Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hi...I have moved
Please go to http://deliciouslight.wordpress.com/ for all posts beginning tonight. PS - There's a great cheesecake recipe in there:)
Monday, February 22, 2010
Chicken and shrimp skillet
I worked all day and didn't prepare in advance so I needed something that I could put together with ingredients that I ususally keep in the house. Here's a fairly quick and easy meal:
Chicken and Shrimp Skillet
Serves 4
Ingredients:
5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts – cut into pieces
1 onion – chopped
2 ribs celery – chopped
¼ cup white wine
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 ½ teaspoons BBQ seasoning
½ teaspoon Chipotle seasoning
½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
½ pound shrimp
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans - drained and rinsed
1 cup corn
2 cups cooked rice
Directions:
1. Heat large skillet on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken and sauté until browned. Remove chicken, cover and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add onion and sauté until softened then add celery and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add wine, scraping the bottom of the pan and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Increase heat to medium and add back the chicken, tomatoes, BBQ seasoning, Chipotle seasoning and Cajun seasoning. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. Add shrimp, black beans and corn and simmer until the shrimp has turned pink.
5. Serve with cooked rice.
NOTE: If you do not have the spices readily available in the house, you can substitute the BBQ seasoning with chili powder and Tabasco sauce for the Chipotle seasoning (but reduce to only a few drops of sauce).
Chicken and Shrimp Skillet
Serves 4
Ingredients:
5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts – cut into pieces
1 onion – chopped
2 ribs celery – chopped
¼ cup white wine
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 ½ teaspoons BBQ seasoning
½ teaspoon Chipotle seasoning
½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
½ pound shrimp
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans - drained and rinsed
1 cup corn
2 cups cooked rice
Directions:
1. Heat large skillet on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken and sauté until browned. Remove chicken, cover and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add onion and sauté until softened then add celery and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add wine, scraping the bottom of the pan and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed.
3. Increase heat to medium and add back the chicken, tomatoes, BBQ seasoning, Chipotle seasoning and Cajun seasoning. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. Add shrimp, black beans and corn and simmer until the shrimp has turned pink.
5. Serve with cooked rice.
NOTE: If you do not have the spices readily available in the house, you can substitute the BBQ seasoning with chili powder and Tabasco sauce for the Chipotle seasoning (but reduce to only a few drops of sauce).
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Dips for friends
I don’t have any dinner recipes from the weekend since we were invited our friend’s houses both Saturday & Sunday. However, I did make some dips for the occasions and am sharing the two “winners” below. You could serve either of these dips with crackers or vegetables, they both work well. I love bringing or serving dips at parties because they can be made a day in advance and just sit in the refrigerator which makes hosting or going to a party so much easier. Our friends didn’t believe they were lower in fat than what a regular dip would be.
Happy Cooking…
Roasted Garlic Dip with Bacon
Preheat oven 425o
Cooked 2/21/10
Ingredients:
1 head of garlic
½ of a 3 ounce jar of reduced fat bacon bits
1 ½ reduced fat free sour cream
¾ cup reduced light mayonnaise
2 chopped scallions – green parts only
Directions:
1. Spray a piece of aluminum foil (large enough to cover garlic head) and wrap garlic head inside. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, combine bacon bits, sour cream, mayonnaise and scallions. Squeeze roasted garlic from the outside of the garlic head (the inside should be soft and spreadable) into bowl and stir until combined.
3. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Caramelized onion and Goat Cheese Dip
Cooked 2/20/10
Serves 8 - 10
Ingredients:
1 large sweet onion – chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
4 ounces fat free cream cheese
4 ounces light cream cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup goat cheese
Directions:
1. Spray sauté pan with cooking spray and heat on medium low. Add onion, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add sugar, uncover pan and sauté for another 20 – 25 minutes until onions are soft and browned. If onions are sticking to the sauté pan, add a little water and stir to separate them.
3. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Place onions in food processor and pulse a few times until smooth.
4. Combine onions, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce and goat cheese and mix.
5. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Happy Cooking…
Roasted Garlic Dip with Bacon
Preheat oven 425o
Cooked 2/21/10
Ingredients:
1 head of garlic
½ of a 3 ounce jar of reduced fat bacon bits
1 ½ reduced fat free sour cream
¾ cup reduced light mayonnaise
2 chopped scallions – green parts only
Directions:
1. Spray a piece of aluminum foil (large enough to cover garlic head) and wrap garlic head inside. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, combine bacon bits, sour cream, mayonnaise and scallions. Squeeze roasted garlic from the outside of the garlic head (the inside should be soft and spreadable) into bowl and stir until combined.
3. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Caramelized onion and Goat Cheese Dip
Cooked 2/20/10
Serves 8 - 10
Ingredients:
1 large sweet onion – chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
4 ounces fat free cream cheese
4 ounces light cream cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup goat cheese
Directions:
1. Spray sauté pan with cooking spray and heat on medium low. Add onion, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add sugar, uncover pan and sauté for another 20 – 25 minutes until onions are soft and browned. If onions are sticking to the sauté pan, add a little water and stir to separate them.
3. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Place onions in food processor and pulse a few times until smooth.
4. Combine onions, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce and goat cheese and mix.
5. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Experimenting with Spices
Spices are a great way to add a lot of flavor without adding any calories or fat to your dishes.
Tonight we had a chicken and shrimp dish in a white wine sauce with “Herbes De Provence” to season it. This spice can be found in most grocery stores under the “McCormick” brand of spices. Some people like this spice and some don’t because it has rosemary in it. If you are not a fan of rosemary, you can make your own by combining marjoram, thyme and savory and leaving out the rosemary. But the sauce was a success for the whole family and I encourage you to try this recipe.
I served this dish with cooked pasta which worked out pretty well but you can also serve it with rice.
Happy Cooking!!
Chicken and Shrimp Sauté in Wine Sauce
Ingredients:
1 onion – coarsely chopped
2 medium zucchini (green squash) – coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic – minced
1 pound boneless/skinless chicken breast – cut into bite size pieces
½ pound shrimp – deveined and peeled with tails off
1 cup white wine
1 cup fat free chicken broth
1 teaspoon Herbes De Provence
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons flour
Directions:
1. Heat sauté pan on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add onions and cook, covered, for about 3 minutes until browned, stirring frequently.
2. Add zucchini and sauté for another 5 minutes or until the onion and zucchini are softened. Add garlic, cook 1 minute uncovered. Remove vegetables from pan and place in a bowl, cover, and set aside.
3. Spray sauté pan again and add chicken. Sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes (depending on how large your pieces are) until almost cooked through. Add shrimp and sauté for another 3 – 5 minutes or until the chicken and shrimp are cooked. Remove from pan into the same bowl as the vegetables and cover to keep warm.
4. Add wine to the sauté pan, bring up to a boil and simmer until it is reduced to about half (this takes about 7 – 10 minutes).
5. In a small bowl, combine chicken broth, Herbes De Provence, salt, pepper, mustard and flour and whisk until combined. Add to the sauté pan with the wine and whisk while cooking until mixture become bubbly and thick.
6. Reduce heat and allow sauce to simmer for about 5 minutes.
7. Add chicken, shrimp and vegetables to sauté pan and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes.
8. Serve with rice or pasta.
Tonight we had a chicken and shrimp dish in a white wine sauce with “Herbes De Provence” to season it. This spice can be found in most grocery stores under the “McCormick” brand of spices. Some people like this spice and some don’t because it has rosemary in it. If you are not a fan of rosemary, you can make your own by combining marjoram, thyme and savory and leaving out the rosemary. But the sauce was a success for the whole family and I encourage you to try this recipe.
I served this dish with cooked pasta which worked out pretty well but you can also serve it with rice.
Happy Cooking!!
Chicken and Shrimp Sauté in Wine Sauce
Ingredients:
1 onion – coarsely chopped
2 medium zucchini (green squash) – coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic – minced
1 pound boneless/skinless chicken breast – cut into bite size pieces
½ pound shrimp – deveined and peeled with tails off
1 cup white wine
1 cup fat free chicken broth
1 teaspoon Herbes De Provence
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
2 tablespoons flour
Directions:
1. Heat sauté pan on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add onions and cook, covered, for about 3 minutes until browned, stirring frequently.
2. Add zucchini and sauté for another 5 minutes or until the onion and zucchini are softened. Add garlic, cook 1 minute uncovered. Remove vegetables from pan and place in a bowl, cover, and set aside.
3. Spray sauté pan again and add chicken. Sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes (depending on how large your pieces are) until almost cooked through. Add shrimp and sauté for another 3 – 5 minutes or until the chicken and shrimp are cooked. Remove from pan into the same bowl as the vegetables and cover to keep warm.
4. Add wine to the sauté pan, bring up to a boil and simmer until it is reduced to about half (this takes about 7 – 10 minutes).
5. In a small bowl, combine chicken broth, Herbes De Provence, salt, pepper, mustard and flour and whisk until combined. Add to the sauté pan with the wine and whisk while cooking until mixture become bubbly and thick.
6. Reduce heat and allow sauce to simmer for about 5 minutes.
7. Add chicken, shrimp and vegetables to sauté pan and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes.
8. Serve with rice or pasta.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
A little under the weather
My husband was out of town tonight on business and my son said that he wasn’t feeling great so we decided to make cream of wheat for dinner. Not much of a recipe to report on but I did use a ½ teaspoon of vanilla and about 2 tablespoons of maple syrup after cooking it to make it taste great. It was like eating dessert for dinner. Also, I used half skim milk and half water to cook with so that you get the creamy taste without as many calories and no fat added.
