New + Old Recipes to test drive the new kitchen with!

We've been in renovation hell, which I guess is normal. Kitchen cabinet refacing + new appliances, mix in an electrician, plumber, and our building super... and you get a kitchen that was out of commission for too long!

So now that I have my kitchen in cook-able condition, I want to re-visit some recipes I've made before, and some I want to try!

I love Chicken Chili, especially in the winter time! Also the Chicken in Lettuce Wrap are another of my favorite recipes.

My Chicken Chili is from the Barefoot Contessa's

4 Cups of Chopped Yellow Onions (3 Onions)
1/8 cup Good Olive Oil, Plus Extra for Chicken
1/8 cup minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 Red Bell Peppers, cored, seeded, & large-diced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1.4 tsp dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
1.4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for chicken
2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree, un-drained
1/4 minced fresh basil leaves
4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
freshly ground pepper
For Serving: Chopped Onions, corn chips, grated cheddar, sour cream

1.Cook the onions in the oil over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Crush the tomatoes by hand or in batches in a food processor fitted with a steel blade (pulse 6 to 8 times). Add to the pot with the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3.Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked. Let cool slightly. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. Add to the chili and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Serve with the toppings, or refrigerate and reheat gently before serving.
***

I just bought rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. For health purpose, I got Fat-free sour cream. The chili was filling and delicious! I'm looking forward to making this again!

Chicken in Lettuce Wrap is another favorite flavor when I go to PF Changs, but I found 2 recipes and want to mix it up to see how to personalize this.

The first one is from cooking light, which most reviewers note to double the marinade/sauce.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

3 tblsp fresh lime juice
1 tblsp vegetable oil
1 tblsp sesame oil
2 tblsp soy sauce, divided
1 tsp ginger
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 bell pepper, green or red or orange
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/4 cup onion or scallions
3/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 8oz can water chestnuts (optional)
1 tblsp hoisin sauce
1 pkg Bibb lettuce
Sweet garlic chili sauce for serving
Soy sauce for serving
Slivered almonds or lightly salted roasted peanuts


In medium bowl, combine lime juice, 1 tblsp vegetable oil, sesame oil, 1 tblsp soy sauce, ginger & garlic. Add chicken & marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.

Heat medium skillet with cooking spray. Add bell pepper, carrots & onion (& any veggies you want). Cook for 3 minutes until slightly softened. Add chicken & marinade & cook until chicken is cooked through. Stir in 1 tblsp soy sauce & 1 tblsp hoisin sauce.

Using a slotted spoon, spoon a few tblsp into each romaine lettuce cup. Garnish with either slivered almonds or roasted peanuts. Serve with sweet chili garlic sauce and soy sauce.

The 2nd one is emulating PF Chang's Flavor

3 tablespoons oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnut
2/3 cup mushroom
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot mustard
2 teaspoons water
1-2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste

Stir Fry Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.

Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.

Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.

Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".
Top with"Special Sauce".

This is from live.love.eat website:

Pineapple Chicken Lettuce Wraps (serves 2-3 with 2 wraps per person; total cost per serving: ~ $2.15)

4-6 butter lettuce leaves
1 1/2 c cooked chicken breasts, shredded
3/4 c pineapple, chopped into ½” pieces
2 serrano peppers, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
Small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c rice vinegar
1/4 c soy sauce
2 T honey


Rinse the butter lettuce and pat dry. To prepare the dressing, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce and honey together in a bowl. Whisk vigorously until completely combined and set aside. In a large bowl combine the shredded chicken, pineapple, serranos, onion, and cilantro. Add about 3/4 of the dressing and toss together well. Assemble your wraps by spooning a generous amount of the chicken & pineapple mixture. Drizzle the tops of each with a little more dressing, roll 'em up, and enjoy!

Hungry Girl's Recipes from Glamour 5 Guilt-Free (and Deicious!) Dinner Recipes Under 500 Calories

San Diego Baja-Style Fish Tacos With Spanish Rice

Total: 434 calories, 7.5 grams of fat (304 calories, 4 grams of fat for two tacos; 130 calories and 3.5 grams of fat for 1/2 cup Spanish rice)
San Diego Baja-Style Fish Tacos
Ingredients:
• 4 small white corn tortillas
• 8 oz. raw cod, cut into 4 even strips
• 1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1/2 cup Fiber One cereal (original)
• 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
• 1 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/8 tsp. onion powder
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• salt, black pepper, additional seasonings, to taste
• optional: cilantro, lime wedges, salsa
Ingredients for sauce:
• 1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. fat-free sour cream
• 2 tbsp. chopped sweet or yellow onion
• 1/2 tsp. lime juice
• dash salt
• dash cayenne
•
Spanish rice prepared from mix (like Rice-A-Roni)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, then line the bottom of a broiler pan with aluminum foil and spray the pan’s rack with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for sauce and mix well. Place in the refrigerator. In another small bowl, toss cabbage with vinegar until lightly coated. Refrigerate until ready to assemble tacos. In blender or food processor, grind Fiber One cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Place crumbs in a medium bowl. Mix in garlic salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Add as much salt and pepper as you like. Feel free to season crumbs with extra spices as well. Place egg substitute in another medium bowl. Coat fish strips, first with egg substitute and then with crumb mixture. Spray the tops of the breaded fish strips with a light mist of nonstick spray. Place fish strips on the rack of the broiler pan. Place it in oven. Cook for 12 minutes or until the fish is flaky and the tops are brown and crispy. To assemble tacos, warm tortillas in the microwave for five to 10 seconds. Set one fish strip in the middle of each tortilla. Top each piece of fish with 1/4 of the cabbage followed by 1/4 of the sauce. Serve with 1/2 cup Spanish rice prepared from mix.

