Maple-mustard Glazed Chicken with Applesauce

I saw this recipe on Rachael Ray one day, and I couldn't resist it. The way the applesauce made the house smell was incredible.

Applesauce:
4 Golden Delicious apples, cored and chopped
1 cup apple juice
1 large handful of golden raisins (1/2 - 3/4 cup)
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine the ingredients in a crock pot and cook over low heat until soft, around 4 hours.

Maple-mustard Glazed Chicken
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp spicy brown Dijon mustard
Dash salt and pepper

Heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet.

When almost cooked, pour maple syrup around edge of pan, add mustard, and stir. When sauce is reduced, dip cooked chicken in the syrup-mustard mixture to create a glaze. Top with applesauce.

I served this with broccoli macaroni and cheese, but the this mac and cheese doesn't warrant a post. Next time I make it, it will be better and I'll blog about it then. :-)

Buffalo Chicken Dip

There's a reason this is affectionately known as "Crack Dip!"



After hearing so many nesties rave about buffalo chicken dip, I couldn't resist making it one night. I based my recipe off of this one from Now That's What's Cooking and gave it a little bit of a semi-homemade flair. It's UNBELIEVABLE!!!

1 large can of chicken (use more if you have it, or rotisserie - this just happens to be what was in the cupboard!) :-)
8 oz. Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce
8 oz. lite ranch dressing
8 oz. crumbled bleu cheese
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz. cream cheese

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine all ingredients, and bake for 40 minutes. Enjoy with celery, pretzels, tostito chips (baked or otherwise), whatever you like.

Sangria

Determined to ignore the snow falling outside, I made sangria for DH and I last night. Fabulous! We finished the first pitcher and I made a second one for today, letting the fruit soak in the wine overnight.

I used this recipe from About.com as a base, then just modified it a bit:

1 bottle of wine (I used both merlot and white merlot, and I think I like a lighter variety best)
1 orange
1 lemon
1 apple
2 shots rum
2 Tbsp sugar
2 cups of diet ginger ale

Pour the wine into a pitcher. Cut lemon and orange into wedges and squeeze into wine, then toss fruit in. Cut apple into wedges and add to pitcher. Stir in sugar and rum, and refrigerate. Stir in ginger ale right before serving.

Sangria is better the colder it gets, so either start with chilled wine, add some ice, or be prepared to wait impatiently!

WW Hot Fudge Cake - Yes, it IS Possible!

I remember having this growing up - SO good, but definitely not what you would call good for you. Until now!


1 box Duncan Hines brownie mix
1/3 cup egg whites
1 can Diet Dr. Pepper Chocolate Covered Cherry
Low-fat ice cream (I love Edy's 1/2 the Fat Double Churned Vanilla Bean)
Hot Fudge
FF Whipped Cream
And a cherry on top!


This is just my diet soda red velvet cake recipe, with 1/4 cup of vanilla ice cream, 1.5 Tbsp of hot fudge, and a small squirt of fat free whipped cream on top. And the best part is, it's only about 4 Points per serving!

Seafood Stuffed Shells

16 pasta shells
1 cup fat free ricotta cheese
1-1/2 cup part-skim Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup chopped shrimp (or whole salad shrimp)
1 cup Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp onion flakes
salt, pepper, and other spices to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Boil pasta shells until al dente in texture. Drain and set aside.

Combine Parmesan cheese, hefty 1/2 cup shrimp, ricotta cheese, and spices in a large bowl. Spoon evenly into pasta shells (about 1-2 heaping Tbsp in each). Place in baking dish.

Combine Alfredo sauce, white wine, tomatoes, and remaining shrimp in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until combined. Pour sauce over shells in baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Top with mozzarella cheese, and bake additional 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Fettuccine with Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce

I admit it, to the hard-core foodies out there, this will be an insult to your kitchen-telligence. However, when you want a nice dinner with the hubby after a long day, this is great with garlic bread, tossed salad, and a bottle (or two) of Riesling. Enjoy!

1 roasted red pepper, drained
1 jar light Alfredo sauce (I usually go for Ragu, but any will do)
Whole wheat pasta (Barilla is my fave)

Directions:
Blend red pepper until smooth. Stir into Alfredo sauce, then heat through. Serve over pasta.

WW Info:
Pasta: 3 Points per 1-cup serving
Sauce: 2 Points per 1/4-cup serving
Additional Points for wine, bread, and salad as needed

To-die-for Red Velvet Cake

I kid you not, this is one of the best red velvet cakes I have ever made. It's easy, extremely semi-homemade, and really diet-friendly, but you'd never know it by the taste.

Cake:
1 package Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake (I avoid Betty Crocker like the plague)
1/3 cup egg whites from a carton
1 can Diet 7-Up
Pam with Flour baking spray

Frosting:
1 container Pillsbury Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
Equal amount FF, SF Cool-Whip

Directions:
Spray Prepare cake according to package directions, substituting egg whites and 7-Up for oil and regular eggs. Spray 12x9 baking dish with spray, and bake per package directions, adjusting for your oven. Allow cake to cool, then frost with blended frosting/Cool-Whip mixture. Store in refrigerator!