Dinner anyone?

I’ve been outta whack this week! I know – “just this week?” Anyway – I’ve been off track with the whole cooking and planning meals and such!

Last week was a bit off as well, since the other family I “cook for” was very busy and they didn’t need any meals last week at all, so I got a little slack about cooking for my family too. We ate a couple of new egg dishes… neither of which were all that great, and sandwiches.

Then this week we had a birthday party (at Chuck E. Cheeses’) to go to on Monday night, and then the kids and I were gone Tuesday night, not to return home until Wednesday afternoon. I had planned on cooking on Wednesday night… BUT David ended up having to work until like 1AM, and Luke ended up sick – which was no fun for any of us! So I had to cancel the meal. I felt bad, but who wants to eat food that’s been prepared in a house where there’s a sick kid?!?!?

His sickness didn’t last too long, thankfully, and so for Thursday I was back on track and ready to cook. I actually missed cooking and was looking forward to this meal!

I made an Italian chicken dish recipe provided by Taste of Home Healthy Cooking!

Makeover Italian Chicken:
2 ½ cups sliced fresh mushrooms – I used button mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter – I used olive oil and a bit of fat free chicken broth
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz each)
2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing mix
1 can (10 ¾ oz) reduced fat reduced sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 carton (8oz) reduced fat spreadable chive and onion cream cheese
1/3 cup dry white wine or reduced – sodium chicken broth
¼ cup fat free milk
3 cups uncooked yolk-free whole wheat egg noodles
1 tablespoon minced chives

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, sauté mushrooms in butter (or olive oil) until tender. Remove with slotted spoon and keep warm; set aside.

Sprinkle chicken with the salad dressing mix. In the same skillet, brown chicken on both sides. Transfer to a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Stir the soup, cream cheese, chicken broth, milk and reserved mushrooms into skillet; heat through. Spoon over chicken.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to the package directions; drain. Serve with chicken and sauce; sprinkle with chives.









And to go along with it I made a cold broccoli salad. I know it seems kinda weird those two things together, but I was in the mood for both and I thought they might go ok together. I like to serve a side of something green or at least vegetable-y with a meal and since David’s not big on your basic green leaf salad I try to be creative and have fun with the dishes I make. So thanks to Weight Watchers for this yummy recipe, it’s pretty easy and I’ve posted it here so you too can try it if you would like! It would make a great picnic dish as well.

Broccoli Salad:
1/3 cup light mayo
¼ plain fat-free yogurt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 (12 ounce) package broccoli florets, cut into bit sized pieces – I used fresh and cut it myself
3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled – I used readymade bacon bits!
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup golden raisins – I forgot to get the raisins at the store so I used dried cranberries!
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add broccoli and remaining ingredients; toss gently to coat.







Since that’s the only meal I really made this week, I took lots of pictures! Check back next week for another night’s meal. I’ve started working on the menu!!!