(100) Skillet Stuffed Peppers

This is a super yummy recipe and way too easy! I added a mini-can of corn to the meat mixture and dashed some salt & pepper on top of the potatoes. I put them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes (at 350 degrees) to keep them warm while I was making salads. I recommend that, just to meld flavors a little more! The entire family gave this 2 thumbs up!!

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Image from myrecipes.com

Skillet Stuffed Peppers

Shepherd's pie meets the classic stuffed pepper. This recipe can also be made with red, yellow, or orange bell peppers.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed pepper half)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, May 2004

2 large green bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
Cooking spray
3/4 pound ground round
1/2 cup water
1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning
1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated mashed potatoes (such as Simply Potatoes)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Cracked black pepper (optional)

Place the bell pepper halves, cut sides down, on a microwave-safe dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes and 30 seconds or until pepper halves are crisp-tender. Let stand, covered, 3 minutes (peppers will soften).

While the peppers cook, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add water and seasoning, and stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 5 minutes or until done.

While beef cooks and peppers stand, cook the potatoes in microwave according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Spoon 1/2 cup beef mixture into each pepper half; top each with 2/3 cup potatoes. Sprinkle each pepper half with 1 tablespoon cheese. Garnish with black pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 338 (36% from fat), Fat: 13.4g (sat 5.3g,mono 5.7g,poly 0.4g), Protein: 20.1g, Carbohydrate: 29.3g, Fiber: 5.1g, Cholesterol: 59mg, Iron: 2.4mg, Sodium: 663mg, Calcium: 48mg

(99) Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup

This was an easy soup to put together. I love how hearty it was, even without meat! And the calorie count can't be beat! It for sure needed some salt and a hit of hot pepper flakes. I will make this soup again!

PS: I did not chop the spinach, rather I tore it with my hands as I threw it in the pot. I used about half a bag of spinach and also needed to add a touch of water to make sure the soup didn't get too thick.

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Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup

Dried shiitake mushrooms lend this appetizer soup rich intensity. It's delightful with a grilled cheese sandwich for a light supper.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, November 2007

1 (1-ounce) package dried shiitake mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
Fresh thyme (optional)
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Combine mushrooms and 2 cups boiling water in a bowl; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Drain mushrooms in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms; set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add the reserved mushroom liquid, spinach, and next 5 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with thyme and red pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 78 (22% from fat), Fat: 1.9g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.4g), Protein: 2.8g, Carbohydrate: 13.5g, Fiber: 2.9g, Cholesterol: 0.0mg, Iron: 1.3mg, Sodium: 261mg, Calcium: 42mg

(98) Chicken Tamale Casserole

In an effort to have dinner on a busy weeknight, I decided to try this recipe. I made the cornbread the night before and put the dish in the fridge. I let it get to room temp while the oven was heating. With pre-shredded chicken (also done the night before) and pre-shredded cheese, this was a snap!

I'm still in stopped up nose territory, but what I could taste was yummy! My husband packed 2 servings for lunch tomorrow, so I'll take that as a good sign! Please try this and let me know what you think!

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Chicken Tamale Casserole

"I came up with this dish to satisfy my cravings for the tamales I had at Mexican restaurants when I was growing up in Houston. Homemade tamales are too time-consuming to prepare for weeknight meals, but I discovered a corn bread mix approximates the flavor." —Risë Minton, Smyrna, GA

Yield: 8 servings
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, November 2008

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White) *I used Jiffy!!
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 354 (36% from fat), Fat: 14.1g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.2g), Protein: 18.9g, Carbohydrate: 36.3g, Fiber: 2.5g, Cholesterol: 58mg, Iron: 1.7mg, Sodium: 620mg, Calcium: 179mg

(97) Thyme-Garlic Roasted Asparagus

I love oven roasted asparagus and really liked the idea of putting minced garlic underneath. It gave the asparagus a garlicky flavor but you don't feel like you could breathe fire from it! I have 8.6 million spices in my cabinet, but for some reason, I was out of thyme! I used dried basil with no issues. Will repeat this one.

