#1,567: Low-Fat Tangy Tomato Dressing

There are mixed reviews on this recipe in our family.  I am trying to get the girls away from liking ranch as their only salad dressing they will eat, so I'm making and trying new ones for/with them.  I thought they might like this one because it is similar to french and personally I like french dressing.  Sadly they didn't really like this recipe, but I thought it was ok.  I liked that it was much less minimally processed (and high in fat and calories) like ranch dressing is.  But I wasn't totally, totally in love with the flavor of this. It tasted like a glorified, watered down catsup a little bit.  I ended up adding some garlic, salt, pepper and a tiny bit of sugar to this.  It needs something else too but I'm not sure yet what it needs.  I'm hoping it gets better as the flavors meld and it sits in the fridge.  But for now, whether the kids like it or not, they'll be getting this with their salad for the next few days instead of their beloved ranch.  

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
I also added about 1-2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1/2 packet of stevia, and about 1 tsp minced garlic

Place all ingredients in a blender; cover and process until blended. Yield: 2 cups.

#1,566: Creamy Quinoa, Kale & Almond Milk Smoothie

As you can tell from the posts on this blog, there aren't too many recipes that we absolutely hate and end up going in to the "never again" category, but this recipe is definitely headed there.  Yuck.  This was not only not good, it was gross.  I made it for the kids and they all tried it and would not drink any more of it.  It is too liquid-y so it's almost like a watered down smoothie, yet the quinoa doesn't mix it so it makes it gritty.  Blech.  Don't waste your time (or ingredients) on this one.  

3/4 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup leafy greens (kale/spinach)
1 cup filtered water
1 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp. stevia
optional: a Tbsp. of extra-virgin coconut oil

Blend all ingredients thoroughly and enjoy. 

#1,565: Marinated Mushrooms and Asparagus Salad

I came across this recipe not too long ago and I thought it would be a perfect summer recipe to make since asparagus is so goo right now.  I've never had turnips before and although I didn't love them, I didn't mind them in this dish either.  This is a super healthy recipe that was actually quite easy to throw together.  I made it for lunch and wanted some protein so I added a little bit of crumbled bacon on mine.  It was SO good.  I will probably make this again for dinner tonight....

The recipe below is intended to be a side dish that serves 6.  

1 pound of mushrooms, quartered (I used shitake)
1 pound asparagus, bottom two inches cut off
1 turnip, waxy skin removed and then shaved thin using a vegetable peeler
1 bunch scallions chopped large
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin
a small bunch chives, cut one inch long (I used dried chives)
2 tablespoons capers (I omitted)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil (I omitted and use my Misto)

Fill a large pot of water for blanching and bring to a boil. Add salt until it tastes like the ocean.

While you are waiting for the water to boil, coat a sauté pan with oil and turn to high heat. Add the mushrooms to the hot pan and let them sit for a minute to gain color. Shake them every minute or two to brown them on all sides. After five minutes and when they are deeply browned, add the chopped garlic and peeled turnip. Gently toss or stir a few times, then remove from heat and place in a mixing bowl. Add the vinegar and scallions. Toss and let cool.

Blanch the asparagus in the boiling salted water for two minutes. Remove and shock in ice water. Let sit in the ice water to completely cool, about two minutes. Remove and cut each spear in thirds on a bias and add to the mushroom bowl.

Dunk the capers in the blanching water for ten seconds. Remove from water, then chop and add to the mushroom bowl.

Finally add your fresh chives and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper, and then toss one last time. Keep in the refrigerator until served. This will hold up well for three days.

#1,564: Avocado Zucchini Pasta

I really believe that in order to like this recipe you have to be a huge fan of avocado (which I am) AND a huge lover of cream sauces (which I am not).  Although I liked this recipe (and I ate it with zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti), one small bowl was definitely enough for me.  I also thought it needed more texture to it so I tried adding a little bit of cheese on top...that didn't do it.  Once I added some bacon crumbles (not in the photo above) I loved this a whole lot more.  Maybe that's why it suggests the corn in this recipe (which I omitted).  Would I personally make this again? No.  Would I eat this again if someone handed it to me though?  Yes.  

