Sauteed Mushrooms

When Pam and I went out to California, we stayed at a hotel in Capistrano Beach, near Dana Point, California.  The closest restaurant to the hotel was Agostino's Ristorante Italiano (or Agostino's By The Sea).  The restaurant is right on the Pacific Coast Highway and we ate outside over the highway - but more importantly with a great view of the Pacific Ocean.  Sure, we heard the cars - but we also heard the waves crashing along the shore of Doheny State Beach.  It was a wonderful place for a meal.  And while we had a great location, the food was fantastic.  They had a special menu item for an appetizer - Sauteed Mushrooms.  They were...how to put it...amazing!  So good, in fact, that we went BACK to that restaurant before we left California.  Both times, we shared the amazing sauteed mushrooms with one order of Spaghetti alla Putanesca.  That was great and I hope to make that at home.

Once we started eating the mushrooms on the first night at Agostino's, I knew we had to try to make it at home.  I saw on the menu what ingredients were in the dish, and I asked how it was made.  I was sorta fishing around for a recipe.  The waitress said it was easy, just put in some broth and wine with the ingredients - and you have a great meal.  But what made it SO DARN GREAT was the sauce that the mushrooms were cooked in.  They had great bread and we used it to get every drop of sauce.

Before I left California, I sketched out a recipe on my little notepad.  I tweaked it a bit and tried it tonight.  It was spot on and tasted fantastic!  This is going to be a regular dish for us, especially when we want to make Tapas or small plates for dinner.  It will certainly be a special dish when we entertain.  So, so glad we at at Agostino's and so glad we have this new recipe.

Ingredients (served 2-3)
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Butter
2 cloves (or tsp) Chopped garlic
1 Shallot (small), chopped
2 tbsp Parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)
8 oz White mushrooms, stems trimmed and larger ones halved
1/2 cup Chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup Sherry or cooking sherry


Directions
1. Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes (or until the butter is melted).
2. Add garlic, shallot, parsley Kosher salt and black pepper.  Saute for 2-3 minutes
3. Add mushrooms and saute until they are blended with the garlic mixture.
4. Add the broth and sherry.  Saute for 3-4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and saute for 4 more minutes.

Serve with bread and enjoy!

Mahi Mahi with Broccoli and Mushrooms

Been a while since I added a recipe - with the start of the school year, we are going to try to cook more at home.  This is a great new one that I kinda made from scratch.  I was going to make shrimp tonight...but alas, no shrimp.  So I looked through the freezer and found some mahi mahi fillets.  I think this would work for any white fish.  We served it without a starch - but there were enough veggies to fill us up!  

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp Parsley (dried)

½ tsp Black Pepper

½ tsp Oregano

½ tsp Basil (dried)

¼ tsp Garlic powder

4 cups Broccoli florets (from 3-4 crowns)

8 oz Mushrooms, stems removed and larger ones sliced in half

2 tbsp Olive oil

Olive oil spray

2 Mahi Mahi fillets (or other white fish)

10 Kalamata olives, cut in half

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. In a small bowl, mix Kosher salt, parsley, black pepper, oregano, basil and garlic powder.  
3. In a large bowl, place broccoli florets and mushrooms.  Add 2 tbsp olive oil and all but 1 rounded tsp of the spice mixture.  Mix thoroughly. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet or pan. Add the broccoli mixture to the pan. Place in the oven and cook for 13 minutes.
4. Push the broccoli and mushrooms to the side of the pan and spray the middle of the pan lightly with olive oil spray.  Place the fillets and olives in the middle of the pan.  Sprinkle the fish with the remainder of the spice mixture.  Cook for 15 more minutes.

Enjoy!

Corey's Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction

There are thousands of great Caprese Salad recipes....now (hopefully), there is one more.  I love these salads and it is a great addition to my recipes for entertaining.  I wanted one with a balsamic glaze - and think this is really nice mix.  It is very simple to pull together and really completes many meals.  Since Pam does not like tomatoes - I will have to use this for entertaining!

