Gruyere-Bacon Dip

For my birthday again this year I asked everyone to bring their favorite appetizer. I'm a big fan of appetizers and so this is a chance to have appetizers for dinner. It's a win-win.

In an attempt to keep things somewhat healthy, I chose this recipe from the Cooking Light Dinner's Ready cookbook. So far I have yet to try a recipe in here that I haven't liked.

This recipe is a slow cooker recipe. I almost didn't do it in a slow cooker but at the last minute decided, "why not?" I'm glad I did. It worked perfectly and ended up being absolutely delicious.

Gruyere-Bacon Dip

Photo from MyRecipe.com

Recipe from Cooking Light Dinner's Ready
Yield 16 servings, 102 calories per serving. Serving size 2T.

1/2 c chopped onion
cooking spray
4 oz shredded Gruyere cheese (about 1 cup)
1/2 c canola mayonnaise
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 8 oz block fat free cream cheese, softened
2 T chopped green onions
4 center cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauce 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat.

Place onion in a 2 1/2 quart electric slow cooker coated in cooking spray. Add cheese, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, cream cheese and salt and pepper. Stir until blended. Cover and cook on LOW for 1 1/2 hours or until cheese melts, stirring after 45 minutes. Top with green onions and bacon.

Hunter's Stew

I can't believe one of my all time favorite family recipes isn't on my food blog. What the heck? I'm fixing that mistake now.

Hunter's Stew is a recipe dad taught me. It's basically a camping/hunting recipe that he's cooked when out with the Buckhorn guys hunting. It's one of the most simple and delicious recipes ever. And comfort food for this girl.

The whole idea here is it's all canned goods. You simply open them and dump it in.

Hunter's Stew

Recipe by Dad Wraspir
Serves 6 ish

1 lb ground beef
1 can Veg-all (Usually on the bottom shelf of the canned veggies)
1 can red kidney beans
1 can canned corn
1 can canned cut green beans
1 jar Pace Picante sauce

Brown the ground beef. When it's done, dump everything in. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes - uncovered.

Bisquik dumplings - read the recipe on the side of the box, but I think it's 2 c bisquik mix and 1/3 c or a bit more milk. Make the dumplings.

Spoon them onto the top of the stew. Cook with the lid off for 10 minutes. Then with the lid on for 10 minutes.

Eat immediately. But be careful to not burn your tongue.

Crab Rangoon Dip

Yesterday was the cookie exchange Sunday dinner...more on those recipes later.  For the appetizer I had seen this on FB and wanted to give it a try.

A couple of things I changed. First, I used shrimp instead of crab. Seattle SIL is allergic to oysters, and crabs eat oysters. So instead of worrying if the crab was eating oysters, I opted for shrimp, whom I know don't eat oysters.

ahem...

Anyhow, the other thing I changed is I didn't bake it. I had too many things in the oven and didn't really want to bother.

All in all, this is a keeper. It was tasty...I'd add a smidgen of salt and pepper next time, but it was pretty good all the same.


Crab Rangoon Dip

Photo from Pinterest

2 c crab meat (I used two cans of shrimp)
16 oz. cream cheese (2 blocks)
1/2 c sour cream
4 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 T powdered sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp lemon juice


First, soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about a minute. [Jenn Note: Yah, since I didn't bake this, I just let the cream cheese come to room temperature and then mixed in the rest of the ingredients.]

Chop your green onions. Add them and your two cups of crab meat . 

Add the sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, powdered sugar, garlic powder and lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients and bake for 30 mins at 350 degrees. Serve hot with chips or fried wantons or pork rinds. [Jenn Note: I served it with sliced baguette and carrot sticks.]

Red Curry Beef, Napa Cabbage and Noodle Salad

I like red curry in things. I have several recipes that have it and I have found it to not be as hot (spicy) as some people thing. The flavor to me is rich and yummy.

I'm not, however, a good cook when it comes to rice stick noodles. I cannot, for the life of me, cook them and have them not be crunchy. So I usually don't bother and just use spaghetti. I know, not rice noodles, but good all the same.

This recipe is designed to be a salad, so cold. But for dinner, I had it warm.  Tomorrow for lunch I'll have it cold and see if it's worth having as a salad.

Red Curry Beef, Napa Cabbage and Noodle Salad
Recipe from WW What to Cook Now?

Makes 4
2 cups = 294 calories. I'm assuming it's more when I use spaghetti.

4 oz rice stick noodles
3 T lime juice
2 T reduced sodium soy sauce
 1 T packed light brown sugar
2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp Asian fish sauce
1/2 tsp Thai red curry paste
3/4 lb sirloin steak, cut on the diagonal into 1/4 in strips
2 tsp canola oil
4 c thinly sliced napa cabbage
1/2 seedless (English) cucumber, cut into matchstick thin strips
1/2 c shredded carrots
1/2 c fresh cilantro

Place noodles in large bowl and add enough hot water to cover. Let  noodles stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain in colander, then rinse under cold running water; drain again. Transfer noodles to large bowl.

