200 under 200

So, way back when, I was all excited when I got the Hungry Girl 200 under 200 cookbook, however I haven't actually made anything from it til this week. Heres the first 2 recipes:

Scoopable Chinese chicken salad

Obviosously I ate this as a sandwich, which I am sure blew the under 200 cal out of the water, but it was good. I also don't think I got a full serving on the sandwich, so maybe it evens out?? I altered the recipe slightly, but I was happy with the out come. Robert hasn't tried it yet, so not sure what he is going to say yet, it does have a lot of veggies for him.

Bacon-bundled bbq shrimp

This one I have made twice in less than a week! Does that tell you something :) I made it for Bunco Friday night and then again for a appietizer theme lunch party Monday. Both times it was a hit and my hubby complained that I wasn't feed them all to him :)

Another cooking creme

We tried out the second Philly Cooking creme I got a couple weeks ago tonight and it was excellent too! I think I actually liked this one better. Robert wasn't home to try it, and I let my mom take the leftovers home to my bro, so he will have to try it another time. Tonight was the Italian cheese and herb, and I made Chicken pasta primavera. Also, just to toot my own horn, I would just like to mention that this is the third meal I have made in the last 2 weeks that was made from 1 chicken that I got on sale for 69cents a lb. So my chicken that cost just under $3 made chicken and gnocchi soup, chicken and dumplings, and the pasta tonight...if that's not stretching a buck I don't know what is! And there really was plenty of chicken in each meal! I have found that if I roast a chicken and then pull every little bit of chicken off the bones and separate it into even piles it really is a great deal, especially for us, because none of us really likes the dark meat by itself so this is great for making pastas, soups, casseroles, enchiladas. Anywho, I am proud of myself :)

Have you tried these yet?....

I picked up 2 of these new Philly Cooking Cremes a couple weeks ago(for free!) at HT. We tried the Savory Garlic the other day, I made the recipe that was on the package, Chicken Florentine. I topped it with some roasted tomatoes, fresh shredded basil, and shredded parm. I was very happy with the way it came out and would recommended it. Plus it made WAY more than the bag meals in the freezer section, which chicken Florentine is one of the few that I actually buy. There was enough left overs for me to eat it the next 2 days for lunch.

Not good and Not Bad

So I am waaaayyyy behind on my blogging again, I just can't seem to shake this funk and stay in a good rhythm. I attempted to concoct a new chicken a dish and it just didn't turn out how I envisioned it. But I must say I did try to rush it and that probably didn't help the situation. I made a ricotta and herb stuffed chicken, but the edge didn't seal the way I thought it would when I was searing it and most of the cheese filling oozed out and it took longer than I thought it would to cook through so I ended up putting it in the microwave to cook it faster which of course dried it out! UGGG, like I said I was rushing and it just didn't come together the way I thought it would. I made broiled asparagus w/ olive oil, lemon zest, and mozzarella cheese and roasted cherry tomatoes which were very good, but not hard at all.



The other was Pork Tenderloin medallions w/ Marsala sauce & pasta. This one was pretty good, but next time I think I will double the amount of sauce, that was really the only complaint we had about it. This one was another RR from the Look and Cook cookbook.

Robert LOVED this one...

Sliced Chicken w/ apples, pears & Boursin mashed potatoes.
*the recipe is actually for camembert potatoes, but I couldn't find it, turns out I could have just bought a brie, and I had the Boursin for another recipe but was missing a major ingrident, so I just switched it and it was fine.

When I say Robert loved this, I mean LOVED...he ate 3 of the 4 servings! 2 at lunch when I made it, and then after his nap before work he finished it off!

New recipes!

So, as I said before, I got RR's new cookbook and I LOVE it! I have already made several recipes out of it and they have all been very good. So far only one Robert didn't really care for. I took pics of several of the recipes, but not all, here is what we have tried so far:

Spinach & Artichoke mac'n'cheeseThis is the one thing I have made that Robert wasn't fond of, but he doesn't like artichokes. I thought it was good, but I didn't chop the artichokes because I was in a rush and I think that would have made a difference. I just did a simple panko coated chicken breast to go with the mac'n'cheese, which was supper yummy :)


Sirloin burgers w/ garlic-black pepper-Parmesan sauce & roasted tomatoes w/ basil & balsamic glaze served with seasoned fries.
This one was SOOOO EXCELLENT!! It will definitely be made again and again and as you can see literally came out picture perfect :) And on a side note, my Dad got me a meat grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aide, so I actually ground the sirloin to make these burgers :) Which made them more affordable, because I found the steaks marked down.


Lemon Risotto and Orange balsamic glazed chicken. These are actually 2 different recipes in the book that I did together and they were perfect for each other. We both really enjoyed it and it was 2 first for us, we had never had risotto or arugula.


