Butternut Squash with Walnuts and Vanilla

I love butternut squash but B doesn't really care for it.  Since it makes a ton of food, I had to wait until we had people coming over to try it.  This recipe is so good and perfect for a Fall night!  I will warn you that peeling a butternut squash is a pain in the neck but it's worth it!

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and flesh cut into about 1" pieces
1 heaping cup of walnuts (I used pecans because that's what I had in the cupboard)
2-3 tbsp butter
2 tsp grated ginger (I used a little cinnamon because I didn't have ginger)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Lemon juice (I used about 1/2 of a lemon)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Toss squash with a little olive oil, salt & pepper.  Put in a baking dish and roast for about 20-25 minutes, until tender
Heat a large saute pan and toast nuts for a few minutes, stirring frequently so they don't burn
Remove nuts and set aside.  In the same pan, melt butter and add ginger, vanilla, lemon juice & thyme.  Stir to combine.  Add in nuts and stir again.  Remove heat.
Remove squash from oven and place in large serving bowl.  Drizzle butter & nut mixture over the squash and stir.
Serve immediately.  

French Fries

There is nothing special about this recipe but I had to post it to show off 2 of my new favorite kitchen gadgets!  I saw them advertised at Bed, Bath and Beyond and wanted to try them!

The first is a pyramid pan and it makes your potatoes so crispy!!  I tried just sliced potatoes a couple nights ago then french fries last night.  I'm dying to try other things that usually turn out soggy (like homemade chicken tenders or onion rings!).

The second was critical to making the best shaped french fries ever!  It's a french fry cutter.  I will say this is a little tough to push down through potatoes but it's soooo worth it!  The fries were perfect and tasted great!

Roasted Root Vegetables

I was in the cafe at work a few weeks ago and overheard someone asking if a certain ingredient was parsnips.  I was curious what they even were so I google'd recipes with parsnips and found this one.  Intrigued, I had to try it with my dinner that night!  I had some left over brussel sprouts from the night before so I threw them in too!  The side dish is really nice, colorful and tasted great!  This would be a great Fall dish!

Ingredients:
3 medium carrots, peeled, washed and cut into small bite size pieces
2 medium red potatoes, washed and cut into bite size pieces
1/4 lb brussel sprouts, washed & halved
1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 medium sweet potato, peeled & cut into bite size pieces
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Dried spices - I used Italian Seasoning
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
In a large bowl, toss vegetables with olive oil, seasoning, salt & pepper
Spread vegetables in a 9x13 pyrex baking dish
Roast in oven for about 40 minutes or until the veggies are tender.  Stir them a couple of times while baking.

Cheese Spaetzle

We had our 2nd annual Blocktoberfest a few weeks ago and I wanted to bring something German.  I found this recipe and thought I'd give it a try.  It was super easy and surprisingly good.  I know it's not good for you but at least it tasted good with the other food!  I'm already signing up to bring this one to Blocktoberfest 3!

Ingredients:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 c plus 1 tablespoon milk
1/4 c small curd cottage cheese
Kosher Salt & Freshly ground pepper
1 c all purpose flour
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 c creme fraiche
1-1/2 tbsp snipped chives

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, cottage cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Stir in the flour until a smooth, thick, sticky batter forms.
Spoon the batter into a colander with 1/4-inch holes. Set or hold the colander 1 inch above the boiling water and scrape the batter through the holes, using a rubber spatula. Stir the spaetzle once or twice to separate them. As soon as they rise to the surface, use a slotted spoon to transfer the spaetzle to a clean colander and drain well.
Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add the boiled spaetzle and cook them over moderately high heat, stirring and shaking the skillet occasionally, until the spaetzle are browned and crisp in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the creme fraiche and snipped chives, reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring, until the sauce is creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Season the spaetzle with salt and pepper and serve right away.

MAKE AHEAD The boiled cheese spaetzle can be covered in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours before sautéing.

