Caramel Apple Pork Chops

Just made this tonight and it's definitely going to be a repeater in my kitchen. Chris and I both really enjoyed this :)

Here are my changes:

I took the suggestion of a reviewer of this recipe and marinated the chops in 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce and 1 cup apple juice for about 4 hours before cooking. This gave them a really great flavor and they were very juicy. Pork chops can dry out easily so this definitely helped with that a lot.

I only used two pork chops instead of the 4 they suggested.

I omitted the pecans- didn't have any.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Caramel-Apple-Pork-Chops/Detail.aspx

Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu

I made this for dinner tonight and it was soooo tender! I think the next time I make it, I will do the homemade "soup" to pour over the top instead of the canned cream of mushroom that I used today. I'm sure that would really lower the sodium. I also liked that this wasn't breaded like the typical chicken cordon bleu you might have at a restaurant.

I only cooked this for 4 hours on low since I have a pretty hot crockpot and it was VERY done by then. I think this is definitely a healthier version of an old favorite!

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/08/crockpot-chicken-cordon-bleu.html

Grilled Salmon with Dill

Chris and I just had this for dinner tonight and it was definitely a success!!

Here are my changes to the recipe below:

Put 9 oz. fillet of salmon in a foil packet with ingredients and grilled on the stove for about 15 minutes.

Added one tablespoon of butter to make sure it didn't dry out

We split the 9 oz. fillet in two and it was SO perfect! The foil packet method of cooking fish is definitely one of my favorites as far as locking in juices and EASY clean-up. But if you would rather bake in the oven as the recipe instructs, do what you feel most comfortable with.

The dill and lemon combo can't be beat. We really enjoyed this :)

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1087038&adsqs=raid:1712080

Grilled Lemon Chicken

Just made this for dinner and it was sooo flavorful! I only marinated it for about 4 hours and the chicken was very juicy and could be cut with a fork! The lemon flavor is very nice in this! I loved how healthy this one is. I made it on my indoor grill since it is SOOO hot outside this week. I'll be making this one again.

My only omission was the red bell pepper-- didn't see the need for it.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Lemon-Chicken/Detail.aspx

Amazing Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

This recipe couldn't be easier and the taste and tenderness of the pork was great!! I will be making this one again. It has a bit more sodium than dishes that I typically make, so I scaled down the salt with the rest of what I ate yesterday. This went great with some mashed new potatoes and green beans. :)

My only changes were:

1 lb. pork instead of 2 lbs.

Cooked on low for only about 4 hours (but my crockpot is hotter than most.)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Amazing-Pork-Tenderloin-in-the-Slow-Cooker/Detail.aspx

Grilled Tomato and Cheese Sandwiches

This was such an easy and yummy lunch! I don't feel quite as bad about having a grilled cheese if there are some vegetables on it :) Also, the cheese is low-fat and I loved it! The roasted red peppers add a great, unexpected flavor. Neat twist on an old favorite :)

http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/30-minutes-or-less/grilled-tomato-and-cheese-sandwiches.aspx?WT.dcsvid=NTMxMDQ4NjcyMgS2&rvrin=85656AAF-05C4-4739-966E-B1B4D9429E11&WT.mc_id=Newsletter_EBA_2010_07_14

Foil Packet Mixed Veggies

A picture of this recipe is below with the crab cakes. This turned out GREAT! And only had to cook for about ten minutes! Plus, NO clean-up! Can't beat it. I didn't put in the bell pepper that is called for on this but I did everything else exactly the same. I did chop the mushrooms before cooking though. This can be cooked either on the outdoor grill, in the oven or on the stove. I just used my indoor grill and put the foil packets on there for 10 minutes on high and they are absolutely perfect! This side dish goes with just about any entree and it tastes great too. :)

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/sensational-foil-pack-vegetables-106267.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20100720-_-1015

Homemade Guacamole

So I made some chicken tacos tonight on corn tortillas and I decided some homemade guacamole would go great with them.

Here's what I did:

1 large, ripe avocado

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

It's hard to believe that four simple ingredients could make something soooo good! Just mash your avocado down and stir in the other ingredients.

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Honey Apple Cake

This was soooo yummy! I made this minus the frosting and it was perfectly delicious! My guess is that it is a little under 200 calories per serving without the frosting since it is 255 calories per serving with the frosting. I just made the cake with light Cool Whip. Chris liked it so much that he had two pieces after dinner tonight hahaha!

This one is definitely a crowd-pleaser-- very moist and flavorful! And I loved that it didn't have any butter or oil in it.

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1723427

Cooking Light Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes

From Cooking Light

• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
• 1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray

1. To prepare crab cakes, combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Gently fold in crabmeat. Gently stir in 3/4 cup panko. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

2. Divide crab mixture into 6-8 equal portions ; shape each into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Place remaining 3/4 cup panko in a shallow dish. Working with 1 patty at a time, dredge in panko. Repeat procedure with the remaining patties and panko.

3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil (or more) in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat both sides of crab cakes with cooking spray. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 7 minutes. Carefully turn cakes over; cook 7 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, cooking spray, and remaining 4 crab cakes.