To make dressing, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, fish sauce and curry paste in small bowl.  Put beef in medium bowl. Add 2 T of dressing and toss to coat. Reserve remaining dressing.

Heat large skillet or wok over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on it. Pour in oil and swirl to coat pan. Add beef and stir fry until lightly browned, abut 3 minutes.

Add cabbage, cucumber, carrots, cilantro and reserved dressing to noodles and toss to coat; divide evenly among 4 plates. Top noodles evenly with beef.

Bacon - Cheddar Cheese Tarts

OMG...one of the best appetizer recipes I've made in a long time. 2 of these tarts are just 66 calories.  And a delicious 66 calories.

Bacon-Cheddar Cheese Tarts
Recipe from WW What to Cook Now?

Serves 12 -16
2 Tarts serving = 66 calories

1 tsp olive oil
1 sweet onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1/4 tspsalt
3 slices Canadian bacon, finely chopped
1/4 c fat free egg substitute
2 T fat-free half and half
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp pepper
24 frozen mini-phyllo tart shells
1/2 c finely shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

Heat oil in medium, nonstick over medium heat. Add onion and salt, cover and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.  Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is golden brown, about 12 minutes.  Transfer to plate. Add bacon to skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, whisk together egg substitute, half and half, mustard and pepper. Arrange tart shells on baking sheet. Spoon onions evenly into shells. Sprinkle bacon evenly over onions. Pour about 1 tsp egg mixture into each tart. Sprinkle tops evenly with cheese and bake until egg mixture is set, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Small confession here - I totally mixed the onions and bacon together in the pan after the bacon was cooked. Then spooned that into the tarts first. Turned out just fine.

Caliente Bean and Queso Dip

A couple of month's ago I got the SkinnyTaste cookbook by the blogger at skinnytaste.com. It's a cookbook that says it's "light on calories and big on flavor". I've found many recipes on skinnytaste.com that are just that.

Today for tree decorating I made this recipe. I didn't read the directions well enough and goofed one MAJOR part. Where it says 1 T of taco seasoning, I put in the entire packet. Yah, bit tooo taco-y and too salty.  In the future, I'd actually just use chili powder as I think it would impart the same flavor.

Caliente Bean and Queso Dip
Recipe from Skinny Taste Cookbook

Makes 3 1/2 c - 14 servings
Serving size 1/4 c; 67calories per serving

Cooking spray
1 (15oz) can fat-free refried beans
1 T taco seasoning
1 1/4 c jarred medium salsa
1 (4oz) can diced green chiles
1 1/2 c shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend
1 tsp chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9X9 in baking dish with oil.

In a small bowl, combine the beans and taco seasoning and spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the salsa and green chiles on top of the beans.

Bake until the edges begin to bubble, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with the cheese and return to the oven. Bake just long enough to melt the cheese, 5-6 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cilantro.

Asian Burger with Honey-Lime Slaw

Let me first start by saying...YUM! This was one of the best meals I've made out of the WW What to Cook Now cookbook?

It's simple. It's flavorful. It's just down right delicious.

The slaw is really what makes it I think. I topped my burger with the slaw so every bite was burger and slaw.  Crunchy and delicious.

The ONLY think I'd do different next time is I'd grill them. It was pouring rain out tonight so I decided to just cook them in a pan like the recipe says. I hate, scratch that, HATE cooking burgers in a pan. I can never get the heat just right so the outside doesn't burn while the inside isn't cooked.

Asian Burgers with Honey-Lime Slaw
Recipe from WW What to Cook Now?

Serving 1 burger and 1 cup of slaw - 252 calories
Makes 4 servings

1 lb ground lean beef (7% fat or less)
1/4 c plain dried bread crumbs
1/4 c finely diced onion
1/4 c plus 1 T hoisin sauce
2 T reduced sodium soy sauce
1 T lime juice
1 T honey
4 c thinly sliced cabbage
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

Combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, 1/4 c  of hoisin sauce, and soy sauce in a medium bowl, mixing just until combined. Shape mixture into  for 1/2 " patties.

Spray medium nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until an instant read thermometer reads 160F (about 5-6 minutes on each side).

Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1 T hoisin, lime juice and honey in a large bowl. Add cabbage, carrot, bell pepper (obviously I didn't add the bell pepper - blech) and cilantro. Toss to coat. Serve slaw with burgers.

Note - I used a package cole slaw mix instead of cabbage. It already had the carrots in it and there was no chopping.

Mexicali Chicken Soup with Lime

I like Chicken Tortilla soup. I've had many variations of it over the years and have found that I'm a much bigger fan of a broth based soup than a gravy based. If that makes sense.

I'm constantly trying different types of chicken tortilla soup, and this soup was right up that alley.

It was good, but not great. I still have a favorite recipe I'll make over this one any day.

