Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

I am a huge fan of risotto, and will typically order a seafood risotto dish if it is on special at a restaurant. However, I was always afraid to try cooking it myself. I heard horror stories about how long and labor-intensive the process was, and that was enough to scare me off. That is, until my husband asked me to make him risotto for a special occasion. Challenge, accepted.

I looked up a recipe online, and it didn't sound too terrible. I went to the grocery store and bought some arborio rice - I crossed my fingers that I could successfully make this dish, because otherwise I was stuck with a huge, and somewhat expensive, container of rice! 

Surprisingly, the process of making risotto was very straightforward and didn't take very long. You do have to stir the dish almost constantly while it's cooking (don't worry if you need to take a quick break to get a drink or soothe your crying baby, or both - it worked okay for me!), but I found the entire process pretty cathartic. From start to finish, the dish took approximately half an hour, which was totally doable in my opinion. 

The best part is that the end result was delicious! My husband, son, and I all really enjoyed the dish, and the leftovers heated up extremely well. I have made the dish once more since then, and I look forward to trying switching up the ingredients for future risotto dishes.

Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

(from Iowa Girl Eats)

Ingredients

5 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp minced onion
2 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chopped asparagus
24 shrimp, peeled and deveined
2/3 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Add chicken broth to a small saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low and keep hot.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. 
3. Add rice and combine with butter. Add wine and stir until almost completely absorbed by rice. 
4. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth to pan and stir continuously until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until nearly absorbed before adding more. After adding 3 1/2 cups of the broth in total, add the asparagus and continue stirring. After adding another 1/2 cup of broth, add the shrimp and continue stirring. 
5. Taste rice. Continue adding the rest of the broth in 1/2 cup increments until the rice reaches a chewy-tender consistency. 
6.  Once it has reached the proper consistency, remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese, and add pepper and salt to taste.

*Serves 4

Mozzarella, Roasted Red Pepper, and Basil Stuffed Chicken

I apologize for not posting any recipes in awhile - I've had my hands full the past few months! But since having a baby, I appreciate even more the importance of finding healthy recipes that are fast and easy to make (ideally, 10 minutes or less of prep time, since that's about as long as Little Man will allow me before he gets fussy!). 

I discovered this recipe a few months ago, and was amazed at how delicious it was for less than five minutes of prep time. I love mozzarella cheese, and chicken is a staple in my house, so it was bound to be a winner! The first time I made this recipe, I used store-bought roasted red peppers, but this time I made my own and they were also very easy to make. I made the peppers over the weekend, and they kept well in the refrigerator for two days until I was ready to make the chicken dish. 

Luckily my husband loved the meal as well, since I plan to add this into the regular rotation! I served it with a simple side of roasted broccoli (I use a version of this recipe, but without lemon juice and with garlic salt or a Parmesan seasoning).

Mozzarella, Roasted Red Pepper, and Basil Stuffed Chicken

(from Barbells and Bellinis)

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts
8 0z. fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 slices (it's easiest if you buy a fresh mozzarella log)
6 oz. roasted red peppers (jarred or make your own)
fresh basil leaves
approx. 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
approx. 2 tbsp grated parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice chicken breasts in half through the long side of the breast, stopping just short of the other side, to butterfly the breast. Open up each chicken breast and lay them in a greased baking dish or on a greased baking sheet.
3. Place 1/4 of the roasted red peppers, basil, and one slice of fresh mozzarella on the inside of each butterflied chicken breast. 
4. Fold the top half of the chicken back over, and sprinkle the top of each breast with Italian seasoning.
5. Bake chicken for approximately 30-35 minutes, until the juices run clear.
6. Take the chicken out of the oven and set the oven to broil on high. Place the remaining slices of mozzarella on top of each chicken breast, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 
7. Broil for approximately 5 minutes, until the mozzarella is brown and bubbly. Enjoy!