12 ounces spaghetti (I used zucchini spirals/noodles)
2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup canned corn kernels, drained and rinsed (I omitted)

(I obviously skipped this step since I didn't use spaghetti)  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

To make the avocado sauce, combine avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, avocado sauce, cherry tomatoes and corn.  Serve immediately.

#1,563: Quinoa Avocado Spinach Power Salad

Here's another recipe that I made/tried for my friend Jaime.  This one was outstanding and I'm really looking forward to lunch tomorrow already!  The dressing is super simple to make and requires very few ingredients.  BUT I was ridiculously lazy tonight and decided to use a cranberry vinaigrette (bottled) instead.  I'm sure it lost a little of its "power" and health factor that way, but it was still SOOOOOO good.  I mean just look at it...how can that NOT be good?!?!

What else I love about this recipe is that you don't have to measure anything.  Yes the recipe below can be followed exactly, but why bother?!  I filled my bowl with spinach, used as many tomatoes that looked good enough to me, added some red onion along with the green onion, and used about 1/4 of an avocado because that's what I wanted to eat.  The photo above has about 1/2 c cooked quinoa which isn't a ton, but it sure was plenty for this salad. 

I also finally got to use my new Farberware avocado food huggers and can't wait to see if the other half of my avocado will still be fresh tomorrow.  Have you heard of these?  (See photo at right) I found a review of this in one of my magazines and couldn't wait to get it.  I waste a lot of avocados.  Yes I know you can freeze them, but mine always turn out brown still and it changes the texture.

1 cup dry quinoa
1-2 avocados
3 oz. baby spinach
8 oz. cherry tomatoes
3 green onions

For the dressing
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt

Cook the quinoa according to package directions.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together ingredients and set aside.

(I used baby spinach and just pulled the leaves off) Roughly chop the spinach and place in a large bowl.

Slice the green onions, halve the cherry tomatoes, and dice the avocado.

When quinoa is done cooking, add it to the large bowl with spinach and toss. The heat from the quinoa will lightly wilt the spinach.

Add the green onions, tomatoes, and dressing. Stir to combine. Add the avocado and lightly toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate for flavors to blend.

#1,562: Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

I found this super easy recipe for marinated grilled chicken and figured I'd give this one a try.  It was my third time making some sort of version of a grilled buttermilk chicken and we liked (but didn't love the other two) so I figured this would be our third and final attempt at a recipe similar to this. Although we hated how this looked in the bag (it looked like vomit....sorry so not appealing!), it was actually really good tasting chicken.  The paprika just gives this a terrible color/marinade mixture. 

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
6 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine buttermilk, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper.

Divide buttermilk mixture and chicken pieces between 2 large Ziploc plastic bags. Let chicken marinate in refrigerator, turning occasionally, for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Heat grill to medium-low. Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade) and grill, covered, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of chicken reaches 165F°, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

#1,561: Melon Salsa

I pretty much love any type of salsa, and this recipe did not disappoint.  I really, really enjoyed this and it was so summery and refreshing.  I would definitely make this again.  In fact, I'm going to take the leftover salsa and eat it in lettuce leaves as a healthier option!

3 cups diced ripe yet firm cantaloupe
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a large bowl, mix melon, pineapple, bell pepper, onion, ginger, jalapeño and lemon or lime juice. Stir well, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

Just before serving, stir in mint and oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve cold.

#1,560: Buffalo Chicken Dip

I knew this would be an easy recipe to make, but I don't know why I let it sit on my Pinterest boards for three years?!!?  This was SO good....creamy, a tiny spicy, and gooey.  I served it with pita chips and the entire pan was gone by the end of book club.  SO good.  

