Take Out at Home

I'm so hungry.

There is nothing in this house to eat.

I don't want to cook.

There are always days when nothing sounds better than take out. Who can beat sitting on your couch, in your pajamas, eating Chinese food from your favorite take out restaurant?

Well, this is the meal you want to make when you don't want to cook. Its super easy and takes about 30 minutes to make!

We are moving out of our house at the end of the month so its operation "freezer meals". Which means we are trying to use everything out of our pantry, fridge, and freezer to make delicious meals.

This is recreating one of my favorite Chinese take out meals without all of the extra calories and sodium that you would get at your favorite chinese restaurant.

First, marinate chicken tenderlions in soy sauce, garlic, hoisin sauce, honey, and ground ginger. Marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Chop into bite sized pieces and add to a pre-heated wok with 1 Tbsp of oil. Cook chicken pieces until no longer pink.

For the sauce: 2 Tbsp of hoisin sauce, 1 Tbsp of chili sauce, 2 Tbsp of soy sauce, 1 Tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Add 1 Tbsp of cornstarch if the sauce needs to be thicker. Reserve sauce in a separate bowl.

When chicken is cooked through, add sauce and broccoli to the wok.

If using frozen broccoli, pre-cook in a saucepan for about 5 minutes or until bright green. Drain and then add to the wok with the sauce.

Cook for about 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to coat the broccoli and chicken. Serve over brown rice and enjoy a nice take out dinner without changing out of your pajamas!

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

adapted from allrecipes.com

Serves about 4

Ingredients:

6-8 chicken tenderloins

1 bag frozen broccoli

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp of hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp of chili sauce

2 Tbsp of soy sauce

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup of chicken stock

1 Tbsp of cornstarch

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken in soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ground ginger. Marinate for about 30 minutes.

2. Pre-Cook frozen broccoli for about 3-4 minutes or until bright green in a sauce pan. Drain and reserve on the side.

3. Mix in a small bowl: soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili sauce, chicken stock, ground ginger, pepper, red pepper flakes, honey, garlic, and corn starch. Reserve on the side.

4. Cut marinated chicken into bite sized pieces. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and chicken pieces to a pre heated wok. Cook about 7-9 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.

5. Once chicken is cooked through, add sauce and broccoli to the wok. Cook for about 3-4 minutes.

6. Serve over brown rice.

Enjoy :)

Diet Food? Yeah Right!

Who said when you diet you have to eat cardboard? I say you should eat the best you ever have on a diet. Eat cheese. Lots of it. Its good for you. They don't teach it to you in diet school...but it's true. My motto is eat that cookie now and you will die happy.

Well if you don't believe me that you can eat cheesy stuffed goodness and still be healthy then you haven't met this Chicken Rollatini. Chicken stuffed with spinach, mozzerella, and ricotta cheese oozing out of the middle. Then covered with the most delicious marinara sauce (super easy and cheap!) as well as a big whopping piece of mozzarella cheese?

I have died and gone to diet heaven.

This amazing moist, saucy, cheesy concoction is only 194 calories and 5 Points+! It is almost sinful when eating it. I felt guilty for all those other dieters eating horse food.

Put down the bran flakes and make this. You will not be disappointed.

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach and Ricotta

makes about 8 servings.

adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts butterflied and halved (or use 8 chicken cutlets)

1/2 cup whole wheat Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 eggs, whites only

5 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed

6 Tbsp part skim ricotta cheese

10 oz part skim mozzarella cheese

olive oil non stick spray

1 cup marinara sauce

salt

pepper

Directions

1. Wash and dry chicken breast halves. Pound chicken breast halves thinly. Spray a casserole dish with olive oil spray. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Combine bread crumbs and 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese together in a shallow dish and 2 egg whites in another shallow dish. (used for breading)

3. Shred 1/4 of the mozzarella cheese and combine the remaining parmesan cheese, spinach, 1 egg white and ricotta cheese. Mix together.

4. Lay pounded chicken breast half down and spread 2 Tbsp of spinach mixture on top of the chicken. Loosely roll the chicken breast up and place seem down in the casserole dish.

5. Dip in egg whites then in bread crumb mixture. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts. Then spray the top of the chicken rolls with olive oil spray.

6. Bake for 25 minutes uncovered. Remove and add marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Put back in the oven until the cheese is bubbly and melted.

Enjoy :)

Goat Cheese?

Goat Cheese has never been something I was dying to try. I found it odd to be honest. But last night the goat cheese gods were calling out to me because almost every cooking show I watched yesterday included it in their recipe. I used to think goat cheese tasted like old socks, but when it is melty and creamy over grilled chicken breast...its amazing.

My mom decided to recreate Carrabba's Chicken Bryan. It is one of the most popular entrees in my family at this local Italian hub. So after my mom had a nice 90 minute walk we decided to take a spin at a recreation of Chicken Bryan. How could I resist butter, garlic, white wine, and roasted red peppers all in one sauce? Truth is - you can't. It's like when my grandma would take me into an all glass figurine store. She would tell me not to touch anything and to put my hands behind my back. Oh boy did that make you want to touch those little glass dolls more than ever. That is how I felt about this lemon butter sauce simmering away on the stove.

If you get a chance to make this for dinner this week do it! Its really easy and not THAT bad for you. Lets just say as the chicken grilled my mom and I played every Queen song recorded and posted on You Tube. Chicken, cheese, and sauce. YUM. I hope you enjoy :)

Carrabba's Chicken Bryan

adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 6 sundried tomatoes chopped
• handful of fresh basil, chopped
• 4 teaspoons minced onion
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white wine

Directions:

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

1. 1. Brush chicken breast with olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. 2. Grill or broil chicken until done (about 10 minutes on each side) and prepare lemon butter sauce while chicken is cooking.
3. 3. Sautee onion and garlic in 2 Tbps butter until soft and translucent.
4. 4. Add white wine and lemon juice, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes to reduce.
5. 5. Add remaining 6 Tbsp butter, little by little, until it melts and mixture is emulsified.
6. 6. Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and basil, heat until hot (but do not overheat or sauce may break).
7. 7. Top chicken breasts with 2 oz each of the goat cheese. You can leave in medallions or spread on chicken breast.
8. 8. To serve, spoon lemon butter sauce over chicken breasts.
9. 9. Enjoy!

Fooding at Work!

Somehow I always have a craving for cooking great food at work. I browse tons of food blogs and my mouth waters while sitting at the front desk. I usually send my self about 4 emails filled with recipes for dinners!

Tonight is Girls Night In! Sophie and I will be doing nothing but sitting on the couch, eating, and watching movies allll night! :) We tend to be cuddle bugs and watch sappy chick flicks on the regular so this isn't out of the ordinary for two Best Friends/Roommates!

But, I thought the perfect thing for dinner would be Spinach Pesto Pasta with Paprika Chicken from one of my favorite blogs: http://closetcooking.blogspot.com/2010/05/spinach-pesto-pasta-with-paprika.html. Sophie is a huge fun of pesto so I think this one will be a hit!

The blog Closet Cooking, http://www.closetcooking.blogspot.com/, is really good at making my mouth water when I am at work. I made his Zuchinni Fritters and they were to die for so I can't wait to make this dish tonight!

Doesn't it look soooo good!?!

I will make this tonight and post pictures with the recipe I used! Stay Tuned!

As for now, back to work!