Chicken Angelo

Hi everyone! I want to welcome to all my new readers.  It's so nice when new people stop by and of course my regular readers too! It's so nice to know that there's someone out there that reads this.  If there's anything that you're looking for that I haven't posted yet, feel free to reach out to me through email or through the comments section and if there isn't anything I would still love it if you said, Hi! :-)

Remember the North End Cookbook that I told you all about recently?  I decided to try another recipe from it on Sunday.  I changed it a lot but the flavors are still the same.  The original recipe feeds 12 people and uses two cut up chickens.  I wanted to use boneless and skinless chicken and so I needed to adjust a few things.  The original recipe called for 12 tomatoes and I rather wait for them to be in season before I waste money on so many tomatoes out of season that will be high priced and low flavor.  I used diced tomatoes as a substitution and it worked very well.  I kept true to the recipe in the way I built the flavors in a similar way she did.

Chicken Angelo

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
3 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter (I only used about 6 Tbsp throughout the recipe)
1 8oz. can artichoke hearts in water
1 package cremini mushrooms, sliced or quartered
7-8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large onions, sliced
2 shallots, diced
1- 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp. dried basil
pinch dried oregano
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. flour
1 lb. pasta (such as penne, cellentani, rigatoni, etc.)
Romano cheese, for sprinkling

Directions:

1.  Slice chicken and sausage into large bite sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

2.  Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet.  Brown chicken and sausage in two batches (make sure to mix up the sausage and chicken in each batch so the chicken gets flavored by the sausage).  Add more oil/butter as necessary.  Remove from pan and place into a baking dish. Do not wipe out skillet.

3.  In same skillet, melt another tablespoon of butter.  Reduce heat a bit and add sliced onions and half of the garlic to the pan.  Saute gently and allow to cook until soft.    Add diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and parsley.  Toss lightly.  Let cook for about 10 -15 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices.  Pour sauce over the chicken in the pan.  Sprinkle with wine. Toss lightly.  Return pan to heat.

4.  While sauce is cooking, prepare mushrooms.  In same skillet melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and remainder of garlic.  Cook until mushrooms brown and soften and garlic is soft but not burnt.  If garlic is browing too quickly, turn heat down to medium low.  When cooked, remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and add to pan with chicken.  Drain artichoke hearts and reserve some of the liquid.  Add artichokes and chopped olives to baking pan. 

5.  Again in the same skillet add 1 more tablespoon of butter to remaining butter and oil in the pan.  When melted add flour and stir with a wooden spoon.  Slowly add chicken broth to the pan (a little at a time to prevent lumps) while stirring.  Allow to thicken.  You will want a thin paste, if it's too thick, thin it out with a little bit of the water from the artichoke hearts.  When you have reached the desired consistency add to chicken.  Toss lightly. 

6.  Bake in at 350 for 15-20 minutes to be sure that chicken is cooked through and all flavors merge.  As long as your chicken wasn't cut up too small, the chicken will not dry out.  There is plenty of liquid in the pan. 

7.  While chicken is baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta.  Add pasta to the baking pan and toss together.  You can serve it right from there or transfer to a serving bowl.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve with crusty bread for dipping. 

This meal is hearty and filling.  Feel free to add in any veggies that you like, zucchini and eggplant would be a great addition.

Click here for a printable recipe of Chicken Angelo.

Chicken Angelo

Hi everyone! I want to welcome to all my new readers.  It's so nice when new people stop by and of course my regular readers too! It's so nice to know that there's someone out there that reads this.  If there's anything that you're looking for that I haven't posted yet, feel free to reach out to me through email or through the comments section and if there isn't anything I would still love it if you said, Hi! :-)

Remember the North End Cookbook that I told you all about recently?  I decided to try another recipe from it on Sunday.  I changed it a lot but the flavors are still the same.  The original recipe feeds 12 people and uses two cut up chickens.  I wanted to use boneless and skinless chicken and so I needed to adjust a few things.  The original recipe called for 12 tomatoes and I rather wait for them to be in season before I waste money on so many tomatoes out of season that will be high priced and low flavor.  I used diced tomatoes as a substitution and it worked very well.  I kept true to the recipe in the way I built the flavors in a similar way she did.

