Spinach Artichoke Dip

I love spinach artichoke dip.  I know it's one of those things that you either love or you hate.  Sadly the dish is loaded with fat and calories.  Cooking Light listed a recipe for a lower fat and calorie version of this dish and of course I had to give it a try.  I read through all the comments on this dish and then referred to my favorite recipe from Cook's Country and then combined a little from all three places to make this to die for dip.  Honestly I have to say the dip I served on Christmas day was the best spinach artichoke dip I have ever eaten.  You couldn't tell it was low fat or lower in calories.  I made this dish on Christmas Eve so the flavors combined overnight and I find this to be a crucial step as I made this same dish again for New Years and didn't let it sit in the fridge overnight and it was no were as good.  Also don't forget to enter the giveaway I am having here.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
adapted from Cooking Light Magazine September 2000

2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2  cup  fat-free sour cream
1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
3  garlic cloves, crushed
1  (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1  (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1  (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 teaspoon horseradish
about 5 drops of Tabasco sauce
 
Preparation



Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and next 8 ingredients (2 tablespoons Parmesan through Tabasco sauce) in a large bowl, and stir until well-blended. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
Refrigerate over night or at least 6 hours.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips.

Cooking Light Challenge Breakfast #2 Blueberry Pancakes

We love pancakes in our house. My husband and I love blueberry but the kids prefer plain. The nice thing about this recipe is you can just skip the blueberries since you don't add them to the batter. The article about the pancakes mention using chocolate chips or bananas too so don't think you have to just use blueberries. These do reheat well so if you make extra you could freeze them then have an easy breakfast through out the week. The batter was thicker than most pancake mixes but the pancakes were still very tender. This is not a sweet pancake but surprisingly the kids really loved them.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. Every time you leave a comment on a recipe during my cooking light challenge you will be entered to win a year's subscription to Cooking Light magazine. Feel free to mention it on your blog, websites you visit, and/or facebook. LMK that you did in a comment and I will give you an extra chance in the drawing.

Blueberry Pancakes
Cooking Light August 2009

2.25 oz all purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
2.38 oz whole wheat flour (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup vanilla fat free yogurt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup fresh blueberries

Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine yogurt, and next 4 ingredients (through eggs) in a small bowl; add to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet. Top each pancake with 2 tablespoons blueberries. Cook 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Yield: 4 servings (serving size:2 blueberry pancakes).

Calories: 272
Fat: 8.8 g (4.5 g sat, 2.5 g mono, 0.8 g poly)
Protein: 9.5 g
Carb: 40.1 g
Fiber: 3.2 g
Chol: 122 mg
Iron: 2 mg
Sodium: 403 mg
Calc: 192 mg

Cooking Light Challenge Dinner #1 Hoisin and Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken

This was a delicious meal. I loved the chicken as did everyone else. An added bonus was how quick it was to put together and cook. I mixed the marinade up in less than five minutes and mixed it with the chicken. Next time I think I'll freeze the meat in the marinade so it has some added time to pick up the flavors. I used chicken tenders since I had them on hand and it took about 8 minutes to cook them on the grill. The whole time spent working on this meal was less than 15 minutes. I served grilled pineapple rings with the chicken.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. Every time you leave a comment on a recipe during my cooking light challenge you will be entered to win a year's subscription to Cooking Light magazine. Feel free to mention it on your blog, websites you visit, and/or facebook. LMK that you did in a comment and I will give you an extra chance in the drawing.

Hoisin and Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken
Cooking Light July 2007

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 garlic cloves, minced
6 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
cooking spray

Combine hoisin sauce, ginger, and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinated in refrigerator for 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Yield: 6 servings, serving size 1 chicken breast.

Calories: 243
Fat: 4.5 g (0.9 g sat, 0.6 g mono, 0.7 g poly)
Protein: 39.9 g
Carb: 6.4 g
Fiber: 0.4 g
Chol: 99 mg
Iron: 1.5 mg
Sodium: 618 mg
Calc: 24 mg

Cooking Light Lunch #1Open-Faced Beef Sandwiches with Greens and Horseradish Cream

This sandwich turned out really tasty. At first I was a little worried as my husband picked this one but there was no need to worry. I did do a few things differently then the original recipe (which I'll post). I used spinach instead of arugula as every store in my local area was out of arugula the day I did my shopping. Second I left the creme fraiche out of the horseradish creme. And the last thing I did different was used thinly sliced deli meat instead of flank steak. Mainly I used the deli meat because the local store wanted $9.99 lb for flank steak and I felt that was way too pricey. My big mistake was not warming the deli meat up, which the next time I would do, because the sandwich was a little cold. Overall this recipe makes it to the make it again pile.


Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. Every time you leave a comment on a recipe during my cooking light challenge you will be entered to win a year's subscription to Cooking Light magazine. Feel free to mention it on your blog, websites you visit, and/or facebook. LMK that you did in a comment and I will give you an extra chance in the drawing.


Open-Faced Beef Sandwiches with Greens and Horseradish Cream
Cooking Light October 2008

Horseradish Cream:
2 1/2 tablespoons drained prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons light sour cream
2 tablespoons creme fraiche

Sandwich:
3 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 2 large)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 (1 lb) flank steak, trimmed
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups trimmed arugula
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 (1 1/2 oz) slices Texas toast, lightly toasted

To prepare cream, combine horseradish, sour cream, and creme fraiche in a small bowl; cover and chill.

Preheat broiler.

To prepare sandwich, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and 1/8 teaspoon salt to pan; cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Uncover and cook 10 minutes or until onion is golden brown.

Sprinkle steak with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Combine steak and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, and toss to coat.

Combine arugula, oil, and vinegar in a medium bowl; toss gently. Spread 2 tablespoons horseradish cream over each bread slice; top each with about 1/3 cup onion, 1/2 cup arugula mixture, and 3 ounces of steak. Yield: 4 servings (serving size 1 open-faced sandwich).


Calories: 383
Fat: 12.8 g (5.8 g sat, 4.6 g mono, 0.7 g poly)
Protein: 29.5 g
Carb: 36.5 g
Fiber: 4 g
Chol: 47 mg
Iron: 3.1 mg
Sodium: 543 mg
Calc: 186 mg

Cooking Light Breakfast #1 Muesli with Cranberries and Flaxseed

This breakfast was easy to put together the night before with only combining a few things to finish it off. Prep work took me maybe 5 minutes total. Overall the breakfast was quick and easy to make. The taste was surprising good. I really liked the dish and it kept me full for almost 4 hours. The only thing I would do different would be to use vanilla yogurt in place of the plain yogurt. I just think I would have liked vanilla yogurt better or even the Greek honey yogurt that I love. The recipe makes 6 servings.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. Every time you leave a comment on a recipe during my cooking light challenge you will be entered to win a year's subscription to Cooking Light magazine. Feel free to mention it on your blog, websites you visit, and/or facebook. LMK that you did in a comment and I will give you an extra chance in the drawing.

Muesli with Cranberries and Flaxseed
Cooking Light Jan./Feb. 2009

2 cups regular oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups 1% low fat milk
3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted
3 tablespoons pumpkinseed kernels, toasted (I left these out cause I could not find them locally)
3 cups plain fat free yogurt
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; pour milk over mixture, stirring to combine. Cover and chill 3 hours or overnight. (I did it overnight)
Combine nuts and pumpkinseed kernels in a small bowl. Spoon 3/4 cup oat mixture into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with 1/2 cup yogurt; sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 tablespoons nut mixture, and drizzle with 1 teaspoon maple syrup.

Calories: 421
Fat: 12.4 g (sat 2.2 g, mono 4.8 g, poly 4.3 g)
Protein: 19.5 g
Carb: 62.4 g
Fiber: 6.6 g
Chol: 7 mg
Iron: 3.5 mg
Sodium: 162 mg
Calc: 457 mg

Banana, Wheat Germ, and Oats

I'm not a big breakfast eater at times and I'm always searching for new recipes that I may want to eat. I stumbled across this one in the latest issue of Cooking Light and had to try it. It was so easy to make and oh so good. I loved the bananas and brown sugar together. According to Cooking Light this dish is 336 calories, 8.4 grams of fat (sat 3.2g, mono 2g, poly 2.3g), protein 12.1g, carbs 59.1g, fiber 8.3g, chol 10mg, iron 3.9mg, sodium 226 mg, and calc 35 mg. This dish makes 3 servings.

Banana, Wheat Germ, and Oats
Cooking Light Magazine Jan/Feb 2010

3 3/4 cups water
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sliced banana (about 2)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 6 minutes or until thick and thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Divide cereal evenly among 3 bowls. Top each serving with 1/2 cup banana, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon butter.

