Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! Here are my favorite recipes from the week!


Cajun Chicken Pasta
c/o Skinny Taste

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used Dreamfields)

1 pound chicken breast strips

1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 red onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup skim milk

1 tbsp flour

3 tbsp light cream cheese

fresh cracked pepper

2 scallions, chopped

salt to taste

Smart Balance cooking spray

Directions
Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.
Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.
Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes. 
Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.
Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!


Black beans and rice
c/o Table for Two Blog

Ingredients
1 large onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp. ground cumin

2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed well

1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes, drained

2 jalapenos, seeded and diced

Directions

1. In a large pot, saute onions, peppers, and garlic until the onions and peppers start to get soft. Then add in the bay leaf and cumin.
2. Add in tomatoes, jalapenos, beans, and vinegar. Let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add water to cover your mixture.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the bean mixture starts to thicken.
5. Prior to serving, discard bay leaf and add salt & pepper to taste.
6. Serve over a bed of rice.

Stuffed Pork Chops with Mushrooms and Mozzarella

c/o Great Eats with Petes

Ingredients

8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 bone in center cut pork chops
4 slices of smoked mozzarella
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup white wine

Olive Oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large oven proof pan that will fit 4 pork chops heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add in mushrooms. When they begin to brown add in shallots. When the mushrooms are almost fully cooked and the shallots are translucent add in garlic. Cook for 1 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel. Cut a slit into each of the pork chops, creating a pocket. Place a piece of mozzarella in each of the pork chops. Then stuff each pocket with the mushrooms. Close the pockets using toothpicks. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in the pan you used for the mushrooms. Add in the pork chops. Brown on both sides (about 3 minutes on each side). Add in white wine, chicken stock and any remaining mushroom filling. Place pan in oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Until pork chops internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.

Remember to remove the toothpicks. Drizzle pan juices over the pork. Serve and Enjoy!