A date night out at the theater!

Ben gave me tickets to see CATS for our first anniversary and Christmas this year. We thought about going somewhere really nice for dinner, but I'd hate to be rushed or late to one of my favorite. So we decided to make a fancy extra special dinner at home. I made NY Strips with Cabernet Sauce, Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Marscapone, Balsamic Browned-Butter Asparagus and Chocolate dipped Strawberries for dessert. The steak recipe calls for Filet Mignon, but Ben found NY Strips that looked really good, so I used them in stead. This was the first time I've ever made Risotto or used dried mushrooms. This recipe was actually in Cooking Light's Best of 20 Years Issued (Sept 2007) as the best rice dish...I can believe it!

We had a wonderful night...the show was fantastic, even Ben liked it. I dressed the part with my leapord print pencil skirt and fur trimmed sweater...it's so fun! I included a picture of us before the show. This was definitely a fancy date night and the food was just as good as anything we could have paid for in a restaurant, but tons cheaper too!

Filet Mignon with Cabernet Sauce (Cooking Light)

Cooking spray

4 (4-ounce) filet mignon steaks

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/4 cup minced shallots

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 cup cabernet sauvignon

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

2 teaspoons butter

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of steaks evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan. Add shallots to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in vinegar and soy sauce, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates, stirring constantly. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, wine, and broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 11 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in butter. Serve with steaks.

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Marscapone (Cooking Light)

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)

1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth

Cooking spray

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice

3/4 cup chopped shallots

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine 1 1/2 cups boiling water and mushrooms; let stand 10 minutes or until soft. Drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1 1/4 cups soaking liquid; chop mushrooms.

Bring reserved soaking liquid and broth to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm over low heat.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine; cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).
Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring occasionally until each portion of broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Add mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano and mascarpone cheeses, thyme, salt, and pepper; stir gently just until cheeses melt. Serve warm.

Balsamic Browned-Butter Asparagus (Cooking Light)

4 pounds fresh asparagus

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 cup butter

4 teaspoons lite soy sauce

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus.

Arrange asparagus evenly on a lightly greased 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Bake asparagus at 400° for 15 minutes or just until tender.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until butter is lightly browned. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle over asparagus, tossing to coat. Serve immediately.

Dinner Tonight!

I love this section of Cooking Light. They are always really quick and easy without a ton of ingredients. This month featured Tilapia. All three menu's looked amazing, but this one looked exceptionally good. The fish is pan-seared and a warm citrus vinaigrette is made to drizzle on top of the fish. For quick sides I made coucous and Lemony Asparagus.

Pan-Seared Tilapia with Citrus Vinaigrette (Cooking Light)

Cooking spray
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add 2 fillets to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining fillets.

Add white wine to pan; cook 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates. Combine shallots and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk; stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add shallot mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Place 1 fillet on each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 3 tablespoons sauce.

4 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 215(31% from fat); FAT 7.4g (sat 1.6g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 34.5g; CHOLESTEROL 85mg; CALCIUM 24mg; SODIUM 357mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.9g

A Little Old....A Little New

This wasn't really a New Year's Resolution, but with the New Year I wanted to start trying some new ingredients in my recipes and cooking. There are so many recipes I probably skip over just because I'm not familiar with the ingredient. So already I've already added Cardamom, Unprocessed Bran, Butternut Squash and Leeks to my list. Sunday evening (my big cooking day) I used turnips and Gruyère cheese as my something new ingredients. I saw a recipe for Turnip-Gruyère Gratin in the new Cooking Light and it caught my eye, which is unusual since it didn't have a picture. I'm a very visual person and typically only make recipes with pictures...hence my love of photographing food! I also decided to try a new Meatloaf recipe made with oatmeal rather than breadcrumbs.

The turnips were quite tasty. They sort of taste like a cross between and potato and onion. The gratin also has potatoes and the dish turned out a little like scalloped potatoes. The meatloaf was very good and worthy of the 5 stars the reviewers gave it on Cooking Light. After reading the reviews I decided to use 2 whole eggs rather than 2 egg whites to keep the loaf together. Also, I didn't have enough ketchup, so I used bbq sauce too. I have a loaf pan and used it, but the recipe uses a roasting pan instead. Next time, I'll shape into a loaf and use the pan, which will help reduce the fat that collects on top. I also steamed fresh broccolini then pan roasted it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper.



