Tilapia Baked in Couscous

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 10-ounce box couscous
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus 1 lemon, thinly sliced
Four 8-ounce tilapia fillets
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine the couscous, almonds, sun-dried tomatoes and cumin and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the 1/4 cup olive oil and the lemon juice.

2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the tilapia fillets in a single layer in the dish, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cover the fish with the couscous mixture and arrange the lemon slices on top. Pour 2 1/2 cups water around the fish, cover with foil and bake until tender, about 25 minutes. Top with the parsley.

Comments:
This was totally easy and although I left out the tomatoes (we don't like them), it still tasted good. Adam didn't like the lemon flavor - it was too strong for him - but I was ok with it. I took the couscous and combined it with leftover beans from the tostadas and chicken from the crepes. Yummy dinner. And used leftovers. Rockin'.

Turkey and Black Bean Tostadas

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
3½ ounces roast turkey, from the deli counter, finely diced (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons fresh corn kernels or thawed frozen corn
1 small ripe tomato, finely diced
Juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon chipotle sauce or hot sauce, to taste
1/4 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup plain reduced-fat sour cream
2 flat corn tostada shells, such as Bearitos brand
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1 tablespoon snipped chives (optional) in a bowl

Directions:
Combine the turkey, black beans, corn, tomato, lime juice, chipotle sauce and cheese. Pack the turkey mixture, sour cream, tostadas, lettuce and chives separately until ready to use. To serve, spread some sour cream on each tostada. Top each tostada with some of the turkey mixture, lettuce and chives.

Comments:
Instead of tostadas I used these taco shells that come flat with forms that you bake in the oven. They worked wonderfully. This was it was much easier to eat all the filling without it falling all over the place. I'm a notoriously messy eater.

Beer Batter Crepes

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups lager beer (16 ounces), such as Stella Artois
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for the pan
3 1/2 cups flour
2 pinches salt

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until combined. Whisk in the milk, beer and melted butter. Scatter the flour and salt over the mixture and whisk until smotth, about 2 minutes (the batter should be the consistency of heavy cream). Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 1 hour at room temperature or refrigerate overnight.

2. In a small nonstick skillet, melt the remaining 1/2 teaspoon butter. Using a ladle, stir the batter and pour a scant 1/3 cup into the pan, rotating and tilting the pan to form a thin crêpe. Cook the crêpe until golden on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the crêpe and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more. Repeat with the remaining batter, cooking each crêpe after the first few for about 30 seconds on each side. Cover the crêpes with a towel to keep warm.

Comments:
We filled these with shredded chicken and cheese. It worked well. I halved the recipe so I didn't end up with too many leftovers.

Weekly Menu 2/21 through 2/27

Saturday 2/21 - Chicken, Plum, and Red Onion Kebabs (got bumped from last week...)

Sunday 2/22 - It's an "Adam Makes Dinner" night.

Monday 2/23 - Leftovers

Tuesday 2/24 - Turkey and Black Bean Tostadas

Wednesday 2/25 - Pan Fried Jerk Salmon (Biggest Loser Cookbook)

Thursday 2/26 - Beer-Batter Crepes

Friday 2/27 - Tilapia Baked in Couscous

Aah, so begins the Lent season. Seeing as how I don't really like fish too much (and how I'm not Catholic but Adam is), Fridays will be meatless, but don't assume I'm actually eating it if it's fish. :)

Chicken, Plum and Red Onion Kebabs

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, quartered
8 plums (about 2 pounds), quartered lengthwise
1 red onion, quartered lengthwise and halved crosswise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
One 10-ounce box plain instant couscous
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, jam, vinegar and soy sauce. Add the chicken and toss to coat; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. Transfer the marinated chicken to a bowl. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan, boil for 2 minutes, then let cool.

3. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium. Thread the chicken, plums and onion onto 8 skewers. Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally and basting frequently with the marinade during the first 6 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Stir in the olive oil and then the couscous, cover, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork, add the almonds and toss. Serve the couscous alongside the kebabs.

Comments:
This was very good. I even followed the recipe (well, except for using breasts rather than thighs.) Adam manned the grill so that was good too. The chicken was fabulous and next time I might just make that and forget the kebabs. I always stab myself...

Scrambled Egg Burritos

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
6 slices bacon, halved crosswise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 large eggs
Four 8-inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; reserve the fat in a measuring cup.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and 1 tablespoon chipotles.

3. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, then heat 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Beat the eggs, season with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Scramble until the eggs are just set, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

4. Place a tortilla on a work surface and sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese across the center. Top with one-quarter of the scrambled eggs, a dollop of the sour-cream mixture and 3 bacon pieces, pressing gently to flatten. Roll up burrito-style. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese, eggs, sour-cream mixture and bacon pieces.

5. Halve each burrito crosswise and serve.

Comments:
I've omitted the Tex-Mex salad part of this recipe but you can find in on the RR website. These were quite good. Kind of a new spin on the breakfast strudel I make from time to time. Pretty much anything with bacon is a hit.

Smoked Salmon and Mascarpone Stuffed Pita Pockets

From The Everything Glycemic Index Cookbook by Nancy Maar



Ingredients:
2 whole wheat pita pockets
2 thin slices of red onion
2 thin slices of lemon, seeded
1/8 pound smoked salmon
1/8 pound mascarpone cheese, sliced
1 tsp green peppercorns, packed in brine
Black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Using half of each ingredient, stuff the pockets with onion, lemon, salmon, cheese, and peppercorns.

2. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the pita is golden and the filling is hot.

Comments:
Yeah. So. I obviously didn't follow this recipe too well. I mean, look at the picture! I had whole wheat pita pockets. But when I went to use them they had started to grow green stuff. So I subbed a sub. Other than that I think I did ok following the recipe. I made it kind of like the ham and cheese sandwiches we like. This was for Adam (of course) and he appeared to like it.

Strawberries 'n' Cream Cake

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups plus 6 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
3 cups flour
2 pints strawberries, hulled
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 pint heavy cream

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet and line with parchment that extends an inch above the rim on all sides. Grease the parchment and set aside.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and 2 cups sugar at high speed, scraping down the sides occasionally, until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the baking powder, vanilla, baking soda and salt at medium speed. Add half each of the buttermilk and flour and mix at low speed just until smooth. Repeat with the remaining buttermilk and flour.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a large rack to cool, then invert and discard the parchment.

4. Chop half the berries and place in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons sugar, the cornstarch and lemon juice, simmering over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

5. Using an electric mixer, whisk the mascarpone with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar on low speed, then add the cream until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.

6. Using a serrated knife, cut the cake crosswise into thirds. Set 1 layer on a serving platter and spread half the strawberry puree on top, followed by 1 1/2 cups frosting. set the second layer on top of the frosting and press lightly into place. Spread the remaining puree on top, then another 1 1/2 cups frosting. Place the third layer on top and press lightly. Coat with the remaining frosting. Slice the remaining berries and scatter on top.

Comments:
This cake was one I could do alright with. It's not supposed to look all pretty, so I can handle that. The execution was fairly simple. I think I might have over-beaten the frosting, but that happens. It still tasted just fine.

BLT Stuffed Tomatoes

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 pints cherry tomatoes (about 32)
6 slices bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped romaine lettuce leaves from the heart
Salt

Directions:
1. Cut off the stem ends of the tomatoes and discard. Using a paring knife, remove the seeds and discard; place the tomatoes cut side down on paper towels to drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a heavy skillet, over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate, then finely chop.

3. Stir together the mayonnaise and chipotle and spoon into a resealable bag. Cut off the tip of one corner.

4. Place the tomatoes cut side up on a platter and press some romaine inside each tomato; sprinkle with salt. Pipe some chipotle mayo over the romaine and top with bacon.

Comments:
I left out the chile since I'm a big baby. I also only made 10 since there are only two of us here to eat them. These were great. Relatively easy to make, one easy bite to eat. A great flavor combo, and something I might consider adding to our party food list.

Weekly Menu 2/14 through 2/20

Saturday 2/14 - Valentine's Day Meal. We went out on Thursday, so this is our meal at home. I originally planned steak, but since that's what Adam got when we went out... I'm not sure what the main course will be yet. I'm making some sides and dessert.

Sunday 2/15 - It's an "Adam Makes Dinner" night.

Monday 2/16 - Leftovers

Tuesday 2/17 - Adam's on his own - my monthly meeting night

Wednesday 2/18 - Chicken, Plum, and Red Onion Kebabs

Thursday 2/19 - Out - we've got tickets for Wicked!

Friday 2/20 - Scrambled Egg Burritos

Scrod Filets with Crispy Potatoes

From The Everything Glycemic Index Cookbook by Nancy Maar



Ingredients:
1 large Idaho or Yukon Gold potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 Bermuda or Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
2 ounces olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
8 ounce scrod filet
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp butter
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme. Toss the potato and onion in the mixture.

2. Prepare an 8" pie pan with nonstick spray. Spread the potatoes and onions in the plate and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top layer is crisply brown and the inside layer is soft.

3. Place the fish on top, sprinkle with lemon juice, and dot with butter. Bake another 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes.

Comments:
I doubled this recipe so I had to adjust a little in both cooking vessel and time. I also used cod since I couldn't find scrod (which, the book tells me, is a young codfish, similar to haddock.) Overall, not a bad dish. I didn't eat the fish, but the potato and onion dish was good.

Barbecue Beef Cups

From Everyday with Rachael Ray - November 2007 (also seen here.)



Ingredients:
3/4 pound group beef
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
16.3-ounce tube refrigerated biscuits
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F. In a skillet, brown the beef over medium heart. Drain off excess fat. Remove from the heat and stir in the barbecue sauce and brown sugar. Grease a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan and place a piece of biscuit dough in each cup, stretching the dough up the sides. Divide the beef mixture among the biscuit cups, sprinkle each with cheese and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Comments:
I've made this quite a few times since the original post back in October of '07. I even made mini version for our Christmas party that year. They didn't turn out so hot - not enough room for the filling. They ended up looking kind of sad, but still tasted good. Anywho, obviously a good recipe if we keep coming back to it.

Turkey Club Salad

From The Everything Glycemic Index Cookbook by Nancy Maar



Ingredients:
1 pound deli turkey breast
4 strips bacon
1 box cherry tomatoes, halved
1 head Boston lettuce, shredded
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup French dressing
2 cups lettuce, shredded

Directions:
Thickly slice turkey breast. Fry bacon until crisp and crumble into a large serving bowl. Mix all ingredients except the lettuce in the bowl. Serve over lettuce.

