Baked Sweet Potato Fries

If it’s possible for you to believe, I had never eaten sweet potatoes until August 1st.  What’s harder for me to believe is that I’d never eaten the fabulous potato created by a Texas A&M professor! :)  Nonetheless, so far I at least know I like them in baked french fry form.  I have yet to try them any other way.

The following day, I  decided to make some at home to go alongside our Mexican Turkey Burgers.  This recipe was perfect!  I should say that I should have sliced these potatoes into a smaller fry; I think they would have cooked better.

Ingredients

1 lb peeled sweet potatoes cut into 1/4" match-sticks
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
1/8 tsp black pepper
*you want 1 lb sweet potatoes after they are peeled, sliced, etc. If you weigh them at the store make sure you have a little more than a pound to allow for the peeling, and tossing of small pieces.

Directions

In a small bowl combine cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, parsley, and pepper.

Place sweet potatoes in a pile directly on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use hands to toss until all pieces are well coated. Sprinkle seasoning mixture on top and toss again with hands to coat.

Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer so that pieces are not touching each other. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Use a metal spatula to gently flip fries and then return pan to oven. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until fries are starting to lightly brown and crisp. Remove pan from oven and cool 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Mexican Turkey Burger

The sous chef and I are VERY excited to share this recipe!  We both were so surprised by the flavor and tastiness of this recipe.

I’ve recently started reading Bethenny Frankel’s Naturally Thin in order to possibly change my whole way of thinking on how I nourish my body.  I took a browse on her website and found this recipe.  We were so impressed with the flavor of this turkey burger, and my new bosses :) thought it looked super yummy the next day when I brought in my leftovers for lunch.  The sous chef and I were discussing, post-dinner, about how we didn’t even realize that we were eating turkey as we ate this dinner.

We also dressed this burger with wheat buns, mango pico de gallo, and romaine lettuce.  No sauces or cheese involved.

I seriously SERIOUSLY think  you need to add this to your meal plans this week or next.  You won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey meat (white if ultra lowfat, dark for more flavor, a mixture for a combination of elements)
¼ red pepper, chopped
¼ yellow pepper, chopped small (if you only have one color, that is fine)
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp. chili powder
Dash of tobasco
Dash of Worcestershire Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine and broil until cooked and center isn't pink at all.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

According to the brand new parents, Carissa and Nick, these are some pretty amazing cookies :)  The sous chef and I went with some other friends to celebrate and congratulate C&N on the arrival on their new twin girls, and I brought these delicious cookies with us.  I trust C&N’s taste as C is a pretty good cook/baker herself.   Not to mention, the sous chef loved these himself.  I, too, have to admit that these rank right up there with another one of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes.

I was also pretty excited to share in making the first post for The Way the Cookie Crumbles.  I think she does a fabulous job with her blog, and I was shocked that I migrated all the way to her first post!  It was pretty exciting to do this as I don’t think I’ve done this with any other blog that I follow.

Nonetheless, make a trip to grab some cream cheese and pop these babies in the oven!

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.  Whisk the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.  Beat butter, cream cheese, and sugars until creamy; add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by 1-inch spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.  Bake until brown around edges and center is set.  Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes; transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Also!  Credit goes to the sous chef for photography on this post ;)

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

While shopping through Sam’s Club the other day, the sous chef and I came across La Madeline’s salad dressings.  Yep, they sell the Caesar and Balsamic in bottles there.  Well, my sous chef began to salivate a little, and I assured him that I could make fresher and healthier salad dressings/vinaigrette at home from scratch as I have in the past.

Thus, a few nights ago, I tried another new one!  After this salad was served, it didn’t take long for the sous chef to finish and plead for another salad.  Haha!  He asks, “Did you take a picture already?” Chomp chomp chomp. “Because you HAVE to blog about this one!  It’s soooooo good!”  So there ya have it.  It’s a winner salad dressing!  Yes, and I liked it too :)

Source

Ingredients

1 cup packed cilantro

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pinch of minced garlic

Directions

Puree cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, salt, pepper and garlic in a blender or food processor until smooth.I use the Magic Bullet to puree our dressing :)  You can half this recipe if this is just serving 2 people.

