Creamy Soup of Field Mushrooms

I love me some Curtis Stone. He has been showing up on Biggest Loser now and again so I decided to pick up one of his cookbooks at the library. This recipe isn't healthy (hey there butter and cream) but it.is.so.good. The serving is a hearty bowl and served with a salad makes a perfect dinner. I made a few changes to the recipe because we like chunky soup. But, if prefer it to be smooth, blend the entire pot.

Side Note: Remember when we talked about this recipe? Don't be a dumb dumb when you blend HOT soup. Be careful, go slow, do it in batches if you need to and put a dishcloth on the top so you don't burn your hand. That was my PSA for the day.

Creamy Soup of Field Mushrooms
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 leek, white portion only, finely sliced
3 tbsp butter
1 2/3 lb portobello mushrooms
4 cups chicken stock
3 1/2 oz potato
2 cups heavy cream
1 3/4 cup milk

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large soup pot, add the shallots and leek and let sweat for 2 minutes. Add the portobello mushrooms and cook for a further 10 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated.

Place the chicken stock and potato slices in a separate saucepan and leave to simmer until the potato is soft. Pour the stock and potato into the mushrooms and bring to a rapid boil. Add the cream and milk and bring the soup to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Don't allow it to boil.

Transfer half the mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Return to soup pot and reheat gently, if needed. ENJOY!

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

Site 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.

Chicken and Two Pepper Calzones

These are insanely good, insanely easy and totally good for you! What's not to like?

Chicken and Two Pepper Calzones

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tube pizza dough (or 1lb if you are using the non-tube kind)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1 cup coarsely shredded rotisserie chicken (I de-skinned mine)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup shredded skim mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Cut dough into 4 rectangles. In the middle of each rectangle, divide ingredients evenly amongst themselves.

To close, bring all 4 corners of each calzone into the middle and seal around edges. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

The Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes EVER

All I can say is YUM! I converted a regular layer cake recipe to a cupcake one with awesome results. Happy Birthday to my sister. And thanks to sous chef Lucy for helping!

Side note: DO NOT not toast those nuts. It makes a world of difference, seriously. Don't know how to toast nuts? It's easy...stick them in a dry pan over medium heat, tossing often, until they become fragrant. Let them cool before using. SO easy. DO NOT SKIP! (hahaha, did I make my point clearly enough?)

Side note part deux: Want to be lazy? Buy the bagged shredded carrots (1 bag will be fine) and chop a bit smaller. No need to grate!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Yields 24, can easily be halved

Ingredients:

For cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans, optional

For frosting:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick salted butter, room temperature
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Either grease the cupcake trays or place a liner in each.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill each hole 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cupcake and enjoy!

Scallop Chowder

Now this isn't Splash Cafe worthy or anything...but it is dang good for something healthy. Plus, its easy to make! I prepared 2 other dishes while it was simmering!

Side Note: If you consider yourself a budget shopping like Tenna does, prepare yourself for a bit of sticker shock. The scallops alone cost $25. The whole meal was probably around $40 for 8 servings. Just a heads up...doesn't make it any less delish.

Side Note Deux: Next time I make this, I may throw in a couple of strips of crumbled bacon. Because bacon makes everything THAT much better.

Scallop Chowder

Serves 8 (1 1/4 cup servings)

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons butter
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled Yukon gold or red potato (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups clam juice (found near the tuna)
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 lbs sea scallops, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (I used fat free)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Add 1 teaspoon garlic, and sauté for 1 minute. Add potato, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper; cook for 2 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Sprinkle flour over potato mixture, and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add clam juice and milk; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender.

Partially mash potato using a potato masher. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, Pernod, and thyme; simmer 10 minutes. Add scallops and half-and-half; cook 5 minutes or until scallops are done. Sprinkle with chives.

Tenna's Crab Cakes

After living just across the river from the Maryland state line for 4 years, I got quite spoiled by the incredible crab cakes the state has to offer. I found this recipe, made a few small changes to it, the most importantly was choosing to bake them, as opposed to frying. They turned out really well and with a side of fresh asparagus made an amazing dinner. Feel free to use Panko instead of regular bread crumbs...I just happened to not have Panko on hand (oddly enough).

Tenna's Crab Cakes

Serves 4 (two crab cakes each)

Ingredients:

1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 egg
1/2 tsp minced fresh parsley
Cayenne pepper
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound white or claw crab meat, picked free of any bits of shell

Directions:

To prepare the crab cakes, combine the onion, bell pepper, garlic, cream, mustard, egg, parsley, cayenne pepper and 1/2 cup bread crumbs, to taste, and mix well. Gently fold in the crab meat.

