Erin's Eats

Seriously Delicious Low-Fat Pumpkin Shake

2011-10-25T16:31:00.000-04:00

PUMPKIN PIE SHAKE

I stumbled upon this recipe on Cooking Light and knew I had to try it. Boy, this did not disappoint. It was so, so good. You must try!

Pumpkin Pie Shake (Adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:
2 cups vanilla reduced-fat ice cream, softened

1/2 cup fat-free milk (you can add more to get it to the consistency you prefer)

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2T packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice

3 tablespoons frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Pumpkin-pie spice (optional)

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Pour ice cream mixture into glasses. Top each with about 2 teaspoons whipped topping; sprinkle with the additional pumpkin-pie spice, if desired.

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

2011-09-26T20:30:00.000-04:00

WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN CHILE SOUR CREAM SAUCE

4 words: you must try this! These were soooooo good! To top it off, it was one of the quickest dishes to put together. Huge hit in our house!

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce (Let's Dish)

Ingredients:

8 soft taco size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese, divided
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
Chopped, fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside. Mix the chicken together with 1 cup of the cheese. Distribute the chicken and cheese mixture evenly among the tortillas. Roll up and place seam side down in the prepared pan. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat until sauce is thick and bubbly. Stir in the sour cream and diced green chiles. Pour the sauce in an even layer over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving.

Crockpot Baked Potato Soup

2011-09-25T20:39:00.001-04:00

CROCKPOT BAKED POTATO SOUP

I stumbled upon this recipe on my new found addiction, Pinterest (props to Molly for pinning it). I'm always searching for recipes that allow me to utilize my crockpot. This recipe appeared too easy and I didn't have high expectations. Boy, was I wrong. This was delicious. Matt loved it, but asked me to add some additional protein To satisfy his request, I may add ground turkey next time. Perfect comfort dish for fall.

Easy Crockpot Potato Soup (Pearls, Handcuffs & Happy Hour)

Ingredients:
1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns
3 14oz. cans of chicken broth
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, green onion, sour cream for garnish

Directions:
Combine everything (except cream cheese) in your crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About one hour before serving, add cream cheese to the crockpot and cook until thoroughly melted. Ladle soup into bowls and top with bacon, cheddar cheese, green onion and/or sour cream.

Garlic Steak Pasta Bowl

2011-07-27T08:25:00.001-04:00

GARLIC STEAK PASTA BOWL

There's not a better way to use leftover steak. This was super easy and tasted great! I called it "garlic steak" because I used this recipe when we grilled the steak. However, feel free to use whatever you may have leftover.

Garlic Steak Pasta Bowl

INGREDIENTS:

1lb of leftover grilled steak, cubed

2 cups pasta, cooked
1 orange bell pepper, sliced

1/2 of a large red onion, chopped in bite sized pieces

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil. Once oil is heated, add onions and pepper to the pan. Saute veggies until tender (5-7 mins). Season veggies with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Add pasta and sauted veggies to a bowl and toss together. Top with grilled steak. Enjoy!

Sirloin Steak with Garlic Butter

2011-07-27T08:02:00.000-04:00

SIRLOIN STEAK WITH GARLIC BUTTER

We grilled up some steak the other night and it was delicious. We cut the recipe in half and only ended up using half of that on our steaks. Ah-mazing! This was our first attempt at grilling steak. I'm determined to get better grill lines next time. :o)

Sirloin Steak with Garlic Butter (Allrecipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter

2 teaspoons garlic powder

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 pounds beef top sirloin steaks

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat with garlic powder and minced garlic. Set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of each steak with salt and pepper.

Grill steaks 4 to 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. When done, transfer to warmed plates. Brush tops liberally with garlic butter, and allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Toasted Pecans

2011-07-27T07:50:00.000-04:00

CHICKEN PASTA SALAD WITH TOASTED PECANS

This chicken salad was delicious. I kept it pretty basic, but the toasted pecans give it amazing flavor.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Toasted Pecans (adapted from Allrecipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat

1/2 cup toasted pecans

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1.5 cup of pasta shells, cooked

DIRECTIONS:

To toast pecans, put them on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven at 300 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until they become aromatic. Watch them, because they can burn easily.

In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pepper. Toss with chicken, pecans, pasta and celery.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

2011-07-25T07:57:00.001-04:00

There is no other word to describe this recipe other than YUM! It was so flavorful and was simple to put together. This will become a regular staple.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken (Kraft)

INGREDIENTS:
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1/4 cup KRAFT Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing, divided
1 tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS:

HEAT grill to medium heat.
COVER half the grill grate with sheet of heavy-duty foil. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag. Add 2 Tbsp. dressing; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. Remove chicken from bag; discard bag and dressing.
PLACE chicken on uncovered side of grill; cover with lid. Grill 6 min. Meanwhile, combine remaining dressing, tomatoes, cheese and basil.
TURN chicken over; place on foil. Top with tomato mixture. Grill, covered, grill 8 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

Catalina Taco Salad

2011-07-25T07:49:00.000-04:00

This is a dish my Mom has made for years and was one of my favorites growing up. I totally forgot about it until my Mom mentioned she was making it last week. It makes for a quick, tasty meal. It's also one of those recipes that you can modify to your taste. We tend to decrease the amount of Catalina dressing, as it is on the sweet side. Enjoy!

Taco Salad (adapted from Food Network)

INGREDIENTS:

2 ripe tomatoes, diced (we were out of tomatoes)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 green onions,chopped

1 head iceberg lettuce, washed, drained and shredded

1 pound lean ground beef, browned, crumbled and drained

1 envelope of reduced sodium taco seasoning

1/2 cup salad dressing (recommended: Catalina)

1 (7-ounce) Doritos, crushed

DIRECTIONS:

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and drain excess fat. Add taco seasoning and cook as directed. Let cool.

Combine the tomatoes, cheese, onion, lettuce, and ground beef in a large bowl. Add the salad dressing and mix well. Just before serving, add the Doritos tossing to combine with other ingredients.

Caribbean Jerk Chicken Skewers

2011-07-21T08:01:00.000-04:00

CARRIBBEAN JERK CHICKEN KABOBS

Loving our Weber grill. It's so easy and makes clean-up a breeze. This recipe was really good. The chicken was tender, flavorful and just flat out delicious. The only thing I'd change next time is to only use a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Matt's not a pinapple fan, so I used red onion. Other than that, it was very tasty.

Caribbean Jerk Chicken Skewers (Kraft)

INGREDIENTS:

1 env. (0.7 oz.) GOOD SEASONS Italian Dressing Mix

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp.oil

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp.ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground thyme

1/2 tsp.ground red pepper (cayenne)

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

3 red bell peppers, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

1 fresh pineapple, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks (I substituted red onion)

DIRECTIONS:

MIX first 7 ingredients until well blended; pour over chicken in large bowl. Stir to evenly coat chicken. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.

HEAT grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread chicken onto 12 skewers alternately with bell peppers and pineapple.

GRILL 15 min. or until chicken is done, turning frequently.

Layered Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

2011-07-19T08:08:00.001-04:00

I made this dessert over the weekend and it was a huge hit. Everyone asked for the recipe. Once they found out how this was put together, they couldn't believe it. There are so many variations you could do with this. I think my next one with have some sort of peanut butter layer instead of caramel and crushed Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on top. ENJOY!

Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert -- Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
19 prepared ice cream sandwiches (I used Kroger brand)
1 (20ounce) jar of Sanders Caramel (I used about 3/4's of the jar)
1 (20 ounce) jar of Sanders Hot Fudge (I used about 3/4's of the jar)
2 (12 ounce) containers Cool Whip (I used all of the first container and half of the second container)
1 large Hershey's Symphony Milk Chocolate Bar, crumbled

Directions:

Cut one ice cream sandwich in half. Place one whole and one half sandwich along a short side of an ungreased 13x9 pan. Arrange eight sandwiches in opposite direction in the pan. Spread with caramel. Repeat layer of ice cream sandwiches. Spread with hot fudge. Spread whipped topping. Top with crumbled Hershey's Symphony bar.

Remove the dessert from the freezer a few minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve.

How to lay the ice cream sandwiches

Love me some Sanders

The final product

Chicken Tamale Casserole

2011-02-08T18:35:00.000-05:00

CHICKEN TAMALE CASSEROLE

This was so yummy and easy to make. It made for great lunch leftovers, too!

Chicken Tamale Casserone (Cooking Light)
Ingredients:

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Calories:354 (36% from fat), Fat:14.1g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.2g), Protein:18.9g, Carbohydrate:36.3g,

Fiber:2.5g, Cholesterol:58mg, Iron:1.7mg, Sodium:620mg, Calcium:179mg

Tuscan Chicken Soup

2011-02-08T18:28:00.000-05:00

This was absolutely delicious. I'm not one for soupy soups and this one fit the bill. It was extremely flavorful, filling and made for great leftovers. One-dish dinners are awesome!

Tuscan Chicken Soup

Weight Watchers Best One-Dish Dinners Fall 2010 Magazine

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking Spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup chopped onion
1 pound ground chicken breast
2 (14.5-oz.) cans fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
½ cup uncooked orzo
1 (14.5-oz.) can stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (16-oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 (6-oz.) package fresh baby spinach
6 teaspoons shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic and onion; sauté 5 minutes or until just tender. Add chicken, and cook 5 minutes, stirring to crumble.
Add broth and next 6 ingredients. Bring to boil; reduce heat, and simmer 22 minutes or until orzo is done.

Stir in spinach; cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Ladle soup into bowls; top with cheese.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 ½ cups soup and 1 teaspoon cheese).

Per Serving: CAL 253 (8% from fat); FAT 2.2g (sat 0.7g); PRO 26.1g; CARB 33g; FIB 5.4g; CHOL 45mg; IRON 3mg; SOD 785mg; CALC 88mg

Baked Pork Chops

2010-12-13T18:05:00.000-05:00

BAKED PORK CHOPS

Well, Matt said that this was the best pork chop recipe I've ever made, so that says a lot. To me, pork chops are boring and rarely ever hit the spot. However, I must say, this dish was pretty spectacular. Definitely give it a try.

I followed the recipe pretty closely. My only change was that I doubled the sauce using a can of cream of chicken.

Baked Pork Chops (Allrecipes)

Ingredients:

6 pork chops (I used 8 thinly cut pork chops)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 egg, beaten
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I also used 1 can of cream of chicken soup)
1/2 cup milk (doubled this)
1/3 cup white wine (doubled this)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.

3.Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well browned. Transfer the chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil.

4.Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour (I only baked about 40 mins). While baking, combine the cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, milk and white wine in a medium bowl. After the pork chops have baked for an hour, cover them with the soup mixture. Replace foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.

Creamy Taco Mac

2010-06-21T18:32:00.001-04:00

CREAMY TACO MAC

Thanks, Annie, for another great recipe. This was such an easy dish to make after a long day at work. Soooo tasty and much, much better than the boxed stuff.

Creamy Taco Mac (Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:

1¼ lbs. ground turkey

8 oz. dry pasta shapes

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained

4 tbsp. taco seasoning

3 oz. cream cheese

½ cup sour cream

Salt and pepper

Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Source: adapted from Delish

Spicy Shrimp Po’ Boys

2010-06-20T18:52:00.001-04:00

SPICY SHRIMP PO' BOYS

I was stumped on my meal plan for the week, so I headed over to Annie's Eats. She has such great recipes, so definitely check her out.

This was so easy to put together and it had such incredible flavor. Highly recommended!

Spicy Shrimp Po' Boys (Annie's Eats)
Yield: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the remoulade sauce:
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. light mayonnaise
2 tbsp. stone ground mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ tbsp. pickle juice
½ tsp. prepared horseradish
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. hot paprika
Dash of hot sauce

For the sandwiches:
1 lb. medium-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Cajun seasoning blend
1 baguette (or 4 sandwich rolls)
Shredded lettuce
Sliced tomato

Directions:

To make the remoulade sauce, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. (If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can just mix it in a small bowl with a spoon.) Adjust seasonings to taste. Chill until ready to use.

To prepare the sandwiches, combine the shrimp with the olive oil and cajun seasoning in a medium bowl. Toss well to coat the shrimp. Heat a grill pan to medium-high and grill the shrimp just until opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

Slice the baguette into 4 servings, and cut horizontally to open the bread. Spread some of the remoulade sauce onto both pieces of the bread. Layer the bottom slice of bread with shrimp, then top with lettuce and tomato as desired. Top with the remaining piece of bread and serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

Creamy Garlic Pork Chops

2010-06-13T19:32:00.001-04:00

CREAMY PORK CHOPS

This is a recipe my mom often made. It's super easy and is always a great go-to choice for a quick weeknight meal. Matt really enjoys this one . I serve it with mashed potatoes or rice and a veggie on the side.

