Combining Flavors for Impact

First of all, let's just say, "CHEESE, GLORIOUS CHEESE"!! Think about it... when the cheese provides all the flavor to a dish, you know it's going to be amazing. What happens when you combine three independently strong flavors of cheese? A creamy flavor explosion, that's what!!

Three Cheese Chicken & Asparagus Bake

6 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Sour Cream
3 oz. Goat Cheese, soft
3 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
1/2 cup Sharp White Cheddar, finely grated

1) Season chicken thighs on each side with salt and pepper. Preheat a medium to large skillet and the olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken thighs to skillet and brown on each side until cooked through.

2) Remove chicken from the skillet and place in an oven proof casserole dish.

3) Trim ends of asparagus to remove the woody part of the stem. If you start breaking a stem from the bottom up you'll feel where the woody part stops as it will snap instead of just break. Trim all stems an equal distance up from the bottom. Once all stems are trimmed, cut diagonally in 2" pieces.

4) Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Once rolling, place asparagus in the pot and boil for 3 minutes. Set a timer to be sure you don't go over 3 minutes! When the timer goes off, strain the asparagus and place immediately in a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking and keeps the bright green color.

5) Place the asparagus over the chicken, keeping the majority towards the center.

6) Using the chicken broth, deglaze the pan that the chicken was cooked in, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen anything that has stuck to the bottom. Simmer until reduced to approximately 3/4 cup.

7) Turn off heat and quickly whisk in sour cream. Add the goat cheese and Parmesan and stir until cheese has melted and sauce is creamy. Pour sauce over asparagus and chicken. Sprinkle grated cheddar on top.

8) Bake in 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted. Check at 20 minutes as over cooking will cause sauce to separate. Although still just as delicious, it won't be as pretty!

This is a wonderfully rich and flavor packed comforting dish that will end up on the menu quite often! I'm going to experiment with different vegetables like broccoli and green beans, maybe even shredded brussel sprouts, but the cheeses will remain the same!

Creamy Garlic Goodness

The title alone is enough to have me all warm and comfy inside! Comfort food is different for everybody and when you find a new way of eating finding new comfort food is oh so important! I have now found mine and couldn't be more satisfied!


Creamy Garlic Chicken & CauliMash
Serves 4

4 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
6 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
3 cups Cauliflower, chopped

1) Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add chopped cauliflower to the boiling water and cook until soft. You can't overcook like potatoes so don't worry about them too much!

2) While cauliflower is cooking, heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Cook thighs until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Slice mushrooms and mince garlic while chicken is cooking! Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

2) Lower heat to medium and add garlic to same skillet. Stir for about 1 minute until fragrant.  Add the mushrooms to the skillet and saute until they have wilted nicely, about 5 minutes.

3) Add the chicken broth to the skillet and scrape up all the little bits and pieces that didn't come up from the mushroom moisture. Add 2 oz. of the cream cheese and stir until it's all melted. Add the heavy cream and stir until all mixed and creamy.  Turn the heat to low and let simmer gently until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

4) While sauce is simmering, strain cauliflower, shaking out as much water as possible.  Place in a food processor with 4 oz of cream cheese and process until creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5) Add Parmesan cheese to skillet and stir until completely melted. Add chicken thighs back to the skillet and spoon some gravy over them. Let simmer until heated through, about 3 minutes.  Serve chicken and gravy over CauliMash, sprinkle with parsley and enjoy!

Calories: 318
Fat: 26g
Carbs: 9g  Net: 6g
Protein: 12g

This will be my Go To Comfort Food meal, my Quick Company is Coming meal, my Family Dinner Night meal and my Oh My Gosh Look At The Time meal! It's also pretty versatile with pork chops, chicken breasts and cube steaks (beef broth instead of chicken broth) so experiment and find your comfort pleasure!

Old Favorites

I've finally gotten to a solid vintage house for Christmas and I know it's because of the feeling I get from old favorites. The comfort of old favorites is always the best feeling, whether it's music, friends, memories or food!

This old favorite is no different whether I'm dining out or dining in!

