Marinated Flank Steak

I thought long and hard about putting this secret family recipe on my blog and allowing the world access to my favorite meal lol.....but then I thought, the world should definitely have the ability to have the best steak marinade ever!!  This recipe came from my mom who got it from my mama and who knows where she got it from.  I like to think mama created it herself.  For many of you, if you have had dinner at my mom's, you have probably had this steak at one point in time.  While I have made this for myself many a time, it never quiet tastes like it did when my mama made or when my mom makes it now.  I am pretty sure that is because it is missing a key ingredient.....love!  For this amazing recipe you will need the following:

     1 flank steak
     2 tsp of meat tenderizer
     2 tbsp of instant minced onion
     1 tsp of marjoram
     2 tsp of thyme
     1 crush bay leaf
     1 cup of red wine vinegar
     1/2 of cooking oil (or olive oil)
     3 tbsp of lemon juice
     1/4 cup of coarse pepper or 2 tbsp of regular pepper

Cut slits in the steak, across the grain.  Sprinkle both sides of steak with the meat tenderizer.

 

Mix together all other ingredients and pour over the steak.  Let it marinate for 12-24 hours or more in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.  The longer it sits the stronger the flavor. 

Pour off the mixture, setting some aside for au jus. 

Grill the steak about 10 minutes a side, or longer, depending on how you like your steak.

Breakfast Nachos

I would have never thought up a recipe like this, but I am glad I found it on Pinterest because it is not only yummy but healthy too!  I love finding recipes that are both good and healthy - it shows that eating good can taste good too!  I made some adaptations to make it more healthy.  This recipe says to use a cast iron pan, but like me, many of you may not have one; therefore, you can just make yours in a casserole dish like I did.  It makes a serving for two, and those would be two big servings, so if you want to make it for more you would need to double the recipe.  For me, I had leftovers, so I put them in a glass dish that could be re-heated in the oven to enjoy them another morning!  For this recipe you will need the following:

     5 eggs
     salt & pepper
     1/2 cup of cheddar cheese
     1 1/2 cup of multigrain tortilla chips (or baked tortilla chips)
     3/4 cup of Ro Tel (or salsa)
     1/4 cup of chopped onion
     2 tsp of cilantro
     additional nacho toppings of your liking: sour cream, avocados, beans, etc.

Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium low heat.  While pan is heating, crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk together with salt & pepper.  You can add a small amount of milk if you like a softer egg.  Spray the skillet with cooking spray and then scramble the eggs, stirring consistently until the eggs are cooked to your liking.  Remove from the heat.  Preheat the oven to broil.  Spread tortilla chips on the bottom of the casserole dish in an even layer.  Top with the scrambled eggs, Ro Tel, onion, cilantro, and then the cheese.  Place under the broiler until cheese is completely melted.  Remove from the oven and top with additional toppings, if you want.  Then eat just like you would nachos!

    

Penne Beef Bake

This healthy pasta dish is packed full of great flavor.  This recipe, courteous of Taste of Homes Healthy Cooking, makes a large amount, so I froze the leftovers in portion sizes 1 1/3 cup).  That way when you are in need of a quick meal, you can just pop it the microwave.  One severing is 395 calories, but if you were looking to make it even healthier you could use ground turkey instead of ground beef.  For this recipe you will need the following:

     1 (12 oz) whole wheat penne pasta

     1 pound of lean ground beef (90% lean)

     2 medium zucchini, finely chopped
     1 large green pepper, finely chopped
     1 small onion, chopped
     1 jar (24 oz) meatless spaghetti sauce
     1 1/2 cups of reduced-fat Alfredo sauce
     1 cup of low fat shredded mozzarella cheese
     1/4 tsp of garlic powder




     Cook the penne according to the package directions.  Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook the beef, zucchini, pepper, and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the spaghetti sauce, Alfredo sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and garlic powder.  Drain the penne; stir into meat mixture.
     Transfer to a 13x9 glass baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Cover and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and then bake uncovered for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted. 

    

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

These muffins that I found on Pinterest are to die for!!  While searching on Pinterest I also found a great tip for making muffins and cupcakes that I used with these and it made a huge difference from other muffins that I have made.  Most muffins or cupcakes, say to back them at 350 degrees for about 22 minutes, but instead fill the cups 3/4 full and then bake them at 325 degrees for a couple minutes longer, around 25 minutes.  It made these muffins more fluffy and light!  Try it the next time you make your favorite muffins.  In addition, I did make a couple of changes to the recipe.  For this recipe you will need the following:
     1 2/3 cup of white flour
     1 cup of sugar
     1 tsp of ground cinnamon
     1/2 tsp of ginger
     1/2 tsp of ground cloves
     1 tsp of nutmeg
     1 tsp of baking soda
     1/4 tsp of baking powder
     1/4 tsp of salt
     2 eggs
     1 cup of pumpkin
     1 tsp of vanilla
     4 oz of unsalted butter, melted
     6 oz (half a bag) of white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, mix together eggs, vanilla, pumpkin, and butter.  Add in the white chocolate chips.  Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until the dry are moistened.  Do not over mix.  Scoop batter into greased or paper cup lined muffin cups.  Bake for 25-27 minutes or until puffed and springy to the touch.  Makes about a dozen!

