Spinach Chicken Parm

(Image from Women's Health Magazine)

Spinach Chicken Parm

Women's Health Magazine

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 boneless skinless chicken cutlet
• 1 tbsp italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup marinara
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 handfuls baby spinach
• salt and pepper to taste

And Action:

Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. As the oil is heating, mix the breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Pressing the chicken into the mixture to get the crumbs stick. Place in the pan with the garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Top with hot marinara. Add the spinach, turning frequently with tongs until it wilts (about 6 minutes).

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES

366 CAL

FAT

17.4 G

SATURATED FAT

2.9 G

CHOLESTEROL

70 MG

SODIUM

806.3 MG

CARBOHYDRATES

21 G

TOTAL SUGARS

6 G

DIETARY FIBER

4.1 G

PROTEIN

32.1 G

Easy Mac & Cheese Veggie Chicken Casserole

The name says it all... Easy! This one dish meal came together for an easy week night recipe that is light on the budget. Based on average retail prices at national supermarkets the total recipe costs $12.79 which is $2.13 a serving. You can make this your own by switching up the veggies and meat. Little Man really loves chicken and broccoli so I kept with the direction of the recipe. I saw a variation that incorporated Mexican flavors and it looked fantastic. If you're a real go getter cook your noodles ahead of time, prep the veggies, and save yourself some of the grunt work by purchasing one of those juicy rotisserie chickens from the deli section. Best part about a casserole is that there are plenty for leftovers.

Easy Mac & Cheese Veggie Chicken Casserole

Country Crock

Makes 6 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 4 tbsp butter melted, divided
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 8 oz rotini pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 4 cups frozen vegetables, thawed - I used a fresh broccoli crown cut into bite sized pieces.
• 2 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese - I used fat free.
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese - I used shaved Parmesan cheese. 

And Action:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 3 tbsp of butter with the milk, pasta, chicken, veggies, and cheddar cheese in an 8-inch baking dish.

Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and remaining butter in a small bowl; sprinkle on top. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through. 

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories: 330

Calories from Fat: 80

Fat: 9 g

Saturated Fat: 3.5 g

Trans Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 10 mg

Sodium: 330 mg

Carbohydrates: 46 g

Fiber: 3 g

Sugar: 8 g

Protein: 16 g

Vitamin A: 40%

Vitamin : 8%

Calcium: 20%

Iron: 10%

Check out Weekend Potluck for other great dinner ideas!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Florentine

While the rice florentine portion of this 30 minute meal was delicious the chicken was the standout component. My 4 year old gobbled his piece up while picking around the spinach in his rice. Another delicious recipe from the Rice-A-Roni and Noodle-Roni: Recipes For Busy Cooks cookbook. 

Stars of the Show:

• 1 package (6.9 oz) Rice-A-Roni Chicken Flavor
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained - I used fresh spinach.

And Action:

Prepare Rice-A-Roni as package directs.

While Rice-A-Roni is simmering, combine breadcrumbs and cheese. Beat together egg and milk in separate dish. Coat chicken in crumb mixture, dip into egg mixture, then coat agin with crumb mixture.

In second large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown and no longer pink inside.

Stir spinach into rice; heat through. Serve rice topped with chicken.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calories: 560

Total Fat: 25g

Saturated Fat: 5g

Cholesterol:130mg

Sodium: 1075mg

Carbohydrates: 44g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 39g

Vitamin A: 118%

Vitamin C: 32%

Calcium: 22%

Iron: 38%

Chicken Parmesan

Sometimes a quick dinner is what I'm after. With only 5 ingredients and 20 minutes you too can have dinner on the table in the blink of an eye thanks to frozen breaded chicken breast tenderloins. What's great about this meal is the clean up. Quick and simple.

I served the Chicken Parmesan over simple olive oil noodles but a side salad with a vinaigrette would be nice as well. I think it would make a fantastic sandwich too. Everyone in my household loved this meal and went back for seconds.