Keto Cashew Chicken (Serves 4)

4 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless

1 tbsp Baking Soda

1 tbsp Corn Starch

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 cup Cashews, raw

1 tbsp butter

1 medium Green Bell Pepper, diced

1 cup Celery, sliced 

2 tbsp White Onion, diced

1 tbsp Garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Chili Garlic Sauce

1 tsp Sesame Oil

Sesame Seeds

Green Onions

1) Dice chicken thighs into bite sized pieces and place in a medium bowl. 

    Sprinkle with baking soda and corn starch then mix until evenly coated. 

    Add soy sauce and mix again until all chicken pieces are coated.  

    Set aside while preparing cashews and vegetables.

2) Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat.

    Add cashews and cook until fragrant and turning brown, flipping or stirring frequently.

    Set aside.

3) Rough chop green bell pepper in similar but not identical bit sized pieces. 

    Rough slice celery in similar but not identical slices. 

    Dice onion in small pieces. 

    Mince garlic.

4) Add coconut oil to skillet and heat on medium to medium high heat. 

    While skillet is heating, rinse chicken thighs under cold water in a colander.

    Rinse until all traces of marinade have been removed. 

    Shake well to drain as much water as possible.

5) Place chicken thighs in hot skillet and cook until all pieces are done (3-5 min).

6) Add prepared vegetables and cook until desired doneness (around 2 min).

7) Add ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil and stir until combined.

    When liquid liquid starts to evaporate (1 min or so) add cashews and stir to combine.

8) Plate servings in a fancy plate or bowl or paper plate or cup!

    Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds if desired and enjoy!

Per Serving:

Calories: 454  

Fat: 35g  

Carbs: 8g

Fiber: 2g   

Sugar: 2g   

Protein: 23g 

This is a fast and easy dinner, especially if you pre-chop and dice all the veggies. You can come home from the daily grind and have dinner on the table in about 20 minutes!

And just as an FYI, I have found that eating this dish with chopsticks is necessary or as usual, I'll make myself sick on it!! 

New Year - New Lifestyle

It's almost a new year and for once I'm going into it already well on my way to good health! The week of Thanksgiving, hubby and I decided to take the leap and begin a Ketogenic lifestyle and we've been going strong ever since! Both of us now have more energy, less medical problems and are losing weight on a nice and steady pace.

Now it's time to return to the blog and try to keep track of some of the amazing dishes we are enjoying! 

So far, our favorite dinner has been White Chicken Chili! The flavor is amazing and since it's packed with chicken and cheese the lack of beans isn't even noticed. 

White Chicken Chili
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, ground
2 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp butter, salted
4.5 oz can green chiles, diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

1) In a Dutch oven (or large pot), season the chicken with cumin, oregano, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.  Sear both sides of the chicken over medium heat until golden on each side.

2) Add the chicken broth to the pot, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. Adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the chicken to ensure it is fully cooked.

3) While the chicken is cooking, melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the chiles, diced jalapeno and onion to the skillet and saute until the veggies softened a bit. Add the minced garlic and saute an additional 30 seconds and set aside.

4) Once the chicken is fully cooked, shred with a fork and return back to the pot. Add the sauteed veggies to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.

5) In a medium bowl, soften the cream cheese in the microwave until you can stir it easily. Add the heavy whipping cream to the cream cheese and stir to combine.

6) Quickly whisk the heavy cream mixture into the pot with the chicken and veggies. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese to the pot and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

7) Top each serving with the remaining cheese and an avocado slice if you have some on hand!

It's a quick and easy dinner that will fill you up and keep you that way for quite some time! Although only hubby and I are enjoying the Ketogenic lifestyle, this is a crowd pleaser in our family! 

Winter Warmth

There's nothing better on a cold winter night than a nice hot bowl of soup to take away the chill.  When that bowl of soup is Zuppa Toscana and it's Weight Watcher friendly you get warm all the way to your toes!

Don't let that whole "Weight Watcher" thing fool you!  This soup is loaded with flavor and is probably the best I've ever tasted.  Now granted, I haven't been to Italy yet, but it is definitely the best I've ever tasted in an American Italian restaurant!  Try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

Zuppa Toscana

16 oz. Isernio's Chicken Italian Sausage

1/2 large onion, diced

6 slices bacon, diced

3 gloves garlic, minced

4 medium potatoes, diced

2 cups kale, chopped

2/3 cup heavy cream

6 cups chicken broth, fat free

2 cups water

~  In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until no longer pink.  Set aside.