Ingredients (serves 6-8)
1 1/2 cups Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Brown sugar
1 lbs Mozzarella cheese (fresh)
4 Tomatoes (vine ripe or Roma work well here)
1 large bunch of Basil, leaves removed from the stems
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
Pinch of Black pepper
2 tsp Olive oil

Directions
1. Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar into a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, then lower and simmer for 22-25 minutes.  Removed the reduction from the heat and let cool.
2. Slice the tomatoes and Mozzarella cheese into even pieces.  Arrange the salad with alternative layers of tomatoes, cheese and basil.
3. Sprinkle kosher salt and black pepper atop the tomato mixture.
4. Drizzle the olive oil and the balsamic reduction atop the tomato mixture.

Serve and Enjoy!

Crab-Stuffed Tilapia with Roasted Vegetables

We have been making tilapia (a nice white fish) a regular on our weekly menus these past few months.  I wanted to play with this a bit and decided that I needed to try a stuffed tilapia.  This recipe really came from two different inspirations.  First, I adapted the tilapia recipe from Crabmeat Stuffed Tilapia (at Food.com).  Second, I adapted just the vegetables from my Roasted Vegetables with Tilapia.  This is going to be very welcome in the mix for fish recipes in our house.  This came out amazing!  If you want the fish a bit more moist, melt 1 tbsp of butter and pour it over the fish before you bake.  The vegetables are not photographed - but they are the same as with the original dish.

Ingredients (Serves 2-3):

Roasted Vegetables:
12 Fingerling potatoes, cut in half
12 Baby-cut carrots, cut in half lengthwise
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp Kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp Black pepper, divided
12 Kalamata olives, pitted
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
2 crowns Broccoli, trimmed with small amount of stems

Crab-Stuffed Tilapia:
1 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 Onion (small), finely chopped
1 Celery rib (small), finely chopped
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
1 tbsp Parsley, dried
1⁄4 cup Breadcrumbs
6 oz can Crab meat, drained
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)
3 Tilapia fillets
1/2 tsp Paprika

Vegetables Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. In a mixing bowl, add potatoes, carrots, 1 tablespoons oil, and 1/4 tsp each of kosher salt and black pepper. Stir thoroughly. Arrange in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Roast for 15 minutes
3. While the potatoes are cooking, use the same mixing bowl then add olives, garlic, broccoli, 1 tsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp each of kosher salt and black pepper. Mix thoroughly. When the 15 minutes of roasting (above) are complete, add the olive mix to the pan and stir thoroughly.  Cook for 20 or 22 additional minutes.

Crab-Stuffed Tilapia Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion, celery & garlic; saute until tender (5-7 minutes).  Remove from heat and place in a mixing bowl.
3. Add parsley, breadcrumbs, crab meat, lemon juice, Kosher salt and black pepper to the onion mixture.  Mix thoroughly.
4. Spray casserole or oven pan with cooking spray.
5. Spread the mixture over the connected section of the tilapia fillets and fold over the ends over the stuffing.  Place leftover stuffing on top of the folded fillets & sprinkle with paprika.  NOTE: if you want the fish a bit more moist, melt 1 tbsp of butter and pour it over the fish before you bake.
6. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes.

Combined Timing:
1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Prepare the Tilapia stuffing & prepare the fish.
3. Place Vegetables in a pan in the oven (potatoes and carrots).
4. After 15 minutes, add other vegetables to that pan (as directed).  Also, put the fish in the oven.
5. Both will be done in 20-22 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pan Roasted Chicken

This is a great way to prepare chicken as entrees or for making salads.  I tweaked this a bit and came up with these directions over the past few attempts.  Very happy with where it is now, so it is ready to share!  The secret here is having a pan that can go from the stove to the oven.  A few year's ago, my mom bought me a Le Creuset iron skillet for Christmas.  I had long wanted one of those - if anything to use to defend myself should it ever be needed.  MAN that weighs a ton.  But one of the great features of an iron skillet is that you can move from the stove to the oven.  So I have been playing with some recipes here and I will do so more - now that I have the hang of how to best use these.  The picture is for five breast halves that I cooked the other day.

