Red Chile Pork Tacos with Caramelized Onions

Having this tonight. I love the onions. They are so sweet. This is one of D's favorite dishes.
I think we are having it with bean, rice and cheese casserole.

Red Chile Pork Tacos with Caramelized Onions

Sweet, succulent onions are the perfect foil for this savory pork taco filling. Ancho chile powder gives the meat a mild, slightly fruity chile flavor.

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 cups thinly sliced onion
8 hard taco shells
1/2 cup chopped tomato
8 teaspoons chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine first 3 ingredients; rub evenly over pork. Place pork on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Remove pork from oven; let sit 5 minutes before slicing.
While pork cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Uncover and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Fill each taco shell with about 2 ounces pork, 3 tablespoons sautéed onion, 1 tablespoon tomato, and 1 teaspoon green onions.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

CALORIES 304 (30% from fat); FAT 10.2g (sat 2.2g,mono 5.4g,poly 1.8g); PROTEIN 26.9g; CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 46mg; SODIUM 444mg; FIBER 4.5g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003

Chicken Sausage and Provolone Penne Bake

We couldn't find the sausage they mentioned so we got Roasted Pepper and Garlic. This was a pretty good dish. Reminded us of baked ziti. I think different flavors of tomato paste, canned tomatoes and sausage would vary the taste. But we liked it. Of course we had it with Caesar salad.

Chicken Sausage and Provolone Penne Bake

1 pound uncooked penne (tube-shaped pasta)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 (12-ounce) package sweet basil and pine nut chicken sausage (such as Gerhard's), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

Cooking spray

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, sausage, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until sausage is browned. Add tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through diced tomatoes); cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

Combine pasta and tomato mixture; spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 453 (30% from fat); FAT 15.3g (sat 6.6g,mono 5.7g,poly 2.1g); PROTEIN 24.4g; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 319mg; SODIUM 954mg; FIBER 4.6g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.3g Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Italian Sausage and Breadcrumbs

This is one of D's favorite meals. He says it is easy. The only thing that we have a problem with is the serving size. It says the size is for 4. We each always eat 2 servings, because cutting a breast in half is dumb.

We had it last night with cauliflower.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Italian Sausage and Breadcrumbs

1 (4-ounce) Italian sausage link
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (1 1/2-ounce) slice sourdough bread, toasted and crusts removed
1 garlic clove, halved
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Remove casing from sausage; crumble sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion, and celery; sauté 5 minutes or until sausage is browned and onion is golden. Add wine to pan; cook 1 minute or until most of liquid is absorbed.

Rub each side of bread with cut sides of garlic; discard garlic. Coarsely crumble bread; add to sausage mixture. Stir in parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed; toss to combine.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Place half of stuffing on one side of each chicken breast half, leaving a 1-inch border around sides. Fold remaining half of each chicken breast over stuffing, and secure with wooden picks. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add stuffed chicken breast halves to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side. Add chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove the wooden picks; slice breasts in half. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 chicken breast)

CALORIES 233 (29% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 2.5g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 21.9g; CHOLESTEROL 65mg; CALCIUM 47mg; SODIUM 774mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.5g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2005

Baked Louisiana Dirty Rice and Beans

I make this when we are having sausage some other time during the week, and there will be left over. So far, I have tried Italian Sausage and Bulk Sausage. The original recipe called for neither, but I thought it would be good and I was right.

I like the thighs better than breasts, but have used breasts when they are left over as well.

The biggest pain of it is cutting the pepper, onions and celery. Otherwise the recipe is easy.

I wouldn't consider this a filling dinner dish, but it is for lunch

Baked Louisiana Dirty Rice and Beans

POINTS® Value: 7
Servings: 6
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Course: light meals Yield 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)


Ingredients
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup green pepper, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1/4 pound bulk sausage
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 2 1/2 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp McCormick Ground red pepper
• 4 clove garlic cloves, minced
• 15 oz Bush's Light Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained

Instructions
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell pepper, red onion, and celery to pan; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and sausage; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in rice; cook 30 seconds. Add broth and remaining ingredients; bring to a simmer. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Creole Shrimp Rémoulade Po Boys

So D made these the other night and we watched NHL All-Stars Skill Stuff. It is adapted from a CL recipe but it wasn't a Po Boy, and I thought it should be. So remove the arugula and add some bread and there you have it.

