French Onion Cheese Toast

I've had this recipe saved for more than a year but I never got around to making it because the prep time is so long! If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm into instant gratification. I don't want to slave over the stove for hours. Very few foods are worth all that! But my husband LOVES sautéed onions and I love cheesy bread, so I finally decided to break down and make this.

I AM SO GLAD!!!! This was so freakin' delicious. The onions were AMAZING. I lost count of the number of times my husband said something along the lines of "this is so good." And making it really wasn't that bad--most of the prep time was hands-off.  You could probably even make the onions ahead of time and then bake this when you're ready. This would be great as a party appetizer, but we had it as a side dish with steak and it was perfect. I couldn't find Gruyere or Fontina cheese at Wally World today, so I just used some mozzarella and parmesan, but the fancy cheese might've been better. Hard to imagine it could get much better, though!

French Onion Cheese Toast

Prep time: 90 min Bake time:15 min
Serves 16

3 Tbs butter
3 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 loaf french bread, sliced 1 inch thick
2 cups Gruyère or Fontina cheese, shredded

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower heat to medium low, cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add sugar, kosher salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

Add balsamic vinegar and cook for another 10 minutes or until onions are caramelized.

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese then spoon caramelized onion on top.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese has melted and bread turns golden brown.

Garnish with extra thyme leaves if desired.  Serve immediately.

100 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Grape Salad

I am not a big fan of salad.  Sure, I'll scarf down that tiny little pile of lettuce slathered in Ranch dressing that they give you at the restaurant to placate you while they cook your steak, but traditional salad is not one of those things I could ever get excited about.  However, I do love the "salads" that have nothing in common with a Caesar or Cobb -- you know, the ones that are more like dessert!

This salad makes a half-hearted effort to be healthier by using light sour cream and low-fat cream cheese, but I definitely wouldn't call it health food by any means, but it is definitely good food, and super quick and easy!

Grape Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Serves 8

1 ½ lbs green seedless grapes
1 ½ lbs red seedless grapes
8 oz light sour cream
8 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup chopped pecans

Remove stems from grapes and rinse. Beat sour cream, cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla with mixer. Stir grapes into the mixture and place in a serving dish. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over top right before serving.

338 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Microwave Acorn Squash

I was in the checkout line at WallyWorld last week and the cashier seemed totally blown away that I was buying acorn squash. "What is that?" she said.  "How do you cook it?"

"Uh, acorn squash," I replied, flabbergasted, "and you just microwave it."

It amazes me how many people are completely clueless when it comes to food prep. They miss out on so many great foods just because they don't know how to prepare them or aren't willing to try! As much as I love new and creative recipes, cooking does NOT need to be complicated. Most foods taste better without a whole lot of other stuff mucking them up anyway. This squash recipe is so simple and so delicious, yet how many people regularly serve acorn squash? Not a lot, I'm sure.  It's just as yummy as sweet potatoes and looks so beautiful on the plate. You could also bake these, but it takes a whole lot longer and doesn't taste that much different. Since it's still 90 degrees here in NC, I definitely prefer 15 minutes in the microwave over 75 minutes in the oven!

Microwave Acorn Squash

Cook time: 15 min
Serves 4

2 medium acorn squash
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
3 Tbs honey

Place whole squash on a microwave-safe plate, microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. Cut in half; remove seeds and strings. Cut a thin slice from bottom of squash with a sharp knife to allow it to sit flat. Wrap each squash half with plastic wrap.  Place squash, cut side down on, in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Turn squash over, unwrap and brush insides with butter mixture. Microwave for 1-2 minutes or until squash is tender.  Drizzle with honey.

297 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Veggie Crescent Squares

Have you ever been so wiped out that you could feel every single inch of your body--because all of it hurt? Yeah, that was me about 2 am yesterday morning after spending every spare moment of the past week preparing to cater a big party at my church. The guest list went from 60 to 100 overnight and the actual turnout was even higher. My menu was a little intense for a party of 60 and absolutely overwhelming for 110. but this was one dish that was no big deal to double and then quadruple as the guest list grew. I love this for parties because, besides being easy, it's fresh and pretty and everybody loves it.  Feel free to substitute whatever vegetables you prefer, but I like the color palette this variety provides.

