Shrimp Scampi with Artichokes

This is a lite recipe that is really quick- It should be South Beach friendly if you sub chicken stock for the wine :)

2 tsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, large, minced
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1 1/4 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
11 ounces artichoke hearts, frozen or canned
1/3 cups white wine
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon parsley, fresh, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black ground pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and shallots and cook, stirring until softened but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add shrimp, artichoke hearts, wine, and lemon juice and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the parsley, salt and pepper.
   

Serves 4 Serving Size: 2 cups

My favorite side dish

Grandma's Corn

2-20 oz. frozen corn
12 oz. cream cheese
1 stick oleo
1/4 cup sugar
cook 4 hours in crock pot.

This corn goes well with pretty much any meal.

My Favorite chicken salad

8 chicken breasts halves
24 oz. mayo
24 oz. sour cream
2 cups red grapes
1 lb. bacon fried and broken
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups raisans


serves 12 people comfortably. I usually serve with croissants and only make a half recipe.

chicken and rice

8 chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 stick butter
1/2 can water

melt butter and soup and water. put rice in 9x13 casserole and pour half of soup mixture over rice. mix a little. put chicken on top and pour remainder of soup over and bake.

275 degrees for 3 hours. If you bake this temp for this long put a cookie sheet under casserole to not burn rice. you can raise the temp to 350 and bake for about an hour to an hour half still use cookie sheet.

Stove Top Easy Turkey Bake

1 2/3 Cups hot water
1 pkg. (6 oz.) stove top stuffing for turkey or chicken
4 cups chopped cooked turkey or chicken
1 bag 14 oz. frozen broccoli florets thawed and drained
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven 350 degrees. add water to stuffing mix stir until moistened set aside.
Mix turkey broccoli in 9x13 baking dish. combine soup, milk and cheese and pour over turkey. top with prepared stuffing. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.
makes 6 servings

Nutty Granola

This is great as a snack or mixed in yogurt or cottage cheese.

Ingredients
3 cup(s) oats, rolled, old-fashioned
1/2 cup walnuts, halves
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients, mixing well to coat everything with the maple syrup. Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet and bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
3. Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 2 weeks.
   

Makes 4 1/2 cups.
Serving size: 1/2 cup

Real Margaritas (Barefoot Contessa)

Made these with a splash of Pomegranite Juice Mmmmmm.

Ingredients

1 lime, halved

Kosher salt

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 limes)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)

1 cup Triple Sec

1 cup white tequila (I used Cabo Wabo)

2 cups ice, plus extra for serving

Directions

If you like margaritas served in a glass with salt, rub the outside rims of 6 glasses with a cut lime and dip each glass lightly into a plate of kosher salt.

Combine the lime juice, lemon juice, Triple Sec, tequila, and ice in a blender and puree.

Place extra ice in a cocktail shaker. Fill with margarita mix, shake well, and strain into glasses.

Cooking Blog

I often use recipes from Martha Stewart's little Food magazine that you see in the supermarket. I just came across this blog on her website for quick and easy recipes for weeknights. I always like trying new recipes and thought this would be another helpful resource for everyone. We can post the recipes we tried and liked on this site as well. I think I posted her ziti recipe a few weeks back. Enjoy!

http://blogs1.marthastewart.com/dinnertonight/

Eggplant Parmesan

This is a great low fat version of one of my favorite comfort foods!

2 large eggs
2 tablespoons fat free milk
1 cup Italian seasoned dry breadcrumbs
1 eggplant, unpeeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes
¼ cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil, or 2 teaspoons dried
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets and a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Lightly beat the eggs and milk in a shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip the eggplant in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs and arrange in one layer on the baking sheets. Lightly spray the eggplant with nonstick spray (for best flavor, use olive oil cooking spray). Bake until the eggplant is softened and lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a nonstick Dutch oven/large pot. Swirl in the oil, then add the onion and garlic. Sauté until golden. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, wine, basil, salt, pepper, and sugar; bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
Spoon about one third of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with a layer of half of the eggplant, then another one third of the sauce, then another layer of the remaining eggplant, then the remaining, sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses and bake, uncovered, until the dish is hot and bubbling and the cheeses is golden, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving

Per Serving:. Makes 6 servings. 5 points, 275 calories, 10g total fat, 4 g saturated fate, 84 mg cholesterol, 86.3 mg sodium, 34g total carbohydrate, 6 dietary fiber, 14g protein, 308 mg calcium.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This recipe is awesome: it's a low fat version, is easy to make, and is great to impress guests!

