Work and Success

Posted on May 3, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

One of my absolute favorite “inspirational” quotes is something one of the basketball coaches at my high school always used to say (I think it’s attributed to Vince Lombardi) is “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.”

There are so many examples of this in my daily life, and yet I still find myself almost waiting for positive things to happen. That would be like an athlete just hanging out between games without watching tape or working out or meeting with his team and just showing up expecting to win.

Take this blog for instance…I’ve gotten a few questions lately on how I come up with recipes, test them, etc. One of the questions I found funny was “Do you put everything you cook up on your blog?” I wish. But honestly, it takes a little more work than what you might see on here.

If I’m trying something new, I do go ahead and photograph it in case it turns out awesome – but I don’t put anything on my blog that I don’t like. Unfortunately, I’ve made a few meals lately that haven’t turned out so hot.

One item I found on Pinterest was a stuffed flank steak. It’s stuffed with spinach, roasted red peppers, blue cheese, and a lot of other goodies. It sounded delicious. It looked delicious. But when I bit into it, I was completely underwhelmed. I don’t know if I didn’t pound the steak enough or it was roasted instead of grilled, but the flavor just wasn’t there for me.

Another recipe I tried came as a recommendation from a co-worker from a blog she found. I’m terrified of my crockpot when I’m not at home to check on it, so when she assured me that this chicken curry recipe didn’t turn into a pot of black lava in her home, I figured I’d give it a try. My kitchen smelled awesome – but I don’t know if it’s my dislike for coconut or if I just don’t like curry, but I was not at all a fan. I actually didn’t even eat it!

So, just a testament that it’s not as simple as throwing together a meal and calling it a day! I try new things and make sure they are tasty before sharing them with y’all, so if it doesn’t pass my test, then I don’t pass it on to you! It’s disappointing because I get my hopes up for meals and put a lot into them, but obviously, it’s a learning process on what works and what doesn’t – so I just try to learn from my mistakes and improve upon them down the road!

On the other hand, a surprising success in my sad little world of “I can’t keep green things alive” – my babies I planted on April 7th are still here and are looking beautiful! See…not dead! The rain has definitely helped me, but it’s so much fun seeing what a little TLC and work will do…

Well, now I’m off to cheer on the Memphis Grizzlies as they take on the LA Clippers in Game 6 of the playoff series. My Grizz are up 3-2 and are coming home tonight to hopefully pull off a W for the home crowd, so I’m super pumped to be there with my husband! My Biffer and I attended Game 4 last Saturday (thanks to our wonderful hubbies) to see the Grizz tie up the series, so tonight is going to be even more intense.

I ~~may~~ have listened to Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” a few times this afternoon just to get myself in the spirit…and I’m only slightly embarrassed to admit that.

Hope everybody has a great weekend…and GO GRIZZ!

Spicy Chicken with Peanut Noodles

Posted on April 19, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

I was shocked today to look at my calendar and find it was Friday.

I mean, that’s a rarity. Normally I’m on full-out countdown mode for the weekends. I guess being stuck at home with “the plague” for the past day and a half did me in.

For those of you who don’t know me – I have 2 ~~irrational~~ completely normal fears in life: needles and balloons. So a trip to the doctor’s office is always an anxiety-inducing experience, as I never know if they are going to have to jab me with something.

So after an hour in the waiting room on Wednesday, I was a little surprised to see that I had a child for a nurse. Seriously, I question if she is legally able to vote. After waiting for an hour to see if I was going to get jabbed, I find out – yes. As she’s wringing my hand to try to make it work – I feel a little dizzy. I am often embarrassed by my body’s reaction to needles, so I bashfully say “I’m feeling a little faint – I just have a thing with needles.”

“Oh no! Cause I’m gonna have to do it again” she said.

Needless to say, between being sick and being tortured by Nurse McTeen, I was exhausted. I feel like I’ve been a waste of life this week – so I’m so thankful that I’m feeling a little better and have some of my energy back!

So first order of business – share a yummy recipe with y’all! I mentioned previously that I’ve been on a “new” food kick, trying to venture out a little, and my husband reminded me of a recipe I haven’t made in a while that has a Thai-twist to it. Sorry to my readers with peanut allergies – this one is probably not up your alley! The ingredient list looks intimidating, but I assure you, it’s really simple to throw together and incredibly delicious.

