Cheese Tortellini Skewers

These Tortellini Skewers are a great appetizer.  They require very little prep, and couldn’t be easier to assemble.  I made them for a party this past weekend, where they were a hit.  They are made with a packaged, store bought cheese tortellini, and cherry tomatoes.  The tortellini are tossed in olive oil that is heated and infused with garlic and fresh basil leaves. I used regular length skewers, but a 6-inch skewer would be perfect (I could not find them anywhere).

Enjoy!

Tortellini Skewers

About 30 Skewers (allow 2 per person)

2 lb. Package  Frozen Cheese tortellini – low fat and lower sodium variety (about 120 tortellini)

1 Pint Container  Cherry tomatoes

3 - 4 Tbls.  Extra virgin olive oil

3 – 4 Garlic cloves - sliced

3 Tbls.  Chopped basil leaves

Grated parmesan cheese

Bamboo Skewers

Soak the skewers in water for about 30 minutes or more.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the tortellini and cook until they are al dente.  Drain and place in the refrigerator until they are cool.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small sauce pot.  Add the sliced garlic, and cook another 2 – 3 minutes, careful not to burn the garlic.  Remove from heat and add the basil and stir.  Allow the mixture to sit for about 20 minutes to infuse the oil with the garlic and basil flavor.

Once the tortellini are cooled pour the oil mixture over the tortellini and stir until all are coated with the mixture. Remove the skewers from the water and wipe off any excess water. Thread 2 tortellini on a skewer, add a cherry tomato, and then add two additional tortellini (see picture).  Remove all bits of garlic that may be on the tortellini (you don’t want to serve it with the garlic).  Place the skewer on a flat serving tray.  Repeat until all skewers are done.  Sprinkle each skewer lightly with the parmesan cheese.

Serve the skewers at room temperature.  You can serve them with some marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Ricotta Cheese Meatballs

Moist, tender and delicious is the way to describe these meatballs.  For the meat mixture I use a combination of lean ground white turkey breast and lean ground sirloin. I used a lean ground turkey breast that was 99% fat-free.  No need to worry about having a dry meatball…the ricotta cheese and other wet ingredients will take care of the moisture). The ricotta cheese adds a little tang, but most of all, it brings quite a bit of moisture to the meatballs. 

You can serve these with your favorite tomato sauce and pasta.  For a round two meal, use them to make meatball subs with your leftover sauce, or a homemade pizza topped with sliced meatballs.  Or, make the into small little balls and serve them as an appetizer with your favorite sauce, such as sweet and sour, grape jelly, or marinara.

They also freeze well.  When ready to use, simply thaw the amount of meatballs you need and then heat.  What could be simpler?

Enjoy!

Ricotta Cheese Meatballs

Makes 17 – 18 Meatballs (Serving size is 2 - 3 per person)

1 Lb. Lean ground white turkey breast

1 Lb. Lean ground sirloin
¾ Cp. Low-fat ricotta cheese
¼ Cp. Fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1 ½ Tbls. Dried minced onions, or ½ cup chopped white onion, chopped very fine
1 Tbls. Granulated garlic
2 Tsp. Dried oregano
1 Tsp. Fennel seeds
½ Tsp. Dried thyme
½ Tsp. Kosher salt
½ Tsp. Ground black pepper
1/3 Cp. 1% Milk
1 Lg. Raw egg
2 Tbls. Tomato paste
¼ Cp. Seasoned, unsalted breadcrumbs
Olive oil cooking spray
 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Prepare a large sheet pan (one that has ½-inch sides all around) by covering it in foil and then place a piece or parchment paper on the bottom (over the foil).  Lightly spray the parchment paper with olive oil.

Combine the first 11 ingredients in a large bowl, mix to combine.

 

In a separate bowl, combine the milk, egg, and tomato paste; whisk to combine. Then add the breadcrumbs and mix again to combine.  Set the mixture aside and let it rest for 5 minutes.

 

Add the milk and breadcrumb mixture to the meat mixture; mixt until all is incorporated – do not over-mix as it may cause the meatballs to become tough.

With an ice cream scooper, scoop out the meat; with your hands, shape into balls.  Place each on the prepared baking sheet pan, leaving some space between each meatball.

 

 

Place the sheet pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, turn the meatballs over and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until they are completely cooked through.

Sunnyside Egg and Hash Brown Skillet Breakfast

My Sunnyside Egg and Hash Brown Skillet Breakfast is a nice twist to your average eggs and hash brown meal.  It also makes a great presentation.  I have never made Sunnyside eggs before, as I do not like my whites runny.  To my surprise the eggs in this dish are cooked perfectly.  They yokes are runny, and egg whites come out glistening and are soft and tender.

This recipe would make a good Sunday breakfast, or you could make it to serve at your next brunch.  You can easily double the recipe and divide among two skillets.  And best of all, you will serve this piping hot right out of the skillet, making for easy cleanup. 

To make the final dish even more interesting, be creative and add some toppings after you take it out of the oven.  I might suggest topping it with, chopped chives, sliced scallions, chopped fresh spinach, diced tomatoes, or whatever you might enjoy.

 

Enjoy!

