Authentic Italian Meatballs

Adapted from Food.com & In Memory *of* Brats

Homemade meatballs are such a great comfort food, and who can say no to delicious meatballs that have been simmering in a yummy sauce for hours? It's like having built-in potpourri! I usually make my marinara sauce from scratch, but I am a sucker for Rao's sauce. This go around, I tried a new meatball recipe and simmered it using Rao's Tomato & Basil sauce. I served it over some pasta, whole wheat for Nick, regular for me :) This recipe made about 14 meatballs, so there will be plenty of leftovers! The original recipe calls for dunking the raw meatballs in the sauce and simmering for 3 hours. I decided to brown them first on both sides so that they wouldn't fall apart, and to keep the flavor sealed in. This cut my simmer time down a bit. With plenty of sauce, about a jar and a half, I simmered them for about 2 hours and turned them a couple of times. This will definitely win some folks over, and are great for a group! Enjoy :)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef (I used 93/7)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tb fresh Parsley
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-1/2 jar of good quality marinara sauce (or homemade)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl (except the marinara sauce). Form into meatballs, approximately the size of a golf ball. Put a swirl of olive oil in a pan and once hot, brown the meatballs on each side, just about 30 seconds per side. Place the meatballs into a dutch oven filled with the marinara sauce and simmer for approximately 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. These could be done after an hour, but I needed to let mine go a bit longer to keep them warm. Meanwhile, boil some pasta of your choice. Once the meatballs are done, top the pasta and add some freshly grated Italian cheese and parsley.

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

Courtesy of For the Love of Cooking blog

Chicken can get boring, but that's why you spice it up with something like prosciutto and fresh sage! This dish was full of flavor and fairly simple to make for a week night meal. There's a lemon sauce that gets drizzled on top that really gives it a nice zing. Even though the recipe called for 3 pieces, I was able to get 4 out of it and there was still plenty of sauce with the measurements below. I just bought two normal chicken breasts and sliced them through the middle to make 4 breasts. This dish was even better for leftovers. I served this with wild rice so that it could soak up the lemony sauce (not pictured). Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 9 fresh sage leaves
• 6 slices of prosciutto
• 4 tsp olive oil (divided)
• 1/2cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:

Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of wax paper. Flatten the chicken to 1/2 inch thick with a mallet, or you can buy thin sliced chicken breasts, or slice a thicker breast in half. Season both sides of the flattened chicken then place three sage leaves on each breast. Wrap two pieces of prosciutto on each chicken breast. Heat 3 teaspoons of olive a skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan and oil are hot, add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes until golden brown; flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is done. Let the meat sit aside on a platter to rest. Combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch together in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Place the skillet over medium high heat then add the lemon juice mixture to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken breast. Serve immediately.

Bacon Topped Turkey Meatloaf with BBQ Sauce

Adapted from Skinnytaste

Bacon and BBQ sauce -- need I say more? These are two of my favorite things, especially together. I usually make my Mom's meatloaf, which is so delicious, but I'm always up for new twists on traditional dishes! The original recipe splits these into 6 individual servings in a petite loaf pan. Since I didn't have one, I just used my regular loaf pan. You just need to adjust the cooking time. This was very moist and had a great smoky flavor, and it uses ground turkey which makes it even more healthy! Enjoy :)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup grated zucchini, all moisture squeezed dry with paper towel
• 2 tbsp onion, minced
• 2 tbsp diced red pepper (I left this out b/c I didn't have any)
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (I used Italian)
• 1/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1.3 lb raw 93% lean ground turkey
• 2 slices center cut bacon, cut into pieces to fit your loaf pan
• approx. 3 tbsp BBQ Sauce (for topping the bacon)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, mix the zucchini, onion, red pepper, breadcrumbs, BBQ sauce, egg, paprika and salt. Add the turkey and combine until mixed through. Place the mixture into the loaf pan. Place the bacon slices over the loaf and top each with additional BBQ sauce. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Ginger & Cilantro Baked Tilapia

Courtesy of theKitchn

Wow, I have been on a hiatus from cooking, my apologies! I really have no good excuse except that we've been very bad this past month or two with going out to eat and ordering bad food (oops). I finally got back in the kitchen last night after realizing that a) no more weight needs to be gained and b) I just really miss cooking! So, this is a recipe I found a while back on Pinterest and have been wanting to try. It was really simple and pretty quick to whip up for a week night meal! I have leftovers for lunch today, so I am looking forward to that :) This would also work on other mild, white fish such as flounder, etc. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 pound domestically farmed tilapia fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 inch fresh ginger, grated, about 1 tablespoon
1 jalapeño pepper, roughly chopped (optional)
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Scallions, chopped for garnish
Extra cilantro, to garnish
Brown rice (served along side)

Directions:
Heat the oven to 475°F. Pat the fish dry, season lightly with salt and pepper, and lay in a 9x9-inch or 8x8-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Put the garlic, grated ginger, chopped jalapeño, and cilantro in a small food processor with the white wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Whir until blended. (Alternately, you can finely chop or mash the aromatics in a mortar and pestle, then whisk together with the liquid ingredients.) Pour the sauce over the fish, rubbing it in a little. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through.Serve immediately over brown rice or orzo, garnished with the additional scallions and cilantro.

