Firecracker Chicken and Broccoli

When I stumbled upon this recipe a few weeks ago I almost thought it was a joke. HOW could there be a recipe so perfect for John and I? I mean Asian style food is my favorite, buffalo sauce is his favorite, and brown sugar makes life sweeter. As soon as I saw this I added it to our menu and decided we needed it in our lives ASAP. I'm pretty sure I made it within two day of discovering it and boy was it good! It was spicy but not too hot, the brown sugar did an effective job of cutting the heat.

I made the recipe exactly as written below but didn't find mine needed an hour to bake. It wasn't saucy enough to withstand an hour in the oven so once 30 minutes had passed and all the sauce was sticking the chicken I removed it and served it. This even reheated beautifully. A perfect meal in this house!

Source: Slightly adapted from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 c. cornstarch
2 eggs

For the Sauce:
1/3 c. buffalo sauce
1/2 c. light brown sugar
2 t. rice wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. salt

2 c. steamed broccoli florets

Directions:

1- Preheat the oven to 350.

2- Dice chicken into 1" pieces.

3- Pour the cornstarch in a shallow dish. Beat the eggs in a separate shallow dish.
4- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip the chicken into the cornstarch and then in the eggs. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes or until just browned. Place in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish along with the broccoli florets.

5- In a bowl combine the buffalo sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic, salt. Pour evenly over top of the chicken and broccoli and bake for 30 minutes-1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until the sauce is completely coating the chicken.
6. Remove from oven and serve over top of rice.

Broccoli with Cajun Garlic Butter

Well, hello there friends! It's been quite some time, hasn't it? John and I were without power for 11 (very long) days due to Hurricane Sandy. We were living with John's parents during that time and I just didn't have the time or energy to cook or blog. But I am back! And my triumphant return comes with... broccoli. Lame, I know! But I swear this is GOOD broccoli. You see, I thought about bringing you one of the fun desserts I have on deck to share, or a new chicken sandwich... but it's been so long since I shared a veggie side, so the broccoli wins. It's nicely seasoned, has a lot of flavor, and went great with the meal I served it with (coming soon!) Come back Wednesday and I'll share a decadent dessert to make up for my big return to blogging being broccoli, I promise!

Source: Cassie Craves

Ingredients:
1 bag frozen steam-in-a-bag broccoli (or 2 heads broccoli, chopped into florets and steamed without salt)
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Directions:
1. While the broccoli is steaming, heat the butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and continue to cook over low heat until fragrant. Add the Cajun seasoning and stir until it's fully incorporated.
2. Place the broccoli in a large bowl and pour the warm butter mixture over it, tossing gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Lemon Chicken and Broccoli

I miss Asian food. So much! My son still has a soy allergy so I am still soy free- blah! I always tell John that I will be holding this over Landon's head his whole life- that I gave up dairy AND soy for him! He'll be one before I know it and soy will be back in my life, but for now I need to find alternatives. This lemon chicken was a great dinner that reminded me of Asian food without the soy sauce. You can easily toss it with pasta and give it a bit more of an Italian inspiration, but served over rice with some baked egg rolls definitely gave it an Asian vibe. It was light, bright, flavorful, and delicious. John and I were both huge fans.

Source: Slightly adapted from  Weight Watchers

4 servings

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp table salt, divided
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
12 oz uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup(s) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tsp minced garlic
2 1/2 cup(s) uncooked broccoli, small florets
2 tsp lemon zest, or more to taste
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, fresh, chopped
Juice of 1 whole lemon

Directions:

1- On a plate, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper; add chicken and turn to coat.
2- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes; remove to a plate.
3- Put 1 cup of broth and garlic in same skillet; bring to a boil over high heat, scrapping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add broccoli; cover and cook 1 minute.
4- In a small cup, stir together remaining 1/2 cup of broth, 1/2 tablespoon of flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; add to skillet and bring to a simmer over low heat.
5- Cover and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in chicken and lemon zest; heat through.
6- Remove skillet from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice; toss to coat. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

4 Weight Watchers points plus per cup
 

Lemony Shrimp and Broccoli

I always have shrimp in my freezer. I buy the big bag of them from Costco and keep them there for days I just don't feel like cooking. After making spicy baked shrimp I became aware of the beauty that is oven baked shrimp. It's seriously the easiest method of preparation and results in delicious dinners in about 12 minutes...which is amazing if you ask me. I had seen a meal similar to this on Weight Watchers website and decided to go for it. I made it up as I went along but based it off my memory of the original. It was really tasty! I used frozen broccoli that I defrosted but you can certainly use freshly steamed broccoli.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original, inspired by Weight Watchers

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 pound shrimp, raw, peeled, and deveined
2 cups broccoli, cooked (or defrosted if using frozen)
2 tbsp panko*
1 tbsp butter, melted*

Directions:
1- Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well.
2- Preheat the oven to 350.
3- In a baking dish layer the broccoli and shrimp. Pour the marinade over top.
4- Top with the panko. Pour the melted butter over top. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through.

