Monday, December 13, 2010

Stromboli


First guest appearance, featuring Laura's stromboli. A few weeks ago our good friend Laura cooked dinner for a group of us- supper club! This is her family's traditional Christmas Eve dinner, so we're sharing it just in time! Enjoy this easy, delicious, and warm meal!

Ingredients:
  • Pizza dough (we used one ball bought from Michelangelo's)
  • Tomato sauce
  • Toppings of your choice (we used pepperoni, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms)
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Dried basil

Directions:

Roll out the pizza tough about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 4 rectangular pieces and brush with olive oil. Spread tomato sauce on dough then add toppings and cheese. Roll up the ends of the dough so they come together, then fold up the edges. Brush top of dough with olive oil and sprinkle basil on top. Bake in oven on 425 until golden brown (about 15 minutes). Serve with tomato sauce on the side and a salad if you so desire!

Yield: 4 servings

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Lemon-Herb Chicken and Acorn Squash


Both of us have heard so much rave about acorn squash lately, so we decided to try it tonight. The taste was a lot like a butternut squash but the texture was a little strange. Next time we want to see if it turns out differently by taking the slower (but possibly better) route of roasting it in the oven instead. The spices and taste of the squash was great and definitely worth trying again. With minimal preparation and ingredients, the chicken was simple and quick. If you have these spices in your kitchen then all you'll need is a lemon to whip up this tasty chicken.

Ingredients:
  • 1 acorn squash
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar
  • Tsp of butter or zero-cal butter spray
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Cooking spray, olive oil (or canola if it's all you have)
  • 1 lemon
  • Dried oregano
  • Dried parsley
  • Dried basil
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Directions:
Cut acorn squash in half. Scoop out seeds and extra flesh. Place in a small dish and microwave for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly spray a skillet and turn to medium heat. Squeeze juice of the lemon into the skillet. Add a dash of oregano, parsley, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Put the chicken breasts on the skillet and cook through on medium-high heat.

Remove acorn squash from the microwave. Spritz or spread butter over the flesh. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar over the two halves. Return to microwave for another 2 minutes.

Yield: 2 servings

Monday, November 29, 2010

Shrimp and Broccoli Linguine


Adapted from Simply Recipes.

This is a pretty quick meal that can easily be adapted to suit the ingredients in your pantry or your taste buds. The broccoli and sun dried tomatoes could be substituted for other vegetables and more garlic and/or pepper could be added.

Ingredients:
  • 4 oz. of linguine (or serving size on box)
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 1/4 lb. peeled, deveined, cooked shrimp
  • 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets cooked
  • 1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
  • Dried parsley flakes to season

Directions:

Combine cream, garlic, pepper, and wine in skillet on high heat. Once simmering reduce to medium heat and continue to simmer for 7-10 minutes or until sauce thickens. While sauce is cooking, boil linguine. Add shrimp to sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then add broccoli and sun dried tomatoes. Serve over linguine and season with parsley.

Yield: 2 servings

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Chicken and Butternut Squash Risotto


Adapted from This Week for Dinner.

Risotto can be intimidating, but it really just takes time and patience – so grab a friend or two, pour yourself the wine left over from the recipe, and make an evening out of preparing this dish! Along with our butternut squash risotto, we made a delicious salad with spring mix, pomegranate seeds, toasted walnuts, and caramelized pears. For the dressing we tossed the leaves in balsamic vinegar. This particular spread was specially chosen for a small dinner party at our place last weekend, celebrating the reunion of three travel companions. It was a wonderful meal for friends, fun, and fall.

Ingredients:
  • 1 small-medium butternut squash
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 8 cups chicken broth (may need the extra when cooking the Arborio rice)
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups Arborio rice
  • 2 cups dry white wine
  • Nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (we grated it ourselves, but you can take a shortcut and use Kraft Parm!)
  • 4 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tsps fresh thyme leaves

Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper; either boil until tender (about 45 minutes) and shred, or sauté on a large skillet with olive oil and cut and shred into small pieces.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the butternut squash lengthwise into halves. Remove the seeds and pulp by scooping them out with a spoon. Peel the squash and then cut it into small chunks. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and roast in oven for about 45 minutes to soften the squash. Before moving on, make sure the chicken is shredded and the squash is cut up and roasted.

