Positively Pre-Cooked

If you've read my blog entries before, you know I love to use pre-cooked chicken breasts that I keep in my freezer.  I buy a large package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and bake them for 45-60 minutes at 350.  Then I place them, usually by threes, into freezer bags.

This solves a lot of my dinnertime dilemmas.  I mean, A LOT.

I believe that by keeping staples at the ready - chicken broth, canned tomatoes, canned beans, onions, garlic, seasonings - that you have the ability to make any dinner easy and quick.  Please remember my first rule... (other than wash your hands before you cook)...KEEP IT SIMPLE.

Tonight's dinner is a product of this belief system.  YEA!!!!!

I didn't even defrost the two chicken breasts all the way, that's how simple it was.  The link of chorizo sausage is pre-cooked by the manufacturer.  I used the seasonings and veggies that existed already in my kitchen, and you should employ the same theory.  Don't have potatoes?  Use rice and cook it on the side.  Don't have the same seasonings?  Use ones you do have.  Some of my recipes are not versatile, they need to be made to the letter.  But most of my posts, such as this one, include recipes that you can make any which way but loose.  Give this meal a shot.  It's gonna spice up my Thursday quite nicely!


Chicken & Chorizo Stew
Serves 4


Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (I used a poblano)
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tsp. oregano
1 link Aidell's chorizo
1 & 1/2 cups Dutch Yellow Baby Potatoes, halved
2 pre-cooked chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 pinch of saffron threads
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. Bijol powder
(If you can't find Bijol, use a mix of cumin and turmeric)

Heat a Dutch oven on medium, adding olive oil.  Saute onions, oregano and pepper until soft.  Add garlic for one minute.  Add chorizo and potatoes.  Saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add chicken and saffron.  Stir well.  Add in tomatoes, broth, paprika, and Bijol.  Cook on medium to med-low until potatoes are fork tender.

This can be served with Queso Fresco (white crumbly Mexican cheese), Feta, or even a sharp Cheddar.  A nice piece of hard bread, a glass of wine, and you've got a meal that is more than worthy of the effort and the eating.  Bon Appetit!

Greek Pizza & More

I love pizza night.

Sure, it means I have to make the dough and then roll out each pie.  But it's so worth it.  This is pizza the way we like it, without all the grease and the cheese that makes you question if it's really cheese.  Every time we order delivery pizza, I feel a little sick afterwards.  Making your own pies means controlling the chemical additives and junk that the pizza companies would rather you not know about.

Tonight was Greek Pizza night, and I threw in a Spanish one for the heck of it.  Bell peppers, tomatoes, black olives, prosciutto, feta, chorizo - all you need is a glass of vino and you're good to go!

I order my pizza flour from King Arthur Flour Company.  Trust me, this flour is worth it.  Your pizza dough will be smooth and elastic.  It will also be the perfect combination of crunchy meets chewy. If you cannot find the 00-style flour, buy a decent bread flour.  All-purpose flour just won't cut it.

You can find my recipe for pizza dough here.


The toppings we used were:

8 oz. Boar's Head Feta Cheese (I crumbled the entire block)
1 bell pepper sliced thin
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 slices purple onion, chopped
Small can sliced black olives
Parmesan, grated
McCormick's Greek Seasoning (no salt)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 link Aidells chorizo, sliced
3 oz. prosciutto, torn to pieces

The pizza dough recipe listed above (use the link) makes three pies.  Use the toppings knowing you'll need to split them three ways.  I wanted to do a chorizo/Granny Smith apple slice pizza, but I figured my family would not appreciate that.  At least it wasn't my usual fave - bell pepper and anchovy!

Use 1 tbsp. olive oil instead of pizza sauce

The last toppings are Parmesan, seasoning, and olive oil drizzle 

Bake on a pizza stone at 445 for 15 minutes

Finished Greek pizza

Some chorizo pizza goodness!!

Bottom line:  make these pies how you prefer.  The dough takes about an hour and 15 minutes from start to finish.  If you use the right flour, it takes seconds to roll out.  With a little planning, you can make meals you and your loved ones will be proud of.  Much better than delivery regret!

Tortellini Tummy

I am not certain what's come over me this winter, but I've had more soup in the past two months than probably the last ten years.  Every day I think of a different soup I would enjoy having for lunch, then usually forget it and make myself a salad or sandwich.

So for tonight, I stirred up some soup that is bound to make taste buds cheer and tummies go, "aaaahhhh."  It was just the right meal to help us get over the middle of the week road hump.

This is not a fancy soup, it uses zero fancy ingredients.  If you have the main three on hand - dried tortellini, canned tomatoes, chicken broth - then you can make this any old time.  It's also great for lunch with panini or a loaf of crusty bread.

Tomato 'N Tortellini Soup
Serves 4


2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
Pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes with basil
32 oz. carton of reduced sodium chicken stock
2 1/2 cups dried tortellini
1 cup baby spinach chopped
Parmesan, optional

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat until hot and add EVOO, pepper flakes, and onion.  Cover and cook on med-low for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft.  Add garlic and cook for 30 more seconds, then add broth and tomatoes.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

This next step is optional - use an immersion/stick blender to blend out any of the chunkier veggie bits before adding the dried tortellini.