Creamy Garlic Pork Chops:

4 boneless center cut pork chops

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Lawry's seasoning salt (to taste)

Black pepper (to taste)

1 can (10 3/4 ounce) Campbell's cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup

1/2 can skim milk (I use the Campbell's can)

1/2 cup sour cream

Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat olive oil and butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Season chops on both sides with Lawry's & black pepper. Add chops to skillet and brown on both sides (approximately 5-7 mins per side).

In a medium sauce pan, add cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and skim milk. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Once pork chops are browned, place them in a greased 9x9 glass baking pan. Cover the chops with the soup mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 1 -1 1/2 hours, until pork chops are tender.

Benchiladas

2010-06-13T19:13:00.001-04:00

BENCHILADAS

Thanks to Annie for this fabulous recipe. It was incredibly easy to put together and was a big crowd pleaser! I'll be putting this recipe into regular rotation.

Cheesy Chicken "Benchiladas" (Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. reduced fat sour cream
8 oz. Ranch salad dressing
flour tortillas (10-15) - we like Azteca, packs of 10
jar of salsa
shredded mexican cheese (I usually use close to 4 cups, I love cheese!)

Directions:

Cook chicken breasts by preferred cooking method until cooked through. Set aside to cool a bit.

While chicken is cooling, mix up the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine half of the sour cream and half of the Ranch dressing. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the sour cream and Ranch dressing. Stir both until well combined. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and add to the large mixing bowl. Mix well with sauce.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 9 x 13" pan (and possibly another, smaller pan if needed). Take one tortilla and top with a little less than 1 tbsp. of the sauce from the small bowl. Spread over the tortilla in an even layer. Add some of the chicken mixture to the center of the tortilla. Top with salsa to taste. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, to taste. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients (usually makes 10-15 enchiladas).

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (30 for a crispier tortilla). Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

**I boiled my chicken breast in 4 cups of chicken broth for about 25 mins and then chopped it up after it was cooled**

Strawberry Bread

2010-05-24T20:02:00.001-04:00

STRAWBERRY BREAD

This has officially become my FAVORITE bread. I took a loaf over my parent's house last night and they feel the same way! This is a must try! You can find the recipe here. Her pictures are much better than mine!

Strawberry Bread
Vintage Victuals

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups strawberries, chopped (frozen strawberries work too!)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix the strawberries with the 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until the juices start flowing!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease well two 8×5-inch loaf pans. Combine first 5 ingredients in large mixing bowl; make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except strawberries), stirring just until combined.

Gently fold in the strawberries with their juices. Divide evenly between the prepared loaf pans, and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove to racks.

Note: this recipe also makes great muffins. Fill muffin cups almost full and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Creamy Shrimp Over Brown Rice

2010-05-24T19:56:00.002-04:00

CREAMY SHRIMP OVER BROWN RICE

This recipe is a twist on the Creamy Shrimp & Grits recipe I found on With a Cherry on Top. The recipe was a huge hit with my husband. Would definitely make it again!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. Shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 Lemon

1/4 Tsp. Lawry's Seasoning Salt

2 slices Bacon, chopped

1 Sm. Onion, chopped

1/2 Red Bell Pepper, cliced

1 cup Fresh Baby Spinach, chopped

3 cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 cup Scallions, sliced

2 Tbsp. Flour

14.5 ounce can of Chicken Broth

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Prepare rice, following directions on package.

In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp with the juice of the lemon and 1/4 tsp Lawry's; stir and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned. Add in the onions and red peppers; continue cooking until onions become translucent and peppers are tender. Stir in the garlic and scallions and let cook up for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the chicken broth, salt, pepper, spinach and cook until thickened (about 5-10 minutes).

Once the gravy has thickened, add in the shrimp and cook until pink (about 3-5 minutes).

Spoon the rice into a large shallow bowl and top with shrimp mixture; serve immediately.

Spaghetti with Sausage and Simple Tomato Sauce

2010-05-18T11:28:00.001-04:00

SPAGHETTI WITH SAUSAGE AND SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE

So delicious! Great weeknight meal. I added some red bell pepper and spinach.

Spaghetti with Sausage and Simple Tomato Sauce (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage links
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat broiler.

2. Arrange sausage on a small baking sheet. Broil sausage 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pan from oven (do not turn broiler off). Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil sausage slices 2 minutes or until browned.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

4. Place tomatoes in a food processor; process until almost smooth. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper and minced garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, and salt; cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick. Add sausage and cooked pasta to pan; toss well. Top with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Easy Pumpkin Waffles

2009-11-07T12:51:00.004-05:00

EASY PUMPKIN WAFFLES

So delicious! We really enjoyed these!

PUMPKIN WAFFLES

Yield: 4 servings (approximately 8 waffles)

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/3 cup Hungry Jack Original Pancake & Waffle Mix

1/2 cup Libby's 100% pure pumpkin

1 1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon ginger

DIRECTIONS:

Heat waffle iron and grease, if needed.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir ingredients until well blended. Pour 1/3 cup of batter onto center of hot waffle iron. Close lid of waffle iron.

Cook about 4-6 minutes or until steaming stops. Carefully remove waffle.

Enjoy!

Rio Grande Meat Loaf

2009-11-02T08:47:00.000-05:00

RIO GRANDE MEAT LOAF

Matt asked for Southwest meat loaf for dinner last night. I ended up finding this recipe on Cooking Light and it was perfect. The meat loaf was so moist and full of flavor! We'll definitely be making this again!

RIO GRANDE MEAT LOAF
(Cooking Light)

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 slices)
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 taco shells, finely crushed (about 1 1/2 ounces)
2 egg whites
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 pounds ground round
Vegetable cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375°. Combine first 12 ingredients in a large bowl, and stir well. Crumble beef over vegetable mixture, and stir just until blended.

Pack mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until meat loaf registers 160°. Let meat loaf stand in pan 10 minutes.

Remove meat loaf from pan; cut loaf into 16 slices. Serve with commercial salsa, if desired.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 234 (29% from fat), Fat: 7.5g (sat 2.3g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.9g) , Protein: 28.9g, Carbohydrate: 11.6g, Fiber: 1.9g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Iron: 4.1mg, Sodium: 483mg, Calcium: 31mg

Cooking Light, MARCH 1996

Corn and Smoked Mozzarella Mashed Potatoes

2009-11-02T08:16:00.001-05:00

CORN AND SMOKE MOZZARELLA MASHED POTATOES

These potatoes were absolutely delicious. The addition of the smoky mozzarella was amazing! This was the perfect side for our Rio Grane Meat Loaf! Highly recommended!

CORN AND SMOKED MOZZARELLA MASHED POTATOES
(Cooking Light)

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

INGREDIENTS:
Cooking Spray
3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
2 1/2 pounds red potatoes, quartered
3/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add corn; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

Place potato in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until tender.

Drain and return potato to pan. Add milk, cheese, and butter; mash to desired consistency. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Add corn, cilantro, and remaining ingredients, stirring to combine.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 240 (27% from fat), Fat:7.2g (sat 4.1g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.6g), Protein:7.2g, Carbohydrate:39.7g, Fiber:4g, Cholesterol:19mg, Iron:1.5mg, Sodium: 325mg, Calcium:77mg

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2002

White Bean Chicken Chili

2009-10-25T18:50:00.006-04:00

WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI

I'm so glad I finally made this recipe. This is the first time I've ever made a white chili and now I'm hooked. So, so tasty and easy to put together. I followed Annie's recipe exactly. I highly recommend this dish. You'll love it! Be sure to check out Annie's Eats, as she has amazing recipes. Thanks, Annie!

WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI
(Annie's Eats)

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ -inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. oil
2 (15.5 oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
½ cup whipping cream
fresh cilantro and paprika, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chiles and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; let simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream and whipping cream. Sprinkle with paprika and top with fresh cilantro for garnish, if desired.

Barley and Beef Soup

2009-02-25T20:59:00.006-05:00

BARLEY AND BEEF SOUP

I made this soup on Sunday. It was so, so good and made great leftovers.

BARLEY AND BEEF SOUP
(Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
1 pound chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups chopped peeled carrot (about 4)
1 cup chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
5 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves

DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chopped onion and beef to pan; cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender and beef is browned, stirring occasionally. Add chopped carrot and chopped celery to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in barley and remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until the barley is done and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaves.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 275, Fat: 5g (sat 1.6g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.5g), Protein: 21.8g, Carbohydrate: 36g, Fiber: 8g, Cholesterol: 43mg, Iron: 3.1mg, Sodium: 649mg, Calcium: 57mg

Curried Beef and Lentil Stew

2009-02-25T20:46:00.003-05:00

CURRIED BEEF AND LENTIL STEW

It's been a while. Things have been so hectic around the house and work has been keeping me busy. Weight Watchers is going great! I'm sooo close to goal! YAY!

Anyway, on to the recipe. This is another Cooking Light recipe. This was a great weeknight dinner. The flavor was great and it was super easy to put together.

CURRIED LAMB AND LENTIL STEW

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pounds lean boned leg of lamb (I used beef stew meat)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3/4 cup lentils
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
3 1/2 cups chopped collards or spinach (1/4 pound) (I omitted)
1/2 cup diced carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Trim fat from lamb, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Set lamb aside.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add onion, celery, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add lamb; sauté 5 minutes or until browned. Add curry, cumin, and pepper; stir well to coat. Add broth, lentils, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add greens and carrot; simmer 10 minutes or until lamb is tender. Remove from heat; stir in chopped cilantro. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Note: The purchase weight of lamb is 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 pounds to equal 1 pound, trimmed.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 309 (26% from fat), Fat: 8.8g (sat 2.2g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.9g), Protein: 33.7g, Carbohydrate: 25g, Fiber: 5.7g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Iron: 6.9mg, Sodium: 311mg, Calcium:
115mg

**NUTRITIONAL INFO IS FOR THE ORIGINAL RECIPE AND DOES NOT INCLUDE MY CHANGES**

Rosemary-Merlot Flank Steak

2008-10-21T21:15:00.006-04:00

ROSEMARY-MERLOT FLANK STEAK

I had seen flank steak on sale at the meat market, so I decided to give it a try. It was such a nice change from our typical chicken dishes! Good stuff!

As far as an update on my weight loss, I am on Week 15 and down 21.75. I have to say that these Cooking Light recipes really make it easy for me to stick to the program. I have yet to have a bad meal and they don't taste light at all!

ROSEMARY-MERLOT FLANK STEAK - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup low-salt beef broth
3/4 cup Merlot or other dry red wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat grill or broiler.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator 20 minutes, turning once. Remove steak from bag, reserving marinade.

Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices; keep warm.

While steak cooks, combine reserved marinade, tomato paste, and mustard in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 7 minutes). Serve the sauce with steak.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 203 (39% from fat), Fat: 8.8g (sat 3.6g,mono 3.5g,poly 0.5g) Protein: 23.8g, Carbohydrate: 6.1g, Fiber: 1.1g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Iron: 2.7mg, Sodium: 445mg, Calcium: 32mg

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

2008-10-08T19:54:00.006-04:00

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BREAD

So, I decided to make a couple loaves of pumpkin bread to take into work. With doing Weight Watchers I don't make too many sweets. Having them around usually leads to me eating them, so I just don't tempt myself like that. Anyway, I took a loaf and Matt took a loaf. Everyone loved it. When I got home, Matt had only taken 3/4 of his loaf and saved some for us. I was so happy because I was dying to try it. This is seriously my favorite pumpkin bread. It's so moist, sweet and incredibly tasty. It's the perfect fall recipe.

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BREAD - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups sugar (I only used 1.5 cups)
2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup fat-free vanilla pudding (I used fat-free vanilla yogurt)
4 large egg whites
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 152 (30% from fat), Fat: 5g (sat 1.2g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.1g), Protein: 2g, Carbohydrate: 26.5g, Fiber: 1.1g, Cholesterol: 0.0mg, Iron: 1mg, Sodium: 137mg Calcium: 10mg

Mexican Lasagna

2008-10-05T20:31:00.006-04:00

MEXICAN LASAGNA

I couldn't think of anything to make today, so I turned to Matt. He first asked me to make lasagna. Then he asked if I could make a Mexican lasagna. I remembered seeing this recipe on Pioneer Woman's site and decided today would be the perfect day to whip this up.

We both LOVED this. The flavor was on point and it tasted like something you'd get at a fancy restaurant! Best part is, we'll have plenty of leftovers for a few days! I'm not complaining! I halved the recipe and baked it in my deep ceramic lasagna pan.