Serves 4 (you can easily cut this recipe in half or double it, as desired)

Light Shrimp and Asparagus Orzo with Feta and Tomatoes

My coworkers were discussing orzo recently, and it got me thinking that while I have loved orzo any time it has been served, I have never actually made it myself. Inspired by this conversation, I bought a box of orzo the next time I was at the grocery store. Next, I needed to figure out what to do with it!

I found a recipe for a shrimp, feta, and asparagus orzo on Pinterest, and knew I had found a winner. Shrimp and asparagus is a favorite combination of mine, and cheese is always delicious! Honestly, the feta cheese was a nice bonus, but I think you could easily leave it out if you aren’t a fan of feta or want to lower the calories in the dish. I wanted a bit more flavor and liquid in the dish, so I decided to add in a can of Italian stewed tomatoes - they were the perfect addition!

The one thing I forgot as I was cooking this meal is that if you try to cook garlic and red pepper flakes with vegetable oil in a higher temperature, you run the risk of burning the kitchen down and choking simultaneously. Lesson learned. Luckily Rick was there to help me open some windows and turn on the kitchen fan, so no permanent harm done! Learn from my mistakes, and don’t cook the garlic and red pepper flakes above anything more than low to medium heat.

The finished product was colorful, flavorful, and yummy. Aside from the garlic/red pepper mishap, it was very easy to make and took only 20 minutes or so from start to finish. The orzo is very light but filling, and I think this will be a great dish to add to my rotation this spring!

Light Shrimp and Asparagus Orzo with Feta and Tomatoes (adapted from Serious Eats)

Ingredients:

4 ounces orzo
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil, and a little more for the pasta
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1/2 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and chopped into 2-inch pieces 
salt and pepper
3/4 - 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook orzo according to package instructions until cooked al dente. Drain and return to the pot, and toss with a little vegetable oil to keep from clumping.
2. Add oil to a skillet on low-medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Cook about 3-4 minutes, until the asparagus is tender but crisp. Move the asparagus to the sides of the skillet and add the shrimp. Cook approximately 2 minutes per side, until pink and opaque. Add the tomatoes (including most of the juice in the can) to the skillet and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
3. Add the orzo to the skillet, along with the basil, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil and feta. Stir to combine, allow orzo to heat through, then remove from heat and serve immediately.

*Serves 3-4

Light Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Is anyone else sick of the cold weather? We finally got a joyous reprieve from the cold in DC yesterday, but I know not to trust that it's here to stay - especially since we still have snow piles from Monday's snowstorm! I decided to take advantage of the cold weather and a snow day last week, though, and try out a casserole recipe that I've had my eye on for awhile.

This chicken parmesan casserole met my basic requirements for a good recipe - few steps, little preparation time, one dish, and lots of cheese! I also knew that I have a busy couple of weeks coming up, so I wanted to load up my freezer with some easy-to-reheat dishes, and I love casseroles for that purpose.

The original recipe seemed a little weak on the flavor front, so I thought it would be good to add some additional Italian spices to the dish. I was suspicious about how the croutons would taste, but they added a nice, buttery crunch to complement the dish! I served the casserole with a side salad, which made for a delicious meal. I look forward to having these leftovers soon!

Light Chicken Parmesan Casserole
adapted from Emily Bites

Ingredients:

2 lbs raw chicken breasts, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
2 cups marinara sauce 
1 1/2 cups 2% reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 1/2 oz garlic croutons (such as New York Texas Toast brand Garlic & Butter), roughly crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lay the cubed chicken pieces on a lightly sprayed 13x9 inch pan, so that they fully cover the bottom of the pan in one, even layer.
3. Spread the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and basil evenly over top the chicken. Pour the marinara sauce evenly across the chicken and seasonings. Then add half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese over the casserole. Top with an even coating of croutons, and finish the casserole with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
4. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Take the casserole out of the oven, remove the foil, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
5. Let cool for 5 minutes, and enjoy!

