Chicken Picatta

I've been on a bit of a spring cleaning kick. The first thing has been to get rid of stacks of magazines. The issue with this is that my subdivision doesn't recycle. I sort of feel bad throwing away 2 years worth of Southern Living magazines with a few extras tossed in. So...I've tearing out the pages with recipes I think I may actually make and putting the rest in a shopping bad. I'm hoping that I come across someone who does recycle and will take them off of my hands! Or I may pass them on to a friend in the event she finds something that I missed. Probably seafood, considering I don't eat that. :-)




My first magazine rip-out recipe came from a Rachel Ray I picked up...probably in an airport. It was actually really good, but a little bit of a pain to make. 30 Minute Meals my a$$. This is more of a nice meal that you make on a Saturday. I was also very surprised - Jason and I have never been fans of capers, but I took a chance and didn't omit them.




Parmigiano-Reggiano-Crusted Chicken Picatta from Rachel Ray

• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 4 chicken breasts, pounded 1/4" thick
• 1/2 pound thin spaghetti
• salt & pepper
• olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 sliced lemon
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup capers, drained and patted dry
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 T butter
• 1 5-oz pkg baby spinach

Place the flour on a plate. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Place 1 cup cheese on another plate. Dredge each chicken breast in flour, then eggs, then cheese. Cook pasta to al dente, drain and reserve about 1/2 cup water. In a large skillet, heat about 2 T of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, about 10 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and add the sliced lemon, garlic and capers. Cook about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and parsley and cook until reduced. Lower the heat and bring it to a simmer. Stir in chicken broth, cook for another minute. Add the butter and lemon juice, and remaining pasta water if needed. Add the spinach, stirring to wilt. Stir in the pasta and toss to coat, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add remaining cheese and serve with chicken.

Making it up as I go

I'm not good at making things up. I think that's why I'm a baker by nature. I like precision and recipes and following directions. But every once in a while I break pattern and throw something together. This was one of those times. And because I've been sucking at this blogging thing, I have NO idea exactly how this recipe went but it was something like this.

• 1 pkg fresh spinach, washed
• 1/2 carton ricotta cheese (part skim)
• about 1/4 cup skim milk
• onion
• garlic
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• Parmesan cheese
• pasta
• grilled chicken

I sauteed the garlic and onion, adding the spinach in to wilt. Then I added the ricotta and milk until it looked creamy. That was tossed with cooked penne pasta (my favorite kind) and added Parmesan cheese.

The whole thing started because I didn't want to waste the ricotta and spinach...and it turned out pretty well!

It's chili...but it's not.

Chili is supposed to be made with beef and have this reddish-brownish color. That's it. Anything else can't really qualify as "chili." Well, in my opinion at least. A coworker eats this stuff (I can't say it's food) that comes in a bag and is vegetarian chili. It looks like chili, but she's actually said that it is not really that good. Not bad, but not that good. Why she continues to eat it, I'll never understand. She's NOT a vegetarian. Tonight, the girl will be having a big huge steak and baked potato for dinner (her Friday night ritual with her husband). So why suffer through fake food when you don't have to? I think that she thinks it is healthy. I also think that somewhere in that bag of fake stuff is something that is bad for you. Maybe the dye that makes it look the reddish-brownish color. For the record, today she ate a BBQ sandwich - except the BBQ meat came out of a similar chili-bag and is not really "meat." I don't get it.

So, now that you know what goes on in the cafeteria at work every day, I'll get to the point of the post. I found a recipe for White Christmas Chili and figured it could not be that bad! I just don't think it should be called chili - maybe...some sort of soup. Either way it was pretty good. A few too many green chili's for my taste, but pretty good overall.

White Christmas Chili from Southern Living

• 4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
• 5 cups water
• 1 large onion, chopped and divided
• 2 T butter or margarine
• 2 celery ribs, chopped (about 1/3 cup) (I left this out, neither of us like celery)
• 3 (16 oz) cans great Northern beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
• 3 (4.5 oz) cans chopped green chiles
• 1 cup canned chicken broth
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 t salt
• 1/8 t ground red pepper
• 1 T chopped fresh cilantro

Place chicken, 5 cups water, and half of onion in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook 15 to 18 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and cut into bite-size pieces, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Melt butter in a skillet; add celery and remaining onion, and sauté until tender. Stir chicken, celery mixture, 2 cans beans, and next 6 ingredients into broth in Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 hour, stirring frequently, until thickened. Process remaining 1 can beans in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Stir bean pureé into chili. Remove and discard bay leaf; stir in cilantro just before serving with desired toppings (cheese, tortilla chips).

Casseroles aren't pretty.

