Friday Night Dinner: Sweet and Spicy Orange Roasted Chicken Noodle Kugel, and Smashed Cauliflower.

Sweet and Spicy Orange Roasted Chicken

One 2-3 lb. roasting chicken

1 cup good quality orange marmalade (preferably with lots of peel)

1/4 cup orange juice

2-3 cloves garlic

2 tbs. sweet chili sauce (you can find this in the Asian section of your grocery store)

2 tbs. your favorite teriyaki sauce (such as Soyaki brand)

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbs. olive oil for coating chicken

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine marmalade, chili sauce, orange juice, and teriyaki sauce - it should be pourable and not too think, add a bit more juice if needed. Rub chicken on both sides with olive oil. Season on both sides, inside and out, with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stuff cavity with garlic cloves. Place chicken in a baking dish or roasting pan and pour sauce over to coat. You can marinate chicken from one hour to overnight if you want to really infuse the flavor, but it isn't necessary. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on chicken size.

Noodle Kugel with Dried Fruit

1 bag wide egg noodles

About 3/4 of a 16oz container of low fat sour cream

16 oz low fat or regular cottage cheese

1/2 pack or 4 oz full fat or low fat cream cheese cut into small chunks (optional)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup organic sugar

2 tbs. Earth Balance or butter

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon or to taste

1 tsp. salt or to taste

About 1/2 cup golden raisins or cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese if you're using it, sugar, and seasonings. Mix thoroughly, then add eggs and stir to combine. Add noodles (and cherries or raisins if you want them). Pour into a deep, greased casserole dish and dot the top with pieces of Earth Balance. Bake for 30-40 minutes. After 30 minutes check firmness - should be firm yet soft, but the center should not be jiggly. If the center is not yet done but the top is getting too brown, cover it with aluminum foil for the remaining cook time. Can be made a week ahead and frozen or a few days ahead and refrigerated.

Smashed Cauliflower

This is a tasty, lower-carb alternative to mashed potatoes

1 medium head of fresh or one bag of frozen cauliflower florets cooked until tender
1/4 cup soy creamer, soy milk, or milk
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbs. Earth Balance or butter
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
Grate of fresh nutmeg

Using a potato masher, smash the cooked and drained cauliflower with the Earth Balance until slightly creamy but not too smooth. Add seasonings and liquid and combine well. You can do this in a food processor as well if you want a smoother puree.

I also sauteed my favorite blend of greens (kale, swiss chard, and mustard greens) with pieces of Wellshire brand uncured Canadian Turkey Bacon - a great lower fat alternative to regular Canadian bacon!