Chicken Paprika

I love Greek yogurt. There is always plain Chobani in our fridge. I think poor Dave misses sour cream, but Greek yogurt has completely taken over in all recipes we make. I was a little worried about making the switch in this sour cream based dish, but it was a success! This recipe is from Eat, Live, Run and is featured over dumplings. I decided to serve our chicken over egg noodles. This is another dish that comes together easily which makes it perfect for a busy weeknight.

You will need:
*1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1 yellow onion, diced
*1 cup chicken broth
*1 tablespoon paprika
*1 teaspoon sea salt
*1/2 teaspoon pepper
*1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
*3/4 cup Greek yogurt
*1 tablespoon flour

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender. Add the garlic, chicken, paprika, salt and pepper and saute until the chicken has browned. (about 8 minutes)

2. Add the broth to the pan with the chicken and increase heat to high. Bring mixture to a simmer and continue cooking for another five minutes or so until the chicken is done. Remove chicken and set aside.

3. Reduce heat to low; add the yogurt and flour to the simmering broth (I added another splash of chicken broth too). Whisk well until there are no clumps and the mixture is very thick. Add chicken back into the pan and stir well.

4. Serve over egg noodles or checkout the original recipe for steps to a quick dumpling base.

Chicken and Goat Cheese Strudel

I love getting recipes and ideas from Clean Eating Magazine. I signed up for a subscription through an online deal site not sure what to expect. There are so many cooking magazines that come to our mailbox and Clean Eating is often the one I read first because it's easy to flip through. This recipe is from the Nov/Dec 2011 issue, and it was a perfect dish during the busier holiday months. We've had this for lunch and dinner. I've even sliced it into smaller portions to serve as an appetizer too. We'll be enjoying this again one night this week.

You will need:
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1 pound ground chicken
*2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
*5 ounces baby spinach
*4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
*4 sheets phyllo dough (whole wheat is recommended, but I couldn't find any)
*sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Cook chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat; season with garlic and Italian seasoning. Once the chicken is cooked through, place into a mixing bowl.

2. Reuse the skillet to sautee the spinach. (This should only take a couple of minutes) Strain the spinach to remove all moisture by squeezing out the liquid with a spatula in a fine mesh strainer. (If you do not have a fine mesh strainer, you could also push the spinach to the sides of a colander to help remove the moisture) Add the spinach to the seasoned chicken and stir in the goat cheese. Add salt and pepper for flavor.

3. On a flat surface, mist one phyllo sheet with cooking spray or olive oil. Top with another phyllo sheet and spray again. Repeat with all sheets misting before each addition. Mist only the edges of the top sheet. Spoon the chicken and spinach mixture onto the bottom third of the phyllo stack. Be sure to leave about a 2 inch border at the bottom. Roll the phyllo dough over the top of the filling and keep rolling tucking in the edges as you go. Mist the top of the strudel. Using a knife, make small slits in the top about 1 inch apart. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook for 25 minutes, until the cheese bubbles a bit from the top. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

I've made this recipe for friends and family and everyone has enjoyed it. It easily doubles to 8 servings. The one thing about this meal is that it doesn't make for great leftovers and is best eaten the day it is prepared. It wasn't terrible to reheat, but not nearly as good as when fresh because of the way it is baked into the squash. I found this recipe on Prevention RD.

You will need:
*2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded)

*2 tablespoons butter, melted
*1 clove of garlic, minced
*1/2 tsp ground sage, divided
*3/4 lb Italian sausage links, casings removed (I use ground sausage from my local grocer)
*
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
*1 celery rib, finely chopped
*4 oz mushrooms, chopped
*1 apple, cored and chopped
*1 cup panko crumbs
*
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*salt and pepper
*
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine the melted butter, garlic, and 1/4 tsp sage. Brush the inside and outside of each squash with the butter mix. Place the squash on a cookie sheet, open side up, and roast until fork tender (about an hour).

3. Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Once browned, remove sausage from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate, set aside. Add the onions, celery, and mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Next, add the apples and cook for another 2 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet then remove from heat.

4. Season with 1/4 tsp sage, salt, and pepper. Stir in the panko and Parmesan, add the egg, and stir to combine.

5. Divide the stuffing evenly among the four squash halves. Return to the heated oven and bake for another 20 minutes.

Oreo Peanut Butter Brownies

Can you believe it's the last day of 2011? This year certainly had its ups and downs in our household. I am ready to move on to a fresh start with a new year. I am looking forward to celebrating New Year's Eve with good friends and good food tonight. I hope you kick off 2012 right!

Before all of those healthier eating resolutions kick in, I had to share this delicious recipe. My sister-in-law has recently started a blog, Sunday Dinner and then Some. After reading about these treats on her blog, hearing her talk about them, and seeing numerous Facebook friends make them, I caved. These were the dessert at back to back dinner parties we attended. Everyone loved them. A great go-to recipe for a last minute dessert since we usually have most of these ingredients on hand, except for Oreos. Those are not welcome in the house unless we have a use for them!

You will need:
*24 Oreo cookies (this is the one time double stuff will not work! They'll be too big)

*smooth peanut butter

*brownie mix and all the ingredients the box calls for

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

2. Spread peanut butter on top of an Oreo, press an Oreo on top, and spread more peanut butter on the top of the two Oreos stacked together. Place into the muffin tin. Repeat until you have a peanut butter Oreo stack in each muffin well.

3. Make your boxed brownie mix.

4. Spoon the prepared brownie mix into the muffin wells. Be sure to cover the cookie stacks and get down and around them. This should require about 2 tablespoons of the mixture for each Oreo stack. (I ended up making a few more because I had leftover batter and a second muffin tin!)

4. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to baking racks to cool completely. You can also eat them warm. I highly recommend that!

Squash Macaroni and Cheese

This is another successful recipe from Cooking Light magazine. I tagged it in my September issue but kind of forgot about it until I spotted it on Prevention RD. The squash purèed and mixed with the cheeses makes this mac and cheese taste like it is terrible for you. Isn't that what you want in a bowl of mac and cheese?! This would be a great way to sneak a veggie serving to kids or other picky eaters. You can certainly taste the squash though, so I am not sure it would work for someone that despises butternut squash. (I find it hard to believe that such people exist!) I made this awhile back and am adding it to our menu again next week. I highly recommend you make this soon. I'd say it is one of the best new recipes we tried in 2011.

You will need:
*3 cups butternut squash (about 1 pound), cubed and peeled
*1 1/4 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
*1 1/2 cups skim milk
*2 garlic cloves
*1 teaspoon kosher salt
*1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*2 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
*1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
*1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
*1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
*1 pound uncooked pasta (I used one 13.25 oz. box of whole wheat rotini)
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (omitted)

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium for about 25 minutes until squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt, drain well.

4. Carefully, place the hot squash mixture in a blender. (I am lazy with blending recipes and always use my immersion blender!) Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. If you use a blender, remove the top's center to allow heat to escape. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid to help prevent splattering. Blend until smooth.

4. Place blended mixture in a bowl. Stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano-Reggiano until combined. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Sprinkle with parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Here is the hot chocolate on a stick recipe that used the homemade marshmallows. This can be swirled into warm milk to make a creamy hot chocolate, or it can be enjoyed directly off the stick as a piece of fudge topped with marshmallow. This recipe has been all over blogs, but I followed the steps on The Dainty Chef. If you are still in need of a gift idea, give these hot chocolate sticks a try. They take awhile in how long everything needs to set, but they are not complicated to make. I'm excited to gift these to coworkers, friends, and family. In addition to these, this year's baked gifts included some gingerbread granola, oreo truffles, gingerbread biscotti, cinnamon sugar muffins, and the usual pretzel treats. I tried a number of new recipes while I was off this week. Some were successes and others were not. I am planning on baking a bit more these last few days before the holiday so hopefully I'll be back with more to share.