Veggie Crescent Squares

Prep time: 15 min  Cook time: 15 min
Serves 24

2 (8 oz) cans crescent roll dough
2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (1 oz) package dry ranch dressing mix
1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out the crescent roll dough onto a 9x13 inch baking sheet, and pinch together edges to form the crust. Bake crust for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Once finished cooking, remove crust from oven and let cool 15 minutes without removing it from the baking sheet.

In a small mixing bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dry Ranch dressing. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust.

Arrange broccoli, tomato, green bell pepper, cauliflower, shredded carrots, and cheddar cheese over the cream cheese layer. Chill for one hour, slice and serve.

212 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

Did you know there is a "National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch" day? No joking--it's August 8th and it honors the longtime tradition of dumping your extra zucchini onto some unsuspecting neighbor's doorstep in an attempt to get rid of the excess! Crazy, right?

Well, I don't garden, so I don't have an abundance of zucchini to use up, but I am not really a fan of it either, so when my neighbor "gifts" me with a bag of it, I am always looking for creative ways to sneak it into my meals.  I already shared by awesome skillet mac and cheese recipe that is a great vehicle for hiding zucchini and this is another winner. There is no need to peel it, either. If you grate it finely with a box grater or your food processor (or the grating attachment for your KitchenAid) you won't mind the peel a bit, and it's full of extra nutrients!

Cheesy Zucchini Rice
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 15 min
Serves 5

1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 zucchini, grated (don't peel)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-2 Tbs milk, if needed

In a medium saucepan, combine the rice and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and let the rice simmer for 15-20 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove the rice from the heat and stir in the grated zucchini, cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon or so of milk to adjust the texture if needed. Serve warm.

304 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Crock Pot Corn Casserole

My best friend has this really great corn casserole recipe. It's sweet and creamy and very corny (I mean that in a good way--unlike my husband's sense of humor!) The only problem is that it has to bake for a long time. It's totally worth it, but still, I don't have that kind of patience when I come home from work hungry and cranky.

So I found this recipe on Pinterest the other day for Crock Pot corn casserole, and the ingredient list was pretty much identical to my friend Melissa's.  Of course, I had to give it a try, and it was awesome! It had the same crispy exterior, creamy interior and corny sweetness, but I can throw it together on my lunch break and it's ready when I get home!

Crock Pot Corn Casserole

Prep time: 5 min  Cook time:2-4 hrs
Serves 8

8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup sugar
8 ½ oz corn muffin mix
2 ½ cups frozen corn
1 can (16 oz) creamed corn
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp seasoned salt
¼ tsp nutmeg

Grease a slow cooker or line it with a liner.

In a bowl, stir together cream cheese, eggs and sugar. Add in remaining ingredients and mix well.

Pour into slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 3-4 hours.

Tip: If you need to be away from your slow cooker for longer than this takes, put your Crock Pot on a timer! I assembled this at 1pm and set the timer to start at 3 so it would be ready around 5.  It worked out perfectly!

417 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Pumpkin Buttermilk Biscuits

I remember when I was a little kid my mother served slices of white bread with every dinner.  Not exactly gourmet, but it satisfied my dad who used the bread as a kind of scoop to shovel the goods into his mouth.  I love bread of any kind; I usually stuff myself on dinner rolls whenever we go out for dinner, but I rarely make bread to serve to my own family because bread seems time-consuming and complicated. However, I have recently been trying more quick bread recipes with some really interesting results.  These pumpkin biscuits came together super quick and had a unique flavor that tasted amazing when slathered in the accompanying pumpkin butter.

Pumpkin Buttermilk Biscuits
Prep time: 15 min  Bake time: 20 min
Serves 6 
 
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg
1 Tbs plus 1 tsp sugar
6 Tbs unsalted butter, frozen
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 Tbs milk
1 Tbs sugar
 
For the Pumpkin Butter
4 Tbs butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a Silpat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.  Using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture.  Stir lightly to incorporate.  Pour in the buttermilk and gently mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until the dough just starts to come together.  Add the pumpkin and mix through the dough.

Dump the dough onto a floured work surface and gently pat until it's about 1-1 1/2 inches thick.  Using a 3 inch wide round cookie cutter, cut out 6 biscuits.  Place the biscuits onto the parchment paper, side by side.  Keep the biscuits tight beside each other on the baking tray to ensure they rise upwards.  Glaze each biscuit with a little milk and sprinkle sugar on top.  Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all of the butter ingredients in a stand mixer and beat until well combined.

