Potomac point Vineyard & Winery

So, with the title "Love, Love, and the Pursuit of Wine", you would think that I would talk more about wine. I recently upated the name to "Life, Love and the Pursuit of Food and Wine" because I think it's more fitting.

Cellar Tours, wine tastings and visiting a beautiful vineyard is not an unusual weekend for Lucas and I. Being in Northern, VA, we are so close to over 139 Wineries and Vineyards in the state of Virginia. While we have not been to them all, we have visited a lot of them, and tried numerous virginia wines at different festivals.

Lucas and I went to Williamsburg for our 1 year anniversary this past weekend. We visited 4 wineries while we were down there (James River Cellars, New Kent Winery, Williamsburg Winery and we went back to Potomac Point for the Second time on our way home). Potomac Point is in Stafford, VA (not too far outside of Richmond). We have been there before, and love everything from the site and landscaping, the little store, the event space, the cellars and the staff. They are also known for doing weddings and even allowing visitors to crush the grapes I-Love-Lucy style! They are located about 40 miles South of Washington DC and have a cafe that offers lunch on site.

The first time we went to Potomac Point, we only tried their Classic wines. This past weekend, we tried their Reserve wines as well. I wanted to share with you some of the great wines they have to offer. I highly suggest you visit - they have some other wines I haven't mentioned below (like the port, the dessert white wine, and some others).

Starting with the Whites:

• Chardonnay 2009
• This is a very dry white wine that is a 100% Chardonnay. It's aged and fermented in stainless steel and is very crisp and refreshing (especially for a hot day). It has the aroma and the flavos of pear in the bouquet and is best served with lighter foods (like fish).
• Chardonnay Reserve 2009
• This wine differs from the Classic Chardonnay. This is also 100% chardonnay, but is aged and fermented in French Oak Barrels instead of the stainless steel (giving it a more creamy flavour). This is also a dry wine, and is full-bodied. This is best paired with any cream-style sauces or enjoyed just sipping by itself.
• Lucas and I liked this one better and enjoyed a bottle at home. This was our favorite of the whites. we tend to like the drier wines, and a good Chardonnay is usually the type of white wine we tend to gravitate to.
• Viognier Reserve 2009
• The Viognier grape is the VA state grape. It grows really well in France, and grows really well in the Virginia climate. This is a very dry wine and is aged in stainless steel. The tropical fruit flavors with a hint of citrus and passion fruit make this a very refreshing and tasty white wine.
• La Belle Vie White 2009
• This wine is a meritage of 4 white grapes - Vidal, Traminette, Chardonnay and Viognier (the VA state grape). It's aged in Stainless Steel and offers a refreshing citrus flavor. It is a bit sweet (1.6% residual sugar). It is a riesling-style wine, but there is no riseling grape in the wine.
• Neither Lucas nor I are huge fans of sweeter wines, so this one wasn't our favorite. For those who like a slightly sweeter wine, this is the way to go.

On to the Reds:

• Abbinato 2010
• Red Wine.The literal meaning of the term abbinato is "gathering" of itialian or european grapes in a chianti style wine. This wine is 50% Sangiovese (san-gee-oh-vay-see) and is ages in neutral and french oak. It's a lighter wine, and easily paired with an italian meal (pizza, tomato-based dishes, or even barbequed chicken.)
• Cabernet Franc 2009
• Cab Franc traditionally grows better in VA than any other state in the US. 85% of this wine is Cabernet France, and 10% is Tannat, 5% Merlot. . This wine is aged in French oak and is a dry wine. You can really taste the blueberry and strawberry flavors of this wine, with a peppery finish. This wine is spicy and fruity.
• This one pairs well with Chocolate. If you sip the wine before having chocolate, you will taste a very spicy quality to the wine. If you have a piece of chocolate, let it melt in your mouth, and then sip the wine, more of the fruity accents will be noticed.
• Custom Label Red
• The bottle to this wine has no label on it - this is used for weddings and special events where they can create a custom label.
• This is 50% Merlot, 25% Cab Franc and 25% Cab Sav. This is aged in French Oak as well and is dry in nature. This is a Bordeux-style blend (also called a claret). This is very easy and drinkable, with the ripe red fruit flavors (you can especially pull out the raspberry notes).
• We wanted to buy a bottle of this, but for some reason they don't just sell it by the bottle.
• Heritage 2008 (Reserve)
• This wine takes the longest for the winery to make. It ages for 1 year in the Frenk Oak Barrel, and then another year in the bottle.
•  This is Potomac Points signature Bordeaux-Style wine. (A bordeaux style is made up of 6 traditional grapes that grow in the Bordeux region of France: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenere. It can be composed of 2 or all 6 to be considered a bordeux. In Britian, they call this a Claret. This is similiar to a Meritage, however, a meritage can contain any grape, not necessarily just these 6.)
• The heritgae is composed of 47% merlot, 25.5% Cab Franc, 19% Cab Sauv., and 8.5% Petit Verdot. This is also a Dry wine with aromas of mocha and cherries. This is a full-bodied wine with a smooth palate and a peppercorn finish.
• This is another favorite of ours. Lucas and I often gravitate towards a bordeux or a meritage style of red wine.
• Petit Verdot 2008 (Reserve)
• Aged in American and French oak, this is the heaviest bodied wine that the winery produces. It's rich and deep color pairs with the smokey palat and accents of black surrent. This is best paired with robust meats and cheeses (red meats and strong flavored cheese).
• Norton 2009
• This wine is different because Potomac Point crushes the grapes in the beginning of the fermentation cycle. This is aged in Amercian and French Oak barrels and is made up of 80% Norton grapes (a native VA grape).
• This is a medium-bodied red and is very dry with a deep color and a strong finish.

