Easy Mushroom-Chicken Quesadillas

Some foods really don’t require a recipe.  Quesadillas have always been that type of food in my eyes.  I have been relying heavily on Ellie Krieger’s book, So Easy lately and came across a recipe for Easy Mushroom-Chicken Quesadillas.  The picture looked amazing and the ingredients included many of my favorites so I decided to use the recipe to make this very simple type of food.  My decision was a great one, these were wonderful.  Terry deemed them too “vegetablely” but for me they were perfect.  The chicken, mushrooms, spinach and spices tied together perfectly.  The only change that I made was in the construction on the quesadillas.  Instead of placing one flat tortilla over another one, I filled half of each one and w rapped the rest of the tortilla over the top of itself.  This just seems to make more sense to me and the pre-cooked quesadillas seem easier to handle.   We ate our Easy Mushroom-Chicken Quesadillas with sour cream, salsa and as usual, Terry’s guacamole.  These will be repeated often and the filling will be frozen for quick meals. 

-Heather

Easy Mushroom-Chicken Quesadillas
(Adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
8 ounces white button mushrooms, (about 3 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast (1 breast half)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups baby spinach leaves, sliced into ribbons
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 (10-inch) whole-grain flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese mix or Cheddar
1/2 cup salsa (optional)
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream (optional)

Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushroom water is evaporated and they begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken, cumin, chili powder and oregano and stir until all spices are incorporated. Add spinach, salt and pepper and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Lay 2 tortillas on a flat work surface and sprinkle half of each with 1/8 cup shredded cheese. Spoon 1/4 chicken and vegetable mixture on top of cheese on each tortilla, then top with an additional 1/8 cup cheese. Fold each tortilla in half over itself. Heat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Carefully place 2 quesadillas in the pan and cook 3 minutes. Using a large spatula, gently flip quesadillas and cook an additional 3 minutes until lightly browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining two quesadilla. Slice each quesadilla into quarters. Place 2 quarters on a plate with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 2 tablespoons salsa if desired.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushroom water is evaporated and they begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Add chicken, cumin, chili powder and oregano and stir until all spices are incorporated.

Add spinach, salt and pepper and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Lay 2 tortillas on a flat work surface and sprinkle half of each with 1/4 cup shredded cheese.

Spoon 1/4 chicken and vegetable mixture on top of cheese on each tortilla, then top with an additional 1/8 cup cheese.

Fold each tortilla in half over itself.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Carefully place 2 quesadillas in the pan and cook 3 minutes. Using a large spatula, gently flip quesadillas and cook an additional 3 minutes until lightly browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining two quesadilla. Slice each quesadilla into quarters. Place 2 quarters on a plate with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 2 tablespoons salsa if desired.

Cracked Pepper Baked Potato Chips

Chips are one of my favorite snacks; since they are not the healthiest option to munch on I have dabbled in making my own baked versions of the classics.  I have successfully made pita and tortilla chips and decided to give potato chips a try.  I looked to Ellie Krieger’s book, So Easy.  I made her Cracked Pepper Baked Potato Chips to go along with Cooking Light’s Turkey Meatball Reuben Subs.  These chips turned out really well.  I baked them a few minutes longer than called for, and used a mandolin to create even chip widths.  I salted them generously after removing them from the oven and they were tasty both warm and at room temperature.  

-Heather

Cracked Pepper Baked Potato Chips
Ellie Krieger

Ingredients
3 large russet potatoes (2 1/4 pounds total) sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Salt

Directions
Toss potatoes in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil, and pepper until well coated. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange potato slices in 1 layer on 2 cookie sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until chips are crisped and lightly browned. Remove from oven, season with salt and cool.

Toss potatoes in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil, and pepper until well coated. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange potato slices in 1 layer on 2 cookie sheets.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until chips are crisped and lightly browned. Remove from oven, season with salt and cool.