Comments:
Kind of didn't follow the recipe too well. I used it more as an idea. I omitted the Boston lettuce and avocado, used just French dressing. I mixed Romaine and the dressing and then put the turkey, tomatoes, and bacon on the top. I think it turned out well. Adam liked it too.

Weekly Menu 2/7 through 2/13

Saturday 2/7 We're going to lunch with my Dad and Cheryl - an early birthday celebration - The Lake Street Cafe in Elkhart Lake. We've never been there, but apparently it's one of my dad and Cheryl's favorite places. Dinner will probably be leftovers.
Sunday 2/8 It's an "Adam Makes Dinner" night. Not sure what he's got planned.
Monday 2/9 Leftovers (yes, even though it's my birthday)
Tuesday 2/10 BBQ Beef Cups
Wednesday 2/11 Turkey Club Salad (Everything GI Cookbook)
Thursday 2/12 Out for an early Valentine's Day dinner to avoid crowds. Not sure where we'll go yet.
Friday 2/13 Scrod Fillets with Crispy Potatoes(Everything GI Cookbook

Bacon Cheeseburger Buns

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
DOUGH:
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
2/3 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
1 pound sliced bacon, diced
2 pounds ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
3 to 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Ketchup or barbecue sauce, optional

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, sugar, shortening, eggs, salt and 3-1/2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels. In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion, salt and pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add bacon and cheese; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into fourths. Roll each portion into an 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle; cut each into six squares. Place 1/4 cup meat mixture in the center of each square. Bring corners together in the center and pinch to seal.

Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with butter. Serve warm with ketchup if desired. Yield: 2 dozen.

Comments:
Very similar to this recipe, just with the addition of bacon. I ignored that whole bread-making part again and just pulled some bread dough from the freezer. Rhodes, I love you man! Anywho, skipping that process makes this a much easier recipe. Some assembly, some baking, and voila - dinner. I also made them bigger than they were probably supposed to be so they took a little longer in the oven. I used real cheese instead of Velveeta (that crap is GROSS). But other than all those things, I followed the recipe. Bwahahaha. Adam's first comment was, "aww, they're so cute." Yeah. I know. He's weird.

Chicken Scallops Stuffed with Spinach and Cheese

From The Everything Glycemic Index Cookbook by Nancy Maar



Ingredients:
2 1/4-lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
2 tbsp flour
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup spinach souffle
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup olive oil
Lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:
Sprinkle the pounded chicken with flour, salt and pepper on both sides. Mix the spinach, cheese, nutmeg, salt & pepper. Spread the filling on the chicken breasts. Roll them and secure with a toothpick. Saute the chicken in olive oil until lightly browned. Add the lemon and chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Comments:
Spinach souffle? What the heck is that? I admit, I didn't even look for it. I had baby spinach in the fridge from the taco salad anyway and I also had some leftover spinach-artichoke dip. I figured between the two of those items I could fake it. I made Adam's with the spinach and ricotta cheese. Mine was filled with the spinach-artichoke dip. They both turned out well and Adam's main comment was the ricotta seemed to melt right out of the chicken. That might have been my shoddy rolling job though. Picture is of mine - stuffed with the dip.

Taco Salad

From The Everything Glycemic Index Cookbook by Nancy Maar



Ingredients:
16 taco chips
1 cup grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 bag baby spinach, shredded
2 sweet red roasted peppers, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
Arrange taco chips on serving plates. Sprinke with cheese and place under broiler until cheese melts. Top taco chips with spinach, peppers, and onion. Serve with salsa and sour cream on the side.

Comments:
Remember what I said about Adam liking his nachos with all the crap up on top of it? Well this is that preference at work again. I left off the red peppers and subbed a green onion. Overall it was ridiculously simple and he ate it. I can't ask for more than that.

Super Bowl Snacks

Kielbasa Puffs (Delish.com)



Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) light kielbasa or turkey kielbasa
1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Pat kielbasa dry with paper towels. Cut kielbasa crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rounds; cut each round crosswise in half.

2. Unroll half of dough (4 triangles) from tube of crescent rolls but do not separate triangles; place on work surface.

3. Pinch 2 triangles together along perforations to make 6" by 3 1/2" rectangle. Repeat to make another rectangle; cut rectangles apart. Spread rectangles with half of mustard. Cut each rectangle crosswise in half, then cut each half crosswise into six 1/2-inch-wide strips to make 24 strips in all.

4. Loosely wrap mustard side of a dough strip around piece of kielbasa; pinch to seal. Place wrapped kielbasa on ungreased large cookie sheet. Repeat, placing pieces about 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.

5. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until puffs are browned. Meanwhile, repeat with remaining half of crescent dough, mustard, and kielbasa.

6. When puffs are done, with spatula, transfer to warm platter. Serve warm.


Killer Quesadillas (Delish.com)



Ingredients:
1 teaspoon butter
1 flour tortilla
2 ounces cheddar, mozzarella, or Monterey jack cheese (or a combination), grated
sliced tomato (optional)
Browned meat or tofu (optional)
Chopped scallions (optional)
Diced avocado (optional)
Sprouts (optional)
Diced bell pepper (optional)

Directions:
1. Melt the butter in the skillet on medium heat.

