When I think of classic chicken dishes, Chicken Cordon Bleu usually comes to mind – although I remember the one my mother used to make being dried out, and the ones I get in restaurants being very greasy. I found this chicken cordon bleu recipe a while back and decided to give it a whirl because it came out of one of my favorite cooking publications (Cooking Light) and because I was trying to shake up my recipe roster a bit. It was really great – the center stayed moist and tender, and much like any other Cooking Light recipe it’s not (that) bad for you. It’s fancy enough to serve to company, and easy enough to make for dinner just because it’s Tuesday. Plus, my husband loved it – what guy wouldn’t love meat wrapped in meat?! The only modification I made was to use pre-seasoned bread crumbs, because that’s what I happened to have on hand.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 5 teaspoons butter, melted
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup dry Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350?.

Place broth in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave at high 15 seconds or until warm. Stir in butter and garlic. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and paprika in a medium shallow bowl; set aside.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, oregano, and pepper. Top each breast half with 1 slice of prosciutto and 1 tablespoon mozzarella. Roll up each breast half jelly-roll fashion. Dip each roll in chicken broth mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place rolls, seam side down, in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining broth mixture over chicken. Bake at 350? for 28 minutes or until juices run clear and tops are golden.

My husband LOVES chicken parm. I always used to like the taste too – but the fat content usually discouraged me from making it at home and ordering it when we’re out. A few months ago I came across this recipe, from Ellie Krieger (who is a dietitian and shares my passion for tasty healthy food) and I made it one night for dinner – it was a huge success. The technique of using cooking spray and then baking the chicken keeps the outside crispy while minimizing fat by avoiding frying. I know it sounds complicated to make your own bread crumbs, but it really is VERY easy and I think it adds a lot to this recipe – the crumbs just tasted so crispy and fresh when cooked.

We served this with whole wheat pasta and a tasty ceasar salad – a wonderful way to enjoy some great Italian food without all the guilt.

Ingredients

• 4 slices whole-wheat bread (1-ounce each)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 jar good-quality marinara sauce (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons (1/2-ounce) shredded Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor and process until fine crumbs are formed, about 25 to 30 seconds. Put the crumbs on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, until golden. (You will wind up with about 1 1/3 cups toasted crumbs.)

In a medium bowl, toss the crumbs with oregano, garlic powder, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and milk together. In a third bowl stir together the flour, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Dip each piece of chicken, 1 piece at a time, in flour, shaking off excess, then egg, then bread crumbs, shaking off excess.

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Place breaded breasts in a glass baking dish and spray on each side with cooking spray, about 5 seconds total per side. Bake breasts until cooked though and crumbs are browned, about 15 minutes. Top with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbling.

As a tribute to my Irish heritage, I decided to post some St. Patrick’s day recipes – well, they may not be Irish per se, but at least they have Guinness in them! My husband and I have been on a big Irish food kick for the past couple weeks in preparation for a big trip to Ireland we’re planning for May, so I’ve been on the prowl for Ireland-inspired Guinness recipes for several weeks now.

First, I made a traditionally Belgian dish, Beef Carbonnade, Irish by using Guinness instead of a belgian ale – this recipe was modified from How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittmann (which was actually a book Beth gave me for my engagement! ) Anyway, I highly recommend the book – it really does teach you how to cook everything.

Irish Beef Carbonnade

1-2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil

2lbs beef stew meat

1 clove garlic, peeled & crushed

2 large or 3 medium onions, cut into eighths

1 1/2 cups of Guinness

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 Bay Leaf

Instructions:

Heat a large casserole dish (or deep skillet) over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the oil and the crushed garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Remove the garlic from the pan.

Add the beef to the skillet, browning on all sides. Season with salt and pepper lightly while it sautes.

When the meat is browned, remove it from the pan. Add the onions. Cook, stirring for about 10 minutes. Then add the Guinness and add back the beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook undisturbed for about 60 minutes, or until you’re happy with the consistency of the stew.

Serve over warm buttered egg noodles, or boiled potatoes.

Guinness Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

My second dish is a chocolate cake (yum!), also made with Guinness. I found this recipe a while back and thought it looked fabulous, and I’ve been saving it for St. Patrick’s day – I made it for a family celebration last weekend, and it went over very well! It’s not too sweet, very moist, and the Guinness adds a complexity to the chocolate flavor I really appreciated. I think the cream cheese frosting complimented the flavor well – although I did have to add much more confectioner’s sugar than it called for – my measurements are what I included below. In the end, though, the consistency was lovely. I decorated the cake with a shamrock, in the spirit of a finely poured pint in Ireland.

Ingredients
Cake
1 cup Guinness
1 stick unsalted butter, sliced
? cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
? cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 ? teaspoons baking soda

Icing
8 ounce cream cheese
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.

