Asian Grilled Chicken

This is such an easy marinade and it is one of the best tasting ones I've had. Here are the four ingredients to put together with your chicken in a sealed Ziploc bag:

1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Combine ingredients well and add chicken. I used 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Crab Cakes

I made this for dinner tonight and OH. MY. GOSH! This is a keeper!! So yummy! And although I probably won't be making these that often due to the oil, I will be keeping this recipe on hand.

Here are my changes:

I pretty much halved the recipe since it was just for Chris and I.

I used two small cans of crab- one jumbo lump and one claw meat

I used dijon instead of dry mustard

I used Saltines instead of Ritz

Omitted the cayenne

The panko bread crumbs make a huge difference in the crunch factor as compared to plain ones. If you've never used these, most grocery stores have them in stock next to the plain bread crumbs.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/My-Crab-Cakes/Detail.aspx

Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken

I made this tonight for dinner and turned it into soft chicken tacos and Chris and I both really enjoyed them! I didn't have cayenne so I omitted that. I added about a teaspoon of cumin since I was making them into tacos. And I cut the chicken breasts into strips before putting the spices on and putting them into the skillet. Very flavorful! Will definitely make this again!

Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken INGREDIENTS FOR RUB: 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/8 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons garlic powder 3 tablespoons lime juice DIRECTIONS In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice rub mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts. (I usually use a little less salt, and double the rest of the spices so there is plenty to coat the chicken) Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons garlic powder and lime juice. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

Renaissance Crostini

I just want to preface this saying that this probably isn't the most healthy recipe, but I was bored last night-- haha! I just wanted to see what it was like since I had seen it on the Food Network. And I was pleasantly surprised by the ease and tastiness of this dish! I halved it since I didn't need as much as what is called for and used a whole-grain bread instead of regular Italian. Love the combo of the buttery pine nuts and the sweet raisins. I didn't have any prosciutto so I just put shredded mozzerella on top before putting it in the oven. A great party food!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/renaissance-crostini-recipe/index.html

Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake

I made this last night for Chris's birthday (today). We took it with us to Mimi's Cafe in Grapevine for a family get-together with his side of the family for lunch today. I think most everyone enjoyed it and I will probably be making this again at some point. It could not be easier. The only thing I added was some Cool Whip on top. I used sugar-free strawberry gelatin instead of the regular and you could not tell the difference at all. I was expecting the inside to be kinda gooey from the marshmallows, but it wasn't at all. You couldn't even tell they were there. I used a potato masher to crush the chopped strawberries. This was quicker than a blender or food processor, not to mention easier. :)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fresh-Strawberry-Upside-Down-Cake/Detail.aspx

Mini Greek Burgers

I made this recipe the other night for dinner and we both loved all of the wonderful Greek flavors in these! The yogurt sauce is so flavorful that you could use it as a dip for the cucumber if you wanted to! Will definitely make again.

Here are my changes:

1) Ground turkey instead of beef

2) Added one egg to the meat mixture for moisture

3) Used fresh oregano instead of dried-- BIG flavor difference!

4) Didn't use the mini pita breads-- just small wheat rolls from Target's bakery

5) Didn't use the onion on top of the burgers

6) Used Greek yogurt instead of plain-- if you haven't tried it, you must! It's similar to sour cream with much less fat!

7) Grilled outside on the grill instead of on the stovetop.

8) Added lemon juice to the yogurt sauce (about 2 tablespoons)

Wow, was that enough changes for you?! :)

http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=45997

Italian Roast Chicken w/ Orange and Oregano

I saw this on the Rachael Ray show and thought I should try it since all of the ingredients are so simple and accessible. I skipped the crusty bread with garlic that she put on there just because I need to watch my carbs and Italian bread is such a big temptation for me :)

The only complaints I had about this was that the skin of the chicken turned out pretty burnt on top (presumably from the honey) and you really couldn't taste the orange and oregano flavors in the meat. But, luckily the meat did turn out pretty juicy and tender.

I just used regular honey because I didn't want to buy the special orange blossom honey just for this one meal. Honestly, you might want to skip the honey altogether since it made my chicken skin burn.

The look of this dish is very pretty and your house will smell wonderful for hours after it's done. :)

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/italian-roast-chicken-orange-and-oregano/

Marinated Pork Tenderloin

This one I've made on several occasions and decided to make it for dinner tonight. It's marinating in the fridge as I type this. Definitely a keeper! I am having Chris grill it tonight (like the recipe says) instead of the usual method of roasting that I normally do. I'm sure it will be equally delicious. If you want to roast it, I usually just put it in a roasting pan with the juices at 400 for about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the weight of the meat.

Hope you will give it a try! :)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Marinated-Pork-Tenderloin/Detail.aspx

Balsamic Chicken w/ Baby Spinach

I just made this tonight and Chris and I both enjoyed it a lot! The balsamic adds a really nice flavor without tons of sodium.

For the couscous, I added some pine nuts and raisins to it and that really added some texture. I also cooked the couscous in chicken broth instead of water to add more flavor.

I love this chef, Ellie Krieger, on The Food Network. She's one of the few on there that really focuses on health when cooking. Will definitely make this again!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/balsamic-chicken-with-baby-spinach-recipe/index.html

Lemon Raspberry Mousse Squares

I made this dessert for Easter lunch and everyone seemed to really like it. The lemon and raspberry is a really great combo! Mine didn't turn out nearly as pretty as the one in the picture, so I didn't take a picture hahaha! Also, I didn't think the plastic wrap was necessary to make this dish. Just layer it in an 8 inch pan and skip the plastic wrap altogether. Just my .02!

Here are the adjustments I made to it:

Low-fat cream cheese

Lite Cool Whip

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/lemon-raspberry-mousse-squares-115432.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20100323-_-1032

Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta Chicken

I made this for dinner tonight and we both really enjoyed this. So easy and perfect for a "one pot dish." Only took about 25 minutes.

The changes I made were:

low-fat cream cheese

whole-wheat pasta

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/creamy-tomato-basil-pasta-chicken-115510.aspx?cm_mmc=eml-_-rbe-_-20100325-_-1019

Peach & Blueberry Crisp w/ Crunchy Topping

I made this tonight for the ladies in my weight loss class. It was very easy and I think most enjoyed it (including me haha!)

Since peaches aren't in season, I used frozen ones and thawed them before making this. I used Honey Bunches of Oats w/ Almonds cereal and walnuts instead of pecans.

http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/desserts/fruit-desserts/peach-and-blueberry-crisp-with-crunchy-topping.aspx

Orange Beef with Broccoli

This is a recipe that I saw in my Cooking Light magazine that I tweaked a little bit. The beef turned out very tender and it had a great flavor!

Here's what I did:

1 lb. lean sirloin steak - cut into thin strips and trim visible fat

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups chopped broccoli (frozen or fresh)

1/3 cup orange marmalade

2-3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2-3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

Spray a skillet with Pam and heat to medium high. Dredge beef with cornstarch. Cook 5-6 minutes in skillet until brown. Add soy and teriyaki sauces and keep cooking. Add orange marmalade and stir. Cook broccoli on stove or microwave and add it to the pan and stir. So EASY! Enjoy!