Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I'm not sure where I got this recipe from, but it's really good. I made it for the first time the other night and my daughter gobbled it up. Who would of thought an almost 2 year old would like mushrooms?

5-6 medium sized portobello mushrooms (larger ones can be used)

1 turkey sausage link, casing removed

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove stems from mushrooms, set aside. Arrange the caps, bottoms up on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until mushrooms start to cook slightly.

Meanwhile, cook the sausage in a small skillet until done. Remove from heat and chop. In the same skillet over medium heat, mix together the mushroom stems, sausage, garlic, peppers and bread crumbs. Slowly stir and cook 5-7 minutes or until bread crumbs begin to brown. Remove from heat and cool (approx. 10 minutes). Transfer to a medium sized bowl.

Mix cheeses into filling mixture. Stuff the mushroom caps with mixture and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until stuffing is lightly browned.

Mini Turkey Parm Burgers

This is a take on Rachel Ray's recipe for Chicken or Turkey Parm meatballs.

1 lb ground chicken or turkey

1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/3 cup bread crumbs (or more depending on the wetness of your meat)

1 large egg

2 cloves garlic, minced

Handful of parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper

12 bocconcini (mini fresh mozzarella balls)

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium (I used a George Foreman grill). In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except mozzarella. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and then form each into 2 mini burgers. Press 1 bocconcini into each burger, then pinch the meat to seal. Place on greased grill, until firm and cooked through, about 12-15 minutes.

Pasta e Fagioli

This recipe is from the February 2009 issue of Fitness Magazine. My daughter is a big fan of beans and it's about one of the only ways to get some protein in her besides chicken nuggets & hot dogs. She LOVED it!

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried oregano, crushed

2 carrots, chopped

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano

1 1/2 cups small bow-tie pasta

2-15 oz cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary and carrots; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften. Add the broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and cook 8 minutes or until nearly al dente. Add the beans; cook 2 minutes or until pasta is done. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese.

Sticky Chicken Rotisserie Style

My friend Shannon shared this recipe with me for roasted chicken. It was incredible!

4 lb chicken

2 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp each: onion powder, dried thyme, white pepper

1/4 tsp each: cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder

onion, skin removed

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl. Rinse chicken cavity. Pat dry and rub the chicken inside and out with spices. Place the onion inside.

Place chicken in a bag and refrigerate overnight or at least 4-6 hours. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a roasting plan, cook uncovered for 5 hours or until internal temperature is 180 degrees.

Greek Lasagna Toss with Tomatoes, Shrimp and Feta

I've been wanting to try a lasagna toss for awhile now and finally found a non-traditional recipe. It was good, makes a ton. I'll definitely make it again, but will probably go with some other type of pasta as it's not easy to eat lasagna noodles! Recipe is from Good Housekeeping.

1 pkg (16 oz) lasagna noodles

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

28 oz can whole tomatoes

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp dried oregano (I used 2 cubes of frozen basil)

1 lb large shrimp

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, chopped

2 ozs feta cheese, crumbled

Heat a large covered saucepot of water to boiling over high heat. Add pasta and cook until tender, about 2 minutes longer than the label directs.

Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and cook 5-7 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, crushed red pepper and oregano. Heat to boiling over high heat, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Reduce heat to medium and cook 7 minutes to slightly thickent. Stir in shrimp and cook 3-4 minutes or until shrimp turns opaque throughout. Remove skillet from heat; stir in chopped parsley and 1/2 cup crumbled feta.

Drain pasta; return to saucepot. Add shrimp mixture to pasta in saucepot and toss to coat. Spoon mixture into a large serving bowl; sprinkle with additional feta if desired.

Garlic Steak & Onions

From Kraftfoods.com

1 boneless beef sirloin steak, approximately 1 lb

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 cup sun-dried tomato dressing

2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Add steak; sprinkle with pepper. Cook steak 5-6 minutes on each side or until medium doneness. Remove from skillet, reserving drippings in skillet. Place steak on cutting board; cover loosely with foil.

Add onions and garlic to skillet. Stir in dressing, cover with lid. Cook 5 minutes, stir. Cook uncovered an additional 4-6 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cut the steak across the grain into thin slices, place on serving platter.

Top steak with onion mixture, sprinkle with cheese and ENJOY!

Chunky Turkey Chili

I'm a fan of chunky chili and this is one of my favorite recipes. It's quick and simple and tastes like you've been cooking all day.

1 lb ground turkey (ground chicken works great too!)

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz can pinto beans, drained

14 oz can kidney beans, drained

28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

Brown meat with onion, pepper and garlic in a large pot. Drain. Add spices and beans, stirring together. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice or noodles.