Quick Chicken with Zesty Tomatoes & Herbs

Chicken, again?  I know when you are trying to eat healthy, chicken seems to make a lot of personal appearances on your dinner menu.  Some people think chicken is bland, or dry and without flavor.  And I have had some chicken that fit that description, but it doesn't have to be like that.

I almost always pound my chicken thinner.  I put it between two pieces of plastic wrap and place it on a sturdy cutting board and whack it a few times with my handy-dandy rolling pin.  I flatten to about half an inch thickness.  By doing this simple little step, my chicken will cook more quickly and more evenly, preserving all the moisture. 

I also believe in seasoning your meat.  I like to try different rubs and marinades, but a little garlic, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper can really work wonders on what some people consider a bland chicken breast.  I incorporate these two quick fixes into an easy prep, weeknight supper.  Here's what to do:

CHICKEN SEASONING
1 garlic clove, run through a garlic press
1 1/2 tsp. fresh marjoram, chopped (you can use oregano if you can't find marjoram)
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
Olive oil for brushing over the chicken
4 chicken breasts (pounded to 1/2 inch thickness)

Mix together the garlic, marjoram and paprika.  Brush the chicken breast liberally with extra virgin olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper and them rub the seasoning mixture into the chicken on both sides.  Just like Paula Deen always says, "Don't be afraid to rub your meat!"  Seal chicken in a ziploc bag and allow to "season" in the refrigerator all day long.

When you are ready to cook, take the chicken out of the refrigerator and allow to come to room temp for about 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE:
1 small onion, chopped
1 large can (28 oz.) of San Marzano Tomatoes (whole)
1 clove of garlic, run through the garlic press
1 T. freshly chopped parsley

In a non-stick skillet, over medium high heat, heat 1 T. of olive oil.  Add chicken and cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until juices are clear.  Remove from pan and set aside, keeping warm. 

Saute onions and garlic over medium heat, add tomatoes to skillet.  Cook for about 10 minutes, until bubbly.  Break up the tomatoes with a spoon.  Season with salt and pepper.  You can add additional marjoram to the tomatoes, if you like.  Spoon tomatoes and sauce over chicken and sprinkle with fresh parsley and shredded parmesan cheese. 

Boil the broccolini for 2 minutes, drained and set aside.  Right before serving the chicken, saute fresh garlic in a tiny bit of olive oil. Add the broccolini and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Saute for 2 more minutes and serve.  It's my girls' favorite vegetable side and so delicious!

Breakfast on the Fly

Breakfast.  Y'all know it's not my favorite meal of the day, but it's very important to fuel the furnace with lots of protein to help me make it through the day.  I struggle to find something that meets my nutritional requirements AND my taste requirements. 


Did you know that 1/4 c. of egg whites has only 25 calories and 5 grams of protein?  Well, eggs aren't always my favorite, but I heaped on the JULIO's Salsa (only 5 calories for 2 T.)

So this morning, I quickly heated a pan on medium high heat, gave a quick spritz with non-fat cooking spray and cooked up some scrambled egg whites. 

I added a sprinkle of reduced fat shredded cheese and topped it with my favorite salsa find:  Julio's Mild Salsa (and it's plenty hot, I promise) and gobbled up a tasty, healthy, low-calorie, protein packed breakfast.

1 cup of egg whites has no fat, 100 calories and 20 grams of protein.  The salsa has only 5 calories for 2 tablespoons.  What a delicious, out of the ordinary breakfast for this non-breakfast eater. 

Start YOUR day out right, too! 

Back to School Menu Ideas

Well, we're offically back to the hectic schedules.  When juggling carpool, homework and a variety of extra curricular activities, who has time to cook? I'm pretty sure everyone at your house is still expecting to eat.  My people sure are!  I pulled out a few old stand-bys that would be perfect for this first week back. 

