Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos

Posted on May 20, 2012 by veda

Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos
adapted from Pennies on a Platter, originally from Our Best Bites
3 oz cream cheese, softened (reduced fat is fine)
1/3 cup salsa verde
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs chopped scallions
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken *
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Pepperjack cheese
8-12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
cooking spray
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese with the salsa, lime juice, cumin, chile powder, cayenne, onion powder, garlic, cilantro, scallions, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Fold in the chicken and cheeses. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Working 3 tortillas at a time, stack them on a microwave-safe plate and cover with plastic wrap. Cook 30 seconds, or until tortillas are soft and pliable.

Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto the lower third of each tortilla, and roll tightly. Place seam side-down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Spray the taquitos lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden-brown. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole.

*This is how I prepare my chicken if I don’t have leftover chicken to use: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread a piece of aluminum foil across a baking sheet, and arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and season as you wish. Fold the aluminum foil over the chicken breasts, and enclose them to form a “packet.” Bake the chicken (on the baking sheet) 35-45 minutes, or until it is cooked through.

**To freeze, prepare the taquitos, but before baking, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the taquitos are completely cold. Wrap each taquito in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and freeze. To bake, unwrap the taquitos and cook in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes (no need to thaw first).

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Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Posted on May 20, 2012 by veda

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps
Yields: 6 wraps

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced
1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 cups cheddar or colby jack cheese (shredded)
Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the rice with the chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add in the chicken, beans, green onion, bell pepper, cilantro and lime juice, and mix until evenly combined.

Spray a tortilla with non-stick cooking spray on both sides. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange the chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. Add a dollop of sour cream if you desire. Gently roll the tortillas, leaving the edges open.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps.

*Freezer Friendly Tip* – Assemble and cook wraps as directed, then freeze wrapped in tin foil. To reheat, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave or oven.

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Shepard’s Pie

Posted on March 3, 2012 by veda

Shepard’s Pie, Lightened Up
Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 10.5 oz • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 290.5 • Fat: 11.1 g • Protein: 16.8 g • Carb: 31.5 g • Fiber: 4.9 g

Potatoes:
1-1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, diced
3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
salt and pepper
paprika

Filling:
1 lb 95% lean ground beef
1 tsp oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
8 oz mushrooms, diced
10 oz frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas, green beans, baby lima beans)
2 tbsp flour
1 cup fat free beef broth
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves
1 tsp freshly chopped thyme leaves
salt and pepper

Boil potatoes in water until cooked and soft. Drain and mash with chicken broth, sour cream, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a large saute pan brown meat. Season with salt and pepper. When cooked, set aside on a plate. Discard any fat in the pan, add oil, onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and celery and sauté another 3-4 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper and mix well. Add frozen vegetables, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, chopped meat and mix well. Simmer on low about 5-10 minutes.

Spread the meat mixture on the bottom of a 11×7 glass baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes, using a fork to scrape the top to make ridges and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 20 minutes or until potatoes turn golden. Remove from oven and let it cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

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Chicken Tortilla soup

Posted on October 23, 2011 by veda

Ingredients

Olive oil
Onion, chopped
Celery, chopped
Carrots, chopped
Freshly ground pepper
Chicken, cut into chunks
Cumin to taste
Cayenne to taste
1 can diced/chopped tomatoes (15 oz)
1 can crushed tomatoes (15 oz)
1 small can green chiles
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 large container of chicken broth
2 cups water
Instructions

Saute the onion, celery and carrots in some olive oil. Add the chicken, season with cumin and cayenne. Brown chicken chunks.

Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, shredded Mexi-cheese or whatever calls to you. I like to throw on a little bit of avocado when I have it, and sometimes some chipotle Tabasco sauce. Cornbread is my favorite side dish.

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Caprese Pasta Salad

Posted on September 25, 2011 by veda

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 shallot or 2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar (optional, only needed when using out-of-season tomatoes)
2 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
12 ounces marinated fresh mozzarella cheese (the small balls) halved
1 pound fun shaped pasta, like fusilli
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Instructions

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, and shallot or garlic in a large bowl. Drain as much of the oil as possible from the now-empty mozzarella container, and add the seasonings to the olive oil mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add sugar, if needed. Add the tomatoes and mozzarella and gently toss. Marinate at room temperature while you work on the rest of the ingredients.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs, reducing cooking time by 1 minute. Drain in a colander and run under cold water to cool the pasta; you don’t want to melt the cheese.

Add the pasta to the tomato mixture and toss. Stir in the basil and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, tossing occasionally, until serving.

Source

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Spaghetti with Zucchini and Garlic

Posted on July 12, 2011 by veda

Ingredients
2 small to medium zucchini
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano

Directions
Pile up 2 or 3 layers of paper towels on a work surface. Working on the paper towels, shred zucchinis using a box grater holding the zucchini at an angle.

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan Add chopped garlic to the oil. When garlic speaks by sizzling in oil, add shredded zucchini. Season zucchini with salt and pepper. Saute shredded zucchini 7 to 10 minutes. Add hot, drained pasta to the pan. Toss spaghetti with zucchini and garlic oil. Add a couple of handfuls of grated cheese to the pan. Adjust seasoning and serve.

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Broccoli Cheese Soup

Posted on July 4, 2011 by veda

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb fresh broccoli
1 cup carrot, julienned
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:

1 Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.
2 Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.
3 Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
4 Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.
5 Add salt and pepper. Can be puréed in a blender but I don’t. Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/panera-broccoli-cheese-soup-150384

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French Lentils with Roasted Roots, Caramelized Onions and Thyme

Posted on April 3, 2011 by veda

Author suggested serving with collard greens, but I imagine any green vegetable will go well.

1 rutabaga, peeled and diced
1 celeriac (celery root), peeled and diced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup dry French lentils
3 cups vegetable stock or water
Sea salt
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 large red onion, diced
4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (variety of choice), about 1 pound
1 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
Chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place rutabaga and celeriac in 8×8-inch baking dish, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and roast 20 minutes. Remove from oven and toss. Return to oven and roast an additional 20 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and set aside.

While vegetables are roasting, rinse lentils and place in pot with vegetables stock and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until just tender (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and set aside.

In large skillet over medium heat, saute onion in remaining tablespoon olive oil until it starts to brown (5-7 minutes). Add mushrooms and mirin and continue sauteing. Add remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time to deglaze pan and caramelize vegetables. Add thyme and saute 2 minutes longer, for a total saute time of 12-14 minutes. Fold in lentils and roasted vegetables and saute to heat through. Season to taste with salt, toss with parsley and serve.

SERVES 6.

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegan-grocery-list/

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Louisiana Red Beans & Rice

Posted on March 28, 2011 by veda

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
4 ounces turkey sausage links, cut into chunks
3 c. cooked red beans or canned red beans
1/2 c. chicken broth
hot pepper sauce
2 c. hot cooked instant brown rice

1. Set large pot over med-high heat. Add the oil. Heat for 30 seconds. Add onion, pepper, celery, garlic, thyme, salt, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes or until starting to soften. Scrape vegetables to one side of pan. Add the sausage to empty side. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until sausage is lightly brown.

2. Add the beans and broth. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until flavors blend. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add up to 1 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce at table.

makes 4 servings. 403 cal. 21 g protein.

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Roasted Tomato Soup

Posted on March 27, 2011 by veda

Ingredients
3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock or water

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-tomato-basil-soup-recipe/index.html

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