Linguine with Clams, Bacon, and Tomato

I'm not really sure how I found this recipe, but I did.  We have a few clam recipes and a lots of pasta and red sauce recipe, so what's one more.

This was actually interesting...it was huge in terms of portions, and the pasta can probably be backed off to a more reasonable (less caloric) size.  I actually thought it needed a bit of salt.

For lunch the flavors picked up (this could also be it that lunch had more sauce).

But I would have again.  We had with salad.

Linguine with Clams, Bacon, and Tomato

Clams and bacon form a delectable union enhanced by wine-flavored tomato sauce. We recommend chopped clams, which are sold in refrigerated containers in many fish shops and at supermarkets, but you can also use good-quality canned clams.

Yield: 4
From: Food & Wine

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1/4 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 16-ounce can)
1 cup bottled clam juice
3/4 pound chopped clams, drained (about 1 1/2 cups) (used 2 7oz cans)
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt, more if needed
1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
3/4 pound linguine (next time use 8 oz)

Preparation
1. In a large stainless-steel frying pan, cook the strips of bacon over moderate heat until almost crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.

2. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the wine. Stir in the bacon, tomatoes, and clam juice and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Add the clams, parsley, salt, and red-pepper flakes and simmer for 30 seconds longer. Do not cook the clams too long or they will toughen. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.

3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until just done, about 12 minutes. Return the pasta to the hot pot. Add the sauce and let sit 2 to 3 minutes so that the pasta absorbs some of the liquid.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 540; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 40 mg; Sodium: 1994 mg; Potassium: 784 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 80 g;  Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Sugars: 9 g;  Protein: 28 g

Braised Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Garlic

I saw this recipe on NCBeaches Pinterest page, and pinned it, of course.
D and I wanted to use better quality (or maybe just more $$) tomatoes, but our Kroger doesn't have an Italian Section, besides the standards (the bigger Kroger has a ton of imported stuff, but I didn't realize our Kroger didn't have it, and wasn't going to go make a special trip).  After making it, I think I was right on not going out of my way.

Anyway, I wasn't sure about the type of chicken but the picutre on the Tuttorosso website used chicken quarters, so that's what I bought.  I'm not sure how you get 6 servings using 8 pieces of chicken (we only had 4 servings), but the servings were generous.

It took a while to make, so this isn't a quick weekday meal unless you have an hour.  But I would have again. We were going to have with a salad, but when we saw the portion, we skipped it.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Garlic

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 1 hour
Servings 6 (we got 4)
From Tuttorosso

The perfect recipe when you’ve got extra chicken on hand, this dish also features chunks of tomatoes and a variety of fresh herbs like basil, garlic or whatever else you feel like adding.

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
8 pieces chicken thighs, or legs or both
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup red wine
1 (28 ounce) can Tuttorosso® Diced Tomatoes in rich tomato juice (used a 14.5 oz can of Hunt's dices with oregano and rosemary and one with basil and oregano)
1 (28 ounce) can Tuttorosso® Peeled Plum Italian Style Tomatoes (used Hunt's)
3 tablespoons Tuttorosso® Tomato Paste (used Hunt's)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Fresh herbs of choice, basil, thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary, chopped (used basil, thyme, parsley, and rosemary, all from the garden)
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
Pasta of choice, or rice for serving, cooked and drained (used rice) 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400o F. Salt and pepper chicken thighs. Heat ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter. When mixture is hot add the chicken. Brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Pour wine into skillet, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen bits; cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, peeled plum tomatoes and tomato paste; stir to combine. Bring sauce to a boil; then turn off heat. Add nutmeg, fresh herbs of choice, garlic cloves, onion and chicken. Put lid on skillet and cook in oven for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and allow to sit on counter with lid on while you prepare pasta. Place prepared pasta into a large serving bowl. Remove lid and check sauce. If sauce is too thin, remove chicken from pot and boil the sauce for 5 or 10 minutes so it will thicken. To serve, pour sauce over pasta, then arrange chicken over the top. Sprinkle with cheese and serve with crusty Italian bread.

Nutrition (with 6 servings)
Calories: 260 | Fats: 13.0 g | Trans Fats: 0 g | Cholesterol: 95 mg | Sodium: 1110 mg | Carbohydrate: 15 g | Fiber: 3 g | Protein: 21 g | Vitamin A: 40 % | Vitamin C: 60 % | Calcium: 10 % | Iron: 15 %

Greek Chicken Penne

I think I found this on Pinterest from Sharon.  I think.

