Cranberry Chutney

I apologize for not having a picture to share with you. Trust me, this stuff is definitely picture worthy. The problem is that both times I have made it, it has been completely consumed before I realized I hadn't taken a picture! Yes, it is THAT good!!! I was a bit skeptical when I was making this. I didn't know if the falvors were going to blend well together. They do. And very well might I add. This chutney is good not only with turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, with a roll and peas on the side. This is delicious on a wrap, with tortilla chips, on bread and I am sure many other things. It would be delicious as a topping on some crackers with a light spreading of cream cheese. Truly the possibilities are endless. It is easy to throw together and takes almost no effort at all. Try it. It is SO much better than regular cranberry sauce!!!

Cranberry Chutney
1 12oz. bag fresh cranberries
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced
1 Tbsp. fresh garlic, grated or finely minced
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
1/2 cup raisons
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Place everything into a pot and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and let the mixture simmer until it is thickened-about 15 minutes.

Garlic, Lemon and Caper Pasta with Grilled Salmon

This dish has quickly become a favorite at our house. First because it is so delicious and second because it is quick (and extremely cheap)!!! I first made this recipe a year ago and just recently pulled it out again to make. I was craving salmon and some kind of light pasta. This was just what I needed! Plus, my husband absolutely loves this dish! It is light and healthy from the olive oil and lemon dressing, but it also packs a delicious punch of flavor from the fresh basil, lemon zest and tangy, salty capers. If you have never had capers before, you are in for a treat. Too many of them is overwhelming, but a sprinkling adds just the right amount of salty, tangy flavor. We like to top ours with paramesan cheese. This pasta is very versatile too! It pairs well with shrimp (which we had in addition to the salmon), grilled chicken or grilled steak. If you are looking for a avegetarian option, it is also quite tastey with some white beans tossed in. With a side of garlic or cheese bread and a green salad, your stomach will thank you!

Garlic, Lemon and Caper Pasta with Grilled Salmon

1 clove garlic, peeled and grated or minced finely
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp. capers (drained)
1/4 cup fresh basil torn or sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti

Mix ingredients together and set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients with the pasta and toss.

Salmon fillets (however many you need)
Lemon pepper
salt
pepper

Season the salmon with lemon pepper, a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place under broiler or grill until fish begins to flake. Serve salmon on top of a bed of pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve.

Chili Rubbed Pork

I can't believe it has been so long since my last post! I have been so busy the past couple of months! I need to do a better job of posting.

This is a great recipe to get back in the swing of things. My husband and I were at Costco and saw these delicious looking pork sirloin tip roasts. Four of them came in a package for only $12.00! What a great price! This is the first of the three roasts that I made. It was every bit as delicious as I had hoped! I used a very simple spice rub to spread all over the roast. I served it with buttermilk mashed Yukon mashed potatotes and some peas. My husband and I both enjoyed this meal.....A LOT!!! The pork was some of the most tender meat I have ever had. The spice rub added a delicious and flavorful touch to the roast. Don't be scared by the addition of cinnamon in the rub. You can't actually taste the cinnamon itself-rather it enhances the rest of the flavors in the rub. This rub also makes delicious steak or chicken tacos too!

Chili Spice Rub
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp . salt
2 cloves garlic minced
pinch of cayenne (optional)

Combine ingredients and rub into meat or roast. Cook roast according to package directions.

Beef Stroganoff

I am no expert when it comes to beef stroganoff. I haven't had this meal in years....at least 16 years or so. I guess that is because I haven't eaten red meat for almost that long. Recently, steak has been sounding so good. I decided to make this dish because it was really good when my mom made it all those years ago. This particular version included portobello mushrooms rather than the usual button mushrooms. Also, I remember my mom adding either katsup or tomato paste to the sour cream...I can't remember which, I just know that one of those tomato products was an ingredient and it added to the richness of the creamy sauce. This recipe also included thyme which added somewhat of an earthy flavor. My husband was a huge fan of this dish and ate it three nights in a row! I could only eat it one night, not because it wasn't good, but because I couldn't eat the red meat more than one night. But I enjoyed it very much the night I ate it! I served this dish with a green salad, roasted broccoli and a piece of garlic toast.

Beef Stroganoff

2 tsp. plus one Tbsp. canola oil

1 pound flank steak, trimmed

1 clove garlic, grated

4 large portobello mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 large onion, sliced

3/4 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. fresh craked black pepper

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 14oz. can reduced sodium beef broth

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/2 cupsour cream

4 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or chives, chopped

Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add grated garlic and steak and cook until browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. cut lengthwise into 2 long pieces then crosswise, across the grain, into 1/4 inch thick slices. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are very tender and lightly browned, 8-12 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir to coat. stir in broth and vinegar and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking until the mixture is thickened, about three minutes. Stir in sour cream, chives or parsley, sliced steak and any juices that have accumulated. Bring to a simmer and cook stirring until heated through, 1 or 2 minutes more.

