Dinner Tonight

What's for dinner tonight?? Below holds some answers.....

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Dinner Jan 25 - Chicken Fajitas

Hello my fellow food-lovers!!  I know that I've been trying to be realllllllly healthy, but I wanted a Good. Old. Fajitas tonight ;)  So I made some DELISH new chicken fajitas in a way that I've never done before!  I cut the chicken differently (which made it more tender) and seasoned it differently (which added a ton more flavor).  Try this one--I know you'll like it!

Chicken Burritos

3 chicken breasts
1 onion
1 red pepper
2 packets taco seasoning (I used Old Elpaso, with less sodium)
Small tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa & tomatoes

Heat skillet on med-high and pour a turn of olive oil in the pan.  Slice chicken breasts against the grain; making short, thick slices.  Slice the onion in half, then make thin slices.  Slice the pepper in long strips.  Add all to the skillet.  Saute for 3-5 min, then add seasoning.  Turn the meat, veggies and seasoning in the pan; this lets everything cook together and creates wonderful flavors in the meat and veggies.  Warm the tortillas and serve the chicken and veggies wrapped up with those delicious toppings :)  Yum!!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Dinner Jan 22 - Chicken Soup w/ 'Rice'

Hello all!!  Tonight's dinner is off of a website where we get some delicious healthy recipes.  It's got a twist in it; normal chicken soup, but the rice is made from cauliflower!! Yep--you heard right!  CAULIFLOWER!!!  You guys have GOT to try this!!!

Chicken Soup w/ Rice

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Aneheim pepper, chopped (adjust for seasoning)
1/4 c onion, chopped
1 T oregano
Salt & Pepper
1/2 c Olive Oil
1 c chicken broth
1 head cauliflower, chopped VERY fine; like rice
1 cup hot, cooked rice - b/c there's no WAY I can fool my kids into thinking cauliflower is real rice ;)

Take chicken, pepper, onion, spices and oil and toss in ziploc bag.  Marinate for 30min.  Head skillet over med heat.  Drain chicken, reserving marinade.  Cook chicken in skillet 8-10min, until no longer pink.  Turn heat up to high and add broth.  Allow to bubble and thicken.  Add marinade, slowly, to achieve desired consistancy. 

To make 'rice'.  Place shredded cauliflower in microwave-safe dish w/ a lid.  Microwave for 6min.  Stire, and cook another 6min.  Add salt to taste. 

Place cauliflower in bowl and top w/ soup.  We loved this!!!  I'd love to hear your thoughts/comments/rejections ;)))) 

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Dinner Jan 20 - Pork Stir Fry

Hello everyone!  I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!  It's snowing here in Central Illinois :( but that what we can expect, right?? :)  I'm passing along a wonderful, healthy dinner for my followers.  Still keeping w/ the trends of trying to cut carbs and sugar, this one is perfect for the whole family!  It's got the meat and veggies for everyone, rice for the kiddos, and a yummy, spicy sauce to make you feel like you're not missing out on anything ;)

Pork Stir Fry

1 lb smoked pork loin, chopped into bite-sized pieces *see note
1/2 c soy sauce
1 T ginger powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers, adjust for taste
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen veggies; I used chopped red peppers, broccoli and onions.  You can use your own combo or use a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies.
2 eggs
2 cups hot, cooked rice - for the munchkins ;)

Heat skillet on med-high heat.  Add meat, soy sauce, ginger and crushed peppers.  Saute for about 5min, allowing the sauce to flavor the meat.  Add veggies (if frozen, allow to thaw prior to cooking).  Turn heat up to high and stir-fry veggies for 6-8min.  If you notice the pan is getting dry, add a little oil to help move the food around.  Also, if you feel there isn't enough sauce, add more soy sauce and ginger.  Push meat and veggies to side of pan and crack eggs into open space in pan.  Scramble w/ a pan for 4-5min; until eggs are cooked.  Mix everything together and heat for a couple more minutes.  Serve over rice for the kiddos and enjoy your dinner sans carbs!!  Delish!!! 

*My hubby smoked a pork loin over the weekend and this was what we did w/ the leftovers.  If you don't have access to a smoker, you can purchase a pork loin, season and bake it, or you can buy a rotissere chicken from the deli at the store and use it!  This is a very vesitle recipe that can be adapted to any meat :)

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Dinner Jan 17 - Baked Chicken Fingers

Hello everyone!!  I feel like we're just getting back to reality after a long, FUN weekend!!  Tonight my hubs and I will be dining on some baked fish; we're using the same recipe from the baked Cod, but using Talapia.  I want to make the kiddos something different, since they don't LOVE fish :)  This one recipe is something I had at a friend's house when I was, like 11yrs old....and I haven't forgotten it!  Love this stuff!! 