I figured it would be covered in olives, but when I saw they weren't even an ingredient I was like, "Woohoo!"  So D made it.   I don't know what kind of mood we were in but we both thought it would be really good if you took out the pasta and the chicken and threw everything else into a food processor with some cream cheese and it would make an awesome dip.

But with the chicken and the pasta, it was really good too.  Will have this one again.  And maybe even the dip.

Greek Chicken Penne

It’s hard to believe a recipe this speedy could create such fresh, mouthwatering Mediterranean flavors.

Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
YIELD:5 servings (we got 4)
Serving Size: 1.5 Cups

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 jars (7-1/2 ounces each) marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Fresh oregano, optional

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the chicken, onion and garlic in oil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the artichokes, tomato, cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper; heat through.

3. Drain pasta; toss with chicken mixture. Garnish with oregano if desired. Yield: 5 servings.

Nutritional Facts
431 calories, 21 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 56 mg cholesterol, 568 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 26 g protein.

From Taste of Home

Lemon-Pepper Chicken Thighs With Farro Salad

So the chicken in this recipe needs some (a lot) of tweaking.  It was pretty much just chicken cooked in the oven.  As in, at one point, I thought about getting barbecue sauce to give it some flavor, but I didn't want to offend D.  And then he said he thought the chicken was boring.  So there's that.

The Salad on the other hand was really good. Of course, we didn't use farro, because I didn't want to spend time in the grocery store looking for farro.  So we used couscous.  I think if I were to have this again, I would use boneless chicken thighs so I could cut them up and put them in the salad.

That seems the way to go with this, because I want the salad again.

Lemon-Pepper Chicken Thighs With Farro Salad

Hands-On Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves 4

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 cup whole-grain farro (used 3/4 C of couscous because that's what we had)
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 radishes, cut into wedges
3 ounces Feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup torn mint leaves (used basil)

Directions
Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the farro in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the lemon zest and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in batches, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet; reserve the skillet. Roast the chicken until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh registers 165° F, 18 to 22 minutes.

Add the asparagus to the drippings in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, tossing occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to the bowl with the farro, along with the radishes, Feta, lemon juice, mint leaves, the remaining tablespoon of oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; toss to combine. Serve the chicken with the farro salad.

Nutritional Information (using original recipe)
Calories: 659; Fat: 36 g; Sat Fat: 11 g; Cholesterol: 159 mg; Sodium: 968 mg; Protein: 48 g; Carbohydrate: 37 g; Sugar: 4 g; Fiber: 6 g; Iron: 5 mg; Calcium: 146 mg

Real Simple, May 2013

Grilled Cheese and Green Chile Sandwiches

Spicy grilled cheese.  There needs to be no other explanation.

Make it now!

Grilled Cheese and Green Chile Sandwiches

We love the mix of mild green chiles (with their distinct vegetal flavors) and spicy poblanos. For fun, cut sandwiches into strips and serve with gazpacho.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 mild green chiles (such as Anaheim)
2 poblano chiles
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
1 1/2 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup)
8 (1-ounce) slices whole-wheat bread
Cooking spray

Preparation
1. Preheat broiler to high.

2. Place chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 10 minutes or until blackened, turning once. Wrap in foil; let stand 10 minutes. Peel chiles; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes. Cut chiles into strips; place in a bowl. Add salt; toss.

3. Sprinkle half of cheeses evenly over 4 bread slices; top with chiles, remaining cheese, and remaining bread slices.

4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Coat both sides of 2 sand­wiches with cooking spray; place in pan. Cook 4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Turn over; cover and cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining sandwiches and cooking spray.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 269; Fat: 10.7 g; Sat fat: 6 g; Mono fat: 3.4 g; Poly fat: 0.6 g; Protein: 16 g; Carbohydrate: 28 g; Fiber: 4 g; Cholesterol: 29 mg; Iron: 2 mg; Sodium: 585 mg; Calcium: 304 mg

Cooking Light, JUNE 2014

Four-Cheese Stuffed Shells with Smoky Marinara

D found this dish the other day.  I had seen it for a few years, however 10 servings for 2 people seemed a little excessive.  And I have stuffed shells before, and don't care to repeat it.  D had the day off and said he would do it, and he would half the recipe.  I was in charge of buying everything. I noticed you really couldn't half the recipe easily (as in you can't buy a 6oz carton of cottage cheese, or 8 oz carton of ricotta), but oh well.

