Broiled Chicken with Meyer Lemon Dijon Marinade

First Time Cooking with Meyer Lemons

I don't know what took me so long to buy meyer lemons. I guess because they are a little more expensive than regular lemons, I kind of shyed away. I'm glad I finally broke down and got some! The flavor is so intense and the color is beautiful. They are a little more orangy in color.
This just a simple marinade for a simple weekday dinner. It's quick, easy and very tasty!

Broiled Chicken with Meyer Lemon Dijon Marinade

1 lb. chicken tenderloins or chicken breast cut into smaller pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Combine oil, rind, juice, mustard, garlic, pepper and parsley in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place chicken pieces in a large zip lock plastic bag and add the marinade. Let stand for at least 1/2 hour or longer if possible.

Preheat Broiler.

Place chicken pieces on a broiler pan or baking sheet lined with foil. Broil for 4 minutes on the first side and then 3-4 minutes on the second, or until cooked through.

Tarragon Turkey Burgers

Hankering For a Hamburger?

Try turkey instead. Sometimes I get a hankering for something hearty and filling for dinner after a long day at work. One night I was seriously craving a big juicy burger. So I stopped at the market after work and bought some ground turkey. It is healthier than ground beef with less saturated fat and I just love it. I actually prefer it to beef now.

I wanted to flavor it with some fresh herbs, I was thinking the usual; basil or parsley. But when I went to grab a pack of basil, the fresh tarragon caught my eye. So I went with that instead. I thought it would really freshen and brighten the flavor of the burger. And it did. It is such a fresh flavor; it tastes a little like fennel to me. Kind of like licorice, only not as strong. Delicious!

Tarragon Turkey Burgers

1 pound lean ground turkey (I used dark meat, which is about 93% lean)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg white, beaten
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Regiano cheese, or parmesan
1/4 cup flavored bread crumbs
2-3 tablespoons fresh finely chopped tarragon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 light hamburger buns, toasted lightly on grill

Preheat broiler.

1. Mix together egg white, garlic, tarragon, parmigiano cheese, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. Add the ground turkey and mix until evenly blended. (Do not over work the meat or it will be tough when cooked).
   
2. Form into 4 equal size patties.
3. Broil burgers about 6 inches from element for about 5-6 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the center. (180 degrees on an instant read thermometer).
   
4. Place each burger atop a toasted bun. Top with a slice of fresh tomato if desired.
   

Orange Almond Butter Bars

Got Orange Peel?

Lately I've been obsessed with orange peel. It seems I can't eat an orange without first zesting or peeling it. I actually feel like I'd be throwing away some kind of valuable commodity if I threw away the peel. I know it's weird.

I just really love the fresh smell of the oranges essential oils when zesting them. I used to just zest the peel over some waxed paper and save it in the freezer until I needed it for a recipe. But I realized that I wasn't getting all of the essential oils from the orange. So I started to make orange butter instead. By zesting the orange into room temperature butter, all of the oil is incorporated right into the butter. I mix it and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze for future use. It also makes it easy the next time I need orange zest in a recipe, since the work is already done!

In this recipe I made two different versions of bars. One with chocolate and the other is just topped with sliced almonds. They are both sure to please!

Orange Almond Butter Bars
by Mixed Salad Annie

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup natural almond butter
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup natural brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon pure almond extract
Grated orange rind from 1 1/2 oranges
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped or bittersweet morsels
2 tablespoons sliced almondsDirections
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
3. Beat together almond butter, butter and sugar in medium-size bowl until creamy. Beat in egg, yolk, rind and almond extract.
4. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture in 2 additions to form dough. If too soft, refrigerate to firm.
5. Place 1/2 of dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.
6. Stir chocolate pieces into remaining dough. Place on the same baking sheet.
7. Shape into two 10 x 3-inch logs.
8. Top the first log with sliced almonds pushing gently into dough.
9. Bake in 375 degree F oven for 10 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove logs to cutting board. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10-15 minutes.
10. Using serrated knife, cut logs crosswise on a slight angle into 1/2-inch-thick slices. With spatula, transfer bars to wire rack to cool.
Makes about 20 bars.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Broiled Chicken

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes- Yum!

This is a great recipe to use when cherry tomatoes go on sale. That's when I made mine. They were .99 cents a pint. Not bad!

As with roasting anything, the flavor of what ever is being roasted becomes intensified and caramelized. I love that! You could use these roasted tomatoes as just a pasta sauce as well. Just add some grated Parmigiano cheese and your good to go!