Ginger Lime Chicken

I know this is picture may be a little more on the "less than appetizing" side, but believe me, this is some of the most flavorful chicken I have ever had. It gets a special punch of flavor from lime juice, ginger, garlic and curry powder, and to me, you can't go wrong with that combination. I have had this recipe marked in my Every Day Food cookbook for a while now and finally got around to making it...too many recipes but too little time. Besides, there are only two of us in our home right now, and we can only eat so much! Anyway, you should give this recipe a try. It is a great change from your ordinary everyday chicken. I served this with a light couscous salad, grilled pita bread and a salad.

Ginger and Lime Grilled Chicken

1 Tbsp. Finely grated peeled ginger

1 clove garlic, minced or grated (not in the original recipe but I had to add it)

2 tsp. curry powder

4 scallions, minced (I didn't have any so I didn't use)

Coarse ground salt and pepper

8 bone in skin on chicken thighs (I used bonelees skinless chicken breast)

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Heat broiler with rack set 4 inches from the heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients besides chicken. Arrange the chicken on the bakaing sheet and season with salt and pepper. Pour the wet mixture over the chickne and rub it in. Make sure to rub under the skin if using chicken thighs. Broil for about 5-7 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and the meat is tender but no longer pink. Serve chicken with pan juices.

Mixed Berry Salad with Grilled Chicken

This salad has "summer time meal" written all over it. It is a delicious combination of fresh strawberries, plump blueberries, dry roasted almonds, and juicy grilled chicken on top of fresh mixed greens and dressed in a balsamic ranch dressing. It isn't much of a recipe, but it sure does taste good on a hot summer day! We had this salad with a delicious piece of grilled garlic bread on the side It made for a satisfying but light meal.

Herb Roasted Turkey= Turkey Sandwiches with Pesto and Avocado

This is the most amazing roasted turkey I have ever had! This will be the recipe I use any time I raost a turkey. It is amazing, moist, flavorful and so easy to put together. I bought a 6 pound turkey breast a couple of months ago when they were on sale. I figured that I would cook it up and use the meat for sandwiches, enchiladas, soup and salads. I now wish that I would have bought two or even three. Yes....this turkey is that good. The recipe comes from one of my favorite chefs, Ina Garten, from the food network. I don't have a roasting pan (I have been meaning to get one), so I just used a glass casserole pan to cook the turkey. Also, I used chicken broth instead of wine to put in the bottom of the pan. After the turkey was done roasting, I let it rest, pulled off the skin, and sliced it up. I stored the extra meat in ziploc bags to use later. My husband and I enjoyed some of the turkey in these delicious sandwiches. We toasted the bagle thins, and spread some cilantro pesto on each side. We topped it off with turkey, turkey bacon, sliced swiss cheese, avocado, tomato, pickles and some dijon mustard. I made some potato salad and cooked some corn on the cob for a delicious summer meal!

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

1 whole bone in turkey breast, 6 1/2-7 pounds

1 Tbsp. minced garlic (3 cloves)

2 tsp. dry mustard

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary (I used dried)

1 Tbsp. fresh chopped sage leaves

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup dry white wine (I used chicken broth)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt pepper, olive oil and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smearr half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. If the skin is over browning, cover the breast loosely with foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with pan juices spooned over the turkey.

Thai Chicken Pizza

I have been so bad about blogging lately. I have been extremely busy. I'm not using that as an excuse...it is the truth. Now that I will be assisting in planning a wedding, I will be extra busy! But planning a wedding is fun busy and I am so excited to plan it because it is for my beautiful, wonderful, sweet, kind and dear sister! I could not be any happier for her!

I know I have posted a Thai chicken pizza recipe before, but this one is different and, to be honest, much better! It is PACKED with flavor!

This recipe uses a peanut sauce that is full of deliciousness from ginger, garlic, soy sauce and of course peanut butter. This sauce would also be wonderful tossed with some noodles and stir fried veggies.

Please try this. You will love it!

Thai Chicken Pizza
1 store bought or homemade pizza dough recipe

Sauce:
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
3 cloves garlic
1-1 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced or grated

Blend in a blender until smooth

Other toppings:
diced chicken (Iused a rotisserie chicken from Costco)
1 carrot cut into match sticks or grated
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
sliced black olives
sliced sweet onion
1-2 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped peanuts
fresh mozzarella cheese, grated (I also used a bit of smoked gouda!)


