Category: Main Courses

“As long as there’s a few farmers out there, we’ll keep fighting for them.” ~ Willie Nelson

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One of the things I love about the spring and summer is the River Market Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning!

It’s a fabulous way to start your Saturday morning! There is just something about it that makes me happy. 🙂

Growing up on a farm with a huge garden will pretty much spoil you to any other kind of vegetables. Unfortunately, for years I had to do without such fresh homegrown vegetables but with the new interest in fresh homegrown food – I am now able to get a little bit of my childhood back.

I love to just look around a grab a few things for the rest of the week but today I had several things on my list that I had to have for tonight’s dinner and they did not disappoint.

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Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

  • 4 ounces uncooked ziti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped yellow squash
  • 1 cup chopped zucchini
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cups chopped tomato
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • Cooking spray

Cook pasta according to directions and preheat oven to 400º.

Sauté squash, zucchini and onion in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Add tomato and garlic for 3-5 more minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients (minus the cooking spray).

Then add cheese mixture to vegetable mixture and pour into an 8 inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly and brown.

 

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“I have CDO, it’s like OCD with the letters in alphebetical order, as they should be…..” ~ unknown

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No secret here – I love a crock pot meal.

I love them even more now that I have started using crock pot liners! They make easy, easier!!

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I don’t know about you but I absolutely despise scrubbing all the cooked on mess off! It really needs to soak off but I hate leaving things soaking in the sink. I want it all cleaned up and put away, right away.

Definitely my OCD coming out. An affliction that has been greatly tested with an 8 month old. 🙂

Sweetened Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

(adapted from Food52)

Pork

  • 2 pounds Pork Tenderloin
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 Clove Garlic; crushed
  • 1/2 cup Water

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Mix together sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub onto tenderloin and place in crockpot with 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

With about 45 minutes left to cook, preheat oven to 350º and mix together glaze ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium/low heat until thickened. Remove pork loin and place in oven safe dish and spread half the glaze onto pork and cook in oven for around 15-20 or until glaze starts to firm up.

Remove from oven, shred meat and drizzle remaining glaze.

 

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-abp

“Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people” ~Abraham Lincoln

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I stepped totally out of the box on this one, folks.

This is a recipe I would normally skipped right on past.

But it was the Fourth of July and what better fits that holiday more than watermelon?

– Not much.

And who is trying to lose baby weight?

– Me.

So I thought “why not?”.

I was still skeptical even as I filled the bowls but after all the garnish was applied, it all came together.

The flavors were amazing together and every bite was better than the last!!

Watermelon Gazpacho

1 large tomato, pureed
1/2 Serrano chile
2 cups cubed fresh watermelon
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1/2 cucumber, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
In a blender, puree the tomatoes, chile, and 1/2 of the watermelon. Pour in the red wine vinegar and olive oil and pulse. Add the onion, cucumber and dill and season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour into chilled bowls and sprinkle with dill, feta, and remaining watermelon.

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-abp

“You’re in pretty good shape for the shape you are in.” ~ Dr. Seuss

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Believe me – I’m not a health nut.

I would love to be but I cannot even pretend to be.

I know lately all I seem to be posting are lighter, healthier meals but let’s be honest, I’m not trying to be health conscious – I still have baby weight to lose!! 🙂

So one of the “healthy” things I now incorporate with my meals is using whole wheat pasta. This is because I need to not because I want to. I still vastly prefer the regular but what can you do?

I will tell you! You make a fabulous sauce that masks any taste you are not particularly found of in the whole wheat pasta.

Here’s an example.

Chicken and Penne Pasta with Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette

For the Vinaigrette:

  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 minced shallot
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Stir together lemon juice and minced shallot; let stand 5 minutes. Whisk in olive oil, parsley, honey, and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

For the Pasta:

  • 2 – 3 pan grilled chicken breasts or 2-3 cups rotisserie chicken (can be served whole or chopped, shredded)
  • 1 (16-oz.) package whole wheat penne pasta
  • 1 (8-oz.) package thin green beans, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 pt. grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1.5 cup Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • Feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding green beans to boiling water during last 6 minutes of cooking time; drain. Rinse pasta mixture under cold running water until cool; drain. Toss together chicken, pasta mixture, tomatoes, and vinaigrette. Just before serving, stir in dill, and add salt/pepper and feta to taste.