Glazed Salmon

I seldom cook fish because I don't like it. I really don't know why I don't like it but I do blame being forced to eat it as a kid. I noticed this recipe in a magazine and it just sounded really good. Now to be honest I only ate two bites but it was really good. My father and husband both loved the dish and the kids ate a few bites. If I ever stumble on a good deal for salmon again I'd probably make this dish again. I loved how simple it was to make plus it was quick.

Glazed Salmon
adapted from Simple and Delicious Magazine Jan/Feb 2010

4 salmon fillets (6 oz each)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Place salmon in a greased 11X7 inch baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine the remaining ingredients; spoon over fillets.
Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I made these for Thanksgiving, again sorry for the delay but between illness, the holidays and a birthday I've been busy. These were a hit with everyone. I can't even begin to explain how tasty these were. They were also really simple to make although it did take some time. These mashed sweet potatoes are also a much healthier alternative to regular mashed potatoes. I've been too chicken to give these a try but now that I have I see myself making these more than I do regular mashed potatoes.

Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Cooks Country Magazine Dec/Jan 2007

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 pounds sweet potatoes, (2 large or 3 medium), peeled, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

Combine butter, 2 tablespoons cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, sugar, and sweet potatoes in large saucepan. Cook, covered, over low heat until fall apart tender, 35 to 40 minutes.

Off heat, add remaining tablespoon cream and mash sweet potatoes with potato masher. Serve.

This recipe can be doubled and prepared in a dutch oven but the cooking time will need to be doubled.

This recipe can be prepared up to 2 days in advanced. Mash the potatoes as directed in step 2 but hold off on adding the last tablespoon of cream. When you want to serve the potatoes, cover them with plastic wrap, microwave them until hot, and then stir in the remaining cream.

Mongolian Beef

This was a great meal that was loved by all who ate it. Not only was it super quick to make but it was a healthy meal to boot. Including prep time this recipe took about 25 minutes to cook. I served this dish over wide rice noodle but rice or regular noodles would work too.

Mongolian Beef
Cooking Light December 2009

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry sherry (didn't have so I just used beef broth)
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons peanut oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced across the grain
16 medium green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces

Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring until smooth.

Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add minced ginger, minced garlic, and beef; saute for 2 minutes or until beef is browned. Add green onion pieces; saute 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

This makes 4 servings. A serving size is 1 cup.

Thai Beef Salad

Don loves this salad and given his years spent in Thailand loves Thai food. Me, I've sampled it a few times but I haven't really eaten it. I decided to give it a try and although Don had his doubts over my ability to make this dish it turned out pretty dang close to an original. Honestly you can make this as spicy or as mild as you like. I made it a little spicier than I would have preferred but it was so tasty. This will be a regular on our menu plan. I love how quickly it cooked and it was easy to make.

Thai Beef salad
adapted from here




Ingredients

1 lb beef. Any beef can be used.

Salad

1/4 cup sliced onions, separated
2 tomatoes, wedged
1/4 cup sliced cucumber
1/4 cup thinly sliced Thai chile peppers

Sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce, I left this out and according to my husband you don't notice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon sweet dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons minced ginger
3 tablespoons chopped coriander/cilantro (including the roots)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (spring onions)
1/4 cup chopped shallots (small red or purple onions)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chili Garlic sauce

Barbeque the beef, and thinly slice it into bite sized pieces. Combine with the salad ingredients, and mix
the sauce and toss the whole.

Serving

Serve with sticky rice and lettuce.

Pork Chops with Hoisin-Molasses Barbecue Sauce

This recipe has a little of something for pretty much everyone. It's quick and easy to make. It's great for those watching calories and it was very tasty. I served it with white rice and the nutritional info that I'll post is from white rice but I think this would have been good with brown rice too. The sauce was a little spicy for my kids but they are not fans of anything with any type of spice to it plus I think the majority of the spice was the Chinese mustard I had which is very spicy.
Nutritional info:
1 pork chop and 1/2 cup rice is one serving size
317 calories
7.7 gram fat (sat 2.2, mono 3.4)
protein 23.9 g
carbs 35.8 g
fiber 0.8g
chol 58mg
iron 2mg
sodium 478 mg
calc 49mg

And just a reminder if you have not entered the giveaway for the tomato paste click here.