Here are a few pictures from our visits:

Quick and Easy Mexican Chicken

I was trying to think of something to make last night with the items that I already had in my apartment (I did NOT feel like going to the grocery store in the rain, OR coming back home from a weekend away to anything that was spoiled). I thought of a recipe that my mom made when we were little for Mexican Chicken. I wasn't sure of her exact recipe, so I used my friend google for a little help. This is what I came up with. I took some ideas from a bunch of different places and made it my own...definitely feel free to do the same!  I used reduced fat cheddar cheese, however you can use regular cheddar OR a four-cheese or mexican blend shredded cheese.

Quick and Easy Mexican Chicken

(Serves 4)

What you will Need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups salsa (to your preference) - I used a medium heat salsa.
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese (to your preference)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pinch ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 pinch ground cumin (or to taste)
• 1 pinch chili powder (you can sub a chipotle powder such as Mrs. Dash if you'd like - it will still give it that little kick.)

What to Do:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat greased skillet to medium heat. Rub chicken pieces with garlic, pepper, cumin and chili powder to taste and add chicken to the hot skillet.
3. Cook until brown on each side (no longer pink). - This will take 5-10 mintes.
4. Transfer the chicken to a 9x13 inch baking dish and top with the salsa and cheese. Bake chicken for 15-20 minutes (until the cheese is bubbly and just starts to brown).

Serve over rice (I used brown rice) - Enjoy!

Approx Calories: 186 per serving (rice not included).

Cranberry Apple Pie

It's been getting a little bit chillier these past few days, thus sparking my excitement for fall. This is my absolute favorite time of the year (fall, that is). I love everything about the weather, the holidays, the clothes, the food...I just love fall.

I know it's still a little early for Thanksgiving, but I wanted to share with you a recipe that I made last year for the Thanksgiving Holiday at my parent's house. It's a Cranberry Apple Pie. I actually don't prefer apples OR cranberries, but this was a big hit - I ended up making a second pie AFTER Thanksgiving because everyone loved it so much.

Cranberry Apple Pie 

(serves 8)

What you will Need:

For the Pie:

• 1 refrigerated pie pastry
• 2 cups apples (peeled, cored, sliced)
• 2 cups fresh cranberries (can use frozen cranberries-  make sure to thaw them before using)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

For the Crumb Topping (aka my favorite part of this dessert!)

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons cold butter (cut into 1/4-inch pieces)

What to Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a 9-inch standard (not deep-dish) pie pan with the pastry (flute the edges)
3. Thinly slice the apples add them to a large bowl. Add the cranberries to the bowl with the apples.
4. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and flour, and mix well. Transfer the filling to the pie shell, smoothing the top of the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon for the topping. Add the butter, rubbing it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
6. After 30 minutes, remove the pie from the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. 
7. Spread the crumble topping over the pie and return to the oven to bake it for another 25 to 30 minutes (or until the top is golden and the fruit thickens and bubbles around the edges - it will bubble too!).
8. Allow the pie to cool for 2 hours before serving.

