Tomato-Fresh Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh mozzarella
1 lb ripe tomatoes
Fresh whole large basil leaves as needed
Salt and black pepper
Vinaigrette (below)

Prepare Vinaigrette dressing. Cut mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices. Cut tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Alternate mozzarella slices, tomato slices and basil leaves overlapping on plate. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.



Vinaigrette Dressing
1 tablespoon balsamic or wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt, black pepper, and sugar
1/4 cup olive oil*

*You can use regular olive oil or grape seed oil

Zesty Broiled Chicken

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 chicken (about 3 pounds)

Step-by-Step:

Preheat broiler. Line broiler pan with foil and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.

For seasoning mix, combine the garlic powder, basil, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper in small jar with lid; cover. Shake well to mix.
 Mix 1 tablespoon seasoning mix, the lemon juice and olive oil in small bowl until well blended; set aside.
Remove skin from chicken and discard. Cut the chicken into serving-size pieces.
Brush the chicken pieces with reserved olive oil mixture; place chicken on prepared broiler pan.
Broil the chicken, turning twice, until juices run clear when meat is pierced with a knife, about 35 minutes.

Simple Summer Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

8 oz uncooked bow tie pasta *
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 pkg (8 oz) fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 can (6 oz) tuna packed in water, drained**
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup Italian salad dress
black pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions: drain.
2. Combine tomatoes, mozzarella, tuna, basil and garlic in large bowl; toss gently. Add pasta and salad dressing; toss lightly to coat. Season with pepper to taste. Refrigerate before serving.


* Any type of hardy pasta would work. I use rotini or penne
** If you are not a fan of tuna you can use chicken. You can find it over with the tuna or use leftover chicken from the night before.

Classic Pecan Tart

Ingredients:

For the pastry dough:

• 1 1/4 cups soft winter-wheat flour, such as
    White Lily brand, or cake flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup cold solid vegetable shortening
• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut
    into small cubes
• 3 to 6 Tbs. ice water

For the filling:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbs. bourbon (optional)
• 1 Tbs. grated orange zest
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup pecan halves, plus 1/3 cup coarsely
    chopped pecans

Directions:

To make the pastry, in a bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the shortening and cut in with a pastry blender, 2 knives or your fingers until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the butter and cut in until it forms tiny pea-size balls. Add the ice water a little at a time, stirring and tossing with the pastry blender or a fork until the mixture holds together. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into an 11-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Fold the round into quarters and place in a 9 1/2-inch nonstick or traditional tart pan with a removable bottom. Unfold, then press gently into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim the overhang even with the pan rim. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325°F.

To make the filling, in a bowl, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, eggs, bourbon, orange zest, vanilla, salt, pecan halves and chopped pecans. Pour into the chilled pastry shell and place the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake until the center is slightly soft to the touch, the edges are set and the crust is golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes, then remove the pan sides and slide the tart off the pan bottom onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma New American Cooking Series, The South, by Roy Overton (Time-Life Books, 2000).

Creamy Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

3 cups elbow macaroni (about 10 ounces)

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

2 tablespoons white vinegar (substitute: Sweet Pickle juice)

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 cup cubed Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Step-by-Step:

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water; drain again.
Combine sour cream, mayonnaise and milk in a large bowl; mix well. Add relish, vinegar and mustard; mix well.
Add cooked macaroni, Cheddar, celery, bell pepper and onion to bowl; mix well. Sprinkle with paprika.

Chicken and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

8 boneless chicken breasts (about 5 1/4 ounces each)

1 3/4 cups milk, divided

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon butter

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup

Step-By-Step

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 × 9-inch baking pan.
2. Arrange chicken in single layer in prepared baking pan.
3. Combine 1 1/2 cups milk, the flour, eggs and salt in a medium bowl. Beat at high speed until blended. Add oil and tarragon to egg mixture and mix well. Pour over chicken in baking pan.
4. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of meat registers 180°F, about 65 minutes.
5. Drain mushrooms. Heat the butter in a small saucepan until melted. Stir in the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through.
6. Add remaining milk and soup and mix well. Cook, stirring continually, until heated through and of sauce consistency. Serve with chicken.

Creamy Cheddar Potatoes

Ingredients:


3 1/2 to 4 pounds baking potatoes, scrubbed
12 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon black pepper


Step-by-Step
1. Combine potatoes with enough water to cover in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes; drain. Let stand to cool.
2. Coat bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with butter. Peel the potatoes and coarsely chop. Place in prepared baking dish.
3. Heat the Cheddar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Stir in milk, whipping cream, salt, dry mustard, nutmeg and black pepper. Pour sauce over potatoes. Chill, covered, for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
5. Remove the cover from the potatoes. Bake until potatoes are heated through and lightly browned, about 35 minutes. Serve with baked chicken and green beans, if desired.

