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 Red Bliss Potatoes

I'm sure if you read this blog, you know I love potatoes - any kind!!  I mentioned on a previous post that I've found another blog that tries to cut calories in dishes.  So, I went to that site again and found this recipe.  It's so good and you wouldn't know it's low-cal!  These may become my "go to" potatoes!  They are creamy and delicious!

 
Ingredients:
8 small red bliss potatoes
1 tbsp light mayo
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
4 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp fresh thyme or rosemary
3 tbsp grated Parmesan
Salt & pepper to taste
Paprika

Directions:
In a medium pot, cover potatoes with water  & add 1 tsp salt.  Bring to a boil & cook until soft, about 12 minutes.  Drain and run under cool water.  Set aside
While the potatoes cook, in a small pan, add oil and garlic and cook on low heat about 10 minutes, until soft.  Remove garlic and discard oil.  Mash garlic
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a medium bowl, combine garlic, mayo, sour cream, thyme or rosemary & Parmesan.  Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
Cut potatoes in half, and using a spoon, gently scoop out the inside of the potato.  Leave 1/4" shell inside the potato
Mix the potato with the other ingredients.  I just "mashed" the potato with a fork into the other ingredients
Scoop the potato mixture back into the potato shells and sprinkle paprika on top
Place in a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

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!

Stuffed Jalapenos with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

The second appetizer I brought to "Steaksgiving III" were stuffed jalapenos.  My neighbor served these for the 4th of July.  I don't really like super spicy things but gave these a try.  They are really good and were a hit for the party.  They're a little time consuming but well worth it!!  Thanks Lex for sharing the recipe!
The recipe is adapted from this site.

Ingredients:
16-18 jalapenos, cut lengthwise in half & seeds removed
12 oz Jimmy Dean sausage
8 oz softened cream cheese
About 1/2 block of pepper jack cheese, shredded
2-3 scallions, chopped fine
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 cloves of garlic minced
Salt to taste
1/2 diced jalapeno (optional)

Directions:
Brown the sausage and drain the fat
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine cream cheese; pepper jack cheese, scallions, lime, garlic, salt and sausage.  If desired, add the 1/2 chopped jalapeno to the mixture too
Stuff each half of jalapeno with the sausage / cheese mixture
Arrange on baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes


Cilantro Dipping Sauce:
1 bunch of cilantro, rinsed clean
1/2 cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lime
Salt, to taste

Directions:
Cut the majority of the stem off the cilantro
Place the bundle in a small food processor with sour cream, lime juice and salt.
Chill until ready to serve

Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Toasts

We had "Steaksgiving III" last night with friends.  It's an event where 8 of us pitch in on appetizers and sides and the host purchases steaks; dry ages them and we all feast.  I offered to bring a couple of appetizers and a side dish.  The first appetizer was this salmon.  It was very tasty and pretty easy to throw together.  If you and your guests like salmon, this is a great app to try!  I found the recipe here.

Ingredients:
8 oz fresh soft goat cheese
1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2-1/2 tbsp olive oil
30 thin slices French baguette
12 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix goat cheese; herbs; lemon peel; pepper & olive oil.  This can be done in advance.
Brush olive oil on both sides of the bread slices and arrange on a cookie sheet.  Cook in oven for about 5 minutes or until the slices are getting toasted (You can prepare the slices a couple hours in advance)
Spread cheese mixture over the toasts and top with a slice of salmon.

Simmered Meatballs

B really wanted pasta so I decided to make homemade meatballs to accompany it.  I remember my Mom baking the meatballs but all the recipes I found called for them to be made on the stove.  I found the recipe here and I think they could stand to use a little bit more spice but they were good as is too.  In my quest to find the right recipe, I saw that a few called for Panko breadcrumbs to be placed in a little milk to make them more moist.  I tried that (instead of using regular Italian Bread Crumbs) and I think that made the difference in making these very moist.  Instead of using just regular ground beef, I bought the package that specified it was good for meatballs or meatloaf (due to it having ground beef; ground pork and ground turkey).

Here are my meatballs before cooking:

Here they are mixed in with the pasta and accompanied by the bread sticks I just posted:

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (as mentioned, I used a mixed package of ground meat)
1/2 cup Panko Bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp dried onions
1 fresh garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt
2-3 tsp milk
1 jar tomato sauce / pasta sauce

Directions:
Mix the beef, egg & spices in a large bowl
Put the Panko Bread Crumbs in a small bowl and slowly add the milk, 1 tsp at a time.  Stir them together until they have absorbed the milk but aren't "soupy"
Combine the Panko mixture with the meat mixture
Form into 1" balls
Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium to medium high heat & brown the meatballs in the oil, constantly rotating to get every side brown.
Reduce heat to medium low and add tomato sauce
Simmer for 15-20 minutes - ensuring the temperature is high enough to keep the sauce at a simmer
Remove and serve warm

Parmesan Bread Sticks

I thought it'd be fun to make some bread sticks to go along with a pasta dish.  These were a little more time consuming than I thought but would be good for a weekend dinner / snack.  You can also change up with you put inside (garlic; spices; etc...).  We did butter and Parmesan inside and on a few I sprinkled some Italian Seasoning toward the end of cooking.  I liked the ones with the seasoning better.  These are kid friendly and even are fun to make with the kiddo's!  I found the recipe via foodgawker here.

