Taco Tuesday In A Bowl

Choosing a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean giving up Taco Tuesday! Having your taco in a bowl has some great advantages too! Nothing falls out!! Try this bowl next Tuesday and you may never go back to hand held tacos!


Green Chili Pork Taco Bowls
(Serves 6)
1 1/2 lb Pork Tenderloin
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
4 tbsp Olive Oil
16 oz. Salsa Verde
1 medium Cauliflower
6 chives
3 tbsp Cilantro
1 tbsp Lime Juice

Toppings: Cheese, Sour Cream, Avocado, Guacamole, Salsa, Cilantro, Tomatoes

1)  Combine all seasonings in a small bowl. Evenly coat the tenderloin, making sure to use all of the seasoning. Slice the tenderloin in 2" medallions.

2)  Heat a skillet over medium high heat, adding 2 tbsp of olive oil once heated. Heat oil for an additional minute then add tenderloin medallions to the oil. Sear medallions on each side for 3-4 minutes. Turn heat down to low and cover medallions with Salsa Verde. Cover skillet and simmer 45-60 minutes until pork falls apart easily. Check after 30 minutes of simmering and if sauce has evaporated, add 2 tablespoons of water.

3)  While pork is simmering break apart and trim the cauliflower removing most of the stem. 

4)   Working in batches, place 1/3 of the cauliflower, 2 chives and 1 tbsp cilantro in a food processor. Pulse until cauliflower resembles rice. Place riced cauliflower in a bowl and repeat with next two batches of cauliflower. Add lime juice to bowl of riced cauliflower and stir to combine. Cover and set aside until pork is cooked.

5)  When pork is fork tender, shred with two forks. Shred pork directly in the skillet, mixing with the sauce as you shred. Cover skillet to keep warm.

6)  In a medium skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium high heat. Add cauliflower to skillet. Saute, stirring often, until "rice" is tender and cauliflower smell has diminished, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7)  Place one serving of "rice" in a bowl and add a serving of pork. Top with any and all taco toppings of your choice!

Calories: 412
Fat: 25g
Cholesterol: 113mg
Sodium: 793mg
Carbohydrate: Total 12g  Net 6g
Protein: 33g

Ole! Taco Tuesday is back! This recipe is also a great building block for future Tuesdays. Instead of Salsa Verde try Enchilada Sauce or any Thick & Chunky Salsa; add a Poblano Chili to the food processor with the cauliflower; top the bowl with Pico De Gallo; the possibilities are endless!

Combining Flavors for Impact

First of all, let's just say, "CHEESE, GLORIOUS CHEESE"!! Think about it... when the cheese provides all the flavor to a dish, you know it's going to be amazing. What happens when you combine three independently strong flavors of cheese? A creamy flavor explosion, that's what!!

Three Cheese Chicken & Asparagus Bake

6 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Sour Cream
3 oz. Goat Cheese, soft
3 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
1/2 cup Sharp White Cheddar, finely grated

1) Season chicken thighs on each side with salt and pepper. Preheat a medium to large skillet and the olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken thighs to skillet and brown on each side until cooked through.

2) Remove chicken from the skillet and place in an oven proof casserole dish.

3) Trim ends of asparagus to remove the woody part of the stem. If you start breaking a stem from the bottom up you'll feel where the woody part stops as it will snap instead of just break. Trim all stems an equal distance up from the bottom. Once all stems are trimmed, cut diagonally in 2" pieces.

4) Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Once rolling, place asparagus in the pot and boil for 3 minutes. Set a timer to be sure you don't go over 3 minutes! When the timer goes off, strain the asparagus and place immediately in a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking and keeps the bright green color.

5) Place the asparagus over the chicken, keeping the majority towards the center.

6) Using the chicken broth, deglaze the pan that the chicken was cooked in, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen anything that has stuck to the bottom. Simmer until reduced to approximately 3/4 cup.

7) Turn off heat and quickly whisk in sour cream. Add the goat cheese and Parmesan and stir until cheese has melted and sauce is creamy. Pour sauce over asparagus and chicken. Sprinkle grated cheddar on top.

8) Bake in 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted. Check at 20 minutes as over cooking will cause sauce to separate. Although still just as delicious, it won't be as pretty!

This is a wonderfully rich and flavor packed comforting dish that will end up on the menu quite often! I'm going to experiment with different vegetables like broccoli and green beans, maybe even shredded brussel sprouts, but the cheeses will remain the same!

Mac & Cheese Done Right

Why do tastes change? Why do we not like something for so long then all of a sudden be like "Oh my gosh, I have to have that now, like right now"? I find it strange and bewildering sometimes!! I've never like macaroni and cheese other than in college when I lived off the stuff because it was only 25 cents per box and fed me for two days! Since then, I've never been a fan so not sure why, all of a sudden when I can't have pasta I'm "craving" macaroni and cheese! Well crave no more, not only did this satisfy every bit of craving, it's a new favorite!


