Herbed Chicken Breasts with Tomatillo Salsa and Queso Fresco

So this was really good. Like lick-your-plate good.  Of course anything with tomatilla salsa rocks so I might be biased.  I don't know if it was easy or hard because it was ready by the time I got home from work.

Would definitely have again.  We had with refried chipotle beans.

Herbed Chicken Breasts with Tomatillo Salsa and Queso Fresco 

Photo by ALB

Queso fresco is a Mexican cheese that is mild, crumbly, and a bit salty. It's a wonderful topping for the tangy sauce.

 Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half, 1/4 cup salsa, and 2 tablespoons cheese)

Ingredients 
Salsa:

2 quarts water
1/2 pound tomatillos (about 10 small), husks and stems removed
1 garlic clove
1/2 to 1 serrano chile
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
 Chicken:
(1-ounce) slices white bread
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese
Cilantro sprigs (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)

Preparation 
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare salsa, bring water to a boil. Add tomatillos, garlic, and chile; cook 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Combine tomatillos, garlic, chile, chopped cilantro, onion, lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender; pulse 4 to 5 times or until coarsely chopped. Set aside.

To prepare chicken, place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 1/2 cups. Arrange crumbs on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

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. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, and red pepper; sprinkle evenly over chicken.

Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Place egg in another shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg; dredge in breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Top chicken with salsa, and sprinkle with queso fresco cheese. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges, if desired.

Nutritional Information 
Calories: 36; Calories from fat: 26; Fat: 10.7g; Saturated fat: 3.2; Monounsaturated fat: 4.5; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g; Protein: 47.1; Carbohydrate: 17.7; Fiber: 2g; Cholesterol: 162mg; Iron: 3mg; Sodium: 770mg; Calcium: 169g

Cooking Light JANUARY 2005

Ginger-Peanut Chicken-Salad Wraps

This was good.  It had a good bite, with a slight sweet flavor. D wished it had some crunch, like to add peanuts.  Later, he said celery would add the crunch as well.

We had with a beer. Would have again.

Ginger-Peanut Chicken-Salad Wraps 

You can substitute slices of breast meat from prepackaged rotisserie chicken, which makes the preparation easier, but the dish will be a little higher in fat and sodium.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wrap)

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil

6 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
1 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
8 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Preparation 
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the chicken from pan; cool. Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Place chicken, cucumber, and bell pepper in a large bowl; set aside.

Place sugar and the next 6 ingredients (sugar through garlic) in a blender, and process until smooth. Add peanut butter and water; process until smooth, scraping sides. Add peanut butter mixture to chicken mixture; stir well. Add cilantro, and toss well. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla; top each serving with 1/2 cup lettuce, and roll up.

Nutritional Information 
Calories: 280; Calories from fat: 19%; Fat: 5.9g; Saturated fat: 1.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 2.7g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g; Protein: 25.8g; Carbohydrate: 30.5g; Fiber: 2.4g; Cholesterol: 49mg; Iron: 2.5mg; Sodium: 572mg; Calcium: 29mg

Cooking Light JUNE 2000

Southwestern Omelet

This was good. D made it. He added a jalapeno and changed the eggs so he used 4 eggs and 1 egg white. We both gobbled it down. Would have again.

 Southwestern Omelet

Black beans and cheddar make for a deliciously hearty omelet filling, but feel free to vary this recipe by using kidney beans or Monterey Jack instead.

YIELD: 2 servings
COURSE: Breakfast/Brunch

Ingredients
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
1 large egg
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup (1 ounce) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup bottled salsa
Cooking spray

Preparation
Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine beans, onions, cheese, and salsa in a medium bowl.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Pour egg mixture into pan; let egg mixture set slightly. Tilt pan and carefully lift edges of omelet with a spatula; allow uncooked portion to flow underneath cooked portion. Cook 3 minutes; flip omelet. Spoon bean mixture onto half of omelet. Carefully loosen omelet with a spatula; fold in half. Cook 1 minute or until cheese melts. Slide omelet onto a plate; cut in half.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 181; Fat: 5.5g; Saturated fat: 2.3g; Monounsaturated fat: 1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.8g; Protein: 20.2g; Carbohydrate: 13.8g; Fiber: 6g; Cholesterol: 116mg; Iron: 2.1mg; Sodium: 822mg; Calcium: 184mg

Cooking Light APRIL 2002

Ginger Broccoli

I think this is another case of D and I expect strong flavors and are disappointed when we don't get them.
Everything about this recipe indicates it will be strong, but somehow it didn't live up.

