Asparagus Frittata

Mom loves her frittata pans from William Sonoma. She has two, a small set and a large set. For Christmas she put the large set to good use. This Asparagus Frittata is made with thin asparagus and both Gouda and Parmesan cheeses. It was the perfect addition to our Christmas Brunch.

 

Asparagus Frittata

Adapted from: Southern Living APRIL 2012

Yield: Makes 6 servings

 

Ingredients

1 pound fresh thin asparagus

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

12 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Gouda cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus. Cut asparagus diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Melt butter in the bottom skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Add asparagus; sauté 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute.

Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients until well blended. Stir in 3/4 cup Gouda cheese. Fold egg mixture into vegetable mixture in skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes or until almost set. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Gouda cheese. Add the top skillet and flip cooking another 8 minutes or until set.

Scalloped Potatoes

These potatoes are so so good. This is a recipe revived from my childhood. My sister kept asking me to make those Scalloped Potatoes like Mom use to make them. Finally I asked Mom to show me how to make them. They couldn't be easier. You don't have to make a sauce. You just layer the ingredients and bake. The recipe comes from an old Betty Crocker's Cookbook. This is the book at my Mom's that is stained, pages falling out and the binding or cover is separate from the pages. It is Mom's go to cookbook. I am so happy to have this recipe to share.

Christmas Brunch plate, Scalloped Potatoes in the foreground.



Scalloped Potatoes

Source: Betty Crocker's Cookbook 1969; 12^th Printing 1972

Serves: 4 to 6

2 pounds potatoes (about 6 medium)

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

3 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2-1/2 cups milk

Heat oven to 350. Wash potatoes; pare thinly and remove eyes. Cut potatoes into thin slices to measure about 4 cups.

In a greased 2-quart casserole, arrange potatoes in 4 layers, sprinkling each of the first 3 layers with 1 tablespoon onion, 1 tablespoon flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, dash pepper and dotting each with 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle top with remaining onion, salt and pepper ant dot with remaining butter. Heat milk just to scalding; pour over potatoes. Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 60 to 70 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Ham

This ham is usually on the table at Easter. But because we were having a Christmas Brunch it seemed the perfect solution for Christmas this year. It is easy and so good. The orange glaze is sweet and spicy from the mustard. The thyme is just a hint of herb, not enough to bother those who do not like herbs. Lets put it this way, it passes the Dad test. He really likes this recipe. If you line the pan with foil it is easy clean up.

Baked Ham

Source: Southern Living 2009 Annual Recipes

Makes 16 Servings

1 (10 lb) smoked ham

1 (13 oz) jar orange marmalade

1/4 cup stone ground mustard

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wrap ham in aluminum foil, and place in a slightly greased 13 x 9 inch pan; bake at 300 for 2 hours.

Remove ham from oven, and unwrap. Remove skin and excess fat from ham. Score fat on ham in a diamond pattern.

Stir together marmalade and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Spoon glaze over ham, and bake 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 140. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Linking to:

Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Easter Foods

Fruit Salad

This Fruit Salad is the brain child of my Mother. I am not sure where she came up with it. But it sure was good. You can find the jars of fruit in the refrigerated section near the bags of salad greens and jar salad dressings. The fruit juice from the jar fruit keeps the bananas from browning. Genius! And the coconut, well it was delicious. I think this salad should be called a Tropical Fruit Salad.

Fruit Salad

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 jar mixed fruit, drained

1 jar mandarin oranges, drained

2 banana, peeled and sliced

Sweetened flake coconut

Directions

Drain almost all liquid from jar fruit. Slice one banana in a serving bowl, top with one jar of fruit. Sprinkle fruit with some coconut. Slice second banana, top with other jar of fruit and more coconut. Toss salad to combine just before serving.

Parsnip and Fennel Soup with Dill

I made Parsnip and Fennel Soup with Dill last night. I found the recipe on Pinterest, it had been posted from Real Simple magazine. It was very good! The parsnip and dill were the true stars of this soup. The only thing I would do differently is I would puree half of the soup in the blender as the recipe said or puree the whole pot. I used a stick blender to puree half and it sort of beat up the other veggies. It would be prettier if I had followed the directions. One more thing in the photo I saw on Real Simple, the soup was much lighter in color. I used a dark vegetable stock and my soup was darker than the photo. If you know of a lighter stock I suggest using it in this recipe.

