Cowboy Wontons with Spicy Ranch Dipping Sauce

I had something similar to these at a restaurant a while ago and have been wanting to recreate them ever since. They come together quickly and the flavor combination is perfect. Serve them as an appetizer or like we did, with corn-on-the-cob and a green salad for dinner.

Wontons:

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken in barbecue sauce

12 uncooked egg roll wrappers

canola oil

Spicy Ranch Dipping Sauce:

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups mayonnaise

Juice from one lime

3 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp Worcester sauce

1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper

1 tsp paprika

For wontons, spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of chicken mixture in center of uncooked egg roll wrapper. Moisten each corner with a small amount of water. Bring two opposite corners together and pinch to fasten. Bring remaining two opposites corners together and repeat, forming large wonton shapes. Keep prepared, uncooked wontons covered to avoid them drying out.

Using a deep skillet, heat a generous amount of canola oil to 300 degrees OR over medium-high heat until a few drops of water bubble in the oil. Carefully place 3 wontons at a time in heated oil and cook, turning periodically for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown and egg roll wrappers are bubbly. Using tongs, remove from oil and allow to cool slightly on paper towels.

For dipping sauce, whisk together all ingredients and place in refrigerator approximately 1 hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to combine and the sauce to thicken slightly. Serve cooked wontons with generous amounts of dipping sauce.

Spicy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Nothing is better in January than some piping hot, homemade soup. This is a favorite of mine, but maybe that's just because I like spicy. You may reduce the amount of jalapenos in it to meet personal or family preference. It comes together quickly and is perfectly healthy.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 large carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 Tbsp finely chopped jalapeno (canned or fresh)

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles

1 tsp Bon Appetit seasoning

3 (14 oz) cans chicken broth

3 cups cooked long grain and wild rice mix

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium high heat. Stir in onion, carrot and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and green chilies and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Sprinkle with Bon Appetit seasoning and slowly stir in chicken broth. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and continue simmering until heated through.

Chicken with Pecan Cream Sauce

I know what you're thinking. Cream sauce? I can't do cream sauce! Wait! This is unlike any cream sauce you've ever had. This dish is adapted from Cooking Light. As you know I'm a big fan and faithful reader of Cooking Light. A couple of years ago I picked up the chicken cookbook and have made nearly half of the recipes now.

Only one (Tandoori Chicken) dish was disappointing. Chicken with Pecan Cream Sauce is a definite favorite and is a perfect quick and easy dish to prepare for autumn. The combination of flavors is a surprising change and you'd never guess that there is not one drop of cream in the "cream" sauce.

3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

1 cup water

1/2 cup lowfat milk

2 1/2 tsps salt, divided

6 (6 oz each) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

1 (8 oz) pkg presliced mushrooms, rinsed and dried

4 cups cooked eggs noodles (delicious with whole wheat noodles too)

Chopped fresh parsley

Place pecans in a food processor (this works better than a blender for this recipe) and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl and add water, milk and 1 1/2 tsp salt while processor is on.

Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1 tsp salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Add chicken and saute 3-5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.

Add onions and mushroom to pan, saute 3 minutes or until mushroom give off their juices. Stir in pecan cream and bring to a boil. Cook 1 1/2 minutes. Place 2/3 cup noodles on each of the 6 plates. Slice chicken; top each serving with 1 chicken breast half and 1/3 cup sauce. Garnish with parsley.

Easy Teriyaki Chicken

The other night the women in my church gathered for a "progressive dinner" - appetizers, main courses at various women's homes and then back to the church for dessert. We had over 75 people participate and 20 generous hosts. It was fun evening and I got to know some of these women better being able to sit down and share a meal with them. I hosted a main course in my home. The Huz grilled the chicken and then we topped it with this sweet, slightly spicy sauce that delighted the taste buds. The Huz also grilled fresh pineapple - what a treat to pair with the chicken.

The thick sauce is more flavorful than anything you'll find on the store shelf. Any cuts of chicken work great here. I used a combination of thighs and breasts. If you're not near a grill, bake it in the oven, basting the chicken with the sauce every now and then.

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp cold water

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

6-10 pieces of chicken (depending on cuts)

In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and cold water. Whisk until smooth. Turn on heat to medium low and stir in ingredients brown sugar through black pepper; whisk thoroughly. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thick. Drizzle generously over grilled chicken and grilled pineapple.

Cool Cucumber Chicken

This recipe is adapted from Taste of Home. I first made it last summer when cucumbers were fresh from the garden and bursting with cool, crisp flavor. I love cucumbers, especially the smell when slicing them. This is a quick dinner that requires only a few ingredients. The cucumber sauce is also delicious on grilled fish.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 Tbsp minced fresh dill

1/8 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp sea salt

Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and soy sauce. Grill on both sides until done.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and serve over hot, grilled chicken.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

This dish is perfect the the warmer weather we've been having. You could serve it as an appetizer or make it a main course. If you are serving a large crowd, make several batches and keep it warm in a crock pot. The original recipe calls for Boston Bibb or butter lettuce leaves but I just use the good old iceberg lettuce and it turns out nicely. If you do use iceberg variety, tear off the first few layers as they are generally thin and would not hold up to becoming a "wrap". Also, lettuce wraps are a little messy (as any tongue tingling dish is) so make sure to have plenty of napkins ready.