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Thyme-Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Yield: 4 servings
Source: Lynda Bennett, Belvedere, California, Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

3 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400°.

Spread garlic in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange asparagus in an even layer over garlic; drizzle with oil. Combine thyme and salt; sprinkle evenly over asparagus. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender, turning once.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 45 (24% from fat), Fat: 1.2g (sat 0.2g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.1g), Protein: 2.6g, Carbohydrate: 5.8g, Fiber: 2.6g, Cholesterol: 0.0mg, Iron: 0.6mg, Sodium: 146mg, Calcium: 31mg

(96) Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes

We had this with ham and asparagus for dinner. I'll be really honest with you, my nose is TOTALLY stuffy, so I couldn't taste a lot, but my husband is my taste gauge. If he oohs and ahhhs, it means he really likes something. This dish got those raves, so you'll have to take his word on this one!

I will say that I think the breadcrumbs could be skipped. I like breadcrumbs on my macaroni, but they were a little time consuming and messed a lot of dishes, all for not a lot of bread.

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Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes

In Step 4, the macaroni mixture is cooked over medium-low heat so the cheese won't become stringy and the sauce, grainy.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, January 2005

3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 ounces sourdough bread, torn into pieces
1 teaspoon butter, melted
12 ounces large elbow macaroni
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place tomatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with black pepper. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.

While tomatoes cook, place bread in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until crumbly. Toss crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle the crumbs on a baking sheet, and bake at 375° for 12 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.

Cook macaroni in boiling water 7 minutes; drain. Return macaroni to pan; place over medium-low heat. Add cheese and remaining ingredients; cook 4 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatoes. Sprinkle each serving with about 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 357 (29% from fat), Fat: 11.4g (sat 6.6g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.8g), Protein: 18.1g, Carbohydrate: 45.2g, Fiber: 2g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Iron: 2.7mg, Sodium: 669mg, Calcium: 350mg

11/1/09 - This week's menu

It's been a while since I had myself together enough to have a menu and actually cook!! This week is going to be crazy. I have concerts on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. That means there are rehearsals Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights! RIGHT. So that means EVERY NIGHT this week I have to be somewhere. If I don't eat well, I'll really feel junky, so I am going to attempt to do a little bit of cooking ahead today and then make easy stuff the rest of the week!

Sunday:
Ham
Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes
Thyme-Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Monday:
Chicken Tamale Casserole
Green salad

Tuesday:
Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup
Grilled Cheese

Wednesday:
Skillet Stuffed Peppers
Green Salad
Fruit

Thursday:
Grilled Steaks
Baked Potatoes
Warm Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Red Onions

Friday:
Pizza or some other form of takeout!

(95) Amy's Big Batch Chili

I recently made chili for our annual pumpkin carving gathering. I adapted this recipe from one from Cooking Light. I made my own tweaks on it and quadrupled the recipe. It was nicely spicy and very filling!

Yield: 24 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups chili and 1 tablespoon cheese)
Source: Amy's adaptation of a Cooking Light recipe

4 pounds ground round
4 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
2 cups dry red wine or water
4 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, undrained
4 (14.5-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, crushed with your hands
1 can original Rotel (diced tomatoes with chiles)
1/4 cup diced pickled jalapenos
6 oz shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1. Cook the ground round in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until brown, stirring to crumble.

2. Add chopped onion and the next 7 ingredients (onion through garlic), and cook for 7 minutes or until onion is tender.

3. Place meat mixture in an electric slow cooker, and stir in beans and tomatoes. Cover with lid, and cook on low-heat setting for 4 hours. Spoon into bowls; sprinkle with cheese.

4. Note: The chili can be made on the stovetop if you don't have a slow cooker. After adding the beans and the tomatoes, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, partially covered, 1 1/2 hours.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:
CALORIES 243(21% from fat); FAT 5.6g (sat 2.3g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 25.5g; CHOLESTEROL 49mg; CALCIUM 154mg; SODIUM 637mg; FIBER 3.1g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.9g