Mussels and Wild Mushroom Risotto

I went to Miller's at 14 and Haggerty, the only good place to buy fancy ingredients near me. I got a bag of live mussels from behind the fish counter, some dried wild mushrooms, a package of sliced portabellas, 2 shallots, a $5 bottle of white wine and a bunch of fresh parsley. I had the rest of the ingredients at home.

INGREDIENTS

MUSSELS:
1/4 sweet white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 shallot, sliced
1 T capers, drained
2/3 cup white wine
Olive oil
Chopped parsley
Juice from 1 lemon

Crumbled bleu cheese *optional

MUSHROOM RISOTTO:
1.5 cups arborio rice
2 T olive oil
2 T butter *optional
1/4 sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 shallot, sliced
1 package wild mushrooms, steeped in warm water for 30 mins (about 1 cup warm water)
1 package sliced portabella mushrooms
Chicken stock, heated
2/3 cup white wine, chill taken off
Chopped parsley
2 T (or more!) parmesan cheese
Salt/pepper to taste

PREPARATION

MUSSELS:

Sautee onions, shallots, garlic in olive oil for a little while until transluscent (not browned).
Increase heat to medium/high and add in wine, capers, parsley and juice from 1 lemon.
Put the mussels in, toss in the wine, and cover for 4-7 mins or until all/most of them have opened.
Pour into a bowl and serve with crumbled bleu cheese.

RISOTTO:

Strain the mushrooms and reserve the liquid. Chop the mushrooms and add all of the mushrooms to a hot oiled pan. Brown the mushrooms, stirring often, and set aside.
Sautee onions, shallot, garlic in olive oil for a little while until transluscent (not browned). Add in rice and stir to coat. Keep cooking over medium/low heat for 5 minutes or so, stirring often. Add in 2/3 cup of white wine and stir. Cook until the wine has been absorbed by the rice. Add in 1/2 cup heated chicken stock and stir stir stir. While that cooks, add in the mushrooms and keep stirring. Once the chicken stock has been absorbed, add in the mushroom stock (about 1/2 cup) and stir. Once the mushroom stock has been absorbed, add in another 1/2 cup of warmed chicken stock and stir. Salt/pepper to taste.

Once the rice is *almost* done, add in parsley, butter, and parmesan cheese and stir some more.
Take off heat and serve.

Grilled Chicken Kebab with Coconut Rice and Grilled Pineapple

For 2 people

12 oz. - 24 oz. chicken breast, cubed
4 oz. plain yogurt
2 T Ras el Hanout spice (shawarma spice mix)
skewers
1 cup jasmine rice
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. sugar
Fresh pineapple, sliced
Cilantro, chopped
Red Onion, diced
Yellow onion, diced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 can black beans
Vegetable oil
2 loaves Naan bread

This recipe is a little involved, but worth it in the long run. Jon got a new gas grill for his birthday, so I use that to grill the kebabs on, but you could use a George Foreman or other indoor grill, or even your broiler.

Begin by rolling chicken chunks in the shawarma spices and then marinating in plain yogurt. Let the chicken sit in the fridge for 2-8 hours in the marinade. Then, put 4-5 chunks on each skewer.
Grill chicken until cooked thoroughly.
To make the coconut rice, add milk and 1/2 cup water to a sauce pan and bring to boil.
Add in sugar and 1 cup jasmine rice.
COVER the pan tightly and reduce heat to your lowest setting available.
Let the rice cook for 15-20 minutes, no peeking!!! Let rest additional 5 mins with the heat off.
Chop red onion and cilantro and use as a garnish.
Put the diced yellow onion in another pan with some vegetable oil. Gently sautee until soft and add cumin and rinsed black beans. Add salt to taste.
Grill pineapple.

Serve with naan and a squeeze of lime.

Bleu Cheese Walnut Dip for crackers or crostini

Also great on veggies or apple slices and fresh pineapple!

1/2 cup toasted walnuts
4 oz. bleu cheese
1 package cream cheese
2 T honey
1 tsp. garlic salt
Chopped scallions *optional

Toasted crostini
Crackers
Fruit slices

Toast walnuts in a 350 oven for 5-7 mins on a baking pan.
Combine softened cream cheese, bleu cheese, salt and honey in a bowl.
Add in toasted walnuts and combine.
Garnish with chopped scallions, if desired.

Serve!

Tofu Parmigiana

Last night, I created a great vegetarian version of Chicken Parmesan using extra firm tofu instead of chicken. It tasted great and I like to limit my consumption of meats whenever possible. I do use eggs and cheese, however. You can alwasy use soy milk instead of eggs in this recipe and vegan cheese instead of mozzarella.

1 package extra firm tofu cut into 2 steaks
Panko bread crumbs mixed with italian bread crumbs (50/50 mix)
1 egg
FRESH mozzarella cheese
Spaghetti sauce
FRESH basil leaves, torn
Flour seasoned with lots of garlic powder!

Preheat oven to 425
Drain your tofu on paper towel by wrapping each tofu steak and leaving in fridge for at least 1 hour.
Dredge tofu in a little seasoned flour (handle carefully or tofu could break apart)
Dredge in whisked egg
Dredge in panko/breadcrumbs mixture
Move steaks to a baking dish sprayed with PAM or other non-stick cooking spray
Bake in 425 oven for 15-17 mins
Take out of oven and top with about half the jar of spaghetti sauce and slices of fresh mozzarella
Reduce heat to 375 and bake for another 10-15 mins
Top with lots of torn fresh basil leaves and maybe some parmesan cheese!

