Cajun Spiced Pork Chops

I needed a new un-breaded pork chop recipe when I discovered I was out of bread crumbs tonight.  I found this on allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp rubbed dried sage leaves
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp oil
4 pork chops

Mix paprika, cumin, pepper, cayenne pepper, sage and garlic salt on a plate.  Liberally coat each pork chop with the spice mixture.

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Place pork chops in the skillet, reducing heat to medium.  Cook until the pork is no longer pink in the center, 8-10 minutes.  An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I've never been a huge fan of pumpkin, but I'm slowly working my way up to it.  So far I like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and this bread.  I guess as long as it has chocolate, I'm happy!  I got the recipe from our Relief Society November calendar, so I'm not sure who's it is.

Ingredients:

Mix together:
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
3 T vanilla

Add:
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix well.

Grease 2 loaf pans and dust with flour.  Pour batter into pans and bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes (mine was done in about 55).  Check to see if they're done by poking a toothpick down the center.  If it comes out clean, it's done!

Sweet Cornbread

This is for all you cornbread-haters out there.  Derek is one of them, but he actually likes this because he says it tastes like cake.  And it actually does, because half of it is cake.  The ingredients I kind of made up, so just follow your gut on those.

Ingredients:

1 package cornbread mix (I used Betty Crocker, but Jiffy would work great)
1/2 package yellow cake mix
Whatever ingredients they call for (oil, water, milk, butter, eggs, etc.)

So the ingredients on the back of the boxes: I put in everything that the cornbread mix called for (since I put in the whole mix), and half of what the cake mix called for (since I only put in half).  After all was said and done, I had put in 2 eggs, 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 of a 1/3 cup of oil (I estimated) and 2 T melted margarine.  The cornbread said to bake at 350 and the cake said 400, so I baked it at 375 for about 5 minutes longer than what the cornbread said to do.  And it turned out great!  Just make sure you stick a toothpick in the middle to make sure it's done before you take it out.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This recipe comes from my sister and it is oh so good!  Normally I'm not a huge chicken noodle soup fan, but this has lots of flavor and I love the creamy consistency.  Derek actually liked it too!  It's a keeper.

Ingredients:

2 chicken bouillon cubes

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups cooked, diced chicken

cooked egg noodles

Heat bouillon and broth in large pot.  Add carrots, celery and onions and simmer until tender.  Add soup and sour cream.  Add chicken and noodles.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Golden Baked Pork Cutlets

Sorry for the terrible picture, but I was in such a hurry to eat because these were so good!  Derek said he'd pay money at a restaurant for them.  The breading kept the meat nice and juicy (another tip to make it juicy is to tent it with foil for 5-10 minutes after coming out of the oven) and the flavor was great.  I believe I got the recipe from Food Network, but I saved it so long ago I can't remember.

Ingredients:

1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed (I just used some pork chops)
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (I only had Italian and they were great; plain would be good too)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp canola oil
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
4 tsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Holding a chef's knife at a 45 degree angle and perpendicular to the tenderloin, slice the pork into 4 long, thin fillets (skip if you already have pre-cut pork chops).

Mix breadcrumbs, sugar, paprika, onion powder, and salt in a shallow dish.  Drizzle with oil and mash with fork until oil is thoroughly incorporated.  Lightly beat egg white with fork in another shallow dish.  Sprinkle cornstarch over pork slices and pat to coat evenly on both sides.  Dip the pork into the egg, then press into the breading mixture until evenly coated on both sides.

Place the pork on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake until just barely pink in the middle and a thermometer reads 145 degrees F, 14-16 minutes.

Witch Hat Calzones

In honor of Halloween we had these for dinner tonight.  They were super easy and really tasty!

Ingredients:

2 packages of crescent rolls
pizza sauce
pepperoni
cheese
egg, beaten
Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese

Open one of the packages of crescent rolls, separate the rolls, and lay them on a cookie sheet.  Spread sauce on rolls, leaving a little room around the edges.  Sprinkle cheese and pepperoni (I chopped the pepperoni into small pieces) on top.  Brush a little of the beaten egg around the edges and top with the other package of crescent rolls.  Press around the edges to seal and roll up the bottom to form the bottom of the hat.

