Grilled Chicken Marinade

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar (or other vinegar)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ⅛ cup lemon juice
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tbsp Dijon or Spicy Brown mustard
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 6 chicken breasts or 3.5 lb chicken

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients, except for chicken, in a large Pyrex measuring cup or mixing bowl and whisk together.
2. Remove a half a cup of marinade and reserve for basting the chicken later.
3. Place chicken in a large, ziploc bagand pour marinade over the top. Close securely.
4. Marinate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

To grill

1. Preheat grill to medium high heat and lightly oil the grates.
2. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off.
3. Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
4. Baste the chicken occasionally with the reserved marinade.
5. Remove chicken from grill and tent with foil. Let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving

Optional.

1. If you bring the reserved marinade up to a boil, let simmer until slightly reduced, it makes a wonderful sauce to go on top of the chicken.

Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (15-oz.) containers ricotta
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c. marinara
• 5 large zucchini, sliced 1/8" thick
• 1 c. grated mozzarella

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Make ricotta mixture: In a small bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, and garlic powder and season with salt and pepper.
2. Spread a thin layer of marinara into the bottom of a 9"-x-13” baking dish.
3. On each slice of zucchini, spoon a thin layer of sauce, then top with a thicker layer of ricotta mixture, and sprinkle with mozzarella.
4. Roll up and place in baking dish.
5. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
6. Bake until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted, 30 minutes.

Easy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 pound uncooked pasta shells

4 cups whole milk

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard (optional)

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it just until al dente, about 11 minutes. Drain the pasta then set it aside.
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, warm the milk until it is simmering then set it aside.
In a large heavy-bottomed stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it turns light brown in color and has a slightly toasted aroma, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the dry mustard (optional).
Remove the pot from the heat then slowly whisk the warm milk into the flour mixture. Continue whisking constantly to avoid any lumps. (The mixture will become very thick and then thin out gradually until it is smooth.)
Return the pot to the stove over medium-high heat and cook the mixture while whisking constantly until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses until they are melted and the cheese sauce is smooth. Add the pasta, stirring to combine, and cook just until the pasta is warmed throughout. Serve immediately.
Kelly’s Notes:
I prefer shell-shaped pasta for macaroni and cheese, but you can use whatever shape you prefer. Elbow macaroni, orecchiette and cavatappi noodles also work well.
After stirring in the pasta, feel free to fold in any additional ingredients, including diced ham, chicken and lobster or blanched veggies, such as broccoli or squash.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

1 cup riced cauliflower 

3 cups mozzarella, divided

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 egg 

Olive oil

Olives

Artichokes

Sun-dried tomatoes

Preparation

Pulse one head of chopped cauliflower into chunks in a food processor until it looks like grain. Microwave the cauliflower for 8 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup riced cauliflower, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, oregano, garlic salt, garlic, and egg. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Pat mixture out into a 9-inch circle. Brush with olive oil. Bake the crust at 450° for 15 minutes. 

Top the pizza with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, olives, artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Broil 3-4 minutes or until cheese melts.

Cheese Strata

8 slices white or wheat bread
4 slices cheese
2 Tbsp. bacon bits
4 eggs
2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. mustard

*Put 4 slices of bread next to each other in baking dish. Put slice of cheese on each. Sprinkle with bacon bits. Top with remaining bread. Beat eggs, stir in milk, salt & mustard. Pour over bread. Cover w/plastic wrap. Leave out for 1 hour or in refrigerator for 1 day. Remove plastic. Put in oven at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Let stand 5 min. Makes 4 servings.

Macaroni & Cheese Casserole

1 box Mac & Cheese
1 can chicken, drained
2 Tbsp Ranch dressing
1/2 c. chopped tomatoes
3 Tbsp. sliced green onions

*Prepare Mac & Cheese, then add remaining ingredients.

Tex Mex Egg Ross with Cream Cilantro Dipping Sauce

1 (5 oz) package Spanish Rice
(or use rice w/chili & cumin seasoning & salsa juice w/chicken stock)
1 tsp. salt
1 lb ground hot pork sausage
6 green onions, finely chopped
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (1.25 oz) envelope taco seasoning mix
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes w/mild green chilies, undrained
8 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
28 egg roll wrappers (or won ton wrappers to make hors d'oeuvres)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 c. peanut oil
3/4 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

*Cook rice according to package directions, using 1 tsp. salt. Cool.
*Cook sausage in a skillet over med. heat, stirring until it crumbles & is no longer pink; drain well. Cool.
*Stir together rice, sausage, black beans & next 3 ingredients in a large bowl.
*Spoon about 1/3 c. rice mixture in center of each egg wrapper.
*Fold top corner of wrapper over filling, tucking tip of corner under filling; fold left & right corners over filling.
*Lightly brush corner w/egg; tightly roll, gently press to seal.
*Pour oil in a heavy Dutch oven; heat to 375 degrees.
*Fry egg rolls, in batches, 2-3 min or until golden.
*Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Serve with Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce.

Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce:
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 c. sour cream
3 small garlic cloves, minced
2 (10 oz) cans Mexican festival diced tomatoes w/lime juice & cilantro, undrained
2 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro (about 1 bunch)
*You can 1/2 the dipping sauce recipe...it makes a lot.
*Process first 5 ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
*Garnish with finely chopped cilantro
*Serve egg rolls with dipping sauce.

Low-Fat Turkey Quesadillas

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 c. minced purple onion
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 c. chopped cooked turkey breast (or turkey lunch meat)
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
8 (8") fat-free flour tortillas (or whole wheat tortillas)
3/4 c. shredded reduced-fat Monetary Jack cheese
butter-flavored non-cook spray
fresh cilantro sprigs

*Place oil in large pan over med-high until hot. Add chopped pepper & onion; cook 3 min, stirring often. Add cumin & cook 1 min. Add turkey & tomato; cook 3 min., stirring often. Stir in minced cilantro, salt & pepper.
*Place 1/2 c. turkey mixture on half of each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese over turkey mixture. Fold tortillas in 1/2. Coat skillet with cooking spray. Cook tortillas over med-high for 30 sec. on each side or until lightly browned. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Twice Baked Potatoes

6 large potatoes
2 c. sour cream
salt & pepper
1/4 c. milk
10 pieces of lunch meat (ham or turkey or bacon or turkey bacon)
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese

*Bake potatoes. Cool slightly. Cut off top & with a spoon scrape out contents of potatoes leaving only the skin. Add sour cream, milk, salt & pepper. Mix with a potato masher. Add mixture back into potato skins. Add grated cheddar cheese over top. Bake until cheese is melted and potato is heated back up, about 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.