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!