tomato

Chicken and Tomato Crumble Casserole

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I got this recipe from Tracy, and it’s one of the very first things I made on my own often.  As a sophomore in high school, I would have won the state level A-OK Cookoff with this dish had I not been marked down because I didn’t properly contrast my plate with the color of the meal (I’ve improved my presentation since then, my dear Home Ec. teacher — it’s Family & Consumer Sciences now — at the time would be proud to know, God rest Deanne Pence’s soul).  I had even learned how to make garnish roses out of tomato skin for the occasion, a skill I have since lost, but that’s okay because I think I was over-relying on those to get me through on the presentation category.  I got the highest marks in taste though, which is always most important to me!  The tomato is just the little bit of acidic kick this chicken needs to contrast with the creamy soup and the crunchy buttery topping.

It’s such a great comfort food dish that it’s the first thing I chose to cook for Barry when we were first dating.  I don’t have a picture of that date, but here’s Valentine’s Day just a couple weeks earlier (yes, my hair was made for the 90s); now our 18th anniversary is just around the corner, and we’ve cooked more than a few meals for each other.

I make this dish year-round, but I like it best when I have fresh garden tomatoes from the farmer’s market. Now is the time to give it a try! ~Robin

Ingredients:  

  • 2 lbs. of chicken breast
  • 8 slices of American cheese (Kraft 2% slices)
  • 2 10.5 cans of cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • Pepperidge Farms Herb Seasoned Dressing (Dry bag of breadcrumbs)
  • 1 stick of salted butter
  • White rice (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat dressing crumbs lightly before opening the bag to create fairly consistently sized crumbs.  In a large microwave safe bowl, melt butter, then add the whole bag of crushed stuffing and stir to soak all crumbs with butter.  Set aside.

Slice tomato as you would for a burger (or maybe a bit thicker) and set aside.

Trim fat from chicken and cut into chunks (about one inch cubes).

Place chicken evenly across the bottom of a 9×13” pan.  Add salt and pepper.

Cover chicken with soup and salt lightly again.  Then lay cheese over the top of the soup evenly across the pan.  It will fit about 8 slices.  On top of each piece of cheese, place a slice of tomato.  Finally, spread dressing crumble over the top.

Bake for about one hour; keep a close eye on the topping. I usually have to cover the top of the dish with foil after about 15 or 20 minutes to keep it from getting overly browned.

This dish may be served over rice, but I prefer it on its own myself.

WW Info.:  This serves 8 really generous portions at 14 points each.  This is more of a point splurge than I normally do, but in my book it’s well worth saving some points.  (Does not include optional rice.)

Creole Chicken

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Ever since we watched the famed chef Justin Wilson cooking with our Pappaw (Dad’s dad) as little girls, I’ve loved Creole and Cajun foods.  I may have even done my best to narrate my cooking with that awesome accent of his now and then, but I digress.  This Creole chicken is a well flavored, mildly spicy, new family favorite.  ~Kathy

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Ingredients:
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (about 2 lbs.)
  • ¾ c. onion, diced
  • 1 T flour
  • 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
  • 1 c. shredded parmesan cheese (not the powdered kind)
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp hot sauce
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions: 

  1. Trim fat from chicken and, if very large, cut breasts in half in order to expedite cooking.
  2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (Note: there’s no need for oil since your goal for now is to sear it anyway). Add the chicken, quickly browning on both sides (chicken will finish cooking later).
  3. Remove the chicken from the pan to a dish and set aside.
  4. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in onions, softening for about 3 minutes in the bit of chicken fat that cooked out. Then stir in flour, cooking and stirring for about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and cheese. Stir in spices.
  5. Return chicken to the pan and reduce the heat, simmering for 25 – 30 minutes, stirring regularly. Flip chicken over after about 12 minutes. Continue cooking until sauce has thickened a bit more and chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165° F.
  6. May be served over rice or on its own.

WW Freestyle Info.: When weighed with sauce, makes 6 six-ounce servings that are 3 points each. (Count rice separately to figure points for your preferred type and quantity of rice.)

Note: If your chicken is extra, extra lean you may need about a teaspoon of olive oil when you saute the onions, but I don’t normally need any to make this recipe.

Caprese Stuffed Mushrooms

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I made these for New Year’s Eve a while back, and after setting them on the table, I stepped into the kitchen to get a couple more snack trays to bring over.  I got sidetracked getting one of the kids something for second, and I swear it had been maybe a minute by the time I came back; there was one left.  “Look, we saved you one, honey!” says my husband. 

So…I knew they must have been good!  And I’m glad they enjoyed them.  🙂 

These make an amazing appetizer or side dish.  Don’t skip the balsamic reduction. It really sends them over the top! And don’t turn your back on your friends once you serve them.  😉 ~Erin

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So easy…just make your Balsamic reduction (I mean, shockingly easy — recipe below).

Clean, stuff, cook, drizzle, and viola!

