Spicy Chicken Spaghetti and Green Bean Casserole

Like the title indicates, this spaghetti definitely has a kick that most spaghetti's are missing. This spaghetti not only has an array of goodies hidden in the sauce, has chicken to add to the substance, but also has a spice that is really pleasant amongst the other flavors. I made this dinner one night and Matt's initial response was: I hate olives. Blarrgh.

But you know, when dinner was done he had eaten all his black olives, so I guess he didn't mind them too much. Then he asked if I'd make this recipe in the future. Maybe I broke his olive hatred?

Spicy Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper, to taste
24 oz spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 jalapenos, diced
1 10-oz can sliced black olives
2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
16-oz spaghetti noodles

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the juices run clear.

2. In a saucepan add the pasta sauce, tomatoes, red bell pepper, jalapenos, black olives, and corn. Bring to a boil. Once boiling season with garlic powder, onion powder, and ground black pepper. Add the chicken and cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain.

4. Toss the pasta with the sauce.

CALORIES: 393 calories

CHOLESTEROL: 23 milligrams
FAT: 10 grams

The vegetable dish, the green bean casserole, is a classic. I mean, it's based on a classic. For Thanksgiving every

year my mom makes the classic green bean casserole, consisting of cream of mushroom soup to give the green beans an unhealthy cream delicious. When it comes to Thanksgiving I could eat green bean casserole and mashed potatoes and whatever dessert there was and be in heaven. Oh wait, and the stuffing, I need that too.

But Thanksgiving lacks something my body has been craving, which is the health factor.

This green bean casserole provides a great side dish either for a Thanksgiving meal or just a normal day (like today!) The cornstarch adds the creaminess to the dish without all the actual cream. I'm going to suggest my family go with the lower cal style green bean casserole for Thanksgiving this year.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

2 cups frozen green beans
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground mustard
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp Brummel&Brown
3/4 cup french fried onions

Directions

1. In a greased baking dish, combine the beans and mushrooms. In a small bowl combine cornstarch and mustard; gradually stir in the broth until smooth. Pour over vegetables. Dot with butter. Bake uncovered at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with onions and bake 5 minutes longer.

CALORIES: 235 calories

CHOLESTEROL: 0 milligrams
FAT: 13 grams

Olive "Pizza"

The only complaint of this recipe was it was a little too lemony.

It's not that I don't like lemons, but for what this was some of the acidic taste of the lemon was fine, but the amount that this recipe called for was overpowering.

This is a recipe from the June 2009 Cooking Light, with some variations made (though I should have varied the lemon as well.. too bad I didn't know beforehand!)

I have a shelf of cookbooks and old magazines full of recipes, though I don't actually have a subscription to any food magazine nor have I ever. I have contemplated it, but there's not always something I want to cook in a magazine and I worry that a subscription could end up not bringing me many new things I want to try. The magazines that I do have, I cook out of regularly. Most of them are Cooking Light. Because of this, I'll be submitting tonight's dinner to Cream Puffs in Venice's Magazine Mondays.

My picture tonight is hardly worthy. It doesn't really demonstrate at all what the meal looked like (besides that the "salad" was dismal). I was having lighting issues and the flash proceeded to white everything out, but despite what I did, I couldn't get it in enough light without the flash.. So I proceeded to blind the whole thing.

Oh well. I am not a photographer.

Olive "Pizza"

Ingredients

2 tbsp black olives
1 1/2 tbsp fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 tbsp drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp water
1 (8-oz) loaf Italian bread, split in half horizontally
1 cup cooked shredded chicken breast
3 tbsp feta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Place bottom half of bread, cut side up, on a baking sheet (reserving the top half for another use). Spread olive mixture over bread. Arrange chicken over bread and sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Cut in half.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 239 calories
CHOLESTEROL: 48 milligrams
FAT: 4 grams
SODIUM: 732 milligrams