This soup, however, was very easy and is quite low cal - 1 1/4 c is only 244 calories. Not too shabby. And if, like me, you ignore the avocado than its likely even less.

It makes 4 servings, easily. I'd say you could get at least 6 out of it if you were having a salad with it.

Mexicali Chicken Soup with Lime
Recipe from WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook

Makes 4 servings
Serving size 1 1/4 c = 244 calories

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and minced (one pepper really wasn't very spicy - so if you like it spicy think about two peppers)
4 1/2 c low sodium chicken broth
1/2 medium rip Hass avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced (I always find it amusing when recipes tell you to peel and pit an avocado. I mean, dah)
2 plum tomatoes chopped
3 T lime juice
3 T cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Spray a nonstick Dutch oven with canola nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the onions, carrots, garlic and chili pepper to the saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3-6 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Return the chicken to the saucepan and simmer until cooked through about 8 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, avocado, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through about 1 minute.

Walnut Chicken Salad with Broccoli

And here's another lunch salad recipe I made this week. I like that it's not lettuce and yet really filling.

The only thing I changed...I know, right? I can't leave a recipe alone. I didn't bother blanching the broccoli. I happen to like my broccoli really crunchy.

Walnut Chicken Salad with Broccoli
Recipe from Weight Watchers What to Cook Now

Makes 4
Calories: 1 1/4 c 169 calories

3 c fresh small broccoli florets
2 T light sour cream
1 T light mayo
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 c shredded cooked chicken breast
1 McIntosh apple, chopped (I used a Honey crisp because that's what I had)
1 scallion, thinly sliced
2 T golden raisins
2 T chopped toasted walnuts

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add broccoli and cook just until crisp tender, 3 minutes. Drain,. Rinse under cold running water until cool and drain. Pat dry on paper towels.

Whisk together the sour cream through salt and pepper. Add broccoli, chicken, raisins, apple, scallion to a bowl. Pour dressing over, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours. Sprinkle with walnuts just before serving.

Apple, Celery, and Walnut Salad with Dijon Dressing

Last night for book club I was responsible for bringing a salad. I wanted to bring something different and one I'd been wanting to make for awhile.

If you don't like celery, you won't like this salad.  I happen to love celery in things, but rarely grab a celery stick to eat it.

This recipe was light, flavorful and super easy to make. It'd be a great side salad for a BBQ in the summer since it has no mayo in it.

Apple, Celery, and Walnut Salad with Dijon Dressing

Photo courtesy of Epicurious

Recipe from Weight Watchers What to Cook Now

Makes 6 servings
Calories: 3/4 c 79 calories

1/2 bunch celery, cut at a diagonal
2 T white wine vinegar
1 T olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp maple syrup (I used a light maple syrup)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 red apple, coared and cut into chunks - I used a Honey crisp, but next time I'd make it with a granny smith
2 T chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 c chopped toasted walnuts

Make sure you celery and apple are chopped.

Whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Drizzle over the celery, apple, walnuts and parsley.

Bistro Chicken Salad

I'm bored with my lunches.

Soup. Soup...and some more soup. Ugh.

With the new job and the lunch room I decided it was time to start upping my lunch options.

I purchased a couple new Weight Watchers cookbooks and they have some fantastic salads in them.

This was the first salad I tried.  I thought it might be odd to be so tomato focused, but it was really quite tasty.

Naturally I changed some things up. Well, ok only one change. On day two of this salad, I swapped red wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar. Huge difference. 

Bistro Chicken Salad
Recipe from Ultimate Chicken Cookbook

Makes 4 Servings
Calories: 217 cal per serving 1 3/4 c servings

1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken breast halves, lightly pounded
3 c crusty Italian bread cubes about 3/4 in thick chunks
1 c grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c yellow pear tomatoes, halved
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 1/2 c chopped fresh basil
10 kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 T red wine vinegar
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Grill the chicken, let it cool and Cut the chicken into diagonal strips about 1/4 inch thick (I diced mine up instead)

Meanwhile, combine the bread, tomatoes, cucumber basil and olives in a large bowl. Drizzle with the vinegar and oil; toss well to coat. Stir in the chicken and serve at once.

So for lunch - I didn't add the bread or the dressing until I ate it. I put the veggies together in a Tupperware bowl and mixed it all together at lunch.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Being in a new job where a full kitchen is available to me I thought I would try to branch out my lunch options. The frozen meals, the cans of soups and the tuna sandwiches were getting old.

Coupled with that I purchased two more WW cookbooks. And found a bunch of recipes for salads and sandwiches. 

This week for a dinner option I made this recipe. I really like green goddess dressing and have a dip recipe that I've often "loosened" up to use as a salad dressing. This recipe was delicious.

A couple of things, though. First, I've never used tarragon before and found it quite tasty.  I didn't put in as much as they said for fear of  not liking it. I'd put it all in next time.