Cauli & Cheese 
(Serves 4-6)

1.5 lb Cauliflower (1 lrg head)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1) Remove core from cauliflower and cut florets into small bight sized pieces. Keep them about the size of macaroni, maybe a little bigger. Only keep a minimal amount of stem on the floret as they don't soften at the same rate as the florets.

2) Fill a large pot of water about 1/2 full of water and add salt. Bring to a boil and add cauliflower to the pot. Boil evenly for 5 minutes or until crisp tender. Pour into a strainer then back into the pot to keep warm.

3) In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the cream cheese and mustard until smooth and blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese a small portion at a time until melted, then add another small amount. Continue adding cheese and stirring until all cheese is melted and sauce is smooth and creamy.

4) Pour sauce over cauliflower and gently stir to coat cauliflower evenly. Pour cauliflower into 10x10 casserole dish and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese over the top.

5) Bake in 375F oven for 15 minutes until top cheese is nice and golden and casserole is bubbling. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Calories: 403
Fat: 34g
Carb: 10g  Net Carb: 7g
Protein: 18g


I can't wait to experiment with this and see what delights I can come up with! Some lobster will definitely be added for a full entree, and of course some Spam needs to get in there, and oh, perhaps a pork rind sprinkling on top for some texture! I'll come back with some updates soon!

The Real Deal

So when you go shopping, you find a pair of tennis shoes, you try them on and they're the best shoes you've ever tried on in your life. You buy them and after a couple days you just say to yourself, man, I wish I would have found these shoes a long time ago, my feet have never been more comfortable in their life! Well, that just happened with dinner tonight!! Why have I ever in my life, made lasagna with pasta? One will never know!!



Cheese Noodle Lasagna 
(Serves 4)

Noodles:
2 large Eggs
4 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Onion Powder


Filling
1 lb Ground Beef, 85% lean
1 1/2 cups Rao Marinara Sauce
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Basil
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded

Noodles:
1) Preheat the oven to 375F and line a 9"x13" (or larger) baking dish with parchment paper. Using a mixer, blend together the eggs and cream cheese until nice and smooth. Add the Parmesan and spices and blend until combined. Add the mozzarella to the mixture and fold it in with a wooden spoon or spatula, don't use the mixer.
2) Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before cutting in half.

Filling & Assembly:
1) In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Add spices and marinara sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes.
2) Put 1/3 of the beef mixture in the bottom of an 8"x8" baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the noodle sheet. Layer another third of the sauce on the noodle. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan over sauce. Top with second 1/2 of the noodle. Use the remaining meat sauce to cover the noodle and sprinkle remaining mozzarella on the meat sauce. Sprinkle with parsley for added color if desired.
3) Bake at 350F for 20 minutes until bubbly and hot.  Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Calories: 540
Fat: 38g
Carb: 5  Net Carb: 4
Protein: 39

This lasagna is seriously the best lasagna you will ever eat! The texture is amazing, the flavors are spot on and the cheese noodles stand up to the test! Italian eating is no longer off the menu, in fact, it'll definitely be on there more often!

Let's Call This Dreamy Shrimp

There are things in this world that belong together and should never be separated, especially in the kitchen! Cream, garlic and butter should come on the shelf at the grocery store right next to each other, in a little package, all nestled next to each other, ready for your next creation! It would make your grocery list shorter because you would just put "Dreamy Kit" at the top!

Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Shrimp
(Serves 8)

2 lbs Shrimp, raw, large
4 tbsp Butter
3 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup Sundried Tomatoes
1/4 cup Dry White Wine
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
4 oz Cream Cheese
4 cups Baby Spinach Leaves
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Note: Leave the tail on or remove depending on how you want the dish presented.

1) Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and garlic and saute quickly until all shrimp are no longer translucent, about 5 minutes. They should be a nice bright pink and white! Remove from skillet and set aside.

2) Add sundried tomatoes, white wine, garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper to taste, simmer for about 1 minute. Add cream cheese and stir until fully melted and incorporated.  Add heavy cream and simmer until slightly thickened for about 3-5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

3) Add spinach to skillet, placing it on top of the sauce. Not necessary to stir, just place the lid of the skillet on for a minute and the spinach will steam enough to wilt slightly. Remove lid and stir spinach into the sauce.  Add the shrimp back to the skillet and heat through for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to over cook the shrimp. Remove from heat.

4) Serve over steamed rice for children and guests, all by itself for you so you get more of the creamy goodness!! I eat mine with a spoon!

