Marinated Grilled Chicken

This is always a go-to favorite at our house!

Ingredients

In a ziplock bag:
1 tsp cumin
2 tbs minced garlic
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of lime juice
as much chicken as you'd like ( mine is usually 6-8 thighs/breasts)

Technique

I leave it in the fridge at least 24 hours, sometimes 3 days if I've forgotten about it!  Throw it on the grill and serve with your favorite side.  Buon appetito!

Print Page

Veggie Lasagna with Cream Sauce

This turned out MUCH better than previous veggie lasagnas!!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups milk
12 lasagna noodles
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1, 10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
16 oz ricotta
2 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 - 2 tablespoons light Olive oil
8 ounces sliced or chopped mushrooms
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped bell peppers
2 cups broccoli florets


Technique:
Preheat oven at 350.

For the white sauce:
Use a 1 quart saucepan to melt the butter with a low heat.
Stir in the flour and salt.
Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly.
Remove from heat and stir in the milk.
Heat to boiling. Boil and stir 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Cover and keep warm.

For the filling:
Combine spinach, cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese,
basil, oregano, garlic powder and pepper together in a bowl
and set aside.

For the vegetables:
Cook the mushrooms, carrots, onions, bell peppers, and broccoli in a
frying pan with a little Olive oil until soft and tender. Set aside.

To assemble lasagna:
Place 4 noodles in the bottom of the pan.
Top with half of the cheese filling, 1 cup of the Mozzarella
cheese and then 4 more noodles.
Spread cooked vegetables on top of the noodles.
Then pour and spread half of the white sauce over top of the
vegetables. Place the remaining noodles over that.
Then spread the remaining cheese mixture on top of the noodles.
Sprinkle with the other 1 cup Mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to set.
Buon appetito!


Print Page

Grilled Pineapple and Pork Kabobs

This came out citrusy and juicy!

Ingredients:

1 cup pineapple juice 
Juice of 3 limes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds cubed boneless pork loin
One 3 3/4- to 4 1/4 pound fresh pineapple

Technique:
In a large bowl, mix together the pineapple juice, lime juice, and olive oil.  Add the pork, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 and up to 12 hours, stirring several times during soaking.  Trim the leaves off the pineapple. Hold the pineapple upright on a cutting board and slice the skin off the fruit. Slice the peeled fruit in half and cut out the core. Cut the fruit into 1 1/2 to 2 inch chunks. You will have about 4 cups of cubes, or about 18 cubes.  First cover the grill rack with aluminum foil to prevent sticking. Thread the pork and pineapple chunks on six 12-inch skewers, beginning and ending with chunks of pork.  Grill for 12 to 15 minutes, turning several times.




Print Page

Pasta Primavera

This is one of my dinner stand-bys.  My wonderful and talented mother-in-law made it for me after I had baby #1 (or was it #2...hmmm!)

Adapted from: Giada De Laurentiis


Ingredients

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 yellow squash, cut into thin strips
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence
1 pound farfalle (or choo-choo wheels if  you have toddlers)
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Technique

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

On a large heavy baking sheet, toss all of the vegetables with the oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to coat.  Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes.  Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve immediately.  Buon appetito!


Print Page

Shrimp Fried Rice

This is one of everyone's favorites!  Mine too because it takes minutes to prepare!


Ingredients
2 cups rice (cooked)
½ lbs shrimp (uncooked)
4 eggs
4 green onions (chopped)
3 tbs Olive or Sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbs soy sauce

Technique
Saute the onions in oil, add shrimp and cook for two minutes, add salt. Beat eggs and add to shrimp, cook for one minute. Slide everything over to one side of the pan add some more oil to the empty side and add rice. Add salt and soy sauce until you have the taste you prefer. Buon appetito!


Print Page

Tortellini Salad

A delicious quick lunch!

Ingredients

2 lbs frozen cheese tortellini
1 lb broccoli florets
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion, chopped

Sauce:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup milk
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbs Italian spices


Technique

In a large pot boil water and cook tortellini according to package directions. Add broccoli when the tortellini has 3 more minutes to cook. Drain pasta and broccoli and run under cold water until cold. Pour into bowl and add tomatoes. Whisk all other ingredients together until thoroughly mixed and gently stir into pasta. Best served chilled. Buon appetito!







Print Page

Vegan Lasagna

** Warning do not try this at home, my kids loved it but my husband and I couldn't stomach it. I'm trying to use less (or no) meat but this was just too far for an Italian gal to go...**

Ingredients

extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 zucchini, finely chopped
1 summer squash, finely chopped
8 asparagus spears, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 pound fresh plain lasagna sheets
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cab canned white beans, rinsed and drained
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 cups shredded mozzarella


Technique

In a saute pan add extra-virgin olive oil, add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, zucchini and squash cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat when all vegetables are completely cooked, allow to cool. Grease the bottom of the dish and layer in sauce, noodles, veggies, spinach, and beans. Repeat until you run out of ingredient. Top with cheese. Bake at 350* for 1 hour or until cheese is bubbling.

Then call for pizza :D





Print Page

Baked Apples

This is one of my childhood favorites...yum!

Ingredients

4 Large apples washed and cored
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup raisins
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp sugar
4 pats of butter

Technique

In a small bowl combine oats raisins, cinnamon and sugar. Place apples in baking dish and pour mixture into apples and pack in to fit more goodies inside the apple. Once each apple is full place a pat of butter on top of each apple. Bake at 350* for 15-20 min or until the apple is soft. Let cool somewhat before eating. Buon appetito!



Print Page

Roasted Vegetables

3 beets
3 T. olive oil
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut in 1" chunks
1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
salt and pepper
1 T. chopped rosemary

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Put beets in small baking dish. Rub with 1 T. oil. Cover with foil and roast for 1 1/2 hr.

Combine carrots, sprouts, garlic, and 2 T. olive oil in dutch oven. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add to oven after beets have been roasting for 30 min. Let roast for 1 hour.

Remove beets from oven. Stir rosemary into carrot mixture and roast 10 min. Hold beet with paper towel to prevent staining your fingers, and use another paper towel to remove the peel from the beet. This is very easy. Cut into 1 inch chunks. Toss with the other vegetables.

Tip: If you stain your hands or cutting board, rub them with salt and then wash.

Adapted from: The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger




Print Page

Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

1 lemon
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 T. low sodium soy sauce
2 t. cornstarch
1 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 lb. mushrooms, quartered
1 c. sliced carrots
2 c. snow peas, strings removed
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1 " pieces ( keep whites and greens separated)
1 T. chopped garlic

Grate 1 tsp. lemon zest. Set aside. Combine 3 T. lemon juice, broth, soy sauce and cornstarch.

Heat oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook about 5 min. , until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Add mushrooms and carrots to pan and cook about 5 min., until carrots are tender.
Add peas, scallion whites, garlic and lemon zest. Cook about 30 sec. Whisk broth mixture and add. Cook until slightly thickened. Add the rest of the scallions and chicken. Heat through, about 2 min.

Adapted from Eating Well 500 Calorie Dinners
Print Page