Eat Like Amy and Pete

Healthy Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

2016-07-12T10:08:00.001-03:00

This is a super easy, lightened-up creamy butter chicken right in the crockpot - it's less calories and has all the taste! I know that if you look at the recipe and see no butter or cream you'll ask, "How can it be butter chicken with no butter?!"
Well you have to try this.
My wife and I constantly search for recipes that are healthier versions of our favorite dishes. We want the flavor without the guilt and worry. Its important to us that we teach our boys the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Its fitting that we tried this recipe on the eve of the 2016 MLB Allstar game because this dish hits it out of the park!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, diced
1 (14ounce) can light coconut milk
1 (6ounce) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons garam masala (maybe add some tandoori masala as well)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or more, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder (I suggest twice the ginger and use minced instead of powdered)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 23 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk, tomato paste, flour, garam masala, curry powder, chili powder and ginger powder until well combined and slightly thickened, about 12 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place chicken into a slow cooker.
Add sauce mixture and gently toss to combine.
Cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours.
Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, if desired.

Best Leek, Bacon, and Pea Risotto

2016-07-07T21:26:00.002-03:00

When I call this on the BEST Leek, Bacon and Pea Risotto I should qualify what I mean. I have made a number of leek recipes and not liked them but with a few minor changes to this recipe I think I have found my new favorite Risotto recipe. First off, when I read this recipe it said that it serves 4...4 men this size of Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
(The Mountain from Game of Thrones).

INGREDIENTS

2 leeks, white and light-green parts only
12 cups (96 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into strips
2 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup frozen peas (optional)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Halve leeks lengthwise; rinse thoroughly. Pat dry; thinly slice. In a saucepan, bring broth to a simmer over medium. Meanwhile, in a large, straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium, stirring, until lightly browned but not crisp, 5 minutes. Add leeks; cook, stirring, until softened, 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, 1 minute.
Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until broth is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Repeat process, gradually adding broth, until rice is al dente and risotto is creamy (you may not need all the broth), about 35 minutes. Stir in peas (if using) after the final addition of broth.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in Parmesan. Cover and let stand 2 minutes. Season risotto with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Reserve half the risotto (about 4 cups) in refrigerator for risotto cakes. Serve remaining risotto with Parmesan.

Delicious Turkey(Pork) Taco Zucchini Boats

2016-07-02T22:02:00.003-03:00

My wife finds the most amazing recipes. This one was found on The Fit Housewife and is definitely a recipe that will make it into our meal rotation. We are always on the search for healthy and tasty recipes that we can feed our family and this recipe is a score for us.

It calls for ground Turkey but we look for ways to add different proteins into our meal plan. We replaced the turkey with ground pork and it was delicious.

Ingredients
4 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup salsa (I used mild)
1 pound lean ground turkey (or chicken)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 oz no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup low-fat Tex-Mex shredded cheese chopped cilantro or green onions for garnish (optional)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F.
Place 1/4 cup of salsa in the bottom of a large baking dish.
Using a small spoon (I used a teaspoon,) hollow out the centre of the zucchini halves, leaving 1/4-inch thick shell on each half.
Chop the scooped out zucchini flesh and save 1/2 cup to add to the taco filling (squeeze excess water with a paper towel,) discarding the rest.
Brown turkey in a large skillet, breaking up as it cooks.
When no longer pink, add the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and salt and mix well.
Add the reserved zucchini, tomato sauce, salsa, and water.
Stir and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Using a spoon, fill the hollowed zucchini boats dividing the taco meat evenly, pressing firmly.
Top each with 1 Tbsp of shredded cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, until cheese is melted and zucchini is cooked through.
Top with cilantro or green onions if desired.

