Snickerdoodle Cookie Granola Bars

I wasn’t sure if I was going to blog these after messing up the recipe so much, but the results were still very good and I am sure would be even better if made correctly.  In true Monday fashion, I wrote down the ingredients wrong when I was making my notes and ended up putting twice the amount of sugar it called for and only a teaspoon of cinnamon when it called for a tablespoon.  As I said, the results were still very good, but definitely on the sweet side, so using the correct amount of sugar would likely take care of that issue.  My bars did remind me of snickerdoodles, but the additional cinnamon would definitely boost that familiar taste.  My version reminds me a lot of the Cinnamon and Brown Sugar instant oatmeal in bar form.

One thing I can’t be sure of is texture… mine were soft and very chewy/filling, but I have to wonder if they would have been firmer perhaps with less sugar.  Or maybe the opposite, I honestly don’t know.  The recipe I followed describes them as dense and chewy so I think it worked out fine.  The real test is whether they are enjoyable anyway right?  Well my 2 year old sure thought so as he sat at my feet begging for bites of the one I tried lol.  I do hope to try these again soon when my diet will allow and make them the correct way, so perhaps I will come back and add an update with notes on how they turned out.  I’d love to hear from anyone who makes them correctly as well.  Maybe it will turn out that the perfect recipe is somewhere in the middle!

I loved the simplicity of this recipe, and that there was no cooking involved.  I have never made my own granola bars before and now that I know how easy it is I can’t wait to try many other varieties.  I can’t say that they are particularly healthy, and especially not with double the sugar like I used, but they aren’t too bad since they are pretty filling, and they do have oatmeal which is good for you.  You can likely save a few calories on these by using margarine, and perhaps replace some of the sugar with splenda.  The recipe also suggested honey as an alternative to the light corn syrup and, though I don’t know if it’s much lighter in calories, I imagine it is probably more beneficial to your health.  I used the light corn syrup because it’s what I had on hand, and I needed to use it up to make room in my fridge.  One last thing I found was that I didn’t need as much chocolate as it called for to make a nice drizzle across the bars.  I probably ended up using about half of it, but if you like more chocolate go with the full amount.

 

Makes : 12                        Time to make : 10 minutes + 2 hours

Ingredients :

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 T. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp. salt (optional, or to taste)
• 3 1/2 cups quick oats (I used the Quaker 1-minute oats)
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour, + up to 4 T. as needed
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted for drizzling

Directions :

1. Line an 8×8 baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  You want the foil to have an overhang so you can easily lift it once your bars have set.
2. In a large microwave safe bowl combine the butter, syrup and both sugars.  Heat for a total of 3 minutes, stirring at the end of each minute.  You are making a caramel sauce so watch closely in case it starts to boil over, but you shouldn’t have an issue as long as you used a large bowl.
3. To the sauce add your vanilla, cinnamon, cream of tartar and salt and stir to combine.  Next add the oatmeal and stir to combine.  Add the flour last and a little at a time stirring to incorporate it all.  If after the 3/4 cup of flour your mixture is still sloppy you can add up to 4 T. extra (one at a time).  Mine didn’t need any extra flour.  You do want it moist and sticky.
4. Press into your prepared pan firmly and evenly.  You can either top with your melted chocolate now or later on each individual bar. (I did it now)  Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set up, or 1 hour in the freezer if you are in a hurry.  Once set, lift your bars out and cut into 12 bars.  Individually wrap each in plastic wrap if you aren’t serving them right away and either store in an air-tight ziplockbon the counter up to a week, in the fridge up to a month, or in the freezer up to 3 months.

Recipe from averie cooks

Buffalo Fried Goat Cheese

I only need one word to describe these…. AMAZING!  I’ve been so good with my diet lately that I felt it was time to have a bit of indulgence to stay motivated.  I had come across these the other day while browsing recipes and knew I had to try them.  In our house we don’t often have goat cheese because my husband claims he is allergic…. though I am not sure if I believe him or if this is one of those allergies that comes around out of convenience for not wanting to eat a specific food.  I have only had it a handful of times, and always enjoyed it, but one time stands out in my mind as noteworthy and that was the time in Tahiti that I had it deep fried…. OMG!  I have to say these are as good if not better than those were with the addition of the buffalo sauce.  Each gorgeous ball is packed with perfect balance of tang, creaminess, crunch, and heat!