Zucchini Tots

While I am not a big fan of Tatar tots, I could eat these tots every day!  Despite how this picture looks, yes these are round like Tatar tots.  I have never made Tatar tots, but these tots are so easy to make!  They require a mini muffin pan which is my new favorite baking tool.  It makes things like these, muffins, and many other food items bite size.  The first time I made these I did not have a mini muffin pan and I did use a regular muffin pan, but they were not as crispy, you have to cook them longer, and you certainly cannot pop them in your mouth in one bite!  I found this recipe on a great cooking website skinnytaste.com and they are only 108 calories only for 4 tots!  For this recipe you will need the following:
     1 cup of grated zucchini
     1 large egg
     1/4 cup of onion, chopped
     1/4 cup of low fat cheddar cheese
     1/4 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
     salt and pepper to taste

 



Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray the mini muffin pan with cooking spray. 

Combine all the ingredients in and bowl, mixing them with your hands.

Add salt and pepper.

 

Fill each muffin cup to the top, pushing down on the filling with the back of a spoon,

 so it is nice and compact, that way they will not fall apart. 

Bake 16-18 minutes until they are golden brown!



Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

With the start of the fall weather, comes the start of the pumpkin inspired dishes.  Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pies, and these delicious chocolate chip pumpkin bars.  This recipe comes from a baking blog I found through Pinterest - bakeat 350.blogspot.com.  Like most pumpkin inspired recipes, this only uses a portion of a can of the pumpkin, which means that you will be left with extra pumpkin.  Thankfully, pumpkin is very easy to freeze.  I just save it in 1 cup portions in freezer bags and then I have pumpkin all year long.  For this recipe you will need the following:
     2 cups all purpose flour
     1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
     3/4 tsp ginger
     1/2 tsp nutmeg
     1/8 tsp gloves
     1 tsp baking soda
     3/4 tsp coarse salt
     1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
     1 1/4 cup sugar
     1 egg
     2 tsp vanilla
     1 cup pumpkin puree
     1 12 oz bag of chocolate chips



Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom and sides of 13x9 baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on the sides.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt.  Cream together the butter and sugar using a mixer on medium-high until smooth. 

 

Beat in the egg and vanilla.

 



 

Beat in the pumpkin puree.  Don't worry if it looks curdled,

it is suppose to look like that!

 



 

Fold into the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined.

 

Stir in the chocolate chips.

 



 

Using a spatula, spread the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely in the pan. 

Lift the bars from the pan, peel from the foil, and cut into squares.







Garlic-Parmesan Tilapia with Quinoa Side Dish

This is a light and healthy meal that has great flavor.  When I made this I wished that I had made the whole recipe because I could have ate more of the fish because it was so tasty.  The tilapia recipe I adapted from the Wegmans monthly cooking magazine and I cut the recipe in half .  I love cooking with tilapia because it is so easy to make and it is very versatile.  If you are a fan of tilapia, be sure to check out my very first post ever of fish tacos!  I found the quinoa dish on Pinterest and the flavors are a good match for the tilapia.  It would be a good side dish for other meats that have garlic flavors as the base.  For the tilapia recipe you will need the following:

Garlic-Parmesan Tilapia (for 4 servings)
     4 tbsp of butter, melted
     3/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs
     2 tsp of garlic salt
     2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese
     1 tbsp of basting oil (or you can use olive oil and sprinkle it with the seasoning of your choice)
     4 tilapia fillets

 

Pre heat the oven to 400. 

Combine the butter, bread crumbs, and garlic salt in small bowl; mix well.

Add the cheese and mix well.

 



Coat a baking sheet thinly with basting oil or olive oil. 

Place the tilapia on the baking sheet; season with salt and pepper.

 



    

Top each fillet with about 3 tbsp of the bread crumb mixture;

press to cover entire top of fillet.  Bake 12-15 minutes;

remove from the oven and let rest for 2 minutes.

 

 

For the quinoa you will need the following:

     1 tbsp of butter

     1 cup of quinoa

     2 cups of chicken or veggie broth

     2 tsp minced garlic

     2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

     1/4 tsp of salt

     1 small onion, chopped

 

 

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add quinoa and toast,

stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

 

 





 

Stir in broth, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and

cook for 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender.

