Spinach Artichoke Pasta - Yep PASTA!!!

I hope you weren't looking for a holiday recipe? I'm so deep in denial about the approaching festivities that I haven't even started baking...and I really need to post more.

I was so excited when I saw this recipe. I LOVE Spinach Artichoke dip and try to talk Tony and the kids into it anytime I see it on a menu when we are out. Yep, made it at home several times too. One of the problems though when I make it at home is that I eat way too much of it! So this way was perfect It was served with pasta and that meant I could have it as a main course and eat as much as I liked...:-)

And did I mention that this dish is fast to prepare? Yep, really, really fast. Like about as long as it takes to cook the pasta fast.


Spinach Artichoke Pasta (found on Pinterest by Budget Bytes)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive oil
4 cloves garlic
4 oz. cream cheese or neufchatel cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 can (14 oz.) quartered artichoke hearts
1 package (10 oz.) chopped spinach, thawed
1 Tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp red pepper flake
salt and pepper to taste
1 package of pasta (any shape)

Directions:

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil with a lid. When it comes to a boil, cook the pasta according to package directions (boil for about 10 minutes or until al dente). Drain the pasta in a colander.
2. While you are cooking the pasta, start making the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mince the garlic and cook it in the oil until it is slightly tender (1-2 minutes).
3. Add the cream cheese, sour cream and white wine. Stir until everything is evenly incorporated. Reduce the heat to medium/low.
4. Add the milk and Parmesan cheese. Stir it in until the Parmesan has melted in and is evenly incorporated. Stir in the hot sauce and thawed/drained spinach.
5. Drain the can of artichoke hearts. Roughly chop them and add to the sauce. Taste the sauce and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.
6. Add the cooked and drained pasta and stir to coat. Serve warm.

This is a wonderfully satisfying dinner that goes perfectly with a good glass of white wine!

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Zesty Spinach Soup

My sister turned me onto this cookbook. Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook: Delicious Recipes That Will Burn Fat and Re-Shape Your Body! Heard of it?

Pretty incredible recipes. My sister has tried a whole bunch of them but me being the slacker that I am lately have only tried one. But it was good. Really, really good. To the point of being so good that when I told the girls that we were having it again for dinner tonight (slacker and eating up leftovers) they were pretty happy about it again!!! Perfect soup for the cold weather and totally healthy too…

Of course I had to make some changes based on what I had available but I stayed true to the real recipe. It was fast and came together perfectly. I made it in the afternoon but left out the pasta and the spinach. When we got home later on I had the girls shower and get ready for bed while I finished it up. This was a perfect make ahead soup for me…I also figured out that it was 5 Weight Watcher points based on a 1 1/2 cup serving.

Zesty Spinach Soup Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook: Delicious Recipes That Will Burn Fat and Re-Shape Your Body!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp best quality extra virgin olive oil
1 purple onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 thick carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped celery, including leaves
3 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
1 tsp sea salt
Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
6 cups of low sodium chicken or vegetable stock (I used 4 cups of stock and 2 cups of water)
2 vegetable or chicken vegetable bouillon cubes (I used 2 tsp of Better Than Bouillon Organic Chicken)
2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used one can of diced and drained some of the juice out, tomato hater in the family)
1/2 cup of well rinsed quinoa (I used 1 cup of uncooked orzo pasta because I couldn’t find quinoa!)
2 cups of white kidney beans, well rinsed and drained
1 tsp curry powder
pinch of ground nutmeg
3 cups of baby spinach leaves

Directions:

• Heat oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent.
• Add carrots, celery, garlic and salt. Sauté until vegetables are golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add stock or water. Add bouillon cubes and add to liquid. Add tomatoes, quinoa, beans and spices. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender.
• Add the spinach and cover. Cook briefly, just until leaves are wilted.
• Season with salt and pepper and serve hot with crusty bread.