Serve biscuits warm, slathered in pumpkin butter.  If you run out of pumpkin butter, regular butter and a drizzle of honey tastes great too!

381 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Pistachio Fluff Salad

I try really hard to make my menus seasonally appropriate, I really do, but sometimes you just have to satisfy a craving, regardless of what time of year it is!  In the summer, when you can actually get fresh, local fruit, I try to make all my favorite fresh fruit dishes and save the canned fruit for the dead of winter, but when I saw this recipe on Pinterest I knew I couldn't wait till winter.  This brings back great memories of my childhood when a can of fruit cocktail made a recipe seem gourmet and all the best salads had marshmallows in them.

Pistachio Fluff Salad
Total time: 5 minutes
Serves 10

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple (drain and reserve juice)
1 (3 oz) pkg instant pistachio pudding mix
1 (12 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed
2 large bananas, sliced
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 (15 oz) can fruit cocktail, drained
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained

Place Cool Whip in a large mixing bowl.  Add instant pudding mix and stir gently to combine. Add drained pineapple, marshmallows, drained fruit cocktail, and drained mandarin oranges.

Slice bananas and swirl in reserved pineapple juice to prevent browning. Add to bowl and mix everything completely. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. (If you refrigerate your cans of fruit beforehand, this can be served immediately.)

251 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list! 

Spiced Sweet Potato Fries with Dijon Sauce

It is no secret that we Americans love our french fries.  Just look at pretty much every restaurant menu and you'll find those crispy little sticks of deliciousness.  What's surprising, though, is how rarely you'll find a sweet potato fry on the menu.  I do not understand this at all because sweet potato fries are awesome!

They have all the great features of regular fries: soft and fluffy interior, crispy flavorful exterior, and the convenience of finger food portability.  Even better, they are rich in nutrients you won't find in your typical potato.  Now, I'm not trying to say these are health food, they are deep-fried and slathered in sauce, but at least they have some antioxidants to help fight off all the bad mojo!  Plus, their flavor is much richer and more interesting than plain old potatoes.

Now, recently I've noticed that you can buy them in the freezer section of most grocery stores, but they are so easy to make yourself, and so much more economical, I can't imagine why you would ever bother to buy them in a bag.  Of course, you can always fry and serve these plain, but the simple spice mix and flavorful dipping sauce really make these amazing.

Spiced Sweet Potato Fries
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 5 min
Serves 6

1 cup flour
1 Tbs cumin
1 Tbs coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt

2 large egg whites, beaten
3 large sweet potatoes, cut into fries

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Preheat deep fryer or large pot of oil to 360.

Combine flour and spices in a large container.  Dredge sweet potato fries in egg whites then in flour mixture.  Shake off extra coating.

Deep fry for 3-5 minutes or till fries are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Combine mustard, sugar and mayo until smooth and serve with fries.

(Like all fries, these don't taste so great the next day, so eat 'em while they're hot.  I'm pretty sure this won't be a problem!)

310 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!  

Lobster-ific Biscuits

It's almost Valentine's Day, and that means my 11th wedding anniversary is fast approaching. If you've been following my blog since last year, you may remember that my 10th anniversary was slightly underwhelming. I wanted to go to Hawaii; we went to Red Lobster instead. I have a wonderful husband, but a romantic he is not!

This year, I've lowered my expectations a little; in fact, I'm pretty sure we'll be eating Valentine's dinner at 5 Guys. There were a couple great things about last Valentine's Day: a kid-free weekend, a romantic movie, and some super yummy coconut shrimp and biscuits. This year, I intend to duplicate at least two of those experiences, and you can too, with my coconut shrimp recipe found here and the cheddar biscuit recipe below. These biscuits are cheesy, garlicky clouds of addictiveness and they probably went a long way towards helping me keep Mr. Romantic satisfied for the last 11 years!

Copy Cat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits 
Prep time: 5 min  Bake time: 20 min
Serves 12

2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix
3/4 cup cold milk
4 Tbs cold butter
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese

Topping:
2 Tbs butter, melted
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Whisk together Bisquick and garlic powder in a medium size bowl. Grate butter over the bowl and gently combine by hand. Do not over-mix. Add cheddar cheese and milk. Mix by hand just until combined.

