Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 chicken breasts
10 oz. Enchilada Sauce
15 oz. can diced tomatoes, including juice
15 oz. can black beans, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
4 oz. can green chilies, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 C water
29 oz. chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
16 oz. frozen corn
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
3 tortillas (optional)
1 tsp chili powder (optional)
1 tsp salt (optional)
8 tbsp light sour cream (optional)
8 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

In a large saucepan, boil chicken breasts for 30 minutes. Shred chicken with a fork and add to crock pot. Add the next 12 ingredients and mix together. Let sit in the fridge overnight. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Optional Additions:
Preheat oven to 400. Slice tortillas into strips and place them as a single layer onto a cookie sheet. Spray tortilla strips with non-stick cooking spray. Mix 1 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp salt together and sprinkle on strips. Cook for 15 minutes or until crisp. When serving, place a tbsp light sour cream, a tbsp of cheddar cheese and a handful of tortilla strips on top of soup.




(Inspired by Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup, by AllRecipes.com)

Enchilada Sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
3 small jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 C vegetable broth
1 C tomato sauce

In a medium saucepan, saute garlic in olive oil. Add jalapeno peppers, chili powder, cumin, broth, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside for later.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon

4 salmon fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp white wine
2 tbsp honey
1/3 C balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp ground ginger


Preheat oven to 400. Place Salmon fillets on a foil lined cookie sheet. In a small sauce pan heat olive oil and garlic for 1 minute on medium. Add wine, honey, vinegar, mustard, pepper, red pepper and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Sauce will start to get thick. Remove from heat and set aside half of the sauce. Brush the salmon with the rest of the sauce. Cook for 12-17 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Brush salmon with the remaining sauce. Use a spatula to remove salmon fillets, leaving the skin behind.


(Inspired by Balsamic-Glazed Salmon Fillets by AllRecipes.com)

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

16 oz elbow pasta
1 1/2 C low fat or non fat milk
1 egg, scrambled
1/2 fat free sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 C shredded colby jack cheese


Spray crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Place uncooked elbow pasta in crock pot. In a medium mixing bowl, mix milk, and egg together. Mix in sour cream and seasoning. Add cheese and pour over pasta. Mix cheese mixture into pasta. Cook on Low for 4-6 hours or High for 2-3 hours.

Pesto Chicken Pasta

3 chicken breasts, cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 lb. corkscrew pasta
1 C basil pesto
1 1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese


Preheat oven to 350. Brown chicken in a medium skillet with garlic and black pepper. Set aside. While chicken browns, cook pasta according to directions on box. Make pesto and set aside. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Layer half the pasta in the bottom, top with half the chicken, pesto and cheese and repeat for the second layer. Cook for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Pesto Sauce

2 C fresh basil leaves
2 cloves of garlic
2/3 C olive oil
1/4 C pine nuts or sunflower seeds
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese


Combine basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a blender or food processor until coarsely chopped. Add oil and cheese and blend until smooth.

Lemon Rosemary Salmon

4 salmon fillets
1/4 C lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground rosemary
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced


Preheat oven to broil at 350. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Mix lemon juice, rosemary, black pepper and garlic. Place salmon fillets on foiled cookie sheet. Pour lemon juice mixture over salmon. Cook under the broiler for 5-7 minutes or until flakey.

Sauteed Zucchini

2 medium zucchini, sliced and halfed
1 tsp butter
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Place zucchini in a medium saucepan. Cook covered on medium for 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Drain liquid. Add butter and brown sugar. Mix well and simmer for 3 minutes.


(Inspired by Sharon Graff)

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 C finely chopped broccoli florets
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 C seasoned bread crumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil


Preheat oven to 400. Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Beat egg in a medium bowl. Mix breadcrumbs, 1 tsp garlic powder and pepper in a separate bowl. Mix broccoli, cheese, remaining garlic and olive oil in another bowl. Slice the chicken breasts 3/4 of the way through to make a pocket. Stuff broccoli cheese mixture evenly between chicken breasts pockets. Close with toothpicks. Dunk the stuffed chicken breasts in egg then roll in bread crumbs. Place on baking sheet. Cook for 25 minutes.

Chicken Marsala

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 9 thin cutlets

1/4 C flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp dried oregano

3 tbsp olive oil

2 C sliced mushrooms

2 C Marsala wine

1/2 C chicken broth

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp onion powder
4 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 C warm chicken broth
1 package of linguine pasta


In a shallow bowl, mix together flour, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and oregano. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture. Brown chicken for 5 minutes and turn. Brown the other side for 5 minutes until cooked through. Start water to boil for pasta. Add mushrooms, wine, 1/2 C chicken broth, basil and onion powder. Simmer for 5 minutes. Place pasta in boiling water and cook per directions on box. Remove chicken, cover and keep warm. Simmer sauce an additional 7 minutes. Slowly add cornstarch mixture until sauce thickens and simmer an additional 2 minutes. Serve sauce over chicken and linguine.

Chicken Piccata

3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thin sliced into tenders
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C chicken broth
1 C lemon juice
1 tbsp capers, drained
1 lemon sliced
1/4 C parsley, chopped
1 package of angel hair pasta
2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 6 oz. warm water


Combine flour, salt and pepper in a paper lunch bag, shake to mix thoroughly. Place chicken breasts one at a time in the bag, shake well to coat with flour mixture. Start water to boil for pasta. In a large skillet heat olive oil. Place chicken breasts in skillet. Brown chicken for 5 minutes and turn. Brown the other side for 5 minutes until cooked through. Transfer tenders to a serving platter. Cover to keep warm. Place pasta in boiling water and cook per directions on box. Place garlic in the skillet and saute for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and lemon juice. Bring to simmer. Slowly add cornstarch mixture until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Place pasta in a serving bowl, and place chicken on top. Pour sauce over pasta and chicken. Garnish with sliced lemon, capers and parsley.

To serve separately, drizzle 1 cup of sauce over chicken, garnish with sliced lemon, capers and parsley. Pour the remaining sauce over pasta and toss.

(Recipe created by Pam Schmidt, best mother-in-law anyone could ask for)

Vegetarian Enchiladas

1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion chopped
2 medium zucchinis, grated
1 C black beans, canned and drained
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 C mexican blend cheese
6 tortillas
6 tbsp low fat sour cream
Enchilada Sauce



Preheat oven to 400. In a medium skillet, saute garlic, onion and olive oil for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add zucchini, black beans and cumin. Cook for 7 minutes. Drain liquid. Mix 1 1/2 C cheese into vegetable mix. Divide vegetables evenly between the six tortillas. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray. Roll tortillas and place in 9x13 pan seam down. Top with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese. Bake for 25 minutes. Top with sour cream.

(Inspired by Zucchini Enchiladas, by Ginas Skinny Recipes)

Baked Brie with Apricot Preserves

8 oz double cream brie
1/3 C apricot preserves
1/2 C crushed toasted walnuts (optional)
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a large ramekin or small baking dish with cooking spray. Cut off the rind off the top of the brie. Place brie in the center of the dish and cover evenly with preserves. Mix toasted walnuts, thyme and brown sugar together and sprinkle on top of the preserves. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted and brown sugar has caramelized. Serve with french bread, crackers or apples.

(Recipe by Meredith Heestand)