White Chicken Enchiladas

This is a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal. And one of my personal favorites. This to me doesn't taste healthy at all...which is awesome! If you are watching what you eat (what a weird saying that is) make sure you keep this to two enchiladas/serving. The meal packs a bigger amount of calories then some of the other things I post. But have no fear, two enchiladas is very filling. The sister and I both give it 5 stars.

Side note: The original recipe calls for fat free sour cream and cheese...which I find I gross so I use low-fat.

White Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 6

Ingredients:

12 white or yellow corn tortillas (6 inches)
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1 cup plus 1 tbsp fat free milk, divided
4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 can (10 3/4 oz) reduced fat and reduced sodium cream of chicken soup
1 cup low fat sour cream
1 4oz can minced jalapenos
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, green onions and 1 tbsp milk. Stir in chicken.

In another bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, jalapenos and remaining milk. Stir 2 tbsp soup mixture into chicken mixture. Place 1/3 cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down into a 13x9 inch baking dish spray with non-stick spray. Once all tortillas are in the dish, spread the remainder of the soup mixture on the top. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Meat Loaf, Eat Loaf, I Don't Want to Eat Loaf

Remember when you were little and your mom made meat loaf and you hated it? And sometimes there was an egg in the middle of it (ps, wtf was that?!)? Yeah, this isn't that recipe. Think of all the yummyness of a hot wing (dressing included) and then imagine it coming out of a pan in a loaf. That is pretty much what this taste like. It.Is.So.Good. The sister gives it 4.75 and I'd give it 5.

Side notes: As I have mentioned before, ground white chicken meat is HARD to find. Ground turkey works great. Also, I have found the cooking time on this really varies for some reason. For a single loaf, it is between 30 and 40 minutes so keep an eye on it!

Buffalo-Blue Cheese Meat Loaf

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2/3 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup skim milk

2.5 tbsp buffalo wing sauce (add some more if you like it super spicy, I use Franks Red Hot)

1lb ground chicken or ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup low fat blue cheese crumbles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 9x5x3 nonstick loaf pan with cooking spray.

Combine the oats and milk in a medium bowl and stir to mix. Let stand for 3 minutes or until oats begin to soften. Stir in wing sauce until well mixed. Add the chicken, celery, carrot, onion, egg whites and salt. With a fork or clean hands, mix the ingredients well. Add the blue cheese and gently mix to combine.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread so that the top is flat. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (again, keep an eye on it) until completely cooked through and meat is no longer pink. Cut into 8 slices and serve!

SW Chili

When I first saw this recipe I was a little leery because it had some random ingredients...mainly the envelope of ranch dip mix and some weird suggestion of soy crumbles. I made a few adjustments (yeah, we don't do soy in my family, YUCK. Plus, I'm allergic) and out came this very hearty soup. There isn't a ton of liquid in this which I love. Feel free to top with whatever...sour cream, cheese, green onions, etc. This isn't an especially spicy chili so if you like a bit more kick, add some red pepper or jalapeno. The sister gives this 5 stars!

Side note: Freezes like a dream

Southwest Chili
Makes 12 servings


Ingredients:

1 small pack of ground beef (I use 4% fat)
16oz package of frozen sweet corn
Two 15oz cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
One 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
Four 14.5oz cans no-salt added diced tomatoes
1 envelope taco seasoning mix (I use the reduced salt)
1 envelope ranch dip/dressing mix
1/2 cup minced onions
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown meat and onions in bottom of large pot. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Once meat is no longer pink, dump everything else into pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Yep, that's it. Aren't I easy? (That's what she said)

Chicken Orzo Salad with MY FAVORITE

Little known secret outside of my family and fellow blogger...I love goat cheese more then life itself. On a cracker, on some bread, on a burger, on some chicken, thrown in a salad..doesn't matter. If I see it on a menu, I order. I saw a version of this recipe in Cooking Light and made a few tweaks because their version was BORING. I serve this on a bed of fresh spinach but you could really do it on any kind of lettuce leaf. You can serve this warm or cold. The sister gives this 4.5 stars...I'd give it 5.

Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

1.25 cups uncooked orzo
3/4lb grilled chicken, cut into bite size chunks
4-6 cups fresh spinach
1.5 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tsp oregano
Balsamic Vinegar
EVOO
salt
pepper
1.5oz goat cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta, drain well

Combine pasta, chicken, tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper and oregano in a large bowl and toss to combine

In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar and EVOO. The amount of really depends on how much "dressing" you want. Just eyeball...remember you can always add but you can never take away.

Drizzle dressing over pasta and toss well. Spoon over spinach and top with crumbled cheese.

Oriental (is that PC?) Pasta

In case you've been wondering, I like pasta. A lot. And I think pasta is the perfect lesson in moderation. Yes, you can eat pasta and have it be healthy. On average, the recipes I have on here have 2 ounces of pasta/serving. That's not a lot. But damn does it taste good. Once again we are shown that you do not have to avoid most foods when you are countin' your calories. Just don't have a box of pasta to yourself if you are concerned about watching your weight. CARBS ARE NOT THE DEVIL.

This recipe originally called for cooked turkey breast. We tried it and while it was ok, it was salty as hell. I would recommend chicken breast or even some steak...yum! Also, I like a lot of veggies. I pretty much doubled this when I made it but I realize not everyone may be as veggie crazy as me! The sister gave this 4.25 stars.

Oriental Pasta
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Oriental Dressing (recipe to follow)
8oz cooked meat (whatever you decide here)
4 oz carrots, julienned
4 oz asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 oz fresh spinach, chopped
8oz whole wheat thin spaghetti

Directions:

Combine all veggies and meat into a saucepan over medium heat and cook until warmed up. Toss over pasta and top of with dressing. Toss gently to coat and you are done! (Hi, I'm easy. No excuses not to make this one, even on a late night)

Oriental Dressing
yields 1 cup

Ingredients:

1/4cup low salt soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

Mix all together and whisk until combined!

Calzones

I can say without hesitation that these are some of the best things I make. Yeah, that's my cook ego talking but seriously. The family practically jumps up and down when they see me buying the ingredients for these. You can make them with ANYTHING...your only limit is your imagination. For this post I used the original Greek recipe but you can make them cheeseburger delight style (ground beef, onions and cheddar), Mexican style (ground meat, tomatoes, jalapenos and Mexican blend cheese) or really anything. Take your favorite pizza topping and simply throw it into this heavenly dough balls. The sister gives it 5 stars and the brother gives it 10, ha!

Greek Calzones
Serves 4

Ingredients:

½ package of lean ground beef (can also use ground turkey)
½ container low fat feta cheese
½ container of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 roll pizza dough (by the refrigerated biscuits)
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic
Greek Seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Brown meat and onions, seasoned with Greek seasoning and garlic. Once cooked, add in cheese and tomatoes and toss.

Unroll pizza dough and cut into four equal (as you can get it) rectangles and place on a cookie sheet. Using a slotted spoon, place a ¼ to ½ cup of meat into middle of each rectangle. Gather 4 corners of each rectangle and gather at the top, pinching together sides to seal the meat in.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown on top and bottom.

South of the Border Delight-Shrimp Tacos

I can't believe I have yet to post a Mexican recipe yet. I'm high on Mexican food. Way high. These tacos are a new recipe and for the first run through they turned out pretty well. My biggest mistake? Not going to the seafood market for the shrimp. The shrimp found at Ralphs was tasteless. Poop on you Ralph's. You won't grind chicken breasts for me and you have crappy seafood. Anyhow, lesson learned. Take your lazy ass to a nice seafood place to buy the shrimp.

