Chicken Piccata(a light version)

Traditionally, chicken piccata is made with a heavy wine and butter sauce. By eliminating most of the fat and adding less wine,the dish becomes lower in calories without detracting from the taste. Did I mention that you can get this one on the table in about 30 minutes.

Serves 4

1 pound of chicken scaloppini( if you can't find this, buy large boneless skinless breasts and slice them in half vertically)
salt and pepper to taste
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp finely minced parsley
1 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cornstarch

Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet. Brown the chicken on both sides. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Heat the wine and chicken stock in the skillet, bringing to a simmer. Add the garlic,capers and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cornstarch to 1/4 cup cold water or stock. Add to the pan and stir until it thickens. Finish with the zest, half of the parsley, and butter. Return the chicken to the pan. Allow to heat through for about 3 minutes. Serve with whole wheat pasta or roasted potatoes.

Chocolate Coconut Cookie Bars

Ever have one of those moments where you need a dessert but don't have the time or inclination? When asked to bring a treat for a work function, I am often wracking my brain trying to find something that I can whip together on the spur of the moment. This cookie fits the bill. I can easily double it for a crowd and can have it in the oven in about 20 minutes. This would also make a great addition to a holiday cookie tray or hostess gift.

Makes about 30 bars

Crust
3/4 cup of brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1/2 cup(1 stick) melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x11 inch baking dish with baking spray or line with parchment. Combine the flour and the sugar in a medium sized bowl. Add the butter and stir to combine again Press the crust into the baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.

Topping
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 beaten eggs
1 pkg of dark chocolate pieces
1 1/4 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well until all are coated with the eggs. Pour evenly over the crust. Spread it out gently. Sprinkle more coconut over the top if desired. Bake for 30 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into squares

Roasted Salmon with Walnut-Pepper Relish

I'm not the biggest fan of fish but I keep pressing on. Fish has all those omega 3's. is low in fat and loaded with protein. A skinny girl's dream! If you love fish or are trying to love fish, this recipe will get you started. The relish is what makes it.

Serves 6

1/2 cup walnuts
red pepper flakes
juice of half a lemon
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp diced roasted red peppers
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp chives,chopped
salt and pepper
zest of 1 lemon
6 pieces of wild salmon, deboned and skin on

Preheat the oven to 425.Heat a dry skillet over high heat. Add the walnuts and toss until the walnuts begin to brown.(Don't walk away or they will burn). Turn off the heat and let the nuts sit in the pan or few minutes more, they will continue to brown. Meanwhile place the peppers, lemon juice, honey, red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp of oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Chop the nuts and add that to the bowl as well. Set the relish aside. In another small bowl, mix together the remaining parsley, lemon zest, chives 1/2 tsp of salt and a pinch of pepper. Place the remaining olive oil in the bottom of an oven proof skillet. Place the fish in the skillet skin side down. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Top with the parsley/chive mixture. Place in the oven for 12-14 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Top with the relish to serve.

Shrimp and Grits(on the lighter side)

Report Cards are due this week and that means Parent/Teacher Conferences are just around the corner. For me that means late days at school. I need quick and easy meals that I can get on the table in a flash. This one can make it to the table in 20 minutes. I usually serve this with a green salad.

Serves 6
1 cup instant grits
salt and pepper
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
3 tbsp butter or margarine
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left on
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
tabasco sauce
juice of 1/2 a lemon
chopped parsley for garnish
3 cups of chicken or veggie stock
1 cup of low fat milk

Bring the stock, milk and salt to a low boil in a sauce pot. Add the grits slowly, whisking as you add them. Reduce heat to medium low and stir constantly until they thicken. Add the parmesan cheese and 1 tbsp of butter or margarine. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm. In a large skillet, melt the remaining margarine or butter. Add the shirmp, garlic, salt, pepper and several dashes of Tabasco. Stir over medium high heat until the shrimp just turn pink on all sides. Add the lemon juice and turn off the heat. Serve in large bowls. Place the grits on the bottom and top with the shrimp and a sprinkle of parsley.

Crepes with Turkey, Asparagus and Cheese

I enjoy a good crepe but I do not enjoy making them. When I get a craving for crepes I pick up a package of fresh crepes at my local grocery store. Then I go to town making my fillings and sauces for them. I spend less time cooking and more time eating.

