classic peanut butter cookie

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions

1. Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Roll into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake.

East coast travels

Ricotta Frittata

Serves: 4
Makes: 1 10-inch frittata
Hands-on time: 8 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
CATEGORY:
Under 45 Minutes, Vegetarian, Gluten Free

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 egg whites (about 1 cup)
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 2/3 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, egg and skim milk until frothy; set aside.
3. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick frying pan on medium. Add garlic and onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add spinach to pan, in batches if necessary, and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. Pour egg mixture into pan and drop ricotta by the tablespoonful over top. Cook for 3 minutes, until eggs begin to set on the bottom. Transfer pan to oven and bake for 8 minutes or until eggs are firm. Cut frittata into 4 wedges and serve immediately.

pizza dough

1 pkg. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup warm water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups flour
corn meal

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let set for several minutes until it gets a little foamy. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, oil, and salt. Knead on speed 2 (in the KitchenAid) for about 2 minutes. Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough starts to cling to hook and clean the sides of the bowl.

Remove dough and place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover. Let rise in a warm place for about an hour.

Punch dough down. Shape dough into rounds. Place on greased pizza stone sprinkled with corn meal. Top with desired toppings.

Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes until crust is done

real steak

Restaurant Style Filet Mignon

• 2 8 ounce filet mignons
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
• 1 stick butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

DISCLAIMER: The reason this dish is so amazing is due mostly in part to having the very best, most fresh ingredients possible.  That means high grade salt, it means pepper ground right in front of you by a pepper mill.  It means fresh herbs and it means REAL BUTTER.  The good news is that these are all things you should already have in your house.
Take 1/2 stick of butter, softened, and mix well with the peeled, chopped garlic, the chopped herbs, and the lemon zest.  Form into a log and refrigerate.  Generously season the filet’s with salt and pepper, approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning per side.

Heat the remainder of the butter (1/2 stick) and the olive oil in a cast iron skillet to a screaming hot temperature.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.   Sear the filets in a screaming hot pan for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until a nice brown crust has formed. While the steak is searing, continue to spoon the residual butter in the pan on top of the meat while it’s cooking.  Once both sides are seared, place in the center of the oven for about 6-8 minutes, depending upon how thick your steak is.  In the last minute of cooking, take the log of compound butter and slice a nice thick piece to place on top.

Your steak will be ready when it is approximately 135 degrees in the center, or when you push lightly on the top center of the steak and it gently and slowly bounces back.  (Note, this is medium rare kids. Some people don’t like to eat cows while they are mooing, so clearly you can cook longer if your afraid of the pink.)

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

We're adding this pizza to our list of FAVORITES! It was so delicious and surprisingly healthy... for pizza :)

via

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons flour
1½ cup milk (any fat content)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ ounce (¼ cup) parmesan plus 1 ounce (½ cup)
7 ounces fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
1 pizza dough recipe (our favorite, here)
6 ounces (1½ cup) shredded mozzarella (skim works great)
1 (14-ounce) can artichokes, drained, rinsed and dried, quartered
1. Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 525ºC.
2. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foaming subsides, add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the flour; continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt and ¼ cup (½ ounce) of the parmesan.
3. Meanwhile, add the spinach (if the spinach isn’t damp from being washed, also add a couple tablespoons of water) to a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until the spinach just wilts, about 1 minute. Remove the spinach from the pan and place it in a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze the spinach as dry as possible, then add it to the béchamel from step 1.
4. Flatten the dough, then pick it up and gently stretch it out, trying to keep it as circular as possible. Curl your fingers and let the dough hang on your knuckles, moving and rotating the dough so it stretches evenly. If it tears, just piece it together. If the dough stretches too much, put it down and gently tug on the thick spots.
5. Dust a pizza peel (or the back of a large baking sheet) generously with cornmeal and transfer the round of dough to the peel. Rearrange the dough to something reasonably circular; stab it several times with a fork. Spread the spinach mixture over the dough, then top with the mozzarella, artichokes, and the remaining Parmesan.
6. Transfer the pizza to the hot baking stone, and bake for about 6-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is spotty brown. Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tyler's Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Tyler's Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (find original recipe on Food Network's site)
Serves: 2

Click Here For Printable Recipe

Ingredients
8 slices rye bread
4 quarter-inch slices of fresh mozzarella
3 plum tomatoes, cut into thick slices
1 cup fresh basil pesto, recipe follows (or use the store-bought stuff)
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

Basil pesto:
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano
2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Combine pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined but still rough-textured.

