Poppy Seed Chicken and Clementine Salad

Serves 4 (I made the dressing as is, but cut the chicken, clementines and greens in half because this was just for Chris and I. I was thinking I would use the dressing for another salad tomorrow, but half of it on two salads didn't seem like enough, so I used all of it. So I guess what I'm saying is, make your own call.)

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
1/2 small shallot, sliced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
6 cups packed mixed baby greens
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
4 clementines, peeled and separated into segments
1 cup grapes, halved

1. To make dressing, place vinegar, honey, water, shallot, mustard, oil, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper in mini food processor; process until shallot it finely chopped and dressing is well blended.

2. Combine greens, chicken, clementines, and grapes in large bowl; drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.

Results: This dressing was so good and really easy to make! This salad was amazing-so colorful and filling! Chris and I both loved it. I'll definitely be working this into the dinner rotation.

Recipe from Fresh, Fabulous Fast by Weight Watchers. (Are you sensing a trend lately?)

Masala Shrimp Kebabs with Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4

1 & 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (plus a little extra for garnish)
2 tablespoons minced scallions
grated zest of 1 lemon
4 pieces whole wheat flatbread
4 nectarines, pitted and halved
4 teaspoons honey (optional)

1. Spray grill with cooking spray and preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Stir together chili powder, garam masala, oil, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in large bowl; add shrimp and toss to coat. Thread shrimp onto metal skewers. Place skewers on grill and cook, turning once, until just opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.

3. At the same time, place nectarines, cut side down, on grill and cook until slightly softened, also about 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, to make sauce, stir together yogurt, mint, scallions, lemon zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in small bowl. Serve shrimp with flatbread and sauce. Drizzle nectarines with 1 teaspoon honey and extra mint for garnish.

Results: Stop reading this and go buy the ingredients to make this for dinner tonight! Oh my yum, it is so good. I was sad when I finished this because there was no more to eat. We buy 2 lb bags of frozen shrimp and Chris suggested that next time I make this dish, I just use up the whole bag. DELICIOUS. AMAZING. I think I'm drooling a little just thinking about it.

Oh, and this is such a pretty meal too, that it would be great to serve to dinner guests. I already said the next dinner guests we have are getting this meal.

The recipe is from the Fresh, Fabulous, Fast cookbook by Weight Watchers.

Steak Salad with Spinach and Oranges

Serves 4

1 (1-pound) sirloin steak, trimmed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 navel oranges
1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted salted almonds

1. Spray grill rack with cooking spray. Preheat grill on high.

2. Sprinkle steak with cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Place steak on grill pan and cook 3-4 minutes on high. Reduce temperature to medium-high, flip steak and cook 3-4 minutes to desired degree of doneness. Transfer steak to cutting board and let stand 2-3 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices.

3. Meanwhile, to make salad, peel oranges, removing all white pith. Cut oranges into rounds; cut rounds into quarters. Place oranges in large bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, lemon juice, oil and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat.

4. Divide salad evenly among 4 serving plates and top evenly with steak. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.

Served with grilled red potatoes.

Results: I tell you, I wrinkled my nose up at putting any kind of rub on sirloin. It doesn't need it! But, I was wrong, because the cumin blend tasted so great on this steak. And can I give my husband some props for grilling this steak to PERFECTION. I mean, for realsies! Look at that picture!

So, in case you couldn't tell, I really liked this meal. I loved the cumin on the steak and the salad was yummy. Very filling and satisfying meal. Chris loved it too. I didn't even realize until I was typing in the recipe that I forgot the almonds. They would have been great on this salad.

The boys had this lovely creation. That's all Chris, baby!

This recipe came from the Fresh, Fabulous, Fast cookbook by Weight Watchers. If you can get your hands on one of these cookbooks, I HIGHLY recommend it. Almost every recipe in this book has been amazing. Or, Fabulous, I guess!

Citrus Chicken with Napa Slaw

Serves 4 (but we got a lot more servings out of this...)

3 Tbsp Eden Mirin (rice cooking wine)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
5 cups cabbage, all varieties, Napa, thinly sliced (I used a 12 oz pre-shredded package of slaw)
3 cups Chicken breast without skin, roasted, shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken)
1 cup shredded carrots
3 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Crunchy chow mein noodles

1. Whisk together the mirin, lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, chicken, carrots, scallions, and cilantro; toss well to coat. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 2 hours.

