Thread: Count Down to Valentine's Recipes!

This is a heart healthy recipe AND it's one of my husband's favorites. I love to make it for him because it makes him happy. The kids enjoy it too (although one of them always has to put ketchup on hers)

Moroccan turkey burgers
Prep time 15min
Cooking time 10 min

Ingredients
Burgers

1 lb. ground turkey or chicken breast
¼ cup plain dry bread crumbs
½ cup skim milk
4 green onions, chopped
½ tsp each cinnamon, salt, paprika, ground cumin
¼ tsp pepper
2 tsp. vegetable oil

Salad

¼ cup plan nonfat yogurt
1 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp. salt
½ cucumber, diced
1 tomato, cored and diced
4 pita breads

1. Mix everything but oil for the burgers. Shape into 4 large, flat patties (or more smaller patties, which is what I do)
2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook burgers 4 to 5 minutes per side until cooked through.
3. While burgers are cooking, make salad. Stir together yogurt, mayo, garlic and salt. Toss with cucumber and tomato. Cut open pitas, place cooked burger in pita, and top each with ¼ of the salad. Makes 4 servings.

Gwen, I always love your recipes!

My DH always smiles when he walks in the house and smells this cooking...

Taco Soup!

1lb lean ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can corn, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
2 can tomato sauce
2 packets of low sodium taco seasoning
White Corn Chips

1. In a large soup pot, brown the turkey and onions and garlic together.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients cover completely with water plus 4 cups. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium- low, cover, and let simmer for 30minutes -1 hr.
4. Serve over one serving of chips, and top with 1/8 cup 2% shredded cheese.

Note: Toppings can also include sour cream, black olives, shredded lettuce, or salsa but you would have to add those calories in.

454 calories per serving

Company Chicken:

4 - 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
1/4 cheddar cheese
1/4 bread crumbs
2 - 3 tablespoons butter

Melt butter in a bowl
Combine cheeses and breadcrumbs in one bowl
Butterwash chicken breasts
Dip chicken breasts in breadcrumb / cheese mixture - cover entire breast
Put coated chicken breasts in glass baking dish

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Put chicken in oven for 35 mins (breast size will change cooking time)

Serve with veggies, potatos and rolls - perfect meal! Sooo good!

Penne w/Chicken, Peas & Peppers fficeffice" />>>

>> 7 POINTS per serving>> >> Ingredients: >> 2-1/2 cups wheat penne 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed 1 Tbs. olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1/4 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated Instructions: Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling water 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside. Combine stock and 1/2 cup peas in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Set aside. Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sauté garlic 30 seconds. Add bell pepper and chicken and sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until chicken is cooked throughout. Add pea purée, whole peas and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Stir in pasta and bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes, or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Stir in cheese and toss well before serving.>> Yield: 4 servings 7 POINTS per serving >> Nutritional Information: Per serving: calories 373, fat 6.3g, 16% calories from fat, cholesterol 52mg, protein 30.3g, carbohydrates 46.6g, fiber 3.7g, sugar 4.6g, sodium 236mg>>

Here is a recipe that DH made for us last weekend. It was so yummy!!

It is made in the crock-pot: Cantonese Dinner (tastes like sweet and sour pork)

1.5 pounds pork shoulder steak-cut into 1/2 inch thick srips
1 Tbsp oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 small green pepper, cut in strips
1 4 oz can mushrooms, drained
1 8oz can tomato sauce
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1.5 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3 Cups hot, cooked rice

In a skillet, brown pork strips in oil and drain on paper towels. Put port and all remaining ingredients, except rice in Crock-Pot. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4 hours. Serve over rice.

I would definitely suggest doubling the recipe personally. It barely fed all six of us. ENJOY!!

Muffins - My very picky DD loves these

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unpacked brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 egg whites (I used 1 whole egg)
1/4 cup pureed canned peaches (without juice, in blender) - I used 1/4 cup cinnamon apple sauce
1/4 cup butter, melted (or reduced fat margarine)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chip or mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 F

Pour boiling water over oats in a med bowl, stir and let sit for 20 min.

Combine flour and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix egg, pureed peaches, butter and vanilla. Beat with whisk until well mixed. Add misture to oats and stir until smooth (is thick to start.. take a couple minutes to combine). Stir in dry ingredients then Fold in chocolate chips.

Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray and bake for 25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

I got 12 normal sized muffins and 12 mini muffins out of this though..

Oh and I never use the full amount of sugar in recipes.. and I did use organic flour which is at all grocery stores now and I am loving the lightness to it compared to normal flour..

This is Heart Healthy and also a Husband Favorite. This is from memory so I can't be sure of how long to cook. But it does take less then 45 min. to make the whole dinner.

Salmon Steaks with Salsa

Ingredients
Two Large Salmon Steaks or Fillets (I use the fillets with the skin on one side)
Two large tomatoes
Half cup of fresh cut cilantro or the tubes you can buy of pre cut (I use the tubes)
Two table spoons of Lemon Pepper
Two table spoons of minced garlic (I use the kind that is finely chopped, not paste)
Two table spoons of cooking oil (any kind works)

Directions
Mix lemon pepper and garlic in a small dish and spread onto salmon. Set aside.
Chop tomatoes into small pieces and mix with cilantro. Set aside.
Put oil into a pan and heat.
Cook salmon steaks until almost done.
Add tomatoes and cilantro mixture and finish cooking (should cook this way for about ten min to have hot tomatoes).

Serve with choice of sides. (rice is great because you can mix the left over salsa with it).

Butter Chicken

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup crushed buttery round cracker crumbs

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

ground black pepper to taste

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Place eggs and cracker crumbs in two separate shallow bowls. Mix cracker crumbs with garlic salt and pepper. Dip chicken in the eggs, then dredge in the crumb mixture to coat.
3. Arrange coated chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place pieces of butter around the chicken.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

PS... I love that Taco Soup recipe its a favorite around here!!!

Creamy Chicken Alfredo

1/4 C Flour
4-6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
2 T + 1tsp Olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T minced onion
1 1/2 C whipping cream
1/3 C grated parmesean
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 T chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with salt and then coat with the flour. Heat 2 T olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook turning once until golden brown on each side. (about 2-4 minutes on each side). Remove chicken and place in 13X9 baking dish

Heat remaining olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and saute until garlic is fragrant and onions are tender. Increase to med-high heat and add whipping cream, parmesean and pepper. Cook unitl sauce is bubbling and starts to thicken. Spoon over the chicken in the baking dish.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley.

While chicken is baking:
Cook rotini pasta (enough for how ever many people you are serving) according to package directions.

Plate chicken with pasta. Goes great with peas and carrots as a side and some dry red wine!

Family favorite dessert! Sometimes I use strawberries in place of raspberries.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

* 1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
* 3 tablespoons white sugar
* 1/4 cup butter, melted
* 1 (10 ounce) package raspberries
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 cups white chocolate chips
* 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
* 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.