*Serves 8

Mango Turkey Burgers

I know what you're probably thinking - "Mango? In a turkey burger?" I was thinking the same thing when I first stumbled across this recipe. I decided to give it a try, though, and I was very glad that I did! 

I am not a huge fan of red meat, but I do love burgers. Typically I'll choose a turkey burger over a regular hamburger, but turkey burgers often taste very plain and sometimes dry. I was drawn to this recipe because I figured that the mango preserves would add some flavor and moistness to the burgers - and mozzarella cheese makes everything taste better!

Finding mango chutney wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, but I found mango preserves in the second grocery store I tried and it was worth the hunt. The mango adds a perfect amount of sweetness to the ground turkey. I'm not sure whether any other flavor of chutney or preserves would work as well, but you can certainly try.

It took less than 10 minutes of prep work to mix the ingredients and form the patties, then I had an excuse to use my new grill pan for the first time (there was no way we were grilling outside during the polar vortex!).  I charred the outside of the burgers a bit more than I would have liked, but that's more a symptom of not knowing how to use the grill pan settings properly.

The end result was exactly as I hoped it would be - the burger was juicy, and flavorful enough that we didn't need to add any condiments. Homemade sweet potato fries were a perfect compliment to the burger, and I think it was a much tastier meal than your standard burger and french fries (and healthier, as well!).

Mango Turkey Burgers

(Recipe Credit: The Dinner Mom) 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella 
• 1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup mango chutney/preserves 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 lb. ground turkey breast
• Hamburger buns

Directions:

1. Add the first 6 ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
2. Add the ground turkey to the bowl and fold in the other ingredients so that they are evenly distributed. Don't overmix.
3. Shape patties into 4 equally sized burgers. 
4. Grill over medium heat until cooked through.
5. Serve in a hamburger bun.

*Makes 4 patties

Chicken Lo Mein

In my daily search of Pinterest recipes a few months ago, I came across a few "one pot" recipes for various pasta dishes. Because I hate having to use more than one pot or pan when I'm cooking (and Rick hates it more so, since he has to wash said dishes!), I was intrigued but skeptical. I pinned the recipes and moved on.

This weekend, I found myself with some defrosted, uncooked chicken and no planned menu for dinner. I went to my trusty "Favorite Recipes" page on Pinterest and came across the "One Pot Wonder Chicken Lo Mein" recipe in my pins. After a quick trip to the grocery store for green onions, I had all the necessary ingredients and was good to go.

True to its name, it only required one pot, and was pretty tasty! I had read in the comments that there tended to be too much liquid still in the pot after the meal cooked, so I made some adjustments, but it was still a little more liquid-y that I would have preferred. I also added more chicken than the initial recipe called for. Rick enjoyed it, but we both agreed that it could have used some additional vegetables. The next time I make this, I will add snow peas and possibly broccoli.

All in all, I was happy with the recipe. It was extremely easy and fast to make, the sauce was delicious, and it seemed much healthier than if we ordered it from a Chinese restaurant. I served it with a bowl of steamed edamame (a microwave-ready bag from the frozen vegetable section of the grocery store) and it made for a pretty well-balanced meal!

Chicken Lo Mein

(Adapted from The Wholesome Dish)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. uncooked chicken breast, cut into small chunks
10 oz. uncooked whole wheat linguine, broken in half
12 baby carrots, cut lengthwise into quarters
1 bunch green onions, white portion removed and green portion chopped into 3 inch strips
Additional vegetables, as desired (suggested: snow peas, broccoli, baby corn)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp corn starch
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Add the uncooked chicken, then the linguine, then the rest of the ingredients to a large pot and cover.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, then stir and reduce to a simmer. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked and the liquid is mostly gone. Enjoy!