My assistant for the day:

Here she is "painting" the butter on the dough:

We twisted some and left others as is:

Here they are all done:

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups warm water
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp active dry yeast
3-1/2 c all purpose flour (I ended up needing more to get the dough to the right consistency...so, keep the flour bag handy)
1 tsp salt

For what to brush on top:
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Italian Seasoning (optional)

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix the water, sugar and yeast together and let sit for about 10 minutes
In a large bowl, add flour and salt.  Pour the yeast water in the bowl and mix gently until thoroughly combined.  I don't have a standing mixer but if you do, use the dough hook.  I just used a spatula.  Let the dough rise for 15 minutes.
Roll the dough out onto a floured surface into the shape of a square.  Brush the top with melted butter and then sprinkle the Parmesan on top.
Fold the dough in half & cut into 15-20 strips
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Twist each strip and place on ungreased cookie tray.  Let the twists sit another 15 minutes.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  If desired, add Italian Seasoning about 5 minutes before the sticks are done baking.

Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Mustard

I enjoy pork tenderloin but usually make it when M is out of town since it's not his favorite meal.  I found a recipe that called for butterflying the pork to speed up the cooking time.  This is an easy meal on a weeknight  and it was pretty flavorful too!  I also love that it has just a couple of ingredients.  I served the pork with baked fries and green beans.  Yummy!

Ingredients:
1 lb pork tenderloin
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (I just eyeballed it)
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium heat
Using a pairing knife, carefully slice the pork lengthwise to butterfly it (do not cut all the way through)
Open the pork and lay it flat
Spread the Dijon mustard, Salt & Pepper on each side
Grill for 5-6 minutes per side
Remove from grill and tent with foil for about 5 minutes then slice & serve

Baked Garlic Fries

I'm always on the hunt for how to make baked fries.  I've found a couple good recipes (which are already on the blog) but I saw this one and wanted to try it.  They turned out pretty good - with the perfect texture.  You definitely have to watch them after 20 minutes as they will cook up / brown fast and burn if you're not careful.  Thankfully, mine turned out exactly how we like them.  These are easy and don't involve all the flour that the other recipes have used.

Ingredients:
2-3 medium Russet potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil (the original recipe calls for 2 tbsp vegetable oil but I just split it up)
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp minced parsley (I used dry parsley)
Salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F & get two sheet pans out.
In a small pan set over medium low heat, combine the vegetable oil and minced garlic. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes, to infuse the garlic flavor into the oil.
Strain the garlic from the oil, and save both the garlic and the oil for later. 
Scrub the outsides of the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into matchsticks by first cutting into thick slices, then cutting each slice into small thin sticks. Toss the potato fries with the garlic oil and a big, generous pinch of salt. Spread the fries out evenly between the two sheet pans, making sure they are in one single layer, spaced a bit apart. If they're all on top of each other and crowded, they will steam each other and never get brown.
Bake the potato fries for 20 minutes*, then take them out and give them a good toss. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, then taste one and see if it has proper crispiness. If not, return to the oven for another 5 minutes, but watch them closely, they go from brown to burned very quickly at the end.
Toss the fries with the reserved minced garlic, fresh parsley, and salt, to taste. Enjoy!

*The cook time will vary depending on how thick your potato is sliced. Just keep your eye on them and taste from time to time.

Caesar Salad Dressing

We were invited to a friend's house for a BBQ and I offered to bring the salad.  I wanted to try making a homemade Caesar dressing and found one here.  I had high hopes of making my own croutons too but that will have to wait for a non-work night!  The recipe is delicious but way too creamy / thick!  We ended up thinning it with milk and that worked well.  I made it again last night and think I've perfected the right amount of milk.  I make it with low fat mayo and 1% milk which is a plus for a few less calories!

Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp anchovy paste (found near tuna fish in your grocery store)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Mayo (I use low fat Hellmans)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
(I added about 1/2 cup of 1% milk)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients
Add the Mayo, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and whisk until blended
Add milk, a little at a time, to get to a consistency of your liking
I chill mine for about an hour then add to the salad
I put fresh slices of Parmesan cheese on top of the salad to garnish

New Potatoes with Dill Butter

I subscribe to the Epicurious "recipe of the day" emails and got this one about a month ago.  I pulled it out last night and made the potatoes in dill butter.  The prep was very easy and the potatoes were pretty good.  Next time I make them, I will "crash" them a bit after draining the water and put them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp them up (with the butter on them).  I think that will make them superb!  I served the potatoes with my grilled meatloaf and a Caesar salad with homemade dressing (recipe will be on the blog next).

Edited to add: I made these with 2 kinds of potatoes now and "crashed" them.  To crash potatoes, follow the method listed below but then use a fork to push gently on the tops of the potatoes to gently break open the potatoes.  I then dabbed the dill butter on the tops of the potatoes and baked them for about 20 minutes on 375 degrees.  Really yummy!

(original recipe - "non-crashed" potatoes)

(revised picture with "crashed potatoes" - not the best pic though)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tbsp (packed) coarsely fresh chopped dill (I didn't use the full 2 tbsp but rather eye-balled it for the amount of butter)
Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
2 lbs new potatoes or another small type potato
1 tbsp crushed toasted caraway seeds (optional - I didn't use these)

Directions:
Mash butter and dill together in a small bowl.  Season the dill butter with salt & pepper (This step can be done ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week)
Place potatoes in a large pot with cold water, covering potatoes 1" above the top of the potatoes.  Season water with a little salt.  Bring pot to a boil; reduce heat and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes.  Drain potatoes - reserving a small amount of water
Transfer hot potatoes to a medium bowl, add dill butter and 1 tbsp water (from the pot where the potatoes just boiled).  Toss, adding small amounts of water as needed to ensure butter coats the potatoes.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with extra dill and caraway seeds, if desired.