Parmesan Couscous with Roasted Garlic, Toasted Pine Nuts and Caramelized Onions

This was my first time making couscous and we all loved it. It's very similar to rice and was full of great flavors. It was a perfect side dish to my Pork with Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions and Roasted Garlic (see recipe here). This will become a regular in our house.

• 1 box of plain Couscous (or whatever flavor you desire) cook per instructions
• 1-2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 yellow sweet onion, diced
• 3-5 cloves of roasted garlic, chopped (see recipe here)
• 1-2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped

Prepare couscous per instructions. In dry skillet, add pine nuts and cook until lightly golden brown, about 2 minutes (stirring frequently). Remove from heat. In same skillet, add oil, once hot, add onions and cook until caramelized & tender. Once the couscous is done, stir in the onions, pine nuts, roasted garlic, cheese and parsley. Enjoy.

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Lasagna with Turkey Italian Sausage and Vegetables

I love lasagna and I wanted to find a way to make it healthy & delicious. I love this recipe and so does my family. It's packed with flavor & it's so good. Serve it with a Caesar Salad and crunchy bread.

• 5-6 turkey Italian sausages
• Cooking spray

Heat skillet over medium heat. Remove sausage from casings and cook breaking into very small crumbles. Once cooked remove from heat drain if needed and place in a bowl.

• 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 3-5 cloves of garlic, chopped finely (I use 5)
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots, shredded
• 1/2 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

In the same skillet over medium heat add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Once pan is hot add onion and red pepper and cook until tender, remove from heat & place in a bowl. Heat other 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and add mushrooms. Cook until golden brown; then add garlic, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, basil, salt and pepper. Cook for 60 seconds then remove from heat and mix with onions & peppers.

• 30 oz fat free ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
• 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded (divided)
• 1 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 9-12 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked per instructions
• 6 cups of homemade marinara sauce or your favorite store bought

Combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup of mozzarella, 2 tbsp Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, mix well and set aside. Cook lasagna noodles and drape over pan when done (to prevent sticking together). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray glass 13x9x2 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread some marinara sauce over the bottom of dish. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles (or more if needed). Spread ricotta mixture on bottom, then turkey Italian sausage, then vegetable mixture. Layer 3 more noodles, more sauce, then more ricotta, sausage and vegetables. Add 3 more noodles and remainder of sauce. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese then sprinkle the last 2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese on top. Spray one side of tinfoil with cooking spray and cover the lasagna. I cook it on a baking sheet covered with tinfoil to prevent spilling in my oven. Bake lasagna for 30 minutes then remove tinfoil cover and cook an additional 10-15 minutes. Let cool before slicing. Enjoy!

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Flank Steak Marinade

It's been quite awhile since we had a steak so I combined some ingredients we had on hand to make a marinade. I let the flank steak marinate for about 8 hours and it turned out really great! It had a delicious garlic/lemon flavor & the smell was fantastic while cooking. We all loved it.. it's a keeper!

• Flank steak (or any other steak)
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 of a lemon, juiced
• 1 1/2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Mix ingredients in a large ziploc bag, add flank steak (or other steak) and marinate for 6-8 hours (or overnight). Grill, broil or pan fry steak to desired degree of doneness. Cook the remaining marinade in a pan until it boils for extra sauce. Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing against the grain into thin slices. Enjoy!

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Crepes with Melted Butter and Powdered Sugar

This takes me back to my childhood, spending the night at my girlfriend Angie's house & waking up to Bill (Angie's Dad) making crepes. They were so amazing!! Throughout my life, I have had crepes filled with all sorts of jams, jellies & lemon curd. Nothing tastes as good as the way Bill made them for me when I was a kid... melted butter & powdered sugar. Very simple but absolutely perfect. These are a great treat for breakfast. They are NOT low fat or good for you but it's nice to splurge every once in awhile! Enjoy.

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/3 cup non fat milk
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; use immersion blender (or whisk) to mix crepe batter thoroughly. Make sure there are no lumps in the batter. Heat a small non stick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and using a small ladle, spoon about 3-4 tablespoons of crepe batter into the hot pan. Tilt the pan clockwise so that the batter spreads evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Most people only cook one side but I cook both.

• Butter
• Powder sugar (sifted)

Remove from pan and place on a plate. Spread a bit of butter onto the crepe and then sift powdered sugar over the butter. Roll and place on another plate for serving or eat while it's hot. It's fun to make, the kids love them and they are so good.

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B.B.T.A (Bacon, Basil, Tomato & Avocado Sandwich)

I love BLT sandwiches! They were my favorite growing up and they still are. I make them much healthier than I used to but they are just as delicious! The basil adds great flavor and the avocado gives it a wonderful taste & texture. I use a par-baked loaf of sour dough bread and bake it right before making the sandwiches. It's hot & fresh and makes the sandwich extra special.