Calories: 227
Fat: 16g
Carb: 2g
Protein: 30g
Carb: 2g  Net Carb: 2g

Sometimes it's fun to be in the kitchen all day, melding flavors, prepping ingredients, skillfully slicing and dicing and basically hiding from the chaos of the world! Other times, like when you have a new grandbaby wanting your snuggles, it's nice to quickly, masterfully prepare something everybody thinks you slaved over! This is a quick, 20 minute masterful dish!  

Enjoy! 

Creamy Garlic Goodness

The title alone is enough to have me all warm and comfy inside! Comfort food is different for everybody and when you find a new way of eating finding new comfort food is oh so important! I have now found mine and couldn't be more satisfied!


Creamy Garlic Chicken & CauliMash
Serves 4

4 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
6 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
3 cups Cauliflower, chopped

1) Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add chopped cauliflower to the boiling water and cook until soft. You can't overcook like potatoes so don't worry about them too much!

2) While cauliflower is cooking, heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Cook thighs until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Slice mushrooms and mince garlic while chicken is cooking! Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

2) Lower heat to medium and add garlic to same skillet. Stir for about 1 minute until fragrant.  Add the mushrooms to the skillet and saute until they have wilted nicely, about 5 minutes.

3) Add the chicken broth to the skillet and scrape up all the little bits and pieces that didn't come up from the mushroom moisture. Add 2 oz. of the cream cheese and stir until it's all melted. Add the heavy cream and stir until all mixed and creamy.  Turn the heat to low and let simmer gently until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

4) While sauce is simmering, strain cauliflower, shaking out as much water as possible.  Place in a food processor with 4 oz of cream cheese and process until creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5) Add Parmesan cheese to skillet and stir until completely melted. Add chicken thighs back to the skillet and spoon some gravy over them. Let simmer until heated through, about 3 minutes.  Serve chicken and gravy over CauliMash, sprinkle with parsley and enjoy!

Calories: 318
Fat: 26g
Carbs: 9g  Net: 6g
Protein: 12g

This will be my Go To Comfort Food meal, my Quick Company is Coming meal, my Family Dinner Night meal and my Oh My Gosh Look At The Time meal! It's also pretty versatile with pork chops, chicken breasts and cube steaks (beef broth instead of chicken broth) so experiment and find your comfort pleasure!

Old Favorites

I've finally gotten to a solid vintage house for Christmas and I know it's because of the feeling I get from old favorites. The comfort of old favorites is always the best feeling, whether it's music, friends, memories or food!

This old favorite is no different whether I'm dining out or dining in!

Keto Cashew Chicken (Serves 4)

4 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless

1 tbsp Baking Soda

1 tbsp Corn Starch

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 cup Cashews, raw

1 tbsp butter

1 medium Green Bell Pepper, diced

1 cup Celery, sliced 

2 tbsp White Onion, diced

1 tbsp Garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Chili Garlic Sauce

1 tsp Sesame Oil

Sesame Seeds

Green Onions

1) Dice chicken thighs into bite sized pieces and place in a medium bowl. 

    Sprinkle with baking soda and corn starch then mix until evenly coated. 

    Add soy sauce and mix again until all chicken pieces are coated.  

    Set aside while preparing cashews and vegetables.

2) Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat.

    Add cashews and cook until fragrant and turning brown, flipping or stirring frequently.

    Set aside.

3) Rough chop green bell pepper in similar but not identical bit sized pieces. 

    Rough slice celery in similar but not identical slices. 

    Dice onion in small pieces. 

    Mince garlic.

4) Add coconut oil to skillet and heat on medium to medium high heat. 

    While skillet is heating, rinse chicken thighs under cold water in a colander.

    Rinse until all traces of marinade have been removed. 

    Shake well to drain as much water as possible.

5) Place chicken thighs in hot skillet and cook until all pieces are done (3-5 min).

6) Add prepared vegetables and cook until desired doneness (around 2 min).

7) Add ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil and stir until combined.

    When liquid liquid starts to evaporate (1 min or so) add cashews and stir to combine.

8) Plate servings in a fancy plate or bowl or paper plate or cup!

    Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds if desired and enjoy!

Per Serving:

Calories: 454  

Fat: 35g  

Carbs: 8g

Fiber: 2g   

Sugar: 2g   

Protein: 23g 

This is a fast and easy dinner, especially if you pre-chop and dice all the veggies. You can come home from the daily grind and have dinner on the table in about 20 minutes!

And just as an FYI, I have found that eating this dish with chopsticks is necessary or as usual, I'll make myself sick on it!! 

New Year - New Lifestyle

It's almost a new year and for once I'm going into it already well on my way to good health! The week of Thanksgiving, hubby and I decided to take the leap and begin a Ketogenic lifestyle and we've been going strong ever since! Both of us now have more energy, less medical problems and are losing weight on a nice and steady pace.