Drop ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl. Brush over tops of biscuits. Return to oven for 5 minutes or till golden brown.

217 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Roast for the Most

Some things in life just make everything better: a pinch of salt, a sprinkle of cheese, a waterfall of chocolate...I think just about everything would taste awesome drenched in melted chocolate, and thanks to my bestie Melissa, every party at Casa Paula features the glorious chocolate flow.  Pretty much the only think I haven't tried dunking in chocolate is vegetables, cuz that just sounds gross.  But never fear, there is one thing that can make every vegetable taste awesome and it's as simple as a a little time in the oven!

If you grew up like me, veggies came from a can and boiled to mush on the stovetop.  I ate them because I was supposed to, but I never really enjoyed them.  But the first time I tried roasted veggies, I was blown away!  They were actually good!  Like, as in, I want some more, good!  I think cauliflower was the first veggie I tried roasting, but I soon discovered that every vegetable I tried tasted amazing--sooooo much better than boiling or steaming.  I haven't tried every veggie, but I'm pretty sure there's not a one that it wouldn't improve.

Below you'll find a list of all the veggies I have tried roasting and some suggestions for how to season them and how long to roast them.  I say suggestions because I am frequently too lazy to look up the exact recipe for each veggie, so I just wing it and it usually turns out fine.  You want them to caramelize and tenderize, but how much is really up to you.  As far as seasoning is concerned, a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper is all you really need, but you can get fancy with other spices and seasonings if you like.  If you try roasting something that's not on this list, let me know how it turns out!

Roasted Veggies
Preheat oven to 450 (high heat ensures veggies will caramelize before they overcook.)

Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Cut veggies into bite size pieces, drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil (to keep them from drying out) and season liberally with salt and pepper and other spices, as desired.

Spread veggies in a single layer on the sheet pan and roast till browned and crisp tender, stirring occasionally.

If desired, sprinkle with your favorite cheese and return to oven till melted, 3-5 minutes.

Asparagus - garlic, lemon juice - 10-15 min
Broccoli - garlic, Parmesan - 15-20 min
Bell Peppers - garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes - 20 min
Brussels sprouts - bacon -  30-40 min
Cabbage(sliced into discs) - caraway or fennel seeds - 30-40 min
Carrots - honey, ginger, cinnamon - 40-45 min
Cauliflower - garlic, thyme, cheddar - 15-20 min
Corn - chili powder, Cotija cheese - 5-10 min
Edamame(shelled) - Parmesan - 10-15 min
Onions - balsamic vinegar - 30-45 min
Potatoes(no need to peel) - garlic, rosemary, sage, parsley, ranch powder - 40-50 min
Sweet potatoes(peeled) - honey, cinnamon - 40-50 min
Squash(butternut and acorn are my faves) - brown sugar, cinnamon, honey - 40-50 min

The Perfect Party Piece

The holidays are over and this busy momma couldn't be happier!  I haven't even had time to blog in weeks!  Sorry if you missed me! = )  I definitely find the holidays more stressful than nostalgic, so why on earth did I plan a New Year's Eve party on top of everything else I had going on?  I really don't know the answer to that other than, when I planned it, the chaos of Christmas was just a vague and distant memory from holidays past.  When the day of the party arrived, though, I was tired of people, tired of parties, and tired of the holidays in general.  Fortunately, I at least had the foresight to plan party foods that were quick, simple, and still spectacular.  Parties call for finger food, and that can be terribly time-consuming, making all those individual bites of food, but this recipe makes a ton of servings, and they're a little larger than your average appetizer, so they go a long way towards feeding a hungry crowd.  Plus, they're chewy, crunchy, meaty, cheesy, and satisfying all at the same time, so you don't have to have a lot of other hors d'oeuvres to round out your buffet.  As it turned out, the party was a lot of fun, very little stress, and a great way to round out the holidays, thanks in no small party to this fabulous party bread!

Party Bread
Prep time: 15 min  Bake time: 20 min
Serves 15

1 loaf French bread
4 oz deli ham, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, diced
1/3 cup yogurt
1/2 stick melted butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 cup chives, minced
salt and pepper, to taste 

Slice bread into 1/2 inch thick slices (1 got 15 out of mine.)  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and top with sliced bread.

