Skinny Laughing Cow Chicken

I love Laughing Cow cheeses.  I usually spread it over a slice of toasted whole wheat bread for a healthy breakfast.  The light cheeses are about 35 calories for a wedge, and are full of flavor.

I wanted to make a light dinner for a girls night I hosted, and I came up with an adapted version of this Skinny Chicken using the Laughing Cow wedges.  Served with a side salad, this was a low fat meal!

You'll need:
3 large chicken breasts
3 light laughing cow wedges (I used the herb & garlic)
Parsley
1/4 cup of your favorite bread crumbs.  

Step-by-step:
1.  Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts so they are tender and thinner.
2.  Spread 1 wedge of Laughing Cow on each chicken breast.  Sprinkle parsley over cheese.
3.  Roll up the chicken breast.  If needed use toothpicks to keep rolled up. 
4.  Use cooking spray, spray the outside of the chicken breasts and roll in the bread crumbs.
5.  Over medium heat, take a large pan and heat olive oil (about 2 tablespoons).  Sear the chicken breasts on each side (for about 3 minutes on both sides).
6.  Bake in oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until fully cooked. 


Enjoy!

-DD

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies

Not too long ago, one of my all time favorite bloggers (Katrina from In Katrina's Kitchen) had a guest blogger that whipped up some Cinnamon Roll Cookies.

I was saving the recipe for a special occasion, and they were totally worth the wait!  It was like an extraordinary, amazing sugar cookie.  

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies!

You'll need:
1 package of sugar cookie mix
1 stick of butter, softened to room temp
1/4 cup of flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon of butter, melted
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of cinnamon

For the frosting (optional - I skipped out because the cookies were so delicious without it!)
3/4 cup of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of milk

Step-by-step:
1. In your stand mixer, blend cookie mix, softened butter, flour, and egg until dough forms.
2. On a floured surface, roll dough to about ¼-inch thickness.
3. Brush with melted butter
4. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Spread evenly over dough.

5. Begin to roll up dough, starting at the long side. (if the dough tears, just pinch back together)

6. Cut dough in half.

7. Wrap in plastic wrap and pop dough in the freezer for 30 minutes (until firm – not hard, too hard will cause breaking when you cut it).

8. Heat oven to 375F degrees.

9. Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper.

10. Take dough out of freezer and begin cutting into ¾-inch slices.

11. If dough tears a little as you cut it, just pinch it together a little with your fingers.

12. Place slices about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

13. Bake for 10 minutes

For the frosting (optional):

1. In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk until smooth (adding a tad more milk if necessary).
2. Drizzle over cooled cookies


Enjoy!
-DD

Favorite Brownie Recipe!

I have made many brownie recipes in my life.  I am finally ready to commit to this brownie recipe for any time I need a fudgey, delicious and traditional brownie recipe. 

Of course I'm going to try to change it up sometimes (I see an oreo truffle top brownie in my future), but this recipe is amazing.  Thank you Pillsbury!! 

You'll need:
2 sticks of butter
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of chocolate chips  (I always add an extra 1/4 cup of chocolate chips to anything)

Step-by-step:
1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
3.  Once melted, allow to slightly cool. (I put mine in the fridge while I got the rest of the ingredients out)
4.  Beat eggs and sugar together using the whisk attachment on your standmixer.  Add butter.
5.  Add in the vanilla and mix.
6.  Add the flour, cocoa, salt.  Mix well.
7.  Fold in chocolate chips
8.  Spread in a very well buttered pan (9x13) 
9.  Bake for 35-40 minutes!

Santa Hat Brownies!!!

To add Holiday Cheer:
1 container of frosting
1 pint of strawberries
1 small bag of mini-marshmallows

1. Cut the bottom of strawberries to make a flat bottom.  Dry off the bottom of strawberry using paper towel.
2.  Dip the tip of strawberry in frosting. Put frosting on bottom of strawberry, press onto brownie.  
3.  Add a marshmallow to the top of strawberry (the initial frosting you put on the tip will keep it there!)

-DD 

Cream Cheese Brownie Batter Dip

I love raw cookie dough, cake batter, and brownie batter.

