Summer Shrimp Rolls

Another great summer meal.  The flavors of this dish blend great, and when served over greens rather than in a bun, it is a light dish.  Either way served this was yummy.  I served this with fresh Ice Tea and it was a great way to end a weekday.  I found this recipe in the most recent issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine.  Enjoy!!

1 1/2 tsp. EVOO

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped

3/4 cup fresh corn kernels (I used one leftover corn on the cob and about a half cup of frozen)

1/4 cup mayo (I used about 1 1/2 T)

1/4 cup Pesto

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 scallions, thinly sliced

salt and pepper

4 hot dog buns (or package of mixed greens)

1. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until opaque, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in corn and let cool.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the mayo, pesto, and lemon juice.  Add the shrimp-corn mixture, bell pepper, and scallions; toss.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve on hot dog buns(toasted) or over greens.

Chicken Enchilada Roll-ups

I wanted to bring a few snacks for our river float this past weekend.  I saw this recipe on Macaroni and Cheesecake, who raved bout them and decided this was the snack.  I made them the night before, and wrapped each individual wrap in plastic then threw them all in a Ziploc.  It was a fab recipe and super convenient while out on the water.  They were a huge hit and everyone was asking for the recipe, well at least all the girls!!

Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups

Source: Delicious Meliscious via Cook Like a Champion originally found on Sing For Your Supper from the Gooseberry Patch Cookbook "Come On Over"

Ingredients:

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened (I used the low-fat)

1 1/3 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese ( I used reduced fat Mexi Blend)

1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

cayenne pepper to taste

salt to taste

1 large can chunk white chicken breast, shredded

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

10-oz. can Rotel tomatoes

1 package jalapeno cheddar tortillas

Directions:

Mix cheeses together until well blended.

Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Place one heaping spoonful onto tortilla.-Spread to edges using a metal spatula.

Roll and cut into slices.

Fake-Out Caprese Skewers

This is a great little snack to whip up for a picnic, going out on a boat for a day, or most recently for us, floating down the river.  These take no time at all to make and they are a fun and tasty little snack.  I just thread large black olives, grape tomatoes and string cheese cut into chunks on a party pick.  Take this on your next outdoor adventure, and I'm sure your company will be pleased.

Sushi at Home!!

I love Sushi!!!  Enough said.  I don't know about you but every time we go out for sushi we spend an ungodly amount of money....so to enjoy this more often, we create the same meal at home.  This isn't a recipe, it's just a fake-out, for all things sushi that we love.  To start with, Miso Soup.  All I do is go to Whole Foods, buy the organic, less sodium Miso soup in the box, add cubed tofu, scallion, and seaweed.  Throw it all in saucepan and warm. EASY!  Next find a grocery store that sells great sushi.  I picked up 3 different kinds, and display them on a platter.  EASY!  Then grab a a bag of frozen Edamame and steam for about 7 -10 minutes, add some coarse salt, and serve. EASY!  Total cost under $25.  Not bad.  Now you can have sushi a couple times a week if desired. 

Now I just need to learn how to make my own sushi!

Easy Snack!!

This is a little snack we picked up from Israel.  Watermelon and Feta!!  Who would have thought.  It's the classic salty and sweet mix.  During the summer, any beach you go to in Israel, offers this as a snack.  I was instantly hooked.  All you do is cut up some watermelon, and mix with a little feta.  I tend to find the feta in brine works better.  Make this for your next trip to the beach, and you won't be disappointed.   

Paula Deen's Red Potato Salad

Before you gasp.....There is only 1 Tablespoon of mayo in this!   I don't usually make Paula Deen recipes due to the fat content, but this recipe caught my eye, and I had all the ingredients in the pantry for it.  It turned out to have wonderful flavor without all the mayo of a normal potato salad.  I found this recipe in the most current issue of Food Network Magazine.

6 cups cubed red skin potatoes, unpeeled

salt

2 strips of bacon (I used center cut...mmm!)