I have a pretty sketchy track record when it comes to breading and frying things…. more often than not I lose all my breading in the pan.  It usually ends up fine, at least as far as taste, but darn it if it doesn’t look terrible!  This is the most successful I have ever been with breading and it was so easy.  I think the cheese is the perfect soft/sticky for the breading to stick, and by double breading it allowed for a nice thick coating.  Because you are frying soft cheese I would recommend getting your oil fairly hot before you start since this is not something you want to cook for very long or you will get cheese escaping out the sides.  I went with medium-high heat, and once I put them in (working with only three at a time so I could really watch them closely) I only needed to fry them for maybe a minute total before they were nice and brown.  I just carefully rolled them around with a slotted spoon so that they cooked evenly and avoided spilling out the sides from staying on one side too long.  My advice is just to watch very closely.  Another bit of advice…. the original recipe which I halved called for me to use a cup of panko crumbs for my breading and I probably used less than half of that which then leaves the rest wasted.  I understand wanting enough to be able to roll them around in, but if you would prefer not to waste so much start with half of it and see how much you can coat before adding the rest to your dish.

These would be a fantastic appetizer to serve for any party, but I am thinking especially for the superbowl.  They really are easy to make, and once you get them all prepped, cook in very little time at all.  I think a fresh veggie tray with ranch would be the perfect accompanying appetizer for these, and with that you also have the perfect vegetarian spread as long as they are ok with the eggs anyway.

Makes : about 12                        Time to make : 15 minutes

Ingredients :

• 4 oz. log of soft goat cheese
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (see note above)
• 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying (I didn’t measure, but just put about a half inch in the bottom of my skillet and I used canola oil)
• 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Wings sauce

Directions :

1. Cut off 1/2 inch slices from your goat cheese log and roll them into balls. 
2. Roll cheese ball into egg mixture, taking care to evenly coat the entire thing before then rolling into a dish of the panko very gently pressing into the crumbs to help them stick.  Roll in egg mixture again carefully and then into the crumbs a second time.  Repeat with all the cheese balls before you start frying.
3. Heat oil over medium heat, and test before you start frying your cheese balls by dropping in a piece of breading.  It should float and bubble.  Carefully drop a few balls into the pan and gently roll them around with a spoon for a short time (maybe a minute or so depending on how hot your oil was) until they are a nice even golden brown.  Read above for a more detailed tip on this.
4. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.
5. Toss your fried cheese balls in the wings sauce gently and serve warm on a bed of greens.

Recipe from a Bitter Sweet Wife

Cheesy Spinach & Bacon Quesadillas

I started with a recipe tonight for these, but altered the already small ingredients list enough times that I think it is no longer the same recipe, so I will just share mine instead.  I was sort of concerned before making these that not only would there not be enough filling for each quesadilla (compared to past quesadillas we’ve made), but that we’d be hungry still after eating them as our dinner tonight.  It’s a fine line some nights to come up with a dish that is low enough in calories for my dietary needs while still being filling, but also high enough and filling for my husband as well who gets a lot more calories a day than me.  Quesadillas are a pretty light meal in general, but just looking at the ingredient amounts I was concerned these would be even more so.  It turns out that I was wrong, and these were more than satisfying.  I actually started to feel pretty satisfied after one to tell you the truth, but I managed to eat that second one somehow lol.

The flavor on these is awesome.  The little bit of heat from the tortillas, matched with the creamy smoked flavor of the cheese, and the sweet smokey bacon and fresh spinach is just perfect.  I think serving these with a bit of sour cream would be even better, but it’s definitely not necessary if you are hoping to keep the calories down.

I want to take just a moment to talk about the bacon…. if you have never cooked your bacon in the oven you don’t know what you’re missing!  Not only is there no splatter of oil to clean up and ruin your clothes or burn you, but each piece is perfectly done with ease, and stays nice and straight and looks amazing!  Thick cut bacon works best, but you can certainly do it with any bacon you have.  You just have to watch it closely because the time in which is crisps happens so quickly.  I am going to go ahead and say every oven is different, and so is every bacon so there is no cut and dry temperature/time combo that will work best, but I will list what I used tonight as a guideline to get you started and you’ll just have to try it for yourself to find out what works best in your oven.

Serves : 2-4                            Time to make : 10 minutes (not including bacon preparation time)

Ingredients :

• 4 Jalapeno Cheddar Tortillas (they are large and the brand is Mission)
• 3 oz. nonfat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded gouda
• 8 strips of thick cut bacon, crispy
• 1 cup of fresh baby spinach (or basically a large handful)

Directions :

