Sweet n' Healthy Quinoa Salad

Submitted by Anne Richardson

 

1 C quinoa
2 C water
1/4 C almonds, chopped
2 C fresh strawberries, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (or 2 halves, different colors)
1/2 C raw pumpkin seeds (or called pepitas-they’re green)
2 C or 1 can corn
2 C (cooked) or 1 can black beans
1/2 C Craisins
Approximately 1/3 C Brianna’s Poppyseed Salad Dressing
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp cumin powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste

This recipe is extremely flexible.  If you want you can add various ingredients like the green bell pepper I mentioned earlier, some onions or other types of nuts.  And if you’re short an ingredient (I did that once too for a potluck Christmas party last year), don’t worry, people won’t know the difference and it will still taste great!

You may already be familiar with the whole grain “Quinoa.”  If you’re not, then the first thing you need to learn is how to pronounce it: KEEN – WA.  It’s a whole grain, super good for you, high in iron, fiber and amino acids, and it can be dressed up in many different ways.

Measure out 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa and cover the pot.  Cook it over medium heat for 12 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed.  Don’t overcook it; we want it to be nice and moist.  This should give you about 4 cups of quinoa.

You can gather the other ingredients while the quinoa is cooking.  I prefer this salad to be cold, so you’ll want to leave enough time to let it cool off before you’re eat.

First you’ll need about 1/4 cup almonds.  We really like to soak almonds in our family.  All you do to soak them is put them in a little water for 6-10 hours and they start to absorb the water and plump up like they’re going to sprout.

They are healthier this way too, and softer to eat, but still crunchy.  If you have time and can remember details, you can soak your almonds the night before and use those in the recipe.  I have done it both ways, but remembering details is definitely not my strong suit.  Either way grab your food chopper or a knife and cut them up into smaller chunks.

Next you’ll dice up your strawberries.  You want about 2 cups, but more or less is fine.

Next dice up a bell pepper.  I did half a red bell pepper and half an orange one this time around.  If you like a little contrast to the sweet you can do half of a green bell pepper.

Next measure out about a 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds. These are crunchy and so so so yummy in this salad!  You can usually find raw pumpkin seeds in the freezer at your health food store.

Open up your can of corn and black beans.  I drain them both, but I rinse out the black beans.

Once your Quinoahas cooled you can throw it all together in a big bowl with a ½ cup of craisins and some Brianna’s poppy seed dressing.  Start with 1/3 cup of Brianna’s dressing and then add more if you feel it is too dry.  I’ve never actually measured the dressing, so that’s my best guess on how much you’d need. Last we’ll add a few simple spices.

Add ½ tsp garlic powder, 1-2 tsp of cumin and a few shakes of black pepper (or more if you like black pepper).

That’s it!

Texas Lasagna

Submitted By Melinda LeCheminant

½ c water

½ t garlic powder

12  lasagna noodles

1 t salt

1 carton (15 oz) ricotta cheese

1 egg

¾ lb mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

¾ c grated parmesan cheese

1 lb Italian sausage in casing

½ lb ground beef

½ c finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T sugar

1 t salt

1 T dried basil leaves

½ t fennel seeds (I only put 2 little seeds in)

½ t pepper

¼ c chopped parsley

1 can (35 oz) Italian style tomatoes

2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste

Remove sausage from casing and chop. In 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté sausage, beef, onion, and chopped garlic. Stir frequently and cook until well browned. Add sugar, salt, basil, fennel, pepper, and half of the parsley and mix well. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, and ½ c water, mashing tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Cover; simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add garlic powder and simmer 30 minutes longer. In an 8-qt kettle (I just use a regular 5-qt pan), bring 3 qts water and 1 tsp of salt to a boil. Add lasagna noodles 2-3 at a time. Return to boiling and boil uncovered until noodles are just tender. Drain and rinse in a colander under cold water. Dry noodles on paper towels. In a medium bowl combine ricotta, egg, remaining parsley, and salt. Mix well.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Into a 9x13 baking dish, spoon 1 ½ cups of sauce. Place 6 noodles lengthwise and overlapping to cover sauce. Spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles and top with 1/3 of mozzarella. Spoon another 1 ½ c of sauce over cheese and sprinkle with ¼ c parmesan. Spread any remaining cheeses on top. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes; remove foil and bake uncovered another 25 minutes or until bubbly. Cool for 15 minutes and serve.

Yield: 8 servings

Stuffed Shells

Not the best picture, I apologize. I load it with sauce so you can't really see how pretty the "insides" of the pasta shells are.

Submitted by Katie Griffin

1 Jar of red sauce
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/2 chopped onion
1 c part skim ricotta cheese
1 1/4 c mozzarella cheese
3/4 c Parmesan cheese
1/4 t pepper
2 T chopped basil leaves (this is if you're using fresh basil, you won't want to use as much if your using dried basil)
1 box of large shell pasta

Cut sausage out of the skins. Cook sausage with onions until brown, drain.
While sausage is cooling, stir ricotta, 1 c mozzarella, 1/2 c Parmesan, pepper and basil together in a large bowl. After the sausage is cooled, mix with the cheese mixture.
Cook about 25 - 30 shells (you can only fit about 25 shells in a 9x13 but I always cook extra just in case some break during the cooking process).
Pour some sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 to prevent the pasta from sticking.
Fill shells with cheese mixture and place in the pan.
Pour sauce on top.
Bake 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees until the sauce is bubbling.
Mix remainder of cheese and put on top. Bake five more minutes.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

Submitted By Barbara Peterson

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com
Time: 3 hours to marinate + 20 minutes grilling time
Yield: 5 servings

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 C Kraft Light Zesty Italian Salad Dressing
1 pint grape tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
1 T olive oil
2 t balsamic vinegarfreshly cracked salt and pepper
1 1/2 T fresh basil
2 C mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated
8 oz. spaghetti noodles
2 T buttersalt and pepper

1. Throw your chicken breasts and 1 C of the salad dressing into a gallon sized zip loc freezer bag. Carefully seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 3 and up to 24 hours. Then pat yourself on the back for getting your act together and having a plan for dinner....right in the middle of the summer. Good for you. I'm so proud to know ya.