 

 

Combine the quinoa, garlic, onion, parsley, and salt, then serve and enjoy!



Black Bean and Corn Tacos

In trying to keep up with my sister's idea of one veggie meal a week, I made these tacos the other week.  They were very good and the recipe makes a large amount, so I was able to have tacos for lunch two other times that week.  I added salsa Verde which was the prefect compliment to the tacos.  This recipe comes from my favorite cooking magazine, Taste of Home Healthy Cooking.  The serving size is 2 tacos and they are 423 calories.  For this recipe you will need the following:
    
     1 medium red onion, finely chopped
     1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
     1 small red pepper, finely chopped
     1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
     2 large plum/roma tomatoes, chopped
     2 cups of shredded cabbage
     1 cup of fresh or frozen corn
     2 tbsp of reduced sodium taco seasoning
     2 tbsp of lime juice
     2 garlic gloves, minced
     1 cup of cooked brown rice (I used Minute
        Rice)
     8 taco shells, warmed
     1/2 cup of shredded reduced-fat Mexican
       cheese

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion and peppers until crisp-tender.

Add beans, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, taco seasoning, lime juice, and garlic.  Cook and stir over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in the rice and heat through.  Spoon mixture into shells and sprinkle with cheese!

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Yet another fabulous recipe from Pinterest!  If you are not pinning, I recommend you start!  This was the first time I have made baked oatmeal, so I think it turned out pretty good.  It would have been even better with brown sugar baked on the top so next time I will do that!  With regards to the walnuts, you can buy a bag of already chopped walnuts, but I suggest chopping those to make them finer.  You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.  You can also use raspberries instead.  And thanks again to my Uncle Ron for the great blueberries!!  For this recipe you will need the following:
     1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats
     1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, divided
     1/2 tsp of baking powder
     3/4 tsp of cinnamon
     Pinch of salt
     1/4 cup of maple syrup (I used low fat)
     1 cup of milk (I used skim)
     1 large egg, lightly beaten
     2 tbsp of butter, melted and slightly cooled
     1 tsp of vanilla extract
     2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
     1 cup of blueberries, divided





Preheat the oven to 375.  Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish.  In a medium bowl mix oats, half of the walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir to combine.



In a liquid measuring cup combine milk, syrup, egg, butter, and vanilla.

Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.

Top with half the berries.  Sprinkle the dry oats mixture over the fruit in an even layer.

Pour the liquid ingredients over the oats. 

Sprinkle the remaining nuts and berries over the top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is browned and the oats have set.  Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving!

Island Rice and Beans

Now the name for these dishes is what Wegman's called them, but me, I would just call them unbelievably yummy rice and beans!!  Although using the Wegman's name for them I did almost have my mom convinced that the recipe was a secret island recipe I got when I spent time in the Bahama's during college.  But Whit and Tim ruined that game for me.  Now this recipe might look complicated because it has a lot of steps, but it is not.  It is just that you have to make the sofrito before you can make the beans and rice.  This will make more sofrito then you will need, so you can freeze it for future use, or it makes some great salsa!  For the sofrito you will need the following:
     2 yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
     2 large green peppers, coarsely chopped
     1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
     12 gloves of garlic, chopped
     2 tbsp of vegetable oil
     1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
     1 tsp of salt
     1 packet of Sazon Goya Con Culantro Y Achiote
     1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
     1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
     1 tsp Goya Adobo All-purpose Seasoning

 



 

Add onions, both peppers, and garlic to a food processor. 

Pulse until it is finely chopped, but not fully pureed.

 



 

Heat oil in a braising pan (or a dutch oven) on medium-high , until it faintly smokes. 

Add onion/pepper mixture.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low.

 



 

Add cilantro, salt, achiote packet, and cayenne pepper to mixture in the pan. 

Add tomato sauce and adobo seasoning; stir.  Cook on low for 50-60 minutes,

stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced by a quarter.

 

 

 

For the rice you will need the following:

     1 tbsp of oil

     1 cup of Sofrito

     1 package (16 oz) Enriched Medium Grain White Rice

     1 jar Spanish Manzanilla Olives, drained(I don't use the olives)

     1 carton (32 oz) chicken stock

     1 packet of Sazon Goya Con Culantro Y Achiote

     1/2 tsp Goya Adobo All-purpose Seasoning

     1 can (15.5 oz) El Jibarito Pigeon Peas, drained

 

 

Heat oil in a braising pan on medium-high, until the oil faintly smokes.  Add sofrito, rice, olives, stock, achiote packet, seasoning, and peas stir.  Bring to a boil on high. 