Chicken Angelo

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
3 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter (I only used about 6 Tbsp throughout the recipe)
1 8oz. can artichoke hearts in water
1 package cremini mushrooms, sliced or quartered
7-8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large onions, sliced
2 shallots, diced
1- 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp. dried basil
pinch dried oregano
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. flour
1 lb. pasta (such as penne, cellentani, rigatoni, etc.)
Romano cheese, for sprinkling

Directions:

1.  Slice chicken and sausage into large bite sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

2.  Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet.  Brown chicken and sausage in two batches (make sure to mix up the sausage and chicken in each batch so the chicken gets flavored by the sausage).  Add more oil/butter as necessary.  Remove from pan and place into a baking dish. Do not wipe out skillet.

3.  In same skillet, melt another tablespoon of butter.  Reduce heat a bit and add sliced onions and half of the garlic to the pan.  Saute gently and allow to cook until soft.    Add diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and parsley.  Toss lightly.  Let cook for about 10 -15 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices.  Pour sauce over the chicken in the pan.  Sprinkle with wine. Toss lightly.  Return pan to heat.

4.  While sauce is cooking, prepare mushrooms.  In same skillet melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and remainder of garlic.  Cook until mushrooms brown and soften and garlic is soft but not burnt.  If garlic is browing too quickly, turn heat down to medium low.  When cooked, remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and add to pan with chicken.  Drain artichoke hearts and reserve some of the liquid.  Add artichokes and chopped olives to baking pan. 

5.  Again in the same skillet add 1 more tablespoon of butter to remaining butter and oil in the pan.  When melted add flour and stir with a wooden spoon.  Slowly add chicken broth to the pan (a little at a time to prevent lumps) while stirring.  Allow to thicken.  You will want a thin paste, if it's too thick, thin it out with a little bit of the water from the artichoke hearts.  When you have reached the desired consistency add to chicken.  Toss lightly. 

6.  Bake in at 350 for 15-20 minutes to be sure that chicken is cooked through and all flavors merge.  As long as your chicken wasn't cut up too small, the chicken will not dry out.  There is plenty of liquid in the pan. 

7.  While chicken is baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta.  Add pasta to the baking pan and toss together.  You can serve it right from there or transfer to a serving bowl.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve with crusty bread for dipping. 

This meal is hearty and filling.  Feel free to add in any veggies that you like, zucchini and eggplant would be a great addition.

Click here for a printable recipe of Chicken Angelo.

Rocco DiSpirito's Faux Onion Rings with Smoky Mayonnaise

I'm sure you've all seen Rocco DiSpirito on one talk show or another recently.  He's been everywhere promoting his new book, Now Eat This, 150 of America's Favorite Comfort Foods all under 350 Calories.  Not that I mind, Rocco is pretty easy on the eyes as I'm sure you would agree.  Anyway, when Steve and I watched him promote his new healthy cookbook on Rachael Ray, Steve commented on these onion rings and said that I should try them.  They looked great and since they were healthy they sounded like the perfect addition to my not very healthy Steakhouse themed dinner. 

My review of this recipe is completely honest so please read through to the very end.  The recipe isn't hard to make at all and had I not been rushing I think they would have come out better.  First let me just say that finding whole wheat panko is not easy.  I found one small package and paid about $4 for it.  Seems like a lot for breadcrumbs.  That being said, I will try them with regular panko bread crumbs because I think they will still be healthy.  They are baked not fried, made with egg whites instead of whole eggs, and whole wheat flour is used over white.  Correct me if I'm wrong but won't regular white panko bread crumbs be just as good?  I've even seen seasoned panko and I think that would really up the flavor here.  The onion rings definitely had crunch and texture which is what I really liked.  I didn't like the dryness of all that wheat.  Maybe it's my fault, maybe I overcooked them, it certainly wouldn't be the first time I messed up.  I know the other problem was that I completely forgot to spray them with cooking spray and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.  That was a huge mistake because the outside had no taste at all.  That's what happens when you're chit chatting , running late, and trying to cook a new recipe at the same time.  The next day I experimented with the leftovers and sprayed them with cooking spray and seasoned them with salt.  To be honest, they weren't bad for leftovers.  These aren't the kind of things that are better the next day but they were so much more edible with that little bit of oil and salt.  So, I think that when I try it again (and I will), I will use seasoned panko, spray them with oil and make sure I don't forget the salt.

Sorry this is post is so long, I'll try to wrap it up.  Rocco's seasoned mayo called for liquid smoke.  I didn't feel compelled to buy it for this recipe so I added, smoked paprika, bbq spice, salt and hot sauce to a little mayo.  It was tasty and it had to have been better than Rocco's because smoked paprika has a ton of flavor and the color made it very appealing.

So even though I had some issues I would try this again.  If you try them let me know what you think and if you follow the recipe exactly or with any changes.