1. First make your bacon… either in the skillet if you prefer, or in the oven as mentioned above.  To make it in the oven line a large cookie (with sides) with foil and place a rack on top.  The foil should come up the sides a bit to catch all your grease for easy cleanup.  Spray rack a bit with non-stick cooking spray.  Lay bacon on rack making sure not to overlap them for the best results.  Bake in a 350 degree oven (not preheated) for about 25-30 minutes or until done, paying close attention starting around 15 minutes and flipping them once or twice for even crisping.
2. Once bacon is done, combine the cream cheese and gouda in a small microwave safe bowl and heat for about a minute until melted stirring about halfway through.  Watch closely so it doesn’t burn or anything, but it should be fine as long as you stirred it.  You’ll end up with a sort of sticky, ball of cheese rather than a truly melted sauce.
3. Split the cheese among the four tortillas and spread on one half of each.  Next layer on the bacon.
4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add about a T. of water and throw in the spinach stirring gently.  Cook just until it has wilted down a bit, and then remove it.  Layer that into your quesadillas last before folding them over into half circles.
5. Wipe out any moisture in your skillet left from the spinach and spray with a bit of non-stick cooking spray.  Heat over medium-high heat and then cook your quesadillas in there either one at a time, or if you are brave and have a large skillet go for two at a time but it will make it harder to flip them.  Again, watch closely because once they start to brown they will burn fast if you aren’t careful.  It will probably only take a minute or so for the first side to brown up and start to get crispy, then flip it and cook the other side.  Note: the other side will brown even faster so pay attention.
6. Cut in half and serve warm.  Optional to serve with a bit of sour cream as well.

Sticky Glazed Chicken & Couscous

Another aptly named dish!  This is one of those recipes where it would be very helpful to have everything measured out and ready ahead of time since towards the end things come together rather quickly, and if you want to time everything to be done together you may end up flustered at the end as you try to get your couscous going, keep an eye on the chicken and onions  (which were getting very close to being overdone in my case), and measure out the sauce ingredients.  Especially if you are like me and seem to always end up in a rush to get something like your brown sugar, only to find you are at the end of the bag and it’s pretty clumpy so you have to take extra care to break it up first.  And the slow pour of things like vinegar can be agonizingly worse when you are in a hurry.  So I like to just have things measured out into little dishes sitting next to me for convenience.  Back to original point… because I did NOT have it all ready I was a bit flustered as mentioned and in trying to get it all together and plated I found out just how sticky it was when my hands became a serving utensil…

Anyway, this is a very tasty recipe for sure, and a very attractive looking dish as well.  The recipe I followed called for regular couscous, but Jeff is not a fan and I had been wanting to try the larger pearl variety so figured this would be a good time.  This of course added to my flustered state since I didn’t realize it was cooked slightly different from regular couscous which you just boil the liquid for, dump it in, cover it and leave it.  For the pearl couscous (I used a tricolor variety) you actually have to cook it on low for a little longer and stir it occasionally, so just be aware of that before you start.  I definitely prefer the large variety now that we’ve tried it and think I will use that whenever I can, especially since Jeff seems to agree.  If you are not familiar with couscous you may be concerned that the amount of food seems small for two people, but like rice it fills you up pretty quickly because it expands.  If you do decide to go with the larger variety though you could get away with making a cup rather than 2/3 as stated in the recipe.

Jeff said this reminded him a lot of sweet and sour which is no surprise given the vinegar and sugar based sauce, but it’s a little different with the sundried tomatoes and red wine vinegar.  It is nice and sweet and it coats the chicken wonderfully so you get all the flavors in each bite.  I did notice afterwards that I misread a portion of the recipe off my phone and used 4 T. of sugar instead of tsp. which could have made a substantial amount of difference, so I am just going to go ahead and list it as I made it since I had great results.  I encourage you to add  a good handful of spinach or even two since it cooks down so small.  Another great thing about this recipe… at least for me, is that other than the spinach, all the ingredients are things I typically have on hand so I can easily throw this together any time.

 

Serves : 2                  Time to make : 20 minutes

Ingredients :

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin (about 12 oz)
• 2/3 cup dry couscous
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 8 or so sundried tomatoes, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• handful of spinach
• 6 T. red wine vinegar
• 4 T. brown sugar
• cooking spray or olive oil

Directions :

1. Spray skillet with cooking spray or put a bit of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, cook for 1 min. stirring until slightly browned.  Season and add your chicken, cook about 6-7 minutes until  browned and mostly cooked through.
3. Boil the water for your couscous  as directed on the package, then add couscous and cover.  If you chose to use the large variety you will need to keep the burner on a lower heat and stir occasionally for about 8-10 minutes (or as directed on package) otherwise it can sit there for about 5 minutes untouched if you used the small kind.
4. To the chicken, add your vinegar and sugar, and stir it well to get it all mixed.  Throw in tomatoes, and cook a couple of minutes until sauce comes together and gets sticky and thick, and chicken is fully cooked through.
5. Throw in your big handful of spinach and stir until it just wilts down and remove from heat. Serve chicken over the warm couscous.

