Chicken and Pasta You Are Sure to Love

Chicken Pasta Dinner

4 cups uncooked spiral pasta

½ pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into ¼ inch pieces

¾ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch pieces

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 jar (7 ounces) roasted sweet red peppers, drained

1 garlic clove, minced

¾ cup reduced sodium chicken broth

¾ cup fat free evaporated milk, divided

¼ cup minced fresh basil or 4 teaspoons dried basil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons cornstarch

5 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding green beans during the last 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, sauté chicken in 2 teaspoons oil until no longer pink. Remove from skillet and keep warm. In the same pan, sauté red peppers and garlic in reaming oil for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth, 1/2 cup milk, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; cool slightly. Transfer to a blender; cover and process until smooth. Return to pan. Add chicken to the pepper mixture. Combine cornstarch and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into the chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta mixture; toss with the sauce. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon of cheese.

This recipe is out of the Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet cookbook, and is amazing. It sounds like it would take a while to prepare, but really it is done in about 30 minutes. My family really enjoyed it, it is a little twist on a pasta sauce. Hope you enjoy!

Pop it in and forget about it

Roasted Herb Chicken

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon seasoning salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (4 pound) whole chicken

3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the Italian seasoning, seasoning salt, garlic powder and pepper; set aside. Rinse the chicken thoroughly and remove giblets. Place chicken in a 13-in x 9-in baking dish. Sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoons of spice mixture inside the chicken. Rub the remaining mixture on the outside of the chicken. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken. Bake for 1 and ½ hours or until the juices run clear, basting several times the oil.

I hope you enjoy this easy, tasty and healthy roasted chicken. Roasting chicken is easy, and it gives the chicken a wonderful flavor. You don’t have to add many seasoning, because the chicken seasons itself wonderfully.

I like to serve this chicken with roasted potatoes, what I do is wash and dry about 4 large potatoes then I cut them into large cubes. I place them on a cookie sheet, lined with foil. Make sure your cookie sheet has an edge to it that goes all the way around. Then I drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle them with Mrs. Dash, my favorite is original, but you can use whatever you like best. Then I give them a quick toss with my hands and cook them for about 35-45 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned.

These recipes have long cooking times, but short preparation times, so if you have a lot to do, this is a great meal, because you put them in the oven and forget about it until it  is time to eat.

Enjoy!

Healthy but Tasty

My husband and I have recently started weight watchers, so you will start to notice that some of my recipes that I share are on the healthy side of things. This recipe that I am going to share with you now is healthy, but I grew up with my grandma making it for us and have always loved it. So healthy of not, this is a great recipe.

Grandma’s Swiss Steak

1-1 ½ pound round steak

Flour

Oil

Salt

Pepper

2 large onions, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup green pepper, chopped

1 ½ cup tomato sauce

Cut the round steak into strips. Coat each strip with flour and brown in oil. Salt and pepper the steaks while browning. Brown on both sides and remove from skillet. Place the chopped vegetables in the skillet and cook until crisp tender. Add the steak back to the skillet and cook until meat is tender (this takes a while, because round steak is very tough). Add water as needed to keep from sticking. Add tomato sauce and cook down to desired consistency. Serve over rice.

When we make this recipe we always use fresh from the garden ingredients, we even can our own tomato sauce, but I know not everyone has the fresh from the garden ingredients at home. So, I know from experience, that store bought ingredients work just as well. I hope you like my grandmas recipe for Swiss steak, and it may be healthy, but it still is tasty.  

Not Your Everyday Peanut Butter Fudge

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Glazed Fudge

3 cups (1 ½ packages, 12 ounce each) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

Dash salt

1 2/3 cup (10 ounce package) Peanut Butter chips

½ cup whipping cream

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with wax paper. Melt the chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in 2/3 cup peanut butter chips and vanilla extract. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board. Melt 1 cup peanut butter chips with the ½ cup of whipping cream; stir until thick and smooth. Spread over fudge. Store in the refrigerator.

My husband loves peanut butter, as I have said before, and he also likes fudge, so this is a keeper for him.

Remember, when making any kind of candy, never, I repeat never, turn the heat up because you are sick of stirring, if you do that your fudge will be as hard as a rock. Candy takes patience and patience always pays off in the end, if you put in the work, yes your arm will be sore, but they fudge will taste great. It will melt in your mouth, and you won’t want to stop eating it. So what I do is, I take it to a get together, so I don’t end up eating it all.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for peanut butter fudge.

A Healthy Twist on Roast

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

5 to 7 stalks of celery

3-5 carrots, peeled

1 pound red potatoes, halved

Salt

Ground black pepper

1 (3 ½ pound) whole chicken

½ of a medium onion, cut into 4 pieces

1/3 cup dry white wine

2-3 celery leaves (from core)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl stir together oil and lemon juice; set aside. Trim celery to fit a 9 x 13 pan. Quarter lengthwise any carrots. Line the bottom of the ungreased pan with celery and carrots. Place potatoes on top. Drizzle vegetables with half of the oil mixture. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, season body cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff chicken with onion and celery leaves. Twist wing tips under back. Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Push potatoes to the edge of pan. Place chicken on top of celery and carrots. Baste chicken and potatoes with the remaining oil mixture. Add to the pan, the wine. Roast for 70 to 75 minutes. Let chicken stand 10 minutes before carving. Discard onion and celery leaves. Drain and discard juices from chicken. Add chicken and vegetables to a platter.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

This is a healthier way of making a roast, because chicken is much better for you than red meat. The celery and carrots are used as a roasting rack and are still get all of the flavor, so there is less clean up and just as much flavor.

I hope you enjoy this healthy twist on roast and vegetables.