You will need:
*1/2 cup heavy cream
*14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
*3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (can be chopped or chips)
*4-oz bar unsweetened chocolate (I blanked on using this the first batch and it was fine without)
*marshmallows, can use store bought to save time
*lollipop sticks
*cellophane bags

1. Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Heat the cream and sweetened condensed milk over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until it starts steaming. Remove pan from heat and stir in the chocolates. Let sit for 10 minutes.

3. After ten minutes, put the chocolate mixture back on medium-low heat and stir with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted. (This did not take too long) Pour the chocolate mixture into prepared pan and spread it to be as level as you can. Let this set, uncovered, for about 12 hours.

4. Remove chocolate from the pan onto a cutting board with the top side down. Run a long, thin knife under hot water and wipe with a paper towel. Divide your square into six equal sections vertically and then horizontally. You want to keep reheating the knife with hot water after every few cuts. Store the chocolate squares in an airtight container until ready to use. I layered mine into a simple Tupperware using wax paper.

5. To assemble, place a marshmallow and then hot chocolate fudge piece onto each lollipop stick. Package in a bag and twist tie or add a ribbon. You'll also want to include directions with these treats. Here are the tags that I used that were inspired by Make and Takes:

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Swirl and melt the chocolate and marshmallow

stick in 4-8 ounces of hot milk.

If you can't wait for it to melt, just eat

the hot chocolate fudge and marshmallow

directly off the stick!

Marshmallows

I've read on many blogs how easy it is to make homemade marshmallows. I decided to try it this year to add to Christmas treat gifts. I will join that clan and say yes, this is easy! You know what isn't easy? Cleaning a corn syrup sugar mixture off your stove as the smoke fills your entire kitchen. Alton's recipe that I followed recommended a small sauce pan. I have to disagree because that left me with an absolute mess before the mixture reached temperature. However, the product of this recipe was impressive. I used these marshmallows to create hot chocolate on a stick. I'll share that recipe with you tomorrow because those would make great last minute treats for Christmas weekend! I'm off to continue picking at the stove with my fingernails because I'm too lazy to go out and buy a razor blade.

You will need:
*3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
*1 cup ice cold water, divided
*1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 12 ounces
*1 cup light corn syrup
*1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
*1/4 cup cornstarch
*nonstick spray

1. Place the gelatin and 1/2 cup of the water into the bowl of a stand mixer . With the whisk attachment in place.

2. In a medium saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Place over medium high heat and cover. After cooking 3-4 minutes, remove cover, and clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

3. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture while the mixer is running. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 15 minutes. Add the vanilla extract during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

4. Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. (I do not own a metal baking pan that size, so I used my glass Pyrex) Coat the bottom and sides of the pan with the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

5. When ready, pour the thick mixture into the prepared pan. Use a lightly oiled spatula to help spread evenly into the pan. Dust the top with some of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

6. Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board. Use a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture to cut 1-inch squares. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining sugar cornstarch mixture. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Alton's recipe also contains instructions for preparing mini marshmallows. It changes the directions after step 3 and you can find those steps through the link above.

Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

Pumpkin tends to get all the attention at the start of the fall. Don't get me wrong, I love baking and cooking with pumpkin, but I think butternut squash is my favorite in fall and winter recipes. The flavor of roasted squash compliments so many dishes. These enchiladas are nothing short of amazing. The sauce with this recipe is now my go-to enchilada sauce. Both of the recipes below are from The Daily Garnish.

For the enchiladas, you will need:
*1 large butternut squash
*olive oil
*1 medium yellow onion, diced
*1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
*1/2 tsp nutmeg
*1/2 tsp cumin
*1/4 tsp cinnamon
*salt to taste
*6-8 whole wheat tortillas
*shredded Mexican cheese
*1 batch homemade enchilada sauce (below)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Peel, seed, and cube the butternut squash.

