Day 17: Black Bean, Corn and Turkey Chili

Its second nature to me to replace beef with ground turkey when I make chili. You can use ground beef if you wish, but ground turkey is so much healthier and tastes just as delicious! If you are trying to cook on a budget, this is wallet friendly.

What you will need:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground turkey

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Stock

1 cup Pace® Chunky Salsa

1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (about 16 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

Get Cookin' Ya'll!

1. Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, onion, chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper and garlic powder. Cook until the turkey is well browned, stirring often to separate meat.

2. Stir the stock, salsa, sugar, beans and corn in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling

I also made a batch of corn bread. I just went by the directions on the box.

What we thought:

So I would rate this a 5/10. Jimmy says this was a 9/10. I think my expectations are too high. It was easy though, healthy, and budget friendly. So i guess that can bump it up to a 6. I was also kind of sick when I was eating this, so that could be a factor. When I had this as leftovers, it did taste more of a 7.

Day 16: Brownie Delight

I got this recipe from someone else online. It looked deellicciioousss so I HAD to give it an attempt, even though I am not big on making deserts.

What you will need:

1 box Brownie mix.

3-4 Score bars

1 large container of frozen whipped topping

2 large box vanilla or white chocolate pudding

Directions:

1. Make brownies as box directions. As soon as it come out take a knife and make it into small pieces, this is to cool it faster. (no rhyme or reason to cutting, i just take a knife and go back and forth making it look crumbly.) cool

2. Crush Score bars into small bite size pieces. set aside.

3. Make pudding, add half the milk called for on box, once pudding starts to set add the whipped topping and stir until well blended.

4.Once the brownie is cool, layer. brownie, pudding mixture, score, brownie, pudding score. do as many layers as you have ingredients for. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

What I thought:

I started to doubt my tastebuds when it came to this desert. It was entirely too rich andI over cooked the brownies, because I was distracted in the living room, which resulted in a few hard pieces of brownies. I also think eating a few thin mints before eating this, i am healthy..i know, also made it too rich. Overall, this was super easy to make so I would rate this a 6 1/2-7 out of 10. Would I make it again? Probably not. It looks pretty though. I also used sugar free vanilla pudding, fat free milk, and added strawberries which really saved the desert.

Day 15: Catalina Taco Salad

It's taco thursday! So on today's menu, we are having Taco Salad!

1 lb. ground beef- browned
1 can kidney beans
1-2 C cheddar cheese- cubed
1 head lettus-chopped
1 bag Spicy Nacho Cheese Doritos
1 small red onion chopped (optional)

Catalina salad dressing

1. Brown meat, drain and mix with salt and pepper, you could add a taco seasoning pkg, but it doesn't need it.
2. In large bowl mix: lettus, beans, meat, cheese, onion (if desired)
3. Serve. Add crunched up Doritos and Catalina dressing to taste.

What we thought:

Jimmy rated this a 9/10. He really enjoyed it. I would rate it 8 1/2-9 out of 10. I found it very filling but I wanted an extra spice or something. I will make this again for sure. I used Fat-Free Catalina dressing and fritios instead of doritos. I think I will try the doritos next time.

Day 14: Slow Cooked Honey -Lemon Chicken with Potatoes

I saw this on the Rachael Ray show. Here is her link for the recipe:http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/slow-cooker-meal-honey-lemon-chicken-potatoes/

I decided to go with this recipe because I am under the weather with a cold, so my energy is very limited, and the last thing I want to be doing is cooking. Since I am tired of Taco Bell, which Jimmy brings home, I can spend 10-15 minutes prepping a meal, and letting the slow cooker do the rest of the cooking.

What you will need:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs


• Salt and ground black pepper


• 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes


• 1 small onion, chopped


• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated


• 4 to 5 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped


• 2 lemons, thinly sliced


• 1/4 cup honey


• 1/4 cup chicken stock or water


• 
  


• To finish:


• Zest of 1 lemon, cut into strips


• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped


• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Get Cookin' ya'll!:

n a skillet, heat EVOO over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides.

Scatter the potatoes, onion, garlic, thyme and lemon slices in the bowl of a crock pot. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the browned chicken over the veggies and drizzle with honey. Add stock, cover and cook, undisturbed, for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

Serve each portion topped with a combination of lemon zest, parsley, toasted nuts and balsamic drizzle.

