Holiday Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce

This is hardly a recipe - but so it goes. This is a variation on the traditional holiday meatballs sauce with chili sauce and grape jelly. This is pretty much right from the Ocean Spray site. We also used frozen meatballs - though we cooked them in the oven for a bit longer than recommended to give them a crunchy side.

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can Jellied cranberry sauce
1 14-ounce can Whole berry cranberry sauce
2 12-ounce bottle Chili sauce
5 pounds of frozen meatballs (cooked as directed)

Directions

1. Combine cranberry sauces with the chili sauce in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth (around 10-15 minutes).
2. Place meatballs in a slow cooker or other heating device (to keep them warm if serving at a party). Pour combined sauce over meatballs and set to low for an hour before they will be served.

Enjoy!

Scalloped Potatoes

Adapted from a very cryptic recipe from my mother-in-law and the recipe for Campbell's Scalloped Potatoes found at Food.com. These are a great non-fussy recipe that seems to happily cook longer than listed if you need some time for other other dishes to catch up. Note the picture is a triple batch!

Ingredients
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can Campbell's condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup Skim milk
1 tbsp Dried parsley
salt and pepper (to taste)
4 cups peeled and thinly sliced White potatoes (used a mandolin set to 3/16" - about a pound and a half)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top (no need to multiply if you increase the recipe).

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Combine soup, milk, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In 1 1/2 quart casserole, arrange alternate layers of potatoes, onions and soup mixture. Top layer should be soup mixture.
4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and then a dash a paprika.
5. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Uncover & bake for 20 more minutes or until potatoes are done.

Enjoy with almost entree!

NOTE: This will often cook with other entrees - so you might need to tweak the temperature.  Here are some alternative temperatures and timing:

325 degrees - Cook for 1 hour 45 minutes with cover & 40 minutes uncovered.

Roasted Red Skin Potatoes

Adapted from an old favorite of ours. Pam called these "Corey's Roasted Potatoes." I tweaked it a bit and now the name is even more appropriate!
Ingredients
2.5 to 3 lbs Red Skin Potatoes, cleaned & cut into 8 wedges each (leave skin on)
1/4 cup Olive oil (or you may use a bit less)
1 envelope Onion soup mix
1 1/2 tsp Dried rosemary
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (or to taste)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large roasting pan, add the potatoes, oil, onion soup mix, rosemary, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until the potatoes are well coated.
3. Place pan in oven and let cook for around one hour. Mix every 15 minutes.

Enjoy with almost entree!

Sautéed Green Beans and Jarred Onions with Bacon

Adapted from the Cooking Light recipe for Sautéed Green Beans and Onions with Bacon. I loved the way it came and out will definitely make it again. It is a really liked it and the jarred onions add a really nice taste...well so does the bacon! And it is from Cooking Light - so it is sanctioned....right???

Ingredients
1 lbs Green beans, trimmed
5 Bacon slices
1 (16-ounce bottle) Jarred Onions (we used White Holland Style Onions), drained
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Dried thyme
1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
1 tbsp White balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper

Directions
1. Cook beans in boiling water 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse with cold water; drain and pat dry.
2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp (around 5-7 minutes). Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Crumble bacon, and set aside.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add drained onions to drippings in pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sugar, thyme and rosemary and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the beans and cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add vinegar, salt, and pepper; toss to coat.
5. Stir in crumbled bacon just before serving.

Enjoy with almost entree!

ROLO Pretzel Delights

(Adapted from the Hershey's Kitchen recipe. These are simple, taste amazing and are kinda fun to make. I changed the recipe because I think the original cooks too long - making for a messy candy treat. Perfect for the holidays...or any day!

Ingredients:

You will need equal numbers of the following (up to around 40 on a cooking sheet at a time)

• Small pretzels (I used mini twists) 
• ROLO Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate 
• Pecan halves (raw)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Line a flat cookie sheet with parchment paper. (NOTE: use a cookie sheet without a lip for easy removal)
2. Place pretzels on the cookie sheet (they can be as close as 1" to each other). Top each pretzel with one unwrapped ROLO Chewy Caramel in Milk Chocolate.
3. Bake 3 minutes and remove from oven.
4. Carefully, slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheet onto a flat surface (NOTE: This will help it not melt as much)
5. Top each pretzel with Rolo with a pecan half, pushing down onto the ROLO. If you want, add sprinkles here before the chocolate cools.
6. Leave on parchment paper until cooled completely. You may speed up the cooling in the fridge (use a plate or tray under the parchment paper). If they touch as they cool - that is not a problem as they break apart nicely.

Enjoy!

Michigan Biscotti

(Adapted from the Barbara Karoff's The best 50 Biscotti Recipes (Bristol Publishing, 1995) & my Cranberry and Orange Biscotti. I have long wanted to make a Michigan Biscotti with cherries - this is my first attempt! They are just fantastic. The have cherries (the fruit most associated with Michigan) along with chocolate and walnuts. Definitely a great treat with a hot cup of tea, hot chocolate or coffee on a cold day.

Ingredients
3 cups All-purpose Flour (plus some for shaping biscotti)
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 cup Sugar (plus some for topping)
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter or Margarine (room temperature)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 Large Eggs
2/3 cup Dried Cherries (cut in half if large)
2/3 cup Walnut pieces (crushed small)
2/3 cup Chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) and set aside.
3. Combine in a mixer or mixing bowl butter or margarine, white sugar and brown sugar until blended. Then add vanilla extract and eggs. Then blend until thoroughly mixed.
4. Slow the mixer and add the cherries, walnuts and chocolate chips (one at a time). Then add the flour & baking powder until blended.
5. You will make two logs from this batter. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet (or grease with butter or a cooking spray) and prepare a place to work on the batter (wax paper with flour will work fine). Form each half of the batter into a log about 3 inches wide and about 3/4" to 1" high. (NOTE: If your hands have flour on them, it will be easier to mold). When you have two logs (do not worry about a bit of flour on them), lightly sprinkle the tops with sugar.
6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (test with a toothpick that it comes out clean). Let cool on the baking sheet for about twenty minutes (leaving the oven on).
7. Using a spatula, transfer the logs to a cutting board. Using a serrated knife (electric knives work great), cut on the diagonal into 3/4" slices (be as consistent as possible). Cutting on a diagonal gives you longer pieces. Place sliced pieces back onto the cookie sheet with a small gap between the cut slices (this will allow the biscotti to be baked again on the sides). Put back in the oven for 20 minutes.

Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

Seeded Bread Twists

Seeded Bread Twists

Adapted from the Poppy Seed Twists recipe from Cooking Light, way back in 2001. While this is a bit of work, using frozen bread dough makes it much easier! Making this for Thanksgiving dinner!

Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 1/4 cup Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Poppy seeds
1 tsp Caraway seeds
1 tsp Sesame seeds
a pinch of Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
a pinch of Black pepper (adjust to taste)
1 (1-pound) Loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed
1 tsp Skim milk
1 large egg

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature in a bowl. Stir in poppy, caraway and sesame seeds along with kosher salt and pepper.
2. Roll the dough into a large rectangle (around 14" x 12") on a lightly floured surface.
3. Spread the onion mixture lengthwise over half of rectangle. Fold dough in half lengthwise; press edges of dough firmly to seal. Then cut the dough into 12 (6-inch-long) strips. Gently lift both ends of dough, and twist. Place twisted dough strips 1 inch apart on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper or coated with cooking spray. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and let sit for around 40 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 375°.
5. Combine the milk and egg in a bowl and brush over dough. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet, and cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Enjoy. These will reheat nicely if frozen.

Apple Pork Chops

Adapted from the Recipe Inspirations Apple & Sage Pork Chops recipe from the McCormick site. I really liked it and will definitely try it again.

Ingredients
3 tbsp Flour
2 tsp Sage, dried
1 tsp Rosemary, dried
1 tsp Thyme Leaves, dried
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Allspice, Ground
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
6 boneless pork chops, around 3/4 inch thick (or boneless pork sirloin chops - cut in half)
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or two cloved)
1 red apple, thinly sliced (I used a large honeycrisp)
1/2 cup Apple juice or cider
1 tbsp & 1 tsp Brown sugar

Directions
1. Mix flour, sage, rosemary, thyme, paprika, allspice, kosher salt and black pepper in small bowl. Reserve 1 tbsp of the flour mixture and use the remaining to sprinkle on both sides of the pork chops.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add pork chops and brown on both sides (around 3-4 minutes on first side and 2-3 minutes on the other). Remove pork from skillet.
3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and garlic, then cook for around 3 minutes. Add apples and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
4. To the pan, stir in juice, sugar and remaining seasoned flour until well mixed. Return pork chops to skillet & bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for an additional 7-9 minutes.

Enjoy with potatoes and a green vegetable.

Chicken Stew With Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

Adapted from a recipe for Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew at Eating Well. I wanted to make something in the slow cooker that was a nice Chicken stew - so this is my first stab at it.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
1 Large onion (or two smaller ones), cut into thin slices
3-4 Chicken breasts (frozen)
2 tbsp Cornstarch (or flour)
1 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp Ground black pepper (adjust to taste)
2 tsp Dried rosemary
4 cloves (or tsp) garlic, minced
2-3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" slices
1-2 lbs Carrots (adjust to taste), sliced into 1" pieces (bite sized)
1 cup White wine
1 cup Chicken or vegetable broth

Directions:
1. Place sliced onions into the bottom of a slow cooker.
2. Place the frozen chicken breasts on top of the onions. Sprinkle the cornstarch, kosher salt, pepper and rosemary on top of the chicken.
3. Add garlic, sweet potatoes and carrots on top of the chicken and then add the liquids (wine and broth).
4. Cook on Low setting for around 8 hours. You can go to 10 hours if you are away at work.

Enjoy - especially with bread! The chicken will break apart easy - so you can do that before you serve.

Red Stew

Adapted from a recipe from Fantastic Slow Cooker Beef Stew that is also on my blog. I wanted to make something that would be a great source for beta-carotene - so this is rich in Carrots and Sweet Potatoes. This came out great and I will definitely make it again.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (adjust to taste)
1 tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 bay leaves
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 large onion, cut into thin slices
2 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" slices
1-2 lbs Carrots (adjust to taste), sliced into 1" pieces (bite sized)
1 large Parsnip, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 cups beef broth

Directions:
1. Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, pepper and paprika; pour over meat and mix thoroughly.
2. On top of the meat, add garlic, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, onion, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and beef broth.
3. Cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours. (The low setting is ideal here).

Enjoy!

Zucchini Pancakes

Adapted from a recipe from the surprisingly excellent Fresh From the Pantry: Recipes for Every Day. This 2001 cookbook is from the Longaberger company of Newark, Ohio and basket fame. The original recipe is on page 122 for Zucchini Pancakes. This is super easy and really delicious.

Ingredients (serves 4-6 as a side dish)

2 Zucchini (large), grated
3 Eggs, beaten
1/4 dup Parsley, chopped
1 Onion (small), chopped
3 tbsp Flour
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Basil (dried)
1-2 tbsp Oil (canola or other vegetable oil)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients (except the oil) and mix thoroughly.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once oil is heated, drop around 2 tbsp of the zucchini mixture into the pan, and flatten slightly. Cook for around 3-4 minutes on both sides. Remove when done (placing in paper towels) and the cook remaining pancakes. Add additional oil as needed.

Enjoy! (Yep - it was pretty easy and very showy - definitely win-win).

Chicken and Asparagus Stir Fry

Adapted from a recipe of the same name found here. Had this dish in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan and I wanted to take a shot at making it at home.

Ingredients (serves 4)
5 tbsp Soy sauce, divided
2 tbsp Lemon juice
2 tbsp Cooking sherry
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 lbs. Chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 tbsp Peanut oil
2 tsp Garlic, chopped
2 Scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 2-inch diagonal pieces
1 Red Pepper, julienned
1/2 tsp Sesame oil

Directions
1. Stir together 4 tbsp soy sauce, lemon juice, cooking sherry, and cornstarch. Add chicken pieces and coat well. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
2. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok. Add garlic and saute for around 1 minutes. Reserving the marinade, add chicken and saute for around 2 minutes. Add red peppers and saute for an additional minute. Add the asparagus and scallions and saute for an additional 3 minutes.
3. Add remaining marinade, remaining 1 tbsp of soy sauce and the sesame oil and saute for around 2 minutes.

Enjoy with rice or noodles.

Roast Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

Adapted from the Roast Chicken & Sweet Potatoes recipe from the Eating Well site.

Ingredients
3 tbsp Mustard (Dijon or whole grain)
1/4 tsp Dried marjoram
1/4 tsp Dried thyme
1/2 tsp Dried savory
1/2 tsp Dried rosemary
3/4 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp Black pepper, divided
2 tbsp Olive oil
3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Red onions (small or medium), cut into 1-inch wedges
4 Chicken breasts (skinless),

Directions
1. Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 450°F.
2. In a bowl, combine mustard, marjoram, thyme, savory, 1/4 tsp each of kosher salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Toss sweet potatoes and onion in a bowl with the olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Spread the vegetables in a roasting pan.
4. Place the chicken breasts on top of the vegetables, and then spread the mustard mix evenly over all pieces.
5. Place in the oven for around 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken with Green Beans

This recipe was adapted from Chicken with Lemon and Garlic recipe (p. 184) from Pepita Aris' Spanish : over 150 mouthwatering step-by-step recipes. I loved the way this came out.

