Chicks in a Blanket

from Perdue.com

serves 8

• 1 package PERDUE® Baked Breaded Chicken Breast Tenderloins (My store only had a package of baked chicken breasts so I cut those in half)
• 1 can (16 ounces) extra large refrigerated biscuits (I used biscuits that were 100 cal each - 8 in a can)
• 4 slices American cheese, each cut in half (I used low-fat mozzarella)
• Dipping sauces (optional) (I used marinara sauce)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove dough from can and separate into 8 pieces. Place biscuits several inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten each biscuit with palm of hand. Place one strip of cheese and one tender in center of each biscuit. Wrap dough partially around tender to enclose leaving top of tender showing. Press edges of dough firmly together to seal. Bake for 15 –18 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 1 minute before serving. Serve with favorite dipping sauces, if desired.

My Review: This was a fun and delicious way to eat chicken. It's kid-friendly AND boy-friendly, plus there are tons of ways you can mix up the recipe. (I would love to figure out a way to incorporate gravy - but that might be way too much!) Definitely not pretty or gourmet -- but sometimes you just need a quick meal you can put together in a pinch!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprints

from For the Love of Cooking (click here to see the official recipe with pictures)

• 1 1/4 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 4 oz unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam -- I used low-sugar blackberry

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat the peanut butter and butter with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars then beat until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients then mix until combined.

Scoop level tablespoons of dough, and form into balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, and transfer to a silpat lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. (I don't know what silpat is - I just used a normal baking sheet!)

Bake for 8-9 minutes or until the cookies are puffy. Remove from oven, and make indentions in centers by pressing with the handle of a wooden spoon. Return to the oven for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.

Heat jam in a small saucepan, stirring, until loosened, about 30-45 seconds. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon into each indention. Store cookies in a single layer.

My Review: These should be titled the best cookies on earth. They were so incredibly delicious. In fact, if you just want the perfect peanut butter cookie, just skip the jelly-adding part. They were soft and had a great peanut butter flavor. We couldn't stop eating them!

Cornbread Casserole

From some random message board

Serves 12

• 1 can corn (undrained)
• 1 large can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 can jalapeno pinto beans (undrained) - I have no idea what these are so I used spicy chili beans
• 1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp red pepper
• 2 packages cornbread mix (I used Jiffy's - I think it called for eggs and milk)

Brown meat, onion, garlic and spices. Mix with canned corn, tomatoes and beans and pour into a casserole dish. Mix cornbread and pour over top of casserole. Bake @ 400 degrees cornbread is done. (It took a long time - I think it was about 40 minutes.)

My Review: How can you complain about anything that includes cornbread as an ingredient? It was easy to make, reheats well and is tasty to boot! Next time I make it, I would probably add diced jalapeno peppers for a little more kick or I'd do one small can of diced tomatoes and one small can of tomatoes with green chilies.

Amazing Baked Apples with Vanilla-Honey Yogurt

from Clean Eating magazine (Jan/Feb 2010)

Serves 4

• 1 medium lemon
• 4 large, firm apples, cored and hollowed (leaving bottoms intact)
• 2 T unsalted almond butter (or unsalted nut butter of your choice)
• 1 T unsweetened dried apricots, chopped
• 1 T dried, pitted prunes, chopped
• 1 T unsweetened raisins
• 2 T toasted shaved hazelnuts, divided (I used walnuts)
• 2 tsp raw organic honey (I used the squeezable bear honey)
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Vanilla-Honey Yogurt

• 1 C low-fat plain yogurt (I used fat-free Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (I used the fake stuff)
• 2 tsp raw organic honey (again - squeezable bear works just as well!)

Preheat oven to 375. Juice lemon, yielding about 2 T juice. Then split open lemon and rub inside flesh over inside of each apple. Drizzle about 1/8 tsp lemon juice inside cavity of each apple, reserving remaining juice. In bowl, combine almond butter, apricots, prunes, raisins, hazelnuts (reserving 1 tsp for garnish), honey and cinnamon. Stuff each cavity with filling, dividing evenly among 4 apples. Press stuffing down firmly and place apples cavity-side-up, in a shallow baking dish. Mix together remaining lemon juice and 1/4 C water and pour around apples. Place dish in oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until firm but tender.