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 can (10 ounces) chunk white chicken, drained
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
French bread baguette slices, celery ribs or pita chips (to dip)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread cream cheese into an ungreased shallow 1-qt. baking dish.

(I mixed this all together and then spread it on top of the cream cheese). Layer with chicken, wing sauce and salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. If desired, serve bread, celery or pita chips. 

#1,559: Zucchini Cookies

The kids helped me make these cookies...and I think there is something wrong with my oven because these got quite over-done on the bottoms.  Because of that I wouldn't necessarily serve them to guests, but for my family they are just fine.  My kids actually really, really liked these and they are not fans of oatmeal.  I cut back on the sugar to about ¾ cup to make them just a tad healthier.  I would definitely make these again.  They are a little dense, but we enjoyed them.

1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup shortening (I used coconut oil)
1 egg
1 cup grated zucchini
1¾ cups quick oats

Frosting (I omitted…I didn’t feel like frosting these…)
½ cup butter, softened
3 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon together in a large bowl and stir to combine ingredients well. Cut in shortening. Beat in egg until well combined. Add zucchini and oats and beat until evenly mixed in.

Spoon drops of cookie dough onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting

Cream butter in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Add more milk and/or powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Frost cookies once they are completely cooled and sprinkle the tops with a little nutmeg.

#1,560: Chocolate Fudge Zucchini Cookies

As you can obviously tell, I’ve got a theme going this week with zucchini recipes.  I got a bunch of them at Sam’s Club this week and figured it would be a great time to get some zucchini recipes removed from my Pinterest boards.  These chocolatefudge cookies are really, really good.  I thought the dough was a little dry so I added an egg into the mix and it gave it more of a cake-like texture.  The kids loved these though and I decided I’m going to serve them for my friends at book club tomorrow so we don’t eat them all.  Although I think these would probably freeze really, really well and would be a great thing to put in the kids lunches. 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
2/3 cup granulated sugar (I used 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely shredded zucchini (squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini after grating)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars. The mixture will be thick and resemble sand-that's ok. Add the yogurt and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.

Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.

Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes or until cookies are firm. Remove cookies from sheet and cool completely on wire racks.

#1,558: Brussels sprouts and bacon (#2)

My friend Jaime asked that I make this recipe and I loved eating it for dinner one night (protein and veggie in one meal...what more do I need?!).  I usually don't pan fry my brussel sprouts and roast them instead, but this turned out really well.  I over did some of the pieces a little so it got a bit bitter, but I still enjoyed it.  The crispy bacon gives it really great texture too. 

1½ - 2 pounds brussel sprouts
5 slices bacon, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot, diced
⅓ cup hot water (if needed)
juice from ½ lemon
salt & pepper to taste

Wash and remove the outer leaves from brussel sprouts, trim stem end and cut in half. If brussel sprout is smaller, you can leave whole & just cut an X in the bottom to allow heat to penetrate.

In a large skillet, cook bacon until evenly browned, remove bacon from skillet, leaving grease behind.

Stir butter and olive oil into bacon grease, add shallots and cook until translucent.

Add the halved brussels sprouts and pan fry, stirring frequently until the brussels sprouts are golden (be careful not to burn them or they will taste bitter),and tender, yet still slightly firm, about 10 minutes. (Add ⅓ cup hot water if pan is getting dry and sprouts aren't cooking).

To re-heat bacon, add it back to the pan for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

Squeeze lemon juice over cooked brussel sprouts and season with salt and pepper.

#1,556 and #1,557: Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

This is actually two recipes in one (one for the zucchini cake and one for the frosting).  My kids have been asking me to make zucchini bread for weeks now and I've had to put off making this recipe for one reason or another.  But tonight, I had some extra time and figured I'd throw these in the oven to make for them for breakfast tomorrow. I also made these in smaller pans (instead of the recommended 9x13 pan) so that I could give away some of this so we don't eat it all.  This was a huge hit in our house. We loved it...although I thought it was a little dry. Next time I'm going to add one more egg. 