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface and place on a preheated pizza stone (spread some cornmeal on it first) or on a cookie sheet (sprayed with non-stick spray). Bake the crust for about 5-6 minutes. Spread some of the sauce on the crust, followed by the cheese, chicken, onions and the rest of the ingredients besides the bean sprouts. Bake for an additional 10-11 minutes or until the crust is a light golden color and remove from oven. Top with fresh bean sprouts. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I saw this recipe on another food blog and had to give it a try. I had never made meatballs as a meal before and wanted to give it a try. This recipe had great reviews so I figured I couldn't go wrong. I made a few minor changes to the recipe beginning with the meat. I used lean ground turkey instead of beef and I would highly recommend it! The turkey went really well with the rest of the ingredients and it was a lot more healthy. Besides, I didn't have to worry about a bunch of fat and grease pooling in the sauce as they baked. That would just be wrong and I am pretty sure I would not have been able to eat them. I also added a grated clove of garlic, just because it sounded good. A key ingredient in the sauce is BBQ sauce and in my opinion, anything with BBQ sauce in it or on it is delicious. It is a bit more tangy with the vineager and is delicious with the rice. I served the meatballs over brown scallion and edamme rice with a green salad and a piece of cheese toast. It was a yummy meal and I will be making these again!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
3/4 cup quick oats (I used regualr and it was fine)
2 eggs, slightly beaten (I used one)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into 12-14 balls each about 2 inches in diameter. Place in a casserole dish and cover with sauce below. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.

Sauce:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. yellow or Dijon mustard
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sace

Combine ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat until well combines and sugar is dissolved. Pour over the meatballs. (I doubled the sauce and it was the perfect amount for 1 recipe of meat balls).

Italian Sausage Manicotti

Once again, I apologize for the horrible picture. This is a wonderful and easy meal to put together. I like to make a couple of pans and freeze one for a meal for later. I found the recipe on another food blog. It sounded so delicious that I knew I had to make it! When my mom made manicotti or lasagne, she always included shredded carrots and zucchini, so I knew right away that I would be adding each of those. I am so glad that I did! It helps to add some bulk to the filling and it is another way to get in some more veggies! I only used two chicken sausage links because that is what I had. I know it might sound like a complicated dish, but it actually came together rather quickly. I served this with a nice green salad and some toasted sourdough bread. Yummy!

Italian Sausage Manicotti

1 onion, diced

2-4 links chicken or turkey Italian sausage

8 oz.pkg. sliced mushrooms

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

salt and freshly ground black pepper

15 oz ricotta cheese (I used part skim and it was great!)

dash of nutmeg

2-3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

5-6 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

4-5 Tbsp. parmesan cheese

Manicotti shells, cooked (I used 1 whole box, 16 shells, and made two 8X8 pans)

3 cups marinara sauce (I used Classico brand)

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided (I used a lot less because we didn't have much. It still turned out yummy!)

1-2 zucchini grated*optional

1-2 carrots grated *optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a little bit of the marinara sauce in the bottom of your pan (or pans). Heat a skillet and add a touch of olive oil or spray with non-stick spray. Add the sausage (remove from casing) and cook for 1-2 minutes while crumbling. Remove the sausage and pour out any fat. Add mushrooms and onions to skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add sausage back to pan and add minced garlic. Cook for a minute longer, making sure the sausage is cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the Manicotti shells according to the package directions and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, add the cooled meat mixture, ricotta cheese, grated nutmeg, parsley, basil, 1/4 cup mozzarella, 2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese (I also added a bit of cottage cheese to make more filling), shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture to combine. Fill the manicotti shells and lay filled shells in the pan(s). Cover with remaining sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve with crusty bread and salad!

*if you want to freeze a pan, assemble the manicotti and cover with foil. Do not bake it before freezing. The night before you want to eat it, take it out of the freezer and thaw in the fridge. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Sweet and Savory Couscous Salad

This is a delicious salad to have during the summer time when you don't feel like heating up your kitchen. It is made with couscous, a quick cooking pasta, and lots of fresh veggies and herbs. The couscous only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. I used sliced scallions, carrots, apricots, parsley, cilantro, basil and garbonzo beans to help bulk up the couscous. You can use pretty much any veggies you wanted to or whatever needed to be used up in your refrigerator. The dressing is light and sweet, yet savory at the same time. I know that cinnamon seems like a strange spice to use in a dressing, but trust me, it works and very well might I add!