Ingredients
3 Chicken breasts, skinless, cut into thin strips (1/4")
3 tbsp Olive oil, divided
1 Shallot, finely chopped
6 tsp Garlic (or 6 cloves), chopped
1 tsp Paprika
1 lbs Green beans
8 oz Mushrooms, thinly sliced (white or mini-bellas)
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 cup Parsley (fresh), chopped
1/4 cup Chicken broth
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (more or less to taste)

Directions
1. Heat 2 tbsp of Olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken, garlic and paprika to the pan and cook for around 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Remove chicken to a bowl and keep warm (under foil).
2. Add remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and cook green beans for around 4-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and parsley, then cook for 3-4 more minutes.
3. Add broth, lemon juice, kosher salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
4. When it boils, lower to simmer, add chicken and mix thoroughly for around 1 minute.

Remove from heat and enjoy!




Directions

Penne with Sausage & Basil Sauce

Adapted from this recipe for Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Mushrooms from Bon Appétit (August 2002).

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
19 oz Sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed, crumbled
2 tbsp Olive oil
12 oz Mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 Large onion (or 2 medium ones), chopped
1/2 - 3/4 cup Fresh basil, shredded
1 tbsp Oregano (dried)
1 tbsp Parsley (dried)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup Dry white wine
28 oz Can crushed tomatoes
14.5 oz Can petite diced tomatoes
14-16 oz Penne or other pasta

Directions
1. Place the turkey sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the sausage as it cooks for around 12-14 minutes (or until it is brown). Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl (leaving the drippings in the pan).
2. Add olive oil to drippings in pot. Add mushrooms and onions and sauté until for around 10 minutes.
3. Add basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, garlic, kosher salt and black pepper to the pan; then sauté for around 1 minute.
4. Add wine to the pan and cook for around 4 minutes.
5. Add sausage, crushed tomatoes and petite tomatoes to the pan and mix thoroughly. Lower the heat to medium and cover the pan. Cook for around 25 minutes.
6. While the pasta sauce is cooking during this last step, prepare the pasta as directed.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and enjoy!

Smoked Salmon Pasta

I have had this 8 oz package of smoked salmon (Portlock Wild Smoked Salmon) that I bought in Seattle, Washington a LONG time ago. These things have a long shelf life - the expiration date is December 2013....HONESTLY! So I took a few different recipes (though mostly from this recipe from Mehan Dossani for Tomato and Smoked Salmon Pasta) I found and created this.... Really liked it - might try it again the next time I have smoked salmon.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
1 12-14 oz pound box of pasta (spaghetti or penne - we use whole grain or equivalent)
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
4 oz Mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tsp Garlic, finely chopped (or 2 cloves)
Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste - no more than 1/4 of a tsp)
1 14.5 oz can Petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup White wine
1/4 tsp Dill weed
2 tbsp Heavy cream
8 oz Smoked Salmon, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Basil, shredded

Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, garlic and kosher salt and black pepper (to taste - around 1/4 tsp of each at most). Cook, stirring occasionally, for around 3-4 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, wine, and dill weed to the pan and cook for 4 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to low and add 2 tbsp of heavy cream and stir for around 1 minute.
5. Stir in salmon and then remove from heat. Mix thoroughly and then add basil. When blended, pour on the pasta.

Add Parmesan cheese as desired.

Green Chicken

Adapted from Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry from Martha Stewart's website. I loved they way that this turned out. We served over brown rice and it was fantastic. This serves 4-6 people.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (1/4")
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (or more/less to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (or more/less to taste)
2 tbsp Peanut oil (add more if needed), divided
1 Onion (medium), sliced into strips
2 Green peppers, cut into strips (use different colors if possible)
1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 2-3" pieces
4 tsp (or four cloves) Minced garlic
1/4 cup Chicken broth
2 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Rice vinegar
1 bunch Basil, shredded (around 1 cup)

Directions
1. Pat dry chicken and place it in a bowl. Toss with cornstarch, kosher salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoons oil over medium high heat and cook chicken for around 3-4 minutes. Transfer chicken and any liquid to a bowl and keep warm.
3. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan. Add onions and peppers, cook for around 2 minutes. Add asparagus, cook for around 3 minutes. Add garlic, cook for around 1 minute.
4. Add the chicken, broth, soy sauce, and rice vinegar to the pan and cook for around 1 more minute.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Mix thoroughly and serve over noodles or rice. Enjoy!

Peony Chicken

I called it Peony Chicken because I used all different colors of veggies in the stir fry. I loved it and it passed the reheat for lunch test with flying colors! I also named it after the Peony Gardens at the University of Michigan that I love to visit each May and June. We served over brown rice and it was fantastic. This serves 4-6 people.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Chicken broth
7 tbsp Soy sauce
4 tbsp Dry sherry or cooking sherry
2 tsp Corn starch
1/4 tsp Kosher salt (or more/less to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (or more/less to taste)
2 tbsp Peanut oil (add more if needed)
1 tbsp Minced ginger
4 tsp (or four cloves) Minced garlic
1 Onion (medium), sliced into strips
3 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (1/4")
3 cups Broccoli florets
3 Bell peppers, cut into strips (use different colors if possible)
1 can (8 oz.) Water chestnuts, sliced
8 oz. Mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half.

Directions
1. Whisk together broth, soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch until it is well blended. Set aside
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add ginger, garlic and onion; stir about 30 seconds. Add chicken to skillet and stir-fry until white, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add broccoli, bell pepper and water chestnuts and stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms stir-fry an additional minute.
4. Add broth/soy sauce mixture and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

Serve over noodles or rice. Enjoy!

Pasta with Turkey Sausage Sauce

My second stab at a meat sauce. This uses turkey sausage and is based on my previous entry for turkey meat sauce. This is also pretty healthy - and it came out great.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
1 12-14 oz pound box of penne (whole grain or equivalent).
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
2 Red bell peppers, finely chopped
4 tsp Garlic, finely chopped (or 3 cloves)
8 oz Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Parsley, chopped
12 oz Turkey Italian Sausage (meat from 3 sausage links - casings removed)
1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
1 28-ounce can Crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Dried oregano
1/2 tsp Dried basil

Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, parsley, mushrooms, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for around 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the turkey sausage, kosher salt, and pepper and cook for around 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the tomatoes, oregano, and basil - then simmer until the sauce thickens, around 8 minutes.

Serve sauce over pasta, adding Parmesan cheese if you like.

Special Fried Rice

Adapted from a number of recipes that I found, including one for Tofu Fried Rice from Cooking Light.