Ingredients (adjust as needed)

1 tbsp Olive oil
3 Chicken breasts (skinless), cut in half if large
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Season chicken breasts with Kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Heat olive oil at medium-high heat in cast iron pan (or other stove to oven pan).
4. Add chicken to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side.
5. When both sides are seared, place pan in oven and let cook for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes in the pan.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Three Bean Vegetarian Chili

My last recipe was in preparation of Chris coming home over the summer.  It was Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili and was really great.  I wanted to try getting some good meatless meals going in the slow-cooker and a vegetarian chili seemed like a great way the start. I loved the way this turned out, but it was just a bit soupy.  I served it (including for lunch) over a portion of brown rice and it make a great meal.  But I wanted to make a new version that was a bit more chili.  So I swapped out some ingredients and am working on a take two!  This was fantastic and will be on the short list of recipes to make!  Great comfort food for meatless meals.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

1 small Red onion, chopped
1 small Yellow onion, chopped
1 Red bell pepper, chopped
1 Green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium Sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
5 tsp Garlic (or cloves), chopped
2 tbsp Chili powder
1 tbsp Cumin, ground
1 tbsp Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
1/4 tsp Ground red pepper (adjust to taste)
1 15 oz can Black beans, rinsed
1 15 oz can Kidney beans, rinsed
1 15 oz can Pinto beans, rinsed
1 14 oz can Petite-diced tomatoes
1 28 oz can Crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup Vegetable broth

Directions

1. In a large slow cooker, combine the fresh ingredients (red onion, yellow onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, sweet potatoes, and garlic) .

2. Add the dry spices over the vegetable mixture (chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, Kosher salt, black pepper & red pepper).

3. Add the black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth to the mixture.

4. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.  Stir thoroughly and cook for 2 more hours.

Enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili

I have wanted for a while to make some variations on vegetarian chili - especially with Chris coming over over the summer.  These bean-heavy dishes provide a good amount of protein while eating a meatless meal.  I found a great recipe from Real Simple for Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes that I played with for this recipe.  I loved the way this turned out - but it was just a bit soupy.  To that end, I served it over brown rice and it was perfect.  I am going to play with this and try for a variation in the coming weeks.  This is a fantastic way to get your meatless meals!

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

1 small Red onion, chopped
1 small Yellow onion, chopped
1 Red bell pepper, chopped
1 Green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium Sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
4 tsp Garlic (or cloves), chopped
2 tbsp Chili powder
1 tbsp Cumin , ground
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
1/4 tsp Ground red pepper
1 28 oz can Petite-diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can Black beans, rinsed
1 15 oz can Kidney beans, rinsed
1 1/2 cup Vegetable broth

Directions

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the fresh ingredients (red onion, yellow onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, sweet potatoes, and garlic) .

2. Add the dry spices over the vegetable mixture (chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, Kosher salt, black pepper & red pepper).

3. Add the tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans and vegetable broth to the mixture.

4. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.  Stir thoroughly and cook for 2 more hours.

Enjoy chili served over rice.

Easy Mini Pecan Tarts

OK - this is not really healthy - but you have to enjoy every so often right?  So we ended up with an extra package of Athens Mini Filo Shells and wanted to do something fun.  We found a great recipe for Mini Phyllo Pecan Tarts on the Athens Foods site - and made it a little bit healthier.  Well...a little healthier....its all good right?

