Garbonzo Bean Meatballs

While watching Biggest Loser the other day, they were talking about making meatballs with ground turkey and mashed garbanzo beans (or chickpeas, same thing) and I was intrigued so I made some. The one thing I wasn't expecting was for the kids to like them, but my very picky eater gobbled down two of them, and Ella liked it too. That's always a nice surprise. ☺

Garbanzo Bean Meatballs

1 lb ground turkey (or beef)

1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, drained and mashed

Garlic cloves (I used about 3, but I like garlic!)

Onion powder

Salt

Pepper

pinch of red pepper, ground or flakes

Soy sauce, splash

2 eggs

1/2 cup bread crumbs, or instant oats (you may need more if it's looking too runny)

Mix and bake @ 400 for 30 minutes, or until cooked all the way through. (It will depend on the size of your meatballs too) ☺

So, not only is it more healthful, it could be a good way to make your meat go farther as well!

Chicken Parmesan

 Chicken Parmesan

12 Chicken Tenders (I cut up 2 chicken breasts)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup Bread Crumbs

1 Egg

1 cup Marinara Sauce

Basil, dried or fresh

1 c shredded cheese  (I used Cheddar and Mozarella)

Oil for cooking

Mix up your parmesan and breadcrumbs together in a shallow bowl. Mix up the one egg in a separate bowl. Dip the chicken into the egg, and then cover with the bread crumb mixture and cook in a pan for about 3 minutes on each side. After chicken is cooked, place in the bottom of a baking pan. Sprinkle with basil (or place basil leaves on top) Spoon the cup of marinara sauce over the chicken and sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake for 10 minutes at 375

Chicken cut into tenders

Bread crumb mixture

cooking the chicken in a pan for 3 minutes on each side

Place the cooked chicken on the bottom of baking dish

Sprinkle with basil, marinara, and cheese. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

(optional) Serve chicken over cooked pasta such as ziti or penne and marinara sauce

Chicken Fried Rice

This is an adapted Weight Watchers recipe, I just do it the unhealthful way. I've made it before with ground turkey instead of chicken too.

Chicken Fried Rice

2 spray(s) cooking spray

4 large egg white(s) (I just scrambled 2 eggs)

1/2 cup(s) scallion(s), chopped, green and white parts
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
12 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup(s) carrot(s), diced  (I did 1 cup just to have more veggies)
2 cup(s) cooked brown rice, regular or instant, kept hot
1/2 cup(s) frozen green peas, thawed
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. Add egg whites and cook, until scrambled, stirring frequently, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove from pan and set aside.

Offheat, recoat skillet with cooking spray and place back over medium-high heat. Add scallions and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add chicken and carrots; sauté until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Stir in reserved cooked egg whites, cooked brown rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

I did things a little different than the recipe...I cook the chicken and carrots first

chop up the chicken

add the scallions, peas, rice, heat up

then add the scrambled egg...

I also like to add extra soy sauce before eating for more flavor. :o)

Tim's Black Bean Chili

This is my uncles recipe and I didn't follow it exactly and I cooked it in the crockpot.

Tim's Black Bean Chili

2-4 lb Roast trimmed of fat

1 lg onion (chopped)
2 red bell peppers (chopped)
3 jalapeno peppers (fine chopped)
3 cloves garlic (fine chopped)
10 mushrooms (sliced)
6 sm tomatoes (lg chunks)
1 cup frozen corn
1 tsp black pepper
0-2 tsp cayenne pepper
1-3 tsp ground cumin
1-3 tbs chili powder
4 cans black beans (rinsed)
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 10 oz pkg chopped spinach
 
Slow barbeque the roast over briquets and water soaked mesquite chips until fully cooked & smoked. Cut the roast into bite sized chunks. Set aside.

Lightly spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add onion, red peppers, jalapenos, garlic, mushroms, tomatoes, corn, pepper, cumin and chili powder.

Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.

Add beans, meat, chicken broth and boil for 10 minues.

