Pesto Pizza with Pine Nuts and Feta

THIS.IS.AMAZING.PIZZA! Oh man, Chris was so skeptical when I told him what was for dinner, and mind you, he LOVES him some PIZZA! But now, after tasting, and consuming 2/3 of the pizza, he LOVES this! I was in heaven. I had to restrain myself not to eat the entire thing. Really good and filling. Oh man, I cannot wait to make this again and again and again!

Ingredients:
1 batch pizza dough
1 1/2 cups shredded chicken (I used the Lemon Garlic Chicken*, recipe follows)
Pesto
4 oz feta cheese
1/2 red onion, cut in slivers
1-2 large tomatoes sliced (I used grape tomatoes cut in half)
Shredded mozzarella (to your liking)
Toasted pine nuts (to your liking)

Preheat pizza stone (I preheat my oven and pizza stone at 475 degrees for at least 45 minutes before baking the pizza so the stone is nice and hot). Roll out prepared pizza dough and place on pizza peel (or on pizza pan if you aren’t baking it on a pizza stone). Top pizza dough with the pesto, spreading liberally to outer edges of dough. Layer on additional toppings to your liking (I like to reserve some of the toppings and put them on top of the final layer of cheese) and bake for 8-10 minutes until nicely browned.

*Lemon and Garlic Grilled Chicken

Juice of 1 lemon, approximately 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound chicken breasts (I use chicken breast tenderloins)

Combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Seal bag and place in fridge overnight. Grill (or cook in frying pan). Serve with sides of your choice or cut into bite sized pieces and add to desired recipe

( Note: If you cut your chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces and then marinate it, you can get away with only letting it marinate for 5 or 6 hours instead of overnight.

Often, I will double the marinade and chicken and grill it all up and freeze the extras to use later.

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken

This comes from Kitchen Cafe, of course. This chicken is juicy, tender, crunchy and just downright delicious. If you are craving a healthier version of fried chicken, this is the winner, baby! My husband made this for me yesterday for mother's day. We served it with mashed potatoes and peas and it was a perfect meal that was easy enough for my hubs to cook :) I loved the garlic flavor, it really made it shine and anyways, I want to eat this again, soon. It was that good.

*Note: If you don't have a food processor to make fresh bread crumbs, you can try using a blender and pulsing the crumbs or try using panko bread crumbs (usually found in the Asian foods aisle). If you are using a food processor, you can also add the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to the bread crumbs and pulse to combine to create an even finer crumb.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
3 garlic cloves, finely minced (see garlic tutorial here)
2 thick slices whole wheat bread (for about 2 cups fresh bread crumbs)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Combine butter and garlic in an 8- or 10-inch skillet. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted. Pour the butter/garlic mixture into a shallow pie plate or similar dish and cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor, tear the bread into large chunks, and pulse until the bread is ground into crumbs. Pour the bread crumbs into a shallow pie plate or shallow bowl and toss with the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Dip each chicken breast in the melted, cooled garlic butter. Transfer to the bread crumb mixture and turn until coated on all sides. Arrange the chicken in one flat layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle any of the remaining melted butter over the chicken. Bake the chicken until it is lightly browned and just cooked through, 40-50 minutes. The baking time will depend on the thickness and size of the chicken you are using.

Don't overcook or the chicken will be dry.

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana

This sounds fancy, but it couldn't be simpler to make, BUT it TASTES fancy! This is so yummy! And, it looks gorgeous as well. I love that I almost feel like I am eating Chicken parmesan, but without the side order of guilt. This is a marvelous meal. Chris even told me as he was eating it, that he is glad I have decided to stop making "healthy" food. No joke, I fooled him, because this is healthy! We served it with a salad and homemade ranch dressing and it was a perfect, satisfying meal.I cannot wait to make it again.

