Bow Tie Pasta with Butternut Squash and Walnuts

I've been a bit obsessed with butternut squash lately.  My mom came across this recipe years ago, but just passed it along to me recently.  It's a very simple and warm dinner.  For John, I served this as a side dish, but I would be more than fine having it as my entire dinner.  Definitely a dish I will be making again.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound butternut squash* - peeled, seeded and cubed
• 1 pound bow tie pasta
• 1 Tbls EVOO
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbls minced fresh parsley
• 2 Tbls walnuts chopped
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Microwave cubed squash with a little water on high for 5-6 minutes, until almost tender.  Let stand covered for 3 minutes.  Drain and mash.  
2. Meanwhile cook pasta according to directions.  
3. Heat oil in nonstick skillet.  Add garlic and cook 30seconds.  Add mashed squash, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  
4. Toss drained pasta with squash mixtue and serve topped with walnuts and parmesan. 

*You can also make this recipe with acorn squash.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Coucous Pot

This is my first ever contribution to the 106 recipe blog!! I wanted to make something healthy and tangy that would be good for left overs- and came across this recipe.  This is a modified Rachel Ray recipe that is tasty and nutritous! I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup mango chutney

Salt & black pepper to taste

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 Tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large bite-size pieces

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded & diced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (or thinly sliced)

Zest and juice of 1 lemon (skipping the zest works)

2 cups plain couscous (Can use less if you prefer)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. In a sauce pot over medium-low heat, combine 2.5 cups of the chicken stock with the chutney and salt and pepper, bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat to low to keep warm. The goal for this is to boil down the liquid a bit so that it is a little thicker.

2. Heat a large skillet and add oil.

3. Once the oil is hot, add the coriander, cumin and red pepper flakes and "toast" the spices, stirring constantly for about 15 seconds.

4. Add the chicken and toss it in the spices until well coated. Spread the chicken out in an even layer and season with salt and pepper.

5. Cook for about 2 minutes and then add the onions, red bell pepper, garlic and the ginger. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

6. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock and continue to cook until almost all of the liquids have evaporated, about 2 or 3 minutes.

7. Scoot the chicken and veggies to the sides of the skillet, creating a crater in the center of the pan. Add the chicken stock-chutney mixture and the lemon zest and juice, bring up to a boil and then add the couscous to the crater.

8. Give the skillet a shake to get the couscous to settle into the liquids but still try to keep it in the crater. Use the back of a spoon to spread it out into the liquids if the shaking doesn't do the trick. (Stirring in the couscous does not harm the recipe- I did this.

9. Cover it with a tight fitting lid (standard pot cover is fine- otherwise use foil) to hold in the steam. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes, to cook the couscous.

10. To serve, mix the couscous with the chicken and veggies and spoon into bowls. Garnish with cilantro for extra flavor.

Crab-Stuffed Portabellas

I played around with a couple recipes to come up with these. This one definitely impressed Jim in our early days! The stuffing is like a crab imperial with a little kick to it. Hope you like it!

6-8 large portabella mushrooms
1 tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. (roughly) onion, minced
1/2 c. mayo
3 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or less if you want less heat)
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 egg
1 lb. lump crab meat (I've found that Culinary Reserve Jumbo or Super Lump, from ShopRite, is really good!)
paprika for sprinkling on top

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cut stems out of mushroom caps and carve a little "bowl" in each mushroom. Finely chop all of the mushroom pieces that you take out.
3. Place mushroom caps on cookie sheet. You may want to mix or brush with a small amount of EVOO to keep from sticking to pan. Place caps in oven at 375 for 5-10 minutes, just until they soften up. Set aside on cookie sheet until crab mixture is ready.
4. While they soften, melt the butter on medium heat in a small pan. Throw in the mushroom pieces, onion, and garlic, and heat for a few minutes until they soften. Remove to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
5. Add all remaining ingredients except for crab and paprika, mix thoroughly. Fold in crab meat last so it doesn't all get broken up.
6. Spoon a heaping amount of crab stuffing in each mushroom cap and sprinkle with a bit of paprika. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your portabellas. The tops should be golden brown. Serve hot and enjoy!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

I was searching for a Tuna Noodle Casserole that didn't require Cream of Mushroom Soup or peas.  I finally modified a couple of different recipes I had seen online, and this is what I came up. 

