Chicken Vinaigrette

For the first time, I'm going to write about a recipe that I didn't like.  I'm going to share it because I think it can easily be improved.  I'll try some imrpovements next time and let you know how well they worked (or didn't work, whichever the case may be.)

The biggest problem with this recipe is that the potatoes didn't cook enough and the rest was overdone.  Next time, I'll either leave out the potatoes or cook them separately.  I was also lacking a few ingredients, so the flavor wasn't as full as it should have been.  That's another problem easily solved (ie, don't be lazy and go to the store to buy all of the ingredients :-)

Here is the recipe.  Try it and send some suggestions as how to improve it.  Thanks!

CHICKEN VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts,
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
black pepper to taste
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 medium carrots, sliced
4 medium red potatoes, halved (I didn't have red potatoes, so I used Russet potatoes cut in small pieces)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (I used 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon low sodium chicken bouillon granules
pinch of dried thyme
1/2 cup sweet red peppers, julienned (I left out the peppers completely)
1/2 cup sweet yellow peppers, julienned
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup cider or red wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

Preparation:
In a nonstick skillet, brown chicken in oil.  Sprinkle with pepper.  Remove and keep warm.  In the drippings, saute onion and garlic until tender.  Stir in the carrots, potatoes, water and seasonings; top with chicken.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in additional water if needed.  Add peppers and green onions.  Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in vinegar; heat through.

Caramel Banana Cheesecake

Let me begin by saying that this recipe is not low fat or low sodium by any stretch of the imagination.  Every once in awhile, I will indulge in something that is too delicious to pass up.  Cheesecake is one of those foods.

Years ago, I was travelling in Great Britain with a tour group.  One evening, we stopped at a local restaurant for dinner.  I don't remember the name of the place, but I most definitely remember the dessert: Banoffee Pie.  I asked the server what it was, and she explained that it was a banana toffee pie served with whipped cream. SOLD!  I absolutely fell in love with Banoffee Pie.

Once at home, I searched the Internet to find a recipe for Banoffee Pie.  I found several and tried a few that were easiest to make.  Unfortunately, they didn't turn out well.  They were either too runny or too thick to slice.  I was too afraid to try making Banoffee Pie the correct way because it involves boiling unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk for approximately five hours.

So instead of making pie, I decided to combine my love of Banoffee Pie and cheesecake, and this recipe is the result.  I took a basic cheesecake recipe and altered it to give it the essence of Banoffee Pie.  I think it was a success because I received rave reviews from my coworkers.

CARAMEL BANANA CHEESECAKE
Ingredients:
Crust-
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
Filling-
3 packages (8oz) cream cheese, softened.  (I used 2 packages of Neufchatel and 1 package of fat free cream cheese.)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 teaspoon banana extract
1/2 teaspoon Auntie Jean's Low Sodium Sweet Blend* (You may also use cinnamon)
3 eggs
8 ounces sour cream (I used low fat sour cream)
3 ripe bananas, sliced
Whipped Cream and extra caramel sauce for topping

Preparation:
Prepare the crust first.  In a small bowl, combine butter, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs. 

Press into bottom of 9-inch or 10-inch spring form pan.  Place in freezer. 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  In large bowl, cream softened cheese until smooth. 

Add banana extract, sugar, caramel, and Sweet Spice.  Add eggs one at a time.  Fold in sour cream.  Layer 2 sliced bananas over graham cracker crust. 

Pour filling into crust and bake for one hour.  Let sit in warm oven for another hour. 

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.  Cake will have a very creamy consistency.  Top cake with 1 sliced banana, whipped cream, and caramel.

*Please email me at: auntiejeans@yahoo.com if you would like to order a bottle of Auntie Jean's Low Sodium Sweet Spice for $5 per bottle.

Zippy Pasta with Meatballs

I wanted to make meatballs the other day, but plain meatballs seemed so boring.  I have a recipe called "Zippy Ground Beef Skillet", and I thought I would substitute meatballs for cooked ground beef in the recipe.  Turns out, I liked this version of the recipe better.  I'm not sure how my family felt about it because they rarely respond with anything except, "It's good" or "It needs salt."

I thought it was pretty easy to make, but it is slightly more complicated than making just ground beef.  I think it's worth the extra effort.