Ingredients (makes 15 mini tarts)

1 egg
1 tbsp Butter, melted
1 tbsp Brown sugar
2 tbsp Light corn syrup
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp Pecans, chopped (total of 10 tbsp)
1 package (15 count) Athens® Mini Fillo Shells

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. While one egg in a bowl.  Add butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Mix thoroughly.  Stir in chopped pecans.
3. Place parchment paper on the baking sheet.  Arrange mini shells on a baking sheet. Fill mini shells with one rounded teaspoon of pecan mixture.
4. Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Hazelnut Blondies

I found this great recipe from Cooking Light for Whole-grain Pecan Blondies.  I love carbs and could eat a whole pan of brownies...or blondies (essentially the same without chocolate).  So if you have not heard - brownies are not that great for you.  Yeah...you're surprised also....  Anyway, I wanted to make something that is a flat-out treat that I could eat with slightly less guilt.  I think we have found something here!  I played with the recipe a bit and swapped in Hazelnuts - which I love.  These were fantastic and not that much work.  So it is a two-time winner in my book.

Ingredients (makes one 8" by 8" pan of blondies)

2/3 cup Hazelnuts (chopped)
6 tbsp Butter (unsalted)
1/4 cup Canola (or vegetable) oil
1 cup Brown sugar
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Eggs
1 1/2 cups Whole-wheat flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
Baking spray with flour

Directions

1. In a saute pan, toast the hazelnuts over a low heat for 12-16 minutes, stirring often.  Be sure to watch so they do not burn.  When done, remove from heat and let cool in a mixing bowl.  Wipe the pan.

2. Preheat oven to 350°.

3. In the same pan that you used to toast the hazelnuts, place butter, oil, and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour mixture into a separate bowl.  Let cool 8-10 minutes. Stir in vanilla and eggs.

4. In the bowl with the hazelnuts, add whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk and then add flour mixture to the butter mixture; stir until completely combined.

5. Coat the bottom of the 8" x 8" pan with baking spray with flour.  Add the blondie mixture to the pan. Bake at 350° for 24 minutes.

Cool completely in pan and enjoy!

Chicken Gravy

I am not sure I ever tried to make gravy before.  Sounds like the start of a bad story, but it is where I was a little while ago.  Normally, I would buy jarred or canned gravy.  The other day, we were reheating some of our new Chicken Pot Pie, and it needed something extra.  So I looked a few recipes online - did not find anything I wanted, so I played a bit.  This is actually the second time I made it - but I forgot to write down the recipe.  So I had to build it out again.  It came out great and I am sure we will make it again when the need strikes.  You can even make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth.  It is a fast and easy sauce to add to dinner!

Ingredients (Serves 6-8)

4 tbsp Flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp Savory (dried)
1/2 tsp Parsley (dried)
1/4 tsp Black pepper
3 tbsp Butter
2 cups Chicken or vegetable broth

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix flour, Kosher salt, savory, parsley and black pepper.
2. In a small pan over medium-high heat, add butter and cook until melted.
3. Add flour mix to pan and mix until it becomes a well blended.
4. Slowly add the broth and stir regularly.  Cook for 9-10 minutes until thickened.

Enjoy

Spinach and Shrimp Pasta

This is a variation of my Celebration Pasta - which is a great way to get greens with our pasta. We were looking for a lighter dish and one with a bit less greens. While the more greens - the better from a health standpoint - we had less than we wanted when we started cooking. I love cooking with spinach and made a few tweaks when I only have half as much fresh spinach in the house. So this variation was born. It made five-six portions and reheated wonderfully at work for lunches. I also used a high protein penne - which made the dish a bit better.  This is a great new recipe and hits the spot when we want a pasta dish.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

1 box Pasta (14 oz) - I like penne or rigatoni

2 tbsp Olive oil, divided
3 tsp Garlic, chopped (or 3 cloves)

1 small Onion, cut into thin strips
3/4 lbs Shrimp, medium (25-40 count)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp Black pepper

1/4 tsp Oregano (dried)