*Serve with some spaghetti and sauteed mushrooms, if you wish.

Note: I used to skip the 1) dredge in flour step and have found that I should not skip that step. It helps keep the breadcrumbs on the meat/tofu/eggplant/other veggie so much better!

Cast Iron Skillet Deep Dish Pizza

1 frozen pizza dough ball

Pizza Sauce

Fresh Mozzarella, sliced

Shredded Mozzarella

Pepperoni

Italian Sausage

Olive oil

Parmesan Cheese

Garlic Salt

Red Pepper Flakes

Any other ingredients you'd like!

Preheat oven to 350.
Let dough thaw and rest.
Brown the sausage.
Oil the cast iron pan and stretch the pizza dough to fit in the pan & up the sides.  I let the dough hang over a little.
Par-bake the dough for 5 minutes.
 Take the pizza out and layer with shredded mozzarella.  Bake another minute in the oven to let the cheese melt just slightly and form a barrier for the sauce.
Layer sauce, sausage, pepperoni, fresh mozzarella slices and more sauce.  Top with more fresh mozzarella.
Fill up the pizza!
Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on the edges and the cheese is fully melted and hot.

Apple Walnut Salad with Bleu Cheese

I like to make my own croutons for this salad. I slice up a baguette,toss the slices in some olive oil, some garlic salt, and a little parmesan cheese. Lay the slices on a baking pan and bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until crunchy. Let them sit in a warm oven (oven OFF) for additional 3-5 minutes to get extra crunchy.

1 small head of romaine lettuce
1 cup of baby spinach
1 green apple (I prefer the more tart variety)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/4 cup craisins *optional
4 oz. bleu cheese
3/4 cup Apple cider vinaigrette (see salad dressing post)

Dice the apples and toast the walnuts. Chop the romaine and toss with the spinach. Add everything to the bowl and toss with the cider vinaigrette.
Serve with homemade croutons on top!

Sherry Mushroom Chicken

2 chicken breasts
2 packages of cremini mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 shallot, sliced
2 cups cream sherry
1/2 cup light cream
Salt/pepper
Flat leaf parsley, chopped
Shredded parmesan cheese
Olive oil

Season chicken breasts and sautee in a pan 3-4 minutes per side.  Chicken does not need to be cooked through, but should get a little color.  Set aside.

Halve the mushrooms and sautee in 3-4 T olive oil.  Use a hot pan to brown the mushrooms.  After the mushrooms begin to brown, reduce the heat and add in chopped garlic and sliced shallots.  Continue to cook over medium heat until the garlic and shallots begin to soften.  Don't let the garlic burn.  Season with salt and pepper.

Put the chicken into the pan and add in cream sherry and let cook 10-12 minutes over medium heat.

Reduce heat and allow the sherry to stop boiling.  Add in cream and stir thoroughly to incorporate.
Let cook for 7-10 more minutes.

Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley and parmesan cheese.

Pear and Bleu Cheese Pizza with Honey Drizzle

Ingredients
1 (ball frozen pizza dough (available at your local grocery store in the frozen bread section)
1 (4 ounce) wedge of good quality blue cheese
6 ounces lightly toasted walnuts
1 ripened bartlett pear
4 ounces olive oil
garlic salt
grated parmesan cheese
honey
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (more if you'd like)

Directions
1Defrost the pizza dough and follow instructions on package for making a 12" pizza crust. Make sure ball is thoroughly defrosted and has had time to rest (about 1/2 hour in a bowl) as it will make the dough more elastic and easier to form into a pizza crust.
Dust with flour and roll out dough into a circle. Put on a pizza pan and brush whole crust with a layer of olive oil.
Sprinkle dough with Garlic Salt and Parmesan Cheese.
In a preheated oven (400 degrees) put the pizza crust into the oven and let bake for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice pear into thin slices.
Take crust out of the oven after baking for 5 minutes and sprinkle with mozzarella.
Arrange pears and walnuts all over the top of the pizza and crumble the entire wedge of bleu cheese on top of the pear and walnut mixture.
Bake for an additonal 10-14 minutes or until the cheese melts and the crust is browned.
Lightly drizzle honey over the whole pizza and serve.
Garnish with a sprinkle of finely chopped flat leaf parsley (optional).


12***Added flavor: Fry some bacon until crispy and crumble real bacon bits over the top!

Fish Tacos

I love fish tacos!

I love the fish tacos at a restaurant called Bar Louie in Novi, MI.
So, I decided to make them at home.

Fish: 3/4 lb. skinned and clean Mahi Mahi, poached with lime juice and olive oil for 20-25 mins in 400 oven, wrapped in tin foil
Tortillas: Flour, taco size, warmed for 20 seconds in microwave
Toppings: shredded lettuce, shreddded cabbage, diced tomatoes
Condiments:
Guacamole
White Sauce -- 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup lite mayo, 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 small can green chilies, juice from 1/2 lime, salt. Mix to combine.
Cilantro Lime Sauce -- large handful cilantro, 1 clove garlic, juice from 1 whole lime, 1/4 cup olive oil. Put in food processor on high for 30-40 seconds.

Assemble how you like!

Serve with black beans and rice.

Vegetarian Burritos with Brown Jasmine Rice

1 can fat free vegetarian refried beans
1/2 small onion, diced and gently sauteed in a bit of canola oil
2 heaping spoonfuls of salsa
Flour tortillas or whole wheat tortillas

Toppings of your choice:
Diced tomatoes
Chopped cilantro
Avocado slices
Chopped lettuce
Diced onions
Cheese
Sour cream
Black olives
More salsa
Hot sauce

You choose!