Hopefully, if everyone is felling well, tomorrow night’s dinner will be a little more exciting.
Until tomorrow – Happy cooking!
Hopefully, if everyone is felling well, tomorrow night’s dinner will be a little more exciting.
Until tomorrow – Happy cooking!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A note on meat...
Tonight we had grilled pork loin with a pickled wine sauce. I never made a sauce like this before and was curious to try something different(by the way, it took 3 tries before I got a sauce that I really liked). After eating this dish, I have decided that it would go really well with grilled steak as well so the recipe below includes beef. You can try it either way. If you do grill the beef, please let me know what you thought.
I try not to cook with beef often beacuse it can have a higher fat content than other types of meat (i.e. pork loin or chicken) but if I do use it, I will use sirloin or london broil. Both of these red meats have less fat in them than other cuts of beef.
Try it out & happy cooking!!
Grilled Sirloin with Pickled Wine Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 onions – chopped
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup white wine
1 ½ cups beef broth
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup bread and butter pickles – chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 - 6 ounce sirloin steaks (or a 1 ½ - 2 pound pork loin)
Salt and pepper to season steaks
Directions:
1. Heat a saucepot on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add chopped onion and sauté until softened and browned. Remove onions from saucepot and set aside.
2. In a bowl, mix together wine, beef broth and thyme. Add wine mixture to saucepot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, add back onions and allow sauce to simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
3. Add pickles and Dijon mustard and remove saucepot from heat to cool slightly. Pour sauce into a food processor and puree. Return sauce to the saucepot and heat on low until ready to use.
4. Heat an indoor grill pan on medium high. Season steaks with salt and pepper and grill for about 5 minutes on each side or until cooked to medium rare.
5. Pour a little of the heated sauce on the bottom of a serving platter, place steaks on top then pour the remaining sauce on top.
NOTE: If cooking pork loin, grill for about 15 minutes on each side and cook to medium.
I try not to cook with beef often beacuse it can have a higher fat content than other types of meat (i.e. pork loin or chicken) but if I do use it, I will use sirloin or london broil. Both of these red meats have less fat in them than other cuts of beef.
Try it out & happy cooking!!
Grilled Sirloin with Pickled Wine Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 onions – chopped
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup white wine
1 ½ cups beef broth
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup bread and butter pickles – chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 - 6 ounce sirloin steaks (or a 1 ½ - 2 pound pork loin)
Salt and pepper to season steaks
Directions:
1. Heat a saucepot on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add chopped onion and sauté until softened and browned. Remove onions from saucepot and set aside.
2. In a bowl, mix together wine, beef broth and thyme. Add wine mixture to saucepot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, add back onions and allow sauce to simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
3. Add pickles and Dijon mustard and remove saucepot from heat to cool slightly. Pour sauce into a food processor and puree. Return sauce to the saucepot and heat on low until ready to use.
4. Heat an indoor grill pan on medium high. Season steaks with salt and pepper and grill for about 5 minutes on each side or until cooked to medium rare.
5. Pour a little of the heated sauce on the bottom of a serving platter, place steaks on top then pour the remaining sauce on top.
NOTE: If cooking pork loin, grill for about 15 minutes on each side and cook to medium.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Another soup night...
We visited my father-in-law today and promised to bring an onion soup since it's one of our favorites. This soup is always a big hit with friends and family, is so easy to prepare and didn't disappoint tonight.
Happy Cooking!!
French Onion Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients:
5 large sweet white onions – thinly sliced
Cooking spray
¼ cup sherry
1 tablespoon brown sugar
6 cups reduced fat beef broth
1 tablespoon fresh thyme – minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
6 slices French bread – toasted
6 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese (or provolone)
Directions:
1. Heat large saucepot on medium low heat and spray with cooking spray. Add onions, cover, and cook for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Increase heat to medium and cook another 15 minutes until onions are browned, stirring frequently.
3. Add sherry and sugar and cook until liquid is absorbed.
4. Add beef broth and thyme. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.
5. To serve – scoop a serving of soup in a bowl. Place a slice of bread then a slice of cheese on top so that it rests on the bread. Broil in the oven for about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.
Happy Cooking!!
French Onion Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients:
5 large sweet white onions – thinly sliced
Cooking spray
¼ cup sherry
1 tablespoon brown sugar
6 cups reduced fat beef broth
1 tablespoon fresh thyme – minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
6 slices French bread – toasted
6 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese (or provolone)
Directions:
1. Heat large saucepot on medium low heat and spray with cooking spray. Add onions, cover, and cook for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Increase heat to medium and cook another 15 minutes until onions are browned, stirring frequently.
3. Add sherry and sugar and cook until liquid is absorbed.
4. Add beef broth and thyme. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.
5. To serve – scoop a serving of soup in a bowl. Place a slice of bread then a slice of cheese on top so that it rests on the bread. Broil in the oven for about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.
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