Shrimp, Peas and Rice

When I saw the title of this recipe, I was highly unsure of why this dish would yummy to eat.  It’s not that any of 3 taste bad, but I wasn’t sure why they would all be together in one dish.

Well, I’m officially wrong because this was the best thing we have eaten in a while that was extremely easy to make!  What we loved about it even more was that it makes a great 'take-to-work’ dish for lunches.  Make this for your family tonight, and I promise you’ll be asking why you didn’t double the recipe for leftovers.  Best part is, it’s rather healthy!

Source: Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

2 cups fat free chicken broth

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 tablespoon light butter spread (I used Smart Balance light)

2 tsp plus 1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 tbsp chopped parsley

salt and fresh pepper

Directions

In a medium size heavy pan melt butter spread. Add rice and saute about a minute. Add chicken broth and peas and bring to a boil. When all liquid is absorbed reduce heat to low and cover. Cook on low for about 15 minutes, until rice is cooked through.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and add to hot pan. Cook about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet and add rice. Add grated cheese, shrimp, and parsley and saute another minute, mixing well.

Crab Quesadillas

I think I warned you previously that I had lots of seafood recipes ready to provide you :)  I wasn’t lying!  I found this recipe on FoodNetwork.com, although it is an EatingWell.com recipe. 

I’ve also discussed before that it’s wise to check the reviews on FoodNetwork.com recipes before making it, and I failed to follow my own advice this time.  Had I done so, I would have read people warning against using the orange zest and orange juice in the quesadillas.  For me, that is the flavor that ruined it.  That said, the sous chef LOVED it!  Hence the reason I’m posting this recipe.  I mentioned previously in my Orange Chicken post about how the orange flavor was much more received by the sous chef than I; the same situation applied here.  Thus, if you think you are ok with things being orangy, leave it in.  If not, take it out, and I think you’ll be just fine.

The recipe below is adapted to accommodate leaving out the orange flavor, if you desire.

Ingredients

1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
4 scallions, chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos (optional)
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest (optional)
1 tablespoon orange juice (optional)
8 ounces pasteurized crabmeat, drained if necessary
4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

Directions

Combine Cheddar, cream cheese, scallions, bell pepper, cilantro, jalapenos (if using), orange zest (if using) and juice (if using) in a medium bowl. Gently stir in crab. Lay tortillas out on a work surface. Spread one-fourth of the filling on half of each tortilla. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas in the pan and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges.

Corn Salsa with Lime

So this corn salsa from Gina is much like the Roasted Corn, Black Bean and Mango salad I made previously.  Obviously there are some added ingredients in the later, but the prep is much the same.  This particular corn salsa is like that of Chipotle’s corn salsa.  Sadly I must say that I wish I had made Chipotle’s recipe.  This recipe isn’t bad by any means.  It’s still tasty.  We actually ate it as a side along the crab cakes.  Later that week, I also used some of the leftovers of this corn salsa on top of some baked tilapia.  It’s just my recommendation, however, that you select the Roasted Corn recipe above or the Chipotle recipe above.

The recipe also calls to make 6 cups, which I could never have consumed in our household, so our recipe below is halved.

Source: Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 3

Ingredients
2 cups (10 oz) cooked sweet yellow corn, cut
1 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 scallion, diced
1 jalapeño, diced (remove seeds unless you like it really spicy)
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
3/4 limes, juice of
chipotle chili powder, to taste
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions
Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate for about an hour. Makes about 3 cups.

Baked Lump Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce

Yuuuuuuum!  I went crazy picking out seafood recipes recently, and this is the first of those recipes.  It should be obvious why I picked it first; so delicious!  Also, the Red Pepper Chipotle sauce is soooo amazing!  The sous chef and I both agreed that it would make a great friend to some fish as well. 

