Lemon Shrimp

Once the shrimp have been cleaned this is a quick dish. I think Trader Joe's has frozen shrimp already cleaned, but I'm not sure. If you do go to TJ make sure you pick up the raw shrimp.

12 - 16 medium shrimp -- peeled and cleaned
1 medium onion sliced
1/4 cup Piquillo peppers chopped (found at TJs)
2 garlic cloves chopped - divided
1 lemon juiced
1 lime juiced
1 Tbls tequila (optional)
2 tspn lemon pepper
1 tspn salt
2 Tbls olive oil

Once shrimp have been cleaned place in a bowl. Sprinkle with half of the garlic, lemon juice, and pepper. While shrimp is marinating, add olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions until soft. Add remaining garlic, peppers, and salt. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add shrimp and tequila. Saute for 3 minutes. Serve over rice.

I also served it with roasted lemon broccoli.

Celebratory Stroganoff

This is definitely a celebratory dish...it's rich...it's creamy...it's doesn't come out of a soup can. Be prepared, it takes a long time. You can make the meat the day before or put it in a crock pot in the morning. Make sure you plan accordingly.

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped, plus 2 cloves, minced

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed
• 3 pounds beef short ribs
• 1 can beef broth
  
• 3 pounds mixed mushrooms sliced (crimini or white)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 cup 1/2 n 1/2
  
• 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 pound egg noodles
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place the chopped garlic, salt and pepper into a bowl. Add enough extra-virgin olive oil to create a paste. Add the rosemary and thyme leaves to the bowl and stir to combine.

Set short ribs out on a roasting tray and cover with herb paste. Pour in can of beef broth in the pan. Cover the meat tightly wtih foil. Roast in the oven for 3 hours until they are falling apart.

Heat a large saute pan over high heat and add a 3-count of olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes until brown. Add shallots and minced garlic and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes until garlic and onion become fragrant. Remove pan from heat and carefully add brandy to deglaze the pan. Return to heat and add cream. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half. This takes about an hour. Turn off heat and stir in Dijon mustard and sour cream. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper

Cook egg noodles in salted boiling water according to directions on package. Drain and toss with butter while still hot.

To serve: Pile the noodles high on a plate, top with stroganoff sauce and finish with rib slices. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Dijon "Fried" Chicken

Okay, in my attempt to be healthy this week, I'm trying to keep the meals low cal/low fat. This chicken dish is fast and super easy.

Morgan doesn't like large chicken breasts (I could make some more inappropriate comments about breast sizes but I will refrain), and I hate pounding them out, unless I'm making a rolled chicken dish. So, here's my time saving tip: Take the breasts and a sharp knife and slice it horizontally to make two thin pieces (don't slice them in half, then you'll just have two thick strips).

Ingredients:
2 thin chicken breasts
2 Tablespoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese
Pepper

Preheat oven to 475. Coat both sides of the chicken with mustard. Dredge in bread crumbs. Sprinkle with cheese. Place in a pan coated in cooking spray.
Bake for 25 minutes. Chicken will be crispy, flavorful, and juicy!
Serve with a salad and veggies.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

2 pounds crimini mushrooms sliced

1 diced garlic clove

2 medium shallots sliced

1 teaspoon thyme

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

1 pound thin chicken cutlets -- you can buy them this way or pound them out with a meat hammer

Flour

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

2 cups dry marsala wine (Get it from Trader Joe's -- I think it's 5.00 or so...DON'T get the kind from the grocery store that says "cooking" marsala wine)

Parmasean cheese

1 pound of bow tie pasta (or substitute for garlic mashed potatoes)

Directions -

In a medium - large saute pan drizzle olive oil to coat the pan. Heat on Med. High. Dredge the chicken in flour -- dust off excess flour. Place chicken in hot pan. Sear on each side for approx. 5 - 7 minutes on each side. (note: you don't need to cook the chicken all the way through at this point) Remove from pan and set aside. Add more olive oil to the pan and add in mushrooms. Salt and pepper the mushrooms (about a teaspoon). Toss in the pan and allow to incorporate. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in shallots and garlic. Toss together. Cook for 5 minutes. Add marsala wine. Cook for 5 minutes. Add Chicken Stock -- bring to a boil. Keep it boiling for approx 10 minutes. Allow the sauce to reduce a bit to have it thicken up. Taste it, add more salt and pepper if needed. Add in thyme. *** At this point, this can all be done the day before. Just allow it to cool and store in the fridge. The next day bring it to room temp. *** Add chicken to the sauce, allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Cook the pasta -- add salt and olive oil to the boiling water. Combine pasta with sauce, top with cheese. Enjoy!

