New Year’s resolutions typically relate to losing weight and vowing to eat more healthily. This year make it easier by taking small steps. You can still enjoy your favorite wintertime comfort foods without giving up on taste and flavor. Here are some recipes to try.
Crispy “Unfried” Fried Chicken
8 chicken pieces (preferably 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs and 2 wings)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups cornflakes
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground sage
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a rack in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet.
Rinse the chicken in cold water; pat dry. In a wide bowl or on a plate, season the flour with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Fully coat each chicken piece with flour; tap against the bowl to shake off excess flour and set aside. Discard the flour.
Place cornflakes in a big resealable plastic bag, carefully pushing out the air. Seal up the bag (with as little air inside as possible) and run over the flakes with a rolling pin. Open the bag and pour the crushed flakes into a wide bowl or onto a plate.
In a large bowl (big enough to dredge the chicken pieces), mix the buttermilk, mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika and sage. Give each floured chicken piece a good buttermilk bath and then roll in the cornflake crumbs.
Arrange the chicken on the rack and place in the hot oven. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes; lower the heat to 375 degrees and cook for another 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through and crispy. The juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife.
Nutrition per serving: 520 calories; 22g fat; 136mg cholesterol; 1,040mg sodium; 41g carbs; 1.5g fiber; 40g protein
Ground TurkeyMeatloaf
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup skim milk
1 medium onion, peeled
2 pounds ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, stir together the oats and milk. Thinly slice 1/4 of the onion and set aside. Finely chop the remaining onion.
In a large bowl combine the turkey, oat mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches high. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions. Bake for about an hour or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition per serving: 207 calories; 3g fat (0.5g saturated); 32g protein; 13g carbs; 5g sugar; 2g fiber; 92mg cholesterol; 489mg sodium
Bacon Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese
8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
1 slice applewood-smoked bacon
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1/3 cup condensed 45 percent reduced-sodium, 98 percent fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded six-cheese Italian blend
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1/8 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Colby-Jack cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Finely chop bacon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to bacon drippings; sauté 6 minutes or until done.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick.
Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155 degrees. Add Italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill and salt, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in pasta and chicken.
Preheat broiler.
Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and Colby-Jack cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.
Portobello Mushroom and Kale Lasagna
1 cup coarsely chopped drained jarred roasted red peppers
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
One 28-ounce can no-salt-added whole plum tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 large egg whites
One 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 portobello mushrooms, stems discarded, caps sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 small bunch kale, stems discarded, leaves coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Nonstick cooking spray
9 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles, such as Barilla
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Puree the peppers, oregano, tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the sugar in a food processor or blender until smooth; set aside. Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese with the egg whites and ricotta cheese in a medium bowl.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they have released their liquid and are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the kale, in batches, and as it wilts add the pepper flakes, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook until the kale is wilted and bright green, an additional 5 minutes.
Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish, coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top with 3 noodles, 1/2 of the ricotta mixture and 1/2 of the mushroom mixture. Repeat layers with sauce, noodles and remaining ricotta and mushrooms. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the noodles are tender and the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the pan, about 50 minutes.
Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup grated mozzarella and continue to bake until melted, about 5 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Nutrition per serving: 290 calories; 11g fat (4g saturated); 19g protein; 30g carbs; 5g sugar; 4g fiber; 35mg cholesterol; 540mg sodium
Tammy Kelly is director, Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Center, 1791 N.C. 11/55, Kinston, NC 28504. Reach her at 252-527-2191 or Tammy_Kelly@ncsu.edu.