French Potao Salad

This is another really yummy potato salad!  I have come to the conclusion that I really prefer potato salad without mayo in it.  I am not a big fan to begin with, and it adds so many extra calories.  This one has a vinegar dressing that is delicious!

Ingredients

1 pound small white boiling potatoes

1/4 cup of good dry white wine

1/4 cup chicken stock

4 tablespoons Champagne vinegar (I have used Apple Cider Vinegar when I didn't have champagne on hand)

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup good olive oil

1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)

 

2 tablespoons greek seasoning

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions

• Drop the white potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in 1/2 (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.
• Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Adapted from Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/french-potato-salad-recipe.html?soc=socialsharingpinterest

Lemon Basil Chicken Pasta

This is a quick, light and delicious meal that my whole family loved.  Even my pickiest eater said it was "OK" then went back for seconds.  So yummy!

Ingredients

• Frozen diced/sliced chicken (or rotiserie or even raw)
• greek seasoning
• 8 oz dried linguine
• 4 TB salted butter
• 2½ TB flour
• 1 cup regular chicken broth
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 TB dried basil
• 2TB dried dill
• parmesan cheese
• Note: If you'd like to add veggies, simply boil some spinach or kale leaves along with the pasta during last 2 minutes of cooking.  You could also add frozen microwaved artichokes when you add your chicken back in at the end which is what I did. 

Directions

1. Warm skillet.  Spray with cooking spray then put your frozen chicken in to warm up and defrost.  Season as desired, I prefer greek seasoning but you could use anything you like.  Cover and stir as needed until it is warmed through.  Set aside and keep warm.  Add your veggies to this bowl when they are ready too.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook linguine according to package instructions, to al dente. Drain and keep warm.
3. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add flour and whisk well until combined.
4. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, basil and dill. Bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to simmer for 2-3 min. or until sauce is thickened.
5. Add linguine back into the skillet with sauce and coat well.  Add the chicken and veggies back into the skillet to coat too.
6. Sprinkle parmesan onto plates and serve.  If you like, you can also add some more fresh lemon juice to your individual serving. 

Adapted from: http://www.chewoutloud.com/2015/07/06/30-minute-lemon-basil-chicken-linguine/

Creamy Instantpot Italian Chicken

My neighbor brought this over for dinner one night while we swam.  Both of the kids loved it so I started looking for a rendition of it to add to our menu!  This is really yummy and everyone in our house loves it and asks for seconds!  I serve it over rice with a veggie on the side and the littles love to scoop it up with corn chips!

Ingredients:

• 3-4 chicken breasts
• greek seasoning
• packet of zesty italian dressing mix
• 2 cans of LF cream of chicken soup
• 1 can chicken broth
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 bag chopped spinach
• block of cream cheese (2% is fine)
• 2 bags of instant rice (1/2 cup uncooked) - cook in microwave

Instructions:

• In your Instantpot, cover bottom with chicken breasts.
• Season chicken with greek seasoning and sprinkle zesty italian mix over chicken.
• Over the chicken, pour the cream of chicken, chicken broth, lemon juice.  I often season this with some additional greek seasoning. 
• Cook on manual high pressure for 9 minutes, then let natural release for 10 minutes.  If chicken is frozen, cook for 12 minutes and let natural release for 10 minutes.
• After the 10 minutes of natural release, throw a towel over the valve and let the rest of the pressure out.
• With tongs remove the chicken pieces and shred.  
• Press the saute function.
• Cut your cream cheese up and evenly drop cubes into the soup.  
• Stir frequently until desired consistency is met and it is mixed in well.  Add back chicken as you shred it.
• Add the cooked instant rice and chopped spinach and stir well until spinach is wilted.
• Top with extra lemon juice and Parmesan if desired!  
• I usually mix the rice in but it can also be served over rice or pasta!

 Source:  https://onceamonthmeals.com/recipes/instant-pot-creamy-italian-chicken/

Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

I love broccoli but have really been wanting something a little different than how I normally make it.  I REALLY like this method of cooking broccoli!  My husband who isn't a huge fan of borccoli likes it too!


Ingredients:

broccoli

2tbsp olive oil

garlic salt

salt

pepper

lemon juice

parmesan cheese

 

Instructions:

 

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, add broccoli, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, pepper and salt to taste. Toss broccoli with a spoon until it's completely coated.
• Pour broccoli on the prepared baking sheet, spreading out into an even layer. Scoop out any garlic & oil left in the bowl and sprinkle it over the broccoli. 
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until broccoli is cooked through.
• Sprinkle broccoli with parmesan cheese before serving and add more lemon juice if desired!