Now it's time to return to the blog and try to keep track of some of the amazing dishes we are enjoying! 

So far, our favorite dinner has been White Chicken Chili! The flavor is amazing and since it's packed with chicken and cheese the lack of beans isn't even noticed. 

White Chicken Chili
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, ground
2 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp butter, salted
4.5 oz can green chiles, diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup Pepper Jack cheese, shredded

1) In a Dutch oven (or large pot), season the chicken with cumin, oregano, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste.  Sear both sides of the chicken over medium heat until golden on each side.

2) Add the chicken broth to the pot, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes. Adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the chicken to ensure it is fully cooked.

3) While the chicken is cooking, melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the chiles, diced jalapeno and onion to the skillet and saute until the veggies softened a bit. Add the minced garlic and saute an additional 30 seconds and set aside.

4) Once the chicken is fully cooked, shred with a fork and return back to the pot. Add the sauteed veggies to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.

5) In a medium bowl, soften the cream cheese in the microwave until you can stir it easily. Add the heavy whipping cream to the cream cheese and stir to combine.

6) Quickly whisk the heavy cream mixture into the pot with the chicken and veggies. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese to the pot and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

7) Top each serving with the remaining cheese and an avocado slice if you have some on hand!

It's a quick and easy dinner that will fill you up and keep you that way for quite some time! Although only hubby and I are enjoying the Ketogenic lifestyle, this is a crowd pleaser in our family! 

Weekly Menu Change

Ever made something so good you want to have it at least once a week?  Something so warm and flavorful you know there's no way you could get tired of it?

If you answered no, then you haven't tried this recipe and I encourage you to head to the grocery store, or your freezer and pantry, and make this for dinner tonight!  I think I will!

Brazilian Shrimp Stew (Serves 6)
1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup roasted red pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 14oz can diced tomatoes, with chilis
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 cups white rice, cooked

Heat olive oil in medium sauce pan.  Once oil is hot, saute onions until translucent; add garlic and peppers and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.  Add tomatoes, shrimp and cilantro and simmer until shrimp turns opaque.  Add coconut milk and hot sauce and cook until heated through, do not boil.  Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper.  Serve with 1/2 cup of prepared white rice on the side and garnish with fresh cilantro.  

The rich sweet and spicy flavor came as quite a surprise!  Each and every bite of this stew brings more flavor and discovery.  We like to add a spoonful of rice every couple of bites to absorb even more flavor and bring a new texture.  If not rice then I highly recommend bread sticks, you'll definitely want something to sop up any leftover broth in your bowl!

Here's the great part!  It's only 7 Weight Watcher points+ per serving (9 with rice) and it's also Paleo friendly!  How can something this good be THAT good?!

Enjoy!

Winter Warmth

There's nothing better on a cold winter night than a nice hot bowl of soup to take away the chill.  When that bowl of soup is Zuppa Toscana and it's Weight Watcher friendly you get warm all the way to your toes!

Don't let that whole "Weight Watcher" thing fool you!  This soup is loaded with flavor and is probably the best I've ever tasted.  Now granted, I haven't been to Italy yet, but it is definitely the best I've ever tasted in an American Italian restaurant!  Try it for yourself and let me know what you think!

Zuppa Toscana

16 oz. Isernio's Chicken Italian Sausage

1/2 large onion, diced

6 slices bacon, diced

3 gloves garlic, minced

4 medium potatoes, diced

2 cups kale, chopped

2/3 cup heavy cream

6 cups chicken broth, fat free

2 cups water

~  In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until no longer pink.  Set aside.

~  In the same skillet, over medium heat, cook onion and bacon until onions are clear.  Add minced garlic and cook until onions and garlic are soft and bacon has slightly crisped.

~  In a large soup pot or dutch oven, combine chicken broth, water, potatoes and onion mixture.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are slightly softened.

~  Add kale, sausage and heavy cream to pot.  Continue simmering until kale has wilted and potatoes are soft.

Not only is this soup is so warm and delicious, it's very fast and easy.  Of course you can add salt and pepper and maybe even some red chili flakes to the sausage while it's cooking but none of that is really necessary.  It's got great flavor from the sausage and your still able to taste the subtle flavor of the kale.

This pot will serve 8 and each serving is 1 1/2 cups.  The best part is that it's only 7 pts - amazing!  Add a bread stick for 3 points and you'll be completely satisfied!

Some recipes are worth it!

Sometimes a recipe seems like a lot of work so I break it down into smaller segments throughout the day.  Good thing is, I have that luxury!  Although at first glance this recipe appeared to be one of those types of endeavors, it ended up being relatively simple to prepare and extremely quick to cook.

