Slow Cooker Round Steak with Vegetable Gravy

This recipe reminds me so much of my grandmother's beloved pot roast recipe...except this dish is a lot more simple to make. I love yummy slow cooker recipes on busy weeknights, and this one was great!

Slow Cooker Round Steak with Vegetable Gravy
From: the Eat At Home blog

Ingredients:
3 carrots, peeled and diced
onion, diced
small green pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 lb. round steak
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tbs. vinegar
1/3 cup water
salt and pepper
2 Tbs. flour
1/2 cup water

Directions:
Place the meat in the crockpot. Put the diced veggies on top. Mix the ketchup, vinegar, water and salt and pepper together. Pour over the meat and veggies. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours.

Remove the meat from the slow cooker. Turn it up to high. Mix the flour and 1/2 cup water together in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake it to combine until smooth. Whisk into the broth in the slow cooker and let it cook just a few minutes until it’s thickened a bit.



The Result:
I don't usually have round steak on hand, but maybe I will start stocking it for this recipe. This was such a homey and comforting recipe. I served some baked potatoes on the side with a salad and this was the perfect autumn meal.

Grilled Chicken Parmigiano

We really have not had that many noteworthy dinners lately, but this one did stand out. We all loved this healthy, low-calorie take on Chicken Parm; without feeling like we were sacrificing any of the decadence from the original dish.

I would recommend making the "Rocco's How Low Can You Go Lowfat Marinara Sauce", as well. Both the chicken and the sauce are totally craveable, and will become new staples at my house.

Grilled Chicken Parmigiano
From: Now Eat This! cookbook by Rocco DiSpirito

Ingredients:
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 ounces each) trimmed of all fat, pounded thin
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
2 cups Rocco's How Low Can You Go Low-Fat Marinara Sauce(page 206;***see below***), or store-bought low-fat marinara sauce
1 cup drained canned whole plum tomatoes,roughly chopped
1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 ounces (about 6 Tbsp.) grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs,such as Ian's All-Natural

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with olive oil spray and set it aside.

Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. When the grill is hot, spray the chicken lightly with olive oil spray. Grill until just cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.

Spread a little less than half of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay the grilled chicken breasts on top of the sauce. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the chicken; scatter the chopped tomatoes over the top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the chopped basil, the mozzarella, and the Parmigiano Reggiano.

Bake the chicken until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle the panko and remaining basil on top, and serve.

Nutritional Information:
Serves: 4 servings
9.3g fat, 332 calories
39g protein, 20g carbohydrates,
91mg cholesterol, 3g fiber, 767mg sodium

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Rocco's How Low Can You Go Low-Fat Marinara Sauce
From: Now Eat This! cookbook by Rocco DiSpirito

Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil Organic
10 Garlic Clove
1 medium Yellow Onion
8 1/2 cups Crushed Tomatoes in Thick Tomato Puree 28oz
3 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tbsp Spices, Crushed Red Peppers
12 tbsp Basil, Fresh
1/2 cup Water

Directions:
Saute garlic and Onion. Season with Salt, Pepper and Crushed Red Peppers.

Add tomato puree, water and Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (1 small piece). Bring to a simmer. Then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 25 minutes

With the back of a knife, bruise basil and stir the sprig (1 large) into the sauce. Simmer uncovered, 5 minutes. Season if desired.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 6 1/2 cups (13 serving)
Calories 57
Calories from Fat 7.9
Total Fat 0.88g
Saturated Fat 0.31g
Cholesterol 0.92mg
Sodium 452.77mg
Total Carbohydrate 9.86g
Dietary Fiber 1.71g
Sugars 7.08g
Protein 3.44g



The Result:
This was very easy and sooooo satisfying. I am really loving Rocco's DiSpirito's Now Eat This! cookbook. So far, everything I have tried from it has been excellent. I can't wait to have this dish again...I think I will have to do a repeat dinner soon.

BBQ Brisket Pizza

If you have ever wondered what to do with leftover, smoked, BBQ brisket, here is a fantastic solution! Nom, nom, nom.

