Simple Beef & Mozzarella Pastitsio

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked penne (tube-shaped pasta) 
• Cooking spray 
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fat-free milk 
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained 
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese 
• 1 (3-ounce) package fat-free cream cheese 
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Directions:
2. 1. Preheat broiler.
3. 2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
4. 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove beef from pan; drain. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add beef; sprinkle with salt. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in milk, tomatoes, and cream cheeses, stirring until smooth; bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in pasta.
5. 4. Spoon pasta mixture into a 13 x 9-inch broiler-safe baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over top. Broil 4 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with parsley.

Julianna Grimes, Cooking Light 
OCTOBER 2011

Quick and Delicious Baked Rigatoni with Beef

Ingredients:

4 cups tomato sauce

• 1 pound ground round 
• 4 cups cooked rigatoni (about 2 1/2 cups uncooked pasta)
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided 
• Cooking spray 
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese 

Directions:

1. Prepare Tomato Sauce.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Cook beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned; stir to crumble. Drain well. Combine beef, rigatoni, Tomato Sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Cooking Light 
APRIL 2000

Chorizo and Shrimp Quesadillas with Smoky Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe Haas avocados
• 1 lime, juiced
• A couple pinches salt
• 1/4 cup sour cream, 3 rounded tablespoonfuls
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, available in cans on specialty food aisle in Mexican section
• 1/2 pound chorizo sausage, sliced thin on an angle
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
• 1 clove garlic, cracked away from skin and crushed
• 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed, ask for easy-peels at fish counter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (12- inch) flour tortillas
• 1/2 pound, 2 cups, shredded pepper Jack cheese

Directions:

Cut avocados all the way around with a sharp knife. Scoop out the pit, then spoon avocado flesh away from skin into a food processor. Add the juice of 1 lime, a couple of pinches salt, sour cream and chipotles in adobo. Pulse guacamole until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brown chorizo 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from pan. Add oil, garlic, then shrimp. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and cook shrimp until pink, 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a cutting board and coarsely chop.

Add a drizzle of oil to the pan and a large tortilla. Cook tortilla 30 seconds, then turn. Cover 1/2 of the tortilla with a couple of handfuls of cheese. Arrange a layer of chorizo and shrimp over the cheese and fold tortilla over. Press down gently with a spatula and cook tortilla a minute or so on each side to melt cheese and crisp. Remove quesadilla to large cutting board and repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut each quesadilla into 5 wedges and transfer to plates with your spatula. Top wedges of quesadillas with liberal amounts of smoky guacamole.

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Shared from-http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/chorizo-and-shrimp-quesadillas-with-smoky-guacamole-recipe/index.html

Chewy Cheese & Pepperoni Pretzels

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons dry active yeast
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 1/3 cups diced pepperoni
• Coarse salt

Directions:

Mix 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F), the yeast and agave in a bowl. Set aside 5 minutes.

In a food processor fitted with the dough blade, pulse the whole-wheat flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour and the sea salt. Add 1 egg and the yeast mixture and pulse in 10-second intervals until the dough comes together, about 3 pulses. Turn out onto a floured board. Knead 10 to 12 times, adding up to 3/4 cup more flour if the dough is too sticky. Cut the dough into 4 equal portions; cover with a clean towel.

On a floured board, roll out one piece of dough into a 14-by-11-inch rectangle, 1/4 inch thick, with a shorter side facing you. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella across the middle of the dough; fold the bottom third of the dough over the cheese, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons parmesan and 1/3 cup pepperoni over the folded part. Fold the top third of the dough over the parmesan and pepperoni. Reroll the dough into a 14-by-11-inch rectangle. Cut into seven 11-by-2-inch strips.

One at a time, pinch the cut long edges of each strip together and roll into a 12-inch rope with your hands. Transfer the rope to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Grab the ends and bring them toward each other, forming a U shape, then cross the left end over the right end to make a pretzel shape. Cross the left end over the right again to make a twist in the middle.

Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough and the remaining cheese, spacing the pretzels 3 inches apart. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes; preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Beat the remaining egg in a bowl. Brush the pretzels with the egg; sprinkle with parmesan and coarse salt. Bake until browned, 16 to 18 minutes, checking on the pretzels every 5 minutes to avoid overbaking.

