Apricot Pork Chops AND Butternut Squash Gratin with Blue Cheese and Sage

This is one of the easiest recipes you will ever make (and maybe one of the cheapest too)!  All we have to do for this recipe is buy pork chops and (depending on our fridge stock) some green onions.  Great for those who need weeknight meals fast, this is super easy and super delicious.  Now I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that this makes a MESS in your pan and it's not too pretty in the picture (who wants to eat that black looking pork thing) but the pan comes clean and that's just the soy sauce making it tasty. :)

While this is probably better with steamed veggies and rice (it has an Asian influence), we tend to make this at the same time we make Butternut Squash, Blue cheese and sage gratin. It's not planned and I don't know why, but we always plan to make these together. 

For the pork chops, 17 people gave this an average rating of 4 out of 5. It's definitely a 5 people.

Now as far as the Butternut Squash gratin goes, I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this recipe. It's such a great way to get some of those fall veggies in and the flavor combination is so awesome.  I would eat this everyday if I could. Talk about healthy comfort food.

We do make some changes to this recipe.  Adding more onions and sage is a must.  I would also recommend you steam the squash until it's really really (read: fall apart on the fork) tender. It just makes everything taste better.

For the gratin, 31 people gave it an average rating of 4 out of 5.

Apricot Pork Chops
Recipe by Michele Powers, Cooking Light, July 2005

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and 1 tablespoon sauce)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4  (4-ounce) boneless loin pork chops
• 1/4  cup  prechopped onion
• 1/4  cup  apricot preserves
• 1  tablespoon  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  teaspoons  bottled minced garlic
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  cup  sliced green onions

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.
Add prechopped onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in preserves, soy sauce, garlic, and salt; cook 3 minutes or until thickened. Add pork to pan, turning to coat. Sprinkle with green onions.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 231 (32% from fat)

Fat: 8.3g (sat 2.5g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.2g)

Protein: 23.9g

Carbohydrate: 15.2g

Fiber: 0.5g

Cholesterol: 73mg

Iron: 1.2mg

Sodium: 345mg

Calcium: 24mg

 

Butternut Squash Gratin with Blue Cheese and Sage

Recipe by Jackie Mills, Cooking Light, December 2008

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 5  cups  (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
• 1  (1 1/2-ounce) slice white bread
• 4  teaspoons  olive oil, divided
• 2  cups  thinly sliced onion
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh sage
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Steam butternut squash, covered, 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 12 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Transfer to a small bowl; add 2 teaspoons oil, and toss with a fork to combine.
4. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add butternut squash, chopped sage, salt, and black pepper to bowl, and toss gently to combine. Spoon squash mixture into an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese evenly over squash mixture, and sprinkle evenly with breadcrumb mixture. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and crumbs are golden brown.

Nutritional Information

Calories:186 (31% from fat)

Fat: 6.4g (sat 2.4g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.5g)

Protein: 5.1g

Carbohydrate: 30.9g

Fiber: 4.8g

Cholesterol:  7mg

Iron:1.7mg

Sodium: 379mg

Calcium: 173mg

Lentil-and-Sausage Stuffed Peppers

We've had dried lentils sitting around since we made the samosas recipe (see here SAMOSAS).  So I decided that it would be good if we could find a recipe that would help us use up some of these lentils. Also, I think after making the samosas I realized how delicious lentils are.  So I stumbled on this stuffed pepper recipe and thought it looked fantastic.  We also had most of the ingredients at home so it was easy to pick up some peppers, rice and shredded cheese.

I have to be honest as an unbiased source for all your cooking needs (lol nerd alert)!  We didn't see the point of stuffing this in the peppers.  The flavor of the stuffing was AWESOME. We'd totally make it again, but stuffing it in the pepper didn't enhance the flavor at all. I think it would be much better as a salad similar to the chicken and wild rice one (see here for DELICIOUSNESS).

I know you're probably looking at the ingredient list and thinking basil, balsamic, capers and....RAISINS?  But the raisins gave it just a hint of sweetness and a flavor you don't expect.  We also used a jalapeno sausage because the one listed in the ingredient list wasn't available. Other reviewers mentioned they used the jalapeno sausage with good results so I figured it was a safe bet.

So after taking all of this into account, we'll be making it again but instead calling it lentil, rice and chicken salad and 86-ing the peppers (or chopping them up and adding them in).