2. Put the tortilla in the pan. Next, put the cheese and, if you like, a filling or two on half of the tortilla. Use the spatula to fold the other side of the tortilla over the fillings.

3. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the quesadilla over, and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Let the cheese cool for a minute before you take a bite. Put a little guacamole on top for extra flavor.


Boneless Buffalo Wings (Delish.com)



Ingredients:
3 tablespoons nonfat buttermilk
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, divided
2 pounds chicken tenders
6 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
6 tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 cups peeled carrot sticks
2 cups celery sticks

Directions:
1. Whisk buttermilk, 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce and 2 tablespoons vinegar in a large bowl until combined. Add chicken; toss to coat. Transfer to the refrigerator and let marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, whisk flour and cornmeal in a shallow dish. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon hot sauce and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl.

3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and roll in the flour mixture until evenly coated. (Discard remaining marinade and flour mixture.) Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with cayenne.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, placing each in a little oil. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and chicken, reducing the heat if necessary. Transfer to the platter. Drizzle the chicken with the reserved hot sauce mixture. Serve with carrots, celery and Spicy Blue Cheese Dip.


BBQ Cocktail Weenies



Ingredients:
2 packages (1 lb each) Little Weenies
1 bottle BBQ sauce (whatever variety you like - I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ)

Directions:
Put the weenies in the crockpot. Pour the BBQ sauce on top, stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.


Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies (seen previously here.) (Allrecipes.com)



Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the corn syrup, water, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Comments:
The first three were recipes Adam found and sent to me. They were each pretty easy. I messed up the first batch of quesadillas by forgetting to put cheese on the bottom so the top (when I flipped it) didn't stick. But I remedied that the second time so it was all good. The other two came off without a hitch. The crockpot did all the work on the weenies and I made the cookies in the morning after we decided to finally toss all the leftover cookies from our Christmas party. I left out the chocolate chips and still managed to break my cookie scoop. *sigh*

Taste-wise, I'm not going to be of much help. I ate one wedge of quesadilla, a tiny piece of the chicken, but mostly stuck to the spinach-artichoke dip (you can see it in the corner of the chicken picture.) Everyone said everything was good though, so you're probably safe to try them out. :)

Weekly Menu 1/31 through 2/6

Saturday 1/31 We're going to dinner with Adam's parents. Solea - they took over the old Gulliver's. So good.
Sunday 2/1 Super bowl snack foods. Adam sent me some links a few days ago: Kielbasa Puffs, Killer Quesadillas, and Boneless Buffalo Wings
Monday 2/2 Leftovers
Tuesday 2/3 Chicken Scallops with Spinach & Cheese (Everything GI Cookbook)
Wednesday 2/4 Bacon Cheeseburger Salad
Thursday 2/5 Taco Salad (Everything GI Cookbook)
Friday 2/6 Turkey Parmesan (Everything GI Cookbook)

Turkey & Bow Ties

From Taste of Home's Cooking for 2 Winter 2009



Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
6 ounces turkey breast tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup canned Italian diced tomatoes
1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons white wine or additional reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Dash cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook turkey in oil over medium heat until no longer pink. Add broccoli and garlic; cook until broccoli is tender.

Stir in the tomatoes, broth, wine, basil and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; add to turkey mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 2 servings.

Comments:
I actually used chicken rather than turkey. I always have a gazillion boneless, skinless breasts in the house and turkey is not cheap. That was my only swap out on this one. It seems similar to another recipe I made previously, but I'll never turn down chicken and pasta. :)

Crabmeat Scramble

From Taste of Home's Cooking for 2 Winter 2009



Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 can (6 ounces) lump crabmeat, drained
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, cheese, pepper and salt; set aside.

In a large skillet, saute crab and onion in butter until crab is lightly browned and onion is tender. Add egg mixture; cook and stir over medium heat until eggs are completely set. Yield: 2 servings.

Comments:
This is a quick, simple breakfast or dinner meal. The recipe says total time is 20 minutes. It took me 10, maybe. This was not for me of course, but Adam ate it all up.

Tortellini Casserole

From Better Homes & Gardens Simple Slow Cooker Recipes




Ingredients:
12 ounces bulk Italian sausage
8 ounces ground beef
1 (26oz) jar pasta sauce
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatos
1/2 cup chopped red or yellow pepper
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 9-ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook the sausage and ground beef until meat is brown. Drain and transfer to a 3 1/2-4 quart slow cooker lightly coated with cooking spray. Stir in pasta sauce, tomatoes, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (high 3-4.) If using high setting, turn to low, stir in the tortellini, cover and cook 15-20 minutes more. Sprinkle with cheese.

Comments:
I was originally going to make this for dinner last week but Adam caught wind of it, determined it was a pot pie in disguise, and told me he wouldn't eat it. So I was left with a package of thawed stew meat. I had been meaning to make a different tortellini dish for awhile but couldn't find it in the book. (I'm a moron sometimes.) I did find this one instead. I used the stew meat in place of the ground meat, omitted the pepper and cheese, but kept everything else pretty much the same. Thumbs up.

Banana-Kiwi Smoothie

From The Everything Glycemic Index Cookbook by Nancy Maar



Ingredients:
1 banana, peeled, cut into 2-inch segments
4 kiwi fruit, peeled, cut in half
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 cups orange juice
2 tbsp oat bran or Kashi
4 ice cubes

Directions:
Place the banana, kiwi, lime and orange juices in the blender and puree. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Comments:
I tried a little of this and it was way too banana-y for me. But Adam thought it was great. I got the "summer berry" Kashi and it seemed to go well with the rest of the fruits. I might make this for myself at some point without the banana. We'll see.