BBQ Brisket Pizza

Ingredients:
cooking spray
1 batch of your favorite whole wheat pizza dough (mine is homemade)
your favorite BBQ sauce, either homemade or bottled
leftover smoked, BBQ brisket slices
1 cup of shredded mozzarella
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Stretch pizza dough out on a large sheet pan. Cover dough with as little or as much as you like of your favorite BBQ sauce. Place cut slices of brisket on top of the BBQ sauce layer. Sprinkle cheese evenly over meat and sauce. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cut into squares, serve and enjoy!!!



The Result:
So yummy. I didn't bother to link to my pizza dough recipe again, since I figure you could just find it as a sidebar tag. This recipe is super-easy and would also work great with BBQ chicken or pork. Also, I didn't bother to put any ingredient amounts, since this pizza is pretty much a no-brainer and would be fairly hard to goof up. For a fresh element; I think some sliced green onions would make an excellent garnish, as well. I feel like I am rambling a bit today... Anyway, we all LOVED this pizza!

Shredded Chicken Flautas

I originally bookmarked this recipe a year ago, off of one of my favorite blogs Meal Planning 101. I thought this recipe would be a great choice for one of our "Friday Family Fun Night" meals; but for unknown reasons, I completely forgot about it. Then, it suddenly popped back into my head yesterday. Weird, I know! Thankfully, I did eventually remember it...because it was really great!!!

Shredded Chicken Flautas
Adapted From: the Meal Planning 101 website

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked shredded chicken (see notes)
1/2 cup chicken broth (see notes)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar
8 whole wheat tortillas
cooking spray
salsa, sour cream, or guacamole (for toppings, if desired)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the chicken, water, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, onion powder and salt. Let this cook down for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken is heated through. Most of the water will evaporate and you will be left with a nicely coated saucy chicken. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the middle of a tortilla place 1/4 cup shredded cheddar. You want the cheddar to be in a line down the middle of the tortilla leaving about 2 inches from the edge on either side. Place 1/4 cup of the shredded chicken mixture over top of the cheddar. Fold in the two edges where you stopped 2 inches with the mixture. Tightly roll the bottom of the tortilla over the mixture and roll until you have a long, tight, burrito tube. Place seam side down on a baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the tortillas and filling.

Spray the tops of the flautas with cooking spray, and place in the oven. Bake for 8-12 minutes, flip them over and bake another 8-12 minutes. If necessary, turn on the broiler to get them extra crispy! Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Jen's Notes:
I didn't have any precooked shredded chicken lying around, so I made my own during nap time yesterday. I took two chicken breasts and covered them with a chicken stock/water mixture in a pot (enough liquid to cover). Then, I partially covered the pot with a lid and boiled the chicken until cooked...about 10 minutes. I reserved the cooking liquid to use in the recipe; but just plain old water will work too, and was noted in the original recipe. After the chicken was cooked & somewhat cooled, I shredded the meat with two forks and stored until I was ready to cook dinner.

I didn't fold my flautas into little burrito shapes, but instead left the sides open...similar to taquitos. It worked out just fine, and I didn't lose any filling. One last note, I forgot to flip mine and cook for another 8-12 minutes. Instead, I cooked them for 12 minutes, and then turned on the broiler for a couple of minutes. Again, my change worked out fine...and it shaved some of the cook time off of this dish. (I guess not reading the directions thoroughly does pay off once in awhile.)



The Result:
Easy and delicious! I love the crispy texture that these flautas had, without frying. Ummmm...so good! This recipe is a keeper!

Bunco!

I recently hosted Bunco night for a bunch of my girlfriends. Since there are so many Pioneer Woman recipes that I have been meaning to try, I decided to make it a themed menu of sorts. All of my recipes, except for one, came from the Pioneer Woman website/cookbook. Let me tell you...everything turned out amazing, and I think my guests had a great time!

Here are the recipes that I made with some accompanying photos. On the night of the party, I forgot to take a pic of the pumpkin cake recipe. Oops! So, I just made myself a piece just now to have as a little afternoon snack...just so I could photograph it. Oh, how I suffer for my art! ;)

Bunco!

Olive Cheese Bread
From: The Pioneer Woman website

Ingredients:
1 loaf French Bread
6 ounces, weight Pimiento-stuffed Green Olives
6 ounces, weight Black Olives
2 stalks Green Onions (scallions)
1 stick Butter, Room Temperature
½ cups Mayonnaise
¾ pounds Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
Preparation Instructions
Roughly chop both black olives and pimiento-stuffed green olives. Slice green onions into thin pieces.

