Magic S’more Crescent Puffs

From Pillsbury



Ingredients:
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips
8 large marshmallows
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Glaze
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough on work surface; press into 12x8-inch rectangle. Cut into 8 rectangles. In small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar.

2. Spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate chips on center of dough square. Dip marshmallow into melted butter; roll in graham cracker mixture. Place marshmallow on chocolate chips. Pull dough over marshmallow, completely covering marshmallow; pinch edges of dough to seal. Dip into melted butter; roll in graham cracker mixture. Place in regular-size paper baking cup. Repeat with remaining dough squares, chocolate chips and marshmallows. Place paper baking cups on large cookie sheet.

3. Bake 12 to 18 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cups; place on cooling racks set over waxed paper.

4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave glaze ingredients uncovered on High 20 to 30 seconds, stirring once, until mixture can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over warm rolls.

Comments:
Some assembly required, but very yummy. The marshmallow kind of disintegrates and Adam thought the chocolate was overpowering, but I say you can never have too much chocolate!

Pomegranate Chicken with Walnuts

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 cups rice
5 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 pound), cut into quarters
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups cranberry-pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the rice and 2 1/4 cups water to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the water has evaporated and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 7 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the onion, garlic and walnuts to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon, scraping up any browned bits. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, add the cranberry-pomegranate juice and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer the chicken to a serving platter.

3. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 3 minutes; stir in the parsley and pour over the chicken. Serve on top of the rice.

Comments:
I skipped the rice since I was making the aforementioned cheese puffs. The chicken itself was pretty good. I used breasts instead of thighs, but kept the rest the same. I really dug the pomegranate-cranberry juice combo.

Cheese Puffs

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and cayenne to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in Gruyere and mustard.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.

Comments:
Pretty easy, although my hand is still tired from all that stirring. These remind me of something I can't quite place. This recipe makes a bunch though. I hope they store well!

Gnocchi with Broccoli Fontina Sauce

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
14 cups water
10 cup broccoli florets
2 (16-ounce) boxes vacuum-packed gnocchi (such as Alessi)
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add broccoli and gnocchi; cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in broccoli mixture, fontina, broth, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Comments:
This was really good. Fontina can be kind of strong, but it was well paired with the blank slate of the gnocchi and tempered with the chicken broth.

Cheesy Meatloaf Minis

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (about 1 ounce)
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.

3. While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done.

Comments:
I skipped the toasting of the breadcrumbs and omitted the horseradish. These were pretty good. I just love gooey cheese inside of things!

Weekly Menu 1/29 through 2/4

Saturday 1/29 - Gnocchi with Broccoli Fontina Sauce

Sunday 1/30 - Pomegranate Chicken with Walnuts and Cheese Puffs

Monday 1/31 - Deluxe Grilled Cheese

Tuesday 2/1 - Santa Fe Turkey Skillet

Wednesday 2/2 - Crescent Pizza Pockets

Thursday 2/3 - Steak Burgers with Blue Cheese Potatoes

Friday 2/4 - Sensational Spiced Salmon

This Week's Dessert:
Magic S'more Crescent Puffs

Chicken Swiss Bundles

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1-1/2 teaspoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup chopped roasted sweet red peppers
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
12 frozen bread dough dinner rolls, thawed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute onion and mushrooms in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the chicken, peppers, mustard and seasonings; heat through. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese.

Flatten each roll into a 5-in. circle. Place 1/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of six circles. Brush edges with water; top with remaining circles. Press edges with a fork to seal.

Place on greased baking sheets; brush with butter. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cut bundles in half to serve.

Comments:
I kind of went off on my own way on this one. I skipped the mushrooms and peppers, used mozzarella cheese instead of swiss, used olive oil and an egg wash instead of butter. It all turned out pretty good, except for a few unexpected pockets of mustard. Heh.

Smoky Pan-Grilled Pork Chops

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork chops
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Cook cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring frequently. Place in a clean coffee grinder or blender; process until ground. Combine ground cumin, sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper; rub evenly over pork.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done

Comments:
Kind of copped out on this one. Skipped most of the first step and just mixed the spices together and dumped them on the pork. What can I say? It was an off week. I'm just happy I cooked anything at all. And I got to use my new grill pan again, so that was fun.