These make a great dinner as I wasn’t even able to finish 2!  The sous chef had to finish off my last few bites :)  I wanted very much to eat them all, but they are just very filling.  The recipe below serves 4 crab cakes, but you could make them smaller to make bite size crabcakes; say 16 crab cakes would make these small enough for bite size.  Making them smaller might alter your cooking time though, so be aware. Source: Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 cake

Crab Cakes
9 ounces lump crab meat, picked free of shells
1/2 cup (about 13) reduced fat Ritz crackers, crushed
1 whole egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
2 finely chopped scallions
2 tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp fresh cilantro (or parsley)
1/2 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
cooking spray
Zesty Chipotle Lime Sauce
1 tbsp roasted peppers (jarred)
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 tsp minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 tsp fresh lime juice

In a small blender (or magic bullet) puree mayonnaise, lime juice, roasted pepper and chipotle pepper.

In a large bowl, combine crushed crackers, eggs, scallions, pepper, mayo, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix well, then fold in crab meat, careful not to over mix so the crab remains in large chunks. Gently shape into patties using a 1/2 cup measuring cup.

Chill in the refrigerator at least 1/2 hour before baking.
Preheat oven to 400°. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Bake about 8-10 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.

Drizzle red pepper chipotle lime sauce over crab cakes and serve.

Cheesy Barbecue Casserole

I know, I know.  Could I have been gone ANY longer?  It feels so crazy to not have posted in over a month.  I’m so sorry!  I have some more fun stuff coming up, so hopefully I can redeem myself :) I know I’ve never really discussed my obsession with BBQ on this blog, but I can assure you that I join several other Southerners in the “I could just eat BBQ sauce only” club.  I love it on everything!  Thankfully, my cooking interest has led me to understand that their are flavors outside of BBQ sauce.  Nonetheless, this recipe was calling my name when I opened up this cookbook. The sous chef and I really enjoyed this recipe!  There were no leftovers :)  I also substituted ground turkey for ground beef for a healthier option.  Oh….and I may have increased the amount of BBQ sauce that the recipe called for ;)

Betty Crocker Cheesy Barbecue Casserole
Ingredients
3 cups uncooked ziti pasta (11 oz)
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup milk
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)


Directions
Heat oven to 350°F.  Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain.

Stir pasta, 3 tablespoons of the parsley, the milk, barbecue sauce, mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese into beef in skillet. Spoon mixture into casserole. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese.

Bake uncovered 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

Cucumber Sandwiches

Recently, I and a few other ladies threw a shower for a sweet friend our ours, Carissa.  I was assigned to bring Cucumber sandwiches.  Hmmm, well…

#1 I’ve never made them before
#2 I don’t like cucumbers
#3 I’ve never even seen them before.

Hahah!  No problem.  The ladies helped me out with a recipe, and I did some browsing online.  Here’s how I decided to make them, and they were REALLY good!

Ingredients

Pumpernickel bread (I simply bought some at the bakery at my grocery store)
1 8 oz. package of fat free cream cheese
1 packet zesty italian dressing mix
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp red pepper
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 cucumber (sliced)

Directions

Whip cream cheese until creamy.

Into cream cheese mix italian dressing packet, garlic powder, red pepper and fresh dill.
Spread cream cheese mixture onto bread in thin layer.  Place one slice of cucumber onto each sandwich.

Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burritos

Do you work?  Ok, then stay tuned.

Are you the typical cook in your household? Ok, then stay tuned.

Are you short on time?  Ok, then stay tuned.

If you answered yes to a single one of these questions, I promise you want this recipe.  I was planning to be out of the house for 6 days straight and was not going to be able to help my sous chef with his meal prep :)  Thus, I wanted to make something he could put in the oven and it could be done fairly quickly but still feel like a home-cooked meal.  This burrito recipe was PERFECT for that.

If you have a look at Aggie’s original recipe for this, you’ll notice that she used sweet potatoes.  Um, I don’t like those (even though my sous chef does), so I decided to sub tomatoes instead.  If you like sweet potatoes, I’d say stick with those!  Using tomatoes was not bad, I promise, but I think those others that have made it with sweet potatoes have really enjoyed it.

Anyhow, we ate 4 of these burritos the night I made them and saved the other 4 so my sous chef could prepare quick meals while I was gone.  I wrapped those other 4 burritos in foil, and he placed them in the oven on the nights he was ready for some yummy dinner :)

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (small) (Krista Kooks subbed 4 large tomatoes, squeezed of seeds and juices, and cubed)
1 red pepper, cubed (small)
1 red onion cubed (small)
2 jalapenos, diced (if you want less heat sub another red pepper)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper
2 tsp olive oil
can black beans, rinsed
handful chopped cilantro
squeeze lime
shredded cheddar
Whole Wheat Tortillas or Wraps , burrito/wrap size
nonstick olive oil spray

Directions

In a bowl, toss veggies in olive oil and season with spices.  Place in large baking dish and roast in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes, tossing around halfway in between.

