Spinach Mushroom Chorizo Bites

I found this recipe and tried a few Friday's ago (for the regular neighbor Friday appetizer happy hour).  We all agreed it was good but needed a bit more - think bacon; sausage; spicy things.  I made it again tonight with some chorizo pieces.  It's better but I still think it could use a kick - maybe red pepper flakes?  Anyway, the recipe is a great base recipe for an appetizer and you can definitely spin it to be your own.

Ingredients: 
¾ all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
2 links of chorizo sausage, chopped into small pieces and cooked through
Pinch of salt
1 handful baby spinach, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup milk
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Marinara sauce for dipping

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin and set aside.
Break chorizo into bite sized pieces and saute in a medium size skillet.  When they are done, set aside on a plate covered with paper towels.  Reserve any oil left.  
Add mushrooms to the skillet and a pinch of salt and saute until mushrooms begin to release liquid, 2-3 minutes. Add spinach and garlic and saute for another 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted and garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, oregano, and parsley. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk and cheese then add to the flour mixture and stir gently just to combine. Stir in mushroom/spinach mixture then the chorizo. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray.  
Gently stir the batter. Divide evenly between the cups of the muffin tin. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until set and browned on top.
Serve warm with warm marinara.

Enjoy!!

Chorizo with Pasta, Mushrooms and Tomatoes

M had to go to work the night we served this so I wanted something pretty quick and easy to make so he could eat and get to work.  I found this recipe and decided to try it.  We altered it a bit but it turned out really well & there weren't any left overs!  B wanted chicken tenders with hers - I think the Chorizo was just a little too spicy for her.  But, all in all, this is a great weeknight meal!

Ingredients:
3/4 box of rigatoni (any pasta works)
1 pkg chorizo
3/4 pkg baby bella mushrooms
1- 8 oz can diced tomatoes (I used the ones with basil & oregano)
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

For the sauce (Michael made this up to add to what we already had):
1-2 tsp flour
1 tsp light cream
1 tsp skim milk

Directions:
Put a few tablespoons of water in a large skillet.  Add chorizo over medium high heat and cover.  Cook for about 10-12 minutes, turning chorizo a couple of times.  Take cover off pan & continue to cook chorizo for another 5-7 minutes.  Remove from pan and put on paper towels to absorb some of the grease.  Cut into bite size pieces and set aside

Boil pasta according to package instructions & drain

In a small pan, add some butter / margarine and saute the mushrooms until done

In a small bowl or cup, add flour, cream and milk and whisk to combine.

In the pan you cooked the chorizo, add tomatoes (along with the juice from the can), add in flour mixture and stir to combine.  Add in chorizo and mushrooms.

Combine pasta and chorizo mixture.  Top with a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Farro with Bacon, Mushrooms and Broccoli

I saw Farro for the first time at a work function and wondered what the heck it was!  I Google'd it and realized it's a grain...and since I usually love them, I thought I'd give it a try.  I found this recipe which called for spinach & shrimp to be added.  B doesn't love spinach so I subbed in broccoli for her.  We had shrimp as another part of our meal that night, so I didn't add the shrimp either.  Both the spinach and shrimp would have been great in the dish!  This is a versatile side and it's pretty easy / quick to do so it'd make a nice side dish even during the week!

Ingredients:
2 c Farro
6 slices of thick cut bacon, cooked and cut into smaller pieces.  Reserve 1 tbsp bacon drippings for later
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
10 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 c Broccoli crowns
1/4 c dry white wine (you can use chicken broth instead)
Kosher salt & cracked pepper

Directions:
Cook Farro according to package instructions & drain

Add 1 tbsp bacon drippings & 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute garlic, onions, oregano and crushed red pepper just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms. Cook 3 minutes or until softened slightly.Pour white wine (or chicken broth) over the top. Stir in broccoli. Cook just until crunchy, about 3 minutes

Mix farro and bacon into the mushroom / broccoli mixture. Mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.