Pour the chicken broth and 2 cups of water into a large saucepan and turn stove to medium-high heat. Once boiling, turn to a simmer.

Heat the oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When it starts to ripple, add in the onion and garlic and stir occasionally for about 2 minutes. Pour in the rice and stir occasionally for 3 minutes. Finally, stir in the wine and continue stirring until it’s fairly evaporated, about another 3 minutes.

Add 4 ladles of the heated chicken broth to the rice, stirring until the liquid evaporates. Pour in the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring and watching to see that the stock is absorbed before adding more. Overall this should end up taking around 20 minutes, and if the rice isn’t continuing to soften then pour in a little of the extra broth.

When the rice only needs a few minutes more to cook, stir in the squash. Season with a dash of nutmeg, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Cut the heat and stir in the cheese and butter.

Yield: 8 servings

Monday, November 22, 2010

Apple and Balsamic-Glazed Pork


Our goal for tonight’s meal was to avoid a trip to the grocery store before Thanksgiving break (and of course to cook and enjoy a wonderful dinner!). We had a Gala apple, fresh thyme left over from a weekend meal, and just enough pork tenderloin for two in the freezer. We crossed our fingers and hoped this combination would be good. While we were cooking, the smells reassured us that it would be! A bit to our surprise, the blend of flavors was nearly perfect.

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ onion, thinly sliced
  • 8 oz pork tenderloin
  • 1 apple, sliced
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • ½ tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:
Cut pork into 6 equal slices. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the pork and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Turn slices over and cook about 2 minutes more or until slightly pink. Remove the pork from the pan.

Add onion and thyme to the skillet. Once onions are golden brown, add the apples and sauté for two minutes. Stir in the orange juice.

Place the pork back in the skillet. Reduce to medium-low heat and cook until the apples have softened, about 5-7 minutes. Pour balsamic vinegar evenly over the pork slices.

Yield: 2 servings

Friday, November 19, 2010

Pumpkin Muffins


We made these extremely easy pumpkin muffins for our Bible study's Thanksgiving Feast this week. Who knew two ingredients could make such delicious muffins- great for dessert, breakfast, or a snack anytime!

Ingredients:
  • 1 box (18.25 oz.) of spice cake mix
  • 1 large can (29 oz.) of pumpkin pie mix (we used Libby's brand)

Directions:

Mix cake mix and pumpkin mix together in large bowl. Pour into cupcake pan and bake according to directions on spice cake mix box (approx. 18 minutes at 350 degrees).

Yield: 18-24 muffins depending on size

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Moo Shu Chicken Wraps

Adapted from food.com.

This is one of our all time favorites because it's quick and delicious! The hardest part is cooking the chicken since you can buy cole slaw mix in a bag. It's great left over for lunch the next day and can be paired with any steamed veggie.

Ingredients:
  • 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 1 (10 oz.) bag of cole slaw mix
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce

Directions:

Cook chicken on medium heat. Shred once cooked and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in skillet then add cole slaw mix. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until mix is soft and browned. Add chicken to cole slaw mix and cook for another minute or two. Stir in soy and hoisin sauces. Mix well and remove from heat. Microwave tortillas for 30 seconds if desired then put 1/4 of the mixture on each tortilla. Fold tortillas into a wrap and they're ready to eat!

Yield: 4 servings

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Chicken Panzanella


Adapted from The Skinny Taste.

An Italian Tuscan salad, panzanella is probably enjoyed best in the summer but we think it's great year-round! We added parsley-seasoned chicken to make it more substantial as a main course, and we'll consider putting mozzarella in the mix next time, too.

Ingredients:
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 4 tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 red onion, chopped
  • 8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • ½ tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Cooking spray
  • 6 oz several days-old French or Italian bread, sliced
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, basil, and olive oil in a large bowl. Generously season mixture with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to broil. Spray bread with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Place bread slices on a cooking sheet and put in the oven, toasting each side for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Watch bread closely, as it doesn't take long to brown. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes, which will be added in the final step.

Cut chicken breast into 1-inch cubes. Season with salt, pepper, and parsley. Lightly spray a medium skillet. Cook chicken on medium heat. Once cooked through, remove from heat and set aside.