As I continue my challenge through "Cuisine At Home" magazine with yet another delightful and tasty meal, let me say that all of the pictures I post are mine.  I'm appalled by some blogs that steal photos, especially if they have to scan them from a magazine, and claim they created the dish on a whim with what they had in their pantry.  The pictures and recipes from "Cuisine At Home" are not available online so if I see one and the person doesn't give credit where credit is due I'm immediately turned off by ALL of their recipes!  Although the challenge recipes I'm posting come from the magazine (slight changes due to my pantry) I'm cooking them and taking my own pictures!

Thank you for listening!!  I'm all done ranting so on to the decadent recipe I cooked up last week!

Crab & Goat Cheese Ravioli with Spicy Snow Peas
(makes 4 servings)

8 oz goat cheese, softened
3 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1/2 tsp salt & pepper
2 cans (6.5 oz) lump crab meat
1 pkg Nasoya won ton wraps
4 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tsp fresh lemon juice
Lemon zest
12 oz fresh snow peas, trimmed & string removed
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup water

~  Combine goat cheese, chives, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Stir in crabmeat with a fork, keeping lumps as large as possible.
~  If trimming or shaping won ton do so prior to filling to ensure sealing.  As shown in the picture, a round scalloped edged cookie cutter was used.
~  Lay out 16 won tons; scoop 2 tsp. crabmeat mixture into centers.  Brush top won ton with water and place wet side down over filling, pressing edges to seal.  Repeat with remaining won ton wrappers.
~  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil and ravioli in small batches; cook until brown on one side, 2-3 minutes.  Flip ravioli and cook an additional 2 minutes; remove to paper-towel lined plate.  Continue until all ravioli have been cooked.
~  Return ravioli to skillet and add 4 tbsp water; cover and steam until soft, 1-2 minutes.
~  For the sauce, saute garlic in butter in a small skillet, 1 minute.  Stir in cream, increase heat to high and boil until cream is reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
~  Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Add olive oil, snow peas and pepper flakes, cook 1-2 minutes.  Stir in water and cook until peas are tender and water evaporates, about 3 minutes more.  Season peas with salt.
~  Spoon 2 tbsp sauce onto plate; arrange 4 ravioli on sauce.  Layer several snow peas on ravioli; add 2-3 more ravioli, more peas and one more ravioli on top.  Spoon sauce lightly over all and serve.


This dish is very "gourmet" yet has such simple ingredients.  I questioned the preparation and presentation of the peas but wow, wow, wow!  They are a perfect pairing!  There's sweet crab meat, tart lemon sauce and a spicy crunch with the peas that will keep you taking bite after bite until you realize you have to get up and get more!

Enjoy!

Everybody loves Taco Pie!

I'll never work through my 3 years of "Cuisine At Home" but I'm sure going to give it a valiant effort!  I had a full menu already planned and shopped for so I had to use up those items before moving on to the challenge.  Now, the next week is all planned and shopped for and is nothing but those recipes so hopefully my blog will once again be flowing!  On another note, I'm so lucky to have a husband, family and friends that go along with all my whims - they will truly understand the topsy turvy nature of my blog!

This Taco Pie is a little different than any taco pie I've tried or made.  But then it comes from the magazine "Cuisine At Home" so I expected it to be wonderfully different (even with some minor modifications).  It definitely did not let me down!  The magazine describes it like this and it hits the nail on the head:

"Tender like a tamale but filled with all the best parts of a taco, this pie will be a hit."

Taco Pie
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups masa harina
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp each garlic powder & ground cumin
1/4 tsp each dried oregano & ground coriander
2 tbsp olive oil
1 can refried beans
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1/4 cup onion, grated
1 lb ground beef, lean
1 large chipotle chile in adobo, minced
1 tbsp adobo sauce
2 tsp chili powder
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 cups lettuce, shredded
1 cup cheese, grated
2 cups corn chips, broken in pieces
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream

~ Preheat oven to 350F
~ For the crust, cook water, masa harina and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until very thick, about 6 minutes.  (Seriously THICK and seriously 6 minutes).  Spread dough onto parchment paper to speed cooling.  Once cool enough to handle, press dough into an oiled 8" cast-iron skillet with greased hands; bake until firm, 30-45 minutes.
~  For the first layer, cook garlic powder, cumin, oregano and coriander in 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add beans; cook until heated through.  Spread mixture into bottom of cooked crust.
~ For second layer, saute onion in 1 tbsp oil over high heat for 1 minute.  Add ground beef; saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Drain all but 2 tbsp drippings, reduce heat to medium, stir in chipotle, adobo, and chili powder; season with salt and pepper.  Spread mixture over beans and transfer to oven to keep pie warm while preparing avocado mixture.
~  Puree avocado, cream cheese, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and mayonnaise in a food processor until smooth; season with salt and pepper.  Remove pie from oven and spread over beef mixture.
~  Garnish with remaining ingredients, slice and serve!

This will serve about 6 people depending on appetites!  Might only serve four if you've got some good eaters because trust me, they will eat this!  

The adobo gives this pie a wonderful smokey flavor and the chili powder gives it just a tiny tiny bit of heat.  Definitely add more adobo or chili powder if you like heat!  Now, remember the magazine quote I added in the beginning of the post?  The part about the tamale?  That's very important to remember because this is definitely not your traditional pie!  If you want a crunchy crust use pie crust - this is a soft, warm, tender crust that screams tamale while the top side is a wonderful laid back taco!

Enjoy!

Personal Challenge

For the past 3 years I have subscribed to the cooking magazine "Cuisine at home".  I've enjoyed cooking many meals and desserts from the beautiful, ad free pages with every single one of them being over-the-top amazing. Unfortunately, over the past year or two, it's become much easier to find recipes on the internet through Pinterest, as well as some of my favorite blogs, and I've forgotten my stacking-up gems.  

As I've cooked through the pages I've often thought I'd like to challenge myself to cook every single recipe.  To try new things, experiment with all the new and challenging foods they tempt me with and to learn the new techniques presented in each issue.  The magazines are quite pricey so if you'd rather come over to my blog for free, here's your chance to sample some true cuisine...  right in your own home!

Butternut Squash & Sausage Cannelloni
    with Sage Bechamel Sauce

8 flat, no-boil, dry lasagna sheets 
6 oz Isernio's Italian Sausage
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 cups diced butternut squash
1/4 cup diced red onion
3 tsp fresh minced garlic
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 tsp sugar
4-5 cups fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cup Fontina cheese, shredded
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
3 cups milk
1 tsp each ground sage and sage leaves
Pinch of nutmeg 

~  Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray.  Blanch the sheets of lasagna in a pot of boiling salted water until pliable, 2-3 minutes.  Arrange sheets in a single layer on prepared baking sheets.

~  Brown sausage in half the oil over medium-high heat until no longer pink; transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.  Saute squash and onion in remaining olive oil in the same pan until onions soften, 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

~  Add broth and sugar; cover and steam until squash softens and liquid evaporates, 3-5 minutes.  Stir in spinach until wilted, about 2 minutes.  Add sausage and season with salt and pepper, cool briefly.

~  Combine 3/4 cup fontina, ricotta and 1/2 cup Parmesan in a bowl; stir in squash-sausage mixture.

~  Preheat oven to 425 F with rack 6 inches from element.  Coat a baking dish with nonstick spray.

~  For the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour and cook 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in milk, add sage, and increase heat to medium-high.  Bring sauce to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 3-5 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg (taste please).

~  Coat bottom of baking dish with about a third of the sauce.

~  Fill and roll sheets with 1/2 cup filling (place filling on one end of pasta sheet and start rolling to other end); arrange in baking dish, seam sides down.

~  Top cannelloni with remaining sauce and remaining cheeses; cover loosely with foil poked with several holes.

~  Bake cannelloni 20 minutes; uncover and broil on high until golden and bubbly, about 3 minutes.

~  Serves 3-4

As with all recipes from "Cuisine At Home", this is full of flavor and texture! The recipes usually aren't simple and the ingredient lists are generally quite lengthy but in the end, every single step and ingredient is well worth it!  (I did make some minor modifications from the original recipe but left the bulk of it intact.)

Stay tuned for more "Cuisine At Home" cooking as I attempt my long awaited personal challenge!

Snack Time

Bigger IS better!

When it comes to snacks and dieting of course!!  I find myself once again bored with the snacks (and lunches) I create while dieting - or "Changing my lifestyle" as WW puts it!  The fresh fruit is great and pea pods nice and crispy but sometimes I just want something to sink my teeth into that doesn't cost half my daily points.

I came across this idea the other day while perusing the internet and although I'm not a fan of the baked egg roll wrappers I figured I'd give it a try.  So many recipes want you to bake these papery wrappers and that's exactly what they come out like...  baked paper!  Maybe I was really hungry this time but these were really quite tasty!

Ham & Swiss Rolls
1 cup lean ham, minced
1/2 cup 2% Swiss cheese
1 green onion, minced
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
8 egg roll wrappers
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp half & half, fat free

Preheat oven to 400F.  Mix ham, cheese and green onion to combine.  Place an egg roll wrapper diagonally on work surface and spread 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard in the center.  Put two tablespoons of ham mixture on the mustard.  Fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling and gently but firmly pull slightly towards you.  Fold the left and right sides in and roll to the tip, creating a nice firm roll.  Place on sprayed baking sheet and continue with remaining wrappers.  Lightly spray rolls with cooking spray.  Bake for 8 minutes, turn rolls over, bake for an additional 8 minutes until lightly browned.  Mix together remaining tablespoon of mustard, honey and half & half for dipping.