Brush beaten egg on top and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.  You can decorate with chopped pieces of pepperoni.  Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

I've seen this recipe in a few different places, but I think I got this particular one from Yvonne's blog.  Yum, yum, yum!  I love sweet pork and this really does taste like the Cafe Rio version.  It's great with cheese, avocado, and tomatoes or whatever you have on hand!  I had a 3 lb roast, so I halved it and it worked great.

Ingredients:

6 lb pork roast
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cans Coke (or 20 oz bottle)
16 oz Pace Picante sauce (I didn't have any but I did have a jar of La Victoria salsa so I used that and it was really good)

Trim fat from roast and cook in crockpot full of water on low for 6 hours or until tender.  Remove roast and shred and remove any fat leftover.  Dump water out of crockpot and replace the shredded pork.  Pour coke, brown sugar and picante sauce over the pork and mix in.  Slow cook for 3-4 hours.

Beef and Bean Chile Verde

I've had chile verde made with pork before, but never with beef and beans.  This was really good.  Unfortunately I didn't have 93% lean ground beef, so it wasn't quite as low calorie/fat as it could have been.  It think I got it on Food Network.  Their nutrition facts state: 307 calories, 8 g fat, 27 g protein, 6 g fiber.  Of course if you put it in a tortilla with cheese, you add more calories.

Ingredients:

1 lb 93% lean ground beef
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped (I never use a whole onion.  I maybe used half, and it was plenty.)
6 cloves garlic, chopped (I used 4 or 5)
1 T chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I used Texas Champagne, which is a cayenne pepper sauce)
1 16-oz jar green salsa, green enchilada sauce or taco sauce (I used green salsa)
1/4 cup water
1 15-oz can pinto or kidney beans

Cook beef, bell pepper and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until meat is browned, 8-10 minutes.  Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.  Stir in salsa and water; bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Skinny Enchilada Soup

I got this from Amy's recipe blog.  I was going to make it meatless, but decided to add chicken to it at the last minute because we needed to take dinner to someone and I wanted to make it go a little further.  I've never had chicken in taco/enchilada soup (except at Chili's of course!), usually we have ground beef.  I really liked it with the chicken though and it definitely made it less greasy!

Ingredients:

1 can refried beans
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (I used kidney beans and forgot to drain them, but it was still good)
1 cup veggie broth (I only had chicken broth so I used that)
1 cup frozen corn
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup water
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (about 2 chicken breasts worth)
dash or two of cumin
dash of chili powder
2 cups cheddar cheese, divided
Tortilla chips or Fritos
sour cream (optional)

In a nice sized pot (or crockpot if you want to let it cook for a few hours) combine all ingredients except cheese, sour cream and chips and bring it to a boil.  Add 1 cup of cheese and stir over low heat until melted.  Serve topped with cheese, sour cream and chips.

Chicken Parmesan

This recipe also came from Food Network.  It's really good and didn't really need too many adjustments to make it healthy.  According to the website, each serving has 435 calories, 14 g fat, 44 g protein, and 4 g fiber.

Ingredients:

Tomato sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably organic
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Chicken:

• Cooking spray
• 4 thin chicken cutlets (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
• Salt to taste
• 2 large egg whites
• 6 tablespoons dry Italian bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 to 5 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Tomato Sauce: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors are blended and the sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the basil.

Chicken: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle the cutlets with the salt. Lightly beat the egg whites in a medium bowl. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan on a sheet of waxed paper. Spread the flour on another sheet of waxed paper. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dip both sides into the flour, shaking off excess. Dip each piece into the egg whites, shaking off excess, and then press both sides into the breading to coat.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (in batches, if necessary) and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken, in 1 layer, to the baking dish. Spoon the sauce over the chicken then sprinkle with the cheese. Bake, covered loosely with a tent of foil, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

I'd love to have wheat tortillas on hand all the time, but they're a little more expensive than I would like, so I tried making them today.  I found the recipe...somewhere.  I can't remember!  I would give credit if I could, but since I can't, I'll just give you the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 T oil
1/2 cup warm tap water

Combine dry ingredients.  Add oil and stir until well combined.  Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough can be gathered into a ball.  Add more water if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time (I ended up adding a little more than 1/2 cup and it still seemed too dry to me).

