Grilled Tofu Tacos

I know some of you are thinking - yuck!  But done right, grilled tofu is an excellent substitute for animal proteins. And because it quickly takes on the flavor of anything you marinate it in - grilled tofu is a fast and easy main course.  We've made two yummy grilled tofu dishes in the last week - here's the first one!

Serves 2

1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil
2 tsp anchiote powder (also may be called "annatto" - uf you can't find it sub smoked paprika)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1tsp tabasco or sriracha
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 block extra firm tofu (save the other half with liquid, use for rice bowl recipe later that week)
1/2 a medium zuchini sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1/2 a medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2 a red bell pepper and 1/2 a yellow bell pepper

Slice tofu block into 3 even pieces.  Layer on 3 paper towels, cover with an additional paper towel, and press with weighted bowl or pyrex dish.  Repeat pressing 1 - 2 times, switching out paper towels each time, until tofu feels fairly dry.  Set aside

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl and brush tofu slices with anchiote oil on each side.  Grill on medium high, 3-4 minutes each side.  Dice into even pieces and set aside.  Grill bell pepper halves skin side down until charred - 3 - 4 minutes each.  Slide into strips and set aside with tofu.

Saute onion and garlic in pan with remaining anchiote oil.  Once soft, add zuchini, and bell peppers until soft - another 3 minutes or so.

Add tofu to pan and stir to mix with vegetables - season with salt and pepper to taste, add a squeeze of lemon or lime if its too spice.

Serve with tortillas, guacamole, salsa and sour cream.  Makes about 6 tacos.

Seafood Risotto

For a pescatarian dish, omit the pancetta and add a tablespoon of butter instead.  Substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Serves 4

2 Tbs. EVOO
4 oz. pancetta, cut into small dice *ask the deli for a 4oz chunk or else they'll thin slice it for you
1 small onion, cut into small dice
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup vermouth *I have used sweet and dry and they are both good
1 quart lower-salt chicken broth, heated *its very important to heat the broth for a creamy risotto
1/2 lb sea scallops, quartered
1/2 lb large shrimp
7 oz.  spinach, washed, spun dry, and coarsely chopped
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; more for sprinkling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onion and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 4 to 6 minutes longer.
Stir in the rice until well coated with fat. Add the vermouth and cook, stirring constantly until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of broth and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed, about 3 minutes. Continue adding the broth 1 cup at a time, stirring very frequently until each addition is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes total. Add 1 cup of water and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is just barely done, 3 to 5 minutes more.

Add the scallops, shrimp and spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until the scallops are just cooked, the spinach wilts, and the rice is mostly tender, with a little chew at the center, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the Parmigiano and season to taste with salt. Serve immediately, sprinkling each portion with a little Parmigiano and a grind or two of pepper.

Cream Cheese Frosting

For carrot cake or red velvet cake.

Cream together until fluffy:
1 stick butter, softened
1 8oz package cream cheese

Gradually beat in 1 box powdered sugar.

Add 1 tsp vanilla extract (only real extract) and fold that into the frosting.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

My awesome brother-in-law loves carrot cake.  My best friend Jenifer also just discovered she loves carrot cake.  Therefore, I had to post the most awesome carrot cake recipe of all time - my mom's.  Enjoy Joe and Jen (and everyone else!)

Pre-heat oven to 350

Combine:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Beat in:
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Grate 3 cups carrots (do not use pre-grated carrots - they don't have enough juice to make the batter moist).  Add carrots to mix.  Pour mix into 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or if you use larger sheet cake pans increase time to 40-45 minutes.  Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Simple but I had trouble finding out how to do it the right way the first time so wanted to publish it here just in case!

Corn on the cob - husks removed - enough for 1-2 per person

Pre-heat grill to medium heat and place corn cobs on the grill.  Cover and grill turning once for 15 minutes.  Serve with lots of butter and salt!

Another hint - corn on the cob is very delicate so you should cook it the first day you buy it from the store.  If for some reason you can't - store it in a damp paper bag in your fridge until you are ready to use but no more than 3 days.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Feta

A great summer side dish but good for only one serving - everything gets a little mushy second day.

Serves 6

4 cups 1 1/4-inch chunks seedless watermelon (about 1/2 of a small seedless watermelon)
1 lb ripe tomatoes large diced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
Fresh arugula leaves - washed
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

Combine melon and tomatoes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss to blend; let stand 15 minutes. Add oil, vinegar, and herbs to melon mixture. Season to taste with pepper and more salt, if desired. 