"Red Lobster"-ish Crab Alfredo and Cheddar Biscuits

First off, I need to apologize. I made this amazing crab alfredo and it was wonderful, however, I forgot to take a picture of it to share with everyone else. You will just have to trust me on this one. (recipe is below the cheddar biscuits)

We have always been a fan of the Red Lobster Cheddar biscuits...they are heaven on earth. When I decided to make my "red lobster" crab alfredo, I immediately thought "I HAVE to make cheddar biscuits"! Let's be honest, this isn't the healthiest meal I've made, but there are small things that I did do in order to cut fat/calories here and there.

I started with the Cheddar Biscuits (made the dough and then popped them in the oven when the alfredo sauce was just about ready).

Cheddar Biscuits
(makes 6 biscuits)

I combined two different recipes to come up with this. I liked a little bit from both, but one had too much butter and one didn't seem to have any seasoning to it.

What you will Need:

• 2 cups of bisquick baking mix (pancake mix)
• 2/3 cup milk (I used Skim and it worked perfect)
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (I used reduced fat cheddar cheese).
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• pinch of salt

What to Do:

1. Preheat your oven to 450
2. Mix baking mix, milk and cheese until a soft dough forms, beat vigorously for 30 seconds.
3. Drop dough by the spoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. (It was recommended to use an ice cream scooper, but I just used a spoon.)
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.
5. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave (30-40 seconds). Mix in the garlic, dried parsley and salt to taste - I don't add salt). Brush over warm biscuits before serving.

**These biscuits are relatively low in calories. They are approximately 275 cal/serving. 

"Red Lobster" Crab Alfredo

 (no picture available...again, I apologize). 

What you will need:

• 1/2 pound of cooked snow crab meat, or 2-3 (8oz.) packages of imitation crab meat (both work well)
• 4 tablespoons of butter or margarine
• 4 tablespoons of flour
• 2 cups half and half (most people use heavy cream here...I use half and half. The non-fat half and half is okay too, but it more watery so I would add a bit more flour if you plan on using that).
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (or more to taste).
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (approx. 1 teaspoon - or to taste. I keep adding until I'm satisfied with the flavor).
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Package linguine

What to Do:

1. Cook linguine according to package directions.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. 
3. Stir in flour until mixture looks sandy (DO NOT let it color - this is only about 45-60 seconds). Whisk in half&half (or cream) until mixture forms a thick sauce. Stir in cheese and season with cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste (I don't normally use salt in this sauce).
4. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors and then stir in the crab meat. (Reduce the heat to low here). Simmer just until the crab is heated through.
5. Serve over cooked linguine with additional parmesan cheese and hot red pepper flakes (if desired). 

Enjoy!

Frozen Strawberry Cheesecake

 My in-laws came up for this Labor Day weekend to visit, tour DC and to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday. I wanted to make him a birthday cake that was out of the "traditional" birthday cake realm. This cake was super easy to make (with a few minor glitches here and there), and everyone loved it! It's a great dessert for the warm weather, and a great dessert for the summer (strawberry season!)

I got this recipe from Food Network Star, Tyler Florence (he's on the Great Food Truck Race).

Frozen Strawberry Cheesecake

What you will Need:

• 2 (48-oz) containers of strawberry ice cream
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (6-inch) cheesecake, room temperature (no crust)
• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut into pieces
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

What to Do:

1. Set the ice cream out to soften for about 30 minutes (Soften but not melted). Meanwhile, miz graham cracker crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup sugar. Press mixture over the bottom and partly up the sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan. Set aside.
2. When the ice cream has softened, cream it with a wooden spoon until soft but not melted. Break the cheesecake up into pieces and beat into the ice cream. Pour the mixture into the spring-form pan and smooth the top (do not fill TOO full). Put in the freezer to set (I let mine set over night).
3. Combine strawberries, remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and lemon juice in a non-reactive saucepan. Warm over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Put in the refrigerator to chill.
4. To serve, remove the sides from the spring-form pan and place the cheesecake on a plate. Top with Strawberries!

Remember those glitches I talked about? Make sure to remember to put it BACK in the refrigerator after serving (if there's leftovers) - it may or may not have started to melt all over the counter after serving

Enjoy!

Unbelievable BBQ Chicken Pizza

I made this recipe a few weeks ago when we were in a hurry and didn't have a lot of time for preparation. I told Lucas that this recipe was just too easy to make and didn't require a whole lot of creativity so I didn't feel that I should post it. He told me that that is exactly WHY I needed to post it - this was delicious - and it was really quick and really easy to make. 

