Honey Mustard Chicken Kebabs & Pecan Couscous
Another light meal with some real flavor! you won't want desert after this eating this meal. Of course this kebab recipe is also good on shrimp, lamb and turkey, give it a try! Mix it up!HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN KEBABS
(320 calories)
1/4 Cup ground mustard (again, I used deli mustard, it worked fine for this)
2 Tbsp honey (I used local honey I bought at the Farmers Market)2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 jalapeno chile pepper minced
3 chicken breastes, cubed
1 lemon, cut into 10 wedges.
Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Brush grill rack with oil.
Whisk together mustard, honey, garlic rosemary and jalapeno in a small bowl (set aside small amount for dipping later) add Chicken to mixture and coat really well with sauce. Thread Chicken chunks and lemons onto metal skewers (you can add pineapple and green peppers if u desire), Grill kebabs uncovered over direct heat until fully cooked.
PECAN COUSCOUS
(348 Calories)
1 tsp EVOO or Avocado Oil (I used Avocado Oil, I purchased at Oak Mountain Winery in Temecula)
1/4 Cup finely chopped peans (I used the glazed ones for a little more sweetness)
1/4 Cup minced shallots
1 Cup waater
2/3 Cup dry couscous
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
Heat oil in saucepan over medium high heat. A pecans cook, stirring often, until pecans are toasted, a couple of min., add shallots and saute until softened another minute or two.
Add water, bring to boil, stir i couscous. Cover pan, remove from heat, let stand for five minutes, then fluff with a fork.
1 tsp EVOO or Avocado Oil (I used Avocado Oil, I purchased at Oak Mountain Winery in Temecula)
1/4 Cup finely chopped peans (I used the glazed ones for a little more sweetness)
1/4 Cup minced shallots
1 Cup waater
2/3 Cup dry couscous
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
Heat oil in saucepan over medium high heat. A pecans cook, stirring often, until pecans are toasted, a couple of min., add shallots and saute until softened another minute or two.
Add water, bring to boil, stir i couscous. Cover pan, remove from heat, let stand for five minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Peppered Bourbon Steak and Scalloped Potatoes
On my quest to keep even rich, hearty tasting dishes on the light side, I found this "Peppered Bourbon Steak" recipe in Cuisine Magazine and adapted it a little.. the total count for the steak recipe is 287 calories. Below is my re-written version of the Steak recipe and my own family recipe for "Scalloped Potatoes".
PEPPERED BOURBON STEAK
2 beef tenderloin steak (4oz. each)
1/4 tsp kosher salt (optional - I didn't use it)
Black peppercorns cracked. (I use McCormick's Pepper Grinder because it lets me adjust the sizes of peppercorns i want)
1 Tblsp EVOO (Use a good fresh one, I used a White Truffel EVVO from Temecula Olive Oil Company)
4 TBsp. Bourbon (aka American Whisky, like Jack Daniels or Crown Royal)
1/4 Cup of low-sodium beef broth
2 Tbsp of minced shallots (can use scallions if shallots are not available)
4 Tbsp of half and half
2 Tbsp of course ground mustard (can use deli mustard, I did and it worked fine)
Season steak filets with salt, press peppercorns into one side. Heat oil in saute' pan over medium-high heat, cook 3-4 min. per side for Med-Rare. Remove steaks from pan, tent with foil to keep warm.
Remove pan from heat. Add bourbon, simmer until liquid is reduced by half, add beef broth and shallots simmer for two minutes, stir in half and half and mustard. Return pan to medium heat. saute' for a couple of minutes and sauce thickens. Pour over Steak. Enjoy!!
1/4 tsp kosher salt (optional - I didn't use it)
Black peppercorns cracked. (I use McCormick's Pepper Grinder because it lets me adjust the sizes of peppercorns i want)
1 Tblsp EVOO (Use a good fresh one, I used a White Truffel EVVO from Temecula Olive Oil Company)
4 TBsp. Bourbon (aka American Whisky, like Jack Daniels or Crown Royal)
1/4 Cup of low-sodium beef broth
2 Tbsp of minced shallots (can use scallions if shallots are not available)
4 Tbsp of half and half
2 Tbsp of course ground mustard (can use deli mustard, I did and it worked fine)
Season steak filets with salt, press peppercorns into one side. Heat oil in saute' pan over medium-high heat, cook 3-4 min. per side for Med-Rare. Remove steaks from pan, tent with foil to keep warm.
