Best Guacamole Recipe

from Skinnytaste:
modification on SK post: Guac is one of my fave snacks! I usually mince a couple cloves of garlic and a shallot, and let them sit in a tiny bit of olive oil for a few...then mix in the avos, tomatoes, and a small diced jalapeno. Yum! Then I add the lime and salt. Better than a restaurant! Love your blog and your recipes!

Guacamole is one of my favorite appetizers, and my husband is usually the one who makes it. It's flavorful, clean, and healthy, but we eat it because we love it. His recipe is simple, but simple is good! He has converted many non-avocado lovers with this recipe.
The trick is to a good guacamole is leave large chunks of avocado; don't mash them thoroughly and having a perfect balance of lime juice, red onion and salt is essential. If you like it hot, you can certainly add some diced jalapeño, some people also like to add diced tomato which is fine, but we like it just like this!
I posted this recipe a while back, but the photos needed some updating so I figured I'd re-post in time for the Superbowl.
Avocados may be high in fat, but they have the good essential healthy fats which we should consume every day. They are also high in fiber, rich in vitamin B, E and K and have 60 percent more potassium than bananas. I love avocado so much I created an entire Avocado Obsessed Pinterest board in their honor. 
Guacamole is great with baked tortilla chips, lentil chips, baked plantain chips, chicken fajitas, or even on a wrap in place of mayonnaise. Sometimes we even make guacamole turkey burgers, I'll have to share the recipe when the weather warms up.

Best Guacamole
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 8  Serving Size: 1/4 cup • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 112 • Fat: 10 g • Protein: 1.4 g • Carb: 6.5 g • Fiber: 4.5 g • Sugar: 0.3 g
Sodium: 5.6 mg (without salt)
Ingredients:

• 3 medium hass avocados, halved
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/3 cup red onion, minced
• 1 small clove garlic, mashed
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• kosher salt and fresh pepper, to taste

Directions:

Place the pulp from the avocados in a medium bowl and slightly mash with a fork or a potato masher leaving some large chunks. Add lime juice, salt, pepper, cilantro, red onion, garlic and mix thoroughly.
If you are serving this at a later time, a great tip to keep the guacamole from turning brown is to cover tightly with plastic wrap so no air gets on it.
Makes 2 cups.

Turkey Medallions with Orange Teriyaki Sauce

1 large celery stalk, minced
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 lb lean ground turkey
2 tsp prepared white horseradish
chopped parsley
6 small carrots, cut inot 1 inch chunks
1/4 lb chinees pea pods
1/3 cup orange juice
1 T light teriyaki sauce
1 tsp all purpose flour
About 40 minutes before serving"

In 1 quart saucepan over medium heat, in 2 tsp oil, cook celery, onion, salt and ground ginger until tender.

In medium bowl, mix ground turkey, vegetable mixture, horseradish and 1 T chopped  parsley until blended. With slightly dampened hands, shape turkey mixture into eight 3" round medallions.

In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, in 1 T oil, cook medallions until golden brown on both sides and turkey loses its pink color, about 10 minutes.  Arrange on warm platter, keep warm.

Meanwhile, in 3 qt saucepan over high heat in 1 inch boiling water, heat carrots to boiling.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until carrots are tender crisp.  Stir in pea pods and cook, covered,  2 minutes longer.  Drain.  Arrange vegetables on platter with medallions

In cup, mix oj, teriyaki, flour, 1 T parsley, and 1/3 cup water until smooth. stir into skillet. Heat to boiling stirring to loosen browned bits.  Boil 1 minutes.  Pour sauce over medallions on platter. Garnish with parskey.  Makes 4 servings.

Good Housekeeping December 1991!

Roast Beef Canapes

From the Hartford Courant -

The Basics

December 26, 2002|By BILL DALEY And CHRISTOPHER PROSPERI Christopher Prosperi is chef-owner of Metro Bis restaurant in Simsbury. Bill Daley is a food writer and restaurant reviewer with The Hartford Courant.

We used a biscuit cutter to make bread rounds to serve as the canape base. If you don't have one, don't despair. Cut the bread into strips, triangles, rectangles or whatever shape catches your fancy.

This recipe calls for the leftover roast beef to be sliced into strips, but you can always cut the roast beef into slices -- especially if you deft at wielding a carving knife or a slicer. (Deli-sliced roast beef also works.)