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Three Cheese Penne Florentine

For dinner tonight it was a meatless meal, as it's our pescatarian week. I've been enjoying a lot of spinach lately so I had to incorporate it into dinner as well. The recipe below is from SparkPeople.com. It's a great site to get some healthier recipes and nutritional values are reflected, making it easy to figure out WW points! And if you haven't yet, definitely give the homemade cream of chicken soup a try. It will prevent you from using the stuff in the cans filled with misc ingredients... ::shudder::

Three Cheese Penne Florentine
recipe adapted from Sparkpeople.com

1 T olive oil
1 C chopped onion
1 C chopped red bell pepper
3 C chopped fresh spinach
1 T chopped fresh oregano
¼ t black pepper
1 16 oz carton 1% cottage cheese
4 C hot cooked penne (about 8 oz)
1 C shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese, divided
½ C Parmesan cheese, divided
½ C 1% milk
1 cup homemade cream of chicken or vegetable soup


Saute onion and bell pepper in oil 4 minutes.

Add spinach, oregano, and pepper. Saute 3 minutes.

Place cottage cheese in food processor until smooth.

Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, half of the parmesan cheese, milk and soup in a large bowl.

Spoon into a 2 qt casserole sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.

* The original recipe called for chicken, which I omitted tonight.

Weight Watchers Point Value = 6 points
I'm also submitting this to Maryann's Festa Italiana blogging event! She's hosting a delicious gathering of Italian dishes so be sure to check out her blog around March 9th for the tasty round up!

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Florentine Egg Muffins

For breakfast this morning I was craving eggs in the worst way. So with hunger pangs abound, I came up with this healthy and hearty breakfast...

Florentine Egg Muffins
original Joelen recipe
serves 1

1 split whole grain english muffin
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 clove garlic, minced
cooking spray
1 egg
parmesan cheese for garnish


Toast english muffin to your preference and set aside.

In a non stick pan, fry egg over easy and set aside.

In the same non stick pan, spray with cooking spray and saute garlic.

Once garlic has toasted, add spinach and saute. Spray with cooking spray as needed.

Add halved grape tomatoes to the spinach and toss until heated through.

To assemble, top toasted english muffin halves with egg and sauteed spinach mixture.

Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Weight Watchers Point Value = 4.5 points

I'm also submitting this recipe to Lore's Original Recipes blogging event. Be sure to check out her blog early next week for the delicious round up!

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Spinach & Feta Stuffed Pork Tenderloins

For dinner tonight, I had some pork tenderloin to play with. My preferred way to use pork tenderloin is to stuff it with a mixture of vegetables, herbs, seasonings, etc. With some spinach & feta on hand, I made the following recipe and served it with roasted potatoes and a light salad.

Spinach & Feta Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
serves 3
recipe from Made in Napa Valley

tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
2 packages frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Two 1-pound pork tenderloins
5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
Kitchen string
Salt (preferably kosher or sea salt) and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and sauté for a couple of minutes until the moisture evaporates. Remove from heat and let cool.

Cut through each pork tenderloin lengthwise to within ½-inch of cutting all the way through. Open up the pork like a book and pound out each side until it’s about ¼-inch thick. Distribute the spinach over each tenderloin and top with the cheese. Roll each tenderloin jelly-roll style from the long side, and tie with string in 5 places. Season the outside of each tenderloin withsalt & pepper. Let stand 30 minutes.

Roast the pork until a thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 150°F, about 35 minutes. Transfer the tenderloins to a platter; cover loosely with foil. Place the same skillet over medium heat, and add the wine and broth. Boil until the sauce thickens, scraping up browned bits, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, remove strings from the pork and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spoon the sauce over the pork.

Weight Watchers Point Value = 6 points per serving

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Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)

During Christmas when my Mom was here, we made a run to Costco to pick up some things. Mom loves Costco for the very same reason that my girl's do...SNACKS!!! I can go through that place after taking them to skating on Saturday mornings and can almost get away without serving them lunch that day!!

Well Mom walked past the lady who was sampling the Spanakopita. They weren't quite ready yet. Mom decided to camp out until they were ready. Lucky for us it wasn't too long and she had her little triangle package of bliss...or was it? I tasted mine and my first thought was I can make this better!!! So I started searching for recipes and of course I didn't have to look too far!

