Fiesta Smothered Chicken

Fiesta Smothered Chicken

3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 oz each)
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 tsp chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
6 tsp butter, divided
1/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.  In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder; add the chicken.  Seal bag and turn to coat; set aside.

2.  In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute the mushrooms, onion, and jalapeno in 2 tsp butter until tender.  Remove and keep warm.

3.  Drain and discard marinade.  In the same skillet, cook chicken in remaining butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.  Spoon vegetable mixture over each chicken breast, sprinkle with cheeses.  Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Makes 2 servings
1 breast, prepared with reduced fat butter and reduced fat cheddar cheese
Cal 314; fat 17; fiber 1

I was kinda disappointed in this recipe.  Don't get me wrong, it was very good, yet it seemed to be missing something.  I had a hard time to get my chicken to cook, so I ended up throwing the lid on the skillet and putting it in the oven.  When the chicken was finally done, I put the sauteed veggies on top and added the cheese, put the lid back on and turned the burner on, long enough to melt the cheese.  Worked out really well.  I had more veggies than chicken, so there was a lot of veggies, but the breasts were fairly large size.

Cheeseburger Paradise Soup

 Cheeseburger Paradise Soup

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 small carrot, grated
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tbsp chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
3 cups water

2 tbsp plus 2 tsps beef bouillon granules

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 tsp pepper

2 pounds ground beef

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

2 tbsp butter

5 cups milk, divided

6 tbsp all purpose flour
1 package (16 oz) Velveeta cheese, cubed
crumbled cooked bacon

1.  In a soup kettle, combine the first nine ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Add to soup.  Stir in 4 cups milk; heat through.

3.  In a small bowl, combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted.  Garnish with bacon.

Makes 14 servings (about 3 1/2 quarts)

What is a soup kettle?!?  I put the potatoes in a large stockpot.  I had to add more water than the 3 cups to cover my potatoes.  I either had more than they did (the soup was perfect) or they didn't completely cover theirs with water.  I had planned on scooping out some of the water when my potatoes were done, but I forgot and did not do that.  The soup wasn't watery either.  Probably not as thick as they had in mind, but it was still soup consistency. 

I seasoned my meat with a some gourmet burger seasoning.  You could leave it plain, but I didn't want the meat bland.  The soup tastes great, yet, it is still a little bland.  So I would taste it, and adjust accordingly.  I also didn't dump all the stuff in with the potatoes.  I browned the ground turkey (beef) and when it was about halfway to 3/4 done I added all the vegetables and cooked it in with the meat.  Once the potatoes were done I just dumped it all in with the potatoes.

Bombay Chicken

Bombay Chicken

1 1/2 cups (12 oz) plain yogurt
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
4 to 5 pounds bone in chicken thighs and legs, skin removed

1.  In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first 11 ingredients.  Add the chicken; seal bag and turn to coat.  Refrigerate overnight. 

2.  Rub grill rack with oil or coat with cooking spray before starting the grill.  Drain and discard marinade.

3.  Grill chicken, covered, over medium hot heat for 10-15 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 180*.

makes 8 servings; one servings (4 oz cooked dark meat)
Cal 255; fat 13; fiber 1

I was a little leery of this while I was making the marinade.  It is about the color of chili - only a little lighter.  I didn't taste of the marinade because of the oil in it.  But, we dumped in the chicken, squished it all around to get it all nicely coated and plopped it in the fridge. 

It was a little windy, so we had a few issues while we were grilling it, but it could be easily baked.  I would just line the pan with foil, as the chicken wanted to stick to grill. 

I was really surprised at how mildly flavored the chicken turned out.  It was very good, this would make a very, very good base, to make BBQ chicken or something else will as well.  It's a definite keeper!

Enchilada Lasagna

Enchilada Lasagna

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
1 pkg. (8 oz) fat free cream cheese
1 tsp chili powder
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
6 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
salsa and sour cream, optional

1.  In a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion, and peppers over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in cream cheese and chili powder.

2.  Pour enchilada sauce in a shallow bowl.  Dip tortillas in sauce to coat.  Place two tortillas in a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray; spread with half of the turkey mixture.  Sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese.  Repeat layers.  Top with remaining tortillas and cheese.

3. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months or bake, uncovered, at 400* for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired.

4.  To use frozen lasagna: Thaw in refrigerator overnight.  Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.  Bake as directed.