I refuse to take photos of food that looks like a lump. They aren't colorful or fancy or flashing "eat me!" in anyway. So...even though I made one last night (that is probably my favorite) I have no photos to pass on.

Rachel is still camping out with us, so I'm trying to make stuff that will go further with dinner for three. This recipe was in my 2002 Southern Living cookbook. I've made it a few times and always remember why I like it so much. It's very easy and make a lot of food...but I just don't seem to make it that often. Not sure why...

Easy Enchilada Casserole from Southern Living

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped (I added this)
• 2 T vegetable oil (I subbed Olive Oil)
• 1 19-oz can Enchilada Sauce
• 1 16-oz can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes with jalapenos (Ro-Tel)
• 1 11-oz can Mexican style corn, drained
• 1 t chili powder
• 1 t cumin
• 10-12 corn tortillas
• 3 cups cooked cubed chicken breast (you can sub 2 pounds ground beef or turkey)
• 3 cups shredded Mexican Style Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until tender, add all of the canned ingredients, the chili powder and cumin. Stir and simmer until heated through. Spray a 9*13 glass baking dish with cooking spray and spoon 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of the pan. Layer with tortillas, 1/2 of the chicken and 1 cup of cheese. Spoon another 1/3 of the sauce on top, layer again with tortillas, chicken and cheese. Top this off with another layer of tortillas, sauce and cheese. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes and I usually just serve it with chips and salsa.

Freedom!!!

Lindsey & Casi moved out the second weekend in September. I vowed to start eating better and cooking better and working on my overall health. Things that I forgot to do over the summer, apparently. We were free!

I've been wanting to do something with Pita bread and Kroger had chicken tenders on sale, so I went to work.

I did't measure the seasoning, but I added salt, pepper, basil & parsley, garlic & onion powder, and a little oregano. Jason threw them on the grill while I a Sun Dried Tomato Mayo for the pita sandwiches.

I mixed about 2 Tablespoons of Mayo with 3 chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes and 1 teaspoon each of garlic sal and basil. I added a little pepper at the end and spread that in the pita pockets. I added some spinach leaves, chopped tomatoes and feta cheese.

We paired these with our favorite sweet potato fries, seasoned this time with garlic salt and basil.

I really did feel bad.

When I joined a Bunko group, I warned Jason that this would mean that I would need to host Bunko one month. No problem. Since he's in grad school, this gives him one more night of uninterrupted studying time.


So, my time came around this week to host and after the women left, my husband finally emerged from his cave.

Him: If I had known it would be that loud, I would have planned to leave.
Me: Sorry. I feel bad. I don't remember us being that loud before...


Honestly, I don't. I can't figure out why...maybe it's because I'm usually just as loud and this time I was focused on food and drinks? I'm not sure, but whatever the reason there were 11 loud women and one very excited 4 year old. Who, by the way, managed to do a really good job playing Bunko!


Chicken Salad with Grapes & Pecans from Southern Living

• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup light mayo
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1 whole chicken, cooked and shredded
• 3 cups purple and green grapes, halved
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Stir in the chicken and grapes. I served this with assorted dinner rolls.

Texas Salad

• 2 head lettuce, shredded
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 2 avocados, peeled and diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 eggs, boiled, peeled and diced
• 8 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar (red or white)
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 T sugar
• pepper & garlic powder

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the salad. This recipe came from a very old church cookbook my mom had lying around. She's made it for a few family gatherings and everyone always loves it.

It can't always be gourmet.

Well, in my house it rarely is. Gourmet would be more of the exception, not the norm! The following meal is about as far from gourmet as you can get, but it still tasted pretty good. I actually found this recipe years ago and use to make it quite often. Last week, I wanted something different but really easy. Tada! Plus, now that asparagus is one of the less expensive vegetables, I wanted to use some in a pasta dish.

Chicken & Asparagus Alfredo adapted from Campbell's Kitchen

• 8 oz whole wheat fettucine pasta
• olive oil
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed)
• garlic, minced
• onion, chopped
• salt & pepper
• fresh asparagus, cut in 1/3's
• 1 10 3/4 oz can of cream of mushroom soup (I used the 98% fat free kind)
• 1/2 cup milk (I used fat free)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package, drain. In a large skillet, saute the garlic and onion in olive oil. Add the chicken, season to taste, and cook until it is almost done. Add the asparagus toward the end, cook until tender. Pour in the soup and milk, stir until the sauce thickens. Add the Parmesan cheese, stir, and add the pasta.

Weight Watchers Points: 7 pts per serving, 4 servings

Jerk Chicken

In keeping with my WW goals, I found this recipe on their website. I calls for thighs only, but I'm not a fan of dark meat and I had both chicken breasts and thighs left from the Jambalaya over the weekend.

