Recipes: Entree

This is originally from "In The Kitchen with Rosie." Rosie was Oprah's personal chef for a while. Also it took me about 2 maybe 3 times to get this to turn out without the coating falling off and I have done little modifications to it from the original.

light vegetable oil cooking spray
ice water to soak chicken breasts in
1 can 99% fat free cream of chicken soup (or 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt)

For the breading:
1 cup dried bread crumbs (I have used a mixture of crushed multi-grain crackers and whole wheat crumbs that turned out very tasty)
1 cup all-purpose flour
And then I season with a garlic pepper blend and a dash of cayenne pepper

(recipe uses 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano)

Preheat over to 400 degrees
Coat a baking sheet with several layers of sprays of cooking spray (at least 3). Put the chicken in a large bowl with the iced water. Put the cream of chicken soup(or yogurt ) in a medium shallow bowl. Place all the breading ingredients in a shallow bowl or in a plastic bag (I prefer a bowl).

Remove a piece of chicken from the ice water. Roll each in the cream of chicken soup. The roll in breading or put the chicken into the plastic bag, reseal and shake well to coat thoroughly. Transfer the breaded chicken to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process until all chicken is breaded. Then....(yes this sounds strange but it works) spray the chicken generously with cooking spray.

Place the baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, turning the pieces every 20 minutes to allow even browning. (I spray them when I turn them.)

This will coat and bread about 5 chicken breasts.

Chicken Pomodoro

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded chicken breasts)
2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped 2 tablespoons fat free half and half (original recipe calls for heavy cream - I just like to watch our calories and fat intake)

Season pounded chicken breasts with salt, pepper and dust with flour. Sauté chicken in oil. Transfer to a platter; pour off fat from pan. Deglaze pan with vodka (away from flame). Cook until vodka is nearly gone. Add broth and lemon juice. Return chicken to pan and cook each side for one minute. Transfer cutlets to a warm plate. Finish the sauce with tomatoes and cream. Heat through, then pour over the cutlets.

Smoky Mountain Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
black pepper to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian style seasoning
barbecue sauce (I just use bottled --- use as much as you like....so to your taste)
4 slices of ham
4 slices of Monterey Jack Cheese
1/8 cup chopped green onion for topping
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes for topping

Preheat oven to 350 F

Place Chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9 x 13 dish. Season with pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning to taste. Bake seasoned chicken for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

When Chicken is done, remove from oven and pour on barbecue sauce. Layer each breast with slice of ham and then cheese. Return to oven and continue to back for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with green onions and tomatoes.

My notes: I did not use sliced cheese I just used shredded Colby jack. I have used cheddar and provolone also and it is just as good

Salisbury Steak

1 1/2 pounds ground round (I use about half ground round/ground sirloin and half ground turkey to cut down on some fat)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion (the original called for 1/2 but with the onion rings in the sauce that is a little too oniony for me)
1/2 cup long-grain rice -- cooked (I have left out on occasion when I did not have any on hand)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg white
1 cup sliced onions (I leave them in their rings)
1 cup mushrooms -- sliced
2 Cups beef broth
4 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
flour for dredging
Combine ground round, onion, rice, pepper, 2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce, and egg white in a medium sized bowl; mix well. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions; shape each portion into 1 inch thick patty. Dredge each patty in some flour. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium high heat until hot. Add patties and cook until browned on both sides (about 4 minutes per side). Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Coat skillet with cooking spray again right over any drippings and crumbs; heat over medium high heat. Add onions and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth,remaining worcestershire sauce. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Return patties to skillet. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Transfer patties to serving platter, and keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water; add to broth mixture, stirring well. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon sauce evenly over patties.

I usually serve this with some whole wheat egg noodles, salad and maybe some garlic toast to make a really good meal.

