New Year's Black Eyed Pea Dip!

STOLEN! :) 

Zannie's Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Ingredients

• 1 can (14-ounce) Can Black-eyed Peas
• 1/4 whole Onion, Chopped Fine
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• 8 slices Jarred Jalapenos
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 3 Tablespoons Salsa
• Hot Sauce, to taste
• Salt And Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.
Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.
Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Serve with tortilla chips!
*Note: if you have them available, you can use the canned black-eyed peas and jalapenos (they're canned together.) If you do this, you can omit the extra jalapenos.

Christmas Week Food Coma - "Restaurant Food" aka Spinach, Leek and Shrimp Pasta

Because I live my life through my stomach, I've planned out the delicious treats Mike and I will enjoy during our time with the little vegetarian away.

First off, is our fave, "Restaurant Food", or Spinach, Leek and Shrimp Pasta

I amended the recipe I found on Real Simple.


Ingredients:
16 ounces pasta. I usually get bowties or ziti
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks (white and light green parts only), cut into half-moons (I've also used one chopped onion and it's great)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
finely grated zest and juice of 1-2 lemons (We like the lemon flavor a lot, so I use 2)
8 oz cup heavy cream
10 ounces baby spinach (about 12 cups) - I usually get one bag


Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot. 
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks (or onions), ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, lemon zest and juice, and cook, tossing frequently, until the shrimp is opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes more.
3. Steam the spinach, or you'll have a hard time mixing it all together. I just put the bag of spinach in the microwave for a minute or so to reduce its size.
4. Add the cream and ½ teaspoon salt to the pasta in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp mixture and the spinach and toss to combine.




Serve with crusty bread. Yummmy.

Brother's Birthday Brownies

I'm making these this weekend for my brother's birthday dinner Sunday at Mom and Dad's. Chocolate Mint is his favorite (very much not mine :) )

MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIES
3/4 c. cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2/3 c. butter, melted & divided
1/2 c. boiling water
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. (10 oz. pkg.) mint chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. In large mixing bowl, combine cocoa and baking soda. Blend in 1/3 cup melted butter. Add boiling water; stir until mixture thickens. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining 1/3 cup melted butter; stir until smooth. Add flour, vanilla and salt; blend completely. Stir in mint chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan. Cut into squares. About 36 brownies.

Sweet Potato Chili with Avacado Cream Sauce

Yet another recipe that can be made to be diet friendly. This is what we're having for dinner tonight, but I just finished a gym workout - elliptical at the gym on strength program, only 1.18 miles, but I burned 301 calories. That program is a killer. It's 45 seconds of level 22 resistance, then 15 seconds of level 55 resistance, for 30 minutes. I'm super starving now! But alas, I ate my yogurt after lunch today, cuz I was hungry then, so I have nothing to eat now before the show tapes. BUT I will be putting the below deliciousness in my face by 945p tonight, I guarantee that! And thanks to Hubby for cooking dinner SO MUCH lately.

Here is is:

Sweet Potato Chili with Avocado Cream Sauce:

2 Tbsp Canola or Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
4-8 cloves of minced Garlic
4 cups Sweet Potato or yams (about 2 medium sweet potatoes), peeled, 1/4 inch diced
2 tbsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 cup stock (we use veggie, but you don't have to) or Water
2 - 15 oz. cans Diced Tomatoes (undrained)
2 - 15 oz. cans Beans (kidney, pinto or red; undrained)
Cilantro or Radish Sprouts (for garnish)

Avocado Cream Sauce:
1 ripe Avocado, mashed
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt (fat free, if you're so inclined)
- whip together until smooth, and add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add some lime juice for added delicious.


For the chili:

- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high. Add onion and saute for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent. Add garlic and sweet potatoes, stir and saute for about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with chili powder and cumin, and stir to coat veggies in spices. Stir in the stock (or water), scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in beans, then re-cover and simmer until sweet potato is tender, about 5-10 minutes.
- Top bowls of chili with cheese (NON-diet version), and the avocado cream. You'll love it!

Cheesy Broccoli Tofu Casserole

This is technically "diet food", but if you make it with non-diet ingredients, it's delicious as well. I just had some for lunch and wish i had more, which is why I took to saving this on our blog! MMM. I want more NOW!

1 cup instant brown rice (or brown or white rice, cooked ahead)
20 oz. chopped broccoli, thawed
1 pkg. light-firm tofu (or just firm tofu), cubed
1 can Healthy Requests Cream of Mushroom Soup (or just Cream of Mushroom)
4 oz 2% Milk Velveeta (or regular)
1/4 cup skim (or whatever kind) milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350.
Saute tofu, onion and garlic in olive oil over Med heat, until onions are clear.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and toss to mix.
Coat a 2 qt. Casserole dish with non-stick spray, and add ingredients from bowl.
Bake 45 minutes.