Alfredo sauce

Jeff was craving Fettuccine Alfredo the other night so I made it and never realized how quick and simple it is to make! It was soo yummy and super filling.
*Also try adding asparagus cut into 1" pieces.*
Alfredo Sauce:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

To prepare alfredo sauce: Heat heavy cream over low-medium heat in a deep saute pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. In a large stockpot, cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Quickly drain the pasta and add it to the saute pan, gently toss the noodles to coat in the alfredo. Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl. Top with more grated cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Black Bean Soup

I found a really tasty soup from Trader Joes. Its called 'Latin Style Black Bean Soup,' and its really good, and low in calories! Just thought I'd share :)

Yummy Low-Calorie Cocktails

I found these great recipes from the Fitness Magazine website...

Blueberry Lemon Breezer
10 blueberries
3/4 ounce light agave nectar, such as Wholesome Sweeteners, available at Whole Foods or other natural foods stores
1 1/2 ounces gin
3/4 ounce lemon juice
Splash of champagne (about 1 ounce)
In a shaker, muddle* together blueberries and agave. Add the gin and lemon juice, then shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain contents of shaker into a martini glass and then top with champagne. Garnish with 3 blueberries on a cocktail stick.
Calories: 205
*A muddler is a bartending tool used to grind ingredients. Purchase online at amazon.com ($9.99) or make do with the end of a wooden spoon.

Mojito Fresco
Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 1 hour
Makes: 8 servings
2 large limes, cut into pieces (reserve one piece)
2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups water
1/4 to 1/2 cup light rum
Sugar
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
Ice cubes
Quartered limes and/or mint leaves (optional)
1. In a blender combine lime pieces, 2 cups water, and 2/3 cup sugar. Cover and blend about 30 seconds or until limes are chopped; do not puree. Strain through a sieve into a large pitcher. Mix in 2 cups additional water. Cover and chill for 1 to 12 hours.
2. Stir rum into lime mixture. Moisten the rims of 8 glasses with the reserved lime piece; dip rims in sugar. Divide mint among glasses. Use a wooden spoon to press mint into the bottom of each glass; press firmly to release flavor. Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour chilled lime mixture over ice and mint leaves. If desired, add extra quartered limes and/or mint leaves.
Nutrition Information per serving: 95 calories, 0g protein, 21g carbohydrate, 0g fat (0g saturated), 1g fiber

Grapefruit Basil Martini
2 basil leaves
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1 ounce Da Vinci's Sugar Free Sweetener Syrup
1 3/4 ounces gin
Splash of sparkling wine
In a shaker, muddle basil and syrup. Add syrup and gin and shake hard with ice for 20 seconds. Strain ingredients into a martini glass and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Calories: 161

Sangria Sparkler
Prep: 10 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Makes: 12 servings
750-milliliter bottle dry red wine
1 cup light orange juice
1/4 cup brandy or cognac
1/4 cup orange liqueur
2 tablespoons sugar
2 medium oranges, sliced
2 cups club soda, chilled
Crushed ice and/or orange peel curls (optional)
1. In a large pitcher, combine wine, orange juice, brandy, orange liqueur, sugar, and orange slices. Chill at least 2 hours. Add club soda before serving. Serve over crushed ice and/or with orange peel curls, if desired.
Nutrition Information per serving: 100 calories, 0g protein, 9g carbohydrate, 0g fat (0g saturated), 0g fiber


Here's a non-alcoholic recipe that looks great for summer:
Fresh Mint Water
Pre-make a pitcher for an anytime beverage. Soak melon, mint, and cucumber in water for a cooling summertime drink.
Prep: 15 minutes
Chill: 4 hours
Makes: 8 servings
1 small cucumber, cleaned and sliced
1/4 of a medium honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and sliced into wedges
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
7 cups water
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
1. Place cucumber, honeydew melon, and mint leaves in a large pitcher. Fill pitcher with water. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days. Strain mixture; discard solids. Pour water into tall glasses over ice. If desired, garnish with additional fresh mint.
Nutrition Information per serving: 16 calories, 0g protein, 4g carbohydrate, 0g fat (0g saturated), 0g fiber

Yummmm!! Cant wait to try these :)

Jalapeno Poppers

Heather this one is for you and your party...if you like jalapenos

You will need
10-12 Jalapenos
Chive & Onion Cream Cheese
Bacon Bits
Cheddar Cheese (or anything you have)