Add tortellini and stir, then add in chopped spinach.  Cook for about 10 minutes, simmering, until tortellini is al dente.

Ladle into four bowls and top with Parmesan cheese if preferred.

Your tummy will thank you!



Weight Watchers Points Per Serving - 6+ 

Soul Good Mexi Chicken Soup

The pollen that found its way onto my windshield on Wednesday has me wanting to crawl back to bed on Friday.  I need a lunch that is not only nourishing, but comforting.

This is the perfect day to whip up some Soul Good Mexi Chicken Soup.  It's actually the base to my Pozole con Pollo I'm making for dinner tonight, so consider dinner halfway done!

Soul Good Mexi Chicken Soup
Serves 4 large bowls


Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
1 med. Spanish/purple onion, diced
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and diced
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp. cumin
1 cinnamon stick
Peppercorns
Cloves
Cheesecloth
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tomato, seeded and diced
32 oz. low-sodium organic chicken broth
3/4 tsp. sea salt
Juice of half a lime
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

Directions:

Take a few peppercorns, a few cloves, and break the cinnamon stick in half, placing all in a piece of cheesecloth.  Take opposite ends of cheesecloth and tie into knots that meet in the center so the spices don't fall out.

In a large stock pot/Dutch oven, heat to medium and add 1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil.  Saute onion and cumin until soft.

Add Serrano and garlic, cook for 1 minute.  Add cheesecloth bag, cilantro, tomato, salt and broth.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

(Next step optional) Take cheesecloth bag out and blend soup until smooth.  (Following steps are mandatory) Add chicken, lime juice, cilantro, and return bag to soup pot.  Simmer for 15 more minutes.  Discard bag.  Serve with more cilantro if desired.

I serve mine with an Avocado Crema that's quick and easy.  Take 1 avocado, scoop out flesh and place in a food processor.  Add 1 container of fat-free Greek yogurt, plain.  Squeeze half of a lime over avocado and yogurt.  Toss in a pinch or two of sea salt, 1/4 tsp. cumin, and a dash of chili powder.  Blend.  This should serve 4-6.

Feeling better already!

Sushi Time...But Wait!!

We love sushi in this house.  Pete and the girls even made some for me one year on Mother's Day.  I, however, have no patience for making the stuff.  All that sushi rice. PASS!

But I do like sushi-grade ahi tuna.  I am going to pause the sushi talk here and speak to those who prefer not to eat raw fish.

If you don't like even partially cooked tuna, please do not buy the ahi tuna and then cook it all the way.  This fish is not cheap by any means.  It usually runs $10 a pound - YIKES - where I live.  To cook it entirely would be a travesty, in my opinion.  So I suggest grilling some shrimp with a little safflower oil (high smoking point), lime juice, salt, and pepper. This meal works just as well with the shrimp.

Now back to the sushi programming.

This recipe is a salad, studded with gems and topped with a crown that tastes like solid gold.  The crown being Newman's Own Light Asian dressing.  Alas, my store was completely OUT.  Nooooo!  However, Kraft makes a light Asian dressing, and I think - gasp - I might like it better!  And it was on sale...bonus!  Wait - you're wondering why I am not making my own dressing, right?  This meal is quick and easy.  For me, making my own dressing would add time to the process, and who wants that, right?  Right!

Seared Ahi Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 to 1.25 pounds of sushi-grade ahi tuna
1 tsp. olive, avocado, or safflower oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Container spring greens or baby romaine
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 English cucumber, chopped
1 avocado, sliced (each person gets 1/4 avocado)
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Kraft Light Asian dressing (1 tbsp. per person)

Directions:

Prep all veggies and place in bowls for your family/friends/pet rocks to use as a salad bar selection.  

Rinse and pat the tuna steaks dry, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Heat grill pan or skillet on medium and add the teaspoon of oil when pan is hot.  Pan must be hot enough to cause the fish to sizzle. 

Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, then allow to rest on a cutting board for another 2 minutes.  Slice thinly.  Allow family/friends/pet rocks to build salads, then add 3-4 oz. of sliced ahi to the tops of salads.  Dress with lime juice and 1 tbsp. dressing.  

I serve French bread rolls with this for my carb-loving family, but if you're watching your waistline, just add more veggies.  And the great thing about this meal is that it's a salad - add whatever you like!

Thursday dinner - done!

Weight Watchers Points (w/o dinner roll): 6 points

Note: All WW Points are based on the recipe calculator on the WW site.  Eating more proteins, carbs, and fats will increase your point level.  

Rainy Days & Mondays...

Yes, they always get me down.  It's wet outside, so wet that my yard has turned into a bog that has tried to claim the shoes off my feet.  There has to be a cure for this dreary dampness.  While comfort food immediately comes to mind, a lot of comforting food is not so comforting in calories.  Take the classic and oh-so delicious mac and cheese, for example.  I believe in eating healthy for the entire family and cheese-laden macaroni says, "Heart disease, please" more than, "Mac and cheese - my mom loves me".

