Healthy Sesame Chicken Skillet

Pic courtesy How Sweet Eats

This was SOOOOO yummy and SOOOO easy. And, I'd be willing to bet that you have all the ingredients already in you pantry! Everyone in my family loves this meal- from baby Eloise up to Christian. So, if you don't know what you want to make for dinner tonight...

Healthy Sesame Chicken Skillet
from How Sweet Eats 

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2-3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
brown rice and vegetables for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk together chicken stock, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic cloves, soy sauce and vinegar. Set aside.
Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Toss chicken with salt, pepper and flour. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil to skillet, and once hot, add chicken in a single layer. Cook until seared and golden on one side, then flip and cook until golden again, about 2-3 minutes. Pour chicken stock mixture over top and toss to coat, then turn off heat. Place skillet in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and cover with sesame seeds. Serve with veggie of your choice and brown rice.

 

Superbowl Chili

Superbowl Chili
2 lbs meat (I used 1 lb lean ground beef and 1 lb lean ground turkey)
1 green bell pepper
1 onion
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 3 oz can green chilies
1/2 jar chili sauce
1 jar salsa
1 t cumin
2 t chili powder
1/2 t cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t garlic salt
1 can black beans (undrained)
1 can kidney "   "
1 can northern beans "    "
3 cups water

Cook meat, pepper and onions. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. You can also cook meat then dump everything in a crock pot. There so much wiggle room in this recipe-- use whatever beans you have on hand!
**Also, I like to use the chili for another night and have Navajo tacos! YUMMY! I just thaw out Rhodes rolls and fry them in oil then serve with chili, salad and garnished on top!

Cheesecake Rice Pudding

 from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

We had some friends over this weekend and they're gluten intolerant, so I wanted to make a yummy dessert that they could eat. I love rice pudding, so I was excited when I came across it, knowing that it was also gluten free! It was sooooo yummy! Everyone loved it!

Cheesecake Rice Pudding
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

Pudding:
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups cooked medium grain rice
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten and brought to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Variation:
• 6 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened to room temperature
• 2 tablesoons powdered sugar 

1. Pour 3 1/2 cups of the half-and-half, cooked rice, sugar, and salt into a large 3 to 4 quart pot. Stir constantly over medium heat with a wooden spoon or flat silicone spatula until the mixture thickens, 25-35 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Place the beaten egg in a medium bowl. Slowly add a spoonful of the hot pudding to the egg, whisking vigorously and constantly. Continue to temper the egg with 3-4 more spoonfuls of the hot pudding, whisking constantly. Add the tempered pudding and egg mixture into the pot of hot rice pudding, stirring quickly to incorporate. Return the pot to medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture boils.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the last 1/2 cup of half-and-half and the vanilla extract.
4. Stir the softened cubes of cream cheese into the hot pudding. Add the powdered sugar and stir well until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated. Transfer the pudding to a large bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to avoid a skin forming and refrigerate until ready to serve. The pudding can be served warm, room temperature or cold and will keep well covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Panzanella Salad with Spinach

I made this salad recently and it was so delicious.  Its fancy and maybe a little time-consuming, so its great for a fancy dinner or when you're asked to bring a salad to a get-together.

source

Panzanella Salad with Spinach

From Jenny Evans Gatherings

For the bread:

1 crusty loaf of multigrain bread (I used Kroger's PS brand multigrain bread)

2 Tbs. olive oil

Salt and Pepper to season bread

For the Vinaigrette:

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

2 Roma tomatoes, cut into 1/2-in cubes

1 red bell pepper, chopped small

1/2 red onion, chopped small

3 large garlic cloves, minced

15 large basil leaves, chopped or julienned

8 oz. container of small, fresh mozzarella balls each cut in half

4 cups baby spinach leaves, cut into 1/3 inch slices

salt and pepper to taste

For the bread, heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the loaf into 1-in cubes and toss with olive oil.  Lay single layer on a baking sheet  and sprinkle with with salt and pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes and let cool. 

For the vinaigrette, put all ingredients into a blender and puree.  For the salad, in a large serving bowl, combine all of the ingredients and pour the vinaigrette over everything.  Salt and pepper and toss well- allow to sit for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors meld.