Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Baked Cheese Grits

2 2/3 cups water
2/3 cup quick-cooking grits
2 tablespoons light margarine
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 (8-ounce) package light pasteurized prepared cheese loaf, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Vegetable cooking spray



Bring 2 2/3 cups water to a boil; add grits, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Add margarine and next 4 ingredients, stirring until blended. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.




--Adapted from Southern Living magazine

Ginger Salmon with Grilled Peaches




1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 salmon steaks (about 1 inch thick)
1/4 cup green onions
3 peaches, peeled and cut into thick wedges
1 tablespoon sugar



Combine peaches and sugar. Refrigerate 4 hours to overnight, in order to allow juice to develop.

Heat grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, ginger, thyme, 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Season the salmon with salt and coat liberally with black pepper. Grill salmon until desired doneness, 4-5 minutes per side. Set aside.

Remove peaches from syrup; toss peaches with remaining tablespoon oil. Grill until slightly charred, 3-4 minutes.

Combine peach juice with vinaigrette. Add green onions. Pour dressing over fish and peaches to serve.



--Adapted from Real Simple magazine

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

White Bean Ravioli with Brown Butter and Capers

For the ravioli:
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans
1 egg
3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoons Italian seasoning
24 wonton wrappers

For the sauce:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
2 tablespoons capers
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon freshly minced parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

For the ravioli:
In a blender, puree together the beans, egg, vinaigre
tte, cheese, and Italian seasoning; set aside.

Working in batches, so the wrappers don't dry out, lay out 6 to 8 wonton wrappers. Place 1/2 tablespoon of bean mixture in the center of each. Moisten 2 connecting edges of the wonton wrapper with your finger dipped in water.

Fold wrapper in half to form a triangle. Press edges together to seal. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers and filling.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a low boil.

For the sauce:
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until it begins to brown and have a nutty aroma. Turn off heat and stir in capers and Italian seasoning.

Working in batches, cook ravioli in boiling salted water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to hot butter sauce. Add parsley to pan. Use a spoon to coat ravioli with sauce. Transfer to plates and add salt.

Serve immediately garnished with grated Parmesan.



--Adapted from Sandra Lee

Linguine with White Clam and Broccoli Sauce


6 quarts water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
3 cups broccoli florets
1 pound uncooked fresh linguine
3 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil, divided
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 cans chopped clams, undrained
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley




Bring 6 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in stockpot. Add broccoli, and cook 2 minutes or until the broccoli is bright green. Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon (do not drain water from stockpot). Place broccoli in a colander, and rinse with cold water. Drain broccoli; coarsely chop.

Return water to a boil in stockpot. Stir in pasta; partially cover, and return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook 4-6 minutes or until the pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally.

While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute or until fragrant and beginning to turn golden, stirring constantly. Add broccoli and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until broccoli sizzles. Stir in clams and their juices; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes or until broccoli is tender.

Add pasta to skillet, stirring well to coat. Place about 1 cup pasta mixture in each of 6 bowls; drizzle each serving with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Serve immediately.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry


1 pound boned, skinned chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce ( or hot chili flakes)
2/3 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoon Asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla) or soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves (see notes), rinsed
Salt



1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick strips 2 to 3 inches long.

2. Place a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over high heat; when hot, add oil, garlic, ginger, chili-garlic sauce, and the chicken. Stir often until chicken is no longer pink in the center, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, mix broth, fish sauce, and cornstarch until smooth. Add to pan and stir until sauce is boiling, about 1 minute. Add basil leaves and stir just until barely wilted, about 30 seconds. Add salt to taste and pour into a serving bowl.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

White Wine Sangria

1 Bottle of white wine (Riesling, Albarino, Chablis, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc)
1/2 cup white sugar
3 oranges (sliced) or may substitute 1 cup of orange juice)
1 lemon (sliced)
1 lime (sliced)
1/2 liter of ginger ale or club soda


Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the orange,lemon and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and add sugar. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving. If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled white wine and serve over lots of ice.




--Adapted from here (About.com)

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Sweet and Sour Slaw

1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw (about 8 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped green onions


Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves. Add coleslaw and onions to vinegar mixture; toss to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Lemonade Pie

1/3 cup Country Time Lemonade mix
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker pie crust


Place drink mix in large bowl. Add water; stir until mix is dissolved. Add ice cream. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Freeze, if necessary, until mixture is thick enough to mound.

Spoon into crust. Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight until firm. Remove from freezer 15 min. before serving. Let stand at room temperature until pie can easily be cut. Store leftover pie in freezer.



--Adapted from Kraft Food and Family

Sesame Cucumbers

2 regular or English cucumbers
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1/2 bunch fresh mint, leaves only
Kosher salt



Slice the cucumber into thin rounds. Put them into a bowl and toss them with the soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, mint leaves and salt, to taste.




