Mediterranean Thighs

4 chicken thighs
4-5 tbsp olive oil
juice & zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
sea salt
pepper

• Ahead of time, marinade chicken in above ingredients for 2 hours.
  
• Preheat oven to 350.
  
• On the stove, spray an oven safe pan with nonstick olive oil & heat on medium high.
• When pan is heated, add the chicken & saute for 4 minutes & then flip.
• Put oven safe pan in the oven for 8 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
• After meat is done, place on dish & let it rest.
• While meat is resting, pour remaining marinade into a small pan & bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes.
• Pour marinade over chicken.
• Serves 4.
• Goes great with Greek Orzo.
  

Greek Orzo

8oz Orzo
handful baby spinach
handful grape tomatoes
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small lemon, juiced
sea salt
cracked lemon pepper
oregano
feta cheese

• Cook orzo as direction say.
• Drain & rinse orzo.
• Mix orzo & rest of ingredients.'
• *I ate this warm, but I bet it tastes good cold as well.
• Serves 4.
• *Goes great with Mediterranean Thighs.
  

Pizzookies

chocolate chip cookie dough
vanilla ice cream
carmel syrup
chocolate syrup
ramekins

• Preheat oven to 350.
  
• Fill ramekins about 1/2 full of cookie dough.
• Bake for about 12-14 minutes.
• Let cool for about 5 minutes.
• Top with ice cream & syrups
  

Blintzes

*So easy & so tasty!

1 loaf of white bread
4 tbsp white sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet generously with Pam.
• Trim crusts of bread & roll the slices flat.
• In a small bowl combine sugar & cinnamon to make a mixture.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, milk & vanilla until smooth.
• Spread cream cheese mixture on slices of bread.
  
• Roll each slice up.
• Dip the rolls into melted butter & then in the cinnamon & sugar mixture.
• Place on pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes
• *Next time I'm going to add more vanilla.
  
• *I think these taste great by themselves, but if you want a topping....

Blueberry Sauce

2 tbsp butter
2 pints blueberries
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 lemon, juiced

• Combine everything in a pot over medium-high heat.
• Bring to low boil & stir gently until the berries break down & release their natural juices.
• The consistency should remain a bit chunky.
• It will thicken up when it cools down slightly.
  

Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

2 c white mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Chinese vinegar (I used Rice Vinegar)
2 tbsp soy sauce
8 crisp romaine lettuce leaves

• Wash lettuce & trim off ends. Set aside.
• Heat oil in pan on high.
  
• Add garlic & ginger & cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add mushrooms & cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add vinegar, soy sauce & salt.
  
• Cook until mushrooms are done.
• Add cilantro & cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
• Spoon mushroom mixture into lettuce.
• Serves 2-3.
• *I would cut the salt & soy sauce in half because it was a bit salty.
  

White Chili

5 c cooked chicken (I used an already cooked rotisserie chicken & cut the meat off)
3 (15oz) cans Great Northern Beans, drained
1 box (32oz) chicken broth
1 (16oz) jar mild salsa
1 (8oz) pkg Monterrey Jack cheese with peppers, cubed
2 tsp ground cumin
cheddar cheese, sour cream, jalapenos (Garnish)

• In a crock pot combine everything except Garnish.
• Cook on high for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Serves 10.

Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Cake

Cake
1/2 c cake flour (non self rising)
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 c sugar
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp peppermint extract

Filling
2 pints Peppermint Bark ice cream, softened

Glaze
1/2 c heavy cream
6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp dark corn syrup
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp peppermint extract

Garnish
dark chocolate shavings
sugar

• Cake- heat oven to 400.
  
• Line a 15.5 x 10.5 x 1 inch jelly roll pan with nonstick foil.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder & salt.
• Separate egg whites & yolks into 2 large bowls.
• Beat whites on medium-high until foamy.
  
• Gradually beat in 1/2 c sugar.
• Continue to beat on high just until stiff (not dry) peaks form.
• Using same beaters, beat yolks with the remaining 1/4 c sugar & extracts until thickened, about 3 minutes.
• On low speed, beat in flour mixture until blended.
• Stir in 1/4 of beaten egg whites mixture.
  
• Fold in remaining whites.
• Spread in prepared pan & smooth top.
• Bake 12 minutes or until top springs back when gently pressed.
• Let cool 2 minutes on wire rack.
• Dust a clean towel with sugar & invert cake onto towel.
• Remove pan & carefully peel off foil.
• Starting from the short end, roll up cake in towel & place seam side down on wire rack. Cool completely.
• Filling- unroll cake & spread evenly with ice cream.
• Roll up cake.
• Wrap tightly in nonstick foil & freeze, seam side down, overnight until firm.
• Glaze- In a small saucepan, heat cream, chocolate & corn syrup over low heat until chocolate is melted & glaze is shiny & smooth, 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in extracts.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Unwrap cake.
• Trim ends.
• place cake on a wire rack over waxed paper.
• Pour glaze along top of cake roll, spreading with spatula to cover sides.
• Garnish top of cake with chocolate shavings.
• Freeze cake until firm.
• Makes 10 servings.
• *Great for the holidays.
  

Hot Chocolate Shots

1.5 oz bittersweet chocolate
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
3/4 c nonfat milk, divided
1.5 c ice
nonfat whip cream
chocolate shavings

• Microwave 1.5 oz bittersweet chocolate for 1 minute.
• Whisk until melted.
• Whisk in 2 tbsp sugar & 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa.
• Let cool slightly.
• Whisk in 1/4 c nonfat milk.
• Puree chocolate mixture, 1/2 c nonfat milk & 1.5 c ice in a blender until frothy.
• Top with nonfat whip cream & chocolate shavings.
• Serves 4 shot glasses.
• Only 47 calories!
• *Great for a holiday party!
  

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork

2 lbs pork tenderloin
8 oz Coke
1 c brown sugar
8 oz bottle of salsa

• Place pork in a crock pot.
• Fill half way with water.
• Heat on Low for 4 hours.
• Drain water & cut pork into thirds.
• Add mixed ingredients (coke, brown sugar, salsa).
  
• Continue to heat on Low for 2 hours.
• Shred before eating.
  
• *Cook time varies. I think my crock pot cooks faster than others. Just keep an eye on it & adjust accordingly.
• Tastes AMAZING on a tortilla w/ pepper jack cheese.
• *Black Bean & Corn Salad works great with this dish.
• Serves 6.
  

Black Bean & Corn Salad

1 can sweet corn, drained & rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes, drained & rinsed
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 avocado, diced

• mix everything in a bowl EXCEPT avocado
• Refrigerate until ready to serve
• Add avocado before serving
• *This is great on it's own or as a topping for Cafe Rio Pulled Pork
• Serves 4