Prepare Vanilla Honey Yogurt: Place yogurt in a strainer lined with paper towel and set strainer over a bowl. Let sit in fridge for no less than 1 hour or until thick. Pour off liquid, place thickened yogurt in bowl and stir in vanilla and honey. Spoon 1 T yogurt over each warm baked apple and sprinkle with remaining nuts.

My Review: It was tasty, but I completely screwed this recipe up. I only used two apples, but I kept the filling and yogurt amounts the same. I also mixed the lemon juice with the stuffing ingredients, by mistake. Since Greek yogurt is already pretty thick, I didn't mess with the whole strainer thing. And let me tell you, chopping up prunes is disgusting! But, when all is said and done, these apples were pretty delicious and very filling!

Spicy Tuna Cakes

from Recipezaar

Made about 13 patties (2 or 3 patties per serving)

• 3 (6-ounce) cans chunk light tuna in water (drained)
• 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs (I used regular)
• 2 eggs (slightly beaten)
• 4 tablespoons Miracle Whip (I used light mayo)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1/2 cup onion (finely diced)
• 1/4 cup bell pepper (finely diced)
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon red curry powder
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon roasted garlic
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Coat patties in this mixture before frying/baking:

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons salt

Mix all ingredients like you would if you were making a meatloaf. Shape into patties. Dredge patties in the cornmeal mixture and fry until crunchy. Serve with a sauce of your choice or eat them like a sandwich on a toasted bun.

(I sprayed these with cooking spray and baked them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turning them over halfway through.)

Spicy Mayo (I served this as the dipping sauce.)

• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• Hot sauce, to taste

Mix well.

The Review: These were DELICIOUS! Very flavorful - the perfect blend of spices! They are very spicy, however, so if you're not a hot food lover, you may want to cut back or omit the spicier ingredients. I think a tartar sauce or a cucumber-based dipping sauce would work well.

Hot and Spicy Tuna Melt Panini

adapted from the Mise En Place website

2 cans solid white tuna, drained

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1 celery stalk, diced (I used way more than this)

1/4 red onion, finely diced (I used regular onions)

1 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper (I used way more than this)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons lime juice (I used lemon juice)

4 panini buns, halved (I used light whole wheat bread)

4 slices Monterey Jack cheese with hot peppers (I used light cheddar)

Mix tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion, jalapeno, chili powder and lime juice in a bowl. Spread about a quarter of the mixture over each panini bottom, top with cheese and close the sandwich. Cook in a panini press on medium until buns are toasted and cheese is melted, about 6 minutes. Note: if you do not have a panini press, you can use a skillet. Just press to flatten. (I used my sandwich maker.)

My Review: This was an interesting twist on tuna salad. I'm a big fan of flaming hot spice, so I enjoyed a spicier version of tuna. I even served the tuna mixture over lettuce for lunch the next day. This was a quick easy meal - and may be my new favorite way to make tuna. I did screw up one thing - the celery chunks were way too big. Next time, I'll dice them smaller.

Roast Beef with Coffee Gravy

from Closet Cooking (click here to see the recipe with photos)

• 3-5 pound chuck roast
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 onions (sliced)
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 cups coffee
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 tablespoon flour mixed into 1 tablespoon water
• salt and pepper to taste
• *"new" potatoes - my addition
• * carrots cut into 1-inch pieces - my addition

Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the beef and brown on all sides and set aside.Add the onion to the pan and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the beef stock and deglaze the pan. Add the beef back to the pan along with the coffee, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves and thyme and bring to a simmer.

Cover and transfer to a preheated 325F over and bake until fork tender, about 3-5 hours.Set the beef aside, cover and let cool. Strain the solids from the gravy and skim off the fat. Add the flour and water mixture and simmer until it thickens, a few minutes. Season the gravy with salt and pepper. *I added carrots and potatoes in the last hour of cooking.