Pancetta-wrapped shrimp all'amatriciana. This one again was very yummy, we had fresh baked french bread with it. The only thing about this one was that it was a little salty for me. I am not big on salt most of the time, and pancetta is VERY salty I discovered. I think I may try regular bacon next time, but it is on the make again list.


Chinese Orange-barbecue cashew chicken served over yellow rice. This one was excellent as well! My mom was here the night I made this one and we all loved it, it came out perfect.


Here are a few more that I have made, but didn't get pictures of:

Steakhouse chili pot. We really enjoyed this one. I usually make chili using beans, and this is bean free, so it was a nice change from what we usually have.

Bocconcini stuffed meatballs w/ tomato-pesto sauce. So,I didn't exactly follow the recipe on this one, for lack of ingredients, but they still came out really good. Instead of a combo of beef, pork, and veal, I just used beef and turkey. And for whatever reason I didn't buy pesto or the basil to make pesto so I just made the tomato sauce which was fine with us.

Well, I think that is all for now, stay tuned I have several more recipes on the next 2 weeks menu that come from this book as well:)

Failure and success all in the same day

I have had several people ask me do I make Red Velvet cake over the last few months, and the answer is always not yet, but if you order one I will gladly make it. I didn't have an order for one, but I attempted it today. I used a Paula Deen recipe and I can't believe I am saying this, but it was a failure. I just don't really care for red velvet so I didn't like it. But, my husband does like it and he said it was dry. I have a few taste testers that I still have to hear back from but I am not expecting rave reviews of. I also have a carrot cake recipe that I pulled from a magazine awhile back that I had been wanting to try so I made it today also. And it was a success!! It came out perfect, and was so super simple. And while I actually made cupcakes with both recipes instead of actual cakes, I think that it can still count towards my make a cake from scratch that is on my 101 things list. I was covered in sugar and flour by the time I was done making both these recipes from scratch and the icing to go with them. They both called for cream cheese icing, but it was different from what I usually make and so far everyone really likes this icing. I uses both cream cheese and butter, of course butter makes everything better :)

My little cake monster...think she wants one? She ate 3 today!


Carrot


Red Velvet

Why....

did I wait so long to make this recipe?? I have had this recipe for probably 3 yrs and never made it. I have no idea why, but I am glad I finally did, cause it was soo yummy! Me and Hailey both really enjoyed it tonight and I am sure Robert will when he eats in the middle of the night. Christopher of course didn't try it!
The picture really doesn't do it justice!

Taco Pasta Skillet
8 oz lean beef (I used turkey)
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 11oz can corn
1 14oz can black beans
1 C salsa
3 C hot water
8 oz penne pasta
4 oz fat free cream cheese
4 oz shredded cheese

*Brown meat, add seasoning-pasta, simmer 15 mins. Add cheese to melt.
And this is a weight watchers recipe, but I don't know the point value, I had hand written it.

New recipes

Last night I tried two new recipes and they were both a hit! :) I love RR!! Her stuff is easy and we almost always like it. I didn't take any pics of what I made but here is the link to the recipes, Snappy schnitzel and dill and shallot potatoes:


http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/snappy-schnitzel/
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/dill-and-shallot-potato-salad/

Gazpacho

So, I keep trying to find ways to get us to eat better, and I must say lately I seem to be having alot of misses. This recipe was pretty good, but wasn't filling enough to be a main course. But we all(me, Robert, Mom, and Dad) all did like it and I may make it again, it was nice and refreshing and had good flavor.

Ingredients:
5 lbs seedless watermelon, flesh chopped and chilled
1 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 pints grape tomatoes, 1/2 pint quartered
1 red bell pepper-seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp evoo
S&P
3/4 lbs large shrimp-peeled, deveined and patted dry
4 ounces feta crumbles

1. On a work surface, finely chop enough of the watermelon and cucumbers to yield 1 cup each; in a med bowl, combine w/ the quartered tomatoes. Using a food processor and working in batches, puree the remaining watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion vinegar and 2 tbsp evoo and 1 teaspoon pepper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2. In a lg bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining 1 tbsp evoo and season w/ S&P. Heat a lg skillet over med-high heat, ass the shrimp and cook, turning once, until opaque 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Divide the gazpacho among 4 bowls and top with the reserved chopped watermelon mixture, the shrimp and feta.

Awsome NO mayo Potato Salad!

So this was on Rachael Ray the other day and looked pretty good. So when we were invited to an impromptu cookout this weekend I thought I would give it a try and it was a HUGE it! I especially liked it, since I do NOT eat mayo!

