Thai Chicken Pizza -
California Pizza Kitchen Copycat

2 Servings

pizza crust
PEANUT SAUCE CPK
1 boneless chicken breast, half, skinless, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
1 to 2 green onion tops, julienned
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 carrot, julienned or grated (1/4 cup)
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
1 tablespoon peanuts, chopped fine

Place chicken in zip-top bag, add 1/3 of the peanut sauce, seal and refrigerate for 2 hours. Heat 1 tsp. oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Cook the marinated chicken for 3-4 minutes.
Prepare pizza crust, or use ready made bread shell. Top crust with remaining pizza sauce. Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese over sauce. Sprinkle julienned green onion tops over cheese, followed by the chicken, bean sprouts and carrots. Top with remaining cheese, cilantro and nuts.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crust turns light brown.
Cut into 8 slices.

dash curry powder
4 chicken breasts
PEANUT SAUCE

Rub chicken breasts with curry powder.
Grill until cooked through.
Serve with bottled or homemade Peanut sauce.

4 Servings

1 (2 1/2-lb.) boneless chuck roast
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground red pepper
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. vegetable oil, divided
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup diced carrot
2 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 cups light coconut milk
2 Tbsp. sliced peeled fresh lemon grass or 1 Tbsp. thinly sliced lime rind
3 bay leaves
6 cups hot cooked Chinese-style egg noodles (about 12 oz. uncooked)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Trim fat from beef. Cut beef into 2-inch pieces. Combine salt and next 6 ingredients (salt through black pepper) in a small bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of spice mixture over beef, and toss to coat; reserve remaining spice mixture.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion, carrot, ginger and garlic; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return beef to pan. Add remaining spice mixture, coconut milk, lemon grass, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours. Remove beef from pan using a slotted spoon; shred with 2 forks, set aside and keep warm. Bring vegetable mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Discard bay leaves. Serve beef and vegetable mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Yield: 6 servings be

Note: You can find light coconut milk in the Asian or Mexican section of most supermarkets. If yours does not carry it, ask your grocer to order it for you.

1 pound ground beef
1 package Sloppy Joe's Seasoning
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 can (4 ounces) green chilies, chopped
8 hamburger rolls or flour tortillas
shredded cheese (optional)

In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain fat.
Add Seasoning, pinto beans, tomato sauce, ketchup and chiles. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Serve over hamburger rolls or place 3 tablespoons mixture along center of 8 warmed flour tortillas; garnish with shredded cheese, if desired. Fold over edges of tortillas.

8 Servings

2 pounds ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
1 10 3/4 ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 package tater tots
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef. Add salt, pepper and chopped onion.
Spread cream of chicken soup on top of meat. Pour tater tots on top, cover with cheese, Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

8 Servings

10 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine or fettuccine, broken
2 lbs ground beef or ground turkey
2 large onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
2 (11 ounce) cans corn mixed with chopped peppers, drained
1 1/2 cups Colby-Monterrey Jack cheese or cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup favorite salsa
2 (4 1/2 ounce) cans diced green chili peppers, drained
4 cups lettuce, shredded
1 medium tomato, chopped

Cook pasta according to pkg directions, drain.
Meanwhile, cook ground meat and onion until meat is brown, in a dutch oven.
Drain off fat. Stir in water and taco seasoning mix. Bring to boiling and reduce heat.
Simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cooked pasta, corn, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, salsa and chili peppers Divide mix evenly between 2 lightly greased 2 qt casseroles. Package up, label and freeze up to 3 months.

To serve remaining casserole, cover and bake in a 350F oven for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top with lettuce and chopped tomato.
If desired, pass broken tortilla chips and dairy sour cream as additional toppings.

To serve the 2nd casserole, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Bake, covered in a 375F oven for 1 hour or until heated through, stirring once about halfway through baking time. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Serve with 4 cups shredded lettuce and 1 medium tomato, chopped.

12 Servings

1 1/4 Teaspoon Chili powder
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Teaspoon minced onion
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic powder
1/4 Teaspoon Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Ground oregano
1 Tablespoon Flour

Combine all of these dry ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an air tight container.

To prepare the meat filling for tacos, preheat a large skillet.
Brown 1 pound ground beef; drain the fat. Add your Taco Seasoning
that you prepared previously and 2/3 cup water to the beef; mix
thoroughly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook,
uncovered, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve taco filling with warmed taco shells or tortillas. Top with
shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese and chopped tomato or fresh
salsa.