Tiny cornichon pickles are crisp and sharp, not at all like the usual sweet gherkins served up on buffet tables. You may need to do some searching for them.

* 3/4 pound leftover cooked roast beef

* 12 slices white bread

* 2 tablespoons butter
1 cup horseradish sour cream sauce (below)

* 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Cut the roast beef into 1/8-inch slices. You'll need about five or six slices for this dish.

Stack the slices and cut into thin strips about 1/8 inch wide and 2 inches long. You will need about 1-1/2 cups of roast beef strips. Set aside while you prepare the toast rounds. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Using a biscuit cutter, cut 2-inch rounds out of the bread slices. You should get two rounds per slice (save the scraps to make bread crumbs).

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Brush each bread round with butter on both sides and place the rounds on a baking sheet.

Position the baking sheet on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake the rounds for 5 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the rounds to cool and crisp.

Begin assembling the canapes. Arrange the toast rounds on platters. Place about 2 tablespoons of the roast beef strips on top of the toast. Top with a dollop of the horseradish cream sauce and garnished with a cornichon pickle and chives. If you want to be fancy, partially slice the cornichon and arrange the slices in a fan shape on the canape. Makes 24 canapes.

HORSERADISH SOUR CREAM SAUCE

This sauce is the savior of cold meats everywhere. It's creamy piquancy is also a great foil to corned beef.

* 1 cup sour cream

* 1/4 to 1/2 cup prepared horseradish

* 1 teaspoon black pepper

* 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Use immediately or refrigerate.

Quinoa and Spinach Patties

Skinnytaste!!

Vegetarian and perfect for Meatless Mondays and are made with clean ingredients.

Quinoa and Spinach Patties
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 7 • Serving Size: 2 patties • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 236.2 • Fat: 7.4 g • Protein: 11.4 g • Carb: 30.5 g • Fiber: 3.2 g • Sugar: 1.9 g
Sodium: 429.5 • Cholesterol: 110.0 mg

Adapted from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups water (use 1 cup broth/1 cup water)
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
• 3 large scallions, sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup steamed spinach, chopped (frozen is fine)
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs (for GF, be sure to use GF breadcrumbs)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly and place the grains in a medium sauce pan with 2 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quinoa is tender and has absorbed the liquid, about 20 minutes. Let it cool.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, eggs, Parmesan, scallions, garlic, salt, steamed spinach, and breadcrumbs. Let everything sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid. The batter should be moist, but not runny. Form patties 1/4 cup each.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. In 2 or 3 batches, cook the patties covered for 8-10 minutes on each side, or until browned and golden.

Makes 14 patties.

Sesame Ginger Cabbage Salad

My original printed copy of this recipe called for thinly sliced green cabbage, not cooked.  Add chicken to make a full meal

Ingredients

•  1 1/2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce   
•  1 tsp ginger root, finely grated   
•  2 tsp honey   
•  1 1/2 tsp sesame oil   
•  2 tsp apple cider vinegar   
•   1 1/2 cup(s) (shredded) cooked green cabbage, thinly sliced   
•   1 cup(s) uncooked red cabbage, thinly sliced   
•   1 cup(s) uncooked carrot(s), peeled and grated   
•  3 Tbsp raisins   
•   2 medium uncooked scallion(s), white and light-green parts chopped   

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, ginger, honey, sesame oil and vinegar for dressing. Set aside at room temperature. Combine remaining ingredients and toss until well mixed. About 15 minutes before serving, pour dressing over salad and stir to combine. Set aside and stir occasionally. Yields about 1 packed cup per serving.

Creations Pesto Vermicelli With Shrimp

original recipe found on classico.com

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces vermicelli
• 1 pound frozen medium cooked shrimp*
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup dry white wine or water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2/3 cup Classico Creations Basil Pesto
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Directions:

Cook vermicelli as package directs; drain. In medium skillet, cook shrimp in oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are heated through. Add wine and lemon juice; cook and stir until most of liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. In large bowl, gently toss hot vermicelli, shrimp, pesto and lemon peel.
* May substitute with 1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined. Cook shrimp until pink in the first step of the recipe. Proceed as above.

Serving Size: Makes 4-6 servings. 

