Turkey Broccoli Alfredo Mini Pizzas

Ingredients

Alfredo Sauce

1 c 1% milk (skim may be used, but creates a thinner sauce)

1 1/2 tbsp butter

1 1/2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp Parmesan

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 dash pepper

Pizza

Approx. 2 tbsp broccoli florets (use best guess)

2 pkg. Litefluff refrigerated biscuits (10 in each)

1 turkey cutlet

1.5 strip turkey bacon

5 handfuls grated mozzarella

5 dashes grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Steam broccoli until just barely cooked. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Slice turkey pieces into bite sized chunks and cook all the way through. Set aside to cool.

3. Cook turkey bacon and set aside to cool.

4. Prepare the sauce: melt butter in sauce pan on stove top with medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour. Gradually add milk, whisking until incorporated and no lumps are present. Continue whisk until hot (about 3-5 minutes). Add Parmesan slowly, whisking until incorporated. Add garlic and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes and then remove from heat.

5. Slice broccoli and turkey bacon into small pieces. Turkey cutlet pieces will probably need to be cut smaller too.

6. Press biscuits into thin rounds. Use four to form each mini pizza (will make 5 pizzas total). You will need to use flour in order to get biscuits to not stick to your hands and stay together. Place on greased cookie sheet. 

7. Top each pizza with Alfredo sauce (there will be some left over), a handful of grated mozzarella, turkey, broccoli, and turkey bacon. Sprinkle a bit of Parmesan over the top if so desired.

8. Bake at 375 F for about 10-15 minutes until bottoms are golden brown and cheese is bubbly. I cooked for about 17.5 minutes and this seems about right. Pizzas were golden brown on the bottom, just a minute or so from being burnt.

Comments

LAST MADE: Tonight for dinner.

RESULT: Pretty good. There was a little bit too strong a taste in part of it in my opinion (both my parents thought it was delicious, but considering they're my parents and therefore biased, plus they didn't have to do the cooking, so they might be lying). Not sure if it was the garlic in the sauce, or something about the dough... but it was unnoticeable when taking a bite with the turkey or turkey bacon. Also, these were much more filling than I thought! One was more than enough.
INJURIES: None, yay! Other than being unpleasantly hot and then baking on top of that.

FOR NEXT TIME: Maybe less sauce and/or more mozzarella. Some black olives might be nice as well. Perhaps some crumbled turkey sausage instead of turkey bacon might be good as well.

Parmesan Chicken Bake

Ingredients

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5-6)
5 oz pkg plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
A good handful or so of fresh, grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for the top.
2 tsp or so sweet paprika*
1/2 tsp or so salt*
1/2 tsp or so sugar*
1/4 tsp or so cinnamon*
1/4 tsp or so black pepper*
1/4 tsp or so garlic powder*
1/4 tsp or so onion salt*

*Note: I completely and totally guessed on the measurements of the herbs, doing it more by "oh, that looks like about the right amount." Honestly, it's a matter of what tastes you like best with your chicken, but these are the ones I like the best.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray inside of a 9x13 glass pan. Lay the chicken inside the pan. (I actually cut each chicken breast into four semi-equal sized pieces since I was serving it at a potluck. This allows for better portion decisions in my opinion.)

2. Mix together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. I would recommend combining all the herbs, then adding in the yogurt. The herbs should be visible within the yogurt, and if you use around the same amount of paprika I did, the yogurt should take on a very slight pink color. Next stir in the Parmesan cheese, enough so there is a paste-like consistency (perhaps like crabcake batter?).

3. Spread the mix evenly over each piece of chicken, being sure to cover exposed raw meat so it doesn't dry out. There should be enough (if you did everything right!) to cover each piece with a decent, not too thick layer. Finally, sprinkle a bit more fresh Parmesan over all the chicken.

3. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Comments

1. I actually prepared the dish the night before, covered it in foil, and stuck in the oven the next morning so it'd be hot for the potluck. Note: make sure to allow the pan enough time to warm up from the fridge; do not stick a cold glass pan in a hot oven!!!

LAST MADE: This morning.
RESULT: So good! The yogurt gives it a great tangy flavor (but definitely needed the little bit of sugar to cut the severity of it) and overall it's a healthy dish. Definitely be making it again (especially since I still have yogurt and half the Parmesan left over)!
INJURIES: Cut finger from the edge of the shelf in outside fridge. It wasn't too bad, but unexpected!
FOR NEXT TIME: An interesting variation would be do a peach yogurt (though probably skip on some of the herbs), or a vanilla yogurt with peach pieces. Probably not want the cheese in there either.

Carrot Apple Latkes

So I ran across this recipe on pinterest (gah, so hooked on it, it's like phonics!) and thought that it might make for an interesting change of pace.

