Tarragon & Lime Cornish Hens

I don't make cornish hens often, in fact the last time I made them was when I made the Lemon Roasted Cornish Hens back in May 2012. I don't know why I don't make them more often as my family, especially the girls, love them. In fact they used to call them "little chickens" when they were younger, but now that they've matured, they've penned them "pre-teens" and since the U.S. Agriculture describes them as "young immature chickens" I guess I'd have to agree with their terminology.

50 Main Entrees Under 400 Calories

If you're like the millions of people that start each new year with a resolution to loose weight or eat healthier, most find it difficult after time to find new recipes to help keep you reaching your goal.

To help with your goals (and mine!), I've compiled a list of 50 Main Entree Recipes that I have created all Under 400 Calories. All calculations are based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate because of the specific brands I've used, but it will give you a good starting point. I've broken the recipes out into sections: Poultry, Beef, Pork & Pasta and NonMeat. Click on the recipe name to be taken to each individual recipe post.  ~Enjoy and Good Luck with your New Year's Goals! 

Chicken Florentina

Did you ever go to your local pizza place and look at their menu? Many places serve a lot more than just pizza. They have so many wonderful sounding chicken, veal, pasta and seafood (if you like that kind of thing!) dishes, yet I rarely try anything else on the menu. If I want pizza, I get pizza.

Chicken in a Tomato Vodka Sauce

If you're looking for a simple chicken dish to make at home with a restaurant feel, then this is it. It's especially nice if you're looking to host a large get together as you can prepare this the night before, then place in the oven to finish cooking when you're ready. If you are looking to prepare this for a crowd, I would suggest you purchase chicken tenderloins instead so that it makes the pieces uniform in size and there is less work since you won't have to slice the chicken into portion sizes. The sauce is wonderfully light and the combination of fresh tomatoes, vodka and a touch of heavy cream give this dish an aromatic flavor. Serve this with rice and a vegetable or salad and you have a complete meal. 

Chicken in a Tomato Vodka Sauce
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes  Total Time: 1 hour    Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 4- 6oz. Boneless Chicken Breasts
• 3/4 c. All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Scallions, chopped
• 5 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 c. Vodka
• 2 c. Fat Free Chicken Broth
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 1/4 c. Heavy Cream

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Slice chicken horizontally in half and pound to even them out in thickness. 
3. Add the flour to a bowl; then dredge the chicken in the flour. 
4. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saute pan and allow the chicken to cook until lightly browned on both sides (approximately 3-5 minutes per side). Remove the chicken and place in an oven safe baking dish. 
5. In the same pan add the scallions, tomatoes, vodka, chicken broth, lemon zest and juice and heavy cream. Whisk together, bring to a boil then pour the mixture over the chicken. 
6. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts 

Calories 217, Carbs 11.2g, Fat 6.1g, Protein 21.5g, Fiber 1.2g, Sugar .7g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Chicken in a Tomato Vodka Sauce Shopping List

Graham Cracker & Pecan Crusted Baked Chicken

Sometimes I just create things out of the need to utilize things in my pantry, like I did with this simple and flavorful way to bake chicken. My kids get on "food kicks" where they're in the mood for something specific. I buy it. They eat half of it and then it goes bad or stale before they finish it or get tired of it, whichever comes first. Sound familiar?

This time it was graham crackers and the need (or rather want) for s'mores over the summer. But stale graham crackers taste horrible so instead of throwing them away, I made them into crumbs with my food processor, added some pecans to give it a little sweet, nutty flavor, then breaded my chicken with it. DELICIOUS! You can use this basic breading on boneless chicken, pork or fish as well, but I just happened to have a whole chicken in the freezer and cut it down into pieces.


Graham Cracker & Pecan Crusted Baked Chicken
Prep Time: 15 minutes              Yield: 8 pieces
Cook Time: 60 minutes             Serves: 5-6pp
Total Time: 75 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Whole Chicken, cut up
• 2 Large Eggs
• 2 1/2 c. Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1/2 c. Chopped Pecans
• Cooking Spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry. 
3. Whisk eggs in a bowl and add a little water to thin it out slightly. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and pecans. 
5. Dip each chicken piece first into the egg, then into the breadcrumb mixture. 
6. Place on a baking sheet, spray top with cooking spray and bake for approximately 60 minutes or until minimal internal temperature of 165 degrees. 

Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts 

Calories 493, Carbs 23g, Fat 25.6g, Protein 41.6g, Fiber 1.7g, Sugar 9.2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. For this recipe, I had to base the calculations on 6 servings as I couldn't determine by piece what the nutritional information would be. You could cut down on the calories by removing the skin or using boneless chicken, boneless center cut pork loin chops or your favorite fish. 

P.S. The Monthly Newsletter will be coming out this afternoon. Don't forget to check your email if you're signed up! 

Shared on Thursday's Treasures 10/3/13

Black Bean and Turkey Chili

I know it's not quite chili weather, but that doesn't mean you can't make an all-in-one meal year round! Especially if you're like my family and you're already running ragged with the kids activities.

Chicken Scampi over Fettuccine

Last week, I had taken chicken out to make a new dish, but as the day progressed I really wasn't in the mood to cook...GASP! So I decided to make this quick and easy Chicken Scampi over Fettuccine instead. You all know I don't eat shrimp, but the rest of my family loves it. I make it for them on occasion and when I do I generally make a chicken version for me; similar to this one. It was delicious and ready in under 30 minutes. Now that's my kind of meal! 

Chicken Scampi over Fettuccine
5-3oz. Chicken Tenders, raw
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Butter
3 Garlic Cloves
1/3 c. Vermouth
1 tsp. Lemon Zest
1tbsp. Parsley
1/2 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
2 tbsp. Pecorino Romano Cheese
1 lb. Fettuccine

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. 
2. While the pasta is cooking, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Heat the oil in Dutch oven or large pot, then add in the chicken. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink; approximately 5-8 minutes. 
3. Next, add the butter and garlic and saute for 1 minute; then add in the vermouth, lemon zest, parsley, chicken broth and cheese. Allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes. If the sauce is done before the pasta, turn off the heat. 
4. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well. Serves 6. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 351, Carbs 50.5g, Fat 4.7g, Protein 22.8g, Fiber 2.4g, Sugar 1.2g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate.

Enjoy!

Chicken in a White Wine Sage Sauce

I wanted to make a new chicken dish that used sage, since I needed it for another recipe I was making and had some left over. I came up with this Chicken in a White Wine Sage Sauce and it was perfect! I served it with some rice (because my family likes to add whatever sauce I'm cooking with on top of it!),   Maple and Sage Glazed Petite Carrots and a tossed salad. 

Chicken in a White Wine Sage Sauce
4-6oz. Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 tbsp. Butter

1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. All Purpose Flour
1 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1 1/2 c. White Wine (I used Chardonnay)
1/4 c. Fresh Sage, chopped
1 tbsp. Dijon Mustard

Directions:
1. Slice the chicken horizontally into halves or thirds depending on the thickness. (I got a total of 14 pieces of chicken with mine); then pound them to make sure they are even in thickness. 
2. Add 1/4 cup of flour to a bowl and dredge the chicken in the flour. 
3. Heat the butter and olive oil in a non stick saute pan and when hot, add the chicken. 
4. Fry on both sides until lightly browned and cooked through, then remove and place in an oven safe baking dish. Repeat until all pieces have been cooked. 
5. In the same pan, add the 2 tbsp. flour to form a roux; then add in the chicken broth, wine, sage and mustard. 
6. Mix well until it starts to become slightly thickened; then pour over the chicken.
7. Place the chicken in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes 14 pieces. 

*Nutritional Information per Piece of Chicken: Calories 136, Carbs 3g, Fat 6.7g, Protein 10.3g, Fiber .1g, Sugar .3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

Did you know?

The official name for sage is 'Salvia Officinalis'. It is a shrub-like plant with a slightly peppery flavor, woody stems, grayish looking leaves, blue-purple flowers and is native to the Mediterranean region. Not only is sage wonderful to cook with, it also has medicinal purposes including to heal snake bites, increasing a women's fertility, antisweating agent, and making essential oils. 

