Oven Fried Chicken
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• 1 cups nonfat buttermilk
• 1 1/2 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 1/2 cups cornflakes
• 3 Tablespoons toasted wheat germ with honey
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine buttermilk and chicken in a medium bowl. Stir to coat, seal with
plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least four hours.
Preheat oven to 350º. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Combine cornflakes, wheat germ, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne in a food processor. Pulse until cornflakes are coarsely ground. Transfer to a shallow dish. Drain chicken and roll each piece in seasoned crumbs. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake 30 minutes or until juicy but cooked through.
Healthy Variations – instead of cornflakes, use whole wheat Total – it’s a good way to increase the fiber.
Mike’s Favorite – This is my way of making a healthy version of Chicken Giardiniera. Make the chicken as directed. Prior to baking press 1 heaping teaspoon of giardinaera on to each breast. Spread it out and press it in. I prefer using the relish style instead of the chunky giardiniera. But you can adjust amount to your taste.
Chicken Marinade
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• 1/2 c. soy sauce, low sodium
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 1 t. oregano
• 1/2 t. sweet basil
• 1/2 t. garlic powder w/ parsley
• 1/4 t. pepper
Combine all ingredients; pour over chicken pieces in a non-metal dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally. Use marinade to baste chicken while cooking. I usually mix marinade in a Pyrex measuring cup. I put rinsed chicken in a zip loc bag and pour marinade over it. I usually add 4 large sprigs of fresh basil, fresh oregano, and fresh parsley – if I have it. You should adjust the amount of dry spices you add to the bag if you add fresh. These are great on the grill or on top of a green salad.
Mike’s Favorite
1/3 c. Low sodium soy sauce
2T. olive or corn oil
2T. red wine vinegar
1/2 t. oregano
1/4 t. garlic powder
For whole chicken breasts bake 350º for 45 minutes or until internal temperature is 180º
Chicken Parmigiana
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• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 3 cups chopped tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt;
• 4 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Place chopped onion and garlic in a medium saucepan coated with cooking spray; cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Add tomato and next 4 ingredients; simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes. Set sauce aside.
Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap. Flatten chicken to 1/8 inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Combine flour and Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Dip each piece of chicken in egg white; dredge in flour mixture. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skilled over medium-high heat. Add Chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.
Arrange chicken in an 11x7x2 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour tomato mixture evenly over chicken, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Yield: 4 servings
•Healthy Variations – Use whole wheat flour – it’s a good way to increase the fiber. Combine low fat mozzarella with fat free mozzarella – you’ll cut the fat in half and never taste the difference.
Mike’s Favorite – Line the baking dish with slices of zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms. Then arrange chicken as instructed and bake. You’ll have a one dish healthy meal complete with veggies.
Italian Pot Roast
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• 3 # lean chuck or rump roast
• 1 1/2 t. oregano
• 2 T. oil
• 1 t. thyme
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 t. basil
• 2 med. onions chopped
• 1/8 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. sugar
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 2 (6 oz.) cans of tomato paste
• 3 c. water
• 1 # thin noodles
• Parmesan cheese
Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add meat and brown meat slowly on all sides. Remove meat and lower heat. Add garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, onions, cinnamon, salt, sugar, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Return meat to pan. Mix paste with water and pour over meat. Bring to a full boil. Lower heat and cover loosely. Simmer slowly for 2 to 3 hours, turning meat as needed. When meat is tender, cook noodles and drain. Slice roast and arrange noodles with sauce. Sprinkle cheese and parsley.
Italian Beef
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• 20 Bay Leaves
• 8 teaspoons oregano
• 2 1/4 teaspoons rosemary
• 2 1/4 teaspoons thyme
• 1 3/4 teaspoons marjoram
• 2 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 teaspoons paprika
* 1/2 cup dry parsley
• 4 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 1 3/4 teaspoons celery salt
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 3/4 teaspoons red pepper
• 10 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 c garlic liquid juice
• 6 teaspoons basil
• 10 lb piece sirloin tip or good roast of your choice.
