Almond Chicken with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce

Yummmmm....I loved this dish!

I tore this out of a Taste of Home magazine and tucked it away in a pile of recipes to try. Even Norm liked it, and he's not big on fruit with savory dishes. We had it over sauteed spinach and a side salad.

Almond Chicken with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce

(Source: Taste of Home)

1/2 C panko bread crumbs

1/3 c unblanched almonds, coarsely ground

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4oz each)

Butter-flavored cooking spray

3 tsp canola oil, divided

1/4 C chopped shallots

1/3 C chicken broth

1/3 C strawberry preserves (I used a berry blend)

3 T balsamic vinegar

1 T minced fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried, crushed)

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine panko, almonds, salt and pepper. Add chicken one piece at a time and shake to coat.

In a large non-stick skillet coated with butter spray, cook chicken in 2 tsp oil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.

In same pan, cook shallots in remaining oil until tender. Stir in the broth, preserves, vinegar and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until thickened.

Pecan Pumpkin Pie Candy

I found this on another blog...it looked like something yummy to take to my brother's house for Thanksgiving to snack on while we watched the parade and football games.

They were good, my neice loved them. I did cut back on some of the sugar because I was afraid they would be way too sweet, and I used sweetened coconut.


Pecan Pumpkin Pie Candy
(Source: cathy's kitchen journey)

1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
2 C white sugar (i used about 1 1/2 C)
2 C unsweetened coconut (I used sweetened b/c I had it on hand)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 C chopped pecans

In a medium saucepan, combine pumpkin, sugar, coconut and spices (except vanilla). On medium heat, cook and mix together and allow sugar to disolve. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture forms a ball (it will take a long time 20-30 minutes at least, but it will get there once all the liquid evaporates)

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Transfer to a heat safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap so a skin doesn't form. Chill in refrigerator until cooled completely.

Using a small scoop, scoop out 1 TBSP balls of mixture and roll in the palms of your hands. Roll balls in chopped pecans to coat. Put back in fridge to set. Makes approximately 30 balls.

Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream Frittata‏

I made this the day after Thanksgiving for some fuel for Black Friday shopping! It was really good, and it was quick and easy...ready in minutes. I served it with some whole grain toast. I think in the summer it would also be good with some fresh berries on the side or with a side salad for brunch.


Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream Frittata
(Source: weightwatchers.com)
Serves 4

16 oz fat-free egg substitute
1/2 c reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 oz smoked salmon, chopped
2 T capers, drained and chopped
2 T chives, chopped
cooking spray

Preheat Broiler.

Whisk together egg substitute, sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir in salmon, capers and chives.

Coat a large ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-heat. When hot, add egg/salmon mixture and cook until almost set but still runny on the surface (about 5-6 minutes). Note, frequently lift the mixture from the sides of the skillet with a spatula and let the uncooked egg to run to the bottom.

Place skillet under the broiler until golden on top (about 1-2 minutes). Slice into eight pieces and serve. 1 serving = 2 pcs/4 pts

Hoisin Shrimp Broccoli

Needed to jot this down before it got lost in the kitchen! I tore this recipe out of "Healthy Cooking" magazine and had it on the counter along with a big stack of recipes that I want to try. I made a few changes to suit our tastes and to bump up the veggie factor (marked with a *). It was tasty!

We had it over brown rice, cooked in some chicken broth to give it some ooomph, and a spicy cucumber salad (cut up cuke and sliced onion tossed with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, mirin and rice vinegar).

Hoisin Shrimp Broccoli
(Source: Healthy Cooking - tasteofhome.com/healthycooking)

1 T cornstarch
1/3 C chicken broth
1 T soy sauce*
2 T hoisin sauce*
1 tsp sesame oil
3 C fresh broccoli florets
1 C sliced mushrooms*
1/2 C onion, cut into a large dice*
1 serrano chili pepper, minced*
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 T minced fresh ginger*
1 lb cooked shrimp (it called for raw, but this is what I had in the freezer)
salt
2 C hot cooked rice

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and broth until smooth. Stir in soy sauce, hoisin and sesame oil. Set aside

In a large non-stick skillet or wok, heat 1 tsp canola oil. Add broccoli, onion, mushrooms, chili pepper and stir-fry until crisp tender (a few minutes). Add garlic, ginger and stir fry for an additional few minutes. Add shrimp, stir-fry until heated thru. At this point, I also added an extra tsp of sesame oil and a little sprinkle of salt because it needed a little something.