It has been a meteorological mess this January for most of us.  I say lighten up the mood. Ignore the weather.  Turn on some beach-y tunes, light some summery candles, and cha-cha-cha-CHOP!

Plentiful Pasta Salad

3 large or 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup seeded and chopped tomatoes (or halved cherry tomatoes)
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 English cucumber, chopped
1 small can sliced black, green, or kalamata olives
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup good EVOO
1/4 cup of good red wine vinegar
2 tsp. Greek Seasoning or Herbs de Provence or Italian Seasoning
(I used 1 tsp. Greek and 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence)
1 pound box of whole wheat pasta shapes (like whole wheat Barilla bow ties)
(I used two left over boxes of whole wheat Rotini and Penne, half left in each box)
Sea salt and black pepper

- Note -
I get asked all the time about the pre-cooked chicken.  It's super easy and such a time saver if you buy a large package of chicken breasts and come home from the market and cook them.  Preheat the oven to 350, line a large cookie sheet with non-stick foil.  Place chicken breasts on the sheet then bake for about an hour or until no longer pink.  Cool, then either shred and place in freezer bags or put whole pieces in freezer bags.  Ta-da! Most of your meal, already done!


Directions:

Boil pasta according to package directions.  Drain.  In a large bowl, combine pasta and all ingredients, from chicken through feta cheese.  In a measuring cup, combine EVOO, red wine vinegar, and seasonings.  Whisk with fork.  Pour over pasta.  Toss to coat well. Super easy!

This meal is good for when you have family visiting, friends over for poker night, and it will offer days of lunch for work or school.  Barilla makes an excellent whole wheat pasta that does not have the typical grainy taste most whole wheat pastas tend to have.  I buy Boar's Head feta cheese and when possible, feta made from a local goat farm.  The next time your market has a Barilla sale (Lowes Foods sells them 4/$5 often), stock up.  Keep canned olives and seasonings in stock.  If you pre-cook the chicken and freeze it, your grocery bill for this meal will be one bell pepper, some tomatoes, one cucumber, and feta cheese.

Once again another meal where you can make the most of what is in your pantry.  Substitute whatever you do have for the above ingredients - Shrimp, tofu, ham, bacon, cheddar, smoked Gouda, pepperoni, - you get the idea.  If I can convince more cooks to stay in the kitchen instead of running to the merciless golden arches, then take baby steps and use what you've got on hand.  Concentrate more on the healthier aspects once you get in the practice of cooking more meals than eating out.  This dish can get you cooking while putting a smile on your face and ease to your wallet!

A meal that saves you money and from the rainy Monday blues!




Weight Watchers points per serving - 6
(based on the recipe counter online)

Weekday Tortilla Soup

Ok, so you don't have to make this on a weekday only.  I make this soup whenever we need a meal that can sit on the back burner while life goes on.  If you're a Vegan or Vegetarian, make this with vegetable broth and add all the veggies you want after the blending process.  Black beans, corn, zucchini - you get the idea.

I love this soup because it's versatile.  I do believe that one of the biggest obstacles busy cooks have is missing ingredients.  Who wants to run to the store on their way home, let alone after they've parked the car and poured a glass of vino???  Not me, I can tell y'all that!

As long as you have canned tomatoes, the rest is up to you.  The next time your grocery store has canned tomatoes on sale, this recipe is why you should stock up.  I bought 5 cans for $6 at my store last week.  Don't have chicken cooked?  Buy a rotisserie, but please keep one thing in mind...blot the grease off.  I find supermarket rotisseries to be super oily.  Grease would ruin this meal, visually and gastronomically.

We top our soup with tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, and lime juice.  My hubby loves pickled jalapenos and when they're good, I add avocado.

And for those who like their tortilla soup chunky, please know I got my inspiration for this dish from the film, "Tortilla Soup" .  For me, this is a true Mexican soup, just as in the movie.  Simple, nourishing, and comforting.  I hope you all enjoy it as we do...

Weekday Tortilla Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced (or a jalapeno)

3-4 cloves of garlic, diced

1 tbsp. paprika (or smoked paprika)

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ancho chili powder

32 oz. low-sodium natural chicken broth (large carton)

3 – 14 oz. cans fire roasted diced tomatoes (like Hunts or Muir Glen)

Small bunch chopped fresh cilantro, about 1/3 cup

1 flour tortilla, fajita or taco-sized

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded, about 3 cups

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook chicken breasts on baking sheet until no longer pink.  Let cool, then shred. 

Heat ½ tbsp. oil in stock pot and cook onion and pepper until soft, then add spices and garlic and cook for one additional minute. 

Add broth, tomatoes, and cilantro and cook for 30 minutes.  Tear tortilla into strips and cook until tortilla 

pieces are soft.

Take the soup and puree in a blender in small batches.  Return to pan and add shredded chicken.  Bring soup back to simmer and cook for 10-20 minutes.  

Ready to eat!!!