Lemon Chicken

I have had some pretty delicious and unhealthy lemon chicken in my day, but here is a healthier alternative! This is a pretty easy and healthy recipe that I got from Danny's mom.

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lb. fresh spinach, washed
4-6 cups prepared rice
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 lemons, to cut up and garnish

1. Boil chicken until thoroughly cooked, then drain and cut into small cubes. Steam spinach as flat leaves until darker and wilted, but not too soggy.
2. In saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and broth and cook until thick and opaque, stirring continually with a whisk. Take off heat and add soy sauce and lemon juice.
3. Place hot rice on a platter. Spread spinach over the rice. Place chicken on the spinach, then pour the lemon sauce over it all. Garnish with lemon slices.

Additional hint: This meal can be pretty quick as you can do multiple steps at once. Get the rice cooking, then put the chicken on the stove to boil. In the meantime you can begin steaming the spinach and making the sauce, so that most things get done right around the same time and you can throw it all together!

Skewered Tomato Chicken

This recipe is fast, easy, healthy, and one of Danny's all time favorites! I like it also, although perhaps am not quite as obsessed as Danny. :) It is from a healthy recipes book I think a few of you have as well.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. 2 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp clear honey
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
9 oz cherry tomatoes
freshly cooked couscous or rice, to serve
fresh rosemary sprigs to garnish (if desired)

1. Preheat the broiler to medium. Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks and place in bowl.
2. Mix the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and chopped rosemary together in a separate bowl. Add the chicken, stirring to coat evenly.
3. Thread the chicken pieces and cherry tomatoes alternately onto 8 presoaked wooden skewers, then spoon over the remaining glaze.
4. Cook the skewers under the hot broiler for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately on a bed of couscous or rice, garnished with rosemary sprigs.

Also, have any of you decided that you really dislike having to open a can of tomato paste for just a few tablespoons in a recipe, and then you don't end up using the rest in time? I definitely did! BUT I discovered a trick I quite like! After you open a can of tomato paste and don't finish it for a recipe, put the remaining paste in an ice cube tray, with 1 tbsp. in each compartment. Freeze them, and whoalah! You have pre-prepared 1 tbsp. amounts of tomato paste to be used in future recipes as needed!

Fresh English Pea Salad

This is Mike's favorite salad. Fresh and delicious. I also used the pea, olive oil, mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper idea tonight and added it to penne. Presto! Fresh English Pea Pasta.

2 cups water
1 cup shelled green peas (about one pound unshelled)-we use frozen
6 cups trimmed arugula-we used mixed greens
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ cup (2 ounces) shaved fresh pecorino romano cheese- we have used parmesan, but both are yummy

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add peas; cook 1 minute. Drian, plunge peas into ice water; drain
2. Combine peas, arugula, and mint in a large bowl. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup salad, and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Nutritional Information
Calories 90 (40% from fat); Fat 4 g (sat 1.3 g, mono 1.4g, poly 0.2g) Protein 5.6g; Carb 9.1g, Fiber 3.3g, chol 6mg; iron 1.1mg, Sodium 342 mg, calc 107mg

Orange Crunch Cake

I think Beans has a variation of this recipe too. If so, post it!

Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tablespoons grated orange zest

1 (16 ounce) can prepared vanilla frosting
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained (I have never used these)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch pans. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, walnuts and butter. Divide mixture evenly between the prepared pans. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cake mix, water, orange juice and oil until blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the orange zest. Pour the mixture evenly over the crunch layer in the pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting. Frost (crunch side up) between layers, on top and sides. Arrange orange sections on top, then refrigerate.
4. To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the vanilla frosting until light and fluffy, then mix in the whipped topping. Stir in the orange and lemon zest. Use frosting on completely cooled cake layers.

