dutch oven/cast iron

Chipotle Chicken Stew

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I absolutely love chipotle flavors with chicken, and this recipe was invented out of my wondering what it might be like if I could turn a chipotle chicken bowl into a stew. The fresh red onion and cilantro at the end really kick it up giving it an amazing fresh taste, but you could leave out the cilantro if that’s not your jam. I am so glad I followed my wacky whim to see how this would shape up, as it’s become a family favorite and is SO different from anything else. Super hearty and layered with flavor for days, you’re going to be glad you have leftovers – like most soups/stews, it just gets better each day, and if you don’t get to it all in time, it freezes well too. ~Robin

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped (pretty small pieces – about ¾ to 1 inch chunks) 

2 tsp. olive oil 

1 T. diced chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce (I use a La Costeña)*

¾ tsp. chipotle chili powder 

½ tsp. cumin 

1 tsp. jarred, minced garlic 

1 1/2 tsp. salt (divided – 1 tsp. for cooking chicken, another ½ tsp. added to soup) 

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

½ white onion, diced

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 

1 (11 oz.) can shoe peg corn 

32 oz. chicken broth

½ tsp. chicken bullion 

1/4-1/3 c. red onion depending on preference – I love the fresh kick of the red onion, so I use 1/3 

1 can original Rotel (can use mild if prefer less heat) 

2 c. cooked minute rice

½ – ¾ bunch cilantro (depending on how much you love it) 

juice of 2 limes (I usually just add a touch more to my bowl when I serve it up but see what works for you) 

½ tsp. garlic powder 

Instructions:

Add two teaspoons of olive oil to a large stock pot and heat to medium-high heat. Add chicken, minced garlic, chipotle peppers, onions, jalapeño, chipotle chili powder, cumin, & 1 tsp. salt.  

Cook minute rice according to directions on the box while your chicken is cooking. 

Once chicken is fully cooked (will no longer have any translucency or pinkness), add chicken broth, chicken bouillon, black beans, corn, Rotel, garlic powder, and salt if desired (may not need this salt if chicken broth isn’t low-sodium).  

Cook on medium heat, stirring often to avoid sticking, for about 10 minutes.  

Add cooked rice, red onion, cilantro, and fresh lime juice and continue to simmer for about 5 more minutes or until heated throughout and flavors have a chance to mingle a bit more.  

WW Info:  Makes 11 filling 1-cup servings at 3 points/serving on the green plan; 2 points/serving on blue and purple. 

*This recipe will not use more than a bit of the can; however, I freeze mine in ice trays so I can grab a serving size as needed for cooking later.  To do this, fill ice trays about ¾ of the way full with chopped peppers and sauce, then cover the top with plastic wrap.  Once the cubes are frozen after about 24 hours, I dump them into an airtight freezer-safe storage container. They can last up to six months in the freezer this way. Don’t worry if it’s a little messy; they don’t freeze quite as hard as other things, but they’ll stay good & fresh like this for the next time you need some chipotle in your life.     

Greek Chicken Nachos

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A few years ago, a new restaurant opened in my small town in Oklahoma. A Greek restaurant, to be more precise. I’m embarrassed to say, up until visiting this restaurant, I had never tried Greek food. Not even shopping mall gyros! I’m not sure why, but maybe because I was the pickiest kid in the universe and didn’t get brave enough to start trying new foods until adulthood. Now I eat pretty much everything. Anyway, I fell in love with Greek food immediately; unfortunately, the restaurant didn’t last long but my love for the cuisine persists. Since I don’t have a Greek restaurant nearby anymore, I make it myself at home! Mine would probably qualify as Americanized Greek food but either way, it’s delicious! ~Erin

GreekNachos

Ingredients:
  • 6 whole wheat pitas (I use Joseph’s Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Flour Pita bread.)
  • 4 medium chicken breasts
  • Greek seasoning, to taste (I prefer Cavender’s brand.)
  • olive oil spray
  • 1 c. low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella
  • 2 oz. (about 1/3 c.) crumbled feta
  • 1 T. finely chopped olives (I used black olives but Kalamata would be great too.)
  • ½ a medium red onion, finely diced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
  • fresh chopped parsley, optional
Instructions for Pita Chips:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Spray both sides of the pitas lightly with olive oil spray.
  3. Cut into wedges like you would cut a pizza.
  4. Bake in a single layer on a cookie sheet for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through cook time, or until brown.
  5. OR if you have an air fryer, you can cook them on 370°F for 4 minutes.
  6. Set aside.
Instructions for Nachos:
  1. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Season both sides of the chicken breast lightly with Greek seasoning and cook about 4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked throughout.
  3. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes and then slice against the grain; set aside.
  4. In a large oven safe skillet or pan, layer pita chips, onion, bell pepper, mozzarella, feta, olives, & sliced chicken.
  5. Return the pan to the oven and bake about 5-8 minutes, or until cheeses are melted.
  6. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

WW Freestyle Info: This makes 4 servings at 6 points each.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

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I love stuffed peppers. Stuffing anything in a pepper just automatically makes it better. These Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers are easy, cheesy, and meaty. They are best grilled but great out of the oven too.

