Buffalo Chicken Salad Sandwiches

If you haven’t guessed it yet, I have a weak spot for buffalo chicken. So spicy and awesome, I almost always want to have some. It reminds me of when I usually ordered chicken caesar salad when I went out to eat during high school. This is a relatively healthy version of chicken salad using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Hope you like it!

You will need:

• 6 oz non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 c hot sauce, scant
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t cracked pepper
• 1/4 t salt
• 3 ribs of celery, finely chopped (leaves included)
• 1/2 lb chicken breast, cooked and chopped/shredded
• 1/3 c blue cheese, finely crumbled

Then you will…

1. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt with the hot sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well.
2. Stir in the celery, chicken and blue cheese.
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (This step could be skipped, but it allows all the flavors to meld).
4. Serve on warm toasted bread for the best result.

Tomato Poached Eggs

Eggs are a great breakfast. This is a different way to make them that packs a lot of flavor. Perfect for a weekend brunch, because you can multiply the recipe for additional guests!

You will need:

• 3 T olive oil
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced (more if you want extra spice)
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 1 t paprika
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes (I really like fire roasted)
• 1/2 c feta, crumbled
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 eggs
• Several large handfuls of baby arugula
• 2 scallions, chopped

Then you will…

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a cast iron (or ovenproof) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno.
3. Saute for about 6 minutes over medium-low heat until tender.
4. Mix in the red pepper flakes, paprika and cumin and cook another 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for about 12 minutes. Stir occasionally until thickened.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with the feta.
8. Make a little well in the sauce for each egg. Break one egg into each hole.
9. Bake 5 minutes.
10. Sprinkle the arugula and scallions on top. Bake another 2-3 minutes, until the greens are wilted and the center of the eggs are still runny.
11. Serve with toast or some pita.

40 Clove Garlic Chicken

This may seem like I’m trying to teach you how to evade a vampire (or zombie) attack, but I promise this is not such a scary meal as you might expect from 40 cloves of garlic. It is fun slow cooker recipe that is great for the fall.

You will need:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 40 cloves garlic, peeled (about 3 bulbs)
• 2 lb chicken breast, cut into large chunks
• 2 t paprika
• 1 t oregano
• 1/2 t ground mustard powder
• 1/2 t ground thyme
• 2 t salt
• 2 pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 c chicken stock
• 3 T butter
• 3 T flour

Then you will…

1. Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Add the garlic, chicken, paprika, oregano, mustard powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir to mix well.
3. Add the stock.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
5. Remove the chicken and garlic cloves. Shred the chicken.
6. In a large non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium low heat. When just starting to bubble, whisk in the flour and allow to cook for about 30 seconds.
7. Gradually whisk in the remaining broth from the slow cooker.
8. Allow to come to a low boil and thicken to make a pan gravy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Combine the chicken with the gravy and serve over rice or pasta.

Eggplant Stuffed with Turkey

I really like this recipe. It results in a tasty and filling dish, plus you could make it entirely vegetarian by leaving out the turkey and adding extra mushrooms. D and I liked it so much that there wasn’t much in the way of leftovers! We especially enjoyed the yogurt sauce.

You will need:

• 2 eggplants
• 2 T olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 oz mushrooms, minced
• 8 oz ground turkey
• 2 T oregano
• 1 T basil
• 2 t paprika
• 2 t pepper
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 1 c chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 c chopped scallions
• 1 c plain Greek yogurt, divided
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 t dill
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• Salt and pepper

Then you will…

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet or dish with tinfoil and lightly coat it with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Scoop out the middle of the eggplant, leaving just enough on the sides of the shell to not break the shell. It is easiest with a melon baller, or you can carefully score with a knife and use a spoon to scoop out the middle.
3. Plan the four eggplant shells on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Chop the eggplant into small pieces.
5. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until most of the liquid is gone.
6. Add the turkey and spices (oregano, basil, paprika, pepper and red pepper) to the mushroom mixture. Cook until starting to brown.
7. Add the tomatoes and the scallions and cook another minute longer.
8. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the yogurt.
9. Spoon the filling into the shells.
10. Bake about 15 minutes or until everything is heated through and the tops are starting to brown.
11. Meanwhile, combine the remain yogurt with the lemon zest, dill and garlic powder. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
12. Serve the stuffed eggplant with some yogurt sauce on top.

Yummy Meatloaf

Meatloaf gets a bad rap. Despite having a rather unappetizing name, it can come out pretty yummy if you do it right. I made some for D after he got his wisdom teeth pulled, since it is easy to eat. It also happens to be one of the comfort foods he really likes. This version has lots of seasoning and is full of veggies. This keeps it from drying out and means dinner will be a hit.

You will need:

• 1/3 + 1/2 c ketchup, divided
• 2 T prepared mustard
• 2 T brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 c chopped carrot
• 1 small bell pepper, chopped (we used a red one)
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 c breadcrumbs
• 1/4 c milk
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1 t oregano

Then you will…

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Lightly grease a bread pan or a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. In a small bowl, mix together 1/3 cup of ketchup with the mustard and brown sugar.
3. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. (I recommend using your hands so that it isn’t over mixed).
4. Press the meat mixture into the loaf pan or free shape it and lay it on the baking dish.
5. Spread the sauce on top.
6. Bake 45 minutes to an hour until cooked through and browned on the outside.