Photograph by Victor Schrager

Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri for Food Network Magazine

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pepperoni-pretzels-recipe/index.html

Bobby Flay's Grilled Brie and Goat Cheese with Bacon and Green Tomato

Ingredients:

• 16 slices center-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8 slices Pullman bread, sliced 1-inch thick
• 8 to 12 ounces really good quality brie
• 2 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• Watercress
• 8 ounces soft goat cheese, cut into 8 slices (recommended: Boucheron goat cheese)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Place the bacon in a large skillet or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Break each piece into fourths and set aside.

Heat a cast iron griddle or cast iron pan over medium heat.
Spread butter on 1 side of each slice of bread. Layer 4 of the slices of the bread with 3 to 4 slices of brie, 2 tomato slices, watercress, 2 slices goat cheese, and 4 slices of broken up bacon and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the remaining bread slices on top, butter side up and cook on the griddle until golden brown on both sides and the brie has melted.


Recipe shared from-http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grilled-brie-and-goat-cheese-with-bacon-and-green-tomato-recipe/index.html

Rachael Ray's Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound chicken breast cutlets
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 teaspoons grill seasoning, (recommended: McCormick Montreal Seasoning) eyeball it
• 1 pizza dough, store bought or from your favorite pizzeria
• Cornmeal or flour, to handle dough
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
• 2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce, medium to spicy heat
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, a few generous handfuls
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Preheat grill pan to high.

Place chicken on a plate and drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the chicken then season with grill seasoning. When grill is hot, add chicken and cook about 3 minutes on each side.

Stretch dough to form pizza using cornmeal or flour to help you handle it. If you let it rest and warm up a few minutes it will handle even easier. Set pizza on pizza pan to the side and clean board.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter and stir in Worcestershire, hot sauce, and tomato sauce.

Remove the chicken from grill and thinly slice it. Add chicken to sauce and coat. Cover the pizza dough with the saucy Buffalo chicken, cheeses, and scallions. Bake 18 minutes or until crisp.

Shared from-http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/wingless-buffalo-chicken-pizza-recipe/index.html

Puffy Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
2½ lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cups chicken stock
1 14-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and mashed
2 cloves garlic, minced 

Juice of 1 lime 

Canola oil, for frying
3 cups masa harina (available from Amazon.com)
1½ tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 

Shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomato, and shredded cheddar cheese, to garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and add to pan, skin side down; cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; set aside. Add garlic, onion, celery, carrot, and bell pepper; cook, stirring, until soft, about 20 minutes. Add stock and tomatoes, and return chicken to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until chicken is very tender, about 1½ hours. Remove chicken from sauce, and let cool; reserve sauce for another use. Discard skin and bones, and shred chicken; set aside. Meanwhile, combine avocados, garlic, lime juice, and salt and pepper in a bowl; chill guacamole until ready to use, covering to avoid browning.

2. Pour oil to a depth of 2″ in a 6-qt. Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 375°. Stir together masa, butter, and 2¼ cups warm water in a bowl until dough forms; divide dough into 12 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Using a tortilla press or rolling pin, flatten each ball into a 6½″ disk. Place 1 disk in oil. When it begins to puff, press the end of a metal spatula into the middle of the tortilla so that tortilla bends into a taco shape; hold spatula within tortilla until taco is golden brown and crisp, about 1½ minutes. Transfer taco to paper towels to drain; repeat with remaining tortillas. Divide chicken and guacamole among tacos; top with lettuce, tomato, and cheese.

Shared from-http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/puffy-chicken-tacos

Crab Salad with Mango Baked Wontons

Ingredients:

FOR THE WONTON CUPS

• Cooking spray
• 18 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
• 2 tsp canola oil
• kosher salt or sea salt

FOR THE DRESSING

• 2 TBLS fresh lime juice
• 2 TBLS olive oil
• 1 tsp grated lime zest
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

FOR THE SALAD

• 1/2 lb lump crabmeat
• 1 rib celery, finely diced
• 1/4 cup light mayonaise*
• 1/2 cup peeled and finely diced ripe mango
• 1/4 cup finely sliced scallions (white & green parts)
• 2 TBLS chopped fresh cilantro
• chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat 2 mini muffin tins with cooking spray.