MEXICAN LASAGNA
(adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups unprepared rice
3-4 cups chicken broth
2-4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, pressed
1 can black beans, undrained
taco seasoning (or chili powder, paprika and cumin)
1 ½ lb. ground sirloin
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa verde
8-12 small flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
8 oz. enchilada sauce
1 can corn, drained
sour cream and cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the rice according to package directions with chicken broth in place of the water. In a large skillet, melt a half tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic to the pan and sauté until onion is tender. Add in chili powder (approx. 1 ½ tablespoons), paprika and cumin (approx. ¾ tablespoon of each), to taste. Stir to combine. Add the can of beans and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add cooked rice. Stir to mix well.

In the now empty skillet, brown the ground sirloin. Mix with chili powder (approx. 1 ½ tablespoons), paprika and cumin (approx. ¾ tablespoon of each) and salt to taste, as well as 2 oz. of water to create the taco beef.

To assemble the lasagna, pour half of the jar of salsa verde in an even layer over the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer evenly with flour tortillas to cover. Spread approximately half of the rice mixture evenly over the tortillas. Sprinkle with a layer of shredded Mexican cheese. Add another layer of flour tortillas. Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Spread taco beef evenly over the enchilada sauce. Layer one can of corn over the beef. Top with the remaining rice mixture in an even layer. Spread the remaining salsa verde evenly over the rice, and sprinkle with a layer of shredded cheese to finish.

Bake at 375° for 25-35 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and begins to brown a bit. Allow to sit 10 minutes before serving. Top individual servings with sour cream and fresh cilantro, for garnish.

Barbecued Pork Chops

2008-10-01T19:37:00.009-04:00

BARBECUED PORK CHOPS

I'm always looking for new ways to cook up pork chops. This recipe is now my ABSOLUTE favorite. The BBQ sauce is so tangy and flavorful and the dry rub on the chops is so yummy! So, yeah, I'll be making this quite often. Maybe, one day, I can get a better picture. This one isn't very good!!

I doubled the sauce and doubled the rub. I used most of the rub, but not all of it.

BARBECUED PORK CHOPS - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:

Sauce:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

Remaining ingredients:
6 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick) (I used 4 boneless center cut chops)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare grill or broiler.

To prepare sauce, combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Place 1/4 cup sauce in a small bowl, and set aside.

Trim fat from pork. Combine the thyme, garlic salt, and pepper; sprinkle over pork. Place pork on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 6 minutes on each side, basting with remaining sauce. Serve pork chops with reserved 1/4 cup sauce.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 244 (42% from fat), Fat: 11.3g (sat 3.9g,mono 5g,poly 1.4g), Protein: 24.6g, Carbohydrate: 9.9g, Fiber: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Iron: 1.5mg, Sodium: 649mg, Calcium: 22mg

**NUTRITIONAL INFO IS FOR THE ORIGINAL RECIPE AND DOES NOT INCLUDE MY CHANGES**

Spicy Jalapeño Corn Bread

2008-09-29T15:26:00.006-04:00

SPICY JALAPENO CORN BREAD

This was my first attempt at corn bread and it turned out excellent. It went perfectly with the chili. Yum ... you must try this!!!

Spicy Jalapeño Corn Bread - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups stone-ground cornmeal
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeño peppers
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Place a 9-inch cast-iron skillet coated with cooking spray in oven 5 minutes or until heated (I used a 9 inch pie plate).

3. Combine cornmeal, corn, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, cheese, jalapeños, butter, honey, oil, and eggs in a small bowl; add to cornmeal mixture. Stir just until combined. Spoon mixture into preheated pan. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut into 12 wedges.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 138 (33% from fat), Fat: 5.1g (sat 1.9g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.6g)
Protein: 4.7g, Carbohydrate: 19.5g, Fiber: 2.9g, Cholesterol: 43mg, Iron: 0.8mg, Sodium: 263mg, Calcium: 68mg,

Springfield Chilli

2008-09-29T15:19:00.007-04:00

SPRINGFIELD CHILLI / CHILI

Per Cooking Light, the Illinois version of chili is typically spelled with an extra "l," so don't think I didn't use spell check!

This was so, so good. All the flavors went perfectly together. This has to be the best chili I have ever made!! I was very impressed!

Springfield Chilli - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
1 bacon slice, finely chopped
2 1/4 cups finely chopped onion, divided (about 2 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound coarsely ground turkey breast
1/2 pound coarsely ground sirloin
1 (12-ounce) can beer (such as Budweiser)
3 tablespoons chili powder (I used an extra 1/2 T)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I doubled)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (I doubled)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (I added an extra can of kidney beans)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Oyster crackers (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in 2 cups onion; cover and cook until onion is tender (about 5 minutes). Uncover and stir in garlic; cook for 1 minute.

2. Increase heat to medium-high; add turkey and sirloin to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add beer; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup (about 7 minutes). Stir in chili powder and next 5 ingredients (through tomato sauce). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in beans; cook 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle 1 cup chili into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with 4 teaspoons cheese and 2 teaspoons onion. Serve with crackers, if desired.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 278 (25% from fat), Fat: 7.7g (sat 3.4g,mono 2.2g,poly 0.6g), Protein: 33.1g, Carbohydrate: 20.3g, Fiber: 4.5g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Iron: 3.2mg, Sodium: 623mg, Calcium: 123mg

(Nutritional information is for the recipe made as printed. It does not include my changes.)

Healthy Pumpkin Raisin Muffins

2008-09-29T15:14:00.005-04:00

HEALTHY PUMPKIN RAISIN MUFFINS

I love, love pumpkin and was so excited to see this recipe on Elly's blog. Not only are these muffins incredibly tasty, they are healthy too! I followed the recipe exactly and will definitely make these again!

Healthy Pumpkin Raisin Muffins - (Elly)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ginger

1 egg

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or vegetable/canola oil, if you're not calorie counting)

1 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup low fat buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Sift together flours, baking powder and soda, salt and spices.

In a separate bowl, beat egg with brown sugar until well combined. Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, applesauce and pumpkin puree.

Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in nuts and raisins.
Pour mixture into muffin cups and bake approximately 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Nutrition Info, per muffin: Calories: 143 / Fat: 3g / Carbs: 27g / Dietary Fiber: 2.4g / Sugar: 2.2g / Protein: 3.8g

Crispy Yogurt Chicken

2008-09-24T21:28:00.007-04:00

CRISPY YOGURT CHICKEN

I have seen so many people make this recipe lately, so I finally decided to do it. Matt loves breaded chicken and garlic so I knew this would be a hit! The chicken turned out super crispy and tasted fabulous! This dish is making its way into our regular rotation!

CRISPY YOGURT CHICKEN
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
6 ounces plain, unflavored yogurt
5 garlic cloves, pressed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt & pepper, to taste
2 cups of panko bread crumbs (approximately)
cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 365 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up) and place a rack/cooling rack on top of it. Spray the rack with cooking spray.

In a large Ziploc bag, add the yogurt, pressed garlic, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake/squeeze it to combine. Add the chicken breasts to the bag, re-seal and shake the bag to coat the chicken. Put the chicken in the fridge and let it marinate for 20-30 mins (you could also skip this step).

In a shallow dish, combine the panko, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to your tastes . Carefully dip the chicken breasts into the panko mixture to coat. Place the chicken on the rack and spray the top with cooking spray. Bake about 20-30 minutes or until done.

Roasted Garlic Zucchini

2008-09-21T18:38:00.004-04:00

ROASTED GARLIC ZUCCHINI

I'm always looking for tasty ways to get in our veggies. This is a recipe I use on my broccoli, but I decided to give it a try with zucchini. It turned out excellent.

ROASTED GARLIC ZUCCHINI

INGREDIENTS:
2 large zucchini
lots of sliced garlic (I use 5-8 cloves, depending on their size)
lemon pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)
a couple swirls of olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Clean the zucchini. Chop off the ends and discard them. Chop the zucchini into thin slices. Slice the garlic. Place the sliced garlic and zucchini on a baking sheet and add the remaining ingredients. Toss to coat.

Roast in the oven for approximately 15 mins, or until cooked through.

Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork Roast

2008-09-21T18:30:00.002-04:00

SLOW COOKER CHAR SIU PORK ROAST

I had a great WI at Weight Watchers. I hit 20.5 pounds this weekend. Everything is going so well! Therefore, I will continue to make these fabulous Cooking Light recipes to keep me on track.

This was a perfect meal to make today. I woke up with a headache and didn't feel like doing much. So, I threw this together and popped it in the slow cooker. It was so, so good.

I served the sauce on the side. I didn't add much to my serving, but you can definitely add more, or even toss the pork in the sauce at the end. I served this with rice and roasted zucchini. YUM!

SLOW COOKER CHAR SIU PORK ROAST (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce (I didn't have hoisin on hand, so I used chili garlic sauce instead.)
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
2 pounds boneless Boston butt pork roast, trimmed (I used a pork loin roast. It was leaner.)
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:
Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.
Place pork and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (I only cooked mine for 4 hours and 45 mins on low and it was perfect!).

Remove pork from slow cooker using a slotted spoon; place on a cutting board or work surface. Cover with aluminum foil; keep warm.

Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 227 (38% from fat), Fat: 9.5g (sat 3.1g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.1g), Protein: 21.6g, Carbohydrate: 12.7g, Fiber: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Iron: 1.7mg, Sodium: 561mg, Calcium:
30mg

Turkey Meatballs

2008-09-17T21:01:00.010-04:00

TURKEY MEATBALLS

I decided to make some of Cooking Light's turkey meatballs and serve them along with a jar of Kroger brand Extra Tomato Spaghetti Sauce (the best eva). This was a super good dinner. Definitely low calorie and something we will be making again. The best part about the meatball (outside of the deliciousness) was how perfectly round they were. I've never made meatballs like that! It was odd to me that this recipe didn't call for onions, but it packed plenty of flavor. Yum!

TURKEY MEATBALLS (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds ground round (I used ground turkey)
1/4 cup finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a bowl; stir well. Shape mixture into 30 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until done.

Yield
30 meatballs (serving size: 5 meatballs)

Nutritional Information
Calories: 228 (35% from fat), Fat: 8.8g (sat 3.4g,mono 3.5g,poly 0.5g), Protein:
27.4g, Carbohydrate: 8.2g, Fiber: 0.8g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Iron: 3.4mg, Sodium: 70mg, Calcium: 95mg

(The nutritional information is based on the original recipe without my change of ground turkey)

Chicken Stew with White Beans and Spinach

2008-09-15T20:16:00.006-04:00

CHICKEN STEW WITH WHITE BEANS AND SPINACH

This is my most favorite, favorite stew. I have already made it so many times. I have no idea why I haven't blogged about it yet. I mean, it's one of my favorite weeknight dishes.

Anyway, credit goes to Elly for this recipe. It's one of her many recipes that have gotten rave reviews in my house. This recipe was so good that Matt was mad that I didn't double it. Be sure to check out Elly's blog for more fabulous dishes. She's got tons of them!!!

I follow this recipe exactly most of the time. However, sometimes I can't find chicken thighs in the grocery store, so I use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead. Either work great. I usually cut the chicken up in chunks too.

CHICKEN STEW WITH WHITE BEANS AND SPINACH
(Elly - Elly Says Opa)

INGREDIENTS:
2-3 slices bacon, chopped
4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. oregano
1 can cannellini or other white beans, drained
2 cups fresh spinach
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saute pan with lid, cook the bacon until it has rendered its fat. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off the bacon fat until about 1 Tbsp. remains in the pan.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and sear it in the bacon fat, to brown, on both sides. Remove from pan.

Add the onions and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and once the garlic becomes fragrant, stir in the tomato paste. Cook approximately one minute.

Add the wine to the pan to deglaze. Cook for about 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back in the pan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash about 1/3 of the can of beans with a fork or the back of a wooden spoon--not into a paste, but just breaking up some of the beans (this will make the texture of the final product better). After the chicken has simmered 15 minutes, add the whole beans and the mashed beans into the pan. Cover, simmering an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Add back in the bacon and the spinach. Cook just until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information per serving (for 2 servings; based on sparkrecipes.com): Calories: 490 / Fat: 10.9g / Saturated Fat: 3.2g / Carbs: 44.7g / Dietary Fiber: 10.1g / Protein: 44.5g

(We can usually get 3-4 servings out of this, so adjust the nutritional information accordingly)

Low-Fat Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

2008-09-07T20:10:00.008-04:00

LOW-FAT PUMPKIN OATMEAL COOKIES

Okay, so this is my 10th week on Weight Watchers. I weighed in yesterday and I'm down 17.25 pounds so far! I'm so excited. Then, to top that, I ran my first 5K today. I've ran the distance a few times on the treadmill and was running it in 38:00. Then I practiced outside with my friend, Jenny, and we were running a 5K in about 34:00-35:00. Well, today at our first official race, I ran my 5K in 29:52 and Jenny ran hers in 29:51! WOW! I can't believe I came in under 30:00. I never saw that coming!