*DAIRY FREE SUBSTITUTES
Panko- check your brand, some have dairy
Butter- use 1 tbsp melted butter substitute (I used Smart Balance Light- the original is not dairy free but the light is)

Light Sesame Chicken

I love sesame chicken. I love the traditional form- all deep fried and covered in a thick, sugary sauce. Ohhh yes- it's good. But it's also somewhat horrible. First off all I find they often use the less-than-stellar pieces of chicken to make sesame chicken since it's so battered and coated. Then there's the fact that the dish is probably more calories than what should be eaten in the course of a day. Combine those two and I don't even remember the last time I ordered sesame chicken- maybe 6 years ago?! It was before I lived with John, I know that.

Needless to say I was excited when I saw this recipe. I knew it wouldn't be a true replica of my lovely deep fried-sugar laden sesame chicken, but I figured it was healthier and would be tasty. Well, I was right. It was tasty and definitely healthier! The chicken was so tender, I really liked this method of using the cornstarch mix but cooking it with simply cooking spray. It gave it some texture but not a "fried" taste. It was also very lightly sauced so if you like your dishes more saucy I'd double or even triple the sauce, but it was perfect for us. I will be making this again for sure.

Source: Slightly adapted from Alida's Kitchen
Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray
4 cups steamed broccoli

Directions:
1- Combine the honey, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and garlic in a small bowl. Stir well and set aside.
2- In a bowl combine the egg whites, corn starch, and some salt and pepper.
3- Add the chicken, tossing until evenly coated.
4- Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add the chicken and allow to brown on one side, flipping and allow to brown on the other. Add the sauce and cook until it begins to thicken and chicken is cooked through. Toss with broccoli. Serve with rice.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

I've raved about Pinterest before, but I just can't get enough of it. I have found so many amazing recipes through Pinterest, it's unreal. I'm at this point in my cooking "career" that I can look at a recipe and instantly know if we'll love it or not. I know how flavors combine, I know in general how one ingredient will affect another, and in general I know before I even make a recipe if it'll work. When I saw this recipe it was originally called "crispy shrimp pasta" and it seemed pretty good. I knew we'd like it with a few small modifications and I was very right. This pasta was just awesome. The cajun seasoning really complimented the cream sauce. The whole time I was eating it I kept saying, "John this is super good, right? You like it, right? Don't you love it?" Needless to say John was so annoyed with me by the end of the meal also was a fan. I can't wait to make this again.

Source: Adapted from Kevin and Amanda

Ingredients:

1/2 pound fettuccine

1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp cajun seasoning

2 cups broccoli florets, cooked

Directions:

1- Cook pasta according to packaging directions.

2- In a bowl combine the shrimp with the salt and pepper, tossing well to coat. Add the flour, one tablespoon at a time, stirring well in between to evenly coat the shrimp.

3- Melt the butter and oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the shrimp, cooking on both sides until cooked through and the breading is crisp. Remove from the skillet, keeping hot.

4- Pour the broth into the skillet. Allow it to come to a boil, then reduce heat and continue cooking for 5 minutes over medium heat.

5- Add the cream and cajun seasoning, stirring well. Add the pasta and broccoli to the skillet, stirring well to coat. Return the shrimp to the skillet and toss well.

Pasta with Roasted Garlic Cheddar Wine Sauce

When I started this blog my idea of cooking was Kraft mac and cheese. Unlike many who start a cooking blog to show their cooking skills I started a food blog to LEARN to cook. And those of you who have been reading it all along have followed me on this journey. This recipe was something I bookmarked almost 2 years ago but never made. I was too intimidated by the roasted garlic paste. Looking back on this now it's amusing to me because I have cooked far more complicated things, but at the time this was just too much for me. I had forgotten about this recipe until I saw it pop up on Annie's blog. I immediately added it to our menu- it was time to finally make this!

