Thursday, October 30, 2008

Indian Cashew Chicken

I started making this...I made the sauce and the rice to go with the dish. The sauce is REALLY thick and I ended up putting somewhere between 1/4 to 1/2C of water in it to make the blender move. I didn't let the sauce rest in the fridge overnight.
D made the rest of the dish, because I got overwhelmed. He only used thighs. He used cardamon, not cardomon pods, because we couldn't find it.

It was really good.

Indian Cashew Chicken


Photo by ALB
A take on the Indian dish murgh makhani, this entrée recipe varies but typically has a thick sauce punctuated with Indian spices. To mimic the full-bodied sauce, we caramelize onions and later simmer the mixture to a thick, marinara-like consistency. Serve over brown basmati rice or with naan flatbread.

2/3 cup cashews, toasted
2/3 cup fat-free Greek-style yogurt
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 14 ounces)
2 (8-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Cooking spray
2 3/4 cups finely chopped onion (2 large)
2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup organic tomato puree (such as Muir Glen Organic)
1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons half-and-half

Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Combine nut mixture and chicken in a large bowl; cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, cardamom, and cinnamon stick to pan; cover and cook 10 minutes or until onion is golden, stirring often.
3. Add chicken mixture to pan; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in broth, tomato puree, paprika, and salt, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 hour or until thick. Stir in half-and-half; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Discard cinnamon stick. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 340 (36% from fat); FAT 13.6g (sat 3.4g,mono 5.8g,poly 2.6g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 91mg; CALCIUM 83mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.7g; SODIUM 435mg; PROTEIN 36.7g; FIBER 3.8g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2008

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Cumin Potatoes

I made these too. Very easy...I didn't even use Simply Potatoes. Pretty good...I think they needed red pepper or something spicy. We put sour cream on them, and I threw the cilantro in the pan at the last minute.

Cumin Potatoes


"Cumin potatoes are common in India; this is a different accompaniment for steak." -Veenu Chopra, New Delhi, India

4 cups cubed peeled baking potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (I used ground cumin, bc Kroger didn't have cumin seeds)

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Cook potato in boiling water 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds to pan, and sauté 30 seconds. Add onion, salt, coriander, and paprika; sauté 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potato; sauté 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with cilantro.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 175 (20% from fat); FAT 3.9g (sat 0.3g,mono 2.1g,poly 1.1g); IRON 0.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 19mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.1g; SODIUM 300mg; PROTEIN 3.1g; FIBER 2.7g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2005

Ginger-and-Spice Chicken Thighs

I made this...easy! It was a bit odd tasting. It was a bit sweet. D says it tasted like jerk chicken without the heat. I just thought about making a cake, because I got allspice in my nose. We both liked it, it just needed some heat. We had with Cumin Potatoes and a Caesar Salad...
Not a whole lot of matching tastes but that is ok...


Ginger-and-Spice Chicken Thighs


2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 pound skinned, boned chicken thighs
Cooking spray
1/4 cup dry white wine

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Rub chicken with spice mixture; let stand 5 minutes.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add wine to skillet; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 5 minutes or until done. Spoon pan drippings over chicken.



Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken)

CALORIES 143 (30% from fat); FAT 4.7g (sat 1.2g,mono 1.4g,poly 1.1g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 94mg; CALCIUM 18mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.3g; SODIUM 539mg; PROTEIN 22.4g; FIBER 0.2g

Cooking Light, JUNE 1996

Flounder with Cilantro-Curry Topping and Toasted Coconut

I liked this but it is definitely not something I would have thought of together. I couldn't tell if it was a Latino or Asian type dish, so I put it in both.

D said it was easy.
We had with Brown rice and Spinach.

Flounder with Cilantro-Curry Topping and Toasted Coconut
You can substitute tilapia or snapper for flounder. Serve this fish with brown basmati rice and sautéed sliced carrots.

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 (6-ounce) flounder fillets
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup cilantro sprigs
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 jalapeño pepper, halved and seeded
Lemon wedges (optional)

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt over fish. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.
3. Place the coconut on a baking sheet; broil for 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally.
4. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, cilantro, and next 5 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Spoon 2 tablespoons cilantro mixture over each fillet; sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings
CALORIES 234 (37% from fat); FAT 9.5g (sat 2g,mono 5.4g,poly 1.3g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 82mg; CALCIUM 41mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.3g; SODIUM 442mg; PROTEIN 32.5g; FIBER 0.7g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2008

Chicken Tamale Casserole

I made this. It was really easy to make. Like usual, I did my own chicken, and cubed it. I seasoned the chicken with SW Seasoning.

