Twice Baked Potatoes

These potatoes are one of the hubs favorite side dishes.  But then again, he will completely devour ANY KIND of potato side dish, as long as the ratio of potato to vegetables does not exceed 2:1.  These are super easy to make and look really pretty if you are having guests for dinner.

I was hesitant to share this as I don’t really use a recipe.  When I make something like this, I constantly taste until I have the texture and flavor that I am going for.  In the recipe, I just guessed at the amounts of butter, sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper.  If you are making this, add a little at a time, and stop when it tastes good to you.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 1/2 tbsp. light butter
• 3 tbsp. fat free sour cream
• 3-4 tbsp. skim milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt 
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
• shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions

1. Scrub potato skins and pierce with a fork.  Wrap in foil and bake at 400 degrees until fork tender, approximately 1 hour.  Let cool enough to handle easily.
2. Cut a large oval shape in the top of each potato and peel off the oval of potato skin.
3. Using a spoon, carefully scoop the pulp from the potatoes into a large bowl, leaving about a 1/4 inch layer of pulp on the skin (just so they don't rip/collapse when you restuff them)
4. Add butter, sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper to the bowl.  Using a fork or a handheld masher, mash the potato pulp until smooth.  Stir in cooked spinach.
5. Spoon the potato mixture back into the shells.  Mound the extra mixture on top.
6.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Sprinkle cheese and bacon on top and cook 15 minutes more, until cheese is melted and potato is heated through.

*Steamed chopped broccoli is an excellent substitution for the spinach in this! 

Eggplant and Sausage Pasta Bake

My husband, who swears that he hates eggplant with a passion, loved this recipe.  So if you are unsure about eggplant, give this a shot!

Eggplant Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne or rotini pasta
• 3/4 lb. Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry red wine 
• 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3 tbsp. sliced black olives
• 2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. 
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the eggplant, onion, and garlic over medium heat until slightly softened (about 5 minutes).  Add sausage and cook until meat is no longer pink.  Drain.
3. Stir in wine and continue stirring to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add tomatoes.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
4. Drain pasta.  Add the pasta, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, olives, basil, and pepper to the skillet.
5. Transfer to a 3 qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated through 

A note about the sausage – this recipe calls for Italian turkey sausage links.  Here in the land of obesity (ie. Lower Alabama) the only kind of turkey sausage I can find are links of smoked turkey sausage.  I’m sure that sliced smoked turkey sausage would taste fine in this recipe.  However, I really wanted to try it with ground sausage.  Since I typically reserve using real pork sausage for special occasions or a rare treat, I would like to share with you a substitution that I commonly make.

I use a sausage substitute made by Gimme Lean, a company that makes soy based meats and dairy products for vegetarians.  I use this as a substitute for ground sausage in pretty much all casserole type things that I cook.  It does taste like sausage, though the seasonings are slightly different.  The texture is the same as real sausage.  I would not recommend trying to eat a sausage patty made out of this stuff, but it tastes fine when used in a recipe such as the one above.

Honey Baked Ham

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

I've spent all afternoon preparing an Easter feast for the hubs and some friends.  I tried a new recipe for honey baked ham that is just as good as the ham you can buy from the honey baked ham company, and cheaper too!

Honey Baked Ham  




Ingredients

• 1 (5 lb.) ready-to-eat ham
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar, honey, butter, and cloves over low heat.  Keep glaze warm while baking ham.
3. Place ham in a roaster pan lined with foil.  Brush glaze over ham and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Baste ham every 10 minutes with the glaze.
4. During the last 5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to carmelize the glaze.
5. Let ham rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

We also had mashed potatoes with toppings, green bean casserole, whole wheat yeast rolls, and homemade chocolate chip cookies.  Yum!

Mashed potato toppers in my cute new serving dish!

Whole wheat yeast rolls!

Cookies - get in mah belly!

Breakfast Mushroom Cups

Allright ya'll.  You've got to try these awesome mushroom cups.  They rocked my world last night for dinner.  I could have seriously devoured about 5 of these guys.  If making for breakfast, 1 cup per person should suffice.  For dinner, I would make at least two cups per person.  I made 4 for Brad and I last night.  I had 1 and 1/2 (though I wanted MANY MANY more) and Brad ate the rest and was still hungry.

 

Breakfast Mushroom Cups

Ingredients

• 4 large portobello mushroom caps
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup egg subsitute & 2 eggs OR 1 cup egg substitute OR 4 eggs
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Directions

1.  Place mushrooms on a cookie sheet.  Spray with cooking spray; sprinkle with garlic salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until tender.
2. In a large saucepan coated with cooking spray, saute onion and garlic until tender.  Stir in spinach and cook until wilted.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg substitute, eggs, salt, and the remaining pepper.  Add to the pan.  Cook and stir until set.
4. Spoon egg mixture in mushroom caps; sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Nana's Chicken Salad

Today was the orientation meeting for the boot camp I signed up for at the gym here on post.  I was pleasantly surprised after we weighed in – I was positive I had gained around ten lbs., but I only gained two!  I was also surprised at the group of women who signed up for the course.  Going into it, I was pretty sure I would feel like the housemother for a large group of 18 year old Tri-Deltas.  I am happy to report that there was a nice mix of people there – old, young, fat, skinny, and certainly not all preppy blond girls!

Anyhow, we start our workouts on Monday and they sound like they will be super intense!  Woo!  I managed to hurt my foot on my four mile run this past Tuesday and it still isn’t better.  I’ve been working out hard core for years, and the FIRST time I injure myself is (of course) right before this intense boot camp program that I paid money to attend.  I hope it heals this weekend!!!

Here is a recipe for my Nana’s chicken salad.  I’ve made this several times, but it never tastes quite as good at hers.  But then again, my Nana makes the BEST chicken salad I have ever eaten, so that is a pretty tough standard to match.  I sometimes throw some Craisins in the mix if I have any on hand.  They make a nice addition.

Nana’s Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
• 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 3 sweet pickles, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• Light miracle whip, just enough to blend

 Directions

1. Combine the first five ingredients.
2. Stir together with miracle whip until well blended.
3. Chill for an hour or two before serving.
4. Serve with crackers, atop salad greens, or make a sandwich!