Well, was it worth the wait? YES! John and I both loved it. It was creamy and delicious, everything there is to love in a pasta recipe. The roasted garlic and cheddar combine for a sharp taste that is really good. And if we're being honest, cheese and pasta are always a good combo, no? Definitely worth the wait, and definitely a recipe worthy of repeating.

Source: Annie's Eats, originally from Good Things Catered

Ingredients:

8 oz. tube shaped pasta, such as penne
1½ tbsp. butter
¼ cup roasted garlic paste*
1½ tbsp. flour
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets and blanched until crisp-tender
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste


*To make roasted garlic paste, peel the outer papery skins off two heads of garlic, leaving the heads still intact. Slice about a quarter off the top of each head so that all of the cloves are partly exposed. Wrap the heads in foil and bake at 350˚ F for one hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool enough to touch, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the peels and smash with a fork to make roasted garlic paste.

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the roasted garlic paste and cook just until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Whisk the flour into the mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to turn golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Stir the white wine and broth into the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and stir until melted. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Mix in the broccoli florets and chicken pieces, and cook just until heated through. Mix in the cooked pasta until evenly coated with the sauce. Serve warm.

Creamy Cavatelli, Chicken, and Broccoli

I posted this recipe for creamy noodles quite recently. Since I made these I couldn't get them out of my mind! I was dying to try them again. A few nights ago I knew I had to make something with chicken to use up the remaining chicken from my roasted chicken and I also knew I needed to incorporate broccoli. Sometimes when I see a good deal on broccoli I go a little nuts and buy a few too many bunches... could be worse, right?! So enter this meal! It was a mix and match of what I had on hand and was inspired by those delicious creamy noodles.

Overall this was good. I liked it, John REALLY liked it. I felt it needed a little more flavor. Next time I will definitely add some roasted garlic and tomatoes- that should make this dish perfect. Oh, and by the way, this brand of cavatelli has awesome nutritional stats.


See? I don't know how it compares to other brands but I found it right in my grocer's freezer (I sound like a commercial...) and it helped keep the points way down on this recipe.

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:
1 bag of frozen cavatelli (pronounced ga-va-deal)
1 bunch of broccoli, chopped into florets, cooked slightly firm
1 cup of cooked, chopped chicken
2.5 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp. flour
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 400.
2- Cook the pasta until slightly short of al dente.
3- In a small bake dish, toss the cooked chicken, broccoli, and pasta.
4- In a bowl mix the flour and chicken broth, ensuring all of the flour is distributed. Add the garlic,onion powder, and Italian seasonings.
5- Pour the broth over the pasta mixture. It will be a lot of liquid, completely covering the mix.
6- Bake 35-40 minutes, uncovered, stirring halfway through the cook time. Most of the liquid should be absorbed/thickened.
7- Serve with parmesan cheese, if desired.

** 4 points for 1/4 of the recipe

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Pasta

This is going to sound surprising to you. Brace yourself. And if you know me in real life this will REALLY shock you. I haven't gone out for Italian food in a couple months. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! I can't! Italian is my love. It's my favorite to cook and certainly my favorite to eat. However, I have been on a real sushi kick and we have so many wonderful sushi restaurants and Asian Bistro's near our house that we normally end up doing that. But don't worry... I am still getting a healthy dose of pasta in at home.

This recipe jumped out at me immediately. I wanted to make something creamy and hearty but not something laden with calories and fat. Enter this recipe. I modified in a bit to make it lighter and I am so glad I did. John loved it. I liked it but I wouldn't say I looooved it. I am not huge on cream sauces (although John is, hence why he loved this!) so I am sure that factored into it. If you love creamy pasta but don't love the affect it has on your weight and health goals try out this pasta dish- it's really quite tasty. I added some red pepper flakes to give it some kick and really enjoyed that addition. If you don't like spicy food just leave them out!

Source: Adapted from Evil Shenanigans

Ingredients:
8 ounces pasta
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup broccoli, cooked and set aside
1 1/3 cup 1% milk
1 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. light cream cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced and set aside
Cooking spray
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1- Cook the pasta and set aside, keeping warm.
2- Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add the onions and mushrooms, stirring occasionally. Cook until soft.
3- Add the garlic, stir well, cook for about 30 seconds.
4- Add the flour, stirring it into the veggies. Pour in the milk and whisk continually until well combined.
5- Cook until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Once it thickens add the salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat, stir in the cream cheese. Continue stirring until well combined.
6- Add the parmesan cheese, stirring until combined.
7- Add the red pepper flakes, chicken, pasta, and broccoli to the skillet. Allow to heat over low heat until all ingredients are hot.