2. Place squash cubes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with some olive oil and salt. Roast for 45 minutes or until soft. Stir once halfway through cooking.
(While the squash is cooking, you can make your sauce. The recipe is posted below)

3. Once the squash is roasted, place the cubes in a large mixing bowl and mash. Set mashed squash aside to cool.

4. Saute the onions in a small frying pan until brown and soft. Add beans and cook until warmed, about 2 minutes. Stir beans and onions to the squash bowl. Season with spices and salt. Stirring to combine.

5. Spread 1 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Scoop the squash and bean filling evenly onto tortillas and then loosely roll. Place filled tortillas in the baking dish with the seam side down. Pour the reaminder of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas. (This is a lot of enchilada sauce. I do not always use it all!) Be sure to use a spatula to get the sauce all around the sides of the pan and tortillas. If desired, top with shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enchilada Sauce
*1/4 cup vegetable oil
*1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
*3 tablespoons chili powder
*12 oz tomato paste
*2 cups vegetable broth
*1 teaspoon onion powder
*1 teaspoon cumin
*1 teaspoon minced garlic
*salt to taste

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until completely dissolved and smooth. Add chili powder and stir for 1 minute to cook. Add tomato paste, vegetable broth, onion powder, cumin, and garlic, and stir to combine. The sauce should thicken. Add salt to taste, and then stir over medium heat to cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

I hope that you enjoyed a day full of good food, family, and friends. We hosted another successful Thanksgiving dinner, and I look forward to sharing the new recipes within the coming weeks.

These pumpkin snickerdoodles would be the perfect addition to holiday baking. I brought them to a friend's birthday party and everyone raved about them. They are a light, airy cookie that's subtle on the pumpkin flavor. I can't make these unless I have somewhere to bring them because we couldn't stop eating them! I found this recipe on Sweet Pea's Kitchen.

You will need:
*2 3/4 cups flour
*2 teaspoons cream of tartar
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I might increase this a bit next time)
*1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
*2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
*1 large egg
*3/4 cup pumpkin puree
*2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silipats.

2. Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.

3. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the bowl of dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball and roll into the sugar mixture; place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart.
(I needed to add more cinnamon and sugar than noted above. So I would keep extra on hand.)

5. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway. You wanted the edges set and just beginning to brown but the centers still soft and puffy. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack using a wide spatula. Cool at room temperature.

BBQ Beer Shredded Chicken

I love using the crockpot on Sundays. Dinner is quickly prepped in the morning and ready by the end of the day. This recipe is from one my absolute favorite blogs, How Sweet It Is. We've made this recipe twice recently. Every one who has tried it has enjoyed it. The best part, at least to me, is that it yields a lot of leftovers. You could make sandwiches, nachos, quesadillas, and much more with this chicken. We usually have sandwiches and portion out enough for two lunches and freeze the rest. We were able to simply freeze the remainder in a Ziplock bag. I defrosted it in the fridge when we were ready to enjoy it again. It reheated really well. I highly recommend you try this soon!

It is definitely worth splurging on the barbeque sauce suggested in the recipe. As far as beer goes, I've made this with Sam Adams Lager and the Octoberfest. Any beer would work, but I'd stay away from light beers for this recipe. I look forward to trying it again with a Winter Lager next month. I have a slight obsession with Sam Adams seasonal beers. (With exception to the disgusting spring option, Noble Pils)

You will need:
*3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (fresh or frozen will work)
*1 tablespoon onion powder
*1 tablespoon smoked paprika
*1 teaspoon garlic powder
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon pepper
*8 ounces of beer (and clearly, you should drink the remaining 4oz)
*32 ounces of Bone Suckin' barbecue sauce

1. Place the chicken in the crockpot. Top with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add beer and 24 ounces of barbecue sauce. (Don't worry if you accidentally dump it all in. I did this once, and it didn't make a noticeable difference!) Cook on low for 8 hours.

2. Shred the chicken with two forks; add remaining barbecue sauce. Keep on warm setting until serving. Enjoy!