Long time, no post....my fault.  Life gets in the way of the things we love occasionally and my life has been extremely full!  I promise to get back to regular posting once I get my cooking mojo back (just ask my husband, our life has been full of tacos and sandwiches)... but speaking of tacos!!!!

MyBlogSpark contacted me and provided a great Old ElPaso Market tote/kit for me to sample!  I love great convenience foods and Mexican is one of my absolute favorites, so I couldn't turn this down!  The fajita dinner kit was so easy and delicious as well as the taco seasoning packet that gave just the right amount of flavor to spice up any meat of your choice!  I tend to lean more towards ground turkey these days, but it can be bland without a kick of spices!  I highly recommend these products, be sure to look for them at your local grocer.

'til next time,

Clearly Fresh Bags

A while back, I was contacted by Clearly Fresh Bags to do a review of their product.  In turn, they gave me a sample of their fruit & vegetable bags to try out and see for myself how they really work.  I received my sample pack in the mail the end of May and since then, I have been using them to store fruits and veggies, both in the refrigerator and on the counter top.

I have never used the Debbie Meyer Green Bags before or any other brand of these type of bags, so I don't have anything to compare it to, however, after using them, I definitely saw an improvement in the length of time that my fruits and vegetables lasted.  I rarely ever buy bananas because they go dark so fast, but specifically this test (and to feed to my son), I bought a bunch of bananas.  They lasted about a week and a half without browning on our counter top.  I was very impressed with this!  Most of the time, they start to develop dark spots within a day or two from bringing them home from the store.  

I like the quality of the bags, they are large enough for big things like bunches of bananas, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, etc... and you can reuse them for the same type of produce at least a few times before discarding.

Overall, I recommend these bags!  From my experience, they did help extend the life of pricey fruits and vegetables and made them last much longer than I normally have witnessed.

As a thank you for taking the time to review Clearly Fresh Bags, they would like to offer all of you a 15% off discount on all orders placed in the next 15 days.  The offer code for the 15% off is DD15.  In order to receive the 15% off discount, you will need to check out through the www.clearlyfreshbags.com website and enter the promo code when you are in the shopping cart/checkout prompt, while supplies last, at http://www.clearlyfreshbags.com/products/clearly-fresh-bags-10-re-closeable-zip-bags.
 

Disclaimer:  All thoughts and feelings of this product are solely my own.  I received a sample of Clearly Fresh Bags to try from the Clearly Fresh Bags company.  Any giveaways/discounts were provided by Clearly Fresh Bags.

Fiber One Brownie Winner!

The time has come to announce the winner of the Fiber One Brownie Prize Pack!  Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn.....  it's LAUREN!

 CONGRATULATIONS LAUREN!  Be sure to get me your address so I can get your info to MyBlogSpark and get you the prize!

Fiber One BROWNIES!?!

Yes, you heard me right!  Brownies.  Rich, chocolate-y, satisfying brownies that only have 90 calories!  Can you believe that?  I received some samples of these brownies to try from General Mills via My Blog Spark and let me tell you, I was excited to try these babies out.  I was afraid they'd have that weird aftertaste that so many low-calorie products have, but these really are good!  I was impressed and also happy to see that one brownie offers 20% of your daily fiber.  They come in two varieties, chocolate and chocolate peanut butter.

Would you like to try these brownies and win a healthy living prize pack?

Leave a comment below answering this question.   

Where will you take these brownies to curb your snack attack?  

Will it be to your office?   Your friends house?  Sneak them into a movie theater, perhaps?

Additional Entries:

Like Daily Deliciousness on Facebook - 1 extra entry (in a separate comment please)

Like Shawna's Kitchen Solutions (My Pampered Chef business page) on Facebook - 1 extra entry (in a separate comment please)

Like Fiber One on Facebook - 1 extra entry (in a separate comment please)

Rules and Notices:

Comments open until Friday, June 24 at 8 p.m. EST

One entry per reader per method listed above.  Max entries - 3.

General Mills provided me with the free product, information, and gift pack through MyBlogSpark.