Sweet and Savory Couscous Salad

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

4 scallions, sliced

1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, diced

2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsely

2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

Fresh basil, sliced into ribbons

1 15 oz. can garbonzo beans, drained and rinsed

6 dried apricots chopped

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cups couscous

Dressing

1/4 fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4-1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside. In a medium sauce pan, bring chicken broth to a boil and add couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5-10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. While couscous stands, combine all the veggies, herbs, beans and dried fruit. When the liquid is absorbed, add the couscous to the veggies and stir. Slowly pour some-not all- of the dressing over the salad and todd to combine. I served this with mango and ginger grilled fish, steamed chard, and a green salad.

Jalapeno Poppers

My husband could not get enough of these! They were so easy and a lot more healthy than the regular deep fried jalapeno poppers. I used turkey bacon and scallions to flavor the filling. I bought a total of 10 jalapenos to make this recipe but only made a few since I knew he would be the only one eating them (I don't do so well with dairy and these have cream cheese). But I can tell you that they smelled WONDERFUL! My husband ate the entire plate almost the second I pulled them out of the oven.

Jalapeno Poppers

10 jalapenos, stems removed, sliced in half and seeded

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, at room temp. (I used low fat)

3 scallions, sliced

4 pieces bacon, cooked and chopped (I used turkey bacon)

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Combine cream cheese, scallions and chopped bacon. Stir to combine well. Scoop desired amount of filling in the jalapeno halves. Dip each half in the panko and spray the tops lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until peppers are cooked through and the tops are golden brown.

Broiled Polenta with Black Bean, Mango and Corn Salad

This is a meal that I threw together because I was really in the mood for polenta. I had only had it twice, once served broiled and once served soft. Although both ways are delicious, I think that I prefer the crispy crust the poleta gets when it is broiled for a few minutes. If you have never tried polenta before, you are really missing out. It is simply delicious! Honestly, I think that we will be having it a lot more often. It is inexpensive, and a great alternative to rice, pasta, or potatoes. I don't know about you, but I HAVE to have some kind of good starch with each meal. I love bread, potatoes, pasta, quinoa, couscous, and of course rice. Polenta is a welcomed change and will be making a lot more appearances on our table. Especially after this meal. My husband could not say enough about this meal! It was filling but light and packed full of flavor! I could honestly eat this for a week straight and still want more! This meal is composed of a few of my favorite things. Lime, cilantro, corn, black beans, fresh mozzerella, fresh veggies, mango, garlic, scallops (with my meal and steak wtih my husbands), and polenta! It may look like it takes a long time to make, but it really doesn't and it is very easy! You need to give this recipe a try...you won't be sorry!



Broiled Polenta

3/4 cup polenta (not quick cooking)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1-2 tsp. butter (I use Smart Balance Light)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Bring 4 cups of water, salt and pepper to a boil. Add polenta in a slow stream and stir constantly. Continue to stir until thickened. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook, stirring frequently until polenta is smooth; about 10 minutes. When fully cooked, add butter and cheese and stir to mix. Lightly spray a small-medium bread loaf pan with non-stick spray and pour polenta into it. Let the polenta sit and cool before covering and placing in the refrigerator to set. I prefer to let it sit overnight, but it needs at least a couple of hours. When polenta is set, cut into 1/2 inch thick sliced and place them on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Place slices under broiled for about 20-25 minutes, or until desired golden crust is acquired. Once polenta is broiled, you can put a slice of cheese (we used fresh mozzerella) and place under the broiler until melted.

Black Bean, Mango and Corn Salad
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt
fresh ground black pepper
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1/4-1/2 fresh mango, diced
5 scallions, sliced
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1/2 jalapeno, minced (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

*Note: This salad is also wonderful with diced avocado added just before serving.

I served this meal with a large fresh green salad, grilled shrimp and seared scallops (for me) and grilled steak for my husband. YUMMY!

Coconut Green Curry Chicken

I have been craving curry for a while now and am just now getting around to making some. I have never used curry paste before and thought I would give it a try. I could only imagine that in combination with coconut milk, this dish would for sure satisfy my curry craving. I found this recipe in the new cook book by Everyday Food. I did alter it just a bit by adding more veggies. I love my veggies and as is, I am sure the recipe with green beans alone would be enough veg for most people. I, however, like lots of veggies! I added 2 large carrots sliced on this diagonal and some frozen peas. Also, if you think you can go without the fresh basil on top of this dish...bad idea. It really needs the flavor of the fresh basil. I also sprinkled a bit of soy sauce on top after it was all dished up. I think that was necessary as well. I finished the dish with some salt and pepper.

I served this dish with toasted pita chips and hummus. It was a big hit and I will for sure be making this one again.