Dice and sautee the onions over low-medium heat until soft. Add in 2 spoonfuls of salsa and stir. Add in 1 can refried beans and mix to combine. Continue to heat over low heat, stirring often, for about 10 mins.
Cook 1 cup brown jasmine rice according to package. The keys is to use exact amounts of water to rice. Brown rice usually takes longer to cook, so allot about 30 minutes total cooking time for the brown rice. Once the brown rice has been cooking over the lowest heat setting you have for about 20 minutes, DO NOT REMOVE THE LID. Turn the heat off and let the rice sit for an additional 10 minutes.

Compose your burrito by warming your tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds & putting a layer of the vegetarian beans, rice, cheese (optional), tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, avocado, hot sauce and whatever else you like!

Roll it up and have some napkins handy!

You can put your burrito under your oven's broiler for 1-2 minutes to get a crispy browned outer shell, if you'd like! I like mine with tons of hot & spicy salsa on top.

Different spins:
1) Add shredded chicken breast!
2) Use black beans instead of fat-free refried beans!
3) Use white jasmine rice instead of brown (it is easier to cook!)
4) If you want, put a little canola oil in a non-stick pan and get a crispy crust on the burrito by wrapping it up, placing seam side down on medium heat for 3-5 mins on first side and 1-2 mins on second side.
Like here:

Sweet Potato Curry with vegetables

This one is also vegan!


1 can coconut milk
2 T yellow curry paste (red works too!)
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. thai garlic chili sauce
1 can vegetable stock
1 T peanut butter

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 package extra firm tofu, cubed
1/2 an onion, diced
2 cans chick peas, rinsed
1 red bell pepper, sliced
Broccoli crowns

Jasmine Rice, prepared according to the package

Begin by sweating 1/2 an onion in some oil.
Heat the coconut milk, curry paste, garlic sauce, garlic, vegetable sauce, peanut butter, & brown sugar in a large pot. Stir often.
Add in the diced sweet potatoes, 2 cans of chick peas, and the onions.

Cook for about 12-14 mins on medium heat until the potatoes begin to soften.
Taste curry to see if you need a bit more sugar.

Add in the rest of the veggies and the tofu cubes. Stir and cover.
Reduce heat to low/medium and let simmer until the rice is done (or about 10-15 mins), stirring occasionally.

Serve curry over the rice with a little chopped cilantro (optional).

You can obviously add in any veggies you like best!!!

Black Bean Soup (Vegetarian)

Jon is going to be away for work for the next two weeks. So, I am taking this time to eat more vegetarian meals. We don't eat meat too too much, but I'd like to try and get my protiens from plant sources (beans, legumes, lentils, tofu, spinach, rice & beans) more often.

I am aiming at being about 80 percent vegetarian while he is away -- and learn some things about incorporating vegetarian meals into both of our diets on a regular basis.

I'll tell you about any new vegetarian recipes I come up with over the next couple of weeks.

This is what I am starting with:



1 can black beans, rinsed
1 tsp. garlic, chopped
1/2 of a small onion, diced
2 T canola oil
1 can diced tomatoes
4-5 slices of jarred jalapenos
1 tsp. FRANKS RED HOT or dash tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 can vegetable stock

Optional: diced red onion, cilantro, sour cream

Gently sweat onion in oil over medium heat in a medium soup pot. Once soft, add in garlic, beans, can of tomatoes, jalapeno slices, cumin, and hot sauce. Stir to combine and heat for a couple minutes.
Add 1/2 can vegetable stock.
Bring to a boil and then simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Carefully spoon about 75% of the soup into a blender, cover, and blend until smooth.

Add back to the pot with the rest of the soup.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes over low/medium heat and serve with chopped cilantro, diced red onion and sour cream.

Salad with Tuna on Top

This is a great salad that I created to mimick a salad I used to order at the International Institute across the street from CCS, when I was in college. It is really easy to make and so good!

Dressing:
Whisk together
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup WHITE Balsamaic Vinegar

Salad:
Chopped Romaine Lettuce
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced cucumbers
Slice red onion
Large handful of golden raisins
Sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese or crumbled goat cheese

Tuna:
1 can white albacore tuna mixed with 1 T lite mayo, thoroughyl mixed

Toss the salad with the dressing and pile the tuna on top. Enjoy with crackers or other bread.

Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Ganache is so great and so easy to make!
It is a terrific filling for cakes and it is also a great, yet very rich, dessert on its own. I love it topped with Oreo crumbles.

1 bag milk chocolate chips
2 high quality dark chocolate bars, broken into pieces
1 cup heavy cream

Heat the heavy cream to hot. Do not boil, but make it very hot.
Put the chocolates into a blender.
Pour the heavy cream on top of the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute.
Then, blend on high for about 45 seconds until emulsified.

Pour into serving dishes and chill for about 2 hours, covered in saran wrap.

Top with crumbled oreos.

Ground Beef & Pepperoni Spaghetti Sauce

2 jars tomato basil spaghetti sauce
1 can italian style diced tomatoes
1/2 small onion, diced
1 tsp. sugar
1 T chopped garlic
1/2 T dried basil
1/2 T dried parsley
1 tsp. chili flakes
1 whole pepperoni sausage, sliced into large chunks
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey

Brown the ground beef on medium heat until cooked thoroughly. I usually add about 1/4 cup water to the beef to aid in crumbling. Drain fat from meat.
If you use turkey, season well while cooking (salt, pepper, paprika, dash garlic powder).