Our thoughts:

Jimmy said this was bland and I have to agree. I would never make this meal again. It was not eye pleasing nor did it please my tastebuds. I would rate this a 1/10.

Day 13: Deep Fried Chicken Sliders

I very, rarely ever eat deep fried chicken unless its chicken tenders. I happened to tune into the Rachael Ray show this morning, and saw that she was cooking deep fried chicken sliders. I thought about making it tonight , but decided against it. Then I was watching the Food Network's 'Cooking for Real' and this chef was making deep fried chicken as well! So, I gave in. You can find Rachael's recipe on the following link: http://rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=3208
I did not follow this recipe mainly because I didn't have the recipe at the store.

What I used:
Store bought biscuts or home made biscuts
1 lb of chicken breats
Flour, Salt, & Pepper
Palmful of paprika
Palmful of garlic powder
Honey for drizzling
Vegetable oil

In a bag or bowl, combine flour, salt & pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. You can dip the chicken in egg and then dip the chicken into the flour mixture so the flour will stick better, or you can moisten the chicken with water before hand.
Meanwhile, you will be wanting to heat the vegetable oil in a pan.

Cooking tip: Rachael Ray said that in order to know if your oil is heated enough, stick the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If bubbles start bubbling around the stick, its hott enough.

While you deep fry the chicken, heat the biscuts. Place the deep fried chicken onto the biscuts, drizzle with honey and hott sauce. Enjoy.

What we thought:

Jimmy rated this a 9. I asked him why he rated it a 9 and he said, "because it tasted delicious". I have to agree with him. This really really hit the spot. The reason we think it hit the spot was because of the honey. The honey just made it so sweet, and the chicken was cooked perfectly. The chicken wasn't overcooked, it was juicy, the biscuts was a little over done but I couldn't tell. The only thing I hate about this meal is the way the oil makes my house smell like KFC, and the leftover oil. I will most definitely make this meal again, as long as I have honey!

Day 12: Mexican Lasagna

Its Mexican Monday again!! Today we will be making a 'mexican lasagna'. Sounds different, so we will try it!

What you will need:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked
4 cups salsa
6 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked
1/2 cup olives, pitted, whole
1 4 oz. can green chili, diced
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 16 oz. can pinto beans

Get cookin' ya'll:

Cook chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Spoon approximately 1/2 cup salsa into bottom of 9x13 baking pan. Place a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles over salsa. Slice olives.

Combine chicken, chilies, olives, and half the cheese. Arrange chicken mixture on lasagna noodles. Spread with 1/2 the remaining salsa. Add a second layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. Spread second layer noodles with canned beans.

Top beans with a third layer lasagna noodles. Cover lasagna with remaining salsa. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour, or until noodles are tender. Remove from oven and enjoy

What we thought:

Jimmy rated this a 6 or 7. He said it was too spicy (we used Medium salsa), and he didn't exactly know what he was looking at when he looked at the lasagna. I think we are so used to seeing lasagna with pasta sauce and cheese, that seeing it with salsa, beans, and noodles did look weird. I would give it the same rating. It was interesting, but I don't know if I would make this again. It wasn't down our alley.

Day 11: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Happy Valentines Day! I couldn't think of anything more festive other than chocolate covered strawberries to make for valentines. Jimmy helped me with putting chocolate on the strawberries, and it ended up being a fun couples activity. It was more interesting trying to keep Jimmy from eating all the strawberries and chocolate! Good thing I bought two cases of strawberries ;)

What you will need:

1 lb of strawberries

10 oz of semi sweet chocolate

If you want to decorate the chocolate, you can get white chocolate to drizzle on top of the dark chocolate, or vice versa.

Get dippin' ya'll:

You can melt your chocolate two ways:

1) By using a double boiler

2) Microwave

I used the microwave. I emptied the chocolate into the bowl, cooked for 2 minutes, stirred the chocolate around, and cooked for another 2 minutes. Put parchment paper on a plate, dip the strawberries, and place in the freezer for a few hours until the chocolate has cooled.

