Savory Chicken Parcels

Better late than never!

I developed this recipe over a year ago. It has been recreated in my kitchen many times and practice really does make perfect. The blend of spices and a bit of onion in mouthwatering cream cheese is nothing short of outstanding! The chicken can be cut with a fork and the slight crunchy exterior is a perfect contract to the creamy, melted filling. I always serve this chicken dish with slices of pear, from a can I admit, but they are none the less wonderful. The slightly sweet fruit enhances the flavor of the basil and cream cheese, much like a good wine when paired well with food. Feel free to add a slightly fruity white wine to this meal if you desire.

I would live to develop this recipe for the grill, but have not yet figured out how. Foil wrap perhaps. Ideas welcome!

Savory Chicken Parcels

4 small chicken breasts (4 oz) pounded flat
4 oz fat free cream cheese
½ t. garlic powder
½ t. dried minced onion
¼ t. basil
½ t. parsley
Salt and pepper
¼ c. flour
Cooking spray

15 minutes prep.

Set oven to 400 degrees. Mix cream cheese and spices (not flour) together and spread over the chicken breasts. Roll up chicken breasts and roll lightly in flour. Heat skillet, spray with cooking spray and lightly brown chicken rolls. Set in baking dish (also sprayed with cooking spray) with edge down. Cover with foil. Bake for 40 minutes.

170 cal
1 g fat
1 sat
6 carb
3 pts.

Cherry Crisp: The Taste of Summer

Thursday evening my parents came to Rosewood to pick cherries at my house. After we consumed amazing Poulet Chasseur (Hunter's Chicken) with my husband, we all went outside and picked cherries. Two ladders, 3 buckets, and 1/2 a dozen hilarious variations of "Kum Bi Ya" later, mom and I pitted a few thousand cherries while laughing at an amazing comedy send up of Shakespeare...that's just how we do things in our family.

Yesterday I turned 1/2 of my cherries into the most delectable cherry crisp I have ever made. It was slightly tart and wonderfully sweet with a crispy, buttery oat topping. Heaven!

The sticky cherry juice splatted over my skin in spite of the gloves I wore was so worth it. The repetitive action of pitting one cherry at a time was completely justified. The fresh cherry juice I managed to remove from my jeans with cold water and desperation was not in vain.

Cherry Crisp

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Filling:

• 4 cups fresh, pitted sour cherries, drained
• 3/4 sugar
• 1 1/4c. Splenda
• 4 T. Flour

or

• 2 cans sugar free cherry pie filling (You can use regular pie filling but the calorie count will suffer. It's your choice.)

If using fresh cherries, mix all associated ingredients. Put cherry mix or cherry pie filling in a 9x13 pan or a 10 - 12 inch round deep dish.

Topping:

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 c. old fashioned oats
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. splenda
• 1 T. molasses
• 1/2 c. melted I Can't Believe It's not Butter, melted (or other trans fat free butter substitute)
• 1/2 c. canola oil

Note: 1 cup packed brown sugar can be substituted for the sugar, splenda and molasses - calorie count will go up.

Mix all topping ingredients well. Spread evenly over cherry mix or pie filling.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Nutritional info:
Makes 12 servings.
230 calories
7.5 grams of fat
0.8 grams of saturated fat
1.8 grams of fiber
5 WW points

And now for you listening pleasure, a song I sang in college about a cherry tree. (The video is not me singing.)

Le Crock Pot: Poulet Chasser (Hunter's Chicken)

French food is not all heavy cream and butter. It is possible to create the impression of food so very delicious the heart attack might even be worth it, all the while using ingredients that are healthy and even...dare I say it...GOOD FOR YOU!

This dish is almost too go to be true. I know it's true because I made it last night and heard oohs and aahs all around the table - repeatedly! I love it when an experiment comes together as perfection on the pallet!

I did take the time to sear the chicken and soften the veggies, which is optional in this recipe. While I thawed the frozen chicken breasts in the microwave on high for 4 minutes and then while seared in I Can't believe It's Not Butter (my own optional substitute), I chopped onions, garlic, carrots and olives. I also wore kitchen gloves to save time trying to scrub the garlic smell off my hands when I was done. The gloves are also handy for handling chicken without fuss.

