Cream of Chile-Chicken Soup

This recipe is a staple in my house during the winter. I always double it because the leftovers are great! Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream for a great soup to warm a cold night.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. ground chicken or turkey
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can corn with sweet peppers
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 can diced green chile peppers
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp red pepper
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation:

1. Cook chicken/turkey, onion, and garlic.
2. Stir in milk, soup, corn, tomato, chile peppers, parsley, red pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
3. Add cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is melted.

Serves: 4

Apricot-Glazed Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (about one inch thick)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 2 tbsp water

Preparation:

1. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
2. While butter melts, sprinkle steaks evenly with cumin, pepper, and salt. Cook steaks in melted butter 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer steaks to a serving platter; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium.
3. Stir preserves and 2 tbsp water into drippings, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 1 minute or until bubbly.
4. Place 1 steak on each of 4 plates. Spoon sauce evenly over steaks. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 steak and 2 tbsp sauce).

Courtesy Cooking Light: Fresh Food Superfast

Chicken Shawarma

Ingredients:

CHICKEN

1 lb. chicken, cut into strips

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. curry powder

2 tsp. olive oil

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced

SAUCE

1/2 cup reduced fat Greek yogurt

2 tbsp. tahini

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1 garlic clove, minced

REMAINING INGREDIENTS

4 6-inch pitas

1 cup chopped Romaine lettuce

8 1/4 inch tomato slices

Preparation:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat

2. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

3. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk.

4. Thread 2 chicken strips onto each of 8 12-inch skewers. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side until done.

5. Place pitas on grill rack. Grill on each side until lightly toasted. Place 1 pita on each of 4 plates, top with lettuce and tomato slices. Top each with chicken and drizzle 2 tbsp sauce on each.

Sweet and Spicy Chili Pork Chops

Chili paste is a fiery sauce made of dried crushed red pepper seasoned with garlic. Use a light hand when adding this ingredient. This sauce thickens almost immediately when added to the hot skillet; turn the chops over in it until they are nicely glazed.

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp chile paste with garlic
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup diagonally sliced green onions

Preparation:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove pan from heat; let pork stand 30 seconds.
2. While pork cooks, combine brown sugar and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Add sauce to pork, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Turn pork over in sauce to coat. Sprinkle with green onions. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop, about 2 1/2 tbsp sauce, and 1 tbsp green onions).

Courtesy Cooking Light: Fresh Food Superfast