Crab-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Recipe Taken From:
Taste of Home Magazine April/May 2008

Ingredients:
* 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 cup canned crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
* 1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
* 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
* 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 6 teaspoons marinade for chicken,divided
* 2 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
* 3 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese, divided

Preparation:
* Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the crab, water chestnuts, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, parsley, mustard, 2 teaspoons marinade for chicken and half of the onions.
* Chop one cheese slice; stir into crab mixture. Spread over chicken; roll up and secure with toothpicks.
* In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chicken on all sides. Place seam side down in a shallow 3-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Brush with remaining marinade for chicken.
* Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes. Cut each remaining cheese slice into six strips; place two cheese strips over each chicken breast. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. Discard toothpicks. Sprinkle remaining onions over chicken. Yield: 6 servings.

Notes & Tips:
I always have trouble rolling up chicken. It never looks pretty, but this meal tasted great. I used Phillips Canned Crab Claw Meat. Be prepared to use up the rest of the can of crab meat, this recipe calls for only a 1/2 cup and the can has 2 cups...so yeah, be prepared for another meal, either crab cakes or some kind of seafood bisque.

Nutrition Facts:
1 stuffed chicken breast half equals 225 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 95 mg cholesterol, 469 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 35 g protein.

Baked Ziti

Recipe Taken From: Nan Porter

Ingredients:

Sauce:
1/4 c olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 large can crushed tomatoes (2 lb can or so)
1 small can tomato paste
1 1/2 c water
2 T chopped parsley
1 T salt (you can omit if you're watching your salt)
1 T sugar
1 t dried oregano
1/2t dried basil
1/4 t pepper
A few splashes of red wine (whatever is open)

Cheese Layer:
2 15 oz cartons of ricotta cheese (part skim works fine if you're watching fats)
1 8 oz package shredded Italian blend cheese (mozzarella, parm etc.)
2 eggs
1 T. chopped parsley

Ziti:
1 lb bag of ziti noodles

Preparation:
To make sauce begin by heating oil in large kettle, saute onion and garlic until golden-brown (5-10 minutes)add tomatoes - juice and all, tomato paste, water, parsley, and other spices, (and wine) if using whole tomatoes smash against the sides with wooden spoon. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about an hour.

In a large bowl beat eggs, add ricotta and cheese blend and parsley (salt and pepper if you want) Some times if you want to increase the protein a bit you can use a container of soft tofu too.

Cook 1lb ziti as directed, I have also used other shapes if I don't have ziti.

Spoon a little sauce in a five quart casserole, layer a third of ziti, 1/2 of cheese mixture and more sauce. Another third of ziti, the rest of the cheese, more sauce. The remaining ziti and then sauce - sprinkle grated parm on top. These freezes and refrigerates well.

Back 350 degrees for an hour, keep covered until the last fifteen minutes or so.

Notes & Tips:
This makes a TON of ziti! If you don't have a 5qt. casserole dish (which I didn't) you can use a 2 3qt ones and split the ingredients in half and make 2 batches. I tried this without the ziti noodles and it was great. The sauce is wonderful, I did add the wine, but that's because honestly...I just love wine.

Irish Lamb Stew

Recipe Taken From:
www.eatingwell.com

Ingredients:
* 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
* 1 3/4 pounds white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
* 3 large leeks, white part only, halved, washed (see Notes & Tips) and thinly sliced
* 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
* 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
* 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Preparation:

Combine lamb, potatoes, leeks, carrots, celery, broth, thyme, salt and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker; stir to combine. Put the lid on and cook on low until the lamb is fork-tender, about 8 hours. Stir in parsley before serving.

Notes & Tips:
Make sure you trim any visible fat from lamb before you cook it. Also, it seemed like there wasn't enough liquid in my crockpot, but it turned out good. I think next time I would add a cup or two of water, just to give it a little wiggle room. I really liked it, I'm not sure if my guests liked it, their comments were that it was "hearty" and they didn't finish the bowl.

To clean leeks, trim and discard green tops and white roots. Split leeks lengthwise and place in plenty of water. Swish the leeks in the water to release any sand or soil. Drain. Repeat until no grit remains.

Nutrition Facts:
Per serving: 266 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 65 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 23 g protein; 4 g fiber; 427 mg sodium; 803 mg potassium.