Spicy Chicken with Peanut Noodles (Serves 2 / 11 WW points per serving)

For the chicken:

2 (4 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

1/2 Tbsp. walnut oil

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

For the noodles:

2 oz. rice noodles

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp. reduced-fat peanut butter

1 Tbsp. light brown sugar

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp. pickled ginger, minced

2 Tbsp. dried cilantro

1/2 Tbsp. Sriracha (this is a medium level of heat – gauge accordingly)

1 Tbsp. roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

In a shallow dish, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, walnut oil and kosher salt. Add chicken breasts and marinate at least 2 hours.

Remove chicken and cook through. I typically grill mine, but I just sautéed this time around and it was fine – about 4-5 minutes on each side over medium heat.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add rice noodles. Cook according to directions. While the noodles are cooking, heat chicken broth to medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in peanut butter, brown sugar, vinegar, lime juice, ginger, cilantro and Sriracha until smooth.

Drain rice noodles and add peanut sauce. Stir to coat and add to plates. Top with cooked chicken breast and add chopped peanuts.

Then devour.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Chicken with Chorizo Confetti

Posted on April 12, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

So we’re going to discuss why today is awesome.

It’s awesome because today, my husband bridges the age gap. You see, there’s a ~~glorious~~ ridiculous 2-month period each year in which I am, number-wise, two years senior to my hubby. While he’s not entering his 30’s like the author of this blog did earlier this year, at least he’s in his final year of being a 20-something.

So this is a special blog dedicated to my hubby. Happy Birthday babe, I hope you have a wonderful day and I can’t wait to spend the rest of our birthdays together!

The husband and I started dating about 4 1/2 years ago (wow!) and the beginning of our relationship involved quite a few phone conversations. We’d always try to come up with a few random questions to ask each other, from the deep and meaningful to the fun and trivial. One of the questions I remember was “If you had to eat anything every day for the rest of our life, what would it be?” His answer was “Pizza or Mexican food.”

People, I’ve mentioned before that there are certain foods I must have a craving for otherwise I’m almost repelled by it. Mexican food is one of those foods. So poor husband is often deprived of one of his favorites (notice I said one, as I do share his love for pizza).

He managed to pull me out to various Mexican restaurants in that first year, which is when he introduced me to one of his favorites. Chorizo. It’s a Mexican sausage that is basically pork seasoned with Paprika and salt. It’s delicious. It’s also incredibly cheap to buy at your local grocery store. We actually bought some at a not-so-local grocery store while on vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – so on the 4th of July in 2010, I made us goat cheese and chorizo omelets as we blasted patriotic music. One of my favorite memories.

Well, a few weeks ago I stumbled upon a recipe in my Cooking Light magazine that had chorizo in it, so obviously I had to make it for the hubby. It did not disappoint. So, in honor of the birthday boy, I get to share a favorite food of his! This recipe is seriously easy – under 30 minutes including prep time!

Chicken with Chorizo Confetti (Serves 2 / 7 WW pts. per serving) Slightly modified from original recipe, found here.

2 (4oz.) pieces raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

2 oz. ground pork chorizo

2 Tbsp. onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. carrot, chopped

2 Tbsp. red bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp. yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp. green bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp. chicken broth

1 tsp. cilantro

Season both sides of chicken with smoked paprika and garlic salt. Allow to rest with seasoning at least 30 minutes.

While chicken is soaking up the goodness, chop your veggies and set aside until ready to use. Keep onion and carrot together and the bell peppers together.

Heat a medium skillet to medium heat and add non-stick spray. Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through.

When the chicken is cooking, heat a small skillet to medium heat. Add chorizo and cook 3-4 minutes, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks. Chorizo has a lot of grease, so you don’t need to worry about oil. Once the chorizo has cooked for a few minutes, add the onion and carrots. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add bell peppers, cooking another 1-2 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and add chicken broth, stirring to incorporate. Basically keep this warm until the chicken is done.

Once the chicken is cooked through, add to a plate and top with the chorizo confetti.

So now we can enjoy chorizo in a healthy way, mixed with vegetables and chicken!

Hope you all enjoy and have a wonderful weekend – I know we have some celebrating to do in our household!

Panko Crusted Cod with Tomato Basil Relish

Posted on April 5, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

I’m a little bit embarrassed.