 

Pulled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

Tonight’s recipe comes from foodgawker again… yeah I go there a lot lol…. and while I wouldn’t say it was a new favorite it was definitely good.  I think it has potential to be great, but in it’s current form is just a bit simple for my tastes.  However, simple is not always bad, and this is a great way to change things up a bit without getting too adventurous in the kitchen for those that are newer to culinary exploration.  I think the addition of maybe some green peppers would be really good on this, or maybe even some smoky bacon or ham, or jalapenos would help take this recipe to the “great” status.  As I knew he would, Jeff also suggested using a white bun for these, and I agree it would be better, but I was trying to boost the health and cut back on the calories for tonight so went with wheat.  I bet a nice specialty type roll fresh from the bakery would be even better for these; something a bit harder than your basic burger bun.  I also want to point out, that for convenience, I use a counter top grill about 99% of the time and it’s possible that once in a while it sacrifices just a bit of flavor in a dish, but that’s debatable I imagine.  I just think that you get way better char marks on the real thing and that might have pushed this over the “good” status a bit too.

I didn’t have as much fun photographing this dish, but I still think I managed to come up with something drool worthy to share with all of you.

Makes : 5-6 Sandwiches

Ingredients :

• 1 Lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup heinz 57 sauce (not ketchup which is a common misconception)
• 2 T. agave nectar or honey (I used honey)
• Tabasco
• Fresh pineapple, cored and sliced into 7 1/2″ rings (I used pre-cut spears and just sliced them thinner)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 5-6 buns or sandwich rolls

Directions :

1. Heat grill to medium heat.  Place one ring of pineapple in a small food processor and puree until you get a sauce-like result.  Place into a medium bowl and add to that your heniz 57 sauce, agave nectar or honey, and a couple of dashes of Tabasco.  Taste at this point and add some additional honey as desired.  Remove 1/4 cup of the sauce to use for basting and reserve the rest for serving later on.
2. Brush pineapple rings with a bit of olive oil before placing them on the heated grill.  Cook for 5-7 minutes on both sides until the sugars begin to caramelize and you get nice grill marks.   Pound chicken out slightly to achieve and even thickness before seasoning with salt and pepper and then brushing on half of sauce you pulled earlier to your first side.  If you used a countertop grill like me, you can go ahead and baste the other side once you put it on the hot grill, otherwise you’ll need to remember to baste the other side once you flip your chicken halfway through cook-time.  Cook until chicken is completely done, then set aside and cover with foil to allow the chicken to rest for about 5-10 minutes before shredding with two forks.  (during this time you could toast your buns if you want, which is what I did, but the recipe did not call for it)
3. Add shredded chicken to the bowl of sauce and toss to coat evenly.  Divide among your buns and top with the rings of grilled pineapple.

Enchilada Pasta Skillet

Tonight’s meal is definitely one from the comfort food department.  Like many of the recipes I share on here, this comes together easily and in pretty good time.  It’s been a while since I made actual enchiladas, but this seems much easier without all the filling and rolling and extra dishes.  Everything goes together in one pan for this dish.  Flavor isn’t exactly like a typical enchilada, likely because of the pasta vs. tortillas, but it’s very good nonetheless.

The recipe, which again came off foodgawker (another one of those that caught my attention with a lovely picture), didn’t specify a type of pasta, so I used orecchiette which I had on hand which worked nicely.  They act like little bowls to scoop up the sauce nicely.  I imagine shells would work nicely for this reason too.  Just watch carefully during cook-time for your chosen pasta to reach the al dente stage before moving on to the next step.  I actually used this recipe as an excuse to finally go out and buy a cast iron skillet, which I have been wanting for a long time, because I am too scared to put my Rachel Ray set in the oven.  Make sure you have an oven safe skillet to make this in if you plan to broil the cheese on top at the end.  This makes a large skillet full, so be sure to use the biggest one you have too.

 

Serves : 4                 Time to make : 35-40 minutes

Ingredients :

• 2 T. olive oil, divided
• salt and pepper
• 1 LB chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 (1o oz) cans enchilada sauce
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp. Tabasco (Dh said it was a bit much for him so you might want to try half first)
• 2 oz. Velveeta cheese or shredded cheese (I used a shredded Mexican blend)
• 8 oz. pasta
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I used the Mexican blend again)
• sour cream, cilantro, scallions

Directions :

1. Heat 1 T. oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in skillet.  Brown on all sides; about 5-7 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
2. Wipe out skillet and heat remaining T of oil over medium heat.  Add onions and peppers and cook until tender stirring frequently; about 5 minutes.  Add beans, enchilada sauce, chicken broth, Tabasco and first portion of cheese.  Cover and cook at a low simmer until pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom.  Depending on what type of pasta you chose this should take about 10 minutes.   Once you have reached al dente add back in your chicken and continue to cook uncovered until chicken if fully cooked through and sauce thickens; about another 3-5 minutes.
3. Add remaining cheese to the top and place under broiler for a minute until cheese melts, watching carefully.  Top with a generous dollop of sour cream, chopped scallions, and cilantro either in the skillet or in each individual dish.

