Chicken Bacon Sub

Although not the healthiest recipe in the world, I tried the chicken bacon sub recipe from Life As Mom.  It was absolutely delicious and my husband actually asked if I would make it again.  Even better, she says it can be frozen.  

My husband cannot have anything whole wheat so I'm thinking of making this again with one loaf of white and one of whole wheat, then freezing half of each.  Also, we reduced the garlic butter by a bit because I know how much garlic my husband likes and I didn't want to scare him away from yet another new recipe.

Baked Pork Chops w/ Potatoes & Veggies

My husband was recently informed that for the first time ever, his cholesterol is a little high.  His doctor asked him to make a few lifestyle changes and then test again but she wasn't worried about it yet.  Due to this, he has agreed to let me try a few new healthy recipes.  I'm excited as I love to cook but get frustrated by his pickiness.  I tried this easy recipe last week and we all agreed that it was good.  I would like to play with the spices a bit but overall it satisfied everyone and my 4 year old even ate it.  I did substitute fresh green beans for the mushrooms as none of us like the texture of mushrooms.

Baked Pork Chops with Potatoes & Veggies
(From Weight Watchers Simply the Best cookbook)

2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed & thinly sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 onions, thinly sliced (I used a handful of diced onions as that is all I had)
1/4 cup minced basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
four 4-oz boneless pork loin cutlets
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes - no salt added

1. Preheat oven to 325.  Spray a 13"x9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the potatoes, mushrooms, onions, basil, salt and pepper in the dish; toss to combine.  Place the pork cutlets over the vegetable mixture; pour the tomatoes over all.  Bake, covered, until the pork and potatoes are fork tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

330 calores, 7 g fat, 30 g protein, 6 points per serving

Food Friday: BBQ Bacon Pork Chops

This is an easy dinner that can be made in the oven or on the grill.  It also has received my husband's approval which, as most of you know, is huge.

BBQ Bacon Pork Chops

Pork chops
BBQ sauce (I prefer Sweet Baby Ray's)
Bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Brush BBQ sauce on both sides of pork chop then wrap bacon around the chop.  Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes, adding another layer of BBQ sauce half way through.  If you prefer a crisper bacon, broil a few minutes once pork chops are cooked through.

Food Friday: Meatloaf (Makes 2)

I mentioned last week that I have a meatloaf recipe that makes two meatloaves and I wanted to share it with you today.  This recipe came from a friend.  She brought this to a Sunday School potluck and my husband really liked it.  At that point I knew I had to get the recipe because he rarely tries something new and likes it.  I usually serve one for dinner and freeze the rest for another day.  I've also been known to freeze it in individual slices so that I have a quick meal ready for the kids.

Meatloaf

3 lbs hamburger (the leaner the better)
2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
2 tsp pepper (more or less to taste)
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 slices of bread, crumbled

Mix all ingredients together with your hands, then split in half to make two loaves.  Form the loaves in a 13x9 pan.  Make them as flat as possible or the middle will not cook but the edges will be dried out.  Top with sauce.

Sauce

3/4 cup ketchup
6 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Worstershire sauce
2 Tbsp mustard

Mix all together and spread over meatloaves.  Cover pan with foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes to an hour.

I like to make a little extra sauce and use for dipping.  Kids seem to enjoy dipping and this is a great dip to have on hand.

Food Friday: Tom's Favorite Pasta Dish

If you will remember, my husband is super picky when it comes to food.  The author of this recipe said her husband loves it so I figured if it was man approved I had a good start already.  My husband wound up liking it but asked to have some meat in it.  Now, when I make it I add a little leftover chicken, pork, or ground beef to keep him happy. And by the way, Tom is not my husband but rather the recipe author's husband.

Tom's Favorite Pasta Dish

• 1 (1 lb)  penne pasta, cooked and drained (or any tube shaped pasta)
• 1 (16 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes with seasonings
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• cheddar cheese, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together all ingredients and pour into casserole dish.
3. Pour as much cheese as you like on top.
4. Cook for about 25 minute or till edges are brown and bubbly.
5. I don't really have an exact recipe since I usually just use my 8x8 dish for it.

Food Friday: Grilled Hamburgers

We love to grill hamburgers and I always get compliments on them when I serve them to guests.  I have one secret weapon that makes them taste delicious with hardly any work - Emeril's Essence. You can make it yourself or buy it at the store.  Sprinkle some Essence on your meat and then mix it in with your hands.  The seasoning makes them taste like you fussed.

A great tip I learned from Rachael Ray for dividing out burgers is to take a pound of meat and score it into fourths then patty out your meat.  This way they are fairly close to the same size and will cook more evenly.

Food Friday: Meatloaf

This is an easy recipe for the crockpot.  Since we are a small family, I usually cut the recipe by 1/3.  When I do this, I use 1 lb beef and leave out the other half pound of meat (turkey), use 1 egg and 1 egg white, and cut all other ingredients by 1/3.  Also, my husband isn't a big liquid smoke fan so I usually leave it out.

