Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe comes from Zonediet.com. It is a great recipe. I made one modification, instead of 8oz of cheese, I reduced the cheese to 4 oz and added 4 oz of chicken. The first time I made it, I did the peaches, but the second, I omitted the peaches, chives, and lime and added a 16oz bag of frozen chopped broccoli (I steamed the broccoli first). I like the second version better than the first, even though it turned into an eggplant broccoli casserole instead of eggplant parmesan! If you are hungry on Zone, try this recipe! Still hungry?!!!

Eggplant Parmesan - makes two - 4 block meals

Ingredients:
8 oz low fat skim mozzarella, shredded
3 cups eggplant (peeled/sliced)
2 cups tomato sauce
Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 peaches
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon basil
2 Tbsp. chives, minced
juice of 1 lime
salt
pepper


Brush sliced eggplant lightly with olive oil and roast them on a hot grill, season with salt & pepper. In the bottom of a glass baking dish, place 1 cup tomato sauce, eggplant and ½ of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining 1 cup tomato sauce, herbs, and then rest of mozzarella. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Cut the peaches in half, then into thin slices and lightly grill on both sides. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with lime juice. Leave in refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour. Garnish with fresh basil and chives

Menu: March 16-23

Here is my attempt at planning a healthful week of dinner!

SUN: Rich Cooks! BLTs, Roasted Asparagus, and Baked Sweet Potatoes (check out howtobakeapotato.com for the best way to bake a potato)

MON: Pizza - Ultra-Thin-Crust Pizza with Onions, Mushrooms, and Ricotta (everyday food magazine 2/07 page 98) and salad

TUE: Weight Watcher's Shrimp Scampi with thin spaghetti (5 Ingredient 15 minute Cookbook Feb 2007 Pg 49)

WED: Chicken and Rice Casserole

THURS: Ellie Krieger's (Food Network) Chix Fingers, Fries, Sauteed Asparagus

FRI: Leftovers or Rich Cooks!! Spinach and Mushroom Quesadillas

SAT: Easter Dinner: Ham (Smithfield makes a "Paula Deen" Ham), Spinach Salad, Broccoli & Cauliflower salad, scalloped potatoes, rolls, salad delight desert, and home made carrot cake

SUN: Leftovers!!!

The Recipes:

Ultra-Thin-Crust Pizza with Onions, Mushrooms, and Ricotta Recipe

Olive oil
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 tortillas - I used whole wheat found in the "Mexican" Aisle
1 cup shredded Asiago cheese (about 2 ounces)
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
6 mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced - I used baby bellas
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a small sauté pan on medium hight heat. Add the sliced onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften. Cook for a few more minutes until the onions are thoroughly softened and translucent. Remove from heat.

Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Place a tortilla on each baking sheet and brush each with olive oil.

Sprinkle each tortilla with half a cup of shredded Asiago cheese. Add bits of ricotta cheese, 1/3 cup for each tortilla. Sprinkle with mushrooms and with the slightly caramelized onions. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Place the baking sheets in the oven. Bake until the crust is crisp and brown all over (the time varies, depending on the oven and if your cookie sheet has already been heated, start with 10 minutes and check), rotating the sheets to ensure even baking.

A seriously delicious pizza. Not at all traditional, but so yummy!

SHRIMP SCAMPI

1 & 1/2 T olive oil
1 & 1/2 t bottled minced garlic (or about 7 cloves of fresh minced garlic)
1 & 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp (I just used the already cooked bagged variety)
1/4 c finely chopped fresh parsley
1 & 1/2 T lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1/8 t ground red pepper

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat; add garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add shrimp, and cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring occasionally; remove pan from heat. Stir in parsley and remaining ingredients. Serve over top of cooked angel hair or thin spaghetti.

Chix and Rice Casserole:

1/2 cup light butter or margarine (I didn't use this much!! I only used about 6 tsp)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 c rice (I used brown rice), uncooked
1 can reduced fat cream of chix coup (i substituted cream of mushroom b/c that is what I had)
1 & 3/4 soup cans of water
4 to 5 chix breast

Grease deep casserole dish with margarine and cut remaining margarine in pieces, leaving it in bottom of casserole. Cover this with dry onion soup mix. Add rice.