Vegetable Strudel

Recipe Adapted From:
Better Homes & Gardens Nov. 2

Ingredients:
* 5 cups fresh spinach leaves
* 2 medium red sweet peppers, cut into 1-inch strips
* 2 carrots, shredded
* 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
* 4 green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)
* 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
* Dash red pepper flakes
* Butter-flavor nonstick spray coating
* 6 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
* 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs

Preparation:
1. For filling, place the spinach in large colander; set aside. In a large saucepan cook sweet peppers, summer squash, carrots, mushrooms, and green onions in 4 cups boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour over spinach to drain; rinse immediately with cold water. Drain well, pressing out excess moisture. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl. Stir in the dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, the oregano, salt, black pepper, and ground red pepper. Set filling aside.
2. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick coating. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a dry kitchen towel. (Keep remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.) Spray with nonstick coating. Place another sheet on top; spray with nonstick coating. Sprinkle with half of the bread crumbs. Place 2 more sheets of phyllo on top, spraying each with nonstick coating. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Add remaining 2 sheets of phyllo, spraying each with nonstick coating.
3. Spoon filling along 1 long side of phyllo stack about 1-1/2 inches from edges. Fold in the short sides over the filling. Starting from the long side with filling, roll up jelly-roll style.
4. Place strudel, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Spray top with nonstick coating. Using a sharp knife, score into 8 slices, cutting through the top layer only. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the strudel is golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. To serve, cut along scored lines into slices. Makes 4 servings.

Notes & Tips:
I didn't have any bread crumbs on hand so I crushed a bunch of really yummy crackers. They were really flavorful. I really think that instead of cooking spray, I would have liked to use spray butter. I sprayed butter on the top of the strudel during the last few mins of cooking, and that made all the difference. It still wasn't my favorite thing I had ever eaten.

Nutrition Facts:
Servings Per Recipe 4 servings * Calories182, * Total Fat (g)5, * Saturated Fat (g)1, * Cholesterol (mg)4, * Sodium (mg)466, * Carbohydrate (g)29, * Fiber (g)4, * Protein (g)8, * Vitamin A (DV%)156, * Vitamin C (DV%)158, * Calcium (DV%)14, * Iron (DV%)24, * Starch (d.e.)1, * Vegetables (d.e.)3, * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Hamburger Buddy

Recipe Taken From:
www.eatingwell.com

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 10 ounces white mushrooms, large ones cut in half
• 1 large onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups water
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium beef broth, divided
• 8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles, (2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Preparation:

1. Fit a food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and process until minced, then add carrots and mushrooms and process until finely chopped. Turn it off, add onion, and pulse until roughly chopped.
2. Cook beef in a large straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften and the mushrooms release their juices, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Stir in water, 1 1/2 cups broth, noodles and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Whisk flour with the remaining 1/4 cup broth in a small bowl until smooth; stir into the hamburger mixture. Stir in the sour cream. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley (or chives), if desired.

Notes & Tips:

This is incredible! I know I say that alot but seriously PARENTS! this is just like hamburger helper but has a TON of veggies. It looks just like hamburger helper. It tastes richer too, but the nutrition facts are great. Also, the food processed veggies, turn out looking like meat. I served this with a salad.

Nutrition Facts:

Serves 6

Per serving: 326 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 54 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrates; 23 g protein; 4 g fiber; 431 mg sodium; 644 mg potassium.

Creamy Shrimp & Tomato Chowder

Recipe Taken From:
Better Homes & Garden

Ingredients:

* 2 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
* 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
* 8 oz. medium peeled cooked shrimp
* 1/2 cup whipping cream
* 1/2 cup water
* Ground Black Pepper
* Slivered fresh basil
* Focaccia wedges

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan cook celery and onion in hot oil just until tender. Stir in tomatoes; heat through. Add shrimp, whipping cream, and water. Cook over medium heat just until hot. Season to taste with pepper.

2. Ladle chowder into bowls; top with basil Serve with focaccia wedges. Serves 4 (1-1/2-cup servings).

Notes & Tips:
This was really yummy! I did double the shrimp though, 8 oz just isn't enough!