This recipe makes enough meat filling for 12 tacos.

1 pound lean ground beef
2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks in its own juice

Combine first 4 ingredients; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet. Brown meatballs; drain and set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepan. Add meatballs; stir to coat with sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Serve warm.

1 package meatballs
1 12 oz. jar mushrooms, gravy
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon allspice
8 ounces egg noodles, cooked and drained - toss with butter.

Heat mini meatballs - refrigerated or frozen - in mushroom gravy. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and allspice.
Serve over egg noodles.


4 Servings

Cheese Stuffing:

1/2 cup smoked shredded cheese (provolone or gouda)
8-oz package mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomato flakes (drain first if in oil)
1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup sour cream (6 oz)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Sauce:

1 small onion, cut in half and thinly sliced lengthwise
24 fl oz Marsala wine
8 fl oz heavy cream
2 small containers button mushrooms, thinly sliced (6 cups)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 fl oz olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour


Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

Combine all cheese stuffing ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Butterfly thickest section of chicken breasts to create 2 lobes. Pound each breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until ¼” - ½” thick. Place flattened chicken breasts on a plate and place desired amount of stuffing on one lobe of each chicken breast. Gently press stuffing down so it resembles a hockey puck. Fold over other lobe of chicken breast; does not have to seal.

Heat large sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering. Place flour in a shallow pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Dredge stuffed chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess. Saute chicken breasts with preheated oil, cooking until each side is golden brown. Remove chicken from pan and place in a baking dish. Bake for 10-20 minutes, or until juices run clean and center of chicken reaches 165°F.

Add onions to sauté pan, and stir to loosen chicken drippings. After 2 minutes, add mushrooms and sauté until onions are translucent. Deglaze pan with Marsala wine – make sure to incorporate drippings from bottom of pan. Heat wine to a simmer and add heavy cream. Simmer on low heat until reduced by half.

Place cooked chicken breasts on a plate and top each with onions, mushrooms and sauce.
Serve with your favorite garlic mashed potato recipe.

4 Servings

2 tsp. olive oil
3 cups chopped onion
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 (11-oz.) can refrigerated soft breadstick dough
Cooking spray
1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 cup fat-free milk
3 large egg whites
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups (5-oz.) crumbled feta cheese


To decrease fat, we've used 2 egg yolks and 5 egg whites. Some egg yolks are necessary to produce a creamy filling. You can refrigerate the leftover yolks for up to 3 days in an airtight container (add a tablespoon of water so the yolks don't develop a film).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, sugar, and salt; cook for 30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in potatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat.
Unroll dough, separating into strips. Working on a flat surface, coil one strip of dough around itself in a spiral pattern. Add second strip of dough to the end of the first strip, pinching ends together to seal; continue coiling the dough. Repeat procedure with the remaining dough strips. Cover and let dough rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough into a 12" circle, and fit into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate coated with cooking spray.
Spread potato mixture in bottom of prepared crust, and top with spinach. Combine milk, egg whites, eggs, and cheese; pour the milk mixture over the spinach. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until set, shielding crust with foil after 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Several quarts of water

8 cups fresh spinach leaves, stemmed (1 pound)
Vegetable oil spray, if needed
15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup low-sodium salsa
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
6 6-inch corn tortillas or nonfat or low-fat flour tortillas
1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat sour cream
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons lime juice
4 ounces shredded nonfat or low-fat Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 cup)
2 Italian plum tomatoes, diced
2 green onions (green and white parts), thinly sliced

In a large pot, bring water to a boil over high heat.
While water heats, thoroughly rinse spinach. Add spinach to boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well in a colander. Press out as much liquid as possible with the back of a large spoon. (Discard water or save for vegetable stock.)
Preheat oven to 3500 F. If using a casserole dish, spray it with vegetable oil spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine spinach, black beans, salsa, cumin, and chili powder.
Spoon 1/4 of the mixture down the middle of one tortilla. Roll the tortilla around the filling (jelly-roll style). Place tortilla seam side down in a shallow nonstick baking pan or prepared casserole dish. Repeat process with remaining tortillas.
Bake enchiladas, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine sour cream and lime juice. Remove enchiladas from oven and spread sour cream mixture evenly over enchiladas. Top with cheese, tomatoes, and green onions and bake for 5 minutes.
Cooks Tip: This dish freezes so well that you might want to make a batch to keep on hand for unexpected guests or evenings when you just dont want to cook. After rolling the enchiladas, place them in a container and cover tightly with foil or put them in an airtight plastic freezer bag. Increase baking time to 35 to 40 minutes.
You can substitute a 10-ounce package of no-salt-added frozen spinach for the fresh spinach. Cook according to package directions, omitting salt and oil, then continue with the recipe.

