Healthy Chicken Parmesan with Simple Tomato Gravy

 

YUMMMMMYYYY!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 (3-ounces each) chicken cutlets
• 1 1/2 cups simple tomato gravy (recipe follows), or purchased marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 16 teaspoons grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Parmesan over each. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

SUPER EASY! Simple Tomato Gravy, AKA "Sauce":

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin oil (I used a scant 1/2 cup due to less amount of crushed tomatoes...see below.)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes (I could only find 28 oz.)
• 4 to 6 basil leaves
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors. (I didn't need the butter.)

CAREFULLY, add half the tomato gravy into the bowl of a food processor or blender.  Process until smooth. Continue with remaining gravy.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months. 

*www.foodnetwork.com (Giada)

Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins

Can't handle it...these are so freaking good.

 

Ingredients:

1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line 2, 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat on low for 30 seconds to incorporate the ingredients and then beat on high for 3 minutes.

Toss the chopped apples in the lemon juice and then add the flour and toss to coat evenly. Fold the apples into the cake batter and then divide evenly in the lined muffin tin.

Whisk together all the streusel topping ingredients except the butter. Add the butter and cut it in with two  knives or a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the cake batter.

Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes (this really will depend on your oven) or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Makes 24 muffins.

*www.ourbestbites.com

Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate-Chip Cookies

These are awesomeee.

Ingredients:

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted and cooled

6 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter, melted and cooled

1 cup loosely packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 ripe medium bananas, mashed

1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Mix the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together cooled peanut butter and butter with both sugars until combined. Whisk in egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth. Add in the mashed banana and mix until combined – mixture will not be smooth. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, mixing with a large spoon until a dough forms.  (If needed, you can use your hands to bring it together.) Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Shape the dough into the size of a golfball (or size of your choice) and place on a nonstick baking sheet about 2 inches apart from each other. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the middles are puffy – do not overbake! Let cool completely.   Be sure to let cookies cool completely before storing them in a sealed container or bag, and they will stay very soft because of the banana. 

*www.howsweeteats.com

Chicken Tamale Pie

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fat free milk
• 1/4 cup egg substitute (I used one egg, beaten.)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (I used cayenne.)
• 1 (14 3/4 ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8.5 ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• 1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce – I recommend going with an authentic Mexican brand
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (I used rotisserie.)
• 3/4 cup shredded white cheese
• cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese for topping, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine the first 7 ingredients (milk through green chiles), using just 1/2 tablespoon of the taco seasoning, in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a round pie plate (mine was glass) coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes (I baked for 30 minutes). While corn is baking, toss the chicken in the remaining 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. When corn is done – it will be just barely set and golden brown – pierce entire surface liberally with a fork (it might stick a little bit to the fork). Pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with cilantro and Cotija cheese.
   
   *www.pinchofyum.com

Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries

Ingredients:

1 pound large strawberries

8oz. block cream cheese – soft (reduced fat cream cheese is fine!)

3 – 4 tablespoons powdered sugar (depends on how sweet you want the filling)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or use almond, lemon, etc. )

graham cracker crumbs

Directions:

1. Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry.  Remove the top and clean out inside with a paring knife if necessary.  Also, if you want to stand your strawberries upright (like in the picture) slice a bit off the bottom. Once strawberries are prepped, set aside.

2. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla with a mixer or by hand. 

3. Add cream cheese mix to piping bag (or snip corner of Ziploc bag) and fill strawberries.  

4. Once strawberries are filled, dip the top in graham cracker crumbs.  

Note: You could also drizzle or dip strawberries in chocolate if desired.

*www.nutmegnanny.com

Tortilla Chicken with Salsa Verde

Make.This.Nowwwwwuh.