In the recipe, it requires you to mix barbeque sauce and marinara sauce. I was confused by this because neither of them are pizza sauce. While, yes, you can use pizza sauce and mix that with the barbeque sauce in the place or the marinara, I highly suggest you try it first before you knock it. Barbeque sauce alone is a bit overwhelming, but with the marinara sauce to balance it out, it is the perfect blend to really make this recipe amazing.

Unbelievable Barbeque Chicken Pizza

What you will need:

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1/4 cup barbeque sauce, divided (I used Kraft and we loved it, but you can use your favorite bbq sauce)
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1 package pre-baked pizza crust (14-16 inch) (you can use homemade dough here instead, I just didn't because we didn't have time to wait for it to rise and then cook).
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (or to taste - I usually don't measure these things out)
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion 
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
• ** feel free to add ingredients here. I added red bell pepper. 

What you will do:

1. Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken breast in the skillet and top with 1 tablespoon barbeque sauce. Cook for 10 minutes then turn and top the other side with 1 tablespoon barbeque sauce. Cook 10 minutes, until juices run clear. Cool slightly and cut into chunk.
2. Preheat oven to 425.
3. In a small bowl, mix the remaining barbeque sauce and marinara. Spread evenly over pizza crust (make sure to leave about 1/2 inch - 1 inch around the rim for the crust). Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top of sauce. Arrange cooked chicken chunks and red onion slices over the top.
4. Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro and drizzle with additional barbeque sauce (if desired). (I would recommend letting this sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing). 

Enjoy!

Chicken Fingers and un-Fried French Fries

This is an oldie but a goodie. I mean, who does NOT like Chicken Fingers and French Fries? Okay, so these are un-fried french fries and oven-fried chicken but they JUST as good if not better than deep fried foods, and are a lot healthier.

 I found the oven-fried Chicken Finger recipe from Food & Wine magazine and it just looked to delicious and easy NOT to try. I was also excited to try the un-fried french fries (which I got from my mom. I believe it's a kraft recipe). After hearing my mom and sister, Ashley, talk about these fries, I had to try them as well. What better to try them with than chicken fingers?

Oven-Fried Chicken Fingers

(from Food & Wine magazine)

What you will Need:

•  2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 boneless chicken thighs, lightly pounded (I used boneless, skinless, chicken breast tenderloins because they are more chicken-finger"ish" to me!)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 lemon cut into wedges (if desired for serving)

What to Do:

1. Place a rimmed, non-stick baking sheet on the lower rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 450.
2. Place the 2 beaten eggs, panko, and flour into 3 separate shallow dishes. Season the flour with the celery salt, garlic salt and cayenne papper (mix). Dust the chicken on both sides with the flour, then dip it into the egg (making sure egg is on both sides) and then press chicken into the panko (making sure both sides are covered - press to help the panko adhere).
3. Pour canola oil onto the baking sheet. Carefully place chicken in oil, making sure that both sides are coated in oil. Bake for 25 minutes (until golden and crispy), turning halfway through cooking time.
4. Drain on paper towels and serve with lemon wedges.

** I served this with a side of barbeque sauce, a side of ranch and a size of Ketchup - typical dipping sauces for our house!

 - Food & Wine magazine suggested that this be paired with a Pinot Nior wine. We enjoyed a glass of Toasted Head Untamed White Wine (it's a blend of a Viognier, Chardonnay and a Moscato).

Un-Fried French Fries

What you will Need:

•  3 baking potatoes
• 1/4 cup of Kraft Light House Italian dressing
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Style Grated Cheese (can use reduced fat if desired

What to Do:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 425. Wash and dry potatoes. Cut potatoes into 1/4 inch-thick sticks and place them in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat.
2. Spread the potatoes into a single layer on a large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray potatoes with additional cooking spray.
3. Bake 22-24 minutes or until they are crisyp and golden brown (turning half way through baking).

** I baked mine 5-10 minutes longer because I wanted them extra crispy. If you wash the potatoes really well in cold water beforehand, this removes some of the starch which results in crispier fries.

Enjoy!