8 oz. Mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut in half

12 Kalamata olives

4-6 pieces Sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips

3/4 cup Vegetable or Chicken broth

4-5 oz Baby spinach
1 bunch Basil, fresh - cut into strips
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Cook pasta as directed.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a big pan.  Add the onion and garlic, saute for 2 minutes.
3. Add shrimp, Kosher salt, black pepper and oregano and saute for 4-5 minutes (until they are pink).  Remove from pan and leave covered under foil to keep warm.
4. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add mushrooms, kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes.  Saute for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add broth and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add spinach and basil. Mix the greens into the heat for 2 minutes until they wilt.
7. Add the shrimp mixture back into the pan.  Add Parmesan cheese and mix for around 1 minute.

Enjoy!

Mini Brie and Apple Quiches

We were getting ready for the Oscars and decided that we needed some fancy appetizers.  I found this great recipe on Eating Well for Mini Brie & Apple Quiches and played with it a bit. I loved the way this turned out and we will definitely make these the next time we are entertaining.  This is the first time I used mini phyllo shells - it was really a nice treat - and super easy.

The fact that the recipe comes from Eating Well give me confidence that it is really not that bad for you.  And it is a nice and unexpected treat that we can serve company when we entertain.  It tasted great, was not a ton of work and much better for you than the frozen ones.  This will be an Oscar night regular!

Ingredients

15 Mini phyllo shells (one 1.9-ounce packages)
1/3 medium apple, peeled and finely diced
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp Paprika
2 oz Brie (1/4 small wheel), cut into 15 squares

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Arrange phyllo shells on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Divide apple among the shells.

3. Whisk egg, egg white, Dijon mustard, Kosher salt, black pepper and paprika in a bowl. Pour small amounts of the egg mixture over the apple (do not overfill the shells). Place a Brie square in each shell.

4. Bake for around 15 minutes.  The egg should be set, the brie will be melted and the phyllo will start to brown on the edges.  Let cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy!

Salmon Teriyaki with Broccoli Slaw

This is a great new adaption of a recipe that we used the first time in January.  We are trying to do more with bigger vegetable portions and fewer starch.  We also discovered that we love broccoli slaw - it is a great and easy way to get more veggies in a meal.  This recipe is adapted from my recipe for Chicken with Sesame Broccoli Slaw.  And it is a great new dish for salmon - so that is good news.  I love the way that this turned out and will definitely make it again.

Ingredients (Serves 3)

8 tbsp Soy sauce (lower-sodium if available)
3 tbsp Mirin
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Ginger, minced
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Garlic, minced
3 tsp Brown sugar
2 tbsp Olive oil, divided
3 (4-ounce) Salmon fillets (skinless - or remove skin)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)
8 oz White mushrooms, sliced
1 Red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
1 Green bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
1 (12-oz) bag Broccoli slaw mix
1 tsp Sesame seeds

Directions

1. Combine soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.  Stir with a whisk.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the salmon with kosher salt and pepper.  Add salmon to pan and pour one tbsp of soy sauce mixture atop each fillet.  Cook 3 minutes.  Flip the fillet, adding another tbsp of soy sauce mixture atop each fillet and cook for an additional 3 minutes.  Remove from pan and place under foil to keep warm.
3. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan.  Add mushrooms and bell peppers to pan; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add broccoli cole slaw to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add remaining soy sauce mixture to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Serve a large portion of vegetables with one salmon fillet. Sprinkle sesame seeds over dish before serving.

Enjoy!