Let cool.  Add to a bowl of rinsed black beans.  Add cilantro and squirt of lime juice.  Combine gently.  At this point, mixture can be stored for later use.  Warm wraps in microwave according to directions on package.  Add two heaping tablespoons of vegetable and bean mixture to center of wrap.  Top with shredded cheese.  Fold over, fold in sides and continue to roll.  Place on baking dish, seam side down and spray with nonstick spray or olive oil spray.  Bake in 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Baking this way will make tortilla wrap crisp. For a softer burrito, spray burrito with nonstick spray, then wrap in aluminum foil and bake for same amount of time.
Makes about 6 burritos.

Tip: Premake your burritos and wrap in aluminum foil. Keep in refrigerator for 3-4 days for a quick lunch or dinner!

Chicken Picatta

I have been all about making some of Gina’s recipes lately.  This entree was a staple, and I know we will continue to make this in our house.  In fact, even though I rarely make a meal twice, this one has since been made a second time.  We’ve had it twice in a matter of weeks!  Coming from Krista Kooks, I hope you realize that means we love it!

I was not able to find seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs, so I purchased plain whole wheat and seasoned them myself with Italian Seasoning.  Remember…you can make Italian seasoning yourself!

Ingredients

2 (16 oz) chicken cutlet halves, all fat trimmed

freshly ground black pepper

2 large egg whites

2/3 cup seasoned whole wheat dry bread crumbs

Olive oil spray (about 1 tbsp worth)

1 tbs light butter

juice of 1 lemon, lemon halves reserved

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tbsp capers

Sliced lemon, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Cut chicken into 4 cutlets, then place cutlets between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
In a shallow plate, beat the egg whites and 1 teaspoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs in another plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the egg, then bread crumbs.

Heat a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Spray a generous amount of olive oil spray on one side of the chicken, and lay it in the pan, oil side down. Spray the top of the chicken generously to coat and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Set aside until you make the sauce.

For the sauce, clean the saute pan. Over medium heat, melt butter, add the lemon juice, wine, chicken broth and the reserved lemon halves, salt, and pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Discard the lemon halves, add the capers and serve one chicken cutlet on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Diet Soda Cake

Oh wow!  I can now have cake without so much guilt!  Thank you to Gina for sharing this lovely secret to your everyday box cake :)  Find your favorite diet soda, 2 egg whites, your favorite boxed cake, and your done!  How incredibly simple. 

Because I love the taste of Dr. Pepper, I was determined to make this cake with Diet Dr. Pepper.  The sous chef and I loved the flavor of this cake, no frosting/icing needed, and the egg whites really made it light and fluffy.  Highly recommend this quick and easy dessert!

Ingredients
1 boxed cake of your preference
2 egg whites
10 ounces of diet soda (your choice)

Directions
Preheat oven according to box directions. Spray pan of your choice according to box directions.

Beat cake mix, diet soda and egg whites. Pour into pan.
Bake as directed on box, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
Let cake cool about 10 minutes before cutting.

Paella

I know Cinco de Mayo was a while ago, but it got me inspired to make Paella for the first time!  Yes, that’s right, I’ve never made Paella before.  Usually, when I’m making a somewhat traditional dish that is a first try for me, I’ll dive into my Fannie Farmer Cookbook.  This cookbook is great for that sort of thing!

The sous chef and I discovered that we aren’t big fans of clams, so…we ended up removing those little guys and tossing them.  Otherwise, this dish was TERRIFIC!  We had plenty of leftovers and ate them all!!!  The recipe I’m posting below is the halved version of the recipe as I just can’t imagine needing the full recipe that the cookbook lists.  As it is, we had to use our largest tupperware dish to save the leftovers!

