Baked-Eggplant Parmesan

I'm pretty sure the pictures alone can describe how delicious this recipes was...

I'm just going to let you sit here and look at those for a minute...

When I look back at all of the recipes I've made in the past, it seems like I make a lot of Italian-style dishes. At least this one didn't actually have a type of pasta in it! I was quite happy with this recipe. I can guarantee that I will make it again in the very near future! I'm starting to get on an eggplant kick lately. I've used it a few times in the past, but I can't remember when I've used it two weeks in a row like I have this time! It is hard to describe the flavor of eggplant, but it is really good, healthy, (inexpensive), and you can make it in so many different ways. Give it a chance! I know you'll like it!

Enjoy!

Baked-Eggplant Parmesan

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes  Yield: 8 servings

Olive oil, for baking sheets
2 large eggs
3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 large eggplants (2 1/2 pounds total), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
6 cups (48 ounces) store-bought chunky tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush 2 baking sheets with oil; set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.
2. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven; raise oven heat to 400°F.
3. Spread 2 cups sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in dish; cover with 2 cups sauce, then 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Braised Broccoli with Garlic and Wine

I have always really liked broccoli. When I was growing up, I have memories of my grandmother making me sit at the table until I ate all of my spinach (which I now love), but I never had a problem with broccoli. Of course, it wasn't hard to eat growing up when I had ranch dressing to dip it in (which I try not to do anymore as much as I can help it), but I have since learned to appreciate it for it's nutritional value just by itself and it also just tastes pretty good!

This was the first time I have ever braised broccoli. It was pretty tasty! I made it as a side dish to go along with a recipe that I've made several times in the past: Roasted Chicken with Herbs. ::drool:: I can't help but brag about how delicious the chicken was. If you haven't made that recipe yet, you need to plan to make it soon! It is so easy and SO DELICIOUS! The hardest part is having your home smell amazing for 2 hours while it roasts in the oven.

Anyways, back to the recipe in focus... this broccoli recipe had a terrific flavor to it. The flavor of the wine especially came though and paired very well with the flavor of the broccoli. A full glass of the same wine also paired very well with the whole meal! Haha!

If you need an easy, healthy side to fix with your next dinner, then look no further! Give this one a try!

(Side note: I did not use anchovies when I made this.)

How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food
Published by Macmillan Publishing in 1998.

Time: 30 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 anchovies, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
About 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, trimmed and cut up
1 cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Place the oil in a large, deep skillet that can later be covered and turn the heat to medium. Add the anchovies and the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the anchovies begin to break up and the garlic begins to color, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the wine and let it bubble away for a minute or two. Cover, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Uncover, return the heat to medium, and cook until most of the wine has evaporated and the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes more. Season to taste (you will not need much salt) and serve hot or at room temperature.

Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce

Mmmmm... this was pretty yummy. For as simple of a dish as it was, it had a great flavor to it! Surely something that the whole family would enjoy, and it's a great, quick weeknight meal to fix.

The recipe calls for shells, but I already had bowtie pasta on hand, so I decided to just use that instead. As I was adding the bowtie pasta to the boiling water, I realized I didn't have enough, so I also added a little spaghetti pasta as well. Hey, whatever works, right? I also didn't get any ricotta cheese (mostly because I didn't see any at the store), so instead of mixing any cheese in with everything, I sprinkled the top with a combination of the grated parmesan cheese and some shredded mozzarella cheese.

I was curious how tuna would taste with a traditional pasta and tomato sauce dish, but it turned out great! I thought the tuna added a nice dynamic to the dish. The tuna flavor definitely comes through though, so you need to like tuna to enjoy this.The recipes notes that, "Tuna packed in olive oil is highly recommended for this recipe. If all you have is tuna packed in water, you can try draining it and then adding olive oil to the can, and letting it soak in the olive oil in the fridge for several hours, but you will get the best results if you start with tuna packed in oil." 

I got tuna packed in water and added some olive oil and let it soak, and that worked out just fine. I didn't let it set for several hours, but for probably about 30 minutes and it still soaked in enough and added a nice flavor to everything. The recipe only calls for a 6-ounce can of tuna (for 6-8 servings), but I just didn't think that that sounded like enough. Besides, tuna is good for you! So, I decided to double that, and I recommend you do the same!

Enjoy!

Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes  Cook time: 35 minutes  Yield: 6-8 servings

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 28-oz can of tomatoes, whole or crushed

salt

1 lb pasta shells

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1 6-oz can tuna packed in olive oil

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn

a generous 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Melt the butter in a medium pot on medium heat and add the can of tomatoes, including the juice. If you are using whole canned tomatoes (or fresh ones) crush them with your fingers as you put them in the pot. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

2. Once the sauce is cooking, heat a large pot of well salted water to a strong boil. Add the shell pasta to the boiling water and cook at a vigorous boil, uncovered, until al dente, cooked through but still a bit firm to the bite, which is usually whatever the time specified on the pasta package minus about 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

3. Pour off the excess oil from the tuna can and stir the tuna into the tomato sauce. Add the ricotta cheese, and add salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Mix the sauce with the pasta in a large bowl. Mix in the basil.

4. Pour the pasta into a 2 to 3-quart casserole dish and top with the parmesan cheese. Put under a hot broiler for 4-6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Shrimp "Marinara" with Pasta or Rice

I know that I often repeat myself from post to post with words like "delicious" and "incredible", but I just can't help it! I love food, and on top of that, I love good food (and I kind of get pretty excited about things easily). So here it goes - this recipe was incredible! The combination of flavors was quite delicious! :-)

I don't have a lot of comments to make about this dish! It was very simple, straight forward... Just as I said last night - easy, healthy, and tasty - it doesn't get much better than that!