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Broiled Chicken

2 pints cherry tomatoes
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
-------
4 chicken cutlets
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, or cooking spray

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil. Add the tomatoes and toss with the oil, whole garlic cloves, vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, add the chopped garlic and mix well. Place sheet back in the oven and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes and any accumulated juices to a bowl; add the parsley and oregano. Stir well, cover to keep warm.
Preheat broiler.
Spray a foil lined baking sheet or broiler pan with cooking spray. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet. Spray the top of the cutlets with cooking spray or a 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the center.
Let rest for a few minutes and slice into strips. Add to the roasted tomatoes. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately with pasta or rice.

Chocolate Covered Orange Peel

OMG-These Were Good!

If there are "two great tastes that taste great together" (besides chocolate and peanut butter), they would have to be chocolate and orange. This was my first ever attempt at making this type of candy. I have to say it was very easy, just a lot of steps.

I got the recipe from one of my favorite bloggers, Emiline at Sugar Plum. She had made them for her Mom on Valentine's Day in the shape of little hearts. They were just so cute and I knew if Emiline made them they had to be good! I had been thinking of them ever since and starting saving all my orange peels. It started getting a little crazy, because I wouldn't eat an orange unless I properly peeled it in order to save the precious peel!So anyway I made the chocolate orange peel but I kept the natural shape of the peeled strips. I also used more oranges, probably 4-5. And lastly, I omitted the butter from the chocolate. Other than that I followed the recipe as written.

Chocolate Covered Orange Peel Hearts (Recipe adapted by Emiline from Chocolate Step-by-Step)

Ingredients:
2 large oranges
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
5 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips, room temp.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp.

Directions:
Cut oranges into quarters. Carefully remove peel in large sections, removing any excess pith with a sharp knife.

Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut the peel into shapes.
Drop the rounds into a pan of boiling water, simmer for 5 minutes; drain. Repeat twice more using fresh boiling water each time you do it.

Combine water and sugar in pan; stir over low heat without boiling until sugar dissolves. Add orange hearts; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the peel becomes translucent.

Transfer shapes to large wire rack to drain. To dry thoroughly, stand peel overnight, loosely covered with foil.

Combine chocolate and butter in small saucepan; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Using two forks, dip peel in chocolate to coat; drain excess. Stand shapes on foil-lined tray until set.

Apricot and Dried Plum Truffles

Easy As Pie...

The inspiration for these truffles came from Ellie Krieger on the Food Network. She hosts the show Healthy Appetite. I really like some of her recipes since she always tries to use healthful ingredients in recipes that would otherwise be very fattening or unhealthy.

This recipe is a perfect example of how you can eat healthy without missing out on the things you love, like chocolate.
We all know that dark chocolate (around 60%-70% cocoa, the higher the percentage, the better is it for you) can now be a healthy addition to our everyday diets (if eaten in moderation, something I have to practice myself)! And dried fruits are also an important part of a healthy diet since they contain minerals essential to our bodies.
In the first version I made, I used apricots and dried plums. The second version is very similar to Ellie's recipe, Fig and Ginger Truffles, which uses dried figs. I added some pistashios for crunch.

Apricot and Dried Plum Truffles

1 1/2 cups dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried plums, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
2 1/2 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent cocoa solids), chopped.

Place the apricots, dried plums, orange zest, cinnamon and honey in a food processor and process for about 1 minute, until the ingredients form a consistency of a sticky paste.

Roll the mixture in your hands into balls the size of cherry tomatoes and set them on a waxed paper lined baking sheet.

Use a double boiler or place a small bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, over low heat, making sure the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl. Place the chocolate in the bowl and stir until it is melted. Remove the bowl from the pan.

Roll the apricot balls into the melted chocolate 1 or 2 at a time, until they are all covered. Place them back on the waxed paper and chill in the refrigerator until set.

(Version#2)

Figgy Pistashio Truffles
adapted from Ellie Krieger

2 cups dried figs, (about 8 ounces)
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, I used candied ginger and grated it on my microplane
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup chopped pistashio nuts
2 1/2 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent cocoa solids), chopped

Cut the stems off the figs and discard. Put the figs, ginger, orange zest, cinnamon and honey in a food processor and process for about 1 minute, until the ingredients form a consistency of a sticky paste.

Roll the fig mixture in your hands into balls the size of cherry tomatoes and set them on a waxed paper lined baking sheet.

Use a double boiler or place a small bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, over low heat, making sure the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl. Place the chocolate in the bowl and stir until it is melted. Remove the bowl from the pan.

Roll the fig balls into the melted chocolate 1 or 2 at a time, until they are all covered. Place them back on the waxed paper and sprinkle with chopped pistashio nuts. Chill in the refrigerator until set.

Spinach, Roasted Fennel, Olive and Egg Calzone Loaf

Awesome Flavor!

