Black-Bean Enchilada Casserole

Source: Cooking Light

I kept hearing about this recipe, so I finally caved in and made it. It was very tasty and easy! I was a little scared chopping up the jalapeno pepper that it would be too spicy, but I found it to be just enough spice for us. Instead of red enchilada sauce, I used medium-spiced green verdes enchilada sauce. It's essential that corn tortillas are used - flour tortillas will get soggy. This was quick, healthy, and I love that we have some leftovers, too!

Black-Bean Enchilada Casserole

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, divided

1 cup cooked brown basmati rice or long-grain rice
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (19-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
Cooking spray
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/2 cup cheese, rice, and the next 7 ingredients (rice through jalapeño) in a large bowl. Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce in bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Heat remaining enchilada sauce in a skillet for 2 minutes or until warm, and remove from heat. Dredge both sides of 6 tortillas in warm enchilada sauce, and arrange tortillas, overlapping, over sauce in baking dish. Top with 1 3/4 cups bean mixture. Dredge both sides of remaining tortillas in warm enchilada sauce, and arrange tortillas, overlapping, over bean mixture. Top with the remaining bean mixture, remaining enchilada sauce, and 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Lighten Up (Gruyere, Arugula and Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Carmelized Shallot Sauce)

One of my goals this year has been to eat healthier. Now, I've never met a recipe with a stick of butter or a cup of heavy cream that didn't make me go weak in the knees. But it's pretty easy to have delicious food when you're only cooking with fatty ingredients. So I'm branching out this year. I am now in possession of the Cooking Light Complete Cookbook and The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger. I'm enjoying going through these books, particularly the Ellie Krieger one. She has a very healthy approach to eating, as well as some very tasty looking recipes. Expect to see quite a few here in the future!

This recipe, from the previously mentioned Cooking Light cookbook, caught my eye. Maybe it's because it's quite possibly the longest recipe name I've ever encountered. Maybe it's because I have an undying love for Gruyere cheese. Whatever the case might be, this was my first recipe from my new cookbook!

The recipe suggested stuffing the chicken in advance. I did the morning I made this for dinner, and it worked out perfectly. It breaks up the recipe and makes the rest of the recipe that much easier.

Now for the verdict: I was blown away by how amazing this was, and how low in fat, too! The combination of gruyere, arugula and prosciutto was delicious, and the sauce added that little something extra. We both devoured this! I can't wait to make it again!

I bought an entire bag of arugula, so I used the rest by tossing the extra with diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add some fresh-grated Parmesan cheese and homemade croutons and you have a gourmet meal!

I don't have a large nonstick pan, so I just used my stainless steel All Clad. I think it turned out a little tastier because I was able to scrape up the brown bits from the chicken when I added the wine into the pan. Yum! I would put this in my top 5 chicken recipes!

Gruyere, Arulua, and Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Carmelized Shallot Sauce

Source: Cooking Light Complete Cookbook

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Chicken:

6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

6 (1/2 ounce) slices prosciutto

6 (1/2 ounce) slices Gruyere cheese

1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

Carmelized Shallot Sauce:

1 cup thinly sliced shallots

2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 cups dry white wine

2 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare chicken, place each breast half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Discard plastic wrap. Top each half with 1 slice prosciutto, 1 slice cheese, and 1/4 cup arugula, leave a 1/4-inch border around edges. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal, sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Chicken can be prepared up to a day ahead, and refrigerated).

3. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in shallow baking pan, bake at 350 for 5 minutes or until done. Turn off oven and leave in until sauce is ready.

4. To prepare sauce, add shallots to skillet and saute 4 minutes over medium-high heat or until browned. Add tomato paste, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, about 8 minutes.

5. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stir with a fork or whisk until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to sauce and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove chicken breasts from oven and plate them; top with at least 1/4 cup sauce. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Source: Tasty Kitchen

I love appetizers. Sometimes I'll order a few appetizers in lieu of an entree. A few years ago, my favorite meal was the 3 For All at Friday's, with the potstickers, mozzarella sticks, and potato skins. Yum. I will take any excuse to make an appetizer, and being that I was hosting a gathering yesterday, these fit the bill!

I cannot think of an easier recipe to make. I bought frozen turkey meatballs. In the future, I'll look for smaller meatballs so there are more servings (plus smaller food is cuter!!!), but in any case, this will take you all of 5 minutes to put together. Once the meatballs had been cooked through, I put them in my crockpot on low to keep them warm. Delicious!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound Frozen, Pre-made Meatballs
½ cups Onion, Chopped
¾ jars Heinz Chili Sauce
⅓ cups Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch, Whisked Into 1/2 Cup Water
Ground Black Pepper
2-½ Tablespoons Rice Vinegar Or Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1. Mix all ingredients and let simmer over medium-low heat until onions are soft and meatballs are cooked through.

(If these are too zingy and not sweet enough for you, try adding a little pineapple juice or ketchup to the sauce.)

Brie Stuffed Mushrooms

Source: The Pioneer Woman

I used to HAAAAATE mushrooms. That may be because my exposure to them was either raw, or on top of pizza. Ew. I have come to love mushrooms now. I think of them as little flavor sponges, soaking up the flavor of any recipe they're in. Yum!

