Spicy Peanut Chicken over Rice

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp peanut oil

1 cup chopped onion

1.5 Tbsps minced garlic

2.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

1/3 cup chunky peanut butter

1.5 tsps curry powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

6 oz can tomato paste

15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

2 (14 oz) cans fat-free, less sodium chicken broth

cooked rice

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat

Add onion & garlic to pan; cook 5 mins or until tender, stirring frequently

Add chicken to pan; cook 4 mins or until chicken is done
Stir in peanut butter, curry powder, salt, red pepper, black pepper, & tomato paste; cook 1 min

Add tomatoes & broth to pan; bring to a boil

Reduce heat & simmer 30 mins or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally

Serve over rice

Photo courtesy of: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001823370

Pasta Skillet with Tomatoes & Beans

Ingredients:

2 tsps olive oil

15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups hot cooked angel hair pasta

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

15.5 oz can chickpeas, drained

1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese

2 Tbsps balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat

Add tomatoes & garlic; saute 2 mins

Add pasta, basil, salt, pepper, & chickpeas; cook 2 mins

Place mixture in a bowl; stir in cheese & vinegar

Smothered Pepper Steak

Ingredients:
3 Tbsps all purpose flour

4 (4 oz) ground sirloin patties

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

cooking spray

bell pepper (any color)

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, basil, & olive oil

1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Place flour in shallow dish

Dredge sirloin patties in flour; sprinkle patties evenly with salt & pepper

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray

Coat patties with cooking spray

Add patties to pan; cook 3 mins on each side or until lightly browned

Add bell pepper, tomatoes, & soy sauce to meat in pan; bring to a boil

Reduce heat; simmer 15 mins or until meat is done & pepper mixture is slightly thick

Oven Fried Chicken

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients:

2 cups Panko bread crumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 Tbsps olive oil, divided

2 Tbsps freshly minced thyme leaves

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 Tbsps water

2.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4" thickness

Preheat oven to 400°

Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil

Place a cooking rack over pan & spray with nonstick cooking spray

In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, cheese, 2 Tbsps olive oil, thyme, salt, & pepper

In a separate shallow dish, combine mustard, water, 2 Tbsps olive oil, salt & pepper

Coat each chicken breast with mustard mixture; dredge each in bread crumb mixture

Place on prepared rack in pan

Bake for 25-30 mins or until chicken is golden brown

Beer Braised Beef

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion

cooking spray

1.5 lb boneless top round steak, trimmed

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, & oregano, undrained

1/2 cup light beer (I used Miller Lite)

2 Tbsps molasses

1/4 tsp salt

Mashed potatoes

Place onion crockpot coated with cooking spray

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray

Add steak; cook 3 mins on each side or until browned

Place steak over onion in crockpot; pour tomatoes & beer over steak

Cover & cook on low for 8 hrs or until steak is very tender

Shred steak with 2 forks in slow cooker, stir in molasses & salt

Serve with mashed potatoes

Chorizo Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb beef stew meat
Salt & pepper
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 can (28 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed & drained
1 tube (10 oz) Mexican chorizo sausage
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 oz) corn
2 Tbsps minced garlic
2 Tbsps chili powder
2 Tbsps minced chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano

Season stew meat with salt & pepper; brown meat in oil in skillet over med-high heat for 5 mins
Combine all ingredients in crock pot
Break chorizo into chunks
Cover & cook until beef is tender - 3-4 hrs on high heat setting or 7-8 hrs on low heat setting

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

Delicious cake that pairs well with a cup of coffee.
Recipe courtesy of Epicurious

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400° with rack in middle
Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla
Add egg and beat well
At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined
Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top
Scatter raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes
Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more
Invert onto a plate