I LOVE SPINACH PIES... Especially ones with roasted fennel and olives... and eggs! Yes EGGS! It may sound weird but let me tell you, it is awesome. The eggs not only give great flavor to this calzone, but also add a great amount of protein to this otherwise protein lacking loaf!
A friend of mine (Joann) actually turned me on to this idea. I guess it is a common addition in Italy, where eggs are added in many unsuspecting dishes.
If you don't like eggs then by all means leave them out, because the roasted fennel and olives, along with the sauteed spinach, would certainly give this loaf enough flavor on their own.

Spinach, Roasted Fennel, Olive and Egg Calzone Loaf

1 Lb. store bought dough
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 fennel bulb, cleaned, cut in half, cored and sliced thin
1/2 jar/can black olives, sliced in half lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
2/3 cup low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup Provolone cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning (garlic blend), plus 1/4 teaspoon for top of calzone
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash, or 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add the fennel and olives and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 45 - 55 minutes until fennel is soft and caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and sauté until soft. Add the spinach and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the basil, parsley, salt, pepper and seasoning blend and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the mixture to a bowl and add in the fennel olive mixture. Mix well.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and roll it out to a 12 x 14-inch rectangle. Lift the dough onto a parchment lined or lightly greased baking sheet.

Brush the top of the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread the spinach mixture over the dough. Leave about a 1/2 border. Add the egg slices and cheeses, covering the entire area evenly. Roll the long side of the dough up like a jelly roll. Pinch the seam and the 2 ends to seal, making sure the seam is on the bottom.Brush the top with the egg wash or milk and sprinkle with the seasoning blend. Slice several small slits in the top of the dough for the steam to vent.

Place in the 400°F oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let cool for 5-10 minutes and cut on a diagonal for best presentation.

Broiled Chicken with Roasted Fennel and Tomato Sauce

Flavor Galore!

I don't know about you but, if I'm going to spend the time to cook a meal, it better be tasty. That is why I tend to roast my vegetables. It may take a bit longer but in the end, it's worth it. I mean, why go through the trouble of cooking at all if you're not going to be totally satisfied. You could go out to eat or for that matter, pop a frozen meal in the microwave. Brrrrrrrrifff, sorry I just gave myself shivers.

The point is...if you are going to cook, make it worth your while!

This recipe is not only very tasty but also healthy and good for you. By broiling the chicken, you are cooking it in a healthy way but also getting the flavor your looking for. If you prefer, however, to brown the chicken in the skillet, go for it. Do whatever works for you...

Broiled Chicken with Roasted Fennel and Tomato Sauce
by Mixed Salad Annie

For Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, washed, bulb part only sliced into rings about 1/4" thick
1 - 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
6 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
1/2 can black olives, whole
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 pound cooked farfale or your favorite pasta shape

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Spray a 13 x9 inch baking dish with the cooking spray. Add the fennel, drained diced tomatoes, olives, garlic, salt and sugar to the pan. Add the oil and toss well to coat everything evenly with the oil. Put the dish in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and start to caramelize. Remove from oven.

For Chicken:
4 skinless boneless chicken cutlets, cut in smaller pieces or use chicken tenderloins
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
Olive oil or canola cooking spray
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or reserved pasta water

Preheat broiler.

Mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder and poultry seasoning in a pie plate. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dredge in the seasoned flour. Shake off excess flour. Spray a large oven proof skillet with the cooking spray and add the chicken pieces. Spray the chicken pieces with cooking spray and place skillet in oven about 6 inches from broil element.

Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the other. Don't worry about it being completely cooked through because it will cook in the sauce. Remove from oven.
Add the reserved tomato juice and chicken broth to the skillet with the chicken, and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any brown bits (de-glaze).
Add the fennel mixture and simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat until chicken is cooked through and all the flavors have blended.

Toss with pasta and sprinkle with fresh parsley and grated cheese if desired.

Potato and Scallion Frittata

Great Way to Use Leftover Roasted Potatoes!

One of the reasons why I love frittata's is that they are perfect for using up almost any leftover. I've made them with almost everything- pasta, vegetables, sausage, pepperoni, chicken, you name it.
The potato and scallion (or onion) frittata s a classic combination. There is just something about this combo that screams comfort food. I made this a light version by omitting some of the egg yolks but feel free to use the entire egg if you want.

Potato and Scallion Frittata

6 egg whites and 3 egg yolks
1 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. olive oil
6 scallions, white and lighter green parts only, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 - 2 cups leftover roasted potatoes, sliced
1/4 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler.

Place oil in a medium oven proof skillet over medium heat; add scallions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until scallions are soft but not brown. Add the potatoes and mix well.

In a large bowl combine the eggs and milk. Add the parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into the skillet and mix all ingredients. Allow mixture to set for a minute and stir to form large curds. With the top still wet, place the skillet under the broiler for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and let set for 5 on a cooling rack.

Easter (Optional) Coconut Lime Cake with 12 Minute Coconut Frosting and Peeps

I Went a Little Peep Crazy...