͂ Erin

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. fresh, sliced mushrooms
  • 8 oz. thinly sliced roast beef, chopped into small pieces
  • 8 oz. (8 slices) provolone
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 2 large bell peppers
  • 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 T. steak seasoning

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Instructions:

Cut the peppers in half from top to bottom; remove seeds and veins and place pepper halves in a pan. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Cook onions, garlic, and mushrooms until onions are translucent and mushrooms are tender. Add roast beef, Worcestershire, and steak seasoning; cook until heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat the outdoor grill to medium heat or the oven to 400°F.  Line each pepper half with a slice of cheese.  Stuff the peppers with filling and top with another slice of cheese.  If cooking on the grill, place the peppers directly on the rack and cook until the peppers are tender and cheese is melted.  If cooking in the oven, place the pan of peppers on the lower rack and cook about 30 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is melted.

WW Freestyle Info.: Each stuffed pepper half is 10 points.  This recipe makes 4 servings.

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

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SkilletCookie

Posted by Erin

Here’s a fun fact about me:  I love to bake but I have no self-control around really good homemade desserts.  Like, NONE.  I’ll nibble and take a bite here and there throughout the day and, before I know it, I’ve eaten the majority of the pan of brownies or half a pie.  It’s why I’ve been in Weight Watchers going on 17 years!  I recognize my own weaknesses so I’ve learned to make portion controlled desserts.  My favorite is this skillet cookie.  On a night when I need something rich, warm, and decadent but don’t want a pan of desserts sitting around all weekend to tempt me, I make this cookie.  It’s big enough for my husband and me to share but, I’m not going to lie, I usually eat it all by myself with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.  So, go ahead and make one for you and one for your husband.  Wait until your kids go to bed and that will save you from having to share.  Ha!  Oh, don’t act like you haven’t done it.  😉

I always make this cookie in small cast iron skillets that I got one year for Christmas.  They were part of a little skillet brownie kit.  That mix’s brownies were BLECH (if you haven’t tried our family brownie recipe, you really need to do that for yourself), but the skillets are awesome so if you see any of those sets around the after-Christmas sales this year, grab a few!  If you don’t happen to have a cast iron skillet yet, you can just make these in a regular baking pan too.

Ingredients:

  • 2 T. butter (I always use real butter for baking.)
  • 2 T. firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 T. granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ¼ c. all-purpose flour
  • ¼ tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ c. roughly chopped pecans, optional (but SO good – I usually add extra!)
  • Non-stick cooking spray

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Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Spray a 7″ or larger skillet/pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.  In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter in 10 second increments until it’s soft and just beginning to melt.  Blend softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla together with a spoon.  Add the egg yolk and stir until it’s well blended.  Add flour and baking soda and stir again until combined.  Lastly, stir in chocolate chips (and pecans, if desired).  Heap the dough into the center of skillet/pan and flatten slightly.  No need to spread it to the edge; it will spread as it cooks.  Bake for 10 -12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.  Do me a favor and wait until it’s not scalding hot before you dig in.  It will be the longest few minutes of your life.  Top it with ice cream, and eat it straight from the pan!

Dutch Oven Garlic Cheese Pull-Apart Rolls

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Kathy spends as much time as she possibly can camping with her family in the mountains near her home each summer.   One of her favorite things to do is to cook outdoors in her dutch ovens.   She has had lots of practice so she and her family can testify that these are worth the effort.  If you don’t have a dutch oven, or don’t want to cook outside, these can be made in a bundt pan or angel food cake pan in the oven.

Ingredients:

  • 12 Rhodes frozen rolls (Texas rolls recommended)
  • ¾ c. melted butter
  • ½ c. parmesan cheese (grated or powdered)
  • 1 T flour
  • 2 T garlic powder

Instructions:

Line a 12” dutch oven with a flat lid with foil and spray with non-stick spray.

Parchment paper will also work.

Thaw rolls just until softened.

In a gallon sized zip top bag combine cheese, flour and garlic powder.

Cut each roll into fourths.

Roll each piece of roll into the melted butter; then coat in dry ingredients, shaking several at a time in the bag to coat.

Place rolls in dutch oven; place the lid on and allow to sit in a warm area for about 30 minutes to rise.

While they are rising light charcoal.

To bake with charcoal, use 12 coals on bottom and 24 on top.  Rotate the lid and pot different directions each 15 minutes to ensure even baking.

Bake rolls for  35 – 40 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

If cooking in the oven, place rolls in a sprayed bundt pan or angel food cake pan with non-stick spray.

Bake in a preheated 350˚ oven for 35 – 40 minutes.