Knead on floured surface 15-20 times.  Let dough rest for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 10 portions and shape into balls.  On floured surface, roll out ball from the center into a circle.  Cook on ungreased skillet on medium-high heat for about 30 seconds on each side or until puffy.

Black Bean Croquettes with Fresh Salsa

I keep trying to plug my memory card into the computer, but it's not working, so this picture is from the Food Network website.

Another healthy recipe from Food Network.  The recipe said that a serving size was 2 croquettes, but I only ended up eating one.  And because I only ate one I might have had a few Sour Patch Kids a couple hours later.  Anyways, they had a great flavor, but I had a hard time eating just beans (it probably would have been better with rice or something), so I put it in a tortilla with a little cheese and it was great!  Also, since I (and my husband) only ate one and this recipe makes 8, I will probably halve it next time.

Ingredients:

2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup plain dry breadcrumbs, divided
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
2 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp chili powder, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1 T olive oil
1 avocado, diced

Preheat oven to 425.  Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Mash black beans and cumin with a fork (I used a potato masher) in a large bowl until no whole beans remain.  Stir in corn and 1/4 cup breadcrumbs.  Combine tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, 1/2 tsp chili powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir 1 cup of the tomato mixture into the bean mixture.

Mix the remaining 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, oil and the remaining 1/2 tsp chili powder in a small bowl until the breadcrumbs are coated with oil.  Divide the bean mixture into 8 scant 1/2-cup balls.  Lightly press each bean ball in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the croquettes until heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.  Stir avocado into the remaining tomato mixture.  Serve with the croquettes.

No-Bake Macaroni & Cheese

So my sister is doing a Healthy Contest within our family.  We get points for eating healthy, exercising, and losing weight.  So I looked for some healthy, but still good recipes and found this one on Food Network.  It was actually really good.  Next time I might add some chicken to make it even better.

Ingredients:

8 oz whole wheat elbow noodles (2 cups; I used rotini noodles)
1 10-oz pkg frozen chopped broccoli
1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
3 T flour
1/2 tsp garlic powder (I minced 1 clove of garlic)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Dijon mustard (I only had regular mustard so I used that)

Another change I made was the cheese.  All I had on hand was a combo of Colby Jack and Monterey.  It was still good, but I think it would have been better with extra-sharp Cheddar.  And of course the Parmesan.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook pasta for 4 minutes.  Add frozen broccoli and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and broccoli are just tender, 4 to 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 cups milk in another pot over medium-high heat until just simmering.  Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl until combined.  Add the flour mixture to the simmering milk; return to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and whisk in cheeses and mustard until the cheese is melted.

Drain the pasta and broccoli and add to the cheese sauce.  Return to the heat and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until heated through, about 1 minute.

Mini Meatloaves

These are so fun!  It's not a new recipe, I just used my meatloaf recipe here.  Instead of baking it in a loaf pan, use a well-greased muffin tin and bake 40-45 minutes on 350.

Grilled Pork Chops

This isn't exactly a recipe, but I wanted to share what I used for the marinade.  I got the ideas from my sister and I don't have exact measurements (sorry), but it's not too hard to mess up.

Ingredients:

bbq sauce (maybe 3/4 cup?)
Italian dressing (1/3 cup?)
Montreal steak seasoning (1 tsp?)
salt & pepper to taste (just a little)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour over pork chops (I use a Ziploc baggie to marinade them in).  Marinade for a couple of hours.

I don't have exact grilling instructions since Derek always does that part, but I do know that he tried to cook them on medium-low heat and if you use a meat thermometer the temperature should read 170 degrees when done.