Home-Style Meat Loaf (Cooking Light)

3/4 cup ketchup, divided
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds ground round
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, oats, and next 6 ingredients (oats through egg whites) in a large bowl. Add meat; stir just until blended. Shape meat mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush 1/4 cup ketchup over meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 242(28% from fat); FAT 7.5g (sat 2.6g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 27.2g; CHOLESTEROL 70mg; CALCIUM 21mg; SODIUM 527mg; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.5g





Turnip-Gruyère Gratin (Cooking Light)

1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 pound baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Cooking spray
1 cup fat-free milk, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
3 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place turnips in a large saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add potatoes to pan, and simmer for 8 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Drain. Sprinkle turnips and potatoes evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and arrange slices in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Combine 1/4 cup milk, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme in a medium saucepan, and stir with a whisk until well blended. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook over medium heat for 7 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and add Gruyère cheese, stirring until smooth. Pour cheese mixture over turnip and potato slices, and toss gently.
Combine seasoned breadcrumbs and butter; sprinkle over turnip mixture. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

6 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 166(24% from fat); FAT 4.5g (sat 2.6g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 6.1g; CHOLESTEROL 13mg; CALCIUM 189mg; SODIUM 372mg; FIBER 2.9g; IRON 0.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.8g

Healthy Lasagna

This is another one from my new Weight Watchers Complete Cookbook. I make a mean veggie lasagna, but it's definitely not this healthy. This tastes super fresh and leaves you satisfied, not with a heavy feeling. Usually sweet italian sausage is used in lasagna, which has tons of flavor. This recipe uses fennel seeds, which is a main spice in sausage, to give it a rich flavor. The only thing I added was italian seasoning and ground pepper. I also substituted A Cabernet Marinara sauce from the pasta aisle instead of the refrigerated kind and a part skim mozzarella and 6 italian cheese blend for all the cheese topping. The best part is a serving size is huge...1/8th of a regular lasagna pan and it's only 6 points! Ben did say this doesn't beat my famous lasagna, but it comes in a close second that is satisfying.

Lasagna with Meat Sauce (WW)

9 lasagna noodles
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 lb lean ground beef (10% or less fat)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 (15 ounce) containers refrigerated marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions, then set aside.

In a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, cook the fennel seeds, shaking the pan and stirring constantly, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a coffee grinder and grind to a powder. Or pound the seeds between two clean kitchen towels with a mallet until finely crushed.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil; add the beef, onion, bell pepper and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the pan juices evaporate and the beef browns, about 10 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and fennel; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened and the flavors blend, about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, spread one-fourth of the meat sauce. Top with 3 of the noodles; spread 1/2 cup of the ricotta. Repeat the layering twice, ending with meat sauce.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with the mozzarella and Romano cheese. Bake until heated through and the cheeses are lightly browned, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Sunday Chinese

Having chinese on Sunday is a pretty common affair at my house. But since we're being healthy, I decided to make my own. My recipe is adapted from my new Weight Watchers Complete Cookbook. I forgot to marinate the chicken. So I improvised by using the marinade as a guide for a sauce. I also had a small amount of Lawry's 10 minute Seasame Ginger marinade I used to get the chicken started. Serve this over brown rice.

Sunday Chinese Chicken and Veggies

1 1b chicken cut into bite size peices

3 tablespoons Seasame Ginger quick marinade

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablepsoons brown sugar packed

1 tablespoons Asian dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 scallions

2 garlic gloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 bag frozen stirfry vegetables

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and pour sesame ginger marinade over chicken. Place sesame seeds in a small dry pan and toast over medium-high heat until golden, 2-3 minutes. Set sesame seeds aside.

To prepare marinade mix chicken broth and next four ingredients in a small bowl using a whisk to blend in the cornstarch. Heat a non-stick pan with olive oil and add chicken and garlic to. Cook until done over medium-high heat.