Since my family planned on eating out this Easter, I decided to do something a little extra special for dessert. My inspiration for this cake came from the winner of the ultimate recipe challange on the food network. The name of the original recipe is Put the Lime in the Coconut Cake. The cake sounds delicious as is, but my brother in law is lactose intolerant, so I changed the recipe to make it lactose free.

The cake turned out delicious. It was very dense and super, super moist, which I guess was due in part to the lime glaze. I decorated it in two ways to show how versatile this cake can be...Fun and colorful or soft and sophisticated. You decide.The only bonehead thing I did while making this recipe is that I colored an entire bag of coconut with green food coloring, not realizing that I only needed about 1/2 a bag. So now I'm trying to figure out what to make with the rest of the green grassy looking coconut. Got any ideas?

Easter Optional Coconut Lime Cake with 12 Minute Coconut Frosting and Peeps
Lactose-Free Version by Mixed Salad Annie

13 Tbs. margarine (Fleishman's unsalted is lactose free)
3 Tbs. coconut oil (If you don't have coconut oil, increase margarine to 16 Tbs.)
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup lite coconut milk

Coconut-Lime Glaze

1/2 cup sugar
1 large lime, zested and juiced
3/4 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut

12 Minute Coconut Frosting

3 egg whites
1/3 cup cold water
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
Dash of salt
1 tsp. coconut extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Several drops green food coloring (optional)

1/2 - 14 oz. bag sweetened shredded coconut
Several drops green food coloring (optional)
Peeps, chicks and bunnies (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 2 (9-inch) cake pans. Cut 2 round parchment disks to fit 9 inch cake pans. Place the disks on the bottom of the greased pans. Grease disks and flour pans. Shake out excess.

In an electric mixer or using a hand beater, cream butter, coconut oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Add eggs 1 at a time.

Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the coconut milk to the butter sugar mixture in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not over mix.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bang the pans on the counter top several times to remove any air and to distribute the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes rotating pans halfway through.

Allow to cool 10 minutes hen remove and transfer to a cooling rack; cool completely.

For Glaze: In a medium bowl combine sugar, lime zest and juice, coconut milk and shredded coconut. With a bamboo skewer, poke holes in cake and spread glaze on tops both cakes. Cover with plastic wrap, chill until ready to frost cake, preferably overnight.

For Frosting: Place the egg whites, sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt into a medium size-mixing bowl. Set bowl over a pot of simmering water; do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water. Begin beating with a hand mixer set to low speed. Beat for 1 minute; increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until frosting is stiff and holds soft peaks (about 10 minutes). Remove bowl from the heat and add coconut and vanilla extracts and the green food coloring, if desired; beat an additional minute. Set aside to cool.

Add the food coloring to the coconut and mix well until evenly colored. Frost cake. Coat top and sides with green shredded coconut. Decorate with peeps if desired.

Almond Oatmeal Nutella Cookie Tart

In Honor of St. Joseph's Day...

Almonds, Hazelnuts and Amaretto.

Who needs Zeppoles? I mean they are alright but they can't compete with this cookie tart in my book. And I think St. Joe would agree.

This is a really easy, yet elegant tart. But lets face it, it's really just a giant cookie. I guess that's why I love it. Underneath all the pretentiousness, it's an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.

It goes to show you that anything can be made elegant with a little imagination. Almond butter is one of the main ingredients and with the addition of Amaretto and Nutella, how can you go wrong?
I made this to bring to work for my fellow Italo-American friends. Do you think they will mind the missing piece? Well, I had to test taste it to make sure it was edible. (The missing piece somehow got even larger after the photo, hmmm, I wonder how that happened?)

Almond Oatmeal Nutella Cookie Tart
by Mixed Salad Annie

1/3 Cup Almond Butter
1/3 Cup soy milk
2 Tbls Canola Oil
1 Tbls. Amaretto
2 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup AP flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Cup Oatmeal
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Nutella Hazelnut Spread

Mix together first 6 ingredients. Add remaining ingredients (excluding Nutella) and mix. Spray a non-stick tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. Add mixture and spread out evenly. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool and spread with Nutella.

Herbed Roasted Chicken Thighs

Ugly to look at...Great to Eat!

This is a great recipe from Cook's Illustrated that is easy and really flavorful. The chicken is smothered with an herbed butter, is placed on a broiler pan and cooked at a high temperature. Some how this method produces moist and tender chicken.

The herbed butter can be made whenever you have left over herbs on hand and frozen for future use. Or you can even make a double or triple batch like I did and freeze the unused portions for other uses.

Because different cuts of chicken cook at different rates, it is recommended that you use one of the following options: Use only one cut of chicken (such as all breasts or all thighs) or be prepared to remove the various different cuts from the oven as soon as they reach their appropriate temperature for doneness. Any strong-flavored fresh herb, such as rosemary, tarragon, or sage, can be substituted for the thyme.

