Heaven in a bowl

A good friend of mine gave me this recipe years back. I was going through my recipe cards the other day and found it. I was so excited to make it for Patrick. This, my friends, is just about the easiest and yummiest dessert ever! You can make it as low-fat as possible and it still has tons of flavor. Enjoy!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

1 Box graham crackers

1 Squeeze bottle Chocolate Syrup (low fat)

1 Package White Chocolate Pudding (fat free)

2 Tubs Cool Whip (low fat or fat free)

Make pudding and chill for 30 minutes. Layer in a pan; Graham Crackers, hershey's syrup, pudding, cool whip until the top of the pan. Cover and refridgerate over night. Before serving cover the top with cool whip and serve. YUMMO!

Pineapple Pork Roast

I'm not a big fan of pork. Actually, I can't stand the taste of it sometimes. I found a pork roast on sale at the grocery store. What to do with it? I had heard of people making pineapple roasts, so I gave it a go. We had a back up plan- give leftovers to the dogs over the week and head for Arby's if it turned out gross. BUT- to my surprise, it was heavenly. The meat just fell apart (as you can see). I tried to slice it so it would make a pretty picture, but no luck. Anyway, below is the recipe. You have to try this roast. It is so good and super easy!

Pineapple Pork Roast

1 pork roast
salt & pepper
1 (16 ounce) can crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil

Set crockpot to low. Place the pork roast in crockpot. Combine all ingredients and pour over roast. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Delish!

Menu Plan Monday

I've taken a break from blogging lately. Not because of my so called busy life, just cause I haven't really felt like being on the computer after work. Anyway- I'm back on track and excited about the new receipes I'll be making in the next few weeks. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week! For more recipe ideas please visit our host Laura at www.orgjunkie.com.

Monday
Salmon with artichoke hearts

Tuesday
Parmesan Pork chops

Wednesday
Italian sausage with Polenta

Thursday
Grilled chicken breast sandwich with brie

Friday
Date night

Saturday
Ham & cheese paninis

Sunday
"Thick Thighs"*

Big, Thick, Hearty Thighs........
Courtesy Rachael Ray

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt & pepper
1 small onion, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock or broth
3 medium to small red bliss potatoes, cut in half and then thinly sliced
1 cup frozen peas
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
Crusty bread

Preheat a large skillet or wide soup pot over medium-high heat and add the EVOO. Season the chicken thighs liberally with salt & pepper. Add the chicken in the skillet and brown on both sides for 3 minutes. Scoot the browned thights to the edges of thepan, making some space in the center of the skillet. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

Add the wine and chicken stock, turn the heat up to high, and bring the mixture up to a simmer. Add the potatoes and stir everything together. Cover the pan with a lid or a piece of aluminium foil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add the peas, lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley, and cook for 1 more minute to just head the peas through. Serve with crusty bread.

Seafood Alfredo

This Seafood Alfredo recipe is a lighter verison and honestly I prefer it made this way. It was a super easy dish to make and the P man kept coming back for more! The only ingredient I substituted was the lump crabmeat. I used the canned crabmeat which was just as tasty to us!

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped green onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled
1 pound sea scallops
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
8 cups hot cooked fettuccine (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté 1 minute or until tender. Add shrimp and scallops; sauté 3 minutes or until done. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add half-and-half, salt, pepper, and crabmeat; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly (do not boil). Gradually sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over seafood mixture, stirring constantly; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Combine pasta and seafood mixture in a large bowl. Top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley.

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
writeNutrient();
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 438(30% from fat); FAT 14.8g (sat 7.7g,mono 3.6g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 38.5g; CHOLESTEROL 160mg; CALCIUM 257mg; SODIUM 747mg; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 3.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38g
writePublicationAppearance();
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2002

Menu Plan Monday

I'm not quite sure what happened last week but I ended vearing off of the menu plan. Well, I do know. I was kind of lazy and didn't make it to the store until Wednesday. Hopefully I'll have some pictures of the new recipes for this week. I hope everyone has a great week!

For more menu plans please visit our host Laura at www.orgjunkie.com.