ZIPPY PASTA WITH MEATBALLS

Meatballs:
Ingredients:
1 pound ground meat
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons salt free ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1/4 cup oats
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:
In bowl, combine ingredients and form 1 in balls.  Bake uncovered in greased dish at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

While the meatballs are baking, prepare the pasta.
Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked small pasta of your choice
1 can (4oz) diced green chilis
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup low fat sour cream

Preparation:
Cook pasta according to package directions.  In small bowl, combine sour cream, chilis and chili powder. 

Combine pasta and sour cream mixture. 

Pour pasta over cooked meatballs and serve.

Chicken Fajitas

I have never made fajitas before.  Now I can cross that off my bucket list (although I'm not sure it was on it in the first place).  I'm not even sure if I've ever eaten fajitas before.  I want to say that  have, but I can't recall.  I love tacos, so when I eat Mexican food, it's usually tacos or taco salad.

I thought that these fajitas were really good, but I have nothing with which to compare them.  I say, "Try this recipe yourself and let me know what you think."

I did alter the recipe slightly, partially because I was strapped for time and partially because I'm lazy.

CHICKEN FAJITAS

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice (I used 1/4 cup)
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (I used 1/2 teaspoon because I ran out of it)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 chicken breasts cut into thin strips
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, julienned  (I used 1 whole green, 1 whole red, and 1 whole yellow)
1/2 medium green pepper, julienned
4 green onions thinly sliced  (I omitted these)
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 (8 inch) low sodium flour tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese, taco sauce, salsa, guacamole, or sour cream (your choice of toppings)

Preparation:
In large resealable plastic bag, combine 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, and seasonings.  Add chicken.  Seal and turn to coat; refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.  I didn't have much time, so instead I combined the oil, lemon juice and seasonings in a small bowl.  Then I poured the sauce over the chicken while sauteing it.
In large skillet, saute peppers and onions in oil until crisp-tender. 

In separate skillet, saute chicken in sauce over medium-high heat about 5-6 minutes. 

Pour chicken over pepper skillet.  Combine and heat through.
Spoon filling down center of tortilla and fold in half.  Serve with choice of toppings.

Stuffed Green Peppers

I'm always looking for new ways to serve ground beef because I feel like I'm always eating burgers, meatballs, or meatloaf.  They're good but they get boring after awhile even if you use different seasonings with them.  Stuffing meat inside other food seems to be a specialty of the Polish people (of which I am a member).  I have already posted a kolacky recipe, so now it's time to stuff peppers with meat instead of dough.  In the future, I will make a recipe called Golabki, more commonly known as stuffed cabbage rolls.  So you have that to look forward to.

Unfortunately, I don't have photos to go with the recipe because my camera batteries died.  I'll post the pictures next time I make it.

Enjoy!

STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

Ingredients:
4 large green peppers
1 pound ground meat
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 can (14 oz) low sodium diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup long grain rice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation:
Halve peppers lenthwise and remove insides.  Boil for 3 minutes and drain.  In skillet, brown meat and onion; drain.  Stir in tomatoes, water, rice, Worcestershire, basil, and oregano.  Bring to boil and reduce heat.  Simmer covered for 15 minutes.  Place peppers in large baking dish and fill with meat.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  Makes 8 servings.

Lemon Mushroom Soup with Orzo

I believe that I have mentioned before that my favorite local restaurant is Popolano's.  Take a look at their website: http://popolanosrestaurant.com/ and drop by for a visit if you're nearby.  They have delicious American food with daily specials always worth a try.

While I was dining at Popolano's recently, one of the daily specials was Lemon Mushroom Orzo Soup.  I was intrigued because it sounded both good and gross at the same time.  I was feeling slightly adventuresome that day so I ordered the soup.  I have to say that it was one of the best soups that I've ever eaten.

Needless to say, I had to attempt my own low sodium version at home.  It's slightly different, of course, but delicious nonetheless.

My motto for food: Try it because it just might be the best thing you've ever eaten.  I keep telling my niece and nephews that when they refuse to try new dishes.  They begrudgingly try the food and insist they don't like it.  My favorite part is later, when I discover that they've eaten all the yucky food they didn't like.

LEMON MUSHROOM SOUP WITH ORZO

Ingredients:
2 cans (8 oz) low sodium sliced mushrooms (You can use fresh too, I'm lazy)
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup uncooked orzo

Preparation:
In large saucepan, combine all ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat a simmer 20 minutes.