Makes 8 servings; 1 piece (calculated without salsa and sour cream)
Cal 282; fat 11; fiber 2


This was really good.  The tortillas were kinda soggy, which made them have a weird consistency.  I think that the next time I make this I'm going to try corn tortillas, or lay my tortillas out and let them dry out a little.  I didn't freeze it, I made it and baked it up.

Chicken Shrimp Creole

Chicken Shrimp Creole


2 bacon strips
½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 bay leaf
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp hot pepper sauce
1 lb. Uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups cooked brown rice


1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 tbsp drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside. Saute the chicken, onion, green pepper and celery in drippings for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the shrimp and reserved bacon; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Discard bay leaf. Serve with rice.


Makes 6 servings; 2/3 cup shrimp mixture with ½ cup rice
Cal 272; fat 6; fiber 4

 
 
I was really disappointed in this.  It looked really great, it smelled good, but the final product was BLAND!!!  There was no flavor to this whatsoever, and I didn't even follow the recipe from the beginning.  As I started making this and realized the blandness factor, I started adding and doctoring and seasoning.  I added more garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder and that's just what I remember.  I seasoned the chicken while it was cooking; I added almost double, if not a little closer to triple on the hot pepper sauce.  It had heat, but I'm not sure if that was from the Tabasco, or the cayenne pepper. 
 
The next day, I had leftovers for lunch and had mixed the rice in the night before, I definitely liked what that did to the rice, so I would recommend, cutting your liquid in your rice down, and when you run out of liquid, dump the rice into the pot and let it all simmer and bubble for about 10-15 minutes, then serve it.  It was a lot better that way, and there was a lot less "juice".  I will definitely make it again, but there will be some serious seasoning going on.

Lemon Chicken with Pasta

Lemon Chicken with Pasta

1 1/2 cups uncooked medium pasta shells
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
6 tsp canola oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup reduced fat chicken broth
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large resealable bag, combine the bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Add chicken a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.

2.  In a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, saute chicken in 4 tsp oil until juices run clear.  Remove and keep warm.

3.  In the same skillet, cook onion in remaining oil over medium heat until tender.  Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended.  Gradually stir in broth and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

4.  Drain pasta; toss with lemon sauce.  Serve with chicken, sprinkle with cheese.

makes 4 servings

Cal 428; fat 12; fiber 2

I loved this, it was creamy, and lemony and just all around fabulous.  It was something that you would expect to find on a resturant menu.  My husband thought it was a little too lemony, so if you aren't a fan of the tart stuff, I would use a little less than the 1/4 cup of lemon juice called for. 

Taco Pasta Shells

Taco Pasta Shells

18 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 bottle (16 oz) taco sauce, divided
3 oz fat free cream cheese, cubed
2 tsp chili powder
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend, divided
20 baked tortilla chip scoops, coarsely crushed

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef until no longer pink; drain.  Add 1/2 cup taco sauce, cream cheese and chili powder; cook and stir until blended.  Stir in 1/4 cup cheese blend.

2.  Drain pasta and rinse with cold water; stuff each shell with about 2 tbsp beef mixture.  Arrange in an baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Spoon remaining taco sauce over the top.

3.  Cover and bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese blend.  Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with chips.

Makes 18 shells, 3 per serving
Cal 384; fat 13; fiber 3

These things are fabulous.  We like them the best with Pace brand taco sauce.  I also use the ground turkey and I typically only use a 1 pound package and it's more than enough to stuff the shells with.

South of the Border Casserole

South of the Border Casserole

1 tsp olive oil
1 pound extra lean ground beef
3/4 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced sweet green peppers
2 seeded, fresh jalapeno peppers, minced
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes
2 cups nonfat sour cream
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz uncooked penne or macaroni pasta

1.  Add the olive oil to a nonstick pan and place over medium high heat.

2.  Add the ground beef, breaking it up, cook until no longer pink.  Drain any fat from the pan.

3.  Add the onions, green pepper, cooking until softened.  Stir in the jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, sour cream, honey, chili powder and salt.

4. Add the pasta. Stir, cover, lower the heat and gently simmer until the pasta is tender, about 25 minutes.  Stir every five minutes, to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.