No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

These are kind of like inside out no bake cookies, with a few differences in the ingredients.  So good!  Recipe came from Von's Kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (I used margarine and it was ok)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups uncooked quick oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I just had milk chocolate and it worked ok)
1/2 cup crunchy or creamy peanut butter

Grease 9" square baking pan.  Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add brown sugar and vanilla; mix well.  Stir in oats.  Cook over low heat a couple minutes until well blended.  Press half mixture into prepared pan, using back of large spoon to spread evenly.  Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally.  Stir in peanut butter.  Pour chocolate mixture over oat mixture in the pan; spread evenly with knife or spoon.  Crumble remaining oat mixture over chocolate layer, pressing down gently.  Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight.

Chocolate Sauce

I got this recipe from Mikelle's Meals to go with some leftover vanilla ice cream we had.  I can't eat vanilla ice cream alone and this sauce was so good!  You can put the leftovers in the fridge and microwave for about 30 seconds the next time you want some.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter (I used margarine)
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir cocoa and sugar together well.  In a saucepan combine milk, butter, salt and vanilla.  Stir in dry mix.  Heat, stirring until it reaches a boil and is thick.  You want it to coat the back of a spoon.  If you want it to be thicker, for a crepe filling for example, boil a little longer.  I boiled mine about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Let it cool for 10-15 minutes to get even thicker (this made it the perfect consistency in my opinion).

Makes about 1 cup.

Chicken Chimichangas

These were really good!  I loved how the tortillas were crispy without frying them (=healthy).  I got there recipe at Mikelle's Meals.  She's got a lot of other good stuff too that I want to try.

Derek really liked them (always a plus), and suggested maybe adding some diced jalapeños and maybe cilantro, so I'll probably try that next time.

Ingredients:

2 cloves (2 tsp) minced garlic
2 medium onions, diced (I didn't use nearly that much.  I think about 1/2 an onion.)
2 tomatoes, diced (I used 1)
1 tsp cumin
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1 4 oz can green chiles
salt to taste
grated cheese
refried beans (optional; I used a can of pinto beans)

Saute all ingredients (except cheese) and put 2 spoonfuls down center of tortilla along with some grated cheese.  Fold in 4 sides.  Spray generously with Pam.  Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.  You can also fry on both sides and drain on a paper towel.

Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This was supposed to be a "healthy" recipe, but I substituted a few things so it wasn't as healthy as it should be I guess.  I got the recipe from a sample box of All Bran flakes that I got in the mail (probably the reason why All Bran flakes are in the recipe; you could probably do without them).  Derek liked it, so I guess it was good!

4 uncooked corn tortillas (or just a bag of tortilla chips)
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup All Bran Complete Wheat Flakes
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 jar (10 oz) enchilada sauce
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt (or sour cream...)
2 cups shredded lettuce
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 chopped avocado (optional)

Place tortillas on baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes or until crisp.  Cool; break into small pieces and set aside.  (Or just use tortilla chips like we did!)

Stir together chicken, All Bran flakes, cheese, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce.  Pour into a casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Remove from oven.

Place 1/2 cup chicken mixture on plate.  Layer yogurt (or sour cream), lettuce, green onion, tomato and avocado on top.  Sprinkle with tortilla pieces and serve right away.

Zucchini Bread

I got this recipe from my sister last year when we had a ton of zucchini.  It's so good and it freezes really well too! (Wrap in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, then put in a freezer bag.)

Ingredients:

3 c. flour

1 tsp. baking pwdr

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cloves

3 eggs

2 c grated zucchini

3 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

 3 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 c. nuts

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil

Mix all dry ingredients together.  Add remaining ingredients.  Place in greased bread pans.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  Makes 2 loaves.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This is a pretty good spin on the original.  I got the recipe from my mother-in-law's cookbook.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/3 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk (you can add a little vinegar to the milk to get sour milk)
2 cups unpeeled, grated zucchini
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 T cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:  1/4 cup chocolate chips & 2 T sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Beat margarine, shortening and sugar until combined.  Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.

Alternately add milk, zucchini and dry ingredients (and vanilla).  Mix until just blended.

Pour into two greased loaf pans and sprinkle with sugar and chocolate chips.

Depending on pan used, bake 40-60 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean (I baked them for 50 minutes in 2 regular loaf pans).