D loved it. I didn't like the raw onions in the sauce, and next time will remove them. I liked everything else.

We had with French Fries (Ore-Ida).

Creole Shrimp Rémoulade Po Boys

POINTS® Value: 9 Servings: 2 Course: main meals

Ingredients

• 4 cup water
• 3 Tbsp ground red pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 serving Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp ground thyme
• 1 tsp McCormick Mustard seeds
• 10 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 Tbsp Heinz Tomato Ketchup
• 1/2 Tbsp Zatarain's Creole Mustard
• 1 TBSP Hellmann's Reduced Fat Mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
• 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp onion(s), finely chopped (will omit next time)
• 1/8 cup Dole Green Onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 Cobblestone Mill Wheat Sub rolls

Instructions

To prepare shrimp, combine water, red pepper, mustard seeds, thyme , 1/4 tsp salt and bay leaf in a large saucepan ; bring to a boil. Add shrimp; cook 2 minutes. Drain; discard bay leaf.
To prepare sauce, combine green onions, onions mayo, mustard, ketchup, vineagar, oil, Worcestshire, hot sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl;.
Slice rolls open and put sauce on each roll. Divide shrimp between the 2.

Pork Chops Stuffed with Feta and Spinach

Wow. I'm in the minority. Cooking Light Fans rated this 5 stars for the most part.

D made these last night and both of us thought they were gross. The lemon was overpowering, and both of us ended up taking the filling out of the pork and just eating the pork. A true disappointment. We will not make again. We had with a Caesar Salad and pan fried potatoes with Greek Seasoning which both of ate.

Pork Chops Stuffed with Feta and Spinach

Cooking spray
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
5 sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil, diced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, trimmed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat broiler.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 garlic cloves; sauté 1 minute. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, tomatoes, and spinach; sauté until moisture evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses and rind.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each pork chop to form a pocket. Stuff about 1/4 cup spinach mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper over pork. Arrange pork on the rack of a broiler pan or roasting pan coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan. Combine remaining 2 garlic cloves, juice, mustard, and oregano in a bowl; stir well. Brush half of mustard mixture over pork. Broil 6 minutes; turn pork. Brush remaining mixture over pork; broil 2 minutes or until done.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop)

CALORIES 232 (33% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 3.4g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 32.1g; CHOLESTEROL 73mg; CALCIUM 186mg; SODIUM 640mg; FIBER 2.8g; IRON 2.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.2g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2007

Porcini-Dusted Chicken Scaloppine

Well D and I have had this twice now. Pretty good. This time we had it with egg noodles. I don't recall what we had it with last time. Watch out for the serving size. It says something about 2 pieces, but it serves 4 and you only have 4 pieces of chicken. So I'm not sure what that is all about.

D says it is easy to make.

Porcini-Dusted Chicken Scaloppine

This dish puts dried porcini mushroom powder to use as a flavorful coating for chicken cutlets. If fresh porcini or chanterelle mushrooms are available, use them for the sauce.

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons minced shallots (about 1)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups sliced wild or cultivated mushrooms (about 1/2 pound) (used baby bellas)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream (we used fat-free sour cream)
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (we used none)

Place porcini mushrooms in a spice or coffee grinder; process until finely ground. Slice chicken breast halves in half horizontally. Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with porcini powder, shaking off excess powder.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 chicken pieces to pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until chicken is lightly browned and done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with 1 teaspoon oil and remaining 4 chicken pieces.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 3 cups mushrooms; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Stir in wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add broth to pan; simmer until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup (about 5 minutes). Stir in sour cream; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and parsley.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 chicken pieces, about 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

CALORIES 269 (25% from fat); FAT 7.3g (sat 2g,mono 3.1g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 43.2g; CHOLESTEROL 104mg; CALCIUM 49mg; SODIUM 469mg; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 2.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

These are pretty good. While they don't explicitly call out the size of the chicken thighs, I believe they mean 2 pounds. Now, I don't know about you, but the BLSL chicken thighs from Perdue and Tyson come in sets of 5, and you can get them at 2 pounds. So you may have to adjust your points accordingly...

We had with broccoli and basmati rice (I know, shocker).