Weekly Menu 1/22 through 1/28

Saturday 1/22 - Adam's Night Out (yes, we're trying to reinstate this)

Sunday 1/23 - Chicken Swiss Bundles

Monday 1/24 - Bistro Breakfast Paninis

Tuesday 1/25 - Sailor Sandwiches

Wednesday 1/26 - Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

Thursday 1/27 - Martha's Night Out

Friday 1/28 - Angel's Pasta

This Week's Dessert:
I got nothing...

Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 (6-ounce) skinless cod fillets
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
Lemon wedges

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler.

2. Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Combine panko, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Sprinkle fish evenly with pepper and salt. Dip each fillet in egg white, then dredge in panko mixture; place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

3. Combine mayonnaise, pickle, lemon juice, and dill. Serve with fish and lemon wedges.

Comments:
I sprang for the panko this time but I'm not sure I'd bother with it again. It's expensive, yo! There has to be a way to make my own... Anyway, this was ok. I was a bit under the weather so I ate even less of the fish than I usually would have. But the tartar sauce was yummy. And have I told you how much I LOVE those smiles? :)

Slow-Cooker Barbecue-Beef Sandwiches

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
5 tablespoons dark brown sugar, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (1-pound) flank steaks
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 (2 1/2-ounce) submarine rolls, halved
Red onion slices (optional)
Dill pickle slices (optional)

Directions:
Combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar and pepper; rub over both sides of steaks. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, onion, and next 9 ingredients (onion through salt) in an electric slow cooker. Add steaks; turn to coat. Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting for 1 hour. Reduce heat setting to low; cook for 7 hours. Remove steaks; reserve sauce. Shred steaks with 2 forks. Return shredded steak to cooker; stir into sauce. Spoon 1/2 cup steak mixture onto bottom half of each roll; top with onion and pickles, if desired. Cover with tops of rolls.

Comments:
Yay for slow cookers and stuff you can just throw in them. This week was rough with multiple colds and the like and even though my bell practice, which dictates "slow cooker Mondays", was cancelled, it was still nice to have this all ready to go when I got home from work. This was a very easy recipe and it was pretty good. I did it as an "unsandwich" while Adam went the "with a bun" route.

Gorgonzola, Spinach & Cheddar Chicken

From Living Well, Health & Fitness Column, The Associated Press 2010



Ingredients:
1 1/2 T. olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 oz. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c. seasoned breadcrumbs
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 large egg whites

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. In a medium skillet over medium-high, heat 1 T. of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the spinach and Italian seasoning, cook until all liquid has evaporated. Mix in both cheeses. Set aside.

3. Lay each chicken breast flat on a cutting board. Make a horizontal slit along one side to create a pocket in the meat. Do not cut all the way through. Place a quarter of the cheese mixture in the pocket, then press the meat together over it. Do with all 4 breasts.

4. Mix breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg whites. Dip chicken in the egg whites, and then roll in the bread crumbs.

5. In a skillet, heat remaining 1/2 T. of oil. Add chicken. Cook until brown on one side. Turn breast over and place skillet in oven. Bake until no longer pink in the center (20 min.)

Comments:
Pretty easy, although these tiny chicken breasts we get make it hard to get much stuffing in them. 4oz portion size - pfft! Anywho, aside from the spillage outage issue, very yummy.

Weekly Menu 1/15 through 1/21

Skipped a week there - my grandmother passed away last Friday and the week was all messed up with an impromtu trip to PA. Back to normal, whatever that is...

Saturday 1/15 - Fontina Ham Stromboli

Sunday 1/16 - Gorgonzola, Spinach & Cheddar Chicken similar to this recipe

Monday 1/17 - Slow-Cooker Barbecue-Beef Sandwiches

Tuesday 1/18 - Adam's on his own - IMA

Wednesday 1/19 - Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

Thursday 1/20 - Smoky Pan-Grilled Pork Chops

Friday 1/21 - Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

This Week's Dessert:
Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats to use up some Cocoa Krispies. They're really awful by themselves. I'm definitely a Cocoa Pebbles kind of girl.

Peanut Butter Browne Trifle

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
1 package (10 ounces) Peanut Butter Baking Chips
2 packages (13 ounces each) miniature peanut butter cups
4 cups cold 2% milk
2 packages (5.1 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cartons (8 ounces each) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
Prepare brownie batter according to package directions; stir in peanut butter chips. Bake in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack; cut into 3/4-in. pieces.

Cut peanut butter cups in half; set aside 1/3 cup for garnish. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Add peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Fold in 1-1/2 cartons whipped topping.