2. If you have a panini press, turn it on to warm up; otherwise, set a skillet over medium heat.

3. Assemble sandwich by smearing insides of bread slices with pesto. Arrange a layer of sliced tomato and season with a few turns of fresh pepper. Layer the mozzarella slices over the top and then place another piece of bread on top to make the sandwich.

4. Drizzle olive oil over skillet's surface and place sandwiches on the hot skillet or panini press. If using a skillet, place another heavy skillet over the top to form a "press". Turn after 2 to 3 minutes and replace weight. The sandwich is ready when golden brown and mozzarella has melted around the edges.

Verdict: Oh for pity's sake, just look at the darn thing, would ya? What do you think I'm going to say about it?! It was cheesy, melty, flavorful, rich, crispy, PURRRRRRRRFECT. I want to have it every day for the rest of my life. Maybe not a war, but I'm sure mini-battles can be fought over this concoction. It's devious in its simplicity. It's one of those foods that you will have cravings for in the middle of the night.

I'm submitting this for the next Tyler Florence Fridays round-up, tout de suite! Ladies, this is a hot one!

And I believe this colorful dish will also qualify for this month's Food In Color event, originated by Sunshinemom from Tongue Ticklers, and hosted by Neha from Easy N Tasty Recipes. This time, the theme is "Red + Green", and there's definitely lots of that in this recipe!

buttermilk roast chicken

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

Adapted barely from Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen, the original version by Nigella Lawson can be found here.
Serves 4 to 6.
Prep time 10 mins, cook time approximately 20 mins.
Begin this recipe at least 1 day ahead.

Note: I made this in a cast iron skillet just because (1) I was too lazy to line a baking dish with parchment and (2) I wanted to use my cast ironware more often. There is really no need to line your baking dish if you're using this recipe as the sugar content is quite low and hardly any drippings result from it to give you a hard time at the sink. As usual, I made my own buttermilk as the boxed stuff had been from the store for weeks - use 1 tablespoon acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to 1 cup whole milk (I take no responsibilities if you use skim and then realize the outcome is short). I roasted 5 pieces after 48 hours and the rest 1 day later without incident.

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, plus extra for sprinkling (I used smoked)
• Lots of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts (I used 3 thighs and 6 legs)
• Drizzle of olive oil
• Flaked or coarse sea salt, to finish
• 3 teaspoons goose/duck fat (optional)
• Chopped coriander (optional, parsley or thyme works well too)

In the measuring up of the buttermilk, whisk it with the garlic, salt, sugar, paprika and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Place all the chicken parts in a gallon-sized freezer bag (or lidded container) and pour the buttermilk brine over them. Swish it around so that all parts are covered. Refrigerate for at least 2 but preferably 24 and up to 48 hours (as mentioned earlier, we tried an extra 24 hours without incident).

When ready to roast, preheat oven to 425°F (fan on for convection). Heat up a cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Add in the goose/duck fat if using, drizzle over some olive oil. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine, shake off excess and arrange skin side up on the skillet. Turn off heat. (If using a baking dish, just arrange the chicken in it skin side up.) Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with additional paprika and sea salt to taste. Roast for 20 minutes if using cast iron skillet or 25-30 minutes if using baking dish, until brown and done. Garnish with herbs of choice if using, serve immediately with pan drippings over some potatoes or greens.

stuffed chicken

Panko Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, Tomatoes, and Basil

by Pam on June 22, 2011

I needed to get rid of some leftover ricotta cheese and spinach so I created this recipe. It was SO DELICIOUS! The chicken was really moist and tender while the panko was crunchy and the ricotta mixture was flavorful and creamy. I will be making this dish again and again – my husband and I especially loved it. I highly recommend this recipe.

Panko Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, Tomatoes, and Basil:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

 

• 1 cup of low fat ricotta cheese
• Small handful of baby spinach, chopped
• Small handful of grape tomatoes, diced (remove the seeds if possible)
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Dash of oregano
• 2 chicken breasts
• Italian seasoned panko crumbs
• 2 tsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the ricotta, spinach, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Rinse the chicken breasts then cut a long horizontal slit along the center of the thin long edge of the chicken breast, nearly through to the other side. Fill the cavity of the chicken breast with the ricotta mixture. Season each side of the chicken with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Carefully dip the chicken breasts in the panko crumbs until both sides are evenly covered. Close the slit together with toothpicks (or if you are like me and realize that you don’t have toothpicks, simply break some kebab sticks in half and use them).