We love this stuff.  But I do things a whole lot differently than the recipe suggests.  I use ground turkey and add it, the onions, and green pepper to the pan at the same time.  Once that is finished up, I just dump.  I use diced tomatoes instead of whole, because otherwise you have to break up the tomatoes, and that just saves a step.  I don't use fresh jalapenos, I typically just use pickled, and depnding on how spicy we want it, depends on how much I add, but I don't add anywhere near 2 whole peppers.  If I actually have the fresh jalapeno, I typically only use half of one pepper.  Do it to your own liking.

Enchilada Casser-Ole!

Enchilada Casser-Ole!

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups salsa
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup reduced fat Italian dressing
2 tbsp reduced sodium taco seasoning
1/4 tsp ground cumin
6 flour tortillas (8 inch)
3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 cup (4 oz) shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

1.  In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the salsa, beans, dressing, taco seasoning and cumin.  Place three tortillas in a 2 qt baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Layer with half of the meat mixture, sour cream and cheese.  Repeat layers.

2.  Cover and bake at 400* for 25 minutes.  Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through.  Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce tomato and cilantro.

makes 8 servings; 1 piece each
Cal 357; fat 12; fiber 3

I was really worried about this, I'm not much of a fan of black beans, but it came out really good.  I don't use taco seasoning, I have enough spices in my cabinet that I just throw in garlic, chili powder, paprika, a little bit of cayenne, cumin and oregano.  I do not, under any circumstances recommend making this ahead of time.  The tortillas get really, really soggy and it's kind awful.  It also doesn't make good leftovers for the same reason.  I had thought about trying corn tortillas, so that it would perhaps work out better leftover.

Chicken Parmesan

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp basil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Combine 1/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, basil and cayenne.  Coat chicken breast in flour, dip in egg, and then in bread crumbs.  Brown breast in olive oil, then bake at 375* for 20 minutes.

This recipe was only half copied down when I recieved it.  So I don't know how many chicken breasts exactly this recipe makes.  I usually make anywhere between 4-6 and have leftover breading materials.  I don't brown it in the olive oil, I just throw them in a pan and bake them until the chicken is done.  When I had this (got the recipe from a friend), she had made the spaghetti, placed it in the bottom of the pan, placed the chicken on top, then sprinkled chees all over it, and baked it until the chicken was finished cooking.  She follows recipes better than I do.  It comes out really great, very resturant like taste.

Texas Ranch Chicken Casserole

Texas Ranch Chicken Casserole


1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups cooked chicken breast
1 can (10 3/4 oz) reduced fat reduced sodium condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 can (10 3/4 oz) reduced fat reduced sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 tbsp chili powder
12 corn tortillas (6 inches), cut into 1 inch strips
2 cups (8 oz) shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided

1. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute the onion, celery and peppers in oil until crisp tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the chicken, soups, tomatoes and chili powder.

2. Line the bottom of a 3 qt baking dish with half of the tortilla strips; top with half of the chicken mixture and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350* for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Makes 8 - 1 cup servings
Calories 329; fat 12g; saturated fat; 5g; cholesterol; 65mg; sodium 719; carbs 31g; fiber 3; protein 26 g


This is absolutely fabulous. It is kinda like inside out enchiladas. Next time, I am going to cut the tortillas down to 10 and cut them in strips and then in half again, it was a little hard to manage with the larger strips. Plus the ones on the bottom didn't get as soggy and were a little tougher. I substituted extra virgin olive oil instead of canola. I didn't spray the pan, because frankly why do you need it to saute the veggies, that's what the oil is for. I also used leftover rotisserie chicken. Because the chicken was seasoned, I didn't add the chili powder. And I probably never will. This will be one of those recipes that I call a leftover. Since it requires that you use cooked chicken, this will probably be planned in on a week when we have "extra" cooked chicken.

Swiss Steak Supper

Swiss Steak Supper


1 1/2 pounds boneless beef top round steak
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper
1 tbsp canola oil
3 medium potatoes
1 1/2 cups fresh baby carrots
1 medium onion, sliced
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Italian diced tomatoes
1 jar (12 oz) home style beef gravy
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1. Cut steak into six serving size pieces; flatten to 1/4 inch thickness. Rub with seasoned salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown beef in oil on both sides; drain.