After the flavors of the vegetables and olive oil have blended for about 30 minutes, combine with the bread and chicken cubes. Mix well and serve in separate bowls.

Yield: 4 servings

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Sundried Tomato & Goat Cheese Quinoa


Adapted from thewwchick.

Quinoa, /kinwa/ not /kwɪnoʊə/, is not only hard to pronounce but hard to find. We could only find one brand, which is Ancient Harvest - in the organic section at Food Lion or (a little less expensive) in the rice section at Harris Teeter. This might just be the new and delicious healthy grain, or it may just be new to us. Either way we enjoyed a little something different. And who doesn't love sundried tomatoes and goat cheese? You will not be disappointed with this meal!

Ingredients:
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup quinoa (rinsed!)
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 3 cloves of roasted garlic, minced
  • ½ cup sundried tomatoes (not in oil!), chopped
  • 2 oz goat cheese
  • Salt to taste

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add oil, onion, garlic, and quinoa to pan. Reduce to low heat and cover for 20 minutes. After quinoa has simmered and spiraled out, add goat cheese and sundried tomatoes. Leave uncovered on low heat until tomatoes have softened and cheese has melted, about 3 or 4 minutes.

Yield: 2 servings (or 4 if served as a side dish)

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Garlic & Lime Pork Medallions

Adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes.

This is another citrusy pork entree that we enjoy. The spices are much different than the orange basil pork we recently cooked, and the lime adds a real kick. Since we had the whole lime we went ahead and used all of the lime zest. We also sliced up the other half of the lime for extra refreshment in our water. To accompany our garlic and lime pork we made mashed potatoes (2 small new potatoes per serving), which served as a great side for this meal.

Ingredients:
  • 8 oz pork tenderloin
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ lime, for juice and zest
  • Salt and black ground pepper

Directions:
Cut pork tenderloin into 4 slices, about 3/4-inch thick each. Season with garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, lime zest, salt and pepper. Squeeze lime juice over meat. Let it sit, marinating for at least 20 minutes.

Line broiler pan with foil. If you do not have a broiler pan (we do not), simply line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and make sure to constantly check on the pork while it cooks. Place medallions on the pan and broil for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and browned.

Yield: 2 servings

Monday, November 8, 2010

Italian Spinach Meatballs with Farfalle
















Adapted from The Skinny Taste.

Cooking these meatballs was a bit of a feat for us; we were pleased with how they turned out. If you have the patience, you can whip up this great meal, too! Since we were only cooking for two, we'll have meatballs left over for the rest of the week.

Ingredients:
Meatballs
  • 1 lb 93% lean ground beef, chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
  • 2 slices whole wheat bread
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • Salt and pepper

Tomato Sauce
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 onion
  • Salt and pepper

Pasta
  • 12 oz farfalle or pasta of choice
  • Cook al dente, according to package directions

Directions:
Moisten bread and mash with hands. In a large bowl, combine bread with beef, spinach, egg, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix well. Scoop 1/4 cup of meat from bowl and split into two, making two small balls.

Heat olive oil on medium in a large pot. Once warm add garlic, heat until golden brown. Then add tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and reduce to low heat.

While the sauce is cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil on low in large skillet. Once warm, place meatballs on the skillet and cook on low until browned. Make sure they cook all the way through. When meatballs are cooked, roll on a paper towel to absorb extra oil. Place these meatballs into pot with sauce, and do the same for the rest of the meatballs. Once you have placed all of the meatballs into the sauce, leave on low heat for another 20 minutes. Cut onion into quarters and serve with meatballs over pasta.

Yield: 6 servings


Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Squash-ta with Pesto and Tomatoes


Spaghetti squash is a unique vegetable that transforms into spaghetti-like strands when heated and combed through with a fork, hence its familiar nickname "squash-ta." Spaghetti squash can add flavor and mix things up a bit from your traditional pasta dish. Tonight we used pesto and tomatoes as our toppings, but we will definitely make meals with it in the future and experiment with other combinations.

