Huli Huli Chicken with a side of Pasta Salad

Two weeks ago, I took my 8 1/2 year old granddaughter, "Moo", to a "Kids in the Kitchen" cooking class at my local Whole Foods Market. She loved it! We decided that day that one day soon, we'd cook the same meal for her family. That day was today.

I gathered the staple ingredients from my house, and then picked her up and took her to the grocery store with me, so that she could have "full" cooking experience. She even helped me write up the list last night.

When we got back to her house, we embarked on our cooking journey. We put the water on the stove for the pasta, then we went about cutting the vegetables. Cucumbers and carrots. Then the ginger. Then the pineapple. It was about then that the pasta was fully cooked, so we drained it, placed it in the serving bowl, and immediately, while it was still hot, we added the veggies and the dressing to it. Then after we refrigerated it, we went back to the cutting board and cut the chicken into pieces and assembled the kabobs. Because she's only 8 1/2, I did the grilling, while she did any running back and forth for me while I cooked.

I'm very proud of Moo! She did a great job, and dinner was great!!! We changed the pasta salad quite a bit, but stayed pretty true to the recipe for the huli huli chicken, with the exception of switching from honey to the agave nectar.

For dessert, for the class we make lemon sugar cookies, and then made ice cream sandwiches with them. Well, today it was far too hot to be baking, and the bakery at the grocery store didn't have any unfrosted sugar cookies, so we bought chocolate chip cookies instead, and Breyers french vanilla ice cream. Dessert was delicious as well!!!


Huli Huli Chicken

adapted from Whole Foods Market

2# chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes
1 whole pineapple, cut into 1" cubes
Bamboo skewers

Sauce:
6 T. ketchup
6 T. light soy sauce
6 T. agava nectar
6 T. orange juice
3 t. garlic
3 t. ginger

Preheat grill. Alternate chicken and pineapple, 3 pieces each, onto skewers. Combine sauce ingredients, mixing well. Seperate into 2 bowls, setting one aside for later use. Grill skewers for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 165 F, brushing from bowl not set aside about every other minute. Discard the rest of this bowl of sauce when done cooking. At the end, use a clean brush or spoon for to coat the skewers from the bowl that was previously set aside, just before serving (possibly make additional for dipping).



Pasta Salad
adapted from Whole Foods Market

1 (16 oz.) box of farafelle (bowtie) pasta
1/2 bag frozen peas
2 large carrots, chopped
5 tiny cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, and then sliced about 1/8" thick
3/4 cup T. Marzetti Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette dressing

Cook pasta per package instructions. While cooking, prepare vegetables. When pasta is done, drain. Place in large serving bowl, and while still hot, add all other ingredients, tossing well to mix (because ingredients are hot, they will absorb the flavor of the dressing better). Chill at least hour. Serve cold.

Linguine with Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Here's another tasty recipe from skinnytaste.com. "Fra Diavolo" is Italian for "brother devil", so you can tell the red pepper adds a kick. But of course it can be toned down by either decreasing the red pepper or omitting it altogether. It's a very quick meal.

Linguini and Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 2 oz pasta, 1/6th of shrimp/sauce • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 9 pts*
Calories: 376.2 • Fat: 4.8 g • Protein: 29.5 g • Carb: 54.5 g • Fiber: 5.5 g • Sugar: 6.6 g
Sodium: 569.3 mg (without added salt)

Ingredients:


3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
6-7 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined*
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
35 oz crushed tomatoes (I LOVE Tuttorosso)
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 tbsp capers, drained
8 fresh basil leaves, rolled and sliced thin

12 oz whole wheat, high fiber or brown rice pasta

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

While the water is heating up, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until golden, about one minute. Add the shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes to brown but not cook through; sprinkle with salt to taste.

Transfer the shrimp to a plate, leaving garlic in the pan.

Add pasta to water and cook according to package directions for al dente.

Pour the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and add the celery and onions; cook 2 minutes then add the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and crushed red pepper and bring to a simmer.

Lower the heat and let it simmer about 8-10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook another minute or two; remove from heat. Add the capers and serve in a large bowl over pasta topped with fresh basil, fresh black pepper and parmesan cheese on the side.

Garlic and Red Pepper Pasta

I think summer is upon us! It's near 90 degrees today, then sun is out, and barely a cloud in the sky. Yay, summer!!! I've anxiously been awaiting its arrival for how many months now?!? It's good to have it back again!