Chocolate Pudding, Brownie, Heath Bar & Cool Whip Delight

I'm not even sure what to call this but it was so yummy!  My sister makes this is a huge vase and it's spectacular.  I made it in individual plastic cups and it turned out just as good!  I even cheated and bought "bite size" brownies that I just broke apart.  This is a great dessert to bring to any event - kid & adult friendly!

Ingredients:
Brownies (cooked and broken into small pieces)
Instant Chocolate pudding
Whip Cream
Heath Bars, crushed
Clear plastic small (wine size) cups

Directions:
Make chocolate pudding according to package directions and put in freezer for a few minutes
Place a layer of crushed up brownies on bottom of cup; then a small layer of pudding; then cool whip.  Repeat for 1 time.
Add crushed up Heath bars on top (or pecans; walnuts or whatever candy you'd like)
Keep in refrigerator or freezer until you're ready to serve them

Enjoy!

Baked Couscous Poppers

I made some couscous during the week to go with dinner.  We had a ton of left over and I was looking for a creative way to use it (instead of just serving it as a side again).  I found this recipe and decided to give it a try.  I loved them and thought they'd be a fun / different appetizer or a nice side to a meal.  B didn't like them as much as I thought she would...but maybe it was just a mood she was in.
I eye-balled the recipe and only added 1 egg based on the amount of couscous I was using.  You'll be able to tell the consistency you need to get the ingredients to form a ball.  

Ingredients:
2 cups left over (cooled) couscous
1 egg
3/4 - 1 cup breadcrumbs (I used a mix of Panko and Whole Wheat Italian breadcrumbs)
Spices of your choice (I used Old Bay - my "go to" spice)
Shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a medium bowl, mix together couscous, egg, spices , 1/2 of the breadcrumbs and cheese
Put the remaining breadcrumbs in a separate bowl
Form balls with the couscous mixture then roll in the extra breadcrumbs.  They won't be firm but they will hold together when they bake
Place on a baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with Pam
Put in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the balls are golden

Enjoy!

Banana Walnut Muffins

I buy bananas almost every week to have as a snack at work.  I had a few extra the last few weeks and always feel bad just throwing them out.  This week, I decided to find a recipe that was sort-of healthy and use them up.  I found this recipe and added some walnuts to the mix.  I just had one with my breakfast and it was very moist and tasty!  These are quick and easy to throw together too!

Ingredients:
1 c flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c applesauce (I used cinnamon apple sauce)
2 bananas, mashed
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c sugar
1/8 tsp salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 355 degrees F
Grease muffin tins or use paper liners
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt in a medium bowl
In a different bowl, mix sugar, egg, banana and vanilla extract.  Blend well then add the applesauce
Slowly combine the 2 mixtures and blend well
Scoop batter into muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden

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!

Apple BBQ Pork Tenderloin

I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to try it.  I haven't had much luck in the past with Pinterest crock pot dinners but this one was very good!  I had 2 frozen pork tenderloins and threw them in the crockpot with the other ingredients.  I added Vidalia onion and used cinnamon apple sauce (not chunky) and cut up one red delicious apple in the crock pot.  The house smelled amazing as it cooked (thankfully we weren't home the entire time or I would have been starving all day!).  Since the pork was frozen, I cooked it on high for the first 2.5 hours then on low for an additional 4.5 hours.  I served it with mashed potatoes and some broccoli.

Here's the pork in the crockpot

Here's our  meal

  
Ingredients: 
1 - 2lb pork tenderloin
1 cup applesauce
1 cup BBQ Sauce
2 tbsp minced dried onion (I used a small Vidalia onion cut into rings)
1 small apple cut into slices

Directions:
Place pork in the crock pot
In a medium bowl, mix applesauce and BBQ sauce together (and minced onion if you're using it)
If you're using the cut up onion, just put the rings over the pork
Spread applesauce mixture over the top of the pork
Sprinkle the apple slices throughout the crock pot
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours

Enjoy!

Shrimp Scampi

This is such an easy recipe and would be perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!  B really likes rigatoni so we served the scampi over that.  I made some garlic bread (the frozen kind...not homemade) and it was a great meal.  I found the recipe here and didn't change a thing.