Good luck!https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shawnas-Kitchen-Solutions/117005728384878

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

My husband said this was the perfect beef and broccoli.  It wasn't too spicy and had a hint of sweetness to it which balanced it out.   I used sirloin steak which was sliced thinly into strips and I used linguini noodles instead of spaghetti, which really held onto the flavorful sauce.  You could easily add pea pods, baby corn or carrots to this dish as well!

Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein
Recipe adapted from Relish!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. spaghetti - I used linguini
• 1 T. toasted sesame oil
• 1 T. peanut oil - I used canola
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 3 T. ginger, minced
• 1 medium bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/2 white onion, sliced
• 1 lb. flank steak, trimmed of fat and cut into strips - I used sirloin
• 3 T. low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. chili paste - I used Sriracha

 Directions

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until cooked but still firm to the bite.
• Drain, return to pot and add sesame oil, tossing well to coat.
• While pasta cooks, heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds.
• Add broccoli and onion; sauté 3 minutes.
• Add steak, and sauté 5 minutes or until done.
• Add pasta mixture, soy sauce, brown sugar and chile paste; cook 1 minute or until lo mein is thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

Chicken Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of those dishes that I've tried to make several times and something was always "off".  I realized that using freshly cooked rice was making my rice gooey and mushy.  It never had the same quality as you'd get in a restaurant, but I decided to try one more time.  It turned out great!  I made the rice a few hours before (because I forgot to make it the day before) and refrigerated it for a while before making the recipe. 

I made this recipe even easier by cooking up the chicken the day before and chopping the veggies before hand.  I had everything ready to go and to be thrown together and it made it a cinch to whip this up and enjoy!

Chicken Fried Rice
Recipe adapted from Relish!

Ingredients

• 1 c. quick-cooking long grain rice - precooked the day before and refrigerated.
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
• 1 T. vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 green onions, trimmed and chopped
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 T. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 3/4 c. chopped carrots
• 1/2 white onion, chopped

Directions

• Heat skillet to medium and add oil.
• Add eggs, just as whites begin to set, stir to scramble.
• Add green onions, white onions and ginger;  cook 1 minute.
• Add rice, carrots & bell pepper; cook 2 minutes.
• Stir together soy sauce, sugar and broth - add to skillet.
• Add chicken and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder (if desired), cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Yes, another soup recipe!  This was so packed with flavor and just the right amount of spice, it was perfect for an unseasonably chilly day like we had today.  The recipe was by no means difficult and made the house smell fantastic.  I debated over using premade tortilla strips or frying up my own and I'm glad I chose to fry my own.  They only took a few minutes and were delicious!  My husband is a fan of spicy foods and he gave this one a "thumbs up" and said I can make it again any time.  I'm not as big of a spicy food fan, but this soup was spicy enough to make you sniffle, but didn't make your mouth burn, so it was just right!

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Spicy Crisps

Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 3/4 c. beef broth
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder, plus more for spicy crisps
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 10 oz. Rotel tomatoes with chilies, undrained
• 4 6-inch corn tortillas
• 4 T. canola oil

For garnish

• 2 avocados, chopped
• 1/2 cup cheese
• sour cream

Directions

• Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
• Drop in the chicken breasts and boil for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 
• Drain chicken in colander and let cool. 
• Shred or cube the meat. 
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. 
• Add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic in oil. 
• Pour into the medium pot you used for chicken. 
• Add beef and chicken broth, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, jalapeno(to taste), salt, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes and chicken. 
• Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• In the skillet, heat the canola oil until hot. 
• Cut tortillas in narrow strips and fry. 
• Sprinkle with salt and a little chili powder. 
• When done, place on paper towels. 
• Place half of the strips in bowls. 
• Fill with the hot soup. 
• Garnish with more tortilla strips, avocado slices and cheese. 

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Taquitos are one thing I have never attempted to make...I didn't want to mess with frying them up, dealing with the lingering oil smell and residue in the air, the mess.  I found this recipe for baked taquitos that really lived up to the hype.  They came out perfect.  Crispy and so flavorful. My husband raved.  I had one more than I'm wanting to admit.  However, it is a fairly healthy version of taquitos so it's not the worst thing in the world when you go to reach for that third crispy, creamy tube full of goodness, right?!?

Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

Ingredients

• 3 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 cup taco sauce
• 1 T fresh lime juice
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t chili powder
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1 small can chopped green chiles
• 3 T chopped cilantro or 1 T dried cilantro
•  2 T sliced green onions
• 2 C shredded cooked chicken
• 1 C grated Asadero (Quesadilla) cheese
• small flour tortillas
• kosher salt
• cooking spray

Directions

• Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil & lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Mix cream cheese, green chiles, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder & taco sauce.
• Stir to combine & then add cilantro & green onions.
• Add chicken & cheese & combine well.
• Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft, between damp paper towel.
• Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.
• Roll it up as tight as you can.
• Place seam side down on the baking sheet. 
• Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet & make sure they are not touching each other. 
• Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray & lightly sprinkle some kosher salt on top (optional).
• Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp & the ends start to get golden brown.

Mushroom & Cheddar Crusted Quiche

Quiche is one of those meals that is always comforting and filling, yet light and delicious at the same time and I NEVER think to make it.  I saw this recipe on the Relish! website (great menu-planning website, totally worth it) and thought it sounded so interesting with it's different type of "crust".  I usually think crusts are flaky or crisp, but with this one, the mushrooms released water, so it didn't crisp up, but it had such a wonderful flavor, it didn't bother me in the least!  I ate the leftovers the next day for lunch and enjoyed it just as much the second day.

Mushroom & Cheddar Crusted Quiche

Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 8 ounces whole button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup cheddar flavored goldfish crackers
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Melt half of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. 
• Add the mushrooms, & saute 3-4 minutes. 
• Stir in crushed crackers. 
• Turn mixture into a greased baking dish & press firmly. 
• In the same skillet, melt remaining butter, add onions & saute until transparent. 
• Pour onions evenly over mushroom crust and sprinkle with Swiss & cheddar cheese.
•  In a food processor, blender or hand blender, pulse the cottage cheese, eggs & cayenne until smooth. 
• Pour mixture into crust & sprinkle with paprika. 
• Bake for 30-35 minutes or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Creamy Broccoli Soup with Blue Cheese

I'm a fan of soups no matter the time of year.  I'll make stews and soups all year round, I go against the grain that way, I guess...most people think of them only as a Fall and Winter meal, but I don't see a reason to wait when you have the air conditioning on!

This soup was delicious and it gave me a reason to break out my Cuisinart Hand Blender I've had in my basement since our wedding shower!  What a wonderful tool that is for any level of cook!  I've used it several times since this recipe and am loving it...I never knew what I was missing, but it definitely comes in handy and MUCH easier to clean than a whole blender.

Creamy Broccoli Soup with Blue Cheese

Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ white onion, chopped
• 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium bunch broccoli, cut into florets
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

• Heat oil in a large soup pan over medium heat. 
• Add onion & sauté until limp, 4-5 minutes. 
• Add potatoes & broccoli, cook until potatoes are beginning to color, about 5 minutes.
• Add chicken broth & bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat to medium-low & cook until potatoes are very tender, 20 minutes. 
• Pour ingredients (in batches) in blender. (Or use hand blender right in the pot)
• Make sure to let steam escape before processing. Remove cap from hole in lid, cover lid firmly with a dish towel & blend. 
• Return soup to pan; add cream and blue cheese & cook, stirring, until soup is heated through & blue cheese is melted. 
• Season to taste with salt & pepper. 
• Serve garnished with extra blue cheese, if desired. 

Baked Parmesan Romano Chicken

I'm always looking for different ways to prepare chicken.  It's such a versatile ingredient, yet it can get boring very easily.  The red wine vinegar really gave this chicken it's boost of flavor and turned out to be very tasty!  The best part of this recipe is that it only uses 1/4 tsp. of salt and you can lower the amounts of cheeses to reduce the sodium content further without losing much flavor.