1 cup chopped bell pepper ( I only had green, but a color combo would make this dish POP)

1/4 cup minced red onion

2 scallions, sliced

1/4 cup EVOO

3 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. dijon mustard

1 T. Mayo ( you really have to try the Kraft Olive Oil Mayo)

fresh ground pepper

1. Put potatoes in a large pot; add water to cover and season with 3/4 tsp salt.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.  Drain and cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy.  Drain on paper towels, and finely chop.
3. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, chopped bacon, bell pepper, onion, and scallions.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, mayo, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Pour over the potato mixture, tossing gently to coat.  Cover and refrigerate or serve at room temp.

THE VERDICT:  Loved it, not as good as my mom's recipe, of course, but still great.  I only had one complaint from the hubs, who only like mashed potatoes, so I told him just to mash them on his plate!! 

Blueberry Pie with Crumb Topping

This is another fav of mine and I love making this in the summer.  I like using fresh blueberries, but I don't know about you, but they are outrageously priced right now.  The frozen taste just as good, just let them thaw before using.  You can also substitute any other fruit you want in this as well.  I do cheat a little and use frozen pie crust, but feel free to make your own.  

PIE:

5 cups blueberries

3/4 cup sugar

3 T. flour

1 T. lemon juice

1/8 tsp. salt

Pie shell

CRUMB TOPPING:

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1 1/2 sticks chilled unsalted butter

1. To make crumb topping:  Mix flour, brown sugar, sugar, salt and cinnamon together.  Cut butter into pieces.  With your hands, work in butter, until large clumps form.  Divide mixture in half; use half for pie, freeze other half for next pie or bake to sprinkle over ice cream or yogurt.
2. To make pie:  Preheat oven to 400.  Combine blueberries, sugar, flour, lemon juice and salt.  Pour into pie shell; sprinkle with half recipe of crumb topping.  Place on a foil lined baking sheet in lower third of oven; reduce heat to 350.  Bake until fruit bubbles and crust browns, 1 1/2 hours.  If topping begins to brown too quickly, tent with foil.  Let cool before serving.

The Best Turkey Burger in the World!

I can guarantee these are the best turkey burgers you will ever try.  This recipe has been floating around for about the last 5 years, and it's our go to for a juicy burger.  This recipe is originally from Everyday FOOD by Martha Stewart in her July/Aug. 2003 issue.

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey ( 92% to 93% lean)

1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs ( whole wheat)

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

salt and pepper

1. Heat grill to high.  In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine turkey, cheese, scallions, breadcrumbs, Dijon, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper.  Gently form mixture into 4  1-inch thick patties.
2. Lightly oil grill.  Place patties on hottest part of grill; sear until brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.  Move the patties to cooler part of grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes per side.

Light Tomato Sauce

 Well That looks like a pile of red huh?  Ok so not the best picture, but so worth it to make.  This sauce made the whole house smell wonderful as it was simmering.  When the hubs walked in the door he said it smelled like olive garden.  Score for me, because this was a super simple sauce to make and it's light.  I found this recipe on a blog called Cheap Healthy Good, the post was about ways to use up leftover herbs, and I am overflowing with Basil right now.  

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 28-oz. cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/8 tsp black pepper, divided

1) Heat oil in a heavy medium pot (or small Dutch oven) over medium heat; add onion and garlic. Cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

2) By hand, crush the canned tomatoes into the pot, taking care to remove any stem pieces. Add leftover tomato juice from can; bring to a boil.

3) Reduce heat and simmer 80 minutes or until slightly thickened. 

4) Remove from heat; stir in basil, salt, and pepper. Eat immediately, or refrigerate over night to let flavors meld. Freeze leftovers for the future.

THE VERDICT: Great sauce, but will probably do a double recipe next time so I can freeze some.  