 

Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms

This recipe has been requested by so many people after I put the picture on Facebook.  It is a pretty easy dinner but has great flavor!  Again, it's from the WW community recipe site.  We buy our chicken from Costco so it needs to be pounded pretty thin to make cooking it on the stove top easier.  As long as you get the chicken fairly thin and even, this turns out really nice!  I don't think this picture does the meal justice - sorry!!

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups fresh mushrooms (I use baby bella)
1/3 c chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried thyme

Directions:
In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil
In a medium bowl, mix vinegar, mustard and garlic.  Add chicken & turn to coat
Transfer chicken & marinade to the skillet.  Saute chicken until cooked, about 4-5 minutes per side (with the larger Costco chicken breasts).  Transfer chicken to a platter & keep warm.  (I put my oven on 200 degrees and put the plate in there to keep the chicken warm)
Heat remaining tsp olive oil in skillet.  Saute mushrooms for about 1 minute.  Add broth, thyme and remaining balsamic vinegar.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are cooked and have a deep brown color.
Serve chicken topped with mushrooms

4 points

Enjoy!

Pan Seared Chicken in a Mushroom Mustard Sauce

I'm always looking for different ways to make chicken because we have so much of it!  I saw 2 recipes that looked good and ended up making this one on Friday night.  It's an easy weeknight dinner (another plus in my book!) that tastes great!  I served M's and mine over brown rice and put B's with some white rice.  The original recipe calls for tarragon but I used thyme just because I prefer it.  I was skeptical about cooking the chicken on the stove top because we had the thicker Costco chicken breasts.  I was able to pound them pretty thin and it worked out just fine.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 4 small chicken breasts, pounded thin and seasoned with salt and pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium shallot, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, season the chicken with salt and pepper, add it to the pan and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side and set aside.

Add the oil and mushrooms and saute until browned on both sides, about 7-8 minutes

Add the shallot and saute for 1 minute.

Add the garlic and saute for half a minute.

Add the wine, deglaze the pan, add the chicken broth and cream, bring to a boil and let simmer until reduced by half, about 5-7 minutes.

Mix in the mustard and tarragon, season with salt and pepper, return the chicken to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Mushroom & Lemon Orzo "Risotto"

I was looking for a side dish to accompany my whole roasted chicken.  I found this recipe and thought it sounded good and slightly less time consuming than actual risotto.  I added about 1/2 cup of baby bella mushrooms to mine since I had some on hand.  The lemon and thyme make this dish so light and tasty!  This would be a great side for many dishes!

The recipe below is for 8 servings.  I cut the amounts substantially since I was only cooking for 2.  

The mushroom orzo - along with the chicken and broccolini

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
3/4 cup minced shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
6 cups boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (I used dried thyme & it was just fine)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
6 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

Directions:
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Sauté until shallots are tender, about 5 minutes. Add orzo; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in 6 cups boiling water and salt. Simmer uncovered until orzo is tender, liquid is absorbed, and risotto is creamy, stirring often, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in thyme and peel, then parsley.

Chicken with Mushrooms

I had boneless skinless chicken to use up and a baggie of various mushrooms.  I did a Google search and came across this one.  It was really easy to throw together and I think it tasted great!  I served it with broccoli and some buttered noodles (the "sauce" & mushrooms over the noodles was pretty yummy!).  An easy work night meal! 

Chicken with Mushrooms

Ingredients:

3 cups of mushrooms, sliced (I used baby bella and button mushrooms)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded
1 egg beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp butter (I used olive oil)
6 oz mozzarella cheese
3/4 c chicken broth

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place half the mushrooms in a 9x13 pan.
Dip chicken in egg then in bread crumb mixture
In a skillet, heat the butter (or oil) and brown the chicken on each side.  Put chicken in 9x13 pan.
Cover with other half of mushrooms; sprinkle on cheese and pour in chicken broth.
Cook for 30-35 minutes

Mushroom & Jalapeno "Poppers"

I was in the mood for mushrooms on Sunday so I decided to create a little appetizer.  They turned out pretty good but could use more "kick" next time.  I only used 1 jalapeno & I stripped the seeds from it.  I may include some seeds next time to give it a little more flavor. 