Well, D decided not to half it so we had one casserole last week and will have the other this week.

I didn't really taste the "smoky flavor" but the sauce was really good.  I am excited we get to have it again so soon.  We had with a Caesar salad.

Four-Cheese Stuffed Shells with Smoky Marinara

This dish goes straight from the freezer to oven - no thawing required. The fire-roasted tomatoes in the marinara sauce give the dish a subtle smoky flavor. You can also easily vary the filling by adding basil or oregano and a different cheese. (We tried fontina instead of mozzarella and threw in some arugula for a peppery bite.) Make some garlic bread and a green salad and dinner's on.

Yield: 2 casseroles, 5 servings per dish (serving size: about 4 stuffed shells and about 1/2 cup smoky marinara)

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 pound jumbo shell pasta (40 shells)
Cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) carton 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
6 cups Smoky Marinara
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Preparation
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat 2 (13 x 9-inch) baking dishes with cooking spray; set aside.

Place cottage cheese and ricotta cheese in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine cottage cheese mixture, Asiago, and next 6 ingredients (Asiago through spinach).

Spoon or pipe 1 tablespoon cheese mixture into each shell. Arrange half of stuffed shells, seam sides up, in one prepared dish. Pour 3 cups Smoky Marinara over stuffed shells. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat procedure with remaining stuffed shells, Smoky Marinara, and mozzarella in remaining prepared dish.

Cover with foil. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

To freeze unbaked casserole: Prepare through Step 5. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.

To prepare frozen unbaked casserole: Preheat oven to 375º. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover frozen casserole with reserved foil; bake at 375º for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the shells are thoroughly heated.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 470;   Fat: 15.7 g;  Sat fat: 8.8 g;  Mono fat: 4.7 g;  Poly fat: 0.9 g;  Protein: 28.3 g; Carbohydrate: 52.7 g;  Fiber: 5.3 g;  Cholesterol: 47 mg;  Iron: 3.8 mg;  Sodium: 916 mg;  Calcium: 508 mg

Cooking Light, MARCH 2003

Smoky Marinara

Look for fire-roasted tomatoes (we used Muir Glen) in the organic section or with the canned tomatoes in your supermarket.

Yield: 6 cups (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained

Preparation
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, basil, parsley, and oregano; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

CHORIZO AND JALAPEÑO BREAKFAST PIZZA

Homesick Texan returned to the blogging world and it made me happy.

She posted this recipe, and I wondered how soon I could have it. When I figured out the calories, I went, "Not very soon."  Then I decided that if I made it after I ran, I could do it (and follow a good diet for the rest of the day).

Well I got the run done, and made the pizza and then the rest of the day didn't go as planned and I didn't eat so well. But hell, I made this pizza and it was wonderful!

There were a few things I changed.  First who makes biscuits without buttermilk?  I don't (I learned to make biscuits from Alton Brown and Martha Stewart).  It also probably had something to do with there was buttermilk in the fridge, and there is rarely every a dairy liquid in the fridge so that's what I was going to use.  Second, even after 23 years in GA, and D working in the restaurant industry,  I don't own a cast iron skillet.  So I used a cake pan.  We discussed using a pie plate, a springform pan and the cake pan. I'm not sure why I decided on the cake pan, but I did.

I would make again. D would probably make it too.

CHORIZO AND JALAPEÑO BREAKFAST PIZZA

Yield: 4 (caloric) servings
From Lisa Fain, Homesick Texan

Photo by ALB

Ingredients for the crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons cold butter
6 tablespoons half and half or whole milk (use ff buttermilk)

Ingredients for the pizza:
2 ounces Mexican chorizo, removed from its casing (used 2.667 oz (1 of 6 links in the 16oz package)
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons half and half or whole milk (used ff half and half)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch kosher salt
1 jalapeño, seeded, stemmed, and diced
1/4 small red onion, finely diced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Cilantro leaves, for garnishing
Pico de gallo, for serving
Avocado slices, for serving
Crumbled Cotija or feta cheese, for serving (didn't use)

Instructions:
Heat the oven to 425°F and lightly grease a 9-inch round griddle, skillet, or baking sheet.

