Fruity Curried Chicken Salad

When I first began blogging, I mentioned that much of my cooking was measurement free. This is one of those recipes. I am trying to eat better and have been bored with sandwiches for lunch. The other day I thought I'd go in the kitchen and whip up some chicken salad. This is different from the traditional southern chicken salad that I normally make...with eggs, and homemade sweet pickle. This turned out so delicious.. I will be making it in a larger portion soon!

One small can chicken breast
1-2 TBSP light mayonnaise (start w/ one tbsp and add more if needed)
not quite 1/4 tsp curry powder
craisins
diced apple
chopped celery
toasted chopped pecans
Fresh spinach

Add as much as you like of the fruit, celery, nuts and curry powder. Its all a personal preference. Mix it all together. Layer some fresh spinach leaves on a plate and spoon chicken salad over spinach. So good!!

Nutter Butter Banana Pudding

Doesn't that sound gooooood?!?!? Well...it is! I saw a similar recipe in Southern Living and since I love the recipe I already use for banana pudding, I didn't change a thing..except the cookies.
So..if you'd like to try this out, follow my recipe for Banana Pudding and substitute nutter butters for the vanilla wafers. It took almost 2 whole packages of Nutter Butters.

Enchiladas

Tonight's supper was venison enchiladas. My wonderful husband loves to hunt. We have a freezer full of deer meat. He grinds it into burger and we love to use it in spaghetti sauce, chili, tacos and now...enchiladas. Of course if you don't have access to venison or if you just plain don't like it....use hamburger.

Venison Enchiladas
2lbs ground venison or beef
2 10oz cans enchilada sauce
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 package taco seasoning
1/3 cup water
6-8 10" tortillas

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Brown meat...add a little salt/pepper or black pepper seasoned salt (I use Lawry's)...then drain
Back to pan, add 1 can sauce, taco seasoning, water and 1 1/2 cups cheese. Stir very well. Spoon some of the beef mixture into the center of each tortilla, roll and wrap ends under. Place, seam side down, in 13X9 casserole dish. I was able to fit 6 tortillas in my dish.

Pour the other can of sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over the enchiladas.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.



If you have any meat mixture left over and you also have extra tortillas, you can always make a pie from what's left. I placed one tortilla in the bottom of a pie plate, filled it w/ the meat mixture, placed another tortilla on top, spread extra sauce over and more cheese. Baked it the same temp and time. The edges curled up during baking, so its not as pretty. I will probably freeze the pie for a later use.

Spicey Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

Here is another "light" recipe. It is my take on one I found online. I am sure you can use chicken breasts, but we just love thighs. They are so tender, moist and full of flavor.

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 ground red pepper
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
olive oil
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Combine the first six ingredients. Drizzle the chicken thighs with a little olive oil. Rub or sprinkle the seasoning mixture on both sides of chicken.


Combine honey and vinegar.

Grill chicken 12-15 minutes on both sides. After a few minutes of grilling, brush the honey-vinegar mixture on the chicken. When the chicken is turned, brush other side with honey-vinegar mixture. Chicken is done when a thermometer reads 180 degrees.


It was good with a green salad and corn on the side.

Overnight Apple Oatmeal

I bought the Fix It and Forget BIG Cookbook a couple of weeks ago. Its the first crock pot cookbook I have ever seen that actually has some good looking recipes in it. It is filled with tons of ideas. I found this recipe in it and decided to give it a go. I am also posting this for the ladies on the fitness blog that I am a part of. If you are interested in joining the fitness blog for accountability, please visit Sandy. We've got some great members and Sandy is the best "coach". She would like me to post a healthy recipe once a week. I am going to try to do that, but it WILL be a challenge for me...y'all know how much I love me some butter and sugar! My plan is to post the "good for you" recipe on Fridays.

This recipe for oatmeal is definitely easy. Its nice to wake up to breakfast already made. Now..I must say..I didn't think it was anything to do flips over...it wasn't outstanding, but it sure beats a pack of nabs or even having absolutely nothing for breakfast. Its true that breakfast is our most important meal of the day. I decided to post it because someone might want to give it a try and possibly play around with it, adding different ingredients.



Overnight Apple Oatmeal

2 cups low fat milk
2 Tbsp. honey or 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup dry rolled oats
1 cup apples, chopped
1/2 cup raisins, optional
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup fat free half and half

Spray inside of slow cooker with non fat cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except half and half. Pour into cooker. Cover and cook on LOW overnight, ideally 6-8 hours. Stir in the half and half just before stirring.

A few tips..I used the honey instead of the brown sugar..I didn't think it was sweet enough..so I just added a packet of splenda to my bowl. You may want to experience with the brown sugar. You probably could just use more low fat milk before serving instead of the half and half as well. I had that on hand so I used it. (1/2 & 1/2)I set mine to cook for 7 hours and I think that was a little too much. Go for 6 hours!





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