Lemon (or Lime) Chicken

I made this back in the beginning of our marriage and we loved it.  The recipe originally calls for lemon, but the second time I made it I used lime and we loved it even more.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup butter/margarine
1/3 cup lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp. minced garlic (I use the kind that comes in a jar. So much easier)
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 tsp. salt & pepper
Rosemary
Thyme


Pound the chicken breasts to make them thinner (less cooking time!) and dredge with flour.


Melt butter in baking pan, coat chicken on all sides.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Brush with pan drippings once or twice if you'd like.

Meanwhile, make lemon baste - mix lemon juice, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Brush chicken with part of baste and continue baking for about 10-15 more minutes then brush the rest on and bake for 10-15 minutes longer or until done.


*I usually put the lemon/lime baste on before the first 20 minutes are up, and it never takes as long to cook as this recipe says.

Jerk Chicken

This was really good.  The jerk seasoning gave it just the right kick without being too spicy, and the chicken broth kept the chicken nice and tender.

Ingredients:

3 T jerk seasoning
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used legs because I had them)
1 large green or red bell pepper, chopped (I used half red, half green)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup ketchup
Cooked rice

Rub jerk seasoning generously over chicken.  Place bell pepper and onion in the bottom of crock pot and put chicken on top.  In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and ketchup and pour over chicken.  Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours.  Serve over rice.

Island Chicken

We had a little BYOM bbq with the fam tonight and this is what Derek and I had.  It was really good.  Just the right kick from the jerk seasoning and just the right sweetness from the pineapple.

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (obviously Derek and I can't eat 2 lbs on our own, so we scaled this down a bit)
2-4 T olive oil
2 tsp Jamaican or Caribbean jerk seasoning
1 20 oz can pineapple slices, juices reserved
1 T brown sugar

Preheat grill.  Rinse chicken under cold water, pat dry with paper towels.  Use a pastry brush to brush with olive oil and sprinkle with jerk seasoning (don't put too much on, it's spicy).  Set aside.

Drain pineapple slices and reserve the juice.  In a small saucepan, bring juice and brown sugar to a boil over high heat.  Reduce liquid by 1/2, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Place chicken on grill and cook 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked through.  Remove to platter and tent with foil to keep warm and let rest.

Place pineapple slices on grill and cook 1-2 minutes per side or until grill marks appear and pineapple is heated through.  Serve chicken with pineapple slices and warm sauce.

*Chicken and pineapple can be broiled instead of grilled.

Naan

I made chicken tikka masala again the other day and this time remembered to give myself enough time to make the naan to go with it.  It's not quite as thin as you'll find in Indian restaurants, but it was my first time and I thought it was still pretty good.  I halved the recipe and it made 4 big pieces.

By the way, the garam masala spice that you need for the chicken is at Wal-mart and I think it was about $3.50 for a jar.  Not as bad as I was thinking.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 T warm milk
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup milk
1 beaten egg (I tried to pour half of the egg in sinced I halved the recipe and it worked ok)
2 T butter or margarine (plus 6 T for brushing on top)
2 T yeast
2 T sugar

Mix together yeast, warm milk and sugar.  Leave in a warm place until mixture becomes frothy.

In a medium bowl (I used my KitchenAid) mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  Make a depression in the center and pour in yeast mixture.  Add milk, yogurt, egg and butter/margarine.  Mix until you get a smooth ball of dough.

Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes.  Oil a medium bowl and place dough inside, turning once to coat.  Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise in warm place until double (about 2 hours).

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Flour your surface, rolling pin, and hands.  Divide the dough into eight pieces.  Take one piece at a time and shape into a 6-8" oval.  Pull ends to shape dough into oval and stretch thin.  Place onto greased cookie sheet.

Brush dough with melted margarine and sprinkle lightly with salt (I used garlic pepper).  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Tikka Masala

If you like Indian food, you will love this!  Derek requested that we have it once a week, it was so good.  The recipe is from my mother-in-law; she also gave me some of the spices that I didn't have.  Like garam masala.  I can't remember where she said she found it, but I guess it was kind of pricey.  When I find out, I'll let you know. I was also going to make naan, but I didn't give myself enough time, so I guess when I make this again next week I'll do the naan too.