My Review: Yum! This was delicious! I've never made a pot roast before. I'm not sure why - because it was incredibly easy. I did have some problems with the gravy. I've never made gravy before and it was kind of hard to do. It turned out to be more like broth with clumps of flour that I couldn't get unclumped. It still tasted OK, though.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup

from For the Love of Cooking (click here to see the official recipe with pictures)

Serves 4 @ 308 calories, 10 g fat, 3 g fiber (pancakes only)

Cinnamon Syrup:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup water

Stir all the dry ingredients together in a small saucepan. Add the water and vanilla and stir occasionally until boiling. Let it boil for a few minutes while stirring until it thickens. Remove from heat and set aside until needed.

Pancakes:

• 2 cups of Bisquick pancake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp clove

Combine all dry ingredients until well blended. Add the milk and eggs into dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly (there should be some lumps). Heat a bit of butter in a skillet or griddle, over medium heat. Once hot, add a ladle full of pancake batter to the pan and cook for a few minutes; once you see bubbles forming on top of the pancakes, flip. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until done. Serve with fresh hot cinnamon syrup.

My Review: These were delicious, of course! I'm all about pumpkin anything so of course pumpkin pancakes are a big hit. The syrup was yummy too - sweet and spicy!

Cheddar and Hard Cider Fondue

From the Food Network

Serves 6

• 1 (12-ounce) bottle hard cider
• 3/4 cup chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (I actually ran out of garlic so I used garlic powder)
• 1/2 pound Gruyere, grated (I could not find this so I subbed with Swiss)
• 1/2 pound sharp Vermont or New York yellow cheddar
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used paprika and red pepper flakes)
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon Bourbon, whiskey or apple jack, optional (I used whiskey)
• I also added a little spicy mustard because Swiss is milder than Gruyere

Fondue Dippers:

Cooked chicken and apple sausages, chorizo, or mini hot dogs; sliced baguette or black bread, radishes, roasted shallots, roasted mushrooms or small fingerlings or baby potatoes, pears, apples, or pretzels. (I used pumpernickel pretzels, apple slices and Lil' Smokies)

Heat cider, broth, Worcestershire, and garlic in a medium pot over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes.Toss the cheeses together in a medium bowl. Sift the corn starch over the cheese, and toss to coat lightly.

Using a wooden spoon, sprinkle some cheese mixture into the warm liquid and continue to stir in small amounts of cheese until it is all incorporated and the fondue is smooth and melted, about 15 minutes. Stir in cayenne, salt and Bourbon, if using.

Transfer to a fondue pot or double boiler and serve with desired dippers.

My Review: I took this to a Halloween party over the weekend. It had a good flavor, but I must have done something wrong when I put it together. The recipe said it was an 'intermediate' recipe - maybe I'm still at a beginner level!

The texture was more like soup than fondue so it was hard to eat. I didn't want to bring a fondue pot to the party so I used a little crockpot instead. (That might have been the source of the texture problem!) It was OK - but I don't think I would make this again.

Apple Brownies

adapted from Vitamin G blog (Click here to see original recipe with photos)

Serves 12 @ 169 cal, 5.4 fat and 1.6 fiber

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 cup apples, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup craisins

Cream butter, applesauce and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and cinnamon; stir well. Stir in apples, nuts, and craisins. Bake in a greased and floured 9 x 9 pan at 350° F. for 35-40 minutes.

My Review: Yum - these were DELICIOUS, especially when warm!

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

from Weight Watchers message boards

Serves 12 ( one cup each)

• 16 oz. dry spaghetti, cooked
• 1 lb. Velveeta Light (2%)Cheese
• 12.5 oz can chicken breast, drained & flaked
• 1 can 98% FF cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can 98% FF cream of chicken soup
• 10 oz. can diced tomatoes & green chilies (Rotel)
• 4 oz can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small onion, diced - didn't have so I substituted with peas...I'm not sure why.
• 1 med. green pepper, diced
• salt & pepper to taste

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to mix well. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours. Stir again just before serving.

