I've shared a couple of my, well, made up recipes in the past. I always get nervous doing it because I don't exactly measure, etc. But I have a couple of family favorites I would like to share. I'll give my usual warnings that measurements are approximate. And feel free to do what I do with recipe which is change it to make it your own.
This first one I came up with this past weekend. It was a pretty cold weekend by Florida standards and I thought soup would be a great idea. Hubby grew up eating his grandfather's "greens and beans" so this soup is a bit of a spin-off from that.
Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup
1 package of turkey sausage (5 links...feel free to use regular sausage)
1/2 pound of kale, chopped (you could also use escarole)
2 cans of white beans (I used Great Northern beans)
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups of chicken broth (I use fat free sodium free)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Brown the sausage in a bit of olive oil. Remove from the pan, take off the casing and slice the sausage.
Add a bit more oil to the pan and saute the onion and garlic until translucent. Add in the kale until it's all wilted down. Add the sausage back in and then add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer and let cook for about 15 minutes. Season to taste.
Even the kids liked this (well, my youngest wouldn't eat the "seaweed" but she ate everything else). I threw in some leftover orzo too. It's great with a nice crusty bread.
The next recipe I've changed a few times before I got to the "recipe" I use now. I made these for Valentine's Day last night. They're always a family favorite.
Chicken Quesadillas
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1 pablano pepper, sliced (or you could use a regular pepper or a couple of jalapenos)
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp. pureed chipotles in adobo (use more or less depending on taste)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup of canola or vegetable oil (depending on how limey you want the marinade)
salt and pepper to taste
1 package of Shredded Mexican style Cheese (this depends on how cheesy you like them)
6 Burrito size flour tortillas (you can use smaller ones if you like)
Cooking spray
Put the chicken, onion and pepper in a shallow dish or resealable bag. Whisk together the lime juice, chipotle, garlic, oil, salt and pepper to make the marinade. Pour over the chicken and veggies and marinate for at least half an hour but not more than a couple of hours.
Cook the chicken and veggies in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are a bit tender.
Now, how you make the quesadillas will depend on what kind of equipment you have on hand. I use a Foreman Grill but you can do it in a skillet or on a grill as well.
Spray one side of a tortilla with cooking spray and place on the pan or grill, sprayed side down. Sprinkle the tortilla with a bit of the cheese, spreading it evenly over the tortilla. Add a layer of the chicken and veggies (not too much...a nice single layer is good) then top with a bit more cheese. Spray the second tortillas with cooking spray and place on top of the first, sprayed side up. Let the quesadilla cook for about 5 minutes on one side. If using a pan or grill, flip the quesadillas over (this can be tricky) and cook another 5 minutes or until the tortilla is a bit browned and crispy. Repeat the process with the other 4 tortillas. You can keep them warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve. Let them cool a bit before cutting into wedges (I cut mine into 8 wedges using my pizza cutter). We top ours with salsa and sour cream.
When we're eating healthy, I use whole wheat tortillas and reduced fat cheese. I've also make them with steak.
I hope I got these recipes right! If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments!
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
A Mish-Mash Of Recipes
Yes, yes, you can all yell at me because of my absence. I have been lax about updating ALL my blogs and I need to get back into the groove. I did update my wine blog today so I figured while I was on a roll, I would update this one too.
The weather here in Florida is in the 80s most days now but when it was cooler, I made a deal with myself to use my Crockpot at least once a week. I've posted a few of favorite recipes in the past but I have a couple more I would like to add.
The first one is from the Skinnytaste blog. Man, I LOVE that blog. I had posted a similar recipe before the Super Bowl but this is the one I ended up making. It's not a Crockpot recipe PER SE, but I'll add my notes about what I did at the end.
White Bean Turkey Chili
2 small onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves
2 tsp chili powder, to your taste
1 bay leaf
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp oregano
2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
4 16 oz cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups of fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup of fat free sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium flame. When hot, spray oil. Add onions, garlic, saute about 5 min.
Add meat and cook, breaking it up until white, about 5 minutes. Add salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Add beans , broth, cook uncovered about 10 minutes.
Lower heat and cover, simmer about 45 minutes mixing occasionally. Add sour cream and cook 5 more minutes. Adjust seasoning and salt to taste.
Top with chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, light sour cream, jalapeños and reduced fat cheddar if desired.
My notes: I pretty much halved this recipe. I just used one 20 oz. package of regular 93/7 ground turkey and halved the rest of the ingredients. I also added a pablano pepper, used less chicken broth and omitted the sour cream. I did saute everything together but right before I got to the part where it says to add the beans, I put everything in the Crockpot and cooked in on Low for about 6 hours. It was SOOO good...I think I may make it again this week!
I am not sure of the origin of this recipe. My friend Lana posted in on a message board ages ago and I have made it a few times since. I did find this one that is similar, but not quite the same. My family loves it and it's SO easy.
Crockpot Pot Roast
2-3 lb chuck roast
1 can Campbell's tomato soup (I use the low sodium)
1 large white onion, sliced
2 handfuls baby carrots
4-5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced.
Salt
Pepper
Thyme
1or 2 Bay Leaves
Place the roast at the bottom of the crock pot. Season liberally with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Place the vegetables around the roast, and cover everything with the tomato soup. Season again with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Place the bay leaves on top.
Cook on low 8-10 hours, until veggies are tender and roast falls apart.
My notes: I skip the second seasoning because to me, it's a bit too much. It sounds so weird but trust me, it's GOOD.