Okay, make that more than a little, as this is another tale of how I’m a bad Southerner.

Now, I do have a few redeeming qualities when it comes to my Southern roots. I subscribe to Southern Living. I say “y’all”. I believe in hot barbecue, cold cocktails, loud parties and good manners. And, much to my husband’s detriment, I believe a woman can never own too many sundresses (or matching shoes).

However, in addition to my sweet tea aversion and my ineptitude with pimento cheese (chronicled for you here), up until about 3 weeks ago, I had never owned a cast iron skillet.

There, I said it. Hi, my name is Mary and I’m a bad Southerner…but now I can start redeeming myself! I will say, it was entertaining as my husband I read up on how to “season” a skillet. I suppose another item to add to the list is my lard-less kitchen. Had to settle for vegetable oil.

The silver lining is that you now get to benefit from my new toy! I saw this recipe in the February issue of Cooking Light and ended up modifying it slightly and it was incredibly delicious and pretty easy to throw together!

Panko Crusted Cod with Tomato Basil Relish (Serves 2 / 7 WW points per filet)

Slightly modified from original recipe, found here.

2 (4-5oz.) cod fillets

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 egg white, beaten

1/2 Tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 tsp. smoked Paprika

1/2 tsp. kosher salt (divided)

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1/2 Tbsp. basil (I used dried – I’m sure fresh would be even better!)

2 Tbsp. chopped Vidalia onion

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

About 1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper

Heat oven to 450.

Begin by making your relish. Mix together chopped tomatoes, basil, onion, lemon juice, black pepper and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat oil in skillet on stove top over medium-high heat.

Add egg white to a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, add mixture of panko, lemon pepper and paprika. Dip fillets in egg white and sprinkle with remaining salt. Press into crumb mixture. When oil has heated, add fillets to the skillet and saute for 4-5 minutes.

Flip the fish and place the skillet in the oven for 7-8 minutes, until fish is cooked through.

Add fillets to your plate, top with the tomato mixture and voila…

You’re ready to eat!

Hope y’all have a great weekend!

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs and Spaghetti

Posted on March 29, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

So I’ve been in a rut lately when it comes to food. I am very much a creature of habit and comfort, so while I love trying new things, sometimes I just need to push myself to do so.

Like last weekend, the husband and I were trying to figure out where to go for dinner. We kept throwing out “the usual suspects” until I said I was just wanting to try something different, like a Greek restaurant. I’ve eaten at Greek restaurants – but oddly enough, never in my hometown – which has a plethora of international cuisine!

So we ended up at a Mediterranean restaurant (the other 2 places we were going to try closed super early!) and I tried falfael for the first time! It definitely satisfied my craving, but I still want to try the Greek place. Who doesn’t love some spanakopita?

One of my comfort foods I haven’t made in a while is, well, pretty much anything Italian. I love Italian food and other than the occasional pizza, I just don’t make it much! I’ve definitely had a craving for it lately – so a few weeks ago, I decided to jazz up one of my favorite dishes, chicken Parmesan (which I shared with you in my first blog!).

What is better comfort food than spaghetti and meatballs? Try spaghetti with chicken Parmesan meatballs!

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs and Spaghetti (Serves 2 / 11 WW points per serving)

8 oz. ground chicken breast

1/2 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp. whole-wheat breadcrumbs

1 1/2 Tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning

1/3 cup reduced-fat Mozzarella, shredded (and chopped into smaller pieces)

4 oz. whole-wheat spaghetti

1 cup canned tomato sauce

Heat oven to 400 and lightly grease a small baking sheet. Start your water boiling for your pasta.

In a medium bowl, add chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and mozzarella. Mix together with your hands until blended well. If the mixture is too “wet” feeling, add a few more pinches of breadcrumbs or Parmesan. If it’s too crumbly, add a little more egg. Once the mixture is the right consistency, roll into ping-pong sized meatballs – should make 8-10.

Place meatballs on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. The tough part with chicken is that it doesn’t “brown” like beef, so you will want to cut into one to make sure it’s cooked through – no salmonella with your spaghetti please!

While your meatballs are cooking, cook your spaghetti. Drain and set aside. Pour out water and in the same pot, add tomato sauce. This is where you have to play around a little with flavors. I added 1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning, probably 1/4 tsp. garlic salt and a pinch or two of black pepper. You can throw in red pepper flakes if you’re feeling feisty! Heat sauce and add the spaghetti and stir to coat.

