Chicken and Shrimp Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Rice bran oil (my preference for sautéing, not a must have)
• 1 yellow and 1 orange pepper (finely chopped) 
• 2 red and 2 green peppers for stuffing (tops off and pitted) 
• 1 yellow onion, chopped 
• 2 lb. of thin sliced chicken breast
• 2 lbs. of jumbo shrimp 
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups of cooked brown rice
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce 
• 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• Mozzarella cheese for topping

Instructions:

• In a saute pan (I used a wok) over high heat, add the rice bran oil (or olive oil if you don’t have it).
• Once heated add the peppers, onions, shrimp, chicken and rice.
•  When all cooked through, remove from heat.
• Add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bread crumbs and hot sauce stir until melted.
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  oil pan.
  rub peppers (inside and out) with olive oil.
• Stuff peppers with the mixture, top with mozzarella cheese and bake for 15 minutes

Tilapia Taco's with Chipotle Cream Sauce

Ingredients

Tilapia:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound white flaky fish fillet, like tilapia or halibut

Chipotle Cream Sauce:

• 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons chipotle pepper, in adobo sauce

Fixings:

• small soft corn tortillas 
• shredded lettuce 
• 1 can of sweet yellow corn kernels, drained well & heated.
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Peach-Pineapple Salsa

Directions

• In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.
• Pour over the fish fillets and let marinate for 20 minutes.
• Put the yogurt into a strainer lined with a paper towel and place over a bowl to drain and thicken for 20 minutes. 
• Remove the fish from the marinade and grill in pre-heated pan with olive oil over a medium-high heat until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
• Set the fish aside on a plate for 5 minutes. 
• In a small bowl combine the thickened yogurt, mayonnaise, and chipotle pepper. 
• Heat the tortillas according to package directions (I used the microwave way, less oil use).
• Break fish apart with your hands or a fork.
• Top each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of the chipotle cream. Top with fish, lettuce, corn, and cheese and serve with salsa on top or on the side.  

 

Pan Seared Chicken Breast over Whole Wheat Pasta & Spinach

Pasta:

Ingredients:

• ·        Salt
• ·        1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• ·        1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• ·        5 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• ·        1 pound whole wheat pasta (I used linguine)
• ·        1/2 cup shredded basil leaves
• ·        ground black pepper
• ·        3/4 pound fresh salted mozzarella, sliced or cubed
• ·        1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• ·        Put a large pot of salted water on for the pasta.
• ·        Meanwhile, prepare your sauce. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil.
• ·        Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute or less.
• ·        Add the tomatoes and cook them for 3 to 5 minutes, just until they begin to release some of their juice.
• ·        Cook the pasta in the pot of salted boiling water for 12 to 13 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta.
• ·        Add the pasta and basil to the pan with the tomatoes and toss.
• ·        Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• ·        Add Mozzarella and Parmesan and let sit for 3 min before putting on the plate.

Pan Seared Chicken

Ingredients:

• ·        olive oil
• ·        two boneless, skinless chicken breasts;
• ·        salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper

Directions:

• ·        Pour enough olive oil into the frying pan to generously coat the bottom.
• ·        Heat on the stove top over medium heat until the oil shimmers, about three to four minutes.
• ·        While the oil heats up, generously season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cayenne pepper.
• ·        Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan
• ·        After about six to seven minutes, flip the chicken. (If the chicken sticks to the pan, it’s not ready to be flipped yet. Wait about one more minute and then it should release, but don’t force it.)
• ·        Cook the second side for about six to seven minutes, remove from pan, drain on paper towel for a min

Spinach and Mushrooms:

• Saute spinach and mushrooms separately in olive oil, drain and set aside.

Plate dish as its pictured: pasta on the bottom, spinach next, then chicken and top with mushrooms. Can also add some more Parmesan cheese to the top.

Homemade Spinach Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for baking dish
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds spinach, cleaned, trimmed, and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 6 ounces reduced-fat bar cream cheese
• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 3 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

 
Directions
 

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium.
• Add onion and garlic; cook until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add spinach in two additions, letting the first batch wilt before adding the next; cook until completely wilted, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Transfer to a colander; drain, pressing to release all excess liquid.
• In the same pot, warm milk over high heat.
• Whisk in cream cheese until melted, about 3 minutes.
• Add spinach, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and 1/4 cup mozzarella; stir to combine.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour into a lightly oiled pan (I use a 9 or 10 inch round pie pan); sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
• Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. 

 

Seafood in Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce over Penne Noodles

Ingredients:
1. 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat, picked for shells
2. 1 pound of extra-large shrimp, peeled (you can buy any size)
3. 2 medium sized, boneless skinless chicken breasts
4. ½ box of mini penne noodles
5. 2 cups of heavy whipping cream
6. 1 cup of milk
7. 8 oz. of cream cheese, softened
8. ¼ stick of butter
9. 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
10. 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
11. 3 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese
12. Salt, pepper, garlic powder, old bay, paprika.
13. ½ cup chopped green onions
14. Olive oil 

Instructions:
1. Prepare ½ box of mini penne noodles according to package instructions. Drain, toss in olive oil and set aside.
2. Season chicken breasts with above seasoning. Heat olive oil in frying pan. Cook chicken on low until cooked completely, turning twice. About 10 min on each side.
3. Remove chicken from pan, slice into strips and set aside.
4. In the same pan, add shrimp, crab meat, lemon juice and garlic. Cover and cook until shrimp are completely pink, stirring often. Then remove from heat.(Do not overcook or shrimp will be rubbery.)
5. In a separate large sauce pan (I used a wok or you can use a pot if you don’t have a large sauce pan), heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in pan on LOW. Add cream cheese. Stir until completely melted.
6. Once cream cheese is completely melted, whisk in heavy cream slowly, followed by milk and butter. Whisk until completely smooth. Season with old bay, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
7. Add shredded parmesan cheese and stir until completely melted and smooth.
8. Add shrimp and crabmeat mixture with a slotted spoon. (You don’t want the excess juice in the cream sauce).
9. Add chicken and green onions.
10. Heat stirring often until everything is heated through.
11. Serve over mini penne noodles.
12. Enjoy! 

Homemade Baked Buffalo Wings

Ingredients:

•      1 pack of party wings (about 17 pieces), fully thawed
•       2 cups of all-purpose flour
•         1 cup of butter
•        3 cups of your favorite hot sauce (I use Crystal or Franks Red Hot)
•       Vegetable oil
• ·        Garlic powder
• ·        Black pepper
• ·        Paprika
• ·        Cayenne Pepper
• ·        Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• ·        Sriracha Sauce (optional)

Instructions:

• ·        Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• ·        Line cookie with foil and grease well with vegetable oil
• ·        Put flour in large freezer bag, add garlic powder, black pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper. (Add as much cayenne pepper as you like to make hotter.)
• ·        Add chicken to bag and shake well to coat.
• ·        Place wings on prepared cookie sheet. Bake uncovered for 40 min.
• ·        After wings have been in the oven for about 30 min, start to prepare sauce.
• ·        Melt butter in a small pot. After butter is melted you may add about ¼ cup of pre-seasoned flour for thicker sauce, mix well. You may also add about 3 squirts of the Sriracha Sauce. (both optional)
• ·        Add hot sauce to pot. Let sauce simmer while wings finish baking.
• ·        Remove wings and turn oven up to 450.
• ·        One by one, dip wings in prepared sauce and place back on cookie sheet. When finished, ladle more sauce on top of the wings. Sprinkle with more cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper flakes for added heat.
• ·        Place back in oven and bake for 15-20 more min.
• ·        Serve with celery and ranch or blue cheese dressing.