Chocolate-Kahlua Mousse Parfaits

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon very cold fat-free milk
1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee-flavored liqueur
1 (1.5oz) envelope sugar-free, low-fat chocolate mousse mix
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 chocolate graham crackers, crushed
1 cup thawed fat-free cool whip

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, Kahlua, mousse mix, and cocoa. With an electric mixer fitted with beaters, whip on low speed until blended. Slowly increase the mixer speed to high, whipping for 5 minutes or until fluffy.

In each of 5 large wine glasses or glass dessert bowls, layer 1/4 cup of the mousse, 2 tsp of crumbs, and 2 tbsp of topping. Repeat layering once more, using the remaining ingredients except for about 1/8 tsp of graham cracker crumbs. Sprinke the top of each serving with a few of the remaining crumbs. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Comments:
Ok. So I know this is "The Biggest Loser" and all, but this kind of measuring every little thing just bugs me. Do they actually expect me to measure out teaspoons of crumbs?

Anywho, we don't have Kahlua so I threw some Bailey's in instead. I also couldn't find mousse mix (I really did look, I promise) so I just used pudding instead. It turned out fine. I had some issues with the layering on my first try, so I apologize for the crappy picture. I determined that champagne flutes are too narrow and used small, round Ziploc containers for the rest of them. In any case, it tasted very good.

Menu 1/24 through 1/30

Ok, let's try this again...

Saturday 1/24 Deconstructed Lasagna
Sunday 1/25 Leftovers
Monday 1/26 Leftovers
Tuesday 1/27 Hearty Meat Pie
Wednesday 1/28 Turkey & Bow Ties
Thursday 1/29 Out - we've got tickets to a show and will eat dinner nearby beforehand
Friday 1/30 Crabmeat Scramble

Not-Really-Fried Rice

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp hot mustard
1 tsp chili paste
1 tsp sesame oil
3 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
salt & pepper
1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped
1/4 chopped carrot
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup frozen peas
2 large eggs whites

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, mustard, chili paste, and sesame oil. Set aside.

Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Heat olive oil in a nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Scatter the chicken into the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add the green onions, carrot, and garlic to the pan, adding more oil if needed. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and peas. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the mixture is hot. Create a well with the rice and veggies to expose the center of the pan. Add oil in the well. Add the egg whites. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes, scrambling the egg whites. Stir to mix the egg into the rice. When the egg is completely cooked, add the chicken back into the pan. Stir in the reserve soy sauce mixture. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Comments:
Adam turned his nose up at this one. I thought it was good. This cookbook has a weird obsession with cooking spray, so I took some creative liberties with this recipe. Olive and even most vegetable oils are just fine for you, so why not use them? Anywho, I liked this and will probably make it again some day. When Adam's not home.

Greek Goddess Salad

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
3 tbsp minced parsley
4 pitted kalamata olives (left out)
1 cloved garlic, minced
4-5 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/2 medium red or orange bell pepper, chopped (left out)
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1 ounce crumbled feta cheese
1 small grilled chicken breast

Directions:
In a serving bowl, combine the parsley, olives, and garlic. Whisk in 4 tablespoons lemon juice. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, onion, and 3 tablespoons of the cheese. Toss to coat. Taste and add up to 1 tablespoon more lemon juice, if desired. Scatter the chicken over the salad. Top with remaining cheese.

Comments:
This is not my thing - I'm not a fan of feta. Adam flagged this recipe and I made it. That's how it works around here. :) He seemed to like it.

Ground Turkey Nachos

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 ounce tortilla chips
3 ounces ground turkey
2 tbsp refried beans
1 tbsp nacho cheese sauce
2 tbsp salsa
1 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp minced chives (left out)

Directions:
Arrange the chips in shallow bowl.

Set a small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the turkey, breaking into chunks with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the beans.

Meanwhile, spoon the cheese sauce into a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on low power in 15-second intervals until it is warm.

Spoon the turkey mixture evenly over the reserved chips. Drizzle on the cheese sauce. Spoon on the salsa and sour cream. Sprinkle with chives.

Comments:
I've made this a couple times. I'm an unconventional nacho eater in that I don't like all this crap all over the chips. I like to dip clean chips into the pile o' crap. I also don't like nacho cheese. So the picture is obviously my dish. Adam's looked more like the recipe describes. All in all, a good recipe.

Spicy Meatballs with Fiery Chili Sauce

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/4 pound ground beef
2 tbsp cooked brown rice
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp fennel seeds (left out)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp dried minced onion
salt & pepper
2 1/2 tbsp chili sauce
1/8 tsp hot-pepper sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.

In a medium bowl, combine the beef, rice, and spices (through salt & pepper.) Mix well. Form the mixture into 8 1" meatballs. Place the meatballs in a single layer on a small nonstick baking sheet. Bake for about 7 minutes, or until the meatballs are just barely pink inside. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the chili sauce with the hot-pepper sauce. Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Comments:
This recipe is for one serving, so you'll need to increase as needed. I didn't have chili sauce, but I found a recipe for it online using tomato sauce. These were pretty tasty for being "healthy."