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 stuffed breast • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 194.7 • Fat: 7 g • Protein: 24.2 g • Carb: 7.2 g • Fiber: 1.5 g

8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
6 tablespoons egg whites or egg beaters
5 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid
6 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
6 oz part skim mozzarella
olive oil non-stick spray
1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry cutlets, season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp grated cheese in one bowl and 1/4 cup egg beaters or egg whites in another.

Shred or finely chop 1.5 oz of mozzarella cheese and combine with remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 2 tbsp egg beaters, and ricotta cheese.

Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.

Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray with olive oil.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with sauce then cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 more minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side and grated cheese.

Coconut Chicken Salad with Warm Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

This.Is.Fantastic! The coconut breaded chicken screams summer and the salad with tomatoes and cucumbers are a nice compliment to the chicken. The dressing is yummy! The only thing I will say is, next time I make this, I will definately double the dressing recipe, Chris said his salad was too "dry."

This is really perfect, for the warmer months ahead, and they better be ahead here in MI, and I will definitely be making this again, Soon!

Note: Double the dressing recipe
Double Note: Shrimp instead of chicken would also be divine


from skinnytaste.com
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 3 • Serving Size: salad with 2 chicken tenders • Points: 8 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 397.6 • Fat: 11.0 g • Protein: 26.8 g • Carb: 32.5 g • Fiber: 4.4 g • Sugar: 10

6 (about 12 oz) chicken tenderloins
6 tbsp shredded coconut
1/4 cup panko crumbs
2 tbsp crushed cornflake crumbs
1/3 cup egg substitute or egg whites
pinch salt
olive oil spray
6 cups mixed baby greens
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 large tomato, sliced
1 small cucumber, sliced

Vinaigrette
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp white vinegar (balsamic would work too)
2 tsp dijon mustard

Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine coconut flakes, panko, cornflake crumbs and salt in a bowl. Put egg whites or egg beaters in another bowl.

Lightly season chicken with salt. Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the coconut crumb mixture. Place chicken on a cookie sheet lined with parchment for easy cleanup. Lightly spray with olive oil spray and bake for 30 minutes turning halfway, or until chicken is cooked through.

Place 2 cups baby greens on each plate. Divide carrots, cucumber, tomato evenly between each plate. When chicken is ready slice on the diagonal and place on top of greens. Heat dressing in the microwave a few seconds and divide equally between each salad; a little over 1 tbsp each.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

This is Y-U-M-M-Y! When I was cooking it, Chris kept walking in saying, "It smells yummy, but it doesn't look yummy!" I kept saying, "Alright, alright, it will be great!" Well, Chris and I both agree that it not only smells yummy, it tastes yummy as well. And, once the sauce is mixed with the penne it looks yummy too! This is really good. Lexi ate it and her little friend, David, loved it as well, they are 2 and 3 years old people, so that is great that they would eat it. It is a unique twist on pasta. We love mexican food, especially chicken enchiladas, and we love pasta so for us the combination was a match made in heaven. Give it a try if you are sick of the same old pasta dishes. It is worth it. Oh, I need to add, that it is really easy to make as well. It was not a lot of prep and did not call for fancy smancy ingredients, so it is a great weeknight meal.

Serves 6 to 8
*Plan Ahead: the recipe calls for cooked chicken so use leftovers or plan enough time to cook the chicken beforehand.

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded ( I used two and next time I will use 3, we felt it needed a little more chicken, I also cubed mine)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) can green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut in half
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips ( we garnished with sour cream and cheese and it was just fine).

Note: I used a 14.5 oz box of penne, so we had leftover sauce. I am freezing the sauce so that I can use it later. So, it freezes well, just so you know.
souce:Kitchen Cafe

Poppy Seed Salad with or without the Chicken

We served this salad as a side dish to Chicken A La King, so we did not add the grilled chicken, but the original recipe that I am posting calls for the chicken, so you can decide to make it with or without. It is so good and you will definately fall in love at first bite, so because you will be making this A LOT for now on, you can try both ways, with chicken or without. This definately got the most compliments at super sat out of all the food. This dressing is to die for! I love it and I am glad the ladies loved it too! Make this salad, it is great!