Divide arugula among plates. Top with melon salad; sprinkle with feta cheese and toasted almonds and serve.

Norman's Bomb A** Shrimp

This 4th of July we made our friend Norman's famous Bomb A** Shrimp plus Watermelon and Tomato Salad and Grilled Corn on the Cob.  It was quite a feast!  Norman kindly gave me permission to post his secret recipe - enjoy!

Serves 4 as an Entree but also works great as a appetizer

1 1/4 lb shrimp
1/4 cup EVOO
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh parsley
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 cloves pressed garlic
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Peel shrimp and set aside in fridge.  Combine all other ingredients.  Add shrimp and marinate for 30 - 60 minutes.  Skewer shrimp and place on medium heat grill.  Cook 1 minute each side and serve immediately.

BISCUITS!!!

I found this recipe online and with only a few modifications was able to make some amazing big biscuits. Sorry no photo for this one- alex and i devoured all 8 of them straight out of the oven!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. You may not need to use the full 1 cup- i used all but 1/8th cup!
   
3. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Coarsely roll dough out to 1 inch or 1 and 1/2 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet. Should make about 6-8 huge fluffy biscuits.
   
4. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.

Arugula-Pecan Pesto

Serve over your favorite fresh pasta- i put mine over fettuccini and it was incredible!

1/2 cup pecans
2-4 cups fresh arugula (about a 1/2 lb)
3/4 cup EVOO
4-6 garlic cloves
1/2 cup Pecorino cheese
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Toast pecans in oven at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, once cooled coarsely chop. Peel and crush garlic cloves. Combine pecans, garlic and arugula in blender/ food processor and pulse until thoroughly chopped. Once chopped, gradually add in olive oil, lemon juice, pecorino, and salt/pepper- blend together until smooth. Prepare pasta as directed, return pasta to warm preparation pot, add pesto sauce and toss together!

Orzo Salad

Excellent as a side dish or an entree. Goes great with fish or chicken.

1 package dry orzo pasta- prepared as directed to al dente.
1 pint size container of cherry/plum tomatoes sliced in halves and quarters
1 medium purple onion finely chopped
1 bushel fresh basil, rinsed and finely chopped
1 package pre-crumbled reduced fat feta cheese
Juice of 1/2 lemon
5-6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp salad vinegar
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 can sliced black olives
fresh pepper and additional kosher salt to taste

In small mixing bowl, whisk together 4 tbsp EVOO, 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp salad vinegar, 1 tbsp red-wine vinegar, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper (as desired).

Prepare orzo pasta as instructed above, then rinse in cold water. Place prepared orzo in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with 1-2 tbsp EVOO. Add in prepared vegetables; tomatoes, onion, and basil and black olives. Add in salad dressing mixture and toss ingredients together thoroughly. Add in feta cheese and toss thoroughly once more. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. (If salad seems dry after chilling add in 1 more tbsp EVOO and 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar. )

Shrimp Linguini

Super yummy. Very easy.

3/4- 1lb peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 16-20 pieces)
1 package fresh linguine pasta (not the dried kind, the kind that has to be refrigerated)
Juice of 1 lemon, plus 2 lemon wedges (about 1 and 1/2 lemon)
1 cup white wine (the cheaper the better)
2 garlic cloves, crushed/ pressed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp favorite fish seasoning (Magic or Old Bay)
Sprig of fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

In a Medium/ Large saute pan melt 1 tbsp butter and add garlic cloves over medium heat.  About the same time set the water to boil for pasta- fresh pasta cooks fast!!! Cook as desired then add generous amount of olive oil or butter once drained.

Add wine, juice of one lemon, and fish seasoning to saute pan. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium heat.  Once simmering, add shrimp. Cook until done (will be pink and curled) about 4-6 minutes over medium heat. Remove the shrimp from the liquid in the saute pan, and place in a heat safe dish.

Turn heat up to medium-high on your sauce as to reduce it. Will simmer, darken slightly and pull away from pan rim slightly (about 3-5 minutes.)

Place linguine on plate and distribute shrimp, each plate gets 8-10 pieces, if cooking for two. Generously, but equally, distribute your reduced white wine sauce over the shrimp and linguine. Garnish with a dusting pf parsley, Parmesan, and your lemon wedges.

Serve with remainder of white wine!