In a large bowl, stir together yogurt, butter and sour cream.  Add ham, garlic, onion, paprika, salt and pepper,1 cup of the cheese and half the chives.  Spread generously on top of bread slices, then sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown and melted.  Top with remaining chives and serve warm.

95 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Spectacular Squash

My mother was not an adventurous home cook and she didn't care for very many vegetables.  Consequently, I ate a whole lot of canned corn and green beans growing up, and not a lot of anything else.  However, I think my mother's predilection towards canned food stemmed more from ignorance of the plethora of tasty veggies available, not from a real affection for the delicacies offered up by the Jolly Green Giant!  For instance, if my mother had ever tasted caramelized butternut squash, I'm pretty sure we would have had this every other night instead of over-processed peas.  I myself am slowly learning to appreciate all kinds of veggies I never even tried until my 30's and I'm finding that almost all of them can taste great if properly prepared.  When I fix them for my mom, even she agrees!

Caramelized Butternut Squash
Prep time: 20 min  Bake time: 45 min
Serves 8

2 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
5 Tbs butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400F.  Peel, de-seed, and cut squash into 1 inch cubes.  Spread out on a shallow, greased pan and sprinkle with remaining ingredients.  Mix gently.  Bake for 45 minutes till tender, stirring after 20 minutes.

172 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Transformation to Yum--Basil Corn & Zucchini Casserole

I'm not really a picky eater, but there are a few foods I do not like.  Tomatoes and mushrooms top the list, but zucchini takes a close third.  My husband, of course, loves all three.  So, in an effort to please him, I will occasionally incorporate one of these into a dish and hope that the other flavors hide the taste.  Isn't it amazing how well that usually works?  I could probably hide rat turds in a casserole and no one would even notice!  Since I think rat turds are slightly tastier than mushrooms, I don't put 'shrooms in too many things, but tomatoes and zucchini are a little easier for me to swallow.

This casserole also stars corn, Allen's favorite vegetable, so I knew he would love it.  Me?  I wasn't so sure, but I was surprised how great it turned out to be.  The flavors are fresh and vibrant, and it's a great use of the veggies you may grow in your garden.  I don't do gardening, so I used frozen corn and canned tomatoes, but it still tasted homegrown to me!

Basil Corn & Zucchini Casserole
Prep time: 15 min  Cook time: 45 min
Serves 10

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 eggs
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of celery soup
4 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (I used a drained can of Ro*Tel)
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and condensed soup until blended. Stir in vegetables, bread crumbs, basil, salt and onion. Transfer mixture to an 11x7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

138 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Score One for Salad

My child does not like salad in any form.  To be honest, I'm not a big fan myself, but I make it and eat it and try not to whine too much about it because I know it's good for me, but Rachel snubs her nose at anything with the name salad - even fruit salad!  I personally love fruit salads.  Fruit by itself is okay, but there's something about mixing a bunch of it all together with a sweet sauce that elevates it to something extra special.  I've posted several great fruit salads on here in the past, but all of them have had fluffy, creamy, high-calorie fillings that pretty much negate any of the health benefits of eating a big bowl of fruit.  But this salad is actually pretty light, yet still super yummy!  Even better, Rachel ate a whole bowlful without one complaint.  Score one for salad! 

Strawberry Cantaloupe Salad
link to original recipe
Total time: 15 min.
Serves 6

2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups diced cantaloupe
4 oz diced mozzarella
1 cup raspberries
2 Tbs sunflower kernels
4 Tbs light raspberry vinaigrette
1/8 cup sugar (if desired)
1 Tbs thinly sliced mint leaves (if desired)

In a large bowl, combine strawberries, cantaloupe and cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette.  Add sugar, if desired, and toss to coat. Just before serving, gently stir in raspberries; top with sunflower kernels. If desired, sprinkle with mint.

172 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

How 'Bout Them Apples?