Stir in cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over rice.

Whipped cannellini Beans

This is one of my favorite side dishes. I happened upon a variation of this a couple of years ago, and then, when we first went on South Beach, it turned out to be a perfect side dish. It has endless possibilities for tasty variations by using different beans, broths, different veggies, etc.

Whipped Cannellini Beans
1 T olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can of beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 C broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Heat oil in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender. Add beans, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes, or until liquid is almost evaporated. Transfer to the food processor, and process until smooth. Taste for seasoning.

Halibut Kabobs

This was a recipe that used up some fish from the freezer and veggies from the fridge that needed to go. It was super easy to put together, and cooked quickly...which is always a plus on a weeknight! Served with whole wheat orzo mixed with mushrooms - that were sauteed with garlic, wine and parsley - and a tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

HALIBUT KABOBS
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 T fresh parsley, minced
1 t minced garlic
8 oz halibut or other meaty whitefish suitable for grilling; cut into 1 inch cubes
1 small zucchini, rinsed and ends trimmed; cut lengthwise and slice into 1/2 inch slices
1 C grape tomatoes, rinsed
1 bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 package 6 or 8-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and oregano, parsley and garlic. Add halibut, zucchini, pepper, onion, tomatoes, toss until well coated. Let marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Sidenote: since the peppers, zucchini and onion need to cook longer than the fish and tomatoes...I skewered them seperately from the fish/tomatoes and put them on the grill for a few minutes earlier than the rest.

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill skewers and baste with remaining marinade, turning once after several minutes on the first side, until fish is just cooked through but not flaking apart, about 7 to 9 minutes total. Serve immediately.

Baked Eggs in Bacon Cups

A super easy and quick breakfast...what can be better in the mornings than eggs and bacon, right?!?!?! I don't remember where I saw this recipe...probably online somewhere....but it's basically 2 ingredients, and goes together in a flash.

I had extra slices of pancetta that I baked along with the eggs, check out how it curled up and looks like a flower!

Baked Eggs in Bacon Cups

(serves 2)

8 slices pancetta (use can use canadian bacon to be south beach diet friendly)

4 eggs
Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 4 cups of a muffin tin with cooking spray. Line each of the sprayed cups with 2 slices of pancetta. Crack and egg into each cup. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, or until set.

Sausage Stuffed Banana Peppers

In the summer, I like to stock up on hot banana peppers. Aren't they pretty??? They are so good chopped up in sauces, roasted in a little olive oil, sauteed with onions for hot sausage sandwiches, or stuffed and baked.

Our favorite is to stuff them with a mixture of hot turkey sausage, cheeses, and spices...cover them with marinara sauce and baked them until they are bubbly and delicious.

Here's my recipe, well sort of. Its one of things that I toss together, I don't really measure.

Sausage Stuffed Banana Peppers in Marinara Sauce

(Source: me!)

4 banana peppers (washed, topped trimmed, sliced open, and seeds/ribs removed)

2 links of hot Italian sausage, casings removed

1/3 C Italian cheese blend (parmesan, asiago, romano)

1 tsp minced garlic

salt, pepper

parsley

1 C marinara sauce

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix sausage, cheese and spices and mix until just blended. Divide evenly between peppers. Place peppers in a baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray. Top with marinara sauce. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until bubbly.

Another delish dish for the South Beach Diet! I actually found the recipe on a Weight Watchers message board.

I used some veal scalloppini that we had in the freezer and added sliced shallot, some hot banana peppers from the farmers market and some sliced mushrooms. To make this Phase I friendly, we had this over steamed spaghetti squash seasoned with salt, pepper and some garlic.

Pan-Seared Veal with Capers, Lemon and Artichokes

(Source: Weight Watchers Message Board)

1 sprays olive oil cooking spray

1 pound lean veal loin, boneless chops, four 4 oz pieces

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth, reduced-sodium

14 oz canned artichoke hearts, without oil, drained and halved

2 Tbsp capers, drained

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp dried oregano

4 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. Season both sides of veal chops with salt and pepper. Add veal to hot pan and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. At this point, I removed the veal and kept in on a plate, tented with foil. I sauteed the banana peppers, mushrooms, and shallot in the pan until soft.

