Sausage Zucchini Pizza

Pizza night! Tonight's conquest: sausage and zucchini, a delicious combo! Might be even better with some caramelized onions on top!

Sausage Zucchini Pizza

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup cooked turkey sausage
1/2 to 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
about a dozen basil leaves, chopped
1 pre-made pizza crust (we like the Boboli whole weat thin crust)
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven according to crust instructions.
2. Mix zucchini, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper in small boil. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and drain any extra fluid
3. Spread 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on pizza crust. Add zucchini and sausage. Top with cheese.
4. Bake for about 10 minutes (or according to crust instructions). After baking, top with basil. Serve

AEM

Salsa Chicken and Zucchini Cakes

The dreaded dinner time strikes again! What to make, what to make?! So many choices yet it seems like there's nothing to make. I know! Zucchini cakes! Although Mike will never go for just that...what else, what else? Chicken! and Mashed potatoes! The chicken sauce and zucchini cake recipes are below, you're on you own for mashed potatoes!

Salsa Chicken

2 chicken breasts
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Prepare chicken to your liking. I baked it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
2. Add garlic to small pan and cook on medium for about a minute. Add salsa, orange juice, and brown sugar. Heat to a boil.
3. Reduce heat, add chicken. Cook on low until sauce thickens slightly.
4. Place chicken on plate (or in my case potatoes and zucchini cakes) and add sauce on top.


Zucchini Cakes

1 large zucchini grated, excess water removed (put grated zucchini into paper towel and squeeeeeeeze out water)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup panko bread crumbs
sprinkle of nutmet
1 clove minced garlic
1 egg
salt and pepper
olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil. Form patties.
2. Coat bottom of pan in olive oil and heat to medium. Add zucchini patties and cook until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Original Zucchini Recipe: http://www.lifesambrosia.com/2009/02/zucchini-cakes-recipe.html


AEM

Chocolate Chip Cookies & Brownie Cups

As a thank you for someone and a gift for someone else I decided to whip up some heavy-chocolate treats. One just didn't seem like enough with all of the delightful recipes so I turned a classic Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and a Brownie Cup recipe into reduced fat deliciousness. The cookies were very light and fluffy, almost cake-light and the brownies were flat-out dreamy!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup applesauce
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat over to 375 degrees.
2. Mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda in medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat sugar, vanilla, butter, applesauce, and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Slowly add flour mixture, beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from tray and cool on wire rack. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Brownie Cups

48 Hershey Kisses (Meltaway)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon water
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar

1. Unwrap kisses and place in freezer.
2. Beat butter, applesauce, sugar, water, vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and beat well.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda. Slowly add to sugar/butter mixture, beating on low until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to roll into balls.
4. Heat over to 350 degrees. Line mini-muffin tray with paper/foil baking cups or spray with cooking spray. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place in muffin cups.
5. Bake 11-13 minutes or until cookie surface is set. Cookies will appear soft and moist. Do NOT overbake. Cool 5 minutes on wire rack, dust tops with powdered sugar. Press frozen kisses into each brownie. Cool IN PAN on wire rack and remove when cool. Makes 4 dozen.

Original Cookie Recipe: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=5014&name=HERSHEY%27S-%22Perfectly-Chocolate%22-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies

Original Brownie Recipe: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=8608&name=Chocolate-Meltaway-Brownie-Bites


AEM

Thai Peanut Chicken and Pasta

Sometimes I have days where I'm just sick of every single thing I normally make for dinner. I can sit for hours and try to think of something for dinner and every idea I come up with annoys me for one reason or another. So today, I tried something new. I cheated a little but ended up with something awesome that was SUPER easy and very delicious. We'll definitely be making this one again soon. Here's how it went down.