Coconut Green Chicken Curry
1 cup long grain white rice
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Can (14.5 oz.) of chicken broth
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
12 ounces (about 3 1/2 cups) green beans, stems removed, halved crosswise
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1-2 Tbsp. Thai green curry paste
4 roasted chicken breasts, skin and bones removed, meat cut into 1 inch pieces
1 (14.5 oz.) can coconut milk
1 cup torn fresh basil
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)

Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, place cornstarch in a medium bowl, whisk in2-3 Tbsp. chicken broth until smooth (reserve remaining broth). Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green beans (and any other veggies). Cook stirring often until veggies are slightly tender.
Add curry paste to the veggies. Cook, stirring and scraping bottom of skillet until paste is slightly darkened, 3-4 minutes. Add chicken, coconut mil, reserved broth and cornstarch mixture. Simmer until vegetables are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, 5-8 minutes. Serve over rice and top with basil and a squirt of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Potato Rosemary Pizza

I apologize for the horrible picture. It does not do this pizza justice. After finishing the last slice, my husband said how sad he was that it was all gone. Sad to say, this giant sized pizza only lasted two days at our house. Did I mention there are only two of us? Yes, we managed to polish off an entire extra large pizza in just two nights. I am pretty sure that the slices of pizza we each ate were double the size of our heads. Oh well, I think that is a good sign that we liked it! At first, my husband was a bit hesitant to try it. I mean, potatoes on pizza?! Try it. You'll love it just like us. The flavors melted so wonderfully together. Between the garlic roasted potato slices, fontina cheese, rosemary, chicken sausage and caramalized onions, we were honestly both in heaven. I did not follow a specific recipe for this pizza. Almost every potato rosemary pizza recipe I looked at called for bacon and we are not really bacon eaters here. I took the ingredients that were common in each of the recipes (fontina cheese, potatoes, and rosemary) and added a few of my own ingredients. I added chicken sausage, shredded chicken, caramalized onions, olives and sliced bell peppers (only on my half). It was DIVINE! I have to admit, I make one mean pizza crust too! I think that between rolling the dough out thin and cooking the pizza on a pizza stone, I have never had a better pizza crust. And that's the truth. Also, I like to cook the crust for a few minutes before putting the toppings on. That really helps keep the crust from getting soggy.

Potato Rosemary Pizza

2 medium yukon gold potatoes, sliced thin

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

olive oil

cooked chicken sausage

1-2 Tbsp. minced rosemary

1 large onion, sliced thin

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

shredded chicken

grated fontina cheese

2 Tbsp. ranch dressing

sliced black or kalamata olives

1 recipe of pizza crust or 1 pre made pizza crust

Pre heat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non stick spray and lay the potato sliced down. Sprinkle the minced garlic over the top, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender but not browned. In a medium skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil and add onion slices. Cook over med-high heat until slightly caramalized. Turn off the heat and set aside. When you are ready to top the pizza, spread 2 Tbsp. ranch dressing, sprinkle with cheese, and layer the potatoes on top. Sprinkle the rosemary on top of the potatoes, add the sausage, sliced olives, bell pepper, onions and shredded chicken. Sprinkle with more cheese and bake until it looks done. I usually cook pizza on 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Enjoy!!!!

Turkey Tacos

We are officially big fans of ground turkey. There are so many different things you can do with it and it is a nice change from chicken. Ground turkey makes great burgers, sloppy joes and tacos! There isn't anything super special about these tacos. Other than the fact that they are made with homemade pico, guacomole a fresh rice, these tacos are basically like regular ground beef tacos. That's right! These tacos were made with a packet of taco seasoning. We were in need of a quick, simple meal. Mexican food always seems to hit the spot. I made the pico by dicing up 4 roma tomatoes, slicing 3 scallions, juicing 1/2 lime, chopping up some cilantro and adding a slight sprinkling of salt and tossing everything together. I like to let it sit overnight to let the flavors soak through. Once the pico and guacamole are made, we layer the tacos in this order: Cheese, taco meat, non-fat plain yogurt, guacamole, pico and olives. Wrap it all up in a tortilla and enjoy!! These make for a great week night meal!

Asparagus, Mushroom and Onion Frittata with Chicken Sausage

I have really been craving eggs lately for some reason. It has been a while since I made a frittata, so I thought this would be the perfect time to make one! I had some leftover veggies in the fridge, so really, this frittata was the perfect thing to make. I sauteed some asparagus, mushrooms, a handful of black beans and 1/2 red onion. I also had a link of chicken sausage in the freezer that I wanted to use up, so I thawed it and cooked it up. This was such a yummy light meal that used up a bunch of leftovers. It was also easy, fast and really inexpensive! Any vegetables could be used. Some bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli and egg plant would all be great too...feel free to experiment. I served this for dinner with a green salad and fresh homemade foccacia bread.

