Jalapeño Poppers

I love jalapeño poppers! They are great for appetizers, parties, snacks, or even as a side dish. I made this recipe last night with chicken and a simple, homemade coleslaw. They were delicious! They are oven-baked, not fried, so they won't make you feel heavy and gross like some fried foods will. They are well-flavored and have just the right kick of spice to bring out the classic taste of a beloved jalapeño popper. Try these soon, you will be glad you did!

Jalapeño Poppers

Yields: 24 poppers

Ingredients:

12 fresh jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise, whites and seeds removed (you may want to use gloves for this part, or avoid touching your eyes after removing the insides...)
4 T low fat cream cheese (regular fat cream cheese will work just as well)
3 scallions, diced
3oz shredded cheddar cheese
3oz shredded jalapeño or plain monterey jack cheese
1/2 C panko bread crumbs
1/2 T pepper
1/2 T garlic powder
1/2 T onion powder
1/8 t cayenne pepper
3 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line baking sheet with parchment paper, or spray with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Make sure you remove all the seeds and white insides from the jalapeños, unless you want them SUPER spicy.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix spices and bread crumbs together, set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs until smooth, set aside.

In a third bowl, mix together cream cheese, scallions and shredded cheeses. Spoon and spread filling into halved peppers. Dip stuffed peppers into eggs, then dip into bread crumb mixture, making sure to coat peppers well.

Place finished peppers onto baking sheet, bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cheese is bubbly.

Serve immediately!

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Tasty Roast Beef with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I try to use my crockpot at least once a week. Yesterday I decided to make a classic dinner: Roast Beef and Mashed Potatoes. The roast beef is cooked slowly in the crockpot with a balsamic-flavored sauce that transforms into a wonderful au jus. I also had to add roast garlic to our mashed potatoes because... well roast garlic speaks for itself. The beef is well flavored but not too strong that you couldn't use it for other recipes, such as: Beef Dip, Beef Tacos, Burritos, etc. All I can say about this recipe is YUM!

Tasty Roast Beef with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 1lb boneless Beef Roast

1/2 C low sodium beef broth
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1/2 T Worcestershire (pronounced: WOO-ster-Sheer) sauce
1/2 T soy sauce
1/2 T honey
Pinch red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic (I forgot to add this yesterday, but it didn't make much of a difference)

2lb baby potatoes
1/2 C milk
4oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 head roasted garlic
2-4 T butter or margarine

Directions:

For the Beef: Place roast in crock pot. In a medium bowl, mix together: beef broth, balsamic vinegar, worcestershire, soy sauce, honey, pepper flakes and garlic. Pour over roast. Cook low 6-8 hours (or on high 4-6 hours). Shred beef with two forks and keep warm until you are ready to serve.

For the Potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop the top of 1 head of garlic so that the tops of the cloves are exposed. Drizzle with 1 t olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in tin foil and bake in preheated oven for 40-60 minutes. Allow garlic to cool, then squeeze garlic out of the skin.

In large stock pot, cover potatoes with at least 2" water. Bring to a boil. Let boil 20-30 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain and return potatoes to pot.

Add milk, roasted garlic (all of it), and butter. Mash potatoes until smooth. Add cheddar cheese and mix.

Serve with Roast Beef and your favorite vegetable side dish.


*When garlic is roasted it brings out a beautifully fragrant, sweet flavor to it. Add roasted garlic to pasta, salad, vegetable dish, or spread plain onto French bread for a wonderful treat
*The garlic flavor will improve the longer you let the potatoes sit. The garlic flavor will be more pronounced in leftovers (if you have any!)
*Try adding the Beef au jus to a small sauce pot. Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes, or until mixture is reduced by half. This would be an excellent gravy for the beef and potatoes!
*This recipe can easily be doubled: Use a 3-4lb roast and double the rest of the ingredients

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

(Vegetarian) Black Bean Chili

I have never been shy about my love for meat. However, sometimes it is nice (and necessary) to incorporate vegetarian options into your meal plan. There is one particular vegetarian recipe my mom used to make when I was younger - Black Bean Chili! I used to be much more picky about food when I was young, so I didn't actually like this recipe until I got a bit older. Now I love it! Full of protein from black beans and full of flavor from the seasoning. Try this recipe next time you want to warm up with some chili!

(Vegetarian) Black Bean Chili

Yields: 10 servings

Ingredients:

2 14oz cans black beans (or use dry beans soaked overnight)
1 28oz can diced tomato
2 red peppers, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 head garlic, minced

1/4 C chili powder
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder*
2 t cumin
1 T oregano

Directions:

Saute onion, garlic and peppers over medium-high heat in large stock pot. Mix chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin and oregano in a small bowl. Add seasoning to skillet. Saute to allow flavors to incorporate.

Add beans and tomato to pot, stir well and bring to a low boil. Simmer over medium-low heat until heated through, or up to 2 hours. The longer you simmer this chili, the better the flavor will be!

Serve hot with a small dollop of low-fat sour cream and some shredded cheddar cheese.

*Adding cocoa powder to stews and chilis will enhance the richness, flavor and color to the dish
*Try adding diced or shredded carrot to your chili for some extra veggies. Also, try 1 can kidney beans instead of black beans
*This is a good recipe to make in large batches since it freezes exceptionally well. Freeze in airtight containers for 3-6 months

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Roast Tomato Soup

I really do not like tomatoes. I love tomato-based recipes (tomato sauce, chili, tomato soup, etc), but I cannot stand plain or chunky tomatoes. The problem with that is tomatoes are a superfood! They help lower cholesterol and they help fight cancer. Sometimes I can struggle to incorporate tomatoes into my diet, so I have been looking for a good Roast Tomato Soup recipe and I think I found it!