You'd never guess it based on this weekend, but I appreciate the simple things in life: a good book, a catchy song, simple flavors.  This weekend was complicated.  I took my daughter to her very first concert - the Taylor Swift Red Tour.  That doesn't sound like it should be so complicated, but it required buying the tickets a year in advance, prepping dinner in the Crock-Pot so we could be out the door 20 minutes after I got off work, driving an hour to Raleigh, detouring around the city when a car accident blocked the highway, idling in line for 30 minutes to get a parking spot, forcing our way through a massive throng of people while circling the arena twice in order to find our seats, enduring the nonstop screaming of 14,000 teenage girls, and spending more than $500 on 2 tickets, parking, 2 souvenir shirts and a bucket of popcorn.  All that for a few hours of entertainment!  And, of course, some priceless memories with my munchkin.  After all that, I needed something simple to soothe my frazzled nerves.  What could be simpler than butter, sugar, and apples, simmered for a couple minutes on the stove and sprinkled with a few spices.  These apples are great served up as a side dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner, as a topping for ice cream or pancakes, or even as a simple dessert - call it crustless apple pie and it sounds like health food!  My momma taught me better, but these were so good I couldn't help but lick the plate.

Skillet Fried Apples
link to original recipe
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 15 min
Serves 4
 
3 large Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and cut into wedges
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 
1/4 cup light brown sugar, well packed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar. Add the apples and cook over medium until apples begin to release juices. Reduce to medium low and simmer for about 15 minutes or until apples are tender. Sprinkle spices on top and toss until well blended.

207 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

More Peas, Please!

It's 9pm and I've got the munchies.  Am I craving, like usual, the chips I buy "for Allen,"  the cookies I made "for Rachel," or the 100 calorie popcorn packs I get for myself?  Nope, I'm craving peas.  Yup - raw, cold, peas.  Now, before you think I'm a total weirdo and quit reading altogether, notice I didn't say plain peas.  No, I'm craving the creamy, crunchy, bacon-y pea salad I made a few days ago and have been eating nonstop ever since.  I think any dish that makes me crave vegetables has got to be a good thing, so this salad has become one of my favorite summer side dishes.  Plus, it comes together in practically no time at all and makes a ton so it would be great for a potluck or BBQ, or for your 9pm snack -5 days in a row. = )

Crunchy Pea Salad
link to original recipe
prep time: 15 min
serves 12

1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup sugar
1 (10 oz) bag frozen peas, thawed
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup chopped red onion
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled 

Mix together Italian dressing, mayonnaise and sugar in a medium size bowl. Fold in peas, celery, peanuts, onion, and bacon until well mixed. Refrigerate until serving.

I haven't tried this with lite dressing or mayo, but I think it would probably taste almost as good.  I probably wouldn't sub them both out for lite versions, but maybe one or the other.  I'll update this post to let you know how that turns out if I ever try it!

243 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Cilantro Es Muy Yummo

Back when I was in school, I took Spanish from 7th - 10th grade, but about the only things I remember how to say are, "Me gusta comer" and "Donde esta el bano" which mean "I love to eat" and "Where is the bathroom?" respectively.  Well, and "Yo quiero Taco Bell," but I didn't learn that one in Spanish class!  I did eat an awful lot of Taco Bell when I was a teenager, and somewhere along the line I developed a love of real Mexican food, especially cilantro, my very favorite fresh herb.  I buy a bunch of cilantro almost every time I go to the store, so one time I decided to buy the whole plant instead and grow my own.  Unfortunately, the poor little thing was dead before I even got it out of the car (can anyone say black thumb?!) but I recently bought another one and so far, it is still alive!  I'll let you know how that turns out in a few weeks.  Surprisingly, some people possess a gene that causes them to think cilantro tastes soapy, but to most it's just refreshingly tangy with a hint of citrus. I think it's superb in soups, salads, salsa, sandwiches, and lots of other foods that don't start with "s."  Like corn!  Tonight was actually the first time I've ever put cilantro in my corn, but the whole fam agreed it was delish.  Plus it was quick and easy, which we all can appreciate! 

Parmesan Cilantro Corn
link to original recipe
Total time: 10 min
Serves 6

3 Tbs butter
4 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs lime juice
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. 

When butter is foamy add the garlic and corn, stirring to coat with the butter. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. 

Add lime juice, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. 

Stir in cheese and then add heavy cream. Continue to stir so corn won't stick to pan. Add salt and pepper. Cook corn until most of the cream has absorbed, about 5 minutes more. 

Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and serve hot.