Form the mixture into 8 patties, about 1/2-inch thick. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining bread crumbs with the Parmesan. Pat this topping onto both sides of the patties. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Baked for 7 to 10 minutes in a 400 degree F oven until lightly browned on top.

Italian Meatball Burgers

I love, LOVE this recipe. Why? Because it doesn't taste healthy, of course! I also served this with some fresh spinach that wilted when I heated the whole thing up in its tupperware. YUM!

Side note: The original recipe calls to grill the burgers...but some of us are not lucky enough to have an indoor grill. As with a lot of the recipes we post on here, grilled can equal using an outdoor grill, the George Foreman or using a broiler.

Side note Deux: Use fresh mozzarella...it makes all the difference in the world

Italian Meatball Burgers

Serves 6

Ingredients:

8 oz sweet turkey Italian sausage
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 lb 4% fat ground beef

Cooking spray
2 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
6 Sandwich Thins
3/4 cup fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce

Directions:

Prepare grill.

Remove casings from sausage. Combine sausage, oregano, basil, salt, fennel seeds, garlic powder, and ground beef. Divide beef mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes. Turn patties over; grill 2 minutes. Divide fresh mozzarella cheese evenly over patties, and grill an additional 5 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes.

Place 1 patty on bottom half of each thin; top each serving with 2 tablespoons sauce and top half of thin.

Spicy Chicken "Fried" Rice

Let's be honest...no healthy fried rice recipe is going to taste like the real thing. Is this dish really good? Yes. Does it taste like Good Taste Takeout (shout out to our DC readers) fried rice, which I widely consider to be the best fried rice EVER? No. But, it's also a lot better for waistline so it's really the readers choice on this.

Side Note: If you are making the brown rice as the veggies are cooking, just throw it into the freezer for a few minutes before you toss it in. That will give it enough time to cool down.

Spicy Chicken "Fried" Rice

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/2 c. less-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tsp dark sesame oil

3/4 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tbsp canola oil

2 cups diced red bell pepper (about 2)

1 cup diced onion

1/4 c. thinly sliced green onions

8oz sliced mushrooms

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2.5 cups cold cooked brown rice

2 cups diced cooked chicken (about 1 lb)

8oz sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1/3 c. chopped, unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Directions:

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, stir well with a whisk.

Heat canola oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, diced onion, mushrooms and 2 T. green onions to pan; stir-fry for 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Add rice, chicken, and water chestnuts; stir-fry for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring gently. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 2 minutes, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons green onions and peanuts.

Garlic Basil Shrimp

This dish has two things going for it: it's delish and it's extremely quick to make. The longest part is waiting for the orzo to cook. What could be better?

Garlic Basil Shrimp

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp EVOO

1.25lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 garlic gloves

1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like it more spicy)

3/4 cup dry white wine

1.5 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups cooked orzo pasta

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shrimp and cook, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the oil remaining in the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook over high high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and basil and season the sauce the salt and pepper. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook until just heated through. Serve atop orzo.

Strawberry Shortcake

Don't walk, RUN to the farmers market and make this NOW.

Best Strawberry Shortcake EVER

Serves a lot

Ingredients:

1 angel food cake

for the custard:

8oz package cream cheese softened
14oz can sweetened condensed milk

12oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed

For the glaze:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin
1 cup water
2 cups fresh strawberries, cut in 1/2 (if berries are extra large, they can be cut into quarters)
Whole fresh strawberries and mint leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Slice cake, using a serrated knife, horizontally into 3 equal layers.

For the custard:
Mix together cream cheese, condensed milk, and whipped topping in a bowl; set aside.

For the glaze:
In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin; add water. Cook stirring over medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Fold in strawberries.

For assembly:
Place 1 layer of cake in a large clear bowl. Top with a layer of glaze, followed by a layer of custard mixture. Repeat layering in this order for remaining cake, glaze and custard. Top cake with 3 whole fresh strawberries and fresh mint leaves.

Greek Goddess Wrap

I saw this recipe in Sunset magazine (what, my mom gets it!) and was immediately drawn to it. There was a couple of issues...the most importantly that it wasn't that healthy. But with a few changes and a MAJOR reduction in the amount of sauce used, this becomes a very tasty lunch.

Side note: This makes A LOT of dressing. If you won't use it for something else, I would reduce by 1/3-1/2. (However it rocks so I would probably find a reason to use it)

Side note part deux: I'm thinking feta would also be awesome in this!

