Search This Blog

Thursday, June 20

Hummus-Crusted Chicken

Ingredients
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 yellow squash, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 cup hummus, homemade or storebought
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 lemons
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika or sumac
Method
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare one large baking dish or two smaller baking dishes with cooking spray.
Season the chicken breasts with generous pinches of salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini, squash and onion with olive oil until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.
If using one baking dish, place all of the vegetables on the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Lay the four chicken breasts evenly on top, then cover each chicken breast with the hummus so that the entire breast is covered. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the chicken and vegetables. Then sprinkle the pan with smoked paprika or sumac. Thinly slice the remaining lemon, and place the slices in between the chicken and vegetables if desired.
**If using two pans, use one for the chicken and one for the vegetables.**
Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve immediately.
I can't tell you how delicious this is!!

Saturday, June 15

Summer Salad

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBS fresh lime juice
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cumin
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup minced red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 medium avocado, diced

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the garlic, lime juice, oil, cumin, crushed red pepper, and salt.  Add the black beans, chickpeas, tomato, onion and cilantro; mix well.  When ready to eat, gently mix in avocado and serve right away.

We had this has a meatless meal and also had it with some added chicken - wonderful!!!

Friday, June 14

Happy Cakes

  4 Eggs 
2 Cups milk
3/4 Cup flour
1 TBS sugar
1 pinch salt
Rolled Oats

1. In a large bowl beat eggs with a wire whisk.
2. Mix in milk, flour, sugar and salt. You're trying to get a consistency that is in between a crepe and a pancake, so you may need to add extra water or flour.
3. Preheat non-stick skillet to medium heat.
4. Pour a thin layer of batter on skillet and spread to edges.
5. Sprinkle rolled oats on top.
6. Cook until edges are firm, then flip to the other side.
7. When the second side is golden brown it's ready! Serve warm and top with peanut butter, banana slices, berries, granola, almonds, syrup and anything else you'd like. Thanks Jeff and Reesa for the "Gift of Knowledge" I am excited to have a recipe.

Wednesday, June 12

BBQ Chicken Chop Salad

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 cup Barbeque sauce Marinate chicken in barbeque sauce, then bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Chop into pieces and refrigerate.
1/2 head Iceberg Lettuce chopped
1/2 head Romaine Lettuce chopped
3 to 4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1 Jicama peeled and diced
1 (15 oz) can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 Cup frozen Sweet Corn, thawed
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese grated
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
Combine chicken and salad ingredients in large salad bowl and toss. Serve with Ranch Dressing, additional BBQ Sauce and crispy Corn Tortilla Strips.
This is Ginger Daines' recipe that she served at the RS Broadcast dinner - So So Yummy!!

Tuesday, June 4

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Ingredients
  • 1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
  • 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
  • 1/2 red or green pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
  • Sour cream (optional)
  • 6 burrito-sized flour tortillas
Directions
  1. Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: I like to dollop little bits of sour cream over the cheese before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it makes the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray.
  2. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange wraps, seam-side down, in pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cooking them seam-side down first helps seal the long edge so they don’t fall apart. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve warm.
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/09/crispy-southwest-chicken-wraps.html

Had these last night - Healthy and delicious!!

Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Creamy Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
    Chicken Skewers:
  • 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-5 medium chicken breasts)
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
  • 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (scrape out the seeds before mincing to reduce spiciness)
  • 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 12 bamboo or metal skewers
  • Creamy Dipping Sauce:
  • 3/4 cup lowfat sour cream
  • 1/4 cup lowfat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup lime juice, from 2-3 limes
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
  1. Slice the chicken breasts into long, thin strips, about 1/2-inch thick. You should have right around 30 strips. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the chicken with the brown sugar mixture coating all the pieces evenly. Cover the chicken (or place in a ziploc bag) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
  2. For the dipping sauce, in a bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Cover the mixture and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until the flavors combine. Alternately, you can make the dipping sauce in advance and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Be sure to season the dipping sauce with additional lime juice, salt and pepper to taste before serving.
  3. 30 minutes before grilling, cover the bamboo skewers with water and soak. Skip this step if using metal skewers.
  4. Preheat an oven broiler or gas/charcoal grill. Weave two strips of chicken onto each skewer. Broil or grill the chicken for 5-8 minutes until cooked through, using nonstick cooking spray on a foil-lined pan if you are broiling. Serve immediately (if you broil, you may need to cook in batches) with the dipping sauce.
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/05/chipotle-chicken-skewers-with-creamy-dipping-sauce.html

We had these Sunday for dinner and they were AWESOME!!!

Monday, June 3

Salted Toffee-Chocolate Squares

 

13 graham crackers
1 bag (8 ounces) toffee bits
1 1/2 Cups coarsely chopped toasted natural almonds
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cups (4 ounces) chocolate chips
3/4 tsp coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Place graham crackers in a single layer on sheet, edges touching.  Sprinkle toffee bits and almonds over graham crackers.

In a small sauce pan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high.  Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, 2 minutes.  Immediately pour over graham crackers.  Bake until sugar topping is bubbling, 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate and salt over graham crackers.  With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares.  Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack.

Lemon-Ricotta Hot Cakes

6 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for dusting
1/2 cup all purpose flour

directions

 Heat a griddle. Whip egg whites until they hold firm glossy peaks, and set aside. Beat ricotta, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla together and set aside.Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and zest. With a rubber spatula, stir dry ingredients gently into the ricotta mixture. Stir a spoonful of whipped egg whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remainder.  Grease the heated griddle, if necessary. Drop 3 tablespoons of batter for each hotcake on the griddle, allowing space for spreading. Cook until golden on the bottom and the top shows a bubble or two. Gently flip, and cook until undersides are light brown. Dust with powdered sugar.