Put all of the above ingredients into a large pot and stir to combine.
Heat sauce until bubbling then reduce heat to low/medium and simmer for 30-40 mins.

Serve over spaghetti.

Bake mozzarella cheese on top of the spaghetti for spaghetti pizza!

Eggplant Parmesan

Last night, Jon had dinner "with the Japanese" so I was on my own. I told him I wanted to make Pear and Bleu Cheese Pizza, but he asked if I wouldn't make eggplant or squid instead (two foods he loathes). I got home and my mom had bought me an eggplant, so I put it to use.

1 large eggplant
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 eggs, whisked with 1/4 cup water

Jar of pasta sauce, vegetarian
Can of diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon garlic
1 tsp. sugar
Mushrooms (optional)

1 4 oz. ball of Fresh Mozzarella
8oz. shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray or lightly oil.
Slice eggplant into rounds about 1/4 inch thick and sprinkle with salt. Dredge in egg then a mix of the two bread crumbs.
Layer the eggplant in the baking dish.
(Some people fry the eggplant rounds at this point, but I don't b/c it is an added step and added fat. You can if you wish.
Simply fry each eggplant round in a bit of canola oil until lightly brown and crispy on both sides. If you do fry, reduce below oven temp to 375.)
Put it in a prheated 425 degree oven for 20-25 mins or until the bread crumbs are starting to brown.
Meanwhile, mix all of the sauce ingredients together and simmer until heated through, stirring often.
Pour over the top of the eggplant slices and cover with foil. Bake an additional 20-25 mins at 375.
In the last 10 mins remove the foil, top the whole casserole with slices of Fresh Mozzarella, shredded mozzarella, and sprinkle the parmemsan on top -- and put back in the oven for melting and browning. I usually turn on the broiler for a couple minutes to speed up the cheese melting and get a little browning on top.

Let set for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Garnish with fresh torn basil, if desired.

Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana with Honey

Elvis' favorite with a honey twist!

So, this sandwich doesn't look like much but if you haven't had it before, it is mind blowing what it does in your mouth! I am infatuated with this sandwich and really wish I could forget it ever happened to me -- though it is packed with vitamins and protein, it isn't exactly low calorie or low fat.

2 pieces whole wheat bread
1/2 banana sliced
3 tablespoons peanut butter
Margarine
Honey drizzle

Butter one piece of bread, spread on the peanut butter, layer the bananas on top, drizzle with honey and put the other buttered piece of bread on top, butter side up.

Put in non-stick skillet and grill like you would a grilled cheese. Put on medium heat and wait 2-3 mins or until lightly golden brown. Flip. Grill on other side.

***I like to grill the first side then flip, turn the heat on HIGH for 20 seconds then OFF. Walk away. Come back in 2 mins and its perfect.

Naples Pizza

I had some of the most memorable pizza while Jon and I were in Naples last June. Though I can't replicate the thin sweet chewy dough, this is a good replication of one of my favorite pizzas from there.

1 frozen pizza dough ball (available in the frozen foods section near the frozen bread, in most grocery stores. Meijer has it.)
4 oz. bleu cheese
4 oz. shredded mozzarella
4. oz. Fresh mozzarella
1 sliced roma tomato
4-5 fresh basil leaves
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Parmesan Cheese

Let frozen pizza dough thaw and rest.
Roll or stretch out dough to size of your pizza baking sheet.
Roll as thin as possible, but no biggie if you can't get it too thin.

Lay dough on pizza baking sheet and brush on a thin coat of olive oil and sprinkle whole pizza round with garlic salt and parmesan cheese.
Put slices of tomatoes on pizza and then sprinkle shredded mozz, crumbled bleu, and slices of fresh mozzarella on top.
Bake in preheated oven on 400 for 10 minutes.
Take out of oven and add the basil leaves.
Replace in oven and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until golden and melty.

Sometimes I turn on the broiler feature to get the cheese on top melting.

Turkey Spaghetti

Jon is running in Dances With Dirt tomorrow so I am making Turkey Spaghetti for dinner tonight. We are both trying to eat healthy and watch our waistlines, so subbing Turkey for Ground Beef is a change we are making often.

1.5 lbs. Ground White Meat Turkey
1 jar of good marinara sauce
1 can of italian diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Dash of dried oregano
Dash dried basil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (oh yeah!)
1/2 tsp. white sugar
Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 small yellow onion, diced

Brown/cook turkey with s&p, add the rest of the ingredients, stir and let simmer for 30 minutes or so.

Serve with spaghetti and garlic bread.

I always try to serve a small salad with dinner if it doesn't have a good amount of veggies in it.

Chopped romaine
Diced Tomato
Handful of craisins
a little crumbled bleu cheese (optional)
and White Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

This is one of our favorites!!!

1 cup Franks Red Hot
4 tortillas
8 oz. grilled or poached chicken breast (boneless)
6 oz. mozzarella cheese (shredded)
2 cups chopped romaine
Chunky Bleu Cheese Dressing
2-3 tablespoons canola oil

I recommend making these one at a time. Repeat directions below for 2 servings.

Dice chicken and toss in Franks Red Hot. Let sit for 5 mins to soak up the goodness.
In a non-stick skillet, coat with some canola oil and turn on medium heat. Lay down one flour tortilla in skillet, sprinkle on 1/2 the shredded cheese, 1/2 the chicken mixture, and top with another tortilla. Press and let brown on bottom, about 3 mins.
Flip carefully with a spatula and brown the other side.

