Fresh and Crunchy

California Style Tuna Salad Rolls

Ingredients

2 cans albacore tuna, in water, drained and flaked
Mayonnaise, as desired, just enough to moisten (4-5 Tlbs)
10-inch flour tortillas (lg burrito size, I used the spinach/green tortillas to mimic seaweed)
Flat dark green leaf lettuce (Boston, red leaf, etc)
2 med zucchini, chopped julienne (long matchsticks)
2 medium carrots (can use several baby carrots), chopped julienne
1 red bell pepper, julienne
Flavored cream cheese like garden veggie (I used Laughing Cow)

Instructions

1. Combine the tuna with the mayonnaise in a small bowl and mix until blended.  Set aside.
2.  Lay the tortillas on a work surface and spread cream cheese over entire surface.  You can leave a bit of space on the right/left sides since those will be cut off, but spread clear to the edge of the top and bottom of tortilla.  This will help seal it when you roll it up.
3. Place one lettuce leaf on the lower middle 2/3s of the tortilla, press slightly and it will stick flat to the cream cheese.
4. Arrange the zucchini, carrots, and pepper sticks lengthwise in rows on top of the lettuce
5.  Spoon the tuna in a line next to/on top of the vegetables (away from the edge).
6.  Roll each tortilla up snugly into a cylinder.  You can cut crosswise in half or use a sharp, thin knife and slice into 1 1/2 inch rounds (like a California roll).  Arrange on plate and serve as an appetizer or as a light refreshing meal.


Variations:
Switch out or add the following veggies ~ 
   Avocado; peeled, pitted, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
   Seedless/English cucumber, chopped julienne


I got about 5 rolls per tortilla.  I made 4 tortilla wraps (cut up) and served them with fruit and salad for a light summer dinner.  Easy, crisp, and delicious!

Taste of Spring

Spinach and Walnut Pesto

1 1/2 cups firmly packed baby spinach

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (not the powder stuff)

1/4 cup toasted walnuts (broil in oven or heat in microwave, but don't burn!)

1 lg clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Can also add a little lemon juice and pepper, if desired

Play with it and adjust the seasonings to your taste

In a good blender or food processor combine the spinach, basil, Parmesan cheese, walnuts, garlic and salt.  Cover and blend with several on-off turns 'til a paste forms.  Stop the machine several times and scrape down the sides.

With the machine running slowly, gradually add olive oil and blend to the consistency of soft butter.  You can add a little more oil if you want it more liquidy for pasta or whatever.

I usually end up using a bag of fresh spinach and just add in more accordingly.  Taste as you go! 

Enjoy!!

Chinese Take-out Made at Home

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

This recipe is super easy and Oh So Addicting!

Chicken Coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

   

Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. 

Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through.  (I actually used a little more oil and deep fried my chicken because I wanted that crispy texture and authentic taste.)

Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.  (**Note:  Because I deep fried my chicken it was cooked, unlike the recipe calls for so I only had it in the oven for about 20-30 minutes to blend and heat through and only turned it once) 

Add white or fried rice and a yummy vegetable and this is a great, easy Chinese meal!

Southwestern Flavor

Southwestern Egg Rolls with Avocado Ranch

(makes 48 mini rolls, or 24 regular rolls)

For the egg rolls:

2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (I mashed mine up a little bit to help it blend in)
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towel (There was a lot of spinach, I will cut this back next time, maybe by half)
2 cups shredded Mexican or Cheddar cheese
1-7oz can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder (I used a little less)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used a little less)
1 package of egg roll or wonton wrappers

 **I added approx a cup of finely shredded chicken breasts that I had sauteed with salt, pepper, and a little onion powder.  This really helped pull everything together! If you wanted to keep this meat free, you could also try rice.

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 425F. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl mix together corn, beans, spinach, cheese, chiles, onions, cumin, chili powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and chicken. Using a small spoon, scoop a small amount of filling onto the wrapper. Starting at a corner, carefully start to roll the wrapper. When it’s slightly rolled, tuck in the two side and continue rolling to the last point. Wet your finger with water and dab a bit on the corner to seal the egg roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, placing them slightly apart on the baking sheet.