Now, on to the recipe! I had a major sweet tooth today and picked up some canned pumpkin at the store. I searched online and came across this recipe. It turned out really good and hit the spot. The cookies are really dense, so they are filling. They aren't super sweet, but they have great flavor and for a low-fat sweet treat, these are perfect. Best part is, the cookies are only 1 WW point each! Can't beat that!

LOW-FAT PUMPKIN OATMEAL COOKIES (Michelle Jones)

INGREDIENTS:
1 c. pumpkin
2 egg whites, whipped
1 c. brown sugar, packed (I used half brown and half granulated)
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
3 c. rolled oats
1 c. raisins (I omitted)

DIRECTIONS:
Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine pumpkin and egg whites. In a separate bowl combine sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, oats, and raisins (batter will be very dry at first). Mix ingredients together just until moistened.

Drop cookies by tablespoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet, 2" apart. You can leave the cookies in the shape of a ball (the baked cookie will still be a ball) or flatten them out with the bottom of a glass before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Makes 30 cookies

Nutritional Information Per Cookie: Calories 81.8 / Fat 0.6 / Fiber 1.5

Italian-Style Meatloaf

2008-09-03T16:58:00.007-04:00

ITALIAN-STYLE MEATLOAF

First off, it's really, really hard to take a nice picture of meatloaf. So, sorry for the picture! Now, lets talk about this recipe. Another fabulous Cooking Light recipe. YUM! I don't like meatloaf. Well, I *thought* I didn't like meatloaf! This recipe totally changed my mind. This was packed with flavor and was so easy to put together. This will make great sandwiches too!

ITALIAN-STYLE MEAT LOAF - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pounds 92% lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 cup fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce, divided

1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 large egg whites

Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine beef, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. Shape beef mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray (I put mine in a loaf pan). Brush remaining 1/2 cup pasta sauce over top of meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut loaf into 12 slices.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 2 slices)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 263(42% from fat); FAT 12.1g (sat 5.7g,mono 4.7g,poly 0.6g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 175mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.9g; SODIUM 859mg; PROTEIN 27.8g; FIBER 1.4g

**This nutritional information is for the original recipe. It does not reflect my substitution of ground turkey.**

Chicken Shawarma

2008-09-01T18:21:00.006-04:00

CHICKEN SHAWARMA

This is BY FAR the BEST Cooking Light recipe I have made and it's finally making its way to my blog. I've made this 3 different times. It's so good that we eat it so fast and I forget to take pictures!! The flavor is so, so good. If you love garlic, you'll love this. This is a must make. You won't be sorry ... and it's WW friendly!

CHICKEN SHAWARMA - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken:

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced (I used a couple extra)

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 16 (3-inch) strips

Sauce:

1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt (such as Fage)

2 tablespoons tahini

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced (I used a couple extra)

Remaining ingredients:

Cooking spray

4 (6-inch) pitas

1 cup chopped romaine lettuce

8 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices

Sliced onions (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

3. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients (through 1 garlic clove), stirring with a whisk.

4. Thread 2 chicken strips onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. (I broiled my chicken for about 15 mins)

5. Place pitas on grill rack; grill 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted (I put the pitas in the toaster oven for a few mins). Place 1 pita on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup lettuce and 2 tomato slices. Top each serving with 4 chicken pieces; drizzle each serving with 2 tablespoons sauce.

Yield
4 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 384(23% from fat); FAT 9.8g (sat 2.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.7g); IRON 4.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 64mg; CALCIUM 106mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40g; SODIUM 821mg; PROTEIN 34.4g; FIBER 2.5g

Teriyaki Pork and Vegetables with Noodles

2008-08-27T16:34:00.009-04:00

TERIYAKI PORK AND VEGETABLES WITH NOODLES

Like I said in an earlier post, I am following Weight Watchers, so you'll be seeing a lot of lighter, healthier dishes. Over the weekend, I was thumbing through my old Cooking Light magazines and found this recipe. It sounded so good and I was really looking forward to trying it.

Boy am I glad I did. The flavor was so nice and light and it was a nice change from the typical chicken dishes I've been making. We'll definitely be having this again!

Teriyaki Pork and Vegetables with Noodles

Cooking Light

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti (I used whole wheat pasta)
4 green onions
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper (I used a whole pepper)
3 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick), cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 (3 1/2-ounce) package shiitake mushrooms, sliced (I used 4 mushrooms)
1/3 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
4 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid; keep warm.

Remove green tops from green onions; thinly slice, and set aside. Mince white portions of green onions; set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced green onions, bell pepper, pork, and mushrooms; sauté 3 minutes or until pork is browned. Combine reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid (I omitted), teriyaki sauce, and chili garlic sauce in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pasta and teriyaki sauce mixture to pan; toss well to coat. Stir in sliced green onion tops.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: about 1 3/4 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 444(27% from fat); FAT 13.5g (sat 4.1g,mono 4.6g,poly 2.7g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 40mg; CARBOHYDRATE 51.9g; SODIUM 633mg; PROTEIN 26.3g; FIBER 3.1g

Parmesan Chicken and Rice

2008-08-21T09:55:00.007-04:00

PARMESAN CHICKEN & RICE

I'm still following Weight Watchers and coming along great! Since going back to meetings on June 28, I am down 13 pounds! Cooking Light has become my new favorite site for recipes. It's great because they calculate the nutritional information for you, so all I have to do is calculate the points. Easy!

This dish turned out great. It had really good flavor, it only required one pot and I had all of the ingredients on hand. This will definitely make it into our regular rotation.

Parmesan Chicken & Rice - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 (8-ounce) package pre-sliced mushrooms (I only sliced up 3 mushrooms)

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup uncooked instant rice

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese (I only used 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned. Add wine, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Stir in cheese and parsley.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 395(18% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 2.8g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.8g); IRON 4.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 171mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.4g; SODIUM 656mg; PROTEIN 29.9g; FIBER 2g

Spicy Peanut Chicken

2008-07-28T09:55:00.009-04:00

SPICY PEANUT CHICKEN

I've really been concentrating on eating better and exercising! In an effort to keep up with our new healthy lifestyle, I am trying to change over to more healthy dishes.

I found this recipe in my latest issue of Cooking Light. When I read the recipe, it stood out. It's rare that you find recipes that you have all of the ingredients already in your pantry.

This dish was so, so good! It was packed with flavor and the chicken was so tender. The recipe makes a good amount and we'll have leftovers for a day or two! Gotta love that!

SPICY PEANUT CHICKEN
(Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon peanut oil (we used Canola oil)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (we used a heaping tsp)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
3 cups chopped plum tomato (about 6 tomatoes) (we used canned diced tomatoes)
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
8 cups hot cooked brown rice
3/4 cup 2% Greek-style yogurt (such as Fage) (we omitted)

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring frequently. Stir in peanut butter and next 5 ingredients (through tomato paste); cook 1 minute. Add tomato and broth to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Serve chicken mixture over rice; top each serving with yogurt.

Yield 12 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup chicken mixture, 2/3 cup brown rice, and 1 tablespoon yogurt)

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 340(20% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 1.6g,mono 3.1g,poly 2.2g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 59mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38g; SODIUM 523mg; PROTEIN 30g; FIBER 4.6g

Barefoot Bloggers: Pasta, Pesto & Peas

2008-06-12T12:14:00.004-04:00

PASTA, PESTO & PEAS

This was my first Barefoot Bloggers post. How exciting!! Barefoot Bloggers is an event dedicated to Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. This group is perfect for me because Matt & I both love Ina.

This recipe was chosen by Elizabeth of Ugg Smell Food. The pasta turned out delicious. I halved the recipe, as it makes a TON. I didn't end up making my own pesto, but I will next time for sure. My recipe, with changes, is below. Be sure to check out Barefoot Bloggers to see the results and check out Food Network for Ina's original recipe!

PASTA, PESTO & PEAS

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil (I omitted)
1 1/2 cups pesto, packaged or see recipe below
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise (I omitted)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignolis, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

PESTO:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes:
Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Yield: 4 cups

Shish Taouk

2008-06-02T10:58:00.009-04:00

SHISH TAOUK

Thanks to Katie for this great recipe. I made dinner for the family yesterday and these kabobs were perfect. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so I has to take a de-skewered picture after I got home. Regardless, YUM! They were a big hit! I tripled the recipe!

I served these with salad, hummus, pita bread, kibbee and rice pilaf. Stay tuned for kibbee recipe. It was soooo good!

Recipe from: Good Things Catered ~ Katie

INGREDIENTS:
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded evenly and cut into 2 in pieces
1 large red pepper
1 large yellow pepper (I used green instead)
1 large sweet onion (I used a combo of red and sweet onion)
2 large zucchini (I omitted)
1/3 c. olive oil, divided
1 lemon, juiced
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 c. yogurt
3 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 Tbsp za'atar
1 Tbsp paprika
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons black pepper, divided

DIRECTIONS:
In large bowl combine 1/4 c. oil, lemon juice, tomato paste, yogurt, garlic, za'atar, paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 1/2 tsp pepper.

Stir to combine thoroughly and add chicken pieces.

Coat chicken pieces evenly with marinade and place into fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 10.

Preheat grill on high while you make skewers.

Wash, prep and cut peppers, onion and zucchini into 1 1/2 - 2 inch pieces.

Place cut vegetables in a large bowl and coat with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Take chicken out of fridge and out of marinade onto paper towel lined plate.

Pat some excess marinade off chicken (not all) and thread onto skewer.

Thread peppers, onion, and zucchini between pieces of chicken.

Repeat until all ingredients are made into skewers.

Turn grill down to medium and place skewers on grill racks.

Cook until nice grill marks are obtained and flip.

Repeat on other side and turn the heat down to low to finish cooking.

When chicken has reached proper internal temperature (no longer pink) remove from grill and place on plate tented with foil for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Spicy Garlic Roasted Broccoli

2008-05-28T21:05:00.006-04:00

SPICY GARLIC ROASTED BROCCOLI

This is ladychicago's famous broccoli recipe. It is, honestly, the only way to eat your broccoli. The flavor is amazing. Be prepared to fight for the garlic slices leftover in the pan! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
2 large broccoli florets
olive oil
4-5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (or more, or less)
crushed red pepper, to taste (optional, but recommended)
salt, to taste
lemon pepper (or black pepper), to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Clean the broccoli by rinsing with cold water. Next, trim the base of the stem. Cut the broccoli into large chunks and place on a baking sheet.

Coat the broccoli with olive oil. Add the garlic slices, crushed red pepper, salt and lemon pepper. Toss to coat.

Bake for 15-20 mins, or until the garlic begins to lightly brown.

Creamy, Tender Pork Chops!

2008-05-28T10:30:00.009-04:00

CREAMY, TENDER, PORK CHOPS

I made these today and I will say they were the best pork chops I've had in a long, long time. I will definitely be making these again. I could barely pull the chops out of the slow cooker in one piece. They were so tender! Yum!

INGREDIENTS:
4 thick center cut pork chops
1/2 cup flour
salt & pepper, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 3/4 ounce can cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup
1/2 soup can of water
1/2 soup can of dry white wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
Trim excess fat from chops, rinse with water and pat dry. Spray slow cooker insert with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine flour, salt, pepper, dry mustard powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge pork chops in flour mixture.

Heat olive oil in skillet. Brown chops on both sides. Place chops in slow cooker.

Combine soup, white wine, water and lemon juice. Pour over chops.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours. If you do not have a slow cooker, you can also bake these at 350 degrees for 1.5-2 hours. Be sure to coat your baking dish with nonstick spray.

Blackened Chicken

2008-05-01T20:51:00.004-04:00

BLACKENED CHICKEN

I love blackened chicken. I've been making this a lot lately ... like 3 times this week. Not only is it healthy, it's tasty and easy to throw together. I found the original spice recipe on Allrecipes and have changed it to suit our taste.

INGREDIENTS:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded thin)
Salt, to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a small baking dish with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

Rinse the chicken breasts under cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Once combined, rub the spice mixture on both sides of the chicken. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-30 mins, or until no longer pink and the juices run clear.

Lemon Pasta

2008-05-01T20:31:00.005-04:00

LEMON PASTA

I had seen this recipe on Brooke's blog today and just had to try it. The 'original' version of this recipe comes from Lovestoeat.