2. Cut each potato into eight wedges. In a 5 quart slow cooker, layer the potatoes, carrots, beef and onion. combine tomatoes and gravy; pour over the top. Cover and cook on low for 5 1/2 to 6 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 6 servings

Cal 402; fat 6; fiber 5
This is absolutely awful. We let it cook roughly 7 hours, the meat was so tough that we could hardly eat it. The potatoes were halfway done as were the carrots. The onions were still more or less raw. The gravy disappeared, and there was all this liquid in the bottom, my guess is that most of it is the liquid in the tomatoes and what cooked out of the veggies. I do not plan on making this recipe again. It did have good flavor, if you didn't mind the chewing of a tennis shoe. I don't even know where to begin to make this more edible. Different cut of meat. Cut into bite size pieces, no browning, dump everything in, cut carrots down as well as potatoes and make it more stew like. I honestly don't know. I do know that there wasn't enough liquid by any means.  So if you attempt to make this add additional liquids in the form of water, broth, gravy, it doesn't really matter.  Otherwise I'm afraid that you will have the same results that I had.  I have thrown the recipe away and we will not be having this again.

Baja Chipotle Fish Tacos

Baja Chipotle Fish Tacos


1 pound fresh halibut or tilapia fillet
1 1/4 cup Lawry's Baja Chipotle with Lime juice Marinade
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
12 corn tortillas

For Slaw:
2 to 3 cups coleslaw
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
juice of 1 lime or 2 tbsp bottled lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Place fish in a large baking dish or zip lock bag with 3/4 cup marinade. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes or longer. Transfer fish to foil-lined baking sheet or fish basket (if grilling). Discard used marinade. Broil or grill fish, basting with 1/4 cup of marinade, until flesh flakes easily with a fork.

2. While fish is cooking, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and remaining 1/4 cup of marinade; stir until well blended. In a medium bowl, combine coleslaw, cilantro and tomato; toss to combine. Sprinkle lime juice, salt and peper over coleslaw mixture; toss to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Steam tortillas or dip them briefly in hot oil. To serve, spread cream sauce on a tortilla, fill with crumbled fish, and top with coleslaw.

makes 12 tacos

Notes: Unless you are planning on really piling on the sauce, I highly recommend that you cut the sauce in half. Of course, this is assuming that you are feeding 2. It made a tremendous amount, and while it is fabulous, it is hard to use the leftovers when there are no more tacos. I also cut the coleslaw ingredients in half, the first time I made it we had coleslaw leftover for days. The longer it sits the more the lime juice comes through, and it is so sour that you can't eat it. Unless you REALLY like cilantro, I would highly recommend not using one "bunch". Unless my bunch was different than theres, there was so much cilantro that you couldn't taste much of anything else. I would suggest adding a small amount, and then tasting and adjusting accordingly.

I was leary of fish tacos. It was just a little too weird for me. However, our local grocery store is kinda gourment and on the weekends they make recipes and have samples available. So my husband talked me into trying them, and I was plesantly surprised. It's not as fishy as you would think, or as weird either.

Sausage with Beans and Rice


2/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 1/2 oz) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup instant brown rice
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp corn syrup
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until onion is crisp tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased 13x9 baking dish.

2. Cover and bake at 350* for 15 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Makes 6 servings; 1 cup serving size
Cal 529; fat 23g; fiber 8; cholesterol 51mg; sodium 1504mg

Well, this stuff is pretty fabulous. I was looking for a healthier version to red beans and rice, mostly for my father. This didn't come exactly out like red beans and rice, but it was still really good.  However, I did make some changes, so my actual stats are a lot better. I used EVOO instead of vegetable oil, the sausage that I used is by Johnsonville (follow link for exact product). I used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.

Pizza Spaghetti

Pizza Spaghetti


1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
4 cans (8 oz each) no salt added tomato sauce
3 oz, sliced turkey pepperoni
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp minced fresh parsley or 1/2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp minced fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried basil
9 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

2. Stir in the tomato sauce, pepperoni, sugar, parsley and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until thickened. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions.

3. Drain spaghetti; toss with sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

makes 6 servings 1 1/3 cups each
Cal 369; fat 9; fiber 7


This stuff is great. It's like a supreme pizza, spaghettified. My husband isn't much of a spaghetti fan, but he regularly requests this. I substitute (surprise, surprise) ground turkey for the beef and I don't use the Italian sausage, mostly because of personal preference. I can get the turkey sausage links that are just plain and I use those, mostly because I don't like the fennel in the other stuff. The package that I buy has 5 links, and I use 2 1/2 and freeze the other rest for another go round of this stuff. I typically add the 1/2 log of turkey that's leftover too and label it for pizza spaghetti. I didn't think about it until I was typing this up, but this might be really good to add a little green pepper too to give it a more supreme pizza taste.