Asparagus, Mushroom and Onion Frittata with Chicken Sausage

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 link sausage, casing removed and cooked into crumbles

6 whole eggs

6 egg whites

1/3 cup black beans

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

small handful of your favorite cheese

In a large mixing bowl, combine whole eggs, egg whites, rosemary, thyme and a dash of salt and pepper and beat until combined. Spray a medium saute pan that is also oven safe with cooking spray and over medium high heat, saute onions, asparagus and mushrooms until soft. Add cooked sausage and black beans to veggies. Puor the egg mixture over veggies and lower the heat just a bit. Let the egg mixture just begin to set. Pull the edges away and tilt the pan to let the uncooked egg run to the bottom of the pan. Once the egg is mostly set, sprinkle the frittata with cheese and place it under the broiler for about 4 minutes or until egg is set and the top is slightly golden. Remove it from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before cutting into it.

Thai Peanut Noodles with Seared Scallops

Wow! These noodles are unbelieveably good! I am sad that they are already gone. It was a really nice change to have pasta paired with a flavor other than the usual marinara sauce. The dressing is so flavorful and the addition of eddamame, carrots, bell peppers, and scallions added an extra punch of flavor and texture. I am pretty sure that I could easily polish off a whole recipe of this simple salad. The scallops were the perfect protein to pair with the noodles. Scallops have such a light and delicate flavor. They are pretty expensive, so we have scallops only every now and then. We both loved this meal and will be making it again soon!

Thai Peanut Noodles

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 lime juiced and zested

2 1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. honey

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 Tbsp. ginger, minced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup oil (I used chicken broth)

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili sauce

2-4 Tbsp. water

Toss everything in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. If too thick, blend in more water or oil (I used broth).

1 red bell pepper siced

1-2 carrots cut into matchsticks

1 cup shelled edemmame

2 scallions, sliced

Saute bell pepper, carrots and edemmame briefly just to soften. When softened, throw them in a mixing bowl and add the scallions.

Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions, drain and toss with vegetables. Pour some of the dressing over the pasta and veggies, toss together. Serve with seared scallops on top or your choice of meat.

Don't pour all of the dressing on at one time. As the noodles sit, they absorb the dressing. You will need some reserved to freshen the salad up. I served this meal with a green salad and toasted English muffins. YUMMY!!!

Pesto Chicken Pizza

This past week was my husband's birthday. He told me that he really wanted pizza for his birthday dinner. Since we had some pesto in the freezer, I thought a pesto and grilled chicken pizza would be just the thing to make. I started out with a homemade pizza crust and topped it with homemade cilantro lime pest, grilled chicken, organic Italian chicken sausage, sliced red onion, Kalamata olives, red bell pepper and mozzerella cheese. I also had some pine nuts in the freezer that needed to be used so I threw those on top. The pizza turned out great! I rolled the crust out pretty thin and baked it on a pizza stone. It was perfect! Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. In my opinion, that is just how pizza crust should be. The combination of the grilled chicken and the chicken sausage was wonderful. I only used one link so that the sausage flavor would be present, but not overwhelming. We have really been enjoyed the great chicken sausages that are sold at our local farmers market. They are made fresh everyday, and add a really nice flavor. We will be making this pizza again.

Sweet Potato Fries

Have you tried sweet potato fries? If you haven't, you are really missing out. These things are so good and go so well with a variety of different dishes. Our favorite pairing is to eat them with turkey burgers or any kind of sandwich. Tonight we had them with BBQ chicken sandwiches. Sweet potatoes, or yams, are a staples in our house. They are a great item to have on hand for a quick dinner. They are simple to prepare, quick and take very few ingredients. I don't ever use an exact recipe. I simply peel the potato, slice it into fries, toss them with some olive oil and spices (steak seasoning, chili powder, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper) and toss them in the oven at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until they are slightly golden and crispy. You really can't go wrong with a combination of spices, just use whatever you have. They are wonderful dipped in hummus, katsup, or fry sauce. Give them a try!

The Best Sloppy Joes Ever!

These are hands down the BEST sloppy joes we have ever had! I can not believe how much flavor is packed into this simple recipe. Plus, they are very healthy! The original recipe calls for ground beef, but I used 97% lean ground white turkey breast. These were hearty, filling, healthy, flavorful and so easy! I served the sloppy joe filling on some wonderful homemade french bread that I made last week which I had in the freezer. I also served some spaghetti squash and potato fries on the side. What a delicious meal! Thanks to Ellie Kreiger from the Food Network, this is a recipe that we will be making over and over. This can even be made in a large batch and frozen for a quick meal during the week.