Ingredients:
2 cups Cooked brown rice (instant is OK)
2 tbsp Peanut oil, divided
1 (14 oz package) Extra-firm Tofu, drained and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (use less if desired)
1/2 lbs Shrimp (medium sized), cleaned and deveined
2 tsp Garlic, minced
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 bunch Green onion, in small slices
4 oz Bean sprouts
1/2 cup Peas (frozen), thawed
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced with stems removed.
1 tsp Minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce

Directions:
1. Combine rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tsp peanut oil a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook 4-6 minutes (or until lightly browned), stirring occasionally then remove from pan.
3. Heat 2 tsp peanut oil to pan a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and garlic and cook 4 minutes (or until shrimp turns pink), stirring occasionally then remove from pan and put with tofu.
4. Add eggs to pan; cook around 1 minute or until done, breaking eggs into small pieces. Then remove from pan and add to tofu and shrimp.
5. Add 2 tsp peanut oil to pan and add green onions, bean sprouts, peas, mushrooms, and ginger; saute 2 minutes.
6. Add cooked rice to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
7. Add tofu, egg and soy sauce mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Enjoy!

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers

Adapted from a Ivy Manning recipe from Cooking Light (JANUARY 2010). I really liked this and the chicken was very moist. An excellent meal all around - served with rice and a side of broccoli.

Ingredients
1 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1 tsp Dried rosemary, divided
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds, crushed
3/4 tsp Black pepper, divided
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Oregano
5 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half.
2 tbsp Olive oil, divided & Cooking spray
1 Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 Yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Shallots, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup Chicken broth
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine 3/4 tsp kosher salt, 3/4 tsp rosemary, fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Lightly spray chicken with cooking spray or mist with olive oil. Sprinkle spice rub over chicken.
3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes or until browned. When it is cooking, lightly spray olive oil on the chicken and add spice mix to the top. After the three minutes are up, turn the chicken and cook for one more minute. Repeat for the remaining chicken (adding oil to the pan if needed) and place the cooked chicken in a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for around 12-14 minutes.
4. Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet. Add bell peppers, shallots, and 1/4 tsp rosemary to the pan and sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Simmer for around 5 minutes.
5. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in balsamic vinegar, remaining 1/4 tsp each of kosher salt and black pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Serve the bell pepper mixture over chicken & enjoy with rice and some green vegetables.

Corey's Chili

After visiting Cincinnati, I was very interested to try a healthy version of their famous Cincinnati Chili. This is adapted from a few different recipes, including Eating Well's Cincinnati Chili, Cooking Light's Cincinnati Turkey Chili, and a postcard I bought with the recipe (hey - I just love the postcards)!

This came out great and it really is not that bad because we use ground turkey. This makes around 4-6 servings - the picture shows a double batch. I guess the best thing about Chili is that you can come up with a lot of variants. So that will be fun. You can serve it over pasta with cheese - but that is just not my favorite way to eat it.

Ingredients
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 package Ground Turkey (93% lean) - around 19-20 oz.
1 White onion (medium), diced
2 tsp Garlic (or cloves), minced
2 tbsp Chili powder (NOTE: I used one 'regular' and one 'hot' - adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Allspice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 28oz can Crushed tomatoes
1 15oz can Kidney Beans (use dark red - though any will do)
1 cup Chicken broth.

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, turkey, and all the spices (through Cinnamon). Cook for around 7 minutes until well browned, mixing thoroughly.
3. Add tomatoes, kidney beans and broth and raise heat to high. When it boils, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for around 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken, Potato, and Leek Pie

Recipe adapted from Julianna Grimes's great recipe from Cooking Light (August 2012). I need to make this again but I will do it in a bigger dish. Also, I think I will try to adapt this with chicken breast.

Ingredients
2 slices Center cut smoked bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups cubed red potato (around 7 small red skins)
2 cups chopped carrots
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tbsp Flour
2 cups leeks (about 1), sliced thin
1 White onion, sliced thin
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp Paprika
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 cups Mashed Potatoes (enough to cover the baking dish with a thin layer - boxed will work fine)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until almost crisp, stirring frequently.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and add potato and carrot to pan. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add chicken and sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in flour, leeks, onion, kosher salt, black pepper and paprika. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
6. Slowly add broth to pan, stirring constantly and bring to a boil. Cook 3-4 minutes (it will become thicker). Then spoon the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart (or larger) glass or ceramic baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the mixture.
7. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until potatoes are browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Guacamole

This was adapted from recipe in Kris Rudolph's Mexican light (cocina mexican ligera) : healthy cusine for today's cook (para el cocinero actual). This is a really great book and I have always wanted to try making Guacamole. This recipe is on page 55.

Ingredients
3 Avocados
1 Small white onion, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
3 tbsp Cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp Lime juice
1 Sweet pepper (red or green), chopped

Directions
1. Cut the avocados in half, removing the pit and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Enjoy with chips or as a side with a Mexican dish!

Flatout (Flatbread) Baked Dippers

This was adapted from the Flatout site. As huge fans of Olga's Snackers - I fell in love with these for dipping into hummus and salsa. Flatout bread is made in my hometown of Saline, Michigan - but practically any flatbread will do.
Ingredients
1 Flatout® Light Flatbread
Olive oil cooking spray (or delivered via a mister)
2 tsp Bread dipping Seasoning
(NOTE: you can create your own mix by adding 1/4 tsp of each of the following ingredients: ground black pepper, kosher salt, dried rosemary, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, dried thyme, and garlic/celery salt. You can simply add the ingredients that you like here - but the mix is about 2 tsp per flatbread).

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut each Flatout into 16 pieces and place on a nonstick cookie sheet.
3. Lightly spray all the flatbread pieces with cooking spray or oil and then sprinkle the spice mix over the pieces.
4. Bake for around 9-10 minutes.

Enjoy with Salsa, Hummus, or cheeses!

Tilapia with Sherry-Mushroom Sauce

This was adapted from a Cooking Light recipe from January 1999). This is a fantastic way to cook Tilapia.

Ingredients (makes 4-5 servings)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets (5 or 6 fillets)
3 tbsp Olive oil, divided
1 lbs White and Mini Bela mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp Black pepper
2 tbsp Cooking sherry
1 tbsp Dried parsley
3/4 cup Chicken broth (low sodium if possible)
1/4 cup skim/fat-free milk
1 tsp cornstarch

Directions

1. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp kosher salt over the fillets. Heat around 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add three fillets (salt side down - then sprinkle the other side lighthly with kosher salt) and cook for around 4 minutes on each side. Remove fillets from skillet, and keep warm (under foil). Add around 1 tbsp olive oil and then cook the other fillets. Remove those when cooked and keep with other fillets.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the skillet. Add mushroom slices with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and black pepper. Saute for around 4 minutes. Then add the cooking sherry and parsley. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
3. Combine the broth, milk, and cornstarch, whisk until blended. Add broth mixture to skillet, and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, reduce heat to medium, and cook 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over fish.