Best Ever Roasted Sweet Potato Salad Recipe

2016-06-20T11:06:00.000-03:00

Being Diabetic and watching my sugars closely can be difficult. This salad gives me the right amount of 'good carbs' as well as a lot of protein. My wife found this recipe here and it has become a staple of our weekly meal plan. This sweet potato salad bring the tastes of mexico into a refreshing summertime side dish that can be served either warm or cold. We make it up and store it in the fridge for the week. Great for taking for lunch, having as a dinner side, or even just a snack when the only light is from the fridge. The flavors only get better with age. YIELD: serves 4 to 6 PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 45 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour INGREDIENTS: about 1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 jumbo), washed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed 3 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced (use the white and green) 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced small 1 cup corn (I use frozen that I allowed to thaw) 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, minced (about half of 1 bunch) 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons dijon mustard 2 tablespoons lemon juice (lime juice may be substituted) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste We often throw in a jalapeno or poblano pepper and for an extra protein kick chick peas are a great addition. DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 400F. 2. Line a baking sheet with a parchement or spray with cooking spray and add the sweet potatoes in an even, flat layer. 3. Evenly drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake for about 45 minutes, or until fork-tender and done. Halfway through baking flip potatoes to ensure even cooking. Baking time will vary based on size of potatoes, oven and climate variances, and I recommend starting to check at 30 minutes for doneness. 4. While potatoes bake, prep and chop the remaining ingredients. 5. To a large bowl, add the black beans, green onions, red pepper, corn, cilantro; set aside. 6. To a large measuring cup or medium bowl, add the honey, dijon mustard, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, optional cayenne pepper, and whisk to combine; set aside. 7. After potatoes are cooked, add them to the bowl with the beans and vegetables, add the sauce, and toss to combine. 8. Taste, check for seasoning balance (add more salt, pepper, touch of honey, lemon juice, etc.), make any necessary tweaks, and serve.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

2016-06-15T11:02:00.000-03:00

This recipe is a new favorite! OMG DELISH! I am by no means a cinnamon roll expert. Making them was a job for my Mother-in-law and now my wife makes them too.

Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

1½ cup milk

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

½ cup butter melted

¾ cup butter softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 TB flour

1 TB cinnamon

Instructions

1. Mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla together.

2. Stir in melted butter, slowly. Pour into greased 9x13 pan.

3. Mix topping ingredients (3/4 cup butter softened, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon). Drop over cake mixture evenly.

4. Swirl your topping and cake mixture with a knife going up and down the length of the pan (but only inserting it in the cake mix a little not all the way).

5. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

6. Top with the glaze which is made by mixing 2 cups powdered sugar, 5 TB milk and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Drizzle over the cake while it's still warm. ENJOY!

Honey-Ginger Chicken Thighs

2015-05-20T08:40:00.000-03:00

Well, it has been far too long since I posted any recipes but Amy and I have a whole new batch of tried and true recipes that we would like to share. We also now have a 22 month old ball of energy named Nate that we are cooking for. He is a great eater and we are always trying new things with him. Since he was born I haven't spent nearly as much time in the kitchen as Amy has found a true passion for trying new recipes and is an amazing home cook and dare I say, restaurant quality cook. I do hope to post more recipes regularly as we strive to eat more healthy and teach Nate the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

This is actually a Weight Watchers recipe that Amy found online. We used chicken breast instead of thighs and it was absolutely amazing.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp ginger root, freshly grated, or less to taste
2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
1/2 cup(s) hoisin sauce
1/4 cup(s) unsweetened orange juice
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken thigh(s), (1500) boneless, cut into 36 chunks
2 tsp honey
1 Tbsp uncooked scallion(s), fresh, minced (for garnish)

Instructions

In a medium glass bowl, combine ginger, garlic, hoisin sauce, orange juice, soy sauce and pepper; add chicken and turn to coat with marinade. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
When ready to cook, soak 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes (or use metal skewers).
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil to catch drippings; place a wire rack over prepared pan.
Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade. Thread 3 pieces of chicken onto each skewer and place on wire rack; cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, spoon reserved marinade into a small saucepan; stir in honey. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat; boil for at least 1 minute to kill any bacteria.
After chicken has cooked for 10 minutes, remove from oven and generously brush with boiled marinade. Flip skewers and bake until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Place on a serving platter and garnish with scallions. Yields 2 skewers per serving.

Crispy Ginger Beef

2013-01-18T10:58:00.004-04:00

We haven't tried this recipe yet but with the success of the Beef and Broccoli we made (My Mother-in-law can't get enough) I thought Ginger Beef was the natural next step. This recipe is from Food.com and was posted by Miraklegirl. If you like sweet, spicy, crispy....this one is for you.

