Italian Salad

Ingredients

buffalo mozzarella
good tomatoes
romaine lettuce
balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Directions
Cut up the mozzarella, tomatoes and romaine into good bite-sized pieces. Toss together with the balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Ricotta Gnocchi

from: Matt & Jess original

Ingredients
1/2 C refried beans or black beans
1/4 C cooked ground beef (seasoned as you or your baby likes it)
2 T cheddar cheese

Directions
If using black beans, mash them with a fork. Then combine beans, beef and cheese together.

from: 171

Ingredients
2 C ricotta cheese
3 T greated parmesan cheese
1 scant cup all purpose flour
salt
pesto, butter and more parmesan to serve

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Mix the ricotta, flour, parmesan and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. With lightly floured hands, roll the dough into thin sausages (5/8 inch thick is recommended). Cut into little dumplings about 3/4 inch long.

Drop them into the boiling water and cook for about 45 seconds (they will rise to the surface). Remove with a slotted spoon and serve immediately with pesto (sun dried tomato is very good), butter and parmesan.

Fruit and Veggie Purees

from:

Ingredients
a quantity of fruit or vegetables (good choices include: sweet potatoes, corn, apples, broccoli, carrots, peaches)
water

Directions
Skin your fruit or vegetables if necessary. If the vegetable is something like an apple or potato, cut it up into small pieces.

Either place in a steamer and steam until soft or place in a pot with just covered with water and boil until soft. Drain water off and puree in a food processor or mash by hand.

Tasty Salmon Puree

from: Annabel Karamel's site

Ingredients
200g carrots, topped and tailed and sliced
125g salmon fillet, skinned
60ml orange juice
40g grated Cheddar cheese
a knob of butter
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Put the carrots into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil and cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes until tender. Alternatively, place the vegetables in a steamer and cook for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the salmon in a suitable dish, pour over the orange juice and scatter over the cheese. Cover, leaving an air vent and microwave on high for about 2 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork . Alternatively, cover with foil and cook in a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes.

Flake the fish with a fork, carefully removing any bones. Drain the carrots, mix with the butter and milk and puree in a blender together with the flaked fish and its sauce. For older babies, mash the carrots together with the butter and the milk and then mix the flaked fish with the mashed carrots.

Red White and Green Stars

from: Matt & Jess original

Ingredients
star shaped pasta
frozen spinach
spaghetti sauce
mushrooms

Directions
Start water boiling and cook star pasta to package directions. Use a bit of non-stick spray in the bottom of a skillet and cook the mushrooms. Cook spinach according to package directions. Combine with mushrooms, pasta and spaghetti sauce.

Mexican Mash

from: Matt & Jess original

Ingredients
1/2 C refried beans or black beans
1/4 C cooked ground beef (seasoned as you or your baby likes it)
2 T cheddar cheese

Directions
If using black beans, mash them with a fork. Then combine beans, beef and cheese together.

Layered Mexican Chicken

from:

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
10 oz dry lasagna noodles, cooked al dente (about 12 noodles)
10 oz cooked winter squash, thawed if frozen
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup golden seedless raisins
2 Tbsp pine nuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place flour in a small saucepan and very gradually whisk in milk and garlic. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce simmers and is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Spread 1/4 cup of cheese sauce over bottom of a 9 X 13-inch glass or metal pan and cover with 3 lasagna noodles; top with 1/3 of squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and spread with 1/3 of remaining squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and top with remaining squash and raisins; cover with last 3 lasagna noodles, pressing sheets firmly down. Top with remaining cheese sauce; sprinkle with pine nuts and remaining mozzarella cheese

Bake until lasagna bubbles around edges and is browned on top, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve.

from:

Ingredients
1 sprays cooking spray
2/3 cup lite honey mustard dressing
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dill, freshly chopped
1 medium scallion(s), finely sliced
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a shallow pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine honey mustard dressing, salt, pepper, dill and scallions; remove 1/3 cup and set aside.

Place cornflake crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip chicken into dressing mixture and then cornflake crumbs; place in prepared pan.

Bake until chicken is golden and no longer pink in center, about 15 minutes.