Monday
SOS (from last week)

Tuesday
Potatoes n' Kielbasa

Wednesday
Angel Hair Pasta Chicken

Thursday
Baked Salmon

Friday
Date Night

Saturday
Bourbon Chicken

Sunday
Roast Beef Sandwiches

Menu Plan Monday

Last week was filled with great recipes. I created a cheesy meatloaf, made some herbed pork chops from an Ordinary Mom and even ventured out into the baking world. This week will be a little bit more low key. For some reason I'm worn out and am down in the dumps. I think I'm just home sick. Anyway, I hope everyone has a great week! Eat Well!

For more menu ideas please visit our hostess Laura at www.orgjunkie.com.

Monday

Soft tacos

Tuesday

Herbed cornish hens

Wednesday

Fried Chicken* family recipe

towards the end frying, sprinkle a bit of sugar on top

Thursday

Sour cream chicken

Friday

Date night

Saturday

Warm steak & potato salad

Sunday

USMC SOS

Herbed Pork Chops

This week I tried this herbed pork chop recipe. I just tweaked it a bit since I only used what we had on hand. They were great!

Creamy Herbed Pork Chops
4 boneless pork chops
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash seasoning
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon basil
2 teaspoons flour
1 beef bouillon cube
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons water

Trim fat from meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet cook chops in margarine or butter over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn chops and add carrot and garlic. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes more or till no pink remains. Remove chops, reserving drippings,carrots and garlic.
For sauce, stir parsley, flour, basil, Mrs. Dash (or whichever herbs you like), bouillon cube and pepper into drippings and carrot. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Stir in water. Return chops to skillet and heat through.

Cheesy Meatloaf

Ok, we can all safely say I'm not the best at taking food pics. lol Not the greatest pic of meatloaf, but it was the best I've ever had. The P man ate it up too. I will always make my meatloaf like this from now on. Believe me- so will you! Yummmm!

Cheesy Meatloaf
Courtesy Nicole

Ingredients:
1 pkg lean ground beef
1 roll sausage (I used hot)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pound Colby cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 F. In a bowl, mix everything together. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a loaf pan. Bake for around 45 minutes. Let it sit for around 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Banana Bread Muffins

I'm not much of a baker, but it's growing on me. We had about 5 bananas that were going to go bad soon so I thought I'd put them to use. I found this recipe and tweaked it a bit. As you can see I made them into muffins instead of a loaf. They were delicious! The only thing I didn't like was how dense they were. I'd like to make another banana bread that is lighter. So if you have any suggestions, bring them on! Thanks!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons allspice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
5 mashed overripe bananas

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, allspice and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs, vanilla extract and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Menu Plan Monday

Last week I forgot to post my Menu Plan. I had a nice menu planned but ended up experimenting most of the week instead. I made this chicken and last night made this pot roast which was sooo good. I added carrots, garlic powder, onion powder and bell pepper to this recipe. It added so much flavor. Here is the menu for the week. Just a side note- we do eat healthy sides with our meals. I just put the main item on the list. (Just so my Mom will know I'm eating my veggies) lol I hope everyone has a great week! For more meal plan ideas please visit our host Laura at www.orgjunkie.com.

Monday
Chicken Suiza Enchiladas*

Tuesday
Mini cheese meatloaves

Wednesday
Salmon wrapped in parma ham

Thursday
Creamy herbed pork chops

Friday
Date night- we found a casino that has all you can eat Seafood (we have coupons) yay!

Saturday
Grilled steaks with chimichurri sauce

Sunday
Funky Chicken w/Sesame Noodles

Chicken Suiza Enchiladas:
You can also use leftover turkey or chicken. (Suiza is Spanish for Swiss)

8 corn tortillas, stacked and wrapped in foil
1 1/4 green salsa (salsa verde)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 chopped cilantro
11/2 cups (8 oz) diced cooked turkey or chicken
6 oz. reduced-fat Swiss cheese, shredded
1 jar (7 oz) roasted red pepper, sliced

1. Place tortillas in oven. Heat to 425F. Have a shallow 2 to 2 1/2 qt baking dish ready.
2. Mix salsa, sour cream and cilantro in a medium bowl. Spread 1/2 cup over bottom of baking dish. In another bowl, combine chicken, 1 cup cheese and roasted peppers. Remove tortillas from oven.
3. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up; place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remaining salsa mixture over top.
4. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes until bubbly. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Jalapeno Mustard Chicken

All I can say about this chicken is YUMMO! On my way home from dropping my nephew off last week I stopped by one of those fruit stands on the side of the highway. (I love those places!) I bought a bunch of junk snack food and a jar of jalapeno honey mustard. Well, well, well... this stuff is just about the best mustard ever! It's sweet and hot all in one bite. That night I tenderized some chicken breasts and basted a sauce using this mustard over them. It was soooo good! I served it with Salvadorean rice that I learned to make from one of my best friends. Enjoy!