3 cups uncooked egg noodles
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of broccoli soup, undiluted
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (plus extra to sprinkle on the top)
1 cup milk
1 (12 ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
salt
black pepper

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute the celery, onion and red pepper in oil until tender; set aside. In a saucepan, combine the soup, cheese and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted.
2. Drain noodles; place in a large bowl. Add the celery mixture, soup mixture, tuna, mayonnaise, and salt and black pepper to taste. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Sprinkle extra cheese on top.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Crab-stuffed Shells

This recipe was taken from an Allrecipes.com recipe for Crab Stuffed Manicotti and changed a little by someone else on their site. I combined the two and came up with this dish. It was definitely a winner!

For the shells:
about 20 jumbo shells
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (plus some more for on top)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp. grated onion
1 tsp. dried basil
1 egg
8 oz. lump crabmeat
salt & black pepper

For the sauce:
2 10-oz. containers of Buitoni alfredo sauce (found with refrigerated pasta and sauces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook jumbo shells until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
3. Mix ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, onion, basil, and egg in a medium bowl. Stir everything thoroughly before folding in the crabmeat.
4. Prepare the sauce by combining all sauce ingredients and warming over low heat, stirring occasionally for a few minutes.
5. Stuff the shells with a spoon and place in a buttered 13x9 baking dish.
6. Pour the sauce over all the shells and bake for 30 minutes. With 5 minutes remaining, top with a little more mozzarella cheese and finish baking.

Get ready to impress your company...and don't forget to indulge yourself also! And by the way, I decided I stink at taking pictures of food and until I can hire Cait to do that for me, these are much better left to the imagination than ruined with an ugly, blurry picture.

Ground Turkey Stroganoff

A truly invented recipe! I was driving home from work and thought, "I will do anything not to have to go to the grocery store." I had ground turkey thawed and needed to be creative. This was the delicious result.

about 8 oz. egg noodles

non-stick cooking spray

about 1 lb. ground turkey

1 packet onion soup mix

1 tbsp. paprika

1 cup water

2-3 tbsp. sour cream

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook egg noodles according to directions on package.
   
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, spray with non-stick cooking spray, and add ground turkey. Break it up with a spoon and stir occasionally until browned, a few minutes. Drain the fat (if any) off the turkey.
   
3. Stir the onion soup mix, the paprika, and the water into the turkey. Turn heat down to low and simmer a few minutes until the liquid reduces a little.
   
4. Stir in the desired amount of sour cream until the sauce is a little creamy. Serve over the cooked egg noodles.

Coming soon: Next time I make this and I have enough time to buy mushrooms, you can be sure those babies will be added. I'll change the recipe to include them after I try it out. :)

Spicy Black Bean Soup with Limed-Up Shrimp

My brother experimented with this recipe first, and had been raving about it ever since. It's from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Cookbook. This is a very satisfying soup that has a bit of a kick to it (before the added hot sauce even!). The marinade for the shrimp is also awesome, and can be a meal itself if you just want the shrimp.

4 servings

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Zest and juice of 2 limes
1/4 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley
16 jumbo shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and butterflied
2 14 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
5 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. heavy cream (optional)
hot sauce (optional)

1. Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat with 2 Tbsp of the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the onions, three fourths of the garlic, the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the onions are tender, stirring frequently.
2. While the onions are cooking, combine the remaining garlic, 3 Tbsp of olive oil, the red pepper flakes, lime zest, parsley, and a little salt in a shallow bowl. Add the shrimp and coat them thoroughly. Let the shrimp sit while you move forward with the soup.
3. Add the black beans to the onions. With a potato masher, smash about half of the beans (the mashed-up beans with thicken the soup). Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken stock, and heavy cream (if using). Stir and bring the soup up to a bubble. Once at a bubble, turn the heat down to a simmer and let it cook for 10-12 minutes. Stir the pot every not and then to make sure it isn't sticking.
4. While the soup is simmering, cook the shrimp in a large skillet over medium heat. Flip the shrimp after 2 to 3 minutes and add the lime juice. Continue to cook them for 2 to 3 more minutes or until the shrimp are opaque.
5. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. To serve, place a few ladles full of the spice black bean soup in shallow soup bowls, and arrange 4 shrimp standing up in the center of each bowl.

