Creamy Swiss Chicken Bake

Creamy Swiss Cheese Chicken Bake

(from melskitchencafe.com)

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4-6 chicken pieces, excess moisture removed after thawing if frozen)
6-8 slices Swiss cheese (about 4-6 ounces)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Hot, cooked rice for serving

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly spray a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season on each side with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken breast pieces in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Layer the Swiss cheese slices over the chicken. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread this mixture over the chicken and cheese. Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is hot and bubbly. Serve over hot, steamed rice.

Really good flavor, kid-friendly, easy...great to whip up quickly for dinner!  The sauce ends up tasting a little like alfredo sauce, which my kids love, so that was a bonus.

Healthified (mostly) Pumpkin Bars- still delicious!

Pumpkin Bars

(adapted from Paula Deen)

Bars:

• 4 eggs (I subbed ground flax seed for 2 of the eggs)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened (1/3 less fat is great)
• 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan for cake size or cookie sheet with sides for the bar cookies.  Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.  Mix at low speed until combined. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars. We like them refrigerated- better the next day and day after...if they last.

These are great! I really think since the icing is so rich and good it doesn't hurt anything to try to make the base healthier.  Especially when the taste is so good in the end!