Jimmy rated the strawberries a perfect 10/10! We waited like 5 minutes and decided that they were frozen enough because we couldn't wait. We ate three and put them back into the freezer, which ended up being a bad idea. We left them in the freezer over night. The strawberries were completely frozen, so we moved them to the fridge. The strawberries ended up thawing out and getting soggy, so we left them out and that messed them up even more. O well. We would reccomend putting them in the fridge after you make them so they cool off, yet not freeze

Cut a few calories off your salad!

I dont know where I heard it or if I just magically came up with the idea, but a way that I cut calories off my salad is by using lemon slices or lemon juice. If I am in "diet mode" and I go out to a restaurant, I usually end up ordering a salad and asking for lemon slices. Lemon juice has very little calories, and it tastes super healthy!

Here is a description of how good lemon juice is for you (http://www.oohoi.com/natural%20remedy/everyday_food/benefits-of-lemon-juice.htm)

"Lemon juice is very high in citric acid, which helps the body fight off colds. Lemons and the juice also acts as an antioxidants. Lemon juice is also a liver stimulant and can control irritable bowel syndrome. It can control conditions like constipation and diarrhea. It can also help in helping heart burn, some bloating and even helping in subsiding gas pains."

Believe it or not, certain salad dressings have the same amount of calories as a hamburger from McDonalds! Try using lemon juice on your salad as a dressing, and let me know what you think!

Day 10: Chicken Jambalaya

Since the Saints won the Super Bowl && Mardi Gras is coming up, I figured we'd have what New Orleans is famous for (or what I think of when I think of New Orleans cuisine),Jambalaya.

What you will need:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

6 ounces andouille sausage, chopped

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in bell peppers and next 5 ingredients (bell peppers through black pepper); saute 1 minute. Add rice; saute 1 minute. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minute. Add chicken and sausage; cover and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

What we thought: Jimmy and I both came to a conclusion that this was a 8/10 rating. I made a mistake when buying my chicken. When I went to the store, I was buying the ground turkey for the Thai wraps and I had "ground meat" stuck in my head, so I bought ground chicken instead. It still tasted good. We will most likely end up making it again.

Day 9: Thai Turkey Wraps

These turkey wraps are the healthy version of PF Changs wraps. I am really excited about this recipe because: 1) its healthy 2) it sounds delicious 3) it gets rid of half of the vegetables in my fridge that would probably end up spoiling!!! Heck ya!

What you will need:

1.25 ground turkey

1 head of Boston leaf lettuce

1 carrot, peeled and minced

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

Juice of four limes

2 tsp Sriacha chili sauce

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

(As a side note, if you want to plan the next couple of night's dinners, the sesame chicken and the orange glaze chicken uses some of the ingredients shown above as well as my Mexican Monday dishes)

Garnish:

1 red pepper, minced

1/2 cucumber, deseeded and julienned

2 tbsp roasted cashews, chopped

Get cookin' ya'll!:

Cook turkey in skillet till no longer pink, then transfer to a dish and cool in refrigerator. Remove core from head of lettuce, then wash and dry leaves. Combine next 7 ingredients (carrots through green onions) in a bowl, then stir in cooked and chilled Jennie-O turkey. Arrange lettuce leaves on the outer rim of a serving plate. Spoon turkey mixture onto the center of each lettuce leaf to create wraps. Garnish with peppers, cucumber and cashews.

What we thought:

Jimmy thought this was a 8 and even went back 3 times for more servings! He even said, "Now you can say that was a success".

I agreed with Jimmy. One thing we both agreed on was the amount of tsp of Sriacha we put into the bowl. It calls for 2 tsp, but we are not spicy kinds of people. Next time we will put in 1 tsp. I also did not include the cashews or red peppers. Over all this dinner, as Jimmy would say, was a success. It was very fresh, and we loved tasting all the different flavors at once.

Day 8: Rosemary Skewered Chicken with Orange Glaze

This recipe reminds me of something that I would end up craving in the middle of the afternoon, and end up calling the local chineese delievery restaurant to have this item delievered to me (which would = high calories). This recipe is different. It is 230 calories per serving (about 5 pieces of chicken). This recipe is from one of the Biggest Loser recipes, fyi :)
Yield: Serves 6.