Salad:
Spinach leaves
Romaine leaves
Grilled chicken, sliced (Best if marinated in Lemon Grilled Chicken Marinade*, but if you don't have time then grill with lots of lemon pepper seasoning)
Red onion, sliced thinly
Crispy bacon, crumbled
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Toasted almonds (or you can sugar the almonds. Put sliced almonds in a pan with lots of granulated sugar (about equal amounts). Cook on medium heat until sugar melts, coating the almonds as they brown.)

*Lemon Grilled Chicken:
Juice of one lemon (~3 Tb lemon juice)
3 Tb oil
1 tsp minced garlic (~2 large cloves)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1 lb chicken breasts

Marinate the chicken overnight. For salad, dice the raw chicken and marinate it that way so there is more surface area to marinate. You can get away with marinating for a shorter amount of time this way. Grilling is best, but cooking in a skillet is great, too.

The best part... The Dressing**:
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dry mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tb Maui or Vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups canola oil
3 Tb poppy seeds

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a blender, then slowly add the oil, blending until thick. Stir in poppy seeds. Toss all ingredients together with generous amount of dressing before serving.

**This makes a lot of dressing! If you need a really big salad for a party then start with a large bunch of spinach, large head of romaine, 4 chicken breasts, 1 lb bacon, etc. I rarely make a salad that big so that is why there are no "amounts". So have fun with it - you're going to love it!

Chicken A La King

This was the main course. It was DELICIOUS!!! The ladies that signed up to make it, brought it in their crockpots and it was a perfect way to keep it warm throughout the day. The gravy is downright tasty and the crown bread bowls are darling! So So yummy. Make sure to eat it with a fork and knife, especially if they are plastic utensils, for the forks might break if not using a knife, not like I learned that today or anything :)

I have heard through blog land that a lot of people eat this as a Christmas Eve dinner tradition. The meal is literally called, Chicken for the King. And the crown bread bowls give it a royal touch. I am going to steal this tradition idea and do it in my family for now on, because it is so good and cute and special!


½ c. butter
½ c. red bell pepper, chopped (original recipe calls for pimiento peppers instead but I've never used them)
½ c. green pepper
---------------------Sauté just until soft. Then add flour.

½ c. flour
------------------Add to butter mixture and mix well to make a roux. Let it bubble.


2 small cans mushrooms and juice
3 c. chicken broth
----------------------Add and bring to boil to thicken.

1 c. cream
5 c. cooked chicken, shredded ( Rotisserie chicken works beautifully!)
salt and pepper
----------------------Add. Don’t boil after adding cream.

(Add ¼ c. milk to thin if needed.)


To make the ‘crowns’:

Buy wheat bread at the store – not whole wheat, just the cheapo wheat kind. (Or you can use white if you prefer.) Get out your muffin tin. Place a slice of bread over a muffin hole. Push in on the four sides and push down into the muffin hole. Don’t squash the bread, but use enough force so that it stays down in the muffin hole. The four corners should be sticking up. Bake at about 250 until toasted and dry. I can't remember how long it takes (and neither can my Mom :) so keep checking them every 5 minutes. When done, the bread will be like toast, and you will be able to lift the crowns out of the muffin tin and they will hold their crown shape.

To serve:
Place one or two bread ‘crowns’ on your plate and ladle the chicken gravy over the crowns. Using a fork or a knife, cut the crown into pieces and eat with the chicken gravy.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have had a lot of chicken tortilla soup made by a lot of different people. And, because it is one of my favorite soups, I have liked them all. However, I have just made this recipe tonight for dinner, which I got off of the Sisters Cafe blog, and let me tell you, it is now my favorite! It was so easy to make as well and it was utterly delicious! Chris LOVED it and he is a tough critic when it comes to soup. And, bonus, it is quite healthy! Nevermind the huge dollop of sour cream I added, but besides that, it is really good for you. Okay, so now that it is fall, go ahead and make this.