For the zucchini cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup...who needs 2 cups of sugar?!!?)
1/2 cup dark baking cocoa (I just used regular baking cocoa)
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup reduced-fat plain yogurt (I used a 3 oz container of Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini

Frosting Ingredients:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13x9-in. baking pan.

In a large bowl, whisk the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, oil and vanilla until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in zucchini.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

To make the chocolate frosting:

Melt chocolate and butter in a metal bowl over barely simmering water. Stir until smooth.

Place evaporated milk, sugar and vanilla in a blender; cover and process 1 minute to dissolve sugar. Add warm chocolate mixture; cover and process just until mixture thickens to desired consistency, about 30 seconds. 

#1,555: Grilled Zucchini Guacamole

I had very low expectations for this recipe because I wasn't sure I was going to love the texture of this recipe with the mashed zucchini.  It totally tastes nothing like traditional guacamole but I did enjoy it. Would I want to eat this everytime instead of regular guacole? No. But it definitely was good. 

1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1 avocado--pitted, peeled and cubed
3 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon coriander

Preheat grill pan over medium-high. Spritz the zucchini with cooking spray (I used my Misto); grill until tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Let cool, then dice. Mix with remaining ingredients and 1/2 tsp. salt.

#1,554: Baba Ganoush (Roasted Eggplant Dip)

At first, I didn't love the texture of this because of all of the seeds that were in my eggplant.  I felt like the dip was too chunky and crunchy but only because of the seeds.  I planned on throwing this out...but then I tried it about 12 hours later with a pretzel crisp and I enjoyed it so much more.  I don't know if it was because the flavors had time to meld longer and better or because the crunchiness of the pretzels masked the seeds, but regardless, I really did enjoy this.  It sure isn't the prettiest thing I've ever eaten, but it was good. 

2 medium eggplants (about 2 pound)
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil, optional

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and turn broiler on (high heat). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place eggplants onto the baking sheet and prick in several places using a fork. This helps steam escape while the eggplants roast.  Broil eggplants 2 minutes on all sides. The skin will darken a little and begin to smell smoky, adding lots of flavor to the dip.

Turn broiler off, but do not remove eggplants from the oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Roast eggplants 25 to 30 minutes, or until very soft. Cool 10 to 15 minutes until easily handled.

(I did the rest of the steps in my food processor to make combining the ingredients easier…)  Meanwhile, combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and the salt in a medium bowl. Set aside so the flavors meld.

Split the eggplants, scrape out the flesh and add to the tahini mixture. (Discard excess liquid and skins).

 Mash eggplant into tahini mixture with a fork until somewhat smooth with some texture remaining. Cool to room temperature then stir in parsley and drizzle the top with olive oil.

#1,553: Phyllo Dough Meat Rolls

I had some ground turkey to use up as well as half of a package of phyllo dough so I went to my pinterest boards in search of something to make with this.  I came across this recipe which was perfect since I had all of the ingredients already on hand. The roll on the top in the photo is cut in half so you can see a little bit into the inside of it.  This was really easy to make and everyone (except Matthew but he's my picky eater) ate it and enjoyed it.  This was a great way to use up some left over ingredients!

1 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp allspice
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 cup for later
16-20 Phyllo sheets
1 egg, mixed with little water (egg wash)

Additional filling ingredients
5 oz creamy feta cheese (I omitted)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs (I used 1)
1 tsp dill weed
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add onions and saute briefly on medium-high.  Add ground beef and spices. Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until ground beef is fully cooked and browned (about 8 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly.

When ground beef has cooled, combine it with the additional filling ingredients.

Take 16 phyllo pastry sheets, more if needed, and lay them carefully in a large tray. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel (this will keep phyllo pastry from cracking or breaking). Take two sheets of phyllo and lay them on a large cutting board. Brush phyllo generously with olive oil. With a good knife, cut right down the middle forming two long phyllo strips.  Take one phyllo strip and begin to make your first roll. Take a spoonful of the meat-cheese mixture and place on the short end of phyllo strip (the end closest to you). Roll away from you two times.  Fold in the phyllo strip sides all the way, and then continue to roll phyllo toward the other end.