Sauce:
Jalapeno honey mustard, about 5 tablespoons
Olive oil, a few drizzles
Lemon juice, zest included
salt & pepper
balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons

I can't remember exactly how much I used of each, but you can adjust to your taste. Stir in the olive oil to the mustard, then the vinegar & lemon juice & zest. Salt & pepper to taste.

I floured the chicken breast after tenderizing them. Then pan fried then in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Brush the mustard sauce on each side as you turn the chicken. I cooked the chicken for about 10 minutes. The chicken was very juicy and tender. Delish!

Salvadorean rice:
1 cup rice
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons oil

In oil saute bell pepper, onion and tomato until onion is translucent. Add rice and cook for about 5 minutes, until the rice gets light brown. Add chicken bouillon cubes. Add water until rice is covered (I'd say about 1 1/2 cups). Salt & pepper to taste. Cover, and cook on simmer until water has evaporated. Serves around 4 peeps. Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday

This week my nephew will be visiting for spring break. Needless to say we may not stick to the plan every day. I hope everyone has a nice week!

For more recipe ideas please visit our hostess, Laura at www.orgjunkie.com.

Monday
Lemon Pepper Cod

Tuesday
Venetian Mac n' Cheese*

Wednesday
On the road - eat out

Thursday
Chicken Mug Pies

Friday
Cheese Enchiladas, rice, salad

Saturday
Steaks, sweet baked potatoes, salad

Sunday
Pot roast sandwiches

*Venetian Mac n' Cheese
Courtesy Rachael Ray

1 pound medium shell pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 c. half-and-half or whole milk
1 c. chicken broth
pepper
salt
pinch nutmeg
2 tablespoons EVOO
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 small heads radicchio, shredded
1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 cup shredded asiago cheese

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

2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook forr1 minute then whisk in the half-and-half and chicken broth. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and the nutmeg and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 6 to 7 minutes.

3. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovy paste, if using, and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and radicchio, increase the heat and cook, stirring, until the shrimp is pink and the radicchio is tender 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Preheat the broiler. Stir the parmigiano-reggiano into the white sauce. Add the pasta, shrimp and radicchio and toss. Pour into a buttered casserole and sprinkle the asiago on top. Broil until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes; serve hot.

Cashew Chicken

Not the greatest picture, but this dish was almost as good as it tastes in the restaurant. I had originally taken the recipe from weight watchers but changed it up a bit. It was actually quite easy to make and easy clean up. I was happy cause Patrick ate his veggies without even blinking an eye! (I think he accidentally ate some onions too) lol

Ingredients:
1/4 tsp black pepper, or more to taste
1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste
2 tsp peanut oil (I used olive oil)
1 can bean sprouts (I added this)
2 medium stalk celery, chopped
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 3/4 oz dry-roasted cashews, chopped (about 6 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, or more to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch (omitted this)
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 cup cooked brown rice

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until browned on all sides, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.Add 1 cup of broth, soy sauce, celery, bean sprouts to chicken and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/2 cup of broth; add to skillet and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.To serve, divide rice among 4 shallow dishes. Spoon chicken mixture onto rice and sprinkle with cashews. Yields about 1 cup of chicken, 1/2 cup of rice and 1 1/2 tablespoons of cashews per serving

Leftover Salmon

I usually have issues using left over fish. I finally have come to my senses and realized I can use it in salads. We had salmon and potatoes the other night so I used the leftovers for salad with balsamic dressing. It was simple and delish. I even got the P man to have a plate. :)

All I did was mix a few tablespoons of olive oil into some balsamic vinegar along with a squeeze of lemon with lemon zest (salt & pepper). I had also added avocados and it was to die for!