Baked Chicken with Lemon & Herbs
by Cook's Illustrated

4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (whole breasts, split breasts, whole legs, thighs, and/or drumsticks), trimmed (I used thighs)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened, plus 2 tablespoons, melted
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon table salt (I used coarse sea salt)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


1. Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a broiler-pan bottom with foil and lay the slotted broiler pan on top.

2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and arrange, skin-side up, on the broiler-pan top. Mix the softened butter, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Rub the mixture underneath the skin of the chicken. Brush the chicken with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. (I brushed on olive oil instead of the extra butter).

3. Roast until the breasts register 160 degrees or the legs, thighs, or drumsticks register 175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 50 minutes. (Mine were cooked in 24 minutes). Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

P.S. Happy Saint Patty's Day!

Strawberry Shortcake... Sort of.

A Childhood Favorite

I've always liked strawberry shortcake. I remember when I was a kid we would have it all the time. My mom would buy those little round yellow sponge cakes and we would fill them with lots of strawberries and top them off with some Reddi Whip whipped cream.

My mom would always prepare the strawberries ahead of time, by washing, cutting and sprinkling them with sugar and letting them sit overnight, to bring out their natural juices and create a delicious sauce. I didn't know it then, but this is known as macerating the fruit. It's kind of like marinating meat, only its with sugar, not an acid. This process really brings out the flavor in the strawberries and makes them softer and easier to digest.

I can even remember the container that my mom would use to macerate the berries in. I think it was an old ham container. Funny, huh? I guess she liked it because it was made of metal and had a clear plastic lid and it was the perfect size for the amount of strawberries she had.

My dad also loved this dessert. He would always have seconds, and following in his footsteps, so would I (and still do).

Technically I didn't make the traditional strawberry shortcake, which uses, well shortcake.
I made this on the fly, so I kind of cheated by using fat-free cool whip and made angel food cake cupcakes which takes a lot less time than a whole cake. But you could use whatever cake you wish. Even pound cake would be good.

Strawberry Shortcake

1 quart strawberries, washed, de-stemmed and cut in half or smaller if they're really big
1 tablespoon sugar
Cake of your choice, short cake, angel food, pound cake or even those little round yellow thingys
Topping of your choice, homemade whipped cream, Reddi Whip whipped cream, or even fat-free cool whip

Place the strawberries in a bowl and add the sugar. Stir until well coated, cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Top your cake of choice with strawberries and top with your choice of topping.

Serves 4-6

Apple Cinnamon Butterscotch Muffins

More Boxed Muffins...With a Special Touch!

Looking through my cabinets lately has been so exasperating. I can't believe how many boxed baking mixes I have. I am kind of addicted to buying them. The weird thing is I really like to bake from scratch, but I forget about that when I see those pretty boxes with all the beautiful pictures of delicious baked goodies on the front cover. Whether it's muffins, brownies, cakes, cookies, you name it, I've got them in my cabinets.

It's a little frustrating because I have so many homemade recipes that I want to make, but I don't want these mixes to get too old, so I have to use them up. So be prepared for lots of "semi-homemade" posts.

I did jazz these muffins up. Because they are organic, I figured that they would need a little extra something, something to make them even better. I added toasted walnuts for some crunch, organic apple sauce, and organic cinnamon and butterscotch chips for a little sweet surprise. I thought it would be a good flavor combination with the apple cinnamon. I was right! YUM. The butterscotch chips kind of give a caramel flavor to the muffins.

*Note: If you prefer a low-fat muffin omit the butterscotch chips and reduce the walnuts to 1/4 cup.

Apple Cinnamon Butterscotch Muffins

1 box Dr. Oetker Apple Cinnamon Muffin Mix
1 cup milk, minus 2 tablespoons
1 large egg white
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts
1/4 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. for shiny metal pan, 425 degrees F. for dark non-stick pans.
Spray bottom of muffin pan or use paper muffin cups.

Blend milk, egg white, oil, applesauce and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in muffin mix and stir until just blended.

Add in most of the walnuts and butterscotch chips, reserving a small amount.
Spoon batter evenly between 12 muffins cups (about 3/4 full). Add the rest of the walnuts and butterscotch chips to the tops of the muffins.

Place muffins in oven and reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees. If using a convection oven, reduce temperature by 50 degrees. Bake for about 14 minutes turning pan half way through cooking.

Cool muffins in pan for 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.
Makes 12 muffins

Corny-Blueberry Muffins

In a Jiffy...Literally!

Lately I've been trying to clear out my pantry closet, cabinets and freezer; sort of a food spring cleaning. So in lieu of that, I had some Jiffy Corn Muffin mix to use up. My mom had given me a pint of blueberries and the rest is history.