Enjoy! 

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

I want to see a raise of hands. Who has buttermilk all year round in their refrigerator? I certainly don't, but thanks to this tip I learned a few years ago, it's not a problem! Simply mix together 1 cup of milk + the juice of one lemon + 5 minutes to rest = Buttermilk. That's it...Easy Peasy! It will get thick just like the buttermilk you buy at the store. 

One morning while asking the kids what they wanted for dinner, Gab stated she wanted fried chicken on the bone, like the kind you can get at KFC. Now, I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've eaten at a KFC in the last 20 years, let alone make chicken at home that way. There aren't many foods I deep fry with the exception of chicken/pork/eggplant cutlets and homemade french fries. I never even owned a fry daddy; well until I won a REALLY small one at a tricky tray recently! But it was a dreary kind of day and I did have some chicken thighs in the freezer so I figured why not.  

I soaked the chicken for about 2 hours in the buttermilk before coating and frying them. I also used my Dutch oven to fry the pieces and worked in two batches. After I was done frying, I also put them in the oven just to make sure they were cooked (as I have a real fetish about making sure my chicken is fully cooked). I can't compare these entirely to KFC; however, they were delicious and crunchy just how I remembered them and the kids loved them! 

Buttermilk Fried Chicken
2 c. Buttermilk (I used 2c. 2% milk + fresh juice of 2 lemons)
8 Chicken Thighs (You can also use chicken breasts and legs)
2 c. All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Dry Mustard
2 tsp. Fresh Thyme
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for frying

Directions:
1. Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. 
2. Add the chicken to a resealable plastic bag along with the buttermilk and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (you can leave them there all day if you'd like). Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 10 minutes before you're ready to fry. 
3. Prepare the coating mixture by mixing together the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard and thyme. 
4. Pour the oil into a large pot, Dutch oven or deep fryer and allow to heat over medium-high heat. 
5. Coat the chicken one piece at a time by dredging it into the flour mixture; then add the chicken to the oil. (You may have to work in two batches to avoid overcrowding). 
6. Fry the chicken 7-8 minutes per side; allowing them to turn golden brown. 
7. Drain the chicken on paper towels; then place on a baking sheet lined with a rack or foil. 
8. Bake the chicken at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken has reached proper internal temperature. Makes 8 pieces. 

Now the nutritional value on this one was a little tricky to figure out due to the frying aspect. I calculated this recipe using 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil; which was based on how much oil was left after frying so this is just to give you an idea. It's fried=not real healthy! :)

*Nutritional Information per Piece: Calories 397, Carbs 25.8g, Fat 24.1g, Protein 20.7g, Fiber 1.2g, Sugar 4.3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate.

BTW, today also happens to be National Poultry Day. If you're looking for more dinner inspiration, here are the Top 5 Main Entree Poultry recipes based on page views to date on the blog. Click on the name to be taken to the original recipe! 

Chicken Balsamico

Chicken in a Lemon Butter Sauce

Grilled Chicken Buffalo Pasta

Chicken, Zucchini and Portobello Mushrooms in a Chianti Wine Sauce

Feta & Sage Mini Chicken Meatloaf

Enjoy! 

Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey

What a week I had last week! It started with a local book signing last Saturday afternoon and I want to thank the people that stopped by to say hello. It was so nice to see some old friends and familiar faces. I have to say, though I knew it was going to be a lot of work, I didn't realize how much time it would take to network and get my own book signings, though I'm happy to report I did manage to add another event to my calendar in February (visit the Announcements & Events tab for more information). From there, I had to go to a cheering competition at our local high school where Gab was competing and Rachael's squad was hosting (a.k.a. the parents had to work it). All was going well until my oldest daughter tore the muscle under her ribcage....yes, again. This is probably the third time she's done this and we know the routine. Ice. Alleve. Rest. Repeat. And they say cheering isn't a sport! The long cheering season (August-February) is taking it's toll on all of us, but thankfully the season is nearing to an end and we can see light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. 

