Chicken Souvlaki Pita Sandwiches

I saw this recipe on a blog when I was working on my meal plan for April and added it to the list right away. My husband and I love Greek food (especially gyros), so I knew this would be right up our alley.

Chicken Souvlaki Pita Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless chicken breast

¼ cup olive oil

4 tsp Greek seasoning

Tzatziki sauce

Feta cheese

Spinach

Pita bread or flatbread

Directions:

Slice chicken into thin strips. Place in resealable plastic bag and add olive oil and Greek seasoning. Seal bag and squish it around until the oil and seasoning is evenly distributed. Place in fridge and marinate for several hours.

Grill chicken on grill pan or outside grill. (If you have a hard time grilling the thin strips on your outside grill, you can marinate and grill the chicken breasts whole and then cut into strips after cooking.)

Build sandwiches by layering chicken, tzatziki sauce, feta, and spinach on pita or flatbread.

Makes 4 servings.

This is really tasty and really easy to make. I wanted to make it with flatbread, but this stuff in the picture is all I could find. It's some whole grain healthy brand of flatbread, and to be honest, it tasted like soggy cardboard. I was looking for something like the flatbread they have at Subway. So next time I think I will just use pita. That's more traditional anyway.

I, of course, used Penzey's Greek seasoning for this, but the blogger I got the recipe from used Cavender's.

The blog I saw this on didn't give any indication of what to serve with these sandwiches. I thought some kind of potato would be good with it. So I boiled some whole potatoes, cut them into thick slices, seasoned them with a lemon garlic seasoning, and pan fried them until golden brown. They were really good with the souvlaki. I looked up souvlaki on Wikipedia this morning and found out that it is traditionally served with fried potatoes on it!

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Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki is a sauce made out of Greek yogurt and cucumbers. It is often found on gyros and other Greek food. This is the recipe I use to make it.

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, peeled and seeded

6 oz. Greek yogurt

½ clove garlic

½ tsp lemon juice

¾ tsp olive oil

Salt, to taste

Directions:

Grate or finely chop cucumber. Place in a kitchen towel and squeeze dry.

Put ½ cup of the cucumber in a medium bowl. Add the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Taste and add salt if desired.

Mix well. Refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving.

Makes 1½ cups.

There are many different recipes for tzatziki sauce. Some include diced onions along with the cucumber. It's easy to change it up to suit your tastes.

I know that 6 ounces of yogurt seems like an odd measurement, but I wrote it that way because all I can find at the store is 6 ounce containers of Greek yogurt. If you have a whole cup, use a little more cucumber and lemon juice.

I serve this sauce with Chicken Souvlaki and my Greek Falafel Pita Sandwiches.

The first time I made this I grated the cucumber, but yesterday I was feeling lazy and didn't want to go to the trouble, so I just finely diced it. Either way is good.

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Cinnamon Swirl Muffins (Low Fat and Whole Grain)

Yes, the full title of this recipe should be "Low Fat Whole Grain Cinnamon Swirl Muffins." But that is a bit much to say! These muffins are awesome. I got the recipe from a cookbook called The Dinner Doctor. They are super easy to make since they use a boxed mix, and they are super healthy since they contain no oil and fewer eggs than what is called for on the package. And on top of all that, they are the moistest, fluffiest muffins I have ever made.

Cinnamon Swirl Muffins

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

2 medium bananas

1 large egg

½ cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 pkg. Duncan Heinz Cinnamon Swirl Muffin Mix

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray (or line them with paper muffin cups). Set the muffin tins aside.

Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl. It should come out to about ¾ cup. Add egg and sour cream and stir to combine. Set aside the packets of cinnamon swirl and topping mix from the muffin mix. Add the muffin mix to the bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are just moistened, being careful not to overmix. Knead the packet of cinnamon swirl a few times, then open it and squeeze the contents over the batter, swirling it with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the muffin batter.

Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Remove the muffin tins from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the muffins onto the rack, then transfer them to a platter and serve immediately.

Makes 12 muffins.

Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 1 muffin

Calories: 205

Fat: 4g

Sat. Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 21mg

Sodium: 236mg

Carbs: 40g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 3g

The nutritional information speaks for itself. If you make these muffins using the recipe on the back of the box (using ¼ oil and 2 eggs), each muffin has 220 calories, 8g fat, and 35mg cholesterol.

And they taste great. Super soft and fluffy. While you can taste the banana in it if you know it's there, people who don't know it's there probably wouldn't notice it. I made these for church one time last year and they were a big hit.