Bacon Chicken Roll-Ups

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
12 bacon strips
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 medium sweet onion, halved and cut into slices
Dash salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, flatten chicken to 1/8-in. thickness. Spread cream cheese down the center of each chicken breast; top with onion. Roll up from a long side; tuck ends in. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap two bacon strips around each piece of chicken; secure with toothpicks.

Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Discard toothpicks before serving. Yield: 6 servings.


Comments:
These are good, but I could never get the bacon to stay in place. Plus they make Adam sick. So, they're not going to stay in the recipe box.

Peanut-Butter-Cup Brownies

From the February 2009 issue of Cosmo - recipe from Katie Lee Joel



Ingredients:
1 box brownie mix (I used Betty Crocker)
16 peanut butter cups (I only used 9)

Directions:
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Pour half of the batter into a 9x9 baking dish. (I used 8x8, hence the reduction of peanut butter cups.) Top with peanut butter cups. Spread the remaining batter evenly over the peanut butter cups. Bake according to package directions. Cool completely and then cut into squares.

Comments:
Yum. Peanut butter and chocolate are meant for each other. I admit I didn't exactly wait for them to cool completely before I cut them, so they were still ooey gooey and warm. Such a good idea! The other recipes on the page look good too. Keep an eye out for them since I'll probably be making them at some point.

Porcupines

From my recipe box - this is my mom's recipe



Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 small onion, chopped (or minced onion if you're lazy like I am)
salt & pepper
basil, thyme, parsley, oregano to taste (about 1 tsp each, generally)
1 can tomato soup

Directions:
1. Mix the meat, rice, onion, and spices in a bowl. Form into balls and arrange in a deep skillet with a lid.

2. Pour the tomato soup over the meatballs. Add one can full of water.

3. Cover and cook on medium heat for 25 minutes.

Comments:
I love porcupines. I went through a phase when I didn't eat pork or beef (not for health or activist reasons, but because I had this obsession with cows and pigs and I thought they were too cute to eat. I was a weird child.) and this dish is one of the first things I ate when I came out of that. This is also the first dish I made for Adam. Aah, memories. I always make them with mashed potatoes and mix the sauce all through them. Adam's ok with them first round, but refuses to eat them as leftovers.

Deconstructed Lasagna

From Everyday with Rachael Ray February 2009



Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
1 pound long fusilli or mafalda pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 pound ground beef sirloin
1 small carrot, grated or finely chopped
1 small onion, grated or finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 cup beef broth
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
A few leaves of basil, torn
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful)
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (a couple of generous handfuls), plus more to pass around the table

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.

2. While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the beef, crumbling it into bits, and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the carrot, onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the beef broth, then the tomatoes and basil; simmer.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta and parsley.

4. Toss the pasta with the butter, then stir in the parmigiano-reggiano and meat sauce. Scoop the ricotta mixture into each of 4 shallow bowls, then top with the meaty pasta. Pass more parmigiano-reggiano around the table.

Comments:
This is eerily similar to Rachael Ray's lasagna casserole. Adam didn't complain so much this time, but I don't know that he'd tolerate in a third permutation.

Barbecued Chicken Quesadillas

From Taste of Home's Cooking for 2 Winter 2009



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 flour tortillas (8 inches)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Directions:
Spread butter over one side of each tortilla. Place tortillas, buttered side down, on griddle. Sprinkle one side of each tortilla with 3 tablespoons cheese. Combine chicken and barbecue sauce; spoon over cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Fold over and cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges.

Comments:
I used cooking spray rather than butter and it worked fine. This is a totally simple dish, I added barbecue sauce to half of the chicken for Adam and left mine plain, so it even works for people with differing tastes. We'll probably try this one again. The variations are endless.

Leek-and-Gnocchi Bake with Three Cheeses and Crispy Prosciutto

From Everyday with Rachael Ray February 2009 (I don't see it on the website either. What the heck.)



Ingredients:
1 tbsp EVOO
8 thin slices prosciutto, halved crosswise
2 leeks - trimmed and cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
salt & pepper
Two 10 to 12-ounce packages potato gnocchi
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
ground nutmeg (I left this out)
1 cup grated fontina
1/2 cup grated asiago
1/2 cup grated parmesan (or parmigiano-reggiano)

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO. Working in batches if necessary, add the prosciutto in a single layer and cook, turning once, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Add the leeks to the skillet and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the gnocchi and cook until the gnocchi float to the surface, about 3 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute, the whisk in the milk. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in the fontina and asiago until melted.

4. Preheat the broiler. Drain the gnocchi and place in a casserole dish. Stir in the leeks and cheese sauce and top with the parmesan. Broil the casserole until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Top with crumbled prosciutto.

Comments:
This was fantastic. I actually used prosciutto this time rather than subbing bacon. It was too salty for my tastes so I'll probably swap it out again in the future. You never know until you try it though, right? Other than that, this turned out great. And Adam even ate some of the leftovers today so I know it had to be good! Leeks and gnocchi. What's not to like?

Adam Makes Rotisserie Chicken on the Grill

Comments:
Yum. That is all.

Turkey Burger "Drumsticks"

From Everyday with Rachael Ray February 2009 (I don't see it on the website.)



Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1 can (5oz) evaporated milk
1/4 c finely chopped onion
2 cups crushed cornflakes (I used breadcrumbs)
2 oz cheese (I used mozzarella)

Directions:
In a bowl, mix the turkey, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, the onion, and 2/3 cup cornflakes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide into 12 portions. Cut the cheese into 12 small sticks and thread onto 12 skewers. Wet your hands with evaporated milk, then mold some meat around each cheese piece, shaping into 3-inch ovals. Pour the remaining milk into a bowl. Add the remaining cornflakes to a plate. Dip each drumstick into the milk, then coat with the cornflakes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium hear and fry each drumstick until browned, about 12 minutes.

Comments:
I basically followed the recipe. Kind of. I threaded cheese. I skipped washing my hands with evaporated milk. I molded meat. I skipped dipping them in milk and crumbs. I realized my skewers were too long for my pan and had to cut the ends of them as I put them in. In any case, they turned out alright. A few of them burst in the pan, oozing cheese all over. Adam liked them and pointed out that they could be made with pork or beef as well. Always thinking, that one...

Beef-and-Feta Pasta Bake

From Everyday with Rachael Ray February 2009 (I don't see it on the website.)



Ingredients:
1 pound pasta (I used shells)
2 T butter
2 T flour
2 cups milk, heated
3/4 pound crumbled feta
3 cups meat sauce (I used a jar of pasta sauce)
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until a dente. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour for 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, whish in the hot milk and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 5 mintutes. Stir in the feta.

3. In a large bowl, combine the meat sauce, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar. Stir in half the pasta. In another large bowl, stir together the feta sauce and the remaining pasta. Transfer the meat-coated pasta to a 9x13 baking dish. Top with the feta-coated pasta. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.

Comments:
Adam picked this recipe out. I probably would have avoided it since I'm not really a fan of feta cheese. Or cloves. But it was actually pretty good. Next time I would probably leave the cloves out because neither of us really dug that overtone. I'd also probably make a batch of my favorite pasta sauce and use that instead of the jarred stuff. I didn't plan ahead too well this time.

Ziti with Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, and Gorgonzola Sauce

From Cooking Light September 2008



Ingredients:
4 ounces uncooked ziti
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
6 tablespoons half-and-half (used milk)
3 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 cup fresh spinach (left out)

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cherry tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper, and minced garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in half-and-half and Gorgonzola cheese; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in spinach and pasta; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, tossing occasionally.

Comments:
I had some leftover gorgonzola from our party and this looked like a good way to use it up. I even had some cherry tomatoes already in the fridge so it was a recipe I didn't have to go grocery shopping to make. Overall, simple, tastes good. Not an everyday recipe though. Gorgonzola isn't the cheapest cheese out there! The picture looks kind of sad because I had already started to eat when I realized I hadn't snapped a photo yet. Whoops!

Simple Clam Chowder

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 bacon slices
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 (6 1/2-ounce) cans chopped clams, undrained
5 cups diced peeled baking potato (about 1 pound)
4 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
1 bay leaf
3 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)

Directions:
Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside. Add onion, celery, salt, thyme, and garlic to drippings in pan; cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Drain clams, reserving liquid. Add clam liquid, potato, clam juice, and bay leaf to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Discard bay leaf.

Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 12 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Add clams; cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon.

Comments:
This is a recipe Adam picked out a while ago. It didn't really turn out so well. It was way too thick. I did quarter the recipe so perhaps that affected things. In any case, not likely to try this again.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
20 to 24 large fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 pound bulk pork sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained
3 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 egg white

Directions:
Remove mushroom stems from caps. Set caps aside (discard stems or save for another use). In a small skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender.

In a large bowl, combine the sausage, bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley and egg white. Stir in onion mixture. Fill the mushroom caps; place in a lightly greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.

Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and tops are browned. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Comments:
Stuffed Mushrooms were on a sale a few weeks back at the grocery store so they were on the forefront of Adam's mind. And since we had some extra sausage when I made another batch of the family pleasing pizza I figured what the hey. These were pretty simple and since Adam has eaten every last one of them I guess they tasted ok too. I set my bar pretty low.

Pork Schnitzel

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
6 boneless pork cutlets (1/2 inch thick and 4 ounces each)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1-1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons paprika
6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
Flatten pork cutlets to 1/4-in. thickness. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, seasoned salt and pepper. In another bowl, beat eggs and milk. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs and paprika. Dip cutlets into flour mixture, then into egg mixture, then into crumb mixture.

In a large skillet, cook pork in oil, a few pieces at a time, for 3-4 minutes per side or until meat is no longer pink. Remove to a serving platter; keep warm. Yield: 6 servings.

Comments:
We actually used a flavored pork tenderloin to make this schnitzel. It turned out pretty well although I wasn't much of a fan. Then again, I'm not too keen on most pork. Bacon excluded. :) I just ate a lot of Stove Top. Yum.

Teriyaki Burgers

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 hamburger buns, split
4 slices deli ham (3/4 ounce each)
2 pineapple slices
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce

Directions:
Shape beef into two patties. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Serve on buns with ham, pineapple and teriyaki sauce. Yield: 2 servings.

Comments:
I was a little hesitant with the teriyaki sauce, never having cooked with it before. I probably could have gone a little heavier with it. You could hardly taste it at all. Other than my constant problem of making the burgers way too small for the buns, this was a successful dinner.

Adam Makes More Pies

For the Pumpkin:
Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:
Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.