This recipe also makes a lot, so I halved it for the 2 of us and we have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut in 1" pieces

Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
2 T lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp ground chili powder
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 piece minced ginger - 1" long (I used ginger in a spice jar and just estimated how much)

Sauce:
2 T butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, minced and seeded (I used diced jalapeños in a jar, just estimated how much)
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz tomato sauce
16 oz coconut milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Mix marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag and squish to mix well.  Add in chicken pieces, mix well and put in the fridge several hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, heat a large saucepan or frying pan and melt butter over medium heat.  Add the chicken and marinade mixture.  Cook until almost done and add in the garlic and jalapeño; cook one minute.

Stir in coriander, cumin, paprika, garam masala and salt.  Stir in tomato sauce and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in coconut milk, simmer to thicken about 5 minutes.  Stir in cilantro.  Serve with basmati rice and naan. (We just have jasmine rice and it was good.)

Spicy Black Bean Salad

A couple Saturdays ago at the Gardener's Market here in Logan, one of the booths was giving out samples of this along with the recipe.  I really liked it, so I grabbed a recipe card.  I've been collecting the ingredients that I didn't have since then and we had it for dinner tonight.  It's great for a vegetarian meal, but might be better as a side.  I think Derek was wondering where the meat was tonight.  It makes a lot though, so you might want to halve it!

Ingredients:

Salad:
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn, thawed (I used 1 can of corn and it was just fine)
1 cup celery, chopped
3/4 cup green onion, chopped
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Brown rice or wheat berries cooked and cooled (about 6 cups)

Dressing:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine black beans, corn, celery, green onion, tomatoes, green pepper and cilantro in a large bowl.  Whisk together ingredients for the dressing and pour over bean mixture.  Add pre-cooked and cooled rice.  Serve well chilled.  Salad can be eaten plain or piled on a piece of lettuce to create a delicious wrap.  (Derek and I also thought it would be good on a tortilla or with tortilla chips.)

Spinach Skillet Bake

I was trying to think of something to make with spinach and ground beef, so I typed those two ingredients into allrecipes.com and this is one that came up.  I put a ton of basil in it, and it was really good!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 4 oz can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese

In an ovenproof skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Add the spinach, mushrooms, garlic salt and basil.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.  In a saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in the flour and salt until smooth.  Gradually add milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Pour over meat mixture; mix well.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Bacon-Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

Derek LOVED this.  I don't know who had the brilliant idea of wrapping bacon around chicken, but it's pretty amazing.  Seems like lately I end up changing every recipe I try and this is no exception.  I cooked the bacon/chicken without the potatoes because I had so much chicken, there wasn't room in the pan for anything else.  So I ended up making mashed potatoes to go with it.  Oh, and I got the recipe from allrecipes.com.

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken thighs
• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 12 slices center-cut bacon
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds baby Dutch yellow potatoes
•  
• Seasoning Mix:
• 2 tablespoons dried chives
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon adobo seasoning
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
•  
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• 
  
• Wrap each chicken piece in a slice of bacon, trying to cover as much of the chicken as possible. Place the wrapped chicken pieces in a 9x13 inch baking dish, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the onion over the chicken. Push potatoes down into the spaces between the chicken pieces and around the edge of the dish.
• 
  
• Combine the chives, basil, garlic powder, adobo seasoning, and black pepper in a small bowl, and sprinkle the seasoning to taste over the chicken and potatoes.
• 
  
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, until the bacon is crisp and brown and the potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with salt, if desired, and serve hot.

Guacamole

This was the rest of our Cinco de Mayo dinner.  I never actually used a recipe for this, so these are all approximations (is that a word?)

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados
1 roma tomato, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1.4-ish cup cilantro
lime juice to taste (maybe half a lime?)
garlic salt to taste

Cut the avocados in half and carefully peel the skins off.  Cut into small pieces and place in bowl.  Add everything else and mash together with a fork  I like mine kind of chunky, so I don't mash it a ton.

