Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
It’s been too long since I have given you a new exciting recipe to try. I hope to be posting more oftenagain. Here is a very tasty dish from tonight that the family really enjoyed. The best thing is that it is a complete meal with veggies already included.
Enjoy!!
Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
Serve 6
Preheat oven 350o
Estimated Values per serving:
Calories = 300 Fat = 8 grams
Ingredients:
1 ½ broccoli
1 ½ pounds cooked skinless/boneless chicken breast – cut into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon canola oil
¼ cup onion – chopped
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup sherry
3 – 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup flour
1 cup skim milk
1 cup chicken broth
6 ounces grated low fat Swiss cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Add broccoli and cook for about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Add to a large bowl with cooked chicken and toss.
- Coat a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat a skillet on medium heat, coat with cooking spray, add oil and chopped onion. Cooke 3 – 5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Add sherry, scraping any pieces from the pan an cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
- In a small bowl, whisk together milk, broth and flour then add to skillet. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture is bubbly and has thickened. Remove from heat and add Swiss cheese, stirring until all the cheese has melted.
- Pour cheese sauce into mixing bowl with chicken and broccoli, adding salt and pepper to taste and toss until well coated.
- Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.
- Mix the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together then sprinkle on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until browned on top.
BBQ Meatloaf
A New Twist to an Old Favorite…
As the weather starts to cool down, I like to cook comfort food favorites. This meatloaf is a great combination of a classic with a BBQ twist. It’s really easy to make and I think your family will love it…
Enjoy!!
BBQ
Meatloaf
Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 1 to 1 ¼ hours
Preheat oven 375o
Estimated Values Per Serving:
Calories: 200 Fat: 4 grams
Ingredients:
½ cup onion – chopped
4 slices turkey bacon
¾ pound ground turkey breast
¾ pound 93% lean ground beef
1/3 cup egg substitute
½ cup breadcrumbs – unseasoned
½ cup BBQ sauce
Directions:
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add bacon. Cook until crispy and browned.
Remove from heat and cool. Chop bacon once cooled. - Using the same skillet, heat on medium and add chopped onion. Cook until soft and browned. Remove from heat to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine turkey breast meat, beef, egg substitute,
breadcrumbs, BBQ sauce, bacon and onion. Mix all ingredients well until combined. - Coat a 9X5X3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Mold meatloaf into pan.
- Bake for 1 to 1 ¼ hours until thoroughly cooked through (temperature should reach 170o).
- Drain off the excess fat and served sliced on a platter.
Beef Stew
This is a super easy recipe with loads of flavor.
If you enjoy cooking meals in a slow cooker, you can modify it to do so by browning the meat and onion then transferring that to the slow cooker adding the remaining ingredients except the vegetables and cook on high for about 4 hours. About 30 minutes before you are ready to eat, add the vegetables. I started this too late to do in the slow cooker and have written the directions on how I prepared it earlier today.
Note: If you do not have beef broth in the house, you can use chicken broth instead. Also, if you don’t have gravy master, GET IT!! It enhances so many meals, adds so much flavor and is worth keeping in your spice rack.
Enjoy!!
Beef
Stew
Servings 4
Beef Stew
Estimated Values Per Serving:
Calories: 300 Fat: 7 grams
Ingredients:
1 pound lean beef (London broil or sirloin) – cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper
2 small onions or 1 large – cut up
½ cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
½ teaspoon gravy master
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 bag (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables
Directions:
- Combine flour, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.
Dredge beef in flour mixture. - Heat a large skillet on high and coat with cooking spray. Add beef and cook until browned (about 5
minutes), stirring frequently. - Add cut up onions and cook for another 5 – 7 minutes until onions are browned.
- Add wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to get up
anything stuck to the bottom. - Bring the heat down to simmer and add chicken broth, gravy master, thyme and garlic
powder. - Simmer meat for 1 -2 hours.
- Add mixed vegetables and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Savory Chicken Cobbler
I love this time of year for a lot of reasonsincluding all the delicious comfort food recipes. Here’s a great low calorie/low fat take on the traditional Chicken Pot Pie. Sorry I didn’t have the time to caculate the estimated values but will update it soon.
NOTE: I rarely use brand names but “Best Life Buttery Spread” works really well for the cobbler because it needs to be firm.
In the meantime…Enjoy!
Savory Chicken Cobbler
Preheat oven to 400o
Savory Chicken Cobbler
Serves 8
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 325 Fat: 3 grams
Chicken filling Ingredients:
1 onion – chopped
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
¼ cup sherry
2 cups chicken broth
¼ cup flour
1 package (12 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables – thawed
1 teaspoon thyme
1 pound bones/skinless cooked chicken breast – cubed
Salt & pepper
Cobbler Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons low fat butter spread
¼ cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons skim milk
Directions:
Make the chicken filling:
- Heat a large skillet on medium low and coat with cooking spray. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 10 – 12
minutes, turning occasionally, until browned. - Add onion, cover and sauté for about 5 – 7 minutes until the onions are soft and slightly browned.
