Family Favorites Made Light

Family Favorites Made Light

Fried chicken, garlic fries, chicago style pizza–all quintessential family favorites. Share them with your family and feel good knowing these slimmed down recipes are actually good for them.



French Onion Soup

Slowly cooking the onions brings out their sweet flavor. The soup itself can be prepared up to two days ahead. When ready to serve, add bread cubes, top with cheese, and broil until the cheese is golden.

Yield
8 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups thinly vertically sliced Walla Walla or other sweet onion
4 cups thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 cups less-sodium beef broth
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
8 (1-ounce) slices French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 (1-ounce) slices reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (such as Alpine Lace)

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high, and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.

Preheat broiler.

Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted, turning after 1 minute.

Place 8 ovenproof bowls on a jelly-roll pan. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls; top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.






Sloppy Joes

Prepare the filling in one skillet for a quick weeknight dinner. Making your own Sloppy Joe sauce is a reduced-sodium alternative to using canned sauce.

Kids and adults alike love this little sweet-savory sandwich. Keep the meat mixture warm in a slow cooker set on low. Carrots and vegetable chips make great sides.

Yield
12 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients

3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 pound ground round
2 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
12 (1 1/2-ounce) rolls, split

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add first 3 ingredients; cook until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in tomato sauce and next 8 ingredients (tomato sauce through black pepper); reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon 1/4 cup beef mixture over bottom half of each bun. Cover with top halves.


Oven-Fried Chicken

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half or 1 drumstick and 1 thigh)

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 large egg whites, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 chicken breast halves, skinned (about 1 pound)
2 chicken thighs, skinned (about 1/2 pound)
2 chicken drumsticks, skinned (about 1/2 pound)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine buttermilk and egg whites in a shallow dish; stir well with a whisk. Combine flour, cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a separate shallow dish; stir well. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture; dredge in flour mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet; lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.


Chicago-Style Pizza

Skip the delivery and make a healthy sausage pizza for the entire family. With a few on-hand topping ingredients and refrigerated pizza crust dough, prep time is only about 10 minutes.


Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Ingredients

2 (10-ounce) cans refrigerated pizza crust dough
Cooking spray
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 1/4 cups cooked Atsa Spicy Pizza Sausage (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Unroll dough portions onto a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray, slightly overlapping the edges. Pinch edges together to seal. Pat the dough into a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border, and top with sausage, basil, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pepper. Bake at 450° for 2 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 425° (do not remove pizza from oven), and bake an additional 12 minutes or until cheese melts.

It's as bold as the name implies. Use some now and freeze the rest for a quick pizza later.

This recipe goes with Chicago-Style Pizza

Yield
5 cups (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, crushed

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain.

Note: The sausage can be frozen in zip-top plastic bags for up to 3 months.


Garlic Fries

Let your kids help by allowing them to toss the potatoes in a large zip-top plastic bag with oil and salt before cooking. After baking, toss with garlic-infused butter for a rich flavor.

Tossing the fries in butter and garlic after cooking makes them unbelievably rich.

Yield
6 servings

Ingredients
3 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, tossing to coat.

Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning after 20 minutes.

Place butter and garlic in a large nonstick skillet; cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, parsley, and cheese to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.


Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpie

Combine refrigerated diced potatoes, baking mix, cooked chicken, and frozen mixed vegetables for a shortcut version of traditional chicken potpie.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped leek
1/4 cup chopped shallot
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups refrigerated diced potatoes with onions (such as Simply Potatoes)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups chopped roasted chicken breast
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2/3 cup half-and-half
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups low-fat baking mix (such as Bisquick Heart Smart)
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek, shallot, and thyme; sauté 2 minutes. Add potatoes; sauté 2 minutes. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Stir in mustard and broth; bring to a boil. Cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken, mixed vegetables, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture and half-and-half to pan. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Lightly spoon baking mix into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine baking mix, milk, and egg in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Spoon batter over chicken mixture; spread evenly to cover. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until topping is golden and filling is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes.


Spaghetti and Meatballs

Twirl up a forkful of this Italian favorite on any busy weeknight. The sauce is thin, so if you prefer it thicker, increase the amount of tomato paste.

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 cup spaghetti, about 1/2 cup sauce, 4 meatballs, and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Ingredients

Sauce:

Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, undrained and chopped

Meatballs:

1 (1-ounce) slice white bread
2 (4-ounce) links sweet turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
1 pound ground sirloin

Remaining ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 pound hot cooked spaghetti
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh parsley sprigs (optional)

Preparation

To prepare sauce, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion; sauté for 3 minutes. Add 3 garlic cloves, and sauté 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and broth. Cook 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat broiler.

To prepare meatballs, place bread in a food processor, and process until fine crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Combine the breadcrumbs, sausage, 1/2 cup onion, and next 8 ingredients (through sirloin) in a bowl. With wet hands, shape sirloin mixture into 32 meatballs. Place meatballs on a broiler pan. Broil 15 minutes or until done. Add meatballs to sauce; simmer 15 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup parsley and 1/3 cup basil. Serve over spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese; garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.


Bourbon Bread Pudding

Day-old toasted bread cubes work best, absorbing plenty of the custard.

Yield
16 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup bread pudding and 1 tablespoon bourbon sauce)

Ingredients
Pudding:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 cups fat-free milk
9 cups (1/2-inch) cubed French bread
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large egg whites
1 large egg
1/2 cup raisins

Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup bourbon
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare pudding, spread 2 tablespoons butter onto bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Heat milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Place bread in a large bowl; pour hot milk over bread.

Combine 2 cups sugar and next 3 ingredients (through 1 egg) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Gradually add the egg mixture to milk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in raisins; pour into prepared dish. Place dish in a roasting pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1/2 inch. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until browned and set.

To prepare sauce, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, and 1 egg in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat. Cook 4 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 165° and mixture is thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in bourbon.
Source: Cooking Light