Heat the olive oil in an OVEN PROOF skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown, flip the chicken over and place the skillet into the oven. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe – For the Love of Cooking.net

spaghette squash pasta

Martha Stewart Living, January 2008

• Prep Time 10 minutes
• Total Time 65 minutes
• Yield Serves 4

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Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash (about 4 pounds), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup blanched hazelnuts (1 ounce), toasted and coarsley chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush cut sides of squash with oil, and sprinkle with sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Place squash, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly on sheet on a wire rack, about 10 minutes.
2. Scrape squash with a fork to remove flesh in long strands. Place in a large bowl. Add oil, Parmesan, parsley, cilantro, hazelnuts, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Toss, and serve immediately.

korean short ribs

Crock Pot Korean Beef Short Rib Tacos

• 6 1/2 pounds short ribs (or other ribs)
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
• 10 cloves garlic
• 2-3 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
• 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

Cucumber Slaw

• 1 hot house cucumber
• 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 pinches of salt
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste

To serve:

• 6-inch flour tortillas
• fresh cilantro
• extra Siracha

In the bowl of a small food processor, pulse the garlic and ginger until finely chopped (you can do this with a knife or on a microplane as well, but it was really fast and easy in my mini food processor).

Add the ribs to the crock pot.  In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the cooking liquid.  Pour over the ribs.

Set the crock pot to low and cook about 8 hours. When ready to serve, remove the bones from the ribs, and shred into bite-sized pieces.

Skim the fat off the top of the liquid and add to a small saucepan.  Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened and reduced.  Pour over the shredded meat and serve.

For the cucumber slaw, slice the cucumber as thinly as possible, using a mandoline if you have one.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes.  Toss the cucumbers in the mixture and refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve, warm the tortillas and fill with the shredded meat, and top with cucumbers, cilantro, and Siracha to taste.


Korean Beef adapted from My Life as a Mrs. and Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally from What's Cooking Chicago and Blisstree


Cucumber Slaw from My Life as a Mrs, originally from Steamy Kitchen

fruit roll ups

Fruit Roll Ups
From My Edible Advice
2 cups organic strawberries
¼ tsp cinnamon
Blend the fruit until smooth, then spread onto a Teflex sheet or a parchment-lined baking sheet.
If using a dehydrator, dehydrate at 105 degrees F for 8-10 hours or until the fruit is pliable and easy to peel from the sheet.
If using an oven, leave it on at the lowest temperature until the fruit is dry (times will vary depending on the oven).
Cut into strips and store in a glass container in the refrigerator.

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1 stalk celery, finely chopped (feel free to add more celery if you like celery; I don't, so I don't add much)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth (I usually use a mixture of low-sodium chicken broth and broth made with chicken soup base because it gives it such nice flavor)

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup milk

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender.  Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened.  Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

PB Banana squares

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cut into squares and enjoy. Top with extra peanut butter if you like!

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Squares
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large mashed banana
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Mix together the quick cooking oats, light brown sugar, baking powder, kosher salt and ground cinnamon.
Add in the vanilla extract, milk and egg. Mix the ingredients together.
Then add in the mashed banana and peanut butter. Combine all of the ingredients.
Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 8 by 8 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Cut into squares and enjoy!

bake coconut chicken fingers

Baked Coconut Chicken Fingers

Posted on February 2, 2012

Here’s one recipe that you will definitely want to feature at your Super Bowl party this Sunday. These crunchy coconut chicken fingers are oven baked, not fried! They have all the great taste of those greasy, deep-fried chicken fingers but these are so much healthier for you. My husband and I make the Baked Chicken Fingers at least once a month. During a busy weeknight I can always count on them being quick, healthy and delicious. I was getting ready to make another batch of those chicken fingers the other night when I had a craving something coconutty. I pulled out some shredded coconut and went to work. Crusted with a panko coconut mixture, oven baked and served with a homemade sweet dipping sauce, these were a huge hit in my house! Make these tonight, trust me, your family is going to love them!

One Year Ago: Homemade Oreo Cookies 

Baked Coconut Chicken Fingers

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For the Coconut Chicken Fingers:

• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 tablespoon water
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
• 1 1/2 lb chicken tenderloins (or boneless, skinless breasts cut into 3/4-inch strips)

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• 1 teaspoon horseradish
• dash salt
• drizzle of honey to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 F.  Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and spray the rack with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade process coconut until finely chopped.
3. In a 12 inch skillet, combine the breadcrumbs, coconut and canola oil. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Transfer to a wide, shallow dish and set aside to cool.
4. In a second shallow dish, combine flour, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.
5. In a third shallow dish, whisk together egg whites, water, Dijon mustard and marmalade until the egg whites are broken up and the mixture is foamy.
6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking to remove excess, then dip in the egg whites coating both sides completely. Finally, place in the toasted breadcrumb/coconut mixture, turning to coat both sides. Transfer to the wire rack and repeat with all chicken tenderloins.
7. Spray the chicken lightly with cooking spray then bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165°.
8. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine orange marmalade, mustard, horseradish, salt, and honey. Set aside. Serve as dipping sauce for the chicken fingers.