Baked Chicken Fingers

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 egg
1 c cornmeal
1 T salt
Ground pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Heat oven to 375deg.  Scramble egg, adding a little cold water.  Mix dry ingredients and place in separate bowl.  Dip chicken in egg mixture and then cornmeal mixture.  Place on foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake 15min, cut into one strip and bake 5 more min if needed.  These are awesome dipped in good ol' ketchup!  I'm serving this w/ some leftover cous cous from last week and some steamed broccoli and cauliflower.  This will be a hard one for me to avoid snacking on while cooking ;)....I love these!!!  Enjoy your dinner!!!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Dinner Jan 12, 2012 - Buffalo Chicken

Hello my lovely diners!!! Tonight's dinner continues our healthy eating streak w/ some yummy buffalo chicken!!  Seeing as they hubby and I looooove spicy food and looooove wings, I decided to make this recipe :)  I'll explain what I made alongside the buffalo chicken, b/c there's NOOOO way our kiddos would dig into Frank's hot sauce ;)

Buffalo Chicken

1 family pack chicken drumsticks, skinless
Salt & Pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 c Frank's (or your fave) hot sauce
Celery Sticks
1 c broccoli florets

Heat oven to 375deg.  In two separate baking dishes, place enough chicken for mom & dad in one and chicken for kiddos in other :)  Sprinkle spices on all chicken.  Pour Frank's over M&D chicken.  Cover both w/ foil (here I used my beloved Pamp Chef Deep Dish baker; perfect chicken every time!!) and place in oven for 25min.  Check to ensure chicken is done before serving.  Serve w/ celery and broccoli, w/ ranch to dip for the kiddos.  We also has some leftover Cous Cous for the kids and this was a meal!!!  Enjoy your faux wings ;)

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Dinner Jan 11, 2010 - Breakfast!!!

Who doesn't love BREAKFAST for DINNER????  I loved doing this growing up and we continue the tradition here!  Tonight us healthy adults (ha!  I laugh just saying that!) had an egg scramble w/ peppers, jalapenos, onions and tomatoes.  It was actually pretty good!!  I topped it w/ salsa and it made a good dinner.  The kiddos also enjoyed some waffles.....drooling just thinking about it!!  I love doing this; easy dinner, everyone's happy and easy cleanup! 

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Dinner Jan 10 - Un-Burrito Burritos

Tonight I wanted, NEEDED, a burrito!  But in trying to be a little bit healthier, I decided to make an un-burrito.  It's got all of the good stuff (well, all of the healthy stuff :) that goes inside a burrito, w/out the unhealthy stuff.  It was yummy!!!  Satisfied my burrito craving!!!

Un-Burritos

1 lb ground beef
1/2 c yellow pepper, diced
1/2 c onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced and seeded, to remove heat
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 T chili powder
1 T chopped garlic (that wonderful stuff you keep in the fridge!!!)
1 T onion powder
1 T Cumin
Salt & Pepper
2 c shredded lettuce
1/4 c green onion
Chopped, fresh cilantro
Salsa
For the kiddos ;) - 1 cup hot, cooked rice, corn shredded cheese & ranch

Heat skillet on high and add meat, pepper, onion & jalapeno.  Brown meat and drain.  Mix the spices in a small bowl and add a little water, about 1/4 c.  Return meat to skillet, on low heat, and add spices.  Saute on low until meat is coated in mixture.  Adjust salt to taste. 

Arrange lettuce on plates, top w/ meat, onion and cilantro.  Top w/ salsa.  For the kiddos, I did a rice bowl; rice, meat, corn, cheese, ranch and salsa.  This one was a winner!!!  Enjoy :)

Monday, January 9, 2012

Dinner Jan 8 - Broiled Cod w/ Cous Cous and Asparagus

Hello again my lovely followers!!!  I've missed you guys :))))  I'm glad to be back and VOW to keep this updated!  Since it's a new year and everyone is making resolutions - most of which probably involve getting healthy :) - I've decided to post healthy stuff!!!  Since our family went on a health streak last summer we've managed to stay away from those yummy, cheesy, bad-for-you-but-oh-so-good skillet dishes!!  Which is kinda sad, but sooooo worth it!! 

So let's move on by enjoying a healthy start to 2012!!!

Broiled Cod

4-6 Cod Fillets (2 per adult, one per kiddo)
Salt & Pepper
1/4 t cayenne
1/2 t garlic powder
1 T minced onion
Olive Oil

Preheat oven to broil.  Place fillets on foil-lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle w/ seasonings listed, using more or less cayenne to taste.  Drizzle w/ Oil.  Broil 8-10 minutes, keeping a close eye on the fish, so it does not burn.  When we made this the smaller pieces got done first, so we had to pull them out and finish the rest of the fish.  This is why you must watch it carefully!!!

Asparagus

1 lb asparagus spears, about 1/3 of the end snapped off to remove the stiff part
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Place asparagus on foil-lined cookie sheet.  Drizzle w/ oil and sprinkle w/ salt & pepper.  Place alongside fish under broiler.  Broil 8-10 min, again watching closely so it doesn't burn.  When you remove the asparagus, if it's still stiff, broil another 3-4 min until it's soft to the touch.

Cous Cous

2 cups chicken broth
1 pkg instant Cous Cous

Boil broth.  When it's at a rolling boil, add cous cous and remove from heat.  Let sit for 5 min.  Fluff w/ fork and enjoy w/ asparagus and fish!!