Patty Melt with Grilled Onion

Ingredients:

8 (1/8-inch-thick) slices Vidalia or other sweet onion (for sharper onion taste, use white or red onions)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Cooking Spray

1 pound extralean ground beef

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons creamy mustard blend (such as Dijonnaise)

8 (1-ounce) slices rye bread

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Jarlsberg cheese

Instructions:

1) Arrange onion slices on a plate. Drizzle vinegar over onion slices. Heat a large grill pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; cover and cook 3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.

2) Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Divide beef into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Sprinkle patties evenly with salt and pepper. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.

3) Spread about 1 teaspoon mustard blend over 4 bread slices; layer each slice with 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 patty, 2 onion slices, and 2 tablespoons cheese. Spread about 1 teaspoon mustard blend over remaining bread slices; place, mustard side down, on top of sandwiches.

4) Heat pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook).

*Makes 4 servings* (Serving size: 1 sandwich)

Lime-Infused Fruit

Ingredients:

4 cups mixed chopped fruit

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions:

1) Combine 4 cups mixed fruit, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind, and 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

**Tip: Precut fruit from the produce section can also be used.

Classic Panini Sandwich with Cheeses

Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce) loaf French bread, cut in half horizontally

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese, divided

2 ounces very thin slices prosciutto

2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

Cooking spray

Instructions:

1) Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use. Spread 2 tablespoons mayonnaise over cut side of each bread half. Sprinkle basil and 1/2 cup cheese on bottom half of loaf. Top evenly with prosciutto, tomato slices, and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with top half of loaf. Cut filled loaf crosswise into 4 equal pieces.

2) Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten sandwiches. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook).

*Makes 4 servings* (Serving size: 1 sandwich)

Mixed Vegetables (Cooked)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

3 cups coarsely chopped onion

5 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled eggplant (about 1 pound)

2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed zucchini (about 1/2 pound)

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 7 cloves)

2 1/2 cups chopped seeded peeled tomato (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in tomato, parsley, and thyme. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and liquid evaporates. Stir in salt, paprika, and black pepper; cook 1 minute.

*Makes 10 servings* (Serving size: 1/2 cup)

Grilled Vegetables with Pepper & Nut Sauce

Ingredients:

16 large green onions (about 4 ounces)

1 pound asparagus, trimmed

1 1/2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons Pepper and Nut Sauce

Instructions:

1) Trim root ends of onion, keeping the bulb heads intact; discard roots. Trim tops so that about 4 inches of upper green portion remain.

2) Cook onions in boiling water 2 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well, and pat dry. Place in a medium bowl.

3) Cook asparagus in boiling water for 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well, and pat dry. Place in another bowl.

4) Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon oil over onions, tossing to coat. Arrange onions in an even layer in pan, and grill for 30 seconds on each side or until grill marks show. Transfer onions to platter.

5) Drizzle remaining 1 teaspoon oil over asparagus; toss to coat. Arrange asparagus in an even layer in pan, and cook for 1 minute on each side or until grill marks show. Transfer asparagus to platter. Sprinkle vegetables evenly with salt and pepper. Divide evenly among each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 1 1/2 teaspoons sauce.

*Makes 4 servings*

Pepper and Nut Sauce

Ingredients:

2 dried ancho chiles

2 small red bell peppers

1/2 cup hazelnuts

1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (1-ounce) slice bread, toasted

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2/3 cup extravirgin olive oil

1/4 cup hot water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1) Place ancho chiles in a small saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 20 minutes. Drain well. Remove stems, seeds, and membranes from chiles; discard. Place chiles in a medium bowl.

2) Preheat broiler.

3) Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise, discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand for 15 minutes. Peel and cut into 2-inch pieces. Add bell peppers to chiles.

4) Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

5) Arrange hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes or until toasted. Turn nuts out onto a towel. Roll up towel; rub off skins. Place hazelnuts in a food processor. Add almonds, garlic, and bread to food processor; process 1 minute or until finely ground. Add chile mixture, vinegar, tomato paste, paprika, and ground red pepper; process 1 minute or until combined. With processor on, slowly pour oil through food chute; process until well blended. Add 1/4 cup hot water and salt; process 10 seconds or until combined.

*Makes 2 1/2 cups* (Serving size: 1 tablespoon)

**Tip: Can be stored for up to 2 weeks in refrigerator in an airtight container.

Tomato & Garlic Toast

Ingredients:

6 (1-ounce) slices rustic bread

1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, halved

1 ripe, soft tomato, halved

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1) Preheat broiler.

2) Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet; brush with extravirgin olive oil. Broil 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Rub cut sides of garlic over each bread slice; discard garlic. Rub cut sides of tomato over bread (Tomato pulp will rub off onto bread); discard tomato. Sprinkle evenly with salt and black pepper.

*Makes 6 servings* (Serving size: 1 slice)

Green Salad with Pepper and Nut Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Pepper and Nut Sauce

2 tablespoons hot water

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

6 cups torn curly endive

1 (5-ounce) package gourmet salad greens

9 oil-cured ripe olives, pitted and chopped

2 hard-cooked large eggs, chopped

Instructions:

1) Combine Pepper and Nut Sauce, 2 tablespoons hot water, and red wine vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

2) Combine endive and salad greens in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Place about 1 1/3 cups greens on each of 10 plates. Drizzle each serving with about 2 teaspoons sauce mixture; divide olives and eggs evenly among salads. Serve immediately.