MONDAY
Peppery Cube Steak & Potatoes
 INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 lbs. fingerling potatoes, cut in half (I found a bag of an assortment of potatoes that worked wonderfully for this meal. If you can't find the mix or the fingerlng potatoes, go with baby new potatoes which are red)
• 2 T. olive oil
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced or through a press
• 6 beef cube steaks, about 4 oz. each
• 1 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning
• A sprinkling of meat tenderizer

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 450. Coat a rimmed baking sheet (15 x 10 x 1") with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, toss potatoes, garlic, 1 T.olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour out onto baking sheet and back at 450 for 20 minutes.
2. Heat 1 T in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Season both sides of steaks with a sprinkling of meat tenderizer and Montreal Steak Seasoning. Saute meat in batches, for 2 minutes, then turn and sautee for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until medium rare. (I found that cooking the steaks to this degree of doneness was perfect. They continue cooking when removed from the heat and b/c this cut of meat is so thin, it cooks through. Do NOT overcook!)
3. Serve steaks immediately with roasted potatoes and tomato salad--recipe below.

TOMATO SALAD

• 2 lbs. plum (sometimes called Roma) tomatoes, seeds squeezed out, and chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 3 T. shredded basil

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and basil. Cover and refirgerate 20 miniiutes while cooking steak and potatoes.


TUESDAY
Not Your Drive-Thru Chicken Tenders

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package of chicken breast tenders
• 1 T. Adams Reserve House Seasoning
• 1 c. Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs (you can use any variety of bread crumbs you have on hand)
• 2-3 sprigs of Rosemary, removed from stems and chopped
• 1-2 eggs, lightly beaten
• Olive Oil

VEGGIES

• Several small red new potatoes quartered
• Baby Carrots
• Red Onion, cut into chunks
• 1 Zucchini, cut into chunks
• (you can add or omit any vegetables you like such as: Red bell pepper, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, etc.)
• Salt and fresh cracked pepper
• Additional 2-3 sprigs of rosemary, removed from stems and chopped
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, run through a press or chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Add the house seasoning to the bread crumbs. (If you are using whole wheat crumbs, you may want to add more house seasoning. Taste it for saltiness. Usually the flavored bread crumbs are saltier) Add the chopped rosemary and 2 T. of olive oil to the bread crumbs. Work in with a fork until it is incorporated. Dip the chicken tenders into the egg and then coat with bread crumb mixture. Place on a large, greased baking sheet or stone pan.
3. Toss your cut veggies in 2 T. of olive oil. Add salt and fresh ground pepper, garlic and rosemary. Arrange vegetables around the outer edges of the pan.
4. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until chicken is golden and crispy. I like to turn my chicken once during the cooking process.

It's a simple meal that everyone loves. I try to choose vegetables I know my children like for the bulk of the veggies, but like to add in smaller amounts of things I'd like them to try. Leftover chicken tenders with ranch and romaine lettuce and a sprinkling of shredded cheddar, rolled up in a whole wheat tortilla, make great lunches for those school lunchboxes the next day! I hope you give this one a try. There can be so many variations that you could easily add this to your menu every couple of weeks and make it new with different seasonings.

WEDNESDAY

Sandwiches for Dinner

Sausage Stuffed French Loaf

Dinner doesn't always have to be a big production. Sometimes a warm, crusty sandwich is just right for a quick weeknight dinner. The filling is easy to make ahead. My family LOVED this delicious, hearty sandwich, I'm sure yours will too. (I found this recipe in my Southern Living Easy Weeknight Suppers cookbook)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (16 OZ) loaf unsliced French Bread
• ¾ lb. ground pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean REDUCED FAT)
• ¾ - 1 lb. LEAN ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• OPTIONAL—2 T. Butter & 1 large clove of garlic, crushed (olive oil mixed with garlic works great, too)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut off ends of loaf; set aside. Hollow out center of loaf with a long serrated bread knife, leaving a ½ inch shell. Process the bread removed from inside the loaf in the food processor to make coarse crumbs. Set bread shell and crumbs aside.
2. Cook sausage, beef and onion in a large skillet until meat is browned, stirring it until it crumbles; drain. Add 1 cup of reserved bread crumbs, cheese and next 6 ingredients; stir well. Spoon meat mixture into shell; replace loaf ends, securing with tooth picks.
3. Melt butter in a sauce pan and add garlic for 1 minute. (you can do the same with olive oil) Brush melted mixed over the top of the loaf. Wrap loaf in aluminum foil, leaving open slightly on top; place loaf on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until loaf is heated and cheese melts.
4. Cut into 4 pieces and serve.