Pork Chops with Hoisin-Molasses Barbecue Sauce
Cooking Light Magazine March 2008

3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
3 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Chinese hot mustard
cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 (4 ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
4 green onions
3 cups hot cooked white rice

Combine sugar and molasses in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until sugar melts, stirring occasionally. Stir in hoisin sauce, vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and garlic; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in mustard. Keep warm.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper over pork. Add pork to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Add pork to hoisin mixture, turning to coat. Keep warm.

Add onions to pan; cook 2 minutes or until wilted. Remove onions from pan, chop. Combine onions, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and rice; serve with pork.

Simple Sesame Noodles

Seriously I am addicted to these noodles. I had them twice last week and for lunch and dinner yesterday. They take less than 15 minutes to make and they taste great. This recipe does contain a few ingredients that you may not have stocked in your pantry yet but once you try these you'll be keeping them stocked so you can make this simple dish. The best thing about this recipe is you can adapt the seasonings to your taste easily.

Simple Sesame Noodles
Pioneer Woman

12 ounces thin noodles, cooked and drained (angel hair, thin spaghetti, or Asian style)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons pure sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon hot chile oil (more to taste) *** I used the red chili garlic sauce in place of the hot chile oil
4 to 5 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons hot water
3 to 4 green onions, sliced thin

Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with green onions and toss.
Serve in a bowl with chopsticks. Yummy!

Baked Steak Fries

I love making these just to snack on and they are great as a side dish. They don't take a lot of time to make and even the kids gobble these up. These are just as crispy as a fried french fry but much healthier for you.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Spray a cooking sheet with Pam.
Wash and scrub 3-4 potatoes, I prefer red or yukon but russets work too
Cut the potatoes in half. Then cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Place on cooking sheet.
Cook for about 10 minutes, checking a few times to be sure they are not burning. After 10 minutes check to see if the side touching the sheet are brown, if they are flip over and sprinkle with salt, I prefer garlic salt. Place the sheet back in the oven and cook another 10 minutes, checking to be sure they do not burn. Once both sides are brown and the potatoes are tender remove from the oven. It may take more than 20 minutes, just keep you eye on the potatoes.

Bacon Mac

Surprisingly this turned out pretty good. Given the fact it came from Cooking Light I was worried it would be not like macaroni and cheese. I was wrong. However next time I make it I think I'll leave the green onions out they did not do much for me in the dish. The bacon was an interesting addition. The one thing I thought it was missing was maybe some crushed corn flakes or crackers. That would have probably put the recipe over the goal of the Cooking Light magazine but I think it would have added to the dish.

Bacon Mac
Cooking Light Magazine Sept. 2009

3 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
12 ounces strossapreti or penne pasta (I used elbow)
4 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk (I used 1%), divided
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 slices center cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
cooking spray

Preheat broiler.
Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk; bring to a boil. Cook one minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until it cools to 155 degrees. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, bacon, and pepper; stir. Add pasta; toss. Spoon into a 2 quart broiler safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes.
6 servings.

Barbecue Sirloin and Blue Cheese Salad with Garlic-Olive Bread

This was an easy meal that I had on the table from start to finish in about 30 minutes. We loved the salad and the flavors were good together. I used a mild flavored Gorgonzola blue cheese but if you want a more assertive taste I like Maytag blue cheese.

Barbecue Sirloin and Blue Cheese Salad with Garlic-Olive Bread
adapted from Cooking Light Magazine September 2009

1 pound lean sirloin steak, seasoned with your favorite steak seasoning
Cook on grill to your desired temperature. Cut against grain in thin slices.

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 garlic powder
Mix all ingredients together. Double this if you'd prefer more dressing.

6 cups torn butter or Boston lettuce
3/4 cup thinly sliced peeled cucumber
1 cup red pepper strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tomatoes, cut into slices
Build your salad in individual bowls. Start from the first ingredient, lettuce, and end with blue cheese. Top with steak and salad dressing. Serve.


Bread
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice 2 Italian style hoagie rolls in half horizontally. Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon garlic powder; brush evenly over cut sides of rolls. Bake at 425 degrees for 7 minutes or until toasted.

Chicken and Roquefort Sandwiches

Sorry for a long delay in posting another recipe. I needed to take some time off to work on some family issues. I have a few recipes to post over the next few days although I did not cook much during my time off. Today's recipe came from the current Cooking Light magazine and turned out to be very delicious. I had to sub the Roquefort cheese with some South Africa blue cheese I had in the fridge. I love mixing the blue cheese with cream cheese and I used the spread on other sandwiches. I also made these sandwiches for two family members who are not fans of blue cheese so I used Parmesan cheese in their spreads. Overall these sandwiches were a hit and they will be made again in the not so distant future. Another change I made was to cut the chicken breasts in half so they were thinner. I am not a fan of a big chunk of chicken on my sandwich. Either way works though.