Meatloaf
(from Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly)

1/2 lb extra-lean ground beef
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 eggs
2/3 cup dry quick oats
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2-1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp dry mustard
1 cup ketchup, divided

1. Mix beef, turkey, and chopped onion thoroughly.
2. Combine with eggs, oats, dry soup mix, liquid smoke, mustard, and all but 2 Tbsp of ketchup.
3. Shape into loaf and place in slow cooker sprayed with non-fat cooking spray.  Top with remaining ketchup.
4. Cover.  Cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-6 hours.

Serves 8
Ideal cooker size - 3 or 4 quarts

Food Friday: Poppy Seed Chicken

This is an easy recipe to make and I've been told it freezes well.


Poppy Seed Chicken

3 whole chicken breasts
1 8oz carton sour cream
1 T poppy seeds
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 stick margarine
1 package saltine crackers (about 24 crackers)


Boil chicken in salted water until tender.  Remove from bone and cut into bite sized pieces.  In a large mixing bowl, blend together chicken, sour cream, poppy seeds and soup.  Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Mix together melted butter and crushed cracker crumbs and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.  Baked uncovered for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.  Serves 6-8.

Takeout Tonight: Crispy Beef with Broccoli

Since we are eating from the pantry, I was excited when I saw this recipe because I had all of the ingredients on hand and it is fairly healthy. I've tried to make several Chinese recipes over the past few years and none tasted as good as take out but this one makes the cut. As a plus, it showed me a way to use up the bottle of oyster sauce that has been taunting me in my fridge the past few months. I bought it for a recipe that I wound up not liking and then had no idea what to do with it.

This recipe comes courtesy of the current (Feb. 2010) issue of Parents Magazine.

Crispy Beef With Broccoli

Beef Marinade:
1 1/2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
freshly ground black pepper to season the beef

Stir-fry Sauce:
3 Tbs oyster sauce
2 tsp water
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

To prepare:
1 lb beef top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced into 1/8"-thick strips
1 1/2 lbs broccoli, cut into bite size florets (about 4 cups) (I used frozen)
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic (6 cloves)

1. In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade. Add the beef and let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate for a couple of hours.

2. In a small bowl, using a fork, mix together the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce. Set aside.

3. In a wok or large saute pan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add broccoli and cover to cook for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green and crisp-tender; you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Using a slotted spoon, remove broccoli and pat it dry.

4. Discard the water in the pan and dry it well. Place over high heat and when hot, add the canola oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15-30 seconds, until fragrant. Toss in the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes more or until done.

5. Pour in the stir-fry sauce and stir to combine. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well. Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal.

Food Friday: Roast & Veggies

Growing up my mom would make roast with potatoes & carrots every so often. She would make the same recipe in the oven and the crockpot so feel free to try it both ways. I'm not a huge roast fan but every now and then I enjoy it and it always brings back good childhood memories. This is a quick and easy recipe and makes a lot so it is great to serve during the holidays when time is short and the house is full.

Roast

beef roast
potatoes - peeled & cut into bite sized pieces
carrots - peeled & cut into bite sized pieces
one can french onion soup

Place roast in a crockpot, fill in the spaces around it with potatoes and carrots. Pour soup over everything. Cook for approximately 8 hours. If you do not like mushy potatoes and carrots, add them about halfway through. I grew up with them cooking the whole time and do not mind them being a bit mushy.

Food Friday: Bruschetta Chicken Bake

This recipe is originally from Kraft. I like it because the chicken does not have to be cooked ahead of time and it uses pantry staples. My picky husband will even eat it as long as I don't cook it very often.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package Stove Top stuffing for chicken
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes with liquid in medium bowl. Add garlic, stuffing mix and water; stir just until stuffing mix is moistened. Set aside.

Place chicken in 13x9" baking dish; sprinkle with basil and cheese. Top with stuffing mixture.

Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Food Friday: Autumn Soup

We've had a few cooler days off and on the past few weeks and I've found myself wanting fall comfort foods on those days so I thought I would post a great fall recipe. A friend of mine posted this recipe on Facebook last year and it has quickly become a family favorite. I change it up with different veggies and spices depending on what I have on hand and what mood I'm in that day.

Autumn Soup

1-2 pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped chunky
1 lg. can crushed tomatoes (+ 1 can of water)
2-4 large potatoes, peeled & cut into bite size pieces
Salt, to taste
2 bay leaves
1-2 teaspoons of beef granules (or bouillon cubes)
2 Tbs. basil

Brown ground beef, celery and onion; drain fat. (I sometimes add a little minced garlic if I have it on hand.) Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for at least one hour. Serves 6.

***I have no idea why Blogger is deciding I need multiple fonts in this post. It is all written in the same size and style. Sorry it looks so weird.

Food Friday: Crispy Baked Fish

I love fish but my husband is not a big fan. He will eat this recipe on occassion though. I love this recipe this time of the year because it is light and fairly healthy.