Stir in frozen vegetables and pour sauce over. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and crushed red pepper according to your taste. Cook until vegetables are tender. Serve over rice.

Traditional New Year's Dinner...

I have never made New Years Dinner until this year. Being home was so nice and relaxing and we started it off right with all the luck, money and health! I marniated a pork lion overnight in a homemade jamaican jerk. Don't let the haberno peppers scare you...they give it a wonderful flavor. We used 2 peppers and it was barely hot. While I was cutting up the pepper, Ben got a little experimentative and tasted a tiny peice. It literally burnt his lip...just wear glovers while cutting them up and make sure to wash your hands after handling them. Additionally, I made homemade fresh collard greens, Hoppin' John and mini corn muffins. But, who could forget the best part...dessert...Black and White Pound Cake. It was super simple and beautiful cut with the chocolate and vanilla swirl.

Jamaican Jerk Pork Tenderlion (Cooking Light)

2 cups coarsely chopped green onions
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 4 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, seeded and chopped
1 (1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Cooking spray

Place first 15 ingredients in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Slice pork lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side. Open halves, laying each side flat. Slice each half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side; open flat. Combine pork and green onion mixture in a dish or large zip-top plastic bag. Cover or seal; marinate in refrigerator 3 to 24 hours. Remove pork from dish or bag; discard remaining marinade.

Prepare grill.

Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes on each side or until meat thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink).

Perfect Christmas Pasta

In the December Cooking Light there is a recipe for each day in December and it has a caption about how great the dish would be after specific December chores such as trimming the tree, writing Christmas cards, shopping, etc. I wanted to make every recipe for every day, but I don't have enough mouths to feed here. This sounded like an excellent Christmas pasta dish after wrapping gifts. It doesn't have a lot of sauce and it's quite rustic, but it got 5 stars from Ben and a request to move it into the regular dinner rotation. Normally, I don't make too many recipes twice, but this one we definitely will have again soon.

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cheese (Cooking Light)

1 (1-pound) package uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)
1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage links
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.
Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil. Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

On Top of Spaghetti...

And covered in cheese...This is a slight variation on Chicken Parm, but a good way to sneak in a veggies. The chicken is stuffed with a spinach and cheese mixture, "breaded" in ritz crackers and parmesan cheese then baked. We wanted a more Chicken Parm meal, so I served it with spaghetti and extra sauce, but any side will work well too.

Chicken Parmesan Bundles (Kraft Foods)

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1-1/4 cups Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 egg
10 Ritz Crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, heated

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix cream cheese, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 3 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese until well blended; spread evenly onto chicken breasts. Starting at one of the short ends of each breast, roll up chicken tightly. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if desired. Set aside.

Beat egg in shallow bowl or pie plate. Mix remaining 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese and the cracker crumbs in separate shallow bowl or pie plate. Dip chicken bundles in egg, then roll in crumb mixture. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF). Remove and discard toothpicks, if using. Serve topped with the spaghetti sauce and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.

A Real Taste of the South...

I've been craving shrimp and grits forever now...something must have jogged my taste buds for the ones at Noisy Oyster in Charleston. While this isn't traditional shrimp and grits and doesn't include sausage, it is a casserole that's pretty easy to make. The recipe calls for yellow stone ground grits, which aren't instant or quick cooking grits and quite difficult to find. However, they take 30 minutes to cook and taste very similar to the quick cooking kind. Next time I'll use those. This dish would also be great served as an appetizer at a cocktail party.

Shrimp and Grits Casserole (Cooking Light)

4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup uncooked yellow stone-ground grits

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms

1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, each cut into 3 pieces

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

3 large egg whites

Cooking spray

Bring chicken broth and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; add grits, stirring with a whisk. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, and mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Sprinkle shrimp with black pepper, and add to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in rind, juice, Worcestershire, and hot pepper sauce; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Place grits and shrimp mixture in a large bowl; stir gently. Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into shrimp mixture. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

More of the best of...

