Crispy Chicken with Lemon-Basil Dip and Lemony Fennel & Radicchio

Serves 4
Prep: 10 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes

Crispy Chicken with Lemon-Basil Dip
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons, plus 1/2 cup plain, fat-free yogurt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into strips
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 garlic clove, minced

1. Place oven tack in top third of oven. Preheat oven to 400*. Line a large baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Stir together mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of the yogurt, the mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in a medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Place panko in a shallow dish. Dip chicken pieces, one at a time, into panko, pressing gently to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, to make dip, stir together remaining 1/2 cup yogurt, the basil, lemon zest, garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; set aside.

4. Remove baking sheet from oven; turn chicken over. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Return to oven; bake until chicken is browned and cooked through, 10 minutes longer.

While chicken is cooking for it's last 10 minutes, prepare the Fennel & Radicchio salad.

Lemony Fennel and Radicchio
2 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup water
1 cup finely shredded radicchio (about 1/4 head of radicchio)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fennel, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add water, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel begins to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Uncover skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until most of liquid is evaporated and fennel is tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in radicchio, parsley, and lemon zest and juice.

Serve chicken with dip and fennel-radicchio salad.

Results: OH.MY.YUM! Not only do I want to make this for dinner tomorrow night, but Henry wants me to make it for the next 100 nights and Steven, YES, I said STEVEN, wants me to make it for the next three nights. This was delicious and easy to make. The salad was fantastic too (the boys would not eat that though.) I think fennel might be my new favorite vegetable, especially for adding some crunch to a salad. A new favorite meal in our house!

Chicken, Leeks & Brown Rice Slow Cooker Casserole

Serves 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes (includes browning the chicken), Cooking Time: 7 hours

cooking spray
8 skinless chicken thigh(s)
2 cups canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced (I forgot to buy these, but we didn't miss them)
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
1 cup carrot, thinly sliced
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; warm over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown, turning once, about 6 minutes; set aside.

2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker; nestle the chicken thighs in the mixture. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

Results: Delicious! I am not a fan of brown rice, but this tasted awesome! The leftovers were great too. I forgot to buy the mushrooms, but this dish doesn't need them. Henry & Chris loved this, but of course Steven wouldn't look at it.

Pistou Halibut with Sauteed Garlicky Spinach

Serves 4
Prep time: 11 minutes, Cooking Time: 9 minutes

Pistou Halibut
1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 skinless halibut filets (I used snapper)
Cooking spray
lemon wedges (optional)

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; rub over both sides of fillets.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fillets; cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Sauteed Garlicky Spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (10-oz) package baby spinach
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute or until golden. Add half of spinach; cook 1 minute, turning with tongs. Add remaining half of spinach; cook 1 minute, turning with tongs, until spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper.

Served with lemon wedge and basmati rice.

Results: This was very easy to prepare and it was delicious! I'll definitely make this one again. The recipe says that the "pistou" (pronounced pee-TOO, by the way) can be prepared and frozen.

Seared Rosemary Beef Tenderloins

Serves 4

12 oz beef, tenderloin, trimmed, raw, (4 steaks about 1 inch thick)
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 Tbsp rosemary, chopped
2 Tbsp shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup(s) wine, Madeira (I didn't have any red wine, so I omitted this)
14 oz canned beef broth, reduced sodium
1 Tbsp light butter

1. Preheat grill.

2. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Add steaks to grill; cook 4 minutes each side, or until done. Transfer beef to a serving platter; cover and keep warm.

3. Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat; add rosemary, shallot and garlic to pan. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Add wine and broth; bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, stirring often, 10 minutes or until reduced to 1⁄3 cup. Remove from heat; stir in butter.

Serve rosemary broth over beef. Served with crusty French bread, roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus.

Results: This wasn't "bad" in anyway, but really, does a good steak need ANYTHING on top of it? It was good, but we love grilled steak in this house so much, that the effort to make the sauce was sort of wasted. (The sauce was really good with the bread though!)

Baja Tacos

Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Cooking spray
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/2 large sweet red pepper, sliced
1/2 large green bell pepper, sliced
1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning (optional)
8 taco-sized corn tortillas
salt
black pepper
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup Iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 Tbsp shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese
2 Tbsp fat-free sour cream
1 Tbsp salsa
1 tsp cilantro, fresh, chopped

1. Coat veggies with cooking spray. Set a skillet set over medium heat. Saute onion for 2 minutes. Add red & green peppers; sauté for 2 minutes more (vegetables should still be a little crisp). Remove vegetables from pan and place in a small bowl.

