Sunday, September 28, 2008

Mushroom Scramble Mug

I'm not sure if I will like this recipe or not... but I definitely like the concept and the nutritional information!!

Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 cup white button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 t salt
Pinch freshly ground pepper
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 slice fat-free American Cheese, torn into strips
1 tomato or red pepper, diced
Whole wheat English Muffin

Lightly spray the inside of  a microwaveable mug with non-stick cooking spray, place mushrooms in mug, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cover and microwave for one minute.  Let rest 30 seconds and drain any excess liquid.

Add whole egg and egg white to mug and mix well with a fork.  Add cheese and tomato or red pepper (if desired) and microwave for 1 minute, stirring halfway through.  Let rest 30 seconds to allow eggs to finish cooking.  Enjoy in the mug or on a toasted whole wheat English muffin.

Nutritional Information: 134 cals, 5g fat, 0g fiber (3 points, or 4.5 w/ english muffin)

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake asparagus 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the baked asparagus to serve.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Easy Creamy Baked Asparagus

Prep Time: 10 min       Total Time: 25 min         Makes: 4 servings.

Ingredients
1 lb. fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
1/4 cup KRAFT Peppercorn Ranch Dressing
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup coarsely crushed RITZ Cheese Crackers (about 12 crackers)

Instructions
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Cook asparagus in simmering water in large skillet 2 to 3 min. or until bright green, but still crisp; drain.
TOSS asparagus with dressing in 1-1/2- to 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and cracker crumbs.
BAKE 10 to 15 min. or cheese is lightly browned and mixture is heated through.

Nutritional Information
Calories 130 Total fat 9 g Saturated fat 2 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 300 mg Carbohydrate 10 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 2 g Protein 3 g Vitamin A 10 %DV Vitamin C 2 %DV Calcium 8 %DV Iron 10 %DV

Italian Veggie Bake

Prep Time: 20 min      Total Time: 1 hr 20 min         Makes: 14 servings, 1/2 cup each

Ingredients
1/3 cup KRAFT Tuscan House Italian Dressing and Marinade
1 large onion, chopped
1 small unpeeled eggplant, cubed
1 medium zucchini, cubed
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 pkg. (6 oz.) sliced mushrooms
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, drained, cut up
1/3 cup KRAFT Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Instructions
HEAT dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 min. or until tender. Add eggplant; cook and stir 5 min. Add zucchini, pepper and mushrooms; cook and stir 5 min.
ADD tomatoes, bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 15 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture into casserole dish; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Bake 25 to 30 min. or until heated through.

Nutritional Information
Calories 50 Total fat 3 g Saturated fat 1 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 150 mg Carbohydrate 6 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 3 g Protein 2 g Vitamin A 10 %DV Vitamin C 25 %DV Calcium 4 %DV Iron 0 %DV

Zesty Roasted Vegetables

Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 45 min Makes: 8 servings, 1/2 cup each

Ingredients
1/2 lb. whole button or crimini mushrooms
1/2 lb. baby carrots
1 medium onion, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1 large red, green or yellow bell pepper, cut into 8 strips
1/3 cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing
1/3 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

Instructions
HEAT oven to 450°F. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
TOSS vegetables with dressing and 1/4 cup of the cheese; spread into prepared pan.
BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring after 15 min. Sprinkle with remaining cheese

Nutritional Information
Calories 60 Total fat 2 g Saturated fat 1 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 270 mg Carbohydrate 7 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 4 g Protein 4 g Vitamin A 90 %DV Vitamin C 35 %DV Calcium 8 %DV Iron 4 %DV

Slow-Cooked Green Beans, Tomatoes, & Bacon

Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 1 hr 5 min Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients
2 slices OSCAR MAYER Lower Sodium Bacon, finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb. green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 medium plum tomatoes, chopped

Directions
COOK and stir bacon in large skillet on medium heat to desired crispness. Remove bacon from skillet; drain, reserving drippings in skillet. Set bacon aside. Add onion to skillet; cook and stir until tender.
ADD beans, broth and pepper to skillet. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 40 minutes or until beans are very tender.
STIR in tomatoes; increase heat to medium-high. Cook 3 minutes or until tomatoes are thoroughly heated. Transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with bacon.

