Baked Fried Chicken

From Amy Weitzman

I adapted this from a couple of recipes on epicurious.com. It was easy and tasty. Served with a salad. --Amy

buttermilk
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp kosher salt
1-2 tsp herbs de provence (or whatever herbs/spices you like)
pepper
6-8 chicken thighs, skin removed*
cooking spray - olive or canola oil

heat oven to 400 degrees and place rack in upper middle position.

Soak the chicken in buttermilk for 10 minutes to an hour (however much time you have). Put dry ingredients in a shallow bowl. Place a wire rack over a jelly roll pan lined with foil. Take chicken from buttermilk and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken, meaty side up, on the wire rack. Spray generously with cooking spray. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until done.

*i used bone-in chicken thighs, but maybe it would work just as well with boneless?

Baked Manicotti

From Cooks Illustrated, January 2007

We prefer Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles for their delicate texture resembling fresh pasta. Note that Pasta Defino and Ronzoni brands contain only 12 no-boil noodles per package; the recipe requires 16 noodles. The manicotti can be prepared through step 5, covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.) To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

I couldn't find fresh, part-skim ricotta, so I used fresh, whole-milk ricotta; other people on the bulletin board used ricotta purchased from Costco and thought it worked just fine. By the way, two 15 ounce containers yields just about 3 cups. If desired you can add 1 pound of cooked Italian sausage to tomato sauce. Instead of using a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, I use two, 8 inch square pans and freeze one uncooked. NB: half the parmesan cheese goes in the filling, the other half gets used near the end of the cooking period. --Pamela

Serves 6 to 8

Tomato Sauce
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes (in juice)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes , optional
Table salt 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil  

Cheese Filling and Pasta
3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese 
4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon table salt 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves  
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil  
16 no-boil lasagna noodles (see note above)

1. For the Sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse 1 can tomatoes with their juice in food processor until coarsely chopped, 3 or 4 pulses. Transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining can tomatoes.
2. Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in basil; adjust seasoning with salt.
3. For the cheese filling: Combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs in medium bowl; set aside.
4. To assemble: Pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch broilersafe baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.
5. Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.
6. Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Remove baking dish, adjust oven rack to uppermost position (about 6 inches from heating element), and heat broiler. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Broil until cheese is spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, then serve.

Pomegranate Glazed Chicken

from Everyday Food, December 2006

2 cups pomegranate juice
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 branch fresh rosemary
3 cloves crushed garlic
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (12-14 ounces each)
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 425º with rack at top-third position. Line a rimmed
baking sheet with foil.

Make glaze: in a skillet combine juices, rosemary, and garlic with a
pinch of salt and pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced to 1/2
cup, about 15 minutes. Strain to remove solids, and stir in vinegar.
Reserve 1/4 cup for serving and use remaining for basting chicken.

While glaze is reducing, loosen skin from each breast and slide 1/2
tablespoon of butter under skin. Season chicken with salt and pepper,
and place skin side up on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then
brush with glaze every 5 minutes, or so, until chicken registers
about 165º.

Drizzle with reserved glaze before serving.

Serves 4.

Curried Chicken Salad

from Five Ingredient, 15 Minute Cookbook, Weight Watchers

12 ounces cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into
strips or chunks
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. If possible make
2 hours ahead and chill in the refrigerator.

Serve on a bed of mixed salad greens.

Makes 5 servings, 1/2 cup each (3 points)

I like to serve it with some diced apple and orange slices. A little
avocado is also a nice accompaniment. I drizzle it with Balsamic
Honey Dressing (separate post).

Balsamic Honey Salad Dressing

from Five Ingredient, 15 Minute Cookbook, Weight Watchers

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey

Combine vinegar and honey in a small bowl; shake well.

Delicious on any salad, especially one made with mixed salad greens,
orange slices, goat cheese, and red onion.

Chicken and Mushroom Casserole

From Everyone Loves Chicken, a Weight Watchers book

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 pounds white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons white vermouth or white wine
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper
1 cup brown rice
2 tablespoons dried cranberries* (or tart dried cherries)
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth or home-made stock

Preheat oven to 350º.

Spray a Dutch oven with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add
chicken in one layer, working in batches if necessary, and cook until
browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Do not cook on other side, just
transfer to a plate.

Add mushrooms and scallions to Dutch oven; cook, stirring frequently,
until mushrooms give off their liquid and it reduces to a glaze,
about 4 minutes. Add vermouth and simmer for 10 seconds, scrapping up
browned bits from bottom of pot.

Add thyme, salt, and pepper, stirring constantly, until fragrant,
about 10 seconds. Add rice and cranberries, stir once, then stir in
broth. Add chicken breasts, browned sided up, and bring to a simmer.

Remove Dutch oven from heat, cover, and bake until chicken is cooked
through and rice is tender but still toothsome, about 55 minutes.

Serves 6 (6 points per serving)

*Try to find unsweetened dried cranberries if you can.

baked fried chicken

i adapted this from a couple of recipes on epicurious.com. was easy and tasty. served with a salad.

buttermilk

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

2 tsp kosher salt

1-2 tsp herbs de provence (or whatever herbs/spices you like)

pepper

6-8 chicken thighs, skin removed*

cooking spray - olive or canola oil

heat oven to 400 degrees and place rack in upper middle position.

soak the chicken in buttermilk for 10 minutes to an hour (however much time you have). put dry ingredients in a shallow bowl. place a wire rack over a jelly roll pan lined with foil. take chicken from buttermilk and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. place chicken, meaty side up, on the wire rack. spray generously with cooking spray. bake 35-40 minutes, or until done.

*i used bone-in chicken thighs, but maybe it would work just as well with boneless?

AMY

orange-yogurt cake

orange-yogurt cake

from the dec 2006 issue of martha stewart living. 

i was in the mood for a treat last night and made this cake. it only used 1 bowl! i had greek-yogurt, so i added a 4-5 extra tablespoons of orange juice until the consistency of the batter seemed right (like a thick pancake batter). i only had 1 orange, so i didn't segment the 2 oranges at the bottom of the list for garnish, i just used the orange for the juice and zest. 

unsalted butter, softened, for pan

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp grated orange zest, plus 1 tbsp orange juice

1 large egg

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 large oranges (1 zested into thin strips, both segmented)

confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1. preheat oven to 350. butter an 8-inch round cake pan. stir flour, 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, the baking powder, baking sode, salt, yogurt, oi, orange zest and juice, egg, and vanilla in a bowl. pour into pan. bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. let cool on a wire rack.

2. place zest strips in a bowl. stir in segments and remaining tbsp sugar. garnish cake with some segments; serve with the rest. dust with confectioners' sugar.