Honey Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:

Salt

1 lb baby carrots

2 tbs butter

2 tbs honey
1 tbs lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:

In medium saucepan, bring water to boil.  Add salt and then carrots and cook until tender, 5 - 6 minutes. Drain carrots and add back to pan with butter, honey, and lemon juice.  Cook until a glaze coats carrots, 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.

*From Sunny Anderson at Food Network

Roasted Potatoes with Herb Butter

Ingredients:

2 lbs russet potatoes

2 lbs red skinned potatoes

Kosher salt

1 tbs canola oil
4 tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 tbs chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Cut potatoes into 2-inch cubes.  Add to large pot, cover potatoes with water and add salt to taste.  Bring to boil, cook for 10 minutes, drain and cool.  The potatoes will only be partially cooked and should be completely dry before they are roasted.

Preheat oven to 400°.  Toss potatoes with canola oil and spread them in one layer on a baking sheet.  Toast until crip and cooked through, about 45 minutes.

While potatoes roast, make her butter: mix softened butter with parsley, thyme, and rosemary and add salt and pepper to taste.

When potatoes are done, put them in large bowl, toss with herb butter and serve immediately.

*Derived from Sarah Lee for Food Network Magazine

Bruschetta Appetizer Tart

A big hit with friends that came over for dinner!

Ingredients:

1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

1 cup chopped plum tomatoes (about 3 medium)

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic finely chopped or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Heat oven to 425°.  Uunroll pie crust on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 6 - 8 minutes or until light golden brown.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients with exception of cheese.

Removed partially baked crust from oven.  Spread tomato mixture over crust; sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 7 - 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.  Cut into wedges.  Serve warm.

*From Pillsbury

Spanish Rice

A light and flavorful rice dish, and simple to make in a rice cooker!

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 minced garlic cloves
1 cup rice
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup sliced green onions

Preparation:

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic, cook 4 mins stirring occasionally.  Add rice; chicken broth, and diced tomatoes.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heart, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

Stir in green onions just before serving.

*Derived from Cooking Light

Layered Beef Enchiladas

You can substitute ground turkey or chicken.  Great with Mexican rice!

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (4.5) oz can chopped green chiles

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 (10 oz) cans enchilada sauce

8 (6 inch) corn tortillas

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Sour cream, if desired

Preparation:

Heat oven to 375°.  In a large nonstick skillet, cook ground beef, onions, and garlic until beef is cooked through, stirring frequently.  Drain.  Add green chiles, salt and pepper, mix well.  Remove from heat.

Pour 1 can of enchilada sauce in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch glass baking dish.  Arrange 4 tortillas in dish, overlapping slightly.  Spoon beef mixture evenly over tortillas, top with remaining 4 tortillas.  Pour remaining can of enchilada sauce over top.  Sprinkle with cheese. 

Bake 20 - 25 mins or until thoroughly heated.  Serve with sour cream.

*From Pillsbury

Chicken Marsala

Very tasty and simple!

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/4" thick

1 cup flour

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbs olive oil

2 oz prosciutto, sliced into thin strips
8 oz cremini mushrooms stemmed and sliced
3/4 cup Marsala wine
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preparation:

Season chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Place the flour in a ziplock bag and add the chicken, shaking off any excess flour.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.  Cook chicken 3 - 4 mins per side, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through.  Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm.

Add additional oil to pan if needed, then sauté the prosciutto 1 - 2 mins, until it starts to crisp.  Add the mushrooms and continue sautéing until well browned.  Stir in the Marsala and broth, scraping up any browned bits.  Cook until the liquid has reduced to about 1/2 cup.  Season with salt and pepper, add the parsley and pour over the chicken. 

Can be served over egg noodles or roasted potatoes.

*From Cook This, Not That

Beef Stew with Mushrooms, Rosemary and Tomatoes

Wonderful slow cooker meal, whether it's winter or not! 