It also has no garlic in it. I think garlic would round out the flavor for this. I found it lacking a bit. Still flavorful, but lacking.

Oh, and for the salad I didn't use ice berg. No nutritional value in that lettuce, so swapped for romaine. I really don't think that matters much at the end of the day. And I added a few other things like tomatoes and cucumbers.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Photo by welldonerecipes.com

Recipe from Weight Watchers Ultimate Chicken Cookbook

Makes 4 Servings

1/2 c fat-free sour cream
1/4 c fat-free mayonnaise
1 bunch fresh chives, chopped
2 T coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
1 T tarragon vinegar (oh right, I didn't have this either so used red wine vinegar)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 (1/4 lb) skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 black pepper
1 (16 oz) bag iceberg salad mix

Puree the sour cream, mayonnaise, chives, tarragon, vinegar, and W sauce in a blender. (Note: I had to add some nonfat milk to loosen this up too).

Spray the grill rack with extra virgin olive oil nonstick spray; prepare the grill for a medium-hot fire. Lightly spray the chicken with nonstick spray; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Transfer 2 T of the dressing to a small bowl; set aside. Combine the salad mix and the remaining dressing in a large bowl; mix well. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Cut each chicken breast on the diagonal into 1/4 inch thick slices; arrange 1 breast half on top of each salad. Drizzle the chicken evenly with the reserve 2 T dressing.

Cook's Tip: If you don't have fresh tarragon on hand, substitute 1/4 c fresh basil leaves, chopped, but don't use dried tarragon as it lacks any flavor resemblance to fresh.

Shrimp Salad on Cucumber Slices

I opted to bring an appetizer to this month's book club. In an endeavor to eat healthier, and knowing it would be good for all of us to eat healthier, I wanted to find something that was quick, simple yet delicious.

I think I've mentioned before that SkinnyTaste.com is one of my go to websites for healthy, delicious recipes.  She did not disappoint this time either.  I found this recipe based entirely on the photo and thought it fit the bill perfectly.

And let me tell you, this was delicious, refreshing, and oh so good. The general consensus was it's a keeper.

You can go here to find it on her site, but if you'd rather, I posted it below.

Shrimp Salad on Cucumber Slices

Photo courtesy of SkinnyTaste.com

Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com

3/4 lb cooked shrimp, peeled (weight after peeled)
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 tbsp red onion, chopped
2 tbsp light mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's)
1 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt
Goya Adobo (I used season salt instead. If you read her blog on this she mentions that season salt is just fine).
salt and fresh ground pepper
30 thin slices cucumber (about 1 large)
chopped chives for garnish

Combine shrimp, celery, onion, mayonnaise, yogurt, and season to taste with adobo and pepper. Arrange cucumbers on a platter, season with salt and top each slice with a heaping tablespoon of shrimp salad. Top with chopped chives for garnish.

Chicken Cacciatore Stoup

Happy October 1st everyone!  It's Fall!!! Which makes me happy because I can whip out my soups and stew recipes.

I thought I'd celebrate fall by cooking up this recipe. It was a rainy, chill-esk day here in Seattle and a warm bowl of soup did just the trick.

I made no adjustments to this recipe, but didn't include the 4 ingredients. Not a fan of rosemary and didn't have the other items on hand. It's quick, easy, and oh so flavorful. It made enough for 6 servings (2c each give or take).

It's a Rachael Ray 30 minute meal and one that will be added to the favorite category in my list of recipes.

Chicken Cacciatore Stoup
Recipe from Food Network, Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals
Serves 4

1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 to 1 1/3 pounds, diced
Coarse salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 T extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch squares 

16 cremini mushrooms, sliced or chopped
4 ribs celery hearts, chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered lengthwise then thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered lengthwise then thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c dry Italian red wine, eyeball it
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
2 c chicken stock
3 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 3 or 4 sprigs
1 c basil, arugula or baby spinach leaves, shredded or torn
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, to pass at table
Crusty bread, to pass at the table

Heat a deep skillet or a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and the chicken. Season it with coarse salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.

While the chicken cooks, chop up the veggies.

When the chicken is evenly and lightly browned all over, 3 or 4 minutes, remove it to a plate and reserve. Add another tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 more turn of the pan. Add the potatoes to the pan. Cook a couple of minutes, then add in the mushrooms, celery, and onion and cook another couple of minutes. Add in the peppers and garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Add chicken back to the pan. Toss it with the vegetables. Add red wine to the pan and deglaze it, picking up drippings. Add tomatoes and stock to the stoup and stir to combine. Stir in rosemary and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 8 to10 minutes.

Turn off stoup and ladle into shallow bowls. Top with basil (for a sweet finish and balance to the spice in the soup) or arugula (for a peppery finish) or with spinach (for a woodsy finish). At the table, pass grated cheese for sprinkling on top of the stoup and bread for mopping up the bowl.