Grilled Pork Chops with Pan Sauce

Adapted from Chef Mommy Blog

I pinned this a while back but just got around to making it. I had a pork loin which I had frozen, but it did not look so good when I defrosted it. Therefore, I decided to use this marinade for some thick pork chops instead. They turned out really delicious with a lot of flavor. I served them with wild rice which soaked up the pan sauce, yum. Definitely give this a go! NOTE: This recipe is how I prepared the pork chops, so the cooking time and preparation varies from the original.

Ingredients:
1⁄2 cups olive oil
1⁄3 cup soy sauce
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp dry mustard
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 thick cut pork chops (this can vary based on the size)

Directions:
Combine all marinade ingredients and reserve 2-3 Tbsp. Place the pork tenderloin and marinade in a Ziploc bag and let marinate for at least 3-4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a hot skillet over medium-high heat, sear each side of the pork chops for 2-3 minutes. Place in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the meat has reached 160 degrees. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Pan Sauce:
Pan scrapings from pork tenderloin
1/2 cup of chicken broth
2-3 tbsp of pork marinade (thoroughly mixed)
1-2 tsp butter

Meanwhile, place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat. Add the chicken broth and scrape up all the browned pieces from the bottom of the pan. Add the marinade and let it boil down for 2-3 minutes. Add the butter and remove from heat stirring until butter has melted. Pour over the pork chops.

 

Lemon Dill Chicken

Courtesy of Eating Well

Ah, Pinterest. You're good for so many things, but especially recipes. I came across this one last week and decided to give it a shot this week. I really liked this dish -- it's somewhat simple and also healthy, but the sauce is just really tasty. I served this with my Roasted Cauliflower, but I think it would be really good with rice (to soak up the delicious sauce). I could eat it with a spoon, and I may have done a little of that. This is a great week night meal and would also be great leftovers, although I had none b/c I was feeding myself and two dudes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (1-1 1/4 pounds)
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, or canola oil, divided
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 (or more if you like garlic) cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2-3 teaspoons flour (I ended up using 3)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided
• 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice (I used a whole lemon, but I love lemon)

Directions:

1. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until well browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk broth, flour, 1 tablespoon dill and lemon juice in a measuring cup and add to pan. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
3. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan; reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter. Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon over the chicken. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill.

 

Roasted Cauliflower

Courtesy of One Perfect Bite, Inspired by Emeril Lagasse

I know I just posted a recipe for cauliflower last week, but it's becoming one of my new favorites...and it's in season! I still roasted the cauliflower, but switched up the ingredients a little with this recipe. The verdict of the boyfriend was that this one was better -- I think I like them both pretty equally :) This recipe is very easy and delicious, so give it a whirl!

Ingredients:
1 medium head cauliflower (about 2-1/4 pounds), trimmed and cut into florets
3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I minced mine)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine cauliflower and garlic in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Transfer, in a single layer, to a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast at 450 degrees F for about 25 minutes, stirring once. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

 

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken

Courtesy of Picky Palate

At first glance, this recipe seemed a bit odd to me, just in terms of ranch and pesto together. However, I love both so I decided to give it a go! This meal came out falling off the bone (if my chicken thighs had bones), but you catch my drift. The best part is that it was super easy because it involved the crock pot. This is the first time I've gotten it out all year, so that was exciting :) I only used 4 chicken breasts and kept the rest the same, and it turned out just fine. I matched this with smashed potatoes and a salad as well, but you can do whatever you fancy!

Ingredients:

• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 6 ounce jar of pesto
• 1 package Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:

1. Turn crock pot to high setting. Place chicken thighs, pesto, ranch dressing and chicken broth into crock pot. Stir gently to combine all seasonings. Close with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and a simple salad.

 

Healthy Shrimp Scampi

Courtesy of smokedngrilled.com

In an attempt to get back on the healthy wagon this week, I thought this would be a good recipe to kick it off. I love shrimp scampi but it's usually full of butter. This recipe caught my eye because there's no butter at all. It was very light and had some great flavor. I served this with brown rice just to have some substance. The rice absorbed the sauce and was delish!

Ingredients:
4 tsp olive oil
1 1/4 pounds med shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails left on)
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup + 1 T minced parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 lemon wedges
1 bag brown rice, prepared according to box

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the shrimp until just pink, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon transfer the shrimp to a platter and keep them warm. In the skillet, combine the broth, wine, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the parsley, the salt and pepper; and bring it to a boil. Boil uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by half. Spoon the sauce over the shrimp. Serve garnished with the lemon wedges and sprinkled with the remaining tablespoon of parsley. Makes 4 servings.

Creole Mustard & Herb Wrapped Beef Tenderloin

Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Get excited, get very excited...the season premieres of Dexter & Homeland deserve a special meal. Beef Tenderloin was the first thing to come to mind, and thankfully it was on a crazy sale at the store! I decided to try a new recipe (the previous beef tenderloin recipes are also very yummy)...I just wanted to do something new with the fresh herbs I had. This turned out really delicious and moist and the mustard gave it just what it needed (although I'm sure it would be good even without that). I think this would also be really good on a pork tenderloin -- maybe I'll try that next :) Do you and your family/friends a favor and make them a beef tenderloin!!! NOTE: We like ours cooked Medium, so I aimed for 130 and then let it rest.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied (about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup Creole mustard (I mixed Emeril's Horseradish Mustard with Dijon & Whole Grain)
• 8 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 bunch fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 bunch fresh thyme, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat until almost smoking. Season beef on all sides generously with salt and pepper and transfer meat to the skillet. Cook beef until well-browned on all sides, turning with tongs when necessary.
Transfer the beef to a cutting board or platter and, using a rubber spatula or spoon, rub all over with Creole mustard and garlic. Cover meat with chopped herbs, using your hands to evenly pat herbs into the mustard coating. Place prepared meat in a shallow roasting pan and cook about 20 to 25 minutes, or until meat registers 125 degrees F on a meat thermometer for medium-rare. Remove meat from the oven and let it stand at least 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Courtesy of Eating Well, January/February 2008