Southwest Chicken Skillet

Southwest Chicken Skillet


12 oz skinless boneless chicken breast
1 tbsp olive oil
1 - 15 oz jar salsa
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup ripe olives - sliced
1 cup brown rice - quick cooking
1/2 cup fat free cheddar cheese – shredded

1. Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces. In a large skillet cook and stir chicken in hot oil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in salsa, chicken broth, chopped sweet pepper, and, if desired olives.

2. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and bring to a soft boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Let stand covered 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings


This particular recipe has a unique story and name behind it. The first time I had planned on making this recipe as I was making my grocery list, I put down olives. My husband and I both like black olives, yet unless I am making pizza or a specific recipe I never have them on hand. As we were shopping, we were unable to find the sliced, and figuring that it wouldn't make that much difference, I bought a small can of the chopped olives. If you have never used these, chopped is an understatement. The olives are in very small pieces. That, if you have a husband with an unusual sense of humor they could be mistaken as ..... rat turds. My husband came home from work, and lifted the lid off the pan to see what smelled good, and proceeded to ask me if we were having rat turd casserole for dinner. So consequently my husband asks for Rat Turd Casserole now.

I don't change up anything.  This is what I call a planned-over meal.  I only make it when I have leftover chicken in the fridge.  So sometimes it has a spicy punch, and other times not.  Just depends on what the chicken started out as.  I do suggest that you use whatever type of salsa that you prefer. I typically use medium as my husband and I like it a little spicy.

Fajita Lasagna

Fajita Lasagna


1 bag (1 pound) frozen stir fry bell peppers and onions, thawed
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce
1 envelope (1.4 oz) fajita seasoning mix
12 no boil lasagna noodles
3 cups shredded Colby Monterey jack cheese (12 oz)
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
Guacamole, salsa and sour cream if desired

1. Heat oven to 350*. Spray bottom and sides of rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches with cooking spray. Drain thawed bell pepper mixture on several layers of paper towels; set aside.

2. Cook beef in 10 inch skillet over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in tomato sauce and seasoning mix; heat to boiling. Spread 1/2 cup sauce mixture in bottom of baking dish. Arrange 4 noodles crosswise, slightly overlapping, on sauce. Spread 1 1/2 cups sauce over noodles, completely covering noodles. Spread pepper mixture evenly over sauce; sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese.

3. Arrange 4 noodles crosswise, slightly overlapping on top of cheese. Spread about 1 1/2 cups sauce over noodles, completely covering noodles. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese and the olives over sauce. Arrange 4 noodles crosswise, slightly overlapping on olives. Spread remaining sauce over noodles, completely covering noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

4. Spray piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover baking dish with cooking spray. Tightly cover baking dish with foil, sprayed side down. Bake about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with guacamole, salsa and sour cream if desired.

Makes 8 servings


Substitutions - I never have been able to find frozen bell peppers that just has onion and peppers in it. So I always just slice up the fresh stuff. It comes out just fine. I also use ground turkey or leftover chicken, chopped up in smaller than bite size pieces. I have yet to put the olives in it, mostly because we are always making this to enjoy with others who don't like olives.  I was worried about this one the first tried this. But it tastes like fajitas with noodles. Make sure you cover the noodles with sauce, if not where they aren't covered, they are chewy. You can always pre-cook your noodles and cut your sauce down if you prefer. I tried this once, and it's hard to not have too much or not enough sauce. Plus, what do you do with the rest of the mix and tomato sauce?  So just follow the directions and don't pre-cook your noodles.

Country Chicken with Gravy

Country Chicken with Gravy


3/4 cup crushed cornflakes
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp fat free evaporated milk
2 tsp canola oil

Gravy:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup fat free evaporated milk
1/4 cup condensed chicken broth; undiluted
1 tsp sherry or additional chicken broth
2 tbsp snipped chives
1. In a shallow bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Place milk in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in milk, then roll in cornflake mixture.

2. In a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, pepper, and salt until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk, broth and sherry or additional broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chives. Serve with chicken.