Serve with brown rice or couscous.

Moo Shu Chicken

This was adapted from a number of recipes that I have found here and there. OK - I lost my notes. But I did find the ingredients - so I thought I would get it listed. I loved this and will definitely make it again!

Ingredients (serves 4-6)
2 Chicken breasts, thinly sliced
3 tbsp Peanut oil, divided
2 Eggs
2 1/2 cups Napa Cabbage, thinly sliced
8 oz Mushrooms (white), thinly sliced)
3 Scallions, cut into 2" lengths.
1 Carrot, shredded
4 oz Bean sprouts

Chicken marinade
3 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Cooking sherry
1 tsp Hoisn sauce
1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice

Moo Shu sauce
2 tbsp Chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Cooking sherry
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Directions
1. Mix marinade ingredients and add chicken. Let sit for around 20-30 minutes. Mix the Moo Shu sauce in a separate bowl and set aside.
2. Heat one tbsp of peanut oil over medium-high heat. Mix the eggs and add to pan - cook until done (around 2 minutes). Cut into small strips and set aside.
3. Heat one tbsp of peanut oil. Drain the marinade from the chicken and then add the chicken to the pan. Cook around 4 minutes until done. Transfer to the plate with the eggs and cover with foil.
4. Heat one tbsp of peanut oil. Add mushrooms and carrots, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add bean sprouts, cabbage, and scallions and then cook for an additional minute. Add Moo Shu sauce ingredients and cook for an additional minute. Add chicken and eggs, remove from heat and mix thoroughly.

Can be served in a flour tortilla with a bit of hoisin sauce or on its own. Great with rice.

Shrimp and Spinach Pasta Salad

This was adapted from Warm Pasta Salad with Shrimp from Cooking Light. This is a wonderful light and healthy summer pasta salad.

Ingredients (serves 4)
3 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta) - it can be replaced with a different pasta.
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Garlic, minced
1/4 cup, plus 1 1/2 tsp Olive oil, divided
1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 Shallot (small), cut into thin slices
1 lbs Shrimp, peeled and deveined (31/40 count is fine)
2 cups Baby spinach, cut into strips (you can increase this if you want)
1 15.5 oz can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup Red onion, chopped
2 tbsp Capers, rinsed

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. Combine juice, mustard, garlic, and red wine vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add 1/4 cup oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 1/2 tsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until done.
4. In a large serving bowl, mix the spinach, cannellini beans, red onion, and capers; toss to combine. Add the pasta and dressing to the bowl, then add the shrimp.

Enjoy either at room temperature or serve chilled.

Penne with Chicken and Light Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

This was adapted from Capellini With Pine Nuts, Sun-Dried Tomatoes And Chicken from Prevention magazine. This is really growing on me for a great place for healthy recipes. I adapted the recipe a fair amount, but I love the way that this turned out. This is a keeper with a nice light sauce.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
1/2 cup Pine nuts
13 oz box Penne, whole wheat or whole grain
1 cup Broth (chicken, low-sodium chicken or vegetable)
5-6 oz Sun-dried tomatoes, dry-packed
1 tbsp Olive oil
3 Chicken breasts, cut into 1/4" slices (lengthwise)
Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
4 tsp Garlic, minced (or 4 cloves)
1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
12 Kalamata olives, pitted and cut in half.
1/4 cup Fresh basil, sliced into thin strips

Directions
1. In a saute pan over low heat, toast the pine nuts until they are lightly browned.
2. Prepare pasta according to package directions
3. Soak tomatoes in near boiling water for around 10 minutes. Drain the liquid (adding 1/2 cup to the broth and set aside). Then slice the tomatoes into strips.
4. Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with kosher salt and pepper. Add chicken, garlic, and red-pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for around 3 minutes. Drain any excess liquid in the pan. Then add tomatoes, broth/water mixture and the olives. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Add pasta to skillet and toss thoroughly. Then add the basil and pine nuts and toss again.

Enjoy!

Salmon with Hoisin Glaze

This was adapted from Salmon with Hoisin Glaze from Cooking Light (just about my favorite cooking magazine these days). This came out fantastic - we will definitely have it on a relatively short rotation.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
3 tbsp Hoisin sauce
3 tsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Dark sesame oil
1 tsp Cooking sherry
2 tsp Garlic, chopped finely
4 (6 oz) Salmon fillets, skin removed
Cooking spray
2 tsp Sesame seeds
1 Green onion, finely chopped (optional for topping)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. In a shallow dish, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, cooking sherry and garlic in a bowl. Add fish to dish, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature 8-15 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place fish on the sheet and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 400° for 12-13 minutes. Garnish with green onions when done.

Enjoy with rice!

Chicken and Green Beans

This was adapted from Chinese Grandma's easy chicken and green bean stir fry. It seems to be a great addition to our healthy menu and it turned out to be a fantastic dinner with brown rice!

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
4 Chicken breasts, skinless and cut into thin strips
1 lbs Green Beans, cut in half if longer than 3" (you can increase if desired)
4 tsp Chopped Garlic (or 5 cloves), divided
8 tbsp Soy Sauce, divided
5 tbsp Cooking sherry, divided
2 tbsp Brown sugar
1 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp Peanut oil

Directions
1. Create marinade for the chicken with 4 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp cooking sherry and 2 tsp chopped garlic. Add chicken to the marinade, cover and place in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes.
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a separate bowl. These include 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp cooking sherry, and 2 tsp chopped garlic. Set aside.
3. Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and cook for 5-7 minutes. Then remove from the pan and place into a serving bowl.
4. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of peanut oil to the wok. Drain the marinade from the chicken and add to the wok. Cook for around 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously.
5. Add the sauce mixture to the chicken and cook for around 30 seconds. Then add the cooked green beans and mix thoroughly for around 1 minute.

Enjoy with rice!

Spiced Chicken with Rice & Broccoli

Another adaptation from a recipe in Prevention's quick and healthy low-fat cooking : featuring cuisines from the Mediterranean (1993) by Jean Rogers. The original recipe is on page 161. This was simply fantastic!

Ingredients (serves 4)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each cut in half diagonally (so no piece is too thick)
1 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Cumin
Kosher salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Crowns of broccoli (cut all but short stems)
1 3/4 cups Quick-cooking brown rice (I used Minute Rice)
1 tbsp dried Parsley
2 cups Chicken broth
2 tbsp Lemon juice
2 tbsp Capers (rinsed)

Directions

1. Season chicken with paprika, cumin, kosher salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat and cook the chicken until lightly brown (around 3 minutes per side). Add broccoli and cook for an additional minute.
3. Add rice, parsley, broth, lemon juice and capers to the pan. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil.
4. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for around 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat and leave covered for an additional 5-7
minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Mushrooms with Cherry Sauce

Adapted from this Cooking Light recipe for Chicken in Cherry Marsala Sauce. We had cooking sherry and the Mrs. does not like Marsala. I have not done a great deal with sweet sauces for chicken. I loved it and think it is a great way to use dried Michigan cherries. This is a definite winner.