Almost Famous Breadsticks (Olive Garden)

Remember "Good idea, Bad idea" from the show Animainiacs when we were kids?  Well these breadsticks are just another episode.  Good Idea: Making the best breadsticks on earth, at home with a big Italian feast.  Bad Idea:  Eating way to many, because they are addicting, and then having to add an extra 30 minute jog to the day!  So I encourage trying these, but beware, they may cause extra cushioning to your booty.  I found this recipe in my current issue of  The Food Network Magazine.

For the Dough: 

1 pkg. active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)

4 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 T. unsalted butter, softened

2 T. sugar

1 T. fine salt

For the Topping:

3 T. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

pinch of dried oregano

1. Make the dough: Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer; sprinkle in the yeast and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.  Add the flour, butter, sugar, fine salt, and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 T. warm water; mix with paddle attachment until a slightly sticky dough forms.  
2. Knead the dough by hand on a floured surface until smooth and soft, 3 minutes.  Roll into a 2 foot long log; cut into 16 even pieces.  Knead each piece slightly and shape into a 7 inch long breadstick; arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Cover with a cloth; let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.  
3. Preheat the oven to 400.  Make the topping:  Brush the breadsticks with 1 1/2 T. melted butter and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt.  Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 tsp salt with the garlic powder and oregano.  Brush the warm breadsticks with the remaining 1 1/2 T. melted butter and sprinkle with flavored salt.   

THE VERDICT:  OH SO GOOD!!!!  They were perfect with spaghetti, and my hubby even got out some olive oil and dipping spices to dip the stick in.  

Roasted Salmon with Herbed-Yogurt

WoW.... This was good.  We try to eat salmon at least once a week, but typically we just grill with some S&P, and a little lemon on the side.  I was skimming through an issue of Martha Stewart Everyday FOOD and found this tempting recipe.  It called for fresh dill and parsley, which was perfect since my Aerogarden is now over flowing with these herbs.  The original recipe calls for using a 3 lb. fillet of salmon, but I just had baby fillets which still worked perfectly.

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (2%)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for serving
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Coarse salt and ground pepper

 8 fillets (4 oz. each)
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine yogurt, mustard, dill, and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Place salmon, skin side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread yogurt mixture on salmon.
2. Roast until opaque throughout, 15 minutes. Sprinkle with dill sprigs and serve warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges.
   

THE VERDICT: Amazing!!!  Even the hubs loved it.  When I told him at first it was a yogurt topping he gave me the look, but as soon as he took  bite, he couldn't believe how good it was.  ENJOY!!

Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Feta

This salad is so light and refreshing, and a great way to use up extra fresh mint.  This recipe was slightly adapted from Cooking Light 2005 year book, but we made similar salads like this all the time while in Israel.  A tomato and cucumber salad is pretty much a staple at every meal over there, including breakfast.  This recipe also includes the vinaigrette from my previous post.

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1 cup diced cucumber

1/4 cup crumbled feta

1 T. finely chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup Dijon vinaigrette

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add vinaigrette, and toss gently to coat.

Versatile Vinaigrette

This is just a quick, easy, make ahead vinaigrette that can be used for all types of salads.  I pulled this recipe out of my cooking light 2005 year book.  We use this all the time on chopped salads, and I will give you an example in my next post.

1 cup veggie broth

2 tsp. cornstarch

2 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. EVOO

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1. Combine broth and cornstarch in a small saucepan, stirring with a whisk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, and stir in vinegar and remaining ingredients.  Cover and chill.  Stir before using.  

Only 21 calories for 2 T!!!!!!!

For Dijon vinaigrette:  Add 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard to broth mixture with red wine vinegar and remaining ingredients.

Greek Stuffed Flank Steak

This is a great recipe, if you are looking for a healthful way to make steak!!!  I got this recipe off of Joelen's Culinary Adventures.  This is a blog I read daily, and really enjoy, so check it out for this awesome recipe.

THE VERDICT: Super easy and quick to make.  The flavors are all my favorite, rolled up together in steak, what more can you ask for!  I served this with a tossed salad, and my new favorite quick side, Kashi Rice Blends!