Baked Parmesan Romano Chicken

Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 garlic cloves, divided
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup Romano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper  

Directions

• Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, red-pepper flakes, oregano & half of the garlic cloves in a baking dish. 
• Add chicken to marinade in dish, turning each piece to coat. 
• Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. 
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
• Stir together breadcrumbs, cheeses, parsley, pepper & remaining garlic in a medium bowl. 
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil & coat lightly with cooking spray. 
• Dredge each chicken piece in breadcrumb mixture to coat; shake off excess. 
• Transfer to prepared baking sheet. 
• Bake chicken until breadcrumbs are golden & chicken is cooked through, 30-35 min. 
• Using a spatula, loosen chicken from sheet before serving. 

Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Bread

This one looks familiar because I made the cinnamon version of this a little while ago.  In deciding what to make for the Mother's Day brunch I was hosting, I wanted something light and fresh to serve with the casserole I was making.  This was perfect.  I made the dough the night before and rolled and assembled it the next morning, which was so easy.  It came out wonderfully, though the top of mine did burn (I should have put foil over the top!) before the middle was cooked through, but lesson learned for next time.  I served it with the glaze on the side to minimize the mess when pulling the sheets off of the loaf.  It was a big hit!

Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Bread

Recipe courtesy of Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

• About 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope)instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

For the lemon filling

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (3 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

For the icing

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

• Stir together 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, the yeast, and the salt in the bowl of a stand mixer; set aside. 
• In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave until melted.  Add the milk & stir to combine.
• Add the water & vanilla to the milk butter mixture and let stand until just warm, not hot.
• Pour the milk mixture over the flour-yeast mixture & using a rubber spatula, mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Attach the bowl to the mixer & fit the mixer with the paddle attachment.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated.
• Stop the mixer, add 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) of the remaining flour, & resume mixing on low speed until the dough is smooth, 30 to 45 seconds.
• Add 2 more tablespoons flour & mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth & slightly sticky, about 45 seconds.
• Knead gently until smooth & no longer sticky, about 1 minute, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons flour only if necessary to lessen the stickiness. *I used my stand mixer for the kneading, you could knead by hand on a floured surface.
• Place the dough in a large bowl, cover the bowl securely with plastic wrap & let the dough rise in a warm place (about 70°F) until doubled in size, about an hour.   *After this rise, you can wrap the dough in plastic wrap & refrigerate overnight, then let sit out at room temp for 30 minutes before proceeding on with the recipe.
• While the dough is rising, make the filling.
• In a small bowl, mix together the sugar & the lemon & orange zests. Set the sandy-wet mixture nearby.
• Center a rack in the oven & preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan or lightly coat the pan with nonstick spray.
• Gently deflate the dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 20-by-12-inch rectangle. 
• Using a pastry brush spread the melted butter generously over the dough.
• Sprinkle the zest-sugar mixture the buttered rectangle.
• Cut the dough crosswise into 5 strips, each about 12 x 4 inches.
• Stack the strips on top of each other.
• Slice the stack crosswise through the 5 layers to create 6 equal strips, each about 4 x 2 inches.
• Fit these layered strips into the prepared loaf pan, cut edges up & side by side.
• Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap & let the dough rise in a warm place (70 °F) until puffy & almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Bake the coffee cake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.  Check it around 20 minutes & see if it's browning on top too quickly, add a layer of loose foil on the top if it is, since the top will burn before the middle is cooked through.
• Transfer to a wire rack & let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, vigorously mix the cream cheese & sugar until smooth.
• Beat in the milk & lemon juice until the mixture is creamy & smooth.
• To remove the coffee cake from the pan, run a butter knife around the edges release the cake sides. Invert a wire rack on top of the coffee cake, invert the cake onto the rack &carefully lift off the pan. Invert another rack on top, invert the cake so it is right side up & remove the original rack.
• Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the warm cake with the icing to glaze it. (I served mine on the side to dip or spread on individual pieces.)
• Serve the coffee cake warm or at room temperature.

Beef Fajitas with a Creamy Avocado Sauce

When planning of my menu for the week, I try to think of things we haven't had in a long time and rotate what I make.  One thing that popped into my mind was fajitas!  We did have a lot of chicken in the freezer, but we have red meat so rarely that it sounded like the best bet.  For this recipe, I used tenderloin steaks which made the fajitas just fall apart and so flavorful!  I will make this recipe again in a heartbeat.  The creamy avocado sauce was PERFECT.  It was easy, fresh with the flavor of the cucumber and lime juice and had a good kick from the cumin.  I would use this sauce for nachos, tacos or fajitas....or just to dunk some tortilla chips in!

