Greek Salad with Chicken

I realize that salads are typically more of a summer meal, but we eat salads all year at my house (plus it's still very much summer where I live).  I'm not sure if this is because a) I'm too lazy to actually cook something, or b) we don't really have a true winter here (unless you consider lows in the 50s winter).  Salads are also economical as they allow a small amount of meat to go a long way.

One of our favorite salads is a Greek salad that I posted 5 years ago.  It's so good that it really deserves to be mentioned again, but I've tweaked it ever so slightly to make it an entree!  I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner because it's so simple.  Add some chicken to the salad and, BAM, you've got a healthy and affordable entree!  You can use any kind of chicken you want - grilled, sauteed, rotisserie, leftovers, etc.  If I've recently made a whole chicken and have leftover meat, I'll use that for this.  If I don't have any leftovers on hand, I'll typically season boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I can often get these for $1.66-$1.77/lb on sale so I stock up and throw them in the freezer) with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and sautee in butter or throw them on the grill.  And for our family of 5, I can get away with 2 chicken breasts and usually have leftover meat for the lunch the next day.

You can use a bottled salad dressing, but I highly recommend you make the dressing below.  It tastes a-maz-ing (thanks to my sister-in-law for sharing it with me!), and it's healthier and much cheaper than store bought dressings.  My 7-year-old daughter LOVES it and always asks me if we have *that* dressing, even when we're not having a Greek salad.

On an economical note, I realize that Feta can be pricey.  I typically buy a chunk rather than crumbled Feta, because it's cheaper per ounce, and let's face it - it's really not hard to crumble your own Feta.  I've been omitting the olives as half of my family doesn't like olives and not using them also brings the cost down a bit.


Greek Salad
Romaine lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces
Tomatoes, diced
Green bell peppers, diced
Red bell peppers, diced
Red onions, sliced
Cucumbers, chopped large
Olives, sliced (either kalamata or black will work)
Feta cheese, crumbled
Greek salad dressing (recipe below)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  You can either toss it all with the dressing or have people put their dressing on individually.  If you choose to toss the salad with the dressing, make sure you add it immediately prior to serving so that the lettuce doesn't get soggy.

Greek Salad Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 1/4 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup red wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a salad carafe and shake well.  If the dressing is too tangy for your taste, you can add a little sugar to tone it down a bit.  To help prevent separation, you can put all ingredients except the oil into a blender or food processor.  While the blender or food processor is running, slowly add the oil.  

Note: For those doing Trim Healthy Mama, this is an excellent S!

BBQ Chicken Salad

I came across this recipe on Pinterest recently and decided to give it a try, since we eat a lot of salads in the summer.  I'm glad I found this one, because it was a hit and it'll be going into my regular rotation of summer recipes!  I've made a few small adjustments to the original recipe to suit our tastes and to make it more cost-effective.

BBQ Chicken Salad
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
Barbecue sauce
Romaine, chopped
Frozen corn kernels, thawed (or fresh, cooked and cut off the cob)
Black beans
Green onions, chopped
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Tortilla chips, crushed
Creamy barbecue dressing (recipe below)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Pound chicken breasts until they are uniform in thickness (or you can slice them, lengthwise so they'll cook evenly).  Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Grill until cooked through, brushing with barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of cooking.

While the chicken is grilling, prepare other ingredients.  When chicken is done, remove from grill and chop into bite-sized pieces.  You can either throw chicken and all remaining ingredients into a large bowl and toss, or have each person assemble their own salad, which is how we did it.

Creamy Barbecue Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp distilled vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Combine all ingredients; mix well.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Wraps

It's been pretty hot here recently (not summer hot, yet, but hot nonetheless), and I've been reminded of how much I dislike using my stove and oven in the summer.  So we're having more salads, sandwiches, and food cooked outside on the grill.  I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a try with a few modifications.  The results were wonderful and my family enjoyed it!  The best part was that it didn't heat up my house at all because it's all cooked out on the grill!