Paella
adapted from Fannie Farmer Cookbook

Ingredients
1/16 teaspoon of saffron
2 cups chicken broth
2-3 chicken breasts
salt
freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
6 thin slices spicy Spanish sausage (Chorizo)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup short grain rice
1/2 pound shrimp, cooked, shelled, and deveined
1/2 package frozen tiny peas, or 3/4 cup fresh peas
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Put the Saffron to soak in 1 Tbsp of the chicken broth.  Rinse the chicken, pat it dry, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the chicken and brown well on all sides.  Add 2 tbsp of water and the oregano.  Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until the chicken is done.  Remove the chicken and set aside.

Lightly brown the sausage slices; remove and set aside.   Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.  Melt the butter in the pan and stir in the rice, saffron, and about half a teaspoon of salt, cooking for 5 minutes.  Add the remaining chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  In a shallow 4-quart casserole, arrange the rice, chicken, shrimp and sausage so that some of each shows on the top.  Heat in the oven about 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile either pour boiling water over frozen peas or blanch frozen peas 2 minutes.  Scatter over casserole, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Recently, a friend of mine had to make a trip to the hospital after a horrible food poisoning case.  It was no fun for her, for sure.  I thought some chicken soup might help once she was back at home and able to eat little by little.

I took some help from Annie’s Eats recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup which she got from Cooks Illustrated.  I definitely didn’t have the time on hand that day to make her recipe in full, so I did take some shortcuts.  Below is the adapted form of her recipe that I made, although I know, if you have the time, making it Annie’s way will produce and healthy rich-tasting soup :)

Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil
5 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp. cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
1 cup thinly sliced onion
½ cup celery, cut into ½-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 cup (4 oz.) egg noodles
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp Cumin

Directions
Put 1 Tbsp olive oil and chicken breast in crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.  When chicken is cooked through, place chicken in medium bowl and shred chicken with 2 forks.

Fill Dutch oven/large pot on the stove with 5 cups of chicken stock.  Heat over medium-high heat.  In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water; whisk together until a smooth slurry forms.  Stir the mixture into the stock and bring to a gentle boil.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook 10-15 minutes.  Add the egg noodles and continue to cook until vegetables are tender and the noodles are cooked, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken and parsley to the soup.  Cook just until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and cumin, and serve.

Zucchini Casserole

So sorry for my disappearance!  I did not schedule my time very well before my trip recently and did not have posts set up to keep you intrigued while I was away.  So sorry! Here’s a yummy dish that a friend of mine made recently from Gina’s WW blog.  The sous chef and I thought this was a great recipe as a side dish.  I’m not so sure that this could be the only thing I ate for dinner at night, but I suppose it could be if weren’t too hungry one evening.  Either way, it’s a yummy dish!

4 cups grated zucchini
1 cup bisquick
1 small onion, grated
3 egg whites, 1 whole egg
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp parsley

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix everything together in a bowl. Spray a pie dish or a casserole with Pam and pour mixture. Bake approximately 45 minutes, until golden brown. Put a toothpick in the center to test if it is done. If it comes out clean, it is ready. Divide into 12 equal parts.

Whole Chicken with Spice Rub in the Crock Pot

So easy!!!  Anything in a slow cooker is usually easy though :)  I was browsing The Foodie Blogroll for some ideas on crockpot recipes and found The Cooking Husband’s blog.  I’m trying to do more crockpot recipes, perhaps trying one twice or four times a month.  Anyway, I thought The Cooking Husband’s whole chicken approach was quite similar to how I prepare my Mexican flavored chicken that I use for anything I need shredded chicken for; however, his, as I said, uses a whole chicken!  The sous chef and I simply prepared some rice to eat with this.  I prepared the rice similar to the way Chipotle’s rice is done.  Instead of lime and cilantro, I used lemon juice and grated lemon peel.

Source: Whole Chicken with Spice Rub in the Crock Pot

4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 onion, chopped

In a small bowl, combine the above minus the onion.

Rub spice rub onto the chicken.  Put chopped onion in bottom of the crock pot.  Add chicken to the crock pot and add no liquid at all! The chicken will make it’s own juices.  Put the lid on the crock pot and cook for 8 hours on LOW.