Directions:
Combine butter, mayonnaise, cheese, olives and green onions in a mixing bowl. Stir together until thoroughly combined. Spread mixture onto French bread that has been sliced lengthwise. Bake at 325ºF for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and browning.

Mixture can also be refrigerated (up to two days) and used as a dip. Great with crackers.



The olive cheese bread was probably my favorite!

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Baba Ghanoush
From: The Pioneer Woman website

Ingredients:
3 whole Medium Eggplants
4 Tablespoons Tahini
4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
¼ cups Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good Quality)
⅓ cups Fresh Parsley, Minced

Directions:
IMPORTANT: Prick the surface of each eggplant several times with the tines of a fork.

On the grill or under the broiler (set to high) blacken/char the eggplant for 25 minutes or so. You want the skin to be completely shriveled and dark, and the eggplant almost fall-apart tender. Just when you think it’s shriveled, let it go another five minutes. Set them aside to cool slightly.

When cool, peel off skin enough to get a spoon into each eggplant and scrape out the flesh into a bowl. Try to get as much as you can, even the stuff that’s stuck to the inside of the skin. (This process is a total mess, so don’t worry.)

Mash eggplant with a fork. A few large chunks are fine, but try to get it to a relatively smooth texture without being totally pureed.

Add in all other ingredients, stirring and tasting before adjusting seasonings or other ingredients. Don’t undersalt!

Serve with pita triangles, baguette slices, chips, crusty French bread…or with a spoon.



My four year old helped me make this recipe. It was fantastic, and he loved saying "Baba Ghanoush!"... it was so freakin' cute!

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Mushrooms Stuffed with Brie
From: The Pioneer Woman website

Ingredients:
1 package White Button Mushrooms, Washed And Stems Removed
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
4 whole (to 5) Green Onions, Sliced (up To Middle Of Dark Green Part)
Splash Of White Wine (optional)
1 slice (wedge) Of Brie Cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add mushroom caps and toss to coat in butter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and cook for 1 minute. Remove mushrooms from pan and place upside down in a baking dish.

In the same saucepan (without cleaning it) throw in garlic, parsley, and green onions. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and splash in wine, if using. Stir around until wine evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Cut rind off of brie wedge, then cut pieces of brie to fit each mushroom cap. Place inside, lightly pressing to anchor each piece of brie.

Top mushrooms with parsley/garlic mixture.

Place into the oven for 15 minutes, or until brie is melted.

Note: Mushrooms are best when they’ve been allowed to cool slightly.



I ended up tripling this recipe, and I could have actually made more. These little mouthfuls of joy disappeared quick!

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Cinnamon Cookies



This is the only non-Pioneer Woman recipe in the bunch. These are my families' favorite cookies, so I had to share them with my Bunco buddies!

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Pumpkin Cake with Whiskey Whipped Cream
From: The Pioneer Woman website

Ingredients:
1 cup Golden Raisins (*I used regular raisins*)
1 cup Whiskey (optional)
2-½ cups Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
⅛ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
1 stick Softened Butter
1-½ cup Sugar
3 whole Eggs
1-¼ cup Plain, Unflavored Yogurt
1 cup Canned Or Fresh Pumpkin Puree

WHISKEY WHIPPED CREAM:
1 cup Heavy Cream, Very Cold
2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) Sugar
2 Tablespoons Whiskey

Directions:
Preheat over to 325 degrees.

Spray 9×13 inch pan with baking spray. Combine whiskey and raisins in a bowl and allow to soak for awhile.

Sift together flour, salt , baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Add butter to a mixing bowl and beat. Add sugar and beat. Add in eggs one at a time, beating after each egg.

Add yogurt and pumpkin and mix gently until just combined. Add flour mixture in increments, beating until just combined. Drain raisins and stir in by hand.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Whiskey Whipped Cream:
Combine ingredients and begin mixing immediately on high speed until stiff, about 4 minutes. Spoon over cooled cake.

Eat extra cream with a spoon, if desired.



I love booze in desserts!!! (Please don't judge me.)

