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!!

Tortellini with Chicken & Spinach in a Wine Cream Sauce

I made this dish up entirely on my own but I think it's good enough to share.  :-)  B and I were in Target and I was trying to decide what to have for dinner.  She wanted pasta but I knew I needed to work in a veggie and protein somewhere.  I also wanted a lighter sauce for it (plus B doesn't love jarred sauces).  Here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:
1 pkg Butoni fresh tortellini
1/2 pkg fresh spinach
1-2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
Lemon
White Wine
1 tbsp fat free milk
1 tbsp flour
Garlic
Freshly grated parmesan cheese (for topping)
Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder
Olive Oil (about 1 tbsp)

Directions:
Lightly season both sides of the chicken with salt, pepper & a little onion powder
Arrange chicken on a grill top (or skillet) and cook thoroughly (a few minutes per side).  Set aside.
In the same skillet, heat olive oil.  Add garlic cloves and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring around so it doesn't burn.  Add spinach and wilt.  Once it's wilted, remove from pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a separate pot, start water for pasta and cook pasta according to package instructions (about 8-9 minutes to cook)
Add a little white wine (about 1/2 c) to the skillet and simmer.
In a separate small glass, add flour, a dash of water and the milk (make sure the milk isn't super cold).  Whisk with a fork until the flour is combined.  Then add this mixture to the skillet.  Stir around to blend.  If you need more liquid, repeat the wine, flour, milk and water steps.
Add juice from 1/2 lemon and a little lemon zest to the pan and stir.
Add back in the chicken and spinach and stir to coat.
Serve pasta in a bowl and add chicken mixture to the pasta.  Top with a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!
 
 

Baked Shrimp in a Lemony Garlic Sauce

I needed a quick weeknight dinner that was an "all in one" type meal.  I found this recipe on the WW community site.  I liked it and thought it was light in taste.  I would probably use fresh, chopped spinach next time only because I don't love frozen spinach.  But other than that, this is a keeper!

Ingredients:
1-1/4 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined
1/4 c fresh lemon juice (I used less but eye-balled it)
2 tbsp light butter, melted
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp ground red pepper (I used red pepper flakes)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (I used dried flakes and just eye-balled it)
2 c chopped, frozen spinach, thawed & drained
Pasta

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Combine lemon juice and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add shrimp & toss to coat.  Place in a 9x13" baking dish, coated lightly with cooking spray
Cook pasta according to box directions
Bake for 8-10 minutes & serve with pasta

5 points plus for shrimp & spinach.  Pasta is extra

Sausage & Spinach Stuffed Shells

I'm a bit behind on updating the blog!  M spent most of his week home working on the plane last week.  It was pretty cold out and I was trying to make nice dinners for him so he could warm up!  I found this recipe for stuffed shells.  I wanted something that wasn't the normal all cheese stuffed shell.   I used fresh spinach and just chopped it up.  I also threw in about 1/2 lb of ground beef.  The recipe didn't call for putting sauce on the shells while they cooked, but I added some marinara sauce to it.  This was delicious and even better left over!

Here are the shells ready for the oven

Here's one of the dishes

Ingredients:
16-18 jumbo pasta shells
1 pound fresh pork sausage links, casing removed
1/2 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes - I used the basil and oregano one
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
Marinara sauce

Directions:
Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice, set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta shells and cook according to package directions. Drain well then add to ice water until ready to stuff.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork sausage & beef  then use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage, cook 5-6 minutes until browned.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds then add tomatoes and spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in ricotta cheese
Pour a light coating of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking pan (9x9 or 9x13).  Using a spoon, fill pasta shells with filling and arrange in a baking dish. Sprinkle tops with shredded cheese and drizzle more marinara sauce on top then bake in the oven 25-30 minutes until cheese has melted and tips of shells begin to crisp and brown.

Enjoy!

Baked Chicken & Spinach Flautas (Taquitos)

I was in a rut for what to serve for dinner and wanted something different for a chicken dish.  I found this recipe while just glancing through websites and thought it sounded good.  I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and just simmered them to cook them quickly.  Afterward, I seasoned the chicken with the dry spices and set it aside.  This came out really good and is a nice alternative to regular chicken breasts!

The original recipe calls for cilantro and since I've realized through other recipes that I really don't care for it, I omitted the cilantro.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing tortillas

1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion

1 tbsp finely diced jalapeño; leave seeds in if more heat is desired

2 tsp ground chili powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup water

2 1/2 cups shredded leftover or rotisserie chicken

1/2 cup chopped baby or flat leaf spinach

1 1/2 cups Pepper Jack cheese

1/3 cup sour cream

1 tbsp lime juice

12 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas. Larger tortillas can be used but for best results, cut in half and start rolling from cut-side

Salsa, sour cream and guacamole, if desired, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Lightly grease a rimmed sheet pan with olive oil and set aside.

Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, oil and jalapeno and cook, stirring often until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin and garlic powder and stir for 30 seconds. Add water and chicken and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, add spinach, toss gently and let sit briefly as spinach wilts. Stir in cheese, sour cream, cilantro and lime juice and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel or clean kitchen towel and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Working with one tortilla at a time, lay tortilla on a clean work surface and place 3-tablespoons of chicken mixture in bottom third of the tortilla; roll up tightly. Place seam-side down on prepared sheet pan and repeat with remaining tortillas, spacing evenly on the sheet pan. Lightly brush tops and sides of tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole, as a garnish, if desired.

 

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.

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.

Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken

I have made this dish many times but I recently found a variation of the recipe that cuts the calories a bit.  I prefer this version better than my "old" way!  Who knew you could cut some fat out and it would still taste good?!  I found the recipe here.  I served it with grilled sweet potato fries and broccoli.

Ingredients:

Fresh spinach (about 1/2 bag)

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup fat free feta cheese

1/3 cup fat free Ricotta cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley (I just used a little dry parsley)

1 small shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt & Pepper

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 egg

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Toothpicks

Directions:

In a small saute pan, add olive oil, garlic & shallot.  Saute for about 1-2 minutes.  Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In saute pan, add feta cheese, ricotta cheese, parsley, salt & pepper.  Stir to mix well.

Pound chicken until it's thin

Add about a tablespoon of mixture to the center of each chicken breast.  Roll the chicken breast and secure with toothpicks

In a small bowl, whisk egg and put bread crumbs in another small bowl.

Dip each rolled up chicken breast in the egg, covering all sides with egg.  Then dip the chicken in the bread crumbs, again rolling to cover all sides of the chicken.

Spray baking dish with a little cooking spray and place chicken in dish

Bake in oven for 25 minutes.  Be sure to remove toothpicks before serving.

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. 

Penne with Spinach and Pancetta

Our dinner tonight was amazing!!  I'd definitely make it again but add a bit of spice...maybe the chipotles from the other pasta dish or just some crushed red pepper.  It'll be an experiment!  The original recipe calls for peas (not my fave)  and tortellini (not B's fave) so we changed it a bit.  My changes are in the recipe below but here's the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 3/4 box of  penne
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 4 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup Fat Free Half and Half
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook as the label directs.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add half the margarine and half the garlic.  Saute the spinach until wilted.  Let it drain on a paper towel when done.  

Using the same skillet, add the other half margarine and prosciutto and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Ladle in about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and simmer until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Drain the penne and add it along with the spinach to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sauce. Stir in the parsley. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.