Turkey Meatball Reuben Subs

Sauerkraut might be the food that I dislike most in the world. Anytime my Mom would make it I would run to the neighbor’s house and hide out because even the smell was too much for me to bare. I suppose this is the reason that I have never tried a Rueben sandwich. While paging through the December issue of Cooking Light at the gym I saw the recipe for their Turkey Meatball Reuben Sub. The picture was appetizing and a quick glance at the ingredients showed no sign of sauerkraut. This turned out awesome! It will work its way into our monthly rotation. I baked my own wheat rolls and made my own Thousand Island sauce. I replaced bottled garlic with fresh and omitted the coriander because I didn’t have any. We served our sandwiches with Ellie Krieger’s Cracked Black Pepper Baked Potato Chips, and thoroughly enjoyed this meal.

-Heather

Turkey Meatball Reuben Sub

Alyson Haynes, Cooking Light, December 2010

Total: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients

2 teaspoons paprika, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 pound ground turkey

Cooking spray

4 (3-ounce) wheat submarine rolls (such as Cobblestone Mill)

1 1/3 cups packaged coleslaw

1/4 cup reduced-fat Thousand Island dressing

4 (1-ounce) slices Swiss cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, coriander, and next 6 ingredients (through turkey). Shape into 16 meatballs (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Place meatballs on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and broil for 8 minutes or until done, turning once.

3. While meatballs cook, hollow out bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell, and reserve torn bread for another use. Combine the coleslaw, dressing, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Arrange 4 meatballs and 1 cheese slice inside each roll. Place the sandwiches on broiler pan, and broil for 1 minute or until cheese melts. Divide slaw among sandwiches.

Nutritional Information

Calories:428

Fat:16.8g (sat 7g,mono 5.5g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:31.5g

Carbohydrate:40g

Fiber:4.1g

Cholesterol:76mg

Iron:3.7mg

Sodium:723mg

Calcium:308mgs

Preheat broiler.  Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, coriander, and next 6 ingredients (through turkey).

Shape into 16 meatballs (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). Place meatballs on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.

Broil for 8 minutes or until done, turning once.

While meatballs cook, hollow out bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell, and reserve torn bread for another use.

Combine the coleslaw, dressing, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika.

Arrange 4 meatballs and 1 cheese slice inside each roll.

Place the sandwiches on broiler pan, and broil for 1 minute or until cheese melts. Divide slaw among sandwiches.



Cold Noodle and Carrot Salad





The weather in Southern California has been beautiful lately and my poor family back in Chicago has been hit with terrible blizzards. My Crazy Cousin Bud (CCB for short) loves taunting our family over Facebook by reminding them of how gorgeous and sunny it is here while they are busy shoveling out their cars to get around town. I am not so evil, but I did want to take advantage of this unseasonably warm weather by cooking something a bit more suited to summer. I decided on an Asian inspired grilled chicken with Cold Noodle and Carrot Salad and garlic and ginger steamed broccoli. The meal was delicious and the Cold Noodle and Carrot Salad was phenomenal, Terry couldn’t stop raving about it. It was extremely simple to make, nothing more than cooking pasta, a little chopping and a little mixing. I made it during the afternoon and we enjoyed it that evening. The leftovers also held up very well.

-Heather

Cold Noodle and Carrot Salad

(Adapted from The kitchn)

8 ounces whole wheat angel hair pasta
3 large carrots
1 bunch (about 6) scallions
1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Cook the noodles for 6-8 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and toss with just a drizzle of sesame oil to keep them from sticking together. Put in the refrigerator to cool.

Peel the carrots and shred or shave with a peeler. You should have about 2 cups of loose carrot shavings. Chop the scallions into small pieces.

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until they become fragrant; watch to be sure that they do not burn.

Whisk the sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce together and taste. Adjust for taste. Toss the carrots, scallions, ginger, chilled noodles and sesame seeds together and serve.



Cook the noodles for 6-8 minutes, or according to package directions.

Drain and toss with just a drizzle of sesame oil to keep them from sticking together. Put in the refrigerator to cool.

Peel the carrots and shred or shave with a peeler. You should have about 2 cups of loose carrot shavings. Chop the scallions into small pieces.



 Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until they become fragrant; watch to be sure that they do not burn.



Whisk the sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce together and taste. Adjust for taste.

Toss the carrots, scallions, ginger, chilled noodles and sesame seeds together and serve.