Ingredients: 
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
Salt
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c white wine
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Pasta

Directions:Cook pasta according to package instructions

Heat a sauté pan on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, foams up and subsides, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. If using unsalted butter, sprinkle with salt. Sauté for a minute, or until you see the edges of some of the garlic just beginning to brown.

As soon as the garlic begins to brown, add the shrimp to the pan. Then add the white wine and stir to combine and coat the shrimp with the butter, oil, and wine. Spread the shrimp out in an even layer in the pan. Increase the heat to the highest setting and let the wine boil vigorously for 2-3 minutes.

Turn the shrimp over, or toss them so the cooked sides are mostly facing up, and boil the wine for another minute. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and toss to combine. Add the lemon juice and black pepper.

Toss with pasta and serve.  

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.

 

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!
 
 

Wild Mushroom Crostini

I served this a few weekends ago when my Aunt & Sister came to visit.  The only alterations I made were to use lower fat items.  I think it still tasted amazing (I'm sure the original recipe would be awesome too!)  I saw the recipe here.

Ingredients:
1 baguette loaf, cut into rounds
2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 c chopped shallots
2-1/4 c each of chopped oyster mushrooms & shiitake mushrooms
1-1/4 c chopped chanterelle mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c light cream
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 c grated Fontina cheese
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange baguette slices on rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until golden, about 9 minutes. Cool. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add all mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic; sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in cream, rosemary, and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper. Cool. Mix in both cheeses. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat broiler. Top each toast with about 1 tablespoon mushroom topping. Place on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Working in batches, broil until cheese is melted and begins to brown, watching closely to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Transfer to serving platter. Serve warm.

Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms

We hadn't done one of our "appetizer for dinner" get together's in a while so the neighbors decided it was time to have another.  I found this recipe and made some tweaks to it.  I have always loved M's crab and shrimp recipes so I added shrimp to mine.  I don't like green onions so I left them out and put a little onion powder in the mix.  I eye-balled the measurements because I had more crab and shrimp than the original recipe called for.  I also added Old Bay (any good Marylander would do so!).  These were delish and the mixture would be good on bruschetta too!

Ready for the oven

The finished product

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh mushrooms, washed & stems removed (I saved the stems for use in omelettes the next day)
7 oz crab meat
1 lb shrimp, peeled & de-veined (I bought mine already steamed however if yours isn't, make sure to steam them first)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp onion powder
Few dashes of Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 c mayo (I used low fat)
3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for topping)
1/4 tsp paprika

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Pick crabmeat thoroughly and chop shrimp into small pieces
In a medium bowl, combine crab, shrimp, spices (not paprika), mayo & cheese.  You can refrigerate until needed.
Fill mushroom caps with mixture and place on cookie tray.  Sprinkle tops with a little extra cheese & paprika
Place in oven and bake 15 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Pizza Bites

I brought these to the same 4th of July party mentioned in the Berry Flag Appetizer post.  They were devoured in a matter of minutes!  I really liked them and thought they were pretty easy to make!  I found the original recipe here but after reading their site, I wanted to post where to find the original recipe (here).  (As requested by the original recipe poster, I will not re-post the instructions on how to make these.  Rather, if you want to see the instructions, please click the link for the original recipe and you can obtain it there.)
One thing to note, on the blog I read about these, they tried several methods to try to improve the crispiness and curtail the amount of scrubbing a muffin tin afterward.  I read their recommendations and made mine on parchment paper.  I "dropped" them on using a tablespoon measuring spoon and it worked perfectly.  I topped mine with 1 turkey sausage round.

Enjoy!