I have always liked the flavor of corn muffin with blueberries. I haven't actually made them in a long time, so it was nice to make them again. I sort of doctored them up a bit as I usually do to boxed mixes. Since these corn muffins already had 2 grams of saturated fat just in the mix, I decided to use skim milk and one egg white with a small addition of extra virgin olive oil to compensate for the fat in the yolk. And a little vanilla because it just seemed right.

In order to get the tops to rise higher, I started the muffins in a hot oven and also used my convection oven. Mini muffins were my size of choice, and filling them to the top made a very handsome muffin top. I think they came out gorgeous. What do you think??

Corny-Blueberry Muffins
In a Jiffy

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, 1 teaspoon reserved in shallow bowl
1 egg white
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup skim milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and set to convection if possible

Line a mini muffin pan with 14 paper muffin cups or spray with cooking spray.

Wash the berries and dry them on paper towels. Toss with the reserved muffin mix and set aside.

Gently beat egg white and milk with vanilla and oil. Add to the mix and blend until just combined. Batter will be lumpy. Fold in 3/4 of the blueberries and let the mixture rest for 3-4 minutes to ensure high tops. Restir and fill cups 3/4 full. Add the rest of the blueberries on top of the batter, pushing in and slightly covering with batter.

Lower oven temp to 375 and bake for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Cauliflower, Broccoli- You Choose...

Can't Decide? Use both.

This dish was really good. The cheese sauce is easy to make and very tasty. And you have choices. If you don't like cauliflower, you could use broccoli or vice versa. Or do what I did- use both.

Oh, and did I mention, it's a lower fat version? What more would you expect from me?

Again I have delivered to you, a great lower fat version of a sinfully delicious dish.

And it's good.

I swear.

Ok, don't believe me, just try it!

Geez, tough crowd!

Creamy Cauliflower/Broccoli Bake

1 head cauliflower, cut into pieces (about 6 cups) or 1/2 head cauliflower and 1 large bunch broccoli
1 - 1/4" thick slice Canadian bacon, diced (such as Boar's Head)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon, extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk, you can even use lactose-free (I did)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan or a combo of both
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Steam the cauliflower or cauliflower/broccoli mix for 5-7 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a buttered or sprayed 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

In a medium saute pan over medium-high heat, brown the Canadian bacon in 1 teaspoon oil. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the flour and stir until combined. Continue stirring for 3 minutes to cook the flour. Slowly add the milk, stirring continuously until the milk has incorporated and there are no lumps. Add the garlic and stir the sauce over low heat for about 5-6 minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Add the Romano cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and the reserved Canadian bacon. Stir to combine. Pour the sauce over the veggies to cover. Top with a sprinkling of bread crumbs and spray with cooking spray.

Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden and the cauliflower is cooked, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Honeyed Orange Blueberry Muffins

Add A Little Sunshine To Your Day!

While visiting one of my favorite blogs, Food Blogga, I noticed this delicious sounding recipe - Honeyed Orange Ginger Muffins (Quat, Optional). The creative and daring, Susan created this recipe using orangequats. I have never had nor seen an orangequat, but no problem because Susan made the recipe "quat-optional", substituting with naval oranges. One look at her luscious muffins and I knew I had to make some.

I altered the recipe a bit for a few reasons. One, like I said, I have never seen orangequats in my supermarket, so I used naval oranges as Susan suggests. Two, I had my Mom in mind when making this recipe and she loves the flavor of orange and blueberries, but does not like a spicy flavor and usually prefers her muffins with less sugar. So I substituted blueberries for the raisins and changed the minced ginger to half the amount of minced candied ginger. I also reduced amount of sugar and opted for organic unrefined sugar.

I think they came out great; very tasty and light. I don't know how it happened but I ended up with extra batter, so I made 10 mini muffins with the left-over batter. (Very dangerous, because they are very "pop-able", and I popped quite a few in my mouth without hesitation). Although, I didn't really feel that bad because these muffins are fairly low in fat, using canola oil and only one egg. Thanks for the inspiration Susan!

Honeyed Orange Blueberry Muffins
adapted from Food Blogga-Honeyed Orange Ginger Muffins (Quat, Optional)
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 teaspoon reserved
1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup freshly squeezed navel orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1/4 cup finely minced navel orange pulp
1 tablespoon navel orange zest (about 1 orange)
1 teaspoon candied ginger, minced
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pint fresh blueberries

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. and set on convection, or 375 F. for conventional oven. Spray a 12 mold regular size muffin pan with cooking spray or use paper muffin liners.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, egg, and juice. Add the orange pulp, orange zest, ginger, honey, and vanilla, and whisk until just combined. Add to the flour mixture and stir quickly until well combined. Toss blueberries in the reserved teaspoon of flour until evenly coated. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 molds. If you have extra batter, spoon into an additional muffin pan. (I made 10 mini muffins).