My Review: For years, I've been hearing rave reviews about this recipe. I was so excited to try it and so disappointed in the results. It was just meh. Personally, I found it a little too cheesy and it didn't have much flavor. Sadly, it makes a ton so I was stuck with lots and lots of leftovers. It actually might make a good dip for tortilla chips or vegetables. You could omit the water to make it a little thicker.

Nectarine and Goat Cheese Salad

From For the Love of Cooking (click here to see the official recipe with photos)

• Fresh lettuce (whatever kind you like)
• 1 nectarine, sliced thinly
• 1-2 T goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 handful of grape tomatoes, halved (I left these out)
• 1/2 cucumber, seeded & sliced (I left this out)
• 4 leaves of fresh basil, chopped (I left this out)
• 1-2 tbsp of craisins
• 1-2 tbsp of sunflower seeds
• 1/4 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup croutons
• Balsamic vinaigrette (I just used Italian)

Combine all ingredients, toss & serve. Enjoy.

Review: This salad was yummy - Simon declared it the best salad ever!

Sloppy Joes

From For the Love of Cooking (Click here to see the official recipe with photos)

With my adjustments the recipe serves 5 (girl portions) at 281 calories, 16 g fat, 1 g fiber

1 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef (I used 96/4) -- I only used 1 lb of ground sirloin. I figured I didn't need all that beef

1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

1/4 orange bell pepper, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp dried mustard - substituted with regular mustard

1/2 tsp paprika - oops! I forgot this! Maybe that's why I thought it needed more kick

1 cup of ketchup

1 tsp brown sugar

2 tbsp water

Salt and pepper to taste - oops! I forgot this!

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook for 3-4 minutes, making sure to break it up into crumbles. Add the onion, celery, garlic and bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Drain any grease then add ketchup, brown sugar and water. Stir and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Review: This was OK. I like my sloppy joes saucier and spicier. If I were to make these again, I'd remember the paprika and add red pepper flakes (my favorite ingredient). I'd also add more ketchup - or maybe some tomato sauce. I'd also cook the vegetables for a little longer. Mine were crunchy!

Pot-Luck Pasta Salad

adapted from a recipe posted on the Weight Watchers website

Servings: 12 (about 155 calories, 8 g fat and 3 g fiber the way I made it)

• 4 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, corkscrew shape (about 1 1/2 cups) -- I used 8 ounces of uncooked pasta - I didn't feel like 4 ounces was enough
• 1/3 cup(s) olive oil, extra virgin
• 1/4 cup(s) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
• 2 1/2 oz olive(s), canned, sliced, black (about 10 medium olives)
• 1 medium green pepper(s), chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium sweet red pepper(s), chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3/4 cup(s) grape tomatoes, or other small tomatoes, halved (about 10 tomatoes) -- I'm not a tomato fan, so I left this out
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1/2 cup) -- I diced these because I don't like big strips of vegetables in salads
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1/2 cup) -- I diced these because I don't like big strips of vegetables in salads
• 1 cup(s) frozen green peas, thawed -- I completely forgot to include these
• 1/2 C reduced fat feta -- I like cheese in pasta salad, so I added this in!

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse pasta with cold water; drain again and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, prepare salad dressing by mixing together oil, lemon juice, oregano, mustard, salt, black pepper and garlic; set aside until ready to use.

In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta with vegetables and feta; pour in dressing and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and chill about 2 hours.

Review: Personally, I prefer Italian dressing based salads to creamy mayonnaise based salads. I thought this turned out really well. The veggies bulked it up and made it very colorful. The dressing was flavorful. I brought it to a friend's cookout. I think most people liked it but veggie haters probably won't be fans.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This recipe is a family favorite - and perfect for football season! I'm sure my mom got it from somewhere. Your guess is as good as mine!