Add broth, artichoke hearts, capers, lemon juice and oregano to pan, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until veal is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and add parsley. Serve hot. Yields about 3 ounces of veal and 1/2 cup of artichoke mixture per serving.

On South Beach, we are trying to make a serious effort to cut out packaged, processed foods. So since the chili that I normally make includes a packet of chili seasoning, I tried this recipe that is basically from scratch. We found it to be very underseasoned, so we ended up tossing in a ton of extra seasonings, and since this was over a month ago...I can't remember what all we added! But I wanted to at least post the basic recipe so that next time I have a jumping off point and can edit it with all of the additions.

Two-Bean Chili Con Carne

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
2 tablespoons chili powder (we may have doubled this)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (I added this)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juices
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, 1 tablespoon of the chili powder, and cayenne. Cook, stirring to break up meat, about 5 minutes, or until browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate.

Add pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, and remaining 1 tablespoon chili powder to the same saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, then add diced tomatoes and their juices, black beans, pinto beans, and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, add cooked beef, and cook over medium heat until chili thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 4 (generous 1 1/2-cup) servings

Nutrition at a GlancePer serving: 406 calories, 11 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 35 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 12 g fiber, 639 mg sodium
This recipe can also be prepared for Phase 1 meals.

Ginger-Dijon Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Another tasty South Beach recipe. Sorry no pics!

You know...you do eat REALLY well on this diet, lol. I don't think I was ever hungry at all during the first 2 weeks (Phase I). We had this with some steamed green beans and whipped cannellini beans.

Ginger-Dijon Glazed Pork Tenderloin

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
1 1/2 pounds pork loin
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together mustard, sour cream, ginger, thyme, and a pinch of salt; set aside. Make several 1/4-inch slits in pork loin. Slip garlic into slits. Brush loin with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add pork loin and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat.

Spread mustard mixture over pork, then transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until a meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150 degrees, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the pork to a cutting board; loosely cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4.

Nutrition at a Glance Per serving: 267 calories, 11 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 38 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 327 mg sodium

Peanut Butter Delight

This is a recipe that I found online that was perfect for Phase I of the South Beach Diet. It's sweet...it's creamy...it's PEANUT BUTTER...what's not to like, right??? I topped mine with a little fat free whipped topping and a little drizzle of sugar-free chocolate syrup. But it's just as good on its own.

Peanut Butter Delight

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta

1 T natural peanut butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 packet sugar substitute (I used Truvia)

In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth; chill and serve.

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sage Sauce

I've made this a few times now, and it's so good! It's a recipe I found via Google Reader on a yummy blog called Simply Recipes. The terrible pic to the left shows it served with grilled zucchini and brown rice. If you want a gorgeous pic, be sure to check out Elise's blog!

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sage Sauce

(Source: Simply Recipes)

3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped shallots
8-10 ounces mushrooms, cremini or shitake, thickly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (light cream may curdle, so use heavy cream)
3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pieces pounded to an even 1/4 inch to 1/3 inch thickness
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add shallots and sauté for one minute. Add mushrooms and parsley and sauté for 5-10 more minutes, until the mushrooms have browned. If you are using unsalted butter, sprinkle on a pinch of salt. Add vermouth and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits that may be sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the cream. Bring to a boil and cook the sauce down until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 10 minutes).

While the sauce is reducing, heat olive oil in another large sauté pan on medium high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken breast cutlets. Add cutlets to pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through.

Stir in sage to sauce, season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken to serve.

Serve alone (for low carb version) or with rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta (use gluten-free for gluten-free version). We used bow-tie pasta which worked great. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Serves 4

The Cherry Chomper (and some chocolate chip panckes)

I love kitchen gadgets!

I saw this in the store one day...the same day I was buying fresh cherries...it was fate! Seriously, how cute is it? Probably made for kids, but that's ok. It was

Not exactly an efficient gadget, but it does give you the chance to bang out some frustrations. It's a little messy - or maybe that was the cook? - as the juicy evidence in this picture illustrates.

The freshly pitted cherries were served along side some whole wheat pancakes laced with some caramel-chocolate chips, and a few slices of bacon.

The pancakes are from a mix. Hodgson Mills makes a great whole wheat pancake mix. All you need is to stir in some milk and an egg and whatever fun stuff you want to add and you're good to go!

2009 Ficco 4th of July Party Desserts

I was in charge of making desserts for my family's annual 4th of July party. I picked a bunch of fun things to make and take with me...a little something for everyone!