Pineapple Pork Fried Rice

A delightfully sweet but spicy fried rice recipe! Next time you make a meal with rice, consider making extra and saving it for this. Thank you chowtimes for the similar picture!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
About 4 oz fresh pineapple, finely chopped
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 green chilies, seeded and chopped
8 oz lean pork, cut into small dice
Salt an pepper
4 oz cooked shelled prawns (we have made it without this both times
but I'm sure it would be even better with!)
3-4 cups cooked cold rice
2 oz roasted cashew nuts
2 spring onions, chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce (once again, we did without this because we didn't have it)
1 tbsp soy sauce
10-12 mint leaves, to garnish (also did w/o as we didn't have any)
2 red chilies, sliced, to garnish
1 green chili, sliced, to garnish

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the onion and chilies and fry for about 3-5 minutes, until softened.
2. Season the pork with salt and pepper, then add it to the pan and cook until it is brown on all sides. Stir in the prawns (if using them) and rice and toss well together. Continue to stir-fry until the rice is thoroughly heated.
3. Add the chopped pineapple, cashew nuts, and spring onions. Season with fish sauce and soy sauce. Garnish with shredded mint leaves and red and green chilies.

If serving this for company, consider hollowing out the pineapple shell halves and serving the rice from the shell, similar to the picture displayed. Very elegant! :)

Delicious Four Cheese and Tomato Pizza

So Good! And you can create so many yummy variations of this pizza changing toppings, cheeses, sauces, etc. I've included some of the things I have tried with it and loved below.

Yields: 2 12 inch pizzas
Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
8 roma tomatoes, sliced (I used a little less and sliced them pretty thinly)
2 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crusts (or your own)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces shredded fontina cheese
10 fresh basil leaves, washed, dried
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

1. Stir together olive oil, garlic and salt; toss with tomatoes, and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Brush each pizza crust with some of the tomato marinade. Sprinkle the pizzas evenly with mozzarella and fontina cheeses. Arrange tomatoes overtop, then sprinkle with shredded basil, parmesan, and feta cheese.
3. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Variations: I have made a couple additions in the past that are also delicious. When we have had spinach I saute the spinach in a little olive oil and garlic and add that between the cheese layers. I've also added cappers to the toppings. Also, I have brushed pesto sauce on the crust as the base rather than the olive oil marinade, although I think I still like the marinade version a little better. And you can obviously change up the cheeses and their amounts depending on what is cheaper, what you have, and what you like. I don't think we've used the fontina because it was more expensive, and it still has been delicious!

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

We absolutely love this pizza. I have just bought prepared crusts in the past because it is fast and I still haven't found a recipe I particularly like. If anyone has a recipe or brand of pizza crust that you like, please, please, please post it or let me know!

Ingredients:

1 pizza crust
1/2 c. barbecue sauce (Danny likes it saucey, so we use more)
2 tbsp. barbecue sauce (additional)
1-2 grilled chicken breasts, shredded
¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
1-2 cups mozzarella cheese, or half mozzarella, half smoked gouda or Monterrey jack
2 Tbsp. Chopped cilantro

Delicious optional additions we have tried:
Sliced Roma tomatoes
1 green onion, sliced
Feta cheese (crumbled)

Preheat oven to 400. Mix the shredded chicken with the 2 tbsp. barbecue sauce until coated. Spread the 1/2 c. barbecue sauce on the pizza crust. Put half the cheese on the sauce, then add the chicken, onions, possibly tomatoes and green onions, and rest of the cheese (including feta if you are using it). Bake 10-12 minutes, then sprinkle with cilantro.

Tilapia and Summer Vegetable Packets

This is such a yummy light, fresh and summery meal. It is a fun way to cook fish. It keeps it nice and moist (I hate that word), and allows all the flavors to melt together. Picture and recipe from foodnetwork.com. I added carrots and about 4 times the capers. I have always used the oven variation as well.