I made a few changes to the original recipe and it turned out delicious. Such a light, flavorful dish that went great with our blackened chicken. We'll definitely be making this again!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 box whole wheat thin spaghetti

2/3 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1-2 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/4 cup Pecorino Romano

Crushed red pepper, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Whisk all other ingredients together. Toss pasta with the lemon sauce and serve immediately.

Pepper Steak

2008-04-17T19:58:00.003-04:00

PEPPER STEAK

So, I had bought some sirloin tips on sale over the weekend and thought this would be the perfect recipe to use them in ... and it WAS! This was soooo good! Believe it or not, I've never had pepper steak, so I relied on Matt to tell me if this tasted like it was supposed to and he was very impressed.

I found this recipe on Food Network and altered it a tad. My recipe with adaptations is below. For the original recipes, be sure to follow my link over to Food Network/Rachael Ray.

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pounds tenderloin tips or sirloin, cut into chunks
Coarse salt

1 red bell peppers, seeded, 2 inch dice

1/2 white onion, sliced

1 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup dry sherry

3/4 cups low sodium beef broth

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to really hot pan. Dry meat with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Add meat to pan and sear on all sides, 5 minutes. Remove meat to a plate and cover meat loosely with foil to hold heat.

Reduce heat on pan to medium. Add remaining vegetable oil. Add peppers and a little onion. Saute peppers and onions 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook 1 minute longer. Whisk in sherry and start to pick up pan drippings. Whisk in beef broth and continue whisking. Add tomato paste, black pepper, garlic powder and crushed red pepper. Slide meat back into the pan and coat with sauce. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until meat is tender.

Serve with rice.

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

2008-04-13T19:08:00.008-04:00

THE BEST BABY BACK RIBS

Honestly, I've never thought to make ribs because we don't have a grill . . . damn condo association. However, when I was at the meat market today, the baby back ribs were on sale for $2.99/pound, so I figured what the heck.

After searching online, I found a recipe on Epicurious. These ribs turned out so, so good. They were very tender and falling off of the bone. If you follow the dry rub exactly, these will be very spicy, which we LOVED! Enjoy!

The Best Baby Back Ribs - Epicurious

INGREDIENTS:
1 rack of pork baby back ribs (mine was a little over 2 pounds)
BBQ Sauce to taste (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)

Dry rub:
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon or less of cayenne pepper (unless you like it HOT)
1 tablespoon chili powder

DIRECTIONS:
Mix the dry rub ingredients in a bowl.

On the back of the ribs will be a very thin but very tough membrane that you must remove. You can't really see it well, but trust me that it's there. I usually use a knife to pry up a corner of the membrane, then I just pull it down the entire length of the ribs. Sometimes it tears and you have to try a few times, but you definitely don't want to skip this step unless you want to deal with the membrane while you're EATING.

Once the membrane is removed, put the dry rub all over the ribs (both sides) and rub it in. The meat will take on some of the colors in the dry rub and look a little reddish. Wrap the ribs in some heavy duty tin foil and let them hang out in the fridge til you're ready to cook them.

Cook the ribs:
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

Place the ribs wrapped securely in tin foil onto a cookie sheet (sometimes juice/fat can escape the tin foil) and place them in the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 hours.

Pull them out and open the tin foil completely. At this point you can brush some BBQ sauce on them, or leave them the way they are. Crank up the heat to 350 and put the ribs back in the oven with the tin foil open. After half an hour, they're done!

Cheesy Stuffed Crust Pizza

2008-04-02T20:40:00.006-04:00

STUFFED CRUST PIZZA

Yes, it's true. I'm a sucker for good advertisement. Lately, all I have been seeing are Pizza Hut commercials for their stuffed crust pizza. Well, I had Monday off and searched for a recipe I could handle. I saw this one and decided to give it a whirl.

This turned out really good. Next time, I may search for a different dough recipe. This one was a tad too sweet for my liking. I'd also cut the cornmeal in half. There was a bit too much. Other

STUFFED CRUST PIZZA
(Food Network)

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
1/4 cup warm water
4 tablespoons sugar
1 package dry yeast
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
3 tablespoons cornmeal, plus more for the pan
1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces mozzarella
Olive oil, for coating bowl

Topping:
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce
1/2 cup canned stewed tomatoes, strained and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (we used red bell pepper)
1/4 pound sliced pepperoni (we used turkey pepperoni)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F

To make the crust: Stir the water, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and the yeast together in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, add the butter, and stir until melted.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, remaining sugar, egg, milk mixture, yeast mixture, and salt until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, adding flour as needed if dough is sticky, about 10 minutes. Clean the bowl and coat it generously with olive oil. Form the dough into a ball, put it in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch the dough down and let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the mozzarella into sticks about 3 by 3/4 by 3/4-inches. Sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal. Place the dough on the baking sheet and stretch it into a 15-inch circle.

Arrange the mozzarella sticks around the dough about 1-inch in from the edge, then roll the dough over the cheese to form the stuffed rim.

To make the topping: Stir the sugar into the marinara sauce and spread onto the pizza dough. Scatter with the stewed tomatoes, then the mozzarella. Add the onions, mushrooms, and pepperoni. Sprinkle with basil and oregano.

Bake until crust is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Ground Turkey Pasta Bake

2008-03-27T09:56:00.007-04:00

GROUND TURKEY PASTA BAKE

This was so quick and easy. I wanted to throw something together with what we had in the house. This worked out great and it was so tasty. I served it with a tossed salad. YUM!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound of ground turkey
2 cups macaroni noodles, uncooked
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2 cup white wine
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tablespoon Italian breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8x8 baking dish.

Cook pasta as directed.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium/medium-high heat. Add onions, ground turkey and cook until browned. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 20 mins. Remove bay leaf. Add Pecorino Romano and stir.

Add cooked pasta to sauce and stir to coat. Pour pasta mixture into the greased baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese melts, about 10 to 15 mins.

Black & White Cupcakes

2008-03-19T20:42:00.004-04:00

BLACK AND WHITE CUPCAKES

This recipe is originally from Buttercup Bakes at Home, but I had seen the recipe on Bake or Break. I altered the recipe, as I didn't have chocolate chips and used reduced fat cream cheese. The changes I made actually reduced the cooking time to 16-20 mins.

I actually was very happy with the way this recipe turned out. It had the perfect amount of sweetness and the perfect amout of richness. These will be perfect to take into the office tomorrow.

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips (I omitted)
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Beat cream cheese, egg, and 1/3 cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center, and add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix just until blended.

Fill each muffin cup one-third full with the chocolate batter. Top with a spoonful of cream cheese mixture, until cups are about two-thirds full. Bake 16 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 24 cupcakes.

Creamy Orzo

2008-03-18T21:57:00.006-04:00

CREAMY ORZO

YUM! This was so good! I'll definitely make it again. I didn't add the peas, but ended up serving them as a side. Matt picked out the tomatoes, WHATEVER! I loved it, so that's all that matters!

P.S. I halved this recipe and it still made a TON!

Creamy Orzo
(Food Network - Giada)

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices drained
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 cup frozen peas, thawed (I omitted)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes (I added)
Parsley (I added)

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a heavy large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, and serve.

Pork Milanese

2008-03-18T21:41:00.009-04:00

PORK MILANESE

I had some pork chops thawing out in the fridge and went on a mad-search for a new pork chop recipe. This recipe was very good ... not overly healthy, but good. The pork chops were very moist and the crust was delicious.

Pork Milanese
(Food Network - Giada)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
2 large eggs
4 boneless pork loin chops, pounded thin to 1/3 inch-thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Coarsely crush the panko into a large shallow bowl. Stir the cheese into the panko. Lightly beat the eggs in another large shallow bowl. Sprinkle the pork generously with salt and pepper. Dip the pork, 1 piece at a time, in the egg, allowing the excess to drip off, then dredge the pork in the crumb mixture, patting to coat completely. Place the pork on a small baking sheet.

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then transfer them to a clean baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven.

TCHO

2008-03-18T20:47:00.005-04:00

TCHO ~ CHOCOLATEY

So, yesterday, the package arrived. As soon as I opened the mailbox, I knew exactly what it was. To be 100% honest, it was Ally's blog that led me to Blake Makes ... more specifically, her cute little cheesecakes with PBDDL. So, thanks, Ally!

Blake had an awesome TCHO giveaway last week and I was lucky enough to be one of the 50-something to win!

Now, on to the goodness ... this was the best dark chocolate I've ever had. HONESTLY! I had planned on using it creatively in a baked good, but couldn't resist and ate it as-is!

The packaging was super cute. So cute, that I didn't even want to open it!

Thanks so much TCHO and Blake. I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to sample such a great product. I can't wait to get my hands on some more!

Mujadarah - Lentils & Rice

2008-03-16T19:30:00.008-04:00

MUJADARAH

This is one of my favorite Lebanese family recipes. Basically, it's rice, lentils, onions and spices. This is such an inexpensive dinner to put together, makes great leftovers and tastes so good! This goes great with pita bread (see recipe below), hummus and a nice side salad.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cup lentils, rinsed
2 cups instant rice
3 large onions, finely sliced
4 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon cumin
salt and pepper
1/2 cup oil (I use Canola)

DIRECTIONS:
In a deep frying pan, add oil and finely sliced onions. Cook over medium-high heat. Try not to stir too often, as this slows down the browning process. At first it may appear you have a ton of onions but, trust me, they cook down a lot. Fry onions until dark brown, but not burnt.

onions before ...

and after ...

Meanwhile, in a large pot, combine lentils, water and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until lentils are half way cooked.

Add rice and cumin. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, stirring often. Once the water is absorbed, remove from heat.

When the onions are dark brown, add to the rice/lentil mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2008-03-16T19:16:00.005-04:00

ROASTED RED PEPPER HUMMUS

This was a nice change to the typical hummus we have. Next time, I'll add an extra clove of garlic but, other than that, this was very good! I followed the recipe almost exactly. The only things I changed was that I streamed in a little olive oil to get the hummus to a consistency that we liked and I roasted the red pepper under the broiler. My changes are bolded below.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

(Food Network - Robin Miller)

INGREDIENTS:

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained

1 cup sauteed red peppers (I roasted 1 red pepper)

1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 to 4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (I used dried)

Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your broiler and then broil the red pepper for a couple minutes, turning it once the skin has blistered and blackened. After all sides of the pepper look charred, remove it from the broiler and put it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to let the pepper cool.

When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel the skin off (it should come off easily at this point) and slice it.

Rinse and drain 1 can of the chickpeas. Place drained chickpeas in a blender and add red peppers, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin. Process until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with parsley.

Pita Bread

2008-03-16T18:52:00.007-04:00

LEBANESE PITA BREAD

Thanks to Ally for sharing this recipe and her helpful tips today. I've finally conquered my first baking experience that involved yeast. These were very easy to make and tasted soooo good. Just like the bread at a local Lebanese establishment! I can't wait to use the rest of the bread for sandwiches and maybe some pita pizzas! YUM!

We will definitely be making these again!!

Lebanese Pita Bread
(fabulousfoods.com)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups warm water (no warmer than 110 degrees)
1 tablespoon yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
Place 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl and sprinkle yeast and sugar over the water. Stir to blend and let sit until dissolved.

Place flour, salt and oil in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast mixture and remaining water and beat (preferable with a heavy duty electric mixer) until flour is completely integrated. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed -- about 5-8 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl and oil top of dough lightly. Cover with a warm kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubles in size, about 1 1/4 hours.

Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead to remove the air bubbles. Roll into a log and divide dough evenly into 12 pieces. Pat each piece of dough into a ball, them use a rolling pin to flatten into discs about 1/4 inch thick and 6 inches in diameter.

Place discs on a lightly greased baking sheet and let rise, uncovered, until barely doubled in thickness, about 30-45 minutes.Preheat oven to 500° F. and place oven rack in lowest position.Bake the bread, one pan at a time, until puffed and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool breads on a wire rack.

Banana Cookies with Chocolate Chips

2008-03-15T14:47:00.006-04:00

BANANA COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS

I was standing in the kitchen starting at some ripe bananas today. I almost decided to make some banana bread, but then I remembered that I had seen a recipe the other day for banana cookies. This recipe is from Simply Recipes, one of my favorite sites to visit. These cookies were so good ... such yummy, cakey banana goodness! I highly recommend them!

Be sure to check out Simply Recipes for more great recipes!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup of mashed bananas (about 2 ½ large bananas)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 cups of flour
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground mace or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 cup of pecans (walnuts and chocolate chips are fine alternatives)

DIRECTIONS:
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

2 In a bowl, mix the mashed bananas and baking soda. Let sit for 2 minutes. The baking soda will react with the acid in the bananas which in turn will give the cookies their lift and rise.