Lightly spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes, flipping them at least once during baking. (It took at least 15 minutes on one side to start to crisp up so plan for a little extra time.  It might also help to put a cooling rack on the pan so that the egg rolls get heat on all sides.  I liked the low-fat aspect of baking, but these would be REALLY yummy deep fried!)

For avocado ranch:
3/8 cup mayonnaise
3/8 cup sour cream
3 Tbs buttermilk (I left this out because I didn't have any)
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 green onion, chopped (I will substitute cilantro next time to add another layer of flavor)
1/4 tsp salt
1 avocado, peeled and pitted

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Use immediately. 

You could also add in chopped/chunks of avocado after you've blended or just serve it with mashed avocado. I really liked this dressing, but I will also try putting some slices of avocado into the egg rolls before cooking.

Homemade Tai

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken 

found on Pinterest

Light Peanut Sauce:

14.5 oz fat free chicken broth, divided

5 tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce (I only used 1 tsp and it still had a nice kick)

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz chicken breast, cut into thin strips

salt and pepper (to taste)

1 Tlb Sriracha chili sauce (Again, I only used 1 tsp)

juice of 1/2 lime

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp sesame oil

8 oz rice noodles

3/4 cup green onion, chopped

1 1/4 cups shredded carrots

1 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw 

1 cup bean bean sprouts

2 tbsp chopped peanuts 

1 lime, sliced

cilantro for garnish (optional)

For the peanut sauce: Combine 1 cup chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and 3 cloves crushed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

Boil water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.

Heat a large skillet or wok until hot. Add oil and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.

Add 2 cloves crushed garlic, scallions, carrots, broccoli slaw and/or bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.

Drain noodles and toss with peanut sauce and additional chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce. When chicken is cooked, toss with noodles.

Divide noodles and chicken between 6 bowls, top with sauteed vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (or you can toss everything together to hide the vegetables so your family members don't push them aside!) and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

This had great flavor!  Easy to make (requires a little planning) and very filling.  My kids liked the rice noodles and peanut butter flavor, but not the kick.  If I were to make it for them again, I would probably leave out the sriracha sauce even though hubby and I liked it.

Great for Cold Weather

White Chicken Chili
(adapted from a Pinterest recipe)


Ingredients

1 large onion, diced

2-3 cloves, garlic

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces

4 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, or other white beans, drained and rinsed

2 (4 ounce) can green chilies

2 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

2 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

cheese, sour cream, cilantro (optional, for serving)

Instructions

Add everything to slow cooker and give it a stir. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Serve nice and steamy, topped with cheese, sour cream, or cilantro if you like

(I added chopped cilantro to the chili before serving and set out sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar to put on top. Would also be nice with fresh avocado)

Vegetarian

Quinoa Burgers

Tip: Cooking quinoa

In a medium saucepan bring 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt to a boil over high heat. Add 1 cup of quinoa, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the seeds are tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes before using in recipe.


Ingredients:

2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see above)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 medium carrot, finely grated OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed
3 eggs
3 Tlb flour
2 green onions, including white parts, chopped
1/2 tsp Splenda or sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Olive oil for frying


Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, sugar, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Mixture will be slightly sticky, but I found it best to form patties with your hands before depositing into the pan. Using a 1/4 measuring cup will help you keep the sizes uniform. Form patties about 1/2 inch thick.

Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side.

We really liked these! It makes a lot. They were good on hamburger buns with lettuce and sauce, but were also really good by themselves. Made a great snack or lunch. I recently found the following variation, but have yet to try it.


Baked Bites variation

2 cups cooked quinoa
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded carrot
2 stalks green onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tlb flour
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl.

Distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup up to the top (1 heaping Tlb each)

Bake for 15-20 minutes

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce

Another Tuna Idea

Asian Tuna Patties

allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs

3 green onions, minced

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup cornmeal**

2 tablespoons vegetable oil


Directions:

In a large bowl, mix tuna, egg, bread crumbs, green onions, and garlic. Blend soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, sesame oil, and pepper into the mixture. Form the mixture into about 6 patties approximately 1 inch thick. Lightly sprinkle each patty on all sides with cornmeal.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry each patty about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

**The cornmeal was far too crunchy and not a good texture for the tuna. I would suggest using breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, or frying with no coating at all.

These were quite tasty. I would happily eat them on their own, but they were also good as a "fish" sandwich, with coleslaw, or cabbage crunch salad. Could also do some kind of Asian noodle.

Inexpensive and Filling

Tuna Noodle Casserole (from Scratch) Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, divided 1 (8 ounce) package uncooked medium egg noodles 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk salt and pepper to taste 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 3 tablespoons bread crumbs 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a medium baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter or spray with cooking spray.
2.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
3.	Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until tender. Increase heat to medium-high, and mix in mushrooms. Continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
4.	Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan, and whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tuna, peas, mushroom mixture, and cooked noodles. Transfer to the baking dish. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl, mix with bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the casserole. Top with cheese.
5.	Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Adjustments: I don't really like peas, so I omitted them and doubled the celery. I thought the mushrooms added a nice texture element.
You'll want to make extra sauce or it will turn out dry. I made close to twice as much, but I also didn't measure my noodles, and may have had a little extra.
You will want to flavor your white sauce more than called for to achieve the right amount of flavor. I added dill, S&P, and garlic powder. Lemon could be a good addition or fresh parsley.
I also liked this as leftovers and the family ate it quite well.

Veggie Dinner

Carrot Burgers
All Recipes


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
2 cups crushed cornflakes (Didn't have any, I used 1/2 breadcrumbs and 1/2 crushed corn Chex)
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 Tlb finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tlb vegetable oil (used olive oil, a little more than called for)
Hamburger buns


Directions:

Place shredded carrots in a saucepan with some water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until tender; drain. In a bowl, combine carrots, cornflakes, eggs, celery, onion, salt, sugar and pepper; mix well. Form into six patties. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook patties for 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Serve on buns if desired.

(These were surprisingly good! They had good texture and flavor. It would still be fun to play around with the flavors a bit, some fresh cilantro or parsley would be complimentary. Could substitute water chestnuts for the celery. I wasn't too sure about the corn flakes, but I liked the corn flavor it brought. Would also try again with Panko breadcrumbs. We ate ours on slightly toasted hamburger buns with lettuce and a creamy dressing. Would also be great with creamy coleslaw or on top of a green salad. To make enough for our family of 6, I made 1 and 1/2 times the recipe.)

Filling but Light

Marie's White Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
1 med onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tlb vegetable oil
2 cans (15 1/2 oz) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth
2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:

In a large saucepan saute chicken, onion, garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and cream. Serve immediately.

Deep Flavors, Not a lot of Time

Chicken Cacciatore


Ingredients:

1 4-lb chicken, cut in pieces (I used breasts because that's all I had. I liked the way they turned out although I'm sure the chicken pieces would add more flavor.)
3-4 Tlb flour
2 Tlb olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-ounch can tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 14-ounce can chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sweet marjoram
1 8-ounce package sliced fresh mushrooms (about 2 cups)


Directions:

1. Dredge chicken with flour until well-coated. In a large deep frying pan or pot, heat the olive oil and saute chicken over high heat until golden brown. Add the shallots and garlic while the chicken is browning, and cook until golden. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer the chicken, covered, about 1 hour or until tender. Serve over pasta, rice or new potatoes.

This had a really lovely deep flavor to it for not a lot of cooking time. The chicken was super tender and the sauce was a perfect consistency. I garnished mine with some chopped Italian parsley which gave it some nice color and added flavor. This meal is so simple it works great for a weeknight Italian dinner, but impressive enough to serve for any special occasion.

Versatile Mexican Chicken

Creamy Chicken Tacos
I got this from a ward recipe night (Shannon Sorensen) and I really liked it.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (boiled and shredded)
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 sm can green chilies
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 fresh tomato, diced
Flour tortillas


Directions:

In a large saucepan add cream cheese, green chilies, and taco seasoning. Let the cream cheese melt and simmer and stir it all together. While that is simmering, shred chicken into the pan then add the diced tomato.