When Melanie (from Mel's Kitchen Cafe) posted a brownie batter dip I could eat without getting sick, I knew I had to make it for my best friends at our annual Christmas party!

I think this ended up being super popular because you could eat with relatively healthy foods (strawberries, apple slices, pretzels, marshmallows, graham crackers).  I served mine with all 5, but I noticed people loved the fruit and the marshmallow+graham combo  the very best.

You'll Need:
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons of butter, softened
2 cups of powdered sugar
5 tablespoons of flour
5 tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons of milk
Chocolate Chip for garnishments
(Your favorite items to dip!)


Step-by-step:
1.  In a stand mixer, whip cream cheese and butter until soft and fluffy.
2.  Add in powdered sugar.  Mix well until smooth.
3.  Add in flour, cocoa, brown sugar, vanilla and milk.  Mix until fluffy and smooth.  If you prefer a thicker consistency add more milk or powdered sugar. 
4.  Garnish with chocolate chips

-DD

Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

I love my buffalo chicken calzone - so this similar version was great to make for our annual Christmas party!  I actually didn't even get a chance to eat one because they were GONE so soon.  I guess I'll just have to make them again :)

You'll need:
2 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of Tony's or Lawry's (or any cajun seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 bag of mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
4 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
1/3 to 1/2 cup of hot sauce (I love Frank's!)
1/3 cup of milk

4 cups of chicken, cooked and shredded (for me, this was about 7 frozen chicken breasts)

16 flour tortillas (small size)

2 teaspoons of olive oil


Step-by-step:
1.  Preheat oven to 425
2.  In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
3.  Add in salt, Tony's, and garlic powder.  Stir for 1 minute.
4.  Add softened cream cheese and stir until melted and completely combine with butter
5.  Whisk hot sauce and milk and simmer for 5-8 minutes.
6.  Combine chicken, sauce, and mozzarella cheese using stand mixer.
7.  Lay our tortilla, fill with about 1/4 cup of mix and roll up tightly.
8.  Place on greased baking sheet until chicken is gone.
9.  Brush taquitos with olive oil
10.  Bake for 15 minutes


-DD

Skinny Funfetti Dip

Obviously, I like have a major sweet tooth.  In fact, I have a mouth full of them!  However, if I can find a dessert that is skinny, and still hits the flavor my sweet tooth is craving - then I am in heaven.

Skinny funfetti dip with organic, fat-free
animal crackers (thanks, Costco)!

This week my girl friends and I had our weekly girls night, but instead of grabbing a glass of wine, dinner, or a movie - we decided to have a holiday night at a friends house!  We watched a Christmas movie (The Holiday - one of my favorites, especially since I love Cameron Diaz).  I decided to bring a dessert along!

Anyway, the funfetti dip was really popular. I can't believe how much six ladies ate!  Do you remember Dunkaroo's?  The flavor reminds me of these - my childhood favorite treat!

They also had a flavor with sprinkles
in the frosting - yum!!

You'll need:
1 box of funfetti cake mix (dry - do not make the mix)
1 light cool whip container (8 oz) - keep this in the fridge, not freezer
2 cups of fat free, plain yogurt

Step-by-step:
1. Pour yogurt and cool whip into stand mixer.  Start blending.
2. Slowly add the entire dry funfetti mix. 
3. Whip until completely smooth.  I had to put mine on high for a few minutes to fully get it blended and with no bumps.  If you taste yogurt in it, it's not mixed well enough.
4. Put in fridge for 3 hours (or overnight)
5. Serve with fruit, animal crackers, or whatever your favorite thing to "dunk" is

Calorie Breakdown:
1/2 cup (24 servings)

• Lite Cool Whip: 500 calories
• Funfetti Cake Mix: 2160
• Yogurt: 260 calories
• Total = 2920 divided by 24 servings

120 calories for 1/2 cup serving!


During Christmas, I realize I am so blessed to have such a great group of girlfriends - some are really far (NYC, Denver, Pittsburgh), others around the state, and so blessed to have many great women within the Houston city limits.  Merry Christmas to my best girls and to you and yours!

THANK YOU: Kelly at Eat Yourself Skinny for this amazing recipe! 

-DD