When the chicken was golden on both sides I dealt with the veggies and mixed the sauce in the crock pot. ONLY 15 of prep time!!! Then into the crock pot and forgotten until dinner.

C'est magnifique! (Wonderful!)

Mom hates cooked carrots - but not in this dish!
Dad does not care for olives - but not in this dish!
My husband and I don't like brown rice - but not in this dish!

C'est incroyable! (Incredible!)


Slow Cooker Poulet Chasseur Recipe (Hunter's Chicken)

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thawed and patted dry with paper towels)
• 6 tablespoons butter (or I can't Believe it's Not Butter)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red onion, chopped (about ½ cup)
• 1 and 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 4 tbsp. white wine or more chicken broth
• 5 teaspoons flour
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  
• 2 tablespoons diced green lives with red pimento

Directions: Melt butter in a large skillet, then add chicken breasts. Lightly salt and pepper chicken and sear on each side until lightly golden brown, about five minutes on each side. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add garlic, carrots, olives and onions to pan and cook for a few minutes, just until softened; turn off heat. In the crock of your slow cooker, whisk together broth, wine, flour, salt, and pepper until well blended. Stir in the contents of the saute pan, including any remaining butter. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Lay the chicken breasts on top of the mixture in the crock pot and cook on low for 2-3 hours or high for 1-1 1/2 hours, until chicken is cooked through. Do not add more salt. The olives are very salty and will flavor the dish. Remove the lid about 20 minutes before serving if you would like to further reduce the sauce.

Tips:

• If you’re pressed for time, you can add all the ingredients to the pot without searing the chicken or softening the veggies first. You will sacrifice a dab of consistency, and you’ll need to be sure the onions are on the bottom so they’ll cook well.
• To cut out a few more calories use a slotted spoon to fish out the veggies to top your chicken breast once it is plated. You will NOT lose flavor, just fat and calories!
  

To make the getting-on-the-table even quicker, serve with rustic bread and a salad-in-a-bag of your choice.

I served my Chicken Chasseur with brown rice. Hate to cook brown rice? Hate to eat brown rice? NO MORE! Perfect brown rice is cooked more like pasta and when done by this method it is so very similar to white rice that even the most particular pallet will approve!

Brown Rice

• 1 cup short, medium, or long-grain brown rice (makes 2 cups of cooked rice)

1. Rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds. Bring 10 cups water to a boil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Add the rice, stir it once, and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes. (Reduce heat slightly if necessary to keep from boiling over.) Pour the rice into a strainer over the sink.

2. Let the rice drain for 10 seconds, then return it to the pot, off the heat. Cover the pot and set it aside to allow the rice to steam for 10 – 20 minutes. Uncover the rice, fluff with a fork, and season with salt if desired.

To complete this wonderfully French meal serve a wedge of bree with fruit and fresh baked Baguettes as an appetizer or dessert. (Yes, cheese and fruit can be a dessert!)

The recipe I used is located here. This bread was quick and easy! If you use a bread machine to make the dough, you can start it as soon as you get everything in the crock pot, and (if you cook dinner for 3 hours on low) the bread will be done just before your main course - just in time to eat with a Bree and fruit appetizer.

Don't forget to add dinner music:

Louis Armstrong - La Vie En Rose (with lyrics)

Bon appetit!

Tiramisu

I'm back! After a 5 month absence I am blogging again! I have no voice at the moment, allergies have removed my top octave and I cannot project worth anything, but I can still work magic in the kitchen! I'd like to tickle your taste buds without expanding your waistline with a tantalizing dessert and a few original variations.

From Wikipedia:

Tiramisu (Italian: Tiramisù; Venetian: Tiramesù " [tirameˈsu]) is one of the most popular Italian cakes. It is made of savoiardi (otherwise known as lady finger biscuits) dipped in espresso or strong coffee or rum, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks, mascarpone cheese, and sugar, and topped with cocoa.

Oh, my good, good God thank you for this dessert!

Scalpel please...now removing the eggs, mascarpone cheese, most or all of the sugar, and most of the alcohol (which turns to sugar in your blood!) .

This dessert is so amazing it makes me feel a bit like this:

Lady fingers are hard cookies that act like little sponges. They are frequently available at your neighborhood Big Lots for a fraction of the cost at most stores. At just $2.50 a package, $5.00 will give you enough lady fingers for three 8X8 baking dishes full of tiramisu! Unused ladyfingers keep for ages if kept in an air tight bag or container.