Patrick's Grilled Potato Salad

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds baby red or yellow potatoes, roughly cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 or 4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped
1 lemon, half thinly sliced and half juiced, divided
1/3 C evoo
salt and pepper
2 tlbsp cider vinegar
2 tlbsp Dijon or grainy mustard
3 tlbsp brown sugar
2 tlbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 scallions, thinly sliced
*serves 4

Preparation
Preheat a grill to medium-heat. Scatter the potatoes in an 8-inch disposable aluminum baking tray and toss w/ garlic, thyme, lemon slices, a drizzle of evoo and some salt and pepper. Cover the tray w/ foil and place on the grill until potatoes are tender, about 30 min.
While potatoes are cooking, whisk together remaining evoo, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar and parsley in a large bowl. Season w/ S&P and toss potatoes in while they're still warm, giving them a good stir to coat. Serve warm or at room temp, garnished w/ scallions.
*I did this in the oven at 400 for 30 min and it came out perfect, also I doubled the recipe so it may not need quit as long for a single recipe :)

Pumpkin Cupcakes w/ Cream cheese frosting

So, I found these in a magazine back in the fall, obviously since pumpkin is usually a fall thing. But as soon as I saw them I immediately thought of my friend Tiffany, so I pulled it out to try sometime. Well, I never got around to making them over the fall/winter. But she just recently found out she is pregnant and she was having party the other night so I made them for her and they were a huge hit! And super easy to make. All you do is substitute pumpkin puree for the amount of water in a yellow cake box mix and the icing is one cup powder sugar for each block of cream cheese(I used 2).

Chocolate-zucchini cakes w/ nuts

So I can't remember now which magazine I pulled this recipe out of but I am very glad I did!! I think it was either Reader's Digest or Guidepost, but it is possible it is from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, anyways I made these tonight and they are excellent so thought I would share. Plus, they are a great way to sneak some veggies into unsuspecting kids and hubbys :)

~1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
~1 C sugar
~1/2 tsp salt
~1 lg egg
~1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
~1 cup finely grated zucchini
~3 tbsp sour cream
~1 C all purpose flour
~1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
~1/2 C bittersweet chocolate, chopped or chocolate chips
~24 walnut halves

*Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, stir together butter, sugar, salt, and egg until combined. Add vanilla, zucchini, and sour cream and stir until incorporated. Sift flour and cocoa into bowl and stir until combined. Stir into wet mixture.
*Spray two mini muffin pans w/ cooking spray. Fill each cup w/ 2 tbsp batter and top w/ a walnut. bake 15-17 min. Cool on wire racks.

*I used pecans because it is what I had and prefer. Also, I got 34 cakes not 24...Hope you enjoy if you try it!

Super low sodium scampi

So, I tend to have swelling issues when I even slightly increase my salt intake, so I have found a great combo flavor wise that isn't pre-made so I can totally control the salt.



1/2 stick unsalted butter
3tbs chopped garlic
lemon juice
sm onion, chopped
lime juice
cracked black pepper
white wine
1 bag jumbo raw shrimp, thawed and peeled
1 bundle asparagus, washed and chopped into lg bite sized pieces

*In med/lg frying pan combine butter, 2 tbs garlic, and onion, let simmer covered til onions are translucent. Meanwhile toss shrimp w/ remaining garlic, pepper, and a few squeezes of lime juice and let rest. Once onions are translucent, add a few turns of the pan worth of wine and the asparagus and cover continue to simmer til asparagus turns bright green and slightly tender. Add marinated shrimp for pan and cook through. Serve w/ your choice of side. I have found that I really like it over jasmine rice for something different, however Robert likes pasta. I also had a farm fresh tomato tonight so I chopped it up to top the scampi tonight.

Tonight for dinner I used the left over scampi to make lettuce wraps and it was great like that too :)

Chicken and Gnocchi soup

So, I have had this recipe for awhile and finally made it last night. It was very good! My husband said it was excellent and is definitely a do again recipe :) Of course I altered it a little because like usual I thought I had everything and didn't check until it was time to start cooking. I am posting the recipe as I got it and then at the bottom what I changed.

3-4 chicken breast cooked and diced
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups half and half
1 stalk of diced celery
1 garlic clove chopped
1/2 carrot shredded
1/2 onion diced
1 cup fresh spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper
16 ounces of potato gnocchi

1. saute the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, in oil over med heat until onion is translucent
2. add chicken, chicken stock, half and half, salt and pepper, thyme. Heat to boiling, then add gnocchi Gently boil for 5 minutes, then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes
3. Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes until spinach is wilted


Towards the end, I did add just a few additional seasonings (randomly whatever was in my cabinet) and I also sprinkled a little Bisquick into the soup to thicken it up a little.

**CHANGES I MADE**
~I had skin on bone in chicken breast so they still had the tenders and rib meat, so after taking the meat off of 2 I had plenty of chicken. I think it I was using bl/sl chicken breast it would probably need 3-4.
~before cooking the chicken I diced it up and tossed it with a little bit of poultry seasoning
~Of course I did not have half and half so instead of using that and adding the bisquick I made a quick bechamel sauce w/ butter, flour, and whole milk to help the soup thicken and it was the perfect thickness for us.
~Instead of fresh spinach I used a whole box of frozen chopped spinach, which is way more than the recipe calls for but it really helps boost the fiber and iron content and probably made it a little more filling.