Grilled Chicken and Zucchini Yakitori

If you're a fan of teriyaki, you'll like this marinade.  It's got all the flavor of teriyaki, but not quite teriyaki. The Mirin Sake adds a nice different (in a good way) flavor to this marinade.

This recipe is from SkinnyTaste.com which is one of my all time favorite websites for light or low calorie, delicious recipes. So far anything I've made from that site has been satisfying and yummy.

Super easy, weeknight recipe. The only planning you need is 30 minutes for the chicken to marinade.

Grilled Chicken and Zucchini Yakitori

Photo courtesy of SkinnyTaste.com

Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com
Serves 4

2 tablespoons mirin sake
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (for GF use low sodium Tamari)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, all fat trimmed (Purdue Fit & Easy)
5 large green onions, cut 1-inch-long
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rings
18 (10 inch) bamboo skewers


Bring mirin, low sodium soy sauce, honey and crushed garlic to a boil in a medium-sized sauce pan, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and place in a ziplock bag; pour half of the marinade over the chicken. Place the zucchini in a second large ziplock bag and pour the remaining marinade over the zucchini. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the skewers in water 30 minutes so they don't burn.

Thread the chicken onto skewers, alternating with green onion so that each stick has 3 cubes of chicken and two pieced of green onion, discarding the chicken marinade.

Thread the zucchini onto skewers, alternating with remaining green onion, reserving the marinade for basting.
Preheat the grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. When hot, spray with oil then reduced heat to medium; grill the zucchini and chicken skewers about 5 to 6 minutes on each side brushing both sides of the skewers with the yakitori sauce during the last few minutes of cooking time.

Linguine with Ham and Mascarpone

Back during my time at TASIS, Chefy, the school chef, made this delicious Carbonara.  It was rich and creamy and absolutely fantastic.

Since then, I've been trying to find a recipe that closely resembled it. Traditional carbonara recipes don't seem to be creamy enough. Tonight...Tonight I found one that hit the mark.

This recipe was so delicious, and so easy that it's moved to the top of my "make it again" list.

I'd make one change the next time I make this. I'd swap out the ham for bacon. That will make it even more like carbonara. Otherwise, that's it. That's all I'd change.  The mascarpone cheese acts as the cream in this recipe and really makes this recipe sing with deliciousness.

Linguine with Ham and Mascarpone
Recipe from The Pasta Cookbook

Photo by ME!

Serves 6

2 T butter
3/4 c mascarpone cheese
3 1/2 oz cooked ham, cut into strips
2 T milk
3 T parmesan cheese, divided
1 1/4 lb linguine (the recipe says fresh linguine, but it's not that easy to find in Redmond)

The key to this recipe is LOW heat. DO NOT let this boil. If you do, it'll curdle - which is still tasty, but ugly.

Get the pasta started.  Cook it according to package.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the ham, mascarpone cheese, and milk and stir until the mascarpone melts. Add 1 T parmesan cheese and plenty of pepper.

Drain the pasta and put it back in the pan. Pour the sauce over it and mix well.  Season with salt if need be, but the parmesan does a pretty good job of flavoring the sauce.

Spaghetti with Bacon and Tomato Sauce

THIS was a delicious recipe. It's actually a combo of two recipes in the cookbook, one being the tomato sauce and the other being, well, the tomato sauce with bacon. And everything's better with bacon.

I'll make this tomato sauce again. It's very rich and full of tomato flavor. It really is a classic tomato sauce that can be used with anything.

Instead of posting two recipes, I'm going to combine the two. The second recipe doesn't have much to add really.

Spaghetti with Bacon and  Tomato Sauce

Photo courtesy of BBC Food Recipes.com

Recipe from The Pasta Cookbook
Serves 4

2T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 T tomato paste
1 tsp paprika
1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
pinch of dried oregano
1 1/4 c dry red wine
large pinch of sugar
1 T olive oil
8 oz bacon, roughly chopped
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
spaghetti

Heat oil in frying pan and fry onion for 10 minutes until softened, but not brown. Add tomato paste and paprika and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, oregano, wine and sugar to pan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

While that simmers, heat oil in large frying pan and fry bacon until crisp and golden.  Add the chili powder to bacon and cook for two minutes.

Once the tomato sauce is done, add tomato sauce to bacon and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. While that's simmering, cook your spaghetti.

Toss the spaghetti with the tomato sauce and serve.

Optional: You can add a couple of tablespoons of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley to finish off the tomato sauce.

Chicken Scallopini (Light)

I've had several chicken scaloppini's in my time. I love the freshness of the lemon flavor and the capers.

Tonight's recipe was simple, fresh and delicious. Its definitely a keeper and definitely one to make again. I had made this one other time but managed to forget to buy a lemon AND capers. Which without them seems like it's not scaloppini. FYI - you can substitute white wine vinegar for the lemon juice and green onions for the capers. I'm just sayin'.