Stolen Chicken Marsala

Apparently, this dish was originally entitled "Stolen Chicken Marsala", because my friend, Claire's friend, Steph had pinched this recipe from her mother. Did you follow that? I swiped it off of Claire's blog, so I only thought it fitting to keep the original title intact. This chicken was so easy and absolutely freakin' delicious!!!! I am so glad that a Claire's friend, Steph decided to lead an illicit life of crime...if only for the sake of this one recipe.

Stolen Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:
2 lbs. chicken, pounded even
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp oregano
1 cup marsala wine

Directions:
Mix all ingredients (except chicken and marsala). Dredge chicken. Heat 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp butter in frying pan. Saute meat and chicken about 1 minute until brown. Place chicken pieces in a baking dish. Add 1 cup marsala wine to frying pan remains and deglaze the pan. Pour over the chicken, and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.



The Result:
I was shamelessly licking the sauce out of the pan! It was THAT good. I did have to amend the recipe because I ran out of marsala wine. Oops! I had 1/2 cup left, so I supplemented the other 1/2 cup needed with some chicken stock. The sauce was still delicious and marsala-y, however if I had the appropriate amount of wine available I would have just used it for the whole cup. Either way, the quick substitution was great in a jiffy, and the chicken was still utterly scrumptious. I did a quick roast of some halved, fresh Brussel sprouts to complete our meal (just some olive oil, salt, and pepper tossed with the sprouts, then cooked in a 450 degree oven for 5-10 minutes) and our dinner turned out to be completely satisfying!

Almond-Apricot Chicken with Mint Pesto

I am not feeling very verbose today, so I think I will just get right to this recipe. I lost my favorite pair of sunglasses at the gym this morning, and I am very sad about it. Hopefully, someone will turn them in. I hate it when I lose stuff! Boo!!!

In other news, this was a fantastic dinner choice!!!

Almond-Apricot Chicken with Mint Pesto
From: Everyday Food magazine, May/June 2003

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (6 ounces each)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 ounces goat cheese
4 dried apricots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (3 tablespoons)
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil
Mint Pesto (see below for recipe)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a slit in one side of each chicken breast to create a pocket about 4 inches long.

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup almonds with the goat cheese and apricots. Stuff each breast with 1/4 of the mixture. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

On a plate, combine breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 cup almonds. Dip each breast into egg, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until golden, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to oven; bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot with pesto on the side.

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Mint Pesto
From: Everyday Food magazine, May/June 2003

Ingredients:
3 cups lightly packed fresh mint
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

Directions:
In a food processor, combine mint and almonds; process until finely chopped.

With motor running, gradually pour oil through the feed tube. Season with salt. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.



The Result:
Do yourself a favor and make this chicken and pesto soon. Also, if you happen to find my favorite sunglasses please let me know. ;)

UPDATE: Someone did find my sunglasses at the gym and turned them in!!! Yipee!

Prosciutto, Brie, and Arugula Panini with Fig Jam

I had lunch at a little, local wine bar called Postino Winecafe before "Shoefest 2010" this past weekend. This sandwich was on their menu, and I convinced my friend Michelle to get it...just so I could taste it and then try and re-create it. Thankfully, Michelle complied (she thought it sounded delicious, too). This is my first attempt at trying to duplicate this fantastic sandwich. While the Postino Winecafe version is still better, this came in as a close second. Yum!

(Don't worry, I have already told the husband that he needs to take me back to Postino's so I can do more research on this sandwich. I am sure after eating it a few more times, I will be able to get it. Practice makes perfect!)

Proscuitto, Brie, and Arugula Panini with Fig Jam

Ingredients:
ciabiatta rolls, halved
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
arugula
Prosciutto de Parma
fig jam
red onion, sliced thinly
triple cream French brie cheese, rind removed

Directions:
Slather buns with olive oil, both on the cut halves and the outside. Drizzle some balsamic vinegar on both halves. Add a smear of fig jam to the bottom layer and place a bed of arugula over top. Place some red onion slices on the arugula. Layer proscuitto on top of the onions and arugula. Place sandwich half under the broiler for a couple of minutes. On the other half of the roll, spread a good amount of brie cheese on the bread. Take the proscuitto half out from under the broiler and press the cheese half on top of it. Press it for a few minutes with a panini press; until cheese is gooey and melted, and grill marks are present. Cut the sandwich in half, serve immediately and enjoy!