Ingredients:
  • 8-10 baby portabella mushrooms
  • Babybel mozzarella single serving cheeses (one for each mushroom)
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4 – 5 grape tomatoes, halved (one half for each mushroom)
  • ½ c. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp. brown sugar
  • fresh basil, chopped

Instructions: 

  1. In a small sauce pan, stir the brown sugar into the balsamic vinegar; bring to a simmer over low heat and continue to simmer until it has reduced by at least half, stirring occasionally.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  3. Clean the tops of the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and remove the stems.
  4. Brush the mushroom tops on all sides with olive oil and place them, top-side down, in a shallow baking dish.
  5. Fill each mushroom top with a little minced garlic.
  6. Place one Babybel mozzarella on top of the garlic; then place one tomato half on top of the cheese.
  7. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven and drizzle liberally with the balsamic reduction.
  9. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil.
  10. Serve immediately.

WW Freestyle Info.: Each cheesy caprese mushroom is 3 points.

Caprese Stuffed Mushrooms from Four Sisters Dish

Super Duper Spaghetti with Beef

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We are huge fans of spaghetti at our house; it was (and still is!) always a favorite of both of my picky kids even when they were little…maybe that’s why we started calling it “super duper” — and it stuck!  (As you’ll see it the picture, it literally stuck everywhere too!  Luckily, since it’s been four years since this pic, they’re a bit neater these days!)  At any rate, all the prefab sauces are either way too sweet (yuck!) or just painfully bland – not to mention full of a zillion unnecessary additives and sugars.

My own recipe is almost as fast as opening a jar.  Plus you have to wait for the noodles to cook anyway; may as well take those few minutes to throw together this super flavorful, super healthy, super duper version!  ~Robin

Ingredients:
  • 1 ¼ lb. 95% lean ground beef*
  • 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (or 1 ½ tsp. jarred, minced garlic)
  • 14.5 oz. (1 large can) Hunt’s tomatoes, petite diced, undrained
  • 15 oz. (1 large can) Hunt’s diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 12 oz. (2 small cans) Hunt’s tomato paste
  • 6 oz. water (one small tomato paste can-full)
  • 4 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 4 tsp. Italian seasoning (I like McCormick’s)
  • 2 -3 tsp. garlic salt, as preferred
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder

Instructions: 

  1. Put your spaghetti noodles on to boil (whatever your favorite brand is; I use Ronzini Healthy Harvest 100% Whole Grain); cook to al dente.
  2. While noodles are boiling, in a large stock pot, brown the ground beef with the minced garlic. Once cooked, drain any excess oil.
  3. In the same pot, add diced tomatoes, petite diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.
  4. Add the 6 oz. of water.
  5. Finally, add all the spices. (Add garlic salt 1 tsp. at a time so that you can measure it to your own taste.)
  6. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until heated throughout and flavors have combined well.
  7. Add the sauce to your al dente pasta and enjoy!

*My package of beef was just a little bigger than usual, but the points are the same and all the other ingredients amounts don’t differ if you use exactly one 1 lb of 95% lean beef instead – I just went ahead and used this much since I had it.

WW Freestyle Info.: This meat sauce is only 2 points per ½ cup serving. Makes 15 servings; freezes very well. (Remember to count the points for your pasta.)

Monterey Chicken

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Posted by Erin

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie… a classic in many restaurants and diners, Monterey Chicken is always a favorite.  It’s so easy to make, there’s no reason you shouldn’t enjoy it at home as well!  This is one of the first dishes I made when Albert and I were newlyweds… or at least one of the first successful dishes.  It’s still on the menu at our house quite often, 14 years later.  It’s a quick and easy meal for a busy night, especially if you have the bacon precooked.  I keep cooked bacon in my freezer all the time (We love bacon!) but, if you don’t have any on hand, you can easily substitute 1 T. pre-packaged real bacon bits per chicken breast.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 6 (approx. 4 ounce each) boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded 1-inch thick
  • 1 tsp. each of cumin, garlic salt, onion powder, and smoked paprika
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 6 T. barbecue sauce
  • 6 thin slices Colby-Jack cheese (such as Sargento Ultra Thin)
  • 6 slices center cut bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
  • 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
  • 1 green onion, chopped

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Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large oven-safe skillet.

Season chicken breasts with cumin, garlic salt, onion powder, and paprika.

Brown the chicken in the skillet for 3 or 4 minutes on each side until no longer pink; remove from heat.

Top each chicken breast with 1 T. barbecue sauce, 1 slice cheese, and 1 slice crumbled bacon.

Sprinkle evenly with chopped tomatoes and green onions.

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake about 5-8 minutes, until cheese is fully melted.

WW Info.:  6 servings (Each loaded chicken breast is one serving.)

Freestyle points: 5

Old points:  6

Mango Salsa

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Visiting an old friend is always fun, but when that friend has a husband who cooks while you sip drinks….well, that’s friendship gold.  Tracy’s life-long friend Dana has a husband who whips up a great Mango Salsa that is a summery treat you’ll love.  Thanks for sharing this recipe, Marc!

Ingredients:

  • 4 to 5 large Roma tomatoes, diced
  • ½ yellow or white onion, diced
  • ½ red or green bell pepper, seeded & diced
  • 2 ripe mangos, peeled and diced
  • 1 handful cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ½ tsp. salt

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir together well, and enjoy!

This salsa is best served over a juicy piece of grilled chicken with some tortilla chips on the side!

WW Freestyle Info.: Drumroll please:  ZERO points.  Enjoy all you want.