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

Photo by ALB

Skinless, boneless thighs cook quickly and are more flavorful than white meat, so they need fewer ingredients. Serve with garlic-roasted potato wedges and tossed salad.

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Cooking spray
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar Preheat broiler.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.
Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs)

CALORIES 321 (31% from fat); FAT 11g (sat 3g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.5g); PROTEIN 28g; CHOLESTEROL 99mg; CALCIUM 21mg; SODIUM 676mg; FIBER 0.6g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.9g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2007

Blackened Grilled Flank Steak

D prepped this before we went to work. Took him 5 minutes, tops. Very easy.
Got home and I didn't feel like waiting for the grill so we broiled it.

Very flavorful, on the spicy side. Tasted good. Had with basmati and Garlicky Spinach (Butter, spinach, garlic, red pepper flakes and lemon juice).

I liked the Ancho Steak better, but D liked this one, so both stay on the list.

Blackened Grilled Flank Steak

1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (2-pound) flank steak, trimmed
Cooking spray

Combine first 7 ingredients; rub spice mixture over both sides of steak. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours.

Prepare grill.

Place steak on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)

CALORIES 160 (32% from fat); FAT 5.7g (sat 2.3g,mono 2.2g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 24.1g; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 29mg; SODIUM 287mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.4g

Cooking Light, JULY 2007

Linguine with Spicy Red Clam Sauce

This was very easy. I think even I could do it. The taste: it was pretty good. A little kick because of the red pepper. We had it with a Caesar Salad.

We measured out our portions. We only got 3 servings.

Linguine with Spicy Red Clam Sauce

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 (9-ounce) package fresh linguine (we used dried)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (6.5-ounce) cans minced clams, undrained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (we used 1/2 tsp dried)

Preparation
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until onion is lightly browned. Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes; cook 4 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in clams; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, basil, and oregano. Serve with pasta.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup pasta and about 1 cup sauce)

CALORIES 292 (17% from fat); FAT 5.4g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 15.5g; CHOLESTEROL 17mg; CALCIUM 47mg; SODIUM 806mg; FIBER 3.6g; IRON 3.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.1g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Chicken and Asparagus in White Wine Sauce

This was good. A bit lemony on the sauce on the asparagus, but really good on the chicken. Definitley will have again. D said it was easy to make. We had it with mashed potatoes.

Chicken and Asparagus in White Wine Sauce

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken breasts evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add wine, broth, and garlic to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 minutes. Add asparagus; cover and cook 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and juice. Serve asparagus and sauce with chicken.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half, about 5 asparagus spears, and about 2 tablespoons sauce)

CALORIES 289 (25% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 4.2g,mono 2g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 43g; CHOLESTEROL 114mg; CALCIUM 59mg; SODIUM 648mg; FIBER 2.8g; IRON 4.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.5g Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Creamy Beef and Noodles

So this recipe is supposed to make 4 servings but me and portion control. So D and I just each eat 2 servings. It is a take on Beef Stroganoff. I like it a lot. It is a bit of a pain to keep clearing out the frying pan, but oh well. It tastes good, so I'll continue to make it (yes you read it right, I made it,).

Creamy Beef and Noodles

POINTS® Value: 11 Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 3 oz uncooked egg noodles
• 10 oz raw lean flank steak
• 2 medium onion(s)
• 2 cup mushroom(s)
• 1 cup Swanson Beef Broth Reduced Sodium
• 1 tsp margarine
• 1 Tbsp margarine
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Instructions

1. In a big pot of boiling water, cook the noodles for 5-6 minutes. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, cut the steak into 1/2 inch pieces. In a large pan on medium-high heat, cook for 3 minutes. Transfer meat to bowl and keep warm.

3. Wipe pan clean. Spray with cooking spray. Cut 2 onions thinly and saute in pan for 7 minutes. Add precut mushrooms and saute for 6 more minutes. Transfer veggies to meat bowl.

4. In same pan, melt margarine, and add flour. When browned, slowly add beef broth, mustard, salt, paprika,, and pepper. Whisk constantly for 4 minutes. Add sour cream and stir well.

5. Add meat mixture and noodles.

6. Serve.

Chicken Green Chile Enchilada Casserole

My friend FFG, posted this on her site. She attributes it to CL, but I can't find it there, so I'm attributing it to her.