Berry "Flag" Appetizer

I saw this on Pinterest (many times) and thought it'd be a fun item to bring to a friend's 4th of July party.  The "white" was supposed to be bananas but B doesn't like them.  So, we subbed marshmallows and it was a big hit!  These are easy to make & a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients:
Wooden skewers
Strawberries, washed, trimmed and cut in half
Blueberries, washed
Large marshmallows, cut in half

Directions:
Begin with the blueberries and "string" several at the top of a skewer (we did 6 or 7)
Next, gently push 1 marshmallow to the bottom of the blueberries; then add a strawberry.  Continue with the marshmallows & strawberries until the skewer is full.
Make 5 total skewers with the blueberries; marshmallows and strawberries.
Then make skewers with just marshmallows and strawberries until your serving dish is full
Chill & serve when ready

Jalapeno Mozzarella Sticks

I saw this recipe and wanted to try it since it seemed pretty easy.  We all agreed it was "okay" but needed some more kick.  I tried a 2nd batch and left a few more jalapeno seeds in the peppers and instead of mozzarella sticks, I put a jalapeno cheddar dip (found at Costco) in them.  The 2nd batch was much tastier than just using mozzarella sticks.  

Ingredients:

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/4 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp Garlic powder

8 sticks of Mozzarella string cheese, cut in half 

8 small jalapenos, cut in half and seeds removed (leave some in if you like a little kick)

16 wonton wrappers

Bowl of water

1 egg, beaten

Oil for frying

Directions:

In a shallow bowl, combine Panko, salt & garlic powder

Place in piece of mozzarella inside one jalapeno half & place in wonton wrapper.  (You may need 2 wrappers per jalapeno depending how large your peppers are.)  Dip your finger in the water bowl and run along the edges of the wrapper.  Press wonton together to seal.  Dip in egg and then in Panko to cover completely.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.

In a large skillet, heat oil.  Fry jalapenos, turning them a couple of times, for about 2-3 minutes each until golden / crispy.  Set on paper towels to allow oil to drain off.  

Enjoy!

Sausage Bites with Pine Nuts

It's been quite some time since I updated the blog but that doesn't mean I haven't been experimenting with new recipes.  This recipe is for a fun / pretty easy appetizer.  Most of the bites were good - some were a little soggy but I think that can be attributed to my oven cooking a tad uneven.  I didn't use pine nuts because we had friends over that have a nut allergy (although I think pine nuts would have been okay, I didn't want to risk it).  I found the recipe here.

Ready to go in the oven

The finished product

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1 medium onion or 3 medium shallots, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 package (14 oz) mild or hot Italian Sausage
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 1 tsp dry basil
• 2-3 tbsp fresh chopped dill
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed according to instructions
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan (optional)
• 1 egg for glazing, whisked with a small pinch of salt and 1 tbsp water until smooth
• Sesame, Caraway, dill or fennel seeds for decorating

Directions: 

1. In a skillet, melt margarine over medium heat
2. Add minced garlic and onion, and saute for 5-6 minutes, until fragrant and translucent. Let cool until manageable
3. Mix sausage, onion+garlic, thyme, basil, fresh dill, salt and pine nuts in a bowl, until uniform and smooth.
4. Roll out the puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface into 4 strips 3 inches wide and about 12 inches long.
5. Arrange sausage stuffing into a 1″ inch roll in the middle of the strip, taking care to reach all the way to the edge on short end of the strip.
6. Sprinkle a portion of parmesan on top of the sausage stuffing
7. Spread some egg wash along one of the long edges of the dough.
8. Carefully fold the dough over the sausage stuffing, closing the seem.
9. Roll the sausage filled dough pipe on the board a little bit to ensure uniform thickness and to seal the seam.
10. Proceed with the remaining dough and stuffing.
11. When all pipes are ready, spread the egg wash all over them, and sprinkle the seeds of your choosing on top.
12. Preheat the oven to 425F.
13. Cut each pipe into 12 1″ bites.
14. Arrange the bites on a baking sheet 1″ apart.
15. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.  Serve warm

Oven Fried Pickles

I was in Annapolis a couple weekends ago and had fried pickles as an appetizer.  I was craving them ever since and decided to try a recipe I found here.  Oh.My.Goodness...these are ridiculously good!!  Unfortunately, they take a bit of time to make with all the dipping, but, soooo worth it!!  I had to improvise on the batter because I didn't have all of the needed ingredients.  My recipe below is what I used.
I also didn't have the ingredients for the dip that is also on that site but I made something with some sour cream, mayo, dash of milk and some spices.  I won't put that dip on here since it was all thrown together but I think the one on the original site would be really good too!