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Wraps
Chicken breasts
Red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
Red bell pepper, sliced into rings
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Garlic powder
Ground black pepper
Hummus
Wraps, pitas, or tortillas (we used whole wheat lavash bread)
Feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Season chicken breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Place on grill; cook for 4 to 8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.  While the chicken is cooking, brush or drizzle onions, bell peppers, and zucchini with olive oil; season with salt and pepper.  Place on grill until the first side begins to soften and get grill marks; flip and cook until tender-crisp.

Remove chicken and veggies.  Cut chicken into bite-sized chunks and give veggies a rough chop.  Season veggies with salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Spread wrap, pita, or tortilla with hummus, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges.  Place chicken and veggies in a strip along on edge of wrap.  Top with desired amount of feta and roll up.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

Filled Pita Pockets

Since I've recently gotten back into the habit of making pitas, we've been experimenting with all different ways of eating them.  One of our favorites is as a snack with hummus, but we've also been trying them out as part of a main dish.  The possibilities are pretty much endless, but here are a couple of the ways we've filled them.

Basically, we've just been filling them with salads.  For example, I tossed some lettuce, red and green bell peppers, red onion, turkey or chicken (either lunch meat, torn, or leftover meat), and Italian dressing in a bowl, then cut a pita in half and filled it with the yummy goodness.

For my husband, I basically took the filling of our Chicken Caesar Wraps and stuck it in a pita instead of a tortilla.  The key to getting everything mixed well is to mix it all in a bowl first, then put it into the pita.

You can also make more sandwich-type filled pitas.  Try filling one with chicken salad, egg salad, roasted veggies, or anything else you'd put into a sandwich or salad!  Actually, you're not even limited to salad or sandwich fillings!  I'd think taco/burrito type fillings would be delicious, as would dessert-like fillings (I'm thinking peanut butter, banana slices, and chocolate chips)!  Feel free to leave a comment with your favorite pita fillings!

Arroz con Pollo (Chicken with Rice)

A while ago, I mentioned that my plans for Cinco de Mayo included a new Mexican beef stew.  Unfortunately, I forgot to get the beef roast out of the freezer in time.  So at the last minute, I flipped through my BHG Mexican cookbook and found a recipe for chicken with rice that was quick and easy, and I had almost all the ingredients on hand.  Those that I didn’t have, I just omitted.

From 1977 but still great!

Having never made this dish before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  The results were fantastic!!  This is definitely going to become one of my go-to meals.

The original recipe calls for a 2½- to 3-pound whole chicken, cut up.  I just pulled two huge chicken breasts out of my freezer instead.  Not only was it faster and less messy, but slightly healthier.  Though I am looking forward to trying it with some dark meat pieces.

I did have to make some changes to make it a Near to Nothing recipe.  First, it calls for saffron.  I have never used saffron and probably never will.  It comes from the saffron crocus and is one of the most expensive spices by unit price.  If you want to include the saffron, just add ¼ tsp. with the other seasonings.

The original recipe also called for a 2-ounce can of pimientos cut into strips used for garnish.  Had I planned ahead, I may have bought a jar, depending on the price.  But since I hadn’t planned on making this dish, I just omitted them and will not be buying them in the future when I make it again.

Arroz con Pollo (Chicken with Rice)

2½ to 3 pounds chicken pieces

Salt

Pepper

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1½ c. long grain rice

1 c. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced or ½ tsp. granulated garlic

3 c. water

8 oz. diced tomatoes (slightly more than 1 c.)

1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 c. frozen peas

Heat 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper.  When skillet is hot, add oil and let heat.  Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 15 minutes total.  

Remove chicken and set aside.

Of course, I used my iron skillet.

In remaining vegetable oil and chicken drippings, cook rice, onion, and garlic until rice is golden.

Stir in water, tomatoes, bouillon, salt, and pepper.

Bring to boil.  Place chicken pieces on top of rice mixture, cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 30 minutes, until rice is cooked and chicken is done.

If you don't have a lid, foil does the job.

Stir in peas; cover and cook 5 more minutes.

The chicken is still in there.  It got covered up when I
stirred in the peas.