The measurements are estimates because I just eye-balled everything. 

Mushroom & Jalapeno "Poppers"

Ingredients
1-1/2 c diced mushrooms (I used baby bella & button mushrooms)
1 jalapeno (seeds & membranes removed), diced
1-2 tbsp butter (or margarine)
1/4 c shredded pepper jack cheese
1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese
8 wonton wrappers
Canola Oil for frying

Directions
In a medium pan, melt butter and add mushrooms & jalapeno.  Saute over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes (until water is out of mushrooms)

Add shredded cheese to pan but don't allow it to melt too much.  Stir to mix together.

I lightly moisten my wonton edges with a little water to help them "stick" together.  Assmble wontons with a little filling in each, fold into a triangle & press edges together to "seal".

Heat canola oil in larger pan over medium high heat.  Place wontons into oil and allow to brown on each side, approx 1 minute per side.

Place on a paper towel to allow oil to drain off & serve. 

Roasted Green Beans, Mushrooms & Walnuts

We hosted Steaksgiving IV last weekend.  I saw a recipe that had beans, mushrooms and walnuts and thought it sounded like it would compliment a steak well.  I think the dish would turn out better if done on the stove top instead of the oven because the mushrooms give off so much water.  Next time, I'd roast the walnuts then saute the mushrooms for a bit.  I'd add the beans to cook and then the walnuts just to get warm.  The flavors were good but I think it could be better on the stove.

Here are the beans ready to serve

Here is one platter of the bone in rib eyes that we had for Steaksgiving IV

Ingredients

8 oz. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
8 oz. cremini or button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
olive oil cooking spray or mister
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. truffle oil (you can omit this if you don't have it on hand)

InstructionsPreheat oven to 400 degrees.
Toss green beans, mushrooms, and walnuts together on a rimmed baking sheet. Spray with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven and stir in truffle oil, if using.

Turkey, Mushroom & Spinach Lasagna

I had this recipe tucked away for a while now.  I was looking for something to make during the day that would be an easy heat up when we wanted to eat so I decided to try it.  The recipe calls for the "no-boil" lasagna noodles and I was pretty skeptical.  It turned out surprisingly good!  It's even better reheated in the microwave (my 1st attempt to reheat, I used the oven but I prefer the microwave now!).  I think it'd be just as good with the regular "boil" noodles but the no-boil definitely save some time!  The spices that you add make the dish so try to get them all in there.

Ingredients:
1 lb extra lean ground turkey
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt & Pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pkg crimini mushrooms (I used baby bella)
4 cups baby spinach
4 cups marinara sauce (32 oz jar)
4 oz turkey pepperoni, chopped
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
15 oz fat free Ricotta noodles (I ended up using part skim because that's what I had on hand)
1 cup shredded part skim Mozzarella
Fresh basil (I used dried)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray 9x13" pan with Pam
Mix ground turkey, fennel, garlic powder, salt & pepper together.  Add to a large skillet set to medium, high heat.  Occasionally stir turkey and cook until no longer pink.  Transfer to a bowl.
In same skillet, add olive oil and then onion.  Cook onion until it softens.  Add garlic for about a minute.  Add mushrooms and cook them for about 5 minutes.  Add spinach and cook until it's wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
Add skillet items to bowl with turkey and combine.
Spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of baking pan.  Cover with 4 lasagna noodles, overlapping if necessary.  Layer half of the turkey filling on top of the noodles, then layer half of the Ricotta.  Top with 1 cup of sauce, half the pepperoni and sprinkle the red pepper flakes on top.  Add 4 more noodles, the remaining turkey filling, Ricotta and sauce.  Top with remaining noodles and sprinkle Mozzarella cheese and basil.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until cheese is slightly browned & bubbly.
Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Chorizo & Veggies over Pasta in a Light Cream Sauce