Spicy Crab Cakes with Sweet Red Pepper Aioli

I came across a recipe for Crab Cakes while shopping in Harris Teeter last week. I have never made crab cakes before, and thought that it may be something fun to try! This recipe also came with a home-made aioli recipe, which was easy to make and really added flavor to the crab cake.
It actually didn't take as long as I expected. Dinner was ready to eat in about 30 minutes from preparation to cooking.

Spicy Crab Cakes with Sweet Red Pepper Aioli

What you will need:

 For the aioli:

•  2/3 cup mayo (I used light mayo)
• 1/4 cup red jalapeno jelly (2 tbsp in Aioli and 2 tbsp in the crab cake) (okay I didn't know they made jelly out of jalapenos until I saw this recipe. Surprisingly enough, I did find it in the jelly aisle of the grocery store)
• 1 tablesppon lemon juice
• Salt and ground pepper to taste

For the Crab Cake:

• 1 tablespoon Nakano Roasted Garlic Seasoned Rice Vinegar (you can use regular seasoned rice vinegar here, the roasted garlic vinegar adds additional flavor)
• 1/4 cup red pepper, minced
• 1/4 cup onion, minced
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, for cooking (I used the Olive Oil instead of butter)

What to Do:

1.  In a small bowl, combine the mayo, 2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper jelly, and lemon juice and mix well. Add salt and pepper (to taste). Set aside (I made this a few hours ahead and refrigerated).
2. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper jelly, rice vinegar, red pepper, onion, egg (beaten), black pepper and bread crumbs. Mix together well.
3. Add Crab meat to mixture and mix well. Season with salt to taste, if desired. Form mixture into crab cakes (4-8 depending on how large or small you wish to make them).
4. Dip each crab cake into additional bread crumbs before cooking, if desired.
5. In a large skillet, melt butter (pr oil) over medium-low heat. Cook crab cakes in batches if necessary. Cook 3-5 minutes per cake per side or until slightly browned on the top and bottom.
6. Serve alone or with bread. Serve with Red Pepper Aioli sauce.

Enjoy!







Simple Sauteed Tilapia Tacos with grilled Peppers and Onions

It had come to my attention earlier last week that Lucas has never had a fish taco before (and I am a huge fan of fish tacos). Needless to say when I picked up the August issue of Cooking Light magazine and saw a fish taco recipe, I was eager to try it. I was even MORE excited to try it when I found out that it was under the "5-ingredient cooking" section (with the exception of cooking spray, salt and pepper...they consider those "freebies"). I added a little Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning (Salt-Free) to my fish before cooking them too, just to add a little bit of spicy flavor. 

Sauteed Tilapia Tacos (Serves 4...2 tacos per serving)

What you will need:

• 2 (1/2 inch) slices of white onion
• 1 (8 or so ounce) package of mini-sweet bell peppers
• Cooking Spray
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt (divided) **I just sprinkled as I went (I don't use a lot of salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 4 (5-ounce) tilapia fillets
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
• Lime wedges (optional...but really add flavor)
• I also used extra spicy seasoning on my fish before cooking.

What to do:

1. Preheat Grill to high heat (I used the george foreman, which worked great)
2. Arrange onion slices and bell peppers on grill (or grill rack) that has been coated with cooking spray. Grill onions for 12 minutes, turning after 6 minutes. Grill bell peppers (turning occasionally if on a regular grill...not needed if on the foreman grill.)
3. Remove onions and peppers from grill and let stand to cool. Slice the onion rings in half and thinly slice the bell peppers (removing stems and seeds). Combine onion and pepper in small bowl and season with salt and pepper. (approx 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper).
4. Sprinkle fish evenly with the remaining teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray.
5. Add fish to the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side (or until the fish flakes really easily with tested with a fork.)
6. Warm tortillas in microwave (I use two damp paper towels and heat the tortillas in between them for 25-30 seconds). Divide fish, onion mixture, and thinly sliced jalapeno slices evenly among the tortillas. 

Serve with lemon wedges if desired. I also made a side of whole-grain rice with corn on the side. 

I also paired this with a Chardonnay from Hartwood Winery (Fredericksburg, VA). It is a dry wine (oaked 8 months in American and French barrels) with a light fruitiness. The pear notes are prevalent and is also reminiscent of ripe apples. We had the a vintage year (2006) which paired very nicely with this receipe.

Enjoy!

Nutrition: Calories: 292| Fat: 4.4g| Protein: 32.6g| Carb: 32g 

Pizzadillas

I am one of those people who has a guilty pleasure of buying cooking magazines. A lot of times I will buy the magazine and not try out the recipes, but this week I saw a Pizzadilla recipe that was so interesting that I had to try it. It's the perfect match between pizza and a quesadilla.

