Chicken Divan, or should I say, DIVINE!

     Chicken Divan is a classic creamy dish that will please even the pickiest of eaters. It is so rich, creamy, and comforting, they'll be asking for more! This dish originally uses a mornay or hollandaise sauce, which we all know are packed with calories and fat. Chicken Divan originated in New York in a diner in the 1950's named Divan Parisienne. Once they created this masterpiece, they simply named the dish after the restaurant  Instead of using egg yolks or heavy cream, I actually used skim milk. I'm not sure why people think you can't achieve the creaminess of these dishes without using heavy cream and other super fattening ingredients.

Chicken Divan

Yields: 4 servings

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast (see note)

½ tsp. salt

3 tbsp. oil

2 tbsp. butter

5 tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 c. chicken stock, sodium free

1 c. skim milk

½ tsp. ground thyme

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

1½ c. broccoli florets

1 c. shredded cheese (see note)

¼  c. mayonnaise

2 tsp. prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 375F. Coat an 8"x8" baking dish with cooking spray. Place the chicken breast in a medium skillet. Add enough water to cover (or almost cover) the chicken. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently until the chicken is fully cooked (internal temperature of 165F). This should take about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice into bite-size pieces. 

Heat oil and butter in the same skillet, allowing it to melt. Once melted, stir in the flour and whisk, to cook the raw taste out of the flour. 

Once the roux has darkened just a bit (light golden) slowly whisk in the chicken broth, milk, and spices. Continue stirring until the liquid is brought to a simmer. At this point, the liquids should begin to seem a bit thicker. 

The sauce should be able to coat the back of a spoon without coming together when divided.

 Once simmering, add the broccoli and return to a simmer (1 to 2 minutes). 

Remove from the heat and stir in ¾  of the cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard. In the prepared baking dish, spread half of the broccoli mixture over the bottom. 

Next, add the chicken in an even layer.

 Top with the remaining broccoli mixture.

 Sprinkle over the remaining ¼ c. cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly; let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving!

I allowed it to cook for 17 minutes and then turned the broiler on to get nice brown cheese on top, about 3 minutes...SO delicious! I also prepared some egg noodles that were sprinkled with garlic powder and served this over them. 

NOTES*

This recipe is a great idea to use up any leftover chicken that you have in your refrigerator, but if you want to begin by cooking the chicken, this recipe explains how.

For the cheese, I used a blend of four Italian cheeses; but you may use any cheese that you prefer!

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 375.3

• Total Fat: 30.2 g
• Cholesterol: 28.1 mg
• Sodium: 597.3 mg
• Total Carbs: 17.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
• Protein: 11.3 g

Creamy Chicken Skillet

     My fellow foodies, THIS is delicious. It was a simple dinner that I threw together in very little time, and allowed me to use some leftover ingredients so I didn't waste them! It was fast, it was easy, it was simple, and most of all, it was SO tasty. Michael and I agreed it tasted almost a bit like a broccoli casserole, minus the cheese. It did taste very similar, so I'm thinking adding cheese wouldn't be such a bad idea. Then again, when has adding cheese to something ever been a bad idea?

     We went to a furniture outlet this weekend and purchased a couch for our new home. I'm so excited! It is being made now and we will be able to pick it up May 17, 2013 or sooner! Hopefully, we will be moving into our home on April 25, but it may be pushed back. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers that the underwriting process through our loan moves quickly and everything stays on schedule.

     

Creamy Chicken Skillet

Yields: 4 servings

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, 1" cubes

1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1½ c. milk

1½ c. water

½ tsp. dried basil

¼ tsp. garlic powder

2 tbsp. dried onion, minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 c. short cut pasta, uncooked

1 c. fresh broccoli, small chop

1 c. frozen peas

In a large skillet with high sides, heat olive oil over high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the chicken and brown on all sides. Cook the chicken thoroughly and then remove and set aside. 

Add the water and deglaze the pan, then add the milk. Once mixed, whisk in the cream of mushroom soup, dried onion, and basil. 

At this point, add the peas (or any other frozen vegetable you choose).

Bring this mixture to a boil and then add the pasta. Bring back to a boil and reduce to medium heat. 

Add the broccoli (or any other fresh vegetable you choose) and simmer for 10 minutes. 

At this point, add the chicken back in, with any juices that were left in the bowl, and cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.

. 

I served along side my garlic breadsticks, which will be in a recipe to follow!

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 346.5

• Total Fat: 6.4 g
• Cholesterol: 66.9 mg
• Sodium: 1,420.7 mg
• Total Carbs: 39.9 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.9 g
• Protein: 33.8 g

Simple Potato Soup

Hey y'all! I hope you are all doing well! I'm doing alright, just relaxing at home while I have dinner cooking away in the slow cooker. If the recipe turns out as expected, I will definitely have a post on it with the recipe. Tonight's dinner is not what this post is about. No, what this post is about is how it's spring time here in North Carolina, but we have had freeze warnings and temperatures in the 20s recently. Are you serious, mother nature? Anyways, this weekend is supposed to be much warmer, with highs in the mid-60s, so I wanted to take advantage of a soup...just once more. 
     Don't get me wrong, I can eat soup during spring, summer, fall, or winter, but it's just so much more appealing in the colder months. Let's face it, when it's 95 degrees outside, do you really want to be stuffing your face with 98 degree soup?! I think not. Anyways, for lunch, I decided on some potato soup. I have been craving it recently and decided on making some. I did want to lighten it up a bit, as most classic potato soups have heavy cream. I will tell you this: I succeeded. Give this recipe a try, you won't regret it. You will never miss the cream in this tasty soup! 