• Turkey bacon (or regular)
• Tomato slices
• Whole fresh basil leaves
• Avocado slices
• Light mayonnaise
• One loaf of par-baked bread, baked per instructions

Cut the loaf of bread lengthwise down the center. Let cool for a minute then add mayonnaise to both sides of the bread, then the turkey bacon, basil leaves, tomato slices and avocado slices. Add Havarti cheese to really make it special. Pair with a bowl of Roasted Tomato Soup.

Click here for printable recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Chile Relleno Casserole

I really wanted to make Chile Rellenos but I decided to make a casserole instead because frankly, it's MUCH healthier. I took the long route & blackened my own chiles and peeled them. It's much more time consuming than using canned green chiles (which I LOVE) but the flavor seems so much more like authentic Chile Rellenos to me.

• 3-5 large Ancho or Anaheim chiles (or 3, 7 oz cans of whole green chiles)

Move oven rack to the top of oven and set to BROIL. Wash chiles and place on a tin foil covered baking pan. Place on top rack of oven, watch (and listen) closely. Chiles will crackle, pop & char. Once the entire pepper is charred evenly turn over with tongs. Char the other side of chiles completely. Remove from oven and wrap each pepper in a wet paper towel & place in a large gallon size ziploc bag. Seal the bag and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Remove from paper towel and peel the charred skin off completely. Cut the stem and remove the seeds & vein. Cut each pepper into half.

• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp non fat sour cream
• 1 3 oz can of sliced black olives
• 1 cup of low fat Mexican blend cheese (or more if you want)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 can red or green enchilada sauce
• Sour cream (garnish)
• Diced green onion (garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, flour, sour cream, olives, salt and pepper to taste then mix thoroughly. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Add a layer of the chiles, and then egg mixture, then cheese, then black beans; repeat layers until gone. Top with enchilada sauce and a bit more cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Top with sour cream and diced green onion. I serve this meal with the Southwestern Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing (see recipe here). Enjoy!

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Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan Cheese

This is a great side dish. This is a simple, fast and delicious. My kids eat this all the time & love it.

• 1/2 - 1 lb asparagus spears
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray cooking spray on a tinfoil lined baking sheet. Trim bottoms from asparagus spears & rinse. Place asparagus on baking sheet, salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese and roast for about 5 minutes until fork tender. Serve & enjoy.

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Pork Chops in a Garlic and Ginger Sauce

I made this recipe for friends last night and it turned out great. The sauce has a sweet and salty combination that I love. It was an easy to make dinner with just a bit of prep work.

Garlic and Ginger Sauce

• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1/2 tsp grated fresh gingerroot
• 1/2 tsp water
• Green onion, diced (for garnish)

In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and soy sauce and mix until it's smooth. Add honey, garlic, ginger and water then bring to a boil while stirring. Reduce heat and let thicken.

• 4-6 thin cut pork chops
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Cooking spray

Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium high heat add olive oil and cooking spray. Season the pork chops to taste. When the pan is hot, add pork chops & cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan to serving platter. Drizzle sauce over pork then garnish with green onion and serve. This recipe goes great with the Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (see recipe here).

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Brown Rice with Toasted Pine Nuts, Carmelized Shallots and Lemon Zest

This rice dish turned out really good. My husband told me that it's his FAVORITE rice dish ever and my two kids had seconds. It was very simple to make and had so much flavor! It was a really nice side dish to the Chicken, Mushrooms and Artichoke Hearts in a Roasted Lemon Sauce (see recipe here). This recipe serves four.

• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 shallot diced finely
• 1 tsp lemon zest divided in two
• Brown rice prepared per instructions (use vegetable or chicken stock to cook the rice - it's much more flavorful). Also, add 1/2 tsp of lemon zest to rice while cooking.
• 1 tsp butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

While the brown rice is cooking, add pine nuts to a DRY skillet over medium heat. Toast the nuts stirring often, until they are golden brown 2-3 minutes. After the nuts are finished cooking, remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft and tender. They cook fast so stir them often. Once rice is finished cooking, add pine nuts, shallots, the remainder of lemon zest, butter and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

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Chicken, Mushrooms and Artichoke Hearts in a Roasted Lemon Sauce

I wanted to make a special dish tonight but also use what we had on hand... it turned out great! There was a little added prep time but it was worth it. The chicken was tender and the sauce was delicious. My husband and children loved it and so did I.

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1-2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can of artichoke hearts (not marinated) slice each heart in half
• 2 tbsp capers rinsed and roughly chopped
• 2 lemons
• 2 tsp butter
• Cooking spray
• 1 tsp parsley (2 tsp fresh)

To roast lemons: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Zest one half of a lemon and set aside for juicing later. Take the other 1 1/2 lemons and slice thinly into rings making sure to remove any seeds. Line a baking sheet with either tinfoil or parchment paper and spray with cooking oil. Place lemon slices on sheet. You can spray them with cooking spray for a lower fat dish or brush them with olive oil if you prefer then sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges start to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat a skillet with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown then add the garlic and cook for 30-45 seconds stirring constantly. Remove from pan and set aside.

