalkiness at in the center, in which case you place the cover back on, remove it from the heat and let it stand 5-10 minutes. If it’s not cooked, cook for another 5 minutes or so.

Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve with salsa for each person to spoon on al gusto.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 517 / Fat: 10.4g / Saturated Fat: 1.3g / Carbs: 60g / Fiber: 9.3g / Protein: 44g

THE Chicken

On a chat board I frequent, the recipe was recommended. Quick, easy & tasty. Made a nice dinner tonight. This will be a go to quicky!

THE Chicken

Source: The Nest - Pittsburgh

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into tenders

1 pack good seasons dressing mix

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix together dressing mix, Parmesan & garlic salt.

Cut chicken into tenders, coat in the Parmesan mixture. If it isn't sticking wet the chicken with a little bit of water.

Place on a baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

BBQ Cheddar Chicken Roll-ups

A super easy, weeknight meal. Not much to it and most of the time all of these ingredients will be on hand. Not even really a recipe but I thought I'd share.

BBQ Cheddar Chicken Roll-Ups
Source: Kraft Food & Family Magazine
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 large green & 1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
4 whole wheat tortillas, warmed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
Cook and stir vegetables in large non stick skillet on medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add chicken; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in barbecue sauce; cook in medium heat 3 minutes or until the chicken in done, stirring occaisionally.

Spoon chicken mixture down the center of the tortillas; top with cheese.
Roll up; cut in half.

Garlic Chicken

This is a recipe from allrecipes.com. It was OK. But did serve to be a nice, easy quick weeknight meal. I can't say enough about having recipes like that. I did saute some zucchini and carrots which turned out good. Next time I make this I would double the sauce.

Garlic Chicken

Ingredients
2 (4oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
10 cloves garlic, peeled ( I used minced b/c that's what I had)
1 1/2 tsp. canola or vegetable oil
5 TBSP chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Directions
Season chicken with salt and pepper. (I also pounded it out a bit). In a skillet, cook chicken and garlic in oil for 4-6 minutes - turning half way. Add 4 TBSP. broth & wine ( or additional broth), lemon juice, basil and oregano. Reduce heat; Cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

2. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining broth until smooth. Stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Spoon sauce over chicken.