By the way, I am working on getting those Christmas recipes posted. So stay tuned.

Parsnip and Fennel Soup with Dill

Source: Real Simple

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 leeks (white and light green parts), sliced into half-moons

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces

1 large bulb fennel, cored and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces

5 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

1 small baguette, split horizontally

2 ounces grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese (1⁄2 cup)

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, parsnips, fennel, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the potatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Transfer half the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat broiler. Place the bread, cut-side up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the cheese. Broil until the cheese melts. Cut into pieces.

Sprinkle the soup with the dill and serve with the cheese toast.

Tip: The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutritional Information: Calories 477; Fat 13g; Sat Fat 5g; Cholesterol 22mg; Sodium 914mg; Protein 19g; Carbohydrate 70g; Sugar 8g; Fiber 8g; Iron 5mg; Calcium 249mg

Merry Christmas everyone!

I am off to Mom and Dad's to make Seafood Gumbo and Potato Salad for Christmas eve dinner. This Christmas my sister works a later shift. So we have a Christmas brunch planned. Below is our holiday menu. I will post recipes and photos real soon. I hope you and your loved ones have a very Merry Christmas full of love, happiness and cheer.

Christmas Eve

Seafood Gumbo

Potato Salad with Olives

Assorted candies and desserts

Christmas Brunch
Baked Ham
Asparagus Fritatta
Scalloped Potatoes
Creole Cream Cheese
Fruit Salad

Eggnog Pudding with Creme Brulee Topping

This dessert will save you a few calories over the holidays. You can make it after dinner and about the time you are ready for a sweet treat it is ready for you. I got the idea from a recipe I saw in a Richard Simmons Food Mover Cookbook.  The original recipe was called Creme Brulee a la Free. They use white chocolate pudding mix and it served twelve. I cut the recipe way back in size and changed up the flavor. I guess you could call it Mock Creme Brulee. But the texture is still more pudding like, so die hard Creme Brulee fans may be offended. Whatever you call it, it is sure to provide that satisfaction of breaking into that crisp caramelized sugar crust. The possibilities are endless for other flavors too. I myself have made chocolate, vanilla and butterscotch. I hope you will give it a try.

Eggnog Pudding with Creme Brulee Topping

Serves 2

1 - four serving box of sugar free vanilla pudding

1-1/4 cups skim milk

1 tsp rum extract

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp brown sugar

Whisk in pudding mix and spices into milk or use a mixer. Add extract and mix until no longer grainy. Pour into 2 ramekins. Put in refrigerator to set about 30 minutes. Just before serving combine sugar and brown sugar. Sprinkle each with sugar mixture and be sure to cover the top of pudding evenly. With a culinary torch brown sugar. Serve!

Marinated Onions and Blue Cheese

Food on Fridays at Carole's Chatter is all about onions this week. The first recipe to come to mind was a salad my Mom served with steak and potatoes on very special occasions. This just may be the stinkest recipe I will ever post. She served Marinated Onions and Blue Cheese on an iceberg lettuce wedge. Mom said she use to get this salad at a steak house in New Orleans. She found a similar recipe in a Cookbook Encyclopedia from Redbook she had. I remember this set of books always being in the bookcase. If fact they are still there. Although, this is the only recipe I remember her using from the books. The onions actually get quite sweet after they marinate for two days. Don't try to rush the process, they really need the time to marinate and mellow out.

Shown here garnished with a little more blue cheese

Marinated Onions and Blue Cheese

Makes 6 to 8 servings

½ cup olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp salt

Dash each of pepper and paprika

½ tsp sugar

¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

2 cups thickly sliced large red or yellow onions

Mix oil, lemon juice, seasonings, and sugar. Stir in cheese; pour over onions, cover, and chill for at least 2 days.

Linking to:

Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays

Cream of Red Pepper Soup

Red bell peppers were on sale recently at my grocery store. These peppers were also some of the largest peppers I have seen. They were about 3" in diameter and 5" or 6" long. I decided to make Cream of Red Pepper Soup. I have also seen Rachael Ray cook a lot with Fresno Chilies. So I bought one for an experiment. She says it adds a fruity heat to recipes. She often uses it in place of red pepper flakes. I use a lot of red pepper flakes, maybe I would like the Fresno chili? I have to admit when I first tasted the soup for seasoning. I was a little disappointed. I could not tell there was a chili in the soup. But after the soup was finished and I sat down to eat, I was very happy. The soup was not spicy, you do not feel the burn on your tongue. What you will find is a nice warming sensation in the back of your throat. I bought three more Fresno Chilies at the store today. More experimenting to come. Below is a photo of the soup with a ham and colby jack quesadilla. It was a great combination.