Adapted from:http://homemadehooplah.com/recipes/garlic-parmesan-broccoli/

 

Italian Wedding Soup

I love a good hearty soup that is also healthy and this one fits the bill!  I also love to take shortcuts so I used the recipe attached to the link below and adapted to meet my needs! 

 

Ingredients

• Meatballs:
• 1 lb. ground sirloin
• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp. garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. Greek seasoning
• Soup:
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp.garlic cloves, minced
• 7 cups chicken stock - I used one large carton plus one can
• generous amount of dill, chopped
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup acini di pepe
• 2 cups, fresh spinach leaves, rinsed, stems removed and julienned

 

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine all meatball ingredients and mix thoroughly.
2. Form meatballs using a small scoop. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in refrigerator.
3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook, covered until soft, 10 minutes.
4. Add chicken stock, dill, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low boil, and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
5. Add acini di pepe and continue to cook for 6 minutes until pasta is tender.
6. Drop the meatballs into the soup and continue to cook for 4 minutes, until the meatballs float.
7. Add spinach and parmesan and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
8. Serve immediately.

 

*For a quicker version of this meal, you could also buy a sausage and cut into circles and add to the pot.  Turkey sausage would make this even healthier!  You could also make your meatballs with ground pork, chicken or turkey as well!   

Source: http://thebeachhousekitchen.com/2016/01/07/italian-wedding-soup-3/

Chicken Pot Pie

In the past I have always made a Weight Watchers friendly chicken pot pie that was pretty good.  I decided recently though that I wanted to try one that was closer to what I remember as a kid, but still keeping the calories in check.  I adapted my last one and it did not disappoint.  My husband and I both thought it was as good as what Mrs. Stouffer used to make us as kids and the kids ate it up as well!

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken (I use 2 large cans, or frozen precooked either cubed or shredded chicken)
2 cans LF cream of chicken
1 bag of frozen mixed veggies
1/3 cup milk
2 large russet potatos
1 premade pie crust
salt and Peper

Lightly grease casserole dish. Peel your potato and dice it into small pieces.  Mix together first 5 ingredients plus seasoning.  Pour into your prepared dish.  Lay the pie crust out over your casserole dish on one end and bend/fold the corners to create a "pie crust".  Lay the other crust piece out over the other end, overlapping in the middle and repeat the bending on the edges.  This does not need to be pretty or perfect.  Just be sure to cover all of your mix.  Cut slits in the crust.  Bake @ 400 for 1 hour.  Remove and serve!  If your crust isn't crisp enough, you can put it under the broiler for a bit but keep an eye on it to be sure it doesn't burn!  Remove, let cool and serve!

*The last few times I have made this, I bought the premade pie crust and folded and cut it into quarters.  I put the first four into the corners of the rectangular dish.  Then I did the same with the second one and used it to cover any open areas.  I took what was left and ripped pieces and put them along the edges to create more of a crust and cover the edges.  I cooked more evenly and was really good! 

Grilled Venison Backstrap

This year we have a freezer full of venison to eat so we are on the hunt for some delicious recipes and this one did not disappoint!  In fact, it was HEAVENLY!!! 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of venison backstrap, cut into chunks
• 1 quart of apple cider
• 1 1/2 pounds thick sliced bacon
• 2 (12 oz) bottles barbecue sauce, your choice

Directions:

• Place chunks of venison into a shallow baking dish, and pour enough apple cider in to cover them. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove, and pat dry. Discard apple cider, and return venison to the dish. Pour barbeque sauce over the chunks, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 more hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Charcoal is best, but if you must, use gas. Remove meat from the refrigerator, and let stand for 30 minutes, or until no longer chilled. Wrap each chunk of venison in a slice of bacon, and secure with toothpicks.
• Brush the grill grate with olive oil when hot, and place venison pieces on the grill so they are not touching. The bacon will kick up some flames, so be ready. Grill, turning occasionally, until the bacon becomes slightly burnt, 15 to 20 minutes. The slower, the better. Dig in, and prepare to want more.

Adapted from : http://allrecipes.com/recipe/50931/grilled-venison-backstrap/