Ingredients
1/2 cup Dried cherries
1/2 cup Cooking sherry
4 tsp Olive oil
4 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise (around 1 1/2 lbs total)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1/3 cup Shallots, finely chopped (one larger shallot)
3 Sprigs fresh thyme
8 oz Mushrooms (white or baby portobellos) Thinly sliced.
2/3 cup Chicken broth

Directions
1. Combine cherries and cooking sherry in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high for 45 seconds, and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook around 5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cover with foil and keep warm.
3. Add remaining olive oil to pan and then add shallots and thyme. Saute for around 1 minute. Then add the broth, cherry mixture, mushrooms, the remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper
4. Bring mixture to a boil, scraping the pan to loosen the browned bits. Leave the mixture at a boil for around a minute. Then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thick. Pour over the chicken and serve.

Matches very well with a green vegetable and brown rice.

Orange-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Adapted from this Busch's Recipe - a local grocery story in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This came out so juicy and delicious. It will definitely be on on rotation for dinners from here on out.

Ingredients
2 Pork tenderloins, about 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. each, trimmed
1/2 cup Orange marmalade
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Dried thyme leaves
1 tsp Ground thyme
1 tsp Dried Rosemary
2 tsp Ground cinnamon
3 tsp Garlic, minced
2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Ground pepper
Cooking spray

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a bowl, thoroughly mix orange marmalade, cumin, thyme (leaves and ground), rosemary, cinnamon, garlic, kosher salt and pepper.
3. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan with cooking spray & place the pork on the pan. Spread marmalade mixture on the tenderloins. Roast 23-26 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155-160 degrees (slightly pink). Cover with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Healthier Sweet Potato Fries

Adapted from this recipe from Dr. Oz's site: Rip Esselstyn's Portobello Mushroom Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:
2 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small fries (use a mandolin for ease and uniformity)
Cooking spray
Olive oil, sprayed (if you put it in a bottle sprayer - that works great)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the sweet potatoes into a single layer.
3. Lightly spray olive oil ontop of the fries and sprinkle with kosher salt (adjust to taste).
4. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil and put in oven for 15 minutes.
5. Then, remove the foil and flip the fries. Cook for an additional 7-10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Peanut Noodles

Recipe was adapted from a recipe in Prevention Magazines' 400 Calorie Fix Cookbook (displayed until July 2012). Here is the recipe on the Prevention website.

Ingredients:
8 oz Whole wheat or whole grain spaghetti
5 tbsp Creamy peanut butter (low fat or low sugar should be fine)
3 tbsp Rice vinegar
2 tbsp Reduced-sodium or regular soy sauce
1/2 tsp Sesame seeds
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
3 Scallions, chopped into small pieces to the white part of the onion

Directions
1. Prepare pasta according to directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid for the sauce.
2. In a mixing bowl, add peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Whisk until well blended.
3. Add pasta and mix thoroughly. Then add the scallion ontop and serve.

Enjoy!

Shrimp with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce

Adapted from the Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce recipe from Cooking Light (Laraine Perri, JUNE 2012). OK - I have really tried the lettuce thing twice - but I think we are going to make this again - but just cut to the chase and serve over rice. I LOVED having the mix of the stir-fry with the fresh vegetables.

Ingredients
Sauce:
1 tsp Peanut oil
1 Medium shallot, minced (around 1 1/2 tbsp)
1/3 cup Water
2 tbsp Creamy peanut butter (low fat or low sugar is fine)
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp Lime juice

Stir-fry:
1 tbsp Peanut oil
1 lbs Shrimp (raw and deveined - around 31/40 count)
1 tbsp Garlic, minced (or 2 cloves)
4 Green onions, cut into 1 inch slices, divided
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped, divided
3 tbsp Soy sauce (low sodium is fine)
1 tsp Ginger, grated
1 tsp Brown sugar
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
1 cup Carrots, cut into thin strips (matchstick-cut)
4 oz Bean sprouts (around 1 cup)
2 splashes Sesame oil

Directions:

1. To prepare sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add peanut oil, then shallots and sauté for 2 minutes.
2. Add 1/3 cup water, peanut butter, and hoisin sauce and stir continually as you bring to a boil. Cook for one minute after it boils.
3. Remove from heat and add lime juice and let cool. It is served at room temperature.

Stir-fry:
1. Heat peanut oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add half the green onions and sauté 1 minute.
2. Add shrimp and garlic and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring continually. The shrimp should be pink.
3. Add half the cilantro, soy sauce, ginger, and brown sugar, cooking an additional 1 minute.
4. Remove from heat and mix in a bowl with bean sprouts, carrots and the remaining cilantro.

Serve with rice with the sauce on top of the stir-fry. You can also make lettuce wraps if you are so inclined.

Kale Chips

Adapted from a few different recipes I found on the web - and Dr. Oz. These are amazing! Great way to eat Kale AND get a treat that is 100% good for you. You can really limit the oil and it will even be better for you. Yep...once again. Dr. Oz shows us the way!!!!!

Ingredients
1 bunch of Kale
1 tsp Olive Oil - OR olive oil spray (see below)
Kosher Salt or Sea Salt to taste

Directions
1. Wash the Kale and then rip or cut the leaves off the stems. Rip into small pieces.
2. Dry Kale thouroughly with paper or regular towels. It is good to let it air dry for a bit.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Layer kale with a very light layer of oil. This can be done in two ways:

4a -> In a large bowl, add the kale and the 1 tbsp of Oil and mix thoroughly. Then place the kale on two cookie sheets (you can use parchment paper)

4b -> On two cooking sheets (lined with parchment paper if you choose), layer the kale and then spray lighthly with a mister filled with olive oil. Using the spray, you can actually use less oil.

5. Sprinkle salt lighthly ontop of the kale.
6. Place in oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy at room temperature or cooled!

Quinoa With Pine Nuts and Cherries

Adapted from this recipe - Quinoa With Garlic, Pine Nuts and Raisins

Ingredients (makes 6-8 servings - good for summer potlucks)
2/3 cup Pine nuts
1 1/2 cups Quinoa, rinsed well
3 cups Chicken or Vegtable broth
2 tbsp Garlic, minced (or around 3-4 cloves)
Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)
1 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 cup Fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Dried cherries, each one cut in half
2 tbsp Lemon juice

Directions
1. Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat, stirring continuously, until they turn golden, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add to a mixing bowl.
2. Place the quinoa in a saucepan (with a cover) and cook over medium heat until toasted (about 2 minutes). Add broth, garlic, kosher salt
and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for around 18-20 minutes (the liquid will be absorbed). Remove from heat and leave covered around 2-3 minutes.
3. Fluff quinoa with a fork and let cool for a few minutes. Then add to the bowl with the pine nuts. Also add the olive oil, parsley,
cherries, and lemon juice.

Enjoy at room temperature or cooled!

Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Mushrooms

NOTE: This recipe was reworked from an old recipe that I had, that in turn was adapted from a great one from "Quick After-Work Italian Cooking" by Hilaire Walden; Fisher Books, 1995.

Ingredients
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
3 tsp Chopped garlic (or 3 cloves)
3-4 skinless chicken breasts, flattened and cut in half
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Juice and zest from one lemon
12 oz White mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half
1/2 cup Chicken broth
1/2 tsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp Dried Parsley

Directions
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add rosemary and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
2. Season the chicken with kosher salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts to the pan and cook until lightly browned, around 3 minutes per side.
3. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, mushrooms, chicken stock, cornstarch and parsley. Mix gently.
4. Cover and cook for 10-13 more minutes (turning chicken from time to time).
5. Serve with juices with rice.

Fiddles and Drums (Fiddleheads & Mushrooms)

I had fiddleheads once - probably 15 years ago in Pittsburgh. Since I have been cooking alot recently, I wanted to try to cook them. I found them at Busch's and decided to give it a shot. I really liked these and kinda borrowed from four different recipes I found on the web. The season is almost over - but these are really great.

Ingredients
4-6oz Fiddleheads
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 tbsp Olive oil
8oz White Mushrooms, stems removed and cut into quarters (bigger ones) or halves (smaller ones)
1-2 tsp Garlic, chopped
Additional kosher salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the fiddleheads in cold water for around 5-10 minutes. Rinse.
2. In a small pan, bring 2 cups of water to boil with 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Add fiddleheads and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and
rinse with cold water.
3. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for around 2 minutes.
4. Add fiddleheads to the pan with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Cook for around 5 minutes
5. Add garlic and cook for one more minute and remove from heat.

Enjoy!

NOTE: Here is a <a href="http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/kitchen-cuisine/fiddlehead-fougere-eng.php">food safety page from Health Canada</a> on cooking with fiddleheads. The size of the fiddleheads might require more time in the boiling water. The ones I cooked were rather small.

Pasta with Turkey Meat Sauce

My first stab at a meat sauce. This uses turkey and should be pretty healthy - so it is really a total win. Had a great taste and is a definite winner on our end. It was inspired by a recipe from Real Simple and my Mediterranean Pasta.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
1 12-14 oz pound box of penne (whole grain or equivalent).
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
1 Red pepper, finely chopped
3 tsp Garlic, finely chopped (or 3 cloves)
1/2 cup Parsley, chopped
8-10 oz Ground turkey (93% lean) - about half a package
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 28-ounce can Crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Dried oregano
1/2 tsp Dried basil

Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, parsley, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for around 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the turkey, kosher salt, and pepper and cook for around 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the tomatoes, oregano, and basil - then simmer until the sauce thickens, around 8 minutes.

Serve sauce over pasta, adding Parmesan cheese if you like.

Rainbow Chicken with Shrimp

Loved the way this came out - though it was not exactly the direction I was heading. Tastes good without being any specific ethnic cuisine. Very good and it will be a regular. Not a lot here that is bad for you - so that is good!

Ingredients (Makes 4-5 servings):
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 Chicken Breast halves, cut into 1/4" strips
3/4 lbs Shrimp, peeled and cleaned
1 tsp Cornstarch (divided)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 Medium red onion, cut into 1/2" squares
2 tsp Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Lime juice
3 Bell peppers (different colors - using green, red and orange), cut into 1/2" squares
1/2 tsp Chili powder (regular or hot - to taste)
1/2 tsp Cumin, ground
1/4 tsp Coriander, ground
8 oz White mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half (if larger)
1/4 cup, Chicken broth

Directions
1. Sprink kosher salt and black pepper on cut chicken. In a seperate bowl, sprinkle the cornstartch on the shrip and set aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp Olive Oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large saute pan. Add onions and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. The add chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
3, Add the lime juice, chili powder, cumin, coriander and the peppers and cook for 4 more minutes. Add more oil if needed.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth with the other 1/2 tsp of cornstarch, then raise to a boil. Mix thoroughly.
6. Add the raw shrimp and cook until done (pink). When the shrimp are finished, the dish is ready to serve.

Enjoy with rice or noodles.

No Points Pie (Jell-O and Fruit)

This is completely simple and completely amazing. I noticed that there were a number of problems when I was looking up the recipe (Malware sites, etc.) so I thought I would get this down. This is known commonly as the Weight Watchers "No Points" Pie. Simply put, you can eat this until your head explodes. It is really great and everyone at home loves it. A great dessert or snack is easy and you can eat a ton of it!

Ingredients (can be doubled without problem):
2 Cups water
1 Package cook & serve sugar-free vanilla pudding (we use Jell-O also) - do NOT use instant pudding
1 Package sugar-free gelatin in fruit flavor (we use Jell-O Raspberry)
6oz Raspberries
6oz Blueberries
NOTE: The fruit here is what we use - but you can put in anything that you like. The amounts here work well.

Directions:
1. Put water in a sauce pan and turn on high heat.
2. Immediately, add the pudding and whisk until well blended. This can get clumpy so you want to make sure that it is smooth.
3. Once it is smooth, add the gelatin package and continue whisking until it comes to a boil.
4. When it boils, remove from heat. Add to container and then carefully add the fruit (so it does not splash).
5. Place in refrigerator and let it solidify. It should be ready in around 2-3 hours for a single batch. Double batches add one hour.

ENJOY!

Chicken Lo Mein

This was adapted from Helene Siegel's Chinese Cooking for Beginners (1992) and some other recipes that I found including Edamame Lo Mein from Eating Well. This just came out fantastic. It seems to be a good addition to our healthy menu and really great!

Ingredients (serves 3-4)
7-8oz. Thin Spaghetti (whole grain is ideal), cooked as directed.
1 tsp Garlic, chopped
1 Chicken breast, cut into thin strips (around 1/4" or thinner)
4 tbsp Peanut oil
2 Carrots, cut into thin strips
1 Red Pepper, cut into thin strips
4 oz Bean Sprouts (mung beans - fresh work best)
2 Scallions, trimmed and sliced

Sauce Ingredients
2 tbsp Light soy sauce
2 tbsp Oyster sauce
1 tbsp Cooking sherry
1 tbsp Light brown sugar
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to the directions and then drain with cold water. Then toss with 1 tbsp of the peanut oil and set aside.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl (soy sauce, oyster sauce, sherry, brown sugar, sesame oil and five spice powder) and set that aside.
3. Heat a saute pan and add 1 tbsp of peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes (until starting to brown).
4. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of peanut oil and add the carrots and red peppers. Mix thoroughly and then cook for around 1 minute.
5. Add the bean sprouts and scallions. Mix thoroughly and then cook for another minute.
6. Add the noodles and the sauce mix and cook for around 1-2 minutes, mixing thoroughly.