When the meatballs are ready, divide the spaghetti between two plate and top with meatballs.

Pretty simple, but incredibly delicious and a fun twist on a classic!

Have a wonderful GOOD Friday and Happy Easter!

Faux Fried Pickles

Posted on March 26, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

Today is a very special post – because I am dedicating it to one of the most amazing women I know – my Biffer!

(For those of you who don’t know, that’s what my sister Lindley and I call each other.)

Why today? Because it’s her birthday!!!! Last night she kept texting me her age – I’m hoping it was because it was the last day she could say the younger year opposed to having to remind herself. Hey, senility is a serious problem for the elderly!

All kidding aside (for now), I truly value my relationship with my sister – I have always looked up to her. I still do today, and likely, I always will. Her relationship with the Lord is truly inspirational, and it shines through her in her daily life. Her marriage (to my rockin’ brother-in-law) of almost 13 years is a wonderful example for my husband and I. And she’s an amazing mother to my 4 adorably silly nephews. Yes, that’s 4 boys. And a husband. And a dog. And well, putting up with me sometimes. Let’s get this woman a cape already!

Somebody as special as my Biffer deserves a treat, right? We love having Biffer nights out…and they usually involve some yummy food, beverages and a fun activity. I remember visiting her at IU – we had planned a Biffer craft night where we made lots of fun stuff and watched Moulin Rouge. But before such an intense evening, we needed some fuel. So we went to a local restaurant/bar simply because of an offering on their menu – fried dill pickles.

Now, some may turn up their nose at the sound of fried dill pickles. Especially if you are a ~~semi-rational person~~ freak and don’t like pickles. But they have been a favorite of ours since our childhood when we’d take road trips down to Gulfport, Mississippi to visit my grandparents and eat at the Catfish Shack (sounds pretty classy right?). We actually consider ourselves connoisseurs of the fried pickle – like if a place offers the fried pickle spears, psh, no thank you! It must be the chips!

Whether it was me picking up a to-go order of fried pickles for her during her first pregnancy, or us shoving down an order before going to see Top Gun (she loves Tommy C.) at the Orpheum, fried dill pickles will always make me think of my Biffer.

So today, in honor of my Biffer turning 30 + some, I am sharing a recipe for Faux Fried Pickles – a healthier way to enjoy our obsession!

Faux Fried Pickles (Serves 2-4 / 8 WW points total)

Half a 16 oz. jar thick cut, oval dill pickle chips (I used about 24 slices)

1 egg, beaten

1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. Tabasco

1/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. Cajun seasoning

1/3 cup fat-free Ranch dressing

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a medium baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Lay your pickles on some paper towels and blot to dry.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg, Worcestershire and Tabasco. In a medium dish, mix together breadcrumbs, flour and seasonings. Working in batches, add pickles to the egg mixture to coat. Let any excess drip off, and then add to the crumb mixture. Press pickles into the mixture to ensure a good coating, then add to greased baking sheet. Repeat until all pickles are good and coated. Bake 10-12 minutes, then flip and cook another 5-7 minutes until golden brown.

Serve hot with some ranch dressing for dipping.

Hope y’all enjoy…

And Happy Birthday Biffer!

Crawfish Fettuccini

Posted on March 22, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

Confession – I am a total major sports event junkie.

Obviously, if you know me or have been reading this little blog ‘o mine for a while, you know that I could spend (and do spend!) my Fall Saturdays tuned in to college football. That’s just a given.

I’m talking about sports that I don’t really pay much attention to throughout the year unless it’s a big (read: rivalry or very meaningful) game. So while I read what’s going on and try to keep up with our local Memphis Tigers, I do not feel obligated to watch every single game or keep up with opponents during the season.

But now we’ve entered March Madness…whole different (pardon the pun) ball game. Heck, any excuse to make some festive food and watch sports is cool with me. But this one is different – it’s not one event, it’s days and hours of amazingness!

Like last night, I came home, ran in the door and turned on the TV to catch the very intense last seconds of the Gonzaga game. Then I had to watch the end of the Oregon game.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

Quick meals are a must!

A few weeks ago, I tried a new seafood pasta recipe. It is the perfect recipe for a weeknight because it’s quick, easy and delicious – but it’s fancy enough to throw together for a weekend too.