The line up...

Zesty Lemon Sugar Cookies

(Source: Feeding My Enthusiasms)

1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
Mix the above ingredients together until creamy.
3 cups all-purpose flour (I ran out of regular flour, so I ended up using 2 C white flour and 1 C whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
zest from ½ a medium Meyer lemon (I used regular lemon)
Mix the flour, baking soda, salt and zest together. Combine with the butter mixture. If too dry, add mile, one tablespoon at a time until dough forms.
Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place unbaked cookies on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F. until lightly browned, about 6-7 minutes. (If dough sticks while rolling, refrigerate briefly). Remove from oven when done, cool on baking sheet a minute, then cool on cake rack until fully cooled.
After cookies have cooled, can be frosted and decorated as desired.

Lemon Glaze
Zest from ½ a lemon
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
juice from Meyer lemon, heated for one minute in the microwave

Place zest and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl. Whisk in a little of the lemon juice. Add dribbles of the juice until a glaze is formed. If too thin, add a little more sugar; if too thick whisk in more lemon juice. Reserve left over juice for another use. Using small offset spatula, ice tops of each cookie. Set on cake rack to dry.

Oreo Rice Krispy Treats

Just your basic recipe, kicked up a notch....

4 T butter

10 oz mini marshmallows

6 C rice krispies

1 bag of mini Oreos

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in cereal and oreos. Stir until well coated. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Mounds Angel Food Cupcakes (pic disappeared into the depths of my computer)

1 box of just-add-water angel food cake mix (prepare as directed on box EXCEPT replace 1 T of water with coconut extract)

1/3 C shredded coconut

1/3 C mini chocolate chips

3 T cocoa powder

Fill paper cupcake liners 1/2 full with batter. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

Icing

In the interest of time, I mixed a tub of whipped vanilla icing with some coconut extract and shredded coconut. I put a dollop on top of each cupcake along with a few chocolate chips.

Red/White/Blue Birthday Cake

We celebrate the family's summer birthdays over the fourth of July. My 3 nieces are the lucky summer b-day girls! I let them help me decorate the cake.

Basically I used 2 boxes of plain white boxed cake mix (prepared with the directions on the box)...and stirred in a bottle of food coloring in each, and baked as directed. I iced the giant cake using an icing made of cool-whip and pudding mix (1 box of cheesecake flavored pudding mix, 1.5 cups cold water...mix well, fold in a container of cool whip).

Breaded Pork Cutlets with Gorgonzola Sauce

I kinda like when Norm goes to the grocery store. He randomly comes back with things that we can "use sometime". On this last trip, he brought back a package of pork cutlets and a package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I have made breaded pork cutlets before, but wanted something with some more taste. And a sauce. Nothing makes a meal like a good sauce!

I found this recipe on myrecipes.com and thought that the sage and thyme that is rubbed on the pork would complement the gorgonzola sauce that has become a staple in our house. It was really tasty...plus I had enough for leftovers to take for lunch the next day. We had it with some sauteed yellow squash, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a salad on the side.

Breaded Pork Cutlets

(Source: myrecipes.com, originally from Cooking Light)

2 (1-ounce) slices white bread
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 (2-ounce) boneless pork chops (1/4 inch thick)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Cooking spray
4 lemon wedges

Place bread slices in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.

Combine salt, pepper, sage, and thyme; sprinkle over both sides of pork. Place flour in a shallow dish; place egg whites in another shallow dish. Dredge pork in flour, dip in egg whites, and dredge in breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan. Cook 2 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned. Lightly coat surface of chops with cooking spray; turn chops over. Cook 2 1/2 minutes or until done. Serve with lemon wedges.

Sunday Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs with Herbed Goat Cheese

Norm was in charge of breakfast this am...and this is what he came up with. He even took the pic, lol. It was really delicious!

We had some herbed goat cheese in the fridge from Whole Foods that needed to be used up. So he diced that up, and mixed it into eggs and scrambled it. With a little smoked salmon topped with capers and a dish of fresh melon, it was a wonderful way to start the day!

What you need:

Eggs

goat cheese

milk

salt/pepper

smoked salmon

capers

Crack eggs into bowl, stir in diced goat cheese, salt & pepper and a little milk. Whisk until well combined. Heat frying pan over medium heat. Add egg mixture to pay and scramble until set.

