Recipe Crazy!!

I have recently come across some recipes that look absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, being bedridden means I don't get to run to the kitchen and cook them. They look so good to me that I decided to go ahead and post them, in case someone else wants to do the trial run for me! I'm creating a pretty big wish-list these days of what I want to do this summer, which includes trying a lot of new dishes in the kitchen! The following recipes are courtesy of my local newspaper, WhatToExpect.com and Bon Appetit magazine. I only wish I could have found pictures of all of them so you could really envision the yumminess!

Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Muffins

1 cup all-purpose or white whole wheat flour

1 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine (stick, melted)

1/4 cup Egg Beaters

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, thawed and drained)

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray 12-cup regular muffin pan with baking spray. Blend together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir together yogurt, butter, Egg Beaters and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour yogurt mixture into the center of dry ingredients. Stir until just blended using a rubber spatula. Do not overmix. Fold in blueberries and lemon peel.

Divide the batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove from muffin cups and cool completely on a wire rack.

Chicken Enchiladas

(money saver!! Approx. total coast $17 for 5 servings!!)

1 cup shredded cooked chicken

1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies

1 teaspoon oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1/2 cup chopped onion

10 flour tortillas

1 (16-ounce) jar green tomatillo salsa

Dash of cumin (optional)

Juice of 1 lime

Sour cream for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, 1 cup cheese, chilies, oregano, chili powder, 1/2 cup cilantro and onion. Warm the tortillas in a microwave according to package instructions. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling onto each tortilla, roll it up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. When done, spray the enchiladas lightly with cooking spray and cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30 minutes. While the enchiladas are baking, combine the salsa, 1/4 cup cilantro and cumin, if using, in a saucepan on medium heat. Simmer and stir until the mixture thickens slightly, then squeeze in the lime juice and stir. Keep warm.

After 30 minutes, remove the foil from the enchiladas, sprinkle on 1/4 cup cheese, and bake a few more minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve the enchiladas with the sauce and sour cream, if desired, on the side.

Mediterranean Pasta with Fire Roasted Tomatoes

(makes 6 servings)

2 pounds medium plum tomatoes (10-12), halved lengthwise

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

8 ounces pasta

Place tomato halves, cut-sides up, in foil-lined pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Mix 1/4 cup oil, garlic and seasonings in a small bowl. Spoon over tomatoes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil.

Roast in preheated 400 F oven 45-60 minutes until tomatoes are soft and browned on top.

Prepare the pasta as directed on package. Drain well. Place 1/2 of the roasted tomatoes and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Coarsely mash tomatoes. Add pasta and remaining tomatoes. Toss to mix well. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese and additional crushed red pepper, if desired.

Spinach Fettuccine with Chicken and Sauteed Greens

(serves 2)

¼ lb spinach fettuccine

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced

1 large shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

6 oz baby spinach leaves or 1 medium bunch spinach, washed, drained, and trimmed

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, warm oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes, or until light golden and almost cooked through, stirring often. Transfer to plate.

Add shallot to skillet, still over medium heat, and cook 3 minutes, stirring. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add tomatoes and broth; bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes, until tomatoes soften and some of the liquid has cooked off. Add spinach and cook 3 minutes, stirring.

Return chicken to skillet and cook 1 minute, until cooked through, stirring.

Drain pasta. In serving bowl, toss pasta with chicken sauce and cheese. Serve hot.

Double-Ginger Sour Cream Bundt Cake

(makes 12-14 servings)

Softened butter (for brushing pan)
1/2 cup raw sugar*
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped crystallized ginger

*Also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at most supermarkets and at natural foods stores.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Brush softened butter generously all over inside of 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle raw sugar over butter in pan, tilting pan to coat completely.

Whisk flour, ground ginger, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter in large bowl until smooth. Add 2 cups sugar; beat on medium-high speed until blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 egg yolk and vanilla, stopping to scrape down bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with sour cream in 2 additions, beating on low speed just until blended after each addition. Mix in crystallized ginger. Spread batter in pan, being careful not to dislodge raw sugar.

Bake cake until top is light brown and tester inserted near center comes out with a few small crumbs attached, about 55 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool in pan 15 minutes. Gently tap bottom edge of pan on work surface while rotating pan until cake loosens. Place rack atop pan and invert cake onto rack; remove pan. Cool completely.

This recipe suggests serving with ginger-infused strawberries. That didn't sound so great to me, so I chose to leave the recipe out. You can find it online here.

And, a little side note... my grandma sent a couple of surprise packages in the last two weeks: a Baby Einstein Lullaby CD, and this adorable sleeper. The picture does not do it justice, and you probably can't read that the chest patch says "just hatched". How cute! I definitely want to pack this in my hospital bag for that special day. Speaking of which... we're at 30 weeks today! I'm having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions this week, but nothing painful. I promised Tony that we would make it to 32 weeks for sure. Hope we do! :-)