Embracing Him

I’m all about one pot wonders! Whenever I can combine ingredients in a single pot or single casserole to create a main dish and a side dish, it’s always worth a try. Tonight’s dinner was an awesome one pot wonder which featured an amazingly flavorful and comforting combination of chicken and potatoes.

This was first time I made this dish, but it certainly won’t be the last! It was so good, I just had to share the recipe! I used low fat Ranch dressing, Sweet Baby Ray barbecue sauce (my favorite sauce!), and a low fat Mexican cheese blend. The chicken was moist and the potatoes were tender and saucy.

Barbecue Ranch Chicken and Potato Bake
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
6-8 red potatoes, cut into cubes
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup Ranch dressing
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 cups scallions, chopped
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place potatoes into a 9 x 13 casserole dish in a single layer and season them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In a separate dish, season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In a small bowl, combine the barbecue sauce and Ranch dressing.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken breasts and saute for a few minutes on each side, until lightly browned.

Place the breasts into the casserole dish on top of the potatoes. Brush the chicken with the sauce and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until juices run clear.

10 minutes before the chicken is done, remove the casserole dish from the oven and top with bacon, scallions, and cheese. Return casserole to the oven and bake for 10 additional minutes.

JT eats fish once a week and for as long as I’ve known him that fish has been salmon. I’m not a big fan of fish, but since I keep hearing about the health benefits of fish I’m hoping to include more of it in my diet.

Variety and necessity have caused me to cast my fishing net a bit wider, so I’m on the hunt for simple yet flavorful fish recipes. Last week I prepared an easy baked fish recipe with ingredients already in my pantry and we were both pleased. I loved the recipe because it took only minutes to prepare and JT enjoyed it because it was tasty.

Baked Fish
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons water
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
2 cups stuffing mix, crushed
2 firm white fish (cod, haddock, etc) fillets

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a shallow bowl, combine the oil, water and salad dressing mix. Place the stuffing mix in another bowl. Dip fillets in salad dressing mixture and then roll in stuffing. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Photo: Courtesy of podchef (Flickr)

We really enjoy Mexican food, but sometimes we become bored with the usual tacos and fajitas I often prepare. The other day I had a taste for Mexican, so I marinated a few chicken breasts, baked them, and topped them other Mexican fixings. The result was a juicy chicken breast bursting with flavor!

In my opinion, there are two “must haves” that make this a stellar meal. The first is the marvelous marinade that also works well with beef. The other is the salsa. You can use a traditional tomato based salsa or any other salsa you choose, but I prefer to use the homemade corn and bean based salsa we love.

Marinade
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons cumin
1-2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 chicken breasts

Other ingredients:
1 cup salsa
1 cup Mexican style shredded cheese
1 cup sour cream

In a large bowl combine all the marinade ingredients except the chicken breasts. Once thoroughly combined, pour the marinade into a resealable plastic bag and add chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

To prepare, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with a cooking spray and place the marinated chicken breasts into the dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

Approximately five minutes before the chicken breasts are done, heat salsa in the microwave for about one minute. Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and top with each breast with 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup cheese. Return chicken to the oven and bake until cheese has melted.

Remove chicken from the oven and top each breast with a dollop (or more) of sour cream. Serve immediately.

Photo: Courtesy of heyrocc (Flickr)