Chorizo Sausage Gravy

I had a brilliant idea last night to use up a link of fabulously spicy chorizo sausage that Norm had taken out of the freezer the other day. I thought perhaps that even though it wasn't a traditional "breakfast" sausage, it might make for a good gravy for over biscuits and scrambled eggs for a change of pace from the same old stuff. Plus it used up some stuff that was hanging around in the fridge and freed up some space for more tasty goods = )

The gravy was based on a recipe from cooks.com (pretty easy...no need to go back to any packaged mix if you have staples on hand - flour & milk). The chorizo made the gravy a pretty orange-y color. We both went back for seconds.

BISCUITS AND SAUSAGE GRAVY
(Source: cooks.com)

8 buttermilk biscuits
3/4 pound of sausage (used 1 pretty large link of chorizo)
4 cups of milk (i used approximately 1 C skim milk)
4-6 tablespoons of flour (I used about 2 T of flour)
salt,pepper (not in the original recipe, but it needed it!)

Prepare biscuits as instructed on package. Brown sausage in skillet. As soon as sausage is completely brown, turn to medium heat. Add flour by the tablespoon, stirring constantly. Let the flour turn BROWN before adding another tablespoon (if you don't, your gravy will taste like flour). After you have added enough flour to make the gravy as thick as you like, add milk and stir with whisk.

Serve over biscuits.

Crab Stuffed Artichokes

I decided to make Norm stuffed artichokes....I hadn't had them in a long time, and he's never had them. Plus I had some extra time considering I was off all week. They are super easy, and you could probably stuff them with just about anything. They'd also be good with a dipping sauce of some sort - like an aioli or something.

Here's what you do. Trim the sharp little barbs off the top of each leaf and cut the stalk off the bottom as you'll want to stand them up to stuff and bake them.

Steam them for about 30 minutes - long enough so that the leaves are soft and you can pull them out a bit to stuff them. Stuff and bake for about 20-25 minutes until they are warmed thru.

Here's what I stuffed them with:
2 T melted butter
1/2 - 1 cup of bread crumbs
salt, pepper
parsley
italian seasoning
garlic salt
1 small can of crab meat

Mix all together until it's a moist stuffing. Spoon into artichokes and bake.

Cheesy Bacon and Egg Brunch Casserole

I made this for breakfast one more during my annual girl's weekend trip with my friends to Myrtle Beach. It was realllly good. I think next time, I'd use a different kind of bread like ciabatta or something (I just used a regular loaf of sliced wheat sandwich bread). And definitely more bacon...and maybe some mushrooms and peppers.

Cheesy Egg and Bacon Brunch Casserole
(Source: McCormick.com)
Serves 12

8 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 loaf (8 ounces) Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (5 cups) (used light whole wheat)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese (used about 1 cup, reduced fat)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (used about 1 cup of swiss instead)
1 cup cottage cheese (used fat-free)
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (used skim milk)
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Mustard, Ground
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble and set aside. Add onion to drippings in skillet; cook and stir 3 minutes or until softened.

Spread 1/2 of the bread cubes in 13x9-inch baking dish. Layer with 1/2 each of the onion, bacon, Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese. Spread evenly with cottage cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes, onion, bacon, Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Beat eggs in medium bowl until foamy. Add milk, mustard, nutmeg and pepper; beat until blended. Pour evenly over top. Press bread cubes lightly into egg mixture until completely covered. Let stand 10 minutes.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown.

Make Ahead: Casserole can be assembled 1 day ahead. Prepare as directed, increasing milk to 2 cups. Cover and store in refrigerator. Remove cover and bake as directed.

NUTRITION INFORMATION per serving
Calories: 260
Fat: 16 g
Carbohydrates: 14 g
Cholesterol: 128 mg
Sodium: 492 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 15 g

Chicken Gyros

I really wish that I had taken pics of this dinner, because it was excellent! Especially since we grilled the chicken, it gave it a little smoky flavor.

It came from one of my favorite blogs to browse - Elly Says Opa. She has a beautiful pic on her blog, that my um...lacking photography skills could never come close to = ) Her recipe for tzatziki was also incredible...seriously, it was so good that I took the leftovers to work the next day with a pita for a snack.