For those of you who are super detail-oriented, yes that is 5 shrimp in the above picture, but that's just because I love shrimp :-D
Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin with Onions and Carrots

Here's a recipe I got from Sue, who makes her pork tenderloin in a slow cooker. I have modified this to be a regular oven recipe since I don't like to leave a slow cooker running while I'm working. I'll try to get a picture next time I make it...this time I was too hungry to wait!

pork tenderloin (2-3 lbs.)
vegetable oil
3/4 cup white wine
2 carrots, cut into bite-size pieces (or a small bag of baby carrots)
1 shallot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
salt and pepper
2 tbsp. flour
2-3 tbsp. dijon mustard
1/4 cup half & half (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil over medium to medium-high heat. I like to use a large pot to sear the meat to lessen the chances of getting a grease burn from splattering oil. Place tenderloin in the pot (or pan) and turn often to evenly brown the outside.
3. Place tenderloin in a 13x9 baking dish and pour in wine. Surround the tenderloin with the chopped shallot and onion and the carrots. Top with a little salt and a generous amount of pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven.
4. Bake at least an hour, checking every now and then to spoon some liquid over the pork and stir up the carrots. Depending on the thickness of the meat you will need longer. Check the temperature of the tenderloin with a meat thermometer and be sure it reaches 170 for the pork to be fully cooked. When it's done, remove the meat only from the dish.
5. Stir the 2 tbsp. flour into the hot liquid in the pan. Then add the mustard and stir together. Here's where you can stir in the half & half to make a really creamy sauce, but if you don't have it on hand, the flour (or some Wondra) will suffice.
6. Slice the tenderloin and serve with the dijon mustard/shallot/onion/carrot mixture spooned on top. Mashed potatoes are the perfect compliment to this main dish.

Southwestern Surprise

I'm making my way through the Hungry Girl cookbook, and loving the recipes. This is one I made this weekend and will probably be eating throughout the week. The book places this in the soup section, but it's more of a stew or chili consistency. Also, super easy to make and clean-up, double-plus in my book!

12 servings at 1 generous cup each

Ingredients:
4 oz cooked lean ground beef (or turkey in my case)
3 cans of diced tomatoes (no salt added)
1 can of diced tomatoes, Italian style
16 oz of frozen sweet corn kernels
2 cans of pinto beans, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
1 package of taco seasoning
1 package of ranch dip/dressing seasoning
1/4 cup minced onion
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and stir thoroughly.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Turn down heat and let simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
4. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.


This also tastes great the next day as it has a longer time for the flavors to blend.
I like to serve this with a little big of shredded cheddar-jack cheese. I also added more meat to my last batch, but it doesn't need it to be more filling. I used about half of a package of ground turkey, so a little more than a pound.

Enjoy!!

Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage with a Ricotta Surprise

Here's a "Rach" that I absolutely love. This should have been one of the first recipes on the blog! It comes from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals, and needs no alterations whatsoever. Don't be afraid of the lengthy directions- you can multi-task like Rach or you can just take longer than 30 minutes. It will be worth it!

salt

1 lb. short-cut pasta (I like Barilla Campanelle best)

1 cup ricotta cheese

zest and juice of 1 lemon

freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp. EVOO- once around the pan

1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage)

1 large head broccoli

1 medium onion, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (eyeball it)

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus some for the table

1. Place a large pot of water with a tight-fitting lid over high heat and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add some salt and the pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Heads up: you will need to use about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking liquid for the sauce before you drain the pasta.


2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, salt, and a lot of freshly ground black pepper. Reserve the ricotta mixture on the countertop and let it come to room temp. The flavors of the cheese and lemon will develop as the cheese warms up.


3. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the sausage and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon into small bite-size pieces. Really go at breaking the meat up; it will make a big difference in the end. Cook the meat until brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. While the sausage is browning, prepare the broccoli. Cut the broccoli tops into small florets. Remove the fibrous outer layer of the stem (just square it off using your knife), then thinly slice the tender portion of the stem.


4. Once the sausage is brown, remove it to a paper-towel-lined plate. Return the skillet to the heat and add all of the broccoli and onion. Spread the veggies out in an even layer in the pan, season with some salt and pepper, and let the broccoli brown up a bit before stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and continue to cook 2 minutes more. Add the sausage back to the skillet along with the chicken stock. Ladle in some cooking water from the pasta and bring up to a simmer. Cook until the broccoli is tender and the liquids have reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, parsley, and cooked, well-drained pasta. Toss to combine and simmer 1 last minute to allow the pasta to soak in the sauce and flavors. Turn the heat off, add the grated cheese, and toss to combine.


5. To serve, place a large dollop of the pepper-lemon-ricotta mixture into each of 4 shallow bowls and bury it with hot pasta. Once you ate at the table, mix it up with a fork to distribute the ricotta cheese. Serve with extra grated cheese.