Cream of Red Pepper Soup

Servings 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

4 extra large red bell peppers, deseeded and chopped

1 red Fresno chili, deseeded and chopped

3 shallots, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried basil

3 cups vegetable stock

3/8 cup fat free half and half

Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a 4 qt soup pot sauté the shallots, garlic, and red bell pepper in the olive oil for 3 minutes. Add the herbs, salt, pepper and stock. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes covered. Take off the stove and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Or pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Return to soup pot and add half and half, do not let it simmer or boil after adding half and half. Taste for seasoning; adjust to taste, then serve.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop

Chicken Tortilla Soup

When I was in Georgetown, Texas my co-workers and I would live for the day when The Ice Cream Parlour had Chicken Tortilla Soup as a special. One of us would go pick it up and bring it back to the store. They served it in a large foam cup. We would sit at the desk with a foam cup of soup and a Route 44 Sonic tea with lime. It was the perfect lunch. Sadly they closed for renovations and we could not get it for over a month or two. That is when I developed this recipe. I since moved away and I understand The Ice Cream Parlour is long gone. But I am happy to relive those memories through this recipe. It is warm, full of tender chicken, corn, onions and tomatoes. I serve it over baked corn chips and 2% cheese today. But feel free to use your favorite chips and cheese, but please don't forget the cilantro. It really adds that Mexican flare to the soup.

Chicken Tortilla Soup 

Servings:  6

Ingredients

1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast 

2 tsp olive oil
1 med onion, sliced in half moons 

10 1/2 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies, with liquid   

14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, with liquid   

14 1/2 oz canned yellow corn, with liquid 

4 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth 

1/4 tsp ground cumin 

3/4tsp seasoned pepper 

1 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning 
3/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 

Tostitos baked tortilla chips 

2% Mexican blend shredded cheese 

Instructions

Place chicken in a 3-1/2 quart pot, cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. At the first sign of bubbles lower to temperature to low. Poach chicken for 30 minutes. Discard cooking liquid and shred chicken. Set chicken aside. Rinse pot and return to heat.

Sauté onion in olive oil until they start to get transparent. Add tomatoes, corn, broth and seasoning. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Add chicken and cilantro. Simmer until chicken to warmed through. Taste for seasoning, adjust to taste. Serve over corn chips and a tablespoon of Mexican cheese blend.

Linking to:
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Corn
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia-TEXAS and Link Party
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky

Turtle Cheesecake Muffins

I have been making Cheesecake Muffins in some way, shape or form since I was a freshman in college. Last night I made Turtle Cheesecake Muffins for my sister to take to a work Christmas food day. They have all the flavor of Turtle Cheesecake packed in a small disposable wrapper. Perfect for any buffet or food swap. Don’t be alarmed, they will fall as they cool. But it is okay, it is ideal in fact. It makes the perfect little well to fill with toppings.

You can top these muffins with any of the usually cheesecake toppings. Try using cherry or blueberry pie filling or fresh strawberries and a strawberry glaze. All three have been a hit with many of my family and friends. I have also made Mardi Gras themed cheesecake muffins (click here). You just top each muffin with a spoonful of crushed pineapple, a red grape or 2 and a kiwi slice. They are all decked out in purple, green and gold. They look like they have been decorated with beads and coins. The possibilities are endless.

My sister made snicker bar cheesecake muffins at Thanksgiving for work. She placed half of a mini snickers on top of the wafer before filling and baking; then garnished with more chopped snickers after they cooled. Delicious! Let me know if you have tried any other toppings. I am always looking for new ideas.

