Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

     This is another recipe that I found from What's Cookin, Chicago? via Pinterest.  When I came across it, I knew it might be a keeper.  Well it turns out I was right (aren't I always)!  I have made this meal about four times now and I think it is safe to say I will make it again before too long.  If you like sauce, it wouldn't hurt to add a bit more than the recipe calls for.  Enjoy!

1 lb. ground chicken

1 egg

¼ cup breadcrumbs

½ tsp. dried basil

½ tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. dried oregano

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground pepper

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup (or more) spaghetti sauce

½ cup shredded Italian cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Spray a small loaf pan with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the spaghetti sauce and Italian cheese.  Be careful not to handle the chicken more than is necessary, otherwise it will become tough.  Form into a loaf and place in loaf pan.  Top with spaghetti sauce.

     Bake for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle the Italian cheese over top of the meatloaf.  Heat for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.  Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 

Baked Chicken Fajitas

     I have never really been a fan of fajitas, but I always tried to trick myself into liking them.  My husband loves them, so I would make them fairly often and try to convince myself that they would be good.  More than anything, I enjoyed the colors of the different bell peppers, but that was really it!  After I was done making them I would maybe eat half of one!  However, since I have found this recipe from Eatin' on the Cheap, I actually love fajitas (and not just the colors)!  This is one of the easiest recipes to prepare and I love that my husband never lets the leftovers go to waste.  He will even eat them cold!  I have probably made this recipe about 7 times since I found it a few months ago, and it will continue to be a favorite weeknight meal around here!

1 lb. chicken breast
10 oz. can of Rotel
1 medium onion, sliced (optional)
2 bell peppers (any color), cut into long thin strips
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
tortillas
reduced fat sour cream

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Cut the chicken breast into thin strips and place in the bottom of the dish.  Slice peppers and place in the dish.  Pour the can of Rotel, including the liquid, over top of the chicken and peppers.  Mix together the chicken, peppers, and Rotel.  In a small separate bowl, combine oil and spices.  Pour over top of the chicken mixture.  Toss together to evenly coat the chicken and peppers.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Before serving, drain excess liquid from the dish.  Serve with warm tortillas and sour cream.

Panera's Fuji Apple Chicken Salad

     A few weeks ago my husband and I stopped at Panera Bread for lunch.  I was shocked when my husband ordered a salad.  As we were sitting there eating, we started to talk about how much we like Panera, but we couldn't afford to eat there everyday for lunch, as it appeared that's what many of the people who were on their lunch hour were doing.  He mentioned how much he liked the salad, but that he wasn't willing to pay over $8 for it on a regular basis.  I wasn't sure if I heard him correctly, did he just say he liked the salad?!  It is near impossible to get him on board when I make only a salad for dinner, so my brain drifted from our conversation to me wondering how I could re-create the salad at home.  He mentioned that he really liked the white balsamic vinaigrette (OK, so those weren't the words he used!) dressing that was on the salad.  When I got home I of course searched for a recipe for the dressing, but what I found was one better.  You can actually buy the dressing for this and several other Panera salads at Super Target!  So I headed over to Super Target and picked up a bottle.  Since then we have had the salad several nights for dinner.  And, when I was at Super Target last week, the dressing was on sale, so it looks like we will be having this for dinner several more times!

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped (or spring mix)
½ lb. chicken breasts, cooked and sliced thin
1/8 cup gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1 oz. pecans, chopped (about 20 halves)
apple chips or fresh sliced apples (my husband uses the chips, I like fresh apples)
¼ cup Panera Fuji Apple salad dressing (available at Super Target)
tomatoes and onions, chopped (optional)

     Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss with dressing.  Enjoy!

Nutritional information per serving: 400 calories, 25 grams of fat, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 29 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber.

Strawberry & Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

     Well I am back at it again...trying to eat healthier!  Not that I ever try to eat unhealthy, but I love to cook and bake, and I can especially get myself into trouble when it comes to baking!  I mean just take a look at my pinterest boards.  For the Superbowl party we went to, I made peanut butter cheesecake brownies with Reese's on top!  I think everyone loved and hated me at the same time.  But I was thankful that I could make them and only eat one instead of the whole pan!  Oh, and I should mention that I also made a fresh fruit platter with a fat free fruit dip!  I guess you could say they sort of balanced each other out?!  Anyways, back to eating healthy.  I have been doing so good, but I have sort of gotten myself into a rut of eating the same things every day, since I know they are good for me and taste good.  But, it can be boring at times.  So I broke out an old weight watchers cookbook and found this recipe.  It didn't take much time at all to make and it was pretty darn good!