3 Mix the banana mixture into the butter mixture. Mix together the flour, salt, and spices and sift into the butter and banana mixture and mix until just combined.

4 Fold into the batter the pecans or chocolate chips if using. Drop in dollops onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool on wire racks.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Chicken Francese

2008-03-14T18:56:00.008-04:00

CHICKEN FRANCESE

I had to try this recipe after Ally raved about it. Oh my, this was so good! Most definitely a pan-licker! Matt and I both really loved this dish. It really hit the spot! I followed Ally's recipe exactly. The only thing I didn't do was halve my breasts horizontally, so Ally's are much thinner. The breasts I was dealing with were oddly shaped, so halving them would've been nearly impossible. This recipe originates from Cooks Illustrated's website.

Be sure to check out Ally's page for this and other great recipes. She has a bunch!

INGREDIENTS:
SAUCE:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small onion, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/3 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Table salt and ground black pepper

CHICKEN:
1 cup all-purpose flour
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced
fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack on a foil-lined, trimmed baking sheet and place sheet in oven.

2.FOR THE SAUCE: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour and stir until light golden brown, about 1 minute. Whisk in wine, lemon juice, and broth; increase heat to high and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Lower heat to medium-high and cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain sauce through mesh strainer, return to saucepan, and set aside.

3. FOR THE CHICKEN: Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk eggs and milk until combined. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Using tongs and working with 2 cutlets at a time, coat cutlets in seasoned flour; shake off excess flour. Transfer cutlets to egg mixture; coat evenly and let excess run off. Return cutlets to seasoned flour; coat evenly and shake off excess flour.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, place 4 cutlets in skillet. Cook until well browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip cutlets and continue to cook until lightly browned on second sides, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer chicken to wire rack in oven. After transferring chicken to oven, wipe out skillet with paper towels.

5. TO FINISH SAUCE AND SERVE: Transfer sauce to now-empty skillet and set over low heat; cook until sauce is heated through, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove baking sheet with chicken from oven; transfer 4 cutlets to skillet, turn to coat with sauce, then transfer each serving (2 cutlets) to individual plates. Spoon 2 tablespoons additional sauce over each serving and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, passing extra sauce separately.

Cornmeal Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Poblano and Cheddar

2008-03-12T18:00:00.007-04:00

CORNMEAL CRUSTED CHICKEN STUFFED WITH POBLANO AND CHEDDAR

Another fabulous recipe from Elly. This was perfect. Matt loves crunchy, coated chicken. When Matt first looked at it, he was trying to figure out what was in the center. When I told him it was poblano pepper, he was excited because he loves peppers!!

This chicken had such great flavor and was so easy to make. We will definitely be making it again!

INGREDIENTS:
2 chicken breast halves
1 poblano pepper
1/3 cup shredded or sliced sharp cheddar
1 egg, beaten and mixed with a Tbsp of water (buttermilk would also be great here)
1/3 cup cornmeal
salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your broiler and then broil the poblano for a couple minutes, turning it once the skin has blistered and blackened. After all sides of the pepper look charred, remove it from the broiler and put it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to let the pepper cool.

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up) and place a rack/cooling rack on top of it. Spray the rack with cooking spray.

When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel the skin off (it should come off easily at this point) and dice the poblano. Slit a pocket into the chicken breasts. Stuff the pocket with the diced poblano and cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

Combine the cornmeal with salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper to your tastes. Carefully dip the chicken breasts into the egg wash, and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture.

Place the chicken on the rack and spray the top with cooking oil. Bake about 20 minutes or until done, turning once in the middle of cooking.

The best beans ever!

2008-03-12T17:48:00.004-04:00

BEST BEANS EVER!

Thanks to Elly for this recipe. I could have literally sat and ate the entire thing. These were so good and Matt said they were the best beans he's ever had. I didn't have black beans on hand, so I used Great Northern Beans and they turned out excellent!

INGREDIENTS:

olive oil or canola oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or Great Northern Beans)

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/2 cup chicken broth

squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil to a shimmer. Stir in the onions and cook until tender. Add garlic and tomato paste and saute an additional minute. Add half the beans and mash them slightly, with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher.

Add remaining beans, chicken broth, bay leaf, cumin, chili powder and oregano. Simmer 15 minutes. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top.

This really, really made my day!

2008-03-12T14:30:00.009-04:00

How sweet of Melissa to pick me for the "You Make My Day" Award. It was totally unexpected and absolutely appreciated.

Melissa has some great recipes on her blog. Oh, she also has the cutest daughter EVER! So, thanks again, Melissa. You made my day!

I'm now sending this over to some people who have made my day!

Katie, Melissa, Carrie, Erika, Ashley and Sarah ...

Cheesy Sausage Lasagna

2008-03-09T21:04:00.006-04:00

CHEESY SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Lasagna is one of my favorite things to make. It's relatively easy and leaves us with some great leftovers.

This turned out so well. The recipe is very versatile. Sometimes I use 1/2 ground sirloin and 1/2 sausage, or all ground sirloin and sometimes I even use ground turkey. The possibilities are endless!

INGREDIENTS:
1 package no-boil lasagna noodles
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
6 ounces fresh spinach
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 15-ounce ricotta cheese
4 cups of shredded mozzarella, divided
2 eggs
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano
2 jars Kroger brand - Extra Tomato Spaghetti Sauce (or your favorite brand/flavor)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a 13x9x3 pan with non-stick spray.

Place onions and sausage in a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Cook until the sausage browns. Remove skillet from heat and drain grease. Return skillet to heat and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, add spinach and cover, stirring occasionally until the spinach wilts, 5-7 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

In a medium sized bowl, beat the 2 eggs. Add the ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese and Pecorino Romano. Stir until combined.

Layer as follows:

Add 1 cup of spaghetti sauce to the bottom of your 13x9 pan

1 layer of lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 of the sausage mixture, 1 cup sauce

1 layer of lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1 cup mozzarella, 1 1/2 cup sauce

1 layer of lasagna noodles, 1/3 of ricotta mixture, remainder of sausage mixture, 1 cup sauce

1 layer of lasagna noodles, 1 cup sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese

Cover with foil and bake for 60 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Spinach Pies!

2008-03-09T20:24:00.009-04:00

SPINACH PIES

I have been wanting to make spinach pies for the longest time, but the thought of using phyllo dough scared me. I'm so glad I came across Elly's recipe. She used puff pastry instead of phyllo dough. As soon as I saw this, I knew I had to try it.

Definitely check out Elly's blog for her original recipe...an authentic Greek version!

The recipe below is my take on spinach pies from my favorite local Lebanese Deli, Emily's. These little pies turned out so well. Matt was very impressed and I'm sure they'll be gone in no time!!

INGREDIENTS:
a little olive oil
9-ounce bag of fresh spinach
1/4 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 egg
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper
pepper 1 box (2 sheets) puff pastry dough, thawed

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375.

In a large skillet, heat a little bit of olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions and saute until tender. Stir in the spinach and then turn off the heat. The spinach will start to wilt down, but not much.

Toast the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan to toss the pine nuts until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, roll the puff pastry dough into a square, making it slightly thinner and then cut each sheet into 9 equal squares by making 2 horizontal cuts and 2 vertical cuts.

To the spinach mixture (you can move it to a bowl if you like), add the feta, lemon juice, pine nuts and salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon about 1-2 Tbsp. of the spinach mixture in each puff pastry square. Brush the sides of the square with a little water and then bring 2 opposite sides together to form a triangle. Press with your fingers to seal. Place on a baking sheet. Beat the egg and then brush the tops of the triangles with the egg. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Sausage, Pepper & Onion Subs

2008-03-06T19:12:00.014-05:00

SAUSAGE, PEPPER & ONION SUBS

I really am a huge fan of Giada's. I have had such great luck with her recipes. Tonight I made her Sausage, Peppers & Onions and served it on fresh bakery sub buns! YUM! This was easy and so flavorful. Also a bonus, we have enough leftovers for tomorrow. Can't complain about that!!! This is so, so good and would even be tasty with pasta!

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage (I used sweet Italian sausage)
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional (we used a heaping tsp!)
Mozzarella cheese, optional (we put a slice on each sub)
4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls, optional

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Serve in bowls. Or, if serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.

Swedish Turkey Meatballs

2008-03-04T21:24:00.002-05:00

I love ground turkey and I’m always on the hunt for new, good recipes to try. I found this recipe on Food Network and I’m so glad I tried it. Matt and I really enjoyed this dish and will definitely be making it again.

Be sure to check out the link to the original recipe. The recipe below includes all of the changes I made.

INGREDIENTS:

For the meatballs:
Vegtable Oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup bread crumbs

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 pounds ground turkey

For pan sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 cup medium-dry sherry

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup half-and-half

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 bay leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

For the meatballs:

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Set onions aside to cool and wipe skillet clean.In a large mixing bowl combine the cooled onions with remaining meatball ingredients. Form the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. Heat 2-3 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides.

For the pan sauce:

Set meatballs aside. Add the butter to the pan and melt. Add the sherry and chicken stock, to deglaze the pan. Whisk in the instant flour and cook until sauce thickens. Add the half-and-half, Worcestershire and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, whisking often until thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add meatballs back to the pan, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Discard bay leaves before serving.

Shrimp Scampi

2008-02-12T21:08:00.000-05:00

SHRIMP SCAMPI

What a great dinner! I haven't had shrimp in forever. With my picky husband, shrimp is the closest thing I can get to fish.

This was my first Emeril recipe and I was very impressed. We'll definitely be making this again. My changes are bolded below.

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

1 small onion, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup shrimp stock, recipe follows (I used chicken stock)

2 tablespoons cold butter 2 tablespoons

chopped parsley leaves (I used dried parsley)

Lemon slices, for garnish

Rice, as accompaniment (I used 1 box of linguine)

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the linguine as directed.

Season the shrimp thoroughly with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add enough oil to lightly coat the pan. Add the shrimp and quickly saute until just starting to turn pink, but not cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onions and saute just until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, white wine, and stock, and reduce by 2/3, about 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp back to the pan and swirl in the butter. Finish with the parsley and check for seasoning. Toss everything together and top with Parmesan cheese.

Spicy Lentils with Sausage

2008-02-12T20:39:00.000-05:00

SPICY LENTILS WITH SAUSAGE

I found this recipe in the Detroit News a while back. Once I saw it, I knew I had to try it. It's so hearty and flavorful. Plus, with Lent rolling around, you can omit the sausage and have a tasty vegetarian dish. Definitely give it a try. It's the perfect weeknight meal.

I used the steamed lentils from Trader Joe's to save on time. I highly recommend these. They are sooo good!!!

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup red and/or yellow peppers, finely chopped
1 14-ounce can peeled diced tomatoes
1 cup V-8
2 cups prepared lentils
1 small can of diced green chiles
Pinch of dried basil
Crushed red pepper to taste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 pound sausage (chicken or pork), browned and sliced (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook the sausage as directed. Slice and set aside.

Prepare lentils, as directed.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and add the onions, garlic and peppers. Sauté until soft. Add the tomatoes and V-8. Stir well, cover and simmer for 20 mins.

Add cooked lentils, seasonings, chiles, cooked sausage and heat thoroughly.

Serve in shallow soup bowls. You can top with goat cheese or Parmesan cheese. YUM!!

Braised Lentils with Spinach

2008-02-05T19:32:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe on Elly's blog and I highly recommend it. It's such a flavorful, easy way to prepare lentils!

I will definitely be making this again!

BRAISED LENTILS WITH SPINACH

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup brown lentils

1 bay leaf

2 tsp. olive oil

1 sprig thyme or a pinch of dried

1 small carrot, diced

1 small piece celery, diced

1/2 small onion, diced

4-5 mushrooms, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup fresh spinach, shredded or chopped

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Place lentils and bay leaf in a small pan and pour cold water in the pan so that it reaches about 3" above the lentils. Cook at a rolling boil until lentils are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over moderate heat and add olive oil and thyme. Saute the onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms until tender.

Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add lentils and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced enough to coat lentils--a couple minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce

2008-02-05T19:14:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe on one of my new favorite blogs to read - Simply Recipes. This recipe originates from the New York Times Sunday Magazine.

As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I'm always looking for new ways to cook up pork chops. I ended up using boneless center cut pork chops, as we prefer thinner chops. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly.

This recipe turned out perfectly and the sauce was absolutely delicious. I will definitely make it again!

PORK CHOPS WITH DIJON SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 center-cut rib or loin pork chops, bone in (preferred), about 1 1/4
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions or shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1 Melt the butter in the oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and brown them, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Reduce heat slightly if the chops brown too quickly.