Pour Guinness into a large saucepan, add butter and heat until melted. Whisk in cocoa powder and sugar. In a small bowl, beat sour cream with eggs and vanilla and then pour into brown, buttery, beery mixture and finally whisk in flour and baking soda.

Pour cake batter into greased and line pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour (Check at 45 minutes for doneness, poking a skewer in center.). Leave to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, as it is quite a damp cake.

When cake is cold, gently peel off parchment paper and transfer to a platter or cake stand.

Place cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl, and whip with an electric beater, until smooth (You may also do this with a food processor.).

Add cream and beat again until you have a spreadable consistency. Frost the cake, beginning in the middle and fanning outward (like foam might, on a real pint!).

I just love spinach and artichoke dip, so when I saw this recipe for Spinach and Artichoke Topped Chicken on Joelen’s Culinary Adventures I knew I just had to try it! I had some heavy cream on hand after my ice cream making adventure, so I whipped up this dish.

Preparing the topping was quite easy, but it took a little longer than my usual routine of quickly seasoning chicken breasts with random herbs or salad dressings and tossing it in the oven. I had never thought to top the chicken breasts with something other than a simple sauce while they baked. I’m certainly glad I found this recipe.

The chicken was delicious! The creamy topping was rich and flavorful, and the chicken turned out very tender. This recipe will be going into my regular rotation, and I plan to experiment with other topping combinations.

Spinach and Artichoke Topped Chicken

For Chicken:
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt & pepper to taste or seasoning salt
garlic & onion powder to taste

For Sauce:
1/2 10-oz box frozen spinach
1 tablespoon EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), twice around the pan
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, peeled and halved
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (eyeball it)
1/2 14 ounce can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1-2 handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Salt and black pepper

For Topping:
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs for topping
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare your chicken by seasoning it to taste with salt, pepper, seasoning salt, garlic and/or onion powder (however you’d like) Place chicken on baking sheet.

For the sauce, begin by microwaving the spinach on high for 6 minutes to defrost.

Heat a deep skillet over medium heat with the EVOO and butter. When the butter melts and is hot, add the garlic. Using a box grater, grate the onion directly into the skillet.

Saute the onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, then the cream, and bring the sauce to a boil. Season the sauce with nutmeg and reduce the heat to low.

Place the defrosted spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring it dry. Separate it as you add it to the sauce. Stir in the chopped artichokes and a couple handfuls of cheese, then season the spinach-artichoke sauce with salt and pepper. Topped the raw chicken breast with spinach artichoke sauce.

Combine the panko breadcrumbs and cheese for the topping and sprinkle on top of the spinach artichoke sauce.

Bake chicken in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until juices run clear and chicken is thoroughly cooked.

This was the first Mexican dish that I made that did not involve a pre-mixed packet of taco or fajita seasoning. When I first made this dish, my husband and I were amazed at how easy it was to throw together a warm, tasty Mexican dish. Turkey and bean burritos have become a staple meal in our home. They’re easy enough to make on a weeknight, and work well on their own or with a side of Mexican rice.

Over the years, the turkey and bean burritos have undergone some minor changes. The original recipe is for Turkey, Tomatillo, and Bean Burritos and can be found in Rachel Ray’s 365: No Repeats cookbook. The recipe uses tomatillo salsa as the base, but I initially used whatever regular tomato salsa I had on had. I now use tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and poultry seasoning in place of the salsa. I think it makes the filling more moist, and the flavor more consistent.

If I’m just cooking for Mike and I, I will only assemble and heat two burritos and store the filling in a bowl. I’ve found that pre-assembled burritos get soggy in the fridge. When it’s time for leftovers, I warm the filling in the microwave, and assemble the burritos before popping them in the oven.

And of course, no Mexican meal is complete without a margarita!

Turkey and Bean Burritos
adapted from Rachel Ray’s Turkey, Tomatillo, and Bean Burritos (found in 365: No Repeats)

Yields 4-6 servings

6 10-inch flour tortillas
1 package (1 1/3 pounds) ground turkey breast
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 cup tomato sauce (plain, no-salt added)
1 cup chicken broth
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
shredded cheese of your choice

1. Preheat the oven to 275.
2. Brown turkey in large non-stick skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Once turkey is browned, transfer to bowl. Drain most of the fat, leaving a small amount in the skillet. (Or, drain fat and use olive oil)
3. Add onions, garlic and pepper to skillet. Saute on medium heat for several minutes until onions are translucent and peppers are soft.
4. Add browned turkey to pan and mix in. Season with cumin, chili powder and poultry seasoning.
5. Stir in the black beans, tomato sauce and chicken broth.
6. Increase heat and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes more, or until the mixture is thickened.
7. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
8. Heat tortillas in microwave to make them more pliable.
9. Spoon turkey mixture onto tortillas, top with shredded cheese and roll up.
10. Place rolled tortillas seam-side down on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 10 minutes.