2 tbsp. light cream cheese
4 slices low calorie bread (like Sara Lee 45 Calories and Delightful 100% Whole Wheat)
2 tbsp. strawberry jam or fruit spread
1 egg
2 egg whites
3 tbsp. skim milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

     Spread a tablespoon of cream cheese onto each of the two slices of bread.  Spread a tablespoon of strawberry jam onto each of the remaining two slices of bread.  Put the slices of bread with jam on top of the cream cheese slices to make fruit and cheese sandwiches.  Cut each sandwich in half diagonally.
     In a wide bowl or pie plate, whisk together the egg and egg whites.  Whisk in the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
     Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and set over medium high heat.  Add the sandwiches to the egg mixture and let soak.  When pan is hot, place sandwiches on the skillet and let cook until browned.  It should only take about 2-3 minutes per side.  Top french toast with fresh strawberries and enjoy!  There isn't even a need for any syrup!

Nutritional information per serving: 263 calories, 6 grams of fat, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber.  6 WW points+

Veggie & Beef Stir Fry

     This recipe is simple, but satisfying.  It is also pretty healthy!  It was quick and easy to prepare and I can guarantee you it will be back on the menu again soon!  I know that because my husband even took the leftovers to work!  You have to love that sort of meal!  Plus, I got to use one of my favorite kitchen appliances, my electric wok.  Seriously, I got it at a garage sales quite a few years ago, but I love that thing!  If you don't have one, put it on your Christmas list - you won't regret it!

¼ - ½ lb.stir fry beef
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
3 cups broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
1 cup brown rice

     Coarsely chop the zucchini, broccoli, and squash.  Boil water for the rice.  Cook rice according to the package.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in an electric wok (or large skillet if you don't have a wok).  Add the beef, stir frying until no longer pink, about 2 minutes.  Add in the vegetables and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add teriyaki sauce (more to taste if you would like) to the stir fry.  Serve the beef and vegetables over the brown rice.  Makes 4 servings.

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

     I have to admit that I was taking a big chance when I decided to make this meal for the first time.  I found this recipe from The Yummy Life on Pinterest and decided to try it. I wasn't convinced it would be a hit for several reasons, the first being that it used ground turkey instead or beef, which isn't my husbands favorite.  Secondly, it used an ingredient, hoisin, that I had never heard before and had no idea what it would taste like.  It also had several other ingredients which I didn't have or don't like to eat.  Among all those things I don't have a food processor to mince all the veggies, which meant more work for me!  So as you can imagine, I was shocked after I made this meal for dinner one night and subsequently watched my husband scarf down three helpings!  My husband rarely tells me he doesn't like something I cook, but I can tell by whether or not he eats leftovers.  In this case, there weren't even any leftovers, which was an indicator that I should make these lettuce wraps again!  If you like spicy, which around here we don't, check out the yummy life link above for some dipping sauces.

1 lb. ground turkey
1-2 tsp. canola oil
1 cup shredded carrots, minced
3 green onions, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. cooking sherry
1 tsp. sesame oil
1-2 cups brown rice
Lettuce

     Mince the carrots, green onions, garlic, and ginger.  This can either be done by hand or using a food processor.  Heat the oil in a skillet. Brown the turkey. At the same time begin preparing the brown rice according to package directions.
     Once the turkey has browned, add in the minced carrots, green onions, garlic, and ginger.  Cook for 5 minutes.  In a small bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sherry, and sesame oil.  Add to the turkey and stir, cooking about 5 more minutes or until heated through.  
     Serve turkey mixture with rice in lettuce leaves.  To make as an appetizer, serve in endive leaves.

Baked Fries

     I have never been able to make good homemade fries in the oven until I read a post on Annie's Eats.  I love her website and have made several other things from there as well.  This are a great option when you are craving french fries, but would like something a bit healthier than McDonald's!  Although the fries themselves are easy to make, they require advanced preparation and not such a fun clean up!

