Two Fantastic Recipes!

So, there has been a definite lack of good recipes on this blog lately . . . Sorry! Last night we enjoyed a great dinner with two of my staple recipes. The first is Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo--a favorite weight watchers recipe, and Oven Roasted Broccoli, courtesy of Alton Brown from the Food Network (I love him!). These two recipes make for a fantastic 11-point dinner.

Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo Serves: 4 Points: 9

6 medium garlic clove(s), peeled and smashed with a knife

1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, washed, patted dry

1 tsp table salt

1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

1 sprays cooking spray

1/2 cup canned chicken broth ( I always use extra)

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup whole milk plain yogurt, Greek-style (I use ricotta cheese, GY is kind of hard to find)

1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta

8 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, fettuccini

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup parsley, fresh, flat-leaf, finely chopped, divided

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Rub garlic over chicken; reserve garlic. Season chicken with salt and pepper and rub in seasonings with your hands; set aside.

Off heat, coat skillet with cooking spray and then set over medium-low heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until golden, flipping once, about 5 minutes per side.

In a small bowl, combine broth, heavy cream and yogurt; pour over chicken and scrape bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon to incorporate seasonings. Simmer chicken gently, turning once, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Remove chicken from cream sauce and set aside. Add Parmesan cheese to cream sauce and mix until well combined. Add cooked pasta and 3 tablespoons of parsley; toss well. Serve pasta topped with chicken and rest of parsley. Yields about 3 ounces of chicken and 2/3 cup of pasta/sauce per serving.

*I have only ever doubled this recipe (Ben wants leftovers!), but I only use 1 1/2 lbs of chicken instead of two. I always use a lot more chicken broth than it calls for, usually adding more after I put the sauce on the pasta.


Oven Roasted Broccoli Serves: 6 Points: 2

1 pound broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or sharp Cheddar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets into bite size pieces. Cut the stalk into 1/8-inch thick, round slices. Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.

Spread the panko into a 13 by 9-inch metal cake pan and place into the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove the panko from the oven and add to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine. Return the mixture to the cake pan, place in the oven and roast just until the broccoli is tender, 8 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven, toss in the cheese and serve immediately.

*Panko bread crumbs can be found at Asian markets if they're not in your grocery store. Here in Bellevue you can get them at the Asian market on 370 next to No Frills and the Salvation Army (I can't remember the name of it!). They're a must for this recipe.

This broccoli recipe is truly fantastic . . . I could eat the whole recipe myself, no problem. Alton Brown actually hates broccoli generally, but he loves it this way. It's a great recipe to try on someone who doesn't usually like broccoli.