Steak Fajitas

Fajitas

• 1 cup thick and chunky cilantro salsa
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chili pepper powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb beef flank steak, trimmed of fat
• 1 sweet onion, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch strips
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch strips
• 12 low-fat flour tortillas (8 inch) (I used corn)
• Fat-free sour cream, if desired

Relish

• 1 can (11 oz) Green Giant® Niblets® whole kernel sweet corn, drained
• 1 large tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, if desired

1. Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix salsa, garlic, chili pepper powder, salt and cumin.
2. Cut beef into 3x1/2x1/2-inch strips; stir into mixture in cooker.
3. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.
4. Add onion and bell peppers to beef in cooker. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 30 to 45 minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix relish ingredients; set aside.
5. To serve, wrap tortillas in damp microwavable paper towels; heat in microwave on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds or until warm. Spoon about 1/2 cup beef mixture down center of each warm tortilla; top with relish and sour cream. Fold 2 sides of tortilla over filling toward center.

Zesty Corn Combo

• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
• 1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
• 1 medium jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 bags (1 lb each) frozen whole kernel corn
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook bell peppers and chili in butter 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bell peppers are crisp-tender.
2. Stir in frozen corn, oregano and salt. Cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender. Stir in cilantro.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely crushed gingersnaps
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• Toasted pecan halves

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  For crust, in a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, crushed gingersnaps, the 2 tablespoons of pecans, flour, powdered sugar, and melted butter.  Press evenly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium low speed until fluffy.  Add 3 of the eggs beating on low speed until combined.
3. Place 1 cup of the cream cheese mixture in a medium bowl.  Add pumpkin, the remaining egg, the milk, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.  Beat on low speed just until combined.  Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared pan.  Top with cream cheese mixture.  Use a knife to gently swirl through the layers to marble.
4. Place springform pan in a shallow baking pan.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a 2 1/2-inch area around the outside edge appears sear when gently shaken.  Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Loosen crust from sides of pan.  Cool completely.  Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
5. Just before serving, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form.  Top each serving with whipped cream and toasted pecans.

Christmas cookies, Yum.

I made a ton of yummy desserts this holiday season, sadly they were eaten before pictures were taken! :(  I made 3 wonderful types of cookies, a cheesecake and biscotti.  All these recipes were found in my new cookbook:  "Christmas Cooking From the Heart" from the Better Homes and Gardens collection.

White Chocolate-Cherry Shortbread

• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 12 ounces white baking chocolate with cocoa butter, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
• 2 teaspoons shorting
• White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.  Spread chopped cherries on paper towels to drain well. 
2. In a large bowl combine flour and sugar.  Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.  Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of chopped white chocolate.  Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring.  Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.
3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls.  Place balls 2 inches apart on an uncooked cookie sheet.  Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls into 1 1/2-inch rounds.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
5. In a small saucepan combine the remaining 8 ounces of white chocolate and the shortening.  Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth.  Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off.  If desired, roll dipped edge in in nonpareils and/or edible glitter.  Let cookies stand until chocolate sets. 

Pumpkin-Spiced Cookie Cutouts

• 1 17.5 ounce package sugar cookie mix
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.  In a large bowl combine dry cookie mix, butter, egg, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg.  Stir with a wooden spoon until a stiff dough forms (if necessary, knead dough to combine).
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough until 1/4 inch thick.  Cut out dough.  Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake about 8 minutes or until bottoms are light brown.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.  Drizzle with Brown Butter Icing.

Brown Butter Icing

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• In a small saucepan heat butter over low heat about 15 minutes or until brown (be careful not to burn).  Remove saucepan from heat.  Stir in powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.  Immediately drizzle over cooled cookies (icing will harden quickly).

Cranberry-Eggnog Twirls

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cranberry preserves or jam (since I couldn't find cranberry I picked a raspberry pomegranate preserve, it was yummy)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

1. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.  Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.  Beat in eggs and rum extract until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in any remaining flour.  Divide dough in half.  Cover and chill dough about an hour until easy to handle.
2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a small saucepan combine preserves and cornstarch.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Remove saucepan from heat; stir in pecans.  Cover and set aside to cool.
3. Roll half of the dough between two pieces of waxed paper into a 10-inch square.  Spread half of the filling over dough to within 1/2 inch of edges; roll up dough.  Moisten edges; pinch to seal.  Wrap in waxed paper.  Repeat with remaining dough and filling.  Chill for at least 4 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Line large cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are light brown.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Peppermint-Twist Biscotti