Sugar Cookies

So, the last time I made sugar cookies, I was proud of myself, but I definitely saw room for improvement.  After reading multiple posts over the last year and recognizing where I went wrong in the past, I decided to give these sugar cookies another try.

My B.F.F. and ‘adopted sister’ K was celebrating her 27th birthday and had recently had a baby.  Additionally, another of the sous chef and I’s friend’s had a baby as well shortly after K.  I thought each of them was HIGHLY deserving a sweet treat delivered by their postman.  Getting packages in the mail is FUN!

After a good deal of planning and thinking out how I would get these cookies to these sweet girls, I moved forward in my execution of the project :)

I decided on making Ella’s White Sugar Cookies which I found on  Annie’s Eats. 

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
2 ½ c. sifted flour

Directions

Cream butter.  Add powdered sugar.  Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour.  Chill dough until firm.  Roll to ¼” thickness on well-floured surface.  Cut with cookie cutters.  Place on greased cookie sheets.  Bake at 375° for 8-10 min.  Cookies should not brown.  Frost and decorate when cool.  Yields ~40 cookies.

I also used Annie’s terrific tutorial on decorating with royal icing.  I still have some perfecting to do, but I was decently proud of myself for what I was able to accomplish :) The tricky part was getting ready to ship these cookies off to other states and trusting USPS with them!  I didn’t spend 2 days on these delicious and beautiful cookies only for them to break, right?!  So I packaged them VERY well and wrapped each cookie in a baggie.  Our friends in Louisiana received them in OK condition as the picture at the top of this posts displays.

My B.F.F. K received her cookies in great condition, too!  See below. I’m looking forward to making more of these delicious cookies!

Surf and Turf Salad

Trying to eat light is a much more frequent thing in our household.  Sure you’ll still see me make sweets, but we are making an effort to eat less meat and increase the amount of veggies and fruits that we eat.  Spotting this recipe in Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Get Real Meals was perfect to add to my shopping list!  We both truly enjoyed this recipe and the salad dressing is really great!

Ingredients

2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and minced or grated
3 tablespoons Tamari (dark aged soy sauce)
1 teaspoon ground coriander (1/3 palmful)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick brand Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
1 1/2-2 pounds flank steak
1 bunch scallions
16 medium shrimp, peeled, tails removed and deveined
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 hearts of Romaine, chopped
4 ounces baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (a couple handfuls), chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped

Dressing:
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Salt and pepper
Directions

Pre-heat a tabletop grill, grill pan, or outdoor grill to high.

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a shallow dish. Coat flank steak in mixture and reserve for 10-15 minutes.

Trim ends and one inch of tops off of the scallions. Drizzle EVOO over both the scallions and the shrimp and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Grill scallions and shrimp for two minutes on each side. Remove from grill and reserve.

Place flank steak on grill pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove the meat to a plate, tent with foil, and let juices settle for five minutes.

Combine greens, red onion and parsley leaves on a large platter or individual plates. Cut reserved scallions into 1-inch pieces. Scatter over greens and then evenly distribute the grilled shrimp over the greens.  In a small bowl mix the lemon juice, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce and whisk in three tablespoons EVOO. Season the dressing with salt and pepper and drizzle it back and forth over the arranged greens and scallions and shrimp. Slice the steak very thinly against the grain on an angle with a sharp knife and arrange it over the salad.

Mother’s Day 2010

It’s time to honor Mom!  How are you planning to dine with Mom this Sunday?  Is this your first reminder that Mother’s Day is THIS weekend?  If so, I hope I can help you get ready :)  Here’s some ideas from Krista Kooks to help you enjoy time with Mom at home.  Click on any of the pictures to be directed to the original blog post. Blueberry Delight-Great for breakfast or brunch with Mom. Bacon Quiche Biscuit Cups- Also great for breakfast or brunch.

Fish Oreganata- Perfect main dish for a light lunch with Mom.Roasted Vegetables-Use this preparation method for your favorite vegetable.

Parsley-Paprika Potatoes- Delicious compliment to the 2 above.    Spring Summer Ziti-Just make a simple pasta to share with Mom.Fruit Cookie Pizza- Help Mom keep it light for dessert with this fruit cookie pizza!

Whatever you do, I hope you have a great Mother’s Day with Mom!