Take the jalapenos and cut them in half, wash out the seeds. Take the chive and onion cream cheese and mix in the bacon bits. On this is mixed, put some in each jalapeno half. Top them with cheese.
Put in the over at 350 and bake till warm and the cheese is melted. Sometimes you can bake the jalapenos with the cream cheese mixture for a couple minutes and then top it with cheese. Depending on your oven, the cheese could melt and burn before the rest is warmed up.
These are the best warm!
FYI: I am not a big jalapeno fan..but I loved them when my sister made them

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

I havent made these yet, but I really want to :)



What you need:
1 pkg. (14 oz.) BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut
2/3 cup sugar
6 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp. almond extract
1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Directions:
HEAT oven to 325°F.

COMBINE coconut, sugar, flour and salt. Add egg whites and extract; mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto greased and floured baking sheets.

BAKE 20 min. or until edges are golden brown. Cool 3 min. on baking sheets; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

MELT chocolate as directed on package. Dip cookies halfway into chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

I absolutely love these cookies, so I cant wait to try these!!

Black Bean & Cheese Enchiladas

Easy, and oh so yummy.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 (8 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
8 flour tortillas, heated
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
(I also added some olives on top :))

Directions
-Preheat oven to 350.
-Heat oil in skillet.
-Add onion and cumin and saute, cooking 2 minutes.
-Add beans, reduce heat and cook 2 minutes, stirring.
-Remove from heat.
-Fill each tortilla with 2T bean mixture and 2T monterey jack.
-Roll and place in greased baking pan, seam side down.
-Continue until all tortillas are filled.
-Spoon enchilada sauce over all enchiladas.
-Cover pan with foil and bake 30 minutes.
-Remove foil and sprinkle enchiladas with cheddar cheese.
-Return to oven until cheese is melted, or slightly toasted to preference.

Enjoy :)

Recipe courtesy of RecipeZaar.com

St. Paddy's Day

Well St. Patricks Day is only 2 weeks away so I have got to dig down into my Irish roots. St. Patricks day is to celebrate one of the most commonly recognized patron saints of Ireland by indulging in a GREAT FEAST! I wanted share a corned beef and cabbage recipe with you so you can share in Irish tradition. Plus you've got to have a hearty meal to balance out that celebratory pint...or two!
Growing up I remember my mom making this every St. Paddy's Day and she would be sure to do other special touches for the day by adding green food coloring to everyday foods. Great Memories! Enjoy and have fun getting creative!
CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE
* 4 pounds lean raw corned beef brisket
* 3 tablespoons pickling spice (often included with brisket)
* 1 medium rutabaga, halved and cut into wedges
* 1 pound large carrots, cut into 4-inch pieces
* 1 1/4 pounds large fingerling potatoes
* 1 leek, white and light-green parts only, cut into 3-inch pieces
* 1/2 head Savoy cabbage, cut into wedges
* 1/3 cup horseradish, drained
* 1/3 cup sour cream

Directions

Place the corned beef in a large slow cooker and scatter the pickling spices on top. Layer the rutabaga, carrots, potatoes and leek in the cooker (in this order for even cooking). Add enough hot water (4 to 5 cups) to cover the meat by at least 1 inch, put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high, 7 to 8 hours.

Remove the meat and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm. Put the cabbage in a microwave-safe dish with 2 cups cooking liquid from the slow cooker, cover and microwave until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil another cup of cooking liquid in a small skillet until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Mix with the horseradish and creme fraeche in a small bowl.

Slice the corned beef and serve with the slow-cooked vegetables, cabbage and sauce; reserve about a quarter each of the meat and vegetables and 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid for Corned Beef Hash.
*In lieu of Corned beef and cabbage you could make a Sheapards pie
Enjoy! and Have a fun and SAFE St. Patricks Day!!

Portobello Lasagna Rollups

I Just started MEATLESS MONDAYS which is our one day a week we opt for a vegetarian meal. Here is a super yummy recipe from Ellie Kreiger
Ingredients

* 12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 3/4 pound)
* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 cups Store bought marinara sauce
* 1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
* 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Pinch ground nutmeg
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
* 2/3 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.

Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with grated cheeses, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

Did you know..

Add 8 oz. of sprite to any yellow or white cake mix and get a extra fluffy super moist cake every time!

Oscar Party

I am attending an Oscar party this Sunday and need to bring something for a group of 10 people. Any fun creative ideas out there??