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 1/2 cup tortilla chips, crushed
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup salsa verde, divided
• 1/4 cup pico de gallo (chopped fresh tomatoes and onions)
• 1-2 slices or 4 tbs. white cheese (I used sliced Pepperjack.)
• cilantro sauce (see below): cilantro, oil (optional), 1 avocado, remaining salsa verde

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.  Coat the chicken with the egg white.  Combine the panko and the crushed chips.  Dip/press the chicken into the panko mixture until well coated.  Fry the chicken in 1-2 tbs. oil over medium-high heat, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
2. When the outside is nice and golden brown, transfer to the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes at 400 degrees (depending on the size of your chicken breasts).
3. Make cilantro sauce; combine 1 avocado, 1/2 cup salsa verde, a bunch of cilantro, and oil (if needed...I did not use) in a food processor to make a cilantro sauce.
4. Add the cheese; return to the oven for a few minutes until melted.
5. Spoon remaining salsa verde on the plate; place chicken on the salsa verde, and sprinkle cilantro sauce and pico de gallo over the top!  ¡Que bueno!

*www.pinchofyum.com

Hands Down, THE Best Blueberry-Poppy Seed Loaves

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush 4 mini loaf pans (about 5 by 3 inches each) with vegetable oil. 

Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Beat the milk, 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil, the eggs, poppy seeds, and almond and vanilla extracts in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until combined. 

Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well combined. Fold the blueberries into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Transfer the pans to a rack and let cool about 10 minutes, then remove the cakes to the rack to cool completely.

*Food Network Magazine, May 2012

Skinny Fajita Shrimp Pasta

Tastes like a shrimp taco!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pasta
• 9 ounces raw shrimp
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Mexican seasoning (I used about 3/4 tablespoon.)
• 2 bell peppers, sliced thinly
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 2 ounces light cream cheese
• 6 ounces enchilada sauce (almost 3/4 cup)

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Place peppers and onions in a heavy duty skillet over medium-high heat. You don’t want to add too much oil or butter here (I didn’t add any at all) because you want the roasted, fajita-looking charred outside. Stir every so often, letting them sit long enough to get browned.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over high heat. Add garlic and shrimp; season with Mexican seasoning plus salt and pepper to taste. Cook until shrimp are no longer translucent and have a lightly pink/white inside and browned outside, about 4-6 minutes. Add enchilada sauce and stir to remove the yummy browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add pasta and peppers; stir to combine.
4. With the pan over low heat, add the cream cheese and stir until melted. The pasta should be thick and creamy, but you can adjust it by adding more sauce or more cream cheese. Season with additional Mexican seasoning if desired.

Notes:

Light sour cream has been used in this recipe in substitution of the cream cheese, too. It tastes a little different, but it works just fine. 

*www.pinchofyum.com

Grandma's Creamy Lemon Pie

Ingredients:
1 pkg. graham crackers, crushed (about 9 crackers)

1/3 cup sugar
6 tbs. butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
8 oz. whipped topping (...Cool Whip works perfectly!)
3 lemons
1 lime
blackberry jam

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375.  Combine first four ingredients and press into a pie pan with the back of a spoon.  Bake for 8 minutes and cool for at least 15 minutes.

Pour sweetened condensed milk into a large mixing bowl. 

Squeeze the juice from the lemons and lime into the bowl and whisk together.  Fold in the whipped topping and stir until combined.

Pour lemon mixture into piecrust.  Freeze overnight. Remove from freezer about 10 minutes before serving.

Whisk a few tablespoons of blackberry jam with a tablespoon of water until you get a good consistency.  Pour over slices and enjoy!

*www.pinchofyum.com

Butterfinger Brownies

Ingredients:

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate; coarsely chopped
3/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 (2.1 ounce) Butterfinger candy bars, chopped into bite size pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large bowl microwave-safe bowl at medium (50% power) for 3-4 minutes or until butter is melted.
3. Stir until chocolate is melted. Whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Gradually add in flour and stir until just combined.
4. Spread 1/2 the batter into prepared pan. Add an even layer of Butterfinger pieces and cover with remaining 1/2 of brownie batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes; do not over bake.
5. Remove to cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before cutting.


*www.mybakingaddiction.com