2 Remove chops from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Add the green onions or shallots and cook on med high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and return chops to the pan. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until chops are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

3 Remove the chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Raise the temp of the pan to boil the pan juices, reduce the juices by half, about 2 minutes. Add cream and boil 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces and thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in mustard and parsley. If you want, add more mustard to taste. Spoon sauce over chops and serve.

Serves 4.

Chicken Marsala

2008-02-03T22:28:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite ways to eat chicken. I found this recipe on Katie's blog and knew it had to be a good one. This turned out really, really great and I'll definitely make it again!

INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5-6 oz each), fat trimmed
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper
2 Tbsp oil
2 ½ oz. (about 3 slices) pancetta, cut into 1 by 1/8 in. pieces
8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced (about 2 c.)
1 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tsp tomato paste
1 ½ c. Marsala (I only like dry, the recipe calls for sweet)
1 ½ Tbsp juice from lemon
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:
-Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position on the over, place a heatproof plate on the rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees.

-Pat the chicken breasts dry.

-Place flour in a shallow baking dish or pie plate.

-Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

-Working with one at a time, coat both side of chicken with flour.

-Lift the breast from the tapered end and shake to remove excess flour and set aside.

-Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large 12-in heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

-Place the floured chicken in a single layer in the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

-Using tongs, turn the cutlets and cook on the second side until golden brown and the meat feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 5 min longer).

-Transfer chicken to the heated plate and return plate to the oven.

-Return the skillet to low heat and add the pancetta.

-Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits, until the pancetta is browned and crisp, about 4 min.

-With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain.

-Add the mushrooms to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high.

-Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom, until the liquid released by the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 min.

-Add the garlic, tomato paste, and cooked pancetta and cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 min.-Off the heat, add the Marsala.

-Return the pan to high heat and simmer vigorously, scraping browned bits from the pan bottom, until the sauce is slightly syrupy and reduced, about 5 min.

-Off the heat, add the lemon juice and accumulated juices from the chicken.

-Whisk in the butter, one Tbsp at a time, until incorporated.

-Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

-Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

2008-01-31T21:05:00.000-05:00

These are everything the title says they are. A seriously nice change from your every day soft, gooey chocolate chip cookie.

This recipe is from Cooks Illustrated and I followed it exactly!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda onto large sheet of parchment paper; set aside.

2. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and corn syrup at low speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Add yolk, milk, and vanilla; mix until fully incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute, scraping bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula as necessary. With mixer running on low speed, fold up 3 edges of parchment around dry ingredients to form a pouch (see illustrations below) and slowly shake dry ingredients into bowl; mix on low speed until just combined, about 2 minutes. Do not overbeat. Add chips and mix on low speed until distributed evenly throughout batter, about 5 seconds.

3. Leaving about 2 inches between each ball, scoop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets with 1 1/4-inch (1 tablespoon capacity) ice cream scoop. Bake 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are deep golden brown and flat, about 12 minutes.

4. Cool cookies on baking sheet 3 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and let sit until crisped and cooled to room temperature. (Can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 week.)

Chicken Enchiladas

2008-01-31T19:17:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I decided to make chicken enchiladas. I found this recipe on PC's blog. I've wanted to make these for such a long time, and tonight was the perfect night! For the original version of this recipe, you can find it on Cooks Illustrated.

They were very easy and tasted great! I will definitely make them again! Next time, I may make some extra sauce. That would be my only change!

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH RED CHILE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 tsp. vegetable oil

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. chili powder

3 tsp. ground cumin

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

3 tbsp. pickled jalapenos, chopped

1 fresh jalapeno, chopped

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas

Vegetable cooking spray

1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)

Salt

Ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the onion, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions have softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

2. Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the thickest part registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; set aside to cool. Strain the sauce through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on the onions to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces. Toss together the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup of the cheddar, the jalapeños, and cilantro, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40 to 60 seconds. Spread the warm tortillas out over a clean work surface. Place 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll each tortilla around the filling and lay them seam-side down in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

5. Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with vegetable oil spray. Pour 1 cup of the remaining sauce over the enchiladas to coat them thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar down the center of the enchiladas. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese browns, about 5 minutes longer. Serve, passing the remaining 1 cup sauce and the lime wedges separately.

Soutzoukakia (Greek Meatballs with Tomato Sauce)

2008-01-30T18:04:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Elly, again, for another great recipe! This was such an easy, flavorful dish! Matt dove in for seconds and even attempted to lick the pan clean. If only I could pronounce the name of it... ha ha

My changes below are bolded. For the original recipe, check it out on Elly's page.

Also, be sure to check out Elly's blog for more great recipes!

SOUTZOUKAKIA (Greek Meatballs with Tomato Sauce)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, finely minced or grated (reserve 2-3 Tbsp).
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 clove garlic, pressed (I used 2 cloves)
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley or 2 tsp. dried
1 egg
1-2 Tbsp. bread crumbs
olive oil
1 large (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 can water
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. cumin (I used 1 tsp.)
1 (good) pinch sugar
salt and pepper
corn starch slurry (I used 1 1/2 tsp. flour instead)
A splash of dry white wine

DIRECTIONS:
Mix together the beef, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, parsley, egg, pepper to taste and breadcrumbs. Form the mixture into elongated oval-shaped meatballs.

Heat olive oil in a pan and pan-fry the meatballs until they are browned on all sides (you don't have to cook them through). Remove. You can probably bake the meatballs instead if you want, but simmer the sauce longer and maybe use a little beef broth in place of the water to add some depth to the sauce.

To the pan, add the 2-3 Tbsp onion (and more oil if necessary) and cook until translucent. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, water, wine, bay leaf, cumin, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a low boil and add the meatballs. Simmer about 10-15 minutes.

Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

Pumpkin Bread

2008-01-29T20:38:00.000-05:00

This is my absolute favorite recipe for pumpkin bread! It's soooo good. I finally remembered to snap a picture this time, so I figured I'd update the blog.

Enjoy!

DOWNEAST MAINE PUMPKIN BREAD (Allrecipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil **
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar **
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.

Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

** I used 1/2 cup apple sauce & 1/2 cup vegetable oil

** I used 1 cup brown sugar & 2 cups white sugar

Turkey Muffins

2008-01-03T18:05:00.000-05:00

Here's the story with meatloaf. I don't like it! Well, I can eat it, but I would never request that someone make meatloaf. It's just not appealing to me. Matt, on the other hand, LOVES meatloaf. Whenever I ask what he'd like me to make, he usually asks for meatloaf.

Anyway, I came across this turkey muffin-meatloaf recipe today and decided to give it a whirl. I mean, it's basically mini-meatloaves, but so much better! Credit for this recipe goes to Luluk1102. I only made a few changes, based on what I had on hand.

Boy, were these meaty muffins sooooooo good! I ate 3 of them! Another plus is that they are relatively healthy. When I figured out the points, based on 12 muffins, they were about 2 Weight Watcher points each. Not too shabby! I will most definitely make these again. Another creative way to use turkey and throw a pretend mini-meatloaf into the mix!

My altered recipe is below!

MINI TURKEY MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground turkey

1 egg, beaten
1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for topping
1/2 red pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped
1/2 packet of Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
1 (heaping) teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400. Generously spray muffin pan with cooking spray.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix using hands until well blended. Using a large spoon, generously fill each muffin slot and sprinkle each muffin with additional Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a light crust has formed on each muffin.

(Makes 12 muffins)

Roasted Pepper & Onion Pasta Bake

2007-12-13T19:57:00.001-05:00

We'll call this a 'cleaning out the closet' meal. I had some chicken sausage in the freezer that I wanted to use up, so I put together this dish. It was so good and flavorful.

Roasted Pepper & Onion Pasta Bake

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb of elbow macaroni

1 green bell pepper, sliced in chunks

1/2 large red bell pepper, sliced in chunks

1 large onion, cut into chunks

4 garlic cloves

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

3 links chicken sausage w/ fennel

2 1/2 tablespoons Italian style tomato paste

1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, with juice

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the peppers and onion in a 9x13 baking dish. Coat the peppers, garlic and onions with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place uncovered baking dish in the oven and roast for 30-40 mins, or until done. Once done, mash the garlic.

Cook the chicken sausage in a pan. Once cooked, slice into half moons.

Cook the macaroni, as directed.

In a large bowl, combine the roasted vegtables, chicken sausage, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Once the macaroni is cooked, drain and add to the sausage mixture.

Coat a 9x9 pan with cooking spray. Pour the pasta mixture into the pan.

In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter.

Bake until the top is golden brown. About 20-30 mins.

Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes

2007-12-13T19:43:00.001-05:00

These made such a great side to some basic chicken we made the other night. We'll definitely make these again!

Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes

INGREDIENTS2 pounds red potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (I used 2 tablespoons)

DIRECTIONSPreheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place potatoes in an 8x8 inch baking dish.
In a small bowl combine melted butter, garlic, salt and lemon juice; pour over potatoes and stir to coat. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and parsley over potatoes.
Bake, covered, in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cookie Baking Extravaganza!

2007-12-13T19:19:00.001-05:00

Jen and I got together this past Saturday to whip up some cookies. Everything we made was delish. What's better than making cookies with your best friend? Eating them, of course!

Katie's Cookies! - Chocolate Chip

Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Beef Stroganoff

2007-12-04T22:11:00.000-05:00

This was a super easy dinner and was packed with flavor. I haven't had this in soooo long, so it really hit the spot.

I found this recipe on Allrecipes. My version with changes is below.

Enjoy!

BEEF STROGANOFF

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound sirloin steak
1 small cooking onion
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 ounces beef broth
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
1/2 (6 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons white wine

2 ounces light cream cheese
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Remove any fat from the sirloin and cut into strips. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium heat, coat with cooking spray and brown the beef strips quickly. Remove the beef from the pan. Add the onions and cook slowly for 3 to 5 minutes. Add beef back to pan.

Heat beef broth in a coffee mug in the microwave for 90 seconds. Stir the flour into the mug and mix. Add flour mixture and white wine to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Lower the heat and stir in mustard and worchestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30-45 mins. Be sure to stir often.

Five minutes before serving, stir in the mushrooms, sour cream and cream cheese. Heat briefly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over egg noodles.

(Serves 2-3)

Garlic Mashed Red Skin Potatoes

2007-12-04T21:57:00.000-05:00

What goes better with steak?? NOTHING!!!

Here's a little recipe I whipped up. The potatoes were soooo good and creamy.

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds red potatoes

3 cloves of fresh garlic

1 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

2 tablespoons sour cream

a splash of skim milk

1/2 a stick of butter

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and garlic. Cook until tender but still firm, 35-45 minutes. Drain.

Add in the remainder of the ingredients and mash with a potato masher or electric mixer.

(Serves 4)

Beef Tenderloin With Roasted Shallots

2007-12-04T21:33:00.000-05:00

We are such chicken and pork people. We never make steak, ever. I think it's mainly because we don't have a grill. There is nothing like grilled steak..until you have this steak!

Matt LOVED it, and so did I. I totally impressed myself and this really tasted like something you'd get at a fancy restaurant!

The original recipe is from Allrecipes. My altered recipe is below!

Enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound shallots, halved lengthwise and peeled
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvigon
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
4 beef tenderloin filets
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 slices bacon, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In 9 inch pie pan, toss shallots with oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until shallots are deep brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth and cab. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the volume is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste. Set aside.

Pat beef dry; sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. In a large roasting pan, set over medium heat on the stove top, saute bacon until golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Add beef to pan (I removed some of the bacon grease); brown on all sides over medium high heat, about 7 minutes.

Transfer pan to oven. Roast beef until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 125 degrees F (50 degrees C) for medium rare, about 25 minutes. Transfer beef to platter. Tent loosely with foil.

Bring broth mixture to a simmer. Mix 1 tablespoon melted butter and flour in small bowl to form smooth paste; whisk into broth mixture, and simmer until sauce thickens. Whisk in remaining butter. Stir in roasted shallots and reserved bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Return beef to the sauce and simmer for 5-10 mins, then serve!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2007-12-04T21:26:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from Elly. It was such a great soup. The only change I made was that I garnished it with cilantro. Other than that, I followed her recipe exactly!

Be sure to check out Elly's blog for other great recipes!

Mac & Cheese

2007-11-29T19:36:00.000-05:00

This is my favorite Macaroni & Cheese recipe, and I think it's because it's so classic and simple. This is a recipe that my friend, Jenny, gave to me a while back. I believe she may have found it in her Betty Crocker cookbook, but I'm not 100% sure.

The Mac & Cheese was so creamy and smooth and paired well with the Parm Pork Chops.

Enjoy!

MAC & CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces)

1 stick of butter cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 ounces) (we used extra sharp)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook macaroni as directed.While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted.