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup coarsely chopped candy canes
• Red paste food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Line cookie sheet with foil; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in eggs and peppermint extract.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in any remaining flour.  Stir in the 1 cup of chopped candy canes.
2. Divide dough in half; tint one portion of dough with food coloring.  Divide each dough half into three portions.  On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough portion into a 14-inch-long rope.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown and tops are cracked.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1 hour.  Carefully peel away foil.
5. Preheat oven to 300°F.  Transfer twist to a cutting board.  Use a serrated knife to cut each twist diagonally into 1/2-inch slices.  Place slices on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until crisp and dry.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
6. Drizzle cookies with Peppermint Icing.  If desired, sprinkle with additional chopped candy canes.  Let cookies stand until icing sets

Peppermint Icing

• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• peppermint schnapps, or milk and 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract

• In a medium bowl combine powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon peppermint schnapps (or use 1 tablespoon milk and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract); stir until smooth.  Add enough additional peppermint schnapps or milk (about 2 tablespoons) to make icing drizzling consistency.

Sichuan Cashew Chicken with Angel Hair Pasta

Prep Time:5 min
Start to Finish:30 min
Makes:5 Servings
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon chili or vegetable oil
1 bag (1 pound) frozen broccoli, carrots and water chestnuts (or other combination)
1/3 cup stir-fry sauce
6 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta or 2 cups hot cooked brown or white rice
1/4 cup cashew halves, if desired
1. Remove fat from chicken. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
2. While chicken is cooking, cook pasta in separate pan in boiling water as package directs.
3. Add vegetables to skillet; stir-fry about 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in stir- fry sauce; cook and stir about 30 seconds or until heated through.
4. Cut chicken into 1-inch diagonal slices. Serve chicken with vegetables and noodles. Sprinkle with cashews.

I also added fresh veggies to the frozen veggie mix, since my mom ate half of the frozen veggies before I could make this!

Honey Mustard Chicken Nuggets

1 cup Fiber One® original bran cereal (or any other kind of bread crumbs, crackers etc etc)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
1 package (20 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 25 (1 1/4-inch) pieces
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray cookie sheet with sides with cooking spray.
2. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and finely crush with rolling pin or meat mallet. Add salt and pepper; shake to mix. Pour into medium bowl.
3. In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard and honey.
4. In medium bowl, stir 1/4 cup of the mustard mixture and the chicken to coat chicken thoroughly. Toss chicken in cereal mixture to coat. Place on cookie sheet.
5. Bake 10 minutes; turn chicken. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
6. Serve chicken nuggets with reserved sauce for dipping.

 

Love Your Crock Pot

Crock pots are amazing!  You throw your dinner in and when you get home its done!  I made this meal Thursday night when I had to work til 7 and dinner was ready when my family got home.  I spent my day off before making the bread and in the morning before work I threw the meat in and dinner was ready when my family was hungry that evening.

Slow Cooker Roast Pork with Fruit
1 medium onion, sliced 1 boneless pork loin roast (2 lb) 1 package (8 oz) dried pears or dried plums (1 1/2 cups) 1/2 cup apple juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1. In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, place onion. Place pork on onion; top with fruit. 2. In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients; pour over fruit. 3 .Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 9 hours or until pork is tender. Serve fruit mixture over pork.

For the bread be prepared to stay at home to keep an eye on it all day.  Walnut-Gorgonzola Baguettes 2 1/2 to 3 cups Gold Medal® Better for Bread™ flour 1 package regular active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons) 1 cup very warm water (120°F to 130°F) 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup chopped walnuts 1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese 1. In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand about 1 hour or until bubbly. 2. Stir in salt and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. On lightly floured surface, knead dough 5 to 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy (dough will be soft). Grease large bowl with shortening or spray with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Sprinkle walnuts and cheese over dough. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched. 3. Grease large cookie sheet with shortening or spray with cooking spray. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until nuts and cheese are worked into dough. Sprinkle top of dough with flour. Divide dough in half. Gently shape each half into a narrow loaf, about 12 inches long. Place about 4 inches apart on cookie sheet. Using spray bottle with fine mist, spray loaves with cool water. Let rise uncovered in warm place about 1 hour or until double. 4. Place 8-inch or 9-inch square pan on bottom rack in oven; add hot water to pan until about 1/2 inch from top of pan. Heat oven to 425°F. 5. Carefully cut 1/4-inch-deep slashes diagonally across loaves at 2-inch intervals with sharp serrated knife. Spray tops of loaves with cool water. Place loaves in oven and spray again. 6. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until loaves are deep golden with crisp crust and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool completely, about 1 hour. High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

~Bry

Roasted Pork Chops, Broccoli and Veggies

Fresh Tomato and Squash Tart

Servings: 8

• 2 large fully ripened fresh Florida tomatoes, (about 1 pound)
• 1 large zucchini (about 8 ounces)
• 1 large summer (yellow) squash (about 8 ounces)
• 1 large potato (about 6 ounces), peeled
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup shredded reduced fat Swiss cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten (or you may use 1 whole egg and 1/4 cup egg substitute)

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Butter a 9-inch pie plate or shallow casserole. Remove stem ends from tomatoes; cut in half through stem ends; thinly slice crosswise. Cut zucchini, summer squash and potato in half lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, summer squash, potato, onion, 3/4 cup of the Swiss cheese, eggs, salt, Italian seasoning and pepper until well mixed. Arrange half of the tomato slices on bottom of pie plate. Evenly spoon vegetable mixture over tomatoes, pressing slightly to flatten. Arrange remaining tomato slices on top; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until vegetables are tender and glazed, about 40 minutes.