Crispy Baked Fish

3 Tbsp margarine or butter
2/3 cup Bisquick (I use reduced fat)
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp chili powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 lb white fish fillets (use whatever is on sale or buy the frozen variety)
1 egg, beaten

Heat oven to 425. Melt butter in a rectangular pan (13x9) in the oven. Mix Bisquick, cornmeal, chili powder, and salt. Dip fish into egg, then coat with Bisquick mixture. Place in pan. Bake uncovered 10 minutes, turn fish. Bake about 15 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Food Friday: Chicken Fried Rice

We were playing games on Nick Jr this week and at the end of one of the Ni Hao Kai-Lan games was a recipe for fried rice. Our toddler was very excited and asked me to make it for dinner. I printed the recipe and adapted it to our tastes. I made the rice earlier in the day and cooked the chicken just before picking up my child from daycare. This way, he was able to help me make it and it just took a few minutes. Because he helped, he ate very well for dinner.

The original recipe calls for adding green onions at the end but I am the only one who eats onions in the family so I left them off. Feel free to add them though. I happened to have oyster sauce on hand and wanted to use some of it up so I used 1 Tbsp oyster sauce and 1 Tbsp soy sauce. It gave it a great flavor doing this.

Chicken Fried Rice

boneless, skinless chicken (I used 6 tenders, adjust to your families taste)
dash of soy sauce
pepper
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp oil - as needed
4 cups cold cooked rice
1-2 Tbsp light soy sauce or oyster sauce, as desired
frozen peas

Dice chicken and cook with a few dashes of soy sauce and a dash of pepper. In the meantime, scramble the egg in a separate pan with 1 Tbsp oil. Remove chicken when it is finished and heat 1-2 Tbsp oil. Add the rice. Stir fry for a few minutes using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to break it apart. Mix in the soy sauce or oyster sauce and frozen peas. When the rice is hot, add the scrambled eggs and mix thoroughly. Serve hot.

Tightwad Tuesday: Meat Marinate Tip

We do a lot of marinating throughout the year, especially throughout grill season. One of my favorite, easy tips is to use a fork to poke a few holes in your meat before you marinate it. It allows the flavor to soak in to the middle of the meat instead of just coating the meat.

Food Friday: Arroz Con Pollo

I love Arroz Con Pollo but not the time it takes to make it. This recipe is a quick version and tastes just as yummy. I have not made this in years due to our son's rice allergy but he has recently outgrown it so this is going to be on our menu very, very soon as it was one of my standby recipes before.

ARROZ CON POLLO

(Chicken with rice)

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup long-grain rice

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 10 oz. can tomatoes with green chilies

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp ground cumin

2 cups cubed cooked skinless chicken breasts

1 cup thawed frozen green peas

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the rice, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring as needed, until the onion is softened and the rice is lightly browned, 5-6 minutes.

2. Add the broth, tomatoes, oregano, and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Add the chicken and peas; cook, covered, stirring as needed, until the peas are cooked and the chicken is heated through, 3-4 minutes. Fluff the mixture with a fork before serving.

Serves 4

Calories: 348 Fiber: 4 gm Carbs: 48 gm

Fat: 6 gm Chol: 50 mg Calcium: 66 mg

Protein: 25 mg Sodium: 43 mg WW Points: 7

Food Friday: Cream Cheese Chicken

Sorry for the absence of Food Friday for the past few weeks. I had planned to schedule several week's worth of posts before the baby arrived but he came early and nothing got done. Thank you all for hanging in there the past few weeks as this blog has been very slow. I'm working on getting into a routine with the family and finding time to keep up the blog.

I picked today's recipe because it is made in the crockpot. It is very hot around here and the oven is the last thing I want going at the end of the day so I use my crockpot quite often.

Cream Cheese Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2T melted butter
1 pkg Italian seasoning mix (dry packet by the salad dressing)
1 8oz pkg cream cheese (full, low and no fat all work welll)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use reduced fat)
cooked rice or pasta

Place chicken in crockpot and pour melted butter over the breasts. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning on top of the chicken (I dont always put the whole packet on depending on the size of my chicken breasts) Cook on low for 6-8 hrs then when chicken is done add cream cheese and soup and cook on high until cheese is melted (cutting cheese into chunks/cubes speeds this along). Serve over rice or pasta.

Food Friday: Honey Mustard Chicken

This is a very easy meal to keep in the freezer for those nights when you are short on time or simply do not feel like cooking. Since we are a small family, I usually divide this up between two Ziploc bags so I can get two meals out of one recipe. My husband will only eat drumsticks so I use both thighs and drumsticks and almost always use bone-in because it is cheaper.

My Chicken Thighs (aka Honey Mustard Chicken)

1/2 cup honey-flavored mustard
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken thighs, about 12-14 pieces

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first 3 ingredients, shaking well to mix.

2. Add the chicken pieces, turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally (if freezing, stick in the freezer once marinated, no need to stick in fridge first).

3. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the bag with tongs and place skin side up in the pan. Discard the marinade.

5. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, until the chicken is tender.