Ready for the oven

All done...and delicious!

Ingredients:
2 whole dill pickles, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1/4 c corn starch
1/4 c all purpose flour
1 egg
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 c whole wheat Italian bread crumbs
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 tbsp olive oil, divided

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Get 3 small shallow bowls out.  In the first, put the corn starch and flour.  In the 2nd, put the egg & dijon.  In the 3rd, put the bread crumbs, cumin and onion powder (mix together).
Dip the pickles in corn starch / flour; then the egg / dijon then the bread crumbs.  Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with a little Pam.
Once you have all the pickles on the baking sheet, put a dab of olive oil on top of each pickle.
Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove pickles from oven, flip them over, put another dab of olive oil on each top and bake for another 8 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan

I'm sure most people have a favorite way to make chicken Parmesan (or a trusted recipe).  I was dabbling with some variations on this and came up with one that I really like!  It's nothing fancy but I think the taste is pretty yummy!

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 - 1 cup Whole Wheat Italian Bread Crumb (I use the brand "4c")

Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese (I eye ball the amount needed to cover the chicken)

1 small jar Prego Sauce

1 Egg White, whisked

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Whisk egg white in a small shallow bowl

Put the bread crumbs in another small shallow bowl

Dip chicken in the egg white, then in the bread crumbs.  Place chicken in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray

Bake chicken for 15 minutes.  After that time, pour sauce evenly over the chicken and put back in the oven.  Bake for another 10 minutes.  After that time, sprinkle cheese evenly over chicken and put back in the oven for about 5 more minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.  

Enjoy!

Tarragon-Roasted Halibut with Hazelnut Brown Butter

Just typing the name of the post made me hungry for this dish again!  I receive the Epicurious "Recipe of the Day" email and when this showed up, I knew we had to try it!  We have a great seafood market so that helps!  This is a bit labor intensive...so, try it on a weekend.

Ingredients:

1/2 c blanched hazelnuts

1 large bunch of fresh tarragon

1 3-3-1/2 lb skinless halibut

4 tbsp olive oil, divided

Kosher salt, Ground pepper

1/2 c unsalted butter

1/4 c fresh lemon juice

Lemon halves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread hazelnuts over a rimmed baking sheet.  Toast in oven, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes until golden brown.  Chop coarsely and set aside.

Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees.  Scatter tarragon sprigs on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Place halibut on top, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil & season with salt & pepper.  Roast until halibut is opaque in the center, about 20-30 minutes.  

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium high heat.  Cook, stirring often, until the butter starts to foam, then browns (don't burn it), about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, let butter cool a little.  Stir in lemon juice, hazelnuts and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil.  

Serve fish with butter sauce drizzled over top.  

Enjoy!

Orange Chicken with Soy and Honey

This is a perfect 30 minute meal & wonderful for during the week!  I found it here and the only adjustments I made to the recipe is to use real garlic and fresh ginger.  B loves this dish and asks for 2nds (and 3rds!).  I mix the chicken with brown rice and steamed broccoli.

Ingredients: 
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 oranges, juiced
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh ginger, probably 1/4-1/2 tsp
Ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine 2nd - 7th ingredients in a bowl and whisk
In a medium, non-stick skillet, add chicken and pour above mixture over chicken.  Stir to combine.
Cook over medium high heat for about 15 minutes.  Remove chicken and set aside.
Stir sauce until it thickens.  Add chicken back in and heat through.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Enjoy!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Lime Mayo Dipping Sauce

We're on Spring Break this week with B and I should be cooking more since I have the time!  But, I wanted a fairly easy dinner tonight so I did my French Dip.  I have had this recipe from Epicurious for sweet potato fries for a few weeks and thought this would be a good meal to serve them with.  The dipping sauce was really good and would be great with not only these fries but also a Southwest theme meal or pulled pork...or anything!