For the Pecan:
Ingredients:
1 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans
1 (9-inch) unbaked or frozen deep-dish pie crust

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla using a spoon. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake on center rack of oven for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool for 2 hours on wire rack before serving.

Comments:
He liked the pumpkin so much the first time he made a couple more. He also made pecan because, I don't know, he was struck by the desire to do so. Whatever works. He took one of each to a Thanksgiving potluck at his work. They were a hit. That other thing in the middle there is a loaf of sourdough bread. I'm not sure how that turned out. I didn't get to eat any of it.

Weekly Menu: November 22-28

Saturday 11/22 French Onion Soup Mac & Cheese *NEW* (got bumped from last week)
Sunday 11/23 Brats - probably on the grill
Monday 11/24 Leftovers
Tuesday 11/25 Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches
Wednesday 11/26 Pretzel Chicken Tenders
Thursday 11/27 Thanksgiving - the big meal is at the in-laws' house
Friday 11/28 Home Style Ribs (yay for crock pots!)

Adam Makes Pumpkin Pie

Adam threw away the can label that had the directions, so sorry, no recipe to post. Tsk tsk.

Comments:
I do not like pie. Especially pumpkin. Therefore I can only assume this was good because Adam ate it all.

Party Time Mini Cheeseburgers

From Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious



Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound ground beef
3 slices process American cheese
10 dinner rolls, split

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 10 patties. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, using a 1-in. pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 10 pumpkin shapes from cheese slices. Immediately place on burgers; serve on rolls. Yield: 10 servings.

Comments:
These burgers turned out very wet and they pretty much fell apart in the pan. They tasted good, but the presentation was a bit tricky when I had very few actual burgers to work with. Oh well.

Broccoli Cheese Strata

From Taste of Home's Cooking for 2



Ingredients:
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh broccoli
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon water
2 slices white bread, cubed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon dill weed
Dash ground nutmeg
Dash pepper

Directions:
In a small microwave-safe dish, microwave broccoli and onions in water on high for 1 minute; drain and set aside. Place bread in a shallow 3-cup baking dish coated with cooking spray. Add broccoli mixture and cheese. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk, mustard, dill, nutmeg and pepper; pour over cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Yield: 2 servings.

Comments:
Interesting dish. I made it in the morning and baked it for dinner. The texture wasn't really that great, but it tasted fine. I don't know that I'd make it again. We'll see.

Hearty Penne Beef

From Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious



Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato puree, broth, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add spinach; cook for 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted.

Drain pasta; stir into beef mixture. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 4 servings.

Comments:
I left the spinach out of this dish. I just wasn't in the spinach mood. It turned out a little runny, but I don't know that the spinach would have sopped much of the juice up. I think it needs some thickening agent to go from soupy to saucy. I mean it has a can of beef broth and a can of tomatoes. That's a lot of juice with nowhere to go since the pasta is pre-cooked. I'll play around with it next time.

Grilled Chicken with Mango-Pineapple Salsa

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Salsa:
2/3 cup diced peeled ripe mango (1 medium)
2/3 cup diced fresh pineapple
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Chicken:
4 (6-ounce)skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Dash of crushed red pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. To prepare salsa, combine first 8 ingredients. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. To prepare chicken, place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Combine pineapple juice and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

3. Prepare grill.

4. Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done.

5. Place reserved marinade in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 5 minutes). Drizzle over chicken. Serve salsa with chicken.

Comments:
I altered this recipe a bit to our tastes, so the "salsa" ended up not being so much a salsa as some fruit on top of the chicken. I also didn't grill the chicken - I baked it. It all turned out pretty well. I'm sure it's a different dish completely if you prepare it the way the recipe tells you to. But this was good for my tastes.

Veggie Mac 'n' Cheese

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups fresh cauliflowerets
3 large carrots, halved and thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Cook macaroni according to package directions, adding the broccoli, cauliflowerets, carrots and celery during the last 6 minutes. Drain; transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute onion in butter until tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Gradually stir in milk and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cheese, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over macaroni mixture; stir to coat. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 12 servings.

Comments:
After a disasterous mac and cheese incident a few months back (as in, it turned out horrible and made us both very sick) I decided I should try again. Using a recipe this time. Overall, pretty easy to make. Although the cats were swarming more than usual when I made this. I don't know why. Maybe they like cauliflower? In any case, simple to assemble, tastes good. I like how the veggies get almost sweet when they're baked.

Weekly Menu: Nov 15-21

Trying out something else new. In an effort to post on a more regular basis, I'm going to try posting our menu each week. I plan Saturday to Friday since we generally do our weekly grocery shopping on Friday night or Saturday morning. I also only plan dinners. Lunches we find something in leftovers or the food in the house.

I'll post a link to my entry if it's something we've tried before. If it's new, I'll link to the recipe (if possible.) Here goes!

Saturday 11/15 Pork Wontons
Sunday 11/16 Adam Makes Dinner (Don't know what he has planned. Probably something on the grill)
Monday 11/17 Always a leftover night - I have a weekly commitment at church
Tuesday 11/18 Adam's on his own - I'll be at my monthly professional association's meeting
Wednesday 11/19 Meaty Rigatoni
Thursday 11/20 Chicken Parmesan
Friday 11/21 French Onion Soup Mac & Cheese *NEW*