Taco Pizza

A fond memory that I have from high school is stopping at Taco Bell with my friends Marie and Mike and eating Mexican Pizzas.  We laughed and came up with some of our most hilarious inside jokes in that little fast food restaurant.  Obviously this was not the picture of healthy eating, but back in those days I could eat anything I wanted and get away with it.  Being much more health conscious now, but still enjoying fast food-style treats, I toyed with a Taco Pizza recipe from Pampered Chef and really enjoy the results.  My recipe makes three pizzas at a time. I always make double the amount of food that we need so we have leftovers for lunch.  Terry eats an entire Taco Pizza at each sitting and I eat half of one.  We served sour cream, bottled salsa and Terry’s guacamole on the side.  I used fat free flour tortillas from Sprouts and  ground turkey can easily be substituted for the ground beef.  This recipe has been repeated often and really hits the spot when you are in the mood for something a little bit bad and don’t want to have to work it off at the gym.

-Heather

Taco Pizza

(Adapted from Pampered Chef’s Kitchen is the Heart of the Home)

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey cooked and seasoned with1 batch All Recipe’s Taco Seasoning or 1 envelope taco seasoning mix

6 (10-inch) flour tortillas

1 14 oz can fat free refried beans

1 cup diced tomato

1 bunch green onions sliced

1 cup sliced pitted ripe olives

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Cooking spray

Bottled or fresh salsa (optional)

Sour Cream (optional)

Guacamole (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover two large baking pans with tin foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Layer two tortillas on one pan and one tortilla on the other pan. Divide the refried beans into thirds and smear onto each tortilla. Divide the cooked beef or turkey into thirds and sprinkle onto each tortilla.

2. Divide a half cup of the cheese into thirds and sprinkle on top of the beef, then top with the remaining three tortillas. Divide the remaining cup of cheese into thirds and top each tortilla. Divide the tomatoes, green onions and olives into thirds and sprinkle on top of the cheese. Bake for 10 to15 minutes, until the edges of the tortillas begin to lightly brown. Top with salsa, sour cream and guacamole if desired. 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover two large baking pans with tin foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Layer two tortillas on one pan and one tortilla on the other pan. Divide the refried beans into thirds and smear onto each tortilla.



Divide the cooked beef or turkey into thirds and sprinkle onto each tortilla.



Divide a half cup of the cheese into thirds and sprinkle on top of the beef, then top with the remaining three tortillas. Divide the remaining cup of cheese into thirds and top each tortilla. Divide the tomatoes, green onions and olives into thirds and sprinkle on top of the cheese.



Bake for 10 to15 minutes, until the edges of the tortillas begin to lightly brown.  Top with salsa, sour cream and guacamole if desired. 

Healthy Chicken Fried Rice

Bacon is truly one of my favorite indulgences, but besides that, we are really not pork eaters. I don’t know exactly why, my Mom always made delicious pork roasts and Dad always grilled killer pork chops. Whatever the reason, I typically find myself replacing the pork called for in recipes with good ol’ boneless skinless chicken breasts. I like to poach or bake a large amount, shred, and then freeze in dinner sized portions. This process helps weeknight dinners come together much more quickly then they would without this resource. The recipe for Cooking Light’s Almost Classic Pork Fried Rice caught my eye so I made my usual substitution and we were off and rolling. This is a nice meal, not a “wow” but a filling healthy take on fried rice that I will make again. I have creatively titled it Healthy Chicken Friend Rice. Steamed broccoli and leftover grilled vegetables were tossed with some ginger and garlic and served on the side.

-Heather

Healthy Chicken Fried Rice
(Adapted from Cooking Light's Almost Classic Pork Fried Rice, January 2011)

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons peanut oil or olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 to 1 pound cooked and shredded boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green onion bottoms (white part)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

3 cups cooked, chilled long-grain brown rice

1 large egg

3 tablespoons mirin (I subbed rice vinegar with a pinch of sugar mixed in)

3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups fresh bean sprouts

1/4 cup canned diced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained (I omitted)

1 cup chopped green onion tops

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan, swirling to coat.  Add carrot and celery to pan, and sauté for 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, heat chicken in the microwave for one minute.  Add carrot mixture to the warm chicken.