Ingredients:

1 cup quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup diced summer squash
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
12 green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped black olives
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon capers, rinsed (I used 4 tsp.)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into 4 equal portions

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium. (No grill? See Oven Variation, below.)
2. Combine tomatoes, squash, onion, green beans, olives, lemon juice, oregano, oil, capers, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
3. To make a packet, lay two 20-inch sheets of foil on top of each other (the double layers will help protect the contents from burning); generously coat the top piece with cooking spray. Place one portion of tilapia in the center of the foil. Sprinkle with some of the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, then top with about 3/4 cup of the vegetable mixture.
4. Bring the short ends of the foil together, leaving enough room in the packet for steam to gather and cook the food. Fold the foil over and pinch to seal. Pinch seams together along the sides. Make sure all the seams are tightly sealed to keep steam from escaping. Repeat with more foil, cooking spray and the remaining fish, salt, pepper and vegetables.
5. Grill the packets until the fish is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. To serve, carefully open both ends of the packets and allow the steam to escape. Use a spatula to slide the contents onto plates.
6. Oven variation: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place green beans in a microwavable bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Cover and microwave on High until the beans are just beginning to cook, about 30 seconds. Drain and add to the other vegetables (Step 2). Assemble packets (Steps 3-4). Bake the packets directly on an oven rack until the tilapia is cooked through and the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes

Thai Peanut Chicken Wraps

This is one of the few dinners I make over and over. I promise you will love it!

Sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
6-8 eight to ten inch flour tortillas (I usually like wheat, Mark likes white)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast meat, in chunks or slices
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cups packaged broccoli slaw
1 medium raw red onion, cut into thin wedges
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Directions:
1. for peanut sauce: combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. set aside.
2. wrap tortillas in foil. bake in 350 degree oven about 10 minutes ot until heated and softened. meanwhile, combine garlic salt, pepper and chicken.
3. in a large skillet, heat the 1 teaspoon olive oil. cook and stir seasoned chicken in hot oil over medium-hight heat until cooked through. remove chicken from skillet; keep warm. add broccoli, onion and ginger to skillet. cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. remove from heat.
4. to assemble, top tortilla with chicken and vegetable mixture. spread each tortilla with about 1 tablespoon + peanut sauce. roll up each tortilla, securing with a wooden toothpick. serve immediately with remaining sauce

Emeril's Chicken-Patty Pockets

Fresh and Delicious!


recipe and picture from Martha Stewart, Everyday Food

Prep: 25 minutes Total: 25 minutes

This Mediterranean-inspired handheld dinner hits all the food groups. If you or your little helpers don't like spicy food, simply reduce the amount of cayenne pepper in the patties to a quarter teaspoon.

Ingredients
Serves 4.
• 1 pound ground dark-meat chicken
• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Pita pockets, for serving
• Lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, for serving
• Minted yogurt sauce (optional, below), for serving
•
• FOR THE MINTED YOGURT SAUCE
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat broiler, with rack in highest position. In a large bowl, combine chicken, egg whites, breadcrumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, and spices and mix until well blended. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Divide chicken mixture into 8 portions (about 2 1/2 to 3 ounces each) and place on sheet. Shape each into an oval patty and use your hand to flatten slightly. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over patties.

2. Broil until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes more. Serve in pita pockets, with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and minted yogurt sauce if desired.

3. Make the minted yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, fresh mint leaves, and fresh lime juice. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 hour, to allow flavors to come together.

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

I had this salad at a restaurant several months ago and was crazy about it. I was thrilled when I found the recipe on the Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond's) website.

Ingredients

• 3 whole Eggs
• 7 slices Thick Cut, Peppered Bacon
• 1 whole Red Onion, Small
• 1 package Mushrooms, White Button
• 8 ounces, weight Baby Spinach, Washed Dried And Stems Removed
• 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Dijon Mustard
• 1 dash Salt

Preparation Instructions

Cook eggs: cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn off heat and allow to sit in water for 20 minutes. Drain off water and add ice on top of eggs.

Fry bacon until crispy/chewy. Remove to a paper towel.

Remove 3 tablespoons grease and set aside.

Add 2 add’l tablespoons of grease to a separate skillet over medium heat.