Greek Goddess Wrap

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4oz mushrooms, thinly sliced

1tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 cups shredded skinned rotisserie chicken

4oz baby spinach

4 whole-wheat tortillas

1 yellow pepper, cut into strips

4 thin slices muenster cheese

For dressing:

1 garlic glove

2 tbsp each roughly chopped parsley, chives and fresh tarragon

5-7 kalamata olives, depitted (is that a word?)

1tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream (if you hate sour cream, you could use plain yogurt)

salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients for dressing in food processor and pulse until well blended.

Make wraps: In a medium bowl, toss chicken with about 1/2 cup dressing until evenly coated. Lay tortillas flat on a work surface. Arrange equal portions of chicken down the center of each. Evenly top chicken with bell pepper, mushroom, cheese and spinach. (if you wanted to, you could add another drizzle of dressing. But honestly, you don't need it). Fold tortilla over short sides of filling, then roll up, starting from long side of filling.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

"Hi, my name is Tenna and I'm a cupcake addict."

Now that that is taken care of. So yes, I love me some cupcakes. In fact, I meet very few cupcakes I don't enjoy. Living in the mecca of LA, we have A LOT of gourmet cupcakes stores around. While most are great I do not enjoy paying $3-5/cupcake or having to travel to Beverly Hills to purchase them. This recipe from my very favorite cook in the entire world is, in my humble opinion, better then any red velvet cupcake I've had. And so, so, so, so easy. Took me an hour, which included 20 minutes of baking time and 20 minutes of cooling time.

Side note: No picture because they didn't last long enough to take a picture

Side note part deux: This makes A LOT of frosting. A LOT. So, if you don't like a lot of frosting, reduce by a third or a fourth so as not to be wasteful.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Yields 24 cupcakes (although I halved and made 12. Even I don't need 24 cupcakes hanging out)


2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp white distilled vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions for cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled (use an ice cream scoop, they are awesome!). Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Ingredients for frosting:
1lb cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Directions for frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Green Chile-Chicken Casserole

This recipe is very similar to my White Chicken Enchilada recipe but is even better because 1. it is faster and 2. it is lower in calories and fat but doesn't lose any of the taste. YUMTOWN!

Side note: As previously discussed, I'm lazy. But then I read that my hero, Ellie Krieger, also uses Rotisserie chickens so I don't feel so bad suggesting that here. Just take off the skin if you are watching calories and fat.

Green Chile-Chicken Casserole

Serves 6, but can be easily doubled

Ingredients:

2/3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup canned chopped green chiles, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (10 1/2-oz) cans condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 garlic clove, minced
Cooking spray
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 Rotisserie Chicken, skin removed and shredded

1 cup finely shredded 2% fat sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Spread 1 cup soup mixture in a small-ish baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 6tortillas over the soup mixture, and top with 1 cup chicken and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the cheese. Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Sloppy Joes

All I can say is yum! I served this with a side of pre-shredded coleslaw (just the cabbage, no mayo, etc.) to add a bit of crunch as well as some veggies. SO VERY GOOD. And, it couldn't be easier. Do yourself a favor and "treat" yourself to a real 100% whole wheat bun. A sandwich thin won't work with this drippy meat mixture!

Side note: I used 4% fat ground beef but ground turkey would work as well

Sloppy Joes with Coleslaw

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2lb ground beef
1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tbsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 100% whole wheat buns

1 bag pre-shredded coleslaw mix

Directions:

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add first 3 ingredients; cook until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in tomato sauce and next 8 ingredients (tomato sauce through black pepper); reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon 1/4 cup beef mixture over bottom half of each bun. Top with a handful of coleslaw and cover with top halves.

Baked Potato-and-Broccoli Soup

I'm always looking for one-pot recipes and soup seems to always be an excellent solution. However, it's strangely hard to find soup recipes that also include a veggie. I jumped for joy when I found this one and the taste did not disappoint. I know this a lot of cheese in it but the calorie count for a hearty 1 cup serving is 223 calories with 8 grams of fat. I promise, it will be ok.

Baked Potato-and-Broccoli Soup

Serves 7

Ingredients:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth, divided
3 cups peeled, cubed potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 (8oz) block 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
7 tsp shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
7 tsp fully cooked bacon pieces (about 4 strips)
7 tsp chopped green onions

Directions:

Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup chicken broth until smooth.

Combine remaining chicken broth and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.

Stir in milk and 8 ounces shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Top each serving of soup with 1 teaspoon cheese, 1 teaspoon bacon pieces, and 1 teaspoon chopped green onions.

Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce

Attention, attention! REAL NOODLES AHEAD! I must admit, it was an extra special treat to eat real, non-brown rice noodles. This is a small serving but an excellent one. Next time, I think I will add some asparagus into the mix. I also doubled the amount of mushrooms because we really enjoy them!

Side note: As much as I love wine, I don't keep it in the house because I'm the only one who drinks and I'd rather eat my calories. While not as cost effective, they do sell small bottles of wine in stores that are equal to about 2 glasses if you would like to avoid temptation!

Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 oz uncooked medium egg noodles
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp black pepper, divided
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp bottled minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
2 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place chicken breast halves in a shallow dish. Combine 1 tbsp flour, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Sprinkle flour mixture over chicken; toss to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken from pan.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add garlic, tarragon, and mushrooms to pan; sauté for 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms darken. Add white wine to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tbsp flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and remaining 1/8 tsp pepper; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.

Return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer 2 minutes. Uncover; cook 1 minute or until chicken is done. Stir in noodles; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Place about 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Greek Spiced Shrimp

I stole this recipe from my favorite LA girl and fellow cupcake lover, Amanda, over at Modern Swap. It.Is.So.Good. And so simple too! I layered over some fresh spinach and should have also added some rice, as Amanda suggested. Next time I will.

Greek Spiced Shrimp
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, reserving juice, and chopped
Pinch of sugar
1/2 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp
1/4 pound feta, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Cook onion and garlic in oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in spices and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add chopped tomatoes with juice and sugar and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Season shrimp with salt, and place into 8x8 Pyrex dish. Pour sauce over shrimp and stir slightly to coat - make sure shrimp and sauce is distributed evenly in dish. Top with feta and bake until just cooked through (sauce will be bubbly and feta will be slightly melted), about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with dill and serve over basmati rice or with crusty french bread and a salad.

Crockin' French Toast

For all my snowbound east coasters...make this for Saturday morning! It is warm, cozy and taste like a cinnamon roll but without all the work. Oh so good!

Side note: Do NOT use Mrs. Buttersworth or any other fake maple syrup in this. Splurge and get the real thing...it will last in your fridge for awhile.

Side note II: I actually wouldn't hesitate to cook this the night before and then reheat (not in the crock pot) before you serve it in the morning. I felt like it tasted it even better the next day.

Crockin' French Toast Casserole

Serves 6 in Large Oval crock pot

Ingredients:

1lb loaf sliced cinnamon swirl bread, each slice cut into quarters

2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into thin slices

8 large eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

Topping:

3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Coat the inside of the crock with nonstick cooking spray. Add half the bread quarters and sprinkle with the slices of butter. Add the remaining bread quarters.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half, milk, maple syrup, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the bread and press down gently to soak all the bread.

In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients and use your fingers or two forks to work them together until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the bread mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2-3 hours, until the sides are browned and the center is set.

Let the casserole rest, covered, in the turned-off cooker for 15 minutes before serving.

Crockin' Mac and Cheese

This.Is.Beyond.Good. The flavor is not a little kids mac and cheese...in fact I served it to a 10 year old who didn't care for it. But, the adults all loved this as the Parmesan cheese adds a nice flavor. I didn't take a picture of this because it's mac and cheese. Seriously, it's cheese and noodles. How good could it look? ;)

Crockin' Mac and Cheese
Serves 4, but can easily be doubled. Best in a medium crock but if you double, use a large one.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups skim or low-fat milk
12oz can evaporated skim milk
1 large egg, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded medium or sharp cheddar
8oz elbow macaroni
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Coat the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the first 5 ingredients in the cooker and whisk until smooth. Add the cheese and noodles, gently stir with a rubber spatula to coat evenly with the milk and cheese mixture. Sprinkle the Parm on top.

Cover and cook on LOW until the custard is set in the center and the pasta is tender, about 3 1/2-4 hours. Do not cook more then 4 hours, as the sides will dry out and burn.

Sesame Chicken Nuggets

Serve these over some (fresh or frozen) stir-fry veggies and they won't disappoint. Plus, they could not be more simple to make!

Side note: I didn't specify exactly how much honey because it really depends on your taste. I just did a light drizzle and it tasted great but some people may want more.

Sesame Chicken Nuggets

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 lb chicken tenderloins, cut into bite size pieces

1 tbsp oil

honey, to taste

Directions:

In large non-stick skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds until golden brown, stirring frequently. Sprinkle seeds over chicken pieces.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve chicken nuggets with a drizzle of honey.