Chicken Parmesan

MyRecipes.com and Real Simple, February 2005

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 2 (12 oz) packages low-fat baked breaded chicken-breast tenderloins or cutlets
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 cups jarred marinara sauce
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

And Action:

Preheat oven to 425° F. Place the chicken in a shallow roasting pan or a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Sprinkle with the oregano, then pour on the sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is hot and the cheese is melted. Season with pepper to taste.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

Calcium: 87mg

Calories: 345
Calories from fat: 25%
Carbohydrate: 33g
Cholesterol: 84mg
Fat: 10g
Fiber: 1g
Iron: 1mg
Protein: 32mg
Saturated fat: 3g
Sodium: 1840mg

Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes

That's a wrap! My mission is accomplished. I found Mr. Sideline Chef's "engagement" scalloped potato recipe. For those of you who don't know about the "engagement" recipes they are what I make that I consider to be my golden ticket to my ring man's heart through his stomach. This recipe will now make the rotation along with the Chipotle Spiced Macaroni and Cheese.

A week ago I found a Cooking Light recipe for Scalloped Potatoes with Cheese that Mr. Sideline Chef liked but didn't jump out of his seat, throw his arms around me, and swing me from side to side singing my praises... or have him in the kitchen doing dishes afterward.

Like I stated before, scalloped potatoes have never been my thing. I really wanted to like scalloped potatoes. I like all of the ingredients in the dish so it's really disappointing that I just couldn't develop a liking to them. Well things have changed. I am in LOVE with these scalloped potatoes. My mouth is still watering thinking about these even though my stomach is filled to full capacity.

Nothing brings me more joy than making Mr. Sideline Chef's favorites and knowing that he has a dinner that makes him look forward to coming home to after a long day's work.

Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes

MyRecipes.com and Southern Living, November 2007

Makes 8 Servings



Stars of the Show:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
• 3 cups whipping cream - I used half the amount since that is what I had on hand and I wouldn't make it any other way.
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley - I used dried parsley.
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

And Action:

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in potatoes and the next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook stirring gently for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 400° for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to stand for 10 minutes before serving.



Parmesan Parsley Biscuit Flatbreads

This one had me laughing to myself and shaking my head. Wanting to continue on with my vow to try and eat up the contents of our food items on hand before heading back to the grocery store before our vacation I decided to give this recipe a try.

Flatbreads make me giddy. They make the perfect vehicle for pizza toppings and sandwiches and such. Much to my disappointment these did not turn out to be flatbreads but instead biscuits that were smooshed down with a flavorless Parmesan cheese-parsley topping. What made these refrigerated biscuits amazing was the fact that the original recipe called for the biscuit to be dipped in olive oil on both sides. When the biscuits came out of the oven the bottoms were beautifully browned and crisp. That was the addicting part. It was like biting into Pizza Hut's pan pizza crust.

Okay so the results were nothing like I expected. No flatbread. What lesson I did learn was this: anytime refrigerated biscuits are made they will take a quick dip into an olive oil bath before baking for that crisp bottomed effect. Lip smacking deliciousness. Probably explains why I ended up eating four of them. Slapping hand and jumping on the treadmill now to burn off the calories I just inhaled.

Thoughts on a redo would include a dip in olive oil on both sides, the tops being sprinkled with more Parmesan cheese than the original recipe calls for and adding garlic as well. I could see these being served in a pinch to go along with a pasta dish.

Parmesan Parsley Biscuit Flatbreads

MyRecipes.com and Southern Living, March 2008

Makes 8 servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 (16.3 oz) can refrigerated jumbo biscuits - I used Pillsbury Grands Butter Tastin' Jumbo Biscuits.
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh parsley - I used dried parsley.
• pinch of salt and black pepper

And Action:

Preheat oven to 400°. Dip both sides of the biscuit rounds in the olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. *I would skip the following step if I was to make these again.* Using fingertips, press each round into a 4-inch free form flat round. Sprinkle each biscuit top with the Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

On to more exciting news!... I got my first shout out on another food bloggers page! After suggesting that she turn her guilty pleasures into healthier versions to enjoy whenever she wants she took my idea and did so. You can click HERE to check it out and give Alexandria kudos for a healthier swap!