Thursday, December 22, 2016

Chicken Fajita Roll Ups

Serves 3

INGREDIENTS
For the Marinade:
2 Tbsp olive oil
Juice of half a lime
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
For the Chicken:
3 chicken breasts or 6 thin sliced chicken cutlets ¼-inch thick
½ red bell pepper, sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, sliced
½ green bell pepper, sliced

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne (if using) and cilantro. Set aside.

For the chicken breasts, if you purchased pre-sliced chicken cutlets then skip to the next step. If using chicken breasts, slice them longways into 2 even slices and firmly pound the chicken using the smooth side of a meat tenderizer to an even thickness of about ¼ inch.

Place chicken cutlets into a large resealable freezer bag and pour marinade over top, making sure they are completely coated. Allow chicken to marinate for a minimum of one hour to overnight.

Once chicken has marinated, evenly place 6 bell pepper slices in the middle of the chicken cutlet, roll up and secure with a toothpick. Repeat this step until all the cutlets have been rolled up and place seam side down in a prepared baking dish.

Brush tops of chicken with remaining marinade and bake, uncovered, at 375 for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the juices run clear. Serve and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serving Size: 2 chicken roll-ups • Calories: 255 • Fat: 12.7 g • Saturated Fat: 1.9 g • Carbs: 10.9 g • Fiber: 1.4 g • Protein: 27.6 g • Sugars: 2.9 g • WW Points+: 7 • Smart Points: 6

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Healthy Stuffed Shells

Um wow -- how is this clean eating?!  Even our kiddos inhaled the food!!
Serves 6: 1 serving = 4 shells (1 yellow, 1 red, 1 green ,1 blue)  457 calories

Ingredients:
1 box jumbo shells
3 teaspoons oil
1lb ground turkey
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 package frozen spinach, defrosted, liquid squeezed out
2 eggs
3 cups pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook shells for 9 minutes, drain and set aside.

While shells are cooking heat oil in skillet over medium heat

Saute garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant.  Add ground turkey tyo skillet and brown, breaking up with salt and pepper.

While turkey browns, mix ricotta, spinach, and eggs in a mixing bowl.

Once turkey is browned, set aside to cool.  Add cooled turkey and garlic to ricotta mixture and mix well.

Pour 1 cup of pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish

Stuff 24 shells with about 2 tablespoons of ricotta turkey mixture and place in  prepared baking dish.

Pour remaining 2 cups of pasta sauce over shells and stop with mozzarella cheese.

 Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes (1 hour if frozen), remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Chicken/Cheese Tortilla

This was AMAZING!!!  So easy and so yummy!!!
1 red, 1 blue, 1 yellow, 1 purple

Ingredients:
Whole wheat tortilla
Grilled chicken
Shredded cheese
Avocado
Salsa

Whole wheat tortilla with cheese, chicken, smashed avocado, and salsa on top!!

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken

Super easy and tasted amazing -- like it took forever haha
Serves 4: 1 red, 1 green

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 onion thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
½ cup balsamic vinegar
2 - 14.5 oz cans crushed tomatoes

Drizzle olive oil into the slow cooker. Place chicken breasts on top of oil and season each breast with salt and pepper. Top chicken breasts with onion slices, garlic, oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over seasoned breasts and pour tomatoes on top


Cook in the slow cooker set to High until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 4 hours.

Slimming Spaghetti

1 yellow (or green if zoodles), 1 green, ½ blue, 1 red

Ingredients:
8 oz brown rice spaghetti also can replace with zucchini noodles
 Olive oil
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb fresh brussels sprouts, rinsed and sliced
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan chees
1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1 lb shrimp

Cook pasta according to package, reserving one cup of drained water

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan. Saute garlic until fragrant, but not brown. Add brussels sprouts and nutmeg to pan. Cook until sprouts become brighter in color, about 5 minutes.

Add reserved cooking liquid from noodles, cheese,red pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper to pan. Cook 5 more minutes over medium heat.