Chicken Scaloppini
Courtesy of MyRecipes.com
Servings: 4

Photo courtesy of MyRecipes.com

4 skinless, boneless chicken halves2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/3 c Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

Cooking spray

1/2 c fat-free, less sodium chicken broth

1/4 c dry white wine

4 tsp capers (I rinse  mine)

1 T butter

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Brush chicken with juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in breadcrumbs.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Add broth and wine to pan, and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in capers and butter.

Chicken with Rice

I blame my dad for my love of anything chicken with rice. Paella is one of my favorite dishes, followed very closely with Arroz con Pollo.  If a recipe has chicken in it and it has rice in it, I'm most likely going to like it.

This is a Weight Watchers recipe and it's quite tasty for the 8 points you'll spend with it. I will admit, however, I didn't put in the peas - I forgot to buy them. I never think to go down the frozen vegetable aisle and thus just forgot. I also left out the bell peppers because they're evil.

The key with the calories with this recipe is all about portion control. I used chicken breast instead of legs and thighs (not a dark meat fan) and cut the breast meat into chunks.  And while I measured out the a serving, I may have gone back and had a little bit more.

One more thing, I accidentally bought diced tomatoes that had green chilis in it. I'll make this again with normal diced tomatoes, but I don't think this made it bad at all.

Chicken with Rice
Recipe from Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
Serves 4

Photo courtesy of WW Complete cookbook

1 1/2 lb bone in chicken parts (thighs, breasts and drumsticks), skinned
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 c reduce-sodium chicken broth
1/3 c white rice
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
1 c frozen green peas
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantr0

Preheat oven to 350F.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

Add bell pepper, celery, onion and garlic to skillet; cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes with their juice and broth; bring to boil. Stir in rice, oregano, and saffron; add chicken.

Bake, covered, 25 minutes; sprinkle with peas. Bake, covered, until chicken is cooked through, rice is tender, and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

Beef and Tomato Stroganoff

I'm a big fan of stroganoff. I've had some good ones in my day and some horrific ones. I make a pretty darn good one - if I do say so myself. 

This one is decent. The tomatoes add an interesting direction to it. I think the only thing that makes this stroganoff is the sour cream you add at the end. Oh and the wide noodles.

I'll keep this one around, but am not sure it will ever rise to the top of the list again.

The original directions said to add 3 cups of reserved tomato sauce. Confusing since there was no mention of tomato sauce at all. So I swapped that out with a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes, and a half can of water (in addition to the 1 cup chicken broth). Use your judgment. If it's too thick, add some more liquid.

Beef and Tomato Stroganoff
Courtesy of Everyday Food
Serves: 4

Photo courtesy of Everyday Food

coarse salt

ground pepper

3/4 lb pappardelle (or wide egg noodles)

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb sirloin steak (patted dry and thinly sliced)

1/2 lb button mushrooms (trimmed and thinly sliced)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup sour cream

grated parmesan cheese (for serving)

 

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.

 

Add oil to pot and heat over high. Add steak and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

 

Add mushrooms to pot and cook until browned and just tender, about 3 minutes.

 

Add steak, tomatoes, and broth. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

 

Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer until steak is very tender, 35 to 40 minutes.

 

Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, then add pasta, tossing to coat with sauce.

 

Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

Zucchini Tots & BBQ Chicken Sabroso

Whenever I think about zucchini I think about my dad. He would let zucchinis sit on the vine until they were the size of a small Texas town.  I prefer my zucchinis smaller in size. Less flesh, if you will.

This time of year EVERYONE has zucchini coming out of their ears, it seems.  I'm a fan of the zuc, but admittedly get board with the BBQing of them or the sautéing of them in garlic, etc.  THIS recipe put me over the top with how delicious zucchini is and how versatile it can be.

Skinny Taste is one of my all time favorite food blogs because her recipes are low-cal and still taste fantastic.

I made this with her Broiled or BBQ Chicken Sabroso. Also a winner in my book. Super easy and every so flavorful. Together these were fantastic.

So make these recipes. I won't replicate them here...go to SkinnyTaste.com for these and MORE delicious recipes. (This is an unpaid commercial announcement.) :-)

Lemon-Garlic Roast Chicken

The smell when this meal was cooking was out of this world. The flavors of it were just as good.

Super easy recipe. Weight Watchers did this recipe right.

Lemon-Garlic Roast Chicken
Recipe from Weight Watchers Take-Out Tonight Cookbook

Serves 4

1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
4 skinless bone-in chicken breast
1 lb small read potatoes, quartered
1/2 c water

Preheat oven to 425F.

Combine the lemon juice, 1 T of the oil, the garlic, oregano, marjoram, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/8 tsp pepper in large bowl. Add the chicken, tossing well to coat, and marinate 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 T oil 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper in a medium bowl. Add the potatoes and toss well to coat. Place a wire rack in the center of a large roasting pan. Arrange the potatoes around the rack and roast 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the marinade; reserve marinade. Remove potatoes from the oven, and place the chicken on the wire rack. Add the water to the reserved marinade and pour over the chicken and potatoes. Roast chicken and potatoes 20 minutes, baste with the pan juices. Return the pan to the oven and roast until it reaches 170F - about 15-20 minutes.