Recipe by Cooking Light, September 2000

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 pepper halves)

Ingredients

• 3  red bell peppers
• 3  yellow bell peppers
• 3  cups  water, divided
• 1/2  cup  dried brown lentils
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  uncooked long-grain rice
• 1  cup  diced onion
• 8  ounces  basil, pine nut, and chicken sausage, chopped (such as Gerhard's)
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4  cup  dried currants or raisins
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh parsley
• 2  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  capers
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh basil
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Cut bell peppers in half, keeping stems intact. Discard seeds and membranes. Cook bell peppers in boiling water 5 minutes; drain and set aside.
Combine 2 cups water, lentils, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add rice and onion. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Set aside. Place sausage in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; saute until browned.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine lentils, rice mixture, sausage, mozzarella, and remaining ingredients except Parmesan in a large bowl. Divide lentil mixture evenly among bell peppers; sprinkle with Parmesan. Place stuffed peppers in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish; cover and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 292 (30% from fat)

Fat: 9.7g (sat 4.2g,mono 2.4g,poly 2.7g)

Protein: 19.2g

Carbohydrate: 33.7g

Fiber: 4.3g

Cholesterol: 48mg

Iron: 4mg

Sodium: 541mg

Calcium: 211mg

Chicken and Basil Calzones

Who doesn't like bread, melty cheese and great herbs?  Seriously, I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't. 

This is one of our favorite comfort food type recipes.  Using pre-made dough really speeds this along.  I have a feeling if you had kids this would be a fun recipe to make with them. We don't make any changes to this recipe, we love it just as it is!  The great thing for us is that we have 2 people in our household, so this makes enough for two meals!  Reheating is easy, toaster oven or microwave will do (toaster oven if you want the crust to remain crispy). 

As of today's post 12 people rated this a 5 out of 5, I think you will too.


Recipe by Karen Levin, Cooking Light, December 2008

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 calzone)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  pound  ground chicken breast
• 3/4  cup  prepared pizza sauce
• 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh basil
• 1  (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic and chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring to crumble. Stir in pizza sauce and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in basil. Let stand 10 minutes.
3. Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; cut dough into quarters. Pat each portion into an 8 x 6–inch rectangle. Divide chicken mixture evenly among rectangles; top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese. Working with one rectangle at a time, fold dough in half over filling, pinching edges to seal. Repeat procedure with remaining rectangles. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until golden.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 459 (14% from fat)

Fat: 7.1g (sat 1.8g,mono 1g,poly 0.4g)

Protein: 39.1g

Carbohydrate: 56.4g

Fiber: 3g

Cholesterol: 74mg

Iron: 3.7mg

Sodium: 919mg

Calcium: 111mg

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers AND Broccoli and cheese-stuffed potatoes

It's a two-in-one!  We made the Roast chicken with balsamic bell peppers for the first time a while back and decided to make these stuffed potatoes with it (in the background).  The potatoes we've made before and they are DELICIOUS!  Stuffed with broccoli, mushrooms, cheese and bacon, they're a great way to have an individual serving of comfort food without the whole pan of mac 'n cheese or mashed potatoes.

The balsamic pepper chicken was good, but not great. You may like it. We felt for the amount of time you had to put in to make this that it wasn't worth it.  If you like balsamic, you will like this dish.

We didn't make any changes to either of these dishes. 

As of today's post, 9 people rated the broccoli stuffed potatoes a 5 out of 5 (they really are tasty).  As for the balsamic chicken, 79 people rated it a 4 out of 5. 

The broccoli potatoes go into our cookbook, the chicken did not. Decide for yourself though whether you like them!

Roast chicken with balsamic bell peppers

Recipe by Ivy Manning, Cooking Light, January 2010

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half and about 1/2 cup bell pepper mixture)

Ingredients

• 3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 3/4  teaspoon  fennel seeds, crushed
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  garlic powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 2  cups  thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 1  cup  thinly sliced yellow bell pepper
• 1/2  cup  thinly sliced shallots (about 1 large)
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  chopped fresh rosemary
• 1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  tablespoon  balsamic vinegar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Brush chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; sprinkle spice rub over chicken. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; cook 1 minute. Arrange chicken in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until done.
3. Heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, shallots, and rosemary; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve bell pepper mixture over chicken.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 282

Fat: 11g (sat 2.1g,mono 6.4g,poly 1.7g)

Protein: 35.9g

Carbohydrate: 8.8g

Fiber: 1.9g

Cholesterol: 94mg

Iron: 2mg

Sodium: 644mg

Calcium: 38mg

 

Broccoli and Cheese-Stuffed Potato

Cooking Light, January 2005

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 potato half)

Ingredients

• 2  baking potatoes (about 1 3/4 pounds)
• 2  bacon slices
• 1  cup  broccoli florets
• 1  cup  presliced mushrooms
• 1/2  cup  chopped onion
• 1  teaspoon  bottled minced garlic
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese
• 1/4  cup  fat-free sour cream
• 2  tablespoons  fat-free milk
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.
Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at high 16 minutes or until done, turning and rearranging potatoes after 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
While potatoes cook, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; reserve 1 teaspoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside. Add broccoli, mushrooms, onion, and garlic to drippings in pan; cook 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Combine potato pulp, onion mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients; divide evenly among shells.
Bake at 450° for 8 minutes or until potatoes are thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 245 (22% from fat)

Fat: 5.9g (sat 3.1g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.3g)

Protein: 12.5g

Carbohydrate: 42.3g

Fiber: 5.3g

Cholesterol: 17mg

Iron: 2.1mg

Sodium: 408mg

Calcium: 297mg