Ingredients:

4 lbs boneless beef chuck, well trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tbs tomato paste

1 cup dry red wine

2 cups beef broth

4 medium carrots, peeled and slice 1/4 inch thick

1 cup chopped canned tomatoes

1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf

2 tbs butter

1 lb white button mushrooms, quartered
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

Pat beef dry with paper towels.  In a ziplock bag, combine flour with salt and pepper to taste.  Add beef, several pieces at a time, toss until lightly coated.

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add beef in batches and cook until browned on all sides, about 20 mins total.  Place meat in a large slow cooker.

Add onions to skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and tomato paste.  Add wine and cook, scraping pan, until liquid comes to a simmer.  Pour contents of skillet over meat.  Add broth, carrots, tomatoes and herbs to slow cooker.  Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until beef is tender when pierced with a fork.

When beef is almost ready, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add mushroom and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are golden, about 10 minutes.

Stir mushrooms into stew and discard bay leaf.  Serve hot,sprinkled with parsley.

*From BHG

Apple Turnover

This is just as tasty as the store bought version, but so much healthier.  Dessert without any guilt!  How cool is that?

 Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

4 Apples

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Juice of 1 lemon

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preparation:

Generously flour work surface.  Roll puff pasty into a 9"x15" rectangle.  Cut the pastry into 6 equal squares.  Refrigerate until needed

In large saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil.  Peel & core apples; cut into 1/2" chunks.  Toss apples with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and lemon juice; add apples to sugar mixture and simmer until liquid thickens, 5 to 7 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  When apple mixture cools, spoon 2 -3 tablespoons of apples on to  pastry squares, off center.  Fold pastry over filling and seal edges by pressing fork tines into dough.
Place turnovers on backing sheet and brush with lightly beaten egg white.  Bake until dough is crispy and golden brown, 12 - 15 minutes.

Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

*From Cook This, Not That

Spaghetti with Vodka Sauce & Proscuitto

This is a quick and easy dinner that leaves you feeling "full" but not heavy!  You can also use any type of pasta you would like and substitute the type of meat.

Ingredients:

12oz whole wheat pasta

2oz prosciutto finely diced

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup vodka

28oz can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup half-and-half

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 cup chopped basil

Freshly ground pepper to taste 

Preparation:

•  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook pasta until just tender.
• Meanwhile, cook prosciutto in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 4  minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
• Return the saucepan to medium-low heat; add onion and garlic, cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, half-and-half, Worcestershire sauce and crushed red pepper to taste; reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Drain pasta; serve topped with the sauce and sprinkled with the prosciutto, basil, and pepper. 

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Huge hit with the other families on our recent Tahoe trip!  Layers of brown sugar and pecan topping give this coffee cake a special crunch factor.  The sour cream and blueberries ensure that it is also very moist.

Ingredients:

Coffee Cake:

1/2 cup butter

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups all-purpuse flour, divided

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Filling/Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp ground cinnamon or candied ginger

1/4 cup melted butter

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a spring form pan
• Combine 1 3/4 cups flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl
• Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, then the sour cream and vanilla.  Whisk in the flour mixture.
• Mix remaining 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, pecans, melted butter, and cinnamon or ginger.
• Pour half the batter into the spring form pan.  Sprinkle blueberries over the batter.  Sprinkle half of the topping on the batter.
• Add remaining batter and top with remaining topping mixture.
• Bake for 75 minutes, or until cake a tester comes out clean.

Parmesan Chicken Fettuccine

This recipe was super easy and a huge hit with the family!

Ingredients:

1 tbs canola or vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cups marinara sauce

2 cups water

1 pkg (9 oz) refrigerated fettuccine

1 bag (12 oz) frozen cut green beans

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic; cook about 30 seconds, stirring until softened.  Stir in marinara sauce and water.  Cover, heat to boiling over medium heat.

Add fettuccine and green beans; stir to separate fettuccine.  Return to boiling; cover and boil 3 - 5 minutes or until beans are tender.

Stir in chicken.  Cook 3 - 4 minutes; stirring occasionally, until chicken is heated.

Remove from heat.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover and let stand a couple of minutes to melt cheese.  Enjoy!



*From Pillsbury