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into "fries"
2 tsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper

For Lime Sauce:
1/3 c light mayo
1/4 tsp finely grated lime zest
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Chopped cilantro (optional - I omitted)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt & pepper to coat
Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and evenly place potatoes on it
Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and turn the potatoes.  Return to oven and cook another 10-15 minutes

Meanwhile combine lime sauce ingredients and keep chilly until you are ready to serve.  I also make a Cajun mayo dip by simply putting mayo and cajun spices in a small bowl and mixing.

Cajun Kale Chips

My sister in law had kale chips on Easter.  I have always wondered what they taste like so I gave them a try.  Wow - they are a great snack!!  Even B loved them!  I wanted to try a different spin on the ones she made so I did mine with a little salt and cajun.  These would be good with any of your favorite spices (Old Bay may be next for me!).

Ingredients:
Kale, snipped from the stalk
2 tsp olive oil
Cajun spice
Salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cut kale into smaller pieces and rinse thoroughly
Place in a large bowl and add spices, tossing to coat
Place kale on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper
Cook for 15 minutes and allow to cool

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

Southwest Turkey Meatballs with Dipping Sauce

I made these for a get together with the neighbors.  I know I've mentioned that I don't like cilantro but I realize other do.  The recipe calls for adding cilantro to the meatballs and the sauce but I omitted it from the meatballs.  I also made 2 dipping sauces...one with cilantro and one with pesto.  These were a hit and would be a nice app to bring to any event.  I would recommend adding more jalapeno if you like a little pep to your food.  I couldn't taste it in mine and I kept a few seeds to hopefully add a little heat.  I found the recipe here.

Ingredients:
1-1/4 lb ground turkey (99% lean)
1 jalapeno, seeds removed if you don't like too much heat
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c chopped cilantro (I omitted this) but subbed parsley
3 scallions, chopped
1/4 c seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tsp cumin
pinch Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
Lightly spray cookie sheet & preheat oven to 400 degrees
Place jalapeno, garlic, cilantro & scallions in a food processor and pulse until minced
In a large bowl, combine turkey, chopped herbs, bread crumbs, egg, cumin, salt & pepper. Use your hands to blend thoroughly
Make into small meatballs and place on cookie sheet
Bake for 15 minutes (mine were a bit big so they cooked for about 20 minutes)
Makes 24 meatballs

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 c lowfat buttermilk
1/4 c lite mayo
1/4 c Fat Free Greek yogurt
1 small jalapeno, seeds removed if you don't like it too spicy
1/4 c fresh cilantro
1 tomatillo, husks removed.  Chop the tomatillo
1 clove garlic
1 scallion
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/8 tsp cumin
Salt & Pepper

Mix all ingredients in a blender and serve.

For a pesto dipping sauce, I followed the instructions above but instead of cilantro, I used almost 1 small jar of pesto sauce.

2 points plus for 2 meatballs; add 1 point for dipping sauce

Lemon Chicken with Broccoli

This chicken is lighter tasting (and lighter in calories) than the traditional "chicken & broccoli" that I love from the Chinese restaurant.  The lemon makes it refreshing and yummy!  I served it over Basmati rice.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 tsp table salt, divided

1/4 tsp black pepper

12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced

2 tsp olive oil

1-1/2 c fat free reduced sodium chicken broth, divided

2 tsp minced garlic

2-1/2 c uncooked broccoli florets

2 tsp lemon zest

2 tbsp fresh parley, chopped

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

On a plate, combine 1-1/2 tbsp flour, 1/4 tsp salt & pepper.  Add chicken & turn to coat

Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium high heat.  Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally until cooked and a little brown - about 5 minutes.  Remove to a plate

Put 1 c broth and garlic in same skillet and bring to a boil over high heat.  Scrape bits of chicken with wooden spoon.  Add broccoli.  Cover and cook 1 minute

In a small cup, stir together remaining broth, 1/2 tbsp flour & 1/4 tsp salt.  Add to skillet and bring to a simmer over low heat

Cover and cook until broccoli is a little crispy and sauce is thickened - about 1-1/2 minutes.  Stir in chicken and lemon zest; heat through.  

