Turkey Reuben Sandwiches

I made these for dinner tonight - very quick and very good! I made my own thousand island dressing to make it lower fat (scroll down for the dressing recipe).

Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 slices rye bread
4 (1-ounce) slices reduced-fat, reduced-sodium Swiss cheese (such as Alpine Lace)
8 ounces smoked turkey, thinly sliced
2/3 cup sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fat-free Thousand Island dressing
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided

Preparation

Spread about 3/4 teaspoon mustard over each bread slice. Place 1 cheese slice on each of 4 bread slices. Divide turkey evenly over cheese. Top each serving with 2 1/2 tablespoons sauerkraut and 1 tablespoon dressing. Top each serving with 1 bread slice, mustard sides down.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 sandwiches to pan; top with another heavy skillet. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden; remove sandwiches from pan, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and sandwiches.

Allison Fishman, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2006

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/3 cup dill pickle relish
pinch salt
pinch ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined, and serve.

Mushroom Asparagus Quiche

Susan made this for the March meal exchange. She partially baked them because she didn't want the crust to be overcooked, so when reheating, turn oven to 375 degrees and bake for about 10 minutes. You might want to cover the crust with foil so that it doesn't get too done!

Ingredients:

1 tube refigerated crescent rolls
2 tsps prepared mustard
1 1/2 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 med onion, chopped
1/2 c sliced mushrooms
1/4 c butter, cubed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 c minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp each dried basil, oregano, and rubbed sage

Directions:

Place crescent dough into 9 in pie pan. Spread with mustard
In a lrg skillet, saute the asparagus, onion and mushrooms in butter until asparagus is crisp tender. In large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in asparagus mixture . Pour into crust. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until knife inserted in edge comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Classic Meat Loaf

Ingredients:

1 slice white bread
2 Tbs fat free milk
1/2 c ketchup
2/3 lb gr beef, extra lean
1/2 lb lean gr veal
6 oz lean gr pork
1/2 c chopped onion
1/3 c ch fresh parsley
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 lrg egg whites
cooking spray

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350
2 Place bread in food processor, pulse 10 times or until coarse bread crumbs measure 1 1/2 cups
3 Combine breadcrumbs and milk in large bow; let stand 5 minutes. Add 2 Tbs ketchup and remaining ingredients except cooking spray
4 Shape meat mixture into 9x5 in loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Spread remaining 6 tablespoons ketchup over top of meat loaf. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until thermometer registers 160. Let stand for 10 mintues

Very easy to double and freeze unbaked.

Apple Slaw

YIELD: 8 servings

Vinaigrette:

1/3 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tbs veg oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp bl pepper

Slaw:

2 1/2 c chopped Pink lady or other sweet apple
1 (12 oz) pkg broccoli slaw
1 (3 oz) pkg dried tart cherries
2 Tbs sunflower seed kernels

1. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk
2. To prepare slaw, combing apple, broc slaw, and dried cherries. Drizzle with vinaigrette; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with sunflower sees (I really dont measure theses just sprinkle them on); chill for up to 3 hours

Italian Beef Sandwiches

1 4lb boneless beef sirloin or rolled rump roast
1 0.7 oz pkg Italian salad dressing mix
2 tsps dried Italian seasoning
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
10-12 kaiser rolls or French style rolls split
Roasted red peppers, cut into strips (optional)

1. Trim fat from meat. Cut into 2-3 inch pieces. Place meat into slow cooker. In small bowl, combine 1 cup water, dressing mix, Italian seasoning, red pepper, and garlic powder. Pour mixture over meat
2. Cover; cook on low setting for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours
3. Using slotted spoon, transfer meat to a cutting board. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Place meat on bottoms of rolls. Lightly drizzle some of the cooking juices over meat. If desired, top with roasted red pepper strips
I have not served this with red peppers but have served it with horseradish.

Turkey Meat Loaf

This meal is from Ariel - she made it for the March meal exchange! Can't wait to try it!

FOUR SERVINGS, PLUS LEFTOVERS
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
8 strips of bacon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the red bell pepper, carrot, onion and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetables, turkey, pork, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup and mix well. Place the meat mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and, using your hands, form it into a loaf. Cover the loaf with the bacon strips. Bake the meat loaf, uncovered, until cooked through, about 1 hour.
3. Pour off the melted fat, slice the meat loaf and serve.