I just started eating cauliflower in the last year or so. I'm not sure why I wasn't a fan before, but I'm sure I had no good explanation. This recipe caught my eye and seemed simple enough to throw together on a Sunday night when I felt lazy. It really came out well and had lots of great flavor. My friend happened to be coming over to watch the premieres of Dexter & Homeland with us <insert a lot of excitement here>. She's a vegetarian, so I felt pretty good that she was raving about this and wanted the recipe :)  I aim to please. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 cups 1-inch-thick slices cauliflower florets, (about 1 large head; see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram (I used Herbes de Provence)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Toss cauliflower, oil, marjoram, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until starting to soften and brown on the bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Toss the cauliflower with vinegar and sprinkle with cheese. Return to the oven and roast until the cheese is melted and any moisture has evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Tip: To prepare florets from a whole head of cauliflower, remove outer leaves. Slice off the thick stem. With the head upside down and holding a knife at a 45° angle, slice into the smaller stems with a circular motion—removing a “plug” from the center of the head. Break or cut florets into the desired size.

 

 

Garlic Baked Potatoes

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Potatoes are awesome, for many reasons. The thing I love is that you can make them so many different ways. On this particular night, I decided to get creative with how I baked them, so here you go!

Ingredients:
2 baked potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
olive oil
1 tb butter (approximately)
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425. Wash and dry the potatoes. Slice the potato evenly almost to the bottom, but be sure not to cut all the way through. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Be sure to distribute as evenly as possible. Place the slices of garlic throughout the potatoes. I only used about 4 slices per potato, but you can use as many as you like! Spray a baking pan with cooking spray and place the potatoes in the pan. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Take the potatoes out and place a slab of butter on the top of each potato. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. I did put some Ranch on this at the end, but didn't get a picture -- that was a delicious addition!

Asian Style Turkey Meatballs & Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking
Original recipe by Skinnytaste.com

Wow, this was delicious. It's been a while since something really blew my socks off, but this meal was just so flavorful and HEALTHY! You can't beat that. I highly recommend trying this soon. I will say that this didn't make as much food as I thought it would. I was hoping to have leftovers for lunch today, but we um....ate them all. Oops! I would think this would work with chicken as well, but I used turkey like the recipe said. I will also use this dipping sauce for other things, such as my steamed dumplings! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Dipping Sauce:
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4-1/2 tsp honey, to taste
1 scallion, chopped

Meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp scallion, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of panko crumbs
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, water,sesame oil, green onion, and honey together in a dish. Whisk until well combined; set aside. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Combine the ground turkey, egg, green onion, cilantro, ginger, garlic, panko, soy sauce, sesame oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste together in a large bowl. Gently mix the ingredients until well combined. Shape 1/4 cup of mixture into a ball then place into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture. Place the meatballs into the oven and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately along with the dipping sauce. Enjoy.

Lemon Herb European Plaice

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Plaice is a white, flat fish which I keep seeing on sale at Harris Teeter. I had never heard of it, but decided it was time to try something new! I followed a similar method to cooking something like flounder or sole. This is a pretty basic recipe and can be prepared quickly, perfect for a week night meal!

Ingredients:
1 large filet of european plaice (mine was enough for 2 people)
2 tb butter, room temperature
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (1/2 for butter, 1/2 for fish)
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (1/2 for butter, 1/2 for fish)
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped (1/2 for butter, 1/2 for fish)
1/2 lemon, zested
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil. Spray with cooking spray (I use the olive oil kind). Set the fish in the dish and season with salt and pepper.  Mix the herbs with the butter. You may need to soften the butter to do this, but I find it's easy to just use a spoon to mash it all together once it's soft enough. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to harden a bit. Sprinkle half of the herbs over the fish, along with the lemon zest. Squeeze the zested half over the fish. Once the butter has hardened just a bit, put a few small pieces over the fish (I used 2-3 small pieces). Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes until flaky.