Brush with a little more olive oil and egg wash. Place your first phyllo roll on a large and lightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the other phyllo strip.  Repeat with the process with remaining phyllo, working with two phyllo sheets at a time. You should end up with 16 phyllo dough meat rolls lined up nicely in your large baking sheet.

I sprinkled some garlic powder and grated parmesan cheese on top of mine before baking to give it more flavor.  I think it was a great idea!

Place the phyllo rolls in the 400 degree F oven. Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven. Serve warm.

#1,552: Marinated Pork Chops

So I just started using Home Chef (thanks to my sister and my mom) and had an extra pork chop left over that I needed to use.  I wanted to make a super simple grilled pork chop recipe, but I really dislike the texture of pork.  I like my meat super well done, and that always (obviously) equals super tough and chewy meat...pretty much inedible.  So I went in search of a marinade that would hopefully let me grill my pork chop but keep it more moist and tender.  I came across this recipe and figured I'd give it a try.  It really was super simple and I liked it a lot...it wasn't anything super special, but it was quick and gave the meat some flavor!  And it was definitely moist!

4 boneless pork loin chops
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon steak seasoning

Mix olive oil, soy sauce and steak seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and pour into a one-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork chops and set the bag in a baking dish in a way that the pork chops get a healthy dose of the marinade (it may be advantageous to flip the bag over halfway through the marinating time). Marinate in the refrigerator for 3-8 hours (no more than 8).

Heat the grill to medium and grill the chops 6-8 minutes per side (depending on how thick they are) until they are no longer pink in the center. Remove the chops from the grill and tent them with foil and allow them to rest for 5-7 minutes. Slice the chops in 1/4 to 3/8 inch slices across the grain and serve.

#1,551: Lima Bean Hummus

Lima beans are the one veggie I actually like, but rarely eat.  I never think to make it for my kids even though my mom used to make it for us.  So I figured this would be a good way to try and expose them to lima beans and see if they like it.  I also liked the prospect of this recipe because it seemed like a milder tasting hummus.  Sadly, my kids didn't like this at all, but I actually did.  Yes it is more bland compared to traditional hummus recipes, but I still liked it.  

1 package(10 oz) package frozen baby lima beans (not thawed)

2 cups water
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tbsp fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon hot water (if you like)

Put the lima beans and water in the pot and put the pot on the stove. Turn the heat to high and cover the pot. When you see steam coming out from under the lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer until the beans are tender and creamy, 10–15 minutes. Drain the beans in the colander or strainer.

Put the lima beans and the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth, about 1 minute. You can add 1–2 tablespoons of hot water if you want the dip to be creamier. Now taste the hummus. Does it need more lemon juice? More salt or mint? If so, add it and taste again.

Using the spatula, scoop the dip into the serving bowl or lidded container.  Serve right away or cover and refrigerate up to 5 days.

#1,550: Caesar-Spinach Dip

Here's another recipe I pinned 3 years ago that I made for a recent family party.  It's a slight spin on traditional spinach dip. I kind of like it!  It is much cheesier and has a grittier texture because of the parmesan but I was okay with that.  It is a thicker dip though so I don't know how easy this could be to serve with pieces of bread.  I think cut up veggies or crackers would be best.  I used pita chips which were delicious. 

1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup Classic Caesar Dressing
1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1/3 cup chopped red peppers

Mix sour cream and dressing in medium bowl. Reserve 1 tsp. cheese.  Add remaining cheese to sour cream mixture with spinach and peppers; mix well. Top with reserved cheese.  Serve with crackers or veggie sticks. 

#1,549: Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie

My kids totally loved this smoothie, even my non-smoothie loving 6 year old!  I made it with Crystal Light lemonade since that's what we had on hand and although the kids really enjoyed it, I think it would have been better with real lemonade (and taste less processed and artificial!).  It was so simple to make though and the kids drank the whole pitcher!