Ingredients:
1 Tb olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 can diced green chilies
1 lb chicken-cooked and shredded
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (opt. but I added it)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
1 can small white beans ( I used Great Northern Beans)
1 can chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 lime squeezed over soup (I added juice from a whole lime and it was great)
salt and pepper to taste


In a large pot, heat oil and sauté onion and chilies. Saute until tender. Add the chicken (*I have been using the frozen chicken tenders from Costco--I just put them on a plate in the microwave frozen at 50 % power for 15 minutes--they are super tender and moist and shred up beautifully!)and spices. Add tomatoes, beans and fresh cilantro. Add the broth.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or longer (I simmered mine for 20 minutes) to bring out flavors. Ladle into bowls & garnish.

Garnish:
10 yellow corn tortillas-sliced and baked*
1 large avocado
Sour cream

*Cut tortillas into thin strips using a pizza cutter. Spray with cooking oil ( like Pam), sprinkle with kosher salt and bake in 350 oven until lightly brown and crisp.

Add garnish of a handful of tortilla strips, avocado chunks and a dollop of sour cream to each bowl. SOOOO GOOD!!

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

This is absolutely delicious! I loved this dish and so did my whole family. I made this in AZ for Christine's baby blessing dinner and it was a huge hit. Again, a bit time consuming, but so worth it. We had 10 adults eating this and there were still left overs, so it makes a lot! It can also be frozen though and reheated later.

Source: The sisters cafe blog

44 uncooked jumbo pasta shells (That’s about one and one-half 12-oz boxes)
2 c chopped cooked chicken
2 c fresh chopped spinach
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 c.)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tb dried parsley flakes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (26oz) jar prepared spaghetti sauce (any variety)

Cook shells according to package directions (be sure to stir every once in awhile so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan and tear apart); drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 2 13x9x2inch baking dishes.
In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.
Makes 8-10 servings.

Crockpot Southwestern Chicken

This is so yummy! I cannot believe how easy and yummy it is. Did I mention it is yummy!? Seriously, make this, it is great!

Ingredients:
1 small bag frozen corn
1 can black beans
2 large frozen chicken breasts
16 oz. jar MEDIUM salsa (do not use mild, I used pace picante brand)
cheddar cheese, topping
tortilla chips
sour cream, topping
cilantro, topping
avocado, diced, topping

Directions:
Pour bag of frozen corn in bottom of crockpot. Place chicken on top and cover with black beans and jar of salsa. Cook on high for 1 hour and then on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken with forks. Serve with chips and toppings.

Chicken Rolls

My mom gave me this recipe and I am surprised I have not put it in this blog yet. Don't make this if you are counting calories, but if you are not counting, it is delicious! Farrelly Favorite!



1 cup bread crumbs or crushed crackers
6 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 small cans mushrooms, drained, optional
8 oz. cream cheese
1 chicken, cooked and shredded
1 stick margarine or butter
3 cans crescent rolls

Combine cream cheese, 6 tbsp. butter, pepper, and mushrooms, if using. Add chicken. Place bread crumbs in a seperate bowl, and melt the stick of butter and place in seperate bowl. Set aside. Open rolls and stretch. Put about 1/4 cup of chicken mixture in center of roll. Fold edges up and pinch to close. Roll the rolls first in melted butter and then in bread crumbs. Put on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Top with chicken gravy and serve with mashed potatoes, if desired.

BBQ Chicken Chop Salad

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup bbq sauce

Marinate chicken in bbq sauce, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Chop into pieces and refrigerate.

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped
3 to 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 jicama, peeled and diced (recipe will survive if this is not added)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

Combine chicken in a large bowl with other ingredients and toss. Serve with Ranch Dressing, additional bbq sauce, and crispy corn tortilla chips