Side note: Feel free to top with sour cream, salsa, guac, what have you

Garlic Shrimp and Mushroom Tacos
Serves 4 (two tacos each)

Ingredients:

1lb shrimp
1tbsp chopped garlic
SW Seasoning (I use Mrs Dash, salt free)
1 carton mushrooms
2 tbsp lime juice
8 yellow corn tortillas
Tenna's coleslaw (recipe to follow)

Directions:

In a medium skillet (sprayed with cooking spray), add shrimp, mushrooms, garlic and Mexican seasoning. Cook and stir for 4 to 6 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.

Serve with coleslaw and warm tortillas.

Tennas Coleslaw
4 VERY large servings

Ingredients:

1 bag coleslaw mix
EVOO
Salt
Pepper

Dump coleslaw mix in bowl and slowly add in EVOO (it will probably take about 1/8-1/4 cup...I never measure this). Add salt and pepper to taste. This is SO simple and good. Trust me on this. Plus, cabbage is good for you.

Your Italian Grandmother Might Be Rolling Over in Her Grave

I'll be up front with you internets. This is not going to taste like your Italian mama used to make. Or like the piping dish from your favorite Italian restaurant. But, it's a pretty good substitute. If you are an Italian foodie purist, I take no responsibility. To you others, it's good, I promise. I serve over spinach but you could also do some wheat or brown rice pasta.

Side note: Welcome to my introduction of Pomi tomato sauce. Found in a box. Imported from Italy. Not even 1/4 as expensive as it sounds. Available in your local g-store. SO GOOD! Taste like homemade! GO FIND SOME.

Chicken Parmesan
Serves 8

Ingredients:

8 thin chicken breasts (you can buy them like this or just pound them yourself)
2 egg whites
1.5 cups Panko bread crumbs (I probably should make a Panko label)
1-2 cups skim mozzarella (depending on how cheesy you like it)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 box Pomi Tomato Sauce
1/4-1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped (depending on how basil-ie you like it)
salt
pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray.

Place egg whites in shallow bowl and bread crumbs on a plate. Give each breast an egg white wash and dip each side into the bread crumbs, making sure to coat completely. Place into pan. Repeat with remaining breasts and dust all with salt and pepper.

Pour tomato sauce over the breasts. Sprinkle both cheeses and basil over the sauce.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and chicken is cooked through.

Super Easy Turkey Club Pie

This is straight out of old school Pittsburgh. Which means I took a very fatty recipe, made some replacements and out came a totally tasty treat (that won't pop the button off your jeans). Unless you REALLY hate real bacon, don't try to substitute with turkey bacon. This only uses 8 slices. Spread over 6 servings. That's 1.33 slices/serving. Stop being weird. It won't kill you. The sister gives this 5 stars.

Super Easy Turkey Club Pie
Serves 6 (if you double, just use a 9x13 pan, works fine)

Ingredients:

1 pack lean ground turkey
8 slices bacon, crispy cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Bisquick Heart Smart
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. Spray 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.

Cook turkey in pan until no longer pink. Once cooked, sprinkle the turkey, bacon and cheese in pie plate.

In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Naughy but Delish

My sister made these mac and cheese bites for our very successful game night this past Saturday. They.Are.So.Good. These aren't good for you. Don't try to make them good for you. Enjoy them as an occasional treat and hit the gym the next day. They are worth every bite.

Mac and Cheese Bites
makes about 50 (recipe is very easily halved)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
1.5 cups milk
3 packed cups sharp cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 extra large egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 24-count, nonstick mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking occasionally, for about 2 -3 minutes until thickened. Add cheddar and Parmesan cheeses and stir to melt. Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks, salt and nutmeg. Stir in macaroni.

Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of macaroni and cheese into the prepared mini muffin pan. Each cup should be filled to the top. Pack each one down gently. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 minutes. Using a teaspoon, carefully loosen the mac and cheese bites and transfer to a platter to serve.

To make ahead, bake and cool mac and cheese bites. Package and refrigerate. Place bites on a baking sheet and bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. Serve warm.