2. Saute chicken in same skillet about 4 to 5 minutes; add taco seasoning and about 1/4 cup water. Simmer until cooked through.

3. Heat tortillas in same skillet for 20 seconds on each side; remove to a plate.

Season vegetable mixture with salt and pepper; divide among tortillas. Top each with avocado, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro; fold up and serve.

Results: These tacos are super easy to make and way tasty! I've made these three times after trying the recipe for the first time, and I love them! I know, I know...they are just tacos, there is nothing original about the recipe, but they are delicious, and seriously low-fat. Who knew that tiny bit of cooking spray would cook all the veggies and chicken?

Apple-Raspberry Stuffed French Toast

Serves 4 (but probably wouldn't be enough for a man serving)
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes

1 cup canned fruit pie filling, apple, chopped
1/3 cup sweetened frozen red raspberries, thawed
8 slices raisin bread, or cinnamon raisin bread
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
1/3 tsp vanilla extract, or maple extract
1 Tbsp margarine
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 Tbsp reduced-calorie pancake syrup

1. Combine apple filling and raspberries. Arrange 4 slices of bread on a flat surface. Divide fruit filling equally onto each slice. Cover with remaining bread slices.

2. Combine egg substitute, milk and extract in a bowl. Heat margarine in a large skillet. Dip each sandwich into egg mixture; place in skillet. Cook on medium until
golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Sprinkle each with 1/4 tablespoon powdered sugar and then drizzle each with 1 1/2 teaspoons syrup.

Results: Seriously? You have to ask? I mean, LOOK AT THAT FREAKING PICTURE! These were sooooooo delicious. I would not change anything about these. PERFECTION! The boys have already asked if I can make these for breakfast tomorrow.

p.s. DAMN! I just remembered that I had bought some turkey sausage that I planned to serve with this, and completely forgot! If I had remembered, I think the serving size would have been more than enough.

Baked Beef Ziti

Serves 8
Prep Time: 38 minutes (includes time cooking meat and pasta)
Cooking time: 30 minutes

*NOTE: Go ahead and double this recipe and put an extra in the freezer. It is NO EXTRA WORK to make two, and it will make for a super easy dinner another night! This is also a meal that can be made early in the day, then cooked for dinner. Perfect if you have company coming for dinner (which we did this night.)

12 oz uncooked ziti (I used penne, because it was the only whole grain I could find)
2 tsp olive oil
2 clove garlic clove, minced
3/4 pound raw lean ground beef
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 jar marinara sauce (another reason to make two dishes...you'll use the whole jar! I used a heart healthy, no added sugar variety.)
1&1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese (shredded)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return pasta to pot. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 7 to 10 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat. Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface).

4. Pour remaining tomato-beef mixture in the pot with pasta. Add marinara sauce and mix well. Pour pasta mixture in casserole dish; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Served with salad with the dressing from this recipe.

Results: It's sort of impossible to see what was "diet" about this dish, which is a very, very good thing. I was reluctant to use whole grain pasta, since we had a dinner guest, but you couldn't even tell, and both men went back for seconds! If you are in the mood for a cheesy Italian dish, give this a try! Steven wouldn't try it, but Henry ate all of his and requested leftovers for lunch today. Portions are HUGE, so bring your appetite!

Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad

Serves 4
(I forgot to write down the prep/cooking times. This did take longer than I would have liked or thought, but there is a lot you could ahead of time. You could make the salad and the dressing, and also prepare the chicken up to the the cooking part.)

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 bunches arugula (I used two handfuls)
1/2 medium fennel bulb, very thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 large egg
3 large egg whites
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
cooking spray,
1 Tbsp regular butter
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

1. In a small bowl, whisk together first four ingredients; set aside.

2. In a large salad bowl, combine arugula, fennel, onion and tomatoes; set aside.

3. Place chicken between two sheets of wax paper; pound until 1/3-inch-thick. Rub salt and pepper into both sides of chicken.

4. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, whisk together egg, egg whites, parsley and cheese. Dip a piece of chicken into flour; turn to coat and shake off any excess. Next, dip chicken into egg mixture; turn to coat. Lastly, dip chicken into bread crumbs, shaking off any excess ingredients. (You want to coat the chicken very lightly, not cover it with a heavy crust.) Set aside and repeat with remaining chicken.

5. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat. Melt butter in skillet (do not allow it to burn); add chicken. Cook chicken until coating is golden, flipping once, about 10 minutes; remove to plates.