*Makes 5-6 servings

Baked Turkey Croquettes

I love the traditional turkey dinner at Thanksgiving - as long as I could get my hands on some of the dark meat! However, I've always most looked forward to the turkey croquettes that my mom makes with the leftover turkey a few days after Thanksgiving. Fried turkey goodness, what's not to love? 

For the past 2 years, I haven't been able to go home for Thanksgiving, and so I got my mom's recipe for the croquettes. She's been using the same recipe that she found in a newspaper for as long as I can remember. I knew I wanted to make them slightly healthier than my mom makes them (she fries them in lots of oil).

The few healthier recipes that I found online strayed too far from the recipe that I know and love. I realized that I could just make a few simple changes and bake the croquettes rather than fry them to create a healthier, but equally delicious, meal. 

This recipe is a great way to use any leftover turkey you may have from the holidays, and they freeze well so feel free to double the recipe if you have a lot of turkey. This year, we knew we wouldn't have any leftovers from Thanksgiving because we weren't hosting, so we bought an extra turkey just to have some leftovers! 

Baked Turkey Croquettes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp instant onion mix
1 cup low-fat milk
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 slices white bread, shredded
2 cups cooked turkey, shredded
1/2 cup flour (for rolling)
1 egg (slightly beaten)
3/4 cup packaged breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Melt margarine in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

3. Add 1/4 cup flour, salt, pepper, and instant onion to the saucepan, and stir.

4. Slowly add in milk and Worcestershire sauce, stirring consistently. Cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly.

5. Add in the shredded bread slices and the turkey, and stir until the mixture is fully blended.

6. Shape the turkey mixture into approximately 10 equal-sized balls (they should be about the size of golf balls).

7. Roll each ball lightly in flour, then dip in beaten egg mixture and roll in breadcrumbs until thoroughly coated.

8. Add each croquette to a greased baking sheet. Spray the top of each croquette with olive oil.

9. Bake the croquettes for 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, and enjoy!

Serving size: 2-3 croquettes

Light Chicken & Waffles

I have a real affinity for Southern style cooking, and luckily in the DC area we have a number of amazing restaurants that specialize in Southern cuisine. Soul food is not exactly known for being healthy though, so I have to limit how often we eat out at Southern style restaurants.

So imagine my delight when I stumbled across a healthy chicken 'n waffles recipe in my other new Hungry Girl cookbook! Chicken 'n waffles is one of those meals that always looks so delicious in restaurants, but typically too calorie-laden for me to justify ordering. (Instead, I make Rick order it so that I can sneak bites off of his plate!)

I was skeptical that this shortcut healthier version would taste good, especially when I picked up the box of Fiber One bran cereal at the grocery store - it honestly looked like something I would put in a bird feeder. I trust Hungry Girl though, so I followed her recipe and was very happy that I did!

The bran cereal made for a delicious, crispy coating for the chicken, and the flavor worked perfectly with the waffles and syrup. I often have difficulty with cooking chicken on the stove, because it seems to take forever for the chicken to cook through, but the key here was to use very thin-cut chicken breast cutlets (you can also pound the chicken very thin if the grocery store doesn't sell the thin-cut ones). 

This recipe only made 2 servings, but you can easily double or triple the recipe. I made 4 servings, and Rick enjoyed the meal so much that he agreed to have the leftovers the very next night, which is rare! The entire meal took less than half an hour to make, and while I won't claim that it is a match for the chicken and waffles at Marvin, it is definitely healthier and worth making!

Light Chicken & Waffles

(from Hungry Girl "300 Under 300" Cookbook)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Fiber One Original bran cereal
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 5oz raw boneless skinless thin-cut chicken breast cutlets (the thinner, the better!)
2 tbsp. liquid egg whites
2 frozen low-fat waffles
1/2 cup lite pancake syrup (I used Aunt Jemima lite syrup)

Directions:

1. Place cereal in a Ziplock bag and seal. Crush cereal with a meat mallet until it is a breadcrumb-like consistency. Add 1/8 teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to the crumb mixture and shake well. Pour the crumbs onto a plate and set aside.

