Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken

By: Cooking Light 

1. 2 lemons 
2. 2 tablespoons dried oregano
3. 1 tablespoon dried basil
4. 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper 
5. 1 teaspoon salt 
6. 1 teaspoon olive oil 
7. 6 garlic cloves, minced 
8. 1 (5-pound) roasting chicken 

Preparation

1. Peel and section lemons, reserving the peels. Combine lemon sections, oregano, and next 5 ingredients (oregano through garlic) in a bowl, and mash with a fork.
2. Immerse the top and bottom of a 2-quart clay cooking pot in water for 10 minutes. Empty pot, and drain well.
3. Remove and discard the giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub lemon mixture under and over the loosened skin. Tie ends of legs together with cord. Place lemon peel in body cavity. Place chicken, breast side up, in bottom of clay pot, and cover with top of clay pot.
4. Place clay pot in cold oven, and set to 450°. Bake chicken for 50 minutes, and remove top. (The chicken is done when a meat thermometer registers 180°.)
5. Preheat the broiler. (Do not move the oven rack.)
6. Return chicken in pot to oven, and broil, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Carefully remove clay pot from oven. Remove chicken from clay pot. Cover chicken loosely with foil; let stand for 10 minutes. Discard skin.

Nutrition: Calories: 180; Cals from Fat: 36%; Fat: 7.1g; Sat Fat: 1.9g; Monsat fat: 2.7g; Polysat fat: 1.6g; Protein: 25.1g; Carbs: 3.4g; Fiber: .5g; Cholesterol: 76mg; Iron: 2mg; Sodium: 367mg; Calcium: 49mg.

Waffles

By:  Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

1 3/4 C sifted all-purpose flour (Can also use wheat flour @ 1 1/2)

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 beaten egg yokes

1 3/4 C Milk

1/2 C Oil

2 stiffly beaten egg whites

Sift together dry ingredients.  Combine yokes, milk and oil; stir into dry ingredients.  Fold in whites, leaving a few fluffs. Bake. Makes three 10 inch waffles. 

Spaghetti Surpreme

1tblsp. Butter

1lb. hamburger

1 green pepper

1 onion

1 garlic clove

1/4 lb cheddar cheese

2 cups stewed tomatoes

4 oz. spaghetti

1 tsp salt

Saute first five ingredients.  Place spaghetti in baking dish and add sautéed meat, diced cheese and stewed tomatoes.  Mix well

Bake about 1 hr @ 350 degrees F. 

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sauce

By: Cooking Light

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast 1/2’s  (I used just 3)

3 tblsp butter, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 oz morel mushrooms

4 oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 C Fat-free less-sodium chicken broth

1/4 C whipping cream

4 1/2 C hot cooked egg noodles

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.  Heat 2 teasp butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.  Add 2 breast halves to pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until done.  Repeat procedure twice with 4 teasp butter and remaining chicken.  Keep warm.  

Melt remaining 1 tblsp butter in pan over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms to pan; saute 5 minutes or until moisture evaporates, stirring frequently.   Remove mushroom mixture from pan.  Add broth to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 5 minutes).   Return mushroom mixture to pan.  Stir in cream; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick stirring occasionally.  

Place 3/4 C egg doodles on each of 6 plates.  Cut each chicken breast half into 1 inch thick strips.  Top each serving with 1 chicken breast half and about 1/3 C. mushroom mixture.  Garnish each serving with parsley springs, if desired

Yield: 6 servings. 

Calories:  452; Fat: 14.2g; Protein: 47g; Carb: 32.2g; Fiber: 2.2g; Chol: 162g; Iron: 3/4mg; Sodium: 489mg; Calc: 49mg. 

Corn Bread

By: Cooking Light

2 tblsp Canola Oil

2 C. Yellow Cornmeal

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 C. fat-free buttermilk

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 large egg lightly beaten

Preheat oven at 450 degrees

Pour oil into a 9 inch cast-iron skillet. Place skillet in oven for 10 minutes.

Combine the cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.  Combine buttermilk, pepper and egg, stirring just until moist.  Remove pan from oven.  Tip pan to coat bottom and sides with oil; carefully pour excess oil into batter, stirring to combine.  Pour the batter into pan, spreading evenly.  Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Mini Fritatas with Ham and Cheese

By: My Recipes

Cooking Spray

1/2 C finely chopped onion

2/3 C. chopped reduced-fat ham (about 2 ounces)

1/3 C. shredded reduced-fat extra sharp cheddar cheese

2 tblsp chopped fresh chives

1/8 dried thyme

1/8 tsp black pepper

4 large egg whites

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add onion, saute 2 minutes or until crisp and tender.  Add ham; saute 3 minutes.  remove from heat ; cool 5 minutes.  Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.  Add ham mixture, stirring with a whisk. spoon mixture into 24 miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until set. 

   

Calories: 39; Cals from Fat: 30%; Fat: 1.3g; Sat Fat: .5g; Monosatfat: .2g; Poly: .1g; Protein: 4.4g; Carbs: 2.3g; Fiber: .4g; Cholesterol: 32mg; Iron: .2mg; Sodium: 121mg; Calcium: 80mg.

French Market Soup (aka The Mean Bean Soup)

By: Barb Ely 

2 cups French Market Soup Mix (13 Bean Mix)

2 quarts water

1 ham hock

1 ¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 (16 oz.) can whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 chili pepper, coarsely chopped ( I’ve never used this)

¼ C lemon juice

Sort and wash 2 C bean mix; place in a Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans, and soak overnight. Drain beans; add 2 quarts water and next 3 ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 1 ½ hours or until beans are tender. Add remaining ingredients; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove ham hock from soup. Remove meat from bone, chop meat, and return to soup. Yield: 2 ½ quarts.