Nutritional Information:
Calories 60 Total fat 2.5 g Saturated fat 1 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 35 mg Carbohydrate 8 g Dietary fiber 3 g Sugars 4 g Protein 2 g Vitamin A 15 %DV Vitamin C 30 %DV Calcium 2 %DV Iron 4 %DV

Broccoli w/ Black Olives

Prep Time: 5 min Total Time: 10 min Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
1 can (2-1/2 oz.) sliced pitted ripe olives, drained
1/4 cup KRAFT Reduced Fat Parmesan Style Grated Topping

Directions
HEAT oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds or until tender.
ADD broccoli and olives; cook and stir 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Stir in grated topping. Serve immediately.

Substitute
Substitute 1 lb. fresh broccoli florets for frozen broccoli. Cook in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain. Continue as directed.
Special Extra
Stir in 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained, chopped, with broccoli and olives.

Nutritional Information
Calories 80 Total fat 4.5 g Saturated fat 1.5 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 240 mg Carbohydrate 8 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 1 g Protein 4 g Vitamin A 35 %DV Vitamin C 35 %DV Calcium 10 %DV Iron 6 %DV

Italian Green Beans


Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen whole green beans or frozen cut green beans
1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese
1 medium tomato, seeded, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup KRAFT FREE Italian Dressing

Directions
BRING water to boil in medium saucepan. Add beans; cover and cook 6 min. or until tender. Drain.

STIR in cheese, tomato and dressing. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information
Calories 60 Total fat 1.5 g Saturated fat 1 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 240 mg Carbohydrate 8 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 3 g Protein 4 g Vitamin A 15 %DV Vitamin C 20 %DV Calcium 15 %DV Iron 4 %DV

Classic Chicken Dijon



Ingredients
2 Tbsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

Instructions
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix mustard, water and seasonings.

PLACE chicken in shallow baking pan; brush evenly with mustard mixture.

BAKE 20 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF).

Nutritional Information
Calories 140 Total fat 3.5 g Saturated fat 1 g Cholesterol 65 mg Sodium 240 mg Carbohydrate 1 g Dietary fiber 0 g Sugars 0 g Protein 25 g Vitamin A 0 %DV Vitamin C 0 %DV Calcium 2 %DV Iron 6 %DV

French Onion Pork Chop Skillet




Ingredients
6 boneless pork chops (1-1/2 lb.), 1/2 inch thick
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 pkg. (6 oz. ) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 cups hot water
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese (Swiss might be good)

Directions
HEAT large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chops and onions; cook 10 min. or until chops are cooked through (160°F), stirring onions occasionally and turning chops over after 5 min. Transfer chops to plate; keep warm. Continue cooking onions 5 min. or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

ADD Worcestershire sauce to skillet; mix well. Reduce heat to low. Return chops to skillet; spoon onion mixture over chops.

MIX stuffing mix and hot water. Spoon stuffing mixture around edge of skillet; sprinkle with cheese. Cover. Cook 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information
Calories 310 Total fat 8 g Saturated fat 3.5 g Cholesterol 65 mg Sodium 770 mg Carbohydrate 27 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 4 g Protein 30 g Vitamin A 4 %DV Vitamin C 6 %DV Calcium 15 %DV Iron 10 %DV

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Chicken Piccata

4 Chicken Breasts (Halves)
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1/2 Cup White Wine (plus a little extra for the chef)
2 Tbs. Capers
1/2 Fresh Lemon
1 Tbs. Butter (or Margarine)

Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. Place each breast flat on a chopping block. With your knife parallel to the chopping block, slice the breast in half through the middle to make it half as thick. Season each breast with salt and pepper.

Heat your skillet over medium to high heat, add the olive oil and as many of the chicken breasts as will fit in the pan without overlapping. Brown for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, then set aside covered in foil to stay warm.

To make the sauce, reheat the skillet over medium heat. Add the wine and reduce for 2 minutes or so, stirring constantly to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the capers and the lemon juice. Remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve with brown rice.

(From Fiddledeedee)

Spicy Rotel Chicken

The picture here is of Kraft’s italian version of the chicken, but I modified it to be mexican with ingredients we had on hand. We’ve tried both, and I like my version better than the italian one! It is pretty spicy though... To fix this, you could use the mild Rotel tomatoes.