Pizza Rustica

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

This afternoon we got to go visit with our friends Zack and Risa, who had a precious baby boy earlier this month, Noble. I figured they could use a good home cooked meal, so I took them this Italian dish that I'd describe as comfort food, delicious, and super filling :) I added a little salami since I had some on hand. This is great for a group as well!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 (12-ounce) bunches fresh spinach, stemmed, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups), or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
• 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped (I used 3 oz since I also used salami)
• 3 slices of hard salami, coarsely chopped
• 4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
• 2 pie crusts (or your own pastry dough)
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend

Directions:
Position the rack on the bottom of the oven, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and saute until golden brown, breaking the sausage into pieces, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same frying pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the juices evaporate, stirring often, about 10 minutes. NOTE: If using frozen spinach, you could skip this step. Cool to room temperature. Squeeze the spinach to drain as much liquid as possible. Into a large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly. Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the sausage, the spinach and prosciutto to the mixture and stir to combine. Roll out larger piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 17-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch springform pan. Trim the dough overhang to 1 inch. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dough-lined pan. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round. Place the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges of the doughs together to seal, then crimp the dough edges decoratively. Brush the beaten 1 large egg over the entire pastry top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top. Bake on the bottom shelf until the crust is golden brown, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes. Release the pan sides and transfer the pizza to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

Grilled Chimichurri Ribeye

Ribeye courtesy of Plated Perfection
Chimichurri courtesy of Bon Appetit

Steak on the grill is one of my favorite things. When we got the opportunity to grill out the other night, we took it! I decided to try something different and make a side of chimichurri sauce to go on the steak, just to change it up a little :) The sauce was also delicious on the grilled zucchini we made along side the steak. Ribeye is a great cut of meat to grill and this turned out so delicious and moist. I eyeballed the marinade for the steak, so just use your own judgement with how much you want to use.

Grilled Ribeye
Ingredients:
1 ribeye steak
3 tb Worcestershire sauce (approx.)
1 tb Montreal steak seasoning (approx.)

Directions:
Season both sides of the ribeye with the steak seasoning. Bring the steak to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Place in a ziploc bag and throw in the Worcestershire sauce. Seal and cover the steak with the sauce by massaging it around. Grill over medium high heat for approximately 5 minutes per side (I prefer mine medium). Top with the chimichurri sauce.

Chimichurri Sauce:
Ingredients: 
1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Puree all ingredients in processor. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.) 

Grilled Zucchini

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

One thing I don't like about living in a high rise is that we can't have a nice grill on our balcony, but lucky for us, our friend Kim invited us over for a BBQ :) so we got to use her industrial grill in her complex! First order of business was grilled zucchini. Grilled ribeye can be found here. The zucchini came out delicious and healthy!

Ingredients:
2 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
drizzle of olive oil

Directions:
Place the zucchini in a large container so that can spread out. Top with olive oil, lime juice, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix together so that zucchini are coated. Grill over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes per side, depending on the size of the zucchini. Mine were rather large and I cut them somewhat on the thick side.

Baked Salmon Packets, Two Ways!

Courtesy of Plated Perfection & Epicurious

In an attempt to be healthy, I always try to bring my lunch to work (and in an attempt to save money). The Alaskan salmon looked delicious this week, so I bought a slab of it and thought I'd get creative. Cooking your salmon in foil packets is a great way to keep them moist. It's also great for chicken, etc. I decided to make my salmon two ways. Feel free to get creative on your own! Simply put all of the ingredients in the foil packet with the salmon and seal. Bake in a glass dish.

Asian Salmon:
I used the sauce from the Asian Style Green Beans that I had leftover and coated the salmon and then threw two slices of lime on the salmon before sealing the packet. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Lemon Dill Salmon:
Dice 1 tb of fresh dill. Sprinkle a bit of Rosemary Herb seasoning (or whichever you prefer), squeeze a bit of lemon juice on the salmon and top with the fresh dill and two slices of lemon before sealing the packet. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Be careful when opening the packets. The hot steam can burn you very easily.

 

Classic Filet Mignon

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Ah, filet mignon, one of my favorite things. I usually save filet for the restaurants, but every now and then I will catch them on sale and cook them up at home. There are so many recipes to try and sauces to make, but this go around, I decided to go with my original preparation. Nothing fancy, just some good seasoning and some A1 sauce on the side! I'm not a fan of measuring things, so this is an approximation :)

Ingredients:
2 filet mignon steaks
Montreal Steak Seasoning (approx 1 tb)
Meat Tenderizer (just a sprinkle)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (approx.)
olive oil and butter, to coat the pan

Directions:
Season both sides of the filet with Montreal steak seasoning. Place in a Ziploc bag and toss in the Worcestershire sauce to coat the steak. Seal and bring to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes. When you're ready to cook the filet, sprinkle the meat tenderizer on the filets right before cooking. Heat a pan, coated with the oil and butter, over high heat. Sear each side of the filet for about 1-2 minutes to lock in the moisture. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking about 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak. I prefer my steak Medium, so I cooked them approximately 5 minutes per side. Serve with a side of your favorite steak sauce.

Lemon Chicken with Artichokes & Asparagus

Adapted from Framed (www.framedcooks.com)

One thing I love about this time of year is the fresh asparagus, so I decided to add that to this recipe. I also had some fresh rosemary, so I added that as well! This was a really delicious meal that I look forward to making again and as usual, I had some leftovers. I cannot wait to eat them for lunch tomorrow :) I gotta admit -- I did not like artichokes in my previous life, but I now am growing to really enjoy them, especially when they soak in lemon and white wine! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 - 1.5 pounds boneless chicken breasts, pound until 1/2 inch thick (or purchase thinner cut breasts)

1/2 cup flour seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons canola oil (you could get away with 2 tb)

1 cup white wine

1 packages frozen artichoke hearts (should already be in small enough pieces, but cut if necessary)

1 bunch of asparagus (I prefer the thick spears and I only used the top half for this)

1 lemon, sliced thin

1/2 tb fresh thyme leaves 

1/2 tb fresh rosemary sprigs

Shaved or sprinkled parmesan cheese for garnish

 

Directions:

1. Coat chicken in seasoned flour.

2. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat and brown chicken on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.