2. Just before you are ready to grill your chicken, make the Bruschetta. Chop all the tomatoes in half and toss them into a medium sized mixing bowl.

3. Peel your garlic and chop it into rough pieces. Then chop up your basil. If you have some growing fresh in your garden....bless your beautiful hide. You are a better woman (or man) than I am. If you live within 25 miles of here, I sure hope you like to share.

4. Pour in your balsamic vinegar and drizzle the olive oil over the top.

5. Sprinkle some freshly cracked salt and pepper, stir it all up and then taste it. Yes...dig right in. If your tomatoes are lacking in sweetness then add just a bit of sugar. You don't want to kill it over with sweetness now. Just give it a bit of help if your tomatoes are lacking. Adjust the salt and pepper as well, if needed.

6. Get your mozzarella cheese grated.

7. Head out to the grill and cook your chicken up over medium high heat. While it's cooking boil some water and cook your spaghetti noodles.

8. When the chicken is cooked through, turn the grills temperature down to low. Place a disposable 9x13 pan onto the grill. Put your cooked chicken into the pan. Cover the chicken with the Bruschetta.

9. Sprinkle it with the Mozzarella cheese and then cover the grill. Let it cook for 7-10 more minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese in nicely melted.

10. Toss your cooked pasta with 2 T butter and sprinkle it with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pasta with this beautiful chicken and bruschetta. Be sure to get all of the yummy juices from the pan as well. Sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Beef Stroganoff

Submitted By Amanda Hancock

Beef Stroganoff

1 lb. ground beef

1 tsp. minced onion

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 8-oz. can mushrooms

1 can cream of mushroom soup

4 Tbsp shredded cheese

2 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 c. sour cream

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Brown hamburger in skillet. Add all ingredients except sour cream. Mix thoroughly. Simmer about 10 minutes Add sour cream. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.

Bow Tie Ham Bake

Submitted By Julie Johnson

Ingredients

• 4 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
• 6 cups frozen broccoli florets
• 4 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 2 cartons (10 ounces each) refrigerated Alfredo sauce
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 can (8 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions, adding the broccoli during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ham, Alfredo sauce, cheese and mushrooms. Drain pasta mixture; add to ham mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to two greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake remaining casserole at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly.
• To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before heating. Cover and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes or until heated through, stirring once. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

Submitted by Jill Hess

1 Roll = 224 calories and 6 WW Points Plus (adjust if you add chicken)
Ingredients
9 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
1 (15 ounce) container fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
salt and fresh pepper
(optional) 1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
32 oz tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
9 Tablespoons part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded 
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Make sure you drain the spinach well. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, Italian seasonings, chicken, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry by patting them with a paper towel. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over a noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 Tablespoon of mozzarella cheese. Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.
To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll.

Chicken Broccoli Shells

Submitted by Julie Johnson

Ingredients

• 1 jar (16 ounces) Alfredo sauce
• 2 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 21 jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the Alfredo sauce, broccoli, chicken and cheeses. Spoon into pasta shells. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
• Cover and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 7 servings.

Tangy Chicken Spring Pasta

Submitted  by Dawn Harvey. 

To see her make the dish go to the following link:

http://www.realwomenofphiladelphia.com/user/recipe/tangy-chicken-spring-pasta

 

 Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4

• 10 ounce(s) of canned chunk chicken breast
• 1 1/2 tbsp. of Lemon juice
• Pepper to taste
• 1/2 to 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 to 1 tsp citrus basil rub (pampered chef)
• 1/3 cup(s) of PHILADELPHIA Italian herb and cheese cooking creme
• 8 ounce(s) of Wishbone House Italian Salad dressing
• 8 ounce(s) of Linguine pasta (cooked)
• Olive oil cooking spray
• Kraft Three Cheese Blend grated cheese
• Substitution for Citrus Basil Rub : 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning, eliminate the pepper from above, 1/2 tsp dried basil, good splash of lime juice

Steps

1. Start pasta cooking, so that it will be done cooking when the chicken and sauce are ready.
2. On medium-high heat, spray a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
3. While the pan is heating, open and drain your chicken.
4. When the pan is heated, add your chicken.
5. Sprinkle over the chicken the pepper, garlic salt, citrus basil rub, and lemon juice.
6. Cook until the chicken is slightly browned.
7. When the chicken is brown, turn down the heat to medium-low, then add the PHILADELPHIA Italian herb and cheese cooking creme and Wishbone Italian salad dressing.
8. Mix until well blended.
9. At this point the pasta should be done cooking, so drain it and add to the chicken and sauce.
10. Mix together to coat the pasta well, then pour into your serving platter.
11. Sprinkle with the Kraft Three Cheese blend cheese, add a green salad and a crusty roll on the side and Enjoy!

Orzo w/ Parmesan & Basil

Orzo w/ Parmesan & Basil - Katie Griffin

2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in orzo & saute until lightly browned. Stir in chicken broth & bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat & simmer until orzo is tender & liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
Mix in parmesan cheese & basil.
Season w/ salt & pepper.

This is a very basic recipe. During the summer months I like to dress it up where I can (sauteed peppers, tomatoes, etc.) This last go around, I quartered a handful of cherry tomatoes, put them on a cookie sheet, drizzled them with olive oil, and some balsamic vinaigrette, and sprinkled them with some salt and pepper. I roasted them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes then just stirred them into the finished orzo pasta.