Drain macaroni. Gently stir into cheese sauce. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops

2007-11-29T19:24:00.000-05:00

Tonight I decided to use up the pork chops that were in the freezer. I've seen many raves about this particular recipe, so I thought it was time to give it a try!

This recipes is a Giada recipe and, as always, was great! The only change I'll make for next time is to cut the pork chops in half lengthwise, so that they are thinner. Matt and I are not huge fans of thick pork chops.

Enjoy!

PARMESAN-CRUSTED PORK CHOPS (Giada)

INGREDIENTS:

2 large eggs

1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs

3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan

4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 ounces)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side.

**After browning the chops, I transferred them to a baking dish and cooked them in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. This helped to crisp the crust and to ensure they were cooked through.**

Chicken with Lemon & Garlic

2007-11-29T11:47:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Ashley for her great pan sauce recommendation. This recipe is so versatile. My recipe it noted below.

This chicken was wonderful and easy to make. Matt really liked it, so we'll definitely be making it again!

My version didn't have much of a sauce because I dredged the chicken in flour. If you like it more saucy, just omit the dredging in this receipe.

Be sure to check out Ashley's blog for her version, which I'm sure is just as tasty!

CHICKEN WITH LEMON & GARLIC SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1lb chicken tenderloins
1/2-3/4 cup flour for dredging
1 small cooking onion, thinly sliced
3 large cloves of garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tablespoons parsley
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon butter
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dip chicken tenderloins in flour mixture to coat and shake off excess.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until done. Remove the chicken from pan and keep warm.

Add the onions to the pan and saute until tender (you may need to add an extra teaspoon of olive oil at this point). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the white wine and cook until it's reduced by half. Add the chicken broth, doing the same. Add the lemon juice, butter, parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes, flipping the chicken half way through.

Chicken Cacciatore

2007-11-13T20:07:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to make Chicken Cacc for a while, but couldn't seem to find the right recipe. So, I decided to combine what I like from a bunch of different recipes to come up with something spectacular.

This was such a great, healthy, easy dinner. I served the Chicken Cacciatore over rice pilaf with a side salad. It was very flavorful and filled us up! We even managed to have some leftovers for tomorrow, which is a plus! This recipe will be one of our regular weekday meals, for sure!

Enjoy!

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenderloins or breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/2 pound fresh white mushrooms, sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
3/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides. Once browned, transfer the chicken to a plate cover with foil and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and red pepper, cover and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and cook, uncovered until the mushrooms begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and juice, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and simmer for 10 minutes, covered.

Return the chicken tenderloins to the pan and cover. Simmer about 20 minutes longer or until the chicken is done.

Serve over rice pilaf or pasta.

Easy Rice Pilaf

2007-11-13T19:57:00.000-05:00

Here's my yummy recipe from Aunt Gail. Enjoy! Makes a great side for so many dishes!

EASY RICE PILAF

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups Minute Rice (white)

2-3 ounces Vermicelli pasta (or thin spaghetti)

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon allspice

DIRECTIONS:

Add butter to medium sauce pan and melt over medium/medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, break the Vermicelli (in small batches over the sauce pan) into 1/2 inch pieces and add to sauce pan. Cook the Vermicelli until golden brown, stirring often.

Once the Vermicelli is browned, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook until the Vermicelli is tender (4-6 mins). Once Vermicelli is tender, remove from heat.Add the Minute Rice, stir and cover for 10 mins. Once the liquid is absorbed, add the salt, pepper, cumin and allspice. Stir to combine.

Fluff with a fork and serve.

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Cake

2007-11-11T21:58:00.000-05:00

All I can say is YUM! This was sooooo good! I made 3 pans of this cake over the weekend. One for my brunch, one for my mom and dad and one for Matt & I. Matt is taking the rest of our pan to work tomorrow. It's time for it to go. I've had plenty!

This is another fabulous recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SOUR CREAM CAKE

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 eggs, separated
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
16 ounces sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda

12 ounces chocolate chips
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 1½ cups sugar, then mix in the egg yolks and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder together into a separate bowl. Alternately add sour cream and then dry ingredients into butter mixture. Beat eggs whites until stiff, then fold into batter. Mix last ½ cup sugar and cinnamon together in a separate, small dish.

In a greased 9″x13″ pan, pour in half of the cake batter. Sprinkle the top with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and half of the chocolate chips. Pour remaining batter on top, sprinkling the top with the remaining cinnamon-sugar and chocolate chips.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

2007-11-11T21:20:00.000-05:00

So, I was bouncing around on blogs looking for something to whip up and came across Smitten Kitchen. Let me just say . . . this blog is amazing! Not only did I stumble across this blog, taraandkyle06 recommended it when I was searching for something to bake for a brunch this weekend.

This was my first pastry-from-scratch attempt and it came out great! I couldn't resist and ended up eating some of this and gave the rest to my dad. So, needless to say, this didn't end up making it to the brunch today!!

This is such a fancy looking dish and would make a great appetizer for a party of some sort!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARAMELIZED ONION GALETTE

For the pastry:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

¼ cup sour cream

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup ice water

For the filling:

1 small butternut squash (about one pound)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar

¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

¾ cup grated fontina cheese

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

Make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Prepare squash: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a ½-inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on foil lined (for neatness sake) sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.

Caramelize onions: While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.

Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

Assemble galette: On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Turkeyballs!

2007-11-09T06:48:00.000-05:00

This is the second time I've made this, but the first time I've blogged it. I haven't made any repeater dishes lately. I've been on a kick of cooking as many different meals as I can. Nonetheless, I made an exception with this dish. It's so easy and flavorful.

To be quite honest, I've never been a huge meatball/meatloaf fan. This recipe, however, has changed my perspective on all things balls (you know what I mean!!). This is definitely a recipe to try. You'll be blown away with how incredibly good it is!

I served over pasta and used a store bought jar of spaghetti sauce.

My adaptation to Giada's recipe is below.

TURKEY MEATBALLS (Giada)

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons skim milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Romano
1 pound ground turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, add bread crumbs and milk. Mix until well combined. Mix in eggs and 1/2 cup Romano cheese. Mix well. Add turkey and gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into golf-size balls.

In a large skillet heat the oil over medium/medium high heat. When almost smoking, add the meatballs and, without moving or turning the meat, allow it to brown for about 4-8 minutes, covered. Turn meatballs and brown the other side. Continue to cook until all sides are golden brown.

Remove meatballs from pan and place on a paper towel covered plate, to help remove excess oil.

Add the spaghetti sauce to pan and add meatballs to the sauce, bring to a boil. Lower heat and allow meatballs to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Turn off heat and keep warm on stove. Be careful not to over-handle the meatballs since they are soft and fragile.

TIPS:

Be sure to make the meatballs as close to golf-ball sized as you can. The first time I made this, I made the meatballs larger and they were harder to work with.

When turning the meatballs to brown/cook, be very gentle. I recommend using a spoon, scraping under and lifting, to avoid breaking the meatballs. The larger the pan the better. A little extra room really helps when flipping the balls.

I covered the pan the entire time the meatballs were cooking.

Also, I found it easier to add the meatballs to the sauce vs. adding the sauce to the meatballs.

An apple a day...

2007-11-06T19:53:00.001-05:00

I've been on the hunt lately for a yummy apple cobbler receipe that didn't call for oats. Then, along came Katye's Blog. I followed the recipe closely and it came out great!! The topping is crunchy and sweet. It's literally to die for.

This would've been perfect with a big, fat scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. However, I opted for Cool Whip Lite. It worked, but ice cream would've been that much better.

APPLE CRISP (Kayte's Recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

8 tablespoons butter, melted

4 apples - peeled, cored and sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Gradually add in egg until mixture is crumbly. Layer apples in a lightly greased 8x8 cake pan. Cover the apples with the flour mixture and drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Thanks Kayte!

Lentil Soup with Beef

2007-11-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

This is such a hearty soup. Matt loves it because it's loaded with protein and fiber. The flavors are so wonderful and it's the perfect soup for those cold winter nights.

This is a Giada recipe. My adaptation of the recipe is below! The recipe makes a ton. If you're only serving a couple, I'd halve the recipe (unless you want to freeze some).

Enjoy!!!

LENTIL SOUP WITH BEEF

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

3 large celery stalks, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

6 (14-ounce) cans beef broth

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice

2 cups (about 11 ounces) lentils, rinsed

2/3 cup elbow macaroni

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add half of the beef and cook until brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, crushed red pepper and oregano to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Return the beef and any accumulated juices from the bowl to the pot. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juice. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer until the meat is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 30-45 mins. Add the lentils. Cover and continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Add the elbow macaroni during the last 15 mins of cooking. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Top with fresh Parmesan cheese!

Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lamb

2007-11-05T10:22:00.000-05:00

So, I took on the task of stuffed grape leaves this weekend. It was such a fun project. The actual task of stuffing the grape leaves was time consuming, but the end result was so worth the wait!

I used a combination of recipes and followed Katie's directions closely. This recipe made about 60 grape leaves. I thought we might have to freeze some, but they seem to be going quick! They make such a great healthy snack/meal!

The grape leaves passed the test. Matt loves them! I was worried since Matt was used to his family's grape leaves that mine might not be the same. However, they were perfect.

Enjoy!

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH LAMB

INGREDIENTS:

16 ounce jar of grape leaves

2 cups long grain white rice

1 lb. ground lamb or beef

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons allspice

5 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 1/4 cup lemon juice, for in pot

6 Tablespoons butter

8- 12 cups of water

4 Tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse grape leaves under water and separate. Lay grape leaves out to dry.

While grape leaves are drying, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small pan and saute onions until they are cooked through.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together lamb, rice, allspice, cinnamon, 5 tablespoons melted butter, lemon juice and cooked onion. Use your hands and mix until combined.

Begin stuffing grape leaves. Place 1/2 tablespoon of the rice mixture close to the bottom of the grape leave (where the stem was). Proceed to fold/roll like a burrito. Make sure to roll the grape leaves pretty tight so that they stay secure.

When you have finished stuffing and rolling the grape leaves, line the bottom of a stock pot with torn or broken grape leaves. Layer the grape leaves tightly in rows in the pot. When all of the stuffed grape leaves are layered, top with more torn or broken grape leaves. Place a flat plate on top of the grape leaves. Place a pitcher of water on top of the plate to hold it down.

Fill the pot with 8-12 cups of water, olive oil, salt and 1 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Make sure the liquid is just above the height of the grape leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 mins - 60 mins, or until done. (eat a stuffed grape leave to make sure they're done!) Use tongs to remove grape leaves from pot.

Peanut Butter Cookies

2007-10-31T22:04:00.000-04:00

Yep, it's Halloween. My husband's not home. No candy in the house. No trick-or-treaters.

Soooooo...I whipped up a batch of PB cookies. I found the recipe on Peabody's blog and halved it.

My halved recipe is below. It made approximately 2 dozen cookies.

Preheat oven to 350F.

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugars in a mixer on high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Beat for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs and vanilla, then add the peanut butter and mix well. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and mix just until the dough is smooth.

Using a small ice cream scoop(or a tablespoon) form the dough into ½ inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Flatten cookies with a fork. Bake just until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cookies cool about 5 minutes and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Chicken with Wild Mushroom and Balsamic Cream Sauce

2007-10-31T19:32:00.000-04:00

This is a recipe my friend Kristin found and made. After her rave reviews, I decided to give it a try. Kristin is such a great cook and always gives me great recommendations and tips.

This is a Rachael Ray recipe. For whatever reason, I don't usually make too many RR recipes. This recipe, however, is a keeper. It's so easy and has such great flavor. It's one of those recipe that tastes like it has been simmering on the stove all day!

CHICKEN WITH WILD MUSHROOM AND BALSAMIC CREAM SAUCE

(Rachael Ray)

Below is my adaptation of the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

Salt

1/2 pound orzo pasta

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenderloins

Pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 package of white mushrooms, chopped

3 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon thyme leaves, a couple of sprigs, chopped

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, eyeball it

3 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half, a couple turns of the pan

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add orzo pasta. Cook to al dente.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

Return the skillet to the heat, turn heat back a bit, and add the butter. Once the butter melts add the mushrooms and brown stirring occasionally for about 4 to 5 minutes. Once the mushrooms are brown season with salt and pepper then add the garlic, thyme and shallots. Cook stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes or until the shallots are wilted. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Whisk in the stock, balsamic vinegar and the cream. Turn the heat up to high and simmer for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Slice the chicken on an angle. Add the chicken back to the skillet to heat up, about 1 minute.

To serve, pile orzo on dinner plates and top with the sliced chicken and sauce.