** 7 points for 1/4 of the recipe

Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

One comment I get often when people I know in real life discover my blog is "Wow! I wish I had time to cook that much!" I give this comment the side eye. Doesn't everyone have 24 hours in the day? The next comment I get often is "I like to cook- I just don't have the motivation." Now this comment I understand! I love cooking and baking and will elect to spend a whole weekend in the kitchen. But a Monday night after working all day, writing a paper, cleaning the bathroom... ugh... no thanks! Most of the time I'll force myself to just make what I had planned but sometimes we do end up with take out or at Blue Wasabi, our absolute FAVORITE sushi restaurant.

When I made this macaroni and cheese it was one of those "just get your butt in the kitchen and stop moaning" kind of nights. I had practically dialed the pizza place and hung up 5 times as I argued with myself on whether or not to cook. Then I remembered this recipe and rushed to the freezer to make sure I had frozen broccoli. Sure enough I did so off to cooking I went. This macaroni and cheese is some seriously cheesy stuff! It was delicious. The broccoli really infused the taste and every bite had a hint of broccoli- delish. I will say this is much better as a side dish than a main course. I made it as a main course and I personally felt it was a little heavy even when using all reduced fat ingredient and cutting the butter in half. If you love macaroni and cheese and broccoli give this a shot- its quite tasty.

Source: Adapted from Joelen's Culinary Adventures

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 (8-ounce) package shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 (10-ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed and coarsely chopped
8 ounces pasta, cooked
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs or 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and whisk in all-purpose flour; cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes.

Whisk in milk gradually; cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add shredded cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in broccoli and pasta. Pour into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs or parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.

Roasted Garlic Broccoli

I am a reformed vegetable hater. I used to only eat lettuce, corn, and potatoes. I am trying hard to increase my vegetable consumption. The first veggie that I added to my list was broccoli. I love steamed broccoli that is nice and firm. Mushy broccoli just isn't my thing. I also love oven roasted vegetables. Roasting veggies really gives them a new taste and texture.

This is more so a technique rather than a recipe. I have listed optional ingredients. If you want to add some extra pizzaz to your broccoli you can use some of those ingredients after it roasts. Try it- even if you don't love veggies roasting them is a good way to get used to them.

Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli
olive oil
1 clove of garlic

Optional:
Lemon juice
Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes
Soy sauce

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 425.
2- Wash your head of broccoli and dry it well. Using a knife of kitchen shears cut the florets off the head of broccoli and lay flat on an oven safe surface.

3- Drizzle olive oil over the broccoli. Toss to coat.

4- Using a microplane, grate the clove of garlic on top of the broccoli. Toss to evenly coat the veggies. If you don't have a microplane mince the garlic and toss.

5- Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
6- If desired toss with some fresh lemon juice, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, etc. The options are limitless!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

This recipe was really good. I liked the flavor of it a lot. It was definitely a little spicy. I served it over rice with veggie egg rolls and it was excellent. This recipe is from Kraft.


Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. oil
3 cups chopped mixed fresh vegetables (I used red and green bell peppers, broccoli)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup Kraft Catalina Dressing (I used light)
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Directions:

Cook and stir chicken in hot oil in large skillet on high heat 3 min.

Add vegetables and garlic; cook and stir 5 to 6 min. or until chicken is lightly browned.

Stir in remaining ingredients; cook an additional 2 min. or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

** 5 Weight Watchers points per 1 cup serving

Broccoli and Cavetelli

At my bridal shower I was given a recipe book full of recipes from my family and friends. For some reason I haven't gotten around to making anything from this book yet! I decided I should start trying these recipes and decided to start with broccoli and cavatelli. This recipe is courtesy of a family friend and was very good. I would recommend using less garlic though. I love garlic and felt that 6 cloves was WAY too much... I would probably do 3-4 next time. I also added red pepper flakes... but next time I wouldn't.

OH! I almost forgot to mention- this is my 100th blog post! WOO HOO!

Ingredients:
1 bag of cavatelli
1 bag of Steam Fresh broccoli
1/4-1/2 cup of EVOO (I used 1/3)
6 cloves of garlic
parsley
basil
salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1- Cook cavetelli and broccoli both according to packages, set aside.
2- In a skillet heat the oil with the garlic. Add the seasonings to taste.
3- Toss in the pasta and broccoli. Heat until hot throughout. Top with parmesan.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Whenever I ask John if there is something specific he wants me to make for dinner he says no. In the 3 years we have been living together I think he has requested two or three things total. So you can imagine my shock when he requested broccoli and cheese soup. I have had this Cooking Light recipe bookmarked on my computer for a long time (like over a year long!) but finally had a reason to make it.