--Adapted from Tyler Florence

"Homemade" Smoked Paprika Potato Chips

1 (10-ounce) bag olive oil potato chips (or good quality chips)
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt


Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place chips on an oven tray and bake for about 5 minutes until they are hot and they begin to release their oil.

While chips are in the oven mix together the paprika, garlic powder, sugar and salt. When the chips are hot, sprinkle the spice mixture over them and carefully toss to season all of the chips. (Be careful of the hot tray.) Serve warm or at room temperature.




--Adapted from Michael Chiarello

Lemon Basil Chicken Salad

4 cups diced cooked chicken
1 rib minced celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, celery, basil and almonds. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add to chicken mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill.



--Adapted from Paula Deen

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Champagne Risotto

4 thin slices prosciutto
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
12 asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 shallot, finely chopped
3/4 cup Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
3/4 cup Champagne
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the slices of prosciutto on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake until the prosciutto slices are almost completely crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. The slices will crisp up even more as they cool. Reserve for garnish.

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon. Set the asparagus aside and keep the chicken stock at a low simmer.

In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more. Add the Champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the asparagus, remaining butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the top of the risotto. Serve immediately.



--Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Tiramisu Anacapri

Wow. This is good.


1 cup cold water
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 (1.4-ounce) package sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) tub frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup KahlĆŗa (coffee-flavored liqueur)
1 tablespoon instant espresso or 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
24 cakelike ladyfingers (2 [3-ounce] packages)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, divided



Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Cover surface with plastic wrap; chill 30 minutes or until firm.

Remove plastic wrap, and add cream cheese. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Gently fold in whipped topping.

Combine hot water, KahlĆŗa, and espresso. Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Arrange 16 ladyfinger halves, flat sides down, in a trifle bowl or large glass bowl. Drizzle with 1/2 cup KahlĆŗa mixture. Spread one-third of pudding mixture evenly over ladyfingers; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cocoa. Repeat layers, ending with cocoa. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.


--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Italian Potato Torta

Instead of making your own mashed potatoes, you can substitute store-bought.


6 cups cubed peeled baking potato (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced Italian-style tomatoes, drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Thyme sprigs (optional)



Preheat oven to 450°.

Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pan; add flour, oil, salt, and egg. Mash potato mixture with a potato masher until smooth.

Spread potato mixture into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Combine seasoning, garlic, and tomatoes; spread evenly over potato mixture. Combine cheeses, and sprinkle over tomato mixture. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until golden. Let stand 20 minutes. Cut torta into 4 wedges. Garnish with thyme, if desired.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

This is a favorite that I've made many times over the last few years. Amounts are approximate, and should be adjusted for your taste.


1 lb. frozen cut corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel tomatoes, well drained
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt


Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add corn, return to boil, and cook 1 minute. Drain. Rinse corn in cold running water to cool.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Chill for 2 hours.

Slow-Cooker Beef Tacos

2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
1 small white onion, peeled and quartered
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 medium-size green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Flour or corn tortillas, warmed
Toppings: shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream



1. Sprinkle beef evenly with salt.

2. Cook beef, in batches, in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove beef, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Add 1 Tbsp. chili powder to Dutch oven; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add 2 cups beef broth, and stir, scraping bits from bottom of Dutch oven. Return beef to Dutch oven, and stir.

3. Place beef mixture in a 4 1/2-quart slow cooker. Add onion quarters and next 4 ingredients. Cook on HIGH 4 hours or on LOW 6 hours or until beef is tender. Serve with warm tortillas and desired toppings.



--Adapted from Southern Living magazine

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Brown Sugar Salmon

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 (2-pound) salmon fillet, cut into portions



Preheat oven to 450.

Combine first 4 ingredients. Rub spice mixture over all sides of salmon; let stand 10 minutes.

Roast salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet 8 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.





--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Chicken Scallopini

Serve with rice or orzo and a steamed veggie to make the most of the sauce.


4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Cooking spray
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 teaspoons capers
1 tablespoon butter


Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Brush chicken with juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in breadcrumbs.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove from pan; keep warm.Add broth and wine to pan, and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in capers and butter.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Croque Monsieur

This sandwich is posted with ham and cheese, but it works just as well with turkey. If you don't have orange marmalade, go ahead and use any type of fruit preserve.


4 (1 1/2-ounce) slices French bread
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons orange marmalade
6 ounces reduced-fat deli ham, thinly sliced
4 (1-ounce) slices reduced-fat Swiss or Havarti cheese
1/2 cup fat-free milk
3 large egg whites
Cooking spray




Cut a slit in each bread slice to form a pocket. Combine mustard and marmalade; spread 1 teaspoon into each bread pocket. Divide ham and cheese evenly among bread pockets.