6. Toss salad with dressing. Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice and serve
topped with salad.

Yields 1 piece of chicken and 2 cups of loosely packed salad.

Results: This was great! It did take longer to prepare than I would like, but it was worth it. Henry ate all of his, then downed Steven's as well. This is one of those meals that you can trick your husband into thinking he's eating more than he really is. We each only had a 1/2 breast serving, but it was very filling. The leftovers were great too, and the dressing was light enough that it didn't make the leftover salad wilt. A keeper!

Oh, one more thing...the Parmesan cheese was sort of wasted. Half of the cheese remained in the egg mixture and you couldn't taste it in the chicken. Next time I'll leave the cheese out of the egg and instead sprinkle it on the salad.

Rosemary-Grilled Pork Chops with Potatoes and Zucchini

Serves 4
Prep Time: 12 minutes, PLUS several hours to marinate
Cook Time: 15 minutes

1/8 tsp lemon zest, or to taste
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus 1 lemon, halved
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
3 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 4-oz boneless pork chop, center-cut
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 pound(s) uncooked Yukon Gold potato(es), or any baby potatoes, scrubbed and halved
2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1⁄8-inch-thick slices

1. Combine the lemon zest, rosemary, garlic, and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle the pork with 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon of the pepper. Rub half of the rosemary mixture over the pork. Put the pork on a plate, then cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to several hours.

2. Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray; prepare the grill.

3. Place the halved potatoes in the microwave and cook for about 3 minutes. They don't need to be done, just cooked enough so they don't take so long to cook on the grill. Toss the potatoes with the remaining rosemary mixture, 1⁄4 teaspoon of remaining salt, and 1⁄8 teaspoon of remaining pepper. Lightly spray the potatoes with nonstick spray, then place on the grill, cut-side down. Grill the potatoes 5 inches from the heat, turning once, until tender, 5 minutes each side.

4. Sprinkle the zucchini with the remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper; lightly spray the zucchini with nonstick spray. Put the pork and zucchini on the grill. Grill the pork until no longer pink, about 6-7 minutes on each side. Grill the zucchini until tender, about 4 minutes on each side. Put the pork and zucchini on a platter.

5. Meanwhile, place the halved lemon, cut-side down on the grill and grill for about 5 minutes.

6. Drizzle the grilled lemon juice over the zucchini. Serve with the potatoes.

Results: First of all, I really HATE, HATE, HATE it when a recipe says "Prep Time: 13 minutes" and they CONVENIENTLY leave out that part about letting the pork marinade for "up to several hours". So frustrating! So, obviously, in case you missed the meaning of my rant, I missed that step when I started preparing dinner, so I ended up ordering pizza. We had this pork the next night.

Other than my disdain for the way the recipe was written, this is a great dinner. Low on ingredients, but really delicious! I drizzled the lemon juice over everything, but I wish I had left it off the pork because I felt like I had lemon overload. (Chris disagrees, and liked all the lemon juice.) Once everything was on the grill, you know, after SEVERAL HOURS of marinading, you really need to keep an eye on everything to make sure the veggies aren't burning.

Strawberry Tiramisu

Serves 6
Prep Time: 40 minutes, Sitting in refrigerator time: overnight

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3 Tbsp fat-free cream cheese
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp orange zest
1 cup fat-free whipped topping
2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced (reserve 6 whole berries for garnish)
3 Tbsp sugar
1 fl oz orange-flavoured liqueur
2 Tbsp orange juice
3 oz ladyfingers, separated

1. In a food processor, purée ricotta, cream cheese, confectioners sugar and orange zest. Transfer to a medium bowl and fold in whipped topping. In same food processor (no need to clean), purée 1 cup of sliced strawberries, the granulated sugar, liqueur and orange juice.

2. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the strawberry purée into each of six wine glasses. Top each with two ladyfinger halves. Spoon another tablespoon of purée over ladyfingers. Top with half the sliced strawberries then half the cheese mixture. Top with remaining ladyfingers. Spoon on remaining purée, berries and cheese mixture.

3. Cover each glass with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Garnish each
with a whole strawberry.

Results: These seem a lot more difficult to make than they really are, so try them! They were sooooo delicious! I missed the "refrigerate overnight" step, so ours were only sitting for about 5 hours. I don't think it made a difference, because we all loved them! Steven & Henry want me to make them next week for dessert night and want me to try blackberries. I imagine that would be just as good! The recipe notes that you can also freeze these to make ahead of time.