Bake for 12-15 minutes for regular sized muffins, and 8-10 minutes for mini muffins, or until the tops are golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before removing each muffin and placing on a wire rack to cool.

Peas and Proscuitto

Foolproof...

This is such a great recipe. And who doesn't have frozen peas? It is quick and easy and delicious. You almost can't screw it up. I can assure of that because I thought I did and it still turned out good.

I knew I wanted to make this recipe, so I went out and bought the prosciutto. I had all the other ingredients needed for the recipe. So I thought.

Little did I know that the bag of peas in my freezer were nearly a year old. Well it was too late to abort; I had everything prepared up to the point of adding the peas. So I rinsed the peas under cold water and hoped for the best.

As I was cooking the peas, I got distracted with income tax stuff that I was trying to figure out. Well I started to hear popping and jumped up to find my peas starting to get dark brown.
I thought for sure the dish was ruined, but NO, it was actually still edible!

I can't wait to make it again with new peas and my undivided attention!

Peas and Proscuitto by Giada De Laurentiis

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) bag frozen peas, thawed
4 ounces (1/8-inch-thick slices) prosciutto, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper, and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the peas and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the prosciutto and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the parsley and remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve.

Mom's Chicken Marsala

Always Good!

One thing you can always count on in this uncertain world is Mom's cooking. This is one dish that my Mom always makes and it's always delicious. She has two versions: Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms and Chicken Marsala with Artichokes. The ingredients tend to change depending on what she has in the house. If she doesn't have mushrooms than she will make it with artichokes. Or if she ran out of marsala wine, then white wine or even vermouth will do. Sometimes she will use chicken breast cut into pieces or more commonly tenderloins.
And it amazes me that no matter what the change, it is always equally good!

Mom never really measures anything, so it was a little difficult to get the recipe on paper. But she did her best and now I offer it to all of you!

Mom's Chicken Marsala

1 lb. chicken tenderloins, cut in half
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1/2 cup mushrooms, preferably portobello or porcini, (but you could use button), sliced thin
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt-free all purpose seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried parsley, or 1 tsp. fresh, plus more for garnish
2-3 tbls. olive oil
1/3 cup marsala wine
1 can low-sodium chicken broth (preferably Swanson)
1/2 cup black olives, left whole or cut in half
1/2 cup green olives, left whole or cut in half

Add the flour, salt, pepper, all purpose seasoning, and parsley to a large zip lock plastic bag. Add the chicken and shake until all the chicken is coated.

Add the olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat; add garlic and brown them lightly, remove from pan and set aside. Next, add the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes, remove from pan and set aside.

Remove any excess flour from the chicken; line them up in the pan so they are separated and quickly brown them on both sides.
Add back the garlic and mushrooms to the pan. Add the marsala and cook for a minute or two, until the alcohol burns off. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes.

Add black and green olives and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

To thicken the sauce, add some of the leftover flour from the plastic bag to a pyrex measuring cup with 1 tablespoon cold water. Mix and add to the chicken; cook for 2-3 minutes more. Serve with noodles and top with fresh parsley.

Lightened-Up Classic Egg Salad

Totally Under-Rated!

Was there a food that you ate often as a kid, that at the time didn't thrill you, but as an adult you have grown to love? Well with me, one of those foods is egg salad.

We had it quite often when I was growing up and I didn't really care too much for it. I recently made it and could not believe how much I liked it. Actually, I can't wait to make it again.

I lightened up the recipe a bit by eliminating some of the yolks. You really don't miss them at all. I used regular mayo because the reduced-fat just does not compare. To compensate I used only 1/2 the amount and replaced the other 1/2 with yogurt.

So not only is this classic dish delicious, now it's healthy too!
You're Welcome... No, really. It's my pleasure!

Put it on a low-carb bagel and you'll think you're in heaven.

Lightened-Up Classic Egg Salad

1/8 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup fat-free plain yogurt, drained over paper towels in sieve to remove excess liquid (at least 30 minutes)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
7 hard-cooked eggs*, discarding 4 of the yolks
1/2 cup finely chopped celery

In medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, onion, salt, if desired, and pepper until well blended. Slice one egg and reserve 4 center egg slices for garnish, if desired. Chop remaining eggs. Stir in chopped eggs and celery until evenly coated with dressing. Cover and chill to blend flavors. Garnish with reserved egg slices.

* For Perfectly Cooked Hard Boiled Eggs...from What's Cooking America

Bring your eggs to room temperature before cooking. If the egg has been stored in the refrigerator it can be warmed gently under a flowing hot tap water. By bringing the eggs to room temperature, they're much less likely to crack in the hot water. Also the temperature of the egg at the start of the cooking process will affect the cooking time. An egg that is at room temperature at the start of the cooking process will require about 1 minute less cooking time than eggs taken directly from the refrigerator.

