Baked Parmesan Tomato

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• This was yummy. We thought it tasted like pizza with out the dough. ;)
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• Ingredients:
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• 4 tomatoes, halved horizontally
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until the tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition: 

Per serving: 91 calories; 6 g fat ( 2 g sat , 4 g mono ); 4 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 2 gfiber; 375 mg sodium; 363 mg potassium.

Mexican Corn Salad

This recipe was adapted from Skinnytaste.

Very good! A great side dish for a Mexican meal. 

Ingredients: 

• 4 large fresh cobs of corn
• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp chili powder 
• half a lime, juiced
• 1 tbsp minced cilantro
• 2 tbsp onions, minced
• 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese or any white Mexican cheese, grated

Directions:

Boil corn in boiling water for 5 minutes, remove from heat. Cool and then cut corn off the cobb. 
In a large bowl combine mayonnaise, yogurt, chili powder, and lime juice; mix well. Add corn, cilantro, onions and cheese and stir. Serve warm. 

Zucchini Boats

May add oregano next time. :)


Ingredients:
4 zucchini's sliced in half
Olive oil, 2-3 Tbsp. 
garlic, 1 clove minced
salt and pepper
grape tomatoes
Parmesan

Directions:
Scoop out the center and get rid of seeds. In a small bowl mix garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Brush mixture over zucchini. 
Place grape tomatoes down each zucchini. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until zucchini is tender. 

Sauteed Green Beans

I threw this together tonight experimenting with our green beans. My husband said it was the best green beans he has ever had. So I thought I better write this down so I can remember what I did. :)


Ingredients:
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. fresh pole green beans
2 Tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/8 cup chopped almonds
1/2-3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Saute green beans and garlic in butter. Add rosemary, almonds, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Saute until green beans are tender. These were so delicious and easy to make. 

Memphis Style Coleslaw

This recipe was adapted from Our Best Bites. 

Our whole family, even my picky eater LOVED this recipe! 

Ingredients:
1 c. mayonnaise 
2 Tbsp. Dijon or whole-grain mustard
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 heaping tsp. Kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp. of table salt)
1 Tbsp. grated onion
2-2 1/2 tsp. celery seed (I made this with out and it was still very good)
1 16-oz. bag shredded cabbage with carrots or 1 head of cabbage shredded
1/2 minced green bell pepper
1 carrot, peeled and grated


Directions:
In a bowl combine, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, onion and celery seed. Mix.
Then add cabbage, green pepper and carrot to mayo mixture. Mix again. 
Chill in refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours. 


Goes well with barbecue sandwiches. Looking for a quick BBQ sandwich recipe, click here. http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/03/slow-cooker-chicken-bbq-sandwiches.html

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I am addicted to these! So easy and so yummy!


Ingredients:
sweet potatoes, 5 peeled and sliced
olive oil
chili powder
garlic salt
pepper


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425. Add sweet potatoes to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle chili powder, garlic salt and pepper. Stir. You may need to add seasoning again. I did. :) 
Pour fries onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the fries overs and bake for another 15. Taste. You may need to add salt. Up to you!
Enjoy. 

Roasted Green Beans

We loved this, even the kids!


Ingredients:
String green beans, 1lb
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
Olive oil


Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.  Place green beans on a 9x13 pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Bake for 15 minutes. Toss and bake for another 5-10 minutes. 

Homemade Croutons

Ingredients:
Sourdough bread, cut into cubes
4 TBS butter, melted
1-2 tsp garlic salt
1-2 tsp oregano


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Cut sourdough bread into cubes and place in a large bowl. Melt butter. Add garlic salt and oregano to the butter. Pour over the bread cubes. Stir.
Place bread onto a cookie sheet. 
Bake for 15 minutes. Flip over bread and bake for another 15 minutes. 
These are so yummy!!!

Pico de Gallo

We had fun making this tonight. Love fresh salsa. :)


Ingredients:


4 tomatoes diced
1/2 of red onion, diced
2-3 Tbsp. cilantro
1 green pepper, diced
jalapenos to taste
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lime


Directions:


Dice tomatoes, red onion, cilatntro, green pepper, and jalapenos. Add lime juice and salt and pepper. 
Serve with tortilla chips. 
Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Made these tonight for the fam. My husband loved them!