Turn off heat.  Cover and place in the oven, cooking for 20 minutes on 350. 

Let it rest for 10 minutes.

 

 

For the beans you will need the following:

     2 cans (15 oz each) of Goya Pink Beans

     5 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

     1 cup of Sofrito

     2 cups of chicken stock

 

 

Cook bacon in a braising pan (or dutch oven) medium for about 4 minutes,

until slightly brown, but not crispy.

 

 

Add Sofrito to the pan and cook on medium-high

for 5-7 minutes until it is caramelized.

 

 

Add chicken stock; stir to deglaze.  Add beans and season with salt to taste. 

Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low;

cook for 30-40 minute, until liquid is reduced by half.







Huevos Rancheros

This is my new favorite breakfast dish!!  This is one of  my favorite biggest loser recipes too.  I usually make the sauce and the beans on Sunday, then I can make the eggs a couple of times during the week.  It is a huge time saver and then I get a healthy and protein packed breakfast!  If you don't have the time to make the sauce, you can always use salsa.  For this recipe you will need the following:
     2 tsp of olive oil
     1 small yellow onion, chopped
     1 tbsp chopped garlic
     1 (10 oz) can of Rotel
     1/2 tsp ground cumin
     1/2 tsp dried oregano
     1/2 tsp of salt
     Pepper, to taste
     1/2 tsp of chipotle pepper powder
     1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
     1 corn tortilla
     2 tbsp of fat-free refried beans
     2 egg whites
     1 tbsp of low fat cheddar cheese or the cheese or your choice

To make the sauce: Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet.  Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened.  Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute longer, but don't allow the garlic to brown.  Add the tomatoes, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and chipotle powder and cook for a few minutes longer, until the liquid has reduced.  Stir in the cilantro.

To make one serving of Huevos Rancheros: Warm the tortilla and refried beans and set aside.  Coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray.  Add the egg whites and cook until nearly set, or about 2 minutes.  Turn the eggs with a spatula and cook for about 1 minute longer.  Place the tortilla on a plate and top it with the beans.  Place the cooked eggs on the beans.  Top with 1/2 of the sauce and sprinkle with cheese.  Calorie count is 230!! 
    

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Here I go again with the Mexican food, but I cannot help it, I love Mexican food!  Maybe it is because the best vacation I had in a years was when I went to Mexico 3 years ago, who knows!  I do wish I could find a tortilla soup recipe that even came close to the the most amazing tortilla soup I had when I was in Mexico with my very good friend Becky!  Believe me, I have tried many a tortilla soup recipes in an attempt to find one that was even close to the soup, but I have yet to find one.  Becky, I think you will just have to take me back to Mexico so I can have some more tortilla soup!  Now this is not tortilla soup, but it is pretty damn good!  I did however make a mistake while making it and used corn starch instead of cornmeal, so the soup is not as thick as it should have been.  That is what happens when you rush in the kitchen lol.  I also cheated for the sake of time and I did not make the tortilla chips from scratch; I used store bought ones, but I still included them in the recipe.  This recipe was adapted from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazine with 1 cup equaling 266 calories.  You will need the following:
     2 corn tortillas (6 inch)
     1/2 tsp of canola or olive oil
     1/2 tsp of chili powder
     1/8 tsp of salt
     1/8 tsp of cayenne powder
     Soup:
     1 medium onion, chopped
     1 tbsp of canola or olive oil
     1 garlic clove, minced
     5 cups of water, divided
     2 tbsp of reduced sodium chicken base
     1 tsp of chili powder
     1 tsp of cumin
     1 tsp of cayenne pepper
     1/3 cup of masa harina (if you do not have this or cannot find it in the store, you can use cornmeal)
     8 ounces of reduced-fat process cheese (Velveeta) cubed
     2 cups of cubed cooked chicken
     3/4 cup of pico de gallo
     6 tbsp of shredded Mexican cheese or the cheese of your choice

Cut each tortilla into thin 1 inch strips.  Place strips and oil in a resealable plastic bag; shake to coat.  Combine the chili powder, salt, and cayenne.  Add to the bag; shake and coat.  Arrange tortilla strips on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes or until crisp, stirring once.  Remove to paper towels to cool; set aside.



    

     Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute the onion until tender.  Add the garlic;

cook 1 minute longer.  Stir in 4 cups of water, chicken base, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. 

Whisk the masa harina and remaining water until smooth, stir into the pan. 

Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until it is slightly thickened. 

Reduce the heat.  Stir in process cheese until melted.  Add the chicken and heat through. 

Garnish with pico de gallo, cheese, and tortilla strips.