- Increase heat to medium high and add sherry. Cook until all the liquid has absorbed. In a
small bowl, combine the chicken stock and flour then pour into the skillet and
stir until slightly thickened. - Add the vegetables, chicken and season with thyme, salt and pepper.
- Lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Make the cobbler:
- Whisk
together the flour, baking powder, thyme, salt and pepper. With a pastry knife, cut the butter spread
into the flour mixture until it resembles small peas. - Mix in the egg substitute and milk until moistened.
Assembly:
- Coat a large oven safe baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon chicken filling into the bottom and
then spoon cobbler on top, making mounds with the dough. - Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the cobbler is slightly browned and cooked through.
- Serve hot.
Pastitsio – Greek Style Baked ziti with meat
Most families have traditional holiday meals that usually stem from their ethnic background and my family is no exception. Coming from a Greek American background, our Easter dinner usually consists of roasted lamb with orzo, Greek salad, spinach pie, pastsio and rice pudding for dessert. Here is a recipe I’d like to share with you that lightens up a traditionally very heavy dish.
Enjoy…
Pastitsio – Greek Style Baked ziti with meat
Preheat Oven 350o
Serves 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook & Bake Time: 50 – 60 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 420 Fat: 7 grams
Ingredients:
½ pound ziti pasta
1 onion – chopped
1 clove garlic – minced
½ pound ground sirloin
½ pound ground turkey breast meat
Salt and pepper
½ cup white wine
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup egg substitute
Cream Sauce:
1 cup fat free half and half
2 cups skim milk
½ cup flour
¾ cup egg substitute
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and add ziti, cook for 5 minutes until al dente (firm). Drain ziti and rinse with cold water. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.
- Make the meat filling: Heat a large skillet on medium low heat, coat with cooking spray and add onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened and browned. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Increase the stovetop burner heat to medium high and add ground beef and turkey and sauté for about 7 minutes until the meat is cooked and browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add white wine and cook until all the liquid has absorbed. Add tomato sauce and heat for about 2 minutes. Spoon meat filling into the bowl with ziti and cool while preparing the cream sauce.
- Make cream sauce: In a large pot, whisk together half and half, milk, flour, egg substitute and nutmeg. Heat the stovetop burner on medium low, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thick. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Once the meat mixture is cooled, add the ¼ cup parmesan cheese and ½ cup egg substitute.
- To assemble: Coat an 8 X 12 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Spoon meat and ziti mixture on the bottom. Spread the cream sauce on top.
- Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Bouillabaisse
This is a great healthy recipe that is so easy to prepare. I was rushing around last week and needed an idea for dinner. I had frozen shrimp, scallops and sea bass and remembered my bouillabaisse recipe that never fails. All I had to do was stop for the clams and I had a complete meal. Because of my limited time, I cooked the sauce in advance then just heated it up 15 minutes before dinner and added the fish. You can easily substitute any fish of your liking as well.
Sorry for not having a picture, I was really busy.
Enjoy…
Bouillabaisse
Serves 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 300 Fat: 2.5 grams
Sauce ingredients:
Olive oil cooking Spray
1 leek, chopped
½ onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 bottle of clam juice (8 ounces)
½ cup white wine
2 cups fat free chicken broth
1 cup diced tomatoes (can be canned)
½ teaspoon saffron
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
1. Heat deep sauté pan on medium low heat and spray with cooking spray. Sauté onions and leeks until soft. Add garlic and flour and sauté for an additional minute.
2. Add clam juice and raise heat to medium. Let come to a boil and add wine, chicken stock and tomatoes. Cook until it comes back up to a boil.
3. Lower heat to a simmer and add saffron, parsley, thyme and pepper.
4. Simmer for 1 hour (covered).
Fish:
1 pound fillet fish (i.e. tilapia, cod, sole)
1 pound scallops
1 pound shrimp – deveined, shelled and tails off
1 dozen clams
Directions:
1. Add fish fillet cook for 5 – 7 minutes, add shrimp, scallops and clams and cook until clams have opened, the shrimp have turned pink and scallops are firm, about 5 minutes.
Serve with rice.
Stuffed Cabbage
This recipe is a little bit more work than what I usually post but is well worth the effort. If you are having company or a nice weekend meal for your family, this comfort classic is sure to please. Although my son peeled off the cabbage and ate the filling, he really enjoyed the flavors of the sauce and meat. The best part is that you, your frineds and family can enjoy a hearty delicious but light meal.