The thing I like most about this recipe is that it's easy to make and the ingredients are really low cost (approx. $2.00 a serving). It's also SO delicious and healthy if you use the right ingredients. This took a total of about 20 minutes, so I was really happy with the outcome.

What you will Need:

• approx. 1 tablespoon canola oil (for cooking)
• 4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (I usually don't measure this out. I just use what I want)
• 1 ounce Turkey Pepperoni (it tastes the same as normal pepperoni and it's 70% less fat!)
• 1 cup Pizza Sauce or Marinara of choice
• ** I added additional pizza ingredients even though the recipe didn't call for them. I'm sure you can add whatever you want. We wanted to add some green pepper for flavor.

What to do:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Brush the canola oil over a jelly-roll pan and top it with the tortillas (I used two pans)
3. Sprinkle cheese over each tortilla (about 3 tablespoons per tortilla) and divide pepperoni among tortillas. (Here's also where I added the green pepper). Top with more cheese (another 3 tablespoons or so).
4. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and carefully fold each tortilla in half. Put this back in the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes (5 minutes per side. Flip it half way through). (they should be really crispy and toasted brown by this point).
5. Heat sauce in a microwave safe bowl and serve along side for dipping.

Enjoy! (this can be served alone or with steamed broccoli or a small salad on the side).

Turkey Lasagna to-die-for

During my Senior year in college, I bought a healthy cooking cookbook with the idea that I would attempt to make at least 3-4 meals a week to avoid going out so much and spending so much money. I am embarrassed to say while I did cook in college, I never used that cookbook. Instead, I was a big fan of "calling mom for recipes" and using google.

A few weeks ago, I decided that I wanted to make lasagna. I wanted it to be delicious and everything that I knew Lasagna could be, but also wanted to make sure it was a healthy meal. I googled (as usual) a few recipes, but ended up resorting to pulling out that Healthy Cooking cookbook that I had never used 3-4 years back. I ended up finding a recipe for a Turkey Lasagna that was delicious and did not have too many steps/ingredients. The left-overs were just as good as when I first made it (maybe even better!)

Turkey Lasagna (serves 9)

What you will need:

• 9 lasagna noodles (I used the Barilla Lasagne noodles - uncooked. you can also use pre-cooked noodles with this recipe.)
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 2 cups tomato sauce (or a 15 ounce can) 
• One 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes (with juice)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 pound low-fat ricotta (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat (or part skim) mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 

** I love a lot of sauce and wanted more than this recipe called for so after I used what the recipe called for above, I added some more tomato sauce, basil and oregano. You do not need to do this - I just didn't want it to be too dry.

What to do:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the lasagna noodles until pliable but not soft. Drain and lay out on clean kitchen towels (the thought of "fuzzy noodles" made me sick, so I used paper towels...they didn't really stick, but still be careful as they may fall apart a little).
2. Meanwhile, cook the turkey in a large non-stick skillet until white throughout. As it cooks, break it apart. Pour off any fat or liquid (this is important). Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with juice, oregano and basil. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Measure out 1 cup of the sauce and set aside.
3. Preheat your oven to 350. Coat a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
4. Place 3 noodles on the bottom of the pan (be careful, as they may break). Spread half of the turkey sauce over the noodles, then dot with half the ricotta (don't try to spread it smooth - it will do this as it cooks). Layer another 3 noodles. Repeat with the rest of the sauce and ricotta. Place the last 3 noodles on the top. Spread the reserved cup of sauce on the noodles (I added more than a cup of sauce here...as I mentioned, I like sauce). Finish by distributing the mozzerella and parmesean accross the top.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes (it will fall apart if you try to serve it too quickly). 

Enjoy!!! 

I also made a side of spaghetti with a traditional marinara sauce, and a Mixed Salad with an olive oil dressing on the side. 

Nutrition Facts:

Per Serving: Calories 236 | Protein: 23g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 23g | Sodium: 533mg

Easy and Delicious Chicken

Living in the DC area, after working a full day and fighting traffic home, there is nothing I want to do more than just relax. I am always looking for a good recipe that is also a quick recipe. Eating out is not always the best option if you are on a budget or trying to eat healthy. This is one of those recipes that I found that is absolutely delicious, and doesn't hurt the belt OR the bank.  I modified it a bit to my own liking, as the original recipe did not create enough sauce. 