Serves 6

1 teaspoon acceptable vegetable oil
2 pounds boneless pork loin, all visible fat removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 medium oranges)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 medium limes)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 habaqero or jalapeno chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Brown the pork cubes for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onion and garlic, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer, then cook, covered, over low heat for 40 to 50 minutes, or until pork is tender.
Uncover pan and cook over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until juices have reduced to a thick glaze. Serve warm.

Serves 8; about 1/2 cup per serving

Vegetable oil spray
1 pound boneless pork loin chops, all visible fat removed
Egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/3 cup cornflake crumbs
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Using vegetable oil spray, spray a shallow baking pan large enough to hold pork chops in a single layer. Set aside.
Cut pork chops into 4 portions, if necessary. Set aside.
In a small, shallow bowl, combine egg substitute and milk. In a shallow dish such as a pie pan, combine crumbs, cornmeal, marjoram, pepper, mustard, ginger, and cayenne. Using tongs, dip pork chops in milk mixture, letting excess liquid drip off. Coat both sides of pork chops with crumb mixture. Arrange pork chops in prepared pan.
Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Turn chops with a spatula and bake for 10 minutes, or until chops are tender and slightly pink in center.

Serves 4

1/2 pound spaghetti, broken up into thirds
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 cups bottled spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 ounces pepperoni, chopped
4 eggs, large, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In large saucepan of lightly salted water, cook spaghetti one minute less than directed on package. Drain.
Heat oven to 350. Coat 10 inch skillet with nonstick cooking spray. If handle is not ovenproof, wrap with foil.
Coat with crumbs. In bowl, combine spaghetti, pasta sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni. Stir in beaten eggs. Spoon mixture into prepared skillet. Bake in 350 degree oven 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with parmesean, bake until cheese is golden brown, 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges.

6 Servings

1 pound spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
2 16 oz. cans tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons pesto
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper, to taste

MEATBALLS


Saute onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the rest of ingredients and simmer on low until meatballs are done.

4 Servings

2/3 cup salsa
8 8-inch flour tortillas (optional)
1/2 cup water
1 medium yellow or green sweet pepper, cut into squares
1/2 cup cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 1- to 1.5-ounce envelope fajita seasoning mix
Nonstick spray coating
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 small onion, cut into thin wedges
1 small zucchini, bias-sliced
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons cooking oil


For marinade, in a medium mixing bowl combine fajita mix, water, and oil. Add chicken to marinade. Stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Spray a large skillet with nonstick coating. Preheat over medium heat. Add sweet pepper, zucchini, and onion; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from skillet.
Drain chicken; discard marinade. Add chicken to skillet. (If necessary, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil during cooking.) Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until no pink remains. Return vegetables to skillet. Stir together salsa and chili powder. Add salsa mixture, corn, and beans to skillet. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve with warm tortillas and cheese, if desired. (To heat tortillas, wrap in microwave-safe paper towels; micro-cook on high power for 30 seconds). Makes 4 servings.

pizza crust
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup black beans, refried or black bean dip
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup white onions, sliced
1 green chili, canned, whole
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Make marinade by combining lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper flakes in a blender or small bowl with an electric mixer until well mixed. Marinate the chicken for 2 hours. Heat one teaspoon oil in small skillet over high heat. Cook chicken 2-4 minutes or until cooked through. Mix black beans with water and cayenne pepper.
Roll out pizza crust or use prepared crust. Preheat oven to 475. Spread black bean mixture over crust, arrange chicken evenly over beans. Top with onions. Thinly slice the chili pepper into strips. Sprinkle over onions. Top with cheeses. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until pizza crust lightly browns.
Serve with tomatillo salsa and sour cream on the side.

2 Servings