This recipe was quick, easy, light, and tasty! Seriously, is there anything better than pasta, garlic, red pepper flakes, and Parm? MMMMM! Delish!

I used "real" butter, so I adjusted the points to 8 in my case. Worth. Every. Bite.

Garlic and Red Pepper Pasta
from eat-yourself-skinny.com

Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1 cup Calories: 301 Fat: 15 g Carbs: 6.8 g Fiber: 0.8 g Protein: 4.3 g Old Points: 7.1 pts Points+: 5 pts

1 box of spaghetti
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
3/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. light butter
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 pinches red pepper flakes
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Boil water and cook pasta per box instructions until al dente. Meanwhile, saute olive oil, butter, garlic and red bell pepper on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and allow to simmer until ready to toss.

Drain pasta and immediately toss with Parmesan cheese. Add the sauteed garlic sauce, sprinkle some extra Parmesan cheese on top and garnish with some fresh parsley.

Spinach Stuffed Shells

Who doesn't like stuffed pasta shells! It's been years since I've made them, and in my hunt for low fat, low calorie recipes, I found this recipe. I made the sauce and cooked the shells last night, so that when I got home from work today, all I had to do was mix the spinach/cheese mixture and stuff 'em and then throw them in the oven. They'll be done in about 5 minutes, and they SMELL FANTASTIC!!!

This is adapted from yet another new-to-me site, www.skinnymom.com. It makes 10 servings - TEN SERVINGS!!! I'll be doing some freezing tonight!

First, the sauce:

Skinny Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Serves 10

•1 pound lean ground sirloin
•1 onion, chopped
•1 green pepper, chopped
•1 tbsp minced onion
•2 6 ounce cans tomato paste
•1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
•1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
•1 tbsp Italian seasoning
•2 basil leaves
•2 tablespoons Splenda granulated sweetener
•1 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon garlic powder

1.In a large skillet, brown lean ground sirloin for 4-5 minutes.
2.Add chopped onion, green pepper, and garlic and continue cooking meat until no longer pink and the onions and peppers start to soften.
3.Next, add tomato paste, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes to meat and onions. Add in 1/4 cup water and stir sauce.
4.Add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and Splenda to sauce and stir until well mixed.
5.Add in basil leaves and turn heat down to low. Cover and let simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with pasta immediately or

freeze or refrigerate for later.

Nutrition Info Per Serving: Calories: 165.9, Fat: 4.9g, Carbohydrates:19g, Fiber: 3.5g, Sugars: 9g, Protein: 13.3g; WW Points 3



.... and now the shells:

Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

Serves 10

•1 box Barilla Jumbo Shells Pasta
•1 10 oz bag frozen spinach
•16 ounces Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
•1 tsp salt
•1 tsp pepper
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1/2 cup Tbsp reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
•1 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, grated
•10 Servings Skinny Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Directions:
1.Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2.Add pasta shells to boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes until almost al dente.
3.Drain pasta shells and spread pasta shells onto a sheet of wax paper to dry.
4.Place spinach in microwave and cook for 5-6 minutes
as directed on package.
5.Drain spinach and make sure to remove all of the moisture from spinach until it is dry.
6.In a medium sized bowl, mix spinach, fat-free ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
7.Using a 9×13 casserole dish, spoon a small amount of Skinny Spaghetti and Meat Sauce to cover the bottom of dish.
8.Next, fill pasta shells with spinach mixture by using a spoon to place mixture inside each pasta shell.
9.Place filled pasta shells face up into casserole dish.
10.Top filled pasta shells with Skinny Spaghetti Meat Sauce and sprinkle reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese on top.
11.Heat pasta shells in oven for 15-20 minutes and serve hot.

Nutrition Info (3 stuffed shells with meat sauce): Calories: 323.4, Fat: 7.2g, Carbohydrates: 48.1g, Protein: 22g, Fiber: 5.1g, Sugars: 11.3g; WW Points 7

Happy birthday to me!

Well, it was really yesterday, but by the time I got home, I was exhausted, so this didn't get written till now!

My daughter cooked dinner for me! She made one of my comfort foods, something we've been making for probably 15 years. Cincinnati Chili!

And... she made my FAVORITE dessert, apple crisp! With homemade vanilla ice cream!!! Yum-Mo!!!