Oh, right, and it’s WW friendly. Throw in a glass of wine and you’re doing it up right!

Crawfish Fettuccini (Serves 2 / 10 WW points per serving)

4 oz. fettuccini (I used Ronzoni Garden Delight)

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 Tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine

1 tsp. minced garlic

8 oz. frozen crawfish tails, thawed

1/2 cup fat-free half and half

1/2 Tbsp. paprika

1/2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

2 small tomatoes, diced

Tabasco sauce (optional)

Spray a medium skillet with non-stick spray. Melt margarine over medium heat and add bell pepper, onion and garlic. Saute 5 minutes until softened. Stir in crawfish tails and cook another 3-5 minutes until they curl slightly.

While the vegetables are cooking, go ahead and boil water for your pasta.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in half and half, paprika and Cajun seasoning. After this step, go ahead and add your pasta to the boiling water.

Cook crawfish sauce for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently and allowing the sauce to thicken. Add a few drops of Tabasco for a little additional spice. Once your sauce has thickened, reduce heat to low, stir in tomatoes. You don’t want them to cook too much, so do this when you are almost ready to serve.

Drain your pasta and divide among plates. Top with crawfish sauce.

I’d say total time including prep and cooking is 30 minutes. Not too shabby right?

Hope y’all have a great weekend!

White Chicken Enchiladas

Posted on March 15, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

So this week has given me two very sad instances of “Here’s how I know I’m getting old…”

I was pumped that spring break was this week. Not because I’m in school or working for a school, allowing me a “free” week off, but rather because it was smooth sailing to work due to the amazing decrease in traffic.
I looked at my calendar on Wednesday and was shocked to see St. Patrick’s Day was this weekend. I’m pretty sure it was a major social event in my previous life (read: my 20’s) – and my plans this year revolve around laundry day.

Quite honestly, I don’t mind – I love where I am right now in life! I have my best friend to come home to every night – so whether our social calendar is booked up every weekend, or we have a few nights to hang out at home and solve the world’s problems, I am 100% content.

Don’t get me wrong, we aren’t total shut-ins! There are definitely occasions when we need to get out with our friends. And with the weather pointing to Spring, I can’t wait for some patio nights at our favorite restaurants, which usually involve Mexican food, margaritas, and good friends.

So, I decided to whip up a diet-friendly Mexican dish that you can prepare for your next outdoor dinner party whenever the weather decides to cooperate in your area! Serve with a Skinnygirl Margarita for a totally guilt-free evening! I found a link to this one on Pinterest and made a few modifications – but you can find the original recipe here.

White Chicken Enchiladas (Serves 2-3 / 6 WW pts. per enchilada)

1 cup chicken cooked and shredded chicken breast

1-2 Tbsp. taco seasoning

5 whole wheat tortillas

1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 Tbsp. Blue Bonnet Light margarine

1 1/2 Tbsp. white whole-wheat flour

1 cup fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

2-3 oz. jarred jalapenos, chopped

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 13 pan or dish.

In a medium bowl, mix chicken and taco seasoning until blended. In a small bowl, mix together cheeses. Add half of the blended cheese to the chicken and mix well.

Place chicken mixture in the center of tortillas and roll tortillas. Place in pan.

Melt butter and whisk in flour. Stir in broth and whisk until thickened. Reduce heat. Add jalapenos and sour cream and whisk until incorporated. Do not bring to a boil.

Pour sauce over the top of your rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 25 minutes.

Plate your enchiladas and pour a little of the excess sauce over the tops…

And then devour. Preferable on a beautiful evening on your deck or patio, surrounded by friends and family. And margaritas.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls

Posted on March 8, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

I am so incredibly excited for this weekend! Not only is it a “we don’t have 15,000 things to get done” type weekend, but tomorrow is supposed to be gorgeous! As much as I do love winter and cold weather precipitation, it’s March people. I need some sunshine.

I’m ready for pretty pastel colors and beautiful flowers! I need to break out the grill and make cold, refreshing fruity beverages!

I need some patio weather…and a tan.

The husband and I absolutely love our backyard, although I confess I do not always have a sunny disposition when it comes to yard work. Okay, I hate it. There, I said it!