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-abp

“Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.” ~ Voltaire

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I love Mexican food! Who doesn’t like Mexican food?

If you don’t, seriously, I don’t trust you.

It’s un-American to not like Mexican food. Isn’t it like, right behind hamburgers and hotdogs??

(no offense to my non-mexican food loving friends)

The thing about Mexican food though – is it can kill a diet. All those never ending baskets of chips and salsa. Not to mention if you order cheese dip…….

Because of this, if I’m watching what I eat (aka on a diet), it’s best for me to avoid Mexican restaurants.

I have no will power.

And I know it.

So, the following recipe helps me indulge my cravings without totally blowing my calorie count.

Shrimp Tostadas with Black Bean Salsa

For the shrimp:

  • 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the black bean salsa:

  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon prepared chunky salsa (choose your heat level)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained

For the avocado topping:

  • 1/4 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • 1 ripe peeled avocado
  • 1 cup chopped seeded tomato
  • garlic salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste

Other:

  • 3 Tablespoons of olive oil
  • 8 corn tostadas
  • 4 lime wedges

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Arrange tostados on baking sheet.

Combine all shrimp ingredients in a bowl, let sit for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the salsa, cover and refriderate. (this can be done ahead of time)

To prepare avocado topping, combine yogurt, juice, and avocado in a small bowl, mashing with a fork until smooth. Stir in tomato.

Put Tostados on baking dish and place in oven to warm

Heat oil in large pan to medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook for around 6-7 minutes or until opaque/done.

Divide each topping (beans, shrimp, avocado) evenly over the 8 warmed tostadas. Serve with cracked pepper and a squeeze of lime.

The length of the ingredient list might throw you for a minute but this is actually a very simple recipe. Extremely tasty too!

Here are a couple things for you to take note:
1. The Black Bean Salsa makes this dish!
2. I prefer regular guacamole as opposed to this avocado spread – so you can make your own favorite guacamole or buy ready made.
3. These shrimp can be grilled on skewers for a little more flavor/color but I did not have any skewers when I made this.

-abp

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“My husband calls me ‘catfish.’ He says I’m all mouth and no brains.” ~ Dolly Parton

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My crazy, here, there, everywhere, never home for more than 3 days at a time first part of summer has come to an end!

Whew!

It’s been a wild couple of months and my house and waistline can definitely tell.

My goals for this week are to cook 3 healthy meals, catch up on laundry and clean out the pantry and the refrigerator.

I can not guarantee that the pantry/fridge will get done but the washing machine is running and the groceries have been bought.

Tonight I used those groceries to make this light dinner that will hopefully help with the waistline.

It was fabulous!

Catfish with Corn Hash

  • 2 slices of bacon, chopped
  • 3/4 cup onion, chopped
  • 3/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 catfish filets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Cook bacon over medium high heat until crisp, remove from pan.

Add onion, bell pepper and thyme and cook to the bacon drippings and cook for 8 minutes, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constanlty. Stir in corn, red pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes then stir in bacon.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, paprika and black pepper. Rub mixture evenly over fish. Heat olive oil to medium-high heat in fresh skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until done.

Serve with corn mixture.

This is a recipe serves 2 but could easily be doubled or tripled.

 

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I love how simple this was, perfect for a busy weekday!

-abp

“Friends and good manners will carry you where money won’t go.” ~ Margaret Walker

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The past several weeks, well 6 weeks actually have been crazy busy and the next 3 weeks will be just as bad. Because of this, I can count the number of times I have cooked on 2 hands, possibly even one.

I must admit – I’m tired of take out.

I was so very happy to have a long, low key weekend to spend with my husband and my sweet little nugget that I vowed to cook all 3 nights. A couple of the nights were easy go-to meals, like spaghetti and grilled steaks but I did work in a new recipe my dear friend Adrienne told me about on our recent girls weekend. It sounded wonderful and I could not wait to make it.

Not to mention – very easy!