The boxed mix. I'm not sure if any other brands have one like this.

After the swirling.

Ready for the oven.

I haven't yet figured out the best way to photograph muffins.

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Slow Cooker Pizza Turkey Burgers

When I did my meal planning for April, I was looking for a slow cooker recipe that used ground turkey, because I had a bunch of that in the freezer that I needed to use. I found a recipe for Crock Pot Pizza Turkey Meatloaf. I was intrigued. As I read through it, I thought that pizza and meatloaf was kind of a weird combination, and what would I serve it with? Then the thought occurred to me to make the loaf into hamburger-sized patties instead to make pizza burgers. So I tweaked the recipe a bit and here is what I came up with.

Slow Cooker Pizza Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

24 slices pepperoni, divided

1 lb. lean ground turkey

½ cup marinara or pizza sauce, divided

½ cup dry breadcrumbs

¼ cup onion, finely chopped

1 large egg

½ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp salt

½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

4 hamburger buns

Directions:

Dice 12 slices of the pepperoni, leaving the other 12 in slices. In a large bowl, combine the diced pepperoni, turkey, ¼ cup of the marinara sauce, breadcrumbs, onion, egg, oregano and salt. Form into 4 patties and place in the bottom of a 6 quart oval slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours, or until they reach 165°.

Using a turkey baster, remove any liquid that has accumulated in the slow cooker. Top each turkey patty with 1 tbsp marinara sauce, 3 slices of pepperoni, and 2 tbsp cheese. Cover and cook another 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Serve on hamburger buns.

Makes 4 servings.

When I first told Jim about this recipe, he didn't seem too excited. He told me that he had something called Pizza Burgers in his elementary school cafeteria and that they were, to put it nicely, less than appetizing. That got me a little worried that this experiment was going to be a flop. He also admitted to me (after we ate and he loved it) that he wasn't too sure about it as it was cooking all day.

But, I am proud to announce, it was a huge hit. Jim loved these burgers. When he walked into the dining room and saw it all plated up, he said, "Wow, that looks beautiful! It doesn't look anything like the ones from the school cafeteria!" Whew!

When I was thinking about what to serve with these, I thought of how pizza is usually served with breadsticks dipped in pizza sauce. So I took frozen steak fries and "Italian-ed" them up and we dipped them in the marinara sauce. This meal is what would happen if a hamburger dinner and a pizza dinner got together and had a baby!

The burgers getting all cozy in the slow cooker. Don't be alarmed if your burgers look a little pinkish when they're done. The marinara sauce will do that. If they are only pink in the middle, they probably are not done yet, but if they are a uniform kind of pinkish, it's probably just from the marinara sauce.

I cooked these on low, but I think next time I will cook them on high so they get a little bit crusty around the edges like a good burger does.

Here's how I made the fries. I cooked one 28 oz. package of frozen steak fries as directed on the package. Then when they were done, but still warm, I brushed them with a mixture of olive oil, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. I think next time I will use more oregano.

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Crispy Baked Drumsticks (Faux Fried Chicken)

One of my favorite meals growing up was my mom's fried chicken. I have never made fried chicken myself, because it seems really messy and in general, I tend to shy away from recipes that involve a lot of frying. Also because my husband doesn't like bone-in chicken very much. But I saw this recipe in EatingWell magazine and had to try it. It still involved bone-in chicken, but it's baked instead of fried.

Crispy Baked Drumsticks

Ingredients:

1⅓ cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp salt

10 tsp canola oil

1 large egg

8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds total), skin removed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475°. Coat a wire rack with cooking spray and set it on a large rimmed baking sheet.

Mix breadcrumbs, paprika, onion powder, and salt in a shallow dish. Drizzle with oil and mash with a fork until the oil is thoroughly incorporated. Lightly beat egg with a fork in another shallow dish. Dip the drumsticks into the egg, then press into the breading mixture until evenly coated on both sides. (Discard any remaining mixture and/or egg.)

Place the chicken on the prepared rack. Bake the chicken until golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a drumstick without touching bone registers 165°F, 30 to 40 minutes.

Makes 4 servings, 2 drumsticks each.

These drumsticks are really good. If you are craving fried chicken, they really hit the spot. The coating is not dry at all and I love the seasoning. The only thing I changed was that the original recipe called for dry breadcrumbs, but the Panko makes it so much more crunchy, so I definitely recommend using Panko. Also I only made 6 drumsticks and ran out of breading, so in the recipe above I have doubled the breading ingredients. I would much rather end up with too much than fall short.