2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan, swirling to coat. Stir in green onion bottoms, garlic, and ginger; cook for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add rice, stirring well to coat rice with oil; cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Stir rice mixture, and cook, without stirring, an additional 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Make a well in center of rice mixture. Add egg; stir-fry for 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly.

3. Return the chicken mixture to pan. Stir in mirin, and cook for 1 minute or until mirin is absorbed. Stir in the salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Remove from heat, and stir in bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Sprinkle with green onion tops.

CALORIES 408 ; FAT 12.4g (sat 2.6g,mono 5.4g,poly 3.6g); CHOLESTEROL 82mg; CALCIUM 79mg; CARBOHYDRATE 49.3g; SODIUM 627mg; PROTEIN 21g; FIBER 6.5g; IRON 2.4mg



Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan, swirling to coat.  Add carrot and celery to pan, and sauté for 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, heat chicken in the microwave for one minute.



Add carrot mixture to the warm chicken.



Add remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan, swirling to coat. Stir in green onion bottoms, garlic, and ginger; cook for 15 seconds, stirring constantly.



Add rice, stirring well to coat rice with oil; cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Stir rice mixture, and cook, without stirring, an additional 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown.



Make a well in center of rice mixture. Add egg; stir-fry for 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly.

Return the chicken mixture to pan. Stir in mirin, and cook for 1 minute or until mirin is absorbed.



Stir in the salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Remove from heat, and stir in bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Sprinkle with green onion tops.

Chicken Fajitas

BEER…makes everything better, including fajitas. Cooking Light’s January 2011 issue is dedicated to quick chicken dinners and the Chicken Fajitas recipe was absolutely outstanding. The recipe calls for marinating the chicken for just one hour. I thought it would be much more flavorful marinated overnight so I threw the marinade together quickly after returning from the Superbowl party at my best friend Christy’s house and set it in the fridge for the next day. I didn’t have any dark Mexican beer so I used Sam Adams lager and added a bit more lime juice to the marinade to compensate. The chicken was sliced very thin so it cooked in the allotted two minutes per side on my grill pan. Peppers are one of my favorite foods so I added sliced green peppers to the red and the yellow called for in the recipe. I also added in sliced tomatoes because I love them in fajitas. We served CL’s Chicken Fajitas with bottled salsa, sour cream and Terry’s guacamole. As a side I had some leftover salad from the Superbowl party and Terry had more fajitas. This recipe is a definite repeater and I can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch.

-Heather

Chicken Fajitas
Cooking Light, January 2011
Total: 1 hour, 32 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4  cup  dark Mexican beer
• 2  tablespoons  lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• 1  tablespoon  Worcestershire sauce
• 3  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1  pound  skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut across grain into 1/2-inch-thick strips
• 1  cup  sliced onion
• 1  orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1  yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• Cooking spray
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 8  (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 1  jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
• Salsa (optional)
• Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
• Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring well. Place chicken in a zip-top plastic bag. Add 3/4 cup beer mixture to bag; seal. Reserve remaining beer mixture. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally. Combine onion, bell peppers, and remaining beer mixture in a zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and black pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Remove onion and bell peppers from bag, and discard marinade. Add onion mixture to pan; cook for 6 minutes or until tender, turning after 3 minutes. Toast tortillas in pan, if desired. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates, and divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Divide onion mixture evenly among servings. Garnish with jalapeño slices. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 377

Fat: 9.4g (sat 1.5g,mono 4.7g,poly 2.3g)

Protein: 31.6g

Carbohydrate: 39.8g

Fiber: 4.3g

Cholesterol: 66mg

Iron: 1.9mg

Sodium: 668mg

Calcium: 67mg

Julianna Grimes, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2011

Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring well.

Place chicken in a zip-top plastic bag. Add 3/4 cup beer mixture to bag; seal. Reserve remaining beer mixture. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, turning occasionally. (I decided to marinate overnight.)

Combine onion, bell peppers, and remaining beer mixture in a zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and black pepper.

Add chicken to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Remove onion and bell peppers from bag, and discard marinade. Add onion mixture to pan; cook for 6 minutes or until tender, turning after 3 minutes. 

  

 Toast tortillas in pan, if desired.Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates, and divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Divide onion mixture evenly among servings. Garnish with jalapeño slices. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, if desired.