Remove skillet from heat.  Stir in parsley & lemon juice.  Toss to coat.  

4 points 

Enjoy!

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!

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese

I don't know why I never thought I'd like cauliflower in the past but it has become one of my new favorite sides!  I found this on the weight watchers community recipe site and it had a ton of reviews.  It is so good and has an almost "nutty" flavor.  This is a super simple recipe but makes a great side dish!

Ingredients:
4 c uncooked cauliflower florets
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Spread cauliflower florets on baking sheet and drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper over top
Bake cauliflower for 20 minutes or until lightly browned in spots
Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese over top.  Return to oven for 5 more minutes then serve

1 point

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatloaf

This has become a new favorite in our house - even M goes back for 2nd and 3rds!  I think it's better than the traditional meatloaf and has really good flavors!  This goes well with some mashed cauliflower (or potatoes) and broccoli!

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp ketchup
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1-1/4 lb lean ground turkey
1/4 c low fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs (I eye ball these so, you may need a little more depending on the texture)

Topping:
1/2 c ketchup
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp mustard


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Heat oil in pan and add onions.  Saute onions for about 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic and stir - making sure to not burn the garlic.  Set aside and cool a bit
In a large bowl, combine turkey, onion mix, Italian seasoning, 1 tsp ketchup, salt, pepper, egg, cheese & bread crumbs.  Mix well.
Lightly spray loaf pan with cooking spray and pack turkey mixture in pan
Bake for 25 minutes
Meanwhile, combine topping mix.  After 25 minutes of baking, spread topping on meatloaf and bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool about 5 minutes before cutting.

4 points

Enjoy!

 

Onion Mustard Crusted Pork Chops

I'm trying to collect a few of my recent favorites and update the blog a bit (I'm so far behind!).  This is a weight watchers recipe but honestly, you can't tell that it's "light".  This recipe would work well with pork or chicken.  We had some thick cut pork chops from Costco & these turned out so yummy!

Ingredients:
3 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/2 c chopped, uncooked onion
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean uncooked pork chops

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place pork chops in shallow baking dish
In a small bowl, combine mustard, soy sauce, garlic, onion, rosemary & olive oil
Spread mixture over pork chops
Place pork in the oven and bake approx 20-30 minutes, depending on thickness of the chops
Coat with any extra sauce throughout the cooking

5 points per serving

Enjoy!

Asian Flank Steak

I've made this as an appetizer and as a main dish.  The trick is to marinade the meat for at least 8 hours but it's well worth it!  The original recipe calls for this to be an appetizer on skewers but I've served it without them.  I "grill" them on our stove top with a grill top and it works out perfectly!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs flank steak, sliced thin1 1/2 cups reduced sodium soy sauce (Use Tamari for Gluten Free)2 cloves minced garlic1 tsp fresh ginger1 tsp sesame oil1 lime, juice of


Directions:
Soak wooden skewers in water about 30 minutes to prevent burning. Marinate the steak in all the ingredients for about 1 hour or more. 
Heat your grill pan or grill a few minutes on each side until browned and cooked though.
Makes about 24 skewers.

Discard marinade and thread the sliced steak onto the skewers.

4 Points Plus points per serving (4 skewers per serving)

Shrimp & Scallops over Herbed Basmati Rice

I really love carbs and have been finding ways to incorporate them, in moderation, on WW.  I found this recipe and thought it sounded good.  I've never had basmati rice before but it turned out very tasty!  We put some sauteed shrimp and scallops over top it and made a meal.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp shallots, minced
3/4 c basmati rice, uncooked
1-1/2 c water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp olive oil
Dry scallops
Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Old Bay Seasoning

Directions for the Rice:
Melt 1 tbsp margarine in a sauce pan over medium high heat
Add garlic & shallots and saute for about a minute
Add in rice & stir well
Add in water and bring to a boil
Cover & lower heat to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed
Top with grated cheese

Directions for Scallops and Shrimp:
Melt 1 tbsp margarine in a pan.  Add olive oil.  Place shrimp in pan & cook for a couple minutes per side.  Dust each side, while cooking, with a little Old Bay.
Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
Place pan over heat and get very hot.  While pan is getting hot, salt & pepper each side of the scallops.  Add scallops to pan and cook each side approx 2-3 minutes per side.