Rocco DiSpirito's Faux Onion Rings with Smoky Mayonnaise
as seen here on Rachael Ray's Daytime show.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 large Vidalia onions, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

2 cups skim milk
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
4 large egg whites
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup Rocco’s Magnificent Mayonnaise or store- bought reduced- fat mayonnaise such as Hellmann’s Low- Fat Mayonnaise Dressing
1 tablespoon liquid smoke, such as Stubs’s
Tabasco sauce

Directions:

Separate the onions into individual rings. Use only the larger rings for this recipe; reserve the smaller rings for another use. You should have 20 rings total. Lay the rings in a single layer in a large rectangular baking dish. Pour the milk over the rings and allow them to soak for about 20 minutes, turning them once so that all surfaces of the onion rings have been exposed to the milk.


Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Place wire baking racks on each of two foil- lined baking sheets, and set them aside.

Put the flour in a shallow dish. Put the panko in a small dish.In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks.

Working in batches, remove the onion rings from the milk and dredge them in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the rings to the egg whites and toss to coat completely. Add the rings, a few pieces at a time, to the panko and coat completely.

Spread the onion rings out on the wire racks. Season the rings generously with salt and pepper, and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Bake until the panko is golden brown and crispy and the onions are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and the liquid smoke. Season to taste with Tabasco.

Serve the onion rings with the mayonnaise for dipping.


Click here for a printable recipe for Rocco's Faux Onion Rings.

Rocco DiSpirito's Faux Onion Rings with Smoky Mayonnaise

I'm sure you've all seen Rocco DiSpirito on one talk show or another recently.  He's been everywhere promoting his new book, Now Eat This, 150 of America's Favorite Comfort Foods all under 350 Calories.  Not that I mind, Rocco is pretty easy on the eyes as I'm sure you would agree.  Anyway, when Steve and I watched him promote his new healthy cookbook on Rachael Ray, Steve commented on these onion rings and said that I should try them.  They looked great and since they were healthy they sounded like the perfect addition to my not very healthy Steakhouse themed dinner. 

My review of this recipe is completely honest so please read through to the very end.  The recipe isn't hard to make at all and had I not been rushing I think they would have come out better.  First let me just say that finding whole wheat panko is not easy.  I found one small package and paid about $4 for it.  Seems like a lot for breadcrumbs.  That being said, I will try them with regular panko bread crumbs because I think they will still be healthy.  They are baked not fried, made with egg whites instead of whole eggs, and whole wheat flour is used over white.  Correct me if I'm wrong but won't regular white panko bread crumbs be just as good?  I've even seen seasoned panko and I think that would really up the flavor here.  The onion rings definitely had crunch and texture which is what I really liked.  I didn't like the dryness of all that wheat.  Maybe it's my fault, maybe I overcooked them, it certainly wouldn't be the first time I messed up.  I know the other problem was that I completely forgot to spray them with cooking spray and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.  That was a huge mistake because the outside had no taste at all.  That's what happens when you're chit chatting , running late, and trying to cook a new recipe at the same time.  The next day I experimented with the leftovers and sprayed them with cooking spray and seasoned them with salt.  To be honest, they weren't bad for leftovers.  These aren't the kind of things that are better the next day but they were so much more edible with that little bit of oil and salt.  So, I think that when I try it again (and I will), I will use seasoned panko, spray them with oil and make sure I don't forget the salt.

Sorry this is post is so long, I'll try to wrap it up.  Rocco's seasoned mayo called for liquid smoke.  I didn't feel compelled to buy it for this recipe so I added, smoked paprika, bbq spice, salt and hot sauce to a little mayo.  It was tasty and it had to have been better than Rocco's because smoked paprika has a ton of flavor and the color made it very appealing.

So even though I had some issues I would try this again.  If you try them let me know what you think and if you follow the recipe exactly or with any changes.

Rocco DiSpirito's Faux Onion Rings with Smoky Mayonnaise
as seen here on Rachael Ray's Daytime show.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 large Vidalia onions, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

2 cups skim milk
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
4 large egg whites
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup Rocco’s Magnificent Mayonnaise or store- bought reduced- fat mayonnaise such as Hellmann’s Low- Fat Mayonnaise Dressing
1 tablespoon liquid smoke, such as Stubs’s
Tabasco sauce

Directions:

Separate the onions into individual rings. Use only the larger rings for this recipe; reserve the smaller rings for another use. You should have 20 rings total. Lay the rings in a single layer in a large rectangular baking dish. Pour the milk over the rings and allow them to soak for about 20 minutes, turning them once so that all surfaces of the onion rings have been exposed to the milk.


Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Place wire baking racks on each of two foil- lined baking sheets, and set them aside.

Put the flour in a shallow dish. Put the panko in a small dish.In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks.

Working in batches, remove the onion rings from the milk and dredge them in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the rings to the egg whites and toss to coat completely. Add the rings, a few pieces at a time, to the panko and coat completely.

Spread the onion rings out on the wire racks. Season the rings generously with salt and pepper, and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Bake until the panko is golden brown and crispy and the onions are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and the liquid smoke. Season to taste with Tabasco.

Serve the onion rings with the mayonnaise for dipping.


Click here for a printable recipe for Rocco's Faux Onion Rings.

Twice Baked Potatoes are Twice as Delicious!

This was quite possibly the highlight of my steakhouse dinner last weekend...well the best out of what I made, the girls always bring wonderful additions to every meal.  For dinner I made rib eye steaks, roasted broccoli (which I totally forgot about and burned to the point that it was inedible), Rocco Dispirito's Faux Onion Rings, Caesar Salad from Stacey Snacks (which I forgot to take a picture of) and these incredibly delicious Twice Baked Potatoes. 

Use big potatoes, about 1 pound each, they make quite the presentation.  The recipe I followed (which I found on Food and Wine Magazine's website), calls for using an extra potato, peeling it entirely and adding that to the mashed potato filling, making them overstuffed potatoes.  In my opinion it is completely unnecessary to do this.  The potatoes are huge and hearty and we barely finished them.  One per person is more than enough.  The recipe calls for chives but like I always say, use what you already have and I had scallions.  It's essentially the same taste and they can be used interchangeably.

Twice Baked Potatoes
Adapted from recipe by Emerill Lagasse
The orignal recipe can be found here at the website for Food and Wine magazine.

Ingredients:

3 - 1 lb Idaho baking potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 ounces of bacon, chopped
2 cups shredded shard cheddar cheese (you may not use it all)

1/2 - 3/4 cup sour cream

about 1/4 cup milk (or more depending on consistency you desire)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2-3 scallions, chopped, green part only

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

2.  Rub potatoes with a little oil, salt and pepper.  Pierce all over with a fork.  Bake for 1hour - 1 hour 10 minutes or until fork tender.  Let cool. 

3.  While potatoes are cooking, cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels.

4.  Cut the top quarter from each potato and scoop the pulp from the potatoes and place in a bowl.  Be sure to leave 1/4 inch layer of pulp on the skin so you have a shell to hold the potato together. If you'd like, peel away the skin from the top quarter of the potato and add it the bowl with potato pulp.  I see no reason to waste that.  If there is a piece that seems a little hard just take that piece off. Return potato shells to the baking sheet.

5.  Use a potato masher to blend potatoes until smooth.  Add 1 cup of the cheese, sour cream, butter, milk, bacon, scallions, salt and pepper, stir to combine.  Top with cheese (you won't need the whole cup) and bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.  Serve hot. 

Note - The recipe can be prepared ahead through step 2 and refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Click here for a printable recipe of Twice Baked Potatoes.

Twice Baked Potatoes are Twice as Delicious!

This was quite possibly the highlight of my steakhouse dinner last weekend...well the best out of what I made, the girls always bring wonderful additions to every meal.  For dinner I made rib eye steaks, roasted broccoli (which I totally forgot about and burned to the point that it was inedible), Rocco Dispirito's Faux Onion Rings, Caesar Salad from Stacey Snacks (which I forgot to take a picture of) and these incredibly delicious Twice Baked Potatoes. 

Use big potatoes, about 1 pound each, they make quite the presentation.  The recipe I followed (which I found on Food and Wine Magazine's website), calls for using an extra potato, peeling it entirely and adding that to the mashed potato filling, making them overstuffed potatoes.  In my opinion it is completely unnecessary to do this.  The potatoes are huge and hearty and we barely finished them.  One per person is more than enough.  The recipe calls for chives but like I always say, use what you already have and I had scallions.  It's essentially the same taste and they can be used interchangeably.

Twice Baked Potatoes
Adapted from recipe by Emerill Lagasse
The orignal recipe can be found here at the website for Food and Wine magazine.