Roasted Vegetables with Tilapia

I continue to play with different tilapia recipes at home and this is a new one that factors in the desire for more veggies and less filler.  It also wanted to make a dish with less fat - and I think I came up with a good mix.  This is a lovely dish with a great taste that we will definitely make again.  The best part might be the way that the broccoli tasted.  We are so used to sauteed or stir-fried broccoli - but this new way to cook it made for a great meal.  I also loved the spice mixture on the fish, which is a nice way to serve it up.  All in all, a great dinner!  The fact that it has less oil in it just makes it a great part of our rotation.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

12 Fingerling potatoes, cut in half
12 Baby-cut carrots, cut in half lengthwise
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Olive oil, divided
3/4 tsp Kosher salt, divided
3/4 tsp Black pepper, divided
12 Kalamata olives, pitted
2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
2 crowns Broccoli, trimmed with small amount of stems
2 skinless Tilapia fillets (about 4 oz each)
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
Add additional oil or olive oil spray if needed

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. In a mixing bowl, add potatoes, carrots, 1 tablespoons oil, and 1/4 tsp each of kosher salt and black pepper. Stir thoroughly. Arrange in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Roast for 15 minutes
3. While the potatoes are cooking, use the same mixing bowl then add olives, garlic, broccoli, 1 tsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp each of kosher salt and black pepper. Mix thoroughly. When the 15 minutes of roasting (above) are complete, add the olive mix to the pan and stir thoroughly.  Cook for 7 additional minutes.
4. In a small bowl, combine oregano, garlic powder, and the remaining 1/4 tsp of kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
5. Move the vegetables to the outside of the baking sheet.  Place the tilapia fillets in the center. Season the fish with the spice mixture.
5. Continue to roast for around 14 to 16 minutes - the fish will be opaque throughout.

Enjoy!

Healthier Chicken Pot Pie

Ever so often, I make something that I am really happy with.  Truth be told, if it is not good - it does not go on my blog - the recipe will die with me!  And every so often, I make something that I am really, really, really, really happy with.  That applies to this dish!  A winner for sure.

We have been looking to make a healthier chicken pot pie for some time.  Well, it would be hard to make one that is less good for you that we find in restaurants.  But as we are trying to watch our weight - I am very excited that we found something good here.  I adapted this from the Cooking Light recipe for Chicken, Potato, and Leek Pie and converted into two portions at a time.

This was amazing!  I think that we really found something great here!  It tasted great and was not that hard to make - so it wins on both sides.  It is a perfect way to end a cold winter's day.

Ingredients (makes two chicken pot pies - each baked in 18.6 oz stoneware)

1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Butter
2 cup Red potatoes, cubed into small pieces and skin left on
1 1/2 cup Frozen carrots and peas (or other mixed vegetables)
1 Chicken breast (skinless and boneless), cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tbsp All-purpose flour
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp Thyme, dried
1/4 tsp Savory, dried
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)
1 cup Chicken or Vegetable broth (fat-free, lower-sodium if available)
1/3 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (enough to cover the filling - you can use sparingly)
1 tsp Skim milk
1 large Egg white

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. In a large pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes and frozen carrot & peas to pan; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken; saute 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour, Kosher salt, thyme, savory and black pepper; saute 1 minute, stirring frequently.
3. Slowly add broth to pan, stirring constantly; bring to a boil. Cook 1-2 minutes or until it thickens. Spoon mixture into the two stoneware baking dishes.
4. Cut the pie dough in a shape to fit over the filling.  Combine milk and egg white; brush mixture over top of dough. Cut small slits in dough to vent. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Spectacular Spectacular Shrimp

This is another variation on my recipe for Celebration Pasta.  Just the other week, we started cooking with broccoli slaw (see Chicken with Sesame Broccoli Slaw) and loved it.  Broccoli slaw is shredded broccoli stalks, carrots and red cabbage - and it is very easy to cook with.  It also can be a noodle substitute - which is why I wanted to cook with it.  So it is great as a noodle-like dish without any of the carbs.  So we ended up with a dish that we can eat pretty much as much as we want.  I loved the way it turned out and will be playing with this more and more.  Just part of the healthier dining we are hoping to turn to this year.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Butter
1 Onion (small), cut into thin strips
3 tsp Garlic, chopped (or 3 cloves)
1 lbs Shrimp, peeled and deveined
8-10 Grape tomatoes, halved (4 oz)
4-6 pieces of Sun-dried tomatoes - cut into thin strips
5-7 Basil leaves, thinly sliced (about a half bunch)
10-12 Kalamata olives, sliced in half
8 oz Mushrooms, stems removed and cut in half
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
pinch of Red pepper (to taste)
12 oz Broccoli slaw
1 tbsp Lemon juice
5 oz Baby spinach