What you will need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive oil
• 1 - 1 1/2 onion, chopped 
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low-sodium soy sauce, but either one works)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Ground black pepper (recipe calls for 1 tsp, but I just ground the pepper over the sauce)

What to do:

1. Saute onions in olive oil until they become translucent
2. Add the chicken and brown lightly
3. Combine the ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice and pepper and mix together really well. Pour this over your chicken and bring the sauce to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow chicken to simmer for 25-30 minutes (make sure chicken is done, but not over done).
4. Slice chicken - serve over rice (I used brown rice and would have added cooked broccoli but I didn't have any in the house). Pour remainder of the sauce over the chicken/rice for a juicy flavor.

Enjoy :)

For those of you wondering: Amount Per Serving  Calories: 255 | Total Fat: 8.3g | Cholesterol: 68mg

Perfect Summer-time Recipes

Hello! It's been a while since I've updated. I have figured out that between work, traffic, and life...blogging doesn't always fit into my schedule! I do want to make it a point to update more, but we will see how that goes.

I made a recipe last week that was too good to NOT share. Actually - there are two recipes that I paired together.

The first is from the Eat Clean Diet. I don't follow the diet, but I do have to admit that a lot of the recipes are delicious (and a lot of the time require interesting ingredients that will really surprise you!) So I will jump right into the Turkey Guacamole Burger. This is perfect for summer and for anyone who doesn't like to spend hours in the kitchen. I made this recipe in under an hour and it was delicious (my husband thought so too and even brought left overs to work the next day!)

What you will need:

For the Guacamole:

• 2 avocados
• 1 tsp / 5 ml garlic powder
• ½ tsp / 2.5 ml freshly ground black pepper
• 2 jalapenos, chopped finely
• ½ white onion, chopped finely
• 1 cup / 240 ml cilantro, chopped finely
• Juice of one lime

For the Burger:

• 2 lb / 900 g lean ground turkey
• 2 tsp / 20 ml ground cinnamon (trust me, it's good! The original recipe calls for 4 tsp...but some of the reviews say that there is too much cinnamon so I cut it in half)
• 1 tsp / 5 ml garlic powder
• 1 tsp / 5 ml freshly ground black pepper
• whole-grain buns

**I also added swiss cheese to this burger because Lucas loves cheese burgers. The recipe didn't call for it

What to do:

Guacamole

1.  Remove the pits from your avocados by cutting the avocados in half and scoop the flesh into a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add the garlic powder, black pepper, jalapenos, white onions, cilantro and lime juice to the bowl.
   
3. Mix all ingredients until just combined. Try not to overmix it, it's better if not overmixed.
   
4. Allow it to chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator before serving.
   

 
Burgers

1. Preheat your barbeque (I used my foreman grill) to medium-high heat.
   
2. Add turkey, cinnamon, garlic powder and black pepper to a large bowl.
   
3. Mix the turkey and spices with clean bare hands!
   
4. Divide the mixture into parts and shape into flat patties. (makes 4-6 patties depending on how large you make them)
   
5. Lightly coat the hot grill with oil and add the patties.
   
6. Grill patties for 7 - 9 minutes (per side if not using a foreman grill) or until cooked through.
7. (If using cheese, put cheese on burger immediately after taking it off the grill)
   
8. Serve burgers on a lightly toasted bun with 1 Tbsp of Guacamole Spread and enjoy!
   

I served a Cold Corn Salad with the turkey burger on the side. I found this on Food52.com (check it out if you haven't - it's a really cool site) This salad is perfect for summer, as none of the veggies are cooked. I also brought this to our 4th of July cook-out, and everyone loved it! I

What you will need:

• 8 ears of white corn
• 2 quarts cherry tomatoes 
• 3 tablespoons of high-quality balsamic vinegar
• 1 quart of sugar snapped peas (this is optional in the original recipe, but I highly recommend using them!)
• Handful of roughly chopped basil or parsely (I used basil, but again this is optional)
• 1 medium red onion
• course salt (I did not add salt because the vinegar is salty enough for my taste)
• ground black pepper

What to do:

• Strip raw corn from ears. You can use a orn stripper or just run your chef's knife down the side of each ear about 8 times.
• Slice all cherry tomatoes in half or quarters depending on your preference. 
• Chop the red onion into a large dice. 
• If using the sugar-snap peas, cut in half or thirds to make more bite-sized. If you're not using them, and you want a little green for visual appeal, some rough chopped basil or flat-leaf parsley will do the trick. 
• Toss all vegetables in a bowl, along with the vinegar, salt and pepper

 

Broccoli Slaw with diced apples.