2. Place chicken cutlets in a bowl and season with remaining 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Pour liquid egg whites atop of chicken, then flip cutlets over to evenly coat. Transfer cutlets one at a time to the breadcrumb plate and evenly coat with the mixture on both sides.

3. Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and bring to medium-high heat on the stove. Add breaded chicken and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and the outside is crispy, approximately 4 minutes per side.

4. While the cutlets are cooking, toast the waffles and place each on a separate plate. Pour syrup over each waffle, and when finished, place one of the chicken cutlets atop each waffle. 

Pappardelle with Sausage, Peppers, & Onions

I love this recipe. I was originally drawn in by the picture of the meal on The Cozy Apron's website, despite my ambivalence towards spicy Italian sausage. But I was totally sold on Italian sausage after taking my first bite of the finished product.

I was a little nervous that the recipe would be time-consuming to make because of the number of ingredients, but it was extremely easy and quick to throw together. I sliced the onion and peppers in advance so that I just had to throw everything together in the pot when I got home from work. And once you cut open the casing of the Italian sausage, the meat will easily come out in chunks, ready to be added to the pot. 

Rick and I were both thrilled with this fun twist on the standard sausage and peppers, and I can't wait to make it again!

Pappardelle with Sausage, Peppers, & Onions

(adapted from The Cozy Apron)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive oil
3 spicy Italian sausage links, casings removed and crumbled into large chunks
1 onion, sliced
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp black pepper
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice (or fresh tomato, diced)
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
8 oz Pappardelle noodles, uncooked

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, brown the sausage for a few minutes on each side. Once the sausage is browned, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl. 2. Add the onion into the pot with the sausage drippings, and allow it to caramelize for approximately 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 3. Once the onion starts to become golden, add the salt, Italian seasoning and black pepper, and stir to combine. Then add in the bell peppers, and saute with the onion for about 2 minutes. 4. Add in the garlic, and once it becomes aromatic, add in the white wine and allow it to reduce for a few minutes, until almost completely reduced. 5. Add in the diced tomatoes with the juice, return the spicy Italian sausage back into the pot, and gently stir the mixture to combine. Allow it to simmer for about 3-4 minutes , then turn the heat off. 6. Add in the chopped parsley and about half of the basil; stir, and keep warm while you prepare the noodles. 7. Prepare the pappardelle noodles according to instructions on package. Drain the noodles and add them directly into the sauce, tossing the noodles with the sauce. 8. When serving noodles, garnish with a sprinkle of the remaining basil, and if desired, an extra drizzle of olive oil.

*Serves 4

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I was on vacation for a week and while I had delicious food throughout our tour of the South, I was excited to try some new recipes after coming back from vacation. Unfortunately, I tried a few recipes that were underwhelming and not fit for posting to the blog! I will continue on my mission to find new and easy recipes for you all, but in the meantime I was inspired by the sudden change of weather (hello fall!) to post my chicken noodle soup recipe.

For years, I avoided making soup of any kind for fear that it would take hours of me standing over a hot stove. Well, I was wrong. One day I was in the mood for chicken noodle soup - preferably not a canned version full of sodium - and I stumbled across a ridiculously simple recipe online. I played with the proportions of broth vs. meat/veggies, and tested out different herbs and spices, and made a soup that I think puts Campbell's to shame!

Granted, I didn't make my own broth (which I'm sure would have made the process longer), but I used a low sodium version so it was healthier than the canned soups, and felt like the time saved was totally worth it. I had a flavorful, comforting soup made in about half an hour - perfect for a chilly day. 

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth*

1 onion, diced

1 cup carrots, sliced

1 cup celery, sliced (approx. 2 stalks)

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp parsley

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 ½ cups egg noodles

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine chicken broth, onion, carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, parsley, pepper, and bay leaf.