Mango & Banana Salsa with Tilapia

It is my goal to eat more fish this year for it’s health benefits and just for the variety as well.  I have always enjoyed fish, but I am not very experienced with it, so it will be fun to try new ways to prepare it.  Tonight’s recipe instantly grabbed my attention by all the gorgeous colors in the dish.  After all, they way your food looks plays a large role in your enjoyment of it.  I was a bit disappointed to see that the recipe called for mango because I just can’t stand the stuff, but I also knew that I could probably substitute some pineapple with good results since I have had a similar salsa before.  The addition of banana was very new to me however, and intriguing for sure.  I will post it with the original recipe, but my own review is for the pineapple version.

The dish comes together very quickly, and easily.  I suggest making the salsa earlier in the day if you have time and letting it sit in the fridge to really let the flavors marry, but I only had about a half hour for mine and it was still great.  The dish has such a freshness to it, and a great balance of heat, sweet, and sour with the colorful salsa.  With the eye-catching presentation it’s the perfect thing to serve to guests if you want to impress.  It’s also very low calorie/fat which everyone appreciates.  The recipes makes a lot of the salsa, almost more than you need, but it worked out to sort of eat it like a salad with the cut up fish rather than as a topping for it.  I was a bit confused about the part where it called for half of a long red pepper, and then listed jalapeno or thai, so I just got a red jalapeno and put the whole thing in there since they aren’t very big.  I would suggest tasting whatever type of pepper you use first to determine how much you want in there.

 

Serves : 4                         Time to make : 25 minutes (+ time for salsa to sit)

Ingredients :

• 1 large ripe mango, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (a heaping cup) * I subbed the same amount of fresh pineapple
• 1 medium banana, firm ripe, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 long red pepper, ripe jalapeno or Thai
• 1 sweet red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2/3 cups cilantro leaves, 1/3 cup minced & 1/3 cup roughly chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 T. fresh lime juice (I added a little more and some zest)
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt or to taste
• 4 tilapia fillets
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• flour (about a 1/4 cup or so
• 2 T. olive oil

Directions :

1. Combine mango, banana, pepper, red pepper, cilantro, onion, lime juice, and salt in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours if time allows, otherwise you can move right on to the fish.
2. Pat dry fish fillets, season with salt and pepper on both sides and dredge in flour; shaking off excess.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add fish and cook until medium golden brown and fish easily lifts from bottom of pan.  Turn over and cook until done all the way through.
4. Move to either one serving tray or individual plates before topping with the salsa (about a cup per fillet if individual).  Serve with additional lime wedges if desired.

Chocolate Mug Cake (Eggless)

You may have heard of the mug cake; a single serving cake baked in a mug in the microwave.  I have been intrigued by it for quite some time, but hadn’t gotten around to trying it myself.  I don’t know why, but I have doubts about food cooked solely in a microwave.  As I was browsing through FoodGawker the other day I came across yet another recipe and was convinced by the image I saw… that of a moist, fluffy cake dripping with honey.  Since I am counting calories I didn’t use any honey, but I imagine it would be even better with something on top.  Perhaps even some chocolate syrup!  I just went with a simple powdered sugar embellishment for today.

The cake itself is only good, at least without something to top it off.  However, I know there are countless recipes out there for these cakes so perhaps others have perfected the ingredients for an even tastier cake.  This one though is eggless, which is going to really help keep the calories down for those like me that just want a taste of cake without having an entire cake left over to tempt you for the next few days.  I actually split it with my husband and two boys today so I only got a fourth, but it was just enough to quiet that voice inside me SCREAMING for chocolate on a daily basis lol.  The best thing about this cake IMO is how quick it all comes together.  You can be enjoying a nice serving of cake in a little more than 5 minutes tops!

Today I used mini chocolate chips since that’s what I had on hand, but the recipe didn’t specify.  I do think they worked best though since they sunk to the bottom and made the cake a little hard to get out in one flawless piece (which is no big deal, and doesn’t detract from the taste at all).  I imagine a larger chip would only be worse.  I used a ramekin for mine today because I wanted a wider cake to share with everyone, but any large sized mug would probably work, or even a small glass bowl.