This is the second recipe I've made from Cooking Light's 20th Anniversary magazine edition where they featured 20 best recipes from the past 20 years. Baked Potato Soup won the best soup and it was awesome, especially for a Sunday night. I made a few small changes...I used 1% milk instead of 2%, but added approximately 1/2 cup heavy cream. I also added a little more salt and garlic. This makes a pot full, but we're looking forward to the leftovers for lunch this week.

Baked Potato Soup (Cooking Light)

4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)

6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

A feast...

I haven't cooked like this in forever and boy do I miss it. Lately it seems we just have casseroles all the time. But tonight I was craving fish...salmon. I've made an adaption of this recipe for years now, but didn't have all the ingredients and improvised. Ben said I couldn't make it the old way anymore now since this was even better. I should make fish more often, it's not only quick and easy, but so good for you too. I served the salmon with roasted potatoes, lemon and asparagus, salad and whole wheat rolls...what a feast for a Monday night!

Apricot Sesame Glazed Salmon

2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp maple syrup
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspon chili pepper
1 lb salmon
salt
pepper

Combine first seven ingredients to make a marinade. Salt and pepper salmon and place on broiler. Top fish with marinade. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Top fish with remaining marinade and broil for 4 minutes.

BBQ So Quick and Easy

This Sunday we went to the Panther's game and after each game when we get home late I'm too exhausted to cook. I made a plan to do something in the crock pot and we continued our tailgating back home with BBQ sandwiches. It was no NC BBQ, but still turned out awesome. I used a recipe I found online, but added and changed a few things. Any cut of pork will do...I used pork sirloin roast, which was inexpensive and very lean. Feel free to use a pork lion, ribs, pork butt, etc...

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

3 ounces pork sirloin roast
1 can beef broth
8 oz dark beer
1 small onion, sliced
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chili pepper
salt
pepper
1 bottle bbq sace

Pour beef broth and beer into a crock pot. Add sliced onions and chili pepper. Spinkle pork with garlic powder, salt and pepper and put in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Shred pork with fork and pour bbq, mix well. Serve on buns.

Halloween Dinner

Ben and I won't be celebrating Halloween together this year, so tonight I made a special dinner...Penne with Sausage and Pumpkin Cream Sauce. It was delicious...the pumpkin was a suttle taste and the sage added a hint of woodsyness. The cinnamon and nutmeg gave it a spicy flavor. This made way too much, but luckily Ben has lots of leftover for when I'm out of town this weekend. I'll definitely be making this again...it's such a great way to use pumpkin in the fall season. I wanted to make the Spinach Apple salad that was included with the recipe. For a short cut, pick up the Fall Harvest salad in a bag at the grocery store...the pine nuts and apple cider vinagriatte are and excellent pair with the pasta.

Penne with Sausage and Pumpkin Cream Sauce (Rachel Ray)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon

1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage

4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf, fresh or dried

4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated

Coarse salt and black pepper

1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente

Romano or Parmigiano, for grating

Pumpernickel or whole grain bread, as an accompaniment

Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion, as an accompaniment, recipe follows

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

Serve pumpkin sausage pasta with pumpernickel or whole grain bread and Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion.

Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion:

1 pound triple-washed spinach, de-stemmed

1 small Golden Delicious apple, quartered, cored, and sliced

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons (a couple of splashes) apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon grain mustard 1 tablespoon (a good drizzle) honey

Coarse salt and black pepper

Place spinach, apple, and onion in a salad bowl. Place oil, vinegar, mustard and honey in a small plastic container and fit lid on container. Shake dressing to combine, 1 minute. Pour dressing over salad, toss, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Sausage, Peppers and Onions...Oh Goodness

I never thought such a simple dish could be so good. For some reason I had a craving for this. I searched for a recipe and found one from Giada that had 5 stars. It is definitely worth 5 stars. This recipe was super simple to make and has tons of flavor. Leftovers are better the next day and it's incredibly versitle. We served this over rice, but it'd be amazing on subs with some provalone cheese melted over top.

Sausage, Peppers and Onions (Giada De Laurentiis)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage

2 red bell peppers, sliced

2 yellow onions, sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup Marsala wine

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls, optional

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Serve in bowls. Or, if serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.