2 cups lemonade
3/4 cup (6 ounces) lemon yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups frozen unsweetened strawberries

Place all ingredients in a blender; cover and process 15 seconds or until blended. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

#1,548: Loaded Baked Potato Dip

When I read the reviews on this recipe I was surprised to see so many people asking where the "potato" came into this recipe/dip.  So in case it isn't obvious, the "potato" in this dip comes from your potato chip that you dip into it.  Duh, right?!?!  I also made this recipe for a a family gathering tomorrow and figured this would be a good choice because I could make it ahead of time, it should travel easily, and I don't have to heated it up.  Anything I can make in advance of a party and then just set out is a winner in my book.  Personally, I think it's really good, but I pretty much like any dip, especially ones that involve cheese and bacon.  I did think it was a little too tangy for my liking, so I added about 1/2 cup of mayo to help balance out the flavor a little bit.  Hopefully the rest of the family enjoys it as much as I do. 

16 ounces sour cream
16 slices (12-ounce package) bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives
I also added about 1/2 c mayo
Serve with wavy potato chips

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld together. Garnish with extra shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped chives. Serve with your favorite potato chips. Dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

#1,547: Dijon Shallot Vinaigrette

This was a super simple recipe that I whipped together one night for dinner.  I decided to put it all in my magic bullet and puree it to really incorporate the flavors. I was also out of shallots so I added some red onion.  I thought it was great!  I was a tiny bit sweet and a little tangy...delicious on salad!!

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅛ cup apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons honey
1 large shallot, finely chopped (I used about 1/8 of a red onion)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Finely chop shallot and combine along with remaining ingredients in a mason jar or other glass jar with a tight fitting lid.  Shake vigorously until well mixed. Serve and Enjoy!

#1,546: Quick Pickled Crudites

I found this recipe in one of my recent issues of Real Simple magazine.  Although I liked these pickled veggies, I didn't love it.  I think it was the choice of veggies though.  The radishes, which I like in general totally overpowered this, and I was not a huge fan of the fennel.  Would I make this again, probably not.  Will I continue to eat it though, sure.    

2 c distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, halved
1 tbsp caraway seeds
1 c water
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch thick wedges
2 english cucumbers, cut into sticks
3 medium carrots, cut into sticks
3 radishes, halved or quartered

Combine the first seven ingredients together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Simmer for about 1 minute until the salt dissolves.  Remove from heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Pour over the remaining prepared ingredients in a large bowl.  Cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.  Refrigerate in a jar for up to 1 week.  

#1,545: Balsamic, Tomato, and Avocado Tuna Salad

I really wanted to love this recipe, because it was so simple to make and would be a great way to use up leftover avocado, but I really disliked this recipe.  I think it was the texture of the tuna.  Personally I think this would be much better with chicken, and will probably try it with chicken next time.  As is though, I was not a fan.  

1 can of tuna packed in olive oil
splash of balsamic vinegar 

1/2 tomato, diced 

1/2 medium avocado, mashed
I also added: 

1/4 of a red onion, diced
about 1/4 c of chopped cucumber
salt

pepper
chopped fresh basil

In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients.  

#1,544: Grilled Asian Pork Tenderloin

This recipe can actually be adapted to cook anyway you like (grilled, baked or in the crockpot), but with is being grilling season I definitely decided to grill ours.  We loved this.  The kids aren't big meat eaters, but even Chloe loved this one and asked for seconds.  That's a big deal for her.  We will definitely be making this again.    

1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
4 garlic cloves, crushed (or prepared minced)
1 1/2 – 2 pounds pork tenderloin

Mix first 8 ingredients together in strong freezer safe plastic bag.  Place pork tenderloin in freezer bag and seal. Refrigerate overnight (I marinated mine in the fridge for about 4 hours).b

For grilling, discard liquid, and grill ten minutes per side (depending on size of meat. Check to make sure it’s done.

