Cellophane

Not long ago I made the realization that pretty much ANYTHING can look fantastic if you just wrap it up in some cellophane and finish it off with a bow!  I mean think about it:  would you rather have me open up my hand and give you the brownie, OR would you like to see it wrapped up beautifully with a bow???  I thought so.  


A sweet friend I met at church just welcomed her second precious baby boy last week!  I offered to bring dinner to her family and was so relieved that I had some cellophane downstairs.  Crisis averted.  

See what I mean?  As for the green ruffly paper tied with a ribbon and blue tag to identify the alfredo sauce...that's definitely a recycled Stoneyfield Farms yogurt container in there.  Finally, the glass jar on the side went from being a store-bought jar of tomato sauce into the new home for my sauce--as evidenced by the embossed sticker!  You'll hear more on the embossing tool in a future blog post, I'm sure.  But I digress.  It was fun to deliver this box filled with the sauce, a box of pasta, loaf of garlic bread, broccoli, and (of course) brownies for dessert.  Writing all of that out makes it sound like it was a lot of work, but it wasn't!!!  I really only made two things:  the sauce and brownies.  


Here are two recipes that taste like they are worth so much trouble and effort, but actually require very little of either!  


I made the brownies the evening before since they cut so easily after they have cooled to room temperature and chilled in the fridge.  They also made a HUGE quantity, and freeze so wonderfully!  You can wrap them individually in plastic wrap and thaw one (or five) for about an hour before you're ready to devour it (them).  The most difficult thing about this recipe is just waiting for your eggs to come to room temperature, but be patient!  It is essential.  Also, I don't own a double-boiler but I do have two pots, one of which nests nicely into the other.  Consider whether or not that will work for you, too.  


Follow this link to heaven, I mean Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/outrageous-brownies-recipe3/index.html

Two things:  I recommend using Ghirardelli chocolate chips, and cutting them into 20 servings is optional...you CAN make them smaller.  


Fun fact:  a wrapped-up brownie fits perfectly into the Multicam cargo pocket of a soldier who is on his/her way to Afghanistan!  The Army was thoughtful enough to include a brownie pocket on the new uniforms.

The dinner I prepared was Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo.  I love so many things about this recipe.  It is easy to make.  It tastes fabulous!  And coming from my Healthy Cooking magazine (submitted by Heather Privratsky and revamped by the magazine's Test Kitchen), this dish finishes at just 462 calories for one cup of sauce served with two ounces of pasta (insert gasp of disbelief and excitement here).  Choose the whole grain fettuccine and have a salad on the side, and you've got yourself a well-rounded meal!  


Makeover Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients
1 package (16 ounces) fettuccine
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
6 garlic cloves, minced, divided
3 tablespoons reduced-fat butter, divided
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt (I use Kosher salt for everything)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups fat-free milk
1 cup half-and-half cream
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, divided


Directions
1.  Cook fettuccine according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken, Italian seasoning, and 2 garlic cloves in 1 tablespoon butter until chicken is no longer pink;  remove and keep warm.
2.  In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in remaining butter until tender.  Add remaining garlic; saute 1-2 minutes longer.  Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper until blended; gradually add milk and cream.
3.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.  Add the Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and reserved chicken;  cook and stir until heated through.
4.  Drain fettuccine; serve with sauce.  Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon of remaining Parmesan cheese.


Even though it hasn't been that long since my baby was a newborn, I was still hit with that amazement that you feel when you see a teeny tiny days-old neonate and think, "He/She was JUST in that belly!"  I'm not getting baby fever just yet, though.  I've got plenty to handle behind these precious smiles :)