Please read beyond the recipe if you do not like coffee or just want try a variation!

The Recipe: (See update 7.11.10 at bottom of recipe)

• 28 Lady finger cookies (just 30 calories a piece)
• 16 oz Neufchâtel cheese (or 1/3 fat reduced cream cheese)
• 1 c. fat free sour cream
• 1 c fat free plain yogurt
• 1/2 t. vanila extract
• 2/3 c. sugar or splenda granulated for baking
• 2/3 c. espresso or strong coffee
• Optional: 1 - 2 tablespoons rum, Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur, or 1/2 teaspoon orange extract.
• Cocoa powder for dusting

In a mixer, combine Neufchâtel cheese, sour cream, fat free plain yogurt, vanilla and sugar (or splenda). Mix until completely combined, scrapping the bowl occasionally.

Place 14 ladyfingers in a single layer in the bottom of an 8X8 baking dish. You may need to trim the ends of one row to allow them to lay flat.

Combine coffee and optional add in (if using). Brush 1/2 of coffee over lady fingers.

Pour 1/2 of creamed mixture over the coffee soaked ladyfingers.

Repeat with remaining 14 ladyfingers, brush with remaining coffee, and top with remaining creamed mixture.

*Do not worry if the creamed mixture seems a bit runny. The Lady fingers will soak up the excess moisture and it turns out perfect every time!

To dust cocoa of the top, use a fine wire mush strainer or a mesh tea infuser to hold the cocoa powder. Tap the edge with your finger to encourage the powder to dust the top of the dessert.

Refrigerate for 3 - 24 hours. Makes 12 serving.

Calories per serving with sugar: 242
Calories per serving with Splenda: 119
Fat grams per serving : 9
Saturated fat grams per serving: 5

(UPDATE - 7.11.10 : I just made this with fat free Cream Cheese instead of Neufchâtel cheese. It's wonderful! So don't hesitate to remove the fat and calories from this recipe if you wish.)

If you do not want to make this dessert with coffee you can use any fruit juice instead. You can even add chopped or sliced fruit between the layers. Another variation is to use flavored syrup , but dilute the syrup a little. Use just under 1/2 cup syrup and add enough water or fruit juice to equal 2/3 cup or liquid.

This dessert goes together in as little as 15 minutes! It keeps for about 3 days if covered tightly and is amazing!


Web Counter

Dinner is Out of All Proportion!

Do you think you are getting a good deal when you order food at a restaurant and the plate that arrives in front of you is roughly 16" in diameter and absolutely covered in cuisine? Well think again!

All foods are permissible (obviously with the exception of food allergies or serious health concerns) but not all foods are good for us! The less healthy foods should be eaten rarely and in small amounts, but not banished all together from our plates.

Try to keep to these portion control standards:



A steak should be about the size of an iPod classic.

A serving of pasta should be about the size of your fist.

A pat or butter is about the size of a postage stamp.



A serving of cheese is 1 oz., about the size of a small matchbox or your littlest finger.

A baked potato should be about the size of a computer mouse, and not the mini mouse variety.

A pancake should be about the size of a cd or dvd.

A serving of salad dressing is about 1 shot glass full.

A serving of beans is ab out the size of a light bulb.

A serving of fish is about the size of a checkbook.

A serving of rice, preferable brown or wild rice, is about the size of a baseball.



A serving of chocolate, dark chocolate is best, is the size of a dental floss container.

Not one of these is outrageously limiting! I adore sweets, I just don't eat them every day and I try to limit myself to the 3 bites rule, and the bites are not small!

Movie Monsters

Heading to the movies anytime soon? It's like a horror show regardless of the film you choose if you head to the snack bar.



Admit One - to the cardiac unit
Did you know that a medium popcorn and a medium soda have 1600 calories? 60 of fat? That's the same as 3 quarter pounders with cheese AND 12 pats of butter (3 oz.). Even if you have them leave off the butter the kernels have already been popped in a hot bath of trans fats. (Trans fats are man made fats that sit in your system and do not leave!) As for counting calories, A large bucket of kernels holds about 1,100, shockingly close to most weight loss diet's caloric limit for the entire day (about 1,200 to 1,500).