The chicken turned out really good - not as spicy as I had hoped, but good flavor. As an afterthought, I picked up a bag of Yellow Saffron rice to try with this. It's the first time we've had the Saffron rice package - but I'm hooked! Jason loved it and it was so easy. Though not as diet friendly as brown rice.

Jerk Chicken Thighs with Mango Salsa from Weight Watchers

• 3/4 t ground cinnamon
• 3/4 t ground allspice
• 1/2 t garlic salt
• 1/4 t dried thyme
• 1/4 t table salt
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 T fresh lime juice, divided
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I did 1/2 breast and 1/2 thighs)
• 1 large mango, diced
• 2 small shallots, finely chopped
• 1 large jalapeno, minced
• 1 T cilantro, minced
• salt, to taste

Combine first 8 ingredients (using 1/2 of lime juice) in a bowl, mix to a paste. Brush both sides of the chicken with the past and set aside for at least 10 minutes (I actually left it overnight). Grill on medium heat.

In another bowl, combine mango, shallot, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Serve with the chicken.

4 WW points per servings, 4 servings total

Cajun Cooking

Wow...it's been a long time since my last post. Hmm...my kitchen and my waistline show it as well. Between the holiday season, travelling, and being sick I think I've cooked maybe 3 times since before Christmas. Once was Chicken Fried Steak - which turned out really good...I just forgot to take photos. The other two were something like hot dogs. I don't think that qualifies as cooking.

So...this weekend I jumped back on the Weight Watchers wagon - yay!! I did this for several reasons, most of them in the form of pounds. But...I found a really good reason Saturday morning. My mom stopped by with the guy she's been dating for about 4 months to drop off her puppy for the weekend. Right smack out of left field (before my first cup of coffee) comes the question "how would you feel if your mom and I got married."

Me: Today?

Mom: No...

Me: Good, because I'm not really dressed. ((as I stand in my gym clothes burning my mouth trying to drink my coffee and not flip out))

Mom: Well, we're thinking June.

Me: Ok, I should be dressed by then.

So...I'm really happy for her. She is really happy. She's been widowed for over seven years and this is the first time in a long time I think she is "for real" happy. As things slowly sunk in...I realized great, another reason I need to jump back on WW.

As part of this whole package I'm going to try to eat out less, drink less (hmm...we'll see how that goes), work out more, and cook more healthy foods. So...most of my recipes from now on will have WW points calculated and will hopefully be good for me...and you.

Jambalaya from Cooking Light

• 2 t vegetable oil
• 1/4 lb each boneless, skinless chicken breast and thighs (cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1 cup chopped smoked turkey sausage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery (I eliminated this because Jason hates it)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice (I subbed brown rice)
• 2 3/4 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
• 2 t paprika
• 1/2 t dried thyme
• 1/4 t ground red pepper
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove chicken from the pan, cover and keep warm. Add sausage to the pan, cook for about 5 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; cover and reduce heat, and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice; cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth, paprika, thyme, and red pepper, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. I actually had to cook this for a while longer, because I find brown rice cooks slower than long-grain. Add chicken and tomatoes, cook uncovered until most of the liquid is absorbed. If you are adding shrimp (1/4 lb peeled, deveined, and chopped) do so at this time. Cover and cook until the shrimp are done, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions.

WW Points: 6 per 1 1/3 cup serving

Cooler weather means...Soups!

I just told my husband last week that I am so happy for the cooler weather...because we can have soups for dinner! Soups are ideal because I can cook them once...and they last almost the whole week. So yesterday, I went for the difficult one...Chicken Tortilla Soup. Not difficult because of the time involved or ingredients...but difficult because I'm not a huge fan of bone-in chicken, and I really don't like raw chicken. However, to make this taste correctly, it really needs a whole bone-in chicken. Blech.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 whole fryer
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic
1-2 jalapeno pepper (your choice, depending on the heat level you are looking for)
2 cans Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilis
2 cans 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Whole Kernel Corn
1 t Chili Powder
1 t Ground Cumin
1 t Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper
Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Tortilla Chips
Shredded Cheese

Cook your fryer with the onions, garlic and jalapenos in boiling water, salt & pepper to taste. You can do this however you prefer - either the whole chicken or you can cut the chicken before you cook it. I can't stand to cut up the chicken, so I just boil the whole thing, let it cool, then remove it from the broth. Drain about 1/3 of the broth and any skin. All all canned ingredients and seasoning to the broth, bring to a boil and stir. Add shredded chicken back to mixture and simmer. Serve with fresh cilantro, chips & cheese. (about 4.5 WW points for 6 servings)