D prepped this meal sometime during the day (made everything but didn't put it in the oven). We went and ran and came back. Guinness ate 1/4 of it, but it was still ok to be cooked. She was licking her lips.

D also said he only used 12 tortillas, and probably could have only used 10.

After it was done, it came out a pea green color, and D said it looked a bit like baby food. We added cilantro and crema to it. It was delicious! So don't be put off by the color. It is awesome!!!

10 Points/Serving, 4 BIG servings

Chicken Green Chile Enchilada Casserole

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 4.5oz. can chopped green chiles, undrained
12 ounces cooked chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 10oz cans green chile enchilada sauce
cooking spray
14 6" corn tortillas, quartered
1 1/2 cups reduced fat cheese, Mexican blend
fresh cilantro, chopped


1. Preehat oven to 375.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skiller over meidum-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chiles, cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chopped chicken strips.

3. Combine cumin, chili powder, and enchilada sauce. Pour 1/3 oc sauce mixture into an 11 x 7 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 1/2 of tortilla quarters over sauce mixture; top with onion mixture. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup mexican blend cheese; top with 1/3 of sauce mixture. Top with remaining tortillas and sauce mixture. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese; bake an additional 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro; if desired.

Morningstar Farms Corn Dogs

These things are pretty good. 7 points for 2 of them. They keep me full for breakfast.
The only thing wrong with them, I think is that they really provide no nutritional value whatsoever. But eh! They taste good.

Spinach Fettuccine

This is one of my favorite meals that D makes. It is one of those dishes that makes you think your arteries are clogging, but really they aren't.
Update: Curlyq has suggested putting shrimp instead of bacon. That sounds pretty good (she tried it and said yes it was).

Spinach Fettuccine

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 pound uncooked fettuccine
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese (used a 3 cheese blend of Romano, asiago and parmesan)
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
10 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
Parsley sprigs (optional)Cook pasta according to package instructions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Cook Bacon.

Preparation
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add reserved pasta water and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until smooth.
Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture to pan, stirring with a whisk to combine; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add pecorino Romano, stirring until smooth. Add half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Stir in spinach. Combine cheese mixture and pasta in a large bowl, tossing to coat. Place about 1 cup pasta mixture in each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 2 1/2 tablespoons bacon. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings

CALORIES 365 (30% from fat); FAT 12.2g (sat 6.3g,mono 3.3g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 15.9g; CHOLESTEROL 34mg; CALCIUM 188mg; SODIUM 681mg; FIBER 2.3g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.6g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2006

Hoisin and Lime-Marinated Grilled Chicken

I really liked this. It took a bit of time, since D grilled it, but I worked out.
So anyway, there was a hint of lime taste to it. But all the spices/sauces meshed well.

We had it with Peanutty Couscous, which still is salty, but good.

Leftovers: you can really taste the garlic.

Hoisin and Lime-Marinated Grilled Chicken

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 garlic cloves, minced
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

Combine hoisin sauce, ginger, and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half)

CALORIES 243 (17% from fat); FAT 4.5g (sat 0.9g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 39.9g; CHOLESTEROL 99mg; CALCIUM 24mg; SODIUM 618mg; FIBER 0.4g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.4g

Cooking Light, JULY 2007

Rosemary Pork Chops

This recipe is ok. Not great, not the worst. It did well at 8:45 at night when we got back from our run, and neither of us were that hungry. We were going to have frozen pizza, and figured this would take just as long as that...so...plus it used up the rosemary we had from the Chicken with Rosemary from earlier in the week. But really, it needed a sauce or something...

We had it with Basmati Rice.

Rosemary Pork Chops

Line the pan with foil for fast cleanup.

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
Cooking spray

Preheat broiler.

Combine first 4 ingredients. Rub the mixture over both sides of pork chops. Place the pork chops on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop)

CALORIES 166 (33% from fat); FAT 6.1g (sat 2.1g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 25g; CHOLESTEROL 62mg; CALCIUM 32mg; SODIUM 342mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.4g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2003

Spiced Chicken Thighs with Yogurt Sauce

I ran this recipe through the Recipe Builder and got 8 points, not 7. (9 on SmartPoints).  No biggie.
The sauce alone was not good, so we added turmeric and cumin to it. With the couscous and the chicken, it was really good. We had it with broccoli.