Add drained pasta and shrimp. Mix to combine and heat through.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Chicken, Wild Rice & Butternut Squash Casserole

This was amazing and so yummy :)  Very fallish!
6 servings: 1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow, ¼ purple, ¼ blue

Ingredients:
1/2 yellow onion (thinly sliced and diced)
1 lb butternut squash (chopped into 1 inch squares – I always buy mine from Target or Cub Foods because they have it all chopped up for you)!
1 rotisserie chicken (sliced with skin removed)
1 cup wild rice (makes 3 cups cooked) or you could substitute quinoa if you prefer
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup freshly shaved parmesean cheese
1 Tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
  
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cook wild rice (or quinoa) according to package directions

While wild rice is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. And in olive oil. Once oil is hot, add in your onion and squash. Sautee for approximately 6-8 minutes (or until squash is soft and you can easily pierce it with a fork). Season with salt and pepper.

Take a 9 x 13 pan and spray with olive oil or coconut oil

Once rice is ready, pour it into the pan along with the onion and squash mixuture.

Add in chicken, ¼ cup of the parmesaen cheese, dried cranberries, and thyme

Stir all ingredients together

Cover with tinfoil and cook in oven for 20 minutes.

Top casserole off with remaining ¼ cup parmesan cheese, cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Herb Crusted Pork Chops

This was so easy and so yummy!!  Ross literally said "this is the best pork ever!"  :)
4 servings

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops, fat trimmed
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/2 cup whoel wheat panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Rub mustard evenly over pork chops.  Combine panko, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper in a large bowl and dredge pork chops in panko mixture.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Add pork chops, saute for 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Turn pork over and place skillet in oven for about 8 minutes or until pork chops reaches 145 degrees in the center.  Enjoy!

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This was the perfect fall meal -- so yummy!!  AND it was quick prep -- longer bake, but perfect for a sunday at home!
4 serving: 1 green, 1 red½ yellow
Ingredients
2 acorn squash
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup couscous
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3/4 pound ground beef, preferably lean chuck or sirloin
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees . Cut the squash in half crosswise and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Trim the ends so each half will stand upright. Place both halves in a baking pan, flesh side up, and pour hot water into the pan to reach about halfway up the squash. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter to the center of each squash and season with salt and pepper. Loosely cover the pan with foil. Bake the squash until tender when pierced with a fork, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Prepare the couscous according to the package directions and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Push the onion aside, add the meat, season with salt and pepper and cook through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the walnuts, cranberries and couscous; season with salt and pepper.

Remove the squash from the oven and, using a spatula, carefully transfer each half to a plate. Pour out any excess liquid from the centers. Divide the couscous among the squash.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Crustless Zucchini Quiche

Made this with a couple more eggs and 1/4 less of the ricotta -- super good and easy to make!
6 servings in my house - 1/2 RED, 1/3 GREEN, 1/2 BLUE 1/2 tsp

Ingredients
2 medium zucchini, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped
1 small container (15oz) of part skim ricotta
3 eggs
1 cup of shredded mozzarella
1 tablespoon of butter flavored olive oil, regular olive oil, or ghee
dash of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Sautée zucchini in oil or ghee until soft on low heat.

Add onions and cook on med/low heat for an additional 10 minutes or until tender. Add seasoning and pepper to zucchini mixture.

Beat eggs, then add in ricotta and mozzarella. Carefully fold in zucchini and onions.

Spray a pie plate with cooking spray and fill with ingredients.

Cook quiche until it sets - about 30 minutes.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Miso and Ginger Glazed Salmon

This was pretty good -- I'm not a huge fan of fish taste, so next time I would do the marinade and have Rossy smoke it.  
4 servings: 1 red, 2 teaspoons

Ingredients
2 tablespoons miso paste
¼ cup mirin
1 teaspoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce (or gluten-free Tamari, if desired)
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
4 wild salmon fillets, 4 to 6 ounces each
1 tablespoon grape seed or canola oil 

In a baking dish large enough to fit the salmon in one layer, whisk together the miso, mirin, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and ginger.