This was really very good. It was creamy without being rich, if that makes sense. I used broccoli cuts because it was what I had on hand. After blending the broccoli in the blender though it broke up nicely and didn't seem to matter that I hadn't used florets. Overall I would definitely make this recipe again.

As usual, I halved this recipe. 1/2 made enough for John and I plus some left overs. I served this soup with fresh cornbread... yum!

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)

Directions:
1- Heat the skillet with cooking spray. Add the onion and garlic, saute until tender.
2- Add the broth and broccoli- heat until just boiling. Lower the heat and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes.
3- In a separate bowl whisk the flour and milk. Add that into the broth. Cook until the soup thickens. Add the black pepper.
4- Add in the cheese. Stir until smooth. Spoon some of the soup (the recipe calls for 1/3 but I used over 1/2) into the blender and blend until smooth. Then return it the pot.

Shrimp Stir Fry

Tonight's dinner was excellent and light. If you are looking for something low in calories but high in taste give this a try! I served it over white rice and paired it with a veggie egg roll.

Ingredients:
1 pound of large shrimp, tails trimmed off
broccoli (I used a bag of the steam fresh), cooked
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 clove of garlic, minced
cooking spray
1/2 cup of brown sauce

Directions:
1- Heat your skillet. Spray the cooking spray, add garlic and peppers. Stir until soft.
2-Remove peppers. Add 1 spoonful of brown sauce and stir to coat the pan. Add shrimp, cook through.
3- Return peppers to the skillet, add the broccoli.
4- Pour the sauce over, toss and heat.

Broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole

Since I have begun cooking mostly from scratch and using less and less already made, processed foods, one of the hardest transitions I have had is finding interesting and new side dishes. I am constantly looking for things to make that are not baked potatoes, orzo, etc. I stumbled across this Cooking Light recipe on this blog and though it sounds interesting. We loved it!! It kind of reminded me of broccoli and cheese soup. I only used 1 box of broccoli, the original recipe calls for 2, and it was still a lot of food. Overall, a real winner and I will definitely make this again.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked instant white rice
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used onion powder- about 1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup fat-free milk (I used 1/3 cup of milk based on reviews)
4 ounces light processed cheese, cubed
2 (10 oz.) packages of chopped broccoli (I only used 1 box and it was still a lot of broccoli)
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can of reduced sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
3. Mix all ingredients and spoon into casserole dish.
4. Bake for 45 minutes.

Mexican Veggie Pasta

John and I are in the FINAL steps of buying our house and that means I need to use up some of the food I have in this house so I don't have to pack it and carry it across town. Tonight's dinner was made with that philosophy. Tonight I made a veggie and pasta dish with salsa and cheddar cheese. Sounds strange to some (namely my mother who said "gross" when I told her what I was making... thanks mom haha!) but it was GREAT! This dinner was very healthy and light. I loved the flavor of the salsa, which I was very skeptical about on pasta. This recipe can be adapted for what you have in your house as far as veggies and pasta go. John and I both really enjoyed it and there was nothing left over... which tells you something!



Ingredients:
1/2 box pasta (I used shells)
1/2 jar of salsa or more (to taste)
3/4 cup broccoli
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup red pepper
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1- Cook and drain the pasta. Set aside.
2- Steam the veggies until they are almost done.
3- In a large skillet, combine pasta, veggies, and salsa.
4- Sprinkle cheese on top and allow to sit until the cheese melts.

Not everything is a success...

So tonight I made a recipe I have had bookmarked in a magazine for awhile. It was a Campbell's recipe called "Quick and Easy Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice." Now.. I like all of those ingredients so I thought for sure I would like this. It wasn't bad. It was just kind of plain. I am actually posting it because I feel that with some sprucing up it could be tasty. Unfortunately I wasn't thrilled with it tonight (I actually didn't even eat it...) but John ate his whole plate...so who knows haha! I think with cheddar cheese and more spices it would actually be better.



Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can Cream of Chicken soup (I used the 98% fat free)
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice
2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 cup of fresh parmesan cheese (I added these two ingredients at the end when I noticed the flavor was bland )

Directions:
1- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until well browned on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet.
2- Stir soup, water, seasonings in skillet. Heat to a boil.
3- Stir in rice and broccoli. Reduce heat to low. Return chicken to skillet. Cook until rice is tender.
4- Stir in parmesan cheese until melted.