Chicken Gyros
(Source: Elly Says Opa)
Serves 4

1.25 lbs. chicken pieces (I used breast this time, but I also love using thighs, or a combo)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tbsp. plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper
1/2 batch of tzatziki (recipe below)
sliced tomatoes
sliced onions
4 (pocketless) pitas

Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, yogurt, and oregano in a bowl. Add the chicken and rub the marinade in. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour. Preheat the broiler (or grill, or pan on the stove). Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, and then broil until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, depending what size/type chicken you are using. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing into strips.

Tzatziki
1 32oz. container of plain yogurt (I used fat free Greek yogurt)
1 hothouse cucumber or 2 regular cucumbers, seeded
3-5 cloves garlic–depending how garlicky you like it, crushed
1-2 tsp white wine vinegar
salt and a little pepper
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Strain yogurt using a cheesecloth over a bowl for several hours or overnight to get out as much moisture as possible.Peel and seed the cucumber. Shred the cucumbers and then squeeze the life out of them to get rid of as much excess moisture as possible.

Mix together the strained yogurt, shredded cucumbers, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice (if desired). Salt to taste. It’s best to refrigerate for 30 minutes or more before serving, so flavors can meld.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I took a really good carrot cake recipe that I've made a couple of times before, and turned it into cupcakes for Easter at my parents house.

A portable and perfectly portioned dessert! My mom - who requested the carrot cake to begin with - froze the left over cupcakes to dole out long after the holiday was over and she and my dad needed a little sweet treat!

Chicken Sate with Peanut Sauce

I pulled this recipe off a WW message board. I love peanut sauce, but rarely get the chance to have it...so I figured what the heck. We had this with a side of spicy cucumber salad, barley and veggies.

Chicken Sate with Peanut Sauce

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup lite coconut milk

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 shallot, sliced thin

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce (or 2 additional teaspoons low sodium soy sauce)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast pounded slightly and cut into 1-inch strips

8 (8-inch) bamboo skewers, soaked for 20 minutes

3/4 cup Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce, recipe below

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or cilantro leaves

1/4 cup chopped toasted peanuts

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, and ginger. Add the chicken strips and marinate for 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.

Spray a nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-high flame. While pan is heating, thread chicken onto skewers. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side, until meat is cooked through and has light grill marks.

Serve chicken skewers with Peanut Dipping Sauce, and garnish with basil or cilantro and chopped peanuts. Yield: 4 servings (2 skewers and 2 tablespoons peanut sauce per serving)

Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

1 teaspoon red curry paste

1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Sauce can be made 1 day ahead of time, and will keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Yield: about 1 1/4 cups

Steamed Clams in Wine with Chorizo

As soon as I come across any mussel or clam recipe that looks half-way interesting, it immediately gets book-marked. When I came across this recipe though, it also went straight to Norm as it was right up his culinary alley...so to speak! As recommeded by the blog (Mattbites) that I found it on, be sure to have some good crusty bread to soak up some of the broth!

Steamed Clams in Wine with Chorizo

(Source: Epicurious)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup dry white wine
2 lb littleneck clams (2 inches wide), scrubbed (We used mussels)
1/4 lb dried Spanish chorizo (spicy cured pork sausage) links, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, cumin, and salt in oil in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in wine and bring to a boil.Add clams and chorizo, then boil, covered, until clams open, 7 to 8 minutes. (Discard any clams that are not open after 9 minutes.) Season with pepper and stir in cilantro.

Makes 2 servings.

Grilled Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Another winner from another food blog Je Mange la Ville. We have salmon quite a bit in our house...and have had it every which way - poached, broiled, baked, roasted, pan-fried - but our favorite is probably grilled. Simply seasoned and grilled to juicy perfection.

So when I came across this recipe, I had to give it a shot. Especially when I saw the romesco-like sauce with it...I knew in an instant it was going to be a good one!

I served this with some sauteed zuke, onion and mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes and a salad. We had some left over sauce, so we used it by putting it over some grilled scallops. Delish!

Grilled Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

(Source: http://www.jemangelaville.com/2009/05/09/grilled-salmon-with-roasted-red-pepper-sauce/)

Adapted from Eating Well magazine

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted slightly in a dry pan over medium heat

1 red bell pepper

1/4 cup halved grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar

1 orange, halved

1 tsp paprika, preferably smoked

1 tsp salt, divided

freshly ground pepper

3/4 - 1 lb wild-caught salmon fillet, cut into 2 portions

Canola or olive oil cooking spray

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Turn the broiler on high. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and core and seed the pepper. Split the pepper in half and press down on the baking sheet to flatten. I usually roast the top too, just remove the stem. Broil until blackened. To peel easily, place the blackened peppers in a zip lock bag, seal and let steam for about 5 minutes. Remove the peppers and you should be able to peel the blackened skin off easily. Do not rinse.