Beef Fajitas
Recipe courtesy of Relish!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 pounds tenderloin steak, cut into cubes
• 1 avocado , seeded, peeled and coarsely chopped 
• 1/2 English cucumber , coarsely chopped 
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 white onion , thinly sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded, cored and thinly sliced

Directions

• In large bowl combine oil, garlic and onion, oregano, pepper, and salt; set aside.
• Add meat to oil mixture; toss to coat evenly.
• Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 
• Meanwhile, for Avocado Sauce, in food processor combine avocado, cucumber, mint, sour cream, lime juice, water, salt, and cumin.
• Cover and process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape sides as necessary.
• Transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Heat large pan to medium heat.
• Remove the meat from the marinade.
• Cook meat for 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees F), turning to brown evenly.
• Place the onion and peppers into another pan on medium high heat, adding oil and salt and pepper. 
• Cook the onion and peppers until tender.
• Serve with the avocado sauce, grilled vegetables and toppings of your choice.  We used shredded cheese, cilantro and sour cream. 

Cucumber Ranch Dressing

This dressing was a perfect companion to crisp romaine lettuce and ripe juicy cherry tomatoes.  The cucumber added such a level of brightness and freshness and it was SO easy to make that I will definitely be making this dressing again over the summer cookout months!

Cucumber Ranch Dressing
Recipe courtesy of Relish

Ingredients
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded & finely diced
2 green onions, finely chopped
3/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. mayonnaise
4 T. lemon juice
3 T. Italian parsley, chopped
coarse salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions
Stir together cucumber, green onions, sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, parsley and salt & pepper in a medium bowl.

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Meatballs

Do you ever just look at a recipe and think "I HAVE to make that?"  Well, that's what happened when I saw this recipe for Lemon-Rosemary Turkey Meatballs over on The Daily Dish, a wonderful low-sodium lifestyle food blog.  I only had ground chicken on hand, but these turned out SO good.  Light, packed with the bright flavor of lemon and the rosemary flavor was carried throughout the dish in both the meatballs and the sauce.

I'm not going to lie, when I first began cooking and eating low-sodium, I could tell a big difference.  All I craved were the salty foods I once ate without a care in the world.   With recipes like this, I didn't even miss all that salt AT ALL.  Everyone talks about eating low-fat, low-calorie, etc...but there are significant health benefits to just simply watching your salt intake daily!

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Meatballs
Recipe adapted from The Daily Dish

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, cut into smaller chunks
• 2 large cloves garlic, smashed & peeled
• 1 t. freshly grated lemon zest
• 1 T. chopped fresh rosemary or 1 1/4 t. dried rosemary, divided
• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 3/4 c. salt free breadcrumbs
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 t. black pepper
• 1/4 c. flour
• 2 t. olive oil
• 2 c. low sodium chicken broth
• 4 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 T. unsalted butter

Directions

• Place onion, garlic & lemon zest in a food processor. 
• Add 1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary & pulse until the mixture is finely chopped but NOT mushy.
• Transfer mixture to a large bowl & using clean hands, add in the turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan & pepper, mixing until combined. 
• Pinch off 2 tablespoons at a time and shape into meatballs, each about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. 
• Place flour in a shallow dish and roll the meatballs to lightly coat. Reserve the remaining flour.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
• Once oil is hot, add meatballs & cook, turning once or twice, until browned, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the meatballs from the pan, place on a plate & set aside.  
• Add about 1/2 c. of broth to the pan, increase heat to medium-high & cook, scraping up any browned bits, until almost evaporated, about a minute. 
• Add the remaining broth & bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and return the meatballs to the pan along with the remaining rosemary. 
• Cover & cook until the meatballs are no longer pink in the middle, about 10 minutes.
•  Remove the meatballs to a plate & set aside.  
• Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high & cook until reduced to 1 cup. 
• Whisk lemon juice & 1 tablespoon of the reserved flour in a small bowl, mixing until smooth.  
• Add the flour mixture to the sauce along with butter. 
• Simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened. 
• Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Serve immediately.