Jen's Notes:
I did not measure anything...as you can tell by the ingredients list! I say, wing it.



The Result:
Drool-worthy!

Simple Jambalaya with Shrimp & Sausage

I don't think I have publicly proclaimed my love for my new, iPhone 4. Well, here it goes...I LOVE IT!!! I now realize that previous to getting the iPhone 4, my life was just a shallow and empty shell. (Not really.) One of the reasons why I heart my iPhone is the "apps". I freakin' love the apps. The app in which I am particularly fond of this evening, is the Whole Foods Market Recipe app. It is where I found tonight's yummy dinner. I did a quick search for "andouille", and a bunch of yummy stuff popped right up. I had all the ingredients on hand for this dish, so this is the one that I chose. While this dish won't win any awards for the most authentic jambalaya; I am pleased to say that it was really, really tasty, easy, and fast.

This is something that I will definitely make again!

PS-If you do not have an iPhone, Whole Foods Market publishes the same recipes on their website as they have on the app. No deprivation required! The app just makes it easier to get their recipes on the go.

I love technology!

Simple Jambalaya with Shrimp & Sausage
Adapted From: Whole Foods Market Recipes 2.0 app for iPhone --OR-- wholefoodsmarket.com

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 ounces of chicken andouille sausage, sliced in 1-inch pieces
2 cups of cooked brown rice (I used microwavable par-cooked brown rice)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles (I used Rotel)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used homemade chicken stock)
1 pound (16-20 count) fresh raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen)
1 Tablespoon of Tony Chacehere's Creole Seasoning (use more if you like it spicy)

Directions:
Heat oil in 4-quart pan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sausage; cook 2 minutes. Add rice, tomatoes, broth and shrimp; stir to evenly distribute. Cover; cook 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with creole seasoning, salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately.



The Result:
I can't believe how easy and fast this was to construct! Also, the flavor was awesome. Homey and comforting, with just the right amount of spicy heat. Yum!!!

Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl

A few of my girlfriends and I went out to lunch and shoe shopping today. We deemed the day, "Shoefest 2010". I ended up purchasing 5 pairs of very cute designer shoes, all for a song. Since I knew I would be coming home late and fairly tired from hunting down fabulous shoes all day, I wanted something easy to put together for our family meal. Once again, I turned to my October issue of Cooking Light magazine and found this recipe. I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out, but this dish was another hit! I am so happy to have Cooking Light as a resource for such healthy and yummy food!!!

Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl
From: Cooking Light magazine, Oct 2010 issue

Ingredients:
1 pound tail-on peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
2 (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
1 garlic clove,minced
1/2 cup sugar snap peas
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ounces uncooked rice sticks
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

Directions:
1. Remove shrimp tails; set aside. Combine shrimp tails, water, broth, clam juice, and ginger in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Strain broth mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids.

2. Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, yellow onion, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add reserved broth; bring to a simmer. Add shrimp, peas, chili garlic sauce, salt, and noodles; cook 5 minutes or until noodles are done. Ladle 1 1/4 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings
Calories:236
Fat:3.6g (sat 0.7g,mono 1.3g,poly 1g)
Protein:26.5g
Carbohydrate:25.4g
Fiber:1.9g
Cholesterol:174mg
Iron:3.7mg
Sodium:506mg
Calcium:84mg



The Result:
I was skeptical of this one...but it turned out great! It was sooooo good, and my 4 year old son even loved it! The broth totally made this dish; it was drinkable. The whole recipe took about 30 minutes, but tasted much more difficult and complex. I love the flavor-layering that Asian food sometimes infuses within itself, and this dish was no exception. This recipe looked deceivingly simple, but packed a big flavor punch!