We didn't know what we wanted last night for dinner but since it was so cold, we went with a hearty pasta dish.  I've made something similar before and used the same method for the sauce as the last time.  B didn't want the chorizo, so I made her dish with chicken tenders and the veggies (and a butter sauce).  It turned out pretty good and has many possibilities of what to throw in next time!

The veggies being sauteed 

The finished product

Ingredients:
1 package of chorizo
1/2 package sun-dried tomatoes
1 package baby bella mushrooms
1 medium size head of broccoli, florets removed
3/4 box of rigatoni pasta
1/2 c low fat milk
1/4 c low fat chicken stock
1/4 lemon (for the juice)
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Red Pepper flakes
Margarine
1-2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
In a saute pan, place chorizio in a little water (not enough to cover the sausage though).  Cover and simmer on medium to medium low for about 5-6 minutes.
Drain off water, add a little olive oil (maybe 1 tbsp) and brown the sausage.  I ended up pulling the sausage off of the heat, cutting them into bite size pieces and then saute that way until they were done - maybe another 6-8 minutes.  
In a separate pan, saute mushrooms, broccoli florets & sun-dried tomatoes in a pan with a little margarine.  Stir veggies occasionally until the veggies have softened up
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain when it's done.
In a small sauce pan, add milk, chicken stock and juice from 1/4 lemon.  Simmer over a medium to medium low heat and stir.  Add in Parmesan cheese and some red pepper flakes (to your liking) and continue to stir.
To thicken the sauce, slowly add flour until the sauce is a consistency you like.
Mix veggies; chorizo; pasta & sauce in a big pot (I used the same one that I cooked the pasta in).  Place in serving bowls and top with a little fresh grated Parmesan.  Serve immediately.
 

Mushroom Risotto

I have always wanted to make risotto but have heard how labor intensive it is to make.  I decided to give it a try while my lamb was cooking this past Sunday night.  I'm so glad I gave it a try as it was a great compliment to the lamb and really wasn't that bad to make!  It does require constant stirring but if you're going to be in the kitchen anyway, you should give this a try!  I found the recipe here.

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 shallots, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.
Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Stuffed Pork Chops with Dijon Reduction

I was in a rut of what to fix for dinner for B and me this week and after reading a few recipes for stuffed pork chops, I threw this one together.  I didn't follow any recipe in particular but took bits and pieces from others.  The chops definitely need the dijon reduction.  B wasn't too sure if she wanted to try that part but she ended up really like it!  My measurements below are approximate since I didn't really measure any of it.

Here's the "stuffing"

The final product

Ingredients:

2 medium pork chops
1/4 - 1/2 package of fresh spinach
1/2 c baby bella mushrooms, coursely chopped
1-2 tsp garlic
1/4 - 1/3 c feta cheese (I used fat free mediterrean herb)
2 tbsp Olive Oil

For the reduction:
1/2 - 3/4 c Fat Free Chicken Stock
1/4 c Dijon mustard
2-3 "shakes" of Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp flour (if desired)

Directions:
In a saute pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and begin to heat.  When the mushrooms are almost soft, add spinach and garlic & heat until the spinach is wilted.  Add feta and mix to combine (cheese doesn't need to melt)

Butterfly the pork chop - making sure you don't slice all the way through

Stuff chop with spinach, mushroom, cheese.  If needed, secure the chops with toothpicks

In the same saute pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil.  Place chops in pan and cook over medium - medium high heat for about 4 minutes per side. 

While the chops are cooking, combine the ingredients for the reduction.  After the 4 minutes per side, add the reduction sauce to the pan, lower heat and simmer for about another 5 minutes. 

