Recipes by Request

Every week, I try to make at least one new recipe. I stumble upon recipes constantly in magazines, online, and in grocery store ads (namely Publix). For Christmas, I received a cookbook I had been eyeballing for a while called "Deceptively Delicious", which happens to be written by Jerry Seinfeld's wife, Jessica. The book has dozens of kid-friendly (and overall family-friendly) recipes that incorporate vegetables and fruits into common recipes without the kids knowing it. In other words, you are hiding the veggies. I have done this for quite some time now, but this book has given me tons more recipes to try using this method. I do jumping jacks inside when I see my kids eat the meals I have made that have veggies and/or fruits hidden in them (because they, like many kids, are quite picky). I make a lot of these recipes for dinner; it's an easy way to make a delicious, nutritious meal for my entire family.

Now that I am trying to lose weight, and because dinner is our family's "biggest" meal of the day, I try to make all my dinners as healthy as possible. I am going to share a few in this blog, all of which have been requested for me to share by at least one person. Enjoy, and be sure to let me know what you think if you try one of these recipes!


Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas (requested by my friend Becca):

Ingredients:

• 1-10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup (I use Campbell's Healthy Request)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (I use fat free)
• 1 cup Pace Picante sauce
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use boneless skinless chicken breast)
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 6 flour tortillas (6"), warmed (I use whole wheat tortillas)
• 1 small tomato, chopped (optional)
• 1 green onion, sliced (optional)

Directions:

1. Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce, and chili powder in a medium bowl.

2. Stir 1 cup picante sauce mixture, chicken, and cheese in a large bowl.

3. Divide the chicken mixure among tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place them seam-side down in a shallow baking dish. Pour remaining picante sauce mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Top with tomato and onion (if preferred).

*These were pretty filling. I ate one and was done! I made a couple extra so Matt could have leftovers for lunch the next day.

Party Chicken (requested by my friend Laura): *very delicious but not one of the "healthier" meals I cook*

Ingredients:

• cooking spray (I use canola or olive oil)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• large plastic zip-top bag
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1-10.75 oz. can cream of chicken soup (I use healthy request)
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise (I used Hellman's Light)
• 1 1/2 cup Panka break flakes (Japanase bread crumbs) (these are in the baking aisle next to the regular bread crumbs; at Walmart, they are about $1.50 a box)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Cut butter into small pieces and place in a medium bowl to soften.

2. Place flour in a large zip-top bag. Season chicken with flour; add to bag. Seal bag tightly; shake to coat. Remove chicken from bag and shake off excess flour. Arrange chicken in baking dish.

3. Combine soup and mayo in a second bowl; spread mixture evenly over chicken. Stir panko and cheese into softened butter, mixing until crumbly. Top chicken with cheese mixture; cover dish with foil. Bake 10 minutes.

4. Remove foil. Bake 10-15 more minutes or until top is golden and internal temp. of chicken reaches 165 degrees.

*This is another very filling dish. A couple of pieces of chicken plus a side of cooked veggies will fill you up easily!*

Healthy Homemade Mac 'n' Cheese #1 (requested by my mom and my sister Shauna)

*For this recipe, you have to steam and puree the cauliflower and/or butternut squash ahead of time. I puree a big batch at one time and freeze it in 1/2 cup portions so that I can easily use a puree when I need one. If you need help making the purees, let me know!*

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni (I use whole-grain or whole-wheat)
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup skim milk (or low-fat)
• 1/2 cup butternut squash or cauliflower puree
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. reduced-fat or nonfat cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni, and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander.

2. While the macaroni is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable puree, cheddar, cream cheese, and seasonings, and stir until the cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.