Ingredients:
Brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper


Directions:
Place brussels sprouts on a 9x13 pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
Bake at 350 for 40 mins. 
Enjoy!

Bruschetta Eggplant

This recipe has been adapted from http://www.spain-in-iowa.com/2011/08/an-easy-eggplant-recipe-fried-eggplant-topped-with-sauteed-tomatoes-herbs-and-cheddar-cheese/

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, cut in slices 1/2″ thick
• breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
• 2 tbls fresh picked basil, julienne or dried basil or pesto mix
• 3-4 tbls extra virgin olive oil
• garlic clove
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• feta
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Slice the eggplants. Lay out on a plate and salt each piece to draw out moisture from the vegetable.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes.  Then pat each eggplant  dry.

3. In a cast iron skillet or pan, heat about a 1/2″ of olive oil.

4. Dip eggplant in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs.  Fry each piece in the olive oil until browned on both sides.  Drain on a paper towel on a dish.  Work in batches and continue this process until all of your eggplant slices have been breaded and fried.

5. Once your eggplant has been fried, in a separate pan, heat 3-4 tbls of extra virgin olive oil.  Saute the fresh cut tomatoes, basil, onions and garlic for 3-4 minutes or until the tomato has warmed through.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Lay out the eggplant slices on a serving platter topped with the tomato blend and sprinkled with feta. 

Corn Salad with Queso Fresco (Our Best Bites)

 http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/02/corn-salad-with-queso-fresco/

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
8 ounces queso fresco or cotija cheese
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (and seeded if desired)
1/2 recipe (about 6 ounces) Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, and cubed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional: For an easy one-dish meal, add leftover rotisserie chicken

Instructions:
Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large stock pot. When the water boils, add the corn and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse and then add to a large bowl. Toss together the corn, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno pepper, and crumbled cheese. Toss with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette. Chill until ready to serve. Right before serving, gently toss in the avocado and season with salt and pepper. Serves 10-12.

Cauliflower Augratin (Point-less Meals)

This recipe is from http://pointlessmeals.blogspot.com/2011/01/cauliflower-augratin.html

I made this for dinner tonight and it was yummy! I only used a head of cauliflower 
and then half the recipe. I did add extra salt. :)
serves 12 ( 4 points + )

3 pkgs. ( 16 oz each ) frozen cauliflower
1 large onion, chopped
⅓ c. butter, cubed
⅓ c. flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground mustard
¼ tsp. pepper
2 c. skim milk
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese

Topping:
½ c. whole wheat soft bread crumbs
2 T. butter, melted
¼ tsp. paprika

Cook cauliflower in a Dutch oven with a little water; drain.
Place cauliflower in the bottom of a 13 x 9 dish coated with cooking spray.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter. Add onions and cook until tender. 
Stir in flour, mustard, salt and pepper. Gradually add milk, stirring and cooking until thickened. Remove from heat; add Parmesan cheese. Stir until blended.
Spread cheese mixture over cauliflower.
Mix bread crumbs with butter and paprika. Sprinkle over cheese mixture. 
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Inexpensive Broccoli Salad

Do you have an Aldi's near you? If so, this week broccoli is .89 each and grape tomatoes are only .69 a pack!


Here is a recipe you can use. I am making Paula Deen's Broccoli Salad this weekend. 


http://lovetocookagain.blogspot.com/2011/11/broccoli-salad-paula-deen.html

BLT Pasta Salad (A Bird and a Bean)

Ingredients

• 12 ounce corkscrew shaped pasta
• 1/2 cup milk
• 12 ounces lean bacon
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup mayo (i used 1/4 cup mayo and 1/4 cup greek yogurt)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons chopped chives
• 5 heads Bibb lettuce, quartered, or 5 cups chopped romaine hearts

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper.  Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 tablespoons chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve at room temperature.  