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Adapted from Family Favorite Recipes
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 337.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Carbs: 51.4 g • Fiber: 3.7 g • Protein: 21.1 g

Light Peanut Sauce:

• 14.5 oz fat free chicken broth (vegetarians use vegetable broth)
• 5 tbsp better'n peanut butter
• 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

 

• 16 oz chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce (more or less to taste)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 8 oz rice noodles

 

• 3/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups shredded carrots
• 1 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw 
• 1 cup bean bean sprouts
• 2 tbsp chopped peanuts 
• 1 lime, sliced
• cilantro for garnish (optional)

For the peanut sauce: Combine 1 cup chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and 3 cloves crushed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

Boil water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.

Heat a large skillet or wok until hot. Add oil and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.

Add 2 cloves crushed garlic, scallions, carrots, broccoli slaw and/or bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.

Drain noodles and toss with peanut sauce and additional chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce. When chicken is cooked, toss with noodles.

Divide noodles and chicken between 6 bowls, top with sauteed vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (or you can toss everything together to hide the vegetables so your family members don't push them aside!) and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Easy Zucchini Parmesan

Submitted by: MATCM81

This quick and healthy snack takes minutes to prepare! And as a bonus, it's an easy way to get the kids to eat their vegetables.

Number of Servings: 1

Ingredients

Zucchini, 1 cup, sliced
Parmesan Cheese, grated, 1 tbsp
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Original Buttery Spray, 10 sprays
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, then coat with some non-stick cooking spray. Place the zucchini slices out on the pan, then spritz with them with the butter spray. Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese and then pop it in the oven. Broil for a few minutes - until the cheese starts to brown. Enjoy it while it's warm!

Make a larger batch for a delicious and healthy side dish for any meal! Your family will love it!

Asian Flank Steak with Ginger Balsamic Marinade

Asian Flank Steak with Ginger Balsamic Marinade

 Print This Recipe
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Slice the flank steak across the grain into thin strips, marinate and cook quickly in hot pan. Add steamed brown rice and sugar snap peas for a healthy dinner with tasty Asian flavors. Leftovers make a great steak salad the next day. Halve this recipe for 2 servings or double for a bigger group. Sake can be purchased in small bottles if its something you don’t often use, but this recipe may change that. For a substitution try dry vermouth or for no alcohol, vegetable or chicken broth. Inspired by a recipe in Bon Appétit, March 2002.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
½ cup (120 ml) low sodium soy sauce or tamari
½ cup (120 ml) sake
3 tablespoons (45 ml) agave syrup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) ginger puree from a jar, (organic with no high fructose corn syrup)
4 tablespoons (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
1½ tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 ½ – 2 pounds flank steak (700 grams – 1 kilo), well trimmed of any fat
Directions
1)   Make the marinade by combining soy sauce through chives.
2)   Slice the flank steak across the grain into ½” (1 1/2 cm) wide strips. If the steak is very wide, you can slice it in half lengthwise with the grain first, then cross grain into strips. Place steak in a bowl, mix with marinade, then cover with plastic and allow to stand 45-60 minutes at room temperature. You can also mix it in a zip bag, press out the air and marinate.
3)   Heat a large non-stick sauté or fry pan over medium heat. Drain marinade from steak through a sieve and set aside. Lay steak strips flat in the hot pan; don’t crowd them. Cook until one side is a browned and getting caramelized edges. Flip the pieces over and cook just briefly, then remove to a rimmed baking sheet or plate. Repeat with the other pieces until done.
Note – If you want extra sauce to drizzle over the steak, place the raw marinade in a small pan and bring to a boil for a minute to kill any raw meat bacteria. Boil it down but be careful not to let it burn away.
For a quick vegetable side dish – Drop sugar snap peas into boiling, salted water for 3 minutes, drain and serve. If you have snap peas left over, add them to a steak salad the next day. It’s also delicious served with mushrooms. I like to use shitakes with this recipe. Slice and cook in the same pan as the flank steak to pick up the flavors. You may need a little oil or butter in the pan to cook the mushrooms. I’ll add a tablespoon of finely chopped shallots towards the end of cooking for extra flavor.
About the vegetables I did for Ying & Yang Living - To make the vegetables I did for the show, quarter mushroom, thinly slice sweet peppers and slice asparagus. Cook them in the same pan to absorb all of the good flavors from the meat juices. You may need to add just a little oil. Splash with sake and cook down to finish and glaze the vegetables.

