My big SKINNNY Greek dinner...

Q: How in the heck do you start a blog anyway?
A: Just kick it off with the most recent event in your life?

So last night our friends Jenna and Glenn came over for dinner and since Jenna and I have been looking for ways to cut the fat from our diets, I found some great Greek inspired recipes from the Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet cookbook and the latest edition of Rachael Ray's magazine. I made the Lazy Baked Greek Chicken and Parmesan Tomatoes w/ asparagus and a Greek salad. So easy! I've given you the links for the recipes, but I changed each one slightly and the cooking times didn't work for me, so I'm giving them to you my way. Here's the info:

Lazy Baked Greek Chicken

• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 1 box chopped spinach (10 ounces), thawed
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Saute the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter. When translucent (but not caramelized) add to a mixing bowl with spinach, salt, pepper, and feta. Cut chicken breasts to create a "pocket". Stuff each chicken breast with about 3 tablespoons of the spinach mixture. Place stuffed chicken breasts into a greased baking dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave (I did this in my Pyrex measuring cup). Add the breadcrumbs to the butter and stir to coat. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over chicken. Bake covered until juices run clear; for me this was for about 45 minutes, then remove cover and allow breadcrumbs to toast.

Parmesan Tomatoes

• 4 tomatoes sliced in half width wise
• 3 chicken bullion cubes
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon softened butter

Place the tomato halves skin side down in a greased baking dish. Spread a small thin layer of butter over the open face (doesn't need to cover everything). Use a mini chopper and combine cheese and breaking up bullion cubes. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes.

I served both of these recipes with some asparagus roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic & a Greek salad served w/ Good Seasons Italian dressing. Overall, dinner was basically around 500 calories...not counting the chocolate chip cookies that appeared on the kitchen counter...