Peanut Chicken and Pasta

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (I used some leftovers)

Veggies of your choice (I used some frozen green beans and carrots)

1 lb spaghetti (I only used 1/2 a box)

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes for some heat

sesame seeds for garnish

1. Cook and cube your chicken if you're not using leftovers. About 20 minutes at 400 degrees should do the trick. 

2. Prepare the veggies you are planning on using (I just microwaved mine for a few minutes)

3. Boil water and cook pasta. Set Aside. Trust me, do this before the sauce because the sauce doesn't take long. 

4. Add peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce, water, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes into a small sauce pan. On medium heat, whisk just until it begins to boil, remove from heat. 

5. Add some sauce to coat the chicken and veggies. Use the rest to toss with the pasta. Put pasta in a boil, add the chicken/veggies on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Original Recipe: http://southerncookinglight.com/2012/04/02/thai-noodles-with-peanut-sauce/

AEM

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula

This is another stolen recipe - this was totally Liz's idea and I had to steal it because it looked too good to pass up and boy was I right! It was almost like eating dessert for dinner yet had all of the food groups and was relatively healthy the way I made it.

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula


1 Pizza Crust (I used Boboli thin whole wheat)
4-6 Tablespoons Fig Jam
1/2 - 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (I used Kraft 2% Milk Mozz)
3 pieces of thinly sliced Prosciutto
1 cup Arugula

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (or as crust instructs).
2. Spread fig jam on crust and top with mozzarella cheese.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.
4. Remove form oven and top with prosciutto and arugula. Slice and serve.

Original Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/fig-prosciutto-pizza-with-arugula-recipe/index.html


AEM

Turkey Burgers with Brie and Apple

This was entirely not my idea, this was a real winner courtesy of Alison. While doing our daily "what the heck are we going to have for dinner" routine, she stumbled upon this amazing recipe and I think it forever changed our burger lives. I mentioned adding in some sweet potato fries and she suggested an avocado dip so here's what happened...

Turkey Burgers with Brie and Apple

1lb Ground Turkey
4 teaspoons Brie
1 Granny Smith Apple
salt & pepper
olive oil
Arugula
Buns

1. Create 4 patties with the ground turkey. Pull off a pinch of each burger. In the center of each, create a little indentation and add 1 teaspoon cheese. Create a little meat pancake with extra pinch, place on top of cheese and pinch/pat down to encase the cheese in the burger. Sprinkle each side of burger with salt and pepper. Grill on high until cooked through.

2. In the meantime, cut apple into 1/4 inch slices, brush with olive oil, and grill for about 2 minutes on each side.

3. Place burger on bun and top with apple and arugula.



Sweet Potato Fries with Avocado Dipping Sauce

2 medium sweet potatoes
seasoning (I use onion flakes, garlic powder, sea salt)
olive oil
1 Avocado
1 Laughing Cow Light Swiss Wedge
1 Tablespoon light mayo
2 teaspoons lime juice
salt & pepper

1. Cut potatoes into fry-sized wedges. Toss with seasoning and about 2TB olive oil. Put in single layer onto cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 450 degrees, turning occasionally until done, probably about 30 minutes.

2. Mix avocado, cheese, mayo, lime juice, salt and pepper until smooth.

Original Recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/turkey-burgers-filled-with-brie-and-grilled-granny-smith-apples-recipe/index.html


AEM

Linguine with Sausage and Smashed Peas

Well as usual, I needed something to make for dinner so I turned to the Food Network for some inspiration. I stumbled upon a Giada recipe that looked promising. I made a few minor tweaks and it was very tasty!

Linguine with Sausage and Smashed Peas

1lb linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1lb turkey sausage
1lb frozen peas, thawed
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 bunch fresh basil chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes if dry or according to package directions if fresh. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet heat the olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat and add the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage into bite-sized bits. When the sausage has browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. 

3. Add the peas to the pan and, using the back of the wooden spoon, smash the peas. Turn off the heat. 

4. Add the ricotta cheese along with the cooked pasta and toss to coat, adding the pasta cooking water in 1/4 cup additions, if needed, to make the pasta moist. Return the sausage to the pan. Add the basil and salt. Toss gently to coat, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Original Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/tagliatelle-with-smashed-peas-sausage-and-ricotta-cheese-recipe/index.html


AEM