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks

Here is our fantastic "Friday Night Fun" dinner that I served family style for our indoor picnic, courtesy of the Aggie's Kitchen website. All of us loved this satisfying, delicious, and healthy version of fried zucchini sticks; without any taste sacrifice. My son did not even realize he was eating vegetables for dinner! It was the perfect choice for a relaxed meal, and one that I will make again and again.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Sticks
From: Aggie's Kitchen, 9/25/10 (featured on CBSNews.com)

Ingredients:
3 large zucchini, sliced longways, halved and cut into sticks
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried garlic powder
Olive oil spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray olive oil spray on large baking sheet. Set aside.

Slice zucchini into long planks. Cut planks in half then slice long into sticks.

In large shallow bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, set aside. In large shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano and garlic powder.

Working with 3-4 zucchini sticks at a time, start breading process by dunking and completely covering zucchini with egg mixture. Take zucchini sticks out of egg mixture, allowing an extra egg to drip off, and place into breadcrumb mixture. Gently coat the zucchini stick completely with breadcrumb mixture. Place breaded zucchini stick onto baking sheet.

Continue this process until all zucchini sticks are breaded and on baking sheet. Spray each zucchini stick with olive oil spray and place into 425 degree oven. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Using a spatula, flip each zucchini stick and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

Jen's Notes:
At the end of the cook time, I turned on the broiler for a couple minutes to ensure that the coating was nicely browned and crisp on all sides of my sticks. A little grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of salt was the perfect garnish to these beauties. Also, I substituted whole wheat breadcrumbs instead of plain breadcrumbs.

For the marinara dipping sauce in the middle of the plate: I just took one jar of our favorite pasta sauce and added 1/2 of a small can of tomato paste to it. I seasoned it with salt and some red pepper flakes, then reduced it down by half to create a thick, stick-sticking condiment. So easy and it was totally fabulous!



The Result:
I have not had zucchini sticks in such a long time...I really missed them! Usually, I stayed away because of all the fried breading; and I hated that the original version turned into one of my "off limit" foods. Now, I am happy to report that this recipe has satisfied my need for zucchini sticks and I no longer have to miss out on the yummy goodness of this crispy treat! Hooray!!!

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Browned-Butter Pecan Rice

This is another fantastic recipe from this months Cooking Light magazine. It sounds really fancy, but it fact, it was pretty simple to put together with minimal ingredients. The whole thing took about 20 minutes from start to finish! The chicken and sauce were really flavorful and the rice was awesome. Although, how could the rice be bad when it was mixed with browned butter???? I kept sneaking tastes of the cider pan sauce by dipping my finger in it, practically every time I walked by the stove. The cider glaze was such a great way to take ho-hum chicken breasts to a whole new level. We all loved this recipe!!!

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Browned-Butter Pecan Rice
From: Cooking Light magazine, October 2010 issue

Ingredients:
1 (3.5-ounce) bag boil-in-bag brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound chicken breast cutlets (about 4 cutlets)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup refrigerated apple cider
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. Cook rice according to package directions in a small saucepan, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. While rice cooks, melt 1 teaspoon butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Add cider and mustard to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until syrupy. Add chicken to pan, turning to coat. Remove from heat; set aside.

3. Melt remaining 5 teaspoons butter in saucepan over medium-high heat; cook for 2 minutes or until browned and fragrant. Lower heat to medium; add pecans, and cook for 1 minute or until toasted, stirring frequently. Add rice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to coat. Serve rice with chicken. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cutlet and about 1/2 cup rice)
Calories:333
Fat:13g (sat 4.4g,mono 4.9g,poly 2.2g)
Protein:29.1g
Carbohydrate:24.2g
Fiber:1.9g
Cholesterol:81mg
Iron:1.5mg
Sodium:601mg
Calcium:23mg

Jen's Notes:
I didn't have chicken cutlets on hand, so I improvised my own. I cut 2 chicken breasts in half (horizontally) and then pounded each piece to about 1/2 inch thick, so they would all cook evenly. It worked out perfectly!

Also, I did not use boil in bag brown rice. Instead, I used microwaveable par-cooked brown rice (they come in a pouch and you just tear a vent in the package and zap for 90 seconds...so easy). Then, I just proceeded with the recipe and mixed my cooked rice with the browned butter, pecans, and parsley. It took way less time to make the rice than indicated, since I didn't have to mess with boiling water; and it was still delicious!



The Result:
This may be my new favorite thing to do to chicken! Cooking Light delivered another truly great recipe.