Ben's Italian Chicken Casserole

One Monday night as I was working late, I called Ben to let him he would be making dinner...imagine his shock and surprise that I'd let him in the kitchen and that he had do it. He has been helping out with the cooking lately since I've been working late a lot. I found this recipe in Southern Living and new it'd be awesome. Ben made a few modifications...added more italian seasoning and drained the tomatoes. This also made a ton...perfect for a week of leftovers or freeze it for later.

Italian Chicken Casserole (Southern Living)

2 (3.5-oz.) bags quick-cooking rice

1 pound chicken breast, cut into cubes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 (8-oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms

1 (10 3/4-oz.) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

1/2 (8-oz.) container sour cream

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained

Cook rice according to package directions.

Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Sauté, in 2 batches, in 2 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet.

Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet, and sauté onion 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in mushrooms, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Remove skillet from heat.

Stir together soup, sour cream, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir soup mixture into onion mixture in skillet; stir in rice. Gently stir in tomatoes and chicken just until combined. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.

To make ahead: Line a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing several inches of foil to extend over sides. Prepare recipe as directed through Step 4; spoon mixture into dish. Freeze 2 hours or until firm. Lift casserole from dish using foil sides; fold foil over casserole. Wrap in additional foil, or place in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Remove casserole from foil or freezer bag. Place in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Thaw in refrigerator 24 hours. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Making up for lost time...

It's been a busy few weeks. Between Ben in school, work loads picking up and vacations...I've barely had time to cook. But, it's fall now and we're excited for some new recipes. Plus with all the junk we've been eating the past few weeks you can expect a few recipes that are good for you too.

I'm back in my routine of making a menu for the week. So this week you can expect Better Than Ever Enchiladas and White Bean Chicken Chili.

Tonight I made the Enchiladas. It was featured in the Kraft Food and Family magazine a year ago. It's a lighter recipe that doesn't use oil for the tortillas nor enchilada sauce, but its by far one of my favorite homemade enchilada recipes. It only calls for 1/2 lb ground hambuger, but I always double the filling and stuff them extra and make as many as I can fit in the dish.

Better Than Ever Enchiladas (Kraft Food & Family)

1/2 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup chopped red peppers
2 cups salsa, divided
1 cup 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. Light Zesty Italian Reduced Fat Dressing
8 corn tortillas (6 inch)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook meat and peppers in large nonstick skillet on medium heat until meat is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Add 1 cup of the salsa; simmer 3 to 4 min. or until peppers are tender. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Spread 1/4 cup of the salsa onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Brush dressing lightly over both sides of tortillas. Stack 4 of the tortillas on large sheet of waxed paper; wrap tortillas in waxed paper. Microwave on HIGH 20 to 30 sec. or just until warm. Immediately spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture down center of each warm tortilla; roll up. Place, seam side down, in dish. Repeat with remaining 4 tortillas and remaining meat mixture. Spoon remaining 3/4 cup salsa evenly over filled tortillas; cover with foil.

Bake 20 min. or until heated through. Uncover; top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake an additional 2 to 3 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with cilantro.

An Anniversary Dinner at home

Ben and I celebrated our first anniversary in Disney World enjoying dinner at the French restaurant, Bistro De Paris, overlooking the Lagoon at Epcot. We continued our anniversay on a cruise eating tons of yummy food. When we got back I actually missed cooking dinner for us. My mom had picked up our fresh anniversary cake, so I set out to make a nice dinner. The new Cooking Light is celebrating 20 years and included 20 of its best recipes...one of each category. I decided on the best Fish & Seafood recipe and it was delicious. The aioli sauce adds a ton of flavor. If I was short on time, I'd make the aioli and serve it with fish sticks. I'm determined it could make them taste gourmet.

Cornflake Crusted Halibut with Chile-Cilantro Aioli (Cooking Light)

Aioli:

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

Fish:

1 cup fat-free milk

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 cups cornflakes, finely crushed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets

Lemon wedges

To prepare aioli, combine first 4 ingredients, stirring well.

To prepare fish, combine milk and egg white in a shallow dish, stirring well with a whisk. Combine cornflakes, flour, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip fish in milk mixture; dredge in cornflake mixture. Add fish to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with mayonnaise mixture and lemon wedges.