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Cucumber Salsa

 
Recipe: Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Cucumber Salsa
Ingredients:

• 2 mahi mahi fillets
• Salt & Pepper
• olive oil
• 2 limes
• 1 cup pineapple, chopped
• 3/4 cup cucumber, finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalepeno (seeds removed) finely chopped
• 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. To make the salsa, combine pineapple, cucumber, juice of 1 lime, onion, jalepeno, and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. To cook the fish, heat a grill pan to medium high. Drizzle the fish with olive oil, salt, pepper, and the juice of 1 lime. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes on each side.

Caprese Chicken

Chicken Marinade
Recipe: Adapted from AllRecipes.com
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard (I used regular mustard)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir in mustard powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Use to marinate chicken before cooking as desired. The longer you marinate, the more flavor it will have.

Caprese Chicken
Recipe: Adapted from BakedBree
Ingredients:

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 of a medium red onion, finely diced
• 1 cup of mozerella, diced
• 1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Add all the dry ingredients to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste and combine. Don't be shy on the salt, it really brings out the flavor of the tomatoes!
2. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar to taste and mix together. I probably used about 1/4 cup of each.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
Recipe: Adapted from Martha Stewart, makes 14 cupcakes
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
• 1/2 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cups milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
4. To finish, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Pipe frosting on each cupcake. Using a small, fine sieve, dust peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 - 4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
2. Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time). Beat until smooth and creamy.

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th of nuggets • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 164.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Protein: 22.1 g • Carb: 7.7 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Sugar: 0.1 g

• 16 oz (2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bit sized pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp panko
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• olive oil spray (I used my Misto)

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken.

Put a few chunks of chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat, then on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the top with olive oil spray then bake 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over then cook another 4 - 5 minutes or until cooked though.

Warm Winter Vegetable Salad

Warm Winter Vegetable Salad
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 small sweet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch rounds
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces****My grocery store didn’t have any of these in stock, so I substituted a small butternut squash (about 2 pounds) instead (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 small beet, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup walnuts
1 and 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a roasting pan, toss the onion, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, celery root (and/or butternut squash), and beet with two tablespoons of the olive oil.
3. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and roast for about 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until tender and lightly browned in spots.
4. Meanwhile, spread the walnuts in a nonstick skillet and toast over medium heat until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 6 minutes.
5. Once the walnuts have cooled, coarsely chop and set them aside.
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and fold in the parsley.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the vegetables and the walnuts to the dressing and toss.
9. Top the salad with the feta and serve warm or at room temperature.
Source:  Sophie Dahl at Food and Wine.

Baked rhubarb oatmeal

Baked rhubarb oatmeal

(Recipe inspired by Heidi Swanson + this recipe)

230g rhubarb, chopped into 2cm pieces (fresh or frozen)

230g rolled oats (use gluten-free, if you prefer)

100g almonds, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

500ml home-made almond milk (recipe here)

olive oil, for brushing

1. Preheat oven to 180C and brush a medium-sized oven dish lightly with olive oil.

2. Cover the bottom of the dish with rhubarb pieces. Combine the oats, almond, chia seeds, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl. Pour the mixture on top of the rhubarbs and finally pour the almond milk (evenly) on top. 

3. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

skin beauty salad

Skin Beauty Salad

(serves 2)

230g cooked chickpeas (or use 1 tin)

2 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves

1/2 avocado, diced

small handful of soaked almonds

1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 cm disks

olive oil, for brushing

2 tablespoons unhulled tahini (or use this recipe)

1/2 lemon, juiced

water

pinch of salt

1 small garlic clove

freshly ground black pepper

1. Lightly brush the zucchini slices with olive oil and grill on a pan for a couple of minutes on each side. Set aside.

2. Combine tahini, lemon juice and grated garlic in a small bowl. Add enough water to form a smooth, runny dressing. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

3. Place the chickpeas in a bowl and coat them with the tahini dressing. 

4. Place the baby spinach leaves in serving bowls, top with tahini coated chickpeas, diced avocado and the zucchini slices. Sprinkle with soaked almonds (or seeds of choice).

grilled mushrooms and cheese

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 8 small flat mushrooms, stems trimmed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 100g Swiss cheese, finely grated
• 100g baby spinach leaves
• Worcestershire sauce, to serve

Method

1. Preheat grill on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of mushrooms with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Place mushrooms, stem side up, on grill tray. Grill for 5 minutes or until just softened. Top with cheese. Grill for a further 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.
3. Place spinach on plates. Top with mushrooms. Drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Season with pepper. Serve.