3. Add wine and artichokes to skillet and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat down to low, and cook for 8 minutes. Uncover skillet and add lemon slices and asparagus and cook for 2 more minutes.

4. Remove chicken from sauce and bring sauce to a low boil. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until sauce is reduced a little.

5. Return chicken to skillet, stir in thyme and rosemary until mixed in and chicken is coated with sauce. Scatter parmesan on top and serve right out of the skillet!

 

 

Lemon Basil Chicken Salad

Adapted from Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman)

This popped up on my Google Reader last month and it just looked so appetizing, especially with this hot, Summer weather. My grandmother makes amazing chicken salad, which I usually leave to her (because no one else can make it like her, I've tried). However, this is a different spin on chicken salad and it was pretty yummy! I also adapted this to make it healthier. You may have some of the dressing left over, which you could easily use on many other things. This doesn't take long to make; I was able to whip it up before work this morning! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Cooked Chicken (I pulled chicken from a Rotisserie)
• 2 whole Lemons, Juiced And Zested (1 lemon zested will suffice)
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (I used non-fat)
• 1.5 tb Prepared Pesto
• 1/2 cup Green Peas
• 7 whole Basil Leaves, Chiffonade (more To Taste)
• Salt And Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Mix together lemon juice, olive oil, greek yogurt, salt & pepper, and pesto until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as you’d like. Combine chicken, peas, and basil in a bowl and stir together. Pour on dressing to taste and toss to combine. Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve over lettuce or just eat it alone!

 

Stuffed Turkey Sausage Peppers

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

It's been quite some time since I made stuffed peppers, so I decided to give it a go and this time attempt to make it even more healthy! I usually use rice in the filling and ground beef, so this time there is a different spin! These are great to freeze as well, if you don't eat them all :) I also had some of the filling leftover, which was great by itself!

Ingredients:
1 package ground turkey (mine was 20 oz)
2 sweet Italian turkey sausages (I bought these fresh), casings removed
1/2 zucchini, diced
6 bell peppers (I used yellow, orange, red, and green), 1 cup diced reserved from the tops
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 cup stewed tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 cup marinara sauce (good quality)
salt and pepper (approximately 1 tsp each)
dash of garlic powder with parsley
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (I use 2%)
2 tb olive oil

Directions:
Cut the tops off of the peppers, keeping the tops to dice for the filling. Slightly cut the bottom of the peppers to help them stand up straight. It's OK if there are holes in the bottoms - not much drained out of mine. Make sure the seeds are cleaned out of the peppers. Stand the peppers up in a baking dish, sprayed with olive oil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a small amount of the olive oil in a skillet and brown the ground turkey until cooked through, approximately 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat the sausage until cooked through, approximately 5 minutes, using a spatula or spoon to break up the meat. Drain and add to the ground turkey and set aside. Mix together the zucchini, diced peppers, garlic, and onion. Add more olive oil if needed and saute the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Toss in the sausage and turkey mixture. Turn off the heat. Stir in the stewed tomatoes, marinara sauce, salt and pepper, garlic powder, and 1/2 of the mozzarella portion. Fill the peppers with the mixture with a spoon and spread the remainder of the mozzarella on top of the peppers. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry

Adapted from Cooking Light

In the mood for a healthy chicken stir fry? Look no further! I modified a recipe from Cooking Light to include chicken instead of shrimp, and I also changed up the veggies a little. This turned out great! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• dash of salt and pepper
• 2 cups small broccoli florets
• 1 cup carrot, cut into thin slices (to cook easily) 
• 1 bag Minute brown rice
• Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
2. Cook one bag of brown rice as directed. This should cook while you're doing the following steps.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with a little salt and pepper, on each side. Cook until browned on each side, approximately3- 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from the pan.
4. Turn the heat down to low. Add remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil to pan. Add ginger and garlic and stir around for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium and add broccoli and carrots to pan (you may add a splash of water to loosen everything up); stir-fry 5 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Add chicken and broth mixture to pan; reduce heat to low and simmer 3-4 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Top the rice with the chicken and veggie mixture and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top!

Texas Caviar

Adapted from Gina and Pat Neely (Food Network)

The reaction to the words "Texas Caviar" is usually mixed -- some people have no idea what you're referring to and some get really excited! For those that are not in the know, it's simply a black eyed pea salad...with tons of flavor and a slight kick. I decided to make this as one of the items for my dear friend Rebecca's bridal shower this past weekend. She falls into the excited category when you mention Texas Caviar :) I also love that you can make this ahead of time, it's actually preferred and makes it much more delicious to let it marinate for 12 hours to a day before serving. This was a hit, and it's a great Summer time dish! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Two 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (you can use canned, diced as well)
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped (depending on what level of heat you want)
• Dash hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions:
Combine the black-eyed peas, red onion, parsley, vinegar, oil, garlic, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers and hot sauce in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.  

Mustard Dill Tortellini Skewers

Adapted from Southern Living, March 2009

I had the honor of preparing a lot of the food for my good friend Rebecca's bridal shower this past weekend. The focus was on lighter, finger friendly food. These skewers looked so yummy to me, and I figured the shower was a great time to try them out! They were a huge hit. I had a lot of the vinaigrette left over as well, which I have been using on asparagus, salads, and even scallops! I highly recommend checking this out!