I decorated the table with a centerpeice from our wedding, our aniversary cake, cake topper and our cake cutting set.

Speedy Dinners...

This is another Kraft Food & Family recipe and perfect for our busy weeks. It's super quick, but the taste isn't compromised. Add whatever veggies you have on hand as well as either spaghetti, angel hair or vermacelli noodle pasta.

Speedy Chicken Stir Fry (Kraft Food & Family)

8 oz. angel hair pasta (capellini), uncooked
2 cups small broccoli florets
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. each: ground ginger, garlic powder, crushed red pepper
1/3 cup chopped Dry Roasted Peanuts

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the boiling water for the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time.

Meanwhile, spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 min. or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 1 min., stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta mixture; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon evenly into four serving bowls; sprinkle with the peanuts.

Goat Cheese Inspired

A couple of weekends ago we had my college roommate, Meg, and her new hubby, Pat down for the weekend. Since they are from DC we had to find the coolest restaurant in town and decided to take them to Red Room for tapas. (We're secretly trying to convince them to move down to Raleigh and wanted to show them Raliegh has some cool places too.) While at Red Room I ordered a fried eggplant with goat cheese and fell in love with the cheese. Lately, I've also discovered I don't hate blue cheese like I thought. So, after I bought 3 lbs of chicken on sale I searched Cooking Light for a 5 star chicken recipe and I stumbled upon Artichoke Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken. Yeah I know it didn't take me very long to find something good...starting with the A's.

The ingredients sat in my fridge for a week and finally after a particularly very stressful week, I made this for dinner on Sunday. My pieces of chicken we're thick enough to stuff, so I used my meat mallet for the very first time in almost a year since we recieved it as a wedding gift to thin the chicken out a little bit more. Then, I wraped the chicken around the stuffing.

I was also supposed to save the artichoke juice from the can for the sauce, but didn't remember. I used a combination of chicken stock and white wine for the base of the sauce. After cooking the chicken in the pan, and making the sauce, I added the leftover stuffing mix for extra artichoke and creamyness from the goat cheese. I served with garlic mashed potates and salad. Needless to say, Ben was pretty impressed for a Sunday night dinner.


Artichoke and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken (Cooking Light)

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke bottoms
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat or feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped chives, divided
1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rind, divided object2=" ?
8 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breasts halves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Drain artichokes in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Coarsely chop artichoke bottoms. Combine artichokes, cheese, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon lemon rind in a medium bpwl; stir well.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 1/4 cup artichoke mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken with pepper.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 chicken breasts, and sauté 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove chicken form skillet. Set aside; keep warm. Repeat procedure with 1 teaspoon oil and remaining chicken breats. Add reserved artichoke liquid, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind to skillet. Combine cornstarch and lemon juice; stir well. Add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Spoon sauce over chicken. Top with 2 tablespoons chives.

Decadent Pasta

If you don't get the Kraft Food and Family magazine, you should! It's free and comes quarterly with yummy, inexpensive and family friendly recipes. What I enjoy most is most recipes call for very few ingredients and most are quick and easy with time saving tips. This recipe takes regular spaghetti sauce and adds cream cheese to make a rich sauce. By cooking the chicken in an italian dressing it adds another layer of flavor. Usually, I go ahead and make the entire box of bow tie pasta to have tons of leftovers...the recipe makes a lot of sauce and is plenty.

Creamy Bow-tie Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli (Kraft Foods)

3 cups (8 oz.) farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked
4 cups broccoli florets
3 Tbsp. Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato-basil spaghetti sauce
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, cubed
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water for the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time. Meanwhile, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and garlic; cook 5 min. Turn chicken over; continue cooking 4 to 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF).

Drain pasta mixture in colander; return to pan and set aside. Add spaghetti sauce and Neufchatel cheese to chicken in skillet; cook on medium-low heat 2 to 3 min. or until Neufchatel cheese is completely melted, mixture is well blended and chicken is coated with sauce, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm. Add sauce mixture to pasta mixture; mix well. Transfer to six serving bowls.

Cut chicken crosswise into thick slices; fan out chicken over pasta mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.