Sloppy Joes
1 pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, minced finely
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small can red beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. molases
1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper

Brown the meat and the onion in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Pour the drippings out of the pan and discard. Add the garlic, jalapeno and red bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer for minutes more. Serve on hamburger buns or french bread.

Spiced Carrot Muffins

I have been on the hunt for the past while to find a good carrot cake recipe. I LOVE carrot cake and so does the husband. I had a good recipe but it used way too much maple syrup (a.k.a. GOLD at our house). That stuff is way too expensive to use massive amounts of in one recipe. After a couple of not so good recipes, I finally found one that we will be keeping around for a while! The best thing about this recipe is that it doesn't use any maple syrup, yet is still very healthy. I found the recipe in Ellie Kreiger's cook book The Food You Crave (which has several great recipes!). This batch of muffins is a bit different than the last. I didn't have any canola oil, so I used additional applesauce and some fat free lemon yogurt. They turned out wonderful! I also added raisins and walnuts because carrot cake is not carrot cake without them to me. These are also wonderful with cream cheese frosting or a scoop of frozen yogurt. I hope you enjoy!!!


Carrot Cake Muffins
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
walnuts (optional)
raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first 6 ingredients (dry ingredients). In a seperate bowl, combine oil, sugar, applesauce and eggs. Mix until well combined. Add shredded carrots to wet mixture and then add the vanilla. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until almost all combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and fold in until combined. Add raisins and nuts. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spoon batter in 2/3 full. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes.

*I usually double the recipe and freeze them for a great snack!

Superbowl Nachos

My husband hasn't always been a big Superbowl guy. This year, however, was different. He is a BIG Colts fan. So this year, we made a bigger deal out of Superbowl Sunday and actually made a food associated with the Superbowl....NACHOS! He was SO excited to eat these. I made them with homemade corn tortilla chips. They are much easier to make than they sound. Plus they are baked and not fried like regular chips. You can top these with anything that sounds good to you. I used taco seasoned beef (you could easily use turkey), cheese, olives, diced roma tomatoes, guacomole, and salsa.

To make the chips, get a stack of corn tortillas. Cut them in half, then cut each half into thirds so that out of each tortilla you get six chips. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spread the tortilla triangles out on a cookie sheet and squeeze a lime swiftly over them. Next, spray them lightly with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake the chips until they get crispy and very light brown. About 8 minutes. Pull them out and flip them over. bake them again for an additional 4 minutes or so or until desired crispiness is achieved. Let them cool before serving.

After the chips are done, you can continue to top them with whatever you would like. These are always a big hit at our house.

Enjoy!

Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup

There is no question that this soup has an unusual, somewhat concerning color. There isn't much that can be done about that. However, this is one of the best soups I have ever had. If you have ever had California Pizza Kitchen's Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley soup, then you know what this soup tastes like. This soup is every bit as good and just may possibly be better! The best part is that it is so easy and inexpensive! I have been on a serious budget kick lately. I have been trying to see just how many meals I can make on few ingredients. For whatever reason, I have not been wanting to spend money on anything...including groceries. That is unusual for me. Food is one thing that I usually don't hesitate spending money on...I justify it because it is a necessity. Anyway, I served this soup with a salad with grilled chicken and a whole wheat roll. DELICIOUS!!!

Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup

2 cups split peas

4-5 cups water

4 cups chicken broth

1 onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2-1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 cup barley (dried)-I used quick cooking

2 medium-large carrots diced

2 ribs celery, diced

salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the split peas. Add the peas, 4-5 cups water, 4 cups broth, onion, garlic, parsley, sugar, salt, pepper and thyme to a soup pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours or until the peas are soft. Cook the 1/2 cup barley according to package instructions. When the split pea mixture has become thick and the peas are soft, use a hand held immersion blender to blend the mixture to a smooth consistency. Add the barley, carrots and celery and simmer for another 20 minutes. Top with fresh diced green onions.

This soup thickens A LOT when it sits.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

I have never had buffalo wings before. My husband likes them, so I thought it might be fun to try this recipe out for a change. The sauce was spicy!!! If you like spicy, you will like this. It also gets a nice flavor from the tangy gorgonzola cheese. I made a few changes such as adding sliced red onions, olives, sliced red bell pepper, and shredded carrots. Other than that, I stayed pretty true to the recipe. I whipped up a double batch of pizza dough and froze the other half for another time. I guess I had better give proper credit for this recipe to Rachel Ray. Hope you enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

3/4 pound chicken breast cutlets

2 tsp. grill seasoning

pizza dough

2 Tbsp. butter (I used 1 Tbsp. Smart Balance)

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2-3 Tbsp. hot sauce (tobasco)

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

3 scallions thinly sliced (I used sliced red onions)

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season with grill seasoning. Grill chicken. When chicken is cooled, thinly slice it and set aside.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Stir in worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and add sliced chicken.