Italian Sausage soup

This is my go-to soup recipe...thank Aileen for introducing it to me. It's so good! It's very hearty and makes a good meal. You can make it as spicy as you like depending on whether or not you use Hot or Sweet Sausage. I've made the mistake (many times) of adding too much tortellini which makes it more like a pasta, than soup. Just put a cup. I'll have to post pictures soon.

Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage

1. 3/4 # hot Italian sausage, casing removed & crumbled
2. 5 C. reduced sodium chicken broth
3. 1 141/2 oz can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, undrained
4. 1 1/3 c. dried cheese tortellini
5. 1 C. zucchini, quartered and sliced


In stockpot, cook sausage, breaking up large pieces. Drain fat if necessary
and return to pan. Add broth, tomatoes with juice. Bring to boil, scraping
up bits stuck to bottom. Reduce heat; simmer 8-10 min. Return to boil
and stir in pasta. Cook 8 min. or until pasta is tender. Add more broth
if needed. Stir in zucchini and simmer until just tender.

Nutella -Banana Sandwich

I got this recipe after watching The Food Network. I'm not gonna lie...there is nothing healthy about this dish, but it's oh, so good!!! This is great for a snack, breakfast, or it could served for a brunch.

Ingredients

• 2 Tblsn room temperature butter
  
• 2 slices of bread
  
• 1/4 cup cinnamon and sugar mix
  
• 1/4 cup Nutella
  
• 1/2 ripe bananas, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Directions

Heat a griddle or large nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Spread butter evenly on the bread, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture on one side of each bread. Place cinnamon side down on the griddle. Cook for about 3 minutes or until golden and flip; cook for a few seconds so cinnamon sugar adheres. Flip bread back over and spread with chocolate hazelnut spread. Arrange sliced bananas on top. Enjoy...you will!!!

AHHHH....SOOOOOO....GOOOD!

Citrus Salmon

This is healthy and easy!

2 Salmon Fillets
1 lime - juiced
1 orange - juiced
1 diced jalapeno
1 tspn Pepper

Mix ingredients fruit and jalapeno in a bowl - add in salmon. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat a grill to medium heat.

Brush the salmon on all sides with the olive oil and season with pepper. Place the fish on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until cooked through to the desired degree of doneness.

Serve with Grilled Corn and Spicy Beans

New York Strip Steak

For those of you who think red meat can't possibly be healthy, you're wrong. It's all about portion control. One serving of this steak or about 5 oz. is around 360 calories. If you serve it with steamed or grilled veggies it's still under 500 calories. This one is easy and ready to go in 30 minutes...take that Rachael Ray!

What you'll need:
3 Tblsn Olive Oil
2 Tblsn White Wine Vinegar
2 Diced Garlic Cloves
2 Tblsn Dijon Mustard
1 Tblsn Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbln diced fresh tarragon
Pepper
2 5 oz strip steaks

Preheat grill to medium high
Mix first five ingredients in a bowl. Place steak in the bowl and cover with marinade. Allow steaks to marinade in the bowl at room temperature for 20 minutes. Rotate the meat at least once.

Brush off all excess marinade from the steaks. Place the steaks on direct medium heat -- go set your timer and discard the marinade. Cook the meat for approx. 8 minutes* (4 minutes on each side). Allow the steaks to rest for 3 minutes. Slice against the grain.

I served this with steamed squash and zucchini with 1 tablespoon Smart Balance Light butter and 1 teaspoon of shredded parmasan cheese.

Just a note...my steaks were REALLY thin so I should have cooked them for about 6 minutes total for medium rare. Next time!