Enjoy!

Christmas Salmon with Rice

This is a wonderful new recipe adapted from Real Simple's One-Pot Salmon With Snap Peas and Rice. I changed this to brown rice, and added red peppers and asparagus. The name for the dish comes from the red and green vegetables served with the Salmon. This dish is really great and is very healthy - it is very low fat - making this great news. Oh...and it is easy!
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 cup Brown rice
1 lbs Salmon fillet, skin removed
Kosher salt and pepper (to taste - around 1/4 tsp each)
1 bunch Asparagus (trimmed to around 4" from the tip - thinner the better)
1/2 Red Pepper, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup Low-sodium soy sauce
2 Scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp Ginger, grated or minced
1 tbsp Light brown sugar

Directions
1. Mix brown rice and 2 1/3 cups water in a medium skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.
2. Prepare the salmon for cooking by removing the skin and cutting into 2" slices.
3. After the rice has cooked for 35 minutes, add the salmon on top of the rice, and then spread the asparagus and red pepper across the pan. Season with kosher salt and pepper and cook for an additional 13-14 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, scallions, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and brown sugar. Spoon sauce over the salmon, rice, and vegetables.

Enjoy!

Crispy Baked Cod

Adapted from Cooking Light's Easy & Crispy Baked Fish Fillets that I found at Food.com. I really liked how it turned out and it is really pretty healthy...always a plus. We served this with asparagus and brown rice, a staple in our house these days!
Ingredients

1 lbs Cod or other white fish fillets
Cooking spray
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Mayonnaise (any kind)
1/4 tsp Onion powder
1/4 tsp Black pepper
Pinch of Dill weed (dried)
1/4 cup Breadcrumb
1/4 cup Almonds, finely chopped (used used blanched and sliced almonds)

Directions:
1. Peheat oven to 425°.
2. Place fish in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine lemon juice, mayonnaise, onion powder, pepper and a dash of dill in a small bowl - then spread lightly over fish.
3. Combine the breadcrumbs and the almonds, and then coat the fish fillets on the top only.
4. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Enjoy!

Penne with Broccoli and Turkey Sausage

This recipe was based on Emeril Lagasse's Rigatoni with Broccoli and Sausage from Everyday Foods (March 2012). I made some healthy choices and tossed in some ingredients that I like to cook with these days (like Parsley and Capers). I love this magazine and have to get off my kiester to get a subscription!

Ingredients (Makes 4-6 servings):
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
13.25 oz box of Whole grain penne
1 lbs Sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
Cooking Spray
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
2 tsp Garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp Grated lemon zest (adjust to taste)
2 tbsp Lemon juice
4 Anchovy fillets, minced
1 tbsp Capers, rinsed
1/2 tsp Dried oregano
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
Parmesan, grated, for serving

Directions

1. Add 1/2 tsp of Kosher salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook for around 9 minutes.
2. In a separate pan over medium-high heat, apply a coat of cooking spray and add the turkey sausage. Break up the meat as it cooks and cook for around 9-11 minutes. Remove any excess liquid from the pan.
3. In a serving bowl, add the following ingredients: olive oil, parsley, garlic, lemon zest and juice, anchovies, capers, and oregano. Gently mix together while sausage and pasta cooks.
4. After the past cooks for 9 minutes, add the broccoli and cook for two more minutes. Then remove from heat (reserving 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the pasta water).
5. Mix the pasta/broccoli, drained turkey sausage into the serving bowl with 1/2 to 3/4 cup pasta water. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve!

Almond-Crusted Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus

This recipe was from the Dr. Oz show from chef Laurie Erickson. As we are known to do - we tweaked it a bit. We used a full chicken breast, which doubled the cooking time - but the veggies were great this way!

Ingredients (Makes 3 servings):
3/4 cup Almonds, finely chopped (used used blanched and sliced almonds)
1/2 cup Dijon mustard (enough to spread evenly over three chicken breasts)
3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (see note on cooking time)
1 lbs Fresh asparagus, cut around 5" from the tip
1 large Sweet potato
1 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Rosemary (dried)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450° F, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small food processor, add the almonds and chop fine.
3. If working with full chicken breasts, pound them a bit (you do not need to do this if you are working with halves or thin slices).
4. Using a sauce brush, spread the mustard on one side of the chicken and spread around half the almonds. Using a fork, move it to the cookie sheet (almond side down) and then add mustard and almonds to the other side.
5. Scrub the sweet potato and cut into 1/4" slices. Then add the sweet potato slices and the asparagus to the cookie sheet (it may be tight).
6. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and then sprinkle salt and pepper (to taste) as rosemary on top.
7. Place in the oven. If using full breasts, cook for around 26-29 minutes (if using half breasts, cut time in half).

Enjoy! This is ANOTHER Dr. Oz recipe that (sadly) I like. Here's to healthy living!

Shrimp and Cashews Stir-fry

This recipe was loosely adapted from a Food Network recipe for Spicy Shrimp, Celery, and Cashew Stir-fry. I took out some of the things I do not like and added Pam's favorites in stir-frys - broccoli, water chestnuts and mushrooms. Love the way this came out!

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings):
2 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Cooking sherry (or regular sherry)
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
1 1/2 tsp Cornstarch (divided)
1 lbs Shrimp, peeled and cleaned
3 tbsp Peanut Oil (divided)
2 Crowns Broccoli, trimmed with stems no more than 1 inch
1/2 cup roasted salted cashews (can increase to 3/4 cup to taste)
1 can (8 oz.) Water Chestnuts, Sliced
6 oz White mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half (if larger)
3 tsp Garlic, chopped

Directions
1. Mix soy sauce, cooking sherry, sesame oil and 1 tsp cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.
2. Sprinkle 1/2 cornstarch on the shelled shrimp.
3. Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large saute pan. Add broccoli, water chestnuts and cashews and stir-fry for around 2-3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional minute. Then transfer broccoli mix to a serving bowl.
4. Heat 1 tbsp peanut oil in the pan and add the shrimp. Cook for around 2 minutes as the shrimp turns pink. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
5. Return the broccoli mix to the pan and mix. Add the soy sauce mix and stir for around one more minute.

Enjoy with rice or noodles.