Jalapeno Popper Chicken

Oooey gooey, spicy, creamy, tasty yumminess!    This is one tasty chicken recipe.  You can adjust the heat by adjusting the amount of jalapeno.  I used two large ones but I'm a hottie, what can I say?

Most of the heat of a pepper is in the seeds and veins,  once removed you get a nice mellow heat, coupled with the creamy cheese it's a winner, winner, chicken dinner!

I use low fat cream cheese, only because I prefer the texture.  If I liked full fat, I'd use it, it just seems a little thick to me but you can do either.

The recipes that I have seen for this say to ' make a pocket' in the thickest part of the breast...but I didn't think it held enough goo, so I sliced it open all the way down and about 2/3 through the breast....much better! I crammed in as much cheese mixture as I could and pressed down to form a seal.  The egg and bread crumbs formed a nice crust, and I didn't have to use toothpicks to hold it all together.

NOTE: Bake and chill over night, slice and serve cold...makes a great appetizer!!

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Clean Eating Soup!

"Clean Eating Soup" - Okay, so the name doesn't roll off the tongue like say...'Succulent Stuffed Pork Chops smothered in a decadent demi-glaze',  but sometimes (mostly on Sundays after a weekend of really good-bad food), you have to
do something healthy for yourself and I do believe this soup may be the ticket!

I was given this idea by a high school friend of mine, Monica, who is very beautiful, and I am really hoping it is because of this soup she eats...by wednesday I should be quite a babe :)

I used all organic veggies and meat, as well as organic quinoa (keen-wa), a trendy little grain that keeps popping up in all kinds of recipes.  I also included fresh ginger, which  added a pop,  and parsley which has all kinds of cancer fighting agents.

You could add and substitute whatever veggie and herb you want.  Omit the quinoa and add sweet potatoes or brown rice for the starch.  Just depends on what you have on hand...I think the real key to this wonderful soup is staying organic.  I used the chicken as an accompaniment rather than a mainstay.  I think this is the wave of the future...less meat, more veggies, longer life!

Don't tell the family this is a healthy pot of soup and they will never know.  (oh, and if you choose to add pasta, cook the pasta and ladle the soup over it, that way nothing get's mushy).

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Chiles Rellenos Casserole

I have finally left Italy and am heading toward Mexico!  I really enjoyed my stay in old Italy, and plan to revisit very soon,  but time to back away from the pasta and red sauce and embrace a new land!

So today we have Chiles Rellenos Casserole. An 'easy on the cook' version of a very tasty Mexican dish.  It will feed 6-7 people or a small mariachi band.

It is a fairly healthy casserole and for that reason, I will include the nutrition information.  If  you are watching your cholesterol, try an Egg Beater type product in place of the eggs to lower the numbers even more.

Servings: 6

Calories: 335

Fat: 9g

Protein: 26.9g

Carb: 37.7g

Fiber: 5.5g
WW Points+: 8

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Spinach, Feta, Bacon and Mandarin Orange Salad

I am twirling, I am skipping, I am dancing and singing and why?  Because I love, love, love, my new camera!  I bought a Canon Rebel T21 Kit with two lenses (the large lense is still in the box...someday, sighhhhh). 

I can hardly figure out how to take a picture with my new camera, but the pictures I do take are 100% better than anything I ever took with my point and shoot! I was convinced  I could take quality pic's with a point and shoot...why?, no idea,  there must have been Merlot involved,  because there is just no comparison!

This spinach salad recipe has been around for ages.  I have used leafy lettuce, romaine and spring mix, but I think spinach is the most popular. 

The dressing is a sweet, tart blend of sugar and vinegar and the use of canned mandarin oranges make it a pantry friendly recipe.   

You won't need the entire dressing recipe...just spoon a little on at a time until you  barely coat the leaves, then save the rest for later....oh, and most important! Do not toss until you are ready to serve...this salad wilts very quickly.

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Artichoke, Gorgonzola and Chive Tarts

  My mom is an amazing cook...I know, everyone says that about their mom, but my mom can beat up your mom!  She has a remarkable ability to pick out recipes that might go unnoticed by others.  She throws lavish parties with tables full of Paella or some other exotic dish.  She spends hours in the kitchen perfecting a recipe until it is flawless.  Her house is a safe place to land for everyone, she always has something on the stove and plates full of love spread out upon your arrival. 

  My mom has made her living in the theatre for the last 25 years...she is an acclaimed actress and recently added set design to her resume.  Needless to say, this is a woman who is pretty savoy when it comes to trends. She seems to have the edge on what's new in the culinary world and nothing is too much work, me?... I usually take a short cut, but then again, I have to clean the kitchen afterwards. My Mom doesn't even know how to turn on the dishwasher. Her husband happily cleans up after her saying "If this is all I have to do to get that (pointing to her latest culinary perfection), then I'm happy to do it!"  I have to agree..

This is one of many recipes I have posted that starts with my Mom.  You can use the same recipe and add crab, different cheeses, or just about anything you got hanging in your cupboard.  This particular recipe calls for egg  substitute...not sure why, but it works!  You could easily use regular eggs.  As a bonus, these are only about 35 calories a piece.
p.s.  I have two sisters...after our mom reads this, I get to be favorite again...neener, neener, neener!

Ingredients

2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 oz of egg substitute
1/2 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
12 wonton wrappers
2 tablespoons chopped chives with some left for garnish
1 tablespoon melted butter


Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine flour, thyme, pepper, salt and egg substitute.  
Coat 12 miniature muffin cups with non stick spray.  Gently press 1 wonton wrapper into each muffin cup.  Brush edges of each wrapper with melted butter.

 
Add 1 tablespoon chopped artichoke, and 1 heaping teaspoon Gorgonzola cheese.
Pour egg mixture on top.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are brown and filling is set.

Serve warm or chilled.

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English Muffin Bread

Oh my what a whirl wind couple weeks!  New job (more about that later...so excited!), new camera, new Iphone and new computer on it's way...I am in technical pergatory!  

Thank heaven for bread...glorious bread with melted butter and jam.  (sorry no pictures of that...it went too fast, my photo would have been a hand to mouth blur!)

With just a few ingredients, you can turn out some amazing bread with a texture similar to English muffins.  It toasts up perfect for days and makes remarkable french toast.

Now, I haven't been able to master my camera...or my Iphone for that matter but I got bread baby...I got bread.

 NOTE: I use a Kitchen Aid mixer with dough hook for all my bread recipes...but you can easily convert this to a bread machine recipe or just go on in there with your hands and mix it up!

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