Nutrition Facts:

* Calories 245
* Total Fat (g)15
* Carbohydrate (g)14
* Fiber (g)2
* Protein (g)15

Cube Steak with Mushroom Sherry Sauce

Recipe Taken From:
Eating Well Magazine March/April 2010

Ingredients:

* 4 4-ounce cube steaks
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
* 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (about 2 1/2 cups)
* 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
* 1/2 cup dry sherry (see Note)
* 1/2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
* 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

Preparation:
1. Sprinkle steaks with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add steaks and cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side for medium. (If necessary, cook in two batches.) Transfer the steaks to a plate and cover to keep warm.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add mushrooms, shallot and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are golden brown and release their liquid, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add thyme, sherry and broth; bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream. Return the steaks (and any accumulated juice) to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Serve the steaks with the sauce.

Notes & Tips:
This is a pretty good recipe. I think the cube steak is kind of tough but I really like the mushroom-sherry sauce. I served this with steamed veggies. It was really really easy and quick to make. I liked the way the shallots complimented the mushrooms.

Nutrition Facts:
Serves 4
Per serving: 268 calories; 12 g fat (3 g sat, 7 g mono); 56 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 29 g protein; 1 g fiber; 428 mg sodium; 684 mg potassium.

New England Fried Shrimp

Recipe taken from:
www.eatingwell.com

Ingredients:

* 1 cup pale ale, or other light-colored beer
* 1 cup whole-wheat flour
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
* 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
* 1 pound raw shrimp, large or extra-large
* Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Whisk beer, flour, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until smooth.

2. You’ll need to cook the shrimp in two batches. Wait to batter the second batch until the first is cooked. For the first batch, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Hold shrimp by the tail and dip in the batter one at a time. Let any excess batter drip off, then add the shrimp to the hot oil, making sure they aren’t touching. Cook, turning once and adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden brown on the outside and curled, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.

3. Wipe out the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and heat over medium-high. Batter and fry the remaining shrimp. Season all the shrimp with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Notes & Tips:
Yum Yum!! This was really good. I used a micro-brew from this area (Tall Grass Wheat) and it was perfect! I served this with rice and steamed broccoli.


Nutrition Facts:
Serves 4
Per serving: 213 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 172 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 24 g protein; 1 g fiber; 351 mg sodium; 210 mg potassium.

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches

Recipe Taken From:
Sparkpeople.com

Ingredients:

* 1 (4 pound) boneless beef roast
* 1/2 cup lite, low sodium soy sauce
* 1 beef bouillon cube
* 1 bay leaf
* 3 whole black peppercorns
* 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 10 slices provolone cheese
* 10 steak rolls

Preparation:
1) Remove and discard all visible fat from the roast. Place trimmed roast in a slow cooker.

2) In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder. Pour mixture over roast, and add enough water to almost cover roast. Cover, and cook on Low heat for 10 to 12 hours, or until meat is very tender.

3) Remove meat from broth, reserving broth. Let the meat sit for five minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Shred meat with a fork, and serve on rolls with a slice of provolone. Use reserved broth for dipping.

Notes & Tips:
I used beef broth instead of beef bouillon. Also, I used the cheapest cut of beef I could find. It turned out a little tough, but the meat pulled apart great. Next time I would use a nicer cut of beef. I served this with sweet potato fries and steamed veggies.

Nutrition Facts:
Servings Per Recipe: 10
Calories: 543.7
Total Fat: 17.6 g
Total Carbs: 41.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.2 g
Protein: 52.7 g

Rosemary Dijon Pork Loin

Recipe Taken From:
Food Network

Ingredients:

* 1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin
* 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
* 2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped rosemary leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Trim any excess fat from the pork loin, leaving a thin-layer of fat over the top.

Evenly rub the entire pork loin with the Dijon mustard followed by the onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. Make sure to really rub in the spices, and then sprinkle the rosemary evenly all over the top. Place the pork in roasting pan lined with a rack and roast for 20 minutes.

Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F, and continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 145 degrees F, about 1 hour more. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and pork and arrange on a platter garnished with rosemary sprigs.

Notes & Tips:
I served this with roasted brussel sprouts. Not bad at all if you like rosemary (which I'm crazy about). I wish there was some kind of sauce that could go with it. Not that the pork is dry, but just that I feel like I should dip it in something.

Nutrition Facts:
Serves 8 4oz servings
Calories 329
Fat 12
Carbohydrates 1.2
Fiber 0.47