Turtle Cheesecake Muffins

Makes: 2 dozen

1 pkg. Chocolate Wafers(or Vanilla Wafers)

3 (8oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese

3 eggs

3/4 cup Granulated Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

Toppings:

Caramel sauce

Chopped pecans

Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream the cream cheese and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and beat until well mixed. Place 1 chocolate wafer in paper lined cupcake pan. Spoon mix on cookie until cup is 2/3 full.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Top each muffin with caramel sauce, pecans and chocolate chips. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Linking to:
See Ya in the Gumbo
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays

Smokey Beef and Vegetable Chili

Have you heard of the idea of food expanders? Hungry Girl talks a lot about this idea. It is adding vegetables to reduce carbs and high fat proteins. She appeared on Dr. Oz (video) and talked about it there too. She uses cauliflower as a swap for potatoes, spaghetti squash for pasta, portabella mushrooms for beef, and so on. Well I decided I wanted to try to expand my favorite chili recipe. I used mushrooms for half the beef in the Wendy’s Clone Chili recipe. I also increased the amount of each veggie and added a bell pepper. It turned out great! It is loaded with veggies and smokey from substituting fire roasted tomatoes for plain canned tomatoes. Be aware it is a 2 or 3-alarm chili. I used original Rotel tomatoes, if you are sensitive to spicy foods try using mild Rotel. This recipe is one that only gets better the next day.

Smokey Beef and Vegetable Chili

Makes about 10 cups; Serves 6 to 8

2 tsp. olive oil

8 oz lean ground beef (93% lean)

8 oz cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, chopped

1 medium onion, diced

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with diced green chilies (with liquid)

1 (15 oz) can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (with liquid)

1 (15 oz) can of red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

1 (15 oz) can of pinto beans (drained and rinsed)

2 cups water

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat; brown the ground beef, breaking into small pieces with the spoon. Add a dash of salt and pepper while cooking.

Add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper and celery to dutch oven, cook until onion is translucent. Add tomato paste and spices, stir and cook until fragrant, add the remaining ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are combined thoroughly.

Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Reduce the burner to low, cover and continue simmering 50−60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Linking to:
See Ya in the Gumbo
Miz Helen Country Cottage: Texas Star Chili Cook Off 2013
Tumbleweed Contessa: 2014 Super Bowl and Chili Party

Cauliflower Leek Soup

This cream soup is so good. It is another recipe I got off of the Weight Watchers message boards years ago. If you like cauliflower you will love it plain. If you long for baked potato soup load it up with the optional garnishes. It tastes just like baked potato soup without any guilt. I photographed it with the garnishes. It looked a little undressed plain.

 

 

 

 

Cauliflower Leek Soup

Serves 8

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

2 small leeks, cleaned and cut into rings

4 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp light butter

1 small onion, chopped

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Heat butter in pot, add in onions and leeks. Heat until tender, but not browned. Add in cauliflower and broth. Simmer, covered until cauliflower is cooked [about 15 min]. Puree in the pot with an immersion or stick blender. Or pulse soup in a blender in two or three batches, until smooth. Return to pan and season with salt and white pepper.

WW Points Plus: 1

Optional Garnishes: 2% cheddar cheese, light sour cream, bacon bits, and chives.

Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky

Buffalo Chicken Soup

If you like tangy and spicy Buffalo Wings, you will love this soup. I found the original recipe on the weight watcher message boards. It called for cooked chicken. I always cook the chicken just before making the soup. Today I added the Orleans Pepper Seasoning when I browned the chicken. It was delicious. If you are not a spice lover cut back on the Frank's buffalo wing sauce. You may want to start with 1/4 cup. I love it spicy. I find that spicy foods really satisfy. This soup is spicy, creamy and even crunchy from the celery. And the blue cheese is just the right finishing touch. I hope you enjoy it. Try the Orleans Pepper when you grill. It is great on all types of meats.

Buffalo Chicken Soup
Servings 4  

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

Orleans Pepper Seasoning (recipe below)

2 stalks celery, sliced
1 small onion, chopped

1/2 packet dry ranch dressing mix

10-3/4 oz can Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup skim milk
1/2 c Frank's buffalo wing sauce
4 Tbsp blue cheese

Instructions

Dice chicken breast into 3/4” pieces. Sprinkle chicken pieces with Orleans Pepper Seasoning. Heat oil in a 3 quart pot; add chicken in batches not crowding the pot. Brown chicken on all sides and remove from the pot, set aside. Add celery and onion, sauté until they begin to soften. Return chicken to the pot. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except blue cheese and simmer until chicken is fully cooked about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with 1 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese.

Orleans Pepper Seasoning

Adapted from: Gifts in a Bag
Rubs & Seasonings

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. plus 1-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp. plus 1-1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 Tbsp. plus 1-1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. plus 1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients until well blended. Store in an air tight container. Great seasoning for beef, pork, chicken or turkey.