If baking in the oven: Place in a glass baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until done.

If making in the crockpot: Place pork mixture in crock pot and cook on low for 4+ hours or 3 hours on high. 

#1,543: Vietnamese Inspired Chicken and Cabbage Salad

This recipe can easily be thrown together in a matter of minutes, especially if you use bagged coleslaw mix and have leftover chicken.  I grilled my chicken because I prefer to eat it that way rather than bake it in the oven, but you could easily grill (or bake) several pieces of chicken and have this ready to go for several meals one week.  Personally I thought this was better when I added a little bit of crumbled bacon on top, but I love bacon way more than I love grilled chicken.  :)  I would definitely eat this again, although I will probably omit the mint only because I don't love the flavor of mint.  Otherwise, I really thought this was good!

1 cooked chicken breasts, shredded (or leftover chicken)
1/2 small head Savoy Cabbage, thinly sliced (3 cups)
1/2 cup julienned carrots
2 green onions, thinly sliced long ways
2 tbsp Mint leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp Basil leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp Cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Dressing
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I used the juice of 1 lime)
2 tablespoons fish sauce (I used worchestershire sauce)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey (I used a little bit of stevia)
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 red seeded chili, chopped (I used a jalapeno)

(I skipped this step because I grilled my chicken and then just chopped it up) To roast chicken breasts:  Place them in a baking dish with a cup of chicken broth and roast them at around 300 degrees for about 25 minutes or till cooked through (165 internal temp), baste a few times. Cool a bit then pull into thin strips or shred with a fork. Set aside.

Thinly slice the cabbage, carrots and spring onion tops (the green parts) into long strips, then roughly chop the herbs and place all the above ingredients into a large bowl.

In a separate bowl or mason jar, measure out all the dressing ingredients.  Shake or mix well. Pour the Dressing over the salad, toss and serve.  Feel free to play with the salad dressing ratios to suit your taste.

#1,542: Greek Chopped Salad

Mmmm...doesn't that look good?!?!  Although this is a great recipe as is, it was also great added on top of some pulled pork, and eaten as a topping to some shredded lettuce.  I love the saltiness of the olives and the feta, but the crispness of the cucumbers and carrots.  This is an overall great recipe!!

3 c. halved cherry or grape tomatoes
2 large English cucumbers, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 c. diced red onion
1 c. pitted and roughly chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 c. chopped fresh mint
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/3 c. chopped fresh oregano
1 8-oz. block of feta, diced (or use crumbled feta)

For the salad dressing:

1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c. white balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients, except for the feta cheese. Toss gently to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together all salad dressing ingredients.

To yield the best flavor, it is best to prepare this salad a few hours before serving. Pour about 2/3 of the dressing over the salad mixture and toss a few times to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve, folding gently every hour or so. When ready to serve, add more dressing if needed. Then add the feta cheese and fold again to incorporate. Sprinkle lightly with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired. 

#1,541: Bacon Potato Salad

I’ll admit, I don’t really love potato salad that has a mayo base.  I generally go for more of a vinegar based potato salad, so I was nervous to make this recipe.  I however, absolutely loved it (so did my brother Mike!) and would definitely make this again.  I did not use the full amount of mayo/buttermilk/seasoning though and added just enough for it to be fully coated, but not enough that it was drenched and overpowering.  This was VERY good!!

2 1/4 pounds small red potatoes, larger ones halved
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 slices bacon
2 ribs celery, diced
3 scallions, trimmed and sliced
1/4 cup cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup cup low-fat buttermilk
2 teaspoons country Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place potatoes in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil; add 1 tsp of the salt. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, until just tender. Drain; rinse with cool water. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes, turning. Remove to a paper towel.

Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl; add celery and scallions. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, 2 tbsp water, the mustard, sugar, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper. Crumble bacon over potatoes; toss with dressing. Refrigerate until serving.