MAKE THE WONTON CUPS
Brush both sides of the wonton wrappers with canola oil and place each wrapper into a section of a mini muffin tin. Gently press each wrapper into the tin and form it into a cup shape. Sprinkle with salt.

The trick is to make sure you crease the edges a bit inside the cups, you need to press them together, or else they will fold into each other during baking. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until browned and crisp.

MAKE THE DRESSING
In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice and zest, salt, and red pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk until combined.

MAKE THE SALAD
In a medium bowl, gently toss the crabmeat, celery, mango, scallions, and cilantro, trying not to break up the crab too much. Add the dressing and gently toss to combine.

Both the salad and the wonton cups can be made up to a day ahead of time. Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and the wontons at room temperature in an airtight container. To serve, fill each cup with the crab salad and serve immediately.

*recipe has been modified from original version.

Shared from-http://forktocork.com/index.php/category/recipes/appetizers/

Creamy Gruyère Baked Ziti with Prosciutto

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried ziti or other tubular pasta
• 10 ounces reduce fat Gruyère cheese (*you can also adjust the amount of cheese or use a less expensive blends of cheeses such as mozzarella and parmesan), grated through the large holes of a box grater (about 4 1/4 cups)
• 1 quart *half & half (4 cups)
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut widthwise into 1/2-inch-thick ribbons
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve.

2. Meanwhile, pour heavy cream in a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, add all but a handful of the cheese, and stir until melted. Add a pinch of nutmeg, stir in the pasta and prosciutto, and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, softened butter, garlic, thyme, and cheese, and rub together with your fingers until evenly incorporated and no visible chunks of butter remain. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Transfer pasta mixture to a 2 1/2 – quart ceramic or glass casserole dish and top evenly with the breadcrumb mixture.

5. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

*recipe has been modified from original version.

Shared from-http://www.chow.com/recipes/10826-baked-ziti-with-prosciutto

Savory Goat Cheese & Fresh Herb Omelet

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons low fat chèvre (goat cheese), at room temperature (about 1 ounce)*
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chervil, or chives, plus more to garnish
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons 2 % milk (do not use non fat)*
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter*

Directions:

1. In a small bowl and using a rubber spatula, mash the goat cheese with the measured herbs until combined; set aside.

2. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until pale yellow and the egg yolks and whites are evenly combined. Set a serving plate aside.

3. Melt the butter in an 8-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat until foaming. Add the egg mixture and stir constantly with a rubber spatula, moving the eggs around the pan until they form small curds, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Gently shake the pan and use the spatula to spread the egg mixture evenly across the pan—the top of the eggs should have a creamy consistency.Evenly spoon the goat cheese mixture down the middle third of the egg mixture.

5. Remove the pan from heat. Using the spatula, fold a third of the omelet over and onto itself.Gently push the folded side of the omelet toward the edge of the pan.Tilt the pan over the serving plate and roll the omelet onto the plate, seam side down.

6. Garnish with additional herbs and serve immediately.

*recipe has been modified from original version.

Shared from-http://www.chow.com/recipes/29550-goat-cheese-and-fresh-herb-omelet

Quick & Delicious Grilled Jam & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

Ingredients:
4 (1/2-inch-thick, 3-1/2-by-3-1/2-inch-long) slices white or wheat bread 
1/3 cup low fat cream cheese 
1/4 cup strawberry jam or preserves 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), at room temperature 

Directions:
Place the bread slices on a work surface. Equally divide and spread the cream cheese on 2 of the bread slices. Equally divide and spread the strawberry jam on the remaining 2 bread slices. Close the sandwiches so that each sandwich has cream cheese and jam; set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until foaming. Meanwhile, evenly divide and spread the remaining tablespoon of butter on the tops of the sandwiches.
Place the sandwiches in the pan butter-side up. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip the sandwiches and cook until the other sides are golden brown and the filling is warmed through, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to plates and serve.

