Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon & balsamic glaze

From the Health Partners "Yum Power" Cook book

Serves 8

2 lbs med Brussels sprouts

3 Tbsp olive oil

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

4 slices uncooked thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 C balsamic vinegar

Place rack in the middle of the oven & preheat the oven to 450*.

Using a small, sharp knife, trim the ends from the Brussels sprouts. Tear off the loose outer layer of leaves and cut in half. Place the sprouts in a baking dish. Drizzle with oil & season with salt & pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the bacon over the top of the sprouts and roast for 25 minutes, stirring the vegetables halfway through baking.

After baking for 25 minutes, add the balsamic vinegar and stir to mix the flavors. Roast for another 5 minutes until the sprouts are browned and tender and the bacon cooked.

Cheddar & Cauliflower Soup

From The Mom 100 Cookbook

Super yummy. It's like a creamy potato soup - but no carbs! Save the carbs for some crusty bread on the side. Delish!

1 tbsp kosher or coarse salt, plus more to taste
1 large head cauliflower (2 lbs or so), cored and cut into 1" pieces
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp dried thyme, OR 1 big pinch of ground nutmet
4 C low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne, or a few shakes of Tabasco sauce, or 1 squirt of Sriracha sauce (all optional)
1 C heavy (whipping) cream or whole milk, or a combination of the two
1 1/2 C (6oz) grated sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Pour water to a depth of 1 inch into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp of salt and the cauliflower, cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-high and let simmer until the cauliflower is tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and set it aside.

Melt the butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic starts to turn golden and becomes fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and thyme or nutmet and cook, whisking, until the flour starts to color, about 3 minutes.

Gradually whisk in the broth, mustard and whatever spicy ingredient you may be using, if you are using one at all. Let come to a simmer and cook until the liquid thickens slightly, about 5 minutes, then stir in the cooked cauliflower.

At this point you can transfer the soup to a blender or food processor, and puree it, or better yet, use an immersion blender to puree it right in the pot until smooth. Make the soup as smooth or chunky as you like.

Return the soup to the pot if necessary and reheat it over medium-high heat. Add the cream or milk and cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and everything is hot, about 3 minutes. Don't let the soup come to a boil or it might separate. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt as necessary and black pepper to taste.

**I used nutmeg & just a teeny bit of cayenne. This was a hit with everyone in my family! Dahlia said I could "write that one down." :)

Chickpea Poppers

From The Mom 100 Cookbook

These are yummy. The cookbook compares them to chips. And hey, that's fine for me! A great, pretty dang healthy snack. I'm very happy to have discovered this recipe!

Nonstick Cooking spray
2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, rinsed & drained
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp kosher or coarse salt, or more to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375*. LIghtly spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Pat the chickpeas dry with a clean dish towel or a few paper towels.  Toss the chickpeas on the baking sheet with the olive oil & salt.

4. Bake the chickpeas until they have turned golden brown and shrink slightly, 35 to 40 minutes. They will harden slightly & crisp up as they cool, so do not overbake them or they will get too tough and hard. Taste for seasoning adding more salt as necessary. Serve the chickpeas warm or at room temperature.

Other suggestions for seasoning. Each of the following is good for one 15oz can of chickpeas. So either double or make one of each!

* a mixture of 1/4 tsp chili powder and 1/4 tsp ground cumin

* a mixture of 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary and 1/2 tsp finely minced garlic


YUM!

Thelma's Oven-Fried Lemon Chicken

from Hollyhocks & Radishes

3 Chicken breasts - halved
1/2 C lemon juice
1/2 C olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1-2 tsp Italian mixed herbs
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place chicken in a shallow, glass baking dish. In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken, coating well. Cover and refrigerate overnight or a minimum of 6 hours turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 325*. Bake chicken in same dish, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes, periodically basting with marinade.

Thelma liked serving this with barley cooked in chicken broth, broccoli florets tossed in lemon butter and "Baked Tomatoes in Cream"

Taco Seasoning

From Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
4 tbsp. chili powder
3 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. paprika
3 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix well to blend.  Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
To prepare taco meat, use 2 heaping tablespoons in place of a package of taco seasoning (cook approximately 1 lb. of beef or chicken, add 1 cup of water with the seasoning, and simmer until the liquid is almost completely gone.)

Springtime Ham & Egg Bake

6 eggs*

3/4 cup  all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 container (8 ounces) sour cream

3/4 cup milk

2 cups cubed fully cooked ham (12 ounces)

1 cup chopped roma (plum) tomato, (3 medium)

2 cups shredded Cheddar, Monterey Jack and American cheese blend (8 ounces)

1/2 cup chopped fresh chives or 1 1/2 teaspoons freeze-dried chives

Additional roma (plum) tomato, thinly sliced, if desired

Additional chives, if desired 

 

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray rectangular baking dish, 11x7x1 1/2 inches, with cooking spray.
• 2 Beat eggs, flour, mustard, seasoned salt, baking powder, sour cream and milk in large bowl with wire whisk until blended. Fold in ham, chopped tomatoes, cheese and chives. Pour evenly into baking dish.
• 3 Bake uncovered 50 to 60 minutes or until mixture is set and top is lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Garnish with tomato slices and chives.

*I used a total of 10 eggs (left everything else the same) to make this a more hearty serving. I also used a standard 8X13 cake pan. It was yummy. I would love to make it again with mushrooms & peppers!

Turkey Burgers

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey defrosted
1 tsp. dry parsley flakes
1 tsp. dehydrated onion flakes
1 tsp. garlic salt
Dash of pepper


Mix it all up. Make patties. Grill or broil. About 5 minutes on the George Foreman Grill. 


Yum!