Crazy-Good Turkey Taco Meatloaf

I just bought the Hungry Girl cookbook last week and have been experimenting non-stop with some of the recipes. I'll post the others as I tweak them, but this is actually one I haven't made yet. I know, I know I usually like to try them out first, but this one just sounds mouth-watering and this is also my safe-guard in case I forget to bring the cookbook into work tomorrow. So Paul, here ya go!

Update: If you're eating with your brother, this will not make it around to 6 servings! Haha. I would say around 3. I really enjoyed the dinner and am thinking it will be a staple at my dinner table. :-D

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound raw extra lean ground turkey
2 slices fat-free cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/2 c. canned sweet corn kernels

1/4 c. chopped green bell peppers
1/4 c. chopped onions
1/2 c. salsa
1/2 packet of taco seasoning mix, dry

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook peppers and onions for 3 minutes over medium heat in a pan sprayed with nonstick spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine onions and peppers with turkey, corn, and seasoning mix. Spread half of the mixture evenly into the bottom of a loaf pan (about 9" x 5") sprayed with nonstick spray.
4. Layer the two slices of fat-free cheese on top of the mixture (try to keep the slices away from the pan's edges). Evenly top with the remaining meat mixture.
5. Pour the salsa over the top of the loaf. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
6. Top the loaf with shredded cheese. Return the loaf to the oven and cook for another 15 minutes.

Nutritional info: (this is why I love Hungry Girl!) Per Serving: 127 Calories, 1g fat, 688 mg sodium, 7g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 2g sugars, 22g protein.

Fresh Jersey Tomato Pie

A neighbor dropped off a bag of very-ripe, home-grown Jersey tomatoes and I had to use as many as possible ASAP. I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com, made it my own, and literally ate 1/4 of the pie for dinner all by myself. Hope you like it!

1 9-inch refigerated pie shell
7 ripe tomatoes, seeded and sliced (the amount depends on the size of the tomatoes)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I threw in an extra handful!)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
ground black pepper to taste
dried basil to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.


2. Bake pastry shell for 8-10 mins, until browned.


3. Place sliced onions in bottom of pastry shell. Arrange a few generous layers of tomato slices on top. Add black pepper and basil to taste.


4. In a small mixing bowl, combine mayo, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Spread this mixture evenly over the tomatoes.


5. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown.

This pie can be served as a main dish or on the side, hot or cold. I like it hot and in large amounts!

Awesome Eggplant Rollatine

I've had Eggplant Rollatine at restaurants and wanted to try a homemade version. Here's a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com and instantly loved. It was fun to make with 2 cooks because it saved a little time on multiple steps.

4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons garic powder, divided
2 cups grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
2 large eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1 10-oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 28-oz. jar tomato sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a shallow bowl, combine 3 eggs, 1 tbsp. garlic powder, 1 c. parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Pour the flour in a separate shallow dish.
3. Heat oil in a deep skillet. Dredge eggplant slices in flour, then in egg mixture, and fry in oil until golden. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
4. In large bowl combine ricotta, 1/2 c. mozzarella, 1 c. parmesan, 1 tbsp. garlic powder, 1 egg, parsley and spinach. Mix well.
5. Coat bottom of 13x9 inch pan with tomato sauce. Place about 2 tbsp. cheese mixture in center of each eggplant slice and roll securely. Place side by side with "seams" on bottom of the pan.
6. Pour remaining pasta sauce (as much as desired) over top of eggplant rolls and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 mins.

Chicken Pepper Stir-Fry

We were in the mood for chicken, but wanted to spice it up (no pun intended... seriously haha). I think I was also craving pepper steak, which is odd considering I don't eat red meat. Nonetheless, this was born and very yummy. Definitely something I would make again. I hope you enjoy it!

1 lb of chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup teriyaki sauce

1. Cook the chicken in a skillet with a little oil, until no longer pink.
2. After chicken is cooked, push off to the side and add onions and peppers. Cook until tender.
3. Add water chestnuts and teriyaki sauce. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Serve over rice.

Shrimpy Pasta with Spinach

My first original recipe for the blog! I was actually looking for something to do with some leftover Artichoke Dip (a recipe on the blog too) and this is what I came up with. It's fast and tasty- I surprised myself!