Shrimp "Marinara" with Pasta or Rice
How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food
Published by Macmillan Publishing in 1998.

Total time: 30 minutes  Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups cored and chopped canned or fresh tomatoes, with their liquid
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or marjoram leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 pound shrimp, in the 20 to 30 per pound range, peeled, rinsed, and dried

1. Heat the oil over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook, stirring once or twice, until golden, 3 or 4 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, raise the heat to medium-high, and let bubble, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add half the basil, the oregano, pepper, and salt. Stir and taste for seasoning. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer while you cook rice or pasta if you choose to do so.
3. When you're just about ready to eat, add the shrimp to the sauce; cook until the shrimp are firm and pink, about 5 minutes. Remove 3 or 4 shrimp from the sauce and set aside. Toss the sauce with pasta, or spoon it over rice; top with the remaining basil and the reserved shrimp, and serve.

Roasted Balsamic Vegetable Pasta with Mint & Yogurt

Wow, this one is a must try! What an incredible blend of flavors! I love roasted vegetables. The olive oil cooked right into them and that combined with the slightly charred flavor made for a pretty amazing addition to the meal!

The balsamic mixture that the vegetables and pasta were tossed in also added a lot to the meal. Everything just blended together so perfectly! I was hesitant about adding the yogurt, because I thought that seemed a little off, but that final addition really brought everything together. I've never had Greek yogurt before. It has a  different flavor to it than regular yogurt and went well with this dish.

This meal would be really good if you added chicken or sausage, but it was excellent as a vegetarian meal too! An easy, healthy, delicious dinner - you can't ask for more than that! Enjoy!

Roasted Balsamic Vegetable Pasta with Mint & Yogurt

Yield: 2-3 servings

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 small onion, cut into wedges
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 pound bowtie or other pasta
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup mint, chopped
Roasted red pepper flakes to taste
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt, or more to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper (you can also use foil, but be sure to spray foil with cooking spray before adding vegetables). Arrange cauliflower florets, eggplant cubes, onion slices, and tomato halves (cut side facing up) on baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, stir and shake up the vegetable pieces, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are browned and softened.
2. While vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta in salted water. Mix the balsamic, olive oil, mint, and red pepper flakes (if desired) with a fork until blended.
3. Combine roasted vegetables with pasta and toss with balsamic dressing. While hot, add yogurt and toss to coat evenly.

Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Breasts

I'm back! I have been craving to get back in the kitchen since I haven't cooked much at all over the past few weeks. My husband and I just moved this past weekend, so the few weeks leading up to it were pretty busy! But now we are just about settled in and I'm back in the kitchen! And what a fantastic recipe to fix to get back in the swing of things!

This recipe was so delicious! The combination of flavors was quite tasty! I took a picture of the chicken before and after I drizzled the sauce on top. I wish I had cut the chicken in half and gotten another picture of the stuffing inside the chicken, but once I started eating I just couldn't stop! Yum! The link posted below for the recipe shows some more pictures that you can check out.

I highly recommend this recipe. I know I will be making it again in the future, for sure! It took a little time to prepare everything before it went in the oven, but I think that now that I've made it once, it wouldn't take me as long next time. But just because it took a little time doesn't mean that it was difficult. It was a very easy recipe to make. Instead of getting chicken breast cutlets, I got regular chicken breasts and pounded them out to make them thin enough to roll up. After I rolled them up, I used 4 toothpicks per piece of chicken to hold everything together. That really helped a lot!

Enjoy!

Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Breasts

Yield: 5 servings

1/4 cup shredded 2% cheddar
4 wedges light Laughing Cow blue cheese
1/3 cup celery stalk, minced
1/4 cup green onion, minced
1/4 cup carrot, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
5 (3 oz each) thin boneless chicken breast cutlets
15 reduced fat Ritz Crackers, crushed into crumbs
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
6 tbsp Franks hot sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp light butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a baking dish with oil.
2. Mix cheddar, laughing cow cheese, celery, green onion, carrot, salt and pepper in a dish.
3. Lay out the chicken cutlets, placing even amount of mixture in the middle and spread in the center. Roll up each chicken cutlet.
4. In one bowl make a breading station out of crushed ritz crumbs. In another bowl combine mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of hot sauce, and lemon juice as a dredging mixture.
5. Roll chicken breasts in the mayonnaise mixture, then into cracker crumbs, and put on a lightly greased pan, seam side down.
6. Lightly spray top of chicken with coking spray. Bake 30 minutes. While the chicken cooks, melt butter and mix with the remaining hot sauce and garlic powder. Drizzle buffalo sauce over finished chicken breast and serve.

Gazpacho Chicken Salad

I actually made this over the weekend, but it has been a busy week and am just now getting around to posting about it! The night that I made this, we had had a really big lunch, so I was trying to think of something on the lighter side to fix for dinner. I was browsing through Punchfork when I came across this great recipe!

This was exactly what we were looking for! This had an excellent light feel and flavor to it, but the chicken added just enough substance to the meal. It was getting a little late in the evening when we started to fix dinner, so I decided to use a grill pan on the stove to cook the chicken instead of getting out the actual grill.

I decided to add some lettuce mix to everything to make it more of a salad. Everything mixed together tasted great and the dressing had a wonderful flavor to it! A very light, refreshing, summery meal! Enjoy!

Gazpacho Chicken Salad

Yield: 4-6 servings

4 chicken breast halves
Olive oil, salt and pepper for grilling
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 pints cherry tomatoes or 6 regular tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1. Brush chicken breasts lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill until cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side. Cool and shred into bite-sized pieces.
2. Make dressing by combining 3 tablespoons olive oil with lime zest, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Combine chicken, vegetables and parsley in large bowl. Pour dressing over all and toss well. Serve either chilled or at room temperature.