Ingredients:
  • 1 small spaghetti squash
  • 2 tbsp basil pesto
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions:
Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise into equal halves. Remove the seeds and pulp by scooping them out with a spoon. In a covered dish, microwave squash for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the microwave. Using a fork, scrape the flesh so that the fibers come out in spaghetti-like strands. Comb out the strands and place in a serving dish.

In the serving dish, combine squash and tomatoes. Stir in the pesto. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.

Yield: 2 servings

Monday, November 1, 2010

Brie & Apple Pizza


This pizza is simple and tasty. As we were eating it, we both agreed it might be better with a little something else, though we couldn't quite figure out what's missing. Our thoughts were substituting the brown sugar with balsamic vinegar after it cooks, or... any suggestions are welcome!

Ingredients:

Directions:
Spread the pizza dough out on a greased baking sheet. Arrange brie and apple over the dough. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over pizza.

Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or according to pizza dough instructions.

Remove from the oven, slice, and enjoy!

Yield: 4 servings

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Orange Basil Pork Over Couscous

Adapted from TasteBook.

There is something about the tanginess of orange juice that we are starting to love in our dishes. Grilled vegetables are a great side for the orange basil pork. We chose zucchini and squash. If you would rather have the pork and couscous serve as your complete meal, simply double the amount of couscous.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup couscous
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 1/8 cup water
  • 1 tsp cornstarch

  • 1/2 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 6 ounces pork tenderloin

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 1 tsp dried parsley

Directions:

Prepare couscous according to package directions.

For sauce, combine orange juice, water, cornstarch, bouillon granules, basil, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir and set aside.

Cut pork into 6 equal slices. Place each slice of pork between two sheets of plastic wrap. Lightly pound the slices with the flat side of the meat mallet to about 1/2-inch thickness. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and turn to medium heat. Add pork slices to the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes. Turn slices over and cook about 2 minutes more or until just slightly pink. Remove the pork from the skillet; keep warm.

Stir sauce, then add to the skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir parsley into couscous.

Arrange couscous and pork on a serving platter.

Yield: 2 servings

Monday, October 25, 2010

Grilled Veggies with Goat Cheese and Balsamic on Ciabatta

A few weeks ago my "Aunt" Mitzi had me over for dinner. This meal is inspired by her healthy and delicious vegetarian dinner. This is a great dish for vegetarians, but also a nice change from typical meat centered meals.

Ingredients:
  • 4 slices of ciabatta bread 1 in. thick
  • 2 oz. goat cheese
  • 1 tomato, thickly sliced
  • 1/2 zucchini, sliced
  • 1/2 bell pepper, cut into thick strips
  • 4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Cook veggies on grill (we used a George Forman) for 10 minutes or until veggies are soft and tender. While veggies are cooking, spread goat cheese on the ciabatta bread. Once veggies are cooked layer them on the bread and pour 1 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar on top of each piece.

We also prepared a spinach salad with pear, blueberries, and slivered almonds to go along with theAdd Image meal and used another 2 tbsp. of the balsamic vinegar as dressing.

Yield: 2 servings


Here's a wonderful blessing we were able to enjoy while cooking dinner!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Chicken Quesadillas

Adapted from The Skinny Taste.

We both joked around tonight about how our idea of quesadillas in college consisted of popping flour tortillas with a gob of cheese into the microwave and calling it dinner. With spices, veggies, and tangy salsa, these flavorful quesadillas are more like fajitas - far from the nuked quesadillas we made in college.

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken breast
  • Cumin
  • Oregano
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/4 onion, cut into strips
  • ½ bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2/3 cup 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup mango peach salsa
  • 4 (6") whole-wheat flour tortillas

Directions:

Slice chicken breast into 4 long slices. Season chicken with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder.

Lightly spray a medium skillet. Cook chicken on both sides on medium heat. Once cooked through, remove from heat and set aside.

Add oil, onions, and peppers to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. After about 2 minutes, add garlic and continue cooking until veggies are soft. When cooked, set aside.

Lightly coat skillet with cooking spray and add tortilla on medium heat. Top with half of the cheese, chicken, onions, peppers, and salsa. Place the other tortilla on top. Once cheese is melted and the bottom of the tortilla is slightly crispy, put a plate on top of the quesadilla and flip it over onto the plate. Then slide the other side onto the skillet. Cook another minute and remove using a spatula. Repeat for the second quesadilla. Cut into wedges and serve.