Slice red onions very thinly, then add to skillet. Cook slowly until onions are caramelized and reduced. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Slice mushrooms and add them to the same skillet. Cook slowly until caramelized and brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Chop bacon.

Peel and slice eggs.

Make hot bacon dressing: Add 3 tablespoons bacon grease, vinegar, sugar, and Dijon to a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk mixture together and heat thoroughly.

Add spinach to a large bowl. Arrange onions, mushrooms, and bacon on top. Pour hot dressing over the top; toss to combine.
Arrange eggs over the top and serve.

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

I love this recipe. I found it on Cookinglight.com. The recipe calls for light coconut milk. When Jess was in town we made it with regular coconut milk, because that was all I had, and it was not as good. So, I would suggest using the light.

Serve with rice!

Prep: 40 min

Cook: 7 min

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
3 cups hot cooked basmati rice
4 lime wedges

Preparation:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add pepper and onions; cook 1 minute. Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.
3. Brush fish with 1/2 teaspoon 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, rice, and lime wedges.

Pudding Delight

Oh, so perfect. Cool and creamy! Make sure to let it sit in the fridge for at least a day before eating. If anyone has a variation for this one, feel free to post it. Oh yeah, this recipe is from allrecipes.

Prep: 25 min.
Cook: 0, but let sit in the fridge overnight
Servings: Hmmm, probably 10, but Mark and I finish it off in a couple of days :)

Ingredients:

2 individually packages graham crackers
2 (3 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping, thawed
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
1/4 cup milk

Directions:

1. Line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with graham crackers. In a large bowl combine pudding mix and milk. Stir well. Stir whipped topping into pudding mixture. Spread half of mixture over graham cracker layer. Top with another layer of graham crackers and the remaining pudding. Top all with a final layer of graham crackers.


2. To make frosting: Over medium-high heat, mix cocoa and sugar in a saucepan. Add vanilla, butter and milk. Boil for 1 minute and set aside to cool.


3. Spread glaze over the final layer of graham crackers.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

We like the additional flavor in these yummy enchiladas. And they are still great as leftovers (I've been happily eating them for about 3 days straight!)

Time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

Yields: About 6 enchiladas, or one 9"x13" pan

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 15 oz. can black beans (the recipe didn't call for this, but I didn't have enough chicken one time so supplemented it with black beans and decided we liked it better that way anyway! If you don't want the black beans, just add another 1/2 lb. chicken)
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream (I use low-fat)
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 small onion, chopped up
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
• 2 1/2 tbsp. taco seasoning (equivalent of one 1.25 ounce packet)
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped, divided
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 5-6 (12 inch) flour tortillas
• 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
• 1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce (I like the taste of green enchilada sauce best)
• Optional: 1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives (We omit these)

Directions:

1. Combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to a light bubble over low heat, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and cover to keep warm. You can do this step while cooking or shredding the chicken.
2. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, black beans, chopped green chilies, taco seasoning, half of the bunch of chopped green onion, and water. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder; simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350. Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture into the skillet with the chicken mixture. Spread the remaining soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
4. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the chicken filling before folding the tortillas, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping the enchiladas. Fold tortillas over the filling and place seam-side down in the prepared pan.
5. Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Cover with remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the reserved chopped green onions and the sliced olives (if using them) on top of the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25-30 minutes.

Pumpkin Cake

This recipe makes delicious moist pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients:
4 eggs

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. Pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

Frosting:
1 cup butter
8 oz. softened cream cheese
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tsp. milk if needed
Dash of salt (if unsalted butter)

Mix the eggs until frothy. Add the sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until well mixed, about 2 minutes. Combine dry ingredients – stir into pumpkin mixture or beat on low for about 1 minute. Mix well. Pour into greased sheet pan. Bake at 350 for around 25 minutes, or until it springs back to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool.

While it is cooling, begin the frosting. Beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla and a little salt if needed together with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the milk if needed to get it to a spreadable consistency. Spread evenly over the cooled cake and enjoy!