D and I both liked it...we only had 6 servings.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White) (I used Jiffy)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
(I added cilantro)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Yield: 8 servings
CALORIES 354 (36% from fat); FAT 14.1g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.2g); IRON 1.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 58mg; CALCIUM 179mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.3g; SODIUM 620mg; PROTEIN 18.9g; FIBER 2.5g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2008

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Chicken Thighs with Marsala-Mushroom Cream Sauce Over Noodles

I attempted this meal. I used chicken breasts because they didn't have thighs at Kroghetto this week. And breasts were on sale.

I prepped the S&P, the shrooms, the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf while waiting for the tomatoes to rehydrate. I started the egg noodles the same time I started the chicken (mistake). Everything came together pretty easily, and it was a dish you could clean up as you went (I don't like things in the sink or on the counter).

I did use whipping cream, because that's what we had. The sauce didn't get creamy. Really watery, and when I moved it off the burner (eg when I was eating) the sauce disappeared.

I thought the taste was bland. I had with a spinach salad (spinach and balsamic vinegar).

Chicken Thighs with Marsala-Mushroom Cream Sauce Over Noodles


Sun-dried tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and Marsala wine give this sauce a rich, robust flavor. While the sun-dried tomatoes are rehydrating, prepare the rest of the ingredients.


1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil (about 12)
4 (6-ounce) chicken thighs, skinned
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups quartered button mushrooms (about 4 ounces) (my 8 oz of mushrooms came to 2 Cups)
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushroom caps (about 3 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 garlic clove, minced (I used 4 cloves)
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
5 tablespoons Marsala wine, divided
3 tablespoons half-and-half (I used whipping cream because I had it in the fridge).
4 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cups hot cooked wide egg noodles (about 1 1/2 cups uncooked)

Combine boiling water and the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Drain and chop.

Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and sauté 5 minutes, turning once. Remove chicken from pan.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and mushrooms; sauté 2 minutes. Add thyme, garlic, and bay leaf; sauté for 30 seconds. Return chicken to pan. Add sun-dried tomatoes, broth, and 1/4 cup wine. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes, turning chicken once.

Add 1 tablespoon wine and half-and-half, and bring to a boil. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over noodles.



Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 thigh, 1/4 cup sauce, and 1/2 cup noodles)

CALORIES 333 (28% from fat); FAT 10.2g (sat 2.7g,mono 4g,poly 2g); IRON 4.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 137mg; CALCIUM 63mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.5g; SODIUM 583mg; PROTEIN 31.5g; FIBER 3.4g

Cooking Light, MAY 2001

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Indian Butter Chicken Update

We updated the Indian Butter Chicken Recipe. Oh, and I MADE THE RICE!!!!

And the rice came out well.

Rosemary and Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

D and I made this together. We had it with cauliflower. It was really easy. Had D not helped, I wouldn't have crushed the rosemary or fennel, because that's the way I am. Our celery was ground, as was our mustard. We both liked it. I kind of think that using Penzy's Pizza Seasoning would garner something similar.

Rosemary and Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin


Use a mortar and pestle to crush the fennel and celery seeds; or place them in a zip-top plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.

2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine first 6 ingredients; rub over pork. Place pork in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Let stand 5 minutes; cut into thin slices. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)

CALORIES 158 (31% from fat); FAT 5.4g (sat 1.8g,mono 2.2g,poly 0.5g); IRON 1.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 75mg; CALCIUM 23mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.3g; SODIUM 289mg; PROTEIN 24.7g; FIBER 0.6g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2004

Cheddar-Bacon Drop Biscuits

I made these. I got 14 biscuits. They were really easy to make. D was making the Pork Chop thingy, so he cooked me 2 pieces of bacon... he used center cut. We both liked the taste.

Cheddar-Bacon Drop Biscuits


A few slices of applewood-smoked bacon and sharp cheddar cheese boost the savory character of this quick bread. Serve warm to best harness the salty notes.