Drizzle remaining dressing mixture (the 1/3 cup that was set aside) over chicken breasts and serve. Yields 1 piece of chicken and about 1 1/3 tablespoons of dressing per serving.

from:

Ingredients
1 sprays olive oil cooking spray
2 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cup fat-free sour cream
2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese, divided
8 oz chopped green chilies, two 4-oz cans
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
12 medium corn tortilla(s), cut into 2-inch strips
1 cup salsa, mild, medium or hot

Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray.

Place chicken in medium saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover chicken. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes; drain. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces.

Transfer chicken to a large bowl and add beans, sour cream, 1 cup of shredded cheese, chilies, cumin, and pepper; mix well and set aside.

Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared lasagna pan, overlapping pieces to cover surface. Top tortillas with half of chicken mixture, layer with remaining tortillas and then top with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.

Bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Serve with salsa on the side.

Slow Cooker Chicken Paella

from:

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
10 oz dry lasagna noodles, cooked al dente (about 12 noodles)
10 oz cooked winter squash, thawed if frozen
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup golden seedless raisins
2 Tbsp pine nuts, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place flour in a small saucepan and very gradually whisk in milk and garlic. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce simmers and is thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Spread 1/4 cup of cheese sauce over bottom of a 9 X 13-inch glass or metal pan and cover with 3 lasagna noodles; top with 1/3 of squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and spread with 1/3 of remaining squash and 1/2 cup of cheese sauce; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of raisins. Cover with 3 more lasagna noodles and top with remaining squash and raisins; cover with last 3 lasagna noodles, pressing sheets firmly down. Top with remaining cheese sauce; sprinkle with pine nuts and remaining mozzarella cheese

Bake until lasagna bubbles around edges and is browned on top, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve.

from:

Ingredients
1 sprays cooking spray
2/3 cup lite honey mustard dressing
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dill, freshly chopped
1 medium scallion(s), finely sliced
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a shallow pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine honey mustard dressing, salt, pepper, dill and scallions; remove 1/3 cup and set aside.

Place cornflake crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip chicken into dressing mixture and then cornflake crumbs; place in prepared pan.

Bake until chicken is golden and no longer pink in center, about 15 minutes.

Drizzle remaining dressing mixture (the 1/3 cup that was set aside) over chicken breasts and serve. Yields 1 piece of chicken and about 1 1/3 tablespoons of dressing per serving.

from:

Ingredients
1 sprays olive oil cooking spray
2 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cup fat-free sour cream
2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese, divided
8 oz chopped green chilies, two 4-oz cans
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
12 medium corn tortilla(s), cut into 2-inch strips
1 cup salsa, mild, medium or hot

Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray.

Place chicken in medium saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover chicken. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes; drain. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces.

Transfer chicken to a large bowl and add beans, sour cream, 1 cup of shredded cheese, chilies, cumin, and pepper; mix well and set aside.

Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared lasagna pan, overlapping pieces to cover surface. Top tortillas with half of chicken mixture, layer with remaining tortillas and then top with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.

Bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Serve with salsa on the side.

from:

Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh(s), four thighs
2 medium tomato(es), chopped
1 medium onion(s), chopped
1 medium bell pepper(s), chopped
1/2 cup canned chicken broth
3 medium garlic clove(s), chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/3 cup frozen green peas
2 cup cooked white rice

Directions
Place chicken, tomatoes, onion, pepper, broth, garlic, oregano and turmeric in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker (crockpot). Cover and cook on low setting for 5 hours.

Add peas and rice; cook, uncovered, until peas are tender, about 15 minutes.

Classic Shepherd’s Pie

 

Ingredients
2 large potato(es), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup onion(s), chopped
2 medium carrot(s), diced
2 medium stalk celery, diced
1 pound uncooked ground turkey breast
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cup canned chicken broth, or beef broth

Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream and margarine; mash until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.

Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top and using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Dip

from: Cooking Light, I think..

Ingredients
1 cup powdered sugar
4 oz fat-free cream cheese
1 cup E.D. Smith (Canada) Pure Pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

Directions
Combine the confectioner’s sugar and cream cheese with a hand mixer until well-mixed and fluffy. Mix in pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger until fully incorporated.
Taste to make sure the sugar/spice ratio is to your liking; adjust accordingly.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve with gingersnaps or apple slices.