No Shell Taco Salad

It's recipe swap time again!  This time, for Blogger's Choice, I was assigned Tina's blog, Tasty Treats by Tina.  I had a few things bookmarked, but ultimately I chose a dish that I threw together with some leftovers that made a great lunch!

Normally I wouldn't think of putting cucumbers in a taco salad, but like I said, I was basically cleaning out the fridge with this one :)  So, anything goes...feel free to toss in whatever you have on hand.  I would have loved some jalapenos in here...and olives...what can I say, I was overdue to go shopping!

Obviously, a shell would be fantastic for this (or even chips underneath) - but if you're keeping it low carb, this is the way to go!  You don't even miss the carbs with this one.  Thanks for a great salad, Tina!


No Shell Taco Salad
adapted from Tasty Treats by Tina

1 pound ground beef
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1/4 chopped onion
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1/2 cucumber, sliced
cherry tomatoes
romaine lettuce
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa
sour cream

Place meat to a large skillet and cook over medium high heat.  Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and stir to combine while cooking.  Once fully cooked, remove from pan and drain fat.

Combine all veggies in a bowl.  Add meat and cheese.  Mix salsa and sour cream in a small bowl, and use as dressing for salad.

Low Carb Coleslaw

Another coleslaw recipe, you ask?  Why, yes.  Yes it is.

You see, I have a soft spot for anyone who has to follow a low carb diet.  I was pretty much tortured throughout my entire pregnancy, so I know how difficult it can be.  Therefore, when I experiment and come up with a really tasty alternative, I must share it immediately.  Especially a seasonal one like this.

Regular coleslaw is usually chock full of sugar...this tastes so delicious, you'll never realize it's missing the real thing.

Low Carb Coleslaw
1 bag shredded cabbage
10 large radishes, sliced thin
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
salt & pepper
2 packets sweet n low

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Wow, really?

***Don't forget to enter my giveaway HERE!***

Who knew how easy it was to make biscuits and jam?  I didn't.  No clue.

My mom was leafing through the local paper the other day and came across this recipe for biscuits - we both read it and looked at each other like, "No way".  There's no way they can be that easy and taste good.

Well, they did.

As for the jam, I've been knee deep in strawberries lately (as if you didn't notice), and needed to do something with the rest before they went bad.  And I wanted something EASY.  No pectin, since I didn't have any, and nothing that required a complicated process or other offbeat ingredients.

Enter this recipe, which is called a jam, but also has a bit of a consistency like sauce.  Either way, it's delicious...even with the Splenda I subbed in for the sugar.

Make both of these for your loved ones, and never let them in on your secret :)

2-Ingredient Biscuits
from an insert in The Bergen Record

2 cups self rising flour
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine ingredients in a bowl until mixed together.  Give the dough 10 kneads, then roll out and cut in 2-inch circles.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10 minutes or lightly browned.



Easy Strawberry Jam
adapted from Whole Foods Market

1.5 pounds strawberries, hulled
5 tablespoons Splenda

Chop strawberries (or use a food processor if you want) and place in a medium size pot.  Add Splenda, cover and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until berries are softer and releasing their juices.

Uncover, lower heat and cook for another 12-15 minutes, or until berries fall apart and the mixture becomes thick.

Eat hot, cold or at room temp.  This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Getting your hands dirty

There's nothing neat about this dish, but that's part of what makes it so great...not to mention the fact that it's really good for you.  Another delicious low carb dish!  I made this (a different variation) a few years ago and decided it was time for it to resurface.  It'll definitely be a staple in our house now.


Feel free to adjust the heat level according to your liking (I went as far as I could go without burning up Frank's wimpy sensitive stomach).  Ground pork, beef or chicken would work well, as would shredded chicken.  I don't know much about tofu but I'm guessing that would be okay too.  


The peanuts give it a nice added touch and some great texture.  Next time I'll probably add water chestnuts for even more crunch.

I made the turkey ahead of time and reheated it before serving.  It could even be done the night before - so convenient and easy!  For sides, I made brown rice, seasoned with some garlic and soy sauce, and steamed green beans.  


Spicy Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen


2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons ginger root, peeled and grated
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
4 tablespoons soy sauce 
2 tablespoons sriracha
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped peanuts 
1 head red leaf lettuce


Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add onion and saute about 2 minutes, then add garlic and ginger root and saute another minute.

Add ground turkey to frying pan and break apart, then add soy sauce and Sriracha. Cook until the turkey is brown and crumbling apart, and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

While turkey cooks, wash and chop fresh cilantro. Remove the core end from lettuce and separate leaves. Chop peanuts and put in small bowl to serve at the table.

When turkey is done, add chopped cilantro and cook 1-2 minutes more. 

