Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu (Remix)

Yields: 3 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

I set out to make Chicken Cordon Bleu and figured I could just guess what the ingredients were. Boy, was I wrong! It turns out that real Chicken Cordon Bleu actually does not have any bleu cheese (who would have thought?) However, I decided to go with the recipe that I had in mind and it actually turned out to be really good! If you try it, let me know what you think! 

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup crumbled bleu cheese
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Olive oil spray
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves (optional)

Dijon Cream Sauce Ingredients (makes 1 cup)

• 3/4 cup half-n-half
• 1/2 cup whole milk (low-fat is also OK but not preferred)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cut a pocket into each chicken breast, being careful to slice close to the edges but not all cut all the way through.
3. Spoon bleu cheese into the pocket in each chicken breast. Close the pocket using toothpicks and transfer to baking tray. 
4. In a small bowl, mix the mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.Spread evenly on both sides of the chicken.
5. Sprinkle panko over the chicken. Then firmly press the panko into the chicken to ensure it sticks.
6. Spray oil evenly over the chicken breasts. 
7. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Then remove chicken from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with Dijon cream sauce on top.

Dijon Cream Sauce Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Once butter is melted, add flour to the saucepan. Cook for approximately 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Add milk to saucepan.Whisk until flour is blended in.
4. Add half-n-half, mustard and cheese to saucepan. Cook for three minutes, stirring constantly. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. 
5. Sprinkle thyme leaves into mixture and then remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve Dijon sauce over chicken breasts. Enjoy!

Mexican Street Corn Salad with Black Beans and Avocado

Yield: about 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 ears fresh corn or 1 medium-sized bag of frozen sweet corn
• 1/2 cup choppped red onion
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 teaspoon Mexican chili powder
• 1 teaspoons Mccormick Southwest Sweet N' Smoky Seasoning
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, choppped
• 1 can black beans (15 oz), drained
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 3 oz Cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 fresh lime, sliced into quarters
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice, divided
• 2 medium avocados, peeled and chopped small

Instructions:

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet until shimmering.
2. Add corn. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Then let corn cook, tossing only occasionally, about every two minutes. This allows the corn to brown evenly.  Fresh corn will take about 7-10 minutes to cook, while frozen corn will take about `12 minutes. Remove corn from heat once it is well-charred all over.
3. Add corn to a medium bowl along with drained black beans, cilantro, chopped bell pepper, diced jalapeno peppers, garlic, onions, chili powder, sweet n' smoky seasoning, 1 tablespoon lime juice, mayonnaise and 3/4th of the Cortija. 
4. In a small mixing bowl, pour other 1/2 tablespoon of lime juice over diced avocados. Add bowl to corn mixture and toss. 
5. Top with remaining Cortija, additional chili powder, and sliced lime quarters. Enjoy!

5-Alarm Spicy Skillet Chili Mac

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 large onion, diced
•  1 jar tomato sauce (8 oz)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 large bell peppers, chopped
• 1 can kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/4 cup jalapeno peppers
• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon Mexican chili powder
• 1 and 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni noodles or shells
• Optional: sour cream and extra jalapeno peppers

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and chopped bell peppers to skillet. Add salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 
   
2.  Add beef and garlic to skillet. Cook until beef is no longer pink. 
   
3. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, jalapeno peppers, chili powder, oregano, pasta and water to skillet. Bring to a boil. 
4. Add 1/2 of cheddar cheese to skillet. Then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for approximately 20 minutes. 
   
5. Remove from heat. Add remaining cheese to chili.
6. Serve with sour cream and extra jalapenos on top if desired. Enjoy! 

Crockpot Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage (recommended) or 5 large italian sausages, sliced (used in pictures above)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 jars Classico Spicy Tomato and Basil marinara sauce
• 1 egg
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 15 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Instructions: 

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion to skillet. Sprinkle salt and pepper on sausage and onion. Cook for approximately 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink. Drain.
2. Stir in marinara sauce, salt, garlic and cayenne pepper. Heat until the mixture comes to a boil and then simmer.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine egg, ricotta, mozzarella, and half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Spoon 1/4th  of sausage mixture into bottom of slow-cooker. Top with 5 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces to fit.
5. Spread half of cheese mixture on top of noodles, followed by 1/4th of sausage mixture. Add corn on top of sausage mixture.
6. Top with 5 more noodles, remaining half of cheese mixture and another 1/4th of sausage mixture. 
7. Add remaining 5 noodles. Top with rest of sausage mixture.
8. Cover and cook on low heat for approximately 4-6 hours.
9. Sprinkle remaining grated Parmesan cheese, oregano and red pepper flakes on top before serving.
10. Enjoy!