Vegetable toss

1/4 c olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 tsp garlic
1/2 T thyme
sal and pepper
1 tsp dijon mustard

Toss any variety of vegetables in this mixture.  Place on baking sheet sprayed lightly with Pam.  Oven roast at 400 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes

Linguiça and peppers

Had this at one of Glen's co-workers house in Providence many years ago

Linguiça, sliced thin
oil
green peppers, sliced thin
onions, sliced thin
1 large can diced tomatoes
sugar
salt and pepper

Brown sliced Linguiça in 2 T oil until tender.  Add sliced onions and peppers.  Cook well.  Add tomatoes, sugar, and seasoning.  Serve on rolls

Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad

From Mogwai Soup

Had this salad on Courtney's recommendation - delicious!

3 cups of baby spinach and arugula mix
1 cup of roasted butternut squash (recipe underneath)
1/2 cup of red quinoa, cooked
1/2 of wheat berries, cooked
1/4 cup of crumbled goat cheese
3 Tbsp of dried cranberries
3 Tbsp of golden raisins
1/4 cup of almonds, chopped or slivers
1 Tbsp of roasted red pepper, diced in little chunks
2 Tbsp of red onions, diced


I like to cook my quinoa and wheat berries on Sunday or Monday, so I have it for my various salads the whole week. I store them in mason jars in my fridge, and this works great for me. Cook them according to your package directions. I like to cook mine in vegetable broth. Quinoa in 2:1 ratio water to grain for 10 to 15 minutes. Wheat berries take a little bit longer, depending on the kind you get. Just follow the instruction on your package and I cook those in broth as well.


Roasted Butternut Squash:

Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Cut a very thin piece of the bottom to make it more stable, and then cut it in half lengthwise. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.
With a large spoon scoop the membranes and seeds from the center. Cut it into 1/2" cubes.
Now, season the squash with a tablespoon of olive oil, one or two cloves of minced garlic, some fresh thyme and rosemary (1 sprig each) and salt and pepper. Toss it all together so everything is coated and then put on a cookie sheet lined with greased baking paper. Roast for about 25 minutes.


Dressing:

1 Tbsp canola oil
2 tsp honey
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp of water
about 1/2" of ginger, grated

Put all of the ingredients into a mason jar and mix well. Pour a few tablespoons over our salad. Refrigerate the rest.


Assemble the salad:

Fill the bowl with the spinach and arugula. In a smaller bowl mix your quinoa, wheat berries, red pepper, onions, cranberries and raisins. Put over the greens, add butternut squash and toss a few times. Crumble the goat cheese over the whole salad and top with almonds. I like to roast mine before for just a few minutes. Add the dressing and enjoy!

Green Beans with Lemon

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp finely chopped fresh flate leafed parsley
1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper

Direction
in a large saucepan of boiling water cook beans until crisp-tender (about 2 minutes) and drain in a colander.  In a bowl toss beans with lemon juice, parsley, zest, and pepper and season with salt
Per serving: 16 calories

Chicken with Lobster Sauce (Gourmet Group recipe)

serves 6-8
4 chicken boned chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
2 T sherry
1 12 ox box fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 T flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 T tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
2 10 oz packages frozen lobster tails

Season chicken with S & P.  Heat butter in large skillet.  Add chicken and brown until golden.  Spoon sherry over chicken.  Remove chicken and place in a shallow baking dish.  Cover and bake at 300 for 1 hour.  Add mushrooms to skillet and saute until tender.  You may have to add a little more butter.  Blend in flour and chicken stock. Simmer, stirring until thickened.  Season with tomato paste, salt and pepper.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare lobster tails buy removing shells and cutting into bite-sized pieces.  Add lobster meat to sauce ad simmer until just heated through.  Serve chicken on large platter topped with sauce, arranging lobster attractively on top.

Roast Beef, Gravy Simple, Satisfying - Courant 2001

October 04, 2001 | By BILL DALEY and CHRISTOPHER PROSPERI

These are the times when we all crave familiar foods that bring a sense of comfort and warmth to the table. Think roast beef. The quintessential company dinner for generations of Americans, roast beef is a snap to cook. You just have to get the right cut, like a top round or a bottom round, and cook it in the oven until the desired degree of doneness. And despite all of the well­meaning warnings out there, we still want our roast beef rare, or medium rare at most.

Our method calls for an initial period of high­temp roasting at 450 degrees to help ``seal'' in the meat's juices, then the thermostat gets turned down to 350 degrees for the rest of the cooking. A 3­pound top round roast is ready in just a little more than one hour.