Ingredients:

3 - 1 lb Idaho baking potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 ounces of bacon, chopped
2 cups shredded shard cheddar cheese (you may not use it all)

1/2 - 3/4 cup sour cream

about 1/4 cup milk (or more depending on consistency you desire)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2-3 scallions, chopped, green part only

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

2.  Rub potatoes with a little oil, salt and pepper.  Pierce all over with a fork.  Bake for 1hour - 1 hour 10 minutes or until fork tender.  Let cool. 

3.  While potatoes are cooking, cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels.

4.  Cut the top quarter from each potato and scoop the pulp from the potatoes and place in a bowl.  Be sure to leave 1/4 inch layer of pulp on the skin so you have a shell to hold the potato together. If you'd like, peel away the skin from the top quarter of the potato and add it the bowl with potato pulp.  I see no reason to waste that.  If there is a piece that seems a little hard just take that piece off. Return potato shells to the baking sheet.

5.  Use a potato masher to blend potatoes until smooth.  Add 1 cup of the cheese, sour cream, butter, milk, bacon, scallions, salt and pepper, stir to combine.  Top with cheese (you won't need the whole cup) and bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.  Serve hot. 

Note - The recipe can be prepared ahead through step 2 and refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Click here for a printable recipe of Twice Baked Potatoes.

Light Banana Bread

I love my mom's banana bread. I really, really do BUT it's not the most healthy recipe out there, even though I try to convince myself that if it has fruit, it's healthy. I had some bananas that were too overripe to put in my cereal so I googled "Light Banana Bread Recipes" and I came across this one at Cheap Healthy Good.  She found the recipe at cooking light and she made some adjustments.  I followed her changes but did add about 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips and I used a bundt pan instead.  Not sure how that works with the suggested portion sizes and all but I am okay with that.  Anway, let me get to the taste.  I tasted this when it was warm and I thought it was a little weird tasting but when I tasted it the next day it was fine.  The flavor is good, it's just the consistency that is different which I'm guessing is from using egg whites.  Bottom line, for a low fat recipe, it's great, I'll make it again.  When I fall of the healthy eating bandwagon....I'm going back to Mom's.

Light Banana Bread
Adapted from Cooking Light by Cheap Healthy Good

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 T butter, softened
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 4 bananas)
3 T skim milk
3 T fat-free sour cream or vanilla yogurt
2 large egg whites
½ t vanilla extract
Cooking spray


Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat loaf pan with cooking spray.

2) In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3) In a different large mixing bowl OR stand mixer bowl, combine sugar and butter. "Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended." Stop beater. Add banana, milk, sour cream, and egg whites. Resume beating until well combined.

4) Pour flour mixture into banana mixture and beat until everything is well-blended.

5) Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 60 or 70 minutes, or until loaf passes the toothpick test. (Insert a toothpick in the middle of the bread. If it comes out clean, you're golden.) Remove from oven. (SEE NOTE BELOW) Let sit for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Pry bread from pan and let it cool totally on that same wire rack. For best flavor, wrap in tin foil and let sit overnight.

Note: If using a bundt pan - bake for approx 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool and invert. 

Click here for a printable recipe for Light Banana Bread.

Light Banana Bread

I love my mom's banana bread. I really, really do BUT it's not the most healthy recipe out there, even though I try to convince myself that if it has fruit, it's healthy. I had some bananas that were too overripe to put in my cereal so I googled "Light Banana Bread Recipes" and I came across this one at Cheap Healthy Good.  She found the recipe at cooking light and she made some adjustments.  I followed her changes but did add about 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips and I used a bundt pan instead.  Not sure how that works with the suggested portion sizes and all but I am okay with that.  Anway, let me get to the taste.  I tasted this when it was warm and I thought it was a little weird tasting but when I tasted it the next day it was fine.  The flavor is good, it's just the consistency that is different which I'm guessing is from using egg whites.  Bottom line, for a low fat recipe, it's great, I'll make it again.  When I fall of the healthy eating bandwagon....I'm going back to Mom's.

Light Banana Bread
Adapted from Cooking Light by Cheap Healthy Good

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 T butter, softened
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 4 bananas)
3 T skim milk
3 T fat-free sour cream or vanilla yogurt
2 large egg whites
½ t vanilla extract
Cooking spray


Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat loaf pan with cooking spray.

2) In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3) In a different large mixing bowl OR stand mixer bowl, combine sugar and butter. "Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended." Stop beater. Add banana, milk, sour cream, and egg whites. Resume beating until well combined.

4) Pour flour mixture into banana mixture and beat until everything is well-blended.

5) Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 60 or 70 minutes, or until loaf passes the toothpick test. (Insert a toothpick in the middle of the bread. If it comes out clean, you're golden.) Remove from oven. (SEE NOTE BELOW) Let sit for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Pry bread from pan and let it cool totally on that same wire rack. For best flavor, wrap in tin foil and let sit overnight.

Note: If using a bundt pan - bake for approx 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool and invert. 

Click here for a printable recipe for Light Banana Bread.

Roasted Chicken with Artichokes and Tomatoes

Last month when I roasted chicken breasts for Ina Garten's Chicken Salad, I told myself that I should use this method more often for more dishes. The chicken breasts were so incredibly moist and delicious and the seasoning was so simple, just salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Last night I decided to make the chicken again and make a sauce to go on top. After digging around my fridge and pantry I came up with an amazing sauce. I served the chicken on top of couscous and with a side of broccoli rabe. The sauce gave the couscous tons of flavor.  After cooking I removed the skin from the chicken because Steve won't eat it anyway and when he picks something out and puts it to the side it sort of makes me a little crazy (shhh!) so I took it off myself.  It doesn't look as pretty as it would with crispy brown skin but we do what we have to for the ones we love (and our sanity). 

Ingredients:

2 split chicken breasts, cleaned and trimmed of excess fat
1/2 pint of grape tomatoes
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil
1 small jar of marinated artichokes, drained
1 tablespoon capers
1 cube frozen Dorat basil (from Trader Joe's)
3 cloves garlic, cracked, skin removed
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
dry white wine
splash of white balsamic vinegar
chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken on hide sided cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) and rub both sides with oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. Add white wine and chicken broth to the pan. Not enough to cover the whole pan but enough to created a sauce with the drippings. Cook for 10 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through (depends on the size of the chicken breasts). Remove pan from the oven and remove the skin (unless you plan on eating the skin, then keep it on.)

2. In a cast iron skillet add grape tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, capers, garlic, drizzle of oil and splash of vinegar. Cook in the oven while the chicken is cooking. When you add wine and broth to the chicken also add some to the tomato artichoke mixture along with the basil. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

3. If you chose to remove the skin or not you may want a little more color on the chicken or to crisp the skin. Remove chicken from the pan and nestle it into the tomato artichoke mixture and add whatever juice is in the pan. Put the skillet under the broiler until chicken reaches desired color or skin is crispy.

Serve chicken with tomato artichoke mixture spooned over it.

Enjoy!

Click here for a printable recipe of Chicken with Artichokes and Tomatoes.

Roasted Chicken with Artichokes and Tomatoes

Last month when I roasted chicken breasts for Ina Garten's Chicken Salad, I told myself that I should use this method more often for more dishes. The chicken breasts were so incredibly moist and delicious and the seasoning was so simple, just salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Last night I decided to make the chicken again and make a sauce to go on top. After digging around my fridge and pantry I came up with an amazing sauce. I served the chicken on top of couscous and with a side of broccoli rabe. The sauce gave the couscous tons of flavor.  After cooking I removed the skin from the chicken because Steve won't eat it anyway and when he picks something out and puts it to the side it sort of makes me a little crazy (shhh!) so I took it off myself.  It doesn't look as pretty as it would with crispy brown skin but we do what we have to for the ones we love (and our sanity). 

Ingredients:

2 split chicken breasts, cleaned and trimmed of excess fat
1/2 pint of grape tomatoes
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil
1 small jar of marinated artichokes, drained
1 tablespoon capers
1 cube frozen Dorat basil (from Trader Joe's)
3 cloves garlic, cracked, skin removed
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
dry white wine
splash of white balsamic vinegar
chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken on hide sided cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) and rub both sides with oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. Add white wine and chicken broth to the pan. Not enough to cover the whole pan but enough to created a sauce with the drippings. Cook for 10 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through (depends on the size of the chicken breasts). Remove pan from the oven and remove the skin (unless you plan on eating the skin, then keep it on.)

2. In a cast iron skillet add grape tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, capers, garlic, drizzle of oil and splash of vinegar. Cook in the oven while the chicken is cooking. When you add wine and broth to the chicken also add some to the tomato artichoke mixture along with the basil. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

3. If you chose to remove the skin or not you may want a little more color on the chicken or to crisp the skin. Remove chicken from the pan and nestle it into the tomato artichoke mixture and add whatever juice is in the pan. Put the skillet under the broiler until chicken reaches desired color or skin is crispy.

Serve chicken with tomato artichoke mixture spooned over it.

Enjoy!

Click here for a printable recipe of Chicken with Artichokes and Tomatoes.