Beef and Cheese Manicotti

I still love Italian, and this is wonderful. I will make this often. Brent, who usually complains about pasta, happily ate the left-overs the next day.

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
Salt
Black pepper
14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
1 (15-ounce) container skim-milk ricotta
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups tomato sauce

Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool. Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Meanwhile, cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes.

2 servings.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

Chicken Roll-Ups

I was planning to make chicken quesadillas, but the tortillas I bought were two thin. These turned out great, and sauce really gave them an extra zing.

Ingredients:
4 flour tortillas (I used low carb)
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/3 lb pepper jack cheese, diced into small pieces
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/8 cup barbecue sauce

Season chicken with chili powder, salt, and cumin. Heat olive oil in pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken in pan until done. Add onions and cook until done. Dice chicken into 1 inch pieces.
In blender, puree sour cream, lime juice, barbecue sauce, and dash salt and pepper. On each flour tortilla, place 1/4 diced chicken and onions and 1/4 diced pepper jack cheese pieces. Cook in microwave for 30 seconds or until cheese melts. Add 1/4 diced tomatoes and top with 1/4 of sour cream mixture. Roll up tortillas and slice in half. Repeat with remaining 3 tortillas.

Servings: 4

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake

This is wonderful! I made this for my co-workers, and it turned out to be a big hit. I forgot to take a picture, so I managed to snag a picture of the last two slices.
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Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
3 tablespoons orange juice
Fresh fruit

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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with fresh fruit.

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Source: Bethany, master baker, from http://bethanyjg.blogspot.com/ (original source Giada De Laurentiis)

Spicy Orange Chicken over Fried Rice

This is another healthy meal that tastes delicious. I will definitely put this into the regular meal rotation.

Spicy Orange Chicken:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon chili
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 Tablespoon ginger
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch strips
1 onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

Mix chicken, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and orange rind in medium bowl. Toss to coat chicken. In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook 3 minutes until done. Add ginger and cook an additional minute. Remove from heat. Add onions and bell pepper to pan. Stir fry about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, broth, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce, and garlic powder in small bowl. Mix well. Add broth mixture to pan with onions and bell pepper. Cook until broth starts to boil and thicken, about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until heated through.

Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional information (per serving): 227 calories, 8 g fat, 16 g carbohydrates, 22 g protein


Fried Rice:
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 egg whites
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
salt
pepper
option: onions, carrots

In large saute pan, saute veggies. Remove from pan. Heat oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add eggs and scramble. Then add rice and veggies and stir fry. Add soy sauce and fry. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: Weight watchers and http://good-eats-n-sweet-treats.blogspot.com

Skinny Girl Margarita

This is wonderful and only about 100 calories per serving, all from the liquor. I got this off Real Housewives of New York City's Bethenney Frankel.

Ingredients (per serving):
Ice
1 shot clear tequila
1/2 to 1 shot triple sec
2 shots lime juice
Dash grated lime rind
Sugar free lemonade
Limes

Fill glass with ice. Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and rind. Fill the glass to the top with lemonade. Pour into blender and mix well. Serve with sliced limes.

Pecan Crusted Salmon

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon cut into pieces
1 Tablespoon mustard
11/2 cup honey
1 cup crushed pecans
2 Tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 400, spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Mix dry ingredients, and mix mustard and honey. Dredge the salmon in the honey mustard, coat with breading and place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until flaky.

2 servings.

Source: adamswife.blogspot.com

Warm Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise
2 small yellow squash, halved lengthwise
2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon commercial pesto

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, vinegar, and garlic in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and shake to coat. Place the zucchini and yellow squash on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 3 minutes on each side or until tender. Place the tomato and onions on grill rack or broiler pan; cook 2 minutes or just until tender.
Coarsely chop the vegetables, and place in a bowl. Add pesto; stir gently.

4 servings.

Source: cookinglight.com

Dijon Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
8 white button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 can (10-ounce) condensed fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup canned chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons deli-style brown mustard
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until just brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Add mushrooms to the same skillet and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Whisk in soup, broth, and mustards. Bring sauce to a simmer. Return chicken to skillet and submerge into sauce completely. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until soup bubbles thickly and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to plates and spoon sauce over the top. Sprinkle with tomatoes and corn.