Now, a note about Ladyfingers. I live in the suburbs of Denver, but it's not as if we are a culturally lacking community. I had to try three grocery stores to find Ladyfingers. I finally found them at Sprouts (a natural grocers sort of place) in the bakery. Other places to look: imported food aisle, cookie aisle, and someone suggested the bakery may keep them in the freezer. A safeway employee told me they keep them in the produce, next to the strawberries, but that was shortcake. If all else fails, the French cooking school, Le Cordon Bleu (cause I'm culturally NOT lacking that way) suggested using spongecake as a substitute.

Fresh Mozzarella & Tomato Paninis

Serves 2
Prep Time: 18 minutes, Cook Time: 6 minutes

1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
4 oz Italian bread, cut into four slices
2 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, fresh, thinly sliced
1 cup basil leaves
1 medium plum tomatoes, cut into eight thin slices
olive oil cooking spray
1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half

1. Preheat grill.

2. In a small bowl, stir together vinegar, oil, oregano, salt and pepper until blended. Brush mixture onto 1 side of each slice of bread. To make each sandwich, layer 1/2 of cheese over brushed side of bread and then top with 4 tomato slices and 1/2 cup of basil. Top with another slice of bread, brushed side down and then coat sandwich with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

3. Grill, lightly pressing with a spatula from time to time, until bread is toasted
and cheese melts, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. (I found it easier to flip the sandwiches off the grill.) Rub grilled bread with garlic clove.

Served with Chive Parmesan Chips

Results: Mmmmmmmm...these are so wonderful. I love Caprese salad, so this is a fantastic sandwich. I've made these before, and I'll make them again. One of my favorites!

Chive Parmesan Chips

Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 18-20 minutes

1 large uncooked potato
1 tsp olive oil
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp chives, minced
3/4 tsp table salt
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Scrub potato and lengthwise into very thin slices. Combine potato slices and oil in a LARGE bowl. Add cheese, chives, and salt and toss gently to coat.

3. Line baking sheet (I had to use two) with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange potato slices in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake at 400°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden, turning once.

Note: Chips will brown at different rates. Watch chips carefully, and quickly
remove individual chips from the oven as they become golden.

Served with Fresh Mozzarella & Tomato Paninis

Results: This is the second time I've made these and they were still yummy! This is a great addition to a sandwich dinner, or even as a snack, if you don't mind spending a half hour preparing a snack! Love these! And Steven loved them! P.S. Leftovers get soggy, so finish them up!

Chicken and Edamame Stir-fry

Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes (would have been faster had I thawed those edamame before), Cook Time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp canola oil
10 oz frozen shelled edamame, thawed (2 cups)
1 tsp ginger root, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 oz Rice Noodles (optional)

1. If serving with rice noodles, start a pot of water boiling. Place noodles in water, remove from heat, cover and let sit while preparing dinner.

2. Combine the broth, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl until
smooth; set aside.

3. Heat a nonstick wok or a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil, swirl to coat the pan, then add the edamame. Stir-fry until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. Transfer the edamame to a plate.

4. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the wok, swirl to coat the pan, then add the ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken; stir-fry until lightly browned, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens and the chicken is just cooked through, 1–2 minutes. Stir in the edamame and heat through, about 1 minute.

Yields 1 cup per serving. Served with rice noodles.

Results: Do you love edamame beans? Do you dream of a dish that is so full of edamame that you can't possibly taste anything else? Do visions of edamame appear while you are driving your car at night? THEN THIS IS THE RECIPE FOR YOU! Holy edamame, that was a lot of freaking edamame beans. I thought this dish was BORING. The kids wouldn't even try it, and surprisingly, Chris loved it. Go figure.

Crock Pot Pho

This recipe came from Two Pink Hippos

Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time 4-6 hours

6 cups beef broth or stock (I only had 4 cups, so I added 2 cups water)
2 inch chunk of ginger, peeled
3/4 tsp anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 sliced green onions
1 lb thin sliced beef (I used pre-packaged sliced meat and only used 3/4lb)
4 oz rice noodles
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Suggested Toppings: per bowl
1/4 lime wedge
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1/4-1/2 tsp of red chili sauce
cilantro, garnish to taste
bean sprouts, garnish to taste

1. Add all the beef broth into the crockpot. Then add the meat, green onion, ginger, fish sauce, cinnamon, anise, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 4-6.

2. Add the rice noodles to the pot. Push them under the liquid to cook thoroughly, about 15 minutes.

3. Serve immediately in bowls and garnish with bean sprouts, squirt of lime wedge and cilantro. Add hoisin sauce and red chili sauce for additional flavor.