2. To serve, sprinkle crunchy chow mein noodles on top.

Results: If you buy the ingredients pre-shredded/pre-cooked, this was super easy to put together! I thought this was really nice and fresh tasting and the leftovers held up well for several days. This would be a great salad to bring to a picnic or party, but as a "dinner", it wasn't that filling.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Shrimp in Lime-Butter Sauce

Serves 4

1 pound large shrimp, peeled & deveined
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp light butter
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3 scallions, coarsely chopped
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground

1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Spray a nonstick skillet with olive-oil nonstick spray and heat over medium heat, then add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are just opaque in the center, 3–4 minutes on each side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

2. Add the garlic and broth to the skillet and cook until the broth is reduced by
one-half, 3–4 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and butter, stirring to blend. Add the cilantro and scallions and cook about 30 seconds longer to heat the shrimp through. Season with the salt and pepper.

Served with Udon noodles and sugar snap peas

Results: Simple to make and very delicious! I chopped the cilantro and scallions and minced the garlic early in the day to make preparation super easy for dinner. I wouldn't change a thing about this one. Perfect!

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Basil-Crusted Cod

Serves 4

4 cod or halibut filets, about 1/2 inch thick
1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onions, finely chopped
3 Tbsp uncooked cornmeal
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray. Place the fish in the baking dish.

2. Combine the basil, onion, cornmeal, oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture evenly on top of each piece of fish. Bake, uncovered, until the fish is just opaque in the center and lightly browned and crisp on top, about 10 minutes.

Served with grits and salad.

Results: This was very easy to make, but only mediocre tasting. I was more excited about eating the grits. I doubt I'll repeat it.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Dijon Pork Cutlets

Serves 4

4 boneless pork chops
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
cooking spray
1/4 cup water

1. Combine mustard and next three ingredients in a small bowl. Place pork in a shallow dish; spoon 2 tablespoons mustard mixture over pork, turning to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add pork, and cook 4 minutes on one side; turn pork and spoon reserved mustard mixture over pork. Cook pork 2 minutes or just until done.

3. Add water, stirring slightly; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Turn
pork to coat, and place on a serving platter. Pour pan juices over pork.

Served with salad and roasted butternut squash slices.

Results: another easy and tasty pork recipe. The original recipe had you pounding the pork chops with a mallet, but I really don't think this thinned out the pork at all, so I took it out of this recipe. The sauce was really good.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Maple-Glazed Chicken Thighs

Serves 4

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
8 chicken thighs
Sesame seeds (optional)

1. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, soy sauce and lemon juice; set aside.

2. Place chicken, meaty side down, on greased grill over medium heat; cover and cook, turning once, for 10 minutes.

3. Turn chicken and baste with syrup mixture; cook, turning and basting again, for 10 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).

Served with roasted potatoes and watermelon. (It was Canada Day, so I used a cookie cutter to cut the watermelon into maple leaf shapes. I would NOT do this again...way too much effort, but they were cute!)

Results: Doesn't it seem like some marinades are so difficult to make, and you can barely taste them? This is not one of those. Super simple to make (no chopping, come on!) and a very subtle sweet taste to the chicken. Keeper!

Recipe from Canadian Living's Best Barbecue Cookbook

Philly Cheese Steaks

Serves 4

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp sugar
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 pound raw lean flank steak, cut into thin slices
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 whole-grain hamburger rolls
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Coat a large, nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add onion, mushrooms and sugar and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove onion and mushrooms from pan; set aside.

3. Add steak to skillet and sauté until browned and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and cook until liquid is absorbed.

4. Slice rolls in half. Divide steak evenly between rolls and top with onion/mushroom mixture and cheese. Wrap in foil, transfer to oven and bake until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.

Served with steak fries and fresh strawberries.

Results: These were sooooo delicious! Writing this post makes me want them for dinner tonight, but damn it...we're having pork chops instead. The original recipe didn't have the mushrooms, but they are a definite must! I was skeptical of what the sugar was going to do, but it really gave the onions a nice sweetness. These were so good! In case it's not obvious, I really liked these. I liked them so much that I didn't even care if the boys ate them or not. Which they did not. Heathens.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Serves 4

3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1/8 tsp salt
6 oz uncooked pasta, orecchiette or other small pasta (I used Ditalinni)
1/4 cup basil, fresh, cut into thin strips
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheeses

1. Place the tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle with the salt. Place in the sink; let drain about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to the package directions, omitting the salt if desired. Drain; keep warm.