Remove 1.5 cups of mixture from skillet and place in blender or food processor. Blend mixture until pureed. Return to saucepan and add spinach.

Cook 5-6 minutes until spinach is well heated.

Serves 6-8

Chicken and Rice Soup

Probably one of my favorite soups this winter!

Chicken and Rice Soup

2-3 Chicken Breasts (they can be frozen)

1-2 Carrots, chopped or shredded

1 Celery, chopped

1 small Onion, chopped

Garlic Powder

Pepper

6 c Water

6 tsp Chicken Bouillon

1 box Wild and long grain rice

(If you don't use boxed rice, you'll just want to add more of your own spices)

Throw everything but the rice in the crockpot

Shred the chicken with two forks when it's cooked enough. Add box of rice about an hour before eating.

16 Bean Soup

(Sorry about the lovely picture, I forgot about taking a picture until we were done eating)

I've had a couple of requests for this recipe. Problem is that I just throw things in and I'm never consistent, but here it is roughly

16 Bean Soup

1-2 cups 16 Bean Mix (dried)

1 can tomatoes (stewed, diced, whatever your preference)

1-2 carrots

2 cans V8 juice or tomato sauce

1 cup Beef bouillon (I put extra beef base in sometimes too)

Onions or Onion powder

Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 package of Turkey Bacon (I've also used Turkey Ham, or Beef Summer sausage)

This recipe made about 3 qts, I think.

Soak the beans overnight, rinse and drain.

Add the Beans, Turkey Bacon, tomatoes, spices, etc...

Shred carrots and add

Top off with V8 juice and cook in crock-pot until done. :o) (If that isn't enough liquid, you can add more bouillon)

When the beans are soft, I puree about half of the soup in the chopper, and add it back in, (or if you have a wand chopper thing, I use that too)

Chicken Parmesan Bundles

another Kraft Foods recipe

Chicken Parmesan Bundles

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained

 1-1/4 cups Mozzarella Cheese, divided

6 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness

 1 egg

 10 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup)

 1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, heated

HEAT oven to 375ºF. Mix cream cheese, spinach, 1 cup mozzarella and 3 Tbsp. Parmesan until well blended; spread onto chicken breasts. Starting at one short end of each breast, roll up chicken tightly. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if desired. Set aside.

BEAT egg in shallow dish. Mix remaining Parmesan and cracker crumbs in separate shallow dish. Dip chicken bundles in egg, then roll in crumb mixture. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.



BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF). Remove and discard toothpicks, if using. Serve topped with spaghetti sauce and remaining mozzarella.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

I've seen a couple of different recipes for this and I tried one that called for cream cheese and sour cream. I thought it ended up being too much "cream" flavor so I'm saying to do either or.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese or sour cream
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1.Put chicken, margarine and dressing mix in slow cooker; mix together and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.


2.Add cream cheese and soup, mix together and cook on high for another 1/2 hour or until heated through and warm

Place the chicken and italian dressing seasoning in crockpot. I added carrots and a little bit of water on the bottom.

Crockpot hint: Crockpots cook their best when they are about 2/3 to almost full, if you have a large crockpot like I do, then make a secondary covering out of tin foil to create a lower "lid" about an 1"-2" from the food.

After the meat has cooked, I cut it into cubes using a metal spatula

Add the cream cheese, cream of chicken soup and mix and cook for another 30-60 minutes. Serve over rice or noodles.

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

This is a recipe from Kitchen Smack

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced (or you can get the jar of minced garlic)
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.

In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt.

Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.

Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Heating the butter and garlic

Dip the chicken in the butter and garlic

Press into bread crumb/ cheese mixture

Place in pan and bake

Artichoke Chicken

Another Taste of Home recipe.

Artichoke Chicken

1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Dash garlic powder (I threw in some other spices, and pepper)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)


In a bowl, combine the artichokes, cheese, mayonnaise and garlic powder. Place chicken in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. Spread with artichoke mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.