115 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Taterrific Trio

The Woodruff thermostat feud has been going on the entire 10 years my husband and I have been married.  I like the house comfortable, Allen likes to avoid using the HVAC at all costs.  He is also obsessed with saving energy and frequently changes out my light bulbs for those horrendous swirly luminaries that put out less light than a candle, but that's a story for another day.  His idea of air-conditioning is an ice pack on the neck.  In the summertime, this means using the oven is practically unbearable.  When I do need to use it to make part of the meal, I wait till Allen is otherwise occupied, crank up the AC, and try to take full advantage of the opportunity.  Fortunately, our huge yard takes at least 2 hours to mow, so summer Saturdays are perfect for making some of my favorite oven-baked meals while Allen is otherwise engaged.

Tonight I wanted to make ribs for dinner, which I think are best slow-baked for hours in the oven, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity to try out new potato and asparagus recipes.  The potatoes are the only dish I used a "real" recipe for, so that's what you'll see below, but I thought I'd tell you about the rest of the meal because it all went together so nicely and was such an efficient use of the oven that even Allen was impressed!

About 2 hours before I wanted to eat, I set the oven for 350, rubbed a rack of spareribs with Texas Roadhouse Sirloin Seasoning, wrapped them loosely in foil and put them in to bake.  This gave me plenty of time to prep the potatoes.  After the ribs had baked for 1 1/2 hours, I turned up the temperature to 400 and popped in the potatoes.  After 20 minutes, when it was time to turn over the taters, I took out the ribs, slathered them with BBQ sauce (we like Sweet Baby Ray's), and put them back in, bottoms ups and uncovered, on the top rack to caramelize.  10 minutes later, when it was time to put the cheese on the taters, I coated some asparagus with olive oil and sprinkled it with salt, pepper and grated parmesan and put it in as well.  At this point I flipped the ribs to finish up the other side.  This meal takes a few hours from start to finish, but it requires very little effort other than watching the clock and I thought it was even better than the fancy birthday dinner I bought for Allen at Outback last week.

Cheesy Taco Taters
link to orignial recipe 
Prep time: 10 min  Cook time: 40 min
Serves 8

5-6  medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/3 cup oil (olive or vegetable)

1 (1 oz) envelope taco mix
Sprinkle of seasoned salt

Sprinkle of black pepper

2 cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded

 

Place potatoes in a gallon size Ziploc bag with oil and taco mix.  Seal and shake until they are all well coated. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray and spread the potatoes out in it.  Sprinkle with a little seasoned salt and black pepper.  Place in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes.  At 20 minutes stir them around to turn and get all sides browned.  Sprinkle with the cheese about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

303 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Mac n' Cheese Pleaser

Don't you just love one pot dishes?  A few years ago, I convinced my husband that, since I cook dinner every night, he should do the dishes.  (Call me if you want some tips on making that miracle happen!) But when I was in charge of doing the dishes, I would do everything I could to dirty as few dishes as possible. This made for some pretty creative skillet meals.  When I was a kid, the ultimate one pot dinner was Kraft Mac n' Cheese, of course, and I'm not embarrassed to admit I still find that stuff delectable, but when I want something with a little less yellow dye #5, homemade mac n' cheese tops my list of yummy sides.  Have you ever tried to make homemade mac n' cheese, though?  That is some seriously time-consuming comfort food!  Boil the noodles, make the sauce, bake it for an hour...yeah, not gonna happen.  This recipe, however, is quick, simple, and comes together in just one pot.  I didn't even use a bunch of measuring cups, I just eyeballed it and it turned out fine. My husband brought home a zucchini the size of a baseball bat the other day, so I grated up about a cupful of that and tossed it in for some added fiber and vitamins, but you can easily leave that out or even substitute some broccoli if your children don't cringe at the sight of visible vegetables.  One tip though: don't forget to rinse out the pot right away, because this sauce turns to cement when left on the bottom of the pan!

Skillet Mac n' Cheese
link to original recipe
total time: 20 min.
8 servings 

3 1/2 cups water

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
12 oz elbow macaroni 
1/2 tsp salt 
1 cup grated zucchini, if desired 
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp hot sauce 
6 oz Monterey Jack, shredded 
6 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
2 Tbs butter, diced 

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the macaroni, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, until the macaroni is tender and the liquid has thickened, 9 to 12 minutes.  Add zucchini.

 
Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, the cornstarch, mustard and hot sauce together, then stir into the skillet. Continue to simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat, stir in the cheddar and Monterey Jack, one handful at a time. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

441 calories per serving.  Click here for nutritional info and shopping list!