Garlic and Feta Shrimp Linguini

On Friday, I was seeking a good meal for a meat-less dinner...enter the bag of frozen shrimp I had in my freezer.  I threw this together without a recipe, though I'm sure there are similar versions out there, I didn't use one specific version and threw things together that sounded delicious!  It turned out very good.  Simple, flavorful, quick - you can't beat that!  Once again, it earned the thumbs-up seal of approval from my husband.

Garlic and Feta Shrimp Linguini

Ingredients

• 1 bag of frozen shrimp (raw, but peeled and deveined), thawed and patted dry
• 3 T. unsalted butter
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced/pressed
• Seasonings of your choice, I used a Sicilian blend I had on hand
• Feta cheese, crumbled or cut into small chunks
• Linguini, cooked and drained
• Parsley for garnish

Directions

• Heat a high-walled, heavy pan over medium high heat.
• Melt butter and oil together pan.
• Add shrimp into one layer.
• Sprinkle seasonings of your choice over shrimp.
• Cook on one side for about 2 minutes, then flip, add the garlic and cook until done - when shrimp are curled up tightly and firm.  Don't overcook or they will get rubbery and tough.
• Add your cooked linguini into the shrimp and butter, stirring to mix well and coat the noodles with the sauce/garlic.
• Once served up in bowls or dishes, mix in the feta cheese and garnish with parsley.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

In thinking of a decadent treat that is also MOSTLY healthy, I spent a while racking my brain thinking of what to make...until my Mom said "Didn't we see stuffed strawberries somewhere??"  Bingo...we did!  I searched for a stuffed strawberry recipe and came up with this one.  Looked easy?  Check!  Mostly fruit?  Check!  Can be put together quickly?  Check again!

It really took no time to whip the filling together and piping the filling in with a pastry bag made it really simple.  If you don't have a pastry bag, you could definitely use a plastic sandwich bag with a corner snipped off.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes

Ingredients

• 1-2 pints of fresh strawberries
• 1 8 oz. package of softened cream cheese
• 1 tsp. vanilla or orange extract (I used a little of both)
• 1/2 c. confectioners sugar

Directions

• Place the softened cream cheese, extract and sugar in a bowl and mix until fluffy.
• Put filling mixture into a pastry bag fit with the star tip and set aside.
• Cut the top/stem off of the strawberries and set them on the flat end, pointing up.
• Slice an X through the strawberry from the tip to the cut end, but not going all the way through (you want to make a sort of pocket for the filling).
• Put the tip of the pastry bag into the strawberry and pipe the filling in.
• Chill and enjoy!

Shrimp Stir Fry

I am getting out of my cooking rut and thinking up new things to try.  I've made this stir fry in the past with chicken, but this time I added shrimp and  the results were delicious. It's been a long time since I made a stir fry and once you get the ingredients all chopped and prepped, it is so easy!  This one actually tastes like takeout at home!  I got the seal of approval from my taste-tester (a.k.a. my husband) several times.

Shrimp Stir Fry
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 1 bag of frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed
• ½ c. lower sodium Soy Sauce
• 3 T. Sugar
• ½ c. low sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 3 T. canola oil, divided
• Half of white onion
• 1.5 c. chopped fresh broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic
• 10 whole mushrooms, sliced
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin planks
• 1 can baby corn, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

• Prepare all vegetables and have them ready.
• Mix ½ cup soy sauce with sugar. Stir together and set aside. 
• Mix ¼ cup chicken broth with arrowroot. Stir together and set aside. Measure an additional ¼ cup chicken broth. Set aside.
• To begin stir fry, heat skillet or wok over high heat. When it’s hot, drizzle in 2 Tablespoon canola oil.
• Add shrimp to skillet and fry quickly, stirring around for 2 to 3 minutes. When just cooked through, remove to a separate bowl.
• Add additional 1 tablespoon canola oil to same skillet. Throw in onions and cook for 1 minute. Add broccoli and carrots, cooking for about 2 minutes. Add garlic. Stir. Add mushrooms and stir. Cook for 45 seconds. Add baby corn. Stir.
• Pour in ¼ cup chicken broth and soy sauce/sugar mixture. Drizzle in sesame oil.
• Dump in cooked shrimp. Stir together. Pour in chicken broth/arrowroot mixture. Stir together, then turn off heat. Sauce will be much thicker and glossier.
• Serve over cooked rice.