Foil Packet Chicken Puttanesca

4 8 -ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 15 -ounce can cherry tomatoes
1 large can marinated artichoke hearts
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons capers, drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 regular baguette, split
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley ( I used dry because that’s what I had)

 

Preheat the oven to 400º.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay out four 12-by-18-inch sheets of foil. Drizzle each sheet with olive oil, then top each with a chicken breast.Combine the tomatoes, artichokes, olives, capers, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a bowl; divide evenly over the chicken. Fold up the edges of the foil and seal each to form a packet; set on a baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the melted butter, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt in a bowl; spread over the baguette halves and sprinkle with the parmesan and parsley. Bake until the bread is golden around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut each piece in half.Open the foil packets and serve with the garlic bread.

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This was super tasty! I would like to try it with fish as well!

-abp

“If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.” ~ Mario Andretti

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You know what my favorite thing is about shrimp dishes?

How fast they cook!

Granted, for it to be quick, you need to buy peeled and de-veined shrimp. (worth every penny IMO!)

Although I’m at home most of the time now – my time is not my own, so quick and tasty meals are perfect for a week night meal.

This is a perfect example.

 Baked Greek Shrimp

(adapted from Cooking Light)

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Greek Seasoning
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons bottled clam juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  • cooking spray
  • 3/4 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese$
  • 1 tablespoons dried parsley

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine lemon juice, greek seasoning and shrimp in a large bowl; toss well.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion to pan; sauté 2-3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add clam juice, wine, oregano, pepper, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp mixture. Place mixture in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cheese evenly over mixture.

Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until shrimp are done and cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley; serve over cooked orzo.

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“Everyone should have kids. They are the greatest joy in the world. But they are also terrorists. You’ll realize this as soon as they are born and they start using sleep deprivation to break you.” ~ Ray Romano

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I have found that when I’m eating healthier, I have more energy and I’m not as sluggish.

I know, I know – everybody has always told me I would feel better the better I ate (my husband included) but now I can actually say I believe them…………as much as it pains me to say he was right.

Anyway – it’s good timing because we are living with a teething baby and sleep has been very limited. I’m a walking zombie and need all the help I can get!

Moroccan Chicken Salad Wraps

(adapted from Cooking Light)

  • 1 cup packed fresh spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves
  • 1 small shallot, coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
  • 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 1 ½ cups of cooked boneless, skinless chicken (chopped)
  • 4 whole wheat wraps
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted

Place first 4 ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, and process until coarsely chopped. Place spinach mixture in a bowl; stir in yogurt, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.

Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, juice, and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a medium bowl. Add chicken and nuts; toss.

Divide spinach mixture and chicken mixture evenly (or to your liking) among the wraps.

Roll up and eat. 🙂

*this recipe is for 2 servings – it can be easily doubled*

 

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Very different and very refreshing!

-abp

“In the course of my life, I have often had to eat my words, and I must confess that I have always found it a wholesome diet.” ~ Winston Churchill

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I guess I’m going to have to eat a little crow.

I was for sure there was no way that I could find (or if I did, enjoy) any lighter (i.e. diet) meals to cook at home.

I’m a southern cook – I like butter and lots of bread. Both preferably fried.

But no need to fret because this leopard has not changed its spots. I have just expanded my horizons a bit and I’m so glad I did because I really needed to start working on this baby weight but cooking is my joy and I was afraid I would be bound to lettuce and grilled chicken forever.

Here is one of my new finds.

Greek Stuffed Chicken with Mango Sauce

(adapted from The Chew)

Chicken

  • 10 oz feta cheese
  • 1 cup packed spinach, chopped
  • 1/2 cup packed parsley, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (the kind in the jar)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Greek seasoning
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

Mango Sauce

  • 1 large or 2 small mangoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 14 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried onion
  • 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
  • 1/2 Jalapeno pepper with ribs and seeds removed, minced

Preheat oven to 375º.

In a medium bowl, mix feta, spinach, parsley, garlic, olive oil and pepper.

Divide mixture between the 4 chicken breasts. Fold over, season with greek seasoning.

Place in greased pan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, bring all sauce ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Serve over chicken.

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-abp