Mozzarella and Bacon Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Mozzarella and Bacon Stuffed Chicken Breasts (serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 egg, beaten

4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

8 slices bacon, cooked

4 chicken breasts

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

4 toothpicks

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Butterfly chicken breasts. 

3. In a bowl, add mozzarella to egg and combine. Inside the chicken breast, add 1/4 of the cheese mixture and 2 slices of bacon on top. Close the chicken breast and secure with a toothpick. Repeat for other chicken breasts.

3. Cook in broiler for 10 minutes. Turn each chicken breast, drizzle with olive oil, and cook for another 10 minutes.

Ina Garten's Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Just how much fat and sugar can one squeeze into a single cupcake? Better yet, an 8-inch round pan with excess cupcake batter and frosting to boot? Well, let's see. This sinfully good cupcake recipe from Ina Garten manages to use every form of 'butter' there is; good old fashioned unsalted butter, peanut butter, and buttermilk. And don't forget the sugars of course; there's granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and confectioner's sugar. And to top it all of, forget the predictable milk in the icing and use heavy cream instead.

This chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting is not for the faint of heart (literally). Now, how about a glass of whole milk with that?

Note: Although the recipe says it makes 14-15 cupcakes, I think it's more like 20+. I made 12 individual cupcakes and still had enough batter left for an 8-inch round. Also, for those who like to generously portion their cupcakes (ahem, I'm not one of them of course)... be warned, these cupcakes are overachieving risers.

Rotini with Artichoke, Tomato, and Peas

Quick and easy pastas are a great go-to for a lazy dinner. Frozen peas, canned diced tomatoes, and canned artichokes are some of my kitchen staples that happen to marry nicely into the perfect pasta. I intended to take a photo of it to post with this recipe, but there's none left... which should give you an idea of just how good it is! :-)

Rotini with Artichoke, Tomato, and Peas (serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1 can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cup frozen peas

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

8 1 oz slices of goat cheese

1 lb whole wheat rotini

Water

Salt

Directions:

1. Cook rotini in salted boiling water for 10 minutes, just until the pasta is slightly shy of al dente. Remove from heat and drain. Put prepared rotini aside.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

3. Add artichokes, tomatoes, and frozen peas. Cook until peas are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

4. Add prepared rotini to sauce. Mix well and drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil into the pasta.

5. Serve by topping each serving of pasta with 2 1 oz slices of goat cheese.

Orange Maple Syrup French Toast

Start a weekend off on the right foot. Forget the cold cereal. Helloooo french toast.

Orange Maple Syrup French Toast (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup nonfat milk
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp orange extract
8 slices rustic multi-grain bread, cut into 3/4" slices
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:
1. Heat griddle over low-medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, maple syrup, sugar, and orange extract. Soak a couple pieces of bread into mixture at a time, until bread is fully moistened and absorbed some of the mixture.
3. Place soaked bread onto griddle. Turning after 4-5 minutes, or until desired shade of brown. The other side will take much less time, about 2 minutes. Remove french toast from heat.
4. Repeat steps until all of the bread slices are cooked.
5. Serve with softened butter and maple syrup.

Orange and Chocolate Chip Shortcake

Orange and chocolate chips... it's the perfect combination. Add in some shortcake dough and you've got a guaranteed winner. Is it breakfast, is it dessert? Does it matter? Eat it whenever!

This recipe was adapted from Betty Crocker's shortcake recipe.

Orange and Chocolate Chip Shortcake (serves 8)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 tbsp sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup shortening

3/4 cup milk

3 tsp orange extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with a silpat or other liner that will keep the shortcakes from sticking to the baking surface.

2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut shortening into dry ingredients with a fork.

3. When shortening is combined into dry ingredients (texture will be mealy), add milk and orange extract. Stir until combined. It should start to come together much like dough.

4. Add chocolate chips and knead into dough until evenly distributed. Divide into 8 balls and space evenly on prepared baking sheet.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool on baking sheet.

A Better Grilled Cheese Panini

Who can resist the classic grilled cheese? However, the white bread with the slice of processed Kraft cheddar stuck in between just isn't cutting it anymore. This adult version of the classic grilled cheese is more like it.

A Better Grilled Cheese Panini (serves 2)
Ingredients:
4 slices tuscan bread
Block of sharp cheddar cheese, sliced into desired thickness
1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
1 oz feta cheese, crumbled
Dried oregano to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat panini grill to the appropriate setting for making paninis.

2. To make one sandwich, spread butter or margarine on the outer side of two bread slices. Layer cheddar cheese, tomato, and feta on top of one slice. Sprinkle oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.
Place the other slice of bread on top of the sandwich.

3. Make the second sandwich the same way.

4. Place sandwiches in panini press, close, and cook for about 5 minutes or until desired shade of brown is reached.

5. Remove from panini press and slice each panini in half.

Pineapple Ginger Bread

I'm a fan of homemade breads, muffins, and all things full of carbohydrates. There's just something about enjoying a warm, moist, melt-in-your-mouth piece of bread-y goodness, in all assortments of fruits, nuts, and and even vegetables.

This is my latest variation on a fruit-based quickbread, this time with pineapple, a hint of cinnamon spice, and a subtle taste of ginger. If you want a more pronounced ginger flavor, double the amount of fresh ginger used and mince the ginger instead of grating it.

Pineapple Ginger Bread (serves 16)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans and put aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together vegetable oil, vanilla extract, eggs, and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes or until well combined.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir wet mixture into dry mixture just until combined. Add pineapple and ginger, stirring to combine.
4. Pour batter evenly into two prepared loaf pans.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in loaf pans.