*Hint:  If you don't want your guac to turn brown, put an avocado pit in it.

Chile Verde

Happy Cinco de Mayo yesterday! I used my mother-in-law's recipe and a recipe I found on allrecipes.com to make this one.  It turned out sooooo good.  The pork was so tender and I put lots of lime in.  I love lime.

Ingredients:

1 3-ish lb pork roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tsp cumin (didn't have any si I subbed chili powder and it was great)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 T oil
1 lb fresh tomatillos, husks removed and chopped
1 cup chopped onion
3 tsp grated lime peel
2 T lime juice (I just used 1 lime's worth of zest and juice and it was very limey)
4 cloves garlic, minced
Tortillas (corn or flour)
2 T fresh cilantro
Salsa verde (optional)

Trim fat from meat and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Sprinkle with cumin, salt and pepper.  Pour a little oil in a hot skillet and cook half the meat until browned.  Remove meat and cook the other half.  Place meat in 4-quart slow cooker.  Add tomatillos, onion, lime peel, lime juice, garlic, and salsa verde if desired.  Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4.  A few minutes before serving, stir in the cilantro.  Serve on tortillas with sour cream and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

I got this recipe from Tiff's recipe blog.  I've made them before but I don't think I've ever posted the recipe.  They're really good and they're one of the things Derek requested for dinner on his birthday a few days ago.

Ingredients:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 eggs


Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Cut chicken breast into 1 1/2 inch sized pieces
In a medium bowl, mix together bread crumbs, cheese, thyme, and basil. Mix well.
Beat eggs in separate bowl.
Dip chicken pieces into egg batter first, then coat with the breadcrumbs.
Place well coated pieces of chicken on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

French Silk Chocolate Pie

Derek requests this for his birthday instead of a cake every year.  It's his mom's recipe and it's oh so good.

Ingredients:

1 - 9" pie shell, baked (I always just buy a pre-made graham cracker crust)

1/2 cup REAL butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled (I don't think I ever really wait for it to cool much)
3 T cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Whipped Cream
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1 pkg almonds, toasted

Prepare and bake pie crust as usual.  Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the chocolate, cocoa and vanilla and blend well.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 5 minutes after each addition (important!), scraping the sides of the bowl continually.  Pour this mixture into pie shell and chill for at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile toast the almonds by placing them in a non-stick fry pan on medium heat.  Stir frequently so they don't burn.  Do not add oil.  Cool completely.

In small mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla.  Beat until stiff peaks form.  Garnish pie with whipped cream and sprinkle on toasted almonds.

Sesame Chicken

For this I kind of combined recipes from my mother-in-law and my friend Yvonne.  It turned out really good!

Ingredients:

Oil
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
1 c chicken broth
1/3 c white sugar
2 T distilled white vinegar
2 T dark soy sauce
2 T sesame oil
1 tsp sweet chili sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c cornstarch
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c broccoli florets
2 T toasted sesame seeds



Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. Add enough canola oil in your skillet to generously coat bottom. Fry chicken until medium brown. Fry a bit at a time, take out of pan when cooked through, and add more in till all chicken is cooked.

While chicken is frying, prepare sauce by mixing in saucepan chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce, and garlic.  Bring to a boil.  Dissolve 1/4 c. cornstarch into 1/2 c. water, and stir into boiling sauce.  Simmer until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, and keep sauce warm.   Add chicken and broccoli and simmer until done.  Stir in sesame seeds (which I didn't have so I just did it without).

Pork Chops with Gravy

This is from allrecipes.com.  I was looking for something different to do with pork chops.  It isn't anything grand, but they turned out pretty good.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 boneless pork chops
• seasoned pepper to taste
• seasoned salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 
  
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the pork chops with seasoned salt and seasoned pepper, then dredge in 3 tablespoons of flour. Shake off any excess flour, and place the chops in the skillet. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until browned.
• 
  
• In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, milk, 1 tablespoon of flour, lemon juice, and honey. Season with a tiny bit of seasoning salt if desired. Pour the sauce over the chops, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until pork is cooked through.