Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

photo credit - www.greensnchocolate.com

I love getting as many meals as I can out of a Rotisserie Chicken.  As part of my most recent meal planning adventures I have been buying 1-2 Rotisserie Chicken's a month.  To see all the fun stuff I have been doing go HERE.  

This Salad is a different and fun meal to throw in the mix.  We all love it!  I will always be grateful for the day when I found this recipe on Pinterest.  Her picture turned out way better than mine, so until I get a better one I am using it.  HERE is the link to the original post.

southwestern chopped chicken salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes          Total Time: 15 minutes                                                               4 dinner-sized salads

Ingredients

for the salad:
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1 can sweet yellow corn (or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed)
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 head ice berg lettuce, washed and chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips


for the dressing:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp ranch seasoning
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients together, excluding the tortilla chips.
2. In a small bowl stir all dressing ingredients together.
3. Pour dressing over salad, starting with about half of the dressing.
4. Toss to combine, then gradually add more dressing until it is dressed to your liking.
5. Top with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Cajun Garlic Pork Roast

Are you looking for a delicious Autumn supper?  I love Pork roasts, and this recipe for a Cajun rub is so yummy and easy to make.  It literally takes 5 minutes to prepare, but with a few good side dishes (for example - garlic mashed potatoes) it becomes "Sunday dinner" quality. 

This recipe comes from Cooking Light May 2005.

 *This Roast Pork is best served with my special horseradish sauce on the side.  I mix 2 parts fat free sour cream with 1 part prepared horseradish. 

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1- 2 pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed

Cooking Spray

 In small mixing bowl combine -

1 1/2 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic (I use bottled)

1 Tablespoon dried Oregano

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Time to get down and dirty.  Use your hands to rub the seasoning mix into the roast really well.  Pack on the extra bits to form a nice crust.  Place roast on a broiler pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours or until thermometer registers 155 degrees.  Let stand for 10 minutes. 

Serving size - 3 ounces

calories 168, fat 6.2 g, protein 25.1 g, carb 1.7 g, fiber 0.7 g, chol 62 mg, sodium 246 mg

**for Freezer Meal - I usually buy a large family size package Pork Roast.  I use each piece in the package for different freezer meals.  I combine the rub and freeze in a small Ziploc, and tape to the wrapped roast then freeze.... OR you can rub on the seasonings then wrap and freeze.

Indonesian Beef Curry with Coconut Basmati Rice

Indian food is very much liked in our family.  Our kids love it, and we love it!  This recipe is Indonesian Curry which is different from Indian, but similar in a lot of the spices and flavors.  Besides the delicious flavor, my favorite things about this recipe are, it is a Cooking Light recipe (May 2008), and this makes a great freezer meal!  Also, this makes a great leftover for lunch the next day.  I like to double this, so we have lots of extra.

Curry - 

Cooking Spray             
1 1/2 lbs. lean top round, cut into thin slices (I also use petite sirloin)

1 1/2 Tbsp. canola oil  
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (I use minced onion)

2 Tbsp. minced, fresh ginger

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (I use 6 tsp. bottled, minced garlic)

2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced (I mince them - wear food prep gloves)

2 tsp. ground coriander   1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 tsp. salt                     1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. black pepper      3 cardamom pods, crushed (I use 1 tsp. ground cardamom)

1 stick of cinnamon         1 cup vegetable broth

1 Tbsp. lime juice

Rice - 

1 1/4 cups water

1 cup uncooked basmati rice

1 cup light coconut milk

1/4 tsp. salt

To prepare curry - 

Heat a large skillet, coated with cooking spray.  Cook beef, in single layer.  Do one 1/2 at a time if needed.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes.  Place beef in bowl on the side.

Reduce heat, add oil to pan.  Add Shallots, ginger, garlic, and chili's.  Cook 4 minutes stirring occasionally.  Stir in Coriander, cumin, salt, cloves, pepper, cardamom and cinnamon stick.  Cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Return beef to pan, and add broth. 