Chicken Lasagna

1/2 of a 1 pound package of whole-wheat lasagna noodles (regular lasagna noodles work too -- I just prefer whole-wheat)
1 (12 ounce) can of evaporated skim milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or just chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheese
Paprika

Prepare lasagna according to package directions; drain. In a large saucepan, blend together evaporated skim milk and cornstarch. Whisk in chicken broth, parmesan cheese, wine, mustard, tomato sauce, garlic, basil, and red pepper. Bring to a boil; stirring until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Reserve 1-1/4 cups. Stir chicken and tomatoes into remaining sauce. Into a 13x19-inch baking dish, spoon 1/4 cup reserved sauce. Layer 1/3 the lasagna and half the chicken sauce. Repeat, ending up with lasagna. Spread on remaining 1 cup of sauce. Top with cheese and paprika. Bake, uncovered, in 350 F. oven for 35-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Serves 8-10

Chicken Capri

1 cup (reduced-fat) ricotta cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned or fresh)
4 slices reduced fat mozzarella cheese

In a blender or food processor, combine the ricotta with the oregano, salt and pepper. Process to blend. (I also have just mixed very well in a bowl and tasted much the same - just not as pureed)

Rub the chicken with the garlic powder and basil. Heat the oil in the large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 minutes per side. Place the chicken breast, side by side, in large baking dish and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Spoon 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture and 1/4 cup tomatoes onto each chicken breast. Top each chicken breast and 1 slice mozzarella. Bake for 20 minutes or when the juices run clear. If your chicken breasts are bigger and require more time cooked then add the mixture the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Makes 4 servings.

Crab & Salmon Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 can salmon
1 can crabmeat (I have used the equivalent amount in just imitation crabmeat also)
1 egg
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (all purpose flour works too)
1 tbsp green onions
1/4 cup sweet red peppers, finely diced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp (fat free) half and half

Drain cans of salmon and crab. Mix together with green onions, 1 tbsp peppers, spices and 1 tbsp flour. Taste for spice. Add more if desired. Add 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk. Mix well. Form into 8 patties.
Dip in egg then flour and sauté in oil until brown.
For sauce....Roast fresh red pepper in 400 degree oven for 25 mins, or use bottled roasted red peppers. Heat fat free half and half in saucepan, add peppers, salt and pepper to taste...then puree until smooth...add flour to thicken. Pour sauce over cakes to serve.

Roasted Rosemary Chicken & Vegetables

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 small red onion, quartered
3 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I leave this out as we don't like eggplant but I am sure it is delicious for people who do)

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and garlic.
Marinate chicken breasts for 5 minutes in olive oil mixture. Place the chicken breasts, reserving marinade, in a baking dish.
Add vegetables to marinade, and toss to coat. Place vegetables in a single layer on a foil-lined cookie sheet coated with cooking spray.
Place the chicken and vegetables in a 400 degree F oven. Bake chicken for 20 minutes. Bake the vegetables for 35 minutes, or until the edges of the vegetables brown. Serve hot, or at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings

Beef Parmesan with Garlic Angel Hair Pasta

1 1/2 pounds beef cube steak
1 onion, sliced into thin rings
1 green bell pepper, sliced in rings
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces tomato/pasta sauce (I make homemade but a jar or canned is okay too)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
12 ounces angel hair pasta (I use whole wheat pasta)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut cube steak into serving size pieces. Coat meat with the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, and sauté 1 teaspoon of the garlic for 3 minutes. Quick fry (brown quickly on both sides) meat. Place meat in a casserole baking dish, slightly overlapping edges. Place onion rings and peppers on top of meat, and pour marinara sauce over all.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. Sprinkle mozzarella over meat the last 5 minutes of baking.
Boil pasta al dente. Serve meat on top of a mound of pasta! .

Crispy Beef

1/4 cup cornstarch
salt and black pepper to taste
12 ounces flank steak, thinly sliced
oil for frying
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey (they even make sugar free honey if you watch sugars)
4 tablespoons granulated sugar (I never use that much maybe 2 tbl)
1/2 tablespoon chile paste
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons chopped ginger root
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup sliced onion
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

Heat oil in deep-fryer, wok or deep pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, salt and pepper together. Mix thoroughly. Toss the steak slices in the cornstarch mixture and coat well.
Deep fry the coated steak slices until golden brown. Check to make sure they are cooked through. Remove from oil, and set aside.
In another mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine and honey. Add sugar, chili paste, water, and ginger. Mix well and set aside.
Heat a wok or deep frying pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, and quickly sauté the onion, garlic and red pepper for 30 seconds. Add the sauce mixture, and cook another 30 seconds. Finally, add the strips of fried steak and toss to heat through and coat with sauce.

Serve over rice and it makes a very delicious meal. I usually do some stir fried green beans with soy sauce as a side.