Put the salmon fillets in the dish and coat them in the marinade. Leave on the counter for 30 minutes, turning them a few times.

When you are ready to cook, heat the grape seed or canola oil in a large, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Set the filets skin-side down in the pan. Brush the salmon liberally with the marinade.

Cook until the flesh of the fish turn opaque about 1/3 of the way up the side (3 to 4 minutes). Use a spatula to turn the fish. Cook on the second side for another 3 to 4 minutes until the salmon is just cooked through, keeping in mind it will continue to cook even after it’s off the heat.

Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.

Notes
If you are going to buy frozen salmon, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator the day before and cut it into individual fillets. Salmon can be also be cooked under a broiler.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl

Well I heard this was amazing, but mine was a pure hot mess -- haha.  Rossy got chick peas in a bag (not a can) so they were rock hard -- even after I cooked them...and we just got broccoli (which was fine)....and yams...BUT despite all that - it still tasted good so I can't wait to make again with the right ingredients! 

Serves: 3 : 2 green, 1 yellow, Calories: 474

Ingredients
VEGETABLES
2 Tbsp olive, melted coconut, or grape seed oil
1/2 red onion, sliced in wedges
2 large sweet potatoes, halved
1 bundle (227 g) broccolini, large stems removed, chopped
2 big handfuls kale, larger stems removed
1/4 tsp each salt + pepper

CHICKPEAS
1 15-ounce (425 g) chickpeas, drained, rinsed + patted dry
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp each salt + pepper
1/2 tsp oregano (optional)
1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)

TAHINI SAUCE (OPTIONAL)
1/4 cup (56 g) tahini
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 lemon, juiced
2-4 Tbsp hot water to thin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and arrange sweet potatoes and onions on a bare baking sheet. Drizzle both with a bit of oil, making sure the flesh of the sweet potatoes are well coated and placed skin side down on the sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven flip sweet potatoes and add broccolini. Drizzle broccolini with a bit of oil and season with a pinch each salt and pepper.

Bake for another 8-10 minutes, then remove from oven and add kale. Drizzle kale with a touch more oil and season with a pinch each salt and pepper. Bake for another 4-5 minutes then set aside.

While vegetables are roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with seasonings.

Once hot, add 1 Tbsp oil and chickpeas and sauté, stirring frequently. If they’re browning too quickly, turn down heat. If there isn’t much browning going on, increase heat. I found 10 minutes total at slightly over medium heat was perfect.

Once the chickpeas are browned and fragrant, remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare sauce by adding tahini, maple syrup and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Add hot water until a pourable sauce is formed. Set aside.

To serve: Slice sweet potatoes into bite size pieces. Divide vegetables between 3 serving bowls and top with chickpeas + tahini sauce.

Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Monday, October 31, 2016

Pumpkin Puking Guac!


Ingredients:
Recipe of Guac
Carved pumpkin

Monday, October 17, 2016

Healthy Ranch Chicken Skillet

This was uber YUMMY!!!  Ross said "this is a new fav of mine".  It was a little running because I put more chicken broth then asked for, so stick to that measurement!!!  YUMMY :)
4 serving 1 ½ green,1 blue1 yellow, 1 red

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound thin sliced chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup instant brown rice (uncooked) OR 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed (uncooked)
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Fresh cilantro, for garnish

ranch seasoning
1 tsp Dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried minced onions
1 T parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a 12" skillet, heat oil on medium high. Add chicken, onions and ranch seasoning blend. Saute and stir often for 2 minutes.

Stir in bell peppers, zucchini, beans, tomatoes, rice and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover. Simmer on low for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and rice is tender.


Sprinkle cheese evenly over skillet, cover and let stand for 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.  Top with Cilantro and serve!

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Bacon Egg Cups

YUM!!!  "Da bomb" as one challenge team member said!  So easy too :)

Ingredients:
5 slices of bacon
5 eggs

Preheat oven to 400.  Wrap a strip of bacon around the diameter of a muffin cup, laying the end of the strip across the bottom of the cup.