While still not the healthiest thing you can eat, these are much better than traditional fried chicken, and I don't feel quite as guilty making or eating them. Here is a comparison of these vs. fried.

Baked Drumsticks: Fried Drumsticks:

Per serving (2 drumsticks) Per serving (2 drumsticks)

Calories: 299 Calories: 431

Fat: 11g (7g sat.) Fat: 27g (7g sat.)

Cholesterol: 131mg Cholesterol: 166mg

Sodium: 510mg Sodium: 755mg

Protein: 29g Protein: 30g

*These amounts are approximate. The nutrition info for the baked is for the original recipe without my alterations and also includes 2 tbsp of a honey-mustard sauce they put with it. But it gives you an idea of the fat and calories you would be saving.

As a final note, I would urge you to err on the side of over-baking these drumsticks. My drumsticks were, apparently, larger than average because it took much longer than the suggested 25-30 minutes. And even then, they weren't quite done after I took them out and I ended up microwaving them to completely finish them. So don't be too eager to take them out no matter how tasty they look! There's nothing less appetizing than underdone chicken.

I will definitely be making these at least a few times this summer. They would be so great with fresh corn on the cob. Mmmm!

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Chipotle Orange Glazed Pork Chops

This is an Ellie Krieger recipe I tried a while back. She's the host of Healthy Appetite (formerly on Food Network, now on Cooking Channel). I got this recipe from her cookbook, So Easy.

Chipotle Orange Glazed Pork Chops

Ingredients

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp orange juice concentrate

1 tsp finely chopped seeded chipotle with ½ tsp adobo

½ tsp salt

4 (¾” thick) center cut pork loin chops (about 8 oz. each)

Directions:

In a small bowl combine the honey, orange juice concentrate, chipotle, and salt. Marinate chops for several hours.

Preheat grill pan. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium-high heat.

Makes 4 servings.

The marinating wasn't part of the original recipe, but was suggested by online reviewers. I was going to do that, but ended up forgetting (I often forget to marinate things ahead of time, so I have started putting a designation on my meal plan, an "m" with a circle around it in red ink, so that I will realize I need to marinate it). I agree that it should be marinated. It was good, but would have been better if the flavor had infused a little bit.

If you don't have honey on hand, you can use maple syrup in its place.

I have to admit, in this one instance, that I think my picture looks prettier than the one on the website!

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Slow Cooker Sweet and Saucy Chicken

I've been doing a lot of slow cooker meals lately. This is a Taste of Home recipe that I tried last night.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Saucy Chicken

Ingredients:

6 chicken breast cutlets

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup flour

⅔ cup water

⅓ cup white vinegar

½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dijon mustard

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp salt

Hot cooked rice, egg noodles, or orzo, optional

Directions:

Place chicken in slow cooker. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and flour. Stir in the water, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, onion powder, mustard, garlic powder, and salt. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Pour over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until chicken is tender. Serve with rice, noodles, or orzo if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

This is pretty good. It originally called for ⅓ cup soy sauce, but when I tasted it, I was worried it was going to be too sweet, so I added more to make about ½ cup. I'm glad I did because it turned out perfectly. The only other thing I changed was that the onion powder was supposed to be dried minced onion and I didn't have any of that.

You can easily change the type of chicken you use in this recipe. The original actually called for a whole chicken cut up, but my husband isn't a huge fan of bone-in chicken, so I used boneless breasts instead. If you are using bone-in chicken, I would add 2 hours or so to the cooking time.

I served it over orzo with roasted vegetables.

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Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

This is a really easy way to make mashed potatoes when you are making a big meal with many other dishes to prepare. You can throw the potatoes into the slow cooker and forget about them for several hours while you cook everything else. Then they just need a quick mash before serving.

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

½ large onion, diced

1 cup chicken stock

1½ - 2 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter

½ cup milk

Directions:

Place potatoes in slow cooker. Place diced onion in a small bowl with water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Do not drain; add to slow cooker. Add chicken stock and salt. Cook on high about 4 hours or until potatoes are tender. Mash with potato masher or stick blender. Stir in butter and milk.

Makes 6 servings.

Note:

Make them loaded mashed potatoes by adding cooked bacon pieces to slow cooker with potatoes and stock. Add sliced green onions and cheddar cheese after mashing.

