Chicken Cordon Bleu (healthy version)

This is a healthy version of the classic Chicken Cordon Bleu - it contains the flavors of the classic version but NOT the fat and calories since there's no breading and deep frying involved.

There's no heavy coating, no deep frying with this recipe - a low carb version with a LOT of flavor!!

I made 3 chicken breasts (cut in half) for this. Pound them to 1/4" thickness, taking care not to tear them.

In a small bowl, combine 2 T. fig preserves with S&P and 1/2 tsp. thyme.

Spread equally over the 6 pcs. of chicken.

Put a slice of Swiss or Gruyere cheese over each pc. of chicken.  Lay a slice (or 2) of smoked ham over the cheese, pressing down.

Heat 2 T. oil in skillet.  Add chicken (ham side down) and saute for 3-4 minutes on med-high heat (until ham turns golden brown. Carefully flip them and cook the other side another 3-4 minutes.  Cover and cook another few minutes until thoroughly cooked.

Make dipping sauce/dressing:  In a small bowl, combine 5 T. olive oil, 1 minced shallot, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 2 T. white balsamic vinegar and S&P to taste.  Whisk together thoroughly and serve with cooked chicken.

Chicken Paprikas

Clean chicken and pat dry (8-10 pcs). Sprinkle with S&P.  In a large skillet, heat 4 Tblsp. butter.  Add a chopped onion and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened (not browned!). Reduce heat - add 2 Tblsp. paprika & clove of minced garlic.  Stir and cook for several minutes to enhance the spice flavor.

Turn the heat up a bit and add the chicken - stir to coat the chicken completely with onions and seasonings. Turn often and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked well on the outside.   Add 1 cup of chicken broth.  Cover and cook for 45-60 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.  If it looks like the liquid is evaporating, add a little more to keep the chicken from drying out.

When the chicken is finished cooking, remove it onto a platter.

In another bowl,  put 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid (from pan) - add 1 cup of sour cream, 2 Tblsp. flour, 2 tsp. paprika, S&P to taste and whisk together until smooth.  Return to the pan and cook over a low heat for another 10 minutes until it thickens slightly.  Add the reserved chicken and spoon the sauce over it - heat another minute or 2 before serving.

Serve this over cooked noodles, dumplings or rice.

Nacho Dip (hot)

This is a quick and easy appetizer that appeal to all the vegetarians in our family (& even the non-vegetarians!!!) - add a layer of cooked chili (under the salsa) if you want to add a layer of meat.

Heat oven to 350º - spray a 9X13" pan with nonstick spray.  

Spread an 8 oz. pack of softened cream cheese evenly over the bottom of the pan.

In a small bowl, mix together:

1-1/2 C. salsa (your favorite)

1/4 C. peach preserves

1 C. fire roasted corn

1-1/2 C. black beans

1/4 tsp. granulated garlic powder

few shakes of cayenne (to taste)

Spread over cream cheese.

Top with 8 oz. (2 cups) shredded co-jack cheese.

Bake for 15-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with nacho chips or pita chips.

Oreo Cake

Grease a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with high sides).  Heat oven to 375º.

In a sauce pan, heat 1 C. butter and 1 C. until it begins to boil - whisk in:

2 cups flour

1 tsp. bkg. soda

1/4 tsp. sale

2 beaten eggs

1/2 C. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pour into pan. Sprinkle 1-1/2 to 2 C. crushed Oreos all over the top - pat down gently.

Bake for 20 minutes (test center of cake with toothpick). Remove from oven & cool

For frosting:

Heat until melted:  1/2 C. butter and 1/4 C. buttermilk

whisk in:

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 C. Powdered sugar (poss. a little more)

2 Tblsp. heavy cream

Mix thoroughly until it's a good spreading consistency (add more powd. sugar or milk, if needed)

Spread evenly over cooled cake.

Sprinkle with 1 C. mini chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

and

2 C. crushed Oreos

Meat loaf (2)

Heat oven to 350º

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients:

2 slices white bread

1/2 C. breadcrumbs

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

2 Tblsp. ketchup

1 Tblsp. bbq sauce

2 Tblsp. worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. black pepper

3-4# ground chuck

1# ground pork

1 large (or 2 small) grated carrots

1 onion, grated (about 2/3 cup)

1 stalk celery, grated

1/2 cup grated green or red bell pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. Trader Joe's 21 season salute (my favorite non-salt all seasoning!)

1/2 tsp. Lawry's seasoned salt

2 Tblsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Mix together thoroughly with mixer (or with your hands) making sure everything is COMPLETELY incorporated evenly.

In a 9 x 13" pan (spray with nonstick spray or line with foil & spray) form the meat into a loaf shape/rectangle, keeping it pretty even for even cooking.

In a small bowl, mix together and spread on top and sides of meatloaf:

1/4 cup ketchup

1 Tblsp. BBQ sauce

1 tsp. yellow mustard

Chop up 3-4 slices of (raw) bacon and scatter it over the top of the loaf.  Pour a cup of water into the pan.

Bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hrs.  Remove to a rack - cool for 15-20 min. before slicing with a sharp knife.  Make a gravy with some of the pan drippings...yum!!

Italian Beef (ALMOST famous...)

This isn't typical roast, sliced Italian style beef - it's more of a pulled pork version but with classic Italian beef flavor!  So - if you're jonesin' for Portillo's, this might do the trick!!

Take a roast beef (I use round), approx. 4#, and cut it into a few 1-1/12" slices.  In hot olive oil, brown the meat on all sides.