Peter, one of my bestest buddies, at Kalofagas-Greek Food and Beyond was able to hook me up. Only thing was he made his own Phyllo Dough???!!! Very impressive but not what I had in mind. So I emailed him and we went back and forth a couple of times before I headed off to the grocery store to BUY some frozen phyllo dough.

This made for an incredible meal and even as large as the slices were the girls ate a whole one each.

I used a 9" Square baking pan and it worked perfectly for us!

Spanakopita (adapted from Kalofagas-Greek Food and Beyond)

Ingredients:

1 roll of frozen phyllo (filo) dough, thawed and ready to use
1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
8 oz. feta cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 bunch of scallions, sauteed in oil (softened)
2 boxes of frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients (but the phyllo dough) together and check for taste.
  
• I used a 9" square pan and it worked fine. Grease your pan (bottom and sides with oil (best not to use olive oil or butter for this as it could burn).
  
• Now you take the phyllo sheet by sheet and layer it in your pan, alternating directions. Use 12 sheets for the bottom and that will leave you 8 sheets for the top. When the bottom is layered melt some butter and add some olive oil and drizzle some on your bottom layer and spread with a pastry brush. Poke some random holes with a fork in the pastry.
• Spread your spinach mixture evenly over then pastry. You will have pastry overlapping the sides of the pan.
• Start layering the top layer of phyllo dough. Alternating directions. When all 8 pieces are on fold the edges together and roll down. Using your butter/oil mix be sure to coat the top layer well.
• Cut through the top pastry layer to help avoid breaking your dough once cooked.
  
• Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour in a 375 degree oven. When nicely browned remove from oven and cover with a clean tea towel for about 15 minutes.

This was so incredibly fast and easy! I know I didn't make the little triangles but this is much more practical for a meal. I will be making this again and again! My pie was definitely fuller than Peter's and he had cautioned me about overfilling it as it may ooze out. I think my filling was a bit thicker than it should have been so I didn't have that trouble and I liked it nice and thick! We served it with a green salad and it was a nice hearty meal! I may try my hand at making my own dough. See here for Peter's step by step instructions!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Cranberry Praline Pecan Spinach Salad

Cranberry Praline Pecan Spinach Salad
inspired by friend, Megan

baby spinach
grape tomatoes
dried cranberries
praline pecans
log of goat cheese

In a salad bowl, place spinach.
Top with grape tomatoes, dried cranberries and pecans
Run a fork over the log of goat cheese to crumbe the cheese & top the salad.
Serve with your choice of dressing. (I recommend lemon poppyseed & raspberry pomegranate vinaigrette!)

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Warm Garlicky Spinach Artichoke Dip

Warm Garlicky Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 cup frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted

1 10oz package frozen spinach, defrosted
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
garlic powder
onion powder
1 brick cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup italian cheese blend

Combine all the ingredients above and mix thoroughly.
Place in baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until warmed and bubbly OR place in mini crockpot to keep warm.
** I made this a day in advance and replenished my mini crockpot as needed.

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Ham Florentine Appetizer Wreath

Ham Florentine Appetizer Wreath
recipe courtesy of Pampered Chef

2 8 oz packages refrigerated crescent rolls
8 oz thickly sliced deli ham, diced
1/4 c green onions with tops, thinly sliced
5 oz Swiss cheese, grated (1 1/4 cups)
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 t coarsely ground black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 egg, separated
1/4 cup almonds, choppedPreheat oven to 375° F.

Unroll crescents into 16 triangles. With wide end toward center arrange 8 triangles in circle. Arrange remaining 8 triangles in center matching wide ends. Seal seams.

Mix ham, green onions, 1 cup cheese, spinach, mayo and black pepper. Scoop filling over seams of dough forming circle. Arrange tomatoes in overlapping circular pattern over filling. Top with remaining cheese. Lift corners of dough over filling one at a time slightly overlapping to form wreath.

Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough. Sprinkle almonds over wreath.

Bake 25 to 30 min or until golden brown.

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Spinach & Artichoke Appetizer Wreath

Spinach & Artichoke Appetizer Wreath
recipe courtesy of Pampered Chef

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 (14 ounce) can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheesePreheat oven to 375*F. In bowl, combine artichokes, spinach, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese(or Parmesan, red bell pepper, mayonnaise, garlic and black pepper. Mix well. Set aside.