Place turkey mixture on lettuce leaf, sprinkle with peanuts, and fold the leaf closed to make it easy to grab and eat.


Linked to: What's On Your Plate? hosted by Good Cheap Eats

Hello, March!

• It's been a ROUGH winter for lots of people.  Everyone I talk to seems super excited for spring to get here ASAP.  Including myself.  I need fresh air...I need for Bella to be able to just let loose in a playground on a regular basis...I need to not have to visit germ-infested play areas every day...I need flip flops!!!

Which reminds me...I need to start behaving myself.  My eating habits have been something awful.  The best way for me to lose weight has always been following a low carb diet, so you may be seeing more of those recipes from me now.  That is, if I decide to behave ;)

Here's a great lowER carb breakfast dish (the flour adds some carbs, but not as much as a traditional crust) - another one I created while pregnant.  It's a little different than the crustless quiche recipe I have, and just as delicious.  You don't miss the crust in this one...it really does taste just like regular Quiche Lorraine!  

LowER Carb Quiche Lorraine

• 8 slices bacon

• 4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup AP flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 
  
• Cook bacon in a 400 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes.  medium high heat until evenly brown, then set aside.  Once it cools down, crumble it or break it up into small pieces. 
• 
  
• Drop oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.
• 
  
• Line bottom of pie plate with cheese and bacon. Combine eggs, butter, onion, salt, pepper, flour and milk.  Whisk together until smooth, then pour into pie pan.
• 
  
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set. Serve hot, room temp or cold.

Linked to:  Let's Do Brunch hosted by My Sweet and Savory

Cooking on a budget

Do you plan your meals (or at least, your shopping list) based on what's currently on sale?  I usually do.  My feeling is, why pay more if you don't have to?  Plus, we have two refrigerator/freezers, so we have space to store what we don't use right away.  Then, I work with what I have and either use existing recipes, or find new ones to try.

So tonight, it was london broil.  I'm still not feeling 100% so I didn't want anything too complicated - which usually equates to using the crockpot.  Fortunately, I found a recipe online that didn't involve anything too "pot roast-ish" or adding cream soups.

It was delicious - the meat was very tender which is tough when it comes to london broil.  And, instead of thickening the broth so it became more of a gravy, I saved it (with the onions, of course) for soup, which will probably involve some sort of melted cheese on top, a la French Onion.

Also, I made my friend Megan's famous baked macaroni & cheese last night, and put it right in the fridge - so all I needed to do was reheat it.  It rocks!  It's her grandmother's recipe and she's been making it forever.  It's SO easy, and you gotta love your Le Creuset during times like this when a dish goes from stove to oven.  Makes it even simpler.  Plus, it's inexpensive and makes a LOT, so you can feed a lot of people, or freeze what's left.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE CHEESE??  Next time I'll be making this with different varieties...this version was all sharp cheddar.  And it was goooood.

Side note - please, if you aren't already a fan of mine on Facebook, go to my page and "like" me...and pass the word along to your friends.  The next giveaway will be announced when we hit 350 fans.  Let's make it happen SOON!

Crockpot London Broil
adapted from Ehow

2 pounds london broil
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

Season the meat with salt and pepper.  Make slices in the meat large enough to fit the garlic pieces, and stick them in the holes.
Place one onion in the crockpot, then the meat, then the rest of the ingredients on top.  Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Megan's Baked Macaroni & Cheese
from my friend Megan


2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons butter
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked al dente (or any small shape pasta)
Plain bread crumbs

In medium saucepan combine first three ingredients - stir in milk.  Add butter, stirring constantly over medium-high heat until sauce thickens.  Don't stop stirring or it will scorch!  Remove from heat.

Stir in 2 1/2 cups cheese until melted.  Add macaroni - pour into 2 quart casserole dish.   Sprinkle with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.  Makes 4 servings.

A delicious Giada side & my first giveaway!

Let me start by saying, THANK YOU for supporting me in this fun journey I decided to take LESS than a MONTH ago!  As promised, my first giveaway is going to take place now that my Facebook page hit 200 fans.  Details tomorrow (hint: kitchen fun for snow days!)...and once we hit 250, there will be another one...so please, keep spreading the word!

Now for tonight's dinner...I made use of the oven, stovetop and indoor grill, and the meal was still super easy.

First, I prepped the tomatoes (recipe below) and put them in the oven.  

Then, I put the broccoli rabe in the bowl that the tomatoes marinated in to use up the extra oil and garlic, mixed it around, and threw it in a dutch oven (with oil and garlic in it, along with a little crushed red pepper).  Top it with a bit of salt (helps reduce it down) and toss occasionally (tongs work best).