Combine milk and egg whites in a shallow bowl, stirring with a whisk. Dip sandwiches, 1 at a time, in milk mixture, turning to coat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add 2 sandwiches; cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Repeat procedure with remaining sandwiches.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Monday, July 7, 2008

Basmati Rice with Basil and Mint

This works just as well with regular long grain white rice.



1 cup basmati rice
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 350°.

Place rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine; bring to a boil. Cover; wrap handle of pan with foil. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes, stirring once. Remove rice from oven; fluff rice with a fork.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Sesame-Roasted Asparagus

36 asparagus spears
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
3 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper


Preheat oven to 450°.

Snap off tough ends of the asparagus spears. Combine asparagus and the remaining ingredients in a jelly-roll pan, turning asparagus to coat.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until the asparagus is crisp-tender; turn once.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Pesto Halibut Kebabs

1 1/2 pounds halibut, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray


Preheat broiler.

Place fish and bell pepper in a shallow dish. Drizzle pesto and vinegar over fish mixture; toss to coat. Let fish mixture stand 5 minutes.

Thread fish and pepper alternately onto each of 4 (12-inch) skewers; sprinkle evenly with salt. Place skewers on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Broil for 8 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Friday, July 4, 2008

Tomato-Basil Soup

This is pretty good. I'm just not sure that it's any better than canned tomato soup.



2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup dried basil
Basil leaves (optional)


Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the broth, salt, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Stir in basil.

Place half of the soup in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a bowl, and repeat procedure with remaining soup. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.




--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Rotini and Cheese with Broccoli and Ham

This is a great way to use up leftover ham. As good as the recipe is combined, the best part is the cheese sauce. This is a great cheese sauce for anywhere you need it.

4 quarts water
2 cups uncooked rotini (about 8 ounces corkscrew pasta)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) cubed light processed cheese (such as Velveeta Light)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped reduced-fat ham


Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes. Add broccoli; cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until pasta is done; drain.

While pasta cooks, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a medium saucepan; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat; stir in cheese and next 4 ingredients (cheese through pepper). Combine pasta mixture, cheese sauce, and ham.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Southwest Chocolate Stack-Ups

These are a little bit of work, but they are very tasty. Given that the same amount of work makes enough for 2 or 12, these would make a good party dessert. Additionally, this dessert works best when made ahead of time, and assembled right before serving.

Another part trick might be to make these as a single layer desserts.


1/2 cup chocolate syrup (such as Hershey's)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa (such as Hershey's)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 (6-inch) flour tortillas, each cut into 4 wedges
Cooking spray
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries


Preheat oven to 350°.

Place chocolate syrup, cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add whipped topping, stirring until well blended. Cover and chill.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place tortilla wedges on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat 1 side of each wedge with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with the sugar mixture. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack.

Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture on 1 tortilla wedge, sugar side up. Top with 1 tortilla wedge, sugar side up; 1/4 cup sliced strawberries; 1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture; 1 tortilla wedge, sugar side up; and 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, cheese mixture, and strawberries.

NOTE: Assemble just before serving.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Strawberry Margaritas

We thought these tasted more like watermelon than strawberry, but either way, they are good.

2 cups strawberries (about one large container)
2 1/2 cups crushed ice
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup triple sec
Lime wedges (optional)



Combine strawberries, ice, tequila, lime juice, sugar, and liqueur in a blender, and process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the margaritas into 4 large glasses. Garnish margaritas with a lime wedge, if desired. Serve immediately.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs

Very good. Very simple. These are perfect for a quick dinner when you don't know what else to fix.

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Cooking spray
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar


Preheat broiler.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.

Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Spinach and Crab Enchiladas

I thought the jalapeno in this was a bit too strong for the crab flavor, but others might disagree. Overall, these are pretty good. Very filling.


1/2 cup green onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 fresh jalapeƱo chiles (about 2 oz. total), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and minced
8 ounces shelled cooked crab or 3 cans (6 oz. each) lump crabmeat, drained
1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 cups shredded jack cheese (about 12 oz.)
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper
2 cups tomato salsa or red enchilada sauce
10 white or whole-wheat flour tortillas (7 to 8 in.)


1. In a large bowl, mix crab, spinach, 2 cups cheese, parsley, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, chili powder, cayenne, green onion, garlic, and jalapenos. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Spread about 1 cup salsa level in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the crab mixture along the center of a tortilla. Roll tortilla around filling. Repeat to fill remaining tortillas, arranging filled tortillas in a single layer over the sauce. Top evenly with remaining 1 cup salsa and remaining 1 cup cheese.

3. Bake in a 350° oven until cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pan about 5 minutes, then serve from pan with a wide spatula.



--Adapted from Cooking Light magazine