Cauliflower and Potato Mash

1 head uncooked cauliflower florets
1 C uncooked baby red potatoes, chopped
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground parsley
pinch of salt
1 tsp garlic, crushed
1/8 C grated Parmesan
2 tbsp butter
1 C milk
2 tbsp sour cream

Boil potatoes for 10 minutes. Add cauliflower and boil for another 10 minutes or until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork. Drain potatoes and cauliflower. Add all other ingredients mix with electric mixer until smooth.

(inspired by Andrea Latham)

Baked Chicken with Parmesan Herb Crust

1 C herb bread crumbs
1/4 C parmesan cheese
2 tbsp dried ground parsley
1/2 tsp dried ground basil
1/2 tsp dried ground marjoram
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
pinch of salt
1/2 C milk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Place first six ingredients in a zip lock bag. Place buttermilk in a shallow bowl. Brush chicken with olive oil and dip in buttermilk. Place one chicken breast at a time in the zip lock bag and shake to coat evenly. Place in a glass baking dish for 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear.

(inspired by Baked Chicken with Parmesan Herb Crust from Not Your mother's Weeknight Cooking, by Beth Hensperger)

Mexican Chicken with Beer Glaze and Sweet Potato French Fries

1 tsp cumin

1tsp dried crushed thyme

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp flour
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 C light beer


In a small bowl combine the top seven ingredients. Rub onto both sides of the chicken and let stand at room temp for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 450. While chicken sits make sweet potato fries (recipe below). Heat olive oil in medium skillet. Add two chicken breast and saute until golden. Set aside. Add the other two chicken breasts and saute until golden brown. Add the first two chicken breasts back to the skillet. Reduce heat to low and add beer and crushed garlic. Cover for 15 minutes. Turn chicken every 5 minutes to create a glazed effect. Serve immediately with sweet potato fries.



Sweet Potato French Fries
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder

In a small bowl mix the pepper, salt and garlic powder. Toss sweet potatoes in olive oil and then in pepper mixture. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet for 25 minutes.

(inspired by Mexican Chicken with Beer Glaze and Sweet Potato French Fries from Not Your mother's Weeknight Cooking, by Beth Hensperger)

Teriyaki Salmon

1/4 C vegetable oil
1/4 C lemon juice
1/4 C soy sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
4 salmon fillets


Place the first 6 ingredients in a resealable plastic bag. Mix well. Place salmon fillets in the bag and let marinade for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350. Place salmon fillets on a broiler pan and place in preheated oven for 10-15minutes or until flaky.

(Inspired by Teriyaki Salmon from AllRecipes.com)

Salmon Alfredo Fettuccini

2 C smoked salmon
1 box of fettuccini noodles
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
3 C milk
1 C shredded parmesan cheese
2 tsp garlic
1 tsp pepper

Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. Melt butter in a medium saucepan.Once the butter is melted slowly add the flour sirring constantly. Slowly add milk, again stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Continue sirring until sauce begins to boil. Turn down sauce to a low simmer for five minutes. Add parmesan cheese, garlic and pepper and stir until smooth. Add in smoked salmon and mix with pasta.

French Dip

1 beef bouillon cube

4 C water

1 light beer

2 lb beef roast (chuck)

1 medium onion, sliced

6 mini french rolls (i get mine at Safeway)

12 slices provolone cheese

2 tbsp margarine

2 tsp garlic powder

Place the top 5 ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for at least 8 hours. Remove beef roast and shred meat. Set aside. Cut french rolls in half and place on cookie sheet. Spread margarine over both halves. Sprinkle on garlic powder. Place under the broiler until golden brown. Remove from oven and divide meat and sliced evenly between the bottom half of the rolls. Place a piece of provolone on each half. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly. Divide broth from crock pot in 6 bowls for dipping.

Caulifower Macaroni and Cheese

1 box (16 oz) of elbow macaroni

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp flour
1/2 C nonfat milk
1/2 C cauliflower puree
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C low-fat cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper

Cook pasta according to directions on box. In a large sauce pan add oil and flour. Cook until mixture resembles a pastebut has not browned. Add milk and cook stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Add cauliflower puree, cream cheese, and seasonings. Stir until cheese is melted. Stir in macaroni and serve warm.


Caulliflower Puree
Cut off florets and discard core. Steam for 10 minutes. Place in food processor or blender for 2 minutes with 2 tspn water. Mix until smooth.

(Inspired by Deceptively Delicious, by Jessica Seinfeld Macaroni and Cheese 1)

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

1 box (16 oz) of elbow macaroni
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp flour
1/2 C nonfat milk
1/2 C butternut squash puree
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C low-fat cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper

Cook pasta according to directions on box. In a large sauce pan add oil and flour. Cook until mixture resembles a pastebut has not browned. Add milk and cook stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Add butternut squash puree, cream cheese, and seasonings. Stir until cheese is melted. Stir in macaroni and serve warm.


Butternut Squash Puree
Cut off stem. Cut in half lengthwise and scrap out seeds. Roast halves on a cookie sheet flesh side down for 45-50 minutes. Scoop out flesh and blend in food processor or blender until smooth.

(Inspired by Deceptively Delicious, by Jessica Seinfeld Macaroni and Cheese 1)

Sweet Potato And Cauliflower Turkey Lasagna

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp whole wheat flour
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
3/4 C sweet potato puree
1/2 C grated Parmesan
28 oz chopped tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 C fat free cottage cheese
1 egg white
1/2 C cauliflower puree
1 box no boil lasagna noodles
2 C low-fat mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350. Brown ground turkey. When meat is browned, mix in salt, pepper, 1 clove garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, sweet potato puree and 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese. Set aside. In a food processor or blender, combine tomatoes, onion, remaining garlic, remaining Parmesan (1/4 C) and blend well. Set aside. In a food processor or blender, combine cottage cheese, egg white, cauliflower puree and blend until smooth. Set aside. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the pan with 1 C of the sauce. Cover sauce with lasagna noodles. Place meat mixture over noodles. Place another layer of noodles over the meat mixture. Cover noodles with cottage cheese mixture. Cover mixture with noodles and spoon on the remaining sauce and cover with mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

(Inspired by Deceptively Delicious, by Jessica Seinfeld Lasagna)

Chicken and Dumplings

1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp rosemary
1/8 tsp sage
1/8 tsp tyme
2 large onions, chopped
3 C of chopped carrots
3 C pf chopped celery
3 C chopped cooked chicken
1 tsp poultry seasoning

Biscuits
3 C flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C butter
1 C milk

Place chicken carcas in crock pot, cover with water. Place 1 tsp poultry seasoning, rosemary, sage, tyme, 1 chopped onion, 1 C chopped carrots, 1 C celery in crock pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Pour liquid into large stock pot (I place a strainer on top of my stock pot to catch all the solids). Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Let simmer on low for 1 hour. Turn heat to high and bring back to a boil. Mix biscut ingredients in a medium bowl. Drop biscuts by the spoonful into soup. Boil for 7 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

(Inspired by Better Home and Gardens Biscuits Supreme)

Roasted Herb Chicken

1 large onion thinly sliced
1/3 low sodium Kikkoman soy sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tsp oregano leaves
1 tsp crushed
3/4 tsp pepper
1 young chicken

Preheat oven to 375. Line a 9x13 pan with foil. Line the pan with sliced onion. Place the chicken breast up in the foil lined pan. Mix the top seven ingredients and brush the chicken. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

If you plan to make chicken and dumplings, clean all chicken off the bones after carving and set it aside.

(Inspired by Roasted Herb Chicken & Potatoes at AllRecipes.com)