If you prefer other fillings for your quesadillas, black beans, corn, mushrooms, or even tilapia or beef in place of chicken could be great alternatives. Any flavor of salsa works, our favorite right now just happens to be Chachies Mango & Peach.

Yield: 2 servings


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Blueberry Pork


Adapted from The Kitchn.

In search of a recipe that compared to Acqua al Due’s Filetto al Mirtillo (Blueberry Steak), an incredible dish served in Florence, Italy, we came across a similar recipe for pork chops with a savory blueberry sauce. We modified it so we could use pork tenderloin and replaced half of the butter with olive oil. New potatoes made a great side. Enjoy this unique dish!

Ingredients:
  • 6 ounces pork tenderloin
  • 1 shallot, finely diced
  • ½ cup red wine
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ cup blueberries
  • ½ lemon (for zest and juice)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Dried or fresh parsley

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut pork into medallion-size slices. Salt and pepper both sides of each slice. Coat skillet with cooking spray. Brown pork on medium-high heat, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Cook the pork in the oven until it is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. When the pork is done, remove the pan from the oven and let it rest while finishing the sauce.

While the pork is cooking, prepare the blueberry sauce. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the shallots until soft and golden. Pour in the wine and water; let boil down for 1-2 minutes. Add the blueberries. When the skins begin to burst, add the lemon zest and juice. Let the sauce continue to boil and thicken until the pork is ready.

Turn the heat off under the saucepan and stir in the butter until it is completely melted. Top the pork medallions with the blueberry sauce and garnish with parsley.

Yield: 2 servings

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Shrimp ‘N Grits for Two

Tonight we did a little experimenting, adding a few of our favorite things to cook up this traditional southern meal. Needless to say, we were pleased with the outcome!

Ingredients:

  • 30 medium cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ cup grits
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • ½ tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (for less garlicky grits reduce to ½ tsp)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
  • ¼ cup large bell pepper, approximately ½ cup minced
  • 1 scallion, minced
  • ½ lemon for fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Coat small frying pan with cooking spray. Heat shrimp on medium heat, be sure to cook if using raw shrimp! Once warm, squeeze lemon juice over shrimp and heat for an additional minute.

Sauté peppers, garlic, and scallion in a small pan until the peppers are tender, approximately 3 minutes.

Bring 1 ½ cups water to boil in a small saucepan. Slowly pour grits into water. Stir in garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until grits have thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, then cheese. Finally, add peppers and scallions to the grits.

When ready to serve, mix shrimp into the grits.

Garnish with leftover lemon wedges.

Feel free to add more cheese or less garlic, depending on desired taste.

Yield: 2 servings

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Chili Night

Friday night our friend Erin Womble had our graduate class over to her house for a chili dinner. This was my first time making my mom's famous chili, and I must have the touch because it was a hit! This is an easy chili recipe, right in time for Fall weather!

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 green pepper diced
  • 1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne red pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. paprika
  • 1 15.5 oz. can kidney beans (drained)

Directions:

Cook the beef in a skillet, then add onion and green pepper until onion and pepper are tender. Drain the fat by pouring into a colander. Then put ingredients into a big pot adding diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, cayenne red pepper, and paprika. Heat on high for 5 minutes then reduce heat to low. Cover and let the chili cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The chili will look thick but will become juicy while cooking for 2 hours. Then add drained kidney beans and let cook for another 30 minutes. Ready to serve!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Zesty Tilapia
















Adapted from foodnetwork.com.

This meal is great due to its quick preparation, plus the hour or so of marinating allows you to make it ahead of time and cook just before you're ready to eat. Perfect for us today since we had just a small window of time to cook dinner between classes and meetings.

Ingredients:
2 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice (we used Simply Orange with mango)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper

Directions:
Place the fish in a nonmetal dish. Whisk together the olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, ginger, salt, and pepper, to taste; pour over the fish. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.

When the tilapia has finished marinating, remove from the fridge. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and turn stove to medium-high heat. Cook until fish begins to flake, about 5 minutes per side.

After grating the orange for its zest, we sliced it up and ate it alongside our fish. Serve with your choice of veggies.

Yield: 2 servings