~  In the same skillet, over medium heat, cook onion and bacon until onions are clear.  Add minced garlic and cook until onions and garlic are soft and bacon has slightly crisped.

~  In a large soup pot or dutch oven, combine chicken broth, water, potatoes and onion mixture.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are slightly softened.

~  Add kale, sausage and heavy cream to pot.  Continue simmering until kale has wilted and potatoes are soft.

Not only is this soup is so warm and delicious, it's very fast and easy.  Of course you can add salt and pepper and maybe even some red chili flakes to the sausage while it's cooking but none of that is really necessary.  It's got great flavor from the sausage and your still able to taste the subtle flavor of the kale.

This pot will serve 8 and each serving is 1 1/2 cups.  The best part is that it's only 7 pts - amazing!  Add a bread stick for 3 points and you'll be completely satisfied!

Cravings

What's something every family has nearly once a month?

  Give up?

Pizza Night!

This night usually involves lots of gooey cheese, rich sauce, movies, soda pop, paper plates and arguing (depending on the size of the family) over what toppings get to adorn the luscious pie!  Don't you just get a craving for all that?  Well, maybe not the arguing...  but the taste of the pizza...  the tomatoey goodness of the sauce...  tasty toppings mingling together on your tongue...  melted cheese on your chin!

It's time to enjoy it once again with a zillion less calories and fat grams!

Pizza Chicken (1 serving)

1 5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 tbsp pizza sauce (home made or jarred)

4 slices turkey pepperoni

1 mushroom, sliced thin

1 ring sliced bell pepper

2 tbsp mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.  Flatten the chicken breast to 1/2" thickness.  Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Spread the sauce evenly over the seasoned chicken then layer with pepperoni, mushrooms and bell peppers.  Bake chicken for 15 min then top with cheese and bake for an additional 5 min.

This is only the beginning!  The possibilities are as endless as the local pizzeria menu options and of course your imagination. Not to mention it cooks up just as fast as one of those pizzas you bring home and cook yourself!  Oh, by the way, did I mention these can be cooked on the grill?

This one serving, made just like this is only 5 points!  It's a rather large "piece" of pizza and will definitely fill you up but why not have 2 "slices" and put that craving to rest for a little while!

Layers of Flavors

As I typed the title my mind wandered - why isn't it spelled "Layers of Flavers" or "Layors of Flavors"?  They rhyme perfectly but are spelled differently!  Ahhh...  back on track here!

As I peruse, wander and seek out new recipes to convert to our "lifestyle" way of eating (aka Weight Watchers) I find some recipes that make my mouth water and I just HAVE to find a way to make them within the allowances.  This was one of them!

Roasted Pear & Gorgonzola Chicken Sandwiches (serves 4)

2 pears, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

2 giant hamburger buns

1 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400F.  Spray parchment lined baking sheet and place pears in a single layer on pan.  Bake until light golden and turning soft, approximately 20 min.  Turn each pear slice and bake an additional 15 min.  While pears are roasting, spray a small skillet and caramelize onions on medium heat until nice golden brown.  Brush buns very lightly with butter and place on a griddle pan or skillet.  Remove and set aside once they are nice and golden brown.  Pound chicken breasts to 1/2", season with salt and pepper.  Spray a large oven-proof skillet and sear breasts for 3 minutes on each side.  Remove from heat immediately to avoid over cooking.  Place 2-3 pear slices on each breast then sprinkle with cheese crumbles.  Add caramelized onions.  Place in the oven for 2-3 minutes to allow cheese to melt.  Place chicken breast atop toasted bun.

The crispy buttery bun, tender juicy chicken, tangy Gorgonzola, sweet pears and rich onions provide layer after layer of flavor!  Than you take another bite because you weren't sure what you just tasted and bam, it hits you again!

You may be asking "Why the bun"?  It's because the original recipe I saw was for a turkey burger and I felt it still needed the sandwich feel.  Whether it needs it or not, I will always make it with just because it adds a whole different layer!  Enjoy this open faced sandwich for a low 9 WW pts+ each and include a large helping of roasted asparagus done at the same time as the pears!

Off I go to find that motivation that I lost...

Sometimes You Just Have To EAT!