She gave me some awesome gifts, too! A reversible apron that she made, with kitty fabric, because, you know, I'm "Kitty Gramma". Sorry for the funky pics, I had it tied to a chair in order to take the pic. In retrospect, I should have put it on, and taken a pic of me in the mirror:

and a menu board:

"Because you've been cooking a lot lately," she said! Beautiful gifts.

Taco Pasta

Updated on 3/15/12 right after lunch!!!

This ended up being great as a leftover. I didn't have cheddar cheese after all (what???!? I'm a cheesehead by heritage, how does that happen?!?!?), and I didn't add the pepper flakes to what I took to work for lunch. I guess the pasta and beef have since absorbed more of the flavor, and it was quite good.

I have, since posting it last night, found a variation of the same recipe that does add shredded sharp cheddar and, instead of the tomatoes with chilies, it calls for salsa. So, next time I make it, that will be my experiment.

Overall, I do like the recipe.


* * * * * * * * * * * *

3-14-12

This one is going to be an experiment for me. I love any Mexican-inspired food, so I was excited to find this recipe, but I was a little disappointed by it.

I made it per the recipe, and since I like things a little on the spicy side, I added red pepper flakes. It's still missing something - I'm thinking it's cheddar cheese. I'll add some to the leftovers that I take for lunch tomorrow, and will post an update tomorrow.


Taco Pasta
from www.fakeginger.com

1 pound ground beef or turkey
8 ounce small dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 tablespoon taco seasoning
3 ounce cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or saute pan, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the meat is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the meat is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit.

MMMMM Shrimp!!!

Shrimp Scampi

Now, this is by no means something that should be eaten frequently!! It is, as they say, a "heart attack on a plate", but oh, so good!!! I've made it with only 2 T butter and 4 T non-fat, low sodium chicken broth, and switched from vegetable oil to olive oil, in an attempt to make it healthier, but this, the original recipe, is so much tastier. The skinnier version will do in a pinch!

Now, without further adieu, here is the recipe!

Shrimp Scampi
from bigoven.com

Original Yield: 4
Shown as 4 Servings
Main Ingredient: Shrimp
Cuisine: American

1 lb Shrimp; peeled
6 tb Butter
1 tb Green onion; chopped, (or more)
1 tb Vegetable oil
4 cloves Garlic
1 tb Lemon juice
1/4 ts Salt; optional
2 tb Parsley; minced
1/4 ts lemon peel; Grated, (or more)
Tabasco; or crushed red pepper

Melt butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Cook till boiling.
Pat shrimp dry and add. Cook stirring occasionally till shrimp turn pink (5 min.) Blend in parsley, lemon peel & tabasco. Garnish with lemon wedge. Serve over angel hair pasta or rice.

Hamburger Noodle Casserole

HAMBURGER NOODLE CASSEROLE - I added onion to the ground beef as well, and forgot to add the cheddar cheese - it really didn't need it!! And I left the green onion out.

from tasteofhome.com

5 cups uncooked egg noodles
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large
nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef until meat is no longer
pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the tomato
sauce, sugar, salt and pepper; heat through. Drain noodles; stir
into beef mixture.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta cheese and sour cream
until blended. Stir in half of the onions.

Spoon half of the noodle mixture into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish
coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese mixture and remaining
noodle mixture.

Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with
cheddar cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and
cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining onions. Yield: 10
servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 319 calories, 14 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 92 mg cholesterol, 635 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 24 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1 fat.

Creamy (Without the cream) Wild Mushroom Pasta

Creamy Wild Mushroom Pasta
found on www.sparkpeople.com, originally from www.caring4cancer.com


The "cream" in this recipe comes from blending some of the mushrooms and broth together. This creates a thick, rich texture for the mushroom sauce without the saturated fat and calories of real cream.