SERVES 20 (about 144 calories, 9 g fat, 0 g fiber - doesn't include chips and celery)

• 2 (10 ounce) cans chicken (You can also use leftover cooked chicken)
• 2 (8 ounce) packets light cream cheese
• 3/4 cup hot sauce (I've used regular hot sauce and the buffalo wing hot sauce)
• 1 cup light ranch dressing (I've used light blue cheese dressing before - that's good too)
• 2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese
• Baked tostitos and celery sticks

Drain canned chicken and combine with hot sauce in saucepan. Cook on medium until heated. Add cream cheese and stir until blended thoroughly. Add ranch dressing and mix. Add most of the cheddar cheese and heat for a few minutes until mixed and melted. Put dip into a small slow cooker and sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top. Keep on low heat. Serve with baked tostitos and celery sticks.

I have also simply combined all ingredients in a bowl (except chips and celery) and put in the slow cooker to heat.

Review: This is a family favorite, so obviously I love it! It's not pretty, but it smells wonderful, tastes even better and is great to have around for football games. And it goes without saying that this is a boy-friendly recipe!

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

from Closet Cooking

Click here for recipe with photos!

(makes 4 large pancakes) I got 5 servings out of this - 2 med pancakes per serving

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup lowfat buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 cup blueberries

Mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Mix the buttermilk, eggs and butter in another bowl. Mix the wet and dry ingredients making sure to not over mix. Mix in the blue berries. Heat a pan and melt a touch of butter in it. Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture into the pan and heat until the surface starts to bubble and the bottom is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until the bottom is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.

REVIEW: Yum! These were tasty AND filling. I loved the cornmeal flavor.

Angel Hair Pasta with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce

adapted from WW Best Eats Cookbook

Serves 6 - if you make the recipe without my adapations, it's 204 cal, 3 g fat, 598 mg sodium and 4 g fiber

• 1 small eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 red pepper(s), cut into 8 strips
• 3/4 tsp table salt
• 1 garlic clove(s), minced
• 2 large tomato(es), coarsely chopped (I couldn't pick out a good tomato if my life depended on it, so I just used a giant can of chopped organic tomatoes. I actually read somewhere that canned tomatoes are more nutritious, which works well with my laziness!)
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I love spice so I doubled this)
• 1/8 tsp black pepper (I love pepper so I doubled this)
• 2 tbsp basil, fresh, minced (I used dried - fresh herbs are expensive and don't last long!)
• 2 tbsp chives, fresh, minced (I used fresh because they were a manager's special at Kroger)
• 1/2 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth
• 8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained (I used whole-wheat pasta)
• 4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• Personal extras - I also added a couple of tablespoons of Harry and David's Pepper and Onion Relish to give it more kick and a couple of tablespoons of ketchup to thicken it up. (I think I read somewhere that ketchup could sub for tomato paste.)

Preheat grill to medium or you can roast the vegetables if you prefer. (To roast, preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place vegetables on prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray; season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Roast, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.)

Place eggplant slices and pepper strips in a grill basket (or place vegetables on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil with holes poked in it to allow smoke through). Off heat, coat vegetables with cooking spray; season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Place on grill and cook until lightly browned and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces; set aside.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over low-medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until slightly pulpy, about 1 minute more. Stir in vegetables, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil, chives and broth; increase heat to medium-high. Cook until broth is slightly reduced and mixture has a sauce consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add pasta and toss to coat. Stir in cheese just before serving. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Review: This was surprisingly good! I was really nervous because I waited too long to make this and my eggplant got a little decrepit. Luckily the roasting took care of the decrepitness! The sauce tasted very healthy and fresh. It had just enough kick to keep my taste buds happy. I really enjoyed the feta in this - it melted a bit and was really creamy.

Next time I make this, I'll cut smaller eggplant pieces and leave the skin on. I'll also cut the pepper into smaller pieces. I'm not really a fan of giant vegetables in my sauces so I ended up cutting the vegetables with my fork before I ate them.

Oh - and it goes without saying since I don't own a grill (second floor apartment) that I roasted the veggies.

Meatloaf

Recipe by For the Love of Cooking.net

Click here for the original recipe with photos!

1 lb lean ground beef (I used ground sirloin - 90/10)

1/2 sweet yellow onion

1/2 lb mushrooms chopped (I'm lazy so I used a food processor. The mushroom pieces were so tiny they blended with the ground beef)

1-2 cloves of garlic minced

3 tbsp Parmesan cheese (I used the stuff in the green can - I'm a gourmet, baby!)