Move quesadilla to a serving plate and open. Stuff in a handful of chopped romaine and replace tortilla.

Cut into quarters and serve with extra Franks Red Hot and Bleu Cheese Dressing for dipping.

Black Bean Dip

2 cans of black beans
1 tablespoon of Red Hot
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic (1-2 whole cloves)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. of garlic salt (or regular salt)
Squeeze of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup your favorite salsa
Small container of sour cream
1/4 cup water, depending on consistency

Rinse black beans and put in food processor or blender. Add salsa and Red Hot and pulse several times. Add chopped garlic and lime squeeze and puree on High. Stream in oil and then stream in water until desired consistency is achieved. Dip should be fairly thick.
Put dip in serving dish and spread layer of sour cream on top of black bean dip.

Garnish with shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, and finely chopped cilantro.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Bruschetta

5 ripened roma tomatoes (organic or homegrown are the best/sweetest; if that is not available choose ripe but firm roma tomatoes)
About 20 basil leaves or 1-1.5 cups
2 tablespoons chopped garlic or 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 large French Baguette
Garlic Salt
Parmesan Cheese
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar (white works too)

Balsamic: boil vinegar in a sauce pan on medium high heat for about 2 minutes then reduce heat to medium for a heavy simmer. Add in sugar and stir.
Let reduce by about 1/2 until vinegar is a light syrupy consistency. Pour into a cup and put into the freezer for about 10-15 minutes until chilled.

Bruschetta Mix: dice tomatoes, tear and dice basil until chopped finely, add chopped garlic and oil and toss. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt and mix. Allow to marinate for 20-30 minutes for the flavors to release and combine.

Bread: Slice baguette into 1" thick rounds and place in baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes or until bread is browning and slightly crunch. Spoon mix onto bread rounds and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Shylah's Super Garlickkky Hummus

Serves 7-8

2 cans of garbanzo beans (chic peas) rinsed
2 heaping spoonfulls of tahini
4-5 large whole cloves of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 cup water to smooth

Put half of all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse then puree, streaming in water for a nice smooth consistency. Once fairly smooth, add the remaining ingredients and repeat. Add less water if the first batch was too thin. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape the dip into a bowl. Garnish with paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. Cover and chill for 1 hour or more. Serve chilled with pita wedges or fresh veggies.

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna serves 4-5

1 9X12 baking pan
1 package of 10 flour tortillas
Choose one: 1lb. of ground beef, 1lb. of ground turkey, 1lb. of soy meat, 2 cans of black beans (rinsed well)
1 jar of medium/hot salsa (choose your favorite)
2-3 dashes of tabasco
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of diced jalapenos for added kick (not necessary)
large package of shredded mozzarella
1 small yellow onion
1 bunch of cilantro
1 cup water

Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray or coat with thin layer of oil. Lay 3 flour tortillas on bottom of pan and put in preheated oven at 425 degrees for about 5 minutes.
Brown meat or heat beans, add 1/2 diced onion and about 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and 1/2 jar of salsa. Season with about 1 tsp. cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Heat thoroughly.
Spoon about 1/2 the mixture onto tortillas. Sprinkle generously with cheese. Lay 3 more tortillas on top of the mixture and repeate with meat and cheese. Lay 3 more tortillas on top. Add water to remaining salsa and shake/stir. Pour watery salsa on top of the lasagna and top with the rest of the cheese. Cover with tin foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, then *broil* for 3-4 minutes to brown the cheese. Sprinkle with some more cilantro and serve with sour cream.

Let lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting into rectangles.

Easy Bean Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil

Ingredients
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can black beans (optional)
1 large ripe tomato
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 lemons, juice of
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon za'atar spice mix (optional)
4 ounces extra virgin olive oil
2 loaves pita bread or lettuce cups
Directions
1Rinse and drain beans and put into a large bowl.
2Dice large tomato and add to beans with the chopped parsley, juice from two lemons, the olive oil, garlic salt, and zaatar.
3Toss.
4Serve with pita bread and/or lettuce cups.

Coconut Curry Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

BURGER
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained well
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
1 garlic clove or 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Thai sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon yellow curry paste (red works too!)
2-3 tablespoons coconut milk (depending on consistency)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 dash cayenne
1 whole egg
2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
14 ounces tofu ground meat substitute
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, of your choice (lightly toasted in the oven) or buns, of your choice
SAUCE
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon Thai sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 dash soy sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon canola oil
TOPPINGS
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup shredded cucumber
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 bunch fresh mint
1 bunch fresh cilantro
Directions
1BURGER PREP:.
2In a food processor, blend black beans and all ingredients (except the bread crumbs and tofu meat)until a smooth consistency. Spatula ingredients into a large bowl and gradually incorporate breadcrumbs into mixture. Add tofu meat and stir to combine.
3Add more bread crumbs if mixture is too loose. If mixture is too thick, add coconut milk.
4Form mixture into 6 patties and place on wax paper. Put in freezer for up to 30 minutes for patties to set.
5Once set, heat a grill pan or frying pan with a small amount of non-stick spray. Grill or fry the burgers about 4-5 mintues on each side or until brown. Be careful when flipping as the burgers can be fragile.
6Set each burger aside in a baking pan and place in a warm (175-200 degrees) oven until ready to use (not more than a half hour).
7SAUCE PREP:.
8Put peanut butter and all of the ingredients into a sauce pan on low-medium heat and let melt, stirring often. Let lightly simmer for about 1 minute then reduce heat to very low and heat for an additional 3 mintues, stirring occasionally.
9TOPPINGS PREP:.
10Slice and dice herbs (cilantro and mint) and veggies.
11To compose the burgers:.
12Place a black bean patty on each of the bottom buns. Top with a generous drizzle of the peanut sauce, a spoonful of the carrot/cucumber mixture, a couple leaves of mint and cilantro, and a sprinkle of green onion.
13Top with the bun top & have some napkins handy.