While the two sides were cooking, I put the pork chops on the grill.  I used thin boneless chops, but you could certainly use thick chops (which would need to cook longer) or bone-in.  All I did was put a tiny bit of EVOO on them, some garlic powder and oregano.  Period.  Squeeze lemon on them when they're finished.

The timing pretty much worked out so that all were done at the same time....even if the broccoli rabe cooks down before the pork is done, just take it off the heat and cover it.  It gets served at room temp anyway.

And to those who are "'afraid" of broccoli rabe...don't be.  It's awesome.  And it's very good for you.  If you really can't stand the bitterness, boil it before sauteing it...it takes some of the bite out.  Make sure to wash it thoroughly and cut the stems off before cooking.  Try it...you won't be disappointed!

Grilled Pork Chops with Sauteed Broccoli Rabe & Roasted Stuffed Tomatoes

(see above for details on the pork and broccoli rabe)

Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic, Gorgonzola and Herbs

adapted from Giada DeLaurentis

12 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise (I used 4 tomatoes on the vine)

1/4 cup olive oil (I used 1/8 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs (I used much less, about 1/3 cup)
3/4 cup finely crumbled gorgonzola or grated Parmesan cheese  (I used gorgonzola)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I omitted since I didn't have any)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, remove the seeds from the tomatoes. Place the tomato halves, cut side down, on paper towels to drain, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Using clean hands, gently toss the drained tomato halves in the oil mixture until coated. Marinate the tomatoes for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl mix together the breadcrumbs and gorgonzola cheese.

Place the marinated tomato halves, cut side up, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fill each tomato half with the breadcrumb filling. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until slightly softened and the underside of the tomatoes are brown.  (I cooked mine for 17 minutes)

Arrange the cooked tomatoes on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Low carbing it

I had to get VERY creative with my food when I was pregnant.  As I've mentioned before, I had to follow a low carb diet all along - from about 6 weeks on.  Although I had the best motivator possible, it was still really, really hard...especially in the first trimester when all that would make me feel better was carbs.  Torture.

This was one of my go-to breakfast meals...what's great about it is that you can change it up based on what you're in the mood for (notice I didn't use the word "craving"...I had to delete that from my vocabulary while pregnant) and/or what you have in your kitchen.  "Crustless" is definitely a key word for low carbers - as is "eggs".  Today's version is written below, but like I said, sub any cheese, veggies and protein you like.

Crustless Quiche
6 pieces low-sodium bacon
1/2 tomato, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 cup frozen spinach, cooked and squeezed dry
6 eggs
pepper to taste
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (part skim)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (low fat)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray a 9x9 baking pan.  Fry bacon in a skillet, plate and pat dry when finished.  Chop it up.
Dump bacon fat out of skillet but leave about a tablespoon in it.  Add tomato, onion, scallion and spinach to the pan, then bacon.  Cook on low until onion is translucent.
Beat eggs with sour cream and pepper, then add to baking pan, followed by veggie/bacon mixture, then top with cheese.  Bake for about 18 minutes or until cooked through.

Serves 4.

Cheese is good.

I LOVE cheese.  All kinds, in all forms.  Never met a cheese I didn't like.  There's never a bad time for cheese.  Cheese rocks.  And on the eighth day, God created cheese.

Get the picture?

Like a dummy, I forgot to take a picture of this before it was busted into, but it looked just like the one on the allrecipes site anyway.  This is delicious, and definitely one to remember when you need to bring an appetizer to a party or dinner.  It's super easy to transport and a real crowd pleaser.  The first time I made it was for a party at my sister's, and it was gone FAST...I definitely should have made two!  Tonight there was only 4 of us, so one was plenty. (but no way is it enough for 16 people, like the recipe suggests!)

I served it with these crackers...oh, and I only had it in the fridge for about 5 hours and it was just fine.

Gorgonzola & White Wine Cheese Ball
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts

• In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, Gorgonzola cheese, sharp Cheddar cheese and white wine. Form the mixture into a ball shape.
• On a piece of wax paper, spread the paprika and pistachio nuts. Roll the cheese ball in paprika and pistachios to coat.
• Wrap coated cheese ball in wax paper. Chill in the refrigerator 6 hours, or overnight, before serving.

Those are some big 'shrooms!

So how was everyone's holiday?  We are still exhausted, but since it just started snowing here (we're expecting over a foot of snow!) it gives us a good excuse to stay in and relax, as well as do some experimenting in the kitchen...we'll see how creative I get later.

As I mentioned before, our Christmas Eve celebration is meat-free, so in addition to all of the cookies I baked, I also made this for an appetizer.  I doubled the recipe (which is for 24) and made a few changes.