3 potatoes, or about 1½ lbs.
5 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. pepper

    Peel the potatoes.  Cut potatoes in half lengthwise.  Place cut side down, then cut into ¼" lengthwise pieces.  Put potato pieces into a large bowl and cover with hot water.  Allow the potatoes to soak for about 30 minutes.
     Remove from water and pat dry with paper towels.  Wipe out the bowl so it is dry, then put the potatoes back into the bowl.  Toss the potatoes with 1 tbsp. of oil.  Use the other 4 tbsp. to coat the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet.  Sprinkle the pan with salt and pepper.  Place the potatoes on the pan in a single layer. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 5 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue to bake 15-20 minutes, rotating the pan once.  Remove the pan and flip each potato using tongs.  Place back in the oven for the last 5-15 minutes, rotating once.
     When the fries are finished baking, remove from oven and place on paper towels.  Pat excess grease from potatoes.  Add more salt or pepper to taste and enjoy!  Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional information per serving; 230 calories, 11 grams of fat, 33 carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber.

Banana Split Brownie Pie

     This picture definitely cannot do justice for how delicious this pie really was.  I won't say it was the easiest thing to make, but it was definitely worth the work.  This was yet another thing I made while back at home visiting family.  I mean, I surely couldn't have made this here in Dallas or I would have eaten the entire thing myself!  We were headed to my brothers house for a cookout and to see baby Luke, so I thought it would be nice to bring something for dessert.  What I didn't know was that his wife was making these awesome "popsicles" from a cookbook my mom had just given each of us (see picture below)!  So between both of these and the huge burgers my brother made, I am pretty sure none of us went hungry!

Crust Ingredients
2 cups crushed waffle cones (about 12 cones)
6 tbsp. melted butter

Pie Ingredients
1 brownie mix
¼ cup oil
2 tbsp. water
1 egg

Cheesecake Ingredients
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. flour
1 egg
1 banana, smashed

Topping Ingredients
1 container strawberries, cut in half
¼ cup hot fudge

     Preheat the oven to 350°.  Crush the waffle cones.  I highly recommend using a food processor if you have one. Combine with melted butter and press into a pie pan.
   Mix together the brownie mix, oil, water, and egg.  Carefully spoon brownie mixture over crust.  Do not spread too much or it will mess up the crust.  Bake for 30 minutes.
     While the brownie is in the oven, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, flour, and egg.  Stir in the banana.  Spread on the baked brownie, again being careful not to push into the warm brownie.  Bake for another 20 minutes.  Let cool, then refrigerate.
     Just before serving, top with halved strawberries.  Microwave hot fudge until warm, then pour over strawberries.

Nutritional information per serving; 499 calories, 22 grams of fat, 73 carbohydrates, 6 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber. **Calculations are based on 1/3 fat cream cheese.**

The Sarasota

     There is nothing better than family barbecues.  And usually along with that comes beer.  But I had just bought a bottle of my favorite Michigan wine, so I really wanted to drink that instead.  Now anyone that knows my mom knows she never drinks more than a sip of alcohol.  So since she drank an entire glass of this, I think its safe to say it is pretty good!

1 bottle of Riesling wine
1 can raspberry lemonade frozen concentrate
1 can of Sprite
handful of crushed raspberries

Candy Apple Salad

I have made this recipe once before and thought it was the perfect balance between chocolate and fruit.  I also thought it was the perfect choice for a dessert while we were home visiting my parents, since they don't have air conditioning and wouldn't let me use the oven!  It only takes a few minutes to whip up, which allowed for plenty of time to hang out with family.

8 oz. container of cool whip
3.4 oz. box of instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
15 fun size Snickers
5-8 granny smith apples

     Place candy in the freezer for about an hour.  This will make it easier to cut and keep it from melting.  Meanwhile, mix the milk and pudding mix together in a medium bowl.  Place in the fridge until the candy is ready to cut.  Chop the apples into bite size pieces.  Chop the snickers into small pieces.  Fold cool whip, Snickers, and apples into the pudding mixture.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Makes 10 servings.

Nutritional information per serving; 238 calories, 6 grams of fat, 43 carbohydrates, 3 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber. **Calculations are based on fat free cool whip and skim milk.**