Cheesy Ranch Potato Bake (All Recipes)

Ingredients

• 4 pounds russet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle Ranch dressing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Place the potatoes in the baking dish. Season with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Evenly distribute the butter over the potatoes.
3. Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven, and mix in the cheese and Ranch dressing. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower (Our Best Bites)

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/01/roasted-garlic-parmesan-cauliflower/

Ingredients
3-4 tbs olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower
kosher salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons crumbled Parmesan cheese (stuff in a green can a-okay!)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place olive oil and garlic in a small bowl.  Heat in microwave for about 20 seconds and set aside.

Remove stem and leaves from cauliflower head and trim into large florets.  Slice each floret into 1/4 inch slices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and garlic mixture and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper.  Use clean hands to toss to coat.  Add more olive oil if needed.  Bake for 15 minutes and then toss with spatula.  Bake 10 more and then toss with Parmesan cheese.  Continue baking for 5-10 minutes until slightly golden brown on edges.

Refreshing Salad (Kale With Love)

Ingredients:

• 3 washed tomatoes, quartered then halved
• 2 ripened avocados, peeled and chopped
• 1 large cucumber, sliced in half longwise, then chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• optional: juice of 1 lemon

Serves 4.

Directions:

1. Place chopped tomatoes, avocados, cucumber in a salad bowl.
2. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, then lightly mix with tongs.
3. Add fresh ground black pepper on top, and serve. Let me know if you are going to try it! It's super easy, and OH SO HEALTHY!

Green Bean Bundles (Our Best Bites)

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/08/bacon-wrapped-green-bean-bundles/


Ingredients:

1 lb. green beans with the ends snapped off (buy or pick about 1 1/2 pounds so you'll have 1 lb. after the beans' ends have been snapped)

8 slices lean, regularly sliced bacon

3 Tbsp. real butter (no substitutions!)

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. white sugar

1 Tbsp. minced red onion

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

If you're using fresh green beans, wash and snap the ends off. Discard any sickly looking, overly skinny, limp, or yucky-looking beans.    When the water is boiling, briefly boil (blanch) the beans for 2-3 minutes or until you start hearing a popping noise and the beans have turned bright green. Quickly drain and rinse in cold water until the beans have cooled.

If you're planning on completing the beans immediately, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

On a cookie sheet, divide the green beans evenly into 8 piles. Carefully bundle each pile of beans with one slice of bacon and return to the baking sheet. This step can be done up to a day ahead of time.

When the oven is ready, place the pan in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and sizzling. While the bundles are in the oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. When the butter is bubbly, add in the onions and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are softened and fragrant. Reduce heat to low and add in vinegar, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

When ready to serve, place bean bundles on a serving platter and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.

Caramelized Green Beans (Our Best Bites)

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/03/caramelized-green-beans/


Ingredients:

1 lb. (actually, just a little bit more…maybe 1 1/8 lb.) fresh green beans
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Lots of freshly-ground pepper

Directions:

Begin frying the bacon in a large skillet. Start boiling a large pot of water. Place beans in a colander and rinse them well. Then snap the ends off and snap them in half.

Prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl.

Make sure your onions are sliced, garlic is pressed (or minced…but I think if you don’t have a garlic press, the Easter Bunny needs to bring you one this year), and everything is ready to go.

Remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper towel. If you feel like it, you can crumble it now or wait until it’s cooled off a little. Pour bacon drippings out of pan.

Now return a couple tablespoons of bacon drippings to the pan. Otherwise, just use some olive oil and heat pan to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot…add onions and garlic. Give them a quick stir and then…add beans to boiling water. Place colander in a clean sink. Boil for one minute; you’re not cooking them until they’re done, just blanching them to take the edge off.

Meanwhile, stir the onions and garlic so they don’t scorch. After one minute, drain beans in the colander in the sink. Once beans have been drained, add them to the onions and garlic. Stir fry 2-3 more minutes.

Give your sauce a quick stir and then pour on top of the beans. Keep stir-frying until the beans get kind of glazy.

Add crumbled bacon and lots of freshly-ground pepper to the beans. Keep stir frying until the sauce sticks to the beans and the bacon. Transfer to a serving dish and allow to stand a few minutes so the beans cool down a bit and the glaze thickens up a little.