Chicken and Noodles

This is one of those recipes that I like because it's easy to make.  It's yummy too, which is why I continue to serve this dish.  It's easily adapted to your own taste as well.  Plus you can serve this as a complete meal because it has meat, vegetables, and pasta in it.  I usually serve it with a green salad and fruit salad for some variety.

CHICKEN & NOODLES

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups frozen vegetable mix, thawed (I used green beans)
16 oz egg noodles or pasta (I used rotini)

Preparation:
In medium skillet, saute chicken pieces in 2 tablespoons vinegar or oil until browned.  (I prefer to use vinegar to lower the fat content.) Remove from skillet and keep warm.  Insame skillet, heat broth, seasonings, and vegetables.  Bring to boil and stir in noodles/pasta.  Cook for 2 minutes and add chicken.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover an simmer for 10 minutes.

Deep Dish Pizza

If you're from Chicago like I am, you are most likely a pizza snob.  We like our thin crust pizzas cut into squares and our deep dish pizzas cut into traditional triangles.  We know that our Chicago style pizza is the best. When we travel, we try other pizzas (I think) just to prove we're right.  I know that my favorite pizzas are deep dish from Chicago.  Giordano's happens to be my personal favorite.  You can take a look at their website:  http://www.giordanos.com/. 

That being said, I know that most people like the pizza in their hometown simply because it's familiar.  Chicago is no exception.

Traditional pizza is just sooo bad for you.  It's salty and greasy and sooo yummy.  I found a way to make deep dish pizza better for you.  It might not be great for you, but we all need a little indulgence once in a while.  This pizza recipe makes me feel much better about indulging.  This pizza is heavy on the meat and light on the cheese.  It uses a homemade low sodium sauce instead of the high sodium stuff from a jar.

I must say, that this recipe is quite a bit of work.  Personally, I think it's well worth the effort.  Give it a try.

LOW SODIUM PIZZA SAUCE

Ingredients:
6 oz can low sodium tomato paste
8 oz low sodium tomato sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried, minced onion
1 packet sodium free chicken or beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
2 - 3 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Preparation:
Combine ingredients in saucepan over low heat and simmer 20 minutes.
(You may prepare this the night before making the pizza.  You may also make large batches and freeze single use sizes in Ziploc bags to use later.)

DEEP DISH PIZZA

Ingredients:

Filling:
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon crushed anise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
 a few dashes of paprika and black pepper
Low sodium pizza sauce (see above recipe)
 1 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 pound ground beef

Crust:
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornmeal
1-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup very warm water
1/4 cup olive oil

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In skillet, heat onions, peppers, and meat until no longer pink and drain.  Add mushrooms and seasonings.  Add 1/2 cup pizza sauce and mix well; set aside.  Spray bottom of deep dish pan (I use the Pampered Chef Deep Dish Baker) with cooking spray.  Then sprinkle bottom of pan with tablespoon of cornmeal. 

In bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, yeast, and sugar.  Add water and oil and mix until ball forms.  Knead dough on floured surface about 3 minutes.  (I actually skip this step.)  Place dough in pan and press onto bottom and sides of pan.  Sprinkle a layer of cheese on the crust; top with meat mixture, another layer of cheese,

and rest of pizza sauce. 

Bake 30 minutes.  Yield 6 servings.

Lemon Dill Chicken

What is better than chicken with lemon?  IMO... chicken with lemon AND dill is even better.  I like Lemon Dill Chicken because it's absolutely delicious and it's quick and easy to prepare.  The flavors seem to be more suited to summer time dining, but I like it year round.  There is no baking involved, so that's another reason to serve this during the warmer months.

You may serve this with rice or pasta and a green salad for a complete meal.

I used 1 cup of chicken broth instead of the recommended 1/3 cup, and the chicken turned out extra juicy.  Also, I didn't have any green onions, so I left them out of the recipe this time.  It was still delicious.

LEMON DILL CHICKEN

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth (I used 1 cup)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
1/4 teaspoon dill weed

Preparation:
Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken about 6 minutes, turning once.  Mix broth, lemon juice, and dill; pour over chicken.  Heat to boiling.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Add green onion and heat through.