I made the sauce and prepped the spices. Pretty easy.

Spiced Chicken Thighs with Yogurt Sauce

Photo by ALB

The yogurt sauce's cooling effect balances the heat of the chicken.

Ingredient
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds) (For us 4 thighs = 1.5 Pounds)
Cooking spray
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 (6-ounce) carton plain fat-free yogurt (I added cumin and red pepper...I didn't measure, but less than 1/2 tsp each)
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation
Cook couscous according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Combine cumin and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a bowl; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle spice mixture over chicken. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.

Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, chopped cilantro, garlic, and yogurt in a bowl, stirring well. Serve with chicken and couscous. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs, about 1/4 cup yogurt mixture, and 1/2 cup couscous)

CALORIES 335 (31% from fat); FAT 11.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 4.4g,poly 2.7g); PROTEIN 32.6g; CHOLESTEROL 100mg; CALCIUM 111mg; SODIUM 425mg; FIBER 1.5g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.5g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

Chicken with Rosemary Sauce

I don't know where I got this recipe because it was hand written on a piece of paper... Anyway it is good and D and I like it. D says it very easy to make.

Chicken with Rosemary Sauce
main meals
POINTS® Value: 10
Servings: 4
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta
2 tsp olive oil (D used Pam here, and added 2 tsp of butter when it was time to make the cream sauce)
24 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chickenbreast, (4 6-oz pieces)
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp table salt
1/2 cup Green Onions, chopped
1/3 cup white wine
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup light whipping cream
2 tbsp Green Onions, chopped

Instructions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
2. While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large non-skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Add 1/2 cup onion, white wine and rosemary; cook 30 seconds. Stir in broth; cook 2 minutes. Add cream; cook 2 minutes. Garnish with 2 tablespoons of onions, if desired. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta.

Yield 4 servings (1 chicken breast, about 3 TBSP sauce, 1 cup Pasta)

Mexican Chicken with Almond-Chile Cream

D and I had always made this with Chipotle Chile Powder instead of Ancho...we didn't do the mix that they suggested. It was always very spicy. One day I finally found the ancho powder and we had it last night. Wow! What a difference. It had a lot more flavor without burning out our mouths.

Crema Mexicana at Kroger is found with the refrigerated Mexican food which is usually in the Mexican Aisle, and not in the refrigerated aisle. It is a white bottle with a red top. If you plan your meals, you should probably find some other things to make that week with it. If you can't find it, use heavy whipping cream or RF Sour Cream.

We have this with rice (white or yellow).

Mexican Chicken with Almond-Chile Cream

Photo by ALB

Instructions
3 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons crema Mexicana
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation
Combine almonds and chile pepper in a blender or food processor; process until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and black pepper.

Heat butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add almond mixture, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and broth; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until broth mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in crema Mexicana. Serve sauce over chicken. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 2 tablespoons sauce)

CALORIES 269 (30% from fat); FAT 8.9g (sat 2.8g,mono 3.1g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 41.3g; CHOLESTEROL 109mg; CALCIUM 35mg; SODIUM 387mg; FIBER 1.2g; IRON 1.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.8g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

Chicken Chilaquiles

D has made this dish a few times, and last night something seemed a bit off (as in not hot enough). I think it needs jalapenos to spice/heat it up. But don't get me wrong. I love this dish, and the portions are a good size. We don't eat it with any sides.

Chicken Chilaquiles

For even heat, add 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper to the tomatillo mixture. Total time: 45 minutes.

2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast (D browned his own)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers, divided (I think D uses 4 oz)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (11-ounce) can tomatillos, drained (Used a 28 oz can that when drained equals 11 oz)
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained (I would add diced jalepenos too, fresh or canned)
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine chicken, green onions, 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, Parmesan, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Place milk and next 3 ingredients (through chiles) in a food processor or blender; process until smooth.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Pour 1/3 cup tomatillo mixture into bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 corn tortillas in dish, and top with half of chicken mixture. Repeat layer with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture, ending with tortillas.