Arroz con Pollo with Olives

Not sure when I decided I love arroz con pollo, but I'm quite sure it had something to do with my dad. He often ordered it when we went to dinner at a Mexican place.  And it reminds me a lot Paella - which is another favorite.

Its not the most healthy of dishes it seems. Especially when you order it out. It's usually covered in bubbling cheese.

This version is made by Cooking Light and thus should be, theoretically, good for you. I managed to leave the ham out because I didn't buy any at the grocery store. But it was fine without it.

Oh and one more thing - turmeric stains.

Arroz con Pollo with Olives
Recipe from Cooking Light

Photo courtesy of Cooking Light

Serves 6

6 chicken drumsticks (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned
6 chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned

1/2 teaspoon salt           

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice                

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice

1/2 cup diced ham

2 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup frozen petite green peas, thawed

1/2 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives

 

Sprinkle chicken with salt, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon oregano. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 8 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan; drizzle with lime juice. Cover; keep warm.

 

Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to pan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes or until tender.

 

Stir in 1/2 teaspoon oregano, turmeric, and cumin, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

 

Stir in rice and ham; cook 1 minute. Increase heat to medium.

 

Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Add chicken, nestling into the rice mixture.

 

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed. Stir in peas; cover and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes.

 

Sprinkle with olives

Layered Orange Salad

I've had this recipe for only a short time and have been wanting to make it. I'm pretty sure oranges aren't in season right now, but I made it all the same for Sunday dinner.

The combination of sweet and salty in this recipe is off the chart. The green olives saltiness really hits off the sweetness of the honey and the orange.

Layered Orange Salad
Recipe from Cuisine at Home
Serves 4

Photo from the Internet

3 navel oranges, peeled and sliced
3 T chopped almonds, toasted
3 T halved pimento-stuffed green olives
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T sherry or white wine vinegar
1 T olive oil
1 T honey
1 T minced red onion

Layer the orange slices on a platter. Toss together almonds, olives, parsley, vinegar, oil, honey and onion in a bowl. Spoon the mixture over the oranges.

A couple of notes here:
1. The photo I found clearly is using kalamata olives. Which I think would be just as good.
2. For the red onion, if you cut it in half and then submerge the cut sides into cold water for 15 minutes or so, the onion isn't nearly as strong.
3. I used the olive oil we got in Spain. It's tasty!

Chinese Turkey Lettuce Wraps

It used to be that eating healthy was gross. The flavorless food they used to shove down our throats just didn't cut it.

These days there are so many healthy recipes out there it's hard to argue that you can't eat healthy.

This recipe is off one of my favorite sites, Can You Stay for Dinner.  The author, Andi, has lost 130+ lbs and has kept it off for years.  She put her mother on a diet last year and I grabbed most of the recipes she posted for that plan.

This recipe is delicious.  It's flavorful, filling, and so ... did I say flavorful. Yum.

Chinese Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Photo from ME!

Recipe from CanYouStayforDinner.commakes 4 servings

1 serving is 335 calories

2 tsp sesame oil
2 T soy sauce
1 T brown sugar
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound 93% lean ground turkey breast
2 cups finely chopped button mushrooms
½ tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1” knob of fresh gingerroot, finely minced
3 large carrots, grated (about 1 ½ to 2 cups)
6 scallions (green onions), finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce

 In a small bowl, whisk sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, and hoisin sauce. Set aside.

Add olive oil to a large skillet or wok set over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook for 5 minutes, using a spatula to crumble the meat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the turkey is no longer pink and the mushrooms have begun to soften. Add salt, chili powder, garlic, and ginger, and stir to combine.

Add the reserved soy sauce mixture to the pan and stir to coat all ingredients. Cook for 3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly. Add carrots, scallions, and water chestnuts, and give the whole pan one final stir. Remove from heat.

To serve: Divide lettuce leaves among four plates. Spoon a small amount of turkey into each lettuce leaf and fold to eat.

Bunless Cheeseburger and Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

I'm trying to eat better these days. Who isn't right? I've been collecting low calorie recipes and thought I would share with you two I made tonight.

First the Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower. I like cauliflower. I don't like raw cauliflower. I like cooked cauliflower. This recipe was easy and so delicious.

Now the Bunless cheeseburger. I love me some cheeseburger and not having a bun is sad to me. But it really wasn't as bad as I thought.

Making the burger is really just getting yourself 93% or 95% lean ground beef. Make a 4oz patty, season it with whatever you want. I use McCormick's Montreal Grill Seasoning. Yum. I put a piece of American cheese on top when it was cooked.

Here's the simple recipe for the Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower.