Serves four as a main dish.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 ounces wild mushrooms; use as many different types of mushrooms as you like, such as shiitake, maitake, portobello, straw, enoki, oyster, chanterelles, cremini, morel, porcini, matsutake, etc.
1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried ground rosemary (dried herb)
1 teaspoon dried ground thyme (dried herb)
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
12 ounces (dry weight) whole-grain pasta; any whole-grain pasta, such as wheat, spelt, buckwheat, kamut, or rye, will work well for this recipe

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil while preparing the other ingredients.
Clean and coarsely chop the mushrooms.
Mince the garlic and grate the fresh parmesan cheese.
In a deep skillet or stove-top pan, heat olive oil and garlic over medium heat until the garlic just turns golden.
Add low-sodium vegetable broth and mushrooms; return mixture to a simmer (low boil).
Add rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and half of the parmesan cheese and stir.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to instructions (usually 8 to 10 minutes).
While pasta is cooking, stir mushroom mixture at a simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Very carefully (it's very hot!) remove approximately 1 cup of mushrooms and broth and place in a blender.
Very carefully (it's very hot!) blend the mushrooms and broth. Use a lid on the blender; place the lid lightly and lift several times to vent the steam as you blend. This will prevent the lid from blowing off the blender due to steam buildup.
Return blended mushrooms and broth to pan; stir to combine with mushroom mixture. Reduce heat until pasta is ready.
Drain pasta and mix pasta and mushroom sauce together. Stir to combine ingredients and coat pasta.
Dish onto plates and sprinkle each serving with a bit of the remaining parmesan cheese.
Serve and enjoy!

Serving suggestion: For a nice meal, serve with salad or cooked greens.

Per serving*: 458 calories; 73 grams of carbohydrates; 19 grams of protein; 10 grams of fat; 10 grams of fiber; 130 milligrams of potassium; 570 milligrams of sodium**

Sausage with Peppers and Pasta

3 cups rigatoni pasta, uncooked
1 lb. Italian sausage, sliced
1 each: red, green and yellow pepper, coarsely chopped
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Italian* Mozzarella-Parmesan Cheese Blend
1/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, cook sausage in large skillet on medium heat 10 min. Stir in peppers; cook 7 min. or until sausage is cooked through and peppers are crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 min. or until heated through.

DRAIN pasta. Add to sausage mixture with shredded cheese; mix well.

TOP with Parmesan.

Philippine Pansit

PHILIPPINE PANSIT
from www.cooks.com

2 tbsp. oil
1 med. onion
1 garlic clove (opt.)
1 c. green beans cut French style or 1 can French style green beans
2 carrots, cut in thin strips
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 c. mushrooms, chopped
1 c. cold chopped chicken
1/4 c. soy sauce (or to taste)
1 pkg. vermicelli spaghetti, cooked & drained
2 or 3 hard boiled eggs

In a skillet, cook in oil the onions and garlic until onions look clear. Add green beans, carrots, celery, mushrooms and chicken. Stir until vegetables are tender crisp. mix with spaghetti. Add soy sauce, slice eggs and Accent to taste.

Beefy Pasta Skillet

from www.campbellskitchen.com
Tried on 11/27/07 Kids devoured it. Little R had second helping.

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup (Regular or 25% Less Sodium)
1/4 cup water
1 T Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked corkscrew pasta or elbow pasta

Cook beef and onion in skillet until browned. Pour off fat.
Add soup, water, Worchestershire, cheese and pasta and heat through.

Over the Rainbow Mac and Cheese

Oprah's website, a Patty LaBelle recipe

1 T vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
9 T butter
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded mild cheddar
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half & half
1 cup (8 oz.) Velveeta, cut into small pieces
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 t seasoned salt
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart casserole.
2. Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.
3. In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining one tablespoon of butter.
4. Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Cincinnati Chili

This is one of my comfort foods! Yummo!!

Cincinnati Chili
adapted from Weight Watchers

16 oz very lean ground beef
4 t vegetable oil (1 T. plus 1 t.)
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chili powder
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1/8 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t salt
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped canned tomatoes, with juice
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 t granulated sugar
6 oz. spaghetti
1 1/2 oz. medium-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 T. minced scallions

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the oil until hot but not smoking. Crumble in the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until the beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes.

Stir in the bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and reduce heat to medium. Saute until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, black pepper, cinnamon, and salt, and cook unti the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chili is thinckened and the flavors are blended, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water until al dente, 9 to 11 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain in a colander and transfer to a serving bowl. Spoon the chili over the spaghetti, top with the cheddar cheese and scallions, and serve.

Serving size: 1 1/2 cups

Nutritional values: 401 calories; 27 g. protein; 12 g fat; 47 g carbohydrate; 52 mg cholesterol; 731 mg sodium