Category: Main Dishes

Spicy Chicken Nuggets

I can’t believe it’s been a month since I’ve blogged! It wasn’t that I was in a blogging rut, I was truly in a cooking rut. For the first time in years, cooking felt like a chore. It happens to the best of us I guess. But I am happy to be back, so thanks for waiting.

These Spicy Chicken Nuggets were slightly adapted from a Giada recipe. I know, chicken nuggets are often associated with a popular fast food chain, but these nuggets are homemade with real ingredients. First, you dredge the chicken pieces in flour. Then you dip them in a mixture of whisked egg and tabasco sauce, although I skipped the hot sauce. Finally, you toss the chicken pieces in a mixture of cornmeal, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. The chicken is baked at a high temperature in the oven so that the meat cooks quickly and stays moist.

This method really works. The chicken was crispy with just the right amount of spice. You could dip them in honey mustard sauce as suggested, or you could place these on a big green salad. These nuggets would also be good for little people who like to ‘dip’ their food, if they can handle some cayenne. If you’re bored of all the usual chicken recipes, give this one a try!

Paula Deen’s Vidalia Onion Casserole

Sorry to leave you for a while without a new recipe, it’s been a little hectic. But my cooking club theme for this month was Paula Deen, and I knew it was going to be blog-worthy! I made this Vidalia Onion Casserole, which turned out to be just as good as I had hoped. It’s everything you’d expect from a Paula Deen recipe. I used real butter, full fat cheddar cheese, full fat evaporated milk, and original Ritz crackers. Plus, of course, 4 very large Vidalia onions. The onions are boiled first, and then sauteed with butter, so they have a sweet and mellow flavor in the end.

I always knew that Paula Deen’s recipes were rich, but I actually didn’t realize that so many of them are fairly simple. There aren’t a lot of fancy ingredients to find, or complicated steps. This recipe didn’t even call for any additional spices beyond basic salt and pepper.

Our Paula Deen theme was a lot of fun, and made me remember that butter actually does make things taste better. Although most of her recipes won’t become part of my regular rotation, they will certainly have a place on special occasions. I’ll share a few more of the recipes from our dinner with you this week, so stay tuned.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I’ve wanted to make Chicken Tikka Masala for a while now since it’s one of my favorite Indian dishes. The version you get in restaurants is usually good but often very heavy. So I started with this lighter recipe from Skinnytaste, and made just a few changes. I kept the overall combination of spices which created a flavor that seemed authentic to me, and not too spicy. The combination of tomatoes and spices also gave the dish a rich color.

I really wanted to see if I could prevent the yogurt from curdling, so I let the masala cool for about 5-10 minutes before stirring it in. The yogurt still curdled a bit, probably from the acidic tomatoes. It didn’t matter one bit though, I really liked this dish and am happy to enjoy it right at home!

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 T canola oil
1 large Vidalia onion, peeled and diced
1 T garlic ginger paste
1 T cumin
1 T garam masala
1 t turmeric
2 t chili powder
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. skim milk
5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
6 oz. plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Saute onion on medium-low heat until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Add garlic ginger paste and stir for 1 minute. Add spices and stir for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, water, and milk, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add chicken pieces, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Stir in yogurt and serve.

-Lightly adapted from Skinnytaste

Dal Nirvana

I was really craving some Chana Masala, but I was out of chickpeas. However, I had a big bag of lentils and I found this recipe for Dal Nirvana. I made a few changes in an attempt to reduce the amount of saturated fat without compromising the taste. I replaced the butter and cream in the original recipe with nonfat Greek yogurt, which helped make the dish creamy. There was just one aesthetic problem – I added the yogurt when the dal was very hot, and it separated. This didn’t affect the taste of the dish, but the photo is so horrible I can’t even post it. I also cut back the cayenne pepper so that it wouldn’t be too spicy, and added a dash of curry powder for a little more Indian flavor.

In the end, I liked this dal but it probably won’t make it into my rotation of Indian dishes. There are just too many recipes that I like even more, like Chana Masala, Chicken Saagwala, and Red Bean Curry. Plus, there’s plenty more Indian recipes I’d like to try. I think Chicken Tikka Masala might be next on the list…..