3-Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients
4 ounces Italian bread, I use the loaves from the grocer's bakery
4 ounces goat cheese (Chevre)
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
2 ounces parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons spoon extra virgin olive oil
garlic salt
4-6 basil leaves
1 large ripened tomato
8 ounces good quality aged balsamic vinegar
sugar (optional)
Directions
1Cut bread into two sandwhich size pieces and slice each down the middle.
2Seperate into 4 pieces of bread, drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic salt and parmesan cheese.
3Put in baking pan in preheated oven at 400 degrees. Bake for about 3 minutes or until bread just begins to brown.
4Pull out of oven and top 2 of the pieces with 2 round slices of goat cheese.
5On the other two pieces of bread place slices of tomato and a couple basil leaves followed by slices of fresh mozzarella on top of the tomatoes and basil leaves.
6Put back in the oven for another 7-8 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt.
7About 30 minutes before starting the sandwich, heat the balsamic vinegar to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon sugar if desired. Reduce to medium heat and let reduce by half stirring occasionally. Pour syrupy liquid into either ramekins or another small dish.
8Put in freezer for about 15 minutes. Do not let freeze.
9Assemble sandwhiches while they are still hot and let rest for 5 minutes.
10Serve with balsamic glaze drizzled on top of cheese.
11You'll need some napkins!

Side of Black Beans

I make this as a really simple side dish for fajitas, tacos, or any other mexican dish. It is high in protein, fiber, and vitamins and low in fat. So, its a good way to keep yourself from going back for a 3rd (or 4th) taco!

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup your favorite salsa
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tablespoon canola or olive oil

If you have it:
1 squeeze of lime
tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 small chopped onion
Dash or two of cayenne pepper

Put oil and onion in pot on low medium heat and sweat the onion for a minute or two. Add in the black beans and smash them with a fork. You don't need to smash all of them, just about 1/2. Add in the salsa, garlic, and salt.
Cook on medium heat until heated through.
Mix thoroughly.

At the end, add in some cilantro and lime squeeze and mix again.

Serve with cheese on top if you don't mind the added fat.

***If you don't have some of the ingredients, it isn't a big deal. They are still good anyway.

The Best Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 bag instant potatoes (butter flavor or herb flavor works well!)
3-4 red skin potatoes, partially peeled.
1/2 package cream cheese, softened
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 cup hot water
1/2 cup creamora or other non-dairy creamer

Partially peel the red skins and chop them into large chunks. Leave some of the red skin on (I leave all but its preference).
Put in cold water and bring to a boil for about 20 mins or until soft.

Make instant potatoes in a large pot, as directed on the box with the amount of water the box calls for.

Add drained red skins to pot and begin to mash.
Add in the garlic, green onions, salt, cream cheese, and butter.
Continue to mash.

Gradually add 1/2 cup cremora to hot water, a little at a time, and stir.
It will become a creamy consistency.
Add that to the potato mixture.

Mix with a mixer until smooth-ish.

Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

My Lemon Chicken Piccatta

I really love Lemon Chicken Piccata in restaurants but I can't seem to master it at home. So, I welcome any tips/recipes that might improve what I have down so far.

What does it need/not need? What do I need to do differently?

6-8 chicken tenders
Or 1 lb. shrimp, cleaned and deveined
Olive oil
Garlic Salt
Dried herbs
2 lemons
Seasoned flour for dredging
3 T. butter
1 tsp. flour
White wine
Butter
Heavy Cream
Capers
Mushrooms (optional)
Chopped flat leaf parsley

Dredge chicken tenders in seasoned flour and shake off excess flour.
Season the flour with dried parsley, basil, oregano, or other herbs.
In olive or canola oil, sautee chicken tenders until they have a little color on them. (Substitute shrimp, if you want, but be careful not to overcook.)
Do not worry about cooking the chicken all of the way through, just get some golden brown color on them. Put aside in a warming dish in the oven (on 200).
Add 1 T butter to the same pan and melt. Sprinkle in 1 tsp. flour and stir. Cook for 1-2 mins, stirring constantly.
Add in 1/2 cup white wine and increase heat to medium/high.
Let the wine reduce and the sauce thicken. Add in 1 cup heavy cream and the juice of 1 lemon. Stir and season with salt and pepper.
Taste the sauce to see if it needs more lemon juice.
Add in 2 T capers and 1 cup sliced mushrooms and let sauce simmer on medium for about 3-4 mins.

Melt in 2 T butter and stir.

Serve sauce over chicken and angel hair pasta. Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley and more lemon slices.

Pasta Alfredo with Sundried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts

This recipe is not for the faint of heart. It is full of fat and calories, but oh so good. You can add chicken, shrimp, or other veggies, if you wish. I like to use angel hair pasta, but you can also use any kind of pasta that you like.

The sauce:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 package cream cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 T butter
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt/black pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
5-6 sundried tomatoes, sliced

The garnish:
handful of toasted pine nuts
4 oz. Goat Cheese, crumbled
chopped flat leaf parsley

Boil 3/4 box of any pasta you like.

Cook your protein of choice and set aside.