Makes 4ish servings (not sure how many exactly) Recipe doesn't even tell you how many chicken breasts you need)

Makes 1 chicken breast half with 2 tbsp gravy
Cal 274; fat 8; fiber trace

I'm not much of a "fried" chicken person. I'm not much of a fried person period. I don't much care for gravy either. So I was kinda leary of this one. But I saved the recipe mostly for my husband. First of all, I didn't cook the chicken in the skillet in the oil. Because...it's frying and even though you have the best of intentions you typically end up adding extra oil to keep it from burning and sticking. So...I baked it. No, it is probably not as crispy as it would be if you cooked it in the oil, but it is still crispy enough. The gravy. Oh the gravy. Typically gravy involves ketchup. Mostly to cover up the gravy taste. You could paint this stuff on a rusty bumper, and I would glady lick it all off. If you are being a good little person and watching portions and all that jazz, then the gravy the recipe makes is sufficient. However, if you don't care about calories, then I highly recommend doubling the gravy recipe. As it doesn't make but maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of gravy. I also used Total cereal for the cornflake crumbs. Mostly because it's high fiber, low fat. But you can use whatever you want for good results. Just make sure that they are a breadcrumb like consistensy.

Swiss Enchiladas

Swiss Enchiladas


1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast (about 2 breasts)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (4.5 oz) cans diced green chilies, undrained
1 (14.5 oz) can petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups 2% reduced fat milk
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
6 (8 inch) fat free flour tortillas
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Swiss cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350*.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until tender. Stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken, garlic, chilies and tomatoes. Reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Set aside.

3. Combine milk and flour in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook 5 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in salt.

4. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture and about 2 1/2 tbsp cheese down center of each tortilla, roll up. Arrange filled tortillas in the bottom of a 13x9 inch-baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour milk mixture over tortillas, and top evenly with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven.

5. Preheat broiler.

6. Broil Casserole for 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Makes 6 servings; 1 enchilada and about 1/3 cup sauce
Cal 419; fat 13.2; fiber 4.3

I know that this sounds a little weird. Swiss cheese with enchilada's, but it works. It is definitely something different. There is a little spice, but not much, however, if you want to increase your spicy factor, use a can of Rotel in place of the tomatoes and 1 can of the green chilies. Although doing this, depending on your preferences can make this go from a 2 to a 9 on the spicy chart. I also don't make the sauce. It's bland, it tastes like warm milk. When I was making it I was adding garlic and cayenne pepper and other stuff to make it taste not so milky. We just didn't care for the sauce. I have substituted sour cream sauce, canned enchilada sauce, and the sauce that I use on another enchildada recipe. They all work great, especially the sour cream sauce and the sauce that I make on spinach enchiladas. But, we never make sauce anymore. I used the sliced Swiss cheese, because it is usually cheaper than a block, and we just lay a slice on top, let the cheese melt and have at it. I guess that would make it more burritos than enchiladas.

Sausage and Rice Stew

Sausage and Rice Stew


1 pkg. (16 oz) smoked turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeno slices
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cups water
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
2 cans (15 oz each) white kidney or cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups fresh baby spinach

1. In a Dutch oven, saute the kielbasa, onion, shallots, jalapeno and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Add the water, broth, beans, rice and seasonings. Bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in spinach. Cook 5 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted.

Makes 6 servings; 1 2/3 cups each
Cal 369; fat 7; fiber 7


This stuff sounds a little weird, but it is really, really good. I made a few substitutions. I used the Johnsonville turkey sausage links.  It isn't as many oz as the kielbasa, but there was plenty of sausage. I didn't put the shallots in, because frankly I wasn't going to buy a bag of shallots for two of them, when it already had a large onion in it. The sweet onion was sufficient. I chopped the jalapenos very fine, and probably ended up with closer to two tablespoons, but we like things a little spicy. I didn't use long grain rice, because I wasn't going to buy a box and just use a cup and end up throwing the rest away in a few months when the critters made a home in it. I just used brown rice, and I was a little worried about that, because brown rice has a distinct flavor. I also, didn't put the spinach in. I'm not sure why. We like spinach, but I think that we were going to have a salad with it, and decided that it was just too much green leafy stuff in one meal. I made this on a Sunday cooking fest and it sat in the fridge for a week before we got around to eating it. We fought over who got to eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. It's really good. We had a salad and breadsticks with it and it was very filling, and very good.