The only thing we can think of is to cook the broccoli separately...maybe the water washed away the flavor.

As you can tell, we both wanted to like it.  Perhaps a tweaking dish.  We had with Spiced Chicken Thighs with Yogurt Sauce.

Ginger Broccoli 

Broccoli gets a Southeast Asian treatment in this quick sauté with fresh ginger, mellow rice vinegar and rich, salty fish sauce. Serve alongside any Asian noodle or fried rice dish.

4 servings, 1 cup each
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients 
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
 4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 pound broccoli crowns, trimmed and chopped (about 6 cups)
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fish sauce, (see Note)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Preparation
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant but not browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add broccoli and cook, stirring, until the broccoli is bright green, 2 minutes. Drizzle water and fish sauce over the broccoli; reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until the broccoli is just tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar just before serving.

Nutrition Per serving 
74 Calories; 4 g Fat; 2 g Mono; 8 g Carbohydrates; 4 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 328 mg Sodium; 372 mg Potassium

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 1/2 vegetable, 1 fat

Tips & Notes 
Note: Fish sauce is a pungent Southeast Asian condiment made from salted, fermented fish. Find it in the Asian section of large supermarkets and in Asian specialty markets. We use Thai Kitchen fish sauce, lower in sodium than other brands (1,190 mg per tablespoon), in our recipe testing and nutritional analyses.

From EatingWell: September/October 2007 

Grilled Caesar Salad

So D made the dressing, and made enough lettuce for us to eat. We'll grill the lettuce as we eat it during the week.  The dressing was a bit lemony but very good.  I liked the grilled lettuce.  We had with toast because the French Bread we bought last week (when we originally thought we would have it) was stale.  Not a big deal.  We used the anchovies in the dressing but not on the salad, because I can't get past that.

Would have again.

Grilled Caesar Salad

Grilling lettuce gives it a hint of smokiness and lends the leaves crisp-tender contrast. Toasted garlic bread stands in for croutons.

Yield: Serves 10
Hands-on: 25 Minutes
Total: 25 Minutes

Ingredients 

10 (1/2-ounce) slices diagonally cut French bread (about 1/4 inch thick)
Cooking spray
3 garlic cloves, divided
7 canned anchovy fillets, rinsed, drained, and divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large pasteurized egg yolk
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 romaine lettuce hearts, cut in half lengthwise (about 24 ounces)
1/2 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved (about 1/3 cup)

Preparation 
1. Preheat grill to high.

2. Coat bread slices with cooking spray. Place the bread on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill for 1 minute or until golden, turning once. Remove bread from grill. Cut 1 garlic clove in half; rub both sides of bread with cut sides of garlic clove. Discard clove.

3. Pat anchovy fillets dry with a paper towel. Combine remaining 2 garlic cloves, 2 anchovy fillets, juice, mustard, pepper, salt, and egg yolk in a blender; process until smooth. With blender on, add oil, 1 tablespoon at a time; process until smooth.

4. Place lettuce, cut sides down, on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes. Turn; grill 1 minute. Remove from heat; coarsely chop lettuce. Place lettuce in a large bowl; drizzle with dressing, tossing gently to coat.

5. Cut remaining 5 anchovy fillets in half lengthwise (didn't use these). Arrange about 3/4 cup salad on each of 10 plates; top each serving with 1 bread slice and 1 anchovy half. Sprinkle each serving with about 1 1/2 teaspoons Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 118; Fat: 7g; Saturated fat: 1.2g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g; Protein: 3.6g; Carbohydrate: 10.5g; Fiber: 1.2g; Cholesterol: 25mg; Iron: 1.5mg; Sodium: 290mg; Calcium: 66mg

Cooking Light JUNE 2012

Jack's Meatballs

D and I had ground veal and I couldn't find a recipe to put them in. My friend Jack had given me his meatball recipe some time ago, but I never got around to making it. So I called him up, he came over and made them for us. They were good. I'll have to have him over to have them again. :)

Jack's Meatballs

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese 
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled 
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup olive oil
1 small onion diced (optional)

Mix everything in a bowl.
Form into balls.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350.
Then add to the sauce to continue cooking.