Dal Nirvana

1 c. lentils
1″ piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 t minced garlic
1/4 t cayenne pepper
Dash salt
Dash curry
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz.) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt
Fresh cilantro

Place lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Simmer covered for 10-15 minutes, until lentils are tender. Drain lentils, and return to pan. Add ginger, garlic, pepper, salt, and curry powder and stir well. Add tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover, and continue to simmer until the mixture is thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool briefly. Stir in yogurt and cilantro. Serve with brown rice or naan.

-Adapted from Budget Bytes

Artichoke Tart with Polenta Crust

I was talking to a friend the other day about artichokes. She has a love of artichokes that she passed on to her daughter, so now they enjoy them together. I’ve never felt that strongly about artichokes. Sure, I’ve eaten (more than) my fair share of Spinach Artichoke Dip, but I’ll eat just about anything that involves spinach and cheese. When I saw this recipe for an Artichoke Tart, I was really drawn in by the polenta crust and the pretty fluted tart pan. I also figured it would give me a chance to try artichokes on their own.

The recipe looks more complicated than it really is, and polenta is very forgiving. You really don’t need to fuss. I liked the creamy texture of the tart, although it could have used just a bit more flavor. I think some garlic or caramelized onions would help. And the verdict on the artichokes? They were my least favorite part. I admit, I was wishing I had used spinach, or mushrooms, or asparagus. But that is the beauty of a recipe like this one, you can pick whatever vegetable you like.

Artichoke Tart with Polenta Crust

Crust
3 c. water
1 Knorr Vegetable Bouillon cube
1 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 t black pepper

Filling
1 c. nonfat Greek yogurt
2 eggs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 T Italian seasoning
1/4 t black pepper
1 (14 oz.) can artichokes, drained well
1/2 c. low fat ricotta cheese

Heat water in a pan on medium heat. When the water is simmering, dissolve bouillon cube. Pour cornmeal into the pot slowly, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, and continue stirring for 5-10 minutes, until polenta is thickened. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Stir in egg and black pepper. Spread polenta mixture into a large pie dish or tart pan coated with cooking spray. Spread the crust up the sides, and use a spatula or your fingers to make it smooth.

Mix yogurt, eggs, Pamesan cheese, and spices in a bowl and set aside.

Place artichoke pieces on the crust. Place spoonfuls of ricotta cheese around the articokes. Pour the yogurt filling into the crust.

Place pie dish or tart pan on a cookie sheet, and bake at 375F for 45-50 minutes.

-Lightly adapted from Stacey Snacks

Broccoli Chicken Alfredo

Last week I spotted some fettuccine alfredo at the hospital cafeteria, and realized that the only ‘alfredo’ recipe on the blog was Hungry Girl’s Girlfredo Pizza. Here is my attempt at a more traditional alfredo, inspired by this recipe. You’ll notice there’s not much chicken, but a little bit goes a long way.

Although this is a fairly simple recipe, I had 4 burners going at once in order to steam the broccoli, cook the chicken, boil the pasta, and make the cheese sauce. That’s a little too much work for an average weeknight, so I’d save this dish for the weekend and cook the chicken in advance if you can.

Once I finally sat down to eat, I really enjoyed this dish. It was rich and creamy without being too heavy. It’s not exactly what you’d get in an Italian restaurant, but it’s pretty good!

Broccoli Chicken Alfredo

1 (16 oz.) package broccoli, steamed
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
2 T canola oil
2 t minced garlic
2 T flour
1 c. vegetable broth
1/4 c. nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 c. nonfat milk
Dash paprika
1/2 c. grated Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago cheese (such as from Trader Joe’s)
6 oz. whole wheat linguine, cooked al dente

Pour oil into a medium saucepan on medium low heat. Add garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Stir in flour and mix until smooth. Reduce heat to low and stir in broth, yogurt, and milk. Add paprika. Cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Stir in cheese and remove from heat.

Toss together broccoli, chicken, linguine, and cheese sauce and serve.

– Adapted from celebrations.com

Crockpot Ethiopian Chicken Stew

I’ve been looking for some spicy food lately, and this Ethiopian Chicken Stew looked like a good recipe to try. The recipe also calls for hard boiled eggs, and it just so happens that I had some beautifully colored eggs in my refrigerator. Traditionally, the egg is placed in the stew whole, but it was easier to eat when I chopped it up.

Some of the comments on the original recipe indicated the stew was fairly spicy, and a full teaspoon of cayenne pepper seemed like too much for me. I cut that back to a 1/4 teaspoon which ended up being just right. I also wanted to mention that I used frozen chopped onions for the first time. Not only did it save me time, but I am pretty sure it also saved me money.