• 1 cup french onion soup base or beef base
Fill a Nesco roaster halfway with water. Put all spices in cheesecloth, tie with kitchen string and drop into water. Add soup base. Cut 1/2 inch slits in beef and put in pieces of minced garlic. Roast 15 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to about 130º unless you like it more well done. Let beef cool completely before slicing. It’s actually better to slice it cold. Slice as thin as possible, preferably with an electric meat slicer.
When you are ready to eat it, heat gravy in a pan. Drop in slices of beef. Heat just till warm, you don’t’ want the beef to boil. It becomes very tough. Serve on crusty french bread with roasted sweet peppers or hot giardinera. Very Good.
Italian Sausage with Potatoes & Green Peppers
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Use a 3 to 4 inch deep roasting pan.
Bake at 425ºfor two and one-half hours
• Italian Sausage (approximately 8 ounces per person)
• White Idaho baking potatoes washed well. Two to three people per potato. (We don’t peel potatoes – but that’s a personal preference.)
• Green, red and/or yellow peppers washed well. Two to three people per pepper.
• Large onions – four people per onion.
• Cooking spray like Pam.
• Allow extra of each item for larger eaters – like Mike.
Cut sausage into 6 inch pieces. We leave the skin on the potatoes because we like the way it tastes. If you prefer and love extra work, you can peel. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Cut each half into three pieces. Peel onion, cut in half, cut each half into fourths. Spray pan liberally with Pam. Place potatoes in a single layer in the bottom of the pan. Next single layer of peppers. Next single layer of onions. Place Italian sausage on top in a single layer. Put one-half inch of water to cover bottom of the pan. Cover completely with foil and check water in bottom of pan. If dry add just enough water to cover bottom again and leave foil off. Bake for another hour or until sausage is brown.
Mike’s Favorite – Smother this with hot giardiniera.
Meatloaf
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• 1 1/2 lbs. ground sirloin
• 1/3 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c. onion
• 1/2 c. tomato juice
• 1/3 c. green pepper
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash of Thyme, Marjoram, Garlic, Basil, Black Pepper
• Sargento 8 oz. package of Italian shredded cheese or mozzarella
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Put eggs, onion, tomato juice, and green pepper in a blender to mix thoroughly. In large bowl put ground sirloin, bread crumbs, and seasonings. Mix together and add liquid mixture. Mix thoroughly together by hand. Take meat mixture and flatten in the shape of a rectangle on top of a large piece of wax paper. Sprinkle package of cheese across meat. Roll up meat like a jelly roll and pinch ends so cheese doesn’t come out. Spray a loaf pan with Pam cooking spray. Put meat in loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 1/4 hours or until golden brown.
•Healthy Variations – Use low fat cheese.
Mike’s Favorite – You can put 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce on top for the last 1/2 hour if you like.
One-Dish Chicken Bake
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• 1 package (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix For Chicken
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 lb.)
• 1 can (10 3/4oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/3 c. sour cream or milk
Stir stuffing crumbs, contents of vegetables/seasoning packet, 1 1/2 cups HOT water and 1/4 c. margarine, cut-up, just until moistened; set aside.
Place chicken in 12X8-inch baking dish. Mix soup and sour cream; pour over chicken. Top with stuffing.
Bake at 375F for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Makes 4 servings.
•Healthy Variations – Use reduced fat or fat free cream of mushroom soup and reduced fat sour cream.
Shish Kabob Marinade
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• 1/2 c. oil (olive or canola)
• 1/4c. lemon juice or wine vinegar
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. crushed marjoram
• 1 t. dried thyme
• 1/2 t. pepper
• clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1/4 c. snipped parsley – (usually less on this – add basil)
Combine all ingredients. Put either sirloin tip chunks or chicken breast chunks in a zip loc bag. Pour marinade over meat, seal bag and refrigerate overnight. Use on skewers alternating with vegetable chunks of your choice. Grill.
Sloppy Joe
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• 1 # ground beef
• 1/2 c. onion
• 1/4 c. chopped green pepper
• 3/4 t. oregano
• 1/4 t. paprika
• 3/4 t. garlic
• 4 T. yellow mustard
• 2 T. vinegar
v32 oz. ketchup
Saute ground beef with chopped onion and green pepper until all red is gone. Drain any grease. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a soft boil. Lower heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.
• Healthy Variation – Use ground sirloin instead of ground beef.
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