Ingredients:

• 1 (9-oz.) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 1 zucchini, sliced into quarters
•  (4-inch) wooden skewers
• 1 pt. grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 pressed garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 cup olive oil (put in a little at a time to get it to your liking)
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Whisk together vinegar, fresh dill, Dijon mustard, garlic, and sugar. Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until thoroughly combined. Whisk in kosher salt and pepper to taste. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Rinse under cold running water. Thread each skewer with 1 wedge of zucchini, 2 tortellini (one on each end), and 1 tomato half. Place skewers in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Pour the desired amount of Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette over skewers, turning to coat. Cover and chill 4 hours (they will come out just fine if you can't marinate this long). Transfer skewers to a serving platter.

Cuban Pork Chops

Pork Chops Adapted from The Pioneer Woman (Ree Drummond)
Roasted Broccoli Courtesy of Plated Perfection
 
I don't know about you, but I follow a lot of cooking blogs. I absolutely love Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman, mainly because her food is delicious, but she also has a great witty sense of humor and I love reading her posts. I stumbled upon this recipe not too long ago and knew I had to give it a whirl. I love pork chops and they were buy 1, get 1 free at Teeter, so who can resist? My only complaint about this recipe has to do with my grill pan. I believe I need a new one because mine tends to burn almost everything lately, no matter how low the heat is...so, these would be best on an actual grill in my opinion, or on a good quality grill pan! NOTE: The original recipe calls for a sauce which I will include below, but the sauce did not work out well for me, so I actually served this recipe without it.

Ingredients:

• 3 Center Cut Pork Chops
• 1 cup Orange Juice
• 1 whole Lime, Juiced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
• 1/2 Small Yellow Onion, Halved And Sliced Thin
• 1 bunch fresh broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1 tb olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce:

• 1 bunch Cilantro
• 1 bunch Parsley
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, and onion in a large zipper bag. Squish it around to combine, then throw in the pork chops! Seal the bag and marinate them for several hours...but overnight is better! Remove the pork chops from the marinade (discard the bag). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a pan with cooking spray and toss the broccoli with olive oil, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked to your liking. While the broccoli is cooking, grill the pork chops until they're totally done.

If making the sauce, while the chops are marinating, add cilantro and parsley leaves to a blender. Add olive oil and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer the mixture to a small container and keep in the fridge. Spoon over the pork chops to serve. 

 

Lemon Herb Rainbow Trout

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I love seafood. This is no secret. Harris Teeter had farm raised rainbow trout this weekend, so I just had to take some home with me. I have recently ordered fresh rainbow trout at a few of our favorite restaurants and have been so pleased. I figured I would just try it on my own, and I'm glad I did. This was so easy to make (cooked this baby up before work this morning) and it was so yummy...and healthy. You can't get much better than that. My only regret was not buying more of it -- hopefully they'll have more when I go back this week :) (Note: This is only for 1 serving.)

Ingredients:
1 rainbow trout filet, boneless
1/2 lemon, setting aside 1/2 tsp lemon zest and 1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Italian seasoning
dash of salt + pepper
drizzle of olive oil
1 tsp fresh parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil for easier clean-up. Spray with a bit of cooking spray and place the filet in the dish. Top with the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Slice off 3 thin slices of the lemon and place on top of the fish. Drizzle with the olive oil and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Top with parsley.

Veggie Egg Muffins

Adapted from He & She Eat Clean

Thanks to Pinterest (I say this a lot), I came across this healthy recipe and knew I had to try it. It's perfect because you can make these on a Sunday night and have them for the entire week for breakfast -- and all you have to do is heat them up each morning. It also helps me be healthy instead of giving in and purchasing an unhealthy breakfast sandwich! You can get as creative with these as you want, enjoy!

Ingredients:
Olive oil cooking spray
1 scallion (or green onion), minced
1 carrot, shredded
1/3 orange bell pepper, minced
1/3 zucchini, diced
7 egg whites
2 whole eggs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Dash of sea salt and pepper
Pesto sauce, as desired for topping


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a muffin tin with a small amount of olive oil spray to prevent sticking, or use cupcake liners (this made 6, so you only need to coat 6). Combine vegetables in a bowl. Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full with vegetables. Whisk eggs and seasonings in a large mixing bowl. Use a 1/3-measuring cup for the egg mixture and pour slowly into each muffin tin. Egg mixture should fill tin the rest of the way. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until muffins have risen and are slightly browned. Heat a tb of pesto sauce for each muffin and top as desired (this photo is of a muffin without the pesto).

Seared Yellowfin Tuna

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Sushi grade (sashimi) tuna is one of my favorite things. You need to be very picky though when it comes to the quality. This type of tuna is usually eaten raw, which I thoroughly enjoy, but I also enjoy it seared. As I've stated before, we are lucky to have good quality seafood available to us, and I usually purchase whatever looks the most fresh. This week it was tuna! This go around I just did a quick marinade and sear...you can't go wrong with that! This would be great alone with some soy sauce and wasabi, on a salad, really however your little heart desires :) I always eyeball this marinade, so I did my best at approximating the measurements. This was for approximately 1 pound of tuna. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tb low-sodium soy sauce
1 tb Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tb dijon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tb olive oil
1-2 tuna steaks (approx. 1 pound) 
salt and pepper

Directions:
Whisk the first 6 ingredients together in a small bowl. Season the tuna steak with a little salt and pepper and then top with the marinade. Let sit for up to 30 minutes. Sear over high heat for approximately 1-2 minutes per side (depending on how pink you like your tuna).

