Minestrone

2 t olive oil

1 c chopped onion

2 t chopped fresh oregano (hello, use dry if that's all you've got!0

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 c chopped yellow squash

3 c chopped zucchini

1 c chopped carrots

1 c fresh corn kernels (@ 2 ears - of course, I use frozen!!)

2 cans diced tomatoes

52 oz (more or less) chicken broth

1/2 c ditalini pasta - short tube shaped

1 c Northern beans (white ones - drained)

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

Asiago cheese

Saute onion in oil. Add oregano and garlic - saute. Add next 4 ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes. Add broth and tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. Add ditalini and beans and simmer 10 more minutes. Add spinach. salt and pepper. Stir till mixed in and hot. Serve with asiago on top. 

This is a cooking light recipe - therefore light. I add sauteed chicken to mine. Really good. Freezes well for reheating.

Roger's Baked Ziti

From Cook's Illustrated - 

1 lb whole milk cottage cheese

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

3 oz grated Parmesan cheese (about 1.5 cups)

table salt

1 lb ziti, or other short, tubular pasta

2 T virgin olive oil

5 medium minced or pressed garlic cloves

1 lg (28 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 t dried oregano

1.5 c plus 2 T chopped fresh basil (dried works ok)

1 t sugar

ground black pepper

3/4 t cornstarch

1 c heavy cream

8 oz low-moisture mozzarella cheese (cut into 1/4" pieces - about 1.5 c)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350.

Whisk cottage cheese, eggs and 1 c Parmesan in medium bowl. 

Bring water to boil in lg Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 T salt and pasta and cook, stirring occasionally till pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through - 5-7 minutes. Drain and leave in colander.

Heat oil and garlic in 12" skillet over medium heat till garlic is fragrant but not brown - 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano. Simmer till thickened - 10 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in 1/2 basil, sugar and then salt and pepper.

Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl. Transfer to empty Dutch oven and set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook till thickened - 3-4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 c tomato sauce and 1/2 cu mozzarella; stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat.

Transfer pasta to 13x9" baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and 1/2 c Parmesan over top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to cook till cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown - about 30 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 T basil and serve.

Serves 8-10 Haha)

Turkey Burgers with Gorgonzola

Did I do this one already? I know I did the Turkey Meatballs....

Well, here goes (cause I like this one).

1/2 t garlic powder (I use some minced garlic)

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1-1/4 lbs ground turkey breast

1/2 c Gorgonzola

Cooking Spray

Make 6 burgers out of it for about 340 calories each. Cook on medium high heat in a non-stick skillet for a couple of minutes each side. You can then cool and freeze (like you are a caterer) or you can then put them on a cooking sheet in the oven at 400 - covered with foil. If you have frozen them, thaw them in the fridge and then cook the same way.

I serve them on organic wheat rolls. You can serve them with whatever (potato, white...) And you can top them with spinach, hummus, dijon, cheese, whatever and add lots more calories. (The original recipe has you making 12 burgers from it for mini-burgers. Probably not a bad idea!)

Italian Cream Cake

Cake:

1 c buttermilk

1 t baking soda

5 eggs, separated

2 c sugar

1/2 c softened butter

1/2 c veg shortening

2 c flour

1 t vanilla

1 (3 oz) can sweetened coconut (I use it from the plastic package and weigh it on my handy kitchen scale and it turns out just fine!)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 3-9" pans and line with waxed paper.

Combine buttermilk and soda and set aside.

Beat egg whites till stiff.

Combine: sugar, butter and shortening (I use veggie oil - again, turns out fine). Beat at medium speed with mixer till light. Add egg yolks, slowly, beating well. Add buttermilk mix, alternately with flour. Stir in vanilla. Fold in egg whites and then stir in coconut. Pour into pans. 

Bake 18-20 minutes. Remove and cool.

Frosting:

12 oz softened cream cheese

6 T softened butter

24 oz XXX sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla

3/4 c chopped pecans

Combine the first 4 ingredients till good consistency. Ice the cake. Sprinkle pecans on top. 

This is NOT from Cooking Light or any other health magazine. But "cream" cake describes it perfectly. It's a nice break from chocolate - if there is such a thing!!

Ziti with Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes & Gorgonzola Sauce

By the way - did I mention that most of these recipes are from Cooking Light - thus healthy...

4 oz uncooked ziti

1/2 t olive oil

1 c 1/2ed cherry tomatoes

1/4 t salt 

1/8 t crushed red pepper (be careful not to use too much!! I did and Katie and I had a hard time!)

1 minced clove garlic

6 T 1/2&1/2

3 T Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1 c fresh spinach

Cook pasta.

Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, salt, red pepper and garlic. Cook 1 minute, stirring.  Add 1/2&1/2 and Gorgonzola and cook 2 minutes till slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add spinach and pasta. Cook 1 minutes till spinach wilts. 

This is only 2 servings, and is 335 calories per.

Beef Tenderloin with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

4 4-oz beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed, 1" thick

1/2 t salt - divided

1/4 t pepper - divided

cooking spray

2 t butter

2 cloves minced garlic

4 c thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 8 oz)

1/2 t chopped thyme

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 T water

1 t soy sauce

1 T fresh thyme leaves

Sprinkle steaks with 1/2 the salt and pepper and saute in sauce pan (sprayed with cooking spray). 3 minutes each side or till they're done like you like. When done, put on plate to the side.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add butter, when melted and foam has subsided (15 seconds) add garlic. Give it about 30 seconds and add mushrooms, thyme and the other half of salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes. Add vinegar, water, soy sauce. Cook about a minute till most liquid has evaporated. Spoon over steaks and sprinkle with thyme leaves.

This recipe is VERY easy, quick. The steaks are a little expensive, but given the portion size, we got it for about $5 each. We served it with Joe's garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus and salad. Gourmet!

Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells

2 cups marinara - divided

cooking spray

2 1/2 c part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 c grated parmesan or asiago

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t oregano (you can add basil, rosemary, thyme...whatever)

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach (thawed and drained)

1 lg egg yolk

1 clove garlic, minced

24 cooked jumbo pasta shells

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray cooking spray in 13x9 pan. Spread 1/2 cups marinara.

Combine the ricotta and other ingredients (through garlic). Spoon the mixture into the shells and place shells in the pan. Top with the rest of the marinar. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Let me know if you need help with basic marinara - super easy and better if homemade to your taste. 

This is a great, light dinner - we serve it with sauteed vegies or a big salad.