*Makes 10 servings*

Vegetable Pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 Pizza Dough

1 1/2 teaspoons cornmeal

3 cups mixed onion, garlic, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and zucchini.

1/2 cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

2) Place a baking stone in oven; preheat 30 minutes.

3) Gently stretch the crust into a 12-inch circle, and place on the back of a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Carefully slide the dough onto the preheated stone, using a spatula as a guide. Spread mixed vegetables evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border; top evenly with ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 500 for 16 minutes or until crust is golden.

*Makes 6 servings* (Serving size: 1 slice of pizza)

Pizza Crust/Dough

The next recipe is a Vegetable Pizza, so this time around I thought why not try making my own pizza crust...this recipe makes enough dough for two 12-inch pizzas. And if you have extra dough left over, you can shape it into a ball and freeze it by placing in a zip-lock plastic bag that is coated with cooking spray; can be frozen for upto 1 month.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup warm water (100 degrees to 110 degrees)

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (about 18 ounces)

3/4 cup water

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

Instructions:

1) Combine 1/4 cup warm water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, stirring until yeast dissolves. Let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon 1/4 flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add 1/4 cup flour to yeast mixture, stirring until combined. Cover; let stand 30 minutes.

2) Lightly spoon remaining 3 3/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Gradually add 3 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup water, oil, and salt to yeast mixture, beating with mixer at low speed 10 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press 2 fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Divide dough in half; shape each portion into a ball. Place dough balls on a lightly floured baking sheet. Cover; chill dough for 30 minutes.

*Makes 2 (12-inch) crusts, 12 servings*

Garlic Soup

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

5 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

3 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Emeril's)

1 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 (1-ounce) slices rustic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

8 large eggs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions:

1) Preheat broiler.

2) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender (do not brown). Stir in paprika. Add broth, 1 cup water, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

3) Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 4 minutes or until golden, stirring once halfway through cooking. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

4) Place about 1/4 cup bread cubes in each of 8 ovenproof soup bowls. Break one egg into each bowl; ladle about 1/2 cup broth mixture into each bowl. Arrange bowls on a baking sheet; bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until egg whites are set but yolks are still runny. Sprinkle evenly with chopped parsley.

*Makes 8 servings*

Simple Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup uncooked basmati rice

2 tablespoons slivered almonds

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Instructions:

1) Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; saute 3 minutes. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Add rice and almonds; saute 2 minutes. Add salt, freshly ground black pepper, and broth to the pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

*Makes 4 servings* (Serving size: about 2/3 cup)

Ginger Chicken with Turmeric

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into (1-inch) pieces

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry

Broccoli (Optional)

Instructions:

1) Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers to pan; saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add onion; saute. Reduce heat to medium; stir in cabbage, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken and next 4 ingredients (through paprika); cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in spinach, and reduce heat to low. Cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

* Makes 4 servings* (Serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Toasts with Herb-Garlic Cream and Beef on top

Ingredients:

1 (1 1/4 pound) beef tenderloin, trimmed

Cooking Spray

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

30 (1/4-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette, toasted

10 tablespoons Herb-Garlic Cream

30 baby spinach leaves

5 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

2) Place tenderloin on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 475 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees (do not remove tenderloin from the oven); bake an additional 20 minutes or until medium-rare (when thermometer reads 145 degrees) or until desired degree of doneness. Cover tenderloin with foil; let stand for 10 minutes. Cut tenderloin across grain into very thin slices.

3) Spread each baguette slice with 1 teaspoon Herb-Garlic Cream; top each with 1 spinach leaf. Divide beef evenly among bread slices; sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon cheese.

Herb-Garlic Cream:

Ingredients:

2/3 cup fat-free sour cream

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions:

1) Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; cover and chill. (Makes 1 cup)

*Makes about 30 appetizers* (Serving size: 1 toast each)

Happy 4th of July!

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to wish you a guys a great and safe 4th of July! Since I will be busy preparing for a barbeque, I'll only be posting 1 recipe whereas I wanted to post a few but the rest will be included later on the week.

Todays Recipe: Toasts with Herb-Garlic Cream will be up in a bit.

Enjoy.

And again have a safe and happy 4th of July with your loved ones.

Asian Pineapple

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil

1 1/2 tablespoons minced red onion

1 large garlic clove, minced

2 cups diced fresh pineapple

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

1) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes. Add pineapple; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add soy sauce, pepper, juice, and ginger; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

*Makes 4 servings* (serving size: about 1/2 cup)

Chocolate Dessert

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 1/2 ounces)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Cooking Spray

Filling:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened

1 (8-ounce) carton frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed and divided

3 cups 1% low-fat milk

2 (3.9-ounce) packages chocolate instant pudding mix

Unsweetened cocoa (optional)

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2) To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined. Add butter; pulse 10 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans. Firmly press mixture into bottom of a 13x9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool completely.

3) To prepare filling, place 1 cup sugar and cream cheeses in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at a medium speed until fluffy. Fold in half of whipped topping. Spread cream cheese mixture on cooled crust. Cover loosely; refrigerate 1 hour.

4) Combine milk and pudding mix in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until pudding is set. Spread the pudding mixture over cream cheese layer. Spread remaining half of thawed whipped topping over pudding layer. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cocoa, if desired, can also be sprinkled with chopped walnuts or pecans. Cut into 15 pieces.

*Makes 15 servings* (Serving size: 1 piece)