Grilled Swordfish with Lemon, Mint & Basil

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

(I apologize for the lighting in the picture. I took this late in the day and was in a hurry to eat! I didn't feel like messing with too many settings.)
Per usual, I was stalking the seafood counter at the grocery store and came across some really good looking swordfish. I figured it would be a nice, healthy meal (with a boring salad). I also picked my first fresh herbs from my herb garden :) which made me happy! I love fresh herbs, especially the smell of basil and mint. This is a simple, quick, healthy recipe - enjoy! NOTE: This is based off of one serving of fish, so feel free to scale the recipe up!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tb olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
• juice of half a lemon, with the zest as well
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 swordfish steak

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Whisk the oil, mint, lemon juice, basil, and garlic in a medium bowl to blend. Season the lemon and olive oil mixture with salt and pepper, to taste. Brush the swordfish steaks with  the lemon and olive oil mixture. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes.Transfer the steak to a plate. Spoon the remaining sauce over and serve.

 

Chicken Pesto Burgers with Roasted Tomatoes

Roasted Tomatoes Courtesy of Epicurious
Chicken Pesto Burgers Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Tomatoes, pesto sauce, fresh mozzarella? Yes, please! I have been wanting to make these for quite some time and finally got my chance tonight! My wonderful friend, Rebecca, made this fresh bruschetta the other weekend when she had Nick and I over for dinner, and I just couldn't get these roasted tomatoes out of my mind! They were just so delicious...I keep thinking of the multiple ways I can use them! However, for now, I decided to top my burgers with them :) Yum. Nick and I are trying to be healthy, so I made a few of these without the cheese and a couple with the cheese, just because I can't help myself. We decided to go bun-less, you know, to cancel out the cheese I had on mine!

Chicken Pesto Burgers:

1 package ground chicken (approximately 1 pound)
3-4 tb pesto sauce
1 tb Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, 1 tsp each
1 clove garlic, minced
Olive oil, for the pan
Approx. 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
3-4 basil leaves, chiffonade (for topping)
Romaine lettuce (in place of buns)
Fresh mozzarella, sliced (I used 1 piece per burger)
Pizza sauce, for topping (optional)
2 quartered plum or Roma tomatoes, roasted (recipe below)

Mix the ground chicken, pesto sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, and parmesan cheese together. Score the mixture to form 4 even patties. Shape into patties. Add a swirl of olive oil to a skillet and cook the patties about 5-6 minutes per side. Place the mozzarella on the burgers and place in the oven under a high broiler for a couple of minutes, until the cheese melts to your desire. The chicken patty should reach 165 degrees and no longer be pink. Place the burger on a leaf of lettuce and top the burger with heated pizza sauce, roasted tomatoes, and basil. (Feel free to serve without the cheese.)

Roasted Tomatoes:
3 plum or Roma tomatoes, quartered
3 tb olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
dash coarse kosher salt
dash ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F. Stir oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper in bowl to blend. Add tomato quarters and stir to coat. Let stand 5 minutes. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lift tomatoes from marinade and arrange, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet (reserve marinade for later). Roast tomatoes until skin is browned and blistered and tomatoes are very tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Mustard Herb Panko Crusted Chicken

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking Blog

I have been MIA from blogging and cooking, my apologies! Nick and I have been on the go with random weekend trips, celebrating our birthdays, etc. but now we are back...for a few weeks anyway :) That being said, last night we only had time to grab a couple of things and I only had the energy to make something simple. So, this recipe caught my eye. I've had it in my arsenal for a while, but figured this was the perfect time! This came out moist and full of flavor. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup panko crumbs
1-2 tb dried Italian seasoning
1-2 tb grated Parmesan cheese
2 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
Sea salt and freshly cracked, pepper, to taste
3 tb Dijon mustard
1 clove of garlic, minced
Cooking spray 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with tin foil and spray it with cooking spray.
Pour the panko crumbs, parsley, cheese, and Italian seasoning onto a plate, mix until well combined. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Mix the mustard and garlic together and then rub evenly all over each chicken breast. Roll each chicken breast in the panko mixture until coated really well. Place the chicken on the baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. Let the meat rest for 7-10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

 

Crunchy Noodle Salad

Adapted from Ina Garten

Nick and I hosted our 2nd Annual Deep Fry party this past weekend. The concept is that everyone brings something to deep fry, and we all share in the goodness that is produced! Not that I wouldn't love to only eat deep fried foods, but I wanted some variation for those that cannot eat a lot of fried food (including myself). I had seen this recipe on the Food Network and it looked quite tasty! I would recommend serving this immediately instead of letting it sit in the refrigerator for too long. The dressing was so delicious and I think it would be tasty on other items as well. I did alter this recipe a little so that it wouldn't be too oily. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1/2 pound thin spaghetti
• 1 pound sugar snap peas (I wouldn't use frozen)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, divided
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1-2 bell peppers (I used yellow), cored and seeded, and thinly sliced
• 3 scallions (with and green parts), sliced diagonally
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, add the sugar snap peas, return to a boil, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp tender. Lift the sugar snap peas from the water with a slotted spoon and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Drain. For the dressing, whisk together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter in a medium bowl. Combine the spaghetti, sugar snap peas, peppers and scallions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and the parsley and toss together.