Easy Ways to Cut Calories Throughout the Day

Don't have time to invest in a complicated diet plan like Atkins or Weight Watchers? Losing weight doesn't have to be hard! Try following these easy tips to make small changes in your daily diet. You will lose weight without the added stress of changing your whole lifestyle. You'll also be more likely to keep the weight off long-term as these changes become routine for you.

1. Use skim milk instead of half-and-half or Coffeemate in your morning coffee.
2. Eat a bowl of Kashi cereal instead of a fast-food breakfast. This high-fiber cereal will make you eat less throughout the day.
3. Whatever you do, just make sure you eat breakfast! This super easy trick will ensure you don't pig out later on.
4. Use Smart Balance instead of butter or margarine.
5. Ask for a child-size soda instead of a medium-sized one if you find yourself at the drive-thru.
6. Skip the croutons on your salad.
7. Toss your salad with one tablespoon of low-fat salad dressing until every lettuce leaf is coated. You will get away with using half of the usual serving size. This is much more efficient than simply pouring a ton of fatty dressing on the top of your salad.
8. Add hot sauce to your food whenever possible. The spiciness will up your metabolism while adding flavor to bland foods.
9. Freeze a can of Donald Duck orange juice and enjoy as a dessert. It tastes like ice cream but has fewer calories.
10. Replace half the butter in cake or brownie recipes with mashed bananas. Surprisingly, the final product is pretty much the same.
11. If you think you are hungry, try drinking water before eating a snack. Our brains often confuse thirst for hunger. If you are still hungry after a glass of water, go for the snack.

Have any more tips for this list? Leave a comment below!

Low-Cal Baked Eggplant Parmesan

I started a new diet a few days after I realized I had gained a whopping ten pounds in only two months. I find it harder to lose weight in the winter when I am craving comfort food such as mac n' cheese, heart soups and of course my favorite pasta dishes. Eggplant parm is one of my favorite dishes, so I decided to see if I could make it as low-calorie as possible. It took only a few simple changes to make this healthier recipe. My boyfriend and I both really enjoyed it. Let me know what you think! Feel free to post your opinions to my Facebook page.

Ingredients:

• Two medium-sized eggplants
• 1 1/2 cups Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 egg whites
• One teaspoon salt
• One teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 1 jar Classico Spicy Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce
• 2 teaspoons chopped red peppers
• 1 cup low-fat parmesan cheese
• 2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup basil

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Peel eggplant. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slices.
3. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
5. In another small bowl, whisk together egg whites.
6. Dip both sides of eggplant slice into egg whites and then immediately dip into breadcrumb mixture until the slice is completely coated. Place slice on baking sheet and continue this process with the rest of the eggplant slices. Space them evenly on baking sheet.
7. Drizzle olive oil on top of the eggplant slices on the baking sheet.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Eggplant slices should be slightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
9. Spread 1 cup of pasta sauce on the bottom of a medium-sized lasagna pan.
10. Place half of the eggplant on top of the pasta sauce.
11. Spread another 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce on top of the eggplant slices.
12. Then add parmesan cheese, followed by mozzarella cheese. Finish with a sprinkling of basil.
13. Repeat with another layer of the remaining eggplant, then pasta sauce, then parmesan and finally mozzarella.
14. Bake for 20 minutes until chese is melted and edges are golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil and chopped red peppers. Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Shrimp, Mushroom and Broccoli Fettucine Alfredo

So after I made the previous recipe (beef tenderloin with shrimp), I had lots of extra shrimp. I came up with this recipe which was exactly what I was craving that day. Try it out and let me know what you think! Side note: I did not have fettucine on hand, so I made this with linguine. I suggest using fettucine though for a more authentic taste.