1/2 lb. shell pasta
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
2 scallions, white and green parts chopped
1/2 can of artichokes, chopped, and 1 clove garlic, chopped (or 1/2 cup artichoke dip)
about 15 medium shrimp
1 tbsp. lemon juice
about 2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
3-4 oz. fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste

• Boil water, cook pasta until al dente.
• In medium skillet, heat oil and butter. Add scallions, simmer for a minute or two.
• Add artichokes and garlic (or dip), simmer for a few minutes.
• Stir in shrimp and lemon juice. Cook for about 3 minutes or until shrimp is pink, stirring occasionally.
• Add basil and spinach into skillet, toss to combine. Simmer until spinach is wilted, a minute or so. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Combine pasta with everything, and serve warm. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

1 spaghetti squash, cooked and separated into strands
1 lg yellow onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cans (14 oz each) diced tomatoes (original recipe called for 1 can crushed tomatoes)
3-5 garlic gloves, minced
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 c. grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat over to 375 F. Mix the cheese together, set aside.
2. Saute onion, pepper, and garlic in a skillet with a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes.
4. Mix squash well with the cooked veggies and put half in the bottom of a large (13x9) baking dish. Top with half the cheese mixture, followed by the other half of the squash mixture, then the rest of the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese if bubbly and slightly browned. Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

My new favorite dish... Spaghetti squash is a great alternative if you're feeling like a pasta dish. This dish works almost like a lasagna. There is a bit of a kick to it with the peppers and crushed red pepper, you can scale back or completely omit the crushed red pepper if that's not your scene.

Veggie Freak Quiche

I made up the name. If you're a veggie freak like me, you will absolutely love this quiche. Don't think of mushy-fluffed-up-egg quiche, this is wayyy better.

Taken from All-recipes.com but altered by yours truly.

1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (10 oz.) package chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup shredded or diced carrots
1/2 cup sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
3 eggs
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (9-in) refrigerated pie crust

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook until tender. Mix in garlic, carrots, mushrooms, and spinach. Cook until the spinach liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and mix in eggs and cheese. Season with spices. Add to pie shell.
• Bake 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Crispy Chicken Tenders

These are so tasty that you definitely don't need any sauce for dipping!

From a "Cooking Camp" recipe dictated to me by Ryan Zimmerman, age 7, with my own little twist.
Serves 4

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into strips
4 cups Corn Flakes cereal, crushed
about 3-4 Tbsp. spicy mustard
black pepper
3-4 eggs, beaten
oil, for frying

• Spread a thin layer of spicy mustard on both sides of chicken. Press into chicken with fork so it sticks. Sprinkle chicken with desired amount of black pepper.
• Dip chicken strips into bowl of beaten egg, and dip into crushed Corn Flakes. Coat generously with Corn Flakes.
• Place in skillet of heated oil. Cook on each side 2-3 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.
• Remove to paper towel to soak up excess oil, and serve while hot.

If you would rather bake these than fry them, they're just as good! Place on a sprayed cookie sheet and bake at 375° F for about 15 minutes, until coating is crispy and chicken is cooked through.

Vegetarian Tortilla Pie

Ever since the first time I made this last year, it became one of our most frequent "house"meals. It's one of my staples now; I keep the ingredients on hand at all times. It's delicious and easy to make!

From Good Housekeeping Cooking Light (but slightly modified)
4 main-dish servings

4 (10-in.) low-fat flour tortillas
1 jar (12 oz.) medium salsa
1 can (15-16 oz.) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
about 15 oz. frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
6 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
reduced-fat sour cream (optional)

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• In medium bowl, mix the corn, black beans, and cilantro.
• Place 1 tortilla on non-stick cookie sheet. Spread 1/3 of the salsa on tortilla. Top with 1/3 of the bean mixture and then 1/3 of the cheese.
• Repeat layering 2 more times, topping it off with the last tortilla.
• Bake pie until cheese melts and filling is heated through, at least 15 minutes.
• Turn oven up to 450° F for a few minutes, to crisp the tortillas.
• Serve with reduced-fat sour cream if you like.

Also try making this in single layers for a great quesadilla appetizer!

Lemon-Herb Scallop Stir-Fry

My brother actually made this the other night, but I try and take credit for finding the recipe. It's an easy 30-minute meal, that tastes fantastic. My favorite part of this meal was surprisingly the spinach with the sauce.

from RealSimple, Meals Made Easy
4 servings

1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 lb sea scallops
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 lb sugar snap peas
5 oz fresh spinach or watercress
cooked white rice, preferably jasmine or basmati

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add the basil and cilantro; set aside.
2. Rinse the scallops and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp of the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the scallops. Cook on one side until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until the scallops are the same color throughout, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
4. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel. Add the remaining oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the peas and 2 Tbsp of water. Cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peas are bright green, about 1 minute.
5. Add the spinach or watercress and the lemon-herb sauce. When the sauce starts bubbling, add the scallops. Stir-fry until warmed through, about 1 minute.
   
6. Serve over rice.