3. Combine the tomatoes, basil, garlic, oil, and pepper in a serving bowl; let stand about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Add the pasta and mozzarella; toss until the cheese softens. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Results: Anything "caprese" has got to be good. This was a quick, easy and delicious pasta dish.

BBQ Chicken & Tangy Coleslaw Sandwiches

Serves 4

1 1/2 cup green cabbage, finely shredded
3 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 cup Chicken breast without skin, roasted, shredded (I used a store bought rotisserie chicken)
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
4 whole wheat rolls

1. Combine the cabbage, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 10 minutes for the flavors to develop or until ready to use, up to 6 hours.

2. Meanwhile, combine the chicken and barbecue sauce in a medium nonstick saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 4 minutes.

3. Slice the rolls horizontally almost all the way through; spread open. Place the warm chicken mixture then the coleslaw on the bottoms of the rolls. Serve while warm.

Results: Wow! We have been having some awesome luck with sandwich night at our house, and these were no exception. These have the added bonus of being extremely easy! I prepped everything early in the day, and all I had to do was heat up the chicken before dinner. Will definitely work these into the sandwich night rotation!

Marbled Chocolate Mousse

Serves 8 (about 1/2 cup each)
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cooking Time: 2 minutes, Chilling Time: at least 5 minutes, I let mine set for a few hours

1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk*
1 cup cold milk
1 (3.9-ounce) package chocolate instant pudding mix
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
2 cups frozen, fat-free whipped topping, thawed

*the original recipe called for full-fat condensed milk. I used fat-free, and didn't notice any problems with consistency. Save the fat!

1. Place milk and 1 cup cold water in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium-low speed until blended. Add pudding mix; beat until smooth. Stir in melted chocolate. Cover and chill 5 minutes. (Again, I made mine earlier in the day and let it sit until dessert time.)

2. Gently fold in whipped topping, leaving large chocolate streaks. Spoon into serving dishes.

Results: Don't get me wrong, this was really tasty, and really easy to make, but it did taste a little like "instant pudding" to me. That doesn't mean I didn't eat it, mind you. The kids and the husband loved it. I thought it was good. Just good. I'll put it this way, you won't be wowing any quests with your dessert making skills with this one. We had the leftovers the next day and they were really good. I don't know how this would turn out, but I was thinking you could freeze these in little muffin tins and keep them in the freezer and just pop one in your mouth whenever you needed a chocolate fix. I may have to try that, because this is one easy dessert.

Pepper Steak and Watercress Sandwiches

Serves 4
Prep time: 1 minute (seriously), Cooking Time: 6-8 minutes (steak fries add 20 minutes)

2 (1/4-pound) filet mignon steaks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
4 whole grain rolls, split and toasted
1 cup watercress sprigs*

*Note: if you don't want to buy watercress, you can substitute any other lettuce. I did buy it, and I've been using the leftovers (because there are a lot) to add to sandwiches the rest of the week.

1. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook until medium, 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer to cutting board and let stand 3 minutes. Slice steaks into 3/4-inch slices. (Note: you could obviously cook these on the grill too.)

2. Meanwhile, stir together yogurt and horseradish in small bowl.

3. Spread cut sides of rolls evenly with yogurt mixture. Fill rolls evenly with steak and watercress.

Served with steak fries.

Results: Delicious and soooooo easy to make! The yogurt spread was yummy too. I added chopped chives to it because I had some that weren't going to last much longer. I will say this is not nearly enough meat for four sandwiches though! I bought two (4-oz) filets and used them for two sandwiches (the boys didn't eat these.) So, these are great for dinner guests, but make sure to buy one filet per person. My only complaint about an otherwise perfect recipe!

Corn & Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

Serves 4
Prep Time: 7 minutes (includes cooking onions and sauce), Cooking Time: 30 minutes

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernel
4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas, each cut into 6 wedges
1/3 cup shredded low-fat Mexican cheese blend

1. Spray 7x11-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. To make sauce, heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce and chili powder; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, stir together beans and corn in medium bowl. Arrange 8 of the tortilla wedges in overlapping layer in bottom of prepared baking dish. Spoon one-third of the sauce on top; top with half of the bean mixture. Repeat layering with 8 of the remaining tortilla wedges, half of the remaining sauce, and the remaining bean mixture. Top with remaining 8 tortilla wedges; spread with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese blend.