Ingredients:

*1 package fettucine
*1 stick butter
*1 cup sliced mushrooms
*1/2 pound cooked shrimp
*1 tablespoon ground pepper
*1 teaspoon kosher salt
*2 cloves garlic (minced)
*2 cups broccoli
*1/2 pint heavy cream
*1/4 cup parmesan cheese
*2 tablespoons flour
*1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions:

1. Prepare fettucine according to package instructions
2. Melt butter in a large skillet on medium-low heat
3. Add mushrooms, broccoli and garlic to skillet.  Saute until browned
4. Add flour and coat broccoli and mushrooms
5. Slowly stir in cream to mixture
6. Add salt, pepper, paprika and parmesan cheese
7. Add shrimp to mixture and simmer for about 15 minutes.
8. Add noodles to mixture and serve. Enjoy!

Beef Tenderloin with Shrimp and Mushroom Sauce Instructional Video

Lemon Roast Chicken (The Best Chicken Recipe EVER!)

This recipe has won rave reviews from everyone that has tried it. This is my go-to meal when I am looking to make something simple that is also crowd-pleasing. Let's get started!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 tablespoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon Kosher sea salt
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 whole lemons
• 2 sliced lemons garnish
• 4 rosemary sprigs
• 4 sage sprigs
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Remove giblets from chicken. Wash chicken inside and out. Place chicken in colander cavity-side down to rinse for several minutes.
3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels
4. Place chicken in roasting pan breast-side down. Rub chicken with olive oil and then lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Prick each whole lemon with a fork in about 4-5 separate places. Place them deep inside the cavity. If one of the lemons is sticking out of the chicken, that is fine (just check out my pic! :p)
6. Lower oven temperature to around 350 degrees F and put the chicken inside the oven. Roast uncovered for 15 minutes.
7. Remove roasting pan from oven. Flip chicken so it is breast-side up. Stick a meat thermometer in the thigh. Put the chicken back in the oven and roast for about an hour and 15 minutes or until the thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. When the chicken is fully roasted, remove it from the oven and allow to rest for about ten minutes. Carve the chicken and then add the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken. This juice is the stuff that makes this recipe SO AMAZING!
9. Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
10. Enjoy!

Honey Garlic Baked Chicken

This simple chicken recipe is great for a weekday night when you don't have much time to cook.

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time:  40 minutes

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup honey

1 onion, diced

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons honey Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken breasts.
3. Spread flour on a plate. Dip chicken breasts in flour until covered.
4. Prepare glaze: melt butter. Add cook and cook for 30-60 seconds. Do not brown the garlic. Then add the honey, ketchup, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to blend an dsimmer over medium heat for one to two minutes.
5. Place chicken breasts on an aluminum foil-lined 8x8 baking pan. Pour the hot glaze evenly over the chicken.
6. Bake chicken for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and baste the chicken with the glaze in the bottom of the pan. Return to oven for 25 minutes or until meat thermometer dipped in thickest part of the chicken read 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Delicious Vacation Food

Here is just a peek of what we ate during our stay at the all-inclusive resort in Cancun, the Grand Royal Park Caribe! And also the first-class meal on the flight home.

Apple Cinnamon French Toast

The perfect winter breakfast! Also I love how my apartment still smells like cinnamon a few hours later.

Ingredients

• 1 bag of pre-cut apples
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Add butter to medium frying pan. Heat until melted.

2. Add apple slices and half of brown sugar. Cook until brown sugar has dissolved.

3. Add half of cinnamon and all of the vanilla to the apples.

4. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to thicken while you prepare toast.

5. In a large bowl, mix milk and eggs. Whisk until completely mixed.

6. On a large plate, mix the other half of the brown sugar and cinnamon.

7. Dip bread slices in milk/eggs mixture for a few seconds. Then press both sides of the bread slices into the brown sugar/cinnamon mix.

8. Cook toast in large frying pan on medium high heat until browned. This should take about 1-2 minutes. Then flip toast and cook the other side for the same amount of time.

9. Remove the toast from heat and add to serving plate. Add the apples on top.

10. Coat the French toast with powdered sugar. You can also add whipped cream and maple syrup.

11. Enjoy!