2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in noodles, return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for approximately 10 minutes (until the noodles and vegetables are tender).

4. Remove the bay leaf, then stir in chicken and heat through.

*I prefer my chicken noodle soup heavier on the noodles than the broth, but feel free to add an additional 2 cups of broth if you would like a broth-ier soup!

Makes approximately 4 servings.

Lamb Chops with Yogurt Sauce

I decided to make this meal after getting some inspiration from a French cookbook. There was a recipe for rack of lamb that sounded delicious, but we quickly discovered that (a) rack of lamb is difficult to find in the grocery store, and (b) if you do find rack of lamb, it is very expensive! So that recipe didn't happen.

So I opened up the old cookbooks, and came across this easy-to-make recipe that used lamb chops rather than rack of lamb. When I saw that lamb chops were on sale at the grocery store (much cheaper than rack of lamb), I was sold! I was a little nervous about cooking lamb for the first time, but it was as easy as making pork chops, just with more flavor. The yogurt sauce had a unique flavor with the mint, and complemented the lamb perfectly. 

I served the lamb chops with a side of smashed potatoes (flavored simply with olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice), which also tasted delicious dipped in the sauce. One thing I look for in recipes is whether it reheats well in the microwave, since I like to make several servings in one batch. I can say with confidence that the lamb chops do reheat very well, and the yogurt sauce kept for a few days without a problem. Recipe success!

Lamb Chops with Yogurt Sauce

(adapted from Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook)

Ingredients:

¾ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt

mini cucumber, peeled and chopped

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

3 scallions, sliced

1 garlic clove, chopped

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp salt

4 bone-in loin lamb chops

¼ tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Spray broiler rack with nonstick spray and preheat broiler.

2. To make the sauce, stir together yogurt, cucumber, mint, scallions, garlic, pepper flakes, and ¼ tsp of the salt in a blender or food processor and puree.

3. Sprinkle lamb with remaining salt and all of the black pepper. Place the lamb chops on the broiler rack and broil 5 inches from heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 degrees for medium (approximately 6 minutes per side).

4. Serve with a side of the sauce.

*Makes 4 servings (1 lamb chop and about ¼ cup of sauce)

Light Chicken with Tomatoes & Artichokes

The other night, I found myself with some chicken breasts that needed to be cooked, as well as a can of artichokes and a can of diced tomatoes. I did some googling and found a few recipes that combined those three ingredients, looked easy to make, and sounded good. I chose the recipe that was the quickest to throw together (it had been a long day at work!), made a few small changes, and came up with a new, delicious chicken dinner to add to my repertoire.

I can’t even explain how ridiculously easy this chicken was to make. You mix together a handful of ingredients (all of which I typically keep on hand), pour the mixture over the chicken breasts, and bake. And the best part was - it tasted great!

The chicken had an Italian taste to it, so I served it over a side of pasta, which was a perfect complement to the meal. I didn’t add any additional sauce, assuming that the tomato and artichoke mixture from the chicken would be enough flavor to coat the pasta. The next time I make this, I may add some additional tomato sauce to the dish, but it wasn’t really necessary. Also, I used a thin-sliced provolone cheese because that is what I had in the refrigerator, and it melted perfectly and tasted great, but I’m sure that mozzarella cheese would be really good as well.

Light Chicken with Tomatoes & Artichokes

(adapted from http://aaronandjillw.blogspot.com/2011/08/italian-chicken.html)

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1 can artichoke hearts, drained

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. flour

Salt and pepper, to taste

Thin-sliced provolone cheese

Fresh or dried basil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Mix the remaining ingredients (except for the provolone cheese and basil) together in a medium-sized bowl.

4. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken breasts.

5. Cook for approximately 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.

6. Take the chicken out of the oven and top each piece of chicken with a slice of provolone cheese. Put back in the oven for another 2-3 minutes on the top rack, until the cheese has fully melted.

7. Sprinkle with basil and serve!