Coffee Cup Egg Scramble

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 2 tbsp. shredded cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

Coat a microwave safe coffee cup with cooking spray.  Add eggs and milk and beat until blended.

Microwave on high 45 seconds.  Stir well and microwave on high another 45 seconds.  Stir well, add cheese and microwave on high another 15 seconds.  Stir once more, season with freshly ground black pepper and enjoy!

Cheesy Tomato Chicken Bake

• 2 large (or 4 small) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 - 14.5 oz. cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley, minced 
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 425F.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Lay out the sliced onions and put chicken breasts on top, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, parsley and garlic and mix well.  Spoon the tomato mixture on top of the chicken breasts.  Bake for 35  minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 160F.

Turn broiler to high.  Take dish out of the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the tops of the chicken.  Broil for 2 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Our Christmas Eve Feast

Broiled Atlantic Lobster Tails

• 4 - 4oz. Atlantic Lobster Tails
• 4 tbsp. butter, cut into chunks
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 - 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

 Preheat broiler. With kitchen shears, cut lobster tails down back on curved side of shell. Pry sides of shells apart to expose meat. Top meat with butter, squeeze lemon juice, and dust liberally with Old Bay seasoning.  Set lobster tails in a baking dish and broil 4 to 6 inches from heat for 8-10 minutes, until meat is opaque in center.

Shrimp Scampi

• 2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined - tails left on
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. butter

Season the shrimp thoroughly with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add enough oil to lightly coat the pan. Add the shrimp and quickly saute until just starting to turn pink, 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, white wine, and broth, and reduce by 2/3, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp back to the pan and add the butter.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

• 24 oz. fingerling potatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tsprigs fresh sage, finely chopped
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 500F and place a baking sheet inside to heat.

In a bowl, combine the fresh herbs, garlic and olive oil and mix well.  Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Remove sheet pan from oven, pour potatoes onto pan and drizzle with olive oil. Place potatoes in oven and reduce heat to 425F. Roast for 20 minutes, or until crispy on outside and tender on inside.

Asparagus

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, 1 to 1 ½ inches cut off the bottom
• Olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt & Pepper

Pour the water onto 4 paper towels that are laid out on your counter. Lay the asparagus on top of the dampened towels. Sprinkle with salt. Roll up the asparagus in the dampened towels. Lay the bundle, seam side down, in the microwave. Microwave on high until the asparagus is just crisp tender, 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a sauté pan. Remove the asparagus from the microwave using tongs and carefully unwrap. Add the asparagus to the heated butter, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt & pepper, and sauté for another 3-5 minutes.

 

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Food!

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

• 1 bag frozen tater tots
• 1 1/2 packages bacon

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Cut each slice of bacon into 3 pieces.  Wrap each piece around a tater tot and lay in a baking pan seam side down.  Bake until bacon is crispy, 20-25 minutes.

Salmon Wraps

• 6 oz. smoked salmon, thinly sliced
• green onions, minced
• whipped cream cheese
• toothpicks

Slice salmon into pieces.  Put a dollop of cream cheese and a few minced green onions on each piece, roll up and secure with toothpicks.

Saucy Turkey Meatballs

• 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 - 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes with jalapenos
• 1 - 20 oz. package lean ground turkey
• 3 tbsp. bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp. chili powder

Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and tomatoes in a food processor and blend until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine turkey, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning and chili powder, mix well.  Using wet hands, shape into 40 mini meatballs.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray.  Add meatballs and cook 3 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.  Add tomato mixture to the pan and bring to a simmer.  Cover, reduce heat, and let simmer for 8 minutes or until the meatballs are done. Uncover and continue to simmer 2 more minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.

 Blue Cheese Apricot Bites

• 2 tsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary, finely crushed
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
• 20 dried apricots

In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add walnuts and sugar and cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes, until walnuts are toasted.  Transfer nuts to a sheet of aluminum foil to cool.

Meanwhile, in a small food processor, combine blue cheese and cream cheese and mix until smooth.

Spoon about 1/2 tsp. of the cheese mixture on top of each apricot and sprinkle with nuts.

Deviled Eggs

• Eggs
• Salt
• Reduced Fat Mayonaisse
• Dijon Mustard
• Paprika

Put the eggs in a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and generously season with salt.  Reduce heat to a mild boil and cook for 12 minutes.

Once cool enough to handle, peel the eggs and slice in half.  Add the yolks to a bowl, reserving the whites.   Once all yolks are separated, add mayonnaise to the bowl and mash with a fork until it's a smooth consistency.  Add dijon mustard, to taste. Put a dollop of egg mixture into each egg white and sprinkle with paprika.

Unfried Chicken

• 1 cup reduced fat buttermilk
• 1 tbsp. hot sauce
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp. parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. paprika

In a bowl, combine buttermilk and hot sauce.  Add chicken and let soak in the refrigerator for an hour.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a large ziploc bag and place the chicken in the bag.  Shake well, until chicken is evenly coated.  Lay chicken on sprayed baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Bake 15-18 minutes, turn over and bake 15 minutes more, or until done.

Enjoy!