We like rubbing the roast with minced garlic, kosher salt and black pepper. Seasoning gives each thin slice of cooked meat a little extra spark. While this recipe is for beef, the same principles apply to a roast lamb or roast pork. Use a heavy­duty roasting pan or anything ovenproof with a heavy bottom. You'll want to turn the caramelized juices left in the pan into a gravy, and these juices could burn if the pan is too flimsy. You also want a roasting pan with at least an inch­ high rim all around to contain splatters.

Some folks roast their meats on a rack that fits into the pan. Lifting the meat up off the bottom of the pan is important because it allows the heat to circulate better and promotes more even cooking. Don't worry if you don't have a rack. Do what we do and rest the meat on a bed of sliced onions. Again, the onions perfume the meat as it cooks and lend flavor to the gravy.

One nice thing about a roast beef is that cooking times don't have to be too exact. You should time your roast so it's ready about a half-­hour before dinner. That rest will give the meat time to ``relax' ' and redistribute the juices.

Use that resting time to prepare the gravy. You can use whatever thickeners you like, from the traditional flour and fat mixture known as a roux to cornstarch mixed in water. Serve the roast beef with whatever side dishes are traditional in your family . Mashed or baked potatoes, green beans and hot buttered rolls are classic accompaniments.


BASICS ROAST BEEF * 3­ pound top round roast * 1 tablespoon kosher salt * 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper * 7 garlic cloves, for about 2 tablespoons chopped garlic * 1 medium onion, about 3/4 cup roughly sliced * For the gravy: * 1 tablespoon tomato paste * 1/2 cup red wine * 1/4 cup reduced­sodium chicken stock * 3/4 cup water * 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pat salt and ground pepper evenly over all surfaces of the meat. Rub the meat with the chopped garlic.

Peel and roughly slice a medium onion. Strew the onions across the bottom of a heavy­bottomed roasting pan. Rest the seasoned meat on top of the onions and place into the oven. Roast at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the surface of the meat is browned and forming a slight crust at the edges. This browning will help seal in the juices, making for a moister, tender roast. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast the beef for about an hour. You'll want to start taking its temperature with an instant read thermometer after about 45 minutes or so.

Plan to remove the meat from the oven when the beef is about 5 degrees cooler than you'd like. In other words, if you want the roast beef to be medium rare ­­ about 130 to 135 degrees ­­ take the meat out of the oven when the thermometer registers 125 degrees. The meat will continue to cook outside the oven, gaining that 5 or so degrees.

Allow the roast beef to rest at least 10 minutes before beginning to carve. You want the juices that have been drawn near the meat's surface by the roasting to redistribute themselves through the beef. Carve the roast beef at the dining­room table or in the kitchen ­­ whatever is easiest for you.

Meanwhile, start making the gravy right in the roasting pan. Place the pan on the stovetop over high heat. You can, if you wish, remove the onions from the roasting pan, especially if they've browned too much. We like to leave them in, believing the onions begin to dissolve into the gravy, adding extra flavor and texture.

As the pan juices and residual fat begin to sizzle in the pan, spoon in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and stir vigorously. You want the tomato paste to break up, bubble and begin to brown. You also want to use the tomato paste as an agent to lift the browned bits, or fond, off the bottom of the pan. (The acidity in the tomato paste does the trick.) Pour in the 1/2 cup of red wine and stir vigorously to scrape up the fond. Bring the red wine to a boil and reduce until the wine is almost syrupy.

Quickly so as not to let the tomato­wine­onion mixture begin to burn, pour in 1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken stock and 3/4 cups water. Stir to combine. Allow to come back to the boil and reduce slight

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Pour about half of the mixture into the gravy and stir until the gravy begins to thicken slightly and sports a satiny sheen. Add more of the cornstarch and water mixture if necessary.

To finish off the gravy, stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, which will smooth the taste and help give the gravy a lovely shine. Pour the gravy into a bowl or gravy boat and pass alongside the roast beef.

Makes six portions.

Christopher Prosperi is chef­owner of Metro Bis restaurant in Simsbury. Bill Daley is a food writer and restaurant reviewer with The Courant.

Cindy Andrews Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 c Crisco
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup flour
2 T Dream Whip
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp salt

Mix above and add 2 lbs confectionary sugar gradually.  Beat on high speed for 10 minutes

Crazy Cake (made for Valentine's Day) - VG chocolate cake for anytime

2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup cocoa
1 cup shortening (or use oil)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 325.  Line (or Pam and flour) a 9" square pan and a 9" round pan. Into a large mixing bowl, put all ingredients except the water in the order listed.  Do not stir.  Then add the boiling water and mix well.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans.  Bake 35 minutes.