Kinda Wheat Bagels

I have a confession to make...here goes...I don't like wheat.  I don't like the smell, taste or texture of wheat bread, bagels, pasta, etc...  I've tried to like it, I swear!  I am an evil white flour lover all the way and I enjoy it...but decided to make a wheat-ish kind of bagel to add some health into it.  I'm starting out slow, but I'll likely end up going with a 50-50 split of white and wheat flours.  Baby steps, right?

These had a great texture, I could taste the wheat in it, but it wasn't overpowering at all.  You can do plain bagels by just omitting the garlic powder and onion flakes.  Plain bagels would be great with some peanut butter on top!

Garlic-Onion Kinda Wheat Bagels

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 c. warm water (about 110 degrees)
• 1 T. instant yeast
• 1 T. white sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 c. bread flour
• 1 c. wheat flour
• 1 T. garlic powder
• 1/4 c. dried minced onion flakes
• Non-stick spray
• 1 egg
• 1 T. water

 Directions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the dough hook, pour warm water, sugar and yeast.  Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Add salt, flours, garlic powder and onion flakes.
• Turn mixer on and let the dough knead for approximately 8 minutes, until the dough is elastic and smooth.
• Spray a large bowl with non-stick spray.  Place dough in, turning to coat in oil, then cover in plastic wrap.
• Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape into bagels. (I shape into balls, then punch my thumb through and stretch the bagel to shape.)
• Cover bagels with a clean dish cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
• While bagels rest, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Boil bagels about 4 at a time, 2 minutes on first side and an additional minute after flipping.
• Drain bagels and return to pan.  Repeat with all bagels.
• Whisk together egg and 1 T. water, brush egg wash over bagels.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Let cool on racks and enjoy!*

*These are wonderful frozen, I pre-cut all my bagels and package them in individual sandwich bags, then freeze.  It makes an easy breakfast to grab on your way out the door (if your place of work has a toaster!)

French Onion Soup

I have made French Onion Soup frequently in the past, but never took the time to caramelize the onions for the soup.  I've seen so many rave reviews over caramelized onions and the flavor difference they make that I had to try this.  Overall, it was very easy, though just a tad time consuming.  Mine took about an hour and I stirred them every 5 minutes to prevent any major burning.

The onions definitely came through in this soup, sweet with a silky texture.  My version of French Onion soup is really the easy way to do it - instead of toasting French bread slices, I use bagged seasoned croutons.  Because the cheese is pretty much the best part, my trick is to lay a slice on the bottom of the bowl, then top with croutons, soup and another slice of cheese, that way when you scrape the bottom, you get a bite of cheese as well!

This recipe is also lower in sodium than regular French Onion Soup.

Caramelized French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 large white onions, sliced thinly
• Olive oil
• 3 cans reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• Seasoned croutons - I used Garlic & Cheese
• Slices of cheese - I used no-sodium Swiss this time, but love it with Provolone also

Directions:

• Cover the bottom of a heavy-bottomed large pot with olive oil.  
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  
• Place the sliced onions in the pot and stir to coat with the oil.

It looks like a lot - trust me, they shrink down a LOT.

•  Leave onions alone and let cook away, stirring every 5 minutes for approximately 1 hour.  It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, but you're looking for an even deep golden brown color.  Caramelizing brings out the sugars and sweetness of the onion.

After about 10 minutes

After about 40 minutes

All done!

• After onions are caramelized, pour in the reduced-sodium beef broth.

• Add garlic powder, thyme and pepper and stir.
• Let simmer for about 20 minutes.
• In an oven-proof bowl, lay 1 slice of cheese on the bottom, top with some croutons, ladle the soup over the croutons and then top with 1 slice of cheese.
• Place bowl in oven under a broiler set to high, keep an eye on it and take it out when the cheese is gooey and delicious!