Directions

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic to the pan and saute for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the shrimp, grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, olives, mushrooms, Kosher salt,  black pepper and red pepper (if using) to the pan.  Saute for 4 minutes.
3. Add broccoli slaw and mix thoroughly.  Saute for 2 minutes.
4. Add lemon juice and spinach to the pan.  Sir frequently for around 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.  

Enjoy!

Shrimp and Spinach with Pasta

This is a modest variation on my recipe for Celebration Pasta.  I wanted to create something that was a bit different, but still had the wilted spinach in the dish.  I tweaked the recipe and loved the way it came out.  You can be flexible with the amount of pasta that you serve with it - we ended up with more noodles than we wanted.  So you can be flexible with how much pasta to make.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
9-13 oz Thin spaghetti or other pasta
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Butter
1 Onion (small), cut into thin strips
3 tsp Garlic, chopped (or 3 cloves)
1 lbs Shrimp, peeled and deveined
8-10 Grape tomatoes, halved
4-6 pieces of Sun-dried tomatoes - cut into thin strips
5-7 basil leaves, thinly sliced (about a half bunch)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1 tbsp Lemon juice
5 oz Baby spinach

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to the directions on the package; set aside.
2. Heat olive oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic to the pan and saute for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp, grape tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, Kosher salt and black pepper to the pan.  Saute for 5-6 minutes.  .
4. Add lemon juice and spinach to the pan.  Sir frequently for around 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.  
5. Serve over pasta & enjoy!

Spinach and Ham Quiche

After Christmas and Easter, many families are left with the quandary of what to do with the extra ham.  I think I solved this problem - at least at our house.  I have made vegetarian quiches in the past, and adapted them to include some ham.  I loved the way it came out - and it is making for a nice addition to my collection of quiche recipes.  Who knew that I would ever be excited about making quiches.  We have always had this for dinner - but it would be great anytime, especially for brunch.

Ingredients (serves 4-5)
1 Frozen deep dish pie crust
1 tbsp Olive oil
8oz Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Ham, diced
2/3 cup Skim milk
5 Large eggs
10oz. package Frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup Swiss cheese (around 8 oz)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)

Directions
1. Bake pie crust per directions.  Then change the temperature to 400°F for the quiche.
2. In non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook mushrooms for around 4 minutes.  Add diced ham and cook for an additional 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, mix sautéed mushrooms with ham, skim milk, eggs, spinach, swiss cheese, black pepper and Kosher salt until well blended.
4. Place the pie crust on a Jelly Roll pan.  Pour egg mixture into deep dish pie crust.  Bake quiche 55-60 minutes until filling and crust are golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let sit 5 minutes and then serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken with Sesame Broccoli Slaw

OK...so I made a great new dish tonight.  This was great - really great.  It will be a regular on our table for a few reasons.  First things first, this was adapted from a Cooking Light recipe for Chicken Cutlets with Sesame Broccoli Slaw.  This was in a recent Cooking Light and it just looked like something that I had to make.  I am so glad I did!

So we are trying to eat healthier in the new year....sure, everyone is.  This recipe just spoke to me.  Normally, we have been doing stir-fry dishes and service it with rice or noddles.  In a way to scale back carbs a bit, I had the idea that we could double the veggies with each meal and then scale back carbs.  This dish works perfectly for that approach.  The original recipe calls for four portions, we made this work for two.  So you get one lovely piece of chicken a lots of veggies!  This is fantastic!