The stew may not be the prettiest dish in the world, but it hit the spot perfectly. Next time I’ll try to make my own injera!

Crockpot Ethiopian Chicken Stew

1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 (12 oz.) bag chopped onion
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 t ginger
1 T paprika
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 t turmeric
2 c. water
Hard boiled eggs

Place tomatoes in the bottom of the crockpot. Place chicken thighs over tomatoes. Add onions, vinegar, spices, and water. Cook on High for 4-5 hours, or until chicken is falling apart. Serve each bowl with a hard boiled egg.

-Adapted from Stephanie O’Dea (Crockpot 365)

Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes

I just couldn’t wait any longer, I had to buy some asparagus. Of course, the bunch I bought was from Mexico because I don’t think it’s available locally quite yet. I was inspired by this recipe from Giada which uses the asparagus in a simple pasta dish. The original recipe also uses fresh tomatoes, but we’re months away from seeing anything like that around here, so I opened up a can.

I also bought a new product this week at Trader Joe’s: freshly shaved Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago. Every good pasta dish needs at least a little cheese, and I really like this stuff. The cheese is shaved in large pieces with a nice sharp flavor. This is a great alternative to shredding the cheese yourself, because I am far too lazy for that.

In the end, this dish doesn’t have a ton of flavor, but it’s still a satisfying meal. I think it will be much better when asparagus and/or tomatoes are truly in season, and a little bit of fresh basil might be good too. I’ll try to be patient.

Pasta with Asparagus and Tomatoes

1 T olive oil
1 t minced garlic (or Garlic Gold toasted garlic bits)
1 bunch asparagus, stems removed and cut into 1″ pieces
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes in juice
6 oz. whole wheat rotini, cooked and drained, reserving 1/2 c water
1/4 c. freshly shaved Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago cheese, plus more for serving

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Add garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Add asparagus pieces and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice, and cover frying pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5-10 minutes until asparagus is tender. Add pasta to pan, and stir well. Add cheese and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water if dish is too dry.

-Adapated from Giada at the Food Network

Chicken Yakisoba

What’s yakisoba you ask? Mark Bittman wrote an article about this Japanese dish with vegetables, meat, and noodles all tossed in a thick brown sauce. I saw this recipe first on Budget Bytes, but Bittman acknowledges that yakisoba is meant to be flexible. It’s a “use what you have” kind of dish, and you all know how much I like those.

On that note, I used buckwheat soba noodles which I had in the cabinet. But after further research, the noodles which come in the Ramen package are closer to the kind which are authentically used in the dish. I haven’t bought a package of Ramen since I finished college, so this recipe provides a good excuse! But it’s the sweet and spicy brown sauce which really makes the recipe good. I would never have thought to mix soy sauce, Worcestershire, and ketchup together, but it works. Just be sure to adjust the cayenne pepper to your taste. Enjoy!

Chicken Yakisoba

3 T reduced sodium soy sauce
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T ketchup
1 t sugar
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 T canola oil
1 T garlic ginger paste
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen vegetables, such as Trader Joe’s Harvest Hodgepodge
4-5 oz. soba noodles or Ramen noodles, cooked and drained

Mix soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sugar, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add garlic ginger paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, and stir fry until chicken is no longer pink. Add vegetables, and saute 10-15 minutes more. Mix in sauce. Add noodles, and toss to coat.

-Adapted from Budget Bytes

Poor Woman’s Polenta Pizza

I spotted this recipe on the Real Simple website for polenta pizza, and I always keep a container of cornmeal in my pantry. But since polenta is known as a peasant food, it didn’t make sense to top it with radicchio, sun dried tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella. So this is my poor woman’s version of polenta pizza.

It came out pretty well, but I should have drained the tomatoes more because they made the crust a little soggy. The edges got nice and crispy, but the middle fell apart. It was still pretty good for poor woman’s pizza!

Poor Woman’s Polenta Pizza

2 1/4 c. water
1 c. cornmeal
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (28 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, drained
1 c. reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Bring water to a boil. Slowly add cornmeal, stirring constantly. Continue to cook cornmeal for 3-5 minutes, until it is thick. Remove from heat, and mix in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Spread polenta on the bottom of a 9″ springform pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Use either the back of a spoon or your fingers to get the surface as flat as possible.

Mix spinach and tomatoes together, and place on top of polenta. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted.

-Adapted from Real Simple