Remove pan from heat. Add bourbon, simmer until liquid is reduced by half, add beef broth and shallots simmer for two minutes, stir in half and half and mustard. Return pan to medium heat. saute' for a couple of minutes and sauce thickens. Pour over Steak. Enjoy!!
SCALLOPED POTATOES
6 medium sized Yellow Potatoes thinly sliced
1 1/4 Cup half and half
2 Cups skim milk
2 Tbsp Flour
1 yellow onion minced
4 TBlsp of butter
Splash of EVOO
Pre-heat oven to 375, grease casserole pan with a little EVOO. Melt butter in saute' pan, add minced onions, saute' until clear. Add flour and milk, stir, add half & half, stir until mixture is bubbly remove from heat. Pour mixture over potatoes in bowl mix. Then pour potatoes and mixture into casserole dish and cook for 45min-1 hour.
6 medium sized Yellow Potatoes thinly sliced
1 1/4 Cup half and half
2 Cups skim milk
2 Tbsp Flour
1 yellow onion minced
4 TBlsp of butter
Splash of EVOO
Pre-heat oven to 375, grease casserole pan with a little EVOO. Melt butter in saute' pan, add minced onions, saute' until clear. Add flour and milk, stir, add half & half, stir until mixture is bubbly remove from heat. Pour mixture over potatoes in bowl mix. Then pour potatoes and mixture into casserole dish and cook for 45min-1 hour.
Sauteed Chicken With Blueberry Sauce & Blue Cheese
Been flipping through one of my favorite cooking magazines, Cuisine At Home and found a recipe that intrigued me because it had blueberries and blue cheese together on a chicken breast. The picture was amazing so I just had to try it! Oh, and not mention besides the fact that blueberries are extremely good for you, this entree is only 247 Calories per Serving...
This recipe is not on the magazine's website yet, so I here it is for all my friends who have been looking for a way to use blueberries for dinner:
2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5-6oz ea.)
1 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used Temecula Olive Company's White Truffle Olive Oil)
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt divided (I used Sea Salt)
1/4 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp of Minced Shallots (you can use scallions)
1/4 Cup Dry Madeira or Sherry (I used Dry Sack Sherry - found in wine isle)
3/4 Cup Fresh Blueberries (you can use frozen, but I didn't)
1/4 Cup low-sodium Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 Tsp. Crumbled Blue Cheese
Using a Meat Mallot, pound each piece of chicken to thickness of 1/2 inch. After pounding, cut breasts in to two pieces. Heat 1 Tblsp. of olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat.
Season Chicken with salt and pepper. Saute' on chicken on both sides until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer Chicken to a plate and tent with a foil.
Saute' shallots i pan with 1 Tbsp Olive Oil over high heat for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the Sherry, cooking until liquid is nearly evaporated. Add the blueberries, turn to simmer, until berries start to burst, about 2 min. then add broth, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper flakes and remaining salt.
Crush blueberries with a potato masher and simmer for 2 min.
Place two Chicken pieces on each plate and top with blueberry sauce and garnish with blue cheese
crumbles.
Makes 2 servings
247 Calories per serving.
Chorizo Stuffed Chicken
Sorry, no video yet... lost a cable and had to order a new one. Isn't that how it always goes? I have pictures though? (joyful boogie dance inserted here). FOOD PORN! ALERT!
Simple recipe really:
2 bare chicken breasts (in KK terms that means no skin, no bones)
1 package of seasoned stuffing mix/bread crumbs
2 cups chicken stock
3 oz Chorizo sausage (ooohhhh! yum!)
2 tablespoons butter (melted)
Chile flavored Avocado Oil (I picked some up a Temecula Winery: Oak Mountain Winery)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Pour the cook a glass of wine! (Pinot Grigio pairs well)
Cook Chorizo in small saute pan until cooked through. Pour off oil. Set aside. In mixing bowl mix together seasoned stuffing, melted butter and chicken stock. Add in cooked Chorizo.
Cut a pocket into the bare chicken breasts, stuff with stuffing mixture. Heat fry pan with a couple tablespoons of Avocado Oil. With tongs transfer stuffed breasts (the chicken ones!) to a warmed and well oil coated pan. Brown the breasts on each side for approximately 4-5min each.
Spread the remaining mixture of stuffing on greased square casserole dish. Place browned breasts (the chicken ones!) on top of the spread stuffing. Cover and bake for about 30 min.
Remove, top with a little cheese and salsa if you like, or just do a Salsa Dance around the kitchen with wine glass in hand, because, well if I had video you would see that is what KK does when she is in her happy place! The Kitchen!
Cheers!