Eaten hot or room temperature, these little rolls do the trick!  At a mere 2 pts each they can be a quick snack or a nice filling lunch.  I'm going to experiment with some different cheeses and maybe a spinach leaf or two but other than that, I think I'll keep it simple and enjoy the flavors just like they are!

Taste Buds & Texture

Meatloaf?

I've never liked meatloaf...  never!  To me it's dry, bland and mundane no matter what sauce you add or how many eggs, bacon and Velveeta slices are put in or on it!  Even though hubby loves it, kids devour it and diners and cafes serve it for lunch and dinner, I only make it once or twice a year to spoil the family!

Not anymore!  I finally found a recipe that is called meatloaf but is so much more.  It's not only got taste, it's got texture and lots of it!

Meatloaf Cupcakes
1 egg
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, part skim
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
9 oz frozen spinach (box)
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 1/2 lb ground beef, 96%
Brown gravy mix

Mashed Potatoes
3 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 lb cauliflower florets
1/3 cup buttermilk, 1%
3 tbsp cream cheese, fat free

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Mix first 8 ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed.  Add ground beef and mix lightly with a large fork until just combined, do not over mix or your meatloaf may end up dry.  Use aluminum muffin cups for the best results and fill them using a large ice cream scoop.  Bake approximately 30 minutes until no longer pink.  While meatloaf is baking, boil potatoes and cauliflower until soft; drain well. Transfer potatoes and cauliflower to a food processor or electric mixer bowl, add buttermilk and cream cheese.  Process/mix until smooth and creamy.  Prepare gravy mix according to package directions.  Pipe/spoon potato mixture onto tops of meatloaf muffins to resemble frosting and sprinkle with pine nuts.  Drizzle prepared gravy over the top.  Makes 12 cupcakes, 2 per serving, 10 points+ per serving.

After making these a second time, I have resolved that I will never again make ordinary meatloaf!  The taste and texture of these beautiful cupcakes is like nothing I've eaten before.  Try them and
I'm sure you'll agree!

Lunch Time!

Sometimes with WW, I get really bored at lunch time.  There are only so many soups and salads before I start wandering, looking for something a little different and a little more traditional.  One of my favorite sandwiches is a good, creamy egg salad.  Without all that mayo though (and I mean the good full fat kind) it's just not the same!  

This "egg salad" sandwich is so different from what I grew up with that it takes on a whole new taste and texture and yet satisfies my craving for the real thing. 

Try it and see what you think!

Egg Salad Sandwich

1 English Muffin

1 Egg (hard boiled)

2 slices of tomato (or one big one)

Handful of alfalfa sprouts

2 tbsp mayonnaise or ranch dressing (fat free) 

Salt/pepper to taste

Slice the hard boiled egg into nice thick slices. Spread 1 tbsp of mayo on each half of the English muffin.  Place sliced egg on bottom half of muffin and sprinkle lightly with salt/pepper.  Add tomatoes and alfalfa sprouts and place muffin on top.

The crunch of the alfalfa sprouts and the creaminess of the egg yolk really compliment each other making this a very satisfying lunch for only 5 pts.

Keep It Simple!

Another non-recipe recipe for you!  This one's the simplest appetizer you'll ever make unless you consider putting some chips and store bought dip out on the table an appetizer!  This is pretty close though...

Spicy Egg Shooters (12)
6 Eggs
Mayonnaise
Pickled Jalapeno Slices
Red Bell Pepper

Place the eggs in cold water and bring to a boil.  Continue boiling the eggs for as long as you normally do!  There are so many "perfect" methods out there I hesitate to say anything specific so if you're like me, just boil them until you think they're done!  Slice the bell pepper (raw or roasted) into small strips about 1/4" x 1".  If you are using raw pepper, saute it for a couple minutes in a tsp or so of olive oil to soften it.  Once the eggs have cooled enough to handle, peel them and cut them in half.  Put a tiny dab of mayonnaise on each egg half (maybe 1/4 tsp), a slice of pickled jalapeno and a strip of bell pepper.  Place in the refrigerator if not serving right away.

That's it!  So simple!  No mixing, smoothing, seasoning or guessing!  Once you eat one of these you may never go back to regular deviled eggs again.  The kick of the jalapeno and the sweetness of the pepper combined with the creamy mayonnaise and rich egg yolk will make your taste buds sing!

Oh, by the way, these are perfect for 4th of July!

Breakfast Doughnuts

Time to think about MY blog a little differently!  I cook so many wonderful things without a recipe and yet they don't make it to my blog or my cookbook because I think others can't replicate them without measurements and exact directions.  I've decided that if people can see pictures on Pinterest and replicate them from that, they can have ingredients and directions and go from there if they happen to visit me here!  That being said, here's the first with no exact measurements!