Chicken Ham Lasagna

Not the quickest meal, but so yummy.


image from cookinglight.com

2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces, divided
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Cooking spray
12 no-cook lasagna noodles (8 ounces)
8 ounces thinly sliced 96% fat-free deli ham, chopped
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Place broth and ¼ tsp pepper in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Add chicken; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan with a slotted spoon; set aside.

3. Combine milk, flour, and remaining ¼ tsp. pepper; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add milk mixture to broth in pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens (usually takes me as much as 10 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup cheese and parsley, stirring until cheese melts.

4. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles over sauce. Spoon ¾ cup sauce evenly over noodles. Top evenly with one-third of ham and one-third of chicken. Repeat with remaining sauce. Sprinkle evenly with remaining ½ cup cheese.

5. Cover with foil very lightly coated with cooking spray; bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove and discard foil; bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

Yield: 8 Servings.

Summer Tomato Pasta

Not a picture of the pasta, but this pasta recipe looks similar...

This is one of our favorite pasta dishes. It's a wonderful, fresh summer dish that doesn't weigh you down.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves probably around 4 (if serving with a side)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups dried penne
1 pound plum tomatoes
10 ounces mozarrella, drained
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
grated zest and juice of one lemon
15 fresh basil leaves, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Quarter the tomatoes and remove the seeds, then chop the flesh into small cubes. Slice the mozzarella into similar-size pieces. Mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, grated lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and the basil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and mozzarella and let stand until the pasta is cooked. Drain the pasta and toss with the tomato mixture. serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Tomato and Feta Cheese Chicken

I wish I had a picture of this dish because it is so beautiful and colorful. This is one of Danny and my favorite dishes, and you feel so refreshed after eating it. Absolutely incredible in the summer with fresh, flavorful tomatoes from a farmer's market!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (instead we use chicken tenders)
• 2 Tbsp. zesty Italian salad dressing (instead I either brush a little olive oil on the chicken and then flavor it with a dry Italian dressing mix I make, see below, or skip the oil and just season with the mix)
• 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper (I don't have white so use black)
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 green onion, chopped

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to broil setting. Brush chicken breasts with dressing and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and pepper; let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Broil the chicken for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until chicken is almost done.
3. Remove chicken from broiler and arrange tomato, cheese, and green onion on each chicken breast. Return to oven and broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.

Feel free to alter ingredients a bit to suit your time or tastes. I've made it before just seasoning it with mostly salt and pepper beforehand and it was still delicious, and definitely just eyeball the amount of tomato and feta cheese I use because we love our chicken to be COVERED with the combination. Cherry/grape tomatoes were delightful in the dish as well.

Following are 2 dry Italian dressing mixes I have made and used in the recipe:

Mix 1:

• 1/3 cup dry grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp celery seed (less if you prefer)
• 1 tbsp sesame seed

Mix 2:

• 1 tbsp garlic salt
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oregano
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. basil
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1/4 tsp. celery salt

Both of these mixes will keep for several months in an air tight container. If you want to actually make dressing out of them (which I haven't yet done... only used it as seasoning in recipes) they both call for 1/4 cup vinegar or cider vinegar, 2/3 cup oil, and 2 tbsp. water. Mix 1 calls for 1 tbsp of the mix to be combined with those ingredients, while mix 2 calls for 2 tbsp. of the mix.

Butternut Squash Risotto

This is our favorite risotto. I've always used turmeric in place of saffron and bacon instead of pancetta, just because of the price. Someday I'll make it the real way but the substitutes are delicious!

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, about 2 lbs

2 Tb olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 C chicken stock

3 Tb unsalted butter

2 oz pancetta, diced

1/2 C minced shallots

1 1/2 C arborio rice (10 oz)

1/2 C dry white wine

1 tsp saffron threads

1 C freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Clean out the seeds. Put a little water in the bottom of a lasagna dish and place squash halves, cut side down in the pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 40 minutes or until squash is soft and can be scooped out.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a large pot, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for ten minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not brown. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice pluss the saffron, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total (or more). Remove from heat.