But – I do love to entertain, so that kind of makes up for it right? He gets the yard looking nice, I whip up lots of goodies and everybody enjoys themselves. It’s a win-win people (any comments affirming that statement would be appreciated so that I can print and laminate and post on the refrigerator).

So in the spirit of entertaining, I’m sharing a delicious new recipe with y’all I whipped up a few weeks ago and had to make again so that I could get pictures for sharing. I tried a version of these out at lunch with my co-workers a few weeks ago and though, I could easily make a healthier version of these!

And voila, I did. It should come as no surprise to you that it’s a buffalo chicken recipe…I’m pretty transparent huh?

Baked Buffalo Chicken Egg rolls (Makes 8 egg rolls / 3 WW points per egg roll)

1 1/4 cup cooked chicken breast, shredded

1-2 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup celery, chopped fine

1/2 cup reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles

1/3 cup Frank’s red hot sauce (this is a good medium heat and good consistency)

8 egg roll wrappers

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray

1/2 cup fat free Ranch dressing

Heat your oven to 350 and coat a baking sheet with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl, mix together shredded chicken and cream cheese. Start with 1oz. cream cheese and see how it blends – shouldn’t be overly mushy, just enough to kind of hold the chicken together. Then add your hot sauce, celery and blue cheese crumbles and mix together until combined.

That was easy enough, right?

Now for the semi-tricky part – making the egg rolls look ~~pretty~~ decent. Make sure you have a clean, dry work surface and a small bowl of water and a pastry brush. Here are my step-by-step instructions…and some entertainment because I can’t be the only one who has it in my head while giving 5-step instructions. You know you love me.

Step 1: Take corner closet to you and fold up to filling. Brush top with a little water.

Step 2: Take side corners and fold inward on top of bottom fold.

Step 3: Firmly roll the wrapper up toward the top corner.

Step 4: Brush wrapper with water where the top corner is about to meet and press down.

Step 5: Place on baking sheet, spray with butter and repeat until done!

It really is easier once you get the hang of it…and if they don’t turn out beautiful, at least they are still delicious right?

Once you have all of your egg rolls, um, rolled, bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven, flip, spray other sides with butter spray, and return to oven for another 6-7 minutes. Plate and serve with Ranch dressing.

These are super delicious and actually pretty filling – the husband and I had these for dinner one night and 4 seemed to be the perfect amount! I’m sure you could cut these in half and serve as appetizers…but let’s be honest, you need a whole one to yourself!

Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend everybody!

Chicken Picatta

Posted on March 1, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

It is March 1st. What is up with that?

I feel like I was just ~~crying about~~ celebrating the big birthday weekend, new hairstyle and all, but now you’re telling me it’s March?

I don’t even want to think about the fact that the weather will be warming up and the fact that bathing suits are hanging up in stores. *Shudder*

I’m not sure about y’all, but I definitely took a swan dive off the proverbial wagon and have some serious work to do before I’m bathing-suit ready. So back to hard work and discipline I go! Honestly, it’s just been pure laziness in my planning. If I don’t know what I’m making for dinner when I leave work, it’s easy to decide on take-out – and I lack self-discipline when it comes to eating out!

If you’re in the same boat but still have a love for food, then I hope you enjoy some of the guilt-free recipes I have to share with you, such as what I think is my absolute favorite recipe, lightened up! (Side note – I love capers, olives, peperoncinis and can eat them out of the jar at any given time – so I usually hog the capers in this dish!)

Lightened Up Chicken Picatta (serves 2 / 7 WW pts. per serving)

8 oz. chicken breast (I buy the thin cut ones, about 4 oz. each)

2 Tbsp. white whole-wheat flour

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine (chardonnay is my personal preference)

1/2 – 3/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

1 Tbsp. capers, drained

1 Tbsp. Blue Bonnet light (using a different reduced-calorie margarine may affect points)

1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 slices lemon

Begin by heating olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.

While oil is heating, sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Coat in flour, shaking off any excess.

Add chicken to pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Set chicken aside on a plate and reduce heat to medium-low.

Now add white wine and garlic to the pan to de-glaze, scraping up any of the delicious browned pieces. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add broth, lemon juice and capers and stir. Return chicken to pan and cook 2 minutes one each side.

Add chicken to plates. Then add margarine to the sauce and stir until melted. Pour sauce over chicken and serve…

Seriously my favorite, my mouth is watering right now…

Hope y’all have a wonderful weekend!