Southwest Tortilla Sliders

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (85% lean)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 to 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

1/4 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese

1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Sauce:

2 tablespoons ranch salad dressing

2 tablespoons salsa

Toppings:

1/2 cup shredded lettuce

1/2 cup finely chopped plum tomatoes

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Step-by-step:

Gently combine all burger ingredients except tortillas and cheese in large bowl. Shape into 8 (3-inch) burgers 1/2 inch thick. Press thumb 1/4 inch into center of burger to keep from shrinking. 

Heat grill. With 3 inch cookie cutter, cut 16 rounds from tortillas. Combine pepper jack and cheddar cheeses in small bowl. Combine all sauce ingredients in small serving bowl. 

Grill burgers, covered, 8 to 9 minutes over medium heat or coals until thoroughly cooked and no longer pink in center, turning once and topping with cheese during last 1 minute of cooking. Grill tortilla rounds 30 to 60 seconds or until warm and lightly charred, turning once. Spread tortillas with sauce or serve sauce separately. Serve burgers in tortillas accompanied by toppings. 

Pot Luck Potato Casserole

Ingredients


1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoon butter, divided
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup undiluted
8 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds potatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 to 2 cups stuffing mix


Step-by-Step


1. Place 1/4 cup butter in medium microwave-safe bowl; cover loosely with plastic wrap. Heat on HIGH about 50 to 60 seconds or until completely melted. Add undiluted soup, sour cream, onion and salt to butter; mix well.
2. Peel potatoes; cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. Combine potatoes and cheese in slow cooker. Pour soup mixture into slow cooker; mix well. Sprinkle stuffing mix over potato mixture.
4. Place remaining butter in small microwave-safe bowl; cover loosely with plastic wrap. Heat on HIGH 40 to 45 seconds or until melted. Drizzle butter over stuffing mix in slow cooker.
5. Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH 5 to 6 hours or on LOW 8 to 10 hours or until hot and bubbly and potatoes are tender. Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator.

Summertime Squash

As it starts to get warmer outside I can't wait for all the grilling. Not that I stop grilling outside in the winter. But the fresher zucchini and squash are in the summer but you can make this anytime.

Ingredients:

2 small zucchini

2 small yellow squash

1 small red bell pepper

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon butter

Yellow bell pepper rings and green onion brushes, optional for garnish

Step-by-step:

Scrub zucchini and yellow squash; pat dry with paper towels and cut off ends. Cut zucchini and yellow squash diagonally into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices. Cut red bell pepper lengthwise in half. Remove stem and seeds. Rinse, dry and cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick strips. Finely chop garlic.

Combine cornstarch and salt in small cup. Stir in vegetable broth until mixture is smooth; set aside.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 1 minute or until hot. Drizzle vegetable oil into skillet. Add butter; swirl to coat bottom and heat 30 seconds. Add zucchini and yellow squash; cook and stir 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in red bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.

Stir reserved broth mixture until smooth and add to skillet. Cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens. Garnish, if desired.

Cheesy Penne with Broccoli

Ingredients

• 8 ounces uncooked mini penne pasta
• 5 cups broccoli florets (about 1 medium head)
• 1 1/3 cups fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese 
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2.5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2/3 cup)

Preparation

1. 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to pan; drain. Place pasta and broccoli in a large bowl.
2. 2. Combine milk and flour in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add cheese mixture to pasta mixture; toss. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.

Ivy Manning, Cooking Light 

MARCH 2013

Pasted from <http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cheesy-penne-broccoli-50400000126252/?xid=scancook-mar13-ck>

Shrimp Linguine with Ricotta, Fennel, and Spinach

Ingredients


1. 9 ounces fresh linguine
2. 1 tablespoon olive oil
3. 8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
4. 1 cup vertically sliced fennel bulb
5. 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
6. 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
7. 1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
8. 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
9. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11. 1/4 teaspoon salt
12. 2 ounces grated fresh Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)
13. 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese


Preparation


1. 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
2. 2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add shrimp, fennel, and shallots; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add spinach; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.
3. 3. Stir in rind and next 3 ingredients (through salt). Stir in reserved cooking liquid; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Add pasta and Parmesan cheese; toss to coat. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon ricotta.
Ivy Manning, Cooking Light 
MARCH 2013


Pasted from <http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/shrimp-linguine-50400000126244/?xid=scancook-mar13-ck>


I don't care for fennel so I actually leave it out

Thai Butternut Soup

Ingredients

1 teaspoon canola oil 
1. 1 cup chopped onion
2. 2 1/2 teaspoons red curry paste
3. 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
4. 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
5. 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
6. 2 teaspoons brown sugar
7. 2 (12-ounce) packages frozen pureed butternut squash
8. 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
9. 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
10. 1/4 teaspoon salt
11. 1/2 cup chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts 
12. 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
13. 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges


Preparation


1. 1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add curry paste, garlic, and ginger; sauté 45 seconds, stirring constantly.
2. 2. Add broth and next 5 ingredients (through salt); cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Place half of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Spoon about 1 cup soup into each of 4 bowls; top with 2 tablespoons peanuts and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Note:


Ivy Manning, Cooking Light 
MARCH 2013


Pasted from <http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/thai-butternut-soup-50400000126243/?xid=scancook-mar13-ck>