To make the crust, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut the cold butter into cubes and then add to the flour. Working quickly with your hands or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dough until the dough is crumbly. Pour in the half and half and stir until everything has come together and a shaggy dough is formed.

Pat the dough out evenly into the griddle or skillet. (If using a skillet (or a cake pan), don’t work the dough up the sides—leave it just on the bottom). If using a baking sheet, pat out a 9-inch circle. Poke the dough with a fork about 4 or 5 times, and place the dough into the oven. Cook it uncovered for 5 minutes then remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to medium-low heat. Add the chorizo and while occasionally stirring, cook for 5 minutes or until it changes from a bright red to a more brownish red. Leaving on the skillet, remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and place it in a bowl. (It’s okay if there is some chorizo grease in the skillet, as this adds flavor. If there is an excess of grease, however, feel free to drain and discard it.)

Add to the skillet the butter. Whisk together the eggs, half and half, salt, and pepper. When the butter has melted, pour in the eggs. Let them sit for 1 minute then add the chorizo back into the skillet and gently stir until they are loosely set. Taste the eggs with the chorizo and add a pinch of salt if you think it needs it, though I find that usually the chorizo adds enough flavor and salt isn’t necessary (I didn't add salt, since I had already added to the eggs).

Turn off the heat and then spoon the eggs out of the skillet and spread evenly onto the partially baked pizza crust.

Top the eggs evenly with the cheese, then top the cheese evenly with the onions and jalapeños. Return the pizza to the oven and cook uncovered for 8 to 10 more minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is lightly browned.

Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle fresh cilantro leaves over the baked pizza. If you like, serve each slice topped with pico de gallo, avocado slices, and/or crumbled Cotija cheese.

Nutritional Information (from My Fitness Pal)
Calories: 583; Total Fat: 42 g; Saturated Fat: 22 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 296 mg; Sodium: 1752 mg; Potassium: 397 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 32 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Sugars: 3 g; Protein: 21 g

Macaroni and Cheese with Black Beans and Chipotle

Last week, I came upon this recipe. I was seriously bummed because I wanted it right then, and we already had our food plan together.  And I couldn't possibly go to the store and move things off the day they were planned.  Nope!  So I figured out the calories, and D and I decided to have it yesterday.

Since he had the day off, he made it.  The servings were huge and there was a lot of cheese.  Like next time we are cutting back the cheese (which will save calories as well).

But yes, there will be a next time.

We added pico de gallo on top.

Macaroni and Cheese with Black Beans and Chipotle

FROM: Serious Eats
YIELD: Serves 4
ACTIVE TIME: 30 mintues
TOTAL TIME: 30 mintues

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk (used fat-free)
2 eggs
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 whole chipotle chilis packed in adobo, minced, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from can
1 serrano chili or jalapeño chili, finely minced
6 ounces block American cheese, roughly grated or diced (used 2% Velveeta)- next time use 4oz
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, roughly grated or diced- Next time use 4oz
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
4 finely sliced scallions
Added Pico de Gallo (but not in NI)

Preparation
1. Combine cornstarch, evaporated milk, and eggs in a medium bowl and whisk until homogenous. Set aside.

2. Cook pasta in a large stock pot in salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Return to stock pot and add cooking water, beans, chipotle chilies, serrano or jalapeño, evaporated milk mixture, and cheeses. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy and smooth. Stir in cilantro and scallions, reserving some for garnish. Transfer to serving bowl, top with remaining cilantro and scallions, and serve immediately.

Nutritional Information (from MyFitness Pal)
Used FF Evaporated Milk, and 6oz of each cheese
Calories: 677; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 11 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 161 mg; Sodium: 1438 mg; Potassium: 412 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 80 g; Dietary Fiber: 8 g; Sugars: 18 g; Protein: 40 g

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Cakes with Avocado Salsa

So last week D mentioned something about becoming vegetarian.  It's not really what he said, it's what I heard.  And I was trying to figure out what was wrong with a man who had a charcoal, grill, a gas grill and a pig roasting box.  He didn't have an explanation (it wasn't the saving of animals, and he wasn't sick, so I gave up trying to figure it out and looked for recipes).