Ingredients

1 lb flank steaks or 1 lb sirloin steaks, sliced into narrow strips
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1 large carrots, julienned
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh ginger, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
canola oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Place cornstarch in a large bowl.
Add water gradually while whisking.
Beat eggs into cornstarch mixture.
Toss in beef and stir to coat.
Pour 1 inch of oil into wok, heat until boiling hot, but not smoking.
Add a quarter of the beef to the oil.
Seperate with a fork and cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, Remove, drain on paper towel and set aside.
Repeat until all the beef is cooked.
Drain off all oil except for about 1 tablespoons and add carrots, onion, ginger, and garlic in that order.
Stir fry briefly over high heat.
Combine last 5 ingredients and add to vegetable mixture.
Bring to a boil and then add beef.
Heat through and serve immediately.

Brocolli Cheese Quinoa

2013-01-15T09:52:00.001-04:00

Well...surprisingly is been 7 months since I last posted. Its been a busy time in our household. I was running low on recipes to post. Now thanks to my lovely wife, and her obsession with trying exciting new dishes, I have a treasure trove of new recipes to post for your enjoyment.


Delicious, Healthy, Easy...you know that's what we like. This recipe from Eat Well...Living Thin (http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com) is a semi regular dish. Since starting this blog there is almost no such thing as regular!

One 10 oz can condensed Cream of Broccoli soup (or mushroom), low-sodium if you prefer

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, colby-jack, etc)

1/2 teaspoon Splenda/sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups cooked broccoli

1 1/2 cups COOKED quinoa (see note)

Feshly grated Parmesan cheese

To cook quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

.
Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear. In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible. Fluff with a fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow (8×8 in or 5-6 cups) casserole dish – or individual ramekins – with vegetable cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, Splenda, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
Spoon mixture into prepared casserole. Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden. Makes 8 generous 1/2-cup servings.

Sweet Potato & Spicy Chicken in Coconut Milk

2012-06-18T08:39:00.001-03:00

· 2 Tbsp oil

· 1 onion, finely chopped

· 3 cloves garlic, minced

· 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

· 2 green chilis, finely chopped

· 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

· 2 teaspoon cumin

· 1 teaspoon ground coriander

· 2 sweet potatoes diced

· 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

· 1 (14oz) can coconut milk

· 3 ½ Cups of chicken stock

· Juice of 1 lemon to taste

· Salt and Pepper to taste

· ¼ Cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook gently for 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and chilis. Sauté another 3 minutes. Stir in turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Add sweet potatoes, chicken, coconut milk, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until chicken and potatoes are cooked. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cilantro.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

2012-06-12T11:30:00.001-03:00

Ok, this one is a must try. I know that "Sex In A Pan" already exists but its only called that because the inventor didn't try this. Not a 'simple' recipe and not a 'healthy' recipe but you gotta live.

Ingredients:

One 19.5-oz. box chocolate fudge brownie mix

One 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened

One 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup creamy peanut butter

12 oz. Reese’s Pieces candy

One 12-oz. bag milk chocolate chips

3 tablespoons whipping cream

12 large Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

2. Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions. Spread the batter in pan and set

aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with hand-held mixer until fluffy. Add condensed

milk and peanut butter and beat until smooth. Stir in the Reese’s Pieces candies. Spoon the

mixture over the batter. Spread evenly.

3. Bake for 40 minutes or until cheesecake layer is set and edges are golden brown. Cool for

30 minutes and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. In a small microwaveable bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and whipping cream for 1

minute, or until chips are melted. Stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake layer. Sprinkle

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup pieces over top. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Beef and Broccoli

2012-06-11T11:15:00.003-03:00

You think you like Beef and Broccoli because you had it as part of Combo #5 with an extra Egg Roll? I'm here to tell you different. If you like that, you're gonna love this one.

First, marinate the meat:

1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs flank steak, sliced into thin strips

1. Whisk together the baking soda, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, water, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Toss the steak with the marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, then proceed below. I let it sit for about 3 hours and the meat was incredibly tender.

1/2 c low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp sherry (optional, I personally don't like cooking with sherry)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 heads broccoli, crowns only
1 red pepper cut into thin slices (Our addition)
1 medium onion cut into chunks (Our addition)

1. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, flour and sherry until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a large wok or saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over high heat until shimmering. Add onions and peppers and saute for 3 minutes. Add broccoli and saute 3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a plate.
3. Carefully add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Add the marinated meat and half of the sauce mixture and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the broccoli and remaining sauce. Saute 1 minute more. Serve.