The other benefit of this recipe is that it uses Broccoli Cole Slaw.  I wanted to try using this - and loved the way it tastes.  Everyone needs Broccoli - it is so good for you.  So this wonderful tasting dish is going to be a regular at our house and I hope you like it as much as we do.

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

4 tbsp Rice vinegar
3 tbsp Soy sauce (lower-sodium if available)
2 tbsp Sesame oil
2 tsp Ginger, minced
1 tsp Brown sugar
3 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
2 tbsp Olive oil, divided
2 (4-ounce) Chicken breast cutlets
1/4 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)
8 oz White mushrooms, sliced
1 Red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
1/2 cup Carrots, matchstick-cut
1 (12-oz) bag Broccoli cole slaw mix
1 tsp Sesame seeds

Directions

1. Combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, brown sugar, and garlic in a mixing bowl.  Stir with a whisk.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken with kosher salt and pepper.  Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes each side. Remove from pan and place under foil to keep warm.
3. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan.  Add mushrooms and bell pepper to pan; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add carrots and broccoli cole slaw to pan; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
4. Serve a large portion of vegetables with one chicken cutlet. Sprinkle sesame seeds over dish before serving.

Enjoy!

Field Greens with Salmon and Citrus-Dijon Vinaigrette

Here is a long overdue recipe for a great dinner salad.  This was adapted from a recipe for Field Greens with Shrimp and Mustard-Balsamic Vinaigrette that was great.  We want to have a few different salads on our regular rotation, and love the idea of having more salmon.  This was very easy to make, but we would like to have salads a few nights a week - so having different  that we created   We want to make more salads for dinner and this will definitely be on a quick rotation.  Very easy (even with making your own dressing).  The best part is that it is pretty healthy, so great for those weight loss resolutions!

Ingredients (2 dinner portions)

Salad
1 lbs Salmon fillets, skinless
Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp Lemon grass (dried)
5-7 oz Field Greens (or any salad mixture) - enough for two salad plates.
1/2 cup Edamame, shelled
1 Cucumber, peeled and cut into thin slices
1 Red Onion (small), sliced (take the finely chopped red onion
Cooking spray

Dressing
1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Lemon juice
1 tsp Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Brown sugar
2 tbsp White wine vinegar
1 tbsp Red onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste

NOTE: you can add any vegetables as you see fit or desire.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray the bottom of a cooking sheet with cooking spray or olive oil.  Place the salmon on the sheet.  Sprinkle with Kosher salt, black pepper, and lemon grass.  Bake for 12-14 minutes.
2. Prepare dressing by adding olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dijon mustard, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, finely chopped red onion, Kosher salt and black pepper into a mixing bowl.  Whisk until well blended.  Set aside.
2. Heat a skillet over low heat.  Add the pine nuts and toast for 7-10 minutes until lightly brown.  Set aside and remove from the heat.
3. Prepare the salads with field greens, edamame, cucumbers, and red onions.
4. Remove the salmon from the oven.  Slice and place over the salad. Spoon the dressing atop the salad.

Serve and enjoy!

Slow-cooker Pork with Sweet Potatoes, Apples and Cranberries

Part of my New Year's Resolution was to get some of my recipes online.  This one has been in my folder of recipes to upload for some time.  I wanted to create a crockpot/slow-cooker meal that would be inspired by my Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes & Cranberries (that is a staple at Thanksgiving).  Adding Port Tenderloin makes for a great one pot meal that will be welcome in the kitchen at the end of a cold winter's day.

Ingredients (serves 6)
2 - 2 1/2 lbs Pork tenderloin
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1 1/2 cup Cranberries, fresh
2 Apples, peeled & cut into 1/4" slices
3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2" slices
1 cup Brown sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1 cup Apple cider

Directions

1. Place the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker and sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker in the order that they appear in the ingredients.  Place the apples and sweet potatoes around the pork for starters and then on top as the slow cooker is filled up.
3. Cook on LOW setting for 10-12 hours

Enjoy!