Ingredients:
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken breast halves
Medium onion, sliced into thick slices
Olive Oil
Lime Juice
Fajita Seasoning
1 can Mexican-style Rotel Tomatoes w/ lime juice & garlic
Mexican blend shredded cheese

Cover the inside of a 8x8 pyrex dish with foil. (Optional, but makes for the easiest clean-up!)
Slice onion and separate rings. Arrange on the bottom of the dish.
Season onion rings with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Trim chicken breasts of fat and sprinkle with fajita seasoning on both sides.
Arrange chicken breasts over onions and squirt the whole thing liberally with lime juice.
Dump undrained can of Rotel tomatoes evenly over chicken.
Bake uncovered at 425 for 25 minutes.
Top with cheese and bake 5 additional minutes.

Terri's Sour Cream Enchilladas

These enchiladas are my mom’s recipe, and they are SO good!!!! I swear you will love them.

Ingredients:
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
2 T butter or margarine
2 c. chopped, cooked chicken
1 can diced green chilies
3 T butter or margarine
1/4 c. flour
1 t coriander OR cumin
3/4 t. salt
2 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
12 small or 8 large flour tortillas

In a large saucepan, saute onion and green bell pepper in butter until tender.
Remove from heat and combine that with the chicken and green chilies in large bowl.
In the first pan, melt the other butter, stir in spices, and add chicken broth. Cook until thickened and bubbly plus a couple more minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 c. cheese.
Stir 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture in with the chicken mixture.
Dip each tortilla in sauce, shaking off excess.
Fill each with 1/4 c. chicken mixture.
Arrange in a foil-lined 9x13 pan.
Cover with remaining sauce and cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 25 minutes.

You can make this up to an hour ahead of cooking and refrigerate until it’s ready to give you a little time to clean the kitchen before company comes!! It DOES make a mess, but it is SO worth it!

Bacon Crescent Appetizers

Note: These are dangerously good.

Prep Time: 30 min Total Time: 45 min Makes: 8 doz. or 24 servings, four crescents each

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
8 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled
1/3 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion (my change)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp. milk
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix cream cheese, bacon, Parmesan cheese, onions, parsley and milk until well blended; set aside.
SEPARATE each can of dough into four rectangles; firmly press perforations together to seal. Spread each rectangle with 2 rounded tablespoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture. Cut each rectangle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges, starting at short ends. Place, seam-sides down, on greased baking sheet.
BAKE 12 to 15 min. or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Note: It can be kind of hard to figure out what they meant by cutting each rectangle into twelve wedges! What I did was cut the rectangles into fourths, then cut the fourths into three wedges. Also, these can be hard to roll, so I really just folded them over.

Southwestern White Chili

Prep Time:
10 min
Total Time:
20 min
Makes:
6 servings, 1 cup each

2 Tbsp. KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans (15 oz. each) white beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (4 oz.) green chilies, undrained
1 can rotel tomatoes w/ lime and cilantro, drained
1 tsp. ground cumin
1-1/2 cups KRAFT Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

HEAT dressing in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add chicken and onions; cook 7 min. or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
STIR in beans, broth, chilies, rotel, and cumin. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 min., stirring occasionally.
SERVE topped with the cheese and cilantro.

Nutritional Info: Calories: 360; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 70mg; Sodium: 520mg; Carbohydrate: 28g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugars: 1g; Protein: 34g

Marvelous Mini Meatloaves

Take 1 lb. extra lean ground beef, 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix and 1 cup water and mix & match your recipe from these options...
seasoning options
add-in choices
cheese possibilities

1 tsp. Italian seasoning
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce
3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

OR

2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Mexican Style Cheese

OR

1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
3/4 cup ATHENOS Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese

OR

1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup KRAFT or BULL'S-EYE Original Barbecue Sauce
3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix meat, stuffing mix, water and the seasoning until well blended. Press evenly into 12 medium muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray; make an indentation in center of each with back of spoon.
SPOON add-ins evenly into indentations in meatloaves.
BAKE 30 min. or until meatloaves are cooked through (160°F). Top evenly with cheese; continue baking 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

We like the Mexican version. This recipe is from the KraftFoods website.

Simple Italian Chicken

This is very tasty, and very simple!!

Ingredients:
Onion
Chicken pieces of choice
lemon pepper seasoning
Italian dressing

Procedure:
Line 8x8 pyrex dish with foil
Slice onion in thick slices and spread across bottom of pan
Sprinkle onion with lemon-pepper seasoning
Lay chicken pieces on onion slices, sprinkle with lemon-pepper seasoning
Douse it all with italian seasoning

Bake at 350 for an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the thickness of your chicken.

Source: Dining on a Dime Cookbook (Highly recommended!!!)