Cover chicken breasts with plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or hammer until about 1/2 inch thick. Salt and pepper to taste. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge the chicken to coat both sides.

In a very large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1/2 tbsp olive oil (and a coating of cooking spray) then add the chicken breasts and cook for 3 minutes before turning over. Next, add chicken broth, parsley, lemon slices, capers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, lemon juice (from reserved 1/2 lemon), lemon zest, and butter. Bring to a boil until the liquid is thick and near a syrup consistency (about 5-7 minutes). Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish and enjoy.

Click here for printable recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Roasted Garlic

Roasted garlic is one of my favorite things. I use it as a spread on bread, in my mashed potatoes, with roasted vegetables, in sauces or salad dressings and alongside meats. It's a great way to give new life to old recipes. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

• 1-2 heads of garlic
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• Dash of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the top of the head off so every clove of garlic is exposed. Place on a small square of tinfoil (easy clean up). Drizzle with olive oil and salt to taste.

Fold edges of tinfoil together and twist to make a completely sealed bundle.

Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the garlic. Let cool before serving. Squeeze to remove the roasted cloves. Delicious!

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Roasted Tomato Salsa

Roasting tomatoes gives them such a wonderful sweet flavor so I decided to try making a roasted salsa to go with my Carne Asada Tacos. The end result was really delicious! This salsa is great with any tacos, chips and burritos or as a topping to most Mexican dishes.

Roasted Tomato Salsa:

• 6-7 fresh garden tomatoes sliced lengthwise, stem and core removed
• 1/4 sweet yellow onion chopped in large pieces (separated)
• 2 green onions, tops trimmed
• 1 jalapeno (optional)
• 1 clove of garlic cut into slivers
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small handful of chopped cilantro (DO NOT ROAST)

Line small baking sheet with tinfoil (easier cleanup) and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice tomatoes lengthwise and put onto center of baking sheet. Add separated pieces of onion, green onion & jalapeno on and around tomato. Place garlic slivers inside the tomato halves to protect them from burning and to infuse the tomatoes with garlic flavor. Drizzle olive oil all over mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes or until tomatoes are soft & juicy and the onions are tender. Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly.

Add to a bowl with fresh cilantro and blend using an immersion blender or regular blender. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving so the flavors can combine. Enjoy.

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Onion, Cilantro and Lime Juice Relish

This is such a great addition to tacos or any Mexican dish. The lime juice mellows the strength of the onions & the cilantro adds a great flavor. It's has a wonderful crunchy texture and adds a nice depth of flavors to any taco or burrito. Enjoy.

Onion, Cilantro, and Lime Juice Relish:

• 1-2 sweet yellow onions, diced
• 1 handful of cilantro, chopped
• 2-3 limes juiced

Dice onion into small pieces. Clean & chop cilantro. I use some stems (not many) because they have great flavor. Add lime juice & stir. I let it sit for a few hours to marinate the flavors. It is delicious - especially on Carne Asada Tacos!

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Guacamole

We are HUGE guacamole fans in my house. I first got this recipe 20 years ago when I was in high school. I watched a buddy of mine make this amazing guacamole...and the recipe stuck in my head. Thanks Garrick! Guacamole is served with nearly every Mexican dish I make - my kids love it!

• 4 ripe (soft but not mushy to the touch) avocados
• 1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced (you can use red instead if desired)
• 3 cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1 small handful of chopped cilantro
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, diced finely (if you want it spicy)
• Sea salt to taste
• 1-2 limes juiced to taste (forgot to add to the picture)

Slice the avocados lengthwise around the seed. Gently hit blade of knife on the half of the avocado with the seed and twist - seed should come out easily. Either scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon or dice into segments in a crosshatch pattern and then remove with a spoon. Mix the remaining ingredients together with out smashing the avocado too much. Make sure to add the lime, it not only pops the flavor of the guacamole but it also keeps it from going brown. Serve with fresh tortilla chips or as a topping for any of your favorite Mexican dishes.

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Artichokes

These are childhood favorites! It was a very special treat growing up when my Mom would bring these home. We used to boil them & eat them with mayonnaise (which is still delicious to me)! I have changed my cooking method and have added a few more seasonings to the mayonnaise... my children LOVE them and think of them as a special treat too.

• One artichoke per person
• Bay leaf
• 6 cloves of whole garlic

In a large pot add water, bay leaf & garlic. Trim artichokes of their sharp end leaves with scissors. Cut the top and stem off and clean well. Add to steamer pan, place on pot covered and steam for 30-35 minutes. I really love to steam them because they don't get water logged and stay a beautiful green.

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise (I use light but real is much tastier)
• 1 clove of garlic minced (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp soy sauce (more if you like)

Mix the above ingredients together. If you are feeling extra decadent... try dipping it in:

• Melted butter
• 1 clove of garlic minced (optional)

Dip the end of your leaves in the sauces & enjoy!

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