Enjoy…
Stuffed Cabbage
Preheat oven 350o
Serves 8
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 250 Fat: 5 grams
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Stuffed Cabbage
Ingredients:
Stuffed Cabbage:
1 – 3 ½ pound cabbage
¾ pound ground turkey breast meat
¾ pound ground sirloin
½ cup egg substitute
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dill
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce:
1 onion
1 cup white wine
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Remove any damaged leaves from the cabbage. With a sharp knife, core the cabbage, cutting a hole in at least 1 inch wide and deep.
- Place the cabbage in the saucepan, cored end down, and boil for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Transfer the cabbage to a large bowl and carefully peel off as many softened leaves as you can. Return the remaining cabbage to the saucepan and repeat until you have 16 whole leaves.
- Quarter the remaining cabbage and transfer to a food processor and chop. Measure 2 cups of the chopped cabbage and store or discard any remaining cabbage.
- For the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, ground beef, egg substitute, bread crumbs, paprika, dill, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix well until completely incorporated.
- For the Sauce: Heat a large skillet on medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes until browned. Add wine and reduce to half (about 5 minutes). Add crushed tomatoes, apple sauce, sugar, vinegar, salt and the 2 cups of reserved chopped cabbage. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering, spread the cabbage leaves out and fill each with about ¼ cup of the meat stuffing. Fold the rib end of each leaf up over the stuffing then fold the side in. Complete the roll by folding the top leaf down over it.
- In a large oven safe casserole pan, add about 2/3 of the sauce on the bottom. Carefully arrange the cabbage rolls on top of the sauce then pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover the casserole and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Italian Wedding Soup
Italian Wedding Soup
Serves 8
Preheat oven 375o
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 200 Fat:4 grams
Ingredients:
½ (8 ounces) pound ground turkey breast meat
½ (8 ounces) pound ground sirloin
½ cup Italian style bread crumbs
¼ cup egg substitute
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning – separated
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ box (8 ounces) orzo pasta
10 cups low fat chicken broth
1 package (10 ounces) chopped frozen spinach
2 bay leaves
Directions:
- To make the meatballs: Combine the ground turkey, ground sirloin, bread crumbs, egg substitute, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder and parmesan cheese and mix well with your hands.
- Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray and set on the side. Roll meat mixture into small balls (about ½ teaspoon in size) and place meatballs on broiler pan.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- While the meatballs are baking, boil orzo pasta until al dente (about 5 minutes). Drain and rinse and set aside.
- In a large pot, combine chicken broth, frozen spinach, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, bay leaves and cooked orzo and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.
- Once meatballs are cooked, add them to the soup and serve hot with parmesan cheese on the side.
Pork Stout Stew
Pork Stout Stew
Serves 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 1/2 – 2 hours
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 350 Fat: 8 grams
Pork Stout Stew
Ingredients:
9 slices center cut low fat bacon
2 pounds boneless pork loin – cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups onion – chopped
1 cup carrots – peeled and chopped
5 cloves garlic
¼ cup fresh parsley – chopped
2 bay leaves
1 (12-ounce) can of stout beer
2 cups beef broth
1 pound potatoes – peeled and quartered
Directions:
- Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven on medium high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add bacon and cook for 5 – 7 minutes until browned and very crispy.
- While bacon is cooking, combine paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme and flour in a bowl. Add pork mix until all of the pork is coated with spices.
- Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoon of fat from the pan.
- Add pork to the pan and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
- Chop the cooled bacon and add with the pork.
- Reduce heat to medium and add onions and carrots to the pan. Sauté for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, parsley and bay leaves and cook for 30 seconds. Add the stout, beef broth and potatoes and return the pork and bacon to the pan. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until the pork and vegetables are tender, about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat, adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot.
Mexican Style Lasagna
Preheat oven 375o
Serves 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 350 Fat: 8 grams
Mexican Style Lasagna
Ingredients:
½ pound ground turkey breast meat
½ pound ground sirloin steak
1 clove garlic – crushed
1 cup chili sauce
½ cup water
Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 packet taco seasoning
6 small round soft tortillas
1 cup low fat grated Mexican blend cheese – separated
1 cup salsa
Directions:
- Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add ground turkey and beef and sauté for 5 – 7 minutes until browned. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add chili sauce, water, Tabasco sauce (if using) and taco seasoning. Heat on medium low for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat a non-stick skillet on medium high. Heat tortillas until slightly browned.
- To Assemble: Coat an 8 X 12 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer 3 tortillas on the bottom (you may have to cut the tortillas so that they cover the bottom). Add the ground meat mixture and top with half the cheese. Layer the meat and cheese mixture with the remaining tortillas. Spoon salsa on top and finally, top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
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