The kids had off from school for a snow day last Wednesday. We didn't have that much snow but it was that heavy, wet snow and where I live, if the buses can't get "up the mountain", there is no school for all.  Hopefully, the remainder of this winter will be mild; especially after losing 7 days during the Hurricane Sandy, so we won't be going until July! We had a wing at our local hospital named after us...just kidding! But we did make our 3rd visit to the ER in a month. This time it was Gab who sprained her finger in gymnastics. They had to splint it for a few days, but she's ok now...just a little bruised. To round out our weekend, we attended two cheering competitions for Rachael's squad where they took first place on Friday night, then took 3rd place on Saturday. The girls did a fantastic job and have been working so hard and it shows. 

We were supposed to go to another competition on Sunday for Gab's squad; however, some members of the team were either sick or injured so we had to cancel our appearance...there's always next time! It was actually a nice, unexpected break as we're all coming down with head colds.  We spent the day watching movies and had my in-laws over for dinner since we hadn't seen them in a few weeks. Don wanted me to make the Champagne Braised Chicken with Grape Tomatoes and Capers again since he enjoyed it so much the last time and because it was so easy, it was a wonderful choice; though I used a Chardonnay in place of the champagne this time. 

With all of this running around, I barely had time to cook, let alone sit to eat as a family; which brings me to today's recipe for Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey. I just love a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of pasta recipe that doesn't weigh you down and this one does just that. Cavatelli are a type of pasta that resemble miniature hot dog buns and though I know it's probably easy to make, I opted for the frozen variety to save on much needed preparation time. What I liked most about this meal is that it's loaded with some of my favorite flavors: garlic, spinach and tomatoes and by adding lean ground turkey, it was a complete meal that we could heat and eat when we had the opportunity to do so. 

Florentine Baked Cavatelli with Ground Turkey
1lb. Frozen or Fresh Cavatelli
1 lb. 99/1 Lean Ground Turkey
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
8 oz. Frozen Chopped Spinach
1-14.5oz. Can Hunts Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1-6oz. Can Hunts Tomato Paste
8oz. Water
1/4 c. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
1 c. Part Skim Mozzarella, shredded

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, leaving them on the al dente side; drain. 
3. Meanwhile, add turkey to a Dutch oven or large non-stick saute pan and brown; making sure there is no pink left. 
4. Next, add the garlic and onion and saute for another 2-3 minutes; then add the spinach, tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and cheeses. Mix well then stir in the cavatelli. 
5. Place in an 8"x8" oven safe dish and bake for 45 minutes or until the sides are bubbling. 
Serves 8. 

*Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 321, Carbs 35.8g, Fat 7.4g, Protein 26.1g, Fiber 5g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into CalorieCount and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy!

Lemon Roasted Cornish Hens

Basically, a Cornish Hen (a.k.a. Cornish Game Hen or Rock Cornish Hen) is a hybrid chicken that is raised to grow at a more rapid rate than a regular hen and usually doesn't weigh more than 2 lbs. As my daughter likes to call them "little chickens". They are super moist and you can prepare them just like you would a roasted full size chicken. With this one in particular, I just squeezed some fresh lemon juice on top, added a little wine to help baste it and the outcome was a lemony, delicious meal. When visiting my Mom a few months ago in Florida, she made something similar using her Meyer lemons and some limes too, also very good. Once cooked, you cut them in half down the center bone, removing the back bone, and then serve half per person. 

Lemon Roasted Cornish Hens
2 Cornish Game Hens
1 Lemon
Garlic Powder, to taste
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. Parsley, chopped fine
1 c. White Wine
Canola Oil Cooking Spray


Rinse and pat dry your hens and place them in an oven safe roasting pan (careful to remove all of the innards). Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto each piece of meat, then place one half into the cavity of the bird. Season the meat with garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley then spray with cooking spray. Add the wine to the bottom of the pan and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 60-70 minutes or until the proper internal temperature is reached. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting each bird in half. Serves 4. 


Enjoy!


Shared on Recipes for my Boys 5/10/12