Cover, reduce heat. (**This is when I let it cool and freeze it flat in a Ziploc bag.**)  Simmer 35 minutes or until beef is tender.  Uncover and cook for 10 more minutes, or until sauce is thick.  Discard Cinnamon stick and add in lime juice.  

To Prepare Rice - 

Bring all ingredients to a boil.  Cover and turn heat down and simmer for 18 minutes.    Take off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

Nutritional Information - Serving Size 2/3 cup rice and 1/2 cup Curry

Calories  280, Fat  9.4g, Protein  27.9, Carbs  18.6,  Fiber  1g.

Sweet Hot Cucumber Salad

 I love to make this and eat this year round.  It is especially good with fresh cucumbers from the garden.  It is a great side to any meal.  I've even served it for Thanksgiving.

1 cup vinegar                     1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

3/4 cup water                     dash of Parsley

3/4 cup sugar                      1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt                            Dash of Basil

3-4 sliced cucumbers

Very refreshing side dish!

Heat to boiling all ingredients except cucumbers.  Pour hot liquid over sliced cucumbers.  Put in refrigerator to cool for several hours.  Serve chilled. 



Spicy Potato Wedges

This recipe is from Cooking Light Magazine September 2008.  It was printed with the recipe for Chicken Breasts with Gorgonzola-Tomato Salsa.  I always make them together and the kids love it!  The flavors go really great together.  But mostly I just love how awesome my kids think I am for making "homemade french fries."  That is what they call these.  By they way I double this recipe as well.  I will post the original.

2 1/2 lbs. of Yukon gold potatoes, each cut lengthwise into wedges. *I peel them as well.

1 1/2 Tbsp. Canola oil (I have also used Olive oil)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (I have fun using all kinds of spicy seasonings.)

Cooking Spray *I do not use cooking spray, I bake these on my large Demarle Flexipat.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine potatoes and oil in a large bowl, tossing well to coat.  Toss in with seasonings.  Arrange potatoes on sprayed large cookie sheets, use two if needed to make sure they are in a single layer.  Bake for 25 minutes, then turn them over and bake an additional 20 minutes.  **Because I bake them on a flexipat I do not turn them, just bake them for 35-40 minutes.

Serving size - 6 oz.

Calories 164; Fat 3.7g; Protein 3.2g; Carb 29.9g; Fiber 4.6g;



Chicken Breasts with Gorgonzola-Tomato Salsa

Our family LOVES this meal.  It is delicious!  I found it in Cooking Light Magazine September 2008.  I will post the original recipe, although I always double it.  The leftovers are super good.  Store the chicken and salsa separately.

Salsa

2 cups chopped tomato          1/3 cup chopped red onion

1/3 cup finely chopped basil    2 teasp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teasp. Kosher salt             3 Tbsp. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (I sometimes use Feta)

Combine tomato, onion, basil, oil, and salt in a medium bowl.  Let stand at room temperature while you prepare chicken.  Before serving toss in cheese.

Chicken

6 (6 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves. 

1/2 teasp. Kosher salt

1/4 teasp. pepper

Cooking Spray

Cooking Light suggests you pound out the chicken to 1 inch thickness between heavy duty Suran Wrap.  I just cut down the chicken pieces to make thinner, and easier to cook. 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Cook chicken in large fry pan, heated and sprayed with cooking spray - about 4 minutes on each side, till cooked all the way through. 

Serve with Salsa over chicken. 

Serving size - 6 oz. chicken, 1/2 cup salsa

Calories 178; Fat 5.6 g; Protein 27.2; Carb 3.5; Fiber 1.1g

**In the magazine this recipe is served with Spicy Potato Wedges.  I always serve them together.  They go great together.



Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

This is one of my new favorite meals!  It is completely vegetarian and SO yummy!  My friend Emily posted it on her blog.  She found the recipe on Our Best Bites.  A couple of my kids don't really like this dinner.  They like the filling, just not the pepper. 