Barry's working nights again, giving me the great opportunity to expand my breakfast repertoire!  This creation was probably one of the best!  With canned biscuits left over from the camping trip, I let my imagination soar and this is what I came up with!

Breakfast Doughnuts
  1 can grand biscuits
  Crumbled bacon
  Scrambled Eggs
  Shredded cheese

Use two biscuits for one doughnut.  Put them between wax paper and roll them out into flat circles.  Use a small round cookie cutter or something else small and round to cut a hole in the center of each flat circle.  Now, on one of the rounds, place a little bit of cheese, bacon and scrambled egg.  Like this:

Now comes the challenging part!  Put the empty round on the filled round and press all the seams together really good.  Pinching lightly, patting and turning all work pretty good!  The outside is easy, the inside circle a little tricky but make sure you get it sealed up really good or the cheese will ooze out!  Fry this doughy creature in a pan of oil heated to medium heat.  Turn it frequently so it cooks evenly and doesn't burn on any side.



Now whip up a maple glaze with some powdered sugar, maple syrup and milk.  Just a little of each, you don't need too much.  Make it nice and thick so it doesn't all slide off your hot doughnut!  And here's what you end up with:

The inside will stay hot for quite awhile so be careful with that first bite!  And the outside stays crunchy even after it was reheated!  Surprise!  These are fun and delicious so enjoy - even without an exact recipe!

Cravings

What's something every family has nearly once a month?

  Give up?

Pizza Night!

This night usually involves lots of gooey cheese, rich sauce, movies, soda pop, paper plates and arguing (depending on the size of the family) over what toppings get to adorn the luscious pie!  Don't you just get a craving for all that?  Well, maybe not the arguing...  but the taste of the pizza...  the tomatoey goodness of the sauce...  tasty toppings mingling together on your tongue...  melted cheese on your chin!

It's time to enjoy it once again with a zillion less calories and fat grams!

Pizza Chicken (1 serving)

1 5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 tbsp pizza sauce (home made or jarred)

4 slices turkey pepperoni

1 mushroom, sliced thin

1 ring sliced bell pepper

2 tbsp mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400F.  Flatten the chicken breast to 1/2" thickness.  Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Spread the sauce evenly over the seasoned chicken then layer with pepperoni, mushrooms and bell peppers.  Bake chicken for 15 min then top with cheese and bake for an additional 5 min.

This is only the beginning!  The possibilities are as endless as the local pizzeria menu options and of course your imagination. Not to mention it cooks up just as fast as one of those pizzas you bring home and cook yourself!  Oh, by the way, did I mention these can be cooked on the grill?

This one serving, made just like this is only 5 points!  It's a rather large "piece" of pizza and will definitely fill you up but why not have 2 "slices" and put that craving to rest for a little while!

Layers of Flavors

As I typed the title my mind wandered - why isn't it spelled "Layers of Flavers" or "Layors of Flavors"?  They rhyme perfectly but are spelled differently!  Ahhh...  back on track here!

As I peruse, wander and seek out new recipes to convert to our "lifestyle" way of eating (aka Weight Watchers) I find some recipes that make my mouth water and I just HAVE to find a way to make them within the allowances.  This was one of them!

Roasted Pear & Gorgonzola Chicken Sandwiches (serves 4)

2 pears, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

2 giant hamburger buns

1 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400F.  Spray parchment lined baking sheet and place pears in a single layer on pan.  Bake until light golden and turning soft, approximately 20 min.  Turn each pear slice and bake an additional 15 min.  While pears are roasting, spray a small skillet and caramelize onions on medium heat until nice golden brown.  Brush buns very lightly with butter and place on a griddle pan or skillet.  Remove and set aside once they are nice and golden brown.  Pound chicken breasts to 1/2", season with salt and pepper.  Spray a large oven-proof skillet and sear breasts for 3 minutes on each side.  Remove from heat immediately to avoid over cooking.  Place 2-3 pear slices on each breast then sprinkle with cheese crumbles.  Add caramelized onions.  Place in the oven for 2-3 minutes to allow cheese to melt.  Place chicken breast atop toasted bun.

The crispy buttery bun, tender juicy chicken, tangy Gorgonzola, sweet pears and rich onions provide layer after layer of flavor!  Than you take another bite because you weren't sure what you just tasted and bam, it hits you again!

You may be asking "Why the bun"?  It's because the original recipe I saw was for a turkey burger and I felt it still needed the sandwich feel.  Whether it needs it or not, I will always make it with just because it adds a whole different layer!  Enjoy this open faced sandwich for a low 9 WW pts+ each and include a large helping of roasted asparagus done at the same time as the pears!

Off I go to find that motivation that I lost...