1 egg (I used egg substitute since I had some left over from my bread)

1/2 cup non fat milk

10-12 saltine crackers (I love saltines so I used 12)

2 tbsp Italian bread crumbs (I just used regular bread crumbs)

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp sage

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients well, then form a loaf in the loaf pan.

Sauce:

1 cup of ketchup

3 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp mustard powder (I substituted with 2 T regular mustard - I like things spicier)

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Combine ingredients. Add more sugar, mustard or nutmeg to taste. Make sure to save the extra sauce for serving. Completely cover the top of the meatloaf with the sauce before baking.

Bake for 80-90 minutes. Let sit 5-10 minutes before slicing. (I dumped the extra sauce on top after it was done cooking.)

Review: This smelled wonderful and was absolutely delicious. It had an interesting sweet and spicy flavor. The meat was really tender - I think the mushrooms did the trick. This recipe was also boy-approved.

Roasted Sugar Snap Peas w/ Green Onions

Recipe from some random healthy cooking message board

2 lbs. sugar snap peas… ends trimmed

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 dash salt

1 Tbsp. green onions… finely chopped (I didn't use these - I don't like green onions)

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the sugar snap peas out on a baking sheet. Brush pea pods with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and onions. Roast the sugar snap peas on the top rack of the oven until they begin to get tender on the outside, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Bread

Recipe by For the Love of Cooking.net

Click here if you want to see the original recipe with pictures.

1 cup of Xagave (I just used regular agave nectar - you can find it in the 'natural' foods section at the grocery store)

Zest and juice of 3 lemons

3/4 cup of canola oil (Next time I make this, I'm going to reduce this.)

6 eggs (I used egg substitute)

1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp lemon extract

1-2 tsp poppy seeds (I used 2 tsp)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat two 8x4 loaf pans with canola cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk Xagave, lemon zest, lemon juice and oil together. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each is added. Stir in remaining ingredients just until dry ingredients are combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and serve.

Review: This had a really interesting flavor - it was bright and lemony, not all that sweet. It tasted very wholesome - probably because of the whole wheat flour. It was a little denser than other breads I've made and a teensy bit oily. Next time I make it, I'll only use 1/2 cup oil.

It wasn't what I expcted, but I really liked it. Simon liked it too, so it's boy approved!

Balsamic Green Bean & Potato Salad

Recipe by For the Love of Cooking.net

2 cups baby Dutch potatoes (I couldn't find these, so I just used baby red potatoes.)

2 cups green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise

3 tbsp olive oil (I couldn't justify this - so I scaled back to 2 T; should have done 1 T and a little more balsamic.)

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2-3 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped

Fill a large saucepan with water and season with salt. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10-12 minutes. Add the green beans and cook for 3-5 minutes. Drain and let stand.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, mustard, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Whisk in the olive oil until combined.

Toss the potatoes and beans with the dressing to coat and top with freshly chopped basil.

Review: This was good - but it wasn't my most favorite recipe ever. Everything that went wrong was completely my fault. The red potatoes were too big, so I cut them in half, which made them soggy. It was cold - so next time I'll leave it at room temperature. I really liked the vinaigrette. It was delicious!

Soy-Garlic Chicken

from Simple & Delicious September/October 2009

SERVINGS: 6 (I only got 4 servings out of this)

6 chicken leg quarters, skin removed (I used 3 chicken breast halves)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic

With a sharp knife, cut leg quarters at the joints if desired. (Or if using breasts, plop 'em in the slow cooker!) Place in a 4-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomato sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and garlic; pour over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 180°. Yield: 6 servings.

Review: When I came home after this had been cooking all day, my apartment smelled AMAZING. What's even better, this was quite possibly the easiest recipe I've ever made in my life. I whipped up the sauce, poured it over the chicken and let it cook away while I was at work. I got home at 6:30 and had dinner ready at 6:45. The chicken was tender and flavorful. I served with brown rice and a green bean- potato salad.