4 servings.

Source: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf

dash crushed red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 cup water

4 oz mushrooms

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

14 oz can diced tomatoes

1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon Parsley

To cook squash: Pierce squash with a fork. To cook in oven, place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 1 hour. To speed up cooking time, you can cook part of the time in microwave. Bake until tender. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Scrape the insides of squash with a fork to remove spaghetti like strands. Keep warm.

While squash is cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and red pepper. Saute 5 minutes. Add garlic cloves, wine, water, mushrooms, pepper, salt, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve over squash. Top with cheese and parsley.

3 servings.

Source: my sister, the nutrition, and cookinglight.com

Calories: 128, 4 fat, 5 protein, carbs 21

Alfredo Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

8 oz pasta, cooked and drained

2 cups broccoli florets (optional)

1 cup mushrooms

1.5 cups chicken, cooked and diced (1 large chicken breast)

1 jar Alfredo sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom of the two small or one medium baking dish with a thin layer of Alfredo sauce. In a medium bowl, mix the pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, chicken, garlic and Alfredo sauce until combined. Place mixture into baking dish and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

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2 servings.

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Source: Amber's Delectable Delights amberskitchen.blogspot.com

Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Ingredients:

1/8 cup honey
1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pork loin chops, boneless, trimmed of excess fat

In a shallow dish, whisk together honey, soy sauce and garlic. Coat chops in mixture. Reserve left over honey mixture for basting. Place chops on greased grill over med high heat, close lid and cook.

2 servings.

Source: cooklight.com

Nutritional info:
Fat: 6.0g
Carbohydrates: 19.3g
Calories:214.5
Protein: 20.9g

Parmesan Asparagus

Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus spears
1 Tablespoon butter
4 oz (1 1/2 cup) sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat 2 cups water to boiling. Add asparagus. Boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. Melt butter in skillet cover medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook 2 minutes. Stir in asparagus, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with cheese.

4 servings.

Source: Betty Crocker cookbook

Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1 pond unpeeled red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoons parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
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Coarsely chop onion. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sugar; cook and stir 8 – 10 minutes or until onion is tender and deep golden brown. Remove from skillet; set aside. Meanwhile, place potatoes and enough water to cover in a small saucepan. Cover; bring to boil. Boil 8 – 10 min or until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes in small colander; return to saucepan. Using a masher, mash until no lumps remain. Add milk; stir until well-blended Add cooked onion, parsley, garlic and salt; mix well. Cover; keep warm.

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4 servings.

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Source: simplytasty.blogspot.com

Healthy Chicken Creole

2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips*
1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes, cut up
3/4 cup low-sodium chili sauce
1 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

brown rice

Cook rice according to package directions. Spray a deep skillet with nonstick spray coating. Preheat pan over high heat. Cook chicken in hot skillet, stirring, for 3-5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Reduce heat. Add tomatoes and their juice, low-sodium chili sauce, green pepper, onion, garlic, basil, parsley, crushed red pepper, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice.

2-3 servings.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 255, Fat 4.5 g, Carbs 21 g, Protein 33 g.

Source: cookinglight.com

Healthy Baked Pork Chops

2 lean butterfly cut pork chops, 1/2" thick
1/2 egg white
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1/3 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt

Trim all fat from chops. Beat egg white with evaporated skim milk. Place chops in milk mixture and let stand for 5 minutes, turning chops once. Meanwhile, mix together bread crumbs, spices, and salt. Spray a 9xl3-inch baking pan with nonstick spray coating. Remove chops from milk mixture. Coat thoroughly with crumb mixture. Place chops in pan and bake in 375º F oven for 20 minutes. Turn chops and bake 15 minutes longer or till no pink remains.

2 servings.

Nutritional info: (per serving) Fat 7.3 g, Carbs 7.3 g, Calories 195, Protein 23.6 g

Source: cookinglight.com