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Chicken Paprikash-Topped Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 baking potatoes (about 1½ pounds)
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 12 ounces), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup coarsely chopped onion
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pierce potatoes with a fork, arrange in a circle on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at HIGH 16 minutes or until done, rearranging potatoes after 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Combine chicken, flour, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag, seal and shake to coat.
3. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture, onion, mushrooms, and garlic, sauté 5 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil. Cook 6 minutes or until chicken is done and the sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream.
4. Split potatoes open with fork, fluff pulp. Divide chicken mixture evenly over potatoes, sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 potato and ½ cup chicken mixture

Notes on my preparation: I tossed the parsley. Hate the stuff. I got large potatoes, and so we only made 3 of them and had to cook them longer and then ended up not using one of them anyway. Ask Deborah about the potato size. They get bigger with each retelling. I also couldn't find the pre-packaged sliced mushrooms, so I used canned sliced shiitake mushrooms. That seems to work just fine. As did the garlic from a jar.

Warm Lentil-Ham Salad with Dijon Cream

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dried lentils
• ½ cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or
  ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1¹/₃ cups chopped cooked ham
• ¾ cup chopped celery
• ¾ cup chopped red onion

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the lentils in a large saucepan, and cover with water to 2 inches above lentils. Bring lentils to a boil, cover, reduce hear, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well.</lli>
2. Combine sour cream and next 5 ingredients (sour cream through pepper) in a large bowl. Add lentils, ham, celery, and onion, and toss well.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1¹/₃ cups).

My notes: pretty much followed this recipe exactly. Used a really tasty extra strong Dijon mustard from Beaufor. Mostly cause Larry's seemed to be low on choices for Dijon mustard, so it was really good, or really crappy.