Brown Sugar Chicken

Brown Sugar Chicken

• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 T. dijon mustard
• 1 large (or 2 small) clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. paprika
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
• About 1/2 – 1 c. lemon-lime soda (ie. Sprite, 7Up, etc.)
• 1 1/2 – 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Combine brown sugar, mustard and seasonings in a bowl and mix well. Stir in soda just until mixture is the consistency of a thick dressing.

2. Place chicken in a dish or plastic ziploc bag and pour marinade on top. Let chicken sit in marinade at least 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until fully cooked. Or, grill the chicken until fully cooked.

3. If desired, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Spoon over cooked chicken.

http://stolenmomentscooking.com/brown-sugar-chicken/

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce

Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce
Recipe by Our Best Bites

12 oz bag Barilla Cheese & Spinach Tortelini (find them in the dry pasta aisle)
4 oz bacon or pancetta, (about 4 strips bacon)*
3 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press or finely minced
2 Tbs flour
2 C milk
¾ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dry basil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp or more if you like spicy)
1 medium lemon
2 C loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
¾ C grated mozzarella cheese, divided
¾ C grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions.

Place bacon in a medium sized skillet on the stove-top at medium-high heat.  Cook until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain.  Reserve two tablespoons bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest.  Add garlic to pan and cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute.  Add flour to pan and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with whisk until smooth.  Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer.

While sauce is heating, use a microplane grater or a fine-holed cheese grater to zest lemon.  Then cut lemon in half and remove juice.  Add 2 teaspoons zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to sauce.  (Note:  I really love lemon so I added this to my tastes.  If you don’t want as strong of a lemon flavor, I suggest cutting it down to 1 teaspoon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice) .  Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Drain tortellini and place back in stock pot.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture.  Add spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.  Add sauce and gently stir to combine.  Place pasta mixture in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup mozarella and 1/4 cup parmesan and also crumbled bacon.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted and pasta is bubbly throughout.  Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

* For a vegetarian meal, omit bacon.

Serves 4-6

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/04/tortellini-spinach-bake-in-creamy-lemon/

Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce

Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce
skinnytaste.com 
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 enchilada • Old Points: 4 • Points: 5
Calories: 230 • Fat: 7.3 g • Protein: 20.4 g • Carb: 28.7 g • Fiber: 12.2 g  


Ingredients:


For the Chicken and White Bean Filling:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
• 15.5 oz can Navy beans (or Cannellini beans)
• 8 oz cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1/3 can water
• 1 chicken bullion
• 1 tsp cumin

For the Green Chile Enchilada Sauce:

• 1 tsp butter
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup fat free chicken broth
• 7 oz can chopped green chile
• 2 jalapeños, chopped (I used jarred)
• salt
• 1/2 cup light sour cream

• 3/4 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese
• 8 medium low carb tortillas
• chopped fresh cilantro or scallions (or both!)

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375°.


For the Filling:
In a medium pan, heat olive oil on low. Add onions, garlic and saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add green chiles, beans, water, bullion, and cumin. Mix well and cover.Simmer on low 15 minutes. Remove cover, add chicken and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until it thickens and liquid boils down. Set aside.

Green Chile Enchilada Sauce: 
In a large nonstick pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add flour and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowlywhisk in the chicken broth. Whisk until the sauce becomes smooth. Cook over medium heat until the sauce boils and thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Add green chiles, jalepeños, and salt to tatse. Cook another minute then remove from the heat. Stir in the sour cream.

Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup of the chicken/white bean filling. Roll the tortillas and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling remainder of the tortillas.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with cheese. Cover with aluminum and bake 20-30 minutes, until the enchiladas are hot and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with fresh cilantro or scallions.

Creamy Grape Dessert

Creamy Grape Dessert
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes  
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1/8th • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 171.2 • Fat: 7.9 g • Protein: 5.3 g • Carb: 33.8 g • Fiber: 1.6 g   

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb green seedless grapes, washed and dried well
• 1 lb red seedless grapes, washed and dried well
• 8 oz fat free Chiobani Greek yogurt
• 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup agave (or sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

• 2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Directions: 

Cut grapes in half and set aside.

Mix yogurt, cream cheese, agave and vanilla until blended well. Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving dish.

Combine brown sugar and crushed walnuts. Sprinkle over top of grapes to cover completely. Chill until ready to serve.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/07/creamy-grape-dessert.html

Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe

Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 289.2 • Fat: 7.1 g • Carbs: 48 g • Fiber: 4.9 g • Protein: 11.7 g • Sugar:1.0
Sodium: 103.7 (without salt) 

Ingredients:

• 12 oz uncooked pasta
• 6 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets, no stems
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• salt and fresh cracked pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When water boils, add pasta and broccoli at the same time and cook according to pasta instructions for al dente. When pasta is almost done cooking, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside. Drainpasta and broccoli.


http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/07/easiest-pasta-and-broccoli-recipe.html

Grilled Chocolate, Nutella and Banana Pizza

Ingredients

U.S.

Metric

Conversion chart

• 1 pound(s) fresh pizza dough
• 1/2 cup(s) chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
• 2  bananas, sliced

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Directions

1. Prepare outdoor grill for covered, direct grilling on medium-low.
2. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. On one end of oiled cookie sheet, with fingertips, spread and flatten 1 piece of dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. (Edge does not need to be even.) On same cookie sheet, repeat with another piece of dough. Repeat with a second oiled cookie sheet and remaining dough.
3. Place all 4 pieces of dough, oiled side down, on hot grill grate. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until grill marks appear on underside (dough will stiffen and puff).
4. With tongs, turn crusts over, remove from grill, and place, grilled side up, on work surface. Divide chocolate-hazelnut spread among crusts; spread evenly, leaving 1/2-inch border, and return to hot grill grate. Cover grill and cook pizzas 3 to 4 minutes longer or until undersides are evenly browned and cooked through.
5. Transfer to cutting board; arrange banana slices on tops of pizzas. Makes 8 servings.

Read more: Chocolate, Hazelnut, and Banana Pizza - Pizza Recipes - Dessert - Good Housekeeping 

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/chocolate-hazelnut-banana-pizza-ghk

Herbed Corn

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• Prep/Total Time: 20 min.
• Yield: 10-12 Servings

2020

Ingredients

• 12 cups frozen corn
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

• In a large saucepan, combine corn and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until corn is tender. Drain; stir in the remaining ingredients. Yield: 10-12 servings.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Herbed-Corn

PB Popcorn

Peanut Butter Popcorn with Chocolate Drizzle

3 Quarts Popped Popcorn (no kernels allowed, they break teeth so check carefully for them)
1 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Honey
1/2 C. Corn Syrup
1C. Peanut Butter
1tsp Vanilla
1/2 C. Chocolate Chips

In a large heavy saucepan combine sugar, honey, and corn syrup. Bring to a hard boil for 2 min. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until melted and smooth. Working quickly dump the popped popcorn into the mixture. Using a spoon toss to coat all of the popcorn. 

Spread the coated popcorn out on waxed paper to cool. Melt the chocolate chips. Drizzle melted chocolate over the coated popcorn. When popcorn is cooled and chocolate is dry store in an air tight container. 

Recipe Here:  http://usasillyyaks.blogspot.com/2012/01/peanut-butter-popcorn-with-chocolate.html