In the beginning, when you first start "dieting" or "eating healthy" or whatever else you call it, do you have the same issue as me?  I never feel like I get to lift my fork to my mouth enough times!  By the end of the first week, I'm ready to eat, I mean really eat!  I want to keep putting food in my mouth until my tummy says stop, not only until my teeny tiny portion runs out.

That feeling led me to the discovery of this amazing salad!  Boy oh boy did it do the trick!  I was able to lift my fork as many times as I could and when I was done, I was really done eating.  Completely satisfied all the way to my toes!

Salsa Verde Chicken & Shrimp Salad

1 tbsp cilantro, dried

1 cup sour cream, fat free
3 tbsp Salsa Verde
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
13 oz raw chicken breast, diced
8 oz raw shrimp, small
2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
6 cups Italian Lettuce mix
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 oz) can Green Giant Steam Crisp corn, drained

Mix the first six ingredients until well blended.  Set aside while preparing the salad in order for the flavors to blend.  Season chicken and shrimp generously with Old Bay.  Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray and cook chicken and shrimp on medium high heat until chicken is no longer pink.  Drain any liquid.  In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, black beans and corn.  Add cooked chicken and shrimp and mix well.  Pour dressing into salad mixture and toss to completely cover every morsel!

Each serving of 2 cups is only 7 points plus on WW and will completely fill you up!  This recipe will serve at least 6 people, more if they are small eaters.

I have finally found a "diet" recipe that I can literally eat until I'm ready to stop!  Oh, by the way, I don't consider slurping soup "eating".  I want to chew, chomp, taste and savor when I get in this mood!  Now it's on to the next discovery until the urge hits again!

Winning Is Everything

When cooking, why would we ever want to lose?  Winning is definitely the goal in mind!  The other options just don't seem to be quite as satisfying!  Now that's not to say that sometimes things don't turn out quite as planned and you end up with a whole different and new creation - those times are awesome.  I'm speaking merely of disasters...  inedibles...  black where black doesn't belong!  In those cases, winning is everything!

Last night I won!

Whenever I've attempted to make Chinese food it's always been referred to as Stir Fry.  Why?  We don't order Stir Fry from the Chinese shop menu do we?  Is it even an item on the menu?  Where did the term come from?  Maybe I should look that up before I post this?  Make it an educational post too!  Anyway, last night I didn't make stir fry, I made Chinese Food!  I finally got the taste AND texture of my favorite dish, I won!

Cashew Chicken

6 tbsp soy sauce, divided
2 tbsp sherry (or chicken stock)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 lb chicken breasts, cubed
3 tbsp cornstarch, divided
2/3 cup chicken broth, fat free
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp fresh ginger root, minced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp canola oil, divided
2 cups fresh snow peas
2 celery stalks, sliced

3 medium carrots, julienned
8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts
2/3 cup cashews
1 cup rice

2 cups chicken broth, fat free

~  In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 4 tbsp soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil and 1 tbsp cornstarch; add chicken.  Toss chicken to coat with the marinade.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
~  Cook rice as directed on the package, or rice cooker, using the chicken broth for the liquid.
~ In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp cornstarch and 2/3 cup broth until smooth.  Stir in the sugar, vinegar, teriyaki sauce, ginger, salt and remaining soy sauce; set aside.
~ Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade.  Rinse the chicken lightly with cold water to remove excess cornstarch.  (The cornstarch is what gives the chicken the "Chinese Food" texture - ancient Chinese secret!)
~ In a large non-stick wok or skillet, stir fry the chicken in 1 tsp of oil until it is no longer pink.  Remove from pan and add the peas and carrots.  Fry until crisp tender, then add the water chestnuts.
~ Return the chicken to the pan and add the cashews.  Stir the sauce mixture and then add it to the chicken and vegetables.  Bring it to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until it is thickened. Serve over rice.

Notice I snuck the secret in there!?  I learned that secret a long time ago and I can't believe what it does to the chicken!  You'll have to try it with thin sliced beef for Beef and Broccoli and let me know how it is!

So there you have it - my winning dish!  With 1/2 cup of rice and plenty of the chicken it's only 9 points plus!  That even leaves room for a little extra chicken without the rice - and trust me, you're going to want just a few extra bites!