THURSDAY

Cheeseburger Macaroni

Sometimes you just need a new twist on a classic. Were you one of those kiddos who loved Hamburger Helper? It's easy to replicate the same sort of comfort food, reducing the fat and adding in a little whole grains without the "box". This is one of my girls' favorites. It's easy to make ahead, and bake when you're ready. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box Barrilla Plus Elbow Macaroni or Ronzoni Smart Taste Elbow Macaroni (gotta get your whole grains where you can)
• 1 lb. ground beef (96% lean)
• 1/2 of a 32 oz. box of 2% Velveeta, cubed
• 1/3 cup (plus) low fat milk
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
• McCormick Herb Garden Seasoning Blend (found on the spice aisle)
• Salt and Pepper to taste 8 oz.
• Shredded Cheddar (2% works great)
• **Optional: 2 T. Ketchup and 1 T. Mustard

DIRECTIONS

1. Put elbow macaroni on and cook according to package instructions. Brown ground beef with chopped onion and garlic, drain. Return beef to pan and add approximately 1 Tablespoon of the McCormick Herb Garden seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. As soon as the macaroni is ready to take off the stove, drain and return to a large, sturdy mixing bowl. Add the cubed velveeta and mix until melted (if you have to put in the microwave for 45 seconds or so to finish the melting, go for it). Add the 1/3 c. milk and mix until smooth and well mixed. Add seasoned ground beef and mix well.
3. Add macaroni beef mixture to a (previously Pam-sprayed) casserole dish, top with shredded cheddar cheese and bake (uncovered) at 350 for thirty minutes or bubbly and cheese is melted. Serve with your favorite vegetable or salad and consider yourself done! You can make the casserole ahead of time and pop into the oven when you're ready to eat.

**Add 2 T. Of Ketchup and 1 T. Of Mustard to turn it into a REAL CHEESEBURGER experience. My girls LOVE it prepared this way. Just mix the condiments in when you mix in the melted cheese.

***The onion, garlic and McCormick seasoning gives this familiar favorite more intense flavor (without heat) than the cheezy standard. My girls love it and I hope your family will too!

FRIDAY

CRISPY BEAN AND CHEESE BURRITOS

I am always trying to find a way to get my family to eat healthier. Sometimes they are truly surprised to find the tasty treat set before them is actually GOOD for them. This recipe is quick and easy and a great way to put leftovers to work for you.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag (3 ½ oz.) boil-in-bag brown rice
• 1 c. salsa (I used LEFTOVER homemade salsa which add fresh flavor to the dish or try my new store-bought favorite, "Julio's Mild Salsa" found in the refrigerated section.)
• 1/3 c. chopped cilantro
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 T. lime juice
• 6 soft taco size flour tortillas—(I found some wonderful low-fat; whole wheat ones by Mission)
• 1 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

**Note, you can add leftover taco meat or chopped fajitas to the rice mixture to make the most out of your previous taco dinner.

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Drain and place in a medium-size bowl. Stir in salsa and cilantro; set aside. (I added leftover taco meat here to the rice mixture here. You could easily add finely chopped chicken fajita meat, too) In a small bowl, gently stir together avocado pieces with lime juice and toss with a little fresh ground pepper and salt; set aside.
2. Place tortillas on work surface and sprinkle 2 T. cheese in the center of each, from left to right. Top cheese with a heaping ¼ c. black beans. Place a heaping 1/3 c. rice mixture over beans and divide avocado pieces among tortillas. Fold up like and envelope; repeat with remaining tortillas.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat top and bottom of burritos with nonstick cooking spray. Place 3 burritos in skillet, sesamside down; cooked for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Turn burritos over and cook another 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining burritos, reducing heat if they get too browned.

Baking Memories

Baking.  It's a complicated thing.  There is a lot of measuring and quite frankly all those specific increments are a bit constrictive. 

 

You see, I come from just about the best baker in the history of Southern cooking.  No, I am not claiming to be kin to Paula Deen, but I am telling you my grandmother was an exquisite baker.  She was a firm believer in a freshly baked cake on the back counter just in case someone dropped in at 4 PM for a cup of coffee.  I don't think there was a death in Polk County where my grandmother's five flavor pound cake wasn't a centerpiece at the grieving family gathering. 

 

Now, as much as I love to cook, I never fell in love with baking.  In fact, I was a little intimidated by it.  The truth is that I am horrified at the amount of sugar, oil, butter, etc. that usually goes into baking.  Because I am always trying to reduce fat and calories, I often can't help myself, and make substitutions that rarely pan out.  There's that "exact" thing in baking that is a real kill joy.