Stuffed mushrooms are even more fun! These were a snap to prepare. I made these in a glass baking dish, and some of the juices from the mushrooms collected on the bottom while in the oven - I may try baking on a cookie pan or something similar next time to see if the juices cook off. Additionally, I broiled for a few minutes to crisp up the tops. These were delicious, and I'll be making them again!

Brie Stuffed Mushrooms

1 package White Button Mushrooms, Washed And Stems Removed
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
4 whole (to 5) Green Onions, Sliced (up To Middle Of Dark Green Part)
Splash Of White Wine (optional)
1 slice (wedge) Of Brie Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter in large saucepan. Add mushroom caps and toss to coat in butter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and cook for 1 minute. Remove mushrooms from pan and place upside down in a baking dish.

3. In the same saucepan (without cleaning it) throw in garlic, parsley, and green onions. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and splash in wine, if using. Stir around until wine evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

4. Cut rind off of brie wedge, then cut pieces of brie to fit each mushroom cap. Place inside, lightly pressing to anchor each piece of brie.

5. Top mushrooms with parsley/garlic mixture.

6. Place into the oven for 15 minutes, or until brie is melted. Broil for a few minutes if desired. Mushrooms are best when allowed to cool slightly.

Beef Bourguignon

Source: Ina Garten

My husband and I recently went to Vegas and had a fabulous meal at Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris hotel. The entire meal was amazing, but in particular, their beef bourguignon blew my mind. It was so tender, so flavorful, so incredible. It took everything in me to not lick the plate! I have been thinking about this dish since then, and decided to give this version a go.

To summarize, THIS IS MY FAVORITE RECIPE THIS YEAR. I repeat, THIS IS MY FAVORITE RECIPE THIS YEAR!

I don't mean to yell at you, really. But this is so fantastic and so special. I want to shout it from the rooftops. "I LOVE YOUR BEEF BOURGUIGNON, INA!"

The revisions I made were using brandy instead of cognac, and using turkey bacon instead of real bacon. It goes without saying this isn't a Weight Watchers meal. A lot of reviewers on the Food Network suggested things like letting the stew cool and skimming off the fat, using turkey bacon, and using a cornstarch slurry instead of the butter/flour mixture. But I say, what the hell. As long as you're not eating this EVERY day, you'll be fine.

If using turkey bacon, note it won't render as much fat as regular bacon. Adjust the heat in the pan as necessary.

I also left the pot in the oven for 2 hours. My suggestion would be to check on it after the recommended time, and then check every half hour until the meat is as tender as you'd like it.

We added in the pearl onions at the end, but I think next time we may leave them out. Neither of us ate them.

Instead of the bread, I made egg noodles as the stew was simmering the last 15 minutes, and then tossed them with a bit of butter and fresh minced parsley. Yum!

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir (I used a Pinot)
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole pearl onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For serving:
Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

3. Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

4. Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

5. Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

6. To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

Herb-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with Orzo

Source: Annie's Eats

I'm always looking for a new, easy chicken recipe. I love chicken - it's lean, easy to cook with, and I always have some! This recipe was simple and quite good!

Just last week my husband mentioned, "I never thought you would really COOK when I met you." That's true, I never used to actually make dinners! Throughout the years, I've been cooking more and more, and actually learning along the way. I've always said I can READ a recipe, but I really can't create anything new. The reason I bring up all this when I ate this recipe I thought, "Hmmm...I think some crushed tomatoes would be really good instead of the diced tomatoes, and maybe a little bit of white wine." It's kind of cool to me I'm getting to the point where I can actually TASTE something and think about how I could change it :)

Herb-Rubbed Grilled Chicken with Orzo

8 oz. orzo pasta, uncooked
2 chicken breasts, butterflied into halves (4 pieces total)
Salt and pepper
2 tsp. Herbes de Provence
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
2 cups broccoli florets
½ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Bring a saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

2. Season both sides of the chicken breast halves with salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly with the Herbes de Provence. Heat the olive oil in a 12- or 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast halves to the pan and cook about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallot to the pan and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute, until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes with juices and the broccoli florets to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer over medium-low. Add the chicken breasts and any accumulated juices back into the pan. Cover and let cook until the broccoli florets are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the cooked orzo, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Mix until well blended and the cheese has melted. If necessary, add some of the reserved pasta water to smooth out the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Chicken Stew

Source: Elly Says Opa

This is one of those great, use-it-up recipes. You can toss pretty much ANYTHING from your fridge in this stew. Also, take out the potatoes and add noodles and you have a simple chicken soup recipe!

Chicken Stew

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 pound chicken breast, cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
4 oz. white or crimini mushrooms
1/2 lb. baby redskin potatoes, halved (skin-on)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
corn starch slurry (optional)

1. In a smallish stockpot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces, just to brown, and then remove them. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the carrots, celery and garlic until the garlic is just fragrant, about a minute.

2. Pour the wine into the pot to deglaze, being sure to get the browned chicken bits off the bottom of the pot. Reduce the wine slightly over medium high heat.

3. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, potatoes, chicken, mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender and chicken is cooked through.

If you want, add a corn starch slurry at this point and boil about a minute uncovered.

Stir in the peas and serve.