To the meat (photo below) add a couple celery stalks, a large chopped onion, a cup of chopped green pepper, 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt, 1/4 tsp. of salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. oregano,  8 cloves of chopped garlic, 2 Tblsp. beef 'base' (bouillon paste in a tub, Jamesons or GFS brand is good), 1/4 cup olive oil and  enough water to JUST cover the meat.  If you like heat - shake in a little cayenne or a shake of crushed red pepper OR a spoonful of hot giardiniere.  Stir.   Bring the liquid to a boil and then lower the temp. to med-low - enough to keep simmering without boiling heavily.  

Keep covered and let it cook for 2- 2-1/2 hrs.  Check periodically (every half hour) to make sure there's enough liquid, adding a little more water if necessary to keep the meat pretty well covered.  When checking, test for seasonings (add S&P if needed - I usually add more pepper) .  All the vegs will have cooked down at this point (after 2+ hrs).  

Test the meat - if it shreds apart easily, remove from the heat onto a countertop.  Carefully pour out half the liquid into a container and reserve it. and continue to shred apart the meat. Otherwise continue simmering for another 30-60 minutes.  Once the meat is shredded, add the reserved liquid until it's as juicy as you like.

When the meat is done and completely shredded, it's ready to put onto Italian bread, along with sauteed green peppers and giardiniere, if you like that.  Or top it with shredded cheese and run it under the broiler for a few seconds.

Pork Roast

Here's what I did with the 8-1/2# pork roast my husband brought home:

Heat the oven to 325ª

I made a slurry- a paste of oil and seasonings and spread it evenly over the roast.  In a small bowl combine all these ingredients and smear over the roast:

2 Tb. olive oil

1 Tb. worcestershire sauce

1 Tb. balsamic vinegar

1 Tb. dark brown mustard

1 Tb. brown sugar

1 crushed garlic clove

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. Trader Joe's 21-season salute (non salt all seasoning)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

Sprinkle with additional freshly ground black pepper. 

 Put roast in the oven, bake for 2 hours. Kick the heat up to 350º -  To the pan,           

add 1-1/2 cups water to the pan. Return to oven for another hour.

Take out of oven and test with a meat thermometer, making sure the end of it is in the thickest part of the roast (and not on a bone).  It should register @170º for COOKED pork (I'm not a fan of medium/pink pork.).

Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before carving.  Use the pan drippings to make a gravy (which is what I did for the pork and mashed potatoes)  or pour it over the sliced meat.

Chicken Cacciatore

Here's a quick, easy & healthy version - no need to fry the chicken in oil!Have ready:
3-4 red potatoes, quartered & partially cooked in salted water:  bring to a boil, simmer for 8-10 minutes, drain.
8-10 pcs. of chicken (with bone)

Heat your oven to 375º.
Grease a 9X13" baking pan.

If the chicken has an excessive amount of skin/fat on it, remove at least half (or all) of it.
In the pan, arrange the chicken pcs., season with S&P.
Slice up a small onion and scatter it over the chicken, do the same with a few Tblsp. minced green pepper and 2 cloves of minced garlic. If you love mushrooms, add a handful of thinly sliced mushrooms too.

In a bowl, combine 2 cups of chopped tomato (with its juices), 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, 1 Tblsp. fresh basil (or 1/2 tsp. dried basil). S&P - spoon it over the chicken.
Place the partially cooked potatoes around the chicken.
Drizzle 2 T. olive oil over everything.
Cover and bake for 50 minutes.
Remove from oven - uncover and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes begin to turn golden. 

Pumpkin Oatmeal cookies with cranberries & white chocolate

Heat oven to 350º - line baking sheets with parchment.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix together thoroughly:

1 C. soft butter
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin (canned - NOT pumpkin pie FILLING, just cooked pumpkin)
1 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 c. rolled oats
1 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 c. flour
1 tsp. bkg. soda
1/4 tsp. salt

1-1/2 C. dried cranberries (craisins)
1-1/2 C. white chocolate chips

Mix well - batter should be rather thick & sticky.  Drop onto parchment by level Tblsp., leaving space between each.  I had 12-15 on each baking sheet.

Bake 12-15 minutes - be careful not to under or overbake these.
Remove from oven and cool completely.  They'll remain rather soft even after they cool off.

Halloween Hugs

This isn't really even a recipe.  I saw this in a magazine, thought the idea was cute for Halloween and bought Hershey "Hugs", candy corn and pretzel (mini twists).  

I lined a couple baking pans with parchment sheets.  Heat the oven to 325º.
Unwrap the hugs and place the candy on the pretzels.
Put them in the oven and heat for approx. 5 minutes, until the hugs get soft/melt.
Immediately, put a pc. of candy corn on top of each hug and press down.
That's IT.  Let them cool off and harden before moving them.

Lemon Basic Cod

On heavy duty aluminum foil, spray the center with nonstick spray. 
Place a couple cod filets.
Smear them with 1 clove of crushed garlic.
Drizzle olive oil over them, season with salt & freshly ground pepper.
Sprinkle a tsp. of white balsamic vinegar over tops.Mince a few tblsp. of fresh basil & 1 tblsp. fresh oregano and sprinkle on top.
Place thinly sliced lemon pcs on top, sprinkle with more S&P.

Close up the foil & crimp.  Place on your grill (or in the oven) and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish - be careful not to overcook it.  You can use other types of fish, but cooking time will vary.  The fish is cooked when it flakes apart easily.Remove from the heat, carefully open the foil.