Combine shrimp, scallops and rice and serve.

Rice = 5 Points Plus points
Scallops = 2 Points Plus points for 3 oz
Shrimp =  3 Points Plus points per 3 oz

Rice Krispie Treats - Mini Footballs

We were invited to the neighbor's house to watch the Super Bowl.  I wanted to bring something fun for the kids (and adults) to enjoy.  I found these rice krispie treats on Pinterest and fell in love with them!  They are so easy to make and were a hit for the party!

Ingredients:6 cups Cocoa Krispies Cereal 1 bag of Mini Marshmallows1/2 cup Margarine1 tsp Vanilla ExtractCookie Icing*

Directions:

1. Melt the margarine in a large pot over medium heat. When melted, add the marshmallows and continue to heat until they are completely melted as well.

2. Add the vanilla extract the remove from heat. Next, stir in the Cocoa Krispies Cereal.

3. Allow the cereal mixture to cool for a few minutes, then begin scooping medium sized spoonfuls onto wax paper.

4. Coat your hands with non-stick cooking spray, then begin molding the cereal into football shapes. (I taught our boys to make a round shape then pull the ends to a point with your thumb and pointer finger.)

5. Allow the footballs to completely cool. Then go back and draw the football seams with the cookie icing. (*Feel free to use your favorite cookie icing recipe, however I found the Betty Crocker Cookie Icing to work perfect for this!)

Roasted Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

With the  new year came a new philosophy on my cooking / eating.  I joined Weight Watchers and am determined to get back to my "pre pregnancy" weight.  So far, so good!  So, the next few recipes are some of my favorites from WW or sites that I  have found that have healthy meals.  This pork recipe is from the WW community website.  It's a good weeknight dinner and tastes delish!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped (I used dry)

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb pork tenderloin

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip lock bag.  Place pork in bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 475 and spray cooking pan with Non Stick spray

Place pork in pan (discard marinade) and cook for approximately 25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees

5 Points Plus points per serving 

Crescent Rolls

I'm so far behind on updating the blog but I'm going to try to get a few up here today.  This one is from our Christmas dinner (yes, it's been that long!).  I had regular dinner rolls from the store for Christmas Eve and didn't think they were great.  I had a little extra time on Christmas day so I found a recipe to make my own crescent rolls.  They were really good and so wonderful right out of the oven!  I highly recommend the bread flour instead of regular all-purpose flour for these!

Ingredients:

3/4 c milk

1/4 c sugar

1 egg

1/2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1 cup of warm water

4 1/2 to 5 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup of butter

Instructions:

In a microwave safe bowl combine the milk, sugar and 1/4 cup of the butter and microwave for a couple minutes until the butter melts. If it didn't melt completely that's ok.

In another bowl add the water and the yeast. Stir the yeast a little bit and let it sit until it foams.

In the bowl of your mixer, start with 4 cups of flour, add salt and mix. In the milk mixture crack the egg and mix. Add this mixture to the flour and the yeast mixture as well.

Using the dough hook mix for a couple minutes and add the remaining flour. The dough will be sticky. If you don't have a mixer you can do all this by hand.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it up with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest until it doubles in size. Normally I turn my oven on to 200 F degrees for a couple minutes so that the oven warms up, then I turn off the oven and place the bowl with dough in there for an hour or so until the dough has doubled.

Once the dough is ready cut it in 2 pieces. Roll each piece into a circle about 14" in diameter. You should have 1/4 cup of butter left, softened. Spread the top with 1/2 the butter. Using the pizza cutter cut the circle into quarters first, then each quarter into thirds. Roll up each piece.

Repeat with other piece of dough. Place the rolls onto a buttered pan.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

Let the rolls rest until the edges touch, they should almost double in size.

Bake for about 15 or 20 minutes until golden brown.