Heat the heavy cream on the stove over low heat and add in the cream cheese. Stir to incorporate. Add in the garlic powder and salt, pepper and chopped garlic. Let gently simmer for 7-10 mins. Add in butter and sundried tomatoes and stir.

Gradually whisk in the parmesan cheese.

Pour all of the sauce over the pasta and toss.

Serve with a garnish of goat cheese, toasted pine nuts and fresh chopped flat leaf parsely.

Spinach Pesto Pizza with Goat Cheese

I'll write the recipe lata'.

Healthy Apple Banana Walnut Protein Muffins

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 mashed ripe bananas
1 cup apple sauce (no sugar added)

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T honey
1 1/2 T baking powder 
1 T cinnamon
1/2 T nutmeg
1 tsp. dried ginger
2 tsp. banana flavoring (found near the vanilla extract)  *optional
1 T canola oil
3/4 cup water or apple juice
1/2 tsp. salt

Makes 14-16 muffins

Combine all of the dry ingredients then add the wet ingredients and beat with a mixer to combine. 
Scoop batter into muffin cups filling about 3/4 of the way full.
Sprinkle the tops of muffins with more rolled oats.
Bake on 350 for 16-18 minutes.
Let cool before eating.

Salad dressing salad dressing salad dressing!!!

This is mostly just for Teresa. Hi Teresa!

White Balsamic Vinaigrette
*This is my favorite salad dressing on earth. It is great on salads that have goat cheese or bleu cheese in them, or fruits like pears, apples, or craisins. See "That One Salad" below.
3 parts White Balsamic Vinegar
1 part olive oil
Blend until emulsified.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 parts aged Balsamic Vinegar
1 part olive oil
Blend until emulsified

Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 parts aged Balsamic Vinegar
1 T dijon mustard
1 tsp. sugar OR honey
1 part olive oil
Blend until emulsified.

Fattoush Salad Dressing
2 parts red wine vinegar
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 parts olive oil
1 T sumac (available in Middle Eastern spice stores)
Salt/pepper
Whisk together until combined.

Bleu Cheese Dressing
1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
6-8 oz. bleu cheese, crumbled
salt/pepper to taste
Whisk together to combine fully.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1 part apple cider vinegar
1 part olive oil
3 T apple juice or apple cider
1 T honey
Blend until emulsified

Vegetarian Chili with Polenta

This week, I literally overdrafted my checking account. I have never done that before! I've taken on a lot recently in teaching several art classes in the area & I have to provide the supplies then get reimbursed later. I also got Jon a birthday present! So, I was strapped for cash. Big time.
I fixed my account right away, but I had to use what was in my cupboard instead of buying new ingredients. It isn't about what I want to eat this week -- it is about what I have.

That means chili.

1 package soy meat
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
1 can canellini beans, rinsed
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can vegetarian chili beans, not rinsed
1 can vegetable stock
1 can water
2 spoonfuls of jalapeno slices (the jarred kind)
1 T chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. oregano or italian seasonings
Dash cinnamon
1 small onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup FRANKS RED HOT



____________________________________
If I had it, I might have added:
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 rib celery, finely chopped

But, I didn't.

So, I put all of the above in a big pot and brought it to a boil. I let it simmer/boil for about 10 minutes. Then, I reduced the heat to low, put a lid on it and let it cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
After an hour, I removed the lid and let simmer for another 30 minutes.

It only gets better as it sits.

I served it with fried polenta rounds and chopped cilantro.




But, if I had it to do over, I would not buy the pre-packaged polenta. I'd get the quick cooking polenta and have my chili with creamy polenta instead of fried polenta rounds.

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with BBQ Ranch Dipping Sauce

2 chicken breasts, poached or grilled on the BBQ!
1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
Small bunch of chopped cilantro
1/4 of a red onion, finely diced
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
4 flour tortillas
Canola Oil
Non-stick frying pan

Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup Hidden Valley Ranch
3 T BBQ Sauce
1 T chopped cilantro
Mix until combined.

Chop up or shredded cooked chicken breast. Toss in your favorite sauce.
Heat 1 T oil in a non-stick skillet and lay in 1 flour tortilla. Add a small handful of the shredded cheese. Top with 1/2 of your chicken and sauce mixture.
Add in 1/2 of your chopped cilantro and 1/2 of your choppped onion. Lay another flour tortilla on top.
Cook on medium heat until golden brown on one side.
Flip with a spatula. This part takes practice, but the cheese should help you to to hold it all together. Try to do this as quickly and precisely as possible.
Grill on the other side for 1-3 mins or until golden brown.
Repeat for another quesadilla.

Serve with extra BBQ sauce and BBQ Ranch dipping sauce.
Or, try with sour cream and guacamole.

ALSO GREAT WITH PULLED PORK!!!

Stuffed French Toast with Balsamic Strawberries and Chopped Basil

I literally dreamed up this recipe the other night! I had a dream where I made this french toast for Jon. I've never made it before, but I guess sometimes answers come to you when you are sleeping.

Serves 3.

6 pieces of thick cut crusty bread
1 package of cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 cup cream or half and half
Dash cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Butter
Canola oil
Powdered Sugar
4-5 strawberries
Balsamic Vinegar
Granulated Sugar
FRESH chopped basil for garnish
Non-stick skillet

Balsamic Syrup:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

Bring to a boil, stirring often.
Let simmer for 20-30 mins on medium heat until reduced to a syrup.
Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

French Toast:

Preheat oven to 300.

Whisk together eggs, cream, vanilla and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk well.