 

My precious angel girl just celebrated her 12th birthday.  What a special birthday!  We got our first pair of pointe shoes.  She celebrated with a few friends and had a swim party sleepover.  She went to a fabulous restaurant for a memorable birthday dinner.  On her actual birthday, she requested her favorite meal, my world famous spaghetti.  We had already had fancy, super-expensive, gourmet cupcakes, a trio of delicious desserts from the restaurant.  What we needed was a special, homemade birthday cake, so I got out the Crisco and went to work.

 

It was SO tall, I couldn't even cover it with my cake cover!

Well, I must confess, that I had to make this cake recipe my own.  I cut back on fat and calories in the cake, but you can't cut the fat in chocolate buttercream frosting.

 

 

 

RECIPE
Vanilla Butter Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Icing

 

CAKE

• 1 golden vanilla cake mix
• 1 stick Land 'O Lakes Light Butter, melted
• 1 tsp. PURE vanilla extract
• 1 c. fat free half and half
• 3 eggs
• Crisco (for greasing the pans)
• Flour (for dusting the pans)

1. Preheat the oven according to cake box directions (I used non-stick, metal pans, so I baked at 325 degrees)
2. Grease and flour pans, shaking out excess flour.
3. Put cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for one minute.  Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Increase the mixing speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. 
4. Divide batter between the two greased and floured pans.  Place the pans in the oven side by side.
5. Bake for length of time recommended on the cake mix box.  Please note that the baking time is different according to the size of your pans.  I used 8-inch pans, so I baked for 25 minutes.
6. Remove pans from the oven and cool on baking racks for 10 minutes.  Run a dinner knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto the cooling racks and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.  (this cake smells so good that it will be hard to wait 30 minutes!)

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

• 1 stick of butter, room temp (yes, I used REAL butter, b/c you cannot make buttercream icing with anything else)
• 2/3 cup of cocoa (unsweetened, of course)
• 3 c. of powdered sugar, sifted  (pluse extra if needed for thickening)
• 1/3 c. fat free half and half
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt

1. Add butter and cocoa to a large mixing bowl.  Blend with mixer on low speed until mixture is well-combined.  (about 30 seconds)
2. Add the powdered sugar, 1/3 cup half and half, vanilla and salt.
3. Mix on low until the color lightens and is fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add more half and half if icing is too thick, or powdered sugar (1 T. at a time) if icing is too thin.
5. Ice that fabulous cake, and be sure to let your children lick the beaters. 

Well, here it is!  Self praise is half scandal, but I dare to say my sweet little grandmother would have thought is was DIVINE!  

 

Setting the Table

There is something about a beautifully set table that makes dinner special.  It may be clean, crisp placemats, or cloth napkins, but it's just that little something extra that makes your dinner a little fancier.



My family enjoying Gracen's Birthday Dinner.

When I was growing up, my grandmother always set the table early in the evening, before guests were scheduled to arrive.  She taught me how to turn the plates so that they were all lined up in the same manner.  She used beautiful serving pieces and had salt and pepper shakers in the shape of two pink rose buds.  I learned at an early age that the napkin goes on the left, that the salad fork goes on the outside of the dinner fork and that the knife blade always faces the plate. 

I enjoyed many dinner parties in my Aunt Bobbie's home.  She had the most beautiful dishes.  The pattern was Cottage Garden and the plates were to be placed so the beautiful butterfly was at the tip top of the plate. 

Using our wedding china created an elegant backdrop.

An elegantly set table always made me feel special.  So, when my birthday princess asked if she could have her birthday dinner in the formal dining room, we went all out.  I took the opportunity to teach Gracen how to properly set a table.  We pulled out placemats, cloth napkins, chargers and my Christian Dior wedding china and Waterford crystal. 

I hear my world famous spaghetti tastes better on the good china.

What I discoverd was taking a little extra care in setting the table really accentuated our meal.  Everyone's manners were a little more proper, Everyone seemed to enjoy the special touches.  From here on out, we're dressing up the table.  It doesn't matter if we're having a simple dinner of sloppy joe sliders and sweet potato fries or herb encrusted filets.  What's on Tara's Table????  You guessed it, pretty placemats, cloth napkins, and a full place setting of silverware.  A simple touch to make dinner time memorable!