Place a third of the brownies in a 5-qt. glass bowl; top with a third of the remaining peanut butter cups. Spoon a third of the pudding mixture over the top. Repeat layers twice. Cover with remaining whipped topping; garnish with reserved peanut butter cups. Refrigerate until chilled.

Comments:
Trifles are the perfect fake-out. They look impressive, but they're totally easy. I took this to our bell party and everyone oohed and aahed and wanted the recipe. It's really good. Trust me on this one. And now they make these tiny peanut butter cups perfect for this dish!

Hearty Backyard Burgers

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup beer or nonalcoholic beer
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
6 rye rolls or whole wheat hamburger buns, split
6 lettuce leaves
12 tomato slices

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into six patties.

Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack.

Cover and grill over medium-high heat or broil 4 in. from the grill for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear.

Serve on rolls with lettuce and tomato slices.

Comments:
I totally screwed these up. Forgot the beer! How could I forget the beer! Oh well, still a tasty burger.

Kung Pao Chicken

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced ginger
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Directions:
1. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add chicken; sauté 3 minutes or until chicken begins to brown.

2. Combine 3/4 cup water and the next 5 ingredients (through crushed red pepper), stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves. Add water mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Add bell pepper and snow peas to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce thickens. Sprinkle with nuts.

Comments:
This was pretty good. I used a green pepper instead of red because I had half of one sitting in the fridge from something else. I think I might have overdone it on the red pepper flakes because it was a little spicy. I had the leftovers over rice for dinner the next day.

Broiled Tilapia Gyros

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Fish:
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Tzatziki:
3/4 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced

Remaining ingredients:
4 (2.75-ounce) Mediterranean-style wheat flatbreads (such as Toufayan)
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion (about 1/2 small onion)
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 12 thin slices
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 small English cucumber, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler.

2. To prepare fish, brush fish with oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or desired degree of doneness.

3. To prepare tzatziki, combine yogurt and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor or blender; pulse until smooth.

4. Spread 2 tablespoons tzatziki in the center of each flatbread. Divide fish evenly among flatbreads. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons onion, 3 avocado slices, 2 tomato slices, and about 6 cucumber slices; fold in half.

Comments:
A couple steps, but overall not too hard. I left some stuff out, but it seemed to be ok. Of course, I don't know firsthand, but Adam didn't complain!

Fruity Stuffed French Toast

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
A couple drops pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves
1 cup pure maple syrup
8 slices white bread
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla and set near the stove. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and preserves; set aside.

2. Ask a GH (grown-up helper) to warm the syrup in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave on high for 1 minute.

3. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over 4 bread slices. Top with the remaining 4 bread slices to make 4 sammies. Cut each sammy using a 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Snack on the crusts.

4. Have your GH melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip the hearts in the egg mixture and, with the help of your GH, cook in the skillet, turning once with a spatula, until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve the hearts with the warm syrup.

Comments:
Obviously I didn't need a grown-up helper and I skipped the cheesy heart-shaped bit. These were pretty good, although you'll notice the cream cheese didn't mix too well with the strawberry preserves. Kinda chunky. Kinda messy to eat too. But yummy.

Soy-Marinated Pork Chops

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
4 boneless center-cut pork chops (about 6 oz. each), pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, white and light green parts, chopped

Directions:
1. Place pork chops, soy sauce, vinegar and oil in a large ziplock bag; seal. Turn bag several times to coat chops with marinade; refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. Remove pork chops from bag; discard excess marinade. Warm a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill pork chops until cooked through, turning once, about 3 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer pork chops to a platter, sprinkle with cilantro and scallions, and serve.

Comments:
So easy. And I got to use the new grill pan I got for Christmas! Adam would have preferred a longer marination period, but I thought it was fine. I even ate my whole pork chop. Well, minus all the gross stuff from the edges.

Weekly Menu 1/1 through 1/7

Saturday 1/1 - Grilling some brats. Go Badgers!

Sunday 1/2 - Broiled Tilapia Gyros

Monday 1/3 - Hand bell party @ Jane's house! I'm bringing this.

Tuesday 1/4 - Kung Pao Chicken

Wednesday 1/5 - Pizza - from the freezer - probably Hawaiian

Thursday 1/6 - Hearty Backyard Burgers

Friday 1/7 - Skillet Spaghetti

This Week's Dessert:
I anticipate there will be leftovers from the Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle I'm making for the bell party.