Recipe for Chicken Marinade

Recipe for Chicken Marinade (Adapted from All Recipes)
Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
  
• 1/3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients and marinade for 2 - 12 hours.

Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato Fries with a Honey Lime Dip

Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato Fries with a Honey Lime Dip
From: Our Best Bites
Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1/2 t coriander
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1 t parsley
• fresh ground paper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray.
2. Slice your sweet potatoes into french fry shape and size. About 1/4" (maybe a tad bigger). Check out this site for a picture guide on cutting the fries.
3. Put the sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to make sure they are evenly coated.
4. Add all the herbs and spices and continue to toss until well coated.
5. Place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. No opening the oven door! Not even for a quick peak!
6. After 15 minutes, take them out and flip them. Be careful as they may be a little soggy at this point.
7. Continue to cook for another 15 - 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and serve immediately.
   

Recipe: Honey Lime Dipping Sauce
Adapted From: Our Best Bites
Ingredients:

• 6 oz container non-fat greek yogurt, plain
• 1 T mayo (reduced fat is fine)
• 1/2 T honey
• Juice from half a lime (or more to taste)
• 1/4 t cumin
• 1/8 t oregano
• 1 t parsley
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 3/4 t salt

Directions:

1. Mix honey, yogurt, mayo, and lime together until combined.
2. Add in spices and herbs.

Grilled Corn Salad with Cotija Cheese

Grilled Corn Salad with Cotija Cheese
Ingredients

• 8 - 10 ears of corn, silks removed, husks on (soaked in water for 30 min)
• 1/2 tbls butter
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbls chopped, fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/8 tsp ancho chili pepper (I'm a wimp with spice, add more if you want)

Directions:

1. After soaking the corn, grill on medium high for about 20 minutes.
2. When the corn is cool enough to handle, remove the husks and cut the corn off the cob.
3. Saute in a pan over medium high heat with the butter, lime juice, cilantro, salt, pepper, chili powder, and chili pepper.
4. Add the cotija cheese just before you are ready to serve.

Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa Recipe

use on baguettes or grilled mahi mahi and so much more get creative!

Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of diced tomato (I used about 4 roma tomatoes)
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 cup of corn (canned, fresh, or frozen)
• 1/4 of a small red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 of a jalepeno, seeded and diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbls chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

My Favorite Greek Dressing:

My Favorite Greek Dressing:
Source: AllRecipes.com
*Note: The quantities are a little weird. This is because the recipe is scaled back from a restaurant recipe that makes like 120 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp onion poweder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Whisk together all of the ingredients except the olive oil.
2. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking until well blended.

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Ingredients:

1 (2 pound) boneless pork tenderloin (or regular pork loin)

1 teaspoon ground sage

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

Glaze

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

roasted salmon with brown sugar glaze

Ingredients

• Cooking spray, for greasing
• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon country-style Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Four 4-ounce salmon fillets

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Directions

Line a broiler pan rack with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Preheat the broiler.

To make the glaze, whisk together the brown sugar, ginger, mustard and soy sauce in a small bowl. Place the salmon on the broiler pan rack and spoon the glaze over the top. Broil, 6 inches from the heat, until the salmon is lightly browned and just opaque in the center, 4 to 5 minutes. Do not turn.

Per Serving: 252 Cal; 23 g Protein; 12 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 11 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 10 g Sugar; 26 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 282 mg Sodium; 67 mg Cholesterol

steak tacos with black bean picode gallo

Ingredients

• 12 ounces flank steak, trimmed
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Cooking spray, for greasing the pan
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 8 corn taco shells, warmed

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Directions

Sprinkle the steak with the chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cumin. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over high heat. Add the steak and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the steak and cook about 5 minutes longer for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut the steak diagonally across the grain into paper-thin slices.

Meanwhile, combine the black beans, cilantro, lime juice, oil, tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and toss to coat well. Evenly divide the steak slices among the tacos. Top each taco evenly with the tomato mixture.