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro

Thanks Bobby Flay!!!!  That's the best  I can do for this fab recipe.  I was browsing my new Food Network Mag, and this recipe jumped off the page.  Ok maybe it was the Double Chocolate Marshmallow Milkshake featured with it, but I'm not going there!!  I had a bunch of cilantro and some limes left over from Cinco de Mayo, so I thought this would be a perfect side dish for tonight's dinner.  

3 sweet potatoes, unpeeled (the skin is really good, who would have thought!)

kosher salt

2 tsp. finely grated lime zest

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1. Parcook the potatoes:  Place in a pot of water and boil until fork tender; let cool.  Slice potatoes lengthwise into eighths.
2. Preheat grill to medium.  Mix 1 T. salt, the lime zest and cayenne in a small bowl.
3. Brush the potato wedges with olive oil (I just drizzled) and season with salt and pepper.  Grill until golden brown on all sides, including the skin, and just cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Transfer to a platter; immediately season with salt mixture and sprinkle with cilantro.

THE VERDICT:  Way better than roasting sweet potatoes in the oven.  The combination of the lime, salt and cilantro was perfect.  This is my new go to recipe for sweet potatoes.  I also found that parcooking the potatoes made the cooking process much faster.

Fiery Fish Tacos with Crunchy Corn Salsa

This is my belated "Cinco de Mayo" Post.  I got this fab recipe from my bestie who made this for us while visiting one night.  The flavors are so perfect together.  And, when I say Fiery Fish... I mean it....the fresh veggies, sour cream, and avocado do cool it down a tad, but this recipe is not for the faint at heart.  This recipe was adapted from allrecipes.com. 

1 cup corn

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 lime zested and juiced

1T. cayenne pepper

1/2 T. ground black pepper

1 T. salt

4 fillets tilapia

1 1/2 T. olive oil

8 corn tortillas, warmed

2 small avocados, sliced

1. Preheat grill for high heat.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together corn, red onion, red bell pepper, beans, and cilantro.  Stir in lime zest and juice.
3. In a small bowl, combine cayenne, pepper, and salt.  Brush each fillet with olive oil, and sprinkle with spices.
4. Arrange fillets on grill, and cook 3 minutes per side.  For each taco, top with fish, sour cream, corn salsa, and avocado.

THE VERDICT:  We all thought the flavor was excellent, but they were hot.  I handled them fine but my hubby suggests a gallon of milk to be included in the recipe.  Don't let him scare you.....They were great.  

Oatmeal & Banana Pancakes with Pomegranate Syrup

Today was my friends last day visiting me in Texas, and we wanted a healthy breakfast, so we made these pancakes.  I know you are thinking what, pancakes aren't healthy, but these are.  These pancakes are loaded with complex carbs, yet contain no saturated fat.  plus, the pomegranate juice is high in polyphenols! Bonus!!  I found this recipe in the latest issue of Clean Eating Magazine.

Pomegranate syrup:

1 cup pomegranate juice

2 T. honey

Pancakes:

3 medium bananas, plus 1 sliced banana for garnish

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup rolled oats, ground to a coarse flour in a food processor

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks

olive oil cooking spray

1. To make syrup, whisk juice with honey in a small saucepan.  Bring mixture to a boil over medium high  heat, then drop heat to medium.  Simmer mixture and reduce it to a syrup, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let syrup cool slightly before using.
2. To make pancakes, add bananas, milk, and vanilla to a blender and puree until smooth.  In a large bowl, whisk together ground oats, rolled oats, flour, salt, and baking powder.  Fold banana puree into dry ingredients to form a thick batter, taking care not to overwork it.  Gently fold in whipped egg whites.  Heat a large non stick skillet coated with cooking spray to medium heat.  Add portions of batter, leaving room for pancakes to expand.  Cook until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Serve with banana slices and a drizzle of pomegranate syrup.

THE VERDICT:  I'm not a huge fan  of pancakes, but I would eat these everyday.  We loved them, and they defiantly hit the spot before our workout.