Go ahead and google "Broccoli Slaw"...there are exactly one million recipes floating around out there on how exactly to make the perfect Broccoli slaw. There are creamy dressings made from mayo, there are oil based dressings, some people add dries cherries, some add dried cranberries or raisins, some people even add onions (my personal preference is that onions do NOT go well with this...again, personal preference). I took two ideas and blended them. I took a vinaigrette dressing and mixed it with some ingredients I found here and there.


What you will need:

Slaw

• 1 package of Broccoli Slaw (I use the Trader Joe's slaw)
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds (I use unsalted) (some people use walnuts here instead)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup diced apples
• (I've also seen sunflower seeds added to this recipe)

Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup brown sugar (I substituted 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of Splenda brown sugar instead but I've done it both ways and it tastes the same)
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 
• (I just add salt and pepper to taste on top of it all once mixed together)

What to do:

(This is kind of self-explanatory). Mix all of the slaw ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk together all of the vinaigrette in as well. Pour vinaigrette over slaw and mix well. 

Holiday Treats!

It has become a small tradition in my family that I bring some sort of festive dessert/treat to celebrate the holidays. This is not an amazing dessert that we are talking about here, rather something fun and cute to keep things a little festive. As I've shared these "treats" with some of my friends and co-workers, I have been told that I will be a "good mom" because I love to do these little projects. Being far from ready for all of that, Lucas and I are having so much fun doing these together!



THANKSGIVING


On Thanksgiving I brought "turkeys. This was probably the easiest out of all of them. We started with a package of Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies, a package of rolos, a package of caramels (we used the chewy werthers, but any caramel candies will work), and the orange reese's pieces (you are actually recommended to use candy corn, but since I waited until November and Halloween was long gone, I went with the next best thing!) Take the caramels and heat them in the microwave until a little warm and flexible. Stick the warmed caramel over the rolo and stick the cookie to the back of it. Stick the reese's piece or the candy corn in the front to act as a beak. See, easy, huh?


CHRISTMAS


For Christmas, I decided that Christmas Mice would be fun to make. (You know, like "not a creature was stirring, not even a MOUSE").  What you will need: 24 maraschino cherries (stems still on), drained, about 3/4 of a cup of chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet), 24 unwrapped milk chocolate hershey's kisses, and 48 almond slices. You will also need black, white and pink icing for the eyes and nose (if you want). 

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-20 second intervals (being careful not to burn the chocolate chips). Mix the chocolate chips until they are smooth. Holding the cherry by the stems, cover the cherries with chocolate and place them in rows on a waxed-paper covered cookie sheet. While they are still warm, press a hershey kiss into the front of the cherry, and place two almond slices about the hershey kiss (for the ears). Place the "mice" in the refrigerator to stick together. Make two white dots on the hershey kiss for the eyes - place back in the refrigerator to set (about 10 minutes) and then repeat with smaller black icing dots for the pupils. You can do a pink dot for the nose, however, we didn't think it was necessary.


EASTER

Last but not least, last weekend...EASTER! Now I had seen more "bunny rabbit" cupcakes and cakes to try, but I wanted to do something not only for easter, but to celebrate spring and the beautiful weather that we've been having. I decided that birds nests would be a lot of fun (and they tasted amazing as well!) What you will need: one bag of butterscotch chips (12 oz), one cup of peanut butter, 2 cups of mini-marshmallows, one bag of chow mein noodles (6 oz) and some kind of oval shaped candy. I used the chocolate candy-coated eggs. I  had bought a bag of the easter colored peanut m&m's, but they didn't look as big and "egg-like".

Like always, line a cookie sheet with waxed paper (we had to line 2). In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chips until completely melted (30 second intervals being careful not to burn them). Mix in the cup of peanut butter (should be really creamy). Add chow mein noodles and marshmellows and stir until everything is evenly coated. Take tablespoons and drop onto the waxed paper (make a little indent in the middle of them to place the "eggs"). Gently place three eggs per nest and let sit until hardened (it was hot this weekend, and even with the air conditioning on, we had to refrigerate them). ENJOY!