Menu Plan Monday

Omgosh, I can't believe it's Monday already. Last week's meals went as planned. I made Liz's Lemon Garlic Chicken and we LOVED it. The chicken was so tender and flavorful. So here is the menu this week. Monday-Thursday is dinner for 1. We moved to WA thinking no more road trips, but the hubby is out again. :( Oh well, thank goodness for cable! lol

For more recipes and meal ideas visit our host, Laura at www.orgjunkie.com.

Monday
Mediterranean Fish
Veggies

Tuesday
Beef goulash

Wednesday
Leftover beef goulash

Thursday
Pinto beans over cornbread

Friday
Basil chicken with tomato-alfredo sauce *

Saturday
Cashew chicken

Sunday
Ceviche

*Basil Chicken with tomato-alfredo sauce

Ingredients:
8 chicken drumsticks
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/4 cups alfredo (I like to use the sundried tomato alfredo)
1 pt grape tomatoes
fresh basil

Directions:
Sprinkle drumsticks with pepper
Add nonstick spray to pan. Cook chicken until brown on all sides.
Stir in alfredo sauce and 3/4 of tomatoes.
Reduce heat to Med low, cover & simmer 20 minutes until chicken is cooked.
Cut basil into strips and add to skillet with remaining tomatoes.
Serve with rice or noodles.

100th Post - Easter Dinner

Last year we were in England for Easter. This year we were alone again but we have our dog, Odin now. yay! I made cornish hens with spinach, mashed potatoes and shells n' cheese. I had made the cornish hens before (from a recipe by Rachael Ray) and they were a hit. There is no way I could ever finish a whole hen but I went ahead and made 2. I'll have to find a recipe to use up the remaining meat.

Cornish hens:
Pat dry and sprinkle with salt & pepper
Mix together 1 can orange juice concentrate (defrosted), 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil
Brush mixture liberally on cornish hens
Bake 15 minutes at 450 then 30 minutes at 350 (uncovered)

Enjoy!

Crockpot Angel Chicken

This is the first time I've ever used a crock pot to make dinner. I put all the ingredients together and cooked on low for 4 hours. It was super easy and delish! This dish tasted a lot like the chicken tetrazini I make. Patrick absolutely loved it. I liked it too but it was kind of rich for me so I will only be making it once in a blue moon.

Crockpot Angel Chicken

6 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup butter
1 pkg dry italian salad dressing mix
1 can golden mushroom soup
1/2 cup white wine (cooking wine or regular drinking wine)
4oz. onion & chive cream cheese
pkg angel hair pasta (cook according to box directions)

Place chicken in crock pot. In sauce pan melt butter. Stir in italian salad dressing mix, soup, cream cheese & wine. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. Pour over cooked angel hair pasta or any kind of noodle you desire. (Rice works well also).

Menu Plan Monday

I am back in the game baybay!! lol This will be our first full week in Bellingham. It is a culture shock for us. I hate to say so far the people don't seem to be very nice (I guess I'm used to the Southern hospitality). BUT the scenery is absolutely beautiful. We are surrounded by mountains. I will post pics later this week. Coming from an 1800 sq ft house to an 1000 sq ft apartment with a large dog is difficult for us, but we'll adapt. At least we are finally in the same country. ;) Anyway, we went to the grocery store and found that in the frozen food section they have row after row of seafood that you can scoop yourself and buy in a bag. It's awesome! We both love seafood and there is plenty of it here! So here is our first Menu Plan Monday in Washington. :)

Monday
Crockpot Angel Chicken

Tuesday
Pan Seared Salmon w/bacon
Baby potatoes
Roman lettuce salad

Wednesday
Homemade Cheeseburgers
Salad

Thursday
Lemon Garlic Chicken
White rice
Broccoli

Friday
Leftovers

Saturday
Cream Cheese Chicken

Sunday
Roasted Chicken
veggies

Mexican Soup

I actually made this a few weeks ago and just got around to posting it. Man- was it good! We had tons of leftovers. When I heated up the leftovers I added fresh cilantro and tortilla chips. Mmmm hmmm good!

4 chicken breasts, shredded
Good olive oil
Salt and black pepper
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 quarts chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Avocados- optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste.

Oh so good Lasagna

I adopted this recipe from Barefoot Contessa. I love all of the recipes I've made of hers. It's very very tasty and easy to make.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (I used mild)

1 pound ground pork

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

32 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.