Fried Arancini

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

As I mentioned in a previous post, Nick and I hosted our 2nd Annual Deep Fry party this past weekend, which was a major hit! I mean, who doesn't love throwing multiple food items into a deep fryer? Exactly. Each guest brings something to fry and we had quite the variation this year. I was lucky to be able to try fried avocado, fried asparagus, fried buffalo chicken egg rolls, fried chicken wings, fried onion rings, fried jalapeno poppers, deep fried turkey (thanks to Nick), and fried candy bars and Oreos. My contribution was Fried Arancini (risotto balls). I am a sucker for these things and decided I would attempt them myself. They turned out very well, served with my homemade marinara sauce. Don't be intimidated by risotto or these risotto balls. They really weren't difficult! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs, for breading
• 1-2 tb finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 4 ounces Smoked Mozzarella, at room temperature, cut into 16 (1/2-inch) cubes
• oil, for frying (we used peanut oil)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep the broth hot. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup hot broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next. Cook the rice until tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Spread on a cookie sheet and cool in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Put the bread crumbs in a medium bowl.

With damp hands, using about 2 tablespoons of the risotto mixture, form the mixture into 1 3/4-inch diameter balls. Make a hole in the center of each ball and insert a cube of smoked mozzarella. Cover up the hole to completely enclose the cheese. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs to coat. You have two options to fry: use a deep fryer and cook for approximately 4-5 minutes OR in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in enough oil to fill the pan about 1/3 of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F. (If you dont have a thermometer, a cube of bread will brown in about 2 minutes.) In batches, fry the rice balls, turning occasionally, until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with marinara sauce.

Skillet Pork Sirloin Roast with Roasted Veggies

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I love buying pork. It's usually very cost efficient and there is always a certain cut on sale. This go around I went with a sirloin roast, which was only about 1.5-2 pounds. This was a really satisfying meal and as usual, was great for leftovers :) I did throw together the parsley sauce which we are obsessed with, just to top off the pork! Yum.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tb Lawry's seasoning salt 
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (1.5-pound) boneless pork sirloin roast
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 1 zucchini, cut into bite sized chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• approximately 1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, thyme, and garlic. Season all sides of the pork with the Lawry's seasoning salt and pepper. Spread the dijon mixture over the pork and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

Combine the vegetables in a bowl and add olive oil, melted butter, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Pour the vegetables into a deep cast-iron skillet, and cook for 30 minutes. Add the pork loin to the pan, along with the chicken broth and cook for another 15 minutes and then remove the vegetables from the pan (cover to keep warm). Continue cooking the pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the pork reads 155 degrees (approximately another 30 minutes). Place the meat on a cutting board, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it to rest for 7 minutes. Cut the pork into thick slices, and arrange the meat and vegetables on a platter. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. If using, top the pork with the parsley sauce.

Shrimp Avocado Salsa

Adapted from Skinnytaste Blog

I have been on the hunt for healthy food items, especially for lunch. I usually love to rely on leftovers, but sometimes we eat it all (oops).  I can thank my new obsession, Pinterest, for this recipe idea. I stumbled across it and it just sounded so refreshing and delicious. The main changes I made were that I scaled it down (just wanted a portion for myself), eyeballed everything, left out the jalapeno because I didn't have any, and added avocado (just because it's so yummy and it's healthy)! I highly recommend this recipe, especially during the spring and summer!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb peeled, deveined shrimp (I took tails off)
1 tomato (I actually used about 4 cherry tomatoes), diced
1/4 red onion, diced
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 limes (depends on your preference for lime - I love it)
1/2 avocado, chopped into bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
splash of olive oil

Directions:
Toss the shrimp in a bowl with the zest and juice of half a lime, olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet over aluminum foil and bake/roast at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Once the shrimp are out of the oven and cooled, dice and add to the salsa mixture. Add the juice of the other half of lime. Stir together and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. I did mine overnight. The next morning (this morning), I cut up half an avocado and threw that in along with the juice of another half lime. At lunch time, it was fantastic!

Spicy Basil Chicken

Adapted from Cooking Light


Who doesn't love spice and basil? This dish caught my eye because of the basil, but also because I love Thai type dishes. I don't actually know if this qualifies as Thai or a different type of Asian cuisine, but regardless, a lot of them catch my eye! This was a nice healthy alternative because there were no rice or noodles involved (in my version), and you can add whatever vegetables you desire! I went with fresh broccoli, which was wonderful. I think next time snow peas would be fantastic too. This would go well with noodles or rice, for those lucky enough to not have to watch what you eat these days!

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 minced shallot
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tb fish sauce
• 2 tsp sugar 
• 2 tb lower-sodium soy sauce 
• 1-2 dashes sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sliced basil leaves
• 1-2 cups fresh broccoli, cut into florets 

Directions:

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shallots to the pan; cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the chicken to the pan; cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring often, until cooked through. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Toss in the broccoli. Combine the fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, sriracha, water, and cornstarch together, stirring with a whisk. Add the mixture to the chicken, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture thickens, stirring to coat chicken and broccoli. Remove from heat then add the fresh basil. Serve immediately. Enjoy.