4. Bake casserole at 350* until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Results: I will say that this meal was SUPER easy to prepare. I made the casserole early in the day, so we just needed to throw it in the oven at dinner time. However, this was SOOOOOO boring. There was nothing particularly great about it (except the prep time.) And the tomato sauce, which seems like something you'd put in Italian dishes, was weird with the black beans, corn and tortillas.

Henry, however, loved this. Sorry, Henry, I won't be making this one again.

Karate Night Pizzas (or Three-Cheese and Tomato Pizzas)

Serves 4 (Chris didn't think one pita was filling enough for him, so make an extra one if you have an appetite!)
Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cooking Time: 5 minutes

4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

optional: chopped fresh basil, pepperoni

1. Preheat oven to 425*.

2. Arrange pita breads on baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 1 minute on each side.

3. Top pita breads evenly with goat cheese and mozzarella. Arrange tomatoes on top; sprinkle with Parmesan. Heat until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with oregano.

Served with fresh strawberries.

Results: Thursday nights are crazy nights in our house, because Steven takes karate early in the evening. So I try to find something simple and quick that we can make between picking him up from school and getting him ready for karate. This meal is perfect for that! And even better, Steven LOVED them (and even requested one for lunch the next day!), so he has asked that we have them every Thursday night and they are now known as "Karate Night Pizzas". Shockingly, he said they were "even better than Dominos!"

These are super simple to make and you can customize everyone's pizza. (We left the tomatoes off the boys' pizzas and added pepperoni, added basil to ours, etc...) I thought these would be missing something (hellooooooo...pizza sauce!) but they weren't missing a thing. Delicious! Can't wait for Thursday nights!

Oh, and can I just point out that my boys love goat cheese? Weirdos! Steven won't eat a pot roast but give him some goat cheese and he's all set!

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?

Steak, Fried Onions, and Potatoes Salad with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

Serves 4

1 lb very thin-cut beef (I used top round, thinly sliced and advertised as "skillet steak")
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for coating the meat
Grill seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 to 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese**
Salt and black pepper
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped arugula or watercress
1/2 cup canned fried potato sticks
1/2 cup canned fried onions**

**Notes: The original recipe called for 1/3 lb of blue cheese, which would have been a little more than 5 oz. I used 5 ounces and it was WAY too much. I would halve it, and go from there. Trust me. Also, if it's not Thanksgiving, it's surprisingly difficult to find fried onions. I finally found them with the canned vegetables.

1. Preheat a large grill pan (I used a skillet) over high heat. Coat the meat with olive oil, then season on both sides with grill seasoning. Cook the meat for 3 minutes on each side, then let it rest for 10 minutes to cool.

2. While the meat cooks, assemble the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the Worcestershire, mustard, and red wine vinegar. Stream in about 1/3 cup olive oil while whisking constantly. Stir in the blue cheese. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

3. Chop the rested steak into bite-size pieces. Place the chopped greens in a salad bowl and toss with the chopped steak, potato sticks, fried onions, and blue cheese dressing.

Results: Rachel Ray said this recipe was (wait for it...) YUM-O! and with fried onions, how could she be wrong? It was just OK in my opinion, but Chris really liked it. There was way too much blue cheese, but I will say I loved the crunchy onions and potato sticks in the salad. This recipe was SOOOOO easy to make, so it's worth repeating on a busy night. I think I would add tomatoes or a red pepper to the salad.

Pasta Primavera in Blue Cheese Sauce

Serves 4

1/2 lb Linguine, cooked
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup zucchini, diced
1/2 cup yellow squash, diced
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 oz crumbled blue cheese

1. Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish. Heat in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Served with Caprese Salad

Results: No, the instructions are not a misprint. That is ALL there is to making this dish. I couldn't believe how simple this meal was to prepare, and the taste was out of this world! It was so delicious, I can't wait to make it again. The Caprese salad was *perfect* with this dish, but then again, when is a Caprese salad NOT perfect?

If my husband took the leftovers to work for lunch today, he might want to sleep with one eye open.

Grilled Salmon with Garlic, Lemon, and Basil

Serves 4

Sauce:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 garlic cloves, minced

Salmon:
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. To prepare sauce, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper; add fish to grill, skin side up. Tent loosely with tin foil. Grill four minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with sauce.

Served with mashed potatoes and peas.

Results: This sauce was super easy to make, and would also taste great on chicken. I didn't think this made enough sauce for four people, but it worked for Chris and I, because the kids didn't want any of the sauce. So tangy and fresh tasting...a keeper!