9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 applewood-smoked bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/4 cup water

Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese and bacon. Add milk and 1/4 cup water, stirring just until moist. Drop dough by 2 level tablespoonfuls 1 inch apart onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 11 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Yield: 18 biscuits (serving size: 1 biscuit)

CALORIES 91 (37% from fat); FAT 3.7g (sat 2.2g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 32mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.5g; SODIUM 127mg; PROTEIN 2.8g; FIBER 0.4g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2008

Walnut-Crusted Pork Chops with Autumn Vegetable Wild Rice

First, the picture doesn't match the magazine (not the website). I see the website corrected the pork chop (the mag said boneless pork chops).
D said this was easy just a lot of prep. He forgot about the walnuts, so ours didn't have walnuts.
Also it was our 6-month trial of fruit and meat (we try a combo every 6 months).

Taste- delicious! We had with Cheddar-Bacon Drop biscuits to use up 2 more pieces of bacon.

Walnut-Crusted Pork Chops with Autumn Vegetable Wild Rice


Apples, mushrooms, and Swiss chard make a nice contrast to the wild rice's crunchy texture.

Pork:
4 (8-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops, trimmed
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup walnuts, finely ground
1 bacon slice
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Rice:
Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
2 teaspoons diced seeded jalapeño pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups finely trimmed chopped Swiss chard
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1 cup chopped peeled Granny Smith apple (less than 1 apple)
2 cups cooked wild rice (we used texmati)
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


1. To prepare pork, place chops in a shallow dish; drizzle evenly with Worcestershire. Combine salt, sage, and black pepper in a small bowl. Reserve 3/4 teaspoon salt mixture. Add walnuts to remaining salt mixture; toss well. Press walnut mixture onto both sides of pork chops. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Cook bacon slice in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add pork chops to drippings in pan; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 6 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan.

3. To prepare rice, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and next 3 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; cover and cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in reserved 3/4 teaspoon salt mixture, chard, mushrooms, and apple. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until carrot is tender. Stir in rice and 1/2 cup broth. Bring to a simmer; cook, uncovered, 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in bacon. Place 1 cup rice mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 pork chop. Drizzle each serving with pan drippings, and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon parsley.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 379 (35% from fat); FAT 14.7g (sat 3.5g,mono 4.4g,poly 5.5g); IRON 2.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 69mg; CALCIUM 65mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.6g; SODIUM 600mg; PROTEIN 29.1g; FIBER 5g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2008

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Tuna with Miso-Chile Sauce

Yum, yum and yum! D is not a fan of fish, but liked this as did I. We didn't use mirin because it was $7.99 a bottle at Whole Foods, and wasn't at Kroghetto.
The sauce was spicy but flavorful. We both really liked it. We had with Broccoli with Red Pepper Flakes.

We had left over sauce because we only made 2 steaks, because neither of us likes left-over fish.

Tuna with Miso-Chile Sauce


Here, a standard red wine sauce is enhanced by miso, an ingredient similar to Parmesan. The sauce is equally good with beef or pork.

1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon minced shallots (Used 1TBSP)
1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
1 garlic clove, minced (Used 4 cloves)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine) (Used rice wine with a pinch of sugar)
1 tablespoon red miso (soybean paste)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks (we used 2 frozen ones, thawed)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper


Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, ginger, chile paste, and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add wine and mirin; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 8 minutes); remove from heat. Stir in miso.

Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Add tuna to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side until fish is medium-rare or desired degree of doneness. Serve tuna steaks with sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 steak and 1 tablespoon sauce)

CALORIES 245 (23% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.4g,poly 2.6g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 79mg; CALCIUM 33mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.5g; SODIUM 409mg; PROTEIN 40.4g; FIBER 0.2g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2004

Chicken with Cremini Mushrooms and Asparagus

I prepped this dish, and D cooked it. He thought it was very bland. I liked it, but I would have rather had the asparagus as a side, rather than in the sauce. We probably won't have again, because he thought it reminded him of a dish that he doesn't like.

We had with angel hair pasta and Caesar Salad.

Chicken with Cremini Mushrooms and Asparagus

Serve over angel hair pasta.

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups quartered cremini mushrooms
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic (I used 9 garlic cloves)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice (we omitted)

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place 1 chicken breast half in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; pound to a 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and asparagus; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Combine broth and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture, vinegar, and juice to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick. Serve over chicken.



Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1/2 cup asparagus mixture)

CALORIES 275 (19% from fat); FAT 5.7g (sat 1g,mono 3g,poly 0.8g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 99mg; CALCIUM 54mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9.9g; SODIUM 490mg; PROTEIN 43.5g; FIBER 3g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2004

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Shrimp Florentine with Caramelized Garlic

D said this was easy to make. He mashed the garlic when it came out out the oven.
It was good. The spinach all clumped together, even though I watched him separate it before putting it in the pan. I would have again. We had with a Caesar Salad.

Shrimp Florentine with Caramelized Garlic



Photo by ALB

Make sure to buy frozen loose-leaf spinach for this recipe since you can measure just what you need. Purchase fresh, peeled garlic to save on prep time.

Garlic:
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
20 garlic cloves, peeled
Cooking spray

Shrimp:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon butter
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups frozen loose-leaf spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
4 cups hot cooked linguine (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)


Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare garlic, combine 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and garlic in a bowl. Place garlic mixture on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
To prepare shrimp, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; sauté 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp from pan.
Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Stir in half-and-half, broth, cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and black pepper. Cook 1 minute or until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp and spinach; cook 1 minute. Combine shrimp mixture, garlic mixture, and pasta in a large bowl; toss well. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 484 (24% from fat); FAT 13.1g (sat 5.8g,mono 4.4g,poly 1.6g); IRON 6.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 202mg; CALCIUM 362mg; CARBOHYDRATE 51.1g; SODIUM 811mg; PROTEIN 38.2g; FIBER 5.2g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

9 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Honey-Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

D made these Saturday night. We LOVE spicy food.

This...both of us thought it was way too spicy. Both of us had trouble actually tasting anything because the heat was overpowering. D said he seeded one pepper but not the other (which is usual for us). Over all we don't think we'll have again, because we both like the Chipotle BBQ Chicken better.

Honey-Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches


This recipe yields slow-cooked barbecue flavor in less than an hour. The sandwiches need to be broiled at the last minute, but the rest of the menu can be made ahead of time.


1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup canned tomato puree
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (1 1/2-ounce) sandwich rolls
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
4 (1/8-inch-thick) slices red onion


Combine water, 1 teaspoon cumin, 4 sliced garlic cloves, and chicken in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Drain, and place chicken on a cutting board. Cut chicken across grain into thin slices; keep warm.

Remove 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from can; set aside. Remove 2 chipotle chiles from can; finely chop and set aside. Reserve remaining chiles and adobo sauce for another use.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Add 1 teaspoon cumin; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomato puree; cook 4 minutes or until mixture thickens to a pastelike consistency, stirring constantly. Stir in reserved 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, 2 chopped chipotle chiles, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add sliced chicken to sauce; simmer for 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Preheat broiler.

Split rolls in half; arrange in a single layer, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 1 minute or until lightly toasted. Remove top halves of rolls from baking sheet. Divide chicken mixture evenly among bottom halves of rolls, and top chicken mixture evenly with cheese. Broil chicken-topped rolls 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; top with onion and top roll halves. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 sandwiches (serving size: 1 sandwich)

CALORIES 424 (25% from fat); FAT 11.8g (sat 3.9g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.9g); IRON 3.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 78mg; CALCIUM 211mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.1g; SODIUM 765mg; PROTEIN 34.5g; FIBER 2.6g

Cooking Light, MAY 2005

Spelt Spaghetti with Shiitakes and Pecan Cream

I made this. I added 1# of chicken breast to it, because D needs meat in his meals. So it was really easy to make.

The taste: BLAND, BLAND, BLAND. Neither of us thought much of it.

Spelt Spaghetti with Shiitakes and Pecan Cream


The use of nuts to thicken sauces has been recorded in recipes dating back to medieval Rome. This luscious, creamy sauce features toasted pecans. If you can't find spelt pasta, use whole wheat instead.

1 (12-ounce) package spelt spaghetti (such as Vita-Spelt)
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cups chopped shiitake mushroom caps (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup diced shallots
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

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

Place milk and pecans in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallots, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until golden. Stir in pecan mixture and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat. Add pasta; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups pasta and 1 teaspoon parsley)

CALORIES 321 (28% from fat); FAT 10.1g (sat 1.2g,mono 5.1g,poly 2.2g); IRON 3mg; CHOLESTEROL 2.4mg; CALCIUM 87mg; CARBOHYDRATE 49.3g; SODIUM 534mg; PROTEIN 12.2g; FIBER 6.1g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2006