Pour remaining 1 1/2 cups tomatillo mixture over tortillas; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 347 (28% from fat); FAT 10.9g (sat 4.5g,mono 2.9g,poly 1.9g); PROTEIN 30.9g; CHOLESTEROL 79mg; CALCIUM 272mg; SODIUM 560mg; FIBER 5.9g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.3g

Cooking Light, JULY 2007

Chicken with Corn and Cheese Sauce

We LOVE this recipe. Definitely use fresh corn. It makes a huge difference. We buy the precut potatoes (Simply Potatoes) and use some of the sauce on that. There is a lot of cheese in this dish.

Flavor the potatoes with SW Seasoning (from Penzey's).

Chicken with Corn and Cheese Sauce

Photo by ALB

Sauce:
1 teaspoon butter
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 cup finely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup coarsely chopped peeled tomato (we don't use)
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

Chicken:
8 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives Prepare grill.
To prepare sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add corn and onion. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in chili powder; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato; cook 2 minutes. Stir in milk and cream cheese; cook 6 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently. Stir in cheddar cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and hot pepper sauce; cook 4 minutes or until melted, stirring frequently. Cover and keep warm.
To prepare chicken, sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Serve chicken with sauce; sprinkle with chives.


Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half, 1/3 cup sauce, and 1 1/2 teaspoons chives)

CALORIES 371 (31% from fat); FAT 12.6g (sat 6.3g,mono 3.7g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 50.3g; CHOLESTEROL 132mg; CALCIUM 275mg; SODIUM 696mg; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 1.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13.6g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2006

Grilled Lamb with Anchoiade Dressing

This is our "fancy" go-to meal. It isn't very hard to make and it just rocks. At first I wasn't sure about the anchovies and D made the dressing with the anchovies big enough for me to pick out. Now he finely cuts them up and I can't taste them. I love this dish.

Serving it with the Haricot Verts and Garlic also uses up any extra rosemary you have left.

Grilled Lamb with Anchoiade Dressing

Photo by ALB

Lamb:
1/3 cup extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (3-pound) rolled boneless leg of lamb, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Dressing:
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
2 canned anchovy fillets
To prepare lamb, combine the first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add lamb to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 12 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Prepare grill.
Remove lamb from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Place on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 30 minutes, turning to cook all sides, or until a thermometer registers 145° (medium rare). Remove from grill, and let stand 20 minutes before slicing.
To prepare dressing, combine 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1 1/2 tablespoons juice, 1 tablespoon oil, and anchovies in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Serve with lamb.


Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 3 ounces lamb and about 1 teaspoon dressing)

CALORIES 185 (44% from fat); FAT 9.1g (sat 2.5g,mono 4.9g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 23.6g; CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CALCIUM 11mg; SODIUM 161mg; FIBER 0.1g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 0.6g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2006

Penne with Wild Mushrooms

So we made these for NYE. They were easier to make than the Papparedelle with Wild Mushrooms but not as good. Still I would make them again.

Penne with Wild Mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
3/4 cup thinly sliced leek (about 1 large)
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
6 cups coarsely chopped wild or cultivated mushrooms (about 1 pound)
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces uncooked penne (tube-shaped pasta)

Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leek to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in sage; cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms; cook 10 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Add half-and-half; cook until liquid is reduced to 6 tablespoons (about 2 minutes). Stir in salt and pepper. Remove from heat; keep warm.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place in a large bowl. Add mushroom mixture to pasta; toss gently to coat.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 227 (27% from fat); FAT 6.7g (sat 2.9g,mono 2.8g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 8.7g; CHOLESTEROL 17mg; CALCIUM 58mg; SODIUM 421mg; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 1.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.4g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Haricots Verts with Browned Garlic

From all my years of French...Haricot Verts is Green Beans...so I didn't look for "Haricot Verts." Anyway except for the slicing of the garlic which wasn't hard just a PITA, this was a very easy recipe. D said he didn't know Green Beans could taste this good.

Definitely will have again.


Haricots Verts with Browned Garlic

2 quarts water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 1/2 pounds haricots verts
4 teaspoons butter
1/3 cup thinly sliced garlic (about 1 head)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring 2 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add beans; cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, beans, rosemary, and pepper; cook 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 54 (33% from fat); FAT 2g (sat 1g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 2g; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 45mg; SODIUM 226mg; FIBER 3.1g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.5g

Cooking Light, JULY 2005