4 very large or 6 medium sweet peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
1 Tbs salt
1/2 C white rice (or brown if you want to take the time to cook it), quinoa also works *Corinne's note: I have always used quinoa in this dish, YUM!*
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 – 1 jalapeno, minced (or you could sub a small 3oz can of mild green chilies)
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 green onions, sliced *Corinne's note: I have never had these on hand, and do fine without them.*
1/2-1 tsp chipotle chili powder (you can start with 1/2 and add more to taste) *Emily's note: I used regular chili powder*
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
1 1/4 C jack or pepperjack cheese, divided
3-4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
tortilla chips, just a handful and more for serving if desired.*Corinne's note: I never add the tortilla chips on top.*

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.

Add rice to boiling water and cook until tender, about 13 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno (or chilies) and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, beans, green onions, chipotle chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Place peppers in a baking dish. Remove skillet from heat and add rice, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, and cilantro. Stir to combine well and give it a taste. Add additional salt, pepper, and chipotle powder to your liking. Then evenly divide mixture between peppers.

Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese (or more if you can fit it on there :) and crushed tortilla chips.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Our favorite side dish with this meal is Sweet Corn Cake.  They go so well together!



Taquitos

This is a GREAT way to use leftover meats.  You can use shredded pork, beef or chicken.  In the above picture I used leftovers from Adobo Chili Chicken Wraps.  This use of leftovers was SO delicious! 

Warm Corn Tortillas.  I lightly spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray then warm at 300 degrees for 4 minutes.

Spread a mix of shredded meat, cheese and seasonings down the middle of each tortilla, then roll up.  Lay seam side down and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, till crispy. 

I sometimes sprinkle the tops with cheese before baking.

Black Bean Tostada's

I got this out of a grocery stand cookbook done by Betty Crocker.  I love this meal so much.  It is healthy and easy and makes a good left over for lunch the next day. It also makes a great freezer meal!

1 Package flat, hard Tostada shells.

Cook & Drain –

                1 lb. Ground beef or ground turkey

                ½ cup onion, chopped

Stir in 1 can (10 oz.) chopped tomatoes and green chili’s, undrained. I sometimes blend up the tomatoes in a magic bullet so my kids do not know they are there.  I will also add other pureed veggies like Carrots.

Heat to boiling, then reduce heat.

Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes or until liquid is evaporated. 

Stir in 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained

***For freezer meal let cool and freeze in Ziploc bag and freeze flat.  When ready to prepare, thaw, warm up and serve on shell with toppings.***

Heat through.  

Top tostada shells with bean mixture, lettuce tomato, cheese and sour cream. 

Fish Tacos

My husband and kids love seafood!  I am not crazy about it, but can handle it on certain days, in certain forms.  Every time we order Mexican someone orders a fish taco.  A few months ago I decided to try some on my own.  I've made this a few times now and have adjusted it perfectly.  I have come to LOVE this meal!

Fish Filling

1 pound white fish filet's (I have used Tilapia and Halibut - depending on what is on sale.)

      -Cut the filet's into 1 - 1 1/2 inch sections. 

1 teaspoon of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Cajun/creole seasoning

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1 Tablespoon of Lime juice (fresh or bottled)

Topping

2 cups shredded cabbage (I buy the cabbage coleslaw bags with carrots etc, but with no dressing)

1/4 cup Salsa

2 Tablespoons of Fat Free Sour Cream

Shredded Mexican Cheese

Corn Tortillas

Extra Salsa and Sour Cream, if desired

*Mix together Cabbage, Salsa and Sour Cream.  Set aside.

*Warm Corn Tortilla's.  I do this in my oven on a Silpat.  I lay about 8 tortillas on, lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray on both sides.  Warm at 400 degrees F. for 4 minutes.

*Heat a large frying pan, add oil.  Place in fish.  Cook on Medium on both sides about 5 minutes.  Fish may start to fall apart.  I try to keep it as much together as I can. 

*As fish is cooking sprinkle over with seasonings and Lime Juice. 

To build a taco, put fish filling down the middle, sprinkle on cheese if desired.  Add on a couple Tablespoons of Cabbage topping.