In another bowl, combine softened cream cheese with 1 T of powdered sugar.

Slice 4-5 ripe strawberries and chop basil.

Put 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture onto the middle of 3 pieces of bread and assemble them into sandwiches with the rest of the bread.

Soak each sandwich in the egg/cream mixture for at least 2-3 mins each making sure it is fully saturated.

Move the sandwiches to a warm/hot oiled/buttered non-stick skillet and let brown on each side. Be careful not to burn; you want a nice golden brown.

Once the sandwiches are browned, move to a baking pan that has a rack in it (to lift the toasts off of the bottom of the pan).

Let bake an additional 10-12 mins.

Serve with balsamic syrup, fresh strawberries, and chopped basil.
Or, try maple syrup without the basil!

Grilled Chicken with Pesto

Can you tell I have a lot of fresh basil on hand?
I forgot to bring it to Christmas up north with Jon's parents, and with him away in Conneticut, I need to use it fast (before I go to join him!). So, pesto it is.

Pesto:
Basil, olive oil, garlic, parmesan, squeeze of lemon, garlic salt and some water to make it move all thrown into a blender and blended until smooth. I leave out the pine nuts not because I don't love them but I try to save $$$.

Grilled Chicken:
2 thick cut chicken breasts (I take the left overs for lunch!)
1/4 lb. asaragus
5-6 sundried tomatoes (Meijer has really inexpensive sundried tomatoes in the produce section)

Grill the chicken with a little oil, and throw the asparagus on the grill too.
You might want to steep the sundried tomatoes in a touch of hot water for 5 mins while the chicken is cooking -- or not. I say not.

Put the asparagus on the plate along with the chicken, top it all with sliced sundried tomatoes, lots of pesto sauce and some parmesan cheese.

A good low carb alternative to pesto with pasta!

Lemon and Caper Shrimp Pasta

I made this for lunch this afternoon.   :)

1/2 lb. peeled deveined shrimp (tails on or off)

1/4 lb. spaghetti or angel hair pasta

2 T butter

1 T olive oil

3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 T capers

Juice of 1 large lemon

Salt/pepper to taste

Dash of crushed red pepper flakes

2 T shaved parmesan

Boil pasta until al dente and strain.

Heat oil and butter over medium heat until melted and add in the shrimp and garlic.  Stir around the hot pan for 1-2 minutes (do not cook the shrimp completely) and remove from heat.  Add in the lemon juice, capers, red pepper flakes and strained pasta.  Return to medium/high heat and cook for 3-4 more minutes or until hot. Toss thoroughly and add in a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley.  Salt/pepper. Toss again.

Serve with shaved parmesan.

Shy's Mac and Cheese

The picture doesn't do it justice but I figured that because I have gotten such overwhelming response to my mac and cheese recipe lately, I'd write it out. I use government cheese in it, but you can use velveeta and cheddar if you want to try and mimick the consistency of the cheese.

2 cups milk
1/2 cup hot water mixed with 1/2 cup cremora or other non-dairy coffee creamer (gradually add the cremora/coffeemate/whathaveyou to the hot water)
1/2 package cream cheese
1 jar alfredo sauce (Ragu)
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper
2 T butter
1 full block of government cheese or 1/2 block velveeta and 8 oz. shredded cheddar
Box of penne
1 cup seasoned croutons
3 graham crackers

Boil pasta to al dente.
Heat the milk, cremora mixture, cream cheese, alfredo sauce, garlic powder and garlic, salt pepper and butter. Whisk over low/medium heat until everything melts and is incorporated into each other.
Shred in the govenment cheese about 1 cup at a time, whisking.
When all of the cheese (ALL of the cheese) is melted into the milk mixture, pour over pasta into a baking dish. It might seem "soupy" to you, but I promise you that it will be great!
Preheat oven to 350.
In a food processor or blender, put 1 cup seasoned salad croutons and 3 graham crackers and pulse until it is turned to crumbs.
Don't put the crumbs on the mac and cheese yet!
Cover the mac and cheese with foil and bake in oven for 45 mins.
Remove foil, put crumbs all over the top, and return to oven for another 15 mins.
Let sit 10-15 mins before serving.

Lemon Pasta with Bay Scallops

Wow that was good!

1/2 box spaghetti or linguini or angel hair pasta, boiled until done & drained thoroughly
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bag bay scallops, thawed and let drain fully on paper towel
Juice from one lemon
Chopped flat leaf parsley
Grated parmesan
Salt/pepper to taste

In a skillet, put a little non-stick spray or canola oil and on high heat, sear the scallops. Drain fully if water is produced from the scallops.
After a minute or two, add in butter, oil, garlic, lemon juice and cooked pasta. Toss thoroughly and let cook in the pan on high heat for 2-4 minutes.
Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

Blueberry Muffin Stuffin' (Great stuffed in thick Pork Loin Chops)

4 large blueberry muffins (the kind from the grocer's bakery)
1 box chicken stuffing mix
1/2 cup celery and onion, sweated in 2 T butter & pinch of salt
1 egg
Dash dried sage
Dash cinnamon (optional)

Crumble the muffins into the croutons in the stuffing mix.
Follow directions on package for making the chicken stuffing but add 3/4 C more water. Pour in the celery onion and butter mixture, tiny dash cinnamon and sage, s&p to taste and stir.
Add in one egg and combine fully.

Use to stuff pork chops or chicken breasts.
Or, bake in the oven for 20 mins on 375 (Baking is optional. If the heat from the stuffing is hot enough, the egg will cook itself and you can eat it.)