¼ cup fat free, less sodium chicken broth
5 teaspoons butter, melted
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ cup dry Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon grated fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 thin slices prosciutto (italian ham from the deli section; about 1/4 lb)
¼ cup (1 oz) shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350;
Place broth in a small microwaveable bowl; microwave high 15 second or until warm. Stir in butter and garlic. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and paprika in a medium shallow bowl; set aside.
Pound each chicken breast to ¼ inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, pepper, and oregano. Top each breast half with one slice proscuitto and 1 tablespoon mozzarella. Roll up each breast, jelly roll fashion (you can put a toothpick in to hold if you want). Dip each roll in chicken broth mixture, dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
Place rolls seam side down in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining broth mixture over chicken.
Bake at 350 for 28 minutes or until juices run clear and tops are golden.

4 servings: Calories 297 (30% from fat), Fat 9.9 g (sat 4.4g, mono 3.6g, poly 1g), Protein 45.5g, Carb3.8 g, Fiber 0.5g, Cholesterol 125 mg, Iron 1.9mg, Sodium 619mg, Calc 94 mg

Apple Pecan Muffins - Ellie Krieger (The Food you Crave)

Just made these for the first time and they were delicious (200 cal. each). It's really good for breakfast on the go, they freeze well too. They are pretty healthy since most of the fat is replaced with applesauce. You'll get about 14 muffins total, although the recipe says 12.

cooking spray
2 tablespoon sugar, brown, firmly packed
1/4 cup(s) nuts, pecans, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
1 cup(s) flour, all-purpose
1 cup(s) flour, whole-wheat pastry, or whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup(s) sugar, brown, firmly packed
1/4 cup(s) oil, canola
2 large egg(s)
1 cup(s) applesauce, unsweetened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup(s) buttermilk, low-fat
1 apple(s), such as golden delicious, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (I used Granny Smith)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray (or use muffin cups).
   In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, the pecans, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking soda, and salt.
   In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the oil until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the applesauce and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk, just until combined. Gently stir in the apple chunks.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each one about 2/3 full and sprinkle evenly with the pecan mixture. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
4. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Enjoy warm or let cool completely before storing in an airtight container in fridge for up to 3 days, or freezing. Can be frozen up to 3 months.

Turkey Meatloaf - Ellie Krieger

I just bought her new cookbook and so far it's really great, I've posted a couple of recipes so far (chicken w/ balsamic and chicken tenders). Everything is really healthy and delicious. The ingredients may seem a little strange but it was very good, I think I'll use this recipe from now on because it's much healthier. Enjoy!

3/4 cup(s) oats, rolled, quick cooking
1/2 cup(s) milk, fat-free
2 pounds turkey, ground
1 medium onion(s), peeled
1/2 cup(s) pepper(s), red, bell, seeded and chopped
2 large egg(s), beaten
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup(s) ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper, black, freshly ground
8 ounce(s) tomato sauce, low sodium

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, stir together the oats and milk and allow to soak while you get the rest of the ingredients together, at least 3 minutes.
Thinly slice one-quarter of the onion into rings and set aside. Finely chop the rest of the onion. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, oatmeal mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire, ketchup, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 inches high. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions. Bake until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Marinated Chicken Pita Sandwich

"This is a very tasty and extremely simple sandwich if you like lemon chicken, I found it somewhere on the Internet a while back. You do need to marinate the chicken at least 3 hours. If I'm giving it to the kids I only marinate theirs for about 1 hour and leave the rest to cook later for adults.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cloves garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced into strips
4 pocket bread round, cut in half
2 small onion, sliced
Red Peppers
Romaine lettuce (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, oregano, minced garlic , and pepper in a large resealable bag. Add chicken, mix well, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator 3 hours or overnight. Pour the chicken and marinade into a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Stuff each half of the pocket bread with chicken, onion, red peppers and lettuce serve while still hot

Introduce Myself...right on!

Ok, so I just finally posted something here...Yay for me! Then I read that I was supposed to introduce myself, so here ya go:

My name is Amber Marinez, and I am Bec and Pam's cousin on their Dad's side. I'm still stuck in Fresno, California! I have been married to my husband, Jason for almost 3 years and we have an adorable son, Jackson, who is almost 18 months old. I am a full time student at Fresno State working on a Master's Degree in Social Work. The program is only 2 years (I have almost completed 1), but during the course of it I am also required to work an internship (which means no money, honey!). We are a super busy family always running from one end of town to another, and planning dinners is sometimes difficult. We often eat the same things...so, in an effort to broaden our variety I have been trying some recipes from these cookbook things I just discovered in my kitchen (lol), from the internet, and from this blog. Some of my old tried and true recipes I will share, but totally welcome NEW stuff! Thanks for inviting me to this blog...we need it!!