Crack an egg into the cup.  Season it with salt and pepper.  Repeat these steps with as many bacon you would like.

Bake for 12-15 minutes for runny eggs, 15-20 minutes for fully cooked egg.

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Power Turkey Meatloaf

I made this up for lunches this week since we have a busy week - it was YUMMY, FAST, and was great for leftovers and uses ingredients on hand!!
Yields about 8 serving (1/8 meatloaf/serving: ½ yellow1 ½  red

Ingredients:
2 lbs. raw 93% lean ground turkey
1 cup all-natural mild salsa
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. sea salt (or Himalayan salt)
Ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish; optional)

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine turkey, salsa, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic, salt, and pepper (if desired) in a large bowl; mix well with clean hands or a rubber spatula.

Shape mixture into shape of a loaf and place on ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until center is no longer pink and meat is cooked through.


Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with parsley.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Baked Moroccan Chicken

I thought this was going to be spicy at first, but the boys even liked it!  So yummy!!
Yields about 4 serving ½ green, 1 red

Ingredients
4 (4-oz.) raw chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 Preserved Meyer Lemon, pulp removed, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 thin slice fresh ginger, finely chopped
1½ cups frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1 cinnamon stick (or ½ tsp. ground cinnamon)
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
¼ tsp. whole cloves
1 large pinch saffron

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Combine chicken, Preserved Lemon, oil, garlic, ginger, artichoke hearts, cinnamon, pepper, cumin, paprika, red pepper, cloves, and saffron in a large bowl; mix well.

Arrange chicken mixture in a baking dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Serve chicken with couscous if desired.


Tip: To use preserved lemon, wash lemon and remove pulp. Thinly slice or chop rind

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Sweet Potato Hash

We made this with turkey breakfast sausage and it was still really yummy!!  Both boys just gobbled it right up -- so great!
4-6 serving : 1.5 green, 1 yellow, 1 red

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil
2 sweet potatoes
2 packages of chicken breakfast sausage
2 handfuls of kale, ripped into bite sized chunks
1/4 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the breakfast sausage into bite sized chunks.

Heat a pan over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Place the coconut oil in once the pan is heated and swish around.

Place the sausage in the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes or until most pieces are slightly browned.

While the sausage is cooking, peel and cut the sweet potatoes into bite sized chunks.

Once the sausage is done, place it into a bowl to rest.

Dump the sweet potatoes into the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes or until they can be punctured by a fork (this will really depend on personal taste).

Once the sweet potatoes are done, put the sausage back in the pan.

Place two handful of kale into the pan and the 1/4 cup of water.

Mix everything together until the kale starts to wilt (approximately 2 minutes).


Remove from heat and serve.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner

This was a one pan meal, which was nice - but it was eh taste for the amount of work.  Ross said "let's not make this again"  haha
1 red, 2 green, 1 yellow
Nutritional Information: 1 chicken breast and 3/4 cup potato and bean mixture: Cal: 342, Fat 8.6g, Protein: 46 g, Carb: 23g, Fiber 4g

Ingredients
12 ounces baby red potatoes, halved
1
tablespoon olive oil, divided
4 (6 ounce) chicken breast halves, pounded to 3/4-inch thickness*
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced or quartered
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup whole milk
5 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves**
1 can low-sodium chicken broth- divided
6 very thin lemon slices
8 ounces trimmed haricots verts (French green beans)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
*If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, consider slicing them in half instead of pounding.
** If you are using ground thyme, start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more to taste

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil, and simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Sprinkle chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes or until chicken is browned. Turn chicken over and cook for 1 minute.  Transfer chicken to foil-lined pan and place in oven for 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

While chicken is cooking, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to skillet. Add potatoes, cut sides down to one side of the skillet, and the mushrooms and garlic to the other. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until browned, stirring mushrooms and garlic.  Remove vegetables from pan and set on a plate to the side.