Place chops on the plate (remove toothpicks if necessary).  Drizzle reduction on top of the chops and serve.

Almond Crusted Flounder over Pasta

For those of you that shop at our (lovely) Acme, you'll appreciate how this meal all came together!  I was debating what to make for dinner but knew I wanted something with pasta.  I went to the Acme and bought chicken tenders and almond crusted flounder.  I let B decide what she wanted with the pasta and she chose the chicken.  I opened the package and was overwhelmed with the odor!  UGH!  I quickly decided that instead of poisoning the family that night that I'd just make the flounder and serve it with pasta.  (Thankfully, B was fine with that solution)

I made the sauce using a recipe found here.  I changed up the cream for 2% milk and added some crushed red pepper flakes too.  My neighbor who came over for dinner that night said it was delicious and he wouldn't change a thing (which for him is pretty impressive because he always has 1 or 2 things he'd change!).

Ingredients:

3 almond crusted flounder fillets
1/2 package of pasta (we used ravioli but any type would work)
1/2 package of baby bella mushrooms
1/2 package sun dried tomatoes
1 small head of broccoli florets
3/4 c low fat milk
1/4 c chicken stock
1-2 tbsp flour
1/2 lemon
A few shakes of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
About 1/2 c fresh grated Parmesan
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Put cold water in pot and bring to a boil
Place flounder fillets in baking dish and place in preheated oven.  Bake for about 15 minutes
Put pasta in boiling water and cook according to package instructions
In a separate pan, heat a little olive oil and put mushrooms, broccoli and sun dried tomatoes in.  Heat over medium heat about 5-7 minutes until everything is tender.
In a small sauce pan, add milk, chicken stock and the juice from 1/2 lemon.  Stir to blend.  Add 1-2 tbsp flour (or cornstarch) and continue stirring.  Add a few shakes of crushed red pepper flakes & stir.  Slowly add parmesan cheese to the mixture and stir until it thickens up. 
Drain pasta and combine the pasta; veggies and sauce.  Top with a little extra grated Parmesan & serve.  

Zucchini Cakes

I was glancing through some food websites and tripped on one that tries to "skinny" down recipes.  I love looking at how she cuts calories on some of my favorite recipes!  I have made 3 things now and each of them taste delicious!  I made these zucchini cakes after work this week and was surprised at how quickly they can be made!  These would be great as an appetizer or side dish.  They can also be made ahead of time; frozen and reheated.  I'd definitely reheat them in the oven - not microwave.  Anyway, the site can be found here.  I only had 1 zucchini and this made 10 "cakes".  Next time, I think I'll triple the recipe!

Edited to add that I've made these several times now and added (in addition to the zucchini and other ingredients already listed below) - shredded / chopped carrot; chopped bacon and sauteed mushrooms.  I did each in separate batches to see what we liked best.  All of them are delicious and well liked!

(Original recipe with just zucchini)

(Original recipe with just zucchini)

(Updated recipe with carrots; bacon and mushrooms)

 Ingredients:
1 zucchini, grated
1 large egg
1/4 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used Italian Seasoned)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cooking Spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray
Grate the zucchini into a clean kitchen towel (I tried using paper towels and it didn't work.  You really need to use a kitchen towel)  Wring out the zucchini to get rid of the excess water.
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients & season with salt & pepper
Fill each muffin tin and push down with a spoon so the mixture is packed in the tin
Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown
Use a plastic knife or rubber spatula to remove from the tins

Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken Pasta with Broccoli Sauce

I wanted a pasta dish but didn't want a heavy sauce.  I found a recipe here after Googling "pasta and chicken" and followed the sauce recipe (mostly).  I probably made the meal more complicated and time consuming than it needed to be because I added shrimp; mushrooms and broccoli to the pasta dish too.  It turned out delicious!  The sauce is very light and tasty!   (I think it'd be fine with just chicken though!)  