*Tomatoes are in season between July and August but I didn't want to wait that long to try this!

Roast Tomato Soup

Yields: 6-8 cups

Ingredients:

16 Roma tomatoes, tops and seeds removed
1 Red pepper, seeds removed
8 strips fresh Basil
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 onion, chopped
1 L low-sodium chicken broth - or use vegetable broth for a vegetarian option
Pepper, to taste
2 T tomato paste (we added this for thickness and a richer "tomato" flavor)
Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cut tomatoes into halves, cut peppers into thick slices. Place onto baking sheet with peeled garlic and chopped onion. Drizzle with olive oil and season with pepper.

Place in oven and roast 1 1/2 to 2 hours, check after 1 hour to make sure they aren't burning.

When tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onion are finished roasting, add to large stock pot. Add 1 L low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, basil, pepper, and tomato paste. Using a handheld blender, blend until smooth.

Bring soup to a light boil over medium heat. Serve hot and garnish with low-fat sour cream, basil and croutons. Or serve with a grilled cheese sandwich.

*This soup would also be beautiful when chilled (gazpacho), especially if served with a shot of vodka (say hello to a home-made Caesar!)

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Chicken Parmigiana

A lot of people mistake Parmigiano-Reggiano for plain ol' Parmesan. While there is nothing wrong with Parmesan, there is a difference between the two cheeses. Parmigiano-Reggiano is specific in its recipe and where it is made (only cheese produced in certain areas of Italy can be labeled as Parmigiano-Reggiano). Most people assume that Parmesan is the English word for Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it's not. Usually, a cheese labeled "Parmesan" is not made in Italy. Other similar cheeses would include; Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, and Asiago.

Last night I made Chicken Parmigiana and it was definitely a hit in our house. This recipe is easy and delicious.

Chicken Parmigiana

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 C bread crumbs
1/4 C Parmigiano-Reggiano (or parmesan if you have it on-hand)
Butter, melted (or use olive oil, like I did)
4 slices Mozzarella
1/2 C Marinara sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with tin foil or spray with cooking spray.

In a shallow bowl or plate, mix together bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Set aside.

Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten chicken with a heavy object to about 1/2 inch thickness. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

Brush both sides of chicken with melted butter or olive oil. Dip chicken into bread crumb mixture and coat both sides. Sprinkle tops with extra breading.

Bake 20 minutes. Top each chicken breast with 2 T Marinara sauce and top with 1 slice Mozzarella cheese. Bake additional 5-10 minutes until mozzarella has melted.

Serve with pasta, baked spaghetti squash or roast potatoes.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ginger molasses cookies are delicious. Some people prefer them to be crunchy, others prefer them to be soft (I am pro-soft). These cookies can be enjoyed any time of the year, any time of day and are best when dunked into a steaming hot cup of tea.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Yields: 24 OR 12 large cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 C all purpose flour
2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground clove
1/2 t allspice
1 t ground ginger (you may want to add 1/2 to 1 extra t if you prefer a stronger ginger flavor)

3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
1 C brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 C unsulphured molasses
Granulated sugar, for coating cookie dough

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place rack in centre of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, clove, allspice and ginger in medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. With mixer on medium speed, beat in the egg and molasses, then increase speed and beat 1 minute longer, until mixture no longer appears curdled.

Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients on low speed, mix well. The dough will seem relatively stiff. Place granulated sugar on small plate or saucer. Using a 1/4 C ice cream scoop, form dough into balls with your hands. Roll dough balls in sugar, place sugared balls onto prepared baking sheet. Be sure to space the cookies out well as they will spread quite a bit.

Dampen fingers and press down lightly on each cookie. Bake 10-12 minutes, rotate baking sheet 180 degrees halfway through baking time. Remove from oven, allow to cool on wire rack.

*This dough can be frozen for slice and bake cookies. Roll dough into a log approximately 2 1/2 inches thick, wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. Store dough in freezer up to 6 months.
*Adjust baking time if you prefer crunchier cookies. Edges should appear firm.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Pan Seared Pork Medallions with Balsamic Glaze

Sometimes a recipe that seems "fancy" isn't always as complicated as one might assume. Pork medallions are a specific cut of pork, they can be cut from pork steaks or pork tenderloin. Ask your butcher to cut your pork into medallions so you don't have to do it at home. A balsamic reduction (or glaze) is a versatile culinary tool. Use it over meat, in salads, over fruit or vegetables to sweeten and heighten the flavor of a recipe of your choosing.

Pan Seared Pork Medallions with Balsamic Glaze

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1-1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, sliced into medallions

(yields 1 C glaze)
2 C balsamic vinegar (the better quality vinegar, the better the flavor)
1/4-1/2 C brown sugar (depending on your desired sweetness)

Directions:

In a small saucepan, mix balsamic vinegar and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low until glaze has reduced by half (approximately 20 minutes). Mixture should be able to coat the back of a spoon. Set aside, or pour into resealable jar for another time.

Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of pork medallions with olive oil (omit this step if using a non-stick skillet). Once pan is hot, sear medallions 3 minutes on each side. Turn round sides of medallions in pan, about 1 or 2 minutes, to brown. Transfer to cutting board, let rest 5 minutes.

Serve medallions with steamed or roasted vegetables, quinoa salad or other favorite side dish. Garnish medallions with balsamic glaze. Serve hot!

*Try using raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar for a different flavored glaze. You can also substitute brown sugar for agave, honey, or molasses.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!