Dilute chix soup with water and pour in casserole. Mix lightly. Mixture will be thin. Arrange chix on top, being sure each pice is coated with the liquid first.

Bake in dish at 400 degrees for 1 hr and 15 min.

Very, very yummy!!!

CHX FINGERS:

1 1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut across into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
Cooking spray
4 cups whole-grain corn cereal (recommended: Corn Chex or cornflakes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Put the cereal in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow dish. Season the chicken with the salt and a few grinds of pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the cereal to fully coat and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking sheet to cool slightly. It will become crispier.

(http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_34076,00.html)

Lori's Baked Ziti

This recipe comes from my sister, Lori, in NY! It's so easy and soooo yummy! Enjoy!!

Saute in olive oil until crisp-tender: 1 small to medium yellow onion, chopped; 3-4 full-size (or more if using baby carrots) carrots, chopped; 1 green pepper, chopped; 1 red pepper, chopped; 3-4 cloves crushed garlic and 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning ( I usually add mushrooms if I am making a vegetarian version of this). To this, add a BIG jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I usually add the tomato & basil version) and warm. I usually add A LOT of sauce b/c I find that ziti has a tendency to dry out, so don't skimp on this step!! If I was adding hamburger, I would fry it separately and add it with the sauce.

Meanwhile, cook and drain a box of Ziti and pour into a large casserole dish. Pour the sauce mixture on the ziti and mix together. Using a large bag of shredded mozarella cheese, mix it with the sauce and sprinkle the rest on top. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese to the top and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly browned (approximately 30 -45 minutes).

Chicken Tetrazzini

This delicious and creamy comfort-food is great for a chilly night, or really any night! The recipe has been modified for a more healthful approach, so don't be scared to try it only 394 calories per serving (makes 4 servings).

6 oz dried spaghetti (I use whole wheat spaghetti)
1 1/2 c sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 c chopped red or green sweet pepper
1/2 c cold water
1/4 c flour
1 12-oz can (1 1/2c) evaporated low fat milk
1 t instant chicken bouillon granules
1/4 t black pepper
1/8 t salt
1 c chopped cooked chicken or turkey (5 oz)
1/4 c finely shredded Parmesan cheese (1 oz)
2 T dry sherry or milk
1 T sliced almonds

~Directions~

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, except omit the cooking oil and lightly salt the water. drain well.

Meanwhile, in a large covered saucepan cook the mushrooms and sweet pepper in a small amount of boiling water until tender. Drain well, return to saucepan.

In a screw top jar combine 1/2 c cold water and flour; cover and shake well. Stir into the veggie mixture in the saucepan. Stir in the evaporated milk, bouillon granules, black pepper, and salt. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in the cooked spaghetti, chx, parmesan cheese and dry sherry/milk.

Lightly coat a 2-qt square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon spaghetti mixture into dish. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake, uncovere, ina 400F oven about 10 min or until heated through and nuts are lightly toasted.

Serve with a tossed salad and low cal dressing! ENJOY!!!

Rigatoni Bake

A very quick, yummy, and aromatic recipe!

2 c uncooked rigatoni pasta
1 lb lean ground beef**
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
28-oz can of crushed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp dried dill weed (optional)
1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese**

heat oven to 375. spray casserole dish w/non-stick cooking spray. in a large saucepan, cook rigatoni to desired doneness. Drain; return to saucepan.

In large skillet, cook ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic until beef is browned and thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.

Add ground beef mixture, tomatoes, and dill to cooked rigatoni; mix well. Pour into sprayed casserole dishh. Cover

Bake at 375 for 30 min. Uncover; sprinkle w/cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 5 min or until cheese is melted.

Serving size: 1 & 1/2 cup

** to make this recipe lower in fat/caloris substitute lean 99% fat free turkey for ground beef and part-skim low fat mozzerella cheese for the regular cheese.