Pan-Roasted Chicken with Sweet-Tart Red Wine Sauce

From Cook's Illustrated - of course with some modifications though because that is what I do when I cook - make it mine

Chicken
1/2 cup of sea or kosher salt (recipe called for 1 cup but I don't like that much salt)
4 split whole chicken breast with skin on (bone in breasts -- larger pieces) Ground Black Pepper 1 tsp olive oil

Sweet-Tart Red Wine Sauce
1 large shallot - minced (about 4 tbls)
3/4 cup canned low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup Red Wine
1/4 Red Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter - cut into 3 pieces

Dissolve salt into 2 quarts of cold tap water in large bowl; submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate for about 30-40 minutes. Rinse chicken pieces under running cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season with pepper.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees
Heat Oil in heavy bottomed 12-inch oven proof skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Make sure you swirl the pan to coat the bottom of it before adding chicken. Brown chicken skin side down until deep golden brown - turn pieces and cook until golden on other side about 3 minutes each side. Place skillet in oven and roast until juices run clear when chicken is cut with paring knife about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and let rest while making sauce.
Pour off most of the fat from the skillet and then add shallot. Cooking over medium high heat until softened...stirring frequently. Add Chicken broth and rest of sauce ingredients except butter increase to high heat and simmer rapidly, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until slightly thickened and reduced slightly - about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and whisk butter in 1 piece at a time. Spoon sauce around chicken breasts and serve immediately.

Sicilian Chicken

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
6 chicken breasts
1 medium yellow onion, chopped, about 1 cup
5 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups canned, peeled plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add chicken in batches; cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Place chicken on a serving platter.

In the same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic to skillet; cook for 1 minute longer. Return chicken pieces to skillet. Add tomatoes, broth, vinegar, basil, oregano, and pepper. Partially cover skillet; cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chicken Francese

I had this at a dinner party once but did not know the host well to ask for the recipe. So, over the years I have tried to reproduce it as close as possible to hers.

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
All-purpose flour --- for dredging
salt and ground black pepper
4 eggs
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon, with rind, cut in thin rounds
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 lemon - juiced
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet between 2 pieces of heavy duty plastic wrap, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. In a wide shallow bowl, beat the eggs with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet.

Dredge both sides of the chicken breasts in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, let the excess drip off (this is important because if you don't then the coating can fall off when cooking). When the oil is hot, add the chicken breast and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden, turning once or twice. Remove the chicken breasts to an oven safe platter in warm oven.

Toss the lemon slices into the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the wine, broth, and lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. Mix a little flour with some water or a little of the chicken broth before you add it all. Add this and the butter to the skillet, this will thicken the sauce. Stir to incorporate and dissolve the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken to the pan; place the lemon slices on top of the cutlets. Simmer gently for 2 minutes to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Rosemary Wine Pork Chops

This is really good serving with steamed broccoli that sautéed it in the pan juices to give it a good flavor.

4 tablespoons butter
4 (1 inch thick) pork chops
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground
black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook chops in butter, turning once to brown evenly.

Pour in wine, and season with salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until chops are tender. Transfer pork chops to serving plates, and spoon sauce over the meat.

Honey Mustard Bacon Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup prepared mustard
lemon pepper to taste
4 slices bacon, cut in half (I have used turkey bacon before too)
1 cup shredded cheese (I have used cheddar but you could use whatever cheese sounds good to you)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Sprinkle with lemon pepper on the chicken breasts. Place the chicken breast halves - bottom up - in a baking dish, and drizzle evenly with honey and mustard, then turn over and drizzle with more of the honey mustard.

Bake chicken 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Drizzle with any of the sauce left.

Bake chicken for another 10 minutes. And then top each breast half with 2 bacon slice halves and sprinkle with cheese. Continue baking 10 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear, bacon is crisp, and cheese is bubbly.

Note: I fried the bacon up a little as it did not seem to get crisp very fast

Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce

4 pork chops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons oil - used olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (1 to 2)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons half-n-half
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.

Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until hot. Pat pork dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add oil to hot skillet, swirling to coat, then brown chops, turning over once, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Move to a shallow baking pan and bake -- uncovered, until cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let stand -- loosely covered with foil -- 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour off fat from skillet, then cook shallots in butter over medium heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth and any juices from baking pan and boil, scraping up any brown bits, 2 minutes. Add mustard and half-n-half and return to a boil, then add lemon juice and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Taco Bake

Note: This recipe has lots of flexibility to it. You can bulk it up more with some cooked rice or other veggies.