Combine milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add  flour mixture and 3/4 cup of the chicken broth along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the skillet and whisk until smooth.  Bring sauce to a simmer, and add beans.  Simmer 2-3 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. Add lemon slices, potatoes and mushrooms, and chicken.  If sauce is too thick, add small amounts of chicken broth to thin.  Reduce heat and simmer 3-4 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and then sprinkle with parsley.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Dr. Pepper Pork Tenderloin

This didn't taste like Dr. Pepper hahah  It was good though!!!
1 red

Ingredients
12-ounce can Dr. Pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup liquid aminos (aka gluten free soy sauce)
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
5-6 cloves garlic, smashed or roughly chopped
2 green onions, chopped (plus green ends for garnish, if desired)
1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
2-3 lb. pork tenderloin

Pierce pork tenderloins several times with a fork and place in a Ziploc bag. Set aside.

Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over the pork. Marinate for at least four hours, not longer than overnight.


When ready to cook, preheat grill over medium high heat. Set one side of the grill to high and the other to low. Lightly oil grates. Place the tenderloins on the side set to medium-low and cook for 7 minutes. Flip and cook for 6 minutes. Leave the lid closed, turn off heat, and allow to stand for 5 more minutes (an internal temperature should read at least 145 degrees F.) Slice into 1/2" slices and serve with veggies and rice if desired.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Zucchini Noodles and Chicken Sausage

YUMMY!!!!  This was uber easy and so good!
Serves 2 - 1 Red, 1/4 Blue2 Green

Ingredients
2 pre-cooked chicken sausages, cooked according to package directions
2-3 medium/large zucchini (it shrinks down a lot!)
1 1/2 teaspoons Basil Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped
6 jarred marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon reduced fat feta


Prepare chicken sausages in pan, set aside.   Cut or spiralize zucchini noodles and set aside.  Heat a large saute pan to medium heat.  Add olive oil and garlic and saute 20-30 seconds.  Add zucchini, sauté about 2 minutes, add spinach and stir to wilt slightly.  Remove from heat and add artichokes and sliced sausage.  Divide onto 2 plates and top each with feta and pine nuts.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Fresh Sweet Corn Salad

Yields about 6 cups salad (3/4 cup per serving) 1 yellow, ½ blue, ½ green

Ingredients
4 ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed
1 10oz clamshell grape tomatoes (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (reduced fat is fine)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add corn and return to a boil, cooking for about 5 minutes.  Note that very fresh corn will cook quickly (5 minutes or less) and corn that is a few days old will take a little longer (6-8 minutes).  To avoid tough corn, never exceed 8 minutes.  When corn is done boiling, immediately plunge in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes to stop cooking.


Use a sharp knife to remove corn kernels from cobs and place corn in a mixing bowl.   Cut tomatoes in half and add them to the bowl along with the green onions and basil.  Add olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and toss to coat.  Add feta and very gently toss salad to distribute cheese.  Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour or two, but for best results, 4-6 hours or overnight.

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Texas Cowboy Shrimp

Ross found this recipe and it was SO amazing!!!
Makes 4 servings : 1 red

Ingredients
2lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 24 shrimp)
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno peeper, seeded and finely minced
1 cup Traeger Texas Spicy BBQ sauce
fresh cilantro leaves

Wash the shrimp under cold running water, drain, and pat dry with paper towels.  Transfer to a bowl.  Gently mix the shrimp with 2 tablespoons of the oil, then season well with salt and pepper.  Set aside while you make the sauce.

Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat with 1 tablespoons of oil.  Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno pepper.  If desired, and sauted until softened.  Stir in the BBQ sauce and keep warm.

When ready to cook, start the traeger grill on smoke with lid open until the fire is established (4-5 minutes).  Set the temp to 450 and preheat, lid closed, for 10-15 minutes. 


Arrange shrimp on grill grate and grill, 2-3 minutes per side, until the shrimp is firm and opaque and cooked through.   Quickly add the cooked shrimp to the warm sauce, along with the cilantro,.  Stir gently to coat.  Turn onto a platter or into a large bowl and serve immediately.