Superbowl Sunday!

(Pumpkin hoping something will fall off the platter....)

When planning tonights dinner, it had to be Superbowl food, but it also had to be a dinner, so I tried to keep with my normal protein, starch, and 2 vegetables plan, but I also wanted it to be fun food. I took on the challange of lightening up buffalo chicken tenders and spinach and artichoke dip. They taste just as good as any sports bar could make them, and they're very healthy.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Tenders

&

Lowfat Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Buffalo Chicken Tenders (12):

1.5 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenders

1 cups flour

1 cup wing sauce (recommended Frank's Red Hot)

2 cups Panko bread crumbs (found in the Asian food area)

Optional Dipping Sauces:

1/2 cup wing sauce, warmed

1/2 cup light blue cheese dressing mixed with 2 tbsp. blue cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lay out 3 plates or bowls, put flour in one, hot sauce in another, and bread crumbs in another. Season flour with salt and pepper. Take chicken tenders and dip them in flour, tap excess off, dip in hot sauce, then coat in bread crumbs. Lay on a cookie sheet until all tenders are coated. Bake for 20 minutes.
This is how the assembly line should look for dredging, saucing, and coating:

*Note - Panko makes these chicken tenders extra crunchy, however if they cannot be found, regular bread crumbs can be used

Spinach and Artichoke Dip:
1 16 oz. sack frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts in water, chopped
1 brick fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup lowfat sour cream
2 cloves roasted garlic
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup grated parmiggiano reggiano cheese
Some kind of bread for dip; like whole wheat baguettes, bagel chips, pita chips, tortilla chips

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and onion and sautee until softened. Add in cream cheese and break up with a spatula. Turn heat to low and add in sour cream, spinach, artichokes, garlic, and seasonings. Taste for seasonings, the fat free cream cheese will make it taste a big sweet, so more salt and pepper may be necessary. Pour into a casserole dish, top with parmiggiano and bake at 350 until bubble and brown on top. Serve with bread or chips.