If you love PF Chang's soothing lettuce wraps, these are a close copy-cat. The only thing I don't bother with are the fried rice noodles. If you want to add those to the dish to make them more "authentic", go here for the easy how-to.

I've also made this dish with a variety of vegetables. Chopped mushrooms, chopped bell peppers and matchstick carrots would work great in this recipe.

16 Boston Bibb or butter lettuce leaves, washed and dried
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce (found in the Asian food section)
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil (preferably dark sesame oil)
2 tsp chili garlic sauce (or less depending on heat preference)**
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, minced fine
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 (8 oz) can whole water chestnuts, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped


In a small bowl, whisk together crushed garlic, soy sauce, ground ginger, hoisin sauce, cider vinegar, sesame oil and chili garlic sauce. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat cooking oil over medium-high heat until hot. Stir fry minced chicken until no longer pink. Pour over soy sauce mixture; stir. Add water chestnuts and green onions; cook until mixture is heated through. Serve in lettuce leaves.

*You can substitute the minced chicken breast for ground chicken if you don't want to bother with the prep work OR this recipe also works nicely with ground beef, pork or even ground turkey.

**Chili Garlic Sauce is an Asian staple and condiment. You can find it in most supermarkets in the Asian food aisle. Here is a picture of the brand I use.

Cinco de Mayo: Chicken Oaxaca

This dish is one of my favorite chicken recipes from Cooking Light. I've adapted to fit my family's tastes. The dish comes from the restaurant Casa del Sol in Mexico. It is infamously fat laden. Cooking Light came up with their reduced fat version that is just as rich and decadent but will not leave you cursing your Cinco de Mayo celebration. It is delicious served with buttered linguine and garnished with sliced olives and cilantro.

Chipotle Sauce:

1/4 cup hot water

1/2 tsp chicken flavored bouillon granules

2 to 4 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (depending on heat preference)

*These are found in most grocery stores in the Latin food section

3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 Tbsp lime juice

Chicken:

1 peeled avocado, cut in 6 wedges

1 Tbsp lime juice

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp white pepper

2 Tbsp flour

3 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp canola oil

To prepare chipotle sauce, combine first 3 ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour sauce into a bowl, stir in sour cream and 1 Tbsp lime juice.

To prepare chicken, toss avocado with 1 Tbsp lime juice. Make a "pocket" in each chicken breast half by slicing a horizontal slit with a thin, sharp knife into the thickest portion of the breast. Stuff 1 avocado wedge and 2 Tbsp cheese into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Dip chicken in egg whites and then dredge in breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute 6-7 minutes on each side or until done.

To serve, top each chicken breast with approximately 3 Tbsp chipotle sauce.

Save Time, Save Money

I knew Tyson was on to something when they introduced cooked, ready-to-eat sliced chicken. After all, it's perfect for salads, pastas and other quick dishes. While these and other brands are fine to use once in a while, they are not really cost effective. Especially if you are cooking for more than 1 or 2 people. And in my humble opinion, have a unnatural texture and processed taste. Instead, try this: buy family packs of skinless, boneless chicken breasts on sale (I just bought several packages for $1.29/lb) and prepare them for future dishes to be used in the coming week. For maximum flavor, marinate the chicken 1-2 hours before grilling (or searing in a pan on the stove top). After grilling, wait 10 minutes and then slice or use kitchen shears to cut into slices. Store in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Remember, when poultry is not combined with other foods, it keeps longer in the refrigerator. I use this ready-to-go chicken on almost everything. A little time spent at the beginning of the week will really pay off. You'll have better taste, convenience and save money.

Penne with Chicken, Asparagus & Mushrooms in Creamy Lemon Sauce

So I have been experimenting with this recipe for a while. I had a similar dish at a restaurant and wanted to recreate the creamy lemon sauce. I made it today and got approvals from The Huz and The Boy both. It's definitely not a low-fat dish (it has a classic Alfredo sauce as a base) but enjoy it in moderation. It's delicious served with crusty bread and a crisp, green salad.

1/2 lb asparagus, rinsed with tough ends snapped off

1-8 oz pkg sliced mushrooms, rinsed and patted dry

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

2 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp cold water

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese*

Dash nutmeg

2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1-16 oz pkg hot, cooked penne pasta

1 1/2 cups sliced cooked chicken breast

Juice from one-whole large lemon

1. Snap asparagus stalks into thirds and steam until tender-crisp. While asparagus is cooking, saute mushrooms in a nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray.** Cook until mushrooms give off their juices (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat. Drain excess water from asparagus and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan heat whipping cream, butter and cornstarch dissolved in cold water together over medium-low heat until nearly boiling. When mixture is thickened, stir in Parmesan cheese; whisk until smooth. Stir in nutmeg, salt and pepper.

3. In a large serving bowl, combine hot cooked pasta, chicken, asparagus and mushrooms. Pour cream sauce over and stir until thoroughly mixed. Stir in lemon juice and top with additional grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

*You will want to use freshly grated Parmesan as it has superior melting qualities. Pre-grated Parmesan cheese has an anti-caking agent added to it and will not melt in your sauce properly.

**Make sure you saute mushrooms in nonstick cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil. Using butter will cause them to turn an almost blackish-brown.