Stretch the dough to desired size of pizza. Place on pizza stone or pizza pan and cook just unitl it is barely baked. Remove from the oven and top with sauce coated chicken, onions, and cheese (and any other toppings), and bake until the cheese is melted and crust is a light golden brown.

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

Confession. Three weeks ago I doubled this recipe and made 4 very large cookie dough logs so that we wouldn't run out of cookies for a while....they are already gone. Sad but true. If you like oatmeal cookies, you will like these. I added raisons, chocolate chips and walnuts. It may sound like a strange combination, but it tastes great together. Feel free to add or leave out any of the extra additions.

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter (I use Smart Balance, Whipped)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups white all purpose flour (I use half white, half wheat)
2 3/4 cups oatmeal
cranberries, chocolate chips, coconut, raisons, walnuts

Combine all the dry ingredients. Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and vanila and mix with electric mixer. Add dry ingredients a little at a time until dry ingredients are used up. Mix in cranberries, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.

Drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes or until lightly golden.

This dough also freezes really well.

Proscuitto Portobella and Artichoke Pizza

So sorry for the delay of posting this recipe. I have been a busy girl! This is a recipe that I got from my new cookbook by Curtis Stone. I love this book! My husband got it for me for Christmas. I am excited to put it to good use!

I am not going to give you the detailed recipe since I have posted several pizza recipes. I just used my regualr pizza dough recipe and topped it off with some marinara sauce, grilled portabello mushroom, cheese and artichoke hearts. Place the pizza back in the oven to cook until the crust is lightly golden. Remove the pizza and top with slices of proscuitto.

Since I don't eat pork, this pizza was for my husband. He love the pizza, but decided he is not a fan of proscuitto. He thinks it is too salty and doesn't know what the big deal about it is......I'll leave the final decision up to you.

Garlic Lime Quinoa Salad

We were pleasantly surprised by just how tastey this little salad is. It is now a requested dish in our home! It is so simple and flavorful to throw together. Quinoa is a wonderful grain. If you have not tried it, you should. It is packed full with protein and it has a very nice, somewhat nutty flavor. It is a great alternative to couscous or pasta. Make sure to rinse the quinoa well in a seive to remove any bitterness before cooking it. Also, cooking it in broth really helps to pump up the flavor. Feel free to throw in any other veggies that sound good to you. This was made when we had some slim pickins' in our house, so I had to use what I had. It was a great dish and very healthy too!

Garlic Lime Quinoa Salad
2 cups broth (I used chicken broth)
3/4 cup Quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 lime
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper
1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3/4 cup frozen corn, defrosted
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
3 scallions, sliced

Bring broth to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa, cover and reduce heat. Simmer on med-low for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and keep covered. Meanwhile in a medium bowl, add the diced bell pepper, corn, scallions and cilantro. In a seperate bowl, combine juice of 1 lime, minced garlic and stream in olive oil while whisking. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the quinoa in with the veggies and stir to combine. Drizzle the garlic lime dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss lightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Steak Salad

Can you believe it is already January 2010? I can't. And in my opinion, Christmas break passed by much too quickly. I am not ready to go back to real life just yet. I have enjoyed sleeping in until 7:30 or 8:00 everyday and not having anything that I "had" to do such as go into the office. Tomrrow life starts again....real life. Not that real life is bad, but the break has been so nice. I often think that the most difficult part of any vacation is having to come back. The thing is, once I am back in the swing of things, life is great again. I guess it is just the anticipation of it all. Anyway, I am grateful for a job to go back to, and wonderful people at the office to greet me! I do truely love the people I work with! Anyway, I made a simple meal tonight because I have been a bit under the weather with a horrible cold. I was not in the mood to cook a large or complicated meal. For my husband, I made this delicious steak salad. The steak is rubbed with a combination of chili powder, cinnamon, salt and minced garlic. It may sound like a strange combination, but the flavor is unbelieveable!!!! It makes for some great steak or chicken tacos!!!! I also topped the salad with avocado, radishes, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and sprouts. I composed my salad with the same ingredients besides the steak. I seared some large scallops!!! Yum! I also made a delicious quinoa salad with a lime and garlic dressing and a big slice of potato rosemary bread! I will post the quinoa recipe tomorrow! Enjoy!

Chili Rubbed Steak (or chicken)
1-2 Tbsp. Chili powder
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 Cloves of garlic, minced

Combine ingredients and rub all over steak or toss with chicken. If using steak, broil the meat until it is slightly pink in the middle. If using chicken, slice chicken and toss with mixture. Stir-fry until no longer pink.