Couldn't be easier. The onions aren't a traditional mashed potato ingredient, and you can certainly leave them out, but I really like the flavor they give and because they are cooked before adding to the crock, they get so soft while cooking that no one even will know they are there. Only their flavor remains.

These are not only great for special occasions when you are making a big meal, but also for busy weeknights. It seems like it takes forever for a big pot of potatoes to boil on the stove. And while I am definitely not above using instant potatoes, sometimes you just want the real thing.

You will have to play around with the amount of salt. How much you need will depend on your tastes and also how much sodium is in the chicken stock you use.

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White Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies

It's hard to get a decent picture of these guys! I don't do much baking, but I got this recipe in my email and decided it didn't sound too complicated and gave it a shot. It's really easy and doesn't involve every ingredient on the baking shelf of my pantry.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies

Ingredients:

6 tbsp butter, softened

¾ cup peanut butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

¾ cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray an 8x8” pan with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter together until very soft. Add the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract, and beat until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and the white chocolate chips; mix to form a dough.

Spread the dough in the prepared pan, and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and almost firm in the center.

Allow the brownies to cool in the pan before removing and cutting into squares.

Makes 9 blondies.

I didn't change much about it. The ingredients were all listed by weight instead of volume (6 oz. of brown sugar instead of 1 cup), so I got out my kitchen scale the first time I made them and then converted it to cup measurements. I know that measuring by weight is more precise than measuring by volume, but in this recipe it doesn't really matter.

I didn't think it had enough peanut butter and 7 tbsp of butter seemed like an awkward amount, so increased the peanut butter and decreased the butter.

We love these things. I pull them out of the oven when they start getting brown around the edges but are still quite soft on the inside. You know how when you undercook brownies a little bit you call them "fudgy"? Well, these are the blondie equivalent of fudgy.

I like these because I usually have all of the ingredients in my pantry at any given time and they take all of 5 minutes to put together. Oh yeah, and because they're super yummy!

Lisa from Sweet As Sugar Cookies chose to make this recipe when she was assigned my blog in the Secret Recipe Club in September 2011.  Click on the button below to check out her post!

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Slow Cooker Sesame Orange Chicken

This is a Taste of Home recipe I tried yesterday. I ended up changing it a little bit. Here's my amended recipe.

Slow Cooker Sesame Orange Chicken

Ingredients:

½ cup flour

4 chicken breast cutlets, cubed

⅓ cup teriyaki marinade

1 cup orange marmalade

¾ cup orange juice

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp sesame seeds

4 servings hot cooked rice

Directions:

Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken and toss to coat. Transfer chicken to slow cooker, shaking off excess flour.

In a medium bowl, combine teriyaki marinade, orange marmalade, orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken and stir gently to coat. Cover and cook on low heat 4-5 hours or until meat is tender.

Sprinkle in sesame seeds and serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings.

The original recipe called for "teriyaki sesame ginger barbecue sauce" instead of the teriyaki marinade. I have never heard of that and couldn't find it, so that's why I used the teriyaki marinade. When I went back to the Taste of Home site to rate it, I noticed that it now calls for "honey barbecue sauce". Interesting. There were a couple of reviewers who said they couldn't find the teriyaki one, so I guess they changed it to something that was easier to find. I liked it just fine with the teriyaki marinade, so I'll probably make it that way in the future, but I'm curious to know how it would taste with the barbecue sauce.

After I put the sauce together, I tasted it and it didn't taste very orange to me. Since "orange" is in the title of the recipe, I decided to up the orange ingredients. I tripled the marmalade and added a little more orange juice. That helped a lot. I also halved the chicken (it originally made 8 servings), but kept the sauce the same, essentially doubling the sauce. We like our Chinese dishes saucy to go over the rice. I'm glad I did that, because I think it would have been dry with less sauce. I decreased the red pepper flakes from ½ tsp to ¼ tsp. That ended up being perfect for us, but you may want to increase it.

So after all these changes, we ended up loving this dish. Really tasty. It's not as tangy as the Chinese Lemon Chicken I make, but has a more subtle citrus flavor. I personally like this one better. And it's easier since it doesn't call for browning the chicken before adding to the slow cooker.

I'll definitely be making this one again.

Aly at Cooking in Stilettos chose to make this recipe when she was assigned my blog for the Secret Recipe Club in April 2013.  Click on the button below to check out her post!

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