Ingredients 
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 package of Baby Bella mushrooms
12 shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 small head of broccoli
2 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp flour
1 shallot, diced
1-2 tsp chopped garlic
Olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk (I used low fat)
Old Bay Seasoning
Margarine 

Directions
Cut chicken into bite size pieces
Heat olive oil in a pan and place chicken in pan, season with Salt & Pepper
Cook chicken, turning a few times.  Set aside
In a clean pan, melt 1 tbsp margarine and place shrimp in pan.  Season with Old Bay.  When shrimp start to turn pink, turn them over and season the other side.  Remove from heat after about 3 minutes or when shrimp are pink on both sides.  Set aside.
In a clean pan, melt 1 tbsp margarine and saute mushrooms until they are soft.  Set aside
Boil pot of water for pasta and cook according to package instructions & drain
Cut florets off of broccoli and reserve the stems.  Saute broccoli about 3 minutes before the rest of the meal is complete.

For the sauce:
Chop the broccoli stems into smaller pieces
Over medium heat, drizzle olive oil in pan and add shallot & garlic.  Stir frequently.
Add thyme to the mixture
Add broccoli stems to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes
Stir in white wine and simmer until it's about gone.
Add in the flour & stir
Stir in the chicken broth and milk and bring to a simmer
Simmer until the broccoli is soft
Transfer to a small blender (I used a small food processer) and puree that mixture
Return to pan to keep warm

Combine all of the ingredients and stir to mix everything all together.  

Chicken with Mushroom & Feta

I had some chicken and mushrooms in the fridge that needed to be used up.  I Google'd for some recipes and found a few that seemed interesting.  I ended up combining a few of them.  When I stuff my chicken, I usually roll it and secure with toothpicks.  Unbelievably, I've never tried butterflying the chicken - but I did this time.  Duh - that was way easier and took less time to cook than when you roll it!  I ended up stuffing the chicken with the mushrooms and some peppercorn feta I had in the refrigerator too.  I added McCormick's Cowboy Rub to the outside too for some flavor.  This turned out very good and will be added to the rotation!

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 package of baby bella mushrooms
2-3 Tbsp feta
McCormick's Cowboy Rub
Olive Oil
Margarine
Tooth picks

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a pan, saute mushrooms in a little margarine.  I seasoned mine with a little fresh cracked pepper
Rinse chicken and lay on cutting board.  Butterfly the chicken (not all the way through - sort of like a hot dog roll)
When the mushrooms have finished cooking, combine the feta and mushrooms in a bowl.  I let my mushrooms cool a bit before combining them.
Open chicken breasts and spoon feta mushroom mixture into chicken.  Secure with toothpicks
Rub a little McCormick's Cowboy rub on each side of the chicken
Place chicken in same pan that you sauteed the mushrooms and over medium heat, sear the chicken slightly on each side
Place chicken in shallow baking dish and bake for about 10-15 minutes (or until you don't see pink any longer)

Angel Hair Pasta with Sauteed Veggies & Cream Sauce

I did a "throw together" dinner last night that turned out pretty yummy!  We had our neighbors over and even they liked it!!  The measurements below are estimates because I didn't measure anything...but, hopefully if you try it, it'll turn out just as good!  Next time, I'll try to thin the sauce out just a tad.  One of our neighbors wanted red pasta sauce on theirs (instead of the cream) and I added some of that to my cream sauce but it still needs something else to make it a little thinner.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Cayenne pepper (a few dashes)
1 small head of broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 medium zuchinni, cut into bit size pieces
1 package chicken sausage
Angel hair pasta
1 Tbsp butter
8 oz 1/3 fat cream cheese
1/4 cup skim milk

Directions
- Cook sausage according to package (I simmered mine for about 10 minutes then drained the water and browned, turning frequently).  When they are done, cut into bite size pieces & put them on a plate.  Keep warm
- Using the same pan, add a little olive oil and saute the veggies, turning frequently to avoid burning them (add extra olive oil as needed)
- Cook pasta according to package instructions
- In a small sauce pan, add butter, cream cheese and milk.  Stir frequently to "melt" the cream cheese.  Add the dashes of cayenne and taste to ensure it's not too spicy.  (Here's where I added the red pasta sauce to mine)
- When pasta is done, mix all ingredients together and serve with sauce drizzled over top. 