Once the squash is finished, scoop it from the peel and puree it till smooth. Add the squash puree and parmesan to the risotto and mix well.

Onion Fontina Beer Bread

It might be a little embarrassing if you run into a ward member while buying the beer for this bread. That's why I recommend buying a whole pack of beer at once so you can bring a loaf to the witnesses and have some left to make more loaves for yourself. I promise you will want more of it! This really is one of my favorite things, and it accompanies many soups and salads really nicely.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fontina cheese
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (amber ale)
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Cool to room temperature.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add onion, cheese, and beer; stir just until moist.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; drizzle evenly with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes; brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake an additional 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

I have made this recipe with white whole wheat flour (whole wheat flour made from white wheat kernels) and that is really good as well, but I confess I like it best with all purpose flour.

Magnolia's Buttercream Frosting

(Magnolia is a well-known bakery in NYC.)

I feel like I've finally found what I've been looking for in a buttercream frosting with this recipe. So delicious. Enjoy.



15 min | 15 min prep

For 24 cupcakes or Two-layer 9-in cake
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 6-8 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For Three-Layer 9-in Cake
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
• 8-10 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla.
3. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency.
5. Note: You may not need to add all of the sugar.

You can store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. I still like to refrigerate mine to keep the butter cool and stiff.

Strawberry Oat Muffins

A five plus star recipe, brought to us by our very own Chef #5. Could not wait to let her post it because it is that delicious. I can't stop making it. It was originally a Blueberry Oat recipe, but she was genius enough to throw some ripe strawberries diced up instead. She also was the one to half and half on the wheat/white flour ratio. It has become a Sorensen classic.


photo from allrecipes.com

Makes 12 • prep time: 25 minutes • total time: 45 min + cooling
From the Kitchen of: Bekah, via allrecipes.com

½ cup quick cooking oats
½ cup orange juice
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup white sugar
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
½ cup vegetable oil (or ¼ c. oil, ¼ c. applesauce)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped (or whole blueberries)

Top With:
2 tsp sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin. IN a small bowl, mix the oats and orange juice together. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Thoroughtly blend in the oil and egg. Stir in the oat mixture, and fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups.

3. Mix 2 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle evenly over the tops of the muffins.

4.Bake 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins

Shell, you may have to verify the "healthy" portion of the title (is 1/2 cup butter too much?), but these muffins are really delicious. Super moist and a great way to use up those old bananas without having to throw chocolate chips into the mix for extra flavor.





Makes 12 • prep time: 20 minutes • total time: 45 min + cooling
From the Kitchen of: Everyday Food, Martha Stewart

1 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
¾ cup all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
¼ cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas (about a pound)
1/3 cup reduced-fat 2% milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup frozen blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together flours, wheat germ, baking soda and salt.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after watch addition. In another bowl, mash bananas with a fork (you should have ¾ cup); stir in milk and vanilla.

3. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Fold in frozen blueberries.

4. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, transfer muffins to a rack to cool 10 minutes more.

Per muffin: 222 cal: 9.2g fat (5.3 g sat fat); 4.4 g protein; 32.3 g carb; 2.6g fiber

Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze

I love cooking fish, and this is my favorite salmon recipe! I found it on foodnetwork, and it is actually supposed to be grilled, but I have always broiled it. I wish I had a picture.

Prep: 20 min.
Cook: 10-20 min
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
3 tbs. brown sugar
1 tbs honey
1 tbs. butter
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. finely grated ginger
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 salmon fillets

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler
2. Lay salmon fillets on tin foil covered pan. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the brown sugar, honey and butter. Remove from heat and whisk in the mustard, soy sauce, ginger and olive oil.
4. Spread 1/3 sauce on salmon and broil for a few minutes (until halfway done). Take salmon out, flip it over and cover with 1/3 sauce and return to broiler until done. Use the remaining 1/3 sauce to spread on salmon as you like.