Results: No one liked this except me! I thought the flavors were fantastic. The boys wouldn't even try it, and Chris "just didn't like it." Too bad, suckers...I'll probably make this one again.

Sausage & Broccoli Casserole

Serves 6
Prep Time: 40 m, Additional Cook Time: 30 m, Total: 1 hour, 20 minutes

12 oz Italian bread, sliced about 1/2" thick (I used Rosemary Olive Oil bread from Costco*)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 large red onion, cut into very thin slices
4 cups broccoli florets
1 tsp olive oil
12 oz raw turkey sausage, sweet Italian-variety
1&1/2 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
cooking spray
1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

*Note: I really think the bread makes a difference in this recipe. The Rosemary Olive Oil bread I used has so much flavor, but I think any artesian bread would work great. Regular old Italian bread wouldn't add much flavor.

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. Rub bread with garlic clove. Place bread on one side of a baking sheet; spread onions on other side. Place broccoli on another baking sheet. Coat vegetables and bread with cooking spray. Bake until broccoli is tender, flipping bread over and stirring vegetables halfway through, about 15 minutes total. Remove pans from oven and cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes; reduce oven temperature to 350ºF.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove sausage from casing; cook sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in broccoli and onion, bread cubes, broth, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

4. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon half of broccoli mixture into prepared dish; sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining broccoli mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through, about 30 minutes.

Results: The original recipe served 8, but that was definitely not a big enough serving, so I'm going to say it serves 6. It you serve this with a salad, or if you are a tiny bird, you may be able to make it serve 8.

Steven thinks this is going to be another yucky dinner.

This was sooooo good! The bread was nice and crunchy on top, but gooey and cheesy on the bottom, and the vegetables were cooked perfectly. I may, or may not, have licked the serving spoon as if it were covered with cake batter. Steven wouldn't touch it, Henry ate most of it.

Also, I'm starting a new feature to show how long a recipe took to make. I'll list the time it took from beginning to pull ingredients off the shelf to the meal being complete, so you can decide how much time you have to dedicate to dinner. This one took 40 minutes of active prep time, plus an additional 30 minutes cooking in the oven, so a total of 1 hour 20 minutes. I'll add a "tag" to the labels below. I would say this meal is worth the effort, but certainly not for a busy week-night!

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

Serves 4

1/2 lb ground turkey breast
2 tsp garlic herb seasoning, or Italian seasoning (I just used random spices)
cooking spray
2 tsp olive oil
small red onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
14 oz canned diced tomatoes
6 oz canned tomato paste
1/2 cup(s) fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
6 oz uncooked whole-wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup(s) basil, fresh, chopped
Parmesan cheese

1. Combine turkey breast and spices (I used thyme, parsley, garlic powder, etc.); mix
well to combine. Shape mixture into meatballs (about 1 tablespoons each).

2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil. Add onion, mushrooms (and any other veggies you want) and saute for about 8 minutes, until veggies are soft. Transfer veggies to a sauce pan. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and oregano; mix well. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

2. Coat the skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and sauté until browned on all sides, turning frequently, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions without oil.

Serve sprinkled with chopped basil and Parmesan cheese. (And garlic cheese bread for anyone not trying to lose weight!)

Results: It's spaghetti. How bad can it be? I really liked this sauce (it was thick and chunky), but Chris wanted it to be more "saucy". The turkey meatballs, however, were entirely flavorless. These really need to be spiced up. Surprisingly, I don't think whole-wheat pasta is that bad, so it you want to add a little more health to your diet, consider trying it.

Gnocchi with Peas, Proscuitto and Asparagus

I found this on Two Pink Hippos (they are my new fave this week)

Serves 4 (perfectly!)

16 oz packaged gnocchi
2 tbsp butter, unsalted
1/2 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1" pieces
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 oz proscuitto, sliced into thin strips
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Start a large pot of water boiling, for the gnocchi. Add gnocchi and boil, until they float to the top, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter, over medium heat. Add asparagus and saute for about 2-3 minutes, then stir in peas and chicken broth. Cook for another 3-4 minute, until asparagus is tender and peas are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.

3. Drain gnocchi and add to the skillet with 1 tbsp of butter. Add proscuitto and cook together for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally so sauce and gnocchi mix.

4. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Results: YUMMMMMMM! This was delicious. I've changed the cooking instructions, because our proscuitto was overcooked, but this recipe is still a keeper! Let me just tell you how next to impossible it was to find gnocchi though! I went to two grocery stores and had just about given up when I finally asked for help (and the clerk had NO IDEA what I was talking about.) A store manager finally led to to them in the Ethnic aisle, with the imported foods. (Behind a display of Kraft Parmesan cheese, no less!) I was expecting them to be refrigerated or frozen, but they were a dry good on the shelf. So, if you can't find them, don't give up! You must try this recipe!

Perfect to serve to dinner guests too!

Crunchy Peanut Noodles

I found this recipe on Two Pink Hippos

Serves 4 (officially, it serves 4, but they were pretty skimpy servings, so I'm gonna say serves 3)

3 tbsp reduced-fat peanut butter, smooth
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp water
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
4 oz uncooked linguini (I used 4 oz Pad Thai noodles)
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1/2 lb snow peas, fresh, trimmed and cut on diagonal in half
1/4 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 medium scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp unsalted dry roasted peanuts, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, water, sesame oil, sugar, and crushed red pepper until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

2. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water.

3. In a skillet, cook the garlic and shrimp, over medium-high heat, until shrimp is pink and opaque.

4. Combine the shrimp, linguine, peanut sauce, bell pepper, snow peas, cucumber, scallions, and cilantro in a large bowl. Toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with the peanuts before serving.

Results: I had high hopes for this one, because I love anything involving peanut butter, but this was a little disappointing. It didn't taste bad, it just didn't "WOW!" me.

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

Recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes

Serves 8 billion

2.5 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed
6 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
cumin
adobo (I couldn't find adobo, so I just added some extra sauce from the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
garlic powder
3/4 cup 99% fat free chicken broth
2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I used 3, p.s. you can freeze any that you don't use)
2 bay leaves

1. Season pork with salt and pepper. In a medium pan, sauté on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with cumin, adobo and garlic powder all over.

2. Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumulated at the bottom. Remove bay leaves.

Served with tortillas, rice (with cilantro and lime) and avocados.

Results: First, I've got to give Henry some props, because he helped me make this dish. Props, Hen!

Second, this was fantastic! Everyone loved this, except for Voldemort...I mean, He Who Shall Not Be Named. He would only eat the rice and the tortilla (but only the part that didn't touch the pork.) Everyone (except for me, because I'm disciplined like that) went back for seconds, even Henry. The pork had just the right amount of flavor, without being spicy at all. It was a little more difficult to prepare than I like my slow cooker recipes to be, but it was totally worth it.

Grilled Tilapia with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce

Recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes

Serves 6

1 tsp dark sesame oil, divided
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper*
1 cup chopped scallions*
1 tsp curry powder
2 tsp red curry paste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp Asian fish sauce
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro*
6 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
salt
Cooking spray

*Use your food processor to chop the red bell pepper, scallions and cilantro (separately) to make this easier to prepare. Be sure to have everything prepped and measured prior to cooking! Once you start, it happens fast!

1. Preheat broiler or grill (I am afraid of my broiler and also afraid of cooking fish inside my house. I grilled (or had my husband grill) the tilapia while I made the sauce. I'll leave the broiling instructions here, if you want to broil instead.)

2. Heat 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add pepper and scallions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, Asian fish sauce, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in cilantro or basil if using.

3. Brush fish with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with sauce.

Served with couscous and sugar snap peas.

Results: This meal is as delicious as it is pretty. My in-laws are visiting this weekend and I'm pretty sure they were licking their plates clean! The sauce is amazing! We had enough sauce left over for another meal, so I put it in the freezer and I'm hoping it will be just as yummy next time. Everything is very easy, but make sure you have everything prepped before you start cooking! Will definitely make this again!

Oh, and we knew the fish would be too much for the boys, so this is what they had:

Baked Bananas

Recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes

Saturday nights are dessert nights in our house!!!

For each serving:

1 banana
2 teaspoon honey
cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Peel and slice each banana in half lengthwise. Place in a glass dish. Sprinkle with honey and cinnamon.

3. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve with ice cream

Results: Obviously, NO ONE had any problems eating this! It was a simple and very, very easy dessert to make. I served with low-fat ice cream. Normally, I'm one of those girls who believe ice cream should be all fat, all the time. But I'm trying. We had Kroger light ice cream, Deluxe Churned Artisan Vanilla Bean and it was DELICIOUS! I never would have thought it was low-fat.

P.S. Sorry for the blurry picture. I was losing my light in the kitchen!