What you will need:
Juice of 3 oranges
1 Tbsp. honey
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
6 large springs of rosemary about 10 to 12 inces long, with half the leaves removed

Get cookin' ya'll!:
1. Preheat a grill or grill pan on medium high heat
2. Place the orange juiceinto a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the orange juice has the consistency of a very THIN syrup. Add the dijun, honey, garlic, and ginger and continue cooking over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat to allow flavors to meld and reserve.
3. Evenly divide the cubed chicken amoung the rosemary sprigs and skewer the chicken onto the exposed part of the rosemary sprigs.
4. Lightly brush the grill with oil and grill chicken for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
5. Remove skewers from the grill to a serving plate, drizzle with the orange sauce and serve immediately.

What we thought:

Jimmy rated this a 7/10. Reason being: he added too much ginger.

I rate it a 7 1/2-8/10. It was good, it tasted fresh, but I felt like something was missing. I don't know, but it was good, and we will be making it again!

Day 7: Green Beans with Chicken and Crumbled Feta Cheese

This is a super healthy dinner with low calories as well as very yummy!

You will need:

1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 2-4 breasts)

1 tbsp olive oil, plus some for drizzling

1 lemon

6 oz fresh green beans (1/2 cup per person)

1/2 cup fresh feta cheese, crumbled

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 avocado (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1. Broil chicken with dash of olive oil and lemon slices on top for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the chicken halfway through and squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes

2. When chicken is almost done broiling, drop green beans in boiling water and boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Strain green beans, taking them out while they're still bright green and crispy. Toss them into a bowl with 1 tbsp. of olive oil, crumbled feta and chopped tomato. You want the green beans to still be warm when you do this to melt the cheese slightly. If desired, slice 1/2 avocado and add it in

3. When chicken is done, cut into pieces and toss in with green bean mixture. Serve.

I did not make this, my grandma did, but we came to a conclusion that this was a 8/10. I really enjoyed the taste of avocado, and I really enjoyed the taste of lemon juice. When I make it, I may add extra juice.

Day 6: Sesame Chicken

This was new to us, and when we tried it out, it was a nice change.

You will need:

3 to 4 chicken breasts

1/3 C flour

1/2 C sugar

1/4 chopped green onions

2 tablespoon sesame seed

1/2 cup soy sauce

Directions: cut chicken into bite size pieces and coat with flour. fry in pan with olive oil until brown . Take out and place in separate bowl for later. Mix sugar and soy sauce in pan and add chicken (this will coat the chicken and make it kinda sticky) then add seeds and green onions until coated. Serve with rice and enjoy

Jimmy made this tonight. I helped with the prep.

I rated the seasoning like a 7 1/2. I think it needed more sugar. I gave it an 8 as well because it was a new and different idea for dinner.

Jimmy rated this 8 because "it was gooooood"-as he says. He says he would make the chicken into smaller pieces, like I suggested the first time, and make it sweeter.

Day 5: Greek Cucumber Sandwich

I got this sandwich idea from Panera Bread, except they call it by a different name. It was really good, so I had to buy the ingredients just so I could eat it again!

What you will need:

bread (I use wheat, and I recommend wheat)

4 or 5 slices of cucumber

pesto

roasted red pepper

feta cheese

You will make this like you make any sandwich: put pesto on one or two slices of bread, cut up the roasted red pepper into slices and add on top of the pesto, add the cucumber, and sprinkle feta cheese on top.

Day 4: Albondigas Soup with a Chicken Burrito w/ fresh Pineapple Salsa

Happy Mexican Monday! This past weekend, in my leisure time, I was watching Food Network channel. Sandra Lee was making a chicken burrito with fresh pineapple salsa, tortilla soup, and this pineapple drink. I got to thinking, "that pineapple salsa looks really good and easy to make. Instead of cooking the tortilla soup, I'll make my albondigas soup with the buritto. YES!". Thats where Mexican Monday originated from.

On today's menu we have Albondigas Soup, which I call 'Meatball Soup', and a chicken burrito with pineapple salsa. If you are going to attempt both of these meals, here are some things to take into consideration:

1) Both of these meals, for a family of two, seems like two main courses(if you cook according to the directions,without halving everything). If you have a family of 4 or more, this may be right down your alley!