Serves 5

10 large crepes
20 slices of thin deli turkey or ham
10 slices of low fat swiss cheese
5 oz of sliced button mushrooms
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1 bundle of fresh apsaragus, trimmed

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray an oblong baking dish with cooking spray. Heat the oil in a medium sized sauce pot. Add the mushrooms and saute. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Place 1 piece of cheese, 2 slices of ham or turkey and 3-4 pieces of asparagus in the center of each crepe. Roll them up, enchilada style, and bake uncovered for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile melt the butter or margarine in the sauce pot. Add the flour and cook, whisking together for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk, chicken stock, salt, pepper, mustard and wine to the pot and cook until thick and bubbly. Add the mushrooms back to the pot. Remove the crepes from the oven. Reduce the heat to 350. Pour the sauce over the crepes. Return to the oven for another 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. Serve

Steaks with Gorgonzola Herb Butter

The first time I had Gorgonzola cheese was on a trip to Italy, 15 years ago. I have been a fan ever since. Unfortunately, I'm the only person in my family that loves this cheese. Or should I say fortunately because that means more for me!

makes enough for 6-8 steaks

4 tbsps softened butter
4 tbsp softened gorgonzola
pepper
1 tbsp fresh parsely, minced

Place all in a food processor. Process until well combined. Place in a bowl and return to room temperature 1 hour before serving. Cook your steaks as you desire. Top each steak with 1 tablespoon of the gorgonzola butter. Serve

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Parmesan and Herbs

This is a quick and easy side. A nice change from regular spuds.

Serves 3-4

2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and peeled

Preheat the oven to 400. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Cut the potatoes into bite sized cubes. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the garlic, cheese, salt, pepper, thyme and olive oil. Toss to coat. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until a knife can easily be inserted and the edges are brown.

Slow Cooker Pasta Sauce

This has to be one of the best and easiest pasta sauces I've made in a long time. It's loaded with veggies which bumps up the flavor and nutrition. If you have picky little eaters(or big ones for that matter). Throw the veggies into a food processor and grind them down as fine as you like. You can't tell their even in there.

serves 8-10

2 large zucchini
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic
10 oz of sliced mushrooms
1 28 oz can of san marzano plum tomatoes
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
1 pound turkey italian sausage
1/3 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper
1 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp minute tapioca

Spray the insert of a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Peel and quarter the onion and chop each zucchini into 4ths and place them into the food processor. Process to the grind you like and pour into the insert. Add the mushrooms and garlic to the processor and grind. Add it to the insert. Squeeze the sausage out of their casings into a hot skillet that has been coated with the oil. Brown the sausage and drain well. Add it to the insert. Place the tomatoes and the tomato paste in the processor and grind them into a sauce. Pour that into the insert. Stir in the salt, pepper, basil, fennel seeds, tapioca and wine. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6 hours. Serve over your favorite pasta. Top with parmesan cheese

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes

When the kids are home for the weekend, I like to fix breakfast after church. I whipped up a batch of these babies. I'd forgotten just how good they are. I doubled the batch so Christopher could take some back to school with him.

makes 8-12

1 1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1 beaten egg
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp canola oil

Place all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a whisk until combined. Add the oil, egg and buttermilk. Stir until just combined. There will be a few lumps. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto a hot griddle that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown. Turning when the edges appear dry and the surface is bubbly.

Manicotti

I took my mom's original recipe and bumped it up with the addition of grated zucchini. It made a nice a addition to the filling. I know everyone will tell you to parboil the shells before baking. I never do for a couple of reasons. First I find that the shells too difficult to fill and they rip easily when pre-cooked. I also discovered that the manicotti comes out over cooked when pre-cooked. By adding a little extra water to the sauce the manicotti comes out perfectly al-dente every time.

Serves 6

12 uncooked manicotti shells
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
1 medium zucchini, grated
2 large cloves of garlic, finely grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
3 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup water
fresh mozarella, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray an oblong baking dish with cooking spray. Pour 1/2 cup sauce and the water into the bottom of the baking dish. In a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, zucchini, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Line a tall glass with a large zip lock bag. Scoop the filling into the zip lock bag(the glass holds the bag open for you to make scooping easier). Zip the bag shut, squeezing out as much air as possible. Snip off on corner off the bottom of the bag. Holding the manicotti shell in your free hand, squeeze some of the filling into both ends of the shell. Snuggle the filled shells up against each other in the baking dish. Cover the shells with the remaining sauce. Lay slices of mozarella over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 50-55 minutes. Remove the foil, turn the broil up to high and brown the top for about 3-5 minutes. Serve

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

These have to be the easiest slow cooker recipe yet. If you have a meat and potatoes lover in your life this is the meal for him/her.

Serves 6

6 large, bone in pork chops
2 large shallots, minced
1 can cream of mushroom soup(I used an organic brand)
1/4 cup dry white or marsala wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt(I used 3 tsp montreal steak seasoning instead)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dry thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup cold water
2 tbsp corn starch

Place the flour, salt, pepper and onion powder in a large zip lock bag. Drop the chops into the bag, seal and shake to coat them. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chops and brown an both sides. Spray the slow cooker's insert with cooking spray. Lay the chops on the bottom. Sprinkle the shallots and thyme over the top. Pour the soup over all and pour the stock and thyme over the soup. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. One hour before serving, skim off any fat and add the corn starch that has been mixed into the cold water. Adjust seasoning if necessary and return the cover. Raise the heat to high and let the chops cook for the remaining hour. Serve over mashed potatoes.