In a food processor or blender, process the almonds, roasted pepper pieces, tomatoes, garlic, oil, vinegar, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the juice of 1/2 your orange. Process. Add more juice if needed to get a smooth, sauce consistency. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Heat up a grill pan over medium high heat (we used our gas grill outside). Remove the fish from the marinade and give it a little salt & pepper. Give the pan a quick spray with canola oil and add your fish. (If you didn’t marinate, add a little extra olive oil to the pan). Grill about 3 - 5 minutes per side, depending on the size and thickness of your fish. Be sure to crisp up the skin side.

When you think the fish is almost done, remove it from the pan, set on a plate, squeeze with a little remaining orange, and cover with foil. It’ll finish cooking on the plate with the carryover heat. To serve, place a little sauce down on each plate and top with a piece of fish. On the side, we had oven roasted potatoes and pan-sauteed asparagus.

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sage Sauce

I love dishes with sauces. Seriously...love them. Chances are that given the choice between sauce and no sauce, I would pick sauced and add some extra, just for good measure.

This was another recipe pulled from a fantastic food blog - Simply Recipes. Simple and easy...and it was pretty delicious.

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sage Sauce
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped shallots
8-10 ounces mushrooms, cremini or shitake, thickly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (light cream may curdle, so use heavy cream)
3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pieces pounded to an even 1/4 inch to 1/3 inch thickness
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add shallots and sauté for one minute. Add mushrooms and parsley and sauté for 5-10 more minutes, until the mushrooms have browned. If you are using unsalted butter, sprinkle on a pinch of salt. Add vermouth and deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits that may be sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir in the cream. Bring to a boil and cook the sauce down until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 10 minutes).

While the sauce is reducing, heat olive oil in another large sauté pan on medium high heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken breast cutlets. Add cutlets to pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through.

Stir in sage to sauce, season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken to serve.

Serves 4.

Cioppino

Where did I put this recipe? Who knows....hmmmm.....



Buy my oh my this was a tasty dish! Clams, mussels and shrimp in a delicious tomato, veggie and herb-y wine broth. Served up with some fresh bread to sop up all the goodness, a salad, and a crisp white wine.

Yummy!

Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Sammiches

The house smells so friggin' good right now...I have had a pork tenderloin cooking away in the crock pot all day. I am hungry for BBQ pork sandwiches - and have no idea why. They aren't something that I seek out to eat, but oh well! It gave me a chance to bust out the seldom-used crock pot.

I found a recipe on allrecipes.com that looked interesting - the pork gets cooked in a mix of coffee, whiskey, broth, worchestershire sauce and garlic, then gets drained, shredded, sauced and cooked come more. We're going to have the sandwiches on whole wheat rolls with fries (sweet potato for me, regular fries for Norm) and a salad.

Here's the recipe. I halved it for the two of us...and we'll still probably have enough for another meal. I have a feeling this will be revisited for tailgating when football season starts!

Slow Cooker Barbequed Pork for Sandwiches
(Source: allrecipes.com)

2 1/2 pounds boneless pork roast
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups strong brewed coffee
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
10 cloves garlic (i just used about 2 tsp of miced garlic since that's what I had)
3 cups beef broth
1 cup water
1 small onion, diced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 (12 ounce) bottles barbeque sauce (I used about a 1/2 a bottle)

Season the roast with salt and pepper. Place the seasoned roast, coffee, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon whiskey, garlic, beef broth, water, onion, and red pepper flakes in a slow cooker set to LOW. Cook 3 to 4 hours. Scoop garlic cloves out of the cooker and mash with a fork; return the mashed garlic to the slow cooker. Cook another 3 to 4 hours. (*** note, since I used minced garlic I didn't have to do this...I just let it cook for about 7 hours or so)

Transfer roast to a large cutting board, and discard liquid. Shred the roast into strands using two forks, and return meat to the slow cooker. Stir in the barbeque sauce, and continue cooking on LOW for 1 to 3 hours.