More terrifying film food facts:

Large Buttered Popcorn (20 cups): 1500 calories, 116g fat, 90g carbs
Hot Dog (1 dog with bun): 305 calories, 4.5g fat, 23g carbs
Nachos with Cheese (large, 4 oz): 1101 calories, 59g fat, 131.5g carbs
Soft Pretzel (large): 483 calories, 4.5g fat, 99g carbs
Cotton Candy (2.5 oz): 300 calories, 0g fat, 74g carbs
Junior Mints (3 oz): 320 calories, 5g fat, 68g carbs
Milk Duds (3 oz): 340 calories, 12g fat, 56g carbs
Sno-Caps (3.1 oz): 360 calories, 16g fat, 60g carbs



Raisinets (3.5 oz): 380 calories, 16g fat, 64g carbs
Gummi Bears (4 oz): 390 calories, 0g fat, 90g carbs
Goobers (3.5 oz): 525 calories, 35g fat, 55g carbs
Twizzlers (6 oz): 600 calories, 4g fat, 136g carbs
M&M's (5.3 oz): 735 calories, 31.5g fat, 105g carbs
Skittles (6.75 oz): 765 calories, 9g fat, 166.5g carbs
Reese's Pieces (8 oz): 1200 calories, 60g fat, 138g carbs
Starburst (24 pieces): 480 calories, 10.5g fat, 99g carbs
Coca-Cola with ice (large, 3 pints, 18.9 fl oz): 353 calories, 0g fat, 88.4g carbs

If you buy food, your best bets are to split either Junior Mints or cotton candy with a friend or loved one, however, I recommend taking your own snack. I reuse to worry about upsetting the management by bringing in food when the items they sell are so outrageously unhealthy! Take in a print out of these food facts and flash it in the face of the middle management stooge that dares to ask about your snacking from home. It's actually doctor prescribed, see here.

One of the very best things you can do to make sure you aren't tempted in to indulging at the snack bar is to eat BEFORE you go to the theater.






The best snacks are things like:
high fiber granola bars - Kelloggs Antioxidant Dark Chocolate Almond are amazing!
dried fruit - raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries
2% fat string cheese
Any of the various 100 calorie packs* - which you can make yourself at a fraction of the cost if you read labels and have a kitchen food scale
nuts - be careful of salted and honey roasted varieties

You can also pop some 94% fat free, buttery popcorn at home and bring it with you! Especially at movie theaters connected to malls, carrying in a shopping bad, smaller gym bag or a very large purse is not uncommon. Personally I have a back injury that doe not appreciate how the theater seats tip backwards a bit to be more "comfortable". For me, the seats are very painful after just 30 minutes. I carry a canvas grocery tote with a small pillow and a neck roll...and a few snacks!

I have chosen to bring my own snacks more times than I can count and never been questioned once. Sit in the middle of a row and let whatever happens happen. Do you want to eat at the theater? Do you want to avoid the lethal offerings they will never hesitate to temp you with? So what if the middle management guy in the suit reprimands your snacking... just don't opt for a canned beverage. That opening "click" and "spritz" sounds massive between previews!

* Beware the use of high sugar 100 calorie packs. They are just mini bombs that spike your sugar levels, inducing more insulin to be mad in your body and triggering a "hoard the fat cells" response.

Spaghetti Night

Have you ever looked at the ingredients in most spaghetti sauces. Why do they include sugar? Tomatoes are sweet if they are picked at the right time, why add sugar? Here is an easy, home sauce that is very little more work than opening a jar.


Marinara Sauce with Meat

• 1/2 pound ground turkey or ground beef
• 1/2 pound Italian spicy sausage - hot, medium, or mild (can use Italian turkey sausage if desired)
• 1 - 29oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 2 t. garlic powder (not garlic salt)
• 1 t. basil
• 1/2 t. oregano

1. Brown and drain meats.
2. Add all other ingredients and mix.
3. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes or, for more flavor, cook in crock pot for 3-4 hours on high.

That's it! I know it's amazing an simple. Pair with an SmartTaste pasta and you have and outstanding - and healthy meal.

Music for dinner should include:

• Tarantella Napoletana
• Si Maritau Rosa
• Piu Bellu di Peppe Non Ce
• Thats Amore
• Funiculi Funicula