Taking A Chance

There have been times that I've prepared a meal for guests, family and potlucks without trying it first. If my memory serves me right, it's been an epic failure every time! I'm not sure how I can cook meal after meal for the six of us every night and have the majority turn out tasty but then pick something to try for a potluck and have it be dry and tasteless? With every failure, I vow that I will prepare something tried and true, that I will no longer experiment on innocent bystanders!

Then here I went again!

Last night it was my turn to cook dinner for our groups monthly meeting. There's anywhere from 10-20 people that attend and 90% of them are men. Since it was only me providing the entire meal I tried to make something that would appeal to everybody, something well known, easy to recognize and with minimal unique ingredients. Perfect time to refrain from trying something new!

Nope, not me! Refrain? Not usually! And boy am I glad I took the chance!
Check this out...
It's amazingly wonderful...

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1/2 cup butter
16 oz fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth, fat free
1 1/2 cups milk, 2%
1/4 cup (additional) white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup black olives, chopped
1 pound thin spaghetti

Bring the broth to a boil. Break the spaghetti into thirds and add to the boiling broth. Boil for 5-8 minutes until tender. Drain spaghetti, reserving the liquid. Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms, 1/4 cup of wine and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the liquid has completely evaporated, stirring occasionally. Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Lower heat of skillet to medium low and add 6 tbsp of butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter, whisk to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add 2 cups of broth (from the spaghetti pot) and whisk to combine. Pour in the milk, and the additional 1/4 cup of wine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, tasting after each sprinkle. Continue simmering until thick. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Add the mushrooms, chicken and olives and stir to combine. Check the seasoning level again and add salt and pepper as needed. Turn into a 9x13 casserole pan and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

And that my friends is a comfort food dish you will want to make over and over!

The way it's written above it will feed about 8 people and is only 11 points plus per serving. Next time I'm going to try and use less butter, or light butter, and see if that works. I've also seen low fat Parmesan that would help lower it even further. Oh, and not to forget, I bought a pasta extruder that will make thin spaghetti! It's much easier to control the fat and calories when you know exactly what's going in it! I'll post the difference when and if I try the changes - after all, 11 points isn't bad for dinner!

Sometimes you just gotta take that chance!

Change - is it always a good thing?

Change... good thing?  Bad thing?  Necessary?  Inevitable?
~
Not applicable this time!

Usually, when I find a recipe, I adapt it, change it, add, subtract and rearrange it. I never seem to be able to stick with the recipe as published, posted or printed. Control issues? Naw, I don't think so!

This is one recipe I will follow to the dotted "i" and crossed "t" - I hope you all enjoy it!

Arroz Con Pollo
2 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 chicken breasts, cubed
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 4 oz. can diced chilies
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth, fat free
1 cup dried white rice
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 cup shredded cheddar/colby cheese, 2%

Put cumin, coriander and turmeric in a one gallon resealable bag.  Add cubed chicken and shake until well coated. (Mine ended up marinating for a couple hours while I ran and picked up the girls!) 

In a large skillet on medium heat, melt the butter.   Add the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.  Add 

seasoned chicken to the skillet with the garlic and saute until no longer pink. Add the onion and peppers to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.   Add chilies and tomatoes and mix well.   Add broth, rice and remaining spices.  

Bring to a boil.  Simmer covered for about 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.  Spread cheese over the top, cover for a minute or two and allow the cheese to melt completely.

That's it! Simple and simply amazing! And only 6 points plus for a full 1 cup serving!

We all agreed we could make ourselves sick on this by overeating! It's one of those dishes that you clear your plate from the table but keep your fork in your hand so you can stop by the pan of leftovers and snag a couple more bites!

Starting Over

How many times have we said and heard that one? I know I've said it at least 100 times! Starting over so many things, so many times... dieting, exercising, budgeting, moving, jobs, relationships, you name it, I've started it over. This time, I've actually started over before starting over! My blog that is!

Shortly after starting this blog almost a year ago and being very focused on cooking healthy meals, I lost it! No, not the weight, the enthusiasm and motivation. The family vacation traveling down the west coast helped - I think I left it somewhere between San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf and Disneyland!

I've now started my journey over - more dedicated than ever! I've been on my newest weight loss journey for 2 months now and the healthy meals are piling up in my recipe book! I'm using Weight Watchers again and find myself addicted to their online features! The recipe builder keeps me logging in every day, all day! So ready or not, here they come!