In addition to tacos, you can use this in quesadillas or burittos, on tostadas, or as a creamy dip for chips.

It's fast, easy, and flavorful. I used mine in toasted quesadillas and the kids gobbled it up! I did find that an entire package of taco seasoning was a bit overpowering for one pkg of cream cheese. I added another 1/2 package, but would still probably cut back a bit on the taco seasoning, esp when making for kids.

A Yummy Alternative Quiche

Pesto-Quinoa-Spinach Quiche

Pillsbury

Prep Time: 20 Min

Total Time: 1 Hr 5 Min

Makes: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box

4 oz provolone cheese, shredded (1 cup) (I substituted Swiss cheese)

1 cup water

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed, well drained

1/4 cup basil pesto (I used some sun-dried tomato pesto and I really liked it)

1/4 cup Fisher® Chef's Naturals® Pine Nuts, toasted* (Substituted toasted chopped walnuts)

1 box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain

1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

4 EGGLAND’S BEST eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Place pie crust in 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie; flute edge. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle provolone cheese over partially baked crust. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat water to boiling over high heat. Stir in quinoa; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 12 to 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat. Fluff with fork. Stir in pesto, pine nuts, spinach and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.

• In large bowl, beat eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper with wire whisk until well blended. Gently fold quinoa mixture into eggs. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

• Bake at 350°F 30 to 35 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean and edge of crust is golden brown (I needed more like 45 minutes to set). Sprinkle with basil. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

I was a little surprised at how much we all liked this. Even the kids ate it really well. It has a ton of flavor and the texture of the Quinoa compliments it nicely. No one missed the meat and it's a great source of protein. Delicious!

Fresh and Delicious

Spinach Pesto
BH&G

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups torn fresh spinach, firmly packed
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds (I prefer using toasted walnuts)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil or cooking oil (may add a little more as needed)


Directions:

In a blender container or food processor combine spinach, basil, Parmesan cheese, nuts, garlic, and salt. Cover and blend or process with several on-off turns till a paste forms, stopping the machine several times and scraping the sides.

With the machine running slowly, gradually add olive oil and blend or process to the consistency of soft butter.

Serve over your favorite pasta. Also great on soup, toasted french bread, or meats.

I love the freshness of this pesto and it is much cheaper to make when you sub in spinach and walnuts for the traditional basil and pine nuts. I even love to eat it on scrambled eggs!

Italian Pasta

Extra-Crusty Baked Rigatoni with Beef Ragu

Williams-Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. rigatoni
• 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef (Next time I plan to sub in Italian sausage for 1/2 lb)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 Tbs. dried oregano
• 1 large can (28 oz.) peeled and chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream (I used regular cream)
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 lb. whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup grated Parmesan or aged Asiago cheese

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350ºF.

Bring a large pot two-thirds full of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni, stir well and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), about 15 minutes or according to the package instructions. Drain the rigatoni, place in a large bowl and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

In the same pot, heat the 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until no pink remains, about 10 minutes. Drain off any fat. Add the parsley, oregano and tomatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the tomatoes break down and the flavors have melded, about 20 minutes. Stir in the cream, raise the heat and return to a boil. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Return the rigatoni to the pot with the sauce and toss to coat well.

Oil the bottom of a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Spread half of the pasta mixture in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining pasta, the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan. Bake until the sauce is bubbly and the top is crusty and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for about 5 minutes and serve.

Serves 6.

I found this recipe to be filling and easy. Perhaps a bit time-intensive, but overall a good Italian dinner that even the kids enjoyed.

Yummy Crispy Eggplant

Eggplant Croquettes

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tlbs dried parsley
2 Tlbs chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt (I added a little more S&P to taste)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Place eggplant in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on med-high for 3 minutes. Turn eggplant over and microwave another 2 minutes. The eggplant should be tender cook another 2 minutes if not tender. Drain any liquid from the eggplants and mash. (In my microwave I ended up cooking 3minutes, stir, 3 more minutes, stir, 3 more minutes, mash and drain)

Combine cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, onion, garlic and salt with the mashed eggplant. Mix well.