Shared from-http://www.chow.com/recipes/30079-grilled-jam-and-cheese-sandwich

Frozen Cheesecake on a Stick

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups low fat cream cheese*
2 eggs
3/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons of melted butter
2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips
popsicle sticks
coocnut, sprinkles, or any candy topping you want.

Directions:
In a stand mixer beat cream cheese and sugar and gradually add the eggs and vanilla. Crush graham crackers in zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin or your food professor. Add the melted butter.

In an 8 in baking dish add the graham crust first and then the cream cheese mixture. I baked mine at 350 for about an hour.

Once the cheese cake has cooled. Divide evenly and place a popsicle
stick in there. You can make small or larger pieces.

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave and dip the cheese cake
in the chocolate. Coat with coconut, sprinkles, or whatever you chose.

*recipe has been modified from original version.

 Shared from-http://www.recipe-diaries.com/2011/07/17/cheesecake-on-a-stick/

Great for Kids! Frozen Chocolate & Yogurt Banana Sticks

Ingredients:

1 banana
2 craft sticks
vanilla yogurt
cookie crumbs, granola, your favorite cereal, graham cracker crumbs, sprinkles

Directions:

Cut the banana in half. Insert a craft stick into the flat end. Roll banana halves in yogurt. Then roll them in crumbs. Put into freezer for at least 1hour. Make several and wrap them for later!

Chocolate Banana Stick:
1 banana
2 craft sticks
Chocolate syrup (approximate 1 tbsp per banana)
Chopped nuts, coconut or sprinkles

Directions:

Cut the banana in half. Insert a craft stick into the flat end. Roll banana halves in chocolate syrup. Then roll them in crushed nuts, coconut or sprinkles. Put into freezer for at least 1hour. Make several and wrap them for later!

Shared from-http://www.planetpals.com/healthyeatingkids.html

Frozen Key Lime Pie on a Stick

Ingredients:

6  large egg yolks
1  cup freshly squeezed key  lime juice  (*you can use regular limes if necessary)
2  cans (14 ounces each) sweetened condensed milk
1  tablespoon finely grated *Key Lime zest

6 large tongue depressor sticks (regular popsicle sticks are too small)

Directions:


Making the pie filling:In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks and lime juice together.  (I like to beat the egg yolks until they begin to increase in volume and then add the lime juice and whisk until combined.)   Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and cook  (keep whisking the whole time) until the mixture is foamy and smooth looking and reaches 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.  Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk and the key lime zest until well combined.

Remove the sugar cone pie crust from the freezer and pour in the filling.  Using a rubber spatula, smooth the top.  Place in the freezer. 

 After approximately 50 minutes in the freezer remove the pie and with a knife, gently score the top of the pie to indicate where your cutting lines will be.  These lines will help you determine the placement of your “sticks”.  You will be using a sharp knife to cut slits, the width of your sticks, in the outside of your disposable foil pan.  You will need to determine midway up the pie from the bottom and the middle of each piece of pie.  (This is where you will use the score marks you made on the top of the pie filling.)  Once you have made the slit in the foil pan, slowly insert a stick.  You are trying to position the stick to as close to the center of each piece of pie as possible.  The better you are at finding the center … the sturdier your finished product will be.  When you have finished inserting the sticks, cover the pie and return to the freezer.  I leave it in the freezer overnight.

"Sticks" have been inserted thru the foil pan into the semi-frozen pie.

  With scissors, snip from the top of your tin, down towards each stick.  Next carefully peel the foil pan away from the pie.  This will release the pie from the pan.  Use a sharp knife and cut your pie into pieces.  Each piece will have a stick handle!  The pie will not be difficult to cut as it has a frozen, chewy-candy-like consistency.  Return the pie slices to the freezer until you are ready to dip in chocolate.

The pie has been released from the foil pan and is ready to slice.

 In a heatproof bowl, over simmering water, I melted milk chocolate chips.  (Use your favorite chocolate.)    Dip each piece in chocolate, place on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and return to the freezer.  Once the chocolate has set you can wrap each individual piece.

Enjoy pie on a stick!

Shared from- http://debbmarie.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/you-want-pies-with-that-frozen-key-lime-pie-on-a-stick-dipped-in-chocolate/