Vegetable Noodle Casserole

This my own personal spin on a noodle casserole

1 medium- large zucchini cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 medium- large yellow squash cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 medium sweet onion coarsely chopped
1 small red pepper sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 cups broccoli florets
1-2 cups portabella mushrooms sliced
1 crushed/ pressed garlic clove
1 bag whole-wheat egg noodles, prepared for firm texture
2 cups mixed Italian (or your favorite) shredded cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 can Fat Free Cream of mushroom soup
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp rubbed sage
Nature seasoning to taste.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a 9x13" casserole pan with oil (or use your favorite casserole pan/ oven safe pot).

Prepare egg noodles as directed for firm texture, drain, and place back in pot used to boil noodles.

Saute squash, broccoli, onion, and garlic clove over medium-low heat in vegetable oil for 10 minutes. Season as desired with suggested seasoning above. Add red peppers, carrots, and the mushrooms. Gently stir, and cover with lid for additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Leave covered. Do not over/completely cook vegetables.

In the pot containing noodles, add cream of mushroom soup, veggie broth, and milk. (the heat from the noodles should make the liquids mix together). Add in all of the vegetables and toss with noodle mixture. Stir in 1 cup of Italian cheese mix.

Transfer mixture into casserole pan (or leave in oven safe cooking pot). Will be fairly liquidy. Sprinkle remainder of the cheeses over top of casserole. Distribute bread crumbs over the top. Cover with Aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10-15 minutes, or until cheese and crust have browned and the casserole is bubbling.

Enjoy!

Chickpea Salad

The perfect summer side dish!

2 cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans--they are exactly the same thing)
1 small can of corn
1/2 fresh jalapeno diced small
1/2 orange pepper diced
1/2 yellow pepper diced
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
juice of one lime
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Rinse chickpeas under cold running water. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with about 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, toss and serve!

Summer Squash Pizza with Shrimp and Goat Cheese

I've been on a Goat Cheese kick lately (obviously).  This is a quick, easy, delicious pizza.

Makes one 10-inch pizza

Ingredients:
6 oz whole wheat pizza dough
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium garlic clove, pressed
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1/3 cup shreaded mozzarella
1 tsp fresh savory, chopped
1/2 small zuchinni, thinly sliced
1/2 small yellow squash, thinly sliced
3 mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 shrimp, peeled, and patted dry
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 450.  In a small bowl, combine olive oil and pressed garlic, and allow to sit.  Spray baking sheet lightly with oil.  Dust dough with flour and press or roll to your desired thickness.

Rub garlic oil over rolled dough, leaving 1/2 an inch of crust.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Scatter shallots and top with mozzarella and savory.  Arrange squash and zucchini in a single layer, then top with mushrooms and goat cheese.  Finally, add shrimp evenly to the top and put in the oven.  Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Veggie Pasta with Goat Cheese

This is one of mine and Ryan's favorite weekday dinners.  Its easy, healthy, and filling.

Serves 2-3

1 Large Shallot - thinly sliced
1 Medium Red Bell Pepper - diced
1 Medium Yellow Squash - thick sliced, quartering the larger slices
1 Medium Zucchini - thick sliced
1/2 Package Baby Bella Mushrooms - quartered
1 Bunch of Spinach (do not use baby spinach) - washed and torn into large pieces
2-3oz Fresh Crumbled Goat Cheese (I like to use herbed Goat Cheese but plain is good too)
Dried Red Pepper
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
Olive Oil
Whole Wheat Pasta (enough for 2 - 3)
Fresh grated Parmesan (optional)

Prep all the veggies as detailed above.  Start water boiling for pasta.  In a large saute pan with a lid, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallots and saute until golden.  Add red bell pepper, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Sautee until red bell pepper starts to soften.  Add squash and zucchini and saute until they start to soften - if they start to brown add a bit more olive oil to the dish.  Add mushrooms and saute until soft, then add spinach.  Cover with lid and lower heat to medium-low.

By now your water should be boiling, so add your wheat pasta to cook.  When finished, drain and divide into large shallow bowls.  By now spinach should be wilted so stir the veggie mix and season to taste with additional salt/pepper if needed.  Top pasta in bowls with crumbled goat cheese, and then top with veggie mix.  Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Ryan and I have also used shrimp in this dish on occasion which is a nice additon.