Roasted Broccolini with Red Pepper

Servings: 6

• 1 1/4 pounds broccoli florets, (about 8 cups)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes 

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss broccoli and 3 tablespoons oil in large bowl to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Roast 15 minutes. Stir remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil, garlic, and red pepper in small bowl. Drizzle garlic mixture over broccoli; toss to coat. Roast until broccoli is beginning to brown, about 8 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

  

Pork Chops Stuffed with Smoked Gouda and Bacon

Ingredients

• 2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 (2 1/4 inch thick) center-cut, bone-in pork chops
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, bacon, parsley, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Lay the chop flat on cutting board, and with a sharp knife held parallel to the board, cut a pocket into the pork, going all the way to the bone, but leaving the sides intact. Stuff cheese mixture into pocket, and close with a wooden toothpick. Brush meat with oil, and season with salt and more black pepper.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until pork is done. Careful not to overcook!

 ~Bry

Eggplant

I am not a fan of eggplant however my mom really likes it so I like to use it in recipes from time to time.  I had some left over eggplant and made both of these recipes that use it.  The first one is a side dish of eggplant and tomatoes.

Roasted Eggplant and TomatoesServe with a green salad and crusty rolls.

Servings: 6

• 1 - 1 3/4 pound eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large plum tomatoes, cored, quartered lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place eggplant and tomatoes on rimmed baking sheet; toss with oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons oregano, salt, and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Transfer eggplant and tomatoes to platter. Sprinkle with feta and 2 teaspoons oregano and serve.

 

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place eggplant and tomatoes on rimmed baking sheet; toss with oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons oregano, salt, and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Transfer eggplant and tomatoes to platter. Sprinkle with feta and 2 teaspoons oregano and serve.

Charred Ratatouille & Grilled Chicken

Servings: 6

• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise

• 1 medium Japanese eggplant, halved lengthwise

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

• 1 red onion, peeled, cut into wedges

• 2 medium tomatoes, halved crosswise

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

• 1/3 cup basil (chiffonade)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar *

Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Place vegetables in large bowl and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Grill vegetables until tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes for peppers and 7 minutes for remaining vegetables. Transfer to cutting board. Place chicken breasts in same large bowl. Turn to coat with any remaining oil in bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken, covered, until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Let stand 5 minutes.

Coarsely chop vegetables and transfer to another large bowl. Add basil and vinegar and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Slice chicken into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve with ratatouille.

COOKS NOTE: For you traditionalists, go ahead and use the balsamic vinegar.

 

~Bry

Lasagna Roll-ups

Spinach and Cheese Roll-ups
Speed up this recipe by using purchased marinara sauce. Servings: 4

• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 - 14.5 ounce can diced canned tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• Dash of salt
• Dash of black pepper
• 8 dried lasagna noodles
• 1 - 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 3/4 cup fat-free or reduced fat ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil
• 1 slightly beaten egg white
In a medium saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Carefully stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until sauce is desired consistency, stirring occasionally.
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
For filling, drain thawed spinach well, pressing out excess liquid. In a medium bowl stir together ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and bail. Add spinach and egg white, stirring to combine.
To assemble, evenly spread about 1/4 cup filling on each noodle Roll up from one end. Place two rolls, seam side down into each of four individual casseroles. Top each serving with sauce.
Bake casseroles, covered, in a 350 degree oven about 25 minutes or until heated through.

I love this dish, I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta, and I skip the first half of the recipe and use canned tomato sauce instead of making it.

Bry

My Favorite Bean Dip

There are a lot of bean dips and a lot of different ways to make them.  My favorite I stole many ideas and recipes from many friends and mixed them together to make my favorite.

I love the Tostadas Bean and Cheese premade dip.  I mix it with a can of re fried beans otherwise the flavor is highly over whelming (and if you don't like spicy it calms the spicy flavor down).  I spread the bean mixture in the bottom of a glass casserole dish.  Then I mix a package of cream cheese with taco seasoning and spread that over the beans, (make sure the cream cheese is soft so it spreads nicely).  Then I put a layer of salsa, enough to cover the dish and add flavor but if you add to much it is to runny and overpowering.  I then add shredded cheese.  If you like tomatoes, olives, guacamole, etc etc feel free to add them.  I then bake the dish for about 30 minutes, or until melted and hot, at around 350.