Rao’s Marinara Sauce

So Ian gave me this recipe as well. When we went to Kroger we saw Rao's Sauce is $8.  Um, yeah, no.

When we saw how easy this sauce was, we weren't sure about it. No sugar?  No wine?  All of us (J, D and myself) were surprised how much flavor the sauce had.  Would have again.

 Rao’s Marinara Sauce

Photo by ALB

From http://www.raosrecipes.com/2009/05/06/marinara-sauce/

2 cans Rao’s Imported Italian Peeled Tomatoes (28 oz each...used Kroger Brand)

1/4 cup Rao’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil (used Whole Foods brand)
2 oz. saltpork, cut in small pieces (opt.) (used pancetta)
3 tablespoons minced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled  and  minced (used 6 cloves)
6 leaves fresh basil, torn (probably used 12)
Pinch of dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Place Rao’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add saltpork to pan. Saute 5 minutes or until fat has been rendered. Discard saltpork (leave the pancetta). Saute onion for 3 minutes or until translucent . Add garlic and saute until just softened. Stir in Rao’s Imported Italian Peeled Tomatoes, reserved juice and salt. Reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook for about an hour or until flavors have combined and sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in basil, oregano and pepper and cook for an additional minute. Makes 7 cups.

Ian's Dad's Pasta Recipe

So awhile ago, D and I got a pasta maker.  My friend Ian had been making pasta and so I asked him for the directions, and this is what he gave me.  The food processor made it pretty easy.  It needed a little more flour, though. I added more.  Issues I had were with my pasta maker and experience will come with practice.
The pasta tasted like pasta!

Ian's Dad's Pasta Recipe

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 1/2 c flour (al's note: start with this and add more...as you need it...AP Flour is fine)

2 eggs

EVOO (~1 tbsp?)

salt (~1 tsp kosher?)

Preparation

Put all ingredients in food processor, turn on, dribble tiny bits of water until dough forms a ball. That's the recipe that Dad uses, and I've done it twice so far in the last three days, and it has worked out well, and is super-easy. I imagine that there are many similar preparations. Using the food processor makes it dead simple, though.

Southwestern-Style Shrimp Taco Salad

I liked this one.  It was fresh, crisp and pretty much said, "Hello, Spring!"  I was going to make it but we didn't have some of the ingredients so D had to stop and get them.  So he made it.

I would add a bit more lettuce, but definitely would have again.

Southwestern-Style Shrimp Taco Salad 

Photo by ALB

Cilantro, chipotle hot sauce, corn, black beans, and green onion lend fantastic south-of-the-border flavor to this shrimp-topped taco salad.

Yield: 6 servings (we made it 4 servings)

Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons chipotle hot sauce
3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 ears shucked corn
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped romaine lettuce (we had 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 ounces baked blue corn tortilla chips (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup diced peeled avocado
Lime wedges (optional)

Preparation 
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine lime juice, olive oil, cumin, garlic, syrup, and hot sauce in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place the shrimp in a shallow bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the lime juice mixture over shrimp, tossing gently to coat. Reserve the remaining lime juice mixture; set aside. Thread shrimp onto metal skewers. Lightly coat corn with cooking spray. Place shrimp kebabs and corn on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 8 minutes, turning kebabs once and turning corn frequently until browned. Remove from grill; cool slightly.

3. Remove shrimp from skewers, and place in a large bowl. Cut kernels from ears of corn. Add corn, chopped lettuce, green onions, cilantro, black beans, and plum tomatoes to shrimp. Drizzle reserved lime juice mixture over the shrimp mixture (didn't do...mixed it with the sour cream), and toss gently to combine.

4. Divide tortilla chips evenly among 6 shallow bowls; top each serving with 1 cup shrimp mixture. Combine sour cream (mixed it with the lime mixture) and diced avocado (just threw in the salad) in a small bowl; mash with a fork until well blended. Top each serving with about 1 tablespoon sour cream mixture. Serve with a lime wedge, if desired.

Nutritional Information (for 6 servings)
Calories: 228 Fat: 8.5g Saturated fat: 1.8g Monounsaturated fat: 4.4g Polyunsaturated fat: 1.4g Protein: 16.2g Carbohydrate: 25.5g Fiber: 4.5g Cholesterol: 91mg Iron: 2.7mg Sodium: 327mg Calcium: 79mg

Cooking Light MAY 2010

Basil Chicken Meatballs with Ponzu Sauce

So we have a ton of basil right now, so I found this recipe for us to try.

