Fun Friday

This month has been full of events around the community that SERVPRO has participated in. I thought that I would make FUN FRIDAY extra special today.  Here is a blog filled with delicious recipes.

Skinny Low-fat Chocolate Chip Cookies Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 12 • Size: 2 cookies • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts Calories: 170.7 • Fat: 5.0 g • Protein: 1.4 g • Carb: 34.5 g • Fiber: 1.4 g • Sugar: 25.4 g Sodium: 113.1 mg
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 egg white
• 2 tbsp apple sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line two cookie sheets with non-stick silicone baking liners or lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and stir to blend. In another bowl, whisk the sugars, butter, egg white, applesauce and vanilla together until light and fluffy.
Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth, add just a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out.
Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by level spoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets.
Bake 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them stand 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks. http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/08/best-low-fat-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

 

Cheesy Chicken, Bacon & Avocado Quesadillas

4 medium-sized flour tortilla shells 1 lb chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces salt and pepper 1/2 cup scallions, diced 8 strips of bacon, cooked & crumbled 1 avocado, diced mild cheddar cheese, shredded 2 tbsp butter Arrange bacon on a cooling rack (like for cookies) and set it on top of sheet pan. If you don’t have a cooling rack, you can just put the bacon straight on the sheet pan. Or in a 9×13 baking dish. Either way will work. Place bacon in a cold oven, turn heat to 400, and cook 15 mins per side. Add 1/2 tbsp bacon drippings to a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and saute about 2-3 mins until softened. Add the chicken in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 mins or until chicken is golden and cooked through, flipping just once during cooking. Remove the chicken and scallions to a plate and rinse out the skillet. Add about 1/2 tbsp butter to the skillet over medium heat. When foamy, add a tortilla and swirl it around to get it nice and buttery. Layer one side of the tortilla with chicken, bacon, avocado, and a little cheese. Use tongs to flip the other half of the tortilla over and press down. Cook the tortilla for about 1-2 mins on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, adding a little more butter for each tortilla as needed. Eat & enjoy! Makes 4 quesadillas.
Read More http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/cheesy-chicken-bacon-avocado-quesadillas.html#ixzz1tGYylXt4
There is just one more recipe I wanted to share with you guys! I got this recipe from ‘The Chew” on ABC. Hope you all enjoy!

Mama T’s Baked Ziti with Eggplant 

We’ve Made Cooking As Easy As 1-2-3!

• step 1
  ingredients 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  instructionsFor the Eggplant: Preheat the oil to 350F.
• step 2
  ingredients 1 Eggplant Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
  instructions Cut the eggplant into rounds about 1/2-inch-thick dice. Saute in olive oil until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• step 3
  ingredients 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Onion (diced) 2 cloves Garlic (minced) 2 28-oz can San Marzano Whole Tomatoes (crushed) Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper Fresh Basil
  instructionsFor the Marinara Sauce: In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 90 seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook and reduce slightly for about a half hour. Top with fresh basil.
• step 4
  ingredients
  instructionsFor the Assembly: Preheat oven to 350F.
• step 5
  ingredients 1 pound Ziti
  instructions Cook the ziti to half of the time on the package instructions.
• step 6
  ingredients 1 pound Mozzarella (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
  instructions In a bowl, toss together the ziti, mozzarella, and half of the marinara sauce.
• step 7
  ingredients Pecorino Romano
  instructions On the bottom of a casserole, create a bed of the eggplant. Grate pecorino over the eggplant and then top with half of the sauced ziti mixture. Grate more pecorino over the ziti mixture, then cover with another layer of the eggplant rounds. Add the remaining sauced ziti mixture. Cover with the remaining sauce and grate pecorino generously over the top.
• step 8
  ingredients
  instructions Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and melted.
•       http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Baked-Ziti-Eggplant-Mamma-T

-Denea Duran

Fun Friday

They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words, but now it could be worth a 1,000 calories.

If you have joined the recent population of health-nuts-turned-control-freaks via smart phone dieting apps, you and I have something in common. Because of this new technology I am completely obsessed with counting every calorie that enters my mouth.

I have downloaded over 10 apps on my smartphone from Fast Food Calorie Counter to CardioTrainer + Racing, but now there might be yet another avenue for weight loss control freaks!

Purdue University is currently in the process of developing a new smartphone app that will change the way smart-phone users track dietary health. Amazingly, through no more effort than a click of a camera-phone, this new app will track the amount of protein, fat, calories and carbohydrates are contained in your meal selection. “Our goal is to allow people to record their food intake and help individuals with health challenges like diabetes understand what they’re eating and make healthier choices,” said Carol Boushey, who led the development team while a professor in Purdue’s College of Health and Human Sciences.

This sounds like my type of app. What do you think about this new app for your smartphone? Will you use it?

I thought it would only be appropriate for me to follow up with a great recipe! Now, there are two things that I can’t say no to– PASTA & CHOCOLATE! This recipe is genius and if you love mexican food and pasta, this is just for you! No counting calories! ENJOY!

MEXICAN STUFFED SHELLS

 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 package low-sodium taco seasoning ( or better yet use this Taco Seasoning!)
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 14-16 jumbo pasta shells
• 1.5 cup salsa
•  1 cup taco sauce
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 cup Monterey jack cheese
• 3 green onions
• Sour cream

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.  Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely.  While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.

Pour salsa on bottom of 9×13 baking dish.  Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes, with the foil removed.  Top with any condiments you’d like (green onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

-Denea Duran

Recipe Credit: http://thewaytohisheart.wordpress.com/2011/09/30/mexican-stuffed-shells/