When I married my husband, he told me that he did not like pork chops. This Spinach & Feta Stuffed Pork Chops recipe changed his mind! I found it perusing the Cooking Light magazine website a few months ago, and I’ve made it many times since. The addition of feta, sun dried tomatoes and lemon give the dish a lovely Mediterranean flavor, and the spinach keeps it full of veggies. It looks special enough to serve to company or on a special occasion, but start to finish it takes me about 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 5 sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil, diced
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 garlic cloves; saut? 1 minute. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, tomatoes, and spinach; saut? until moisture evaporates. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses and rind.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each pork chop to form a pocket. Stuff about 1/4 cup spinach mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper over pork. Arrange pork on the rack of a broiler pan or roasting pan coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan. Combine remaining 2 garlic cloves, juice, mustard, and oregano in a bowl; stir well. Brush half of mustard mixture over pork. Broil 6 minutes; turn pork. Brush remaining mixture over pork; broil 2 minutes or until done. (Broiling usually takes me more like 8 minutes on each side.)

I pulled this recipe for Black Bean, Corn and Zucchini Enchiladas from a Cooking Light magazine. The vegetable filling provides a nice change from some of the more typical meat-heavy Mexican dishes.

This is a relatively time consuming recipe, but the resulting meal is well worth the effort. The enchilada sauce requires 30 minutes of simmer time, but it’s possible to save some time by preparing the vegetable filling concurrently. The magazine’s copy of the recipe suggests preparing the enchilada sauce a few days in advance and then refrigerating it. I’ve never planned far enough ahead to do this, but it would certainly be a time saver!

I have made very few changes to the original enchilada recipe. In order to reduce total calories and fat, I halved the amount of cheese used. I also sprinkle a small amount of cumin and chili powder on the vegetable filling before assembling the enchiladas. I find that this gives the filling a little more flavor, and complements the seasonings in the enchilada sauce quite nicely. It’s also worth noting that typically end up with only six enchiladas, while Cooking Light states that the recipe yields eight.

Black Bean, Corn and Zucchini Enchilada Recipe

Yields 6 servings (1 enchilada each)

1 teaspoon canola oil
2 cups diced zucchini
1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole-kernel corn
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups Enchilada Sauce, divided (see recipe below)
Cooking spray
8 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 cup (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided

1 ) Preheat oven to 350?.
2 ) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups zucchini and corn; saut? for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3 ) Remove from heat, and stir in beans.
4 ) Spread 1 cup Enchilada Sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5 ) Spoon about 1/2 cup zucchini mixture down center of 1 tortilla; sprinkle with 1 tablespoons cheese, and roll up. Place seam-side down in baking dish.
6 ) Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, zucchini mixture, and 5 tablespoons cheese. Spread remaining 2 cups sauce evenly over enchiladas.
7 ) Cover with foil; bake at 350? for 30 minutes.
8 ) Uncover; top with remaining cheese (10 tbsp) . Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Enchilada Sauce

Yields 3 cups

1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained

1) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2) Add onion and garlic; saut? 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
3) Stir in broth and remaining ingredients.
4) Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my husband and I really enjoy Mexican food. This turkey taco recipe is a favorite of ours! It comes from Rachel Ray’s 365: No Repeats cookbook. While I am not a fan of her show, some of Rachel’s recipes are quite tasty and easy to whip up in a short amount of time. This meal can actually be prepared within 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight meal. These turkey tacos are delicious on their own, or with beans and rice. Of course, a margarita is always a welcome addition.

I have changed very little from the original recipe. In fact, my only modification is that I omit raisins. According to a site note in the cookbook, the raisins “help keep the meat moist and balance the spice,” but I’ve never bothered with them. The resulting turkey taco meat, seasoned according to the original recipe, is flavorful and moist. I like using ground turkey when I cook for two reasons: 1) It’s much cheaper than ground beef and 2) It’s a healthier option. My guests are usually surprised to find that this tasty recipe contains turkey and not the standard ground beef.

Enjoy!

Turkey Tacos

Yields 4 servings (2 tacos per serving)

1 package super-size taco shells (I like the Ortega Stand ‘n Stuff)
1 package (approx 1 1/3 lbs) ground turkey
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tsp poultry seasoning
3 garlic cloves, chopped or pressed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup tomato sauce (I use a single 8 oz. can of plain sauce)

Shredded cheese, shredded romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes and salsa for garnish.

1) Heat taco shells in oven according to package directions.
2) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and break up the meat.
3) Season the meat with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.
4) When the meat is nearly browned, add the garlic, onions, chili powder and cumin.
5) Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft, then stir in the stick.
6) Stir in the tomato sauce and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
7) Fill taco shells with meat sauce and top with desired garnish.