The best pesto pasta dish ever

Grilled Chicken and Pesto Farfalle

1 ¾ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 teaspoon salt, divided

¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

20 ounces uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)

1 tablespoon butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ cups 1 % low-fat milk, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 (3.5 ounce) jar commercial pesto (about 1/3 cup)

¾ cup half-and-half

2 cups (8 ounce) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

4 cups halved grape tomatoes (about 2 pints)

½ cup chopped fresh basil

Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until done, turning after 6 minutes. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Cut chicken into ½ inch pieces; keep warm. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in colander over a bowl, reserving ¼ cup cooking liquid. Place pasta in large bowl. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Combine ½ cup milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with  a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in pesto. Gradually add remaining 1 cup milk and half-and-half, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cool 8 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Add ¼ cup reserved cooking liquid, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper, and 1 cup cheese; stir until cheese melts. Add chicken and sauce to pasta, tossing well to coat. Add tomatoes and basil; toss gently. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Serve immediately.

Yields: 10 servings (serving size: 2 cups pasta and about 1 ½ tablespoon cheese)

I love pesto, and this recipe is WONDERFUL. It is easily cut in half, so if you don’t want to cook for 10, it is also good for potlucks.

Hope you enjoy!

A wonderful meal

Meatloaf

1 ½ lbs ground chuck

1 egg

2 t Worcheshire sauce

1 can tomato soup

1 small can French fried onions

Mix hamburger, egg, Worcheshire sauce, ¾ can of tomato soup, and ¾ can of French fried onions in a medium bowl. Shape into a loaf and put in a 9- inch square pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Brush remaining soup over top of meatloaf, bake an additional 10 minutes. Sprinkle remaining French fried onions on top and bake for 5 minutes longer.

Cheesy Potatoes

1 ½ pounds potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

½ - ¾ pound Velveeta cheese, cubed

Wash and dry potatoes. Peel. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Boil until tender. Meanwhile  in a saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour. Slowly add milk and stir occasionally until thickened. Add cheese to white sauce. Add potatoes to cheese sauce. Serve with meatloaf and green beans.

This is one of my families favorite meals. I grew up on it and now I make it for my husband. All of the different dishes really complement each other. The cheese from the cheesy potatoes is really good if you spoon a little of it on top of your green beans. At least that is how we always eat it.

This meal is very good in the winter, since you oven is going to be on for over an hour, but if you don’t mind a warmer kitchen it is just as good in the summer.

Hope you enjoy this wonderful meal!

Not your typical cake

Peach Cake

¾ cup butter

1 package yellow cake mix

2 egg yolks

16 ounces sour cream

½ teaspoon cinnamon

29 ounces sliced peaches, drained

8 ounce carton whipped topping, thawed

In a bowl, cut butter into cake mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pat into a greased 13x9 inch pan. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks; add sour cream and mix well. Set aside 6 to 8 peaches for garnish. Cut remaining peaches into 1 inch squares, stir into sour cream mixture. Spread over crust; sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool. Spread with whipped topping and garnish with reserved peaches. Store in the refrigerator.

This is my husband’s all time favorite dessert. My mom made it for a family get together one day and he was hooked. He had me get the recipe from her, and every time I am in charge of the dessert for a get together, he says I should bring this. It doesn’t matter if it is winter or summer, he wants it.

When making this recipe, don’t press the crust down to hard, or it is almost impossible to cut through, it will taste good either way, but you will have a mess on your hands. I also garnish the top of the dessert with not only the peaches, but lightly sprinkle some more cinnamon on top, but we love cinnamon, so that is up to you.

I hope you enjoy this dessert as much as we have!

Healthy but still yummy

Marvelous Chicken Enchiladas

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons coriander

1 teaspoon baking cocoa

1 cup milk

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

4 green onions, chopped

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup minced fresh cilantro, divided

6 whole wheat tortillas (8 inch)

½ cup salsa

½ cup tomato sauce

½ cup cheddar cheese

Sprinkle chicken with chili powder. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in oil over medium heat until no longer pink.  Sprinkle with flour, coriander and cocoa; stir until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the corn, onions, chilies, and salt; cook and stir 2 minutes longer or until heated through. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro. Spread 2/3 cup filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl combine the salsa, tomato sauce and remaining cilantro; pour over enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated through.

My husband and I love Mexican food, so I thought I would try making enchiladas, without buying the enchilada sauce at the store. This is a healthier take on chicken enchiladas, but just as tasty. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

A Sweet Crowd Pleaser

Turtle Tassies

1 (17.5 ounce) sugar cookie mix

                Butter

                Egg

2 (14 ounce each) bags of caramels

1/3 cup whipping cream

¾ cup dark chocolate chips

½ cup chopped pecans

Spray 48 mini muffin cups. Make dough as directed. Shape into 48 (1 inch) balls. Press 1 ball into the bottom of each cup, pressing up sides to fill cups. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Meanwhile, in a-3 quart saucepan, heat the caramels and cream over medium heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Reduce heat to low. Remove pans from oven; gently press end of wooden spoon into bottoms and against sides of cookie cups to flatten, being careful not to made holes. Bake 2 to 2 minutes longer. Immediately spoon ½ teaspoon (about 4) chocolate chips into each cookie cup. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the caramel mixture into each cup. Immediately top with chopped pecans. Cool 5 minutes, remove from pans with a narrow spatula.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, my husband and I both love caramel and pecans, so this is one of our favorites, I however don’t like dark chocolate, so I use milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate chips. It makes the recipe a little sweeter. This is also a good crowd pleaser, because it makes 4 dozen cookies, you will be sure to have plenty to go around, but they will go fast. To get the cookies from the pan, I use a icing spreader, it works very well and doesn’t damage the cookies.