From Every Day with Rachael Ray
February-March 2006
rachelraymag.com

Baked Ziti III

I made this for the March Meal Exchange, which will be the first meal exchange I have participated in - I am looking forward to it. We have eight participants, so I just made four of these and divided it in half (if you want one for yourself). I did modify the original recipe by using fat free sour cream instead of regular sour cream and dried basil versus fresh basil. This is a recipe that my sister, Krista has made several times and enjoys! For the frozen version - defrost in refridgerator overnight before baking according to the instructions - keep covered. These got a little messy on me in the foil baking dishes - I think that I got them too full - so make sure you put these in a plastic bag or on top of some paper towels in the fridge when defrosting. SO SORRY!

YIELD 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 (28 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
6 ounces sliced provolone cheese
6 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a large skillet, brown beef over medium heat. Add onions; saute until tender. Drain off fat and add spaghetti sauce; simmer for about 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a lightly greased 2 quart baking dish, place about half of the pasta; top with a layer of provolone and mozzarella cheese slices. Spread on a layer of half the spaghetti sauce mixture and sour cream.
Cover with remaining pasta, cheese and sauce; sprinkle a layer of Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbly; serve.

Recipe from Allrecipes.com Submitted by VERDIEIIIS

Pan-Seared Scallops with Tomatoes and Pesto

We made this last night for one of our lenten dinners. It was really quick and easy and very flavorful! For a side we made the Orzo with Spinach and Feta!

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
2 cups grape tomatoes
3 tablespoons commercial pesto
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Pat scallops dry with paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add scallops to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium. Add rind and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; bring to a simmer. Add tomatoes; cook 45 seconds, tossing to coat.

Spoon about 2 teaspoons pesto on each of 4 plates. Arrange one-quarter of scallops and about 1/2 cup tomato mixture on each plate. Sprinkle with basil.

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2004

Orzo with Spinach and Feta

We made this last night to go with the Pan-Seared Scallops with Tomatoes and Pesto. The only thing that I will add next time is something red for a little color - we put the leftover tomatoes from the scallops recipe in with the leftover orzo and ate it cold the next day and I actually liked it better cold.

Yield 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

5 cups water
2 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
5 cups coarsely chopped spinach
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add orzo. Cook 10 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Combine pasta, spinach, and feta in a large bowl. Combine oil and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle lemon mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat.

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 1999

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The following three posts all come from Tara. These are a few of her staple recipes that she makes for her family! She says that she is a different kind of cook and kinda uses what she has to make up meals on her own! She has some recipes that sound great and some good time saving tips for making chicken ahead or using the pre-cooked rotisserie chickens! Tara also made this for the March Meal exchange for us to try!

In a large pot, cook about half a white or yellow onion (chopped) with a little EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil for all of those that may not be Rachel Ray fans) and some fajita seasoning (cumin, pepper, etc). Cook on medium heat just enough to get the juices flowing. Then dump in:
Shredded cooked chicken (half a breast of prepared rotisserie or 2-3 cooked breasts)
1 can corn
2 cans rotel (one regular, one mild- if you like a little spicy, both mild if you don’t)
2 cans chicken broth
1 can refried beans
Simmer on low at least 2 hours (I do 3-4 hours)
Serve with chopped scallions, shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips


Note: Tara recommends using the already cooked rotisserie chickens for this recipe. Another great tip to save time is to bake a large amount of chicken over the weekend (usually marinated in Italian dressing, baked at 350 for 45-50 min.) and use that through the week for recipes, over salads, etc.

Creamy Bowtie Pasta

Cook box of bowtie pasta according to package in a big pot. While pasta is cooking, throw about half a red onion (chopped) in a skillet with a little EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil for all of those that are not Rachel Ray fans) and garlic. Cook on medium heat, just enough to get the juices flowing.
Cook alfredo dressing (get dry packet) according to package. (You could use a jar of it)
Drain pasta, throw back in pot and add:
Shredded (cooked) chicken, onion mixture, 1 jar sundried tomatoes (drained and chopped), 1 pkg. pine nuts, alfredo sauce, oregano, basil. Stir. If too dry, you can add more alfredo or add some of the sundried tomato oil they came in.