Gently place the eggs in a single layer in a pan with enough cold water to cover eggs completely (approximately by 1 1/2 inches). If you have two or three layers of eggs stacked up in a small pot, they may cook unevenly. NOTE: Use a tall pan, and limit cooking to 2 dozen
eggs at a time.

Over high heat, bring water JUST to a rapid boil.

As soon as the water reaches a rapid boil, remove pan from heat and cover
egg pan tightly with a lid.

Set timer for 17 minutes for large eggs or 20 minutes for jumbo eggs.

After exactly 17 or 20 minutes (depending on size of your eggs), remove from heat and drain off water from the eggs. Transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and cold water. Let eggs cool at least 10 minutes in cold water, then drain either store in refrigerator or peel** the eggs. NOTE: Watch the time when cooking the eggs carefully. Overcooking causes a green layer to form around the yolk. This layer is caused by a reaction between the iron in the yolk and the sulfur in the white. Heat speeds up this reaction, so the longer your eggs cook, the greater the chance of discoloration.

** Easy Peel Eggs:

To peel eggs easily...

1. Cool eggs in refrigerator

2. Tap the top and bottom of the eggs on the counter to crack.

3. Roll the egg with the palm of your hand back and forth on the counter so that it looks like little broken pieces all over the shell.

4. Start peeling from the wide end of the shell and remove the skin all around the egg that holds the shell on the egg.

Spicy Low-Fat Pumpkin Muffins

For Quick, Easy and Delicious Muffins...
Doctor up those mixes!

Move over Sandra Lee. Annie has some business
with boxed baking mixes.
I don't normally like to use boxed mixes for muffins, but sometimes you just can't beat 'em. Especially the Pillsbury Quick Bread mixes. I always turn out great loafs and muffins when using them. Of course, by adding my own ingredients to flavor them and reducing the fat, they are even better tasting and healthier. You can't go wrong.
These muffins turned out exceptionally good.
They were very tender and super flavorful!

Spicy Low-Fat Pumpkin Muffins

1 (14 oz.) package Pillsbury® Pumpkin Quick Bread
1/4 cup soy milk
1 (6 oz.) container plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 teaspoons canola oil
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated candied ginger

1. HEAT oven to 375°F* if using a convection oven; 400°F if not.
Spray 12 muffin cups with no-stick spray or line with paper cups.
2. Combine yogurt, soy milk, oil, applesauce, grated ginger,
cinnamon, egg whites and molasses in a large bowl. Add
pumpkin bread mix and stir until just blended, about 50 strokes.
3. FILL each muffin cup, dividing batter evenly with filling; about
3/4 full.
4. BAKE for 15 minutes. Remove muffins from pan. Place on baking rack to finish cooling.

*Reduce temperature by 25°F if using a dark pan.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Best Thing About Dipping Your Own Strawberries...

Is That, If You're Not Happy With The Results...
You Get To Eat Them.

And Knowing What a Perfectionist I Am,
I Was Lucky To Have Any Left To Give As Gifts!


An Easy, Quick, Inexpensive and Healthy Way to Enjoy Valentines!

All you need is strawberries, good dark chocolate,

white chocolate and will power.

I hope everyone has a great day. Enjoy!

For Valentine's Day...

Will Your Valentine's Day be Sweet or Sour?

Mine will be both!

Who makes Lemon Cupcakes for Valentine's Day? Well, uh, me. I decided to go untraditional this Valentine's Day. It wasn't really a decision as much as a process of elimination. I had lemon cake mix that I've been meaning to use, so I figured why not.

To give the cup cakes a little bit of a Valentine's theme, creamy chocolate frosting seemed the best plan of action. And what's creamier than cream cheese?

This frosting seems so sinful, but it's actually less fattening than frosting made with butter, because I used Neufatchel cream cheese which has less saturated fat than butter. Plus it seemed appropriate to pair lemon cake with a frosting that had a little bit of a tang.

...And of course, kisses add to the love motif.

So let there be...
Chocolate Kissed Lemon Cupcakes

1 box lemon cake mix
Freshly grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Prepare cake mix according to directions on box, adding in the grated lemon rind and almond extract. Bake as directed. Let cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package neufatchel cream cheese, softened at room temperature
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons soy milk, room temperature
24 Hershey's dark chocolate kisses, unwrapped of course
Colored sprinkles, optional

In a large bowl or electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Pour melted chocolate into cream cheese and mix on medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and salt. Add the confectioners sugar one cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl, and alternating with the milk. Mix until the frosting is spreading consistency; adding additional sugar or milk if necessary.
Frost cupcakes with a small spatula or knife and then pipe a star on the top of each. Sprinkle with colored sugar and add a chocolate kiss.