Unroll the 2 packages of crescent rolls onto work surface. Separate into 16 triangles in a circle on a large round pizza pan(or baking stone) with wide ends 3" from edge of pan and points towards the outside. Points will extend off the edge of the baking stone or pan(depending on size).

Arrange remaining triangles in center of baking stone or pan; matching wide ends with triangles already in place Points will overlap in the center.

Using rolling pin, roll over seams of triangles where the wide ends meet, creating a smooth surface for filling. Do not seal center triangles.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop filling evenly over dough in a continuous circle.

Beginning with the last triangle placed in center of baking stone or pan, bring point of triangle straight across filling.

Next, bring point of opposite outside triangle diagonally across point of previous triangle. The filling will show.

Repeat, overlapping points of inside and outside triangles to form a wreath. Tuck last end under first.

Brush top of wreath with egg white. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Sauteed Spinach with Bacon

Sauteed Spinach w/Bacon

original Joelen recipe

1-2 packages fresh baby spinach leaves

5 slices canadian bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2-3 tablespoons butter
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

In a saute pan, melt butter and saute garlic and bacon.
When bacon is crisp, add chicken broth and spinach; toss until it wilts.
Serve immediately.

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Spinach Quiche

The following recipe was shared during my French Fare event. You can read and view other recipes from the event HERE.

Spinach Quiche
shared at the event by Nina
recipe HERE

1/2 cup butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
1 (6 ounce) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Don't Be a Dip...

I'm a snacker and love snack food & snack portions. One of my fave snacks are dips (preferably involving cheese) with something crunchy. However these days I've been trying healthier alternatives to our favorite foods without sacrificing flavor.

Rather than whipping up a spinach & artichoke dip to munch on for lunch, I decided to throw a little spin on it by using a healthier version of the dip to create a more substantial and healthier meal. So for lunch today, I made Spinach & Artichoke Chicken adapting this recipe for Spinach & Artichoke Dip. Rather than using as a traditional dip, I topped boneless, skinless chicken breasts with it and served it with a sauteed yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms and tomato.


Here's my recipe for Spinach & Artichoke Chicken:

1 cup thawed, chopped frozen spinach
1 1/2 cups thawed, chopped frozen artichoke hearts
6 ounces low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Breadcrumb Topping:
1/4 panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Boil spinach and artichokes in 1 cup of water until tender and drain. Discard liquid.
Heat cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute or until hot and soft.
Stir in rest of ingredients and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350.
On a baking sheet, place chicken and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Top each chicken breast with the spinach & artichoke mixture.
Combine the ingredients for the breadcrumb topping and sprinkle over the spinach & artichoke mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear.

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Spinach & Oyster Loaf

The following recipe was prepared for my Chef Spotlight Dinner highlighting New Orleans chefs. You can read about it and get other recipes from the event HERE.

Spinach & Oyster Loaf
shared at the event by Robert
recipe can be found here

1/4 cup butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups finely chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup heavy cream
2 dashes hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt
3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup coarsely chopped and drained oyster

Preheat oven to 400°F and butter a loaf pan.
Melt butter in a large skillet, add onions, celery and garlic and cook over medium high heat, stirring until vegetables soften.
Add spinach, cream, hot sauce, nutmeg and salt.
Cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
Remove pan from heat, stir in bread crumbs, eggs and oysters, stirring until well mixed.
Spoon mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
Set pan in a larger baking dish and add about 1 1/2 inchs of boiling water.
Bake 45-50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

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Bursting With Blueberries!

In addition to the wonderful Wolfgang Puck recipes we feasted on for tonight's dinner, I also created a non-Wolfgang Puck salad - Blueberry Spinach Salad. This salad is not only delicious, but takes on a different twist of the classic Strawberry Spinach Salad.

Here's the my adaption of recipe for Blueberry Spinach Salad, orginally from AllRecipes.com:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons raspberry puree
2 teaspoons honey mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, torn
1 (4 ounce) package blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

In a bowl, whisk the first five ingredients and shake well. In a large salad bowl, toss the spinach, blue cheese, blueberries and pecans. Add dressing and toss gently; serve immediately.