February Flashback Fridays: Chicken Noodle Soup

It's winter, which means soup!  Actually, we haven't had much of a winter here, so I haven't been able to make as much soup as I would have liked to.  It would start to get a bit on the cold side (and by cold, I mean in the 50's, which is cold by my wimpy standards), so I would plan soup into the menu, only to have it warm again and be in the 80's on the day I had planned on making soup.  Big menu planning fail.  I've had to learn to check the weather before planning my meals.  Anyway, we're currently enjoying spring/summer weather, but some of you may be looking for something warm to eat.  Or, some of you may just be sick and in need of some good chicken noodle soup (this has been us this week).  So, hopefully this flashback will provide some comfort.



Last week I said I would write about cookie decorating, but all three of us have been sick for the past week, so it just didn't get done.  I apologize and promise that it WILL get done in the next couple of weeks.  Since we've all been sick and flu season is upon us, I figured it would be appropriate to write about chicken noodle soup.  While I was sick, I was craving chicken noodle soup.  I'm not a big fan of the canned variety, so I headed down the street to the grocery store and bought a chicken, which just happened to be on sale.  Before I continue, let me just say something about the price of chicken.  Back when we first started our blog, Sumiko wrote about her spending parameters and said that she doesn't pay more than $2/lb for meat.  That's my spending limit as well, except when it comes to bone-in cuts.  For example, I would never pay $2/lb for a whole chicken.  Actually, I won't even pay $1/lb for bone-in chicken, whether it's a whole chicken or pieces of chicken.  I don't like to spend more than 75 cents/lb for them and even that is on the high end.

When you're sick, you probably don't want to be making soup from scratch, but it's just so much better than eating out of a can.  My 2-year-old even loved this soup (I make it hearty, so I just gave her some of it without the broth) and as she was eating it, she said, "Mommy, I like it!"  Thankfully, it's a freezable so you can make it while you're healthy and stick it in the freezer for a sick day!

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 whole chicken
2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 ribs celery, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 Tbsp. chicken bouillon
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Egg noodles (see recipe below)

Place chicken in a stock pot and fill with enough water to cover the chicken.

Boil until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees.  By this time, the chicken will be tender and should come off the bones easily.  Remove the chicken from the water and set aside to cool enough to handle.  DO NOT DRAIN THE WATER IN WHICH THE CHICKEN WAS COOKED - this will be the base of your soup!

While the chicken is cooling, boil the carrots, celery, onion, and bay leaf in the broth from your cooked chicken.  Add more water if necessary (I probably added an extra 3 or 4 cups).  Add chicken bouillon, adjusting amount to suit your taste preferences.  Before the vegetables are tender, add the noodles.  Cook until noodles are done and vegetables are tender.  Meanwhile, shred the chicken.  Once the vegetables and noodles are done, add the chicken back into the pot.  Add parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Remove bay leaf.

The total cost for a large pot of soup (sorry, I didn't measure the exact amount) is around $4!

Egg Noodles
To me, chicken noodle soup just isn't the same without homemade noodles - it's the noodles that make the soup!  They really aren't too difficult to make and they call for ingredients most people probably already have on hand.

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp salt
2 cups flour, plus extra for rolling

Mix eggs and milk.  Add salt and flour.  On a well-floured surface, roll dough to desired thickness.  Some people prefer thick noodles; I prefer thin ones, so mine were probably about 1/16 inch thick.

Cut into strips about 1/2-inch thick by 1 to 1.5-inches long.  Allow to dry for 30 to 60 minutes.  I usually prepare my noodles while the chicken is boiling.  Make sure to watch your noodles closely, as fresh noodles cook faster than dried ones.

Healthy(er) Twice Baked Potatoes

Confession: I have never made twice baked potatoes before...that is, until last week.  I think the reason I had never made them was because I knew they were basically calories in a potato skin.  Most twice baked potatoes recipes call for butter, sour cream, bacon, cheese, and some even call for cream cheese on top of all that!  I don't know about you, but my waistline cannot handle all that!  A lightbulb came on, though, and I figured I would try to create a healthier version of them.

