Chicken Tortilla Soup - Crock Pot Style

Ingredients

• 4 boneless thawed chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
• 2 cans (15 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (4 oz) chopped mild green chilies, drained
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 4 corn tortillas, sliced into 1/4 inch strips
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 avocado, seeded, peeled, diced and tossed with lime juice to prevent browning
• lime wedges
• sour cream

Directions

Place chicken in the crockpot. Combine tomatoes with juice, chiles, onion, garlic 1/2 cup chicken broth and cumin in small bowl. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

Remove chicken from crock pot and shred with 2 forks. Return to the cooking liquid. Adjust seasoning and add more broth if necessary.

Just before serving, add tortillas and cilantro to the crock pot. Stir to blend. Serve in bowls, topping each with cheese, avocado and a squeeze of lime juice. I top mine with a dollap of sour cream as well :)

Berry Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 package refrigerated biscuits
• 1 navel orange
• 8oz. light cream cheese, softened
• 5 tsp honey, divided
• 2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, halved

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Stack 2 biscuits, roll out 6 inch circle, 1/8 thick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Prick all over with fork. Repeat with remaining biscuits to make 5 circles in all. Bake until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

Loosen and cool slightly. Meanwhile, finely grate peel from orange. Beat into the softened cream cheese with 3 tsp of the honey. Set aside.

Juice orange into a large bowl. Add halved strawberries and the remaining 2 tsp honey. Toss well.

Increase oven temp to 425. Spread biscuits with cream cheese mixture to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Bake until cheese edges brown lightly. Top with strawberry halves. Serve warm.

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Broccolini and Feta

Ingredients

• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch broccolini (about 10 ounces), stems cut into 2-inch stems, and florets
• 1 medium bunch radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced
• 12 ounces whole-wheat rigatoni
• 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

Put the shallots in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes; drain.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and salt it as well. Add the broccolini to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the radish slices, and cook 30 seconds, more. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to scoop out the vegetables and plunge them immediately into the ice water. Drain the vegetables, pat them very dry.

Add the pasta to the same pot of boiling water, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Whisk the sherry vinegar, orange zest, the 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste, in a large serving bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream, to make a dressing.

Toss the rigatoni, broccolini, radish and shallot with the dressing. Add the feta cheese and toss lightly. Serve warm or room temperature.

Antipasto Calzone

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 (13 to 16-ounce) ball pizza dough
• Cornmeal, for dusting
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded fontina cheese* see Note at bottom
• 1 (4-ounce) salami, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch diameter circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a heavy baking sheet dusted with cornmeal.

In a medium bowl, combine the cheeses, salami, peppers, olives, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Put the cheese mixture on 1 side of the dough leaving a 1-inch border. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg. Fold the unfilled side of the dough over the filling and using the tines of a fork, press the edges of the dough together to seal. Drizzle with olive oil. Using a paring knife, cut a 1/2-inch wide slit in the top layer of the dough. Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut the calzone into slices and serve with warm marinara sauce, if desired.

Note:
Put a wedge of fontina cheese in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to make shredding easier.

Apple Cheese Sausage Balls

Ingredients

• 2 lbs bulk italian turkey sausage or Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage
• 8 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 package bread crumbs (or make your own w/ 4 slices toasted bread)
• 4 small apples cored and cut into bite size pieces (unpeeled)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Using an ice cream scoop as a measure, form into 2 inch balls.

Place on a greased baking sheet and bake until done (about 30-45 minutes)

*I sometimes make ahead and freeze until ready to entertain.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients

• 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
• 1/2 cup any flavor hot sauce (I use Franks Red Hot)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cans (12.5 oz. each) White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir until smooth. Mix in salad dressing, hot sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken. Bake 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired.

Serve with crackers or vegetables

*I have also made this in the crockpot and it turns out great with less fuss.

"Do not count your chickens before they are hatched." ~Aesop

Mexican Chicken Bake - Low Fat

Ingredients

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 1 can fat free, low sodium refried beans
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 packet low sodium taco seasoning
• 1/2 green pepper, washed, seeded and sliced
• 1/2 red pepper, washed seeded and sliced
• 1/2 yellow pepper, washed seeded and sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Defrost chicken breasts and trim fat. Coat all four breasts with 1/2 taco seasoning mix. Set aside.

Prepare glass baking dish with non stick spray. Combine refried beans and salsa in a mixing bowl and then transfer to the baking dish, making sure to spread contents evenly with a spatula.

Place chicken breasts on top of refried beans. Top with sliced veggies and sprinkle with remaining taco seasoning. Bake until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Serve with fat free sour cream and low fat cheese as a garnish.

"What are the two things they tell you are healthiest to eat? Chicken and fish. You know what you should do? Combine them—eat a penguin." ~Dave Attell