Simple Potato Soup

Yields: 2 servings

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1 large potato, cubed
¼ c. onion, chopped

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 ¼ c. chicken stock

¼ c. milk

1 tsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. water

     

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic clove and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Next, add the onions and allow to cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add the potatoes, Italian seasoning, and parsley and cook, stirring frequently about 3 minutes.

Carefully add in the chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Continue to cook on low heat for approximately 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Using a potato masher, break some of the potatoes up. This is optional, but I think it helps add a little more thickness.

 Create a slurry using the cornstarch and water, by mixing them together and adding to the soup. Bring to a boil, once again, and stir for 1 minute. Once you are satisfied with the texture and thickness of your soup, remove from heat and stir in milk!

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 2
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 214.7

• Total Fat: 6.6 g
• Cholesterol: 20.2 mg
• Sodium: 645.4 mg
• Total Carbs: 35.1 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4.9 g
• Protein: 5.3 g

Oh my, chocolate pie!

     This is a DELICIOUS version of chocolate cream pie. Not only is it for those who prefer dark chocolate, but it's also a lighter version. It's still just as creamy as the regular pie, but hardly the same amount of calories. You can of course, change the milk you use, or combine two different milkfat percentages. Either way, you can't go wrong with chocolate.  I had no real reason to make a pie, but I hadn't had one in quite sometime. I remembered that March 14 was "pi" day (3.14), but didn't get around to making a pie. I hopped on the wagon and have made a pie, like most others did...just a few days later! I can't believe how much this tastes like the richer version which uses heavy cream, as opposed to milk! 


Light Chocolate Cream Pie
Yield: 8 servings

FILLING:
1/4 C. cornstarch
3 tbsp. cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. sea salt
3 C. skim milk
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
CRUST:
5 tbsp butter, melted
12 oz. animal crackers, crushed

TOPPING (IF DESIRED):
1 C. heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp. granulated sugar

CRUST: 

Crush crackers and combine with butter until all crumbs are moist. Press into a 9" pie plate.

FILLING:

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, combine cornstarch, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and sea salt. Place over medium heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Continue whisking until the mixture reaches the boil. Whisk constantly for 2 minutes (mixture will become thick) then remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and vanilla until smooth and pour into prepared filling.
  

TOPPING (IF DESIRED):

In a medium sized clean bowl, beat the whipping cream and sugar on a low speed for about 1 minute. Slowly increase the speed until the cream is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Nutritional Info (Amounts given reflect no whipped topping)

• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 292.9

• Total Fat: 6.6 g
• Cholesterol: 5.8 mg
• Sodium: 488.6 mg
• Total Carbs: 56.1 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g
• Protein: 7.0 g

Creamy Holiday Potatoes

Around Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two times in a year that I will forgive myself for all the unhealthy foods I've eaten. Throughout the year, I make my mashed potatoes using skim milk and very little butter or other fats. These mashed potatoes are rich, indulgent, and delicious, however fattening it may be, and I will ONLY make it around the holidays! Make sure you have a potato masher because if you use a handheld mixer it will overwork the starch and will make your creamy mashed potatoes turn into gummy mashed potatoes- not palatable.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Yields: 3-4 servings


1½ pounds Idaho potatoes, cubed
5½ tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
2½ ounces cream cheese, cubed, room temperature
2 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
½ tsp. Lawry's seasoning (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Once boiling, place potatoes in the water and cook until fork tender. Depending on the size you cut the potatoes, they may take anywhere from 20-45 minutes; mine took about 25 minutes. Once cooked, drain in a colander and put the potatoes back in the hot pot and over a very low heat. Putting the potatoes back into the same pot over a low heat allows for excess water to evaporate. I found that cubing the butter and cream cheese before bringing them to room temperature will allow quicker meting, but cubing is not necessary. Once melted, add in the heavy whipping cream. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust your seasoning. If you choose to add the Lawry's seasoning, go a little lighter on salt.

Enjoy!

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 380.7

• Total Fat: 25.6 g
• Cholesterol: 75.0 mg
• Sodium: 92.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 34.6 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5.1 g
• Protein: 5.3 g

Pasta problems.

     For lunch, sometimes I don't eat meat. Instead, I'll get my protein in other ways (peanut butter, yogurt, etc.). I decided on making some pasta! I am okay with eating any kind of pasta with a tomato or meat sauce ANYTIME! I was already about 4 minutes into the process of boiling the rotini when I grabbed my jarred (shh!) spaghetti sauce from the refrigerator. That's when my lunch idea took a turn for the worst.
     The spaghetti sauce was bad! I had a mini panic attack as I tried to figure out what to do next. Olive oil and garlic? No, I have that pretty often. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar? I was out of tomatoes and really prefer the tomatoes with the vinegar and oil. What do I do?! I opened the refrigerator and saw butter and parmesan cheese- gulp. I know that isn't the smartest meal option, but it was a quick fix for my pasta predicament! It was so good, that I decided to make it the next day for Michael and I for dinner, but I added meat! As always, you're the boss of your recipes, so feel free to change up the pasta, type of cheese, etc. This was fabulous!

Garlic Butter Chicken Rotini
Yields: 3-4 servings

2 8oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups uncooked rotini, cooked and drained
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook rotini in well-salted water. Drain and set aside. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil and brown/cook chicken. Set aside in a bowl. In a skillet that has not been heated, add 2 tbsp. olive oil and minced garlic. Heat the two together over low heat and stir frequently. This will infuse the olive oil with the flavor of the garlic. Be careful not to burn any of the pieces of garlic as they will become bitter. Remove from heat and place butter in pan. Swirl the pan to encourage melting. Once the butter is melted, add parmesan cheese and gently stir until melted. In large pot, add rotini, chicken breast, and parmesan mixture. Stir well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.