Fiesta Chicken Casserole

I love spicy and this one will warm you up from the inside out. No spice wimps are allowed to try this one, i.e., no cry babies. This version is lower in fat, but big in taste. It's a double win when spice and low fat come together so deliciously. The cool fall days will soon be here for you to enjoy this one.

Fiesta Chicken Casserole 

• About 4 cups leftover diced chicken
• 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
• 1 16 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 14.5 oz. can salsa style fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup hot salsa
• 1 Tbsp. Chili powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground chipotle powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 8 flour tortillas, 6 inch size
• cooking spray

Topping

• 1 2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
• 1 jar sliced pickled jalapenos, only using desired amount
• Sargento 4 cheese Mexican reduced fat cheese, 8 oz.
• Utz baked Tostitos, 2 cups crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and add first 11 ingredients. Simmer over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile spray a 9x13 inch Pyrex dish with cooking spray, then evenly cover bottom and side with tortillas, overlapping slightly.

After simmering the chicken mixture, spread evenly over tortillas. Top mixture in following order: crushed Tostitos, cheese, olives and jalapenos. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Enjoy!

Jalapeno Hummus

Hummus so expensive to buy, yet so inexpensive and easy to make. It makes for a great dip or a nice roll up and it's healthy to boot. So you may want to serve this as a dip with crackers or pita chips. Also it makes a great roll up. I like to add fat free Feta, onion slices and lettuce or broccoli slaw to my tortilla roll up. Guess what I had for lunch today. Yum yum!

Jalapeno Hummus

• 1 can Goya Garbonzo beans (1 lb, 13 oz.), drained & rinsed
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup pickled jalapeno slices 

Add above ingredients into a food processor and whirl for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld. Serve with crackers, pita crisps, or make a hummus roll up for lunch.

Asian Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Your taste buds are in for a pleasant surprise when you taste these delicious noodles. Don't be a wimpy cry baby about the spice, it really is not that spicy. The creaminess of the peanut butter smooths out the heat of the pepper for just the right amount of heat. One thing for sure about this recipe is that it will keep calling you back to the refrigerator for leftovers, That is if you manage to have some. Enjoy!!!


Asian Noodles w/ Spicy Peanut Sauce

• 2 (8 oz.) pkg. of Wide Lo Mein noodles or Fettucini Style brown rice pasta (14 oz.)
• 2/3 cup Smucker's natural creamy peanut butter
• 2/3 cup hot water
• 4 Tbsp. soy sauce
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger root
• ¼ - ½  tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. sugar or Splenda
• 6 green onions sliced thin (green tops too) about 1 ¼ cup
• ¾- 1  cup grated carrot

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile whisk the next 8 ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside. 

Clean onions and trim root ends off and slice thin, grate carrot. When noodles are finished cooking add to peanut butter mixture with onion and carrot, toss to coat well. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator and serve cold. I love to serve this with the Teriyaki Chicken or Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin. Enjoy!

I use ½ tsp. cayenne, I like it spicy. You will be surprised, the peanut butter helps cool down the spice, it is just the right amount. After noodles have been chilled they will stick together and not look as smooth and creamy, do not be fooled they are still delicious.

Before serving chilled noodles let them sit on counter for 15 - 30 minutes to let peanut butter soften. I buy my noodles in the ethnic section of the grocery store. They are much cheaper in an Asian market. This recipe has been made with natural peanut butter, do not use processed. I like Smucker's (natural) brand peanut butter. Ginger root is easier to grate when frozen. For my gluten free fans use the brown rice pasta. Enjoy!

Spicy, Grown-Up Mac & Cheese

• 1 (14.5oz) pkg. Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne Rigate
• 3 Tbsp. Smart Balance margarine
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 2 cups milk
• ¼ tsp. ground chipotle chile
• ¼ tsp. cayenne
• ½ tsp. onion powder
  
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) grated, reduced-fat mild Cheddar
• 8 oz. Raclette Cheese (Swiss variety), rind removed and cubed
• ½ cup grated Asiago, plus 1/3 cup
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. Smart Balance margarine (optional)
• cooking spray

In a large pot bring water to boil. Add pasta and bring to a boil again, cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Overcooking the pasta makes for a tender Mac and Cheese. Ten minutes later preheat oven to 350 degrees and over medium heat melt margarine in a sauce pan, then whisk in flour. Add milk to flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk slowly until mixture thickens. Turn heat off of burner, then add chilpotle chile, cayenne, onion powder, and salt, whisk together well. Add the Cheddar, Raclette, and ½ cup of Asiago. Stir well with a rubber spatula until well blended, cheese does not need to be melted completely, just mixed well. Place in a 2 ½ qt. glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Then stir pasta and cheese mixture together and place in a 2 1/2 qt. glass baking dish sprayed with cooking oil.

You have 2 options for your topping. Option #1: evenly dust top of Mac and Cheese with 1/3 cup Asiago. Option #2: Melt 2 Tbsp. margarine in the microwave. Then to meduim size bowl add panko bread crumbs, 1/3 cup Asigo and the melted margarine, mix well. Dust mixture evenly over top of Mac and Cheese. If you like a crunchy topping on your Mac and Cheese then option #2 is for you. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top and bubbly.

It is up to you as to whether or not you use high fiber pasta, lower fat cheese and a healthy margarine in place of butter. I also used fat free milk and it is absolutely delicious. I like to cut fat and add fiber where I can without sparing flavor. The creaminess of the cheese gives a nice balance to the spices.

Spicy Gazpacho

I am dogsitting two Jack Russell terriers this week, what a couple of characters. Izzy & Spanky. Well, it has been a hot couple of days, so I thought I would post a cool and refreshing recipe that's great for summertime.

Spicy Gazpacho

• 1 cup spicy V-8
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup chopped and peeled mango
• 1/2 cup chopped and peeled papaya
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped seedless cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. tabasco

Chill V-8 and pineapple juice. Dice fruit and vegetables into very tiny pieces. Mix all ingredients together well and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.