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Recipe from CanYouStayForDinner.com

Photo Courtesy of Kristi Bernardo

Makes 1

1 cup chopped cauliflower (big florets)
1 T olive oil
1 T grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 400F. Chop your cauliflower into large florets. Drizzle with olive oil. Then sprinkle the parmesan cheese over it. Cook for about 20 minutes and eat it. I added some salt and pepper to just give it some flavor.

Lemon-Lime Pound Cake

This was a last minute, sudden decision to make this for book club.  I, for some reason, signed up to bring dessert.  Traditionally our "desserts" have been purchased and I thought I'd give this dessert a new twist...make dessert.

I'm not a baker. I hate measuring and the patience that often comes with baking.  This recipe was super easy and I'm sure full of flavor (I actually haven't tasted it yet - though I may "test" it before book club. Quality Control.

UPDATE: I kinda sorta had to cut the top off so I could flip the cake over and make it flat for sitting on the plate. And I kinda sorta tasted it. And OH....MY.....God....Best Pound Cake EVER. I'm a rockstar baker...who knew?

My favorite part of this recipe was zesting the lemon and limes. I love that smell. Who doesn't.

Lemon-Lime Pound Cake

Photo from MyRecipes.com

Recipe from MyRecipes.com

Serves 12

3 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

3 sticks (3/4 lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 c sugar

2 tsp grated lime zest

2 tsp grated lemon zest

5 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 c lemon-lime soda

2 c confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 T unsalted butter, melted

2 T lemon juice

1 to 2 T lime juice

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan.

 

Make cake: In a medium bowl, sift together flour and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, and lemon and lime zest until pale and light, about 5 minutes.

 

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually add flour mixture, just until blended. Stir in soda.

 

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack before inverting onto a plate.

 

Make glaze: Stir together confectioners' sugar, butter and juices; add more juice or sugar if needed. Spoon glaze over cake, distributing evenly. Garnish with lemon and lime zest, if desired.

Nutella Brownies

I'm a fan of Nutella. Big...Fan...It seems like the perfect spread to me. And when someone sends me a recipe that includes Nutella I feel it m y civic duty to try it. I mean for the sake of all my friends who are just dying to know if it's good. It is the only right thing to do, for all of you. Oh the sacrifices!

ST. Louis SIL sent me this recipe. From a site called Buns in My Oven. I hadn't every heard of this blog - not too surprising considering how many cooking blogs are out there. Anyhow, I thought Sunday dinner a perfect time to try this recipe out.

First the recipe is easy.  It's a basic cake batter recipe - and even with my little addition of chopped hazelnuts it was easy to follow and well worth making them.

I should also add that I topped my brownies with mini chocolate chips when it came out of the oven. You let the chips melt, then spread them into a chocolate frosting. Delicious.

Nutella Brownies

Recipe from Buns in My Oven

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup Nutella
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 ounce package Hershey's Milk Chocolate Baking Melts (or chocolate chips)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 baking dish.

In small saucepan over low heat, melt butter completely. Stir in sugar and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not allow sugar mixture to boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in the Nutella until well combined.

Pour butter mixture into a large bowl or stand mixer, beat in cocoa powder, eggs, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Stir in the flour and chocolate chips until just combined.

Spread into prepared pan (batter will be very thick and sticky) and bake for about 30-35 minutes, until a tester comes out mostly clean. The edges should be set and the center should still look slightly moist, but not uncooked.

Cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving. Store tightly covered for 3-5 days.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup Nutella
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 ounce package Hershey's Milk Chocolate Baking Melts (or chocolate chips)
Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2013/01/03/nutella-brownies/#gw0t6TppOXF09Svx.99

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup Nutella
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 ounce package Hershey's Milk Chocolate Baking Melts (or chocolate chips)
Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2013/01/03/nutella-brownies/#gw0t6TppOXF09Svx.99

Genoa Salami Rolled with Creamy Italian Spread

We had an impromptu family dinner this weekend, and a sudden invite to some friends house for dinner.  I wanted to make a quick appetizer that didn't require a lot of work, nor a lot of leftovers. 


I stumbled on this recipe on Tasty Kitchen.  It was an easy, low prep recipe with delicious results.


Genoa Salami Rolled with Creamy Italian Spread
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen
Makes about 24


8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, At Room Temperature
½ cups Sour Cream
¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
¼ teaspoons Parsley
¼ teaspoons Oregano
2 packages (16 Oz. Size) Sliced Provolone Cheese
2 pounds Sliced Genoa Salami


In a mixing bowl, add room temperature cream cheese, sour cream, black pepper, parsley, and oregano. Mix well to a creamy consistency. Chill in refrigerator 10 minutes.


Cut sliced Provolone cheese in half and set aside on work surface. [Jenn Note: I couldn't visualize this too well so I used a biscuit cutter and cut my provolone in rounds that were slightly smaller than the salami.]


Lay sliced genoa salami on work surface flat. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on salami slice. Add a halved slice of Provolone cheese on top. Roll up and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining ingredients.