Broiled Tilapia with Yogurt and Parmesan

This was fantastic! I really liked the marinade/sauce that this made. It was excellent on the fish...I will definitely make this again. I actually had to improvise from the original recipe as I didn't have all of the spices on hand (which is actually quite unbelievable given the amount of spices in the cabinet right now). Here is the original recipe (lifted from a Weight Watchers message board, but it's from Whole Foods) with my adaptations. I served it with barley and sauteed squash, zucchini and peppers.

Broiled Tilapia with Yogurt and Parmesan

(Source: Whole Foods)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise (I used Kraft reduced-fat olive oil mayo)

2 tablespoons Greek style yogurt or sour cream (used plain ol' non-fat yogurt)

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (1 T whipped butter, melted)

Juice and zest of one small lemon (about 2 tablespoons juice) (used less than 1/2 of this)

1/2 teaspoon dried basil (used 1 T fresh basil and 1 tsp of an Italian seasoning blend in place of all of these spices)

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 (6 to 8 ounce) farm-raised tilapia fillets

Combine 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese with remaining ingredients (except fish). Coat fillets with mixture and place in baking dish or shallow platter and let marinate for 15–20 minutes. Preheat broiler. Place fillets on a foil-lined broiler pan. Spoon a few tablespoons marinade on top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Broil 4–6 inches from heat for 5–8 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. The fish is ready when it flakes easily with a fork.

Creamy Shrimp Pasta

I found this recipe on the McCormick Web site...the original calls for chicken. I thought it would be great with shrimp as well, so that's what I made it with. It was good...not great...but tasty enough. It definitely needs some more flavor. Maybe next time I'll doctor it up a bit and add some minced garlic, maybe some freshmore parmesan, etc.

I also added some more veggies. I had a plethora of fresh veggies in the fridge, so I thought I'd add some color to the mix - even if you can't see it in the picture! I sauteed some mini bell peppers, a handfull of chopped mushrooms and some onion and seasoned them with some salt, pepper and a dash of white balsamic vinegar, and added to the pasta before I put the sauce on it. Oh, and I added a wedge of garlic and herb light laughing cow cheese, jus for kicks.

Creamy Chicken Penne

(Source: McCormick Web Site)

8 ounces uncooked multigrain penne pasta
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen small broccoli florets
1 cup fat free half-and-half
4 ounces Neufchâtel cheese (1/3 less fat than cream cheese), cubed
1 teaspoon McCormick® Oregano Leaves
1 teaspoon McCormick® Rosemary Leaves, finely crushed
1 teaspoon McCormick® Thyme Leaves
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt from McCormick® Sea Salt Grinder
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (I used about 1/2 lb of cooked shrimp)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain well.

Meanwhile, bring half-and-half to simmer in small saucepan on medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cream cheese, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder and sea salt; whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is well blended. Add chicken; simmer until heated through.

Place pasta and broccoli in large serving bowl. Spoon sauce evenly over pasta mixture. Toss gently to coat well. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Crab and Avocado Salad

A quick lunch favorite. This is adapted from a South Beach Diet recipe, I usually just toss in whatever veggies that I have on hand. It's pretty versatile. I have it over lettuce here, but have also made it into a wrap, or on english muffins for an open faced sammich.

Here's what I do (amount are total estimates!)
1/2 a pack of imitation crab (this time I used a flaked crab and shrimp combo)
1/2 an avocado, diced
1/4 of an onion, diced
1/4 of a red pepper, diced
a squirt of lime
cilantro
salt, pepper, garlic
olive oil mayo

Mix all together and serve.

Moroccan Chicken with Roasted Veggies

Another weight watchers message board find. The spices were amazing...so flavorful and a nice change of pace from the same ol' same ol' that we seem to be having. I used chicken tenders instead of breasts, so I had to reduce the cooking time a bit (to about 15 minutes). I also added some eggplant, red bell pepper and onion to the carrots, and tossed them with a little cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, garlic, salt and pepper.

I cooked some barley in chicken broth and added a little bit of the sames that were used on the chicken. This was excellent leftover the next day for lunch. I think this will be excellent grilled this summer.

Moroccan Chicken and Roasted Carrots
(Source: weight watchers message board)

4 (4 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
4 carrots

Mix all spices with the oil to make a paste coat each chicken breast. Cook on a sheet pan, in a single layer, at 450 degrees x 20-25 minutes or until done. You may also add a lemon during roasting cut in quarters for added flavor.

For the carrots cut up carrots in 2 inch segments coat with a tsp EVOO add coarse salt and roast on the same pan as the chicken till done.