Cold Chinese Noodles

Serves 4

1/2 pound thin spaghetti

1/2 cup sesame oil

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2-4 tablespoons hot oil (depending on your heat preference)

4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. While spaghetti is cooking, mix remaining ingredients together. Place drained pasta in a bowl and toss with sauce. Allow noodles to sit at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

This is terrific as a side dish for grilled Asian flavored meats, poultry and tofu.

Salmon Croquettes - Light Style

25 minute meal

We make this a lot. It is delicious and low calorie

1 can (14.75oz) or 2 cans (7.5oz) traditional pack Alaska salmon drained and chunked
¼ cup fat-free mayonnaise
2 Tbsp fat-free mayonnaise
¼ c dry bread crumbs
¼ c chopped green onions
1 egg
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Cajun, Creole or blackened seasoning mix
2 tsp margarine or butter
1 tsp Dijon style mustard
lemon wedges

In a medium bowl, combine salmon, ¼ c mayonnaise, bread crumbs, green onion, egg white, lemon juice and seasoning. Mix well: shape into four ½” thick patties. Melt margarine in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add patties; cook 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown.
Meanwhile combine 2 Tbsp mayonnaise & mustard. Serve with patties and lemon wedges

Cannellini Beans and Pasta

Shells with White Beans and Chicken

This dish can be made vegetarian - just leave out the chicken and start with onion and celery. We used herbs from our herb garden to make it an even tastier special dish!




1 lb chicken cut in cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt (if vegetarian you will only need ½ tsp salt)
½ small onion (finely chopped)
2 ribs of celery chopped
½ cup sliced mushrooms (I added mushrooms for potassium)
3 cloves of garlic chopped
(1) 28 oz. Crushed tomatoes
(2) 15 oz cans of cannelloni beans
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb medium sized shells
Grated cheese as needed

Cook chicken cubes in oil about 5 minutes (season with ¼ tsp salt)
Then:
Cook onion and celery in chicken drippings (leftover if using chicken) for about 5 minutes. *If vegetarian start onion and celery in oil. Add garlic and mushroom and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, beans, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil then simmer for 12 minutes. Cook pasta. Then add beans to mixture along with 1 cup of left-over water from the pasta.

Serve over pasta and add grated cheese to taste
Serves 8
483 calories with chicken (less if vegetarian)

Black Bean Burgers w/Mango Coleslaw

I normally don't cook vegetarian meals just because I enjoy my meats but this looked WAY too good to pass up! I made a few changes...mainly because I thought the salsa was a little boring and I wanted to add some cabbage. The original recipe also called for some avocado to be added but since I make meals a couple of days in advance, I didn't add that in. I'm thinking a small dollop of sour cream on top of this would be killer!

Side Note: These have a bit of a kick to them but not too much. If you like it SPICY, I would add the entire jalapeno

Side Note Part Deux: I didn't include a picture because honestly, it looks like mashed beans in a patty form. Not that appetizing.

Black Bean Burgers w/Mango Coleslaw
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup panko
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
2 large egg whites
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups chopped peeled mango (about 2 medium)
3 tbsp chopped shallots
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 bag of cabbage coleslaw
1 garlic clove, minced
6 whole-wheat hamburger buns or sandwich thins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Place black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese and the next 6 ingredients (through egg whites). Shape bean mixture into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Arrange patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, carefully turning once. And seriously, be careful! They fall apart pretty easily!

Combine remaining mango, and the next 4 ingredients (through minced garlic) in a medium bowl. Place a patty on bottom half of each hamburger bun; top each with 1/3 cup salsa, and top half of bun.

Yummy Chicken

I don't know a better name for this dish. Chicken wrapped with thinly sliced ham, cheese, and tomatoes. Baked into moist-goodness. Choose to make as many as you want.

Preheat oven 375

You will need:
- Chicken breast cutlets pounded thin****Buy the already pounded thin chicken breasts (I think Perdue makes some). Otherwise pound thin as many boneless/skinless chicken breasts as you want to make.
- thinly sliced ham
- thinly sliced cheddar or provolone cheese
- finely chopped tomato
- fresh chopped rosemary
- small dish of melted butter or margarine
- Italian bread crumbs

Once pounded thin, place a piece of ham (if breast is big, can overlap two pieces), a piece (or two) of cheese, sprinkle on some finely chopped tomato, sprinkle with rosemary. Roll up and secure with toothpick if need to. Dip in melted butter and roll in bread crumbs. Bake 40-45 min, depending on thickness.