Chicken Basil Cashew

I think I mentioned before, that I had been introduced to Thai food and then suddenly the local restaurant closed. Still so sad. Well I decided to attempt to make another dish we ordered there. They use to make a Chicken Basil Cashew. It was incredible!!!! It had thinly sliced chicken, green beans, lots of basil and cashews. The sauce has an incredible Thai flavor. I am sure my recipe is less than authentic but it sure fixes the Thai craving. I used regular basil, many recipes I saw recommend thai or holy basil. Those varieties are hard to find in my area. I started with finely minced garlic and jalapeno, it is really almost a paste. You can adjust the heat level by adding more jalapeno if you like really spicy foods. I have made it three times now and I like the heat from a serrano more than the jalapeno. I have used both fresh and frozen green beans both are great. So next time you see basil grab it! This is a perfectly great use of the herb.

Chicken Basil Cashew

Serves 2  to 4

Ingredients

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno or serrano chili, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise

4 tsp canola oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

2 cup fresh green beans

2 teaspoon fish sauce

2 teaspoon soy sauce

2 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cup fresh basil, loosely packed

Cashews, for a garnish

1 cup long grain white rice, prepared per package directions

Directions

Minced together garlic and chiles using a large knife, smear with the side of the knife to paste it a little. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is just golden, about 20 seconds. Add chicken; cook, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add green beans and continue to cook another minute. Stir in fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and pepper. Add basil; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Season with more pepper, if desired. Serve over rice. Garnish with basil and cashews.

Linking to:
See Ya in the Gumbo
The Tumbleweed Contessa: Spicy! Saturday Dishes Linky Party
                                       Chicken - Saturday Dishes Linky Party
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Thai Food

Hearty Pita Spinach Salad

I flagged this recipe back in the summer. I found it in the June/July issue of Simple & Delicious Magazine. I just got around to making it Monday. It is very, very good! I did use a spinach and arugula blend instead of just spinach. I also used olive oil cooking spray to prepare the pita strips. I will be making pita chips soon. They were so good. This recipe also gave me the opportunity to try a Greek Dressing recipe I saw on Pinterest. The recipe comes from Cooking on Clover Lane. It is really good. I found it could use some salt but left it out because the salad had feta and olives. Wise move. The combination of everything is just perfect. So fight the urge to add additional salt. You will not need it. Definitely a recipe I will make over and over.

By the way, the beautiful new placemat is courtesy of my dear sister. Isn't she sweet!

Hearty Pita Spinach Salad

Adapted from: Simple & Delicious Magazine

4 Servings

Ingredients

2 whole pita breads

olive oil cooking spray

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3/4 pound ground beef

3/4 cup Greek dressing, divided (recipe below)

1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach and arugula

2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

4 ounces feta cheese, cubed

1 cup pitted Greek olives

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Directions

Cut pita breads into strips; arrange in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Spray strips with olive oil spray, and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until crisp, turning once.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add 1/4 cup dressing. Arrange spinach and arugula on four individual plates; top with a fourth of the tomatoes, cheese, olives, onion and beef mixture. Drizzle remaining dressing over salads. Serve immediately with toasted pita strips on top.

Yield: 4 servings.

Greek Dressing

Adapted from: Cooking on Clover Lane

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1-1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1-1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1-1/4 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. Dijon-style mustard

Directions

Mix together and shake well. Store in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator. Set out before serving, the olive oil tends to separate and get solid. Shake well and serve.

Linking to:
See Ya in the Gumbo

Frozen Egg Nog

This is a refreshing holiday treat. I adapted a Mock Frosty recipe to make a Frozen Egg Nog. This holiday beverage is guilt free. I was inspired by the popular Tony's Frozen Egg Nog that is only available during the holidays. Tony's is a frozen Egg Nog Daiquiri. My version is alcohol free.

Frozen Egg Nog

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 cup skim milk

2 Tbsp fat free cool whip, frozen 

2 Tbsp sugar free/fat free vanilla pudding mix

1 tsp rum extract

10+ ice cubes

Smidgen of Cinnamon

Smidgen of Nutmeg

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in blender. Add more ice cubes to achieve desired thickness. Garnish with nutmeg.

Nutrition Facts: Amount per Serving; Calories 128.0; Total Fat 0.5 g; Cholesterol 4.9 mg; Total Carbohydrate 21.3 g; Dietary Fiber 0.2 g; Protein 8.4 g.