 

Serves : 1                           Time to make : 5 minutes

Ingredients :

• 3 T. all purpose flour
• 1 T. cocoa powder
• 1 T. chocolate chips
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 T. brown sugar
• pinch salt
• 3 T. milk
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions :

1. In a small bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt.  Stir to combine and break up any lumps.
2. In a separate bowl combine milk, oil, and vanilla and whisk with a fork to combine. 
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients stirring until just combined, do not over stir.
4. Grease a mug, ramekin, or small glass bowl (I used some shortening) and pour in your batter.
5. Microwave on high for exactly 1 minute, keeping a close eye through the door (don’t open) around 40 seconds just to be sure it’s not going to spill over, though you shouldn’t have any issues.
6. Allow to cool for a couple minutes before running a knife around the edges and overturning onto a plate.

Cheddar Mac & Ham Casserole

If that doesn’t scream comfort food I don’t know what does!  Chances are you already have to make Mac and Cheese at least once a week for your little ones, but if you have to eat it I say you should at least enjoy it.  I am not a fan of Mac and Cheese by itself, but I LOVE it like this.  Most shocking thing of all though is how low calorie this recipe is…. relative to how much you can eat at least!  I am going to make myself sound like a pig, but when I make this I portion it into three servings.  So for an entire third of a casserole it’s only about 600 calories!  That’s a heaping plate full of cheesey, yummy goodness!

I think I came across this recipe on a site called Key Ingredient, which for those that aren’t familiar, is a recipe sharing site that goes along with the Demy (an electronic recipe reader).  The only thing I have changed from the original recipe was to pre-cook the ham a bit because I don’t care for the fatty chewy parts and that eliminates the issue.  I have tried this with an alfredo type Mac and Cheese and it was also VERY good, but normally I stick to the four cheese like it calls for.  When I am not counting calories I eyeball the ham and cheese and probably end up with more than it calls for, but it is great either way.  I also often put a little more peas than it calls for, but I figure that is actually healthier.  As for the ham… it calls for a half lb, but every time I go to the store and ask the deli counter for half a lb cut thick (sometimes I buy a ham steak from the meat section too) they end up giving me closer to 3/4-1 lb and I just throw it all in if I am not worried about the extra calories that day.

Anyway, I definitely recommend this one, and think it will easily become a regular in your dinner rotation.

Serves : 3-4                       Time to make : 25 minutes

Ingredients :

• 1 (14 oz) box of 4 cheese Deluxe Mac & Cheese
• 1/2 lb Ham, cubed
• 1 C. frozen peas (I use more like 1.5 cups)
• 1/2 cup fat free milk (or whatever you have)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Also start a large pot of water to boiling.
2. Meanwhile cook the ham in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 4 minutes.  I find this not only eliminates the chewy parts of the ham, but it just adds more depth to the flavor so I suggest you don’t skip this step.  I usually add just a tad bit of water (like a T.) towards the end of the cook time to the skillet to help get up some of the browned bits in the pan and keep it moist and flavorful.  Set aside.
3. Once water is boiling add your pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Drain pasta then add the cheese packet and stir until well combined. 
4. Next add the milk, peas, and ham.
5. Pour into a baking dish and sprinkle cheese over top.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Ultimate Tuna Melt

Let me start by saying I did not name this recipe.  It came from Food.com.  However, I do agree that this is one awesome tuna melt!  The first time I made this recipe was in 2007, and I have made it countless times since.  Not only are they tastey, but they are quite quick and simple to prepare, and low in fat and calories.  These melts make it into our meal rotation often during those times we are trying to lose a bit of weight… such as last night lol.

Over the years I have very slightly altered the recipe to suit our needs and this is what I will share on my blog.  The ingredients are all basically the same, but I may have changed a few amounts and also the method a little to give the best results.  Jeff and I usually each eat 4 of these…. yeah I know it sounds like a lot, but even at that many the calorie total fits well within our daily budgets.  If you can find the 100 calorie english muffins that works best (if you are counting calories anyway), but any type will do just fine.  Likewise, I use the ultra thin cheese for diet reasons, but have used regular slices before as well.  As for the tuna, I use chunk light because I try to avoid Albacore for the mercury levels, however the original recipe did suggest the albacore.