Stuffed Flank Steak

B really likes flank steak and I didn't have time to marinade it the way I've done in the past for her (which is already posted on this blog).  So, I found this recipe and changed a couple of ingredients to suit our tastes.  It turned out really delicious and got rave reviews.  I prepped it in advance and just wrapped it up in plastic wrap and refrigerated it.  I pulled it out about 10 minutes before we wanted to cook it and it was ready to go!  This is a great / easy main course.

Here's a picture of the steak all stuffed

Here's a picture of the final product

Ingredients:
2 lbs flank steak
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz wild mushrooms, sliced thin (I used baby bella mushrooms)
1 bunch fresh arugula (I used frozen spinach, thawed but would likely use fresh spinach, lightly wilted next time)
6 pieces of prosciuto
8 thin slices of provolone (I used feta)
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp paprika
Salt & Pepper
Kitchen twine

Instructions
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 2 tbsp olive oil and the mushrooms & saute until soft.  Add the garlic and salt / pepper to taste. 
Lay the flank steak on a cutting board & place a piece of plastic wrap over top.  Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, POUND the steak to about 1/4" thick (mine didn't flatten that much but it worked out just fine)
Lay the cheese over the steak, leaving 2-3" area uncovered around one long edge.  Next, lay the mushrooms over the cheese followed by the prosciutto and spinach
Starting with the long edge, carefully roll the flank steak.  Tie the steak in 4 places with kitchen twine. 
Mix flour; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper and paprika.  Rub that mixture over the steak. 
Preheat oven to 350. 
In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat.  Carefully place the steak roll in skillet and sear for 5-8 minutes, turning to brown all sides
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until cooked through - about 30 minutes.
Tent with foil and let meat rest for 10 minutes.  Carefully cut into 1/2" pieces & serve. 

Whole Wheat Pasta with Sausage; Zucchini; Mushrooms in a Blush (light) Sauce

I wanted to try whole wheat pasta again and decided to throw some stuff together.  Unfortunately, I have no measurements for this but it was sort of like how I make my coffee..mix until the color is what I want!  I mixed whole wheat penne with zucchini; baby bella mushrooms; Italian turkey sausage and a light cream sauce.  B didn't try the sauce but enjoyed all the other items.  Our neighbor stopped over for a try and said it was really good but may need more salt (I really only dash salt in any of my recipes).  I served it with a side salad.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Sausage; Zucchini; Mushrooms in a (Light) Blush Sauce

Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Pasta
Baby Bella Mushrooms
1 small zucchini, cut in quarters
3-4 pieces of Italian Sweet Turkey Sausage
Fat Free Half and Half
Chicken Stock
Tomato Paste
Margarine
Cayenne Pepper
Oregano

Directions
Cook sausage according to package instructions (I put 1-2 tbsp water in a pan and "boiled" for a few minutes then drained off the water and browned on all sides - adding minimal olive oil as needed to keep from sticking)
Make pasta according to package instructions
While pasta cooks, saute mushrooms and zucchini in margarine; salt and pepper, until soft but not wilted
In a separate small saute pan, pour about 1/4 c chicken stock; 2-3 tbsp FF half and half; 1/2 tsp of tomato paste (maybe 3/4 tsp); a few shakes of cayenne pepper and a few shakes of oregano in and simmer
Look at color of the sauce and determine if more FF half & half or stock / margarine / tomato paste are needed...add a little at a time - I made a "blush sauce"
Combine all ingredients when done and serve.  Enjoy!