Funnily (it that a word?), I had found this recipe the day before his revelation.  I was going to make it for lunch this past Sunday while he was at work, because I didn't think it would fly.  However, he made it for dinner on Monday.  

It took a while to make and sounded like a PITA but it tasted really good.  We had with a Southwest Salad from Kroger. I think we were supposed to have cauliflower with it, but oh well. We didn't.

The cakes were not completely filling so you either need 2 or a big salad.  But overall I would have again.

I may have thought about bacon after we were done eating.

Sweet Potato and Chickpea Cakes with Avocado Salsa

We love the flavors in Sweet Potato and Chickpea Cakes with Avocado Salsa for a meatless meal night. Onion and spicy jalapeno contrast the sweet potato cakes.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 patty and about 1/2 cup salsa)

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 3/4 cups grated sweet potato (about 8 ounces)
5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1 (15-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 large egg
1 cup chopped peeled avocado
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add yellow onion, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add sweet potato, 3/8 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Combine potato mixture, panko, 1 1/2 tablespoons juice, chickpeas, and egg in a food processor; pulse until chickpeas are coarsely ground. Divide potato mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 4-inch patty. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Carefully turn patties over. Place pan in oven; bake at 400° for 6 minutes or until browned.

3. Combine avocado, tomato, red onion, remaining 1 tablespoon juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and red pepper in a bowl; toss. Serve salsa with cakes.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 330; Fat: 16.1 g; Sat fat: 2.4 g; Mono fat: 10.3 g; Poly fat: 1.9 g; Protein: 9 g; Carbohydrate: 39.6 g; Fiber: 8.5 g; Cholesterol: 47 mg; Iron: 1.9 mg; Sodium: 393 mg; Calcium: 90 mg

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2013

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

So my friend Sam on Pinterest put this up as a food she'd eat.  I showed D and he said we should have it soon.  So we did.

It didn't seem like it took D an hour to make it.  He used fat free half and half because that's what I bought (we don't drink coffee, so this isn't a kitchen staple).  He did use fresh basil.

Overall, the portions were pretty big (1.5 C +) and there was a lot of flavor. I'd probably add more crushed red pepper next time. But I would have again.

We had with Caesar Salad.

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings
From Julia's Album

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 small jar (3-4 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, (or use 3-4 oz fat-free sun dried tomatoes and 1 TBSP Olive Oil)
1 lb chicken breast tenders (or thighs)
salt
paprika (just a little bit)
1 cup half and half (used fat free)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (used part skim)
8 oz penne pasta
1 tablespoon basil (if using dry basil), if using fresh basil you can add more (used fresh)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (at least, add more to taste)
1/2 cup reserved cooked pasta water (or more) salt, to taste

Instructions
Note: if using sun-dried tomatoes in oil (in a jar), make sure to drain sun-dried tomatoes from oil, before using them. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this drained oil for sauteing as described below:

In a large pan, on high heat, sautee garlic and sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil) in 2 tablespoons of oil (reserved from the sun-dried tomatoes jar - see note above) for 1 minute until garlic is fragrant. Remove sun-dried tomatoes from the pan, leaving the oil, and add chicken tenders, salted and lightly covered in paprika (for color) and cook on high heat for 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some cooked pasta water. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water (to stop cooking).

Slice sun-dried tomatoes into smaller bits and add them back to the skillet with chicken. Add half and half and cheese to the skillet, too, and bring to a gentle boil. Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all cheese melts and creamy sauce forms. If the sauce is too thick - don't worry - you'll be adding some cooked pasta water soon. Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the creamy sauce, and stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of basil, and at least 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Add about 1/2 cup reserved cooked pasta water because the creamy sauce will be too thick (do not add all water at once - you might need less or more of it). This will water down the thickness of the cheese sauce and make it creamier. Immediately, season the pasta with salt and more red pepper flakes, to taste, if needed. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes for flavors to combine.

Note: Make sure to salt the dish just enough to bring out of the flavors of basil and sun-dried tomatoes.

Nutritional Information (for 4 servings)
Calories: 541; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 89 mg; Sodium: 681 mg; Potassium: 610 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 56 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 6 g; Protein: 48 g

The 2nd time we made this we got 5 servings. Using the WW app, it was 13 Smart Points using Regular Half-Half, and Italian Blend Cheese.