Note: Tara recommends using the already cooked rotisserie chickens for this recipe. Another great tip to save time is to bake a large amount of chicken over the weekend (usually marinated in Italian dressing, baked at 350 for 45-50 min.) and use that through the week for recipes, over salads, etc.

Easy Creamy Chicken

Throw in a crock pot:

4 chicken breasts (whole, can be frozen)
2 “cream of” soups (one cream of celery and one cream of mushroom- low sodium)
Chopped celery (I do a whole stalk- whatever your family prefers)
Diced onion (about half)
Season to family’s taste (I do some combination of pepper, thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage)

Cook on low for about 6 hours. Chicken should just shred apart.

Serve over egg noodles (or rice if you prefer). You can add different things to make it your own…milk and sour cream to make it creamier, more soups, chopped mushrooms, etc.

Scallops Provencal

Krista just recently made these and said that they were very tasty and it was very quick and easy! Can't wait to try them!

Cook Time 10 minutes

Yield 3 servings

Ingredients

1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in 1/2

Directions

If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved - from http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Bacon and Tomato Salad

Holly said she makes this a lot as a side with burgers (she doesn't do the sauce and bread unless I am serving as an appetizer). They use the leftovers by sauteing them and putting them on top of pasta). Holly has brough this over as an appetizer before and it is amazing! It is a great twist on the traditional bruschetta in my opinion!

Ingredients

3 pounds tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
12 basil leaves, torn
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound sliced bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 teaspoon Cajun spice mix
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
Dash of hot sauce and crusty bread, for serving

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 450°. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes, basil, onion, olive oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes.


• Set a wire rack on a baking sheet and arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the rack. Bake the bacon in the upper third of the oven for 15 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp-chewy. Let cool, then break into small pieces.


• In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the mustard, curry powder, Cajun spice mix, lemon juice, garlic and hot sauce.


• Sprinkle the bacon over the tomato salad and serve the mayonnaise and bread on the side.

Recipe by Laurent Tourondel, featured in Food & Wine magazine, June 2005

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Medallions With Tomato-Corn Salsa

Holly made this for Brad's 30th birthday, I am pretty sure I am have sampled this one and it is awesome!

Yield Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

3 (3/4-lb.) pork tenderloins
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
8 thick-cut bacon slices

Preparation

1. Cut pork into 8 (3-inch-thick) slices. Place meat, cut sides up, between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 2-inch thickness, using a rolling pin or flat side of a meat mallet.
2. Whisk together olive oil and next 3 ingredients. Rub mixture evenly over pork; cover and chill 2 hours.
3. Microwave bacon at HIGH 2 minutes or until bacon is partially cooked. Wrap sides of each pork slice with 1 bacon slice, and secure with a wooden pick.
4. Light 1 side of grill, heating to medium-high heat (350° to 400°); leave other side unlit. Arrange pork over lit side; grill, covered with grill lid, 5 minutes on each side. Move pork to unlit side; grill, covered with grill lid, 30 to 35 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with Tomato-Corn Salsa.

Tomato-Corn Salsa

Yield Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

4 ears fresh corn, husks removed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pt. grape tomatoes, halved
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

1. Brush corn evenly with oil. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes or until done. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut kernels from cobs; discard cobs.
2. Combine corn, tomatoes, and next 5 ingredients, tossing to coat.

Southern Living, JULY 2007

Seared Sea Scallops with Satsuma, Parsley, and Shallot Salsa

Another great looking recipe from Holly!

Cook the scallops in two batches if needed to prevent crowding the pan.

Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup minced shallots (about 2 shallots)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated satsuma orange rind
3 tablespoons fresh satsuma orange juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 satsuma oranges, peeled and sectioned
Cooking spray
18 large sea scallops (about 1 3/4 pounds)
2 cups trimmed watercress (about 1 bunch)
Satsuma orange wedges (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir well with a whisk. Add the satsuma orange sections. Let stand 30 minutes.
2. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add scallops to pan; cook 2 minutes or until browned. Turn scallops over. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 2 minutes or until done.
3. Place 1/3 cup watercress on each of 6 plates. Arrange 3 scallops on each serving; top each serving with 2 tablespoons salsa. Garnish with orange wedges, if desired.

Joanne Weir, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2008

Spiced Pork Chops with Apple Chutney

This recipe is from Holly - she just recently made this and thought it was blog-worthy!

Slender haricots verts are a pretty and quick-cooking complement to the meal. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 12 ounces haricots verts to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned.

Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 chop and about 1/3 cup chutney)

Ingredients

Chutney:

1 tablespoon butter
5 cups (1/4-inch) cubed peeled apple (about 3 apples)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Pork:

3/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops, trimmed
Cooking spray

Preparation

1. To prepare chutney, melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cranberries and the next 6 ingredients (through allspice); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until apples are tender; stir occasionally.
2. To prepare pork, while chutney simmers, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine chipotle and next 4 ingredients (through black pepper); sprinkle over pork. Coat grill pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with chutney.

Recipe from David Bonom, Cooking Light, MARCH 2009

Let's Spice up Lent with some Veggie Pizzas!

The season of lent has inspired me to want to try some veggie dishes for a little Friday night variety. Since Tim grew up making pizza on Friday nights, I thought we would try a couple different pizzas. We made both of these this weekend and they were both great and something a little different than the pizzas we normally make! We made the Mushroom Lovers pizza on Saturday night. Next time I might just skip the french bread loaves and make it on regular crust. Even after scooping out a lot of the bread - we both felt like we were eating a lot more bread than necessary. We made the Garlic and Herb Three Cheese pizza on Sunday for lunch. Tim just had to put pepperoni on "his half". If you are going to add a meat, I think that an Italian sausage would be good. It would be good with some spinach and mushrooms if you wanted to keep it veggie though. Oh and if you are wondering why I didn't make one of these for our Friday night dinner - I was out with friends and got to go to BOCA - don't ask me what I ate :)


Garlic and Herb Three Cheese Pizza (click to see the picture)

Cook Time 20 minutes
Yield 4 servings


Ingredients

1 ball fresh pizza dough, store bought or from your favorite pizzeria
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 (5-ounce) round soft cheese with herbs, crumbled (recommended: Boursin)
1 teaspoon lemon zest, eyeball it
2 cups shredded sharp provolone cheese
Few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Stretch dough out and form a thin round. Use a little flour or cornmeal on your hands if dough sticks. Mix the garlic, parsley, ricotta, herb cheese and lemon zest. Spread the soft cheese mixture across the pizza dough to the edges then top with an even layer of provolone. Scatter thyme over the cheese mixture. Bake until crisp and bubbly-brown on top, 18 to 20 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray from http://www.foodnetwork.com/.


Mushroom Lovers' French Bread Pizzas (click to see picture)

Cook Time 25 minutes
Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

8 large portobello mushroom caps
1 pound button mushrooms
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 bay leaf
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine, eyeball it
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, 4 sprigs stripped and chopped
1 loaf crusty French bread, 24 inches
3 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Directions

Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Slice the mushrooms. Heat a deep skillet with extra-virgin olive oil and butter over medium heat. When butter melts into oil, add bay, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are dark and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and add wine. Deglaze the pan with wine, eyeball the amount. Shake the pan and add the Worcestershire and thyme. Turn off heat.
Preheat broiler and split the loaf lengthwise and across. Hollow out a bit of the soft insides. Toast the bread lightly under broiler. Fill bread with mushrooms evenly then top with cheese liberally. Melt cheese until it browns and bubbles then remove the pizzas from the oven and turn off the broiler.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray from http://www.foodnetwork.com/.

Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini

In my quest to find a way to make vegetables so that Alex will eat them, I stumbled across this recipe on www.allrecipes.com. These were a success, I got the MMMMM approval from him! I added extra mozzerella to the tops since we like cheese so much!

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 25 Min


INGREDIENTS

2 zucchini, halved lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
Scoop out the seeds of each zucchini half with a spoon. Season the hollowed-out halves with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper.
Mix together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper in a bowl. Divide cheese mixture between four zucchini halves. Arrange stuffed zucchini on greased baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until zucchini is tender and filling is beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

There was a lady on Good Morning America the other day and they highlighted her Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lasagna recipe. She has an interesting blog, "A Year of Crockpotting", see link to the right, where she made it her New Year's resolution for 2008 to use her crockpot everyday for a year - WOW! There are a lot of interesting recipes on her blog, very creative! I really liked the recipe, but Tim thought it was a little too spicy for him - after all, it does call for a whole cup of hot sauce! I will make it again, but will probably cut back on the hot sauce so Tim can eat it without complaining.

Click here for the recipe!