Ingredients

1/2 medium sweet, crisp apple, unpeeled, cored, shredded
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 medium-large carrots, shredded
1 small onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
2 large cloves garlic, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 pinch ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Oil, for shallow frying
Sour cream, for serving
Minced chives, for serving

Directions

1. Shred apple and immediately toss together with the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Stir in carrot, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, ginger, and cinnamon, then stir in the egg. Stir in the flour just until incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

2. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add enough oil to generously coat the bottom.

3. Once the oil is hot, use a 1 1/2 tbsp scoop to measure the batter into the oil, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook the latkes until golden on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side, flipping once (You can adjust the heat down as necessary so the latkes don't cook too quickly).

4. Transfer the cooked latkes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil, and cook the rest of the batter the same way. Should result in 16-18 latkes. Serve hot with minced fresh chives sprinkled on top, along with sour cream.

Source: http://www.anediblemosaic.com/?p=10450&cpage=1

Comments

1. Using a whole onion (even though it was small) I think overpowered the carrot and apple tastes to the point where the recipe should have been called "Onion Carrot Apple Latkes." I think it would be better to use half onion and use more carrot and apple.

2. The carrot and apple give off water which collects in the bottom of the bowl. Except after completing the batter, it tends to mix with the egg, which is needed for the whole thing to stick together, so you have to dip into the watery-juicey-eggy stuff if you want any semblance of the thing sticking together. So while the original recipe says not to add more flour, I'm thinking that some might be necessary...

LAST MADE: Tonight.
RESULT: Meh. I'm not too crazy about them, but it was an interesting experiment.
INJURIES: Scratch on the back of my wrist from the spice cabinet. A mild ouch!
FOR NEXT TIME: Not sure if there'll be a next time, but definitely a bit more flour, and less onion. Possibly let the apple and drain dry out a little before attempting to cook with them.

Collection of Chicken Recipes

So I bought a whole bunch of chicken breasts yesterday and want to do something more with them than just throwing them in a pan to fry. Hence a collection of various, simple chicken recipes. I think I'm going to try to combine some of these and update with my completed recipe after I cook it and see how it is.

Chicken with Rosemary Sauce

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
4 (4 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 c chopped green onions
1/4 c dry white wine
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/2 c fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 c half-and-half

Directions

Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side. Add green onions, wine, rosmary; cook 30 seconds. Stir in broth; cook 2 minutes. Add half-and-half; cook 2 minutes.

Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-with-rosemary-sauce-10000000491533/

Lemon Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 black pepper
Cooking spray

Directions

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.

3. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.

Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-grilled-chicken-breasts-10000001823354/

Chicken Strips with Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients

Chicken:
1/2 c low-fat buttermilk
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb. chicken breast tenders
1 tbsp canola oil

Dressing:
1/2 c fat-free mayonnaise
1/4 c (1 oz) crumbled blue cheese
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp bottled minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To prepare chicken, combine buttermilk and hot sauce in a shallow dish. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with knife. Combine flour and paprika, red pepper, black pepper, and salt in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture, and dredge chicken in flour mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Set aside, and keep warm.

While chicken cooks, prepare dressing. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Serve with chicken strips.

Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-strips-with-blue-cheese-dressing-10000001054899/

Chicken Shawarma

Ingredients

Chicken:
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. skinless chicken breast, cut into 16 (3 inch) strips

Sauce:
1/2 c plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp tahini
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Other:
Cooking spray
4 (6 inch) pitas
1 c chopped romaine lettuce
8 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices

Directions

1. Prepare grill to medium-heat heat.

2. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

3. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk.

4. Thread 2 chicken strips onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done.

5. Place pitas on grill rack; grill 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Place 1 pita on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 c lettuce and 2 tomato slices. Top each serving with 4 chicken pieces; drizzle each serving with 2 tbs sauce.

Source: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-shawarma-10000001816368/

Apple-Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

Or: How I attempted to make a healthy dessert and sort of failed.

But, I have to say, this recipe is surprisingly good. It's not too sweet, and it does have some actual fruit in it (I cut it up and everything!), so we can pretend it's healthy. Onwards to the recipe!

Ingredients

For bread:
1 package Pillsbury Grands Southern Style Biscuits (8 biscuits)
4 tsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp orange peel
1 1/2 medium apples, cored and thinly sliced

For bread sauce:
4 tbsp packed brown sugar
4 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp butter

For icing:
4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
4 tsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp granulated sugar

Directions

1. Coat two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray; set aside. Cut biscuits in half crosswise. In a small bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel. Roll biscuits in mixture to coat. Alternatively arrange biscuit halves and apple slices in prepared loaf pans. Note: 6 halves fit in each pan (so there will be 2 whole biscuits left over), at least the way I did it. The pattern goes: BaBaBaBaBaB, where B = biscuit and a = several apple slices. I think that a more "braided" arrangement in the pan would be more aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps cutting the biscuits into quarters might help with getting a better arrangement.