Super Bowl Cheese Dip

An appetizer that is sure to please....

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
2 blocks Mexican Velveeta
2 jars of salsa

Brown and drain meat
Add meat and cheese to a crockpot on high for about 30-40 minutes
Add in salsa (type of salsa will determine "spiciness" of dip)
Mix it all up, serve with Frito's Scoops...YUM

SUPER Easy Crockpot Chicken

Hello all! I am Bec and Pam's cousin, Amber. I wanted to add a REALLY easy crockpot chicken recipe that I just learned.

2-4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 packet italian salad dressing mix
1 can chicken broth

Put it all in the crockpot in the morning, and cook on low all day.
THAT'S IT! No pre cooking the chicken or anything. Just throw it in and let it cook.
It is really good over pasta or rice. You don't need to salt or pepper anything, it comes out VERY flavorful...Enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach & Couscous

This is a new recipe I recently tried and it was awesome. It looks really pretty on the plate, and is super easy. Enjoy!

• 3 T olive oil
• 4 Boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 8 oz. baby spinach leaves (8 cups lightly packed)
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 C canned no-salt added chopped tomatoes with their juices
• 2 C hot cooked whole-wheat couscous

1. Heat 1 T olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with S&P. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 4 min. per side. Remove chicken to a plate.
2. Add the remaining 2 T of oil to the pan and add the garlic, cook 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer the spinach to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the vinegar, broth, and tomatoes to the same pan and stir, scraping any browned bits off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.
4. Divide the couscous between 4 plates. Top with some of the spinach, then a piece of chicken and the balsamic tomato sauce and serve.

Serves 4. Per Serving: 342 Calories, 12G Fat, 32G Protein, 27G Carbs

Crispy Baked Chicken Fingers

This was a request from Becca. It's a really simple recipe and kids will love it. I served it over a salad with a nice creamy dressing. You can use whatever you like, I included a recipe for a light ranch dressing below.

• 1-1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut lengthwise into 1/2" slices
• 1/2 C lowfat buttermilk
• Cooking Spray
• 4 C whole-grain corn cereal (Corn Chex or Corn Flakes)
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Pinch of Pepper

Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees

Combine the chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish, turning the chicken to coat both sides. Cover and chill for 15 minutes. Coat baking sheet(s) with cooking spray.

Put the cereal in a sealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the cereal to fully coat both sides and arrange on prepared baking sheets. Bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking sheets to cool slightly, it will become crispier.

Serves 4, Per Serving: 262 Calories, 2 G. Fat, 35 G Protein, 23 G Carb

De-Light-Ful Ranch Dressing

• 1/2 C plain nonfat yogurt or 1/3 C plain Greek Style nonfat yogurt
• 1/3 C lowfat buttermilk
• 3 T mayo
• 1-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 t dijon mustard
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1/4 t finely chopped fresh chives
• Salt to taste

If using regular yogurt, place in a strainer lined with a paper towel and set the strainer over a bowl. Let the yogurt drain and thicken for 20 minutes. In a medium bowl, wisk together the strained or Greek yogurt with the remaining ingredients. Will last for 3 days in the fridge.

Quiche Lorraine

I love this, it's super easy and perfect for brunch.

Pastry for 9-inch pie dish (I use store bought)
8 slices of bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
4 eggs
2 cups heavy cream (I have used half and half)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 425
Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion in pastry lined quiche dish.
Beat eggs slightly, then beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into quiche dish.
Bake 15 minutes
Reduce oven to 300, bake another 30 minutes or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.
Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

There are so many different ways to make this, I love using Gruyere cheese.
I also make a veggie quiche using mushrooms, freshly chopped tomatoes, spinach, and cheddar.
As long as you have the basic ingredients- the eggs, cheese, and cream- you really can't mess it up!

THE BEST chocolate chippers EVER!

I found this recipe on a blog when I was trying to look up paradise bakery cookie recipes (which don't exist really)...and this one said it was a close second. I was doubtful, but I made them last night for our Bible Study, and everyone was raving about them.

1 3/4 cups flour (I used 2 cups)
1 3/4 cups cocoa powder
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt (I left the salt out)
2 cups white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheet.

2. In large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the salt and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until fluggy but still soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing.