New Recipes – Week 2

Bear with me.  I know my faithful readers come here for more than just recipes.  I know it’s been nearly a week since I blogged and I know this will be 2 recipe posts in a row.  But don’t worry; I will make it up to you!  Tonight, I plan to do 2 posts.  Just for you, my faithful readers.  Because I love you and all that stuff.

This week, I tried a main course and a dessert.  I also started my cake decorating class, so I’m going to need to increase the old exercise it looks like!

The first recipe is from Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade Cooking Made Light cookbook.  I think Sandra is great.  She’s very realistic in what people will do and in the ingredients she uses.  You should really check out her new magazine; it’s awesome.  Anyway, I made Southwest Chicken Pizza and it was awesome!

Here’s a picture of the cookbook:

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN PIZZA:

olive oil cooking spray
1 package (6.5 oz) pizza crust mix
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed, drained, and smashed
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup tequila and lime flavored salsa by Newman’s Own (I just used my regular salsa)
1/2 cup Mexicorn, drained (I never knew this existed before – I totally heart it!)
1/4 cup shredded fat-free Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1 cup premium chunk chicken breast, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (I left this out since my salsa has cilantro in it already)
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine pizza crust mix and beans.  Stir in hot water until mixture is well moistened.  Beat 20 times to form dough.  Cover and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Using floured fingers, press dough into a 12 inch circle on prepared baking sheet.  Spread salsa evenly over dough, leaving a 1 inch border.  Top with Mexicorn, Monterey Jack cheese, Mexican cheese blend, chicken, cilantro, and onion.

Bake pizza in preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

I got the dessert from Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade Desserts cookbook.  Because chocolate covered Macadamia nuts are one of my very favorite candies, I tried the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bark.  It is super-good but also super-rich.  A little piece goes a loooooong way.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUT BARK:

2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels (I used milk chocolate)
2 cups white vanilla milk chips (I used white chocolate)
2/3 cup Macadamia nuts or almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

Line 9×13 cookie sheet with waxed paper, allowing 2 inches of paper to hang over sides.  Melt 1 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate morsels in microwave on medium power for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until smooth.  Pour melted semisweet chocolate onto prepared sheet and spread to cover entire surface to form 1 even layer.

Melt 1 3/4 cups of white chips in microwave on medium power for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, or until smooth.  Drizzle melted white chips over semisweet chocolate layer.  Using toothpick or skewer, swirl melted chocolates together, creating a marbled effect.  Sprinkle with nuts and remaining semisweet chocolate and white chips.  Gently press toppings into melted chocolate.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm.  Remove waxed paper from chocolate.  Cut or break chocolate into bite-size pieces.