A little different format this time - no nutritional values for each ingredient. Someday I may come back and edit the new recipes to include that but for now it's all about the PointsPlus values on the bottom line.

Here's the first recipe to begin the new journey:

Chicken Chimichangas

1 1/2 cups chicken breast, cooked
1 1/2 cups picante sauce, mild
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, low fat, shredded
2/3 cup scallion, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp dried oregano
6 flour tortillas, carb balanced, low fat
1 tbsp butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine the chicken, 3/4 cup picante sauce, cheese, 1/4 cup onions, cumin and oregano. Spoon 1/2 cup of the mixture down the center of each tortilla. Fold the sides and ends over the filling and roll up. Place the seam side down in a 15" x 10" baking pan coated with cooking spray. Brush each tortilla top with the melted butter. Bake uncovered at 375 for 20-25 minutes until heated through and tops begin to brown. Top with the remaining picante sauce and onions. Optional toppings include additional cheese and fat free sour cream.

Each Chimichanga is a mere 7 WW PointsPlus value and when served with a side of fat free refried beans it's a great meal for under 10 points.

My daughter, who thinks of herself as a Chimichanga expert (actually, she thinks she's an expert at everything since she's 16) was excited to learn we were having these for dinner. She even offered to retrieve the deep fryer from the shelf in the garage! When I informed her they were going to be baked she was skeptical (that's putting it mildly)! After one bite she was hooked! These chimichanga's will make you think differently about those fat laden deep fried ones you get in restaurants. There is no oily after taste and the flavors are all there for you to enjoy. I'll experiment with homemade picante sauce later - these were too easy and too tasty to mess with right now!

I think I'll go mess with something else....

Creamy Goodness

This Pacific Northwest weather has us all going a little stir crazy doesn't it? It feels like fall, it looks like fall, we act like it's fall, I'm dressed like it's fall... so I figured let's eat like it's fall!

Nothing like a nice warm bowl of chowder with a hot buttery biscuit to warm you up on a dreary July day! Yep - it was raining at the time we sat down to dinner. And then my husband informed me he turned the heater on when he got up in the morning! AND... I read on Facebook that a friend did the same thing! It was July 1st... what's going on? Enough about that, here's the food!

Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder
2 tbsp butter (220 cal; 22g fat; 0g fiber)
1/4 cup onion, diced (14 cal; 0g fat; .5g fiber)
1/4 cup celery, thinly sliced (4 cal; 0g fat; .5g fiber)
1 Jalapeno pepper, diced (4 cal; 0g fat; 0g fiber)
2 tbsp all-purpose flour (50 cal; 0g fat; 0g fiber)
1 cup milk, fat free (90 cal; 0g fat; 0g fiber)
2 cups Half & Half, fat free (320 cal; 0g fat; 0g fiber)
1 lb chicken breast tenderloin, cooked and cubed
4 small corn-on-the-cob, kernals only (252 cal; 4g fat; 8g fiber)
1 can cream style corn (350 cal; 2g fat; 3.5g fiber)
1/4 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp salt
Dash red pepper flakes

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and jalapeno; cook for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add the flour; cook for 1 minutes stirring constantly. Stir in the milk and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 5 minutes).
Serves: 6 Nutritional data per serving: 230 cal; 5g fat; 2g fiber

I tell ya, this stuff is awesome! It's so creamy and sweet you'll want to have way more than just one serving. Which is perfectly fine!! Check out the nutritional data for each serving... you can truly enjoy a whole bunch of this stuff!

Don't substitute the fresh corn for frozen - it WILL NOT work! The sweet crispy flavor and texture that the fresh corn adds to this recipe should not be messed with! Also, make sure you get the sweet corn with the light yellow or white kernels, you won't be sorry.

You can also modify it a bit to bring down the fat and calories by using all fat free milk instead of the half & half. I'll never do that - I love the creaminess too much. Having been on Adkins before I really miss all the cheesey creamy goodness so I take it where I can get it!

Of course, what is chowder without biscuits? The reduced fat Pillsbury Grands biscuits are perfect - the kids love making them and I love the mess!! Next time I'll include a low fat/low calorie cheddar biscuit recipe - this time, we had the canned variety!

Enjoy!