Chicken and Roquefort Sandwiches
from Cooking Light Magazine August 2009

• 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) tub whipped cream cheese
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8-ounce) baguette
• 2 small heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup baby arugula leaves (I used spinach leaves instead)
  

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl.

2. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick strips. Sprinkle evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt.

3. Cut baguette in half lengthwise. Spread cheese mixture over cut sides of baguette. Arrange chicken, tomato slices, and arugula evenly over bottom half of baguette; cover with top half. Cut crosswise into 4 equal pieces.

Toasted Pita Salad

Another great way to use all your garden fresh vegetables. This was a very quick salad to make and the flavors were really good together. Next time I will cut back on the amount of pita bread and double the recipe for the dressing. Otherwise this was a pretty tasty salad and one we will make again.

Toasted Pita Salad
adapted from Cooking Light Magazine August 2009

2 (6 inch) pitas split in half horizontally
3 cups chopped tomato (about 4)
1 1/2 cups chopped English cucumber
1/4 finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pitas on a baking sheet for 10 minutes or until crisp. Cool completely; break into small pieces.
Combine tomato and the next 4 ingredients (through parsley) in a large bowl. Combine lime juice and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Pour juice mixture over tomato mixture; toss gently. Add pita pieces to bowl; toss gently. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Pasta with Bacon and Suimmer Vegetables

This dish turned out really tasty. The kids even ate every portion of this dish without complaining. I loved how it used loads of fresh garden vegetables in a healthy way. The original recipe called for cavatappi pasta but at the grocery store they wanted an obscene amount of money for that type of pasta so I used elbow macaroni. Also it called for bottled garlic and I used fresh. This is going on the make again list.

Pasta with Bacon and Summer Vegetables
adapted slightly from Cooking Light Magazine August 2009

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
4 slices center cut bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about two ears)
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving drippings in pan; add oil to drippings. Add onion and garlic to pan; saute 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Add zucchini; cook 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in corn and tomatoes; cook 5 minutes or until tomatoes burst, stirring occasionally. Add pasta to tomato mixture; toss. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup cheese, basil, salt, and pepper; toss to combine.
Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve.

Zucchini Tuna Canoes

As a family we've been working on the book 30 days to a Healthier Family. Its full of great ideas both food wise and exercise wise. Last week's new food, which really is not new to our family, was zucchini. This was mildly successful with my boys. They, like mom, really do not like tuna but I was able to get them to try some. My husband, on the other hand, loved them. He thought it was a clever way to eat tuna and would love to have it again. I made mine with chicken since I do not like tuna. The original recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of mayo but after 2 tablespoons I thought it had plenty.

Zucchini-Tuna Canoes
adapted from 30 Days to a Healthier Family

2 small zucchini (each about 6 inches long)
6.5 ounce can tuna (or chicken), drained, flaked
2 tablespoons salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
16 (1 inch) carrot sticks

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each half so they sit upright. Scoop out the center of each half, leaving about 1/4 inch shell; set aside. Combine tuna, salad dressing, dill weed, and onion powder. Spoon tuna mixture into zucchini halves. Cover; refrigerate and serve. Cut each "canoe" in half; insert carrot stick on each side of the tuna mixture to form paddles, and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Cucumber, Tomato, and Mozzarella Salad

This turned out to be a nice twist on a salad that I've been making for years. The fresh mozzarella added a something different to the dish. I found the little mozzarella balls at Costco. They are called mozzarella pearls. The cucumbers I used are also from Costco and are mini-cucumbers. I also seeded the tomatoes so the salad was not so juicy. The dressing should be adjusted to your tastes as I like mine with a bit of tang from the vinegar. When I make the dressing for others I add a little more water and sugar.

6 mini cucumbers sliced (or 2 regular sized cucumbers)
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly and then cut in half
1 cup mozzarella pearls (or cube fresh mozzarella)
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
garlic salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil, or chopped some fresh basil to your preference
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Mix all the veggies together. Make the dressing, be sure to taste and adjust seasoning to your preferences, then toss the veggies with the dressing. This salad tastes best when cold but also is good at room temperature.