To shape the heart:
place square cake upside down on a tray (15" x 18).  Place cake with one corner at top, in diamond shape.  cut round cake in half to make two curved pieces. Turn upside down - straight sides will join top of diamond to form a heart.

Buttercream frosting:
6 oz (3/4 cup or 1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
6 T milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 lbs (6 3/4 cups) sifted confectioners flour

Place butter, milk, salt and vanilla in mixing bowl. Add  1/2 the sugar, mixing slowly. Gradually add the rest. Continue beating until light and fluffy. Color some for trim.

Candy Cane Coffee Cakes (makes 3 coffee cakes0

Fleishmann's Rapid Rise yeast recipe

Dough
5 - 5/12 cups gold medal all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 pkgs Fleischmann's rapid rise Yeast
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs

Fruit Filling *
2 cups chopped mixed candied and/or dried fruits
1 cup chopped nuts
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 egg white

Glaze
Blend 1 cup powdered sugar with 4-5 tsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1/3 tsp almond extract

Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt in large bowl.  Heat water and butter until very warm (125-130 degrees).  Stir into flour mixture. Stir in eggs and enough remaining flour to make soft dough.  Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.  Mix ingredients for filling; reserve.

Divide dough into three equal parts.  Roll each into a rectangle.  15 x 7 inches.  Place 1/3 filling lengthwise in 2" strip down center of each rectangle.  With sharp knife, make cuts from dough edges to filling at 1" intervals.  alternating sides, fold strips at an angle over filling.  Carefully stretch each to 18" length.  Curve one end of each to form cane handle.  Place canes on 2 greased cookie sheets. Cover, let rise in warm place until double in size, about 30 - 45 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, cover with foil and switch position of sheets in oven.  Bake 10 - 20 minutes longer or until done.  Remove from sheets; cool on racks.  Drizzle with Glaze.  If desired, decorate with candied cherries.

* Alternate Cherry Almond filling
With fork, beat 1 cup  (8 oz) almond paste with 1 egg white.  Stir in 1 cup chopped blanched almonds, toasted.  Divide and spread over each rectangle as directed.  Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups chopped candied cherries (divided on each). Continue as above.

Courtney's Rice and Beans

1 can Progresso Hearty Black Bean Soup
1 can corn,  drained
Cooked rice (or pasta)
Cheddar cheese

Cook soup with corn.  Add rice or pasta. Stir in cheese. Season with basil and pepper

Tuscan Tuna and White Bean Salad

http://bevcooks.com/2012/06/tuscan-tuna-and-white-bean-salad/

What it took for 2:
* 1 can albacore tuna (drained)
* 1 (14.5 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
* 2-4 cups mixed greens (I used spinach and romaine) (or prepare without)
* 1/4 red onion, finely sliced
* 1/2 cup dehydrated tomatoes
* 1/4 cup (or more if you love olives) kalamata olives, halved
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 lemon (2 Tbs. lemon juice and 1 Tbs. zest) or red wine vinegar
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
In a large bowl, combine the tuna, beans, onions, celery, olives, tomatoes and lemon zest.
In another smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Throw a pinch of salt and pepper in there.
Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss to combine.
Serve over a bed of mixed greens, with extra lemon on the side. That’s it! You’re gonna luuuv it.

White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

From allrecipes.com
I added 1 tsp each Rosemary, Tarragon, Beaumond

INGREDIENTS:

9 lasagna noodles 1/2 cup butter 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups chicken broth 1 1/2 cups milk 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water. 2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and salt, and simmer until bubbly. Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with the basil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside. 3. Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, the ricotta, and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken, and layer with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, spinach, and the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese, and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. 4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cups ricotta cheese 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Weight Watcher Vegetable Soup

1/4 cup diced onion
2 pkts instant chicken broth and seasoning mix
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1/2 cup each thinly sliced carrot and chopped seeded tomato
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp basil
1/8 tsp pepper

In 1 1/2 quart nonstick saucepan combine onion, broth mix, and garlic.  cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent.  Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine; cover and cook over low heat, stirring, about 10 minutes.  add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove about 1/2 cup veggies and set aside.  In blender, puree soup; return to saucepan and add reserved vegetables.