 
Sunnyside Egg and Hash Brown Skillet Breakfast
 

Makes 6 portions

3 Tbls. Extra virgin olive oil (plus an additional 1 tablespoon if needed)

½ Cup Chopped onions
4 Slices Canadian bacon, diced into ½ inch pieces
½ Cup Diced red bell pepper
3 1/2 Cups Frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed and drained of all liquid
¼ Tsp. Ground black pepper
1/8 Tsp. Sea Salt
¼ Tsp. Onion Powder
6 Large Eggs
Additional salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat oil in a 12-inch round by 2- inches deep, oven safe, non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions, and sauté until translucent; about 3 – 4 minutes.  Add the diced Canadian bacon and red bell pepper, sauté another 2 minutes. 

To the skillet, add the potatoes, ground pepper, salt, and onion powder; stir to combine.  Cook on the stovetop over medium-high heat until the hash browns are cooked through and nicely browned on all sides; about 15 – 20 minutes. 

With the back of a spoon, pat hash brown mixture down, creating a flat layer in the bottom of the skillet.  Make six, 2-inch round, empty holes in the hash brown layer.  (To do this:  use a small juice glass to create six, evenly spaced, indentations in the potato layer.  Then use a spoon to move the potatoes to make the holes, taking care to surround each hole with potatoes.)

Crack one egg into each hole.  Place the skillet into the preheated oven.  Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the eggs are done to your liking.

When done, remove the skillet from the oven.  Use a spatula to separate each serving of egg and potato, lift out each section and serve.  I use a large spatula and remove the center portion first, making it easier to remove the outside portions.

Enjoy!

Light Chicken Salad

Are you searching for that perfect, light and satisfying summer meal?  Are you looking to reduce the fat and calories while improving the nutritional value of homemade chicken salad, all without sacrificing flavor?  Look no further; this is a no fuss recipe for a light chicken salad that is absolutely delicious.  The salad can be served for lunch or as a light supper, perfect for that hot, humid summer day.  The salad is perfect on a hot, humid summer day and can be served for lunch or as a light supper.  

You will see that this is a lower calorie, lower fat chicken salad recipe.  To make this recipe you simply simmer the seasoned, boneless, skinless chicken breasts in water.  The base for the dressing is light mayonnaise and low-fat plain yogurt.  To that I add Dijon mustard, honey, chopped celery, sliced scallions, dried cherries, and top it all with toasted pecans.  That’s it, how simple is that?  The salad would also work well if it were tossed with some tart or sweet apples, dried cranberries, or sliced grapes.  Toasted walnuts would be a great substitution for the pecans. You can be creative with the fruit you decide to toss in.  One thing though, let the chicken be the star in this cast of ingredients.

The recipe for Chicken Salad with Pecans & Dried Cherries appeared in Eating Well magazine.  I made it twice, first as it was written, and again with a few minor changes of my own.  The recipe here is my slightly altered version.   I felt the original recipe needed a bit more seasoning and flavor.  Either way, it is a perfect light salad.  And I must say, one of the best chicken salads I have eaten.

 This chicken salad recipe has been adapted from the recipe, Chicken Salad with Pecans & Dried Cherries, published in the August 2013 edition of Eating Well magazine. 

Enjoy!

Light Chicken Salad

Makes about 4 – 5 servings, depending on portion size

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves; rinsed and patted dry

½ Tsp. Sea salt
¼ Tsp. Ground black pepper
¼ Tsp. Onion powder
¼ Tsp. Garlic powder
½ Cup Light mayonnaise (use a good brand)
One 6-ounce container of low-fat, plain yogurt (not fat-free)
¾ Tbls. Dijon mustard
¾ Tbls. Honey
½ Cup Chopped celery, include an additional 1/4 cup of the leaves too
2 Scallions (use both the white and green parts) sliced
¼ Cup Dried Cherries
Salad Greens, such as spinach mixed with a spring mix, romaine, etc.
½ Cup Chopped pecans, lightly toasted – used for topping the salad

In a small bowl, make a spice blend by combining the salt, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder – using the spice blend, season both sides of the chicken breasts.   Place the seasoned chicken in a deep skillet, arrange in a single layer; add cold water to the skillet, enough to just barely cover the chicken breasts.  Place the skillet on your stovetop, bring the water up to a low to medium simmer; continue to cook the chicken (turn the chicken over to its other side halfway through the cooking).  Simmer the chicken for about 10 – 12 minutes per side – or longer depending on the size of your chicken breasts.  Continue to cook until the breasts are no longer pink inside.  If you prefer, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.  Once they are completely cooked, remove the chicken to a platter and set aside to cool.  Discard the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard and honey in a large mixing bowl; whisk until nice and smooth.  To the dressing, add the celery, scallions, and cherries; stir to combine.  Set aside.

When the cooked chicken has cooled, cut each breast lengthwise into ½- inch strips, and then cut the strips into bite-size pieces.  Place the cut chicken in the bowl with the dressing mixture; stir well to completely coat the chicken.  Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight, or for several hours before serving to allow all the flavors to meld. (I store mine overnight.)

When you are ready to serve, stir the salad, and simply arrange a bed of salad greens in the center of each dinner plate, top with a scoop of chicken salad and sprinkle the toasted pecans on top.

Leftovers should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

 Enjoy!