*I'm also submitting this recipe to the Tried Tested & True blogging event, hosted by Equal Opportunity Kitchen. If you have any health-promoting tried, tested and true recipes, submit them to the event!*

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When Spinach & Cheese Comes Together...

It's time for pasta! My hubby doesn't really like pasta too much but if anything, he prefers baked pasta dishes such as cannelloni. I had quite a bit of spinach to use so I thought a spinach & cheese cannelloni would be in order. I served this with sliced italian sausage. The recipe I used was inspired by Sara Moulton's version. Here's my recipe for Spinach & Cheese Cannelloni:

Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups half & half
salt & pepper to taste
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Cannelloni:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
10 ounces baby spinach
1 12 oz container ricotta
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
8 dry or "no-boil" Lasagna noodles , boiled & cooled

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour and cook the roux, whisking, 2 minutes. Add the half & half and whisk, bringing to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 2 minutes.
Whisk in salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat and whisk in cheese, then cover.

To make the cannelloni:
Heat oil in a 5 to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and saute, stirring, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Stir together ricotta, egg, parsley, salt, pepper, and cheese in a bowl, then stir in spinach mixture.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Spread 2/3 cup sauce in buttered baking dish.
Spread about 1/3 cup ricotta filling in a line along 1 short side of 1 pasta rectangle, then roll up to enclose filling. Transfer, seam side down, to baking dish.
Make 7 more cannelloni in same manner, arranging snugly in 1 layer.
Spread 1/2 cup more sauce over cannelloni and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake, covered with foil, in middle of oven until sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes.
Turn on broiler. Remove foil and broil cannelloni about 5 inches from heat until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Reheat remaining sauce and serve on the side.

**I'm also submitting this to the Presto Pasta Nights blogging event! This week the event is hosted by Gay of A Scientist in the Kitchen. Be on the lookout for great pasta recipes with their roundup coming up next week!**

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Spinach Basil Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

The hubby is off from work today so I'm taking advantage of making a nice dinner. So what's gracing our table tonight? Spinach Basil Stuffed Pork Tenderloin! This is a great dish that doesn't take much effort and is elegant enough for company. You could even prepare this in advance and freeze it in a heavy duty freezer bag. I served this with citrus basil hot crashed potatoes and sauteed veggies. Here's the recipe for Spinach Basil Stuffed Pork Tenderloin:

2 pork tenderloins (1 pound each)

Seasoned oil:
2 Tbl olive oil
1 Tbl chopped garlic
1 Tbl fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Spinach stuffing:
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 Tbl fresh chopped basil
1 Tbl chopped garlic
1/2 tsp kosher salt

In a small bowl, stir together ingredients for seasoned oil; set aside. In a bowl, stir together the spinach stuffing ingredient (spinach through salt); set aside. To prepare the tenderloins, cut a lengthwise slit down the center of each tenderloin to within 1/2 in. of bottom. Open tenderloins to lie flat. Lightly brush with some of the seasoned oil. Divide the stuffing mixture between both tenderloins, close tenderloins. Tie tenderloins at 2-inch to 3-inch intervals with kitchen string. Brush exterior of tenderloins with remaining oil.

Tenderloins can also be grilled over indirect medium heat for 25-30 minutes or baked in oven at 425° 25-30 minutes either method, until a meat thermometer inserted in the pork reads 155º.

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Drunk & Grilled

Poor little bird.... sitting on a plate, cold and shrink wrapped in plastic. I think it's time to set this bird free! I've had a whole chicken fryer defrosting in my fridge for a couple days and my husband thought it would be fun to have "beer can chicken" for lunch. I thought it was a great idea since a few of my fave blogs featured beer can chicken recently.

There are countless recipes out there for Beer Can Chicken, but my husband decided to take the reigns and wing it (pardon the pun). Of course, there were no specific measurements but here's essentially what he did:

Montreal Chicken Seasoning (McCormick Grills Mates)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
16 oz can of beer
1 tablespoon of olive or canola oil
1 whole chicken fryer

To prep your chicken, rinse and pat dry.
Coat