Beef Stew

2012-05-03T09:14:00.002-03:00

For Dinner last night we made the delicious Beef Stew that we had made last week. I noticed in the recipe this time that it called for 3 canned tomatoes (not to be confused with 3 cans of tomatoes) so I added the tomato... It was still delicious and we will be having it again tonight but the tomatoes really don't add anything to the stew and may actually take away from the seared beef taste in the stew. I would also increase the flour used as a thickener or maybe add a tbsp of corn starch to the roux.

This really is a can't miss, hearty, healthy, winter vegetable recipe.

Amy's Pasta Creation

2012-05-02T12:07:00.003-03:00

Amy dreams it up and I create it. I don't know where she came up with this one but its a definite keeper for our address book.

1/2 Cup Pancetta (or more)
1 Lg Onion diced
2 Cups Broccoli florets
1/4 Cups Pine nuts
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 Cup olive oil
1/4 Cup fresh chopped Basil Leaves
Whole wheat pasta of choice.
1/2 Tsp Chili flakes
grated Parmesan Cheese to taste

Keep in mind that the ratios of this recipe are personal preference.

1. Cook pasta as per directions on the box minus 1 minute. Be sure to season the water with salt.

2. Saute the Pancetta and Onion in olive oil. Be sure to let it caramelize to get the most flavor.

3. Add the Broccoli Florets and pinenuts.

4. Add Garlic, basil, and additional Olive Oil.

5. Once pasta is done cooking add one ladle of pasta water.

6. Drain and rinse remaining pasta and add to pan.

7. Stir in chili flakes and fresh Parmesan. Toss and Serve!

Brocolli Soup

2012-05-01T09:37:00.003-03:00

First attempt at a recipe that we've had for years. I really don't know how we get these recipes and then never try them. Anyhow, this was an easy and delicious soup that can be as hearty or creamy as you like.

1 cup chopped onion ( I added a little more and cooked it down)
1 clove garlic, minced ( I also added more garlic because we like flavor)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (Add more if you want to thin out the soup)
3 cups broccoli florets
1 cup cubed potatoes
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
3/4 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese (next time I will be adding more cheese)
1/2 tsp of ground thyme,
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
4-5 dashes of hot pepper sauce

Saute onions, garlic and celery for five minutes or longer to get the caramelized onion flavor. Add broth and 2 cups broccoli florets and all potatoes. Bring to a boil then decrease heat to a medium- low for ten to twelve minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

Steam remaining broccoli. Put soup in a food processor to desired texture then add the rest of the ingredients, keeping on low heat. Depending on how hearty you want the soup to be I suggest taking half of the soup mixture and blending it smooth then adding it back to the remaining soup for a chunky heartier soup that can be eaten with a fork or a spoon.

Lighter Mac & Cheese

2012-04-30T13:13:00.001-03:00

Don't let the name fool you! Unlike a lot of light dishes this one tastes great. I know everyone has their favorite Mac & Cheese recipe, and some don't come from a box, but this one goes to the top of our list for the Macaroni and Cheese cravings.

A lot of the taste and all around goodness in this dish can probably be credited to the method over the ingredients...

4 cups cooked multigrain elbow macaroni (drained)
2 cups reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup low fat milk
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Boil and drain the macaroni as per the directions. (I cook it for about a minute less so as to not have it overcook in the casserole.) While the macaroni is still hot, add the cheese and stir.
3. Combine milk, eggs, sour cream, mustard, salt, and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add macaroni to the mixture. Pour into the casserole dish. (If you are like me and tolerate dijon but don't love it the I would suggest using a little less...play with it and see what works for you.)
4. Combine bread crumbs and oil in a small bowl and evenly sprinkle the mixture over the macaroni. Lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Bake until the filling is hot and the topping is golden brown.... 35-40 mins.

Beef Stew

2012-04-24T21:32:00.002-03:00

A tasty Beef Stew recipe. Amy wanted beef stew. Something that was a staple growing up in my home but I had never made. I found a recipe and modified it to fit what we had and what we like. The aroma is incredible as this cooks. Tasting is a must!!!