Shape the eggplant mixture into patties. Heat oil in a large skillet. Drop eggplant patties one at a time into skillet. Fry each side of the patties until golden brown, approximately 5 minutes on each side. Patties can be frozen before frying and cooked later.

These were delicious! I think even someone who doesn't care for eggplant might enjoy them. They have a great crunchy golden exterior with a slightly chunky eggplant filling (like a crab cake). I could eat these alone, on a salad, or as an appetizer. You can be creative with sauces too.

Easy Marinade

Asian Barbecue Steak

1 beef top round steak, cut 3/4 in thick (about 1 lb) (I used a 2-3lb London Broil)
Salt & Pepper
Sliced green onions (optional)

Marinade:

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp minced fresh ginger

Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Remove and refrigerate 1/2 cup for sauce. (Since I used a larger cut of meat I used the entire sauce to marinade and made a little extra to serve with it when we ate.)

Place beef steak and marinade in a Ziploc bag; turn steak to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in a refrigerator 6 hrs or overnight, turning occasionally.

Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Grill, uncovered, 9-11 minutes over medium heat, for medium rare doneness, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, pour reserved marinade into small microwave-safe dish; cover with vented plastic wrap. Microwave on high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until heated through, stirring every 30 seconds.

Carve steak into thin slices; season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve with sauce and green onions, if desired.

Serves 4

Easy Chinese

Mindless Mu Shu Chicken

Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 to 3/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2)
1 bunch green onions (about 1 cup chopped)
5 tsp vegetable or peanut oil
1 (16 oz) package coleslaw mix
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup sherry or white wine (or white grape juice)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (I used normal)
1/2 tsp bottled minced garlic
2 tsp Asian sesame oil
8 small (8 in) flour tortillas
Hoisin sauce or plum sauce, to taste

Directions:

Begin heating the vegetable oil in an extra-deep 12 inch skillet over medium heat.

Slice the green onions, using all of the whites and enough of the green tops to make 1 cup. Immediately add the onion, coleslaw and mushrooms to the skillet. Raise the heat to medium-high and begin to cook, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, cut the chicken through its width (the short way) into 1/4 inch wide strips, add the chicken to the skillet as you slice. Continue to stir and cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Mix the cornstarch into the sherry (grape juice) in a small jar that has a lid. Shake well to combine and set aside. When the chicken is done, shake the sherry mixture again and add it to the skillet along with the soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil. Stir well and cook until the mixture thickens slightly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Place the tortillas between two paper towels, and microwave, uncovered, until warmed through, about 1 minute. To serve, spread Hoisin sauce to taste on each tortilla and spoon approx 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in the middle of each tortilla. Roll up, burrito style, and serve.

These were so easy to make and I thought they had great flavor. I wasn't sure about the tortilla at first (not the most authentic) but I actually found I liked the added chewy texture. Even good as leftovers.

Healthy and Delicious

Barley, Bacon, and Avocado Salad With Roasted Chicken

Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings 10

Dressing:

4 Tlb cider vinegar
3 Tlb olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Salad:

6 slices bacon, cut into thin strips
1 cup quick-cook barley
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups water
2 cups frozen corn kernals, thawed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2-3 lb rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat removed and shredded (4-5 cups)
2 med tomatoes, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 small avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

Directions:

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

To make the salad, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp about 8 minutes. What a slotted spoon transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard the fat from the saucepan. (I cooked my bacon in the microwave.)

Add the barely to the same saucepan with salt and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the pan and cook barely until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, pressing out any excess moisture with the back of a spoon. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool.

Add the corn, onion, reserved bacon, shredded chicken and dressing. Toss well. Then add the tomatoes and avocados and toss gently.

I really liked this, but felt that it could have used a bit more flavor. I added more salt and pepper and that helped, but I still might play around with it next time.