2. Preheat oven to 350F. While that heats, in a small saucepan combine brown sugar, orange juice, and butter for the bread sauce. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until boiling. Pour mixture over biscuits.Obviously half goes in each pan.

3. Bake about 25 minutes or until edges are golden and biscuits near center are done. The two biscuits not used in the bread can be cooked as well, but they only need 13-17 minutes, so take them out early, or put them in later. My bread took an additional two minutes to bake and I used a toothpick to check if they were still doughy.

4. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. While this is cooling, make the icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted cream cheese, orange juice, vanilla, and sugar. And by whisk, I mean use a spoon to stir it together. But make sure to add the liquid to the cream cheese carefully, as cream cheese can be temperamental (especially if you don't melt it enough. So melt the bitch! Melt the crap out of it!). Drizzle on the bread. Again, obviously half goes on each loaf. Drizzling the icing is difficult, as it isn't really a liquid consistency. I ended up just spooning globs onto the top and spreading it around so it evenly coated the whole top of the bread.

5. Eat!

Comments

Since making and assembling this didn't turn out to be that hard, I'm thinking that it could be made healthier by actually making the biscuit dough (I'm sure there's a healthy biscuit recipe out there somewhere).

LAST MADE: Tonight.
INJURIES: None. Unless you count slight hot hands from washing the pans after I was done using them...
RESULT: Delight!
FOR NEXT TIME: Try the braiding or some sort of layering method to get it more together. And make the biscuits my damn self!

Btw, I adapted the recipe from the one found here: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/apple-cinnamon-pull-apart-bread/

EDIT 

I was actually able to use this handy-dandy program and it figured out some of the nutrition for me! Go internets! It's not actually too terribly bad for you. Mind, this recipe makes 12 servings. 1 serving nutrition is as follows:

Calories: 169

Carbs: 23

Fat: 8

Protein: 2

Sodium: 332

Sugar: 11

Parmesan Green Beans

ERMAHGERD!

I was looking to liven up some frozen green beans that were almost in need of being thrown out and concocted this easy recipe.

Ingredients

3-4 c frozen green beans, cut
splash olive oil (just enough to cover the bottom of the frying pan, plus some to lightly coat green beans)
4 tbsp Parmesan (I used the Kraft "grated" cheese, which seems like more of a powder, but whatever)
half a handful garlic salt (I didn't measure this, so use best judgement)
pinch of onion salt

And, of course, you can adjust measurements if you don't want to cook that many green beans at once. Or you don't want that much cheese. Or you really, REALLY like garlic salt (no judging here!). Seriously, just use best judgments and adjust to your own taste. This is more of a "hey, these five things taste great together" announcement, not a "follow these instructions to the letter or else!" kind of recipe.

Directions

1. Steam the frozen green beans in a pot until just cooked. Drain the water and set aside for the moment.

2. In a large frying pan set to medium heat, add the olive oil, making sure it coats the entire bottom of the pan. Add green beans.

3. Add Parmesan, garlic salt, and onion salt. Stir. Let it cook for a couple of minutes, three to four is probably good. You'll see the cheese starting to melt itself back together. Remove from heat and enjoy!

Comments

I'm making this all the time! So good.

LAST MADE: Tonight for dinner. And tomorrow's dinner.
INJURIES: None.
RESULT: Vegetable heaven.
FOR NEXT TIME: Go a little lighter on the olive oil. I think I used too much (hence why I say LIGHTLY cover green beans. LIGHTLY!!!)

Rheinlander Lentil Soup

I've always loved the Rheinlader lentil soup. Which is surprising since I despise most legumes (eating them normally results in my "blech face," as my family likes to call it). I thought I'd try cooking it some time and thus have included here as a reminder.

Here is the "original" recipe (though not sure if it's legit or not):

Ingredients 

4 tbsp olive oil
5 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
1 c chopped carrots
1 c chopped onions
1 c chopped celery
3/4 c all-purpose flour
3.5 quarts water
2 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1 c dry lentils
2 cubes beef bouillon
1 tsp dried thyme
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground white pepper
1 c potatoes, diced

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the oil, bacon, carrots, onions and celery. Saute for 5 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. Stir in the flour until it's dissolved and mixture is pasty.

2. Slowly add the water, stirring constantly. Then add the bay leaves, salt, lentils, beef base, thyme, nutmeg, white pepper, and potatoes. Stir all together well, bring just to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours.

Suggested Changes

1. Add extra carrots, lentils, and potatoes

2. Reduce flour to 1 c and water to 3 quarts

3. Omit olive oil and bouillion for heartier and healthier soup

4. Use chicken broth for 2 qts. of liquid

5. Add 1 tsp powdered onion and 1 tsp powdered garlic

Comments

LAST MADE: ???
RESULTS: Unknown
INJURIES: TBA
FOR NEXT TIME: *Twilight Zone theme*