Chicken Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

1/2 pound spicy chicken sausage
2 green onions - chopped
1 garlic clove - minced
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 T mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
10 large white button mushrooms

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Brown the chicken sausage in a large pan until no longer pink, breaking it up with your spoon.
2.  While the sausage is browning, remove the stems from your mushrooms and chop the stems finely.
3.  When sausage is browned, add the mushroom stems to the pan and cook until partially done, three minutes or so.
4.  Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
5.  Add the panko breadcrumbs to the pan, stirring to combine with the other ingredients.
6.  Add the mascarpone cheese to the pan and stir until fully combined and a little creamy.
7.  Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
8.  Stuff your mushrooms (generously!) in a shallow baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the tops are slightly browned.

Italian Salad

Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1/8 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 T white wine vinegar
1 small clove garlic- minced
1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flake
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Salad
Romaine Lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Sliced black olives
Thinly sliced red onion
Sliced Pepperoncini
Parmesan Cheese
Croutons

1.  Shake all ingredients for the dressing in a sealed jar.
2.  Mix desired amount of salad componants with desired amount of dressing and top with parmesan cheese.

Similar to a "lightened" Olive Garden Salad.  Enjoy!

Tomato Feta Olive Bruschetta

6 Roma tomatoes - seeded and diced
20-30 Kalamata and/or green olives - quartered
2/3 cup feta cheese (about 1/2 a block) - diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tsp oregano
Toasted baguette slices

1.  Mix tomatoes, olives, cheese, garlic and oregano in a bowl.  Pour into a baking dish.
2.  Bake uncovered at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
3.  Serve with toasted baguette.

Sorry for the bad picture, I will post a better one next time I make it!

Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad

4-5 chicken breasts
1/2 an onion in chunks
3-4 smashed garlic cloves
3 ribs celery - diced
1.5 cups grapes - halved
3 green onions - chopped
Poaching Spices

1 6oz container Fage Greek yogurt (0% fat)
1/4 cup light Mayo
1 T dijon mustard
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1.  Poach the chicken.  Fill a large pot with the chicken and enough water to cover the breasts.  Add the chunks of onion and smashed garlic.  Add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and any other spices you have on hand.  I usually throw in whole thyme leaves, dried oregano and whole mustard seed.  Poach the chicken until done, about 25 minutes.
2.  Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and cool.  Dice the chicken into small pieces when cooled.
3.  Combine all dressing ingredients.
4.  Toss chicken with the celery, grapes and green onions.  Toss with the dressing to coat and enjoy!

Greek Salad

Salad
Tomatoes - cut in chunks (usually 3 or 4 large ones)
Cucumber - Peeled and cut in chunks (usually 2 regular or 1 seedless)
Kalamata olives - halved (usually 1/2 a cup)
Feta cheese- crumbled (usually 3-4 oz)
Green bell pepper (optional) (just 1)
Red onion (optional)

Dressing
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dijon mustard
pepper

1.  Combine dressing ingredients in jar and shake.  Toss desired amount of dressing with salad ingredients.

I generally serve with grilled chicken tenders, pita bread and greek yogurt.  Toss tenders with olive oil, garlic powder and oregano.  Then grill.  Mix greek yogurt (Fage is best) with salt, lemon juice and garlic powder.

Shrimp and Grits Bite

Grits
1 cup Polenta
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Shrimp
1-2 dozen large shrimp
Salt, pepper and olive oil

Sauce
3-4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
1 shallot - minced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp hot sauce
1 Tbsp lemon juice


For the Grit Cakes
1.  In a large, deep sauce pan, bring 4 cups water to boil.  Reduce heat to low, slowly add the polenta and cook, stirring frequently 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in butter, salt and pepper.
2.  Oil a 11x7 sheet pan (half the size of a regular jelly roll pan).  Pour grits on the pan and spread evenly with a spatula.  Allow grits to cool and harden.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3.  When polenta has cooled, slice into desired portions.  I generally slice 1 inch squares.  Place squares on baking sheet covered with cooking spray.  Spray the tops of the squares as well.
4.  Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy.

For the Sauce
1.  Brown bacon in a sauté or sauce pan.  Drain bacon on paper towels, reserving a tiny bit of the grease.
2.  Saute shallot 1-2 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté addition 1 minute.
3.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer until reduced by half, 10-15 minutes.  Stir in reserved bacon.

For the Shrimp
1.  Cook shrimp as desired.  I generally toss with olive oil and pepper and cook in a pan.  Or you can roast at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

To Assemble
1.  Place polenta squares on a plate and top each with a shrimp.  Pour over sauce.  Can garnish with chopped green onion if desired.

Note that the photo below included green onion sautéed with the shallot.  I felt it was too "oniony" so made it a second time without and liked it better.  If you like onion, feel free to add!

Black Bean Quinoa

2 cans black beans - rinsed, drained and dried with paper towel
1 cup quinoa (dry) - cooked to package direction, cooled
1 red bell pepper - chopped
1 green bell pepper - chopped
1 jalapeño - seeded and minced
3 green onion - chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes - quartered
1/2 bunch cilantro - chopped
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 lime - juiced
big drizzle of olive oil

Combine all ingredients.  Add red pepper or cayenne if more heat is wanted.  taste for salt.