~Bry

Red Pepper Frittata

Ingerdients:

• 1/2 cup water
•  1/3 cup uncooked couscous
•  1 tbsp water
•  3/4 tsp salt
•  1/4 tsp black pepper
•  4 large egg whites
•  3 large eggs
•  2 cups red bell pepper strips
•  1 cup of thinly sliced onions
•  2 garlic gloves minced
•  1/3 cup shredded cheese

Directions

•  Preheat oven to 350°
• Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil in a small sauce-pan; gradually stir in couscous.  Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork
• Combine 1 tbsp of water, salt, black pepper and eggs in a bowl; stir with whisk
• heat a 10 inch oven proof nonstick skillet  over medium-high heat; spay.  Add bell pepper, onion and garlic; saute for 5 minutes.  Stir in couscous and eggs; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until almost set.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until set.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

We didn't have an oven proof skillet so I cooked it in a regular skillet and transferred the egg mixture into a pie pan and then baked it in the oven.  This recipe serves 4 people.  Each slice contains 200 calories and 15 grams of protein!   This dish would also take good with broccoli or other veggies or meats that you like. 

~Bry

Green Beans, Zucchini, Pasta and Chicken! Oh My!

Tonight I have 3 recipes I am going to post.  I love when the vegetables in peoples gardens turn ripe!  We had fresh green beans and zucchini tonight, both home grown! YUM!  The first recipe I made with fresh zucchini.

 Baked Zucchini Spears
 3 medium zucchini sliced into 3" x 1/2" sticks
1 large egg white
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt, Fresh ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425°.
In a small bowl, beat egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a ziplock bag, place breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese and shake well. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
Dip zucchini sticks into eggs then into bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer and spray more cooking spray on top. Bake at 425° for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve a prepared pizza sauce for dipping. (We ate them plain)

The second side dish I got to use fresh green beans from a family friends garden.  I found a lightly flavored garlic recipe with almonds in it. 
Garlic Green Beans with Almonds
1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and microwaved for 4 minutes
2 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 - 1/4 cup water or chicken broth
Coarse sea salt, to taste
Pepper (to taste)
In a large pan over medium high heat, heat oil adding almonds and toss till for 1 minute add garlic to lightly brown add beans and water or broth cover for 5 minutes on low heat.
Season with salt and pepper.

I also found a garlic, lemon angel hair pasta dish.  I really enjoyed this dish and am deffinately adding it to my favorites.  It has a nice blend of lemon and garlic flavors. Lemon Garlic Angel Hair Pasta
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
As water is coming to a boil, place olive oil and garlic in a non stick sauté pan and cook over medium heat just until garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat and pour in wine. Return to heat and cook on high heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until reduced by half. Stir in lemon juice and tomato and remove from heat.
Place pasta in the boiling water and cook to desired doneness, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Angel hair doesn't take long. Drain the pasta and put it into a warm serving bowl. Add the wine, garlic and tomato. Add the basil, Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Toss and serve immediately.

For the meat eaters in my family I cooked up some chicken.  To add a bit of flavor i poured some lemon juice on it before cooking it and then some in the pan while it cooked.   

 

I also heated up a loaf of warm sourdough to eat with the meal :)

~Bry

Eggs :)

Eggs are not only delicious but also good for your health.  Being a vegetarian can make finding proteins a bit more difficult, so eggs are a great way to get some.  On average eggs have about 6 grams of protein.  Although a large egg contains around 212 milligrams of cholesterol, studies show it does not effect a majority of people negatively (if worried about the cholesterol count in eggs try egg whites or mixing whites with an egg).  Eggs have many known health benefits, including, eye sight health, breast health (studies show women who eat at least 6 eggs a week lowered their risk of getting breast cancer by 44%).  Eggs also promote healthy hair and nail growth, and contains vitamin d (something a majority if oregonians don't get enough of).

There are so many ways to fix eggs.  From milk to water, sour cream to pancake batter, people have their own way if adding fluff and creamy richness to their eggs.  I personally love a nice dollop of sour cream im me eggs.  There are also so many ingredients you can put in eggs to add flavor.   A personal couple favorites of mine include, feta cheese with fresh basil (if desired add roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and/or onions).  I also enjoy eggs with sour cream and green onions.  I recently was introduced to adding black beans to eggs, which turned out to taste pretty yummy.  The picture included is an egg taco I made for my mom the other day, which included: sour cream, green onions, green peppers, onion, tomatoes, salsa, black beans and taco meat.
~Bry