2) If I would have prepped and cooked both meals by myself, I would have been in the kitchen for at least three hours or more. Since I have a wonderful fiance who decided to help me, things went by faster and smoother! (Hint: great couples activity!)

Chicken Burrito with Pineapple Salsa
(offical recipe from Food Network)

-1 (3.5 to 4 pound) chicken

-Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

-1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained and chopped

-1 small red onion, diced

-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

-1 table spoon chili powder

-2 table spoons lime juice

-3 scallions, chopped

-1 can red or black beans, drained and rinsed

-1 cup shredded jack cheese

-Tortillas (white or wheat fine)

As a side note, we had frozen chicken in a bag in the freezer so it seemed pointless to go out and buy the thawed chicken, that you can find in the meat produce section, so I ended up using 4 chicken breasts. If that equal 3.5 to 4 pounds of chicken, heck if I know! It was enough to feed 2 people and have enough for two burritos as leftovers. As for the lime juice, I thought we had lime juice, but we didn't. I was thinking lemon juice, which we did have. So instead of LIME juice, we used LEMON juice which seemed ok. I am sure the lime juice would have added that extra UMPH. Next time. Also, we did not use scallions. If it makes a difference, I am not sure. The salsa tasted great to us.

Directions:

In a large pot, put the chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper with cold water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour. (It took us less then 30 minutes with our chicken breasts)

While the chicken is cooking, make the salsa by mixing together the diced red onion, pineapple chucks, jalapeno, cilantro, chili powder, lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Remove the chicken and allow it to cool. Wrap the tortilla in a damp towel and microwave for 45 second or until warm and pliable. Heat the beans in a small pot over low heat (We microwaved the beans)

Thats basically it! If you want proper instructions to build a burrito, google it.

Jimmy's Ranking on the chicken

Salsa: 7/10. We added too much onion
Burrito over all (w/ salsa): 7/10-We let the chicken and the beans cool while we were eating the soup first.

Albondigas Soup

This soup is really good, especially on a cold night. Its very comforting, the same feeling you get when having your favorite meal made by a family member. This recipe is really easy, and it leaves options to experiment with different vegetables.

You will need either:

12 cups of beef OR chicken stock

6 cups of beef stock and 6 cups of water

6 cups of chicken stock and 6 cups of water

(I use 6 cups of chicken stock and 6 cups of water)

The vegetables are up to you, but I used 2 zucchini squash, 2 large carrots (peeled and cut up), and half of an yellow onion.

Different recipes say you should use string beans, peas, etc. Experiment! Decide what YOU like best.

Universally, you will need

Half an onion (yellow or white) or a whole onion. Depends if you are a lover of onions.

1 large garlic clove

2 tbsp of olive oil (or as Rachel Ray says: EVOO)

1/2 cup of tomato sauce

1/3 cup of white rice (I'm sure you can use brown rice)

1 pound of beef

1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves

1 raw egg

Salt, Pepper to taste. Cayenne if you wish. (I don't use cayenne)

Cilantro

What you will need to do is let the onions simmer for a few minutes in the oil until tender (five minutes). Add garlic and cook a minute more. Add broth mixture and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer. Add your vegetables

Prepare your meatballs. Put the pound of beef, egg, and rice into a big bowl, mix, and form into a meatball shape (about 1 inch)

Add meatballs one at a time. Be careful not to splash yourself while dropping the meatballs into the broth. Cover and let simmer for a half a hour.

Garnish with cilantro (in your own bowl, not in the pot)

Both of these dishes are really good, but take a ton of prepping/cooking time. If you choose to do either the burrito with salsa OR the meatball soup, it will be super easy and remotely quick. If you decide to do both courses, plan your time accordingly.

Jimmy's Rating:

With cilantro: 8/10

Without cilantro: 7/10

My rating: You cant have a meatball soup without cilantro. Cilantro makes it Albondigas Soup. Either way, its warm and comforting, and theres plenty for leftovers. Note: if you put the soup in the fridge, the meat fat will separate from the broth leaving like white chunks within the broth. Its OK. Just take a spoon and dip out the white chunks. If you leave the white chunks in the broth, and reheat the soup, it will just warm up the fat, and the white chucks will disappear. Either way, it wont harm you.

Enjoy!