 

Serves : 2-4               Time to make : 15 minutes

Ingredients :

• 4 (100 calorie, or wheat variety) english muffins, cut in half
• 2 small cans of tuna (in water), well drained
• 3/4 cup artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (I usually use one of the small jars of marinated hearts)
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• zest of a lemon
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (start with the lesser and taste it)
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 8 slices ultra thin provolone

Directions :

1. Preheat broiler, and arrange muffins on baking sheet.  Spray lightly with any sort of cooking spray and brown slightly.  This happens fairly quickly so keep an eye on it.  Once done set aside while you mix the topping.
2. In a large bowl combine the tuna, artichokes, onions, lemon juice and zest, seasoning, and oil.  Spoon carefully onto each toasted muffin.  Top with a slice of cheese.
3. Broil for a couple of minutes, watching closely until cheese has melted and starts to brown.  I find that rotating them helps get them all evenly done.

BBQ Muffin Cups

These super simple muffin cups came from Food.com, and are what gave me the idea for my Italian Chicken Cups (shared the other day).  They are another great weeknight meal, and though they are not really low in calories or anything the simplicity and low cost help make up for it.  And you can always lower the calories by using ground turkey, low fat cheese, and reduced fat biscuits too.  I have tried versions with corn in them as well, and really enjoyed the addition.  This has become one of our go-to recipes whenever we need to repeat things because of busy schedules and they are SO easy, even Jeff can make them start to finish without messing them up…. which if you know my husband you’d know is no small thing.  If you use the Pilsbury Grands (my preferred biscuit) you’ll get 8 of these, which Jeff and I can eat by ourselves, but I’d say you can get away with 2 per person as long as you have a little side with them.

 

serves : 2-4                 time to make : 25 minutes

Ingredients :

• 3/4 lb ground beef
• 1 T. onion, minced
• 1/2 cup bbq sauce
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can flakey biscuits (I use Pilsbury Grands)

Directions :

1. Brown beef and onions in skillet.  Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Drain beef and onions before mixing in the bbq sauce and brown sugar.
3. Using your hands, stretch the biscuits out to about double the size and fit down into a lightly sprayed muffin pan. 
4. Fill each cup with the beef and onions mixture then top with some cheese.
5. Bake about 15 minutes or until muffins are golden and cooked through.

Fish Picatta

This recipe comes from Melissa d’Arabian, whom you may have seen on Food Network.  I’ve made other variations of this recipe before, but this one is SO simple I had to give it a try and I was so glad I did because it’s literally bursting with flavor.  It’s a great weeknight meal because it takes so little effort to prepare, and it’s also a nice light dish with low calories and fat.  If you’re like me and would like to find more ways to incorporate fish into your diet for all it’s healthy benefits, I highly suggest you try this recipe.

Tonight I paired this with some fried potato slices (fish and chips), but it would also be good with a simple pasta to soak up all that delicious sauce left on the plate.  Or perhaps some couscous would be nice too.  Tilapia is fairly inexpensive, but you can splurge a little and use something like Halibut for this too if you want.  Really, any firm white fish would work I am sure.  The lemon flavor is VERY strong, so if you would like it a little less lemony go ahead and do half the lemon juice.  I have tried this with both pinot and moscato and had great results.

 

serves 4                time to make : 20 minutes

Ingredients :

• 2 T. olive oil
• 4 small fillets of white fish such as tilapia, about a lb total
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 lemons, juiced (I also take the zest off one for extra flavor)
• 2 T. capers
• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Directions :

1. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  While pan is heating, blot fish with a paper towel, season with salt and pepper.  Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
2. Saute fish in oil until just cooked through and lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Turn half way through cooking.  Move to platter and keep warm.
3. Immediately deglaze the pan with the white wine, whisking for about 1 minute.  It  helps to lift the pan off the burner at this point or you will have a HUGE mess.  Add the lemon juice and capers next and stir to combine.  Add the butter, allowing to melt as you whisk together.  Simmer for a couple minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly as it reduces. 
4. Pour over the plated fish, and top with your chopped parsley (and this is where I add the zest as well).

 

Double Chocolate Banana Walnut Bread

The best of both worlds!  Banana bread and chocolate, what more could you ask for?  This is a gorgeous bread both in flavor and appearance and is pretty easy to make.  I stumbled upon this on food gawker, and I was amazed at how dark the chocolate must have been to get the bread as dark as they did.  I didn’t quite get it, but I only used ghiradelli cocoa in mine and I am sure there are plenty of other rich dark cocoas available.  If I recall I may have had to bake this longer than stated, but as long as you make sure the knife comes out fairly clean you are ok.

Anyway, my family really enjoyed this, and especially with a bit of marscapone spread on top!  I am glad I found this in my archive of photos so I can make it again now.  There goes that diet I haven’t even started yet!

 

makes : 1 loaf

Ingredients :

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 stick (8 T.) unsalted butter, at room temp.
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions :

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a 9×5 inch loaf pan and place it on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets one on top of the other.  This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from over baking.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
3. Working with a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed for about a minute  until soft.  Add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes more.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the mashed bananas.  Add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing only until they disappear into the batter.  Still on low, add the buttermilk, mixing until it is just incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.  Scrape batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 3o minutes.  Cover the bread loosely with a foil tent to keep the top from getting too dark, and continue to bake for another 40-45 minutes (total baking time is between 70 and 75 minutes), or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs.  Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the bread and unmolding it.  Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

Cauliflower Crust Thai Chicken Pizza

Don’t let the title of this one scare you off… this is an AMAZING pizza.  Not only can you not tell the crust is made from cauliflower, but it’s actually really good.  It might not hold up quite like a regular dough crust, but if I remember correctly (I made this quite some time ago, and just haven’t had time to blog about it) I was able to slice and hold it with some care.  It takes a bit of time, and it might get a little bit messy making this pizza, but it’s definitely worth the effort, and your waistline will thank you too.

Notes: Cauliflower crust doesn’t hold up well for reheating since it’s pretty moist, so plan to eat it all the first night… which is no problem lol.  It won’t smell super appetizing while you heat the cauliflower, but I promise it will taste better than it smells.  When grating the cauliflower use the large holes of a box grater.

 

makes : 1 pizza

Ingredients :

Crust :

• 2 cups firmly packed shredded cauliflower (about half to 2/3 of a large head)
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 T. (or more) Sriracha
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. olive oil

Toppings :

• 1 (7oz) jar peanut sauce (found in most Asian sections of the grocery store)
• 2 T. peanut butter
• 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (I believe I used rotisserie)
• 1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella
• 4 green onions, green parts only, chopped
• 2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. and spray a large baking sheet or pizza pan (I used a pizza pan with holes covering the bottom for ventilation) with nonstick cooking spray.  Place shredded cauliflower in a large microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave for 8 minutes.  Let cool.
2. Add egg, mozzarella, garlic, sriracha, and salt to the cauliflower, stirring to combine.  Pat the mixture into a 12-inch round on prepared pan.  Brush with the olive oil.
3. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden.  Remove crust from oven and adjust oven setting to broil.
4. In a measuring cup or small bowl stir the peanut sauce with the peanut butter until combined.  Spread sauce over pizza crust.  Arrange chicken over next, then sprinkle with cheese, green onions, and cilantro.
5. Broil for 3-4 minutes, watching carefully, until cheese is melted and begins to brown.  Cut into slices and serve immediately.

Italian Chicken Cups

For those out in cyber space following this blog, THANK YOU!  I know I have been a terrible blogger this past year…. well let’s face it, a non-existent one would better describe me…. but I really hope I will find more time this year now that things are more settled here.  We moved a couple times, and life just got busy, but now we are in our new home and I am getting used to our new schedules and finding more time to do the things I love.  Anyway, I guess I haven’t done too bad, considering this year I still had close to 10 thousand views on this blog even though I only made one post lol.  Not bad at all.  Let’s see how many I can get this year.

So for my first post in a very long time… I give you Italian Chicken Cups.  Nothing really complicated to make, but this is one of my own recipes, and I have to admit it’s a great one!  There is so much flavor packed into these adorable little bundles that you won’t believe it by how easy they are to prepare.  And the presentation is perfect for a dinner party with friends.  I make them as a main course, but I have had suggestions from people that have tried them that they might also do well as an appetizer.

Notes:  I have used various different kinds of biscuits for these, but I prefer the Grands ones by pilsbury.  There are 8 in a package and they are nice, big, and fluffy.  When I make the chicken I just season with salt and pepper, and a bit of Italian seasoning before grilling up on a counter top grill.

 

serves 4-8             time to make : 25-30 minutes

Ingredients :

• 1  large chicken breast, cooked (see note above)
• 1 roll of refrigerated biscuits (see note above)
• 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup artichoke hearts, diced
• 2-3 T. roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup zesty Italian dressing
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 T. fresh parsley, minced
• 2-3 T. shredded parmesan

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and lightly spray 8 of your 12 muffin cups.
2. Cut up chicken into small pieces, and combine with olives, artichokes, tomatoes, dressing, lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
3. Using your hands stretch the biscuit out, keeping their circular shape until they are about twice the size.  Press into the prepared muffin pan allowing them to cup up out of the top and form a cup.
4. Spoon filling into cups and bake according to package directions for your biscuits.  Using the Pilsbury Grands it is about 15 minutes I find in my oven.  In the last 5 minutes add the cheese to the tops if you want it to get melty, otherwise you can add it at the end.