Ingredients

2-1/2 lb (1.1 kg) lean boneless stewing beef, (chuck recommended)
1 tbsp (15 mL) oil
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter
1/4 cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf
4 cups (1 L) lightly salted beef stock, or water
8 small potatoes
2 onions
8 medium carrots
1/4 medium rutabaga, (yellow turnip)
3 medium parsnips
3 canned tomatoes, plus 1/2 cup liquid
1 cup (250 mL) frozen peas
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Cut beef into 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) cubes; pat dry with paper towel. In heavy saucepan, heat oil and butter; brown meat one layer at a time. (For a rich tasty stew, it's important to brown meat well at this stage.)
When all meat is browned, set aside. Melt more butter in saucepan if necessary and saute onion until tender and golden. Stir in flour; continue cooking over medium heat until flour is golden.
Return meat to saucepan; add seasonings (pepper, bay leaf) and stock. Using wooden spoon, scrape up all browned bits from bottom of pan. Simmer, partially covered, proceed with vegetables.
Peel potatoes, carrots, rutabaga and parsnips.
Add vegetables to stew and cook, covered, at moderate simmer until all ingredients are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Add peas; simmer 5 more minutes. Taste, adding more seasoning or liquid if necessary. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Amy's Famous Cheeseball

2012-04-17T12:28:00.000-03:00

Next to me, this is Amy's favorite cheese ball. A fantastic tangy cheese appetizer that get requested everywhere we go.

1 pkg cream cheese

1 cup old cheese

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp green and red pepper, finely chopped

1 tbsp green onion

Mix everything together with mixer. Refrigerate for about an hour or more.

Roll in a ball and top with nuts (optional).

Pete's Succulent Peanut Butter Chocohol

2012-04-08T17:50:00.000-03:00

This recipe is a creation of my own. Its far from healthy but no one can eat like that all of the time. A rich, decadent treat like this one makes healthy eating the rest of the time worth while.

This dessert starts with a simple and delicious Brownie recipe. I doubled the recipe in order to make thicker brownies. The bake time was increased by 10 minutes give or take.

Brownies

½ cup margarine

½ cup cocoa

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

½ cup flour

Combine all ingredients and cook for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

The rest of this dessert is simple but.... OMG!

While waiting for the brownies to bake make the sauce...keep in mind that this rest of this recipe is for one dessert.

1/2 Cup of Dark Chocolate Chips

Peanut Butter...I know people will ask how much. IT DOESN'T MATTER how much peanut butter. Its all to taste.

Microwave this for approx. 1 minute or until melted. Then stir.

Take a peanut butter cup (or Easter egg shaped peanut butter cup) and slice it in half so that you have 2 thin peanut butter cups.

Once the brownies are finished give then a few minutes before cutting them but not too long as you want them to be warm. Take a brownie from the pan and slice it into 2 thin brownies.

Top one the bottom half with the still warm sauce and cover it with the peanut butter cup pieces. Keep any leftover PB cups for garnish.

Place the top of the brownies on top and cover with sauce and then garnish.

Serve on a plate with a caramel swirl and top with a vanilla ice cream.

Apologies

2012-04-04T10:10:00.000-03:00

Just writing a quick little note for everyone looking for new recipes to assure you that I have not quit. I have been away for work and been incredibly busy. I promise new recipes are coming!!!

Thanks to everyone who follows my recipes.

Pete

Decadent Peanut Butter Dessert

2012-03-23T08:15:00.000-03:00

I can barely type because my mouth is watering so much. This is a simple scrumptious dessert that you can have ready in 10 minutes. The hardest thing while making this dessert is waiting for the Ice Cream to melt...

Mix 1 cup of graham wafer crumbs with 1/4 cup of melted butter. (I used Sandwich cookie crumbs...you know, the ones that start with the letter 'O'). Press this into the bottom of a springform pan.

Melt 3/4 of a cup of Peanut Butter (calls for crunchy but I used smooth) and 4 squares of white chocolate in the microwave on medium for 2 1/2 minutes. Mix until chocolate is melted and smooth. Reserve a small amount for topping. I didn't. I reserved it for tasting.

Mix peanut butter mixture into 1 Tub (2 litres) of vanilla ice cream. Amy's idea was to use chocolate. :-)

Spoon the mixture onto the Cookie crumb crust and freeze. Drizzle with the remaining Peanut Butter Sauce, if you have any remaining. We decided to top this with Peanut Butter cup pieces.