We only used 1 lb of chicken but still got 8 meatballs.  D said they were easy to make.  The were dense.  The sauce was decent.  Next time, he said he would cut the orange juice to 1 TBSP and add ginger.  Of course he added hot chili sauce because that's what we have.

But we would have again.  We had over rice.  We each had 2 servings.

Basil Chicken Meatballs with Ponzu Sauce 

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 meatballs and 1 tablespoon sauce)
Total: 19 Minutes

Ingredients 
Meatballs:
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (used hot)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken(used 1 lb)
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
Sauce:
1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons small basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice(next time use 1 TBS and add some ginger)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
Dash of crushed red pepper
Additional ingredients:
Small basil leaves (optional)
Chopped green onions (optional)

Preparation 
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. To prepare meatballs, combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl; shape mixture into 16 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 8 meatballs to pan, and cook for 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove meatballs from pan, and arrange on the rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with the remaining 8 meatballs.
4. Bake at 425° for 7 minutes or until done.
5. To prepare the sauce, combine soy sauce, basil leaves, green onions, juices, 1 1/2 teaspoons water, mirin, and red pepper in a small bowl. Serve sauce with meatballs. Garnish with basil leaves and additional chopped green onions, if desired.

Nutritional Information (for recipe as written)
Calories: 194; Fat: 10.2g; Saturated fat: 3.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.9g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.9g; Protein: 16.8g; Carbohydrate: 9.2g; Fiber: 0.7g; Cholesterol: 103mg; Iron: 1.2mg; Sodium: 544mg; Calcium: 40mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2011 

Oven-Fried Coconut Chicken

So I found this recipe while looking for an Untried Recipe for Dark Meat Chicken.  I really didn't think we were going to try it because I didn't think D would go for it.  And I'm not a big Fried Chicken Fan. But we were tired of looking for recipes so we decided to try it.

Glad we did.  It was sweet but not over-powering.  It was very juicy.  Would have again.

We had with Israeli Cauliflower with Panko.

Oven-Fried Coconut Chicken

Photo by ALB

The marinade infuses dark-meat chicken with a light coconut flavor; flaked coconut in the breading heightens the nutty taste. Find panko in your supermarket's ethnic food aisle.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 thigh and 1 drumstick)

Ingredients 
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
4 (4-ounce) chicken thighs, skinned
4 (4-ounce) chicken drumsticks, skinned
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Preparation 
Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 1/2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine panko, flaked coconut, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Dredge chicken, 1 piece at a time, in panko mixture. Place chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn chicken over; bake an additional 30 minutes or until done.

Nutritional Information 
Calories: 256; Calories from fat: 30; Fat: 8.6; Saturated fat: 4.4; Monounsaturated fat: 1.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.2g; Protein: 27.7; Carbohydrate: 15.6; Fiber: 0.8; Cholesterol: 103mg; Iron: 1.6m; Sodium: 464mg; Calcium: 18mg 

Cooking Light JANUARY 2005  

Tequila-Lime Sorbet

I found this recipe this week while looking for an Untried Recipe for Tequila.  I didn't really think about making it, to be honest.  However, I've been sick all week and had already cancelled plans for the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo, that I felt I had to have a little tequila.  While driving home yesterday, I reminded myself to put the ice cream maker in the freezer.

How easy!  This was so simple to make.

D thought it was a bit too sweet so he put some salt in his. You could definitely add shots to it and make it more alcoholic.  We both thought you also could replace the lime and tequila with lemon and vodka.

Definitely will have again.

Tequila-Lime Sorbet

Serve this refreshing sorbet after a spicy Mexican meal or summer barbecue as a way to tame the heat and end things on a sweet note. Lime juice, sugar, and water are the main ingredients, but a small splash of tequila livens up the flavors.

Photo by ALB

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

Ingredients 
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
2 tablespoons tequila

Preparation 
Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Cool completely.

Combine sugar syrup, rind, juice, and tequila. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon the sorbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 136; Calories from fat: 0.0%; Fat: 0.0g; Saturated fat: 0.0g; Monounsaturated fat: 0.0g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.0g; Protein: 0.1g; Carbohydrate: 32.3g; Fiber: 0.0g; Cholesterol: 0.0mg; Iron: 0.0mg; Sodium: 1mg; Calcium: 4mg;

Cooking Light SEPTEMBER 2000