1 can refried beans
1 lb ground beef (I use ground turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper chopped (I just take the stir fry peppers in the frozen food section and put in my food processor for a few seconds to get them chopped and I use mixed peppers)
8 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped (keeping this here but I never use mushroom as my stomach can't handle them)
1 can green chilis
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 TB chili powder
1 TB cumin
1-2 t garlic powder
1 can tomato paste
1 to 2 Cups shredded cheese, your choice on how much and what kind (cheddar mixed with some mozzarella is what I use)

Garnish - any, all work well:
chopped black olives
low fat sour cream
chopped lettuce and tomatoes
chopped cilantro
chopped onion
salsa

Preheat oven to 450. Take a flat casserole dish, spray with cooking spray and spread refried beans on the bottom. Bake for 5 minutes. (I have used a 9x9 and also a 9x13. Both work - one just makes it the taco bake thicker then the other.)

Meanwhile, sauté meat, onions, bell pepper, garlic until onion begins to soften and meat beings to brown. (Add mushrooms and cook until they've released their water and meat is thoroughly browned.) Drain fat and add all spices, green chilies and tomato paste, along with a little bit of water, if needed. The mixture should be moist but not runny.

Take the casserole dish with the beans, pour mixture on top and top with cheese. Bake in the oven for another 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and just starts to bubble. Serve on plate with garnishes on top.

Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers
I love stuffed peppers and one day I probably should just do a whole page of different variations of stuffed peppers. This is just one way.

Also I hear so often that people don't like stuffed peppers because the green peppers are so strong. Red peppers have a sweet mild taste to them. Orange and Yellow also are not as strong as green so try a different color pepper instead of a green pepper.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon granular sugar/Splenda
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces (lowfat) shredded cheddar cheese, divided (or any other cheese of your choice - I used Colby Jack)
3 peppers, halved lengthwise (cut from top to bottom - through the stem) -- I use red as they are my favorite

Brown the ground beef, onion, celery and garlic; drain fat. Stir in all remaining ingredients except the cheese and green peppers. Simmer 10 minutes. Meanwhile, parboil the pepper halves in a little boiling water for 3 minutes; drain. Place peppers, cut-side-up in a shallow baking dish. Remove meat from heat and stir half the cheese into the mixture; fill pepper halves with meat. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350º 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and peppers are tender. Makes six servings

Hoisin Pork Chops

1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic (garlic powder can be substituted just remember it is a lot less garlic powder needed so maybe 1 or 2 teaspoons of powder)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (1/2-inch-thick) pork chops
1/4 cup honey
vegetable or olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the hoisin, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add the pork chops and turn to coat. Remove the chops from the marinade.

Reserve the marinade and combine with the honey in a medium saucepan. Bring the honey marinade mixture to a boil and cook at a low boil for at least 10 minutes.

Add chops to a large sauté pan coated with vegetable oil and sear on until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes per side. Pour the reduced marinade over the chops and bake for 10 minutes, or until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F. Remove the chops from the oven and set aside to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Cheese and Herb Coated Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup bread crumbs*
1/4 cup asiago (cut into small chunks)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cups pine nuts or almonds (toasted lightly -- just sautéed on stovetop for a bit)

Mix all the above ingredients in food processor except chicken.

Then add these to processor with above mixture...
1-2 cloves garlic
1-2 green onions (minced)
2 teaspoon rosemary
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper chicken breasts lightly, then dip it into a mixture of 2 tablespoons buttermilk and 2 egg mixture -- lightly beaten.

Coat the chicken the crusting mixture...apply firmly. The egg/buttermilk wash should make the crust stick. I pack it on with my hands. I put them in fridge on a wax paper covered tray for about 1 hour.

Then sauté in pan with a little olive oil until outside is coating crisping....2 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from pan and put in a shallow baking dish. Cook at 350 until done....10 to 20 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts.

I did top this with a sauce....it is optional...
1 table green onion
1/4 cup spinach, chopped
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup white wine or sherry
1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine all the ingredients and heat saucepan until it reduces slightly. Serve over chicken breasts.

* I save all my ends and older bread plus broken or slightly stale crackers in the freezer until I get a good amount -- and then pulse in my food processor and keep them all in a ziplock in the freezer to use as needed.

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