Sweet Potato Fries With Rosemary and Parmesean

This is one of my favorite things to make for a warm lunch. Sometimes sandwiches just get old, y'know? I also love it as a side for barbecues, rather than regular fries. Our guests have also given rave reviews. I took the recipe and the photo from Skinny Chef. Do I need to worry about copyright issues?

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes, about 2 pounds, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika (I don't bother measuring the seasonings, I just sprinkle them)
Non-fat cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Slice the sweet potatoes into long matchsticks about 1/4-inch in thickness. Spread out the fries in one even layer on the cookie sheet, so they are not touching, (otherwise they will become soggy). Drizzle with olive oil and mix so that they are all coated. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the fries are golden on the outside and soft on the inside. Sprinkle with Parmesan, rosemary, black pepper, and paprika. Bake an additional 5 minutes until the rosemary becomes fragrant. Season with additional salt if needed and serve immediately.

Garlic Cheese Fondue

This really is my favorite fondue of all time, and I personally consider it even better than any dessert fondue I've had. This is the one we made last summer in California for fondue night.

Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb swiss cheese, grated
1/2 lb gruyere cheese, grated
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (or black if you don't have it)
About 2 cups white wine

3 garlic cloves, minced

For dipping:

Crusty bread

Steamed broccoli

Steamed cauliflower

Combine both cheeses, flour, nutmeg, and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Bring 1 cup of wine and garlic to a simmer in a heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add cheese mixture by handfuls, whisking until melted and smooth after each addition. Boil out the alcohol in the remaining wine, and mix in little by little until it reaches the desired consistency. Transfer to a fondue pot, and serve with bread, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, or whatever your heart desires! (although those originally suggested are MY favorites!)

Romano's Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread

Prep: 2 1/4 hours
Bake: 15-20 minutes
Makes 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rosemary
2 tablespoons butter

Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly. Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour. Add one tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary. Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add more flour if necessary. Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel. Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled. Punch down dough and divide in half. Let dough rest about 5 minutes. Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray. Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves. Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface. Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired.).

Someone also made the suggestion to brush egg whites over the bread twice, once halfway through baking and the other toward the end. I would love to try that as they said it would give the bread more crustiness, but haven't yet! Let me know if one of you try that before I do and tell me how it goes!

Apple-Pecan Sticky Buns

MAKES: 9 PREP: 45 MIN BAKE: 40 MIN

2 tart apples, such as granny smith-peeled, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 ¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 ½ sticks (6 oz.) butter, softened
2 cups flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup chopped pecans
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Place the apples, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter on a parchment paper lined baking sheet; toss to coat. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and roast until tender, 15 min. Lower the oven temperature to 350.

2. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, blend the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt at low speed. Add 5 tablespoons butter and mix until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with ½ cup cream, then mix into the dry ingredients.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to form a 9-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, mix ½ cup brown sugar, the pecans and cinnamon. Cut up 2 tablespoons butter and dot the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on top and cover evenly with the roasted apples. Roll up the dough, jelly-roll style, and cut crosswise into 9 slices; place the slices cut side down in the prepared baking pan. Bake until golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

4. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon salt and the honey to a boil, stirring. Whisk until reduced, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly. Drizzle the sauce over the warm buns.

…and yes, they will stick to your buns

Artichoke Chicken

Prep: 20 minutes
Cooks: 30 minutes
Servings: 4


Ingredients:

1 (15 oz) can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped (I squeeze out all the excess water with paper towel. If you don't the dish turns out too runny)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/8 cup low fat mayonnaise
3/8 cup low fat sour cream
2 tsp. minced garlic
3 strips turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb. chicken tenders

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
   
2. In a medium bowl, mix together artichoke heart, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, garlic and bacon. Place chicken in a greased baking dish, and cover evenly with artichoke mixture.
   
3. Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink.