Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken

Lazy Baked Greek Chicken with Roasted Sweet Potato Wild Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• One 10-ounce box organic chopped spinach, thawed
• Salt and pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (about 1/2 palmful)
• 4 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup crumbled greek feta cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and two-thirds of the garlic and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then add the spinach and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Melt the butter in the same pan, turn off the heat and add the panko, oregano and remaining garlic; toss.Spray baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. Split each chicken breast across (but not all the way through) and lay open. Stuff with the spinach and feta, letting the stuffing overflow at the edges. Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish and top with the breadcrumbs.  I spoon them onto the chicken and press them in. Bake on a center rack until the juices run clear, about 25 minutes.

Note: I paired this with the Roasted Sweet Potato Wild Rice. 

 To prepare:

1. Make 1 cup wild rice according to package directions. 

2. Peal and cut sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes

3. Toss in 1 tbsp olive oil

4. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. 

5. Season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

6. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

7.  Stir together the rice and sweet potatoes, serve.

Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter (chunky also works)
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 bag of white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 350 F and prepare to sheet pans with parchment.

2. In a mixer with the paddle attachment cream the oil, butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.

4. In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add to the peanut butter mixture and mix on low speed until most of the flour is incorporated.

5. Add the white chocolate chips and mix until well distributed.  (You may want to do this step by hand.)

6. Scoop onto the prepared baking sheet by the rounded tablespoon about two inches apart.  Use a fork to flatten the cookie by pressing a criss-cross pattern on the top of the cookie.

7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.  Cool on the pan for three minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Garlic Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 (12 ounces) 99% Fat-Free Chicken Broth
• 2 (12 ounces) Evaporated Skim Milk
• 5 pounds Russet Potatoes, cubed (peel if desired)
• 3 Yellow Onions, diced
• 8 slices cooked, crumbled Bacon (I use turkey bacon)
• 1 slice Ham Steak, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
• 2 teaspoons diced Garlic
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 1 pint Whipping Cream
• 1/3 cup chopped Fresh Parsley

For garnish:

• shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• chopped Green Onion

Directions:

1. Saute the onions and garlic in butter or margarine over medium heat until translucent. Scrap into soup kettle, and turn on the heat to medium.
2. Pour in the chicken broth and evaporated milk. Put in the potato pieces, bacon, ham pieces, bay leaves, and whipping cream.
3. Bring to boil, and simmer until the potato is tender. Mash a dozen or so potato chunks against the side of the kettle and stir the pot to thicken the soup (you can mash more to make it thicker).
4. Throw in the parlsey and stir, and return pot to simmer.
5. Cut up some good rich bread, ladle the soup into your bowl. Sprinkle cheese and green onion on top to taste.

Cami’s Chili

So if there is a recipe I believe at this point in my cooking lifetime has come pretty close to perfected, it’s probably my chili.  Cory is convinced I should be making money in chili cook offs for the stuff.  I really just enjoy that a good pot of chili just brings people together and is a great pairing with just about any night in.  Of course everyone has their own rendition of chili, some prefer just beans, some prefer just meat, some add noodles, some make it white some make it spicy, I think this brings the best of those worlds together and I hope you’ll enjoy too!

Ingredients:

• 1  pound ground turkey breast
• 1 pound ground turkey (93/7)
• 2  medium onions, chopped
• 1  green pepper, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  (14 1/2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2  (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1  (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/4  cup  chili powder
• 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
• 1  tablespoon  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  teaspoon  pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2  teaspoon  paprika
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1  bay leaf
• 1 (16 ounce can) seasoned black beans, undrained
• 1 (16 ounce can) mild or hot chili beans, undrained
• Topping ideas: sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, avocado, tortilla chips

Cami's Chili!- Not the best pic...but it's better than no pic!

Directions:

Cook ground turkey, in a large skillet over medium-high heat about 5 minutes. Season the meat with pepper, 2 T. chili powder, seasoning salt, cayenne, and paprika stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Meanwhile in another skillet or dutch oven cook the onions and green peppers until translucent.  Combine meat and onions in the bottom of your dutch oven and pour all the next ingredients along with the rest of the chili powder.  Allow to simmer on the stove for 3-4 hours, remove bay leaf and serve with your desired toppings!

Slow Cooker Directions: Place meat in a 6-quart slow cooker; stir in onions, next 12 ingredients, and, if desired, beans. Cook, covered, at HIGH 5 to 6 hours or at LOW 6 to 8 hours. Remove and discard bay leaf. Serve with desired toppings.

Note: I serve this with jalapeno cornbread bites.  Jiffy cornbread from the box with a handful of diced pickled jalapenos stirred in and put in mini muffin tins.

Mini Meatloaves Smothered with Onions

One of Cory’s most recent favorites!

Mini Meatloaves Smothered with Onions

Adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray October 2010

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pitted dried dates, chopped
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 1/3 pounds ground turkey or ground beef
• 3 onions, 2 thinly sliced and 1 finely chopped
• 3 slices cooked bacon, chopped (I used turkey bacon bits)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

1. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 375°. In a bowl, combine the dates and breadcrumbs, working the mixture through your fingers to separate. Mix in the turkey. Mix in the chopped onion, bacon, egg, worcestershire and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Divide into 4 mounds and, on a baking sheet, shape into loaves. Place on the upper rack and bake for 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, on another baking sheet, toss the sliced onions with the butter and season with salt; spread out evenly. Bake on the lower rack, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 30 minutes. Serve the meatloaves with the onions.I also cut up some butternut squash and roasted it in olive oil and sea salt on the upper rack alongside the meat loaves and it turned out great!

Moroccan Chicken Stew

Don’t let the somewhat long list of ingredients fool you!  This dish is a great hearty meal for a cold night.  I actually made this and added just a little liquid and transported it in a crock pot and it turned out awesome.  Hope you enjoy!

Adaptation from Everyday Food, October 2007

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches long), peeled
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup couscous
• Cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Place flour in a wide, shallow bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in flour, shaking off excess. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken, and cook until browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
2. Add onion, ginger, and cinnamon to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Return chicken to pot. Add broth and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sweet potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard ginger and cinnamon. Stir in lemon juice, and season stew with salt and pepper.
3. While stew is simmering, prepare couscous according to package instructions. Serve chicken stew with couscous, garnished with cilantro, if desired.

Pumpkin Dip

A few weeks ago Cory was prepping some snacks for his Saturday Campus crew and so I offered to make a couple fun dips to spice things up from the normal store bought items volunteers often see.  I made Pumpkin Dip and Caramel Dip (referenced here) and served them with ginger snaps, graham cracker sticks, and pretzels (I prefer the waffle ones).  The dips are not diet food by any means, but they are yummy and okay in moderation.

• 2- 8 oz blocks of cream cheese
• 1c. Pumpkin Pie Filling
• 4c. Powdered Sugar
• 1 t. Cinnamon
• 1/2 t. Ginger
• 1/2 t. Nutmeg

1. Using a hand mixer put the blocks of cream cheese in a mixing bowl and slowly mix in the powdered sugar until combined.  Mix in cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

2. Using a spoon or spatula gently fold in pumpkin pie filling.  Note: I had a 15 oz. can of it and just slowly added it until it was the texture I wanted.  The more you add the more soupy it will be.

3.  Serve with ginger snaps, graham crackers, pretzels, or whatever you like best!