Check out how big these things were!  (they shrunk considerably in the oven, but were still a nice size)

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
adapted from everydaycook.com

2 dozen large fresh mushrooms (save half of the stems when cleaning them)
4 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 pound cooked crab meat
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons seasoned dried bread crumbs
3 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove stems from cleaned mushrooms; chop stems and sauté in half of the butter with garlic and onion.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Brush mushrooms with melted butter (use the rest of what's left). 


Mix together crab meat, eggs, mayo, bread crumbs, green onion (save some of the green part for later), lemon juice, salt and pepper; add to onion mixture and cook for 5 minutes. 


Fill mushrooms with mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and reserved green onion. Bake in buttered shallow glass casserole for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Chicken, again? Yes please!

I know I'm double posting, but as I said in my first post, I'm adding in recipes from dishes that I have pictures of already...kind of making up for lost time, I guess.

As soon as I found this picture I thought, I really have to make this again soon.  Easy enough, even when you have a busy day...and so delicious.  This wasn't something my Mom made a lot when we were growing up, (I'm sure not for any particular reason), but we eat a lot of chicken in our house and I'm always looking for different ways to prepare it.  Plus, I'm a big fan of Tyler's recipes.

I'm also hoping that my food photography skills improve as time goes by...some of these pictures are pretty sad!

Chicken Francese
from Tyler Florence


4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts 
flour, for dredging
salt and pepper
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, with rind, cut in thin rounds
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio (I used chardonnay)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I used salted since it was all I had)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, beat the eggs with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet.
• Dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden, turning once. Remove the chicken cutlets to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.
• Toss the lemon slices into the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the wine, broth, and lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. Roll the butter in some flour and add it to the skillet, this will thicken the sauce. Stir to incorporate and dissolve the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken to the pan; place the lemon slices on top of the cutlets. Simmer gently for 2 minutes to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Now THAT'S Italian! And Greek!

My mom came to this country when she was 7.  My Nonno, who was from Naples (Chianchetelle, to be exact...and no, you have no idea where that is), came ahead of his family to find a job and a place to live.  Shortly thereafter, Nana, who is Greek (from Athens), and her 4 children, who I know as Uncle Mike, Aunt Joan, Mom, and Uncle John, arrived in NJ (Aunt Maria was born a few years later).

My dad was born here, as were his parents.  His grandparents emigrated here from Italy early in the 20th century.  His family was primarily from the region of Sicily.

So, that makes me 75% Italian and 25% Greek.  100% Mediterranean.  Which means I should tan easily...but I don't.  It also means I should understand what good food really is...now THAT, I do.

There are so many dishes from both of these countries that remind me of family.  Dishes that appeared on the dinner table, like clockwork, every Sunday....every Christmas Eve...every Easter...

Dishes that I make and right away, the smell takes me back to my grandparents' small apartment in Weehawken that we ALL (and by ALL I mean 25 or so of us) would go to most weekends for "Sunday Dinner".  Nobody complained about the lack of space, the cigarette smoke, the on-street parking, or the traffic getting there.  It was all about two very important things...FOOD and FAMILY.

Can you pick me out of this crowd?  Not one of my finer moments, LOL.

Here are the two people responsible for the DiGiovanni Clan.  Gorgeous couple, no?

In the spirit of Sunday dinner, I'd like to share my bolognese sauce recipe.  I've tweaked this through the years.  This is one of Frank's favorites...then again, anything involving pasta is a favorite of his!  I sometimes double the recipe and freeze what's left over for future use.  This is also really good when used in lasagna with bechamel sauce (a post for another time).  

And by the way, our traditional Sunday meal (the first course) consisted of sauce made with meat - sausage, pork, braciole, etc. - not bolognese...but this is close enough, and all I have a picture of right now :)

Melissa's Bolognese Sauce

1/4 cup GOOD extra virgin olive oil

pinch of crushed red pepper

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped (you can also use baby carrots...I usually do since that's what's normally in my fridge)

1 large or 2 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

salt and pepper

1 T. fresh basil, chopped

1 pound ground beef (you can sub turkey, veal, pork, even lamb, or a combo of any of these)

1/2 cup dry white or red wine (maybe a bit more)

1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

fresh basil for garnish, optional

your favorite grated cheese (mine is Parmagiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano)

Put a dutch oven over medium-high heat and once it is hot, add oil and crushed red pepper.  When oil is hot, add celery, carrots, onion and garlic.  Season with a bit of salt and pepper.  Saute for approximately 6-7 minutes or until ingredients are fairly soft.  Add meat and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.  Pour in wine, lower heat to medium, and cook until the wine burns off, about 3 minutes.  Add tomatoes, more salt and pepper, and basil.  Cook on low heat until sauce thickens.  Top with fresh basil and cheese when serving.

WW Points+ = approximately 2 for 1/2 cup, using 95% lean ground beef