OK, this is my last Crockpot recipe. Again, I am sure you can find this around the Internet but I'm posting it as I got it from a message board.
Creamy Italian Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 envelope Italian Dressing (Good Seasons Zesty works well)
1/4 c water
1 - 8 oz cream cheese (I use low fat)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use low fat, low sodiukm)
1 - 4 oz can mushroom ( I skip these)
Place chicken in crock pot. Mix salad dressing and water together. Put over chicken, cover, and cook on low for 3 hours. Add cream cheese, soup, and mushrooms. Stir well and cook one hour on low.
Serve over rice or noodles.
OK, my next recipe says it's for the oven but I make it on the grill.. Obviously, with the weather the way it is here in Florida, I grill almost year round here and I much prefer it to heating up the oven. And, as I've said before, I try to be mindful of what we eat. I'm not a huge pork fan in general but I do love pork tenderloin and it is very low in fat. My husband finds it kind of blah, though. Or at least he did until I tried this recipe. I have the cookbook it's in but I'll link the title to the Food Network Page. Just one note, while the recipoe calls for 3 pork tenderloins, I have used the same amount of marinade and only made one although I am sure you could cut back on things.
Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin
1 lemon, zest grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
Good olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (I've skipped these if I don't have them)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
3 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloins on all sides until golden brown. Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter.
I have a nagging feeling there was another recipe I wanted to post but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. I promise that as soon as I remember it, I'll post it. And I promise to post more often...it gives me the incentive to try new recipes!
The weather here in Florida is in the 80s most days now but when it was cooler, I made a deal with myself to use my Crockpot at least once a week. I've posted a few of favorite recipes in the past but I have a couple more I would like to add.
The first one is from the Skinnytaste blog. Man, I LOVE that blog. I had posted a similar recipe before the Super Bowl but this is the one I ended up making. It's not a Crockpot recipe PER SE, but I'll add my notes about what I did at the end.
White Bean Turkey Chili
2 small onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves
2 tsp chili powder, to your taste
1 bay leaf
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp oregano
2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
4 16 oz cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups of fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup of fat free sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium flame. When hot, spray oil. Add onions, garlic, saute about 5 min.
Add meat and cook, breaking it up until white, about 5 minutes. Add salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Add beans , broth, cook uncovered about 10 minutes.
Lower heat and cover, simmer about 45 minutes mixing occasionally. Add sour cream and cook 5 more minutes. Adjust seasoning and salt to taste.
Top with chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, light sour cream, jalapeños and reduced fat cheddar if desired.
My notes: I pretty much halved this recipe. I just used one 20 oz. package of regular 93/7 ground turkey and halved the rest of the ingredients. I also added a pablano pepper, used less chicken broth and omitted the sour cream. I did saute everything together but right before I got to the part where it says to add the beans, I put everything in the Crockpot and cooked in on Low for about 6 hours. It was SOOO good...I think I may make it again this week!
I am not sure of the origin of this recipe. My friend Lana posted in on a message board ages ago and I have made it a few times since. I did find this one that is similar, but not quite the same. My family loves it and it's SO easy.
Crockpot Pot Roast
2-3 lb chuck roast
1 can Campbell's tomato soup (I use the low sodium)
1 large white onion, sliced
2 handfuls baby carrots
4-5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced.
Salt
Pepper
Thyme
1or 2 Bay Leaves
Place the roast at the bottom of the crock pot. Season liberally with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Place the vegetables around the roast, and cover everything with the tomato soup. Season again with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Place the bay leaves on top.
Cook on low 8-10 hours, until veggies are tender and roast falls apart.
My notes: I skip the second seasoning because to me, it's a bit too much. It sounds so weird but trust me, it's GOOD.
OK, this is my last Crockpot recipe. Again, I am sure you can find this around the Internet but I'm posting it as I got it from a message board.
Creamy Italian Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 envelope Italian Dressing (Good Seasons Zesty works well)
1/4 c water
1 - 8 oz cream cheese (I use low fat)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use low fat, low sodiukm)
1 - 4 oz can mushroom ( I skip these)
Place chicken in crock pot. Mix salad dressing and water together. Put over chicken, cover, and cook on low for 3 hours. Add cream cheese, soup, and mushrooms. Stir well and cook one hour on low.
Serve over rice or noodles.
OK, my next recipe says it's for the oven but I make it on the grill.. Obviously, with the weather the way it is here in Florida, I grill almost year round here and I much prefer it to heating up the oven. And, as I've said before, I try to be mindful of what we eat. I'm not a huge pork fan in general but I do love pork tenderloin and it is very low in fat. My husband finds it kind of blah, though. Or at least he did until I tried this recipe. I have the cookbook it's in but I'll link the title to the Food Network Page. Just one note, while the recipoe calls for 3 pork tenderloins, I have used the same amount of marinade and only made one although I am sure you could cut back on things.
Herb-Marinated Pork Tenderloin
1 lemon, zest grated
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
Good olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (I've skipped these if I don't have them)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
3 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt in a sturdy 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade but leave the herbs that cling to the meat. Sprinkle the tenderloins generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloins on all sides until golden brown. Place the saute pan in the oven and roast the tenderloins for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees F at the thickest part. Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Carve in 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. The thickest part of the tenderloin will be quite pink (it's just fine!) and the thinnest part will be well done. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, or at room temperature with the juices that collect in the platter.
I have a nagging feeling there was another recipe I wanted to post but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. I promise that as soon as I remember it, I'll post it. And I promise to post more often...it gives me the incentive to try new recipes!
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