Friday Foodday

Happy March and happy Friday lovebugs!

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas
c/o Emily Bites

Ingredients
4 oz Buffalo Wing sauce
12 oz canned tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t chili powder
½ t ground cumin
¼ t sugar
2 t extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
3 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded 
¼ cup diced celery
6 Tablespoons light Blue cheese dressing, divided
10 (6 inch) corn tortillas

Directions
1.    Pre-heat the oven to 425. Lightly mist a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2.    In a medium bowl, mix together the wing sauce, tomato sauce, garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar until thoroughly combined and set aside.
3.    In a large skillet or sauté pan, bring the oil to medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for a couple minutes until they start to soften and become fragrant. Add the chicken breasts in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes on one side, flip them over, and then continue to cook for 3 minutes on the other side. Add the sauce mixture to the pan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
4.    Remove the lid from the pan and transfer each breast to a cutting board, shredding it using two forks. Transfer the shredded chicken to a large mixing bowl. Add ½ cup of the sauce from the pan to the chicken along with the shredded cheese, diced celery and a tablespoon of the blue cheese dressing. Mix everything in the bowl together until well combined.
5.    Microwave the tortillas for 30-60 seconds on high until warm and soft. Spread 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto a tortilla and tightly roll it up. Place the rolled tortilla seam side down in the prepared baking dish and repeat with the remaining tortillas. I fit them perfectly by placing 8 in a row and then placing two Spray the tops of the rolled tortillas with cooking spray above them, perpendicular to the others. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes until tortillas are slightly crispy.
6.    Reduce the heat to 400 (don’t forget!) and pour the remainder of the sauce evenly over the tops of the enchiladas. Place back in the oven for an additional 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle a half a tablespoon of blue cheese dressing over the top of each enchilada. Sprinkle the sliced scallions over the top of the entire dish and serve.

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
c/o Skinny Taste

Ingredients

• 1-2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened good quality cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup whole pistachios
• 2 oz butter (1/4 cup), softened
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar (you can put sugar in food processor)
• 2 large eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add pistachios, and mix.
In a mixer, mix butter and sugar on medium speed for 1-1/2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined to make a dough.

Remove the dough and using your hands, divide the dough into two or three pieces and form into long flat shapes about 8 long x 1-1/2 inches wide. Place on the lined baking sheets and bake 20 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, gently cut the loaves on the angle into 1/2 inch slices (a serrated bread knife works best). Return to the baking sheet fitting as many as you can on the baking sheet, you may need to do this in batches. Bake the biscotti for another 3-4 minutes on each side, less if you like it softer. Makes about 24.

Chicken Parmesan Pasta

c/o Stephanie Cooks Blog

Ingredients
1/2 pound breaded chicken tenders, heated and cut into 1" pieces
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jar of your favorite sauce, or equivalent of homemade
Italian seasoning to taste
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 pound penne or other short pasta

Directions

1- Cook pasta according to packaging directions, and set aside.

2- Meanwhile, heat oil. Add onion and season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion is softened. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds, then stir in the spaghetti sauce. Add Italian seasoning and additional salt and pepper to taste.
3- Combine pasta, chicken pieces, sauce, and stir until everything is evenly heated. Top with mozzarella cheese, cover, and let sit over a low flame until it melts. Serve hot.