I started brainstorming ideas and came up with something that worked.  I know that people often use mashed cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes, so I decided to try to add some cauliflower.  I didn't replace the potatoes, I simply supplemented the potatoes with cauliflower.  Instead of using sour cream, I used nonfat Greek yogurt, which we've been using for the last few months.  It's typically more expensive than sour cream, but with sales and coupons, you can occasionally find it for the same or less than sour cream.  I prefer Fage, but any brand of plain Greek yogurt will do.  I also replaced the butter with olive oil and the bacon with chicken.

A note on pureeing the cauliflower.  I steamed it longer than I normally would if I were to just eat it.  I wanted it to be pretty soft so that we wouldn't come across chunks of cauliflower as we were eating.  Once it was soft, I put it in my food processor and pureed until smooth.

The amounts of ingredients listed below are what I used for our preferences and the size potatoes I had.  This is one of those taste-and-season-as-you-go type of recipes.

Healthy(er) Twice Baked Potatoes
2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes (I used 6 medium)
1 cup pureed cauliflower
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 small bulb roasted garlic, smashed
1/2 cup cooked and cubed chicken (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup steamed and chopped broccoli
1 green onion, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350.

Pierce potatoes a few times with a knife or fork.  Place potatoes directly onto the oven racks (I lay a piece of foil on the rack below them to catch any drippings).  To save time, I roasted the garlic and baked the potatoes at the same time.  Bake for an 60 to 90 minutes, or until potatoes are tender on the inside.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise.  Carefully scoop out the inside of each potato half, leaving a thin layer so the skins don't rip or break.  Place the insides in a bowl and mash.  Add Greek yogurt, pureed cauliflower, and roasted garlic; mix well.  Add chicken, broccoli, green onion, and 1/4 cup cheddar.  Mix well; add salt and pepper to taste.  After tasting adjust other ingredients as needed.  Sprinkle potatoes with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar; and place them on a baking sheet.  Return to oven for 20 minutes.

Notice, I left some of the insides in the skin for support.

The filling.

Sorry for the white-washed photo, but this is the finished product.

Hot Chicken (or Turkey) Salad

Some of you may be having turkey for dinner on Christmas, and some of you may have more leftover turkey than you know what to do with on Monday.  After Thanksgiving, we had a lot of leftover turkey, so I decided to try something a little different.  There's a hot chicken salad that we grew up eating and it was one of our favorites (though our mom rarely ever made it).  It calls for a lot of chicken, which makes it a somewhat expensive meal, but I wondered if I'd be able to make it with leftover turkey in order to greatly reduce the price.  So I used my family as guinea pigs and, thankfully for them, it was excellent!  If you find a great sale on whole chickens, you could cook them in the slow cooker, then use the meat to make this for a delicious meal!  It does contain Provolone cheese, croissants, and a lot of meat so it's not the most inexpensive meal, but it feeds a lot of people and is oh-so-yummy!  It can be made cheaper by buying items on sale or clearance (meat, cream of chicken, Provolone, and potato chips).

Hot Chicken (or Turkey) Salad
8 cups chicken or turkey, cooked and cubed
2 cups thinly-sliced celery
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
12 oz. provolone cheese, grated
1 cup crushed potato chips
Parmesan Cheese
Croissants, sliced in half lengthwise (to make sandwiches)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix first 7 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Put mixture into a 9 x 13 casserole dish, spreading evenly.  Cover with provolone cheese.  A note on the cheese - I found Sargento sliced provolone on sale and had a coupon for it, making it rather inexpensive for Provolone.  The slices can easily be substituted for grated cheese - just lay the slices in a layer to cover the chicken mixture.  Next, add a layer of crushed potato chips, and finish the casserole with a sprinkling of Parmesan.  You don't have to buy fancy Parmesan cheese for this.  The cheap stuff works just fine!

Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and browned.  Serve on the croissants (I usually get my croissants at Sam's Club, as they're usually cheaper than regular grocery stores).

Mmmm...the crunchy top is the best part!

Yum, yum, yum!