Philly Cheesesteak Lettuce Cups With Super Veggie-Stuffed Peppers
Total: 385 calories, 9.5 grams of fat (197 calories, 7.5 grams of fat for two lettuce cups; 188 calories, 2 grams of fat for two pepper halves)
Cheesesteak Lettuce Cups
Ingredients:
• 2 leaves romaine, butter or green leaf lettuce
• 3 oz. raw lean filet beefsteak
• 1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1 slice fat-free American cheese
Directions:
Slice your filet into strips. Spray a medium pan with nonstick spray and bring to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions. Stirring occasionally, cook for about five minutes, until onions are slightly browned. Transfer veggies to a bowl and set aside. Remove pan from heat and spritz again with nonstick spray. Cook filet strips over medium-high heat for one to two minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking. Break cheese slice into small strips. Place cheese on top of meat—still in the pan—and continue to cook until cheese has melted slightly. Remove from heat and mix the cheesy beef strips in with the veggies. Pile into lettuce “cups.”

Super Veggie-Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 Roma tomato, deseeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles, thawed
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup canned tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp. shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
Directions:
Bring a medium pan to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and green bell pepper. Stirring occasionally, cook for three to five minutes, until veggies are slightly softened. Add garlic to the pan and cook for an additional minute. Transfer mixture to a medium mixing bowl. To the bowl, add tomato, soy crumbles, tomato sauce, cheese and taco seasoning mix. Mix thoroughly. Set aside. Slice off the top of the red pepper and then slice it in half lengthwise. Remove seeds. Spray a medium baking dish lightly with nonstick spray. Place pepper halves in the dish, cut side up, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove pepper halves from the oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. Once pepper halves are cool enough to handle, use paper towels to soak up any excess moisture. Evenly spoon mixture into pepper halves. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly and then dig in!

Crispy White Pizza
Ingredients:
• 1 La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low-Carb, High-Fiber large tortilla
• 1/3 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
• 1 tbsp. shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
• 6 leaves basil
• 4 thin slices of Roma tomato
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. plus 1 dash salt
• dash black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place tortilla in baking pan sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven for five to six minutes on each side, until slightly crispy. Leave oven on. In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Set aside. Bring a pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add onion, and stirring occasionally, cook until softened and slightly browned, about three minutes. Remove onions and immediately stir into cheese mixture. Spread cheese mixture evenly on top of the tortilla. Place basil over cheese mixture. Top with tomato slices, and then sprinkle with a dash of salt. Return pizza to the oven and bake for about five minutes or until entire pizza is hot. Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut into slices. Eat the whole thing—it’s pizza for one!


From Jon & Kate's Recipe Standby's

Monkey Munch

9 cup Chex
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Put cereal in large bowl. Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over Chex cereal, put into a large plastic bag with powdered sugar and shake well to coat. Spread mixture evenly on wax paper and allow to cool.

Tomato-Onion Salad Recipe
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium-size sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Put together the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Arrange tomato and onions slices in rows in a serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped basil, and drizzle evenly with marinade. Cover it and let it stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

Handy Hummus Wrap

1 whole wheat (or whole wheat white) wrap
2-3 T Hummus
2-3 leaves of lettuce
½ cucumber, sliced length-wise
½ red pepper cut into long strips
Place lettuce leaves in the middle portion of the wrap. Top with hummus. Add slices of cut vegetables. Roll and cut in half.

Fall Harvest Sandwich
• 2 slices honey ham
• 1 slice cheddar cheese
• 1 T honey mustard
• ½ Granny Smith apple, sliced thin (optional)
• 2 slices whole wheat bread
Place on one piece of bread in the following order: mustard, cheese, ham, apple slices. Top with the remaining piece of bread. Cut on the diagonal and serve.

Cream Cheese Roll
• 1 slice bread (all breads work well)
• Light cream cheese
• ½ cucumber, sliced length-wise
• 1 slice smoked turkey
Trim the crusts of the bread and gently roll out the slice so it resembles pastry. Spread with light cream cheese. Place the turkey slice in the center of the bread. Add cucumber slices. Roll the bread similar to a sushi roll and cut into mini rolls.
To check out a more adventurous recipe that makes a parent's mouth water, read more.

Cream Cheese Roll – Option #2 for adults
• 1 slice bread (all breads work well)
• Light cream cheese
• ½ avocado, sliced
• 1 slice smoked salmon
Trim the crusts of the bread and gently roll out the slice so it resembles pastry. Spread with light cream cheese. Place the smoked salmon in the center of the bread. Add avocado slices. Roll the bread similar to a sushi roll and cut into mini rolls.