Makes 2 servings (old weight watchers 0 points)

Cinnamon Blueberry Overnight French Toast

Cinnamon, vanilla, and blueberries mingle together in this scrumptious overnight french toast bake. Make-ahead recipes like this have been my salvation for many a holiday - and we especially love this one. Prep time includes the 1 hour for the bread cubes to sit out to harden.

yield: 6-8 SERVINGS

prep time: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES

cook time: 1 HOUR

total time: 2 HOURS 20 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cups challah bread cubes, cut into 1-inch squares (cinnamon swirl or other sweet eggy breads like brioche are also great)
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, plus a few additional for topping
• Pure maple syrup for topping, if desired

Topping

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Spread the bread cubes on a large baking sheet or cutting board and let sit at room temperature to crisp up a bit, at least 1 hour but up to 8.
2. Butter a 9-inch x 12-inch baking dish and add half of the bread cubes (4 cups). Scatter blueberries on top, then add remaining bread.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Pour over the bread cubes and blueberries. Pat gently to help submerge the bread. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours.
4. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, mix together the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Remove casserole from refrigerator and uncover. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the top.
5. Bake for 60 – 70 minutes, until golden brown and no longer jiggly. If it begins to brown too much toward the end of baking, cover with a piece of foil.
6. Cut into squares and serve with additional blueberries and maple syrup. 

Lentil Soup**

Good one! Recipe on package suggests for 1 lb package of lentils, add 6 cups water and 3.5 cups broth = almost 10 cups liquid. This recipe has the canned tomatoes not on the pkg recipe. So I add at least 1 more cup of water.

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, cut into 2" pieces
1 medium onion, sliced
1 lg carrot, sliced (about 3/4 cup)
1 lg celery stalk, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 cups water
12 oz dried lentils (about 2 cups)
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 Tbsp snipped parsley
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes
1 cup water

Directions

Fry bacon in 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven until limp; drain on paper towels. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic to bacon fat; cook and stir over medium heat until celery is tender, about 10 mins. Stir in bacon, 4 cups water, the lentils, bouillon cube, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until soup thickens, about 1 hour.

Stir in tomatoes (with liquid) and 1 cup water. Simmer uncovered 15 mins.

Makes 6 servings about 1 1/2 cups each

Number of Servings: 6

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 6
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 156.8

• Total Fat: 2.0 g
• Cholesterol: 2.7 mg
• Sodium: 1,438.5 mg
• Total Carbs: 35.3 g
• Dietary Fiber: 14.4 g
• Protein: 13.6 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Lentil Soup calories by ingredient

Minestrone - Liz Mac version

2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
4 cubes vegetable bouillon ( or broth)
8 cup hot water
1/4 tsp Italian herb seasoning
1  14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup uncooked tubetti pasta
1 15 oz can small white beans, drained
1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained
1 head escarole, trimmed and chopped (3 packed cups)
1 12 oz package, fully cooked turkey meatballs, optional
Grated parmesean

Heat oil in large soup pot.   Add onions, saute 3 minutes.  Add carrots and garlic, saute 3 minutes. Add zucchini, saute 5 minutes.

dissolve bouillon in hot water.  Add to pot along with Italian seasoning and the tomatoes.  Bring to boil then add pasta.  boil until tender.  Stir in drained beans and escarole, continue to cook until escarole is wilted

If using meatballs, quarter, then stir into soup.  Let stand until heated through.

Italian Quesadillas

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Total Time: 1 hr
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min

Yield:12 servings
Level:Easy
Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
9 (8-inch-diameter) flour tortillas
3 cups shredded Fontina
3/4 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained well and patted dry
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan, plus 3 tablespoons for garnish
Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sugar, and cook until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Season the onions, to taste, with salt and pepper; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Sprinkle some Fontina over half of a tortilla. Arrange some bell peppers and sauteed onions on top of the Fontina. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and Parmesan. Sprinkle more Fontina over. Fold the clean half over the filling to cover and press gently to seal. Repeat with remaining tortillas evenly dividing the filling ingredients.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil on a heavy large griddle over medium heat. Working in batches, cook the quesadillas until the cheese melts and the tortillas are golden brown, adding more oil as needed, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the quesadillas to baking sheets and keep them warm in the oven while cooking the remaining quesadillas.

Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges. Arrange them on a platter. Garnish the platter with parsley sprigs and serve.

Do-Ahead Tip: The quesadillas can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead. Arrange them on a baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/italian-quesadillas-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback