Chicken Cutlets with Rosemary and Shallots

This was simple, and good for a cooler night when you don’t want to use the grill. I’m beginning to like shallots and onions more and more (as long as they’re cooked!) which is surprising because six months ago, I probably would have omitted them completely. I’m sure this would taste great with other fresh herbs as well. The original recipe used turkey breast, but I used chicken instead.

Adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

Ingredients
3 chicken breasts (mine totaled 1 lb 5 oz)
2 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
3-4 shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 sprigs rosemary (1 1/2 inches each)
3/4 cup chicken broth

Directions
1. Pound chicken cutlets to 1/4 inch thickness with a meat mallet.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium high. Season turkey with salt and pepper and cook through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer turkey to a plate.

3. Add additional teaspoon of oil and shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper.

4. Cook, stirring occasionally until shallots begin to soften, about 4 minutes.

5. Add wine and rosemary and cook until syrupy, about 3 minutes.

6. Add broth and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

7. Return turkey to skillet and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve.

The Facts
4 Servings
Calories 201.2
Total Fat 3.9 g
Fiber 0.1 g
WW Points 4

Creamy Parmesan Orzo

Typically when I cook pasta, it’s one of the MAIN meal ingredients. This dish was a nice change and served as a great side. Plus, it was super easy to make. It had a rich creamy taste that pleasantly surprised me considering there really isn’t that much cheese. I would love to experiment using different herbs to play with the flavor. I definitely plan on making this again.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 tsp butter
1 cup orzo, 6 oz.
1 1/4 cup fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 oz. grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper

Directions
1. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add orzo, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in broth and water; bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and orzo is done (about 15 minutes).

5. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.

The Facts
4 servings
Calories 182.7
Total Fat 2.6 g
Fiber 2.0 g
WW Point 4

Sautéed Mustard Greens

I’ve been reading a TON of other food blogs lately, and I came across one that talked about getting fresh vegetables weekly from a local CSA. Curious, I clicked the link and started researching. Through the site, I found Shaolin Gardens here in Orlando. They are just starting up and this is their first crop sharing season. I talked to my husband about it and we decided to go for it. Chaz from Shaolin Gardens held a work day this past Saturday, so Bryan and I went out there to check out the set up and help out some. We filled bags with soil alternative in preparation for planting for a few hours. It was cool to know that we were actually contributing to the fresh vegetables we’ll be enjoying the next few months.

While we were there, Chaz showed us some leftover mustard greens they had planted last season. They went through the Florida freeze in December so their taste was uncertain. I searched for some recipes online to sauté our fresh greens and pieced together a few recipes in my head and went to the kitchen. You’ll notice I didn’t put measurements by any of the ingredients because added based solely on taste. They turned out quite delicious and I can’t wait for more fresh local produce.


An Erin's Eatery Original

Ingredients
Olive oil
Onions, chopped
Garlic
Mustard Greens
Lemon Juice
Chicken Broth
Salt
Pepper

Directions
1. Add olive oil to a pan on medium heat.

2. Add garlic and onion. Sauté until onion is translucent.

3. Add greens, lemon juice and chicken broth to pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until greens are tender.

4. Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Pancetta and Brussels Sprouts

Apparently Bryan is getting tired of the usually broccoli, so this week at Costco I grabbed the Brussels sprouts. I was catching up on my Google reader and this recipe immediately caught my eye. I like how the veggies were integrated into the pasta making for a one dish meal.

I followed the original recipe with the exception of adding some crushed red pepper and ground cayenne. Once it was all mixed together, I felt like it was still a little bland. I consulted my husband and he suggested adding some white wine and lemon juice. Perfect! This added a light sauce to the pasta and a ton more flavor.

Adapted from Love and Olive Oil

Ingredients
14 oz. spaghetti, Ronzoni Smart Taste
2 oz pancetta, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 dozen Brussels sprouts, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper flake
ground cayenne
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions.

2. Meanwhile, preheat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta, and cook until just starting to brown.

3. Add garlic and onion and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

4. Add Brussels sprouts to pan and cook until tender and slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes and quickly sauté until just softened. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flake and ground cayenne to taste.

6. Drain spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add noodles to Brussels sprout mixture. Toss until coated, adding pasta water a bit at a time if necessary.

7. Add white wine and lemon juice and toss to mix. Divide onto plates. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.

The Facts
7 servings
Calories 256.9
Total Fat 4.5 g
Fiber 7.1 g
WW Points 5

Low Fat CrockPot Beef Roast

This was fast and easy to put together. Bryan and I decided to make this for our Super Bowl dinner that way neither of us would have to spend time in the kitchen and risk missing a moment of the game (or the commercials!) I found this recipe in one of my slow cooker cookbooks. I added celery to the mix and changed up the seasonings a bit. It smelled delicious cooking and I’m sure it would be great for a quick week night meal. The original recipe called for a cooking time of 6 hours on high; however ours was thoroughly cooked after 4.

Adapted from Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly

Ingredients
2.5 lbs beef eye round roast, trimmed
10 baby carrots
2 celery stalks, cut into 1.5 inches pieces
2 Idaho potatoes, cut into 1.5 inch chunks
1 onion, quartered
2 cups fat free low sodium beef broth
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions
1. Place roast in slow cooker.

2. Add carrots around edges, pushing them down so they reach the bottom of the cooker.

3. Add celery, onion and potatoes.

4. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of pepper and kosher salt over CrockPot ingredients.

5. Mix beef broth and remaining seasonings and pour over roast.

6. Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

The Facts
10 Servings
Calories 298.9
Total Fat 5.9 g
Fiber 1.8 g
WW Points 6

Menu Plans 02-07-10

Sunday - Low-Fat Crockpot Roast
Monday - Spaghetti with Pancetta and Brussels Sprouts
Tuesday - Zuppa Toscana, Salad
Wednesday - Chicken with Rosemary and Shallots, Creamy Parmesan Orzo, Kale Chips
Thursday - Ma Po Shrimp, Jasmine Rice, Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Friday - One-pot Chicken and Brown Rice or Dinner Out

Vacation Recap: Breckenridge, CO

We just got back from a week of skiing in Breckenridge, CO. We've turned this into an annual trip as this was our fourth year in a row. It's nice because we know the town quite well and have found some great restaurants along the way. Check out the ones we visited this year!

Friday – Lunch @ Yardhouse in Denver: Well over 100 beers on tap.
Dinner @ Empire Burger in Breckenridge, CO: Tons of burger choices or a build your own burger option.

Saturday – Dinner @ Downstairs at Eric’s in Breckenridge, CO: Definitely a must go to place. Great baked wings, delicious pizza and much more! Be prepared to wait at least an hour on the weekends

Sunday – Dinner @ The Historic Mint in Silverthorne, CO: A grill your own steak restaurant complete with butcher counter, salad bar and texas toast. If you know how to make a good steak, then this is a fun place to visit.

Monday – Dinner @ Breckenridge Brewery in Breckenridge, CO: The boys swear by the ribs here. I'm pretty sure we had at least 5 racks on our table.

Tuesday – Dinner @ Downstairs at Eric’s in Breckenridge, CO: YES, we ate here twice.

Wednesday – Dinner @ Jalapenos in Breckenridge, CO: Delicious, authentic Mexican food. Plus, the waiters always make it a fun evening. Last year we had our margarita pitchers comped; this year we had tequila shots on the house to start the evening off.