As you can tell from what we did with this recipe, you can do ANYTHING with it....Toffee bar bits are definitely in the this recipes future...

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake

2012-03-21T08:48:00.000-03:00

A recipe for one of Amy's favorite desserts. Warm chocolate melting cake...mmmm.

8 oz semisweet chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
7 eggs, divided use
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup flour
powdered sugar to dust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees..............
Melt chocolate and butter; cool 10 minutes...............
In separate bowl, mix four eggs with sugar...............
Whisk..............
Add flour and whisk............
Add remaining three eggs..............
Add egg mixture to chocolate mixture............
Pour in individual ramekins.....................
Bake until just done, about 15-20 minutes (interior will
melting)............
dust with powdered sugar.......serve warm.....
Serve with vanilla ice cream.............yummmm.........

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2012-03-20T09:12:00.000-03:00


Sweet and Sour meatballs with a thick tangy sauce. These meatballs are a moderately healthy lean meatball....its the sauce that brings the nutritional value down. Thanks to my wife's friend Jenn for this staple in our menu.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Meatballs:

1 1/4 lb hamburger and 1/2 cup water.

Mix together with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder to taste. Roll into balls and brown in frying pan.

Sauce:

3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp ketchup

Mix flour and brown sugar together and add everything else. Put in saucepan on medium until bubbles and gets a little thick.

Put meatballs in casserole dish and cover with sauce. Cover. Cook on 350 for 20 mins.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

2012-03-19T09:17:00.000-03:00


Well it was a weekend with a lot of new recipes that will be added over the next few days. To start off the week I'll post this great restaurant style Spinach and Artichoke Dip.

½ cup sour cream

½ cup mayonnaise

1 pkg cream cheese

½ cup chopped onion

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

½ package frozen spinach

½ cup parm cheese

1 cup shredded cheese (1/2 in mixture, ½ on top)

1 can artichokes

Mix together and bake at 350 degrees for 25- 30 min.

Two Cheese Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

2012-03-16T09:52:00.000-03:00


A delicious casserole that is just as good as leftovers as it is fresh from the oven. If you like roasted vegetables as much as we do then you'll love this recipe.

2 sweet red/ yellow peppers

2 Small zucchinis, sliced

2 small red onions, chunks

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbsp fresh basil

½ tsp dried rosemary

1/3 tsp parsley

1 lb penne, whole wheat

875 ml spaghetti sauce, healthy choice garden veggie

500 mg cheese, shredded

1 cup fresh parm cheese

In a large shallow pan, toss peppers, zucchini, onions and garlic with oil. Spread out and roast in 450 degrees oven for about 25 minutes (stir twice). Add salt, pepper, rosemary and parsley.

Meanwhile in a large pot, cook pasta until tender but firm. Drain and rinse.

Combine pasta, sauce, veggies and cheese. Place in glass baking dish. Bake covered for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Bake uncovered for about 10 minutes.

Pesto

2012-03-15T09:57:00.000-03:00


A delicious Pesto recipe that is great on pasta or Chicken Pesto Pizza like we are going to enjoy for supper tonight. Thanks for this one go to Melissa.

3 medium cloves garlic (can be skewered on a wooden skewer)
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (be sure to wash them well)
1\4 cup pine nuts toasted
7 tbsp EVOO (Took me a minute to figure out....Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Salt
1\4 cup parmesan (fresh is so much better than canned)
For 1 pound of pasta (try curly shapes to catch the pesto)

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Put garlic in water and boil for 45 seconds. Immediately run garlic under cold water. Remove from skewer, mince or grate.

Place basil in a zip lock bag and pound until leaves are bruised.

Process the nuts, garlic, basil, oil and 1\2 tsp salt in a food processor until smooth, scraping sides as needed. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in the cheese and add additional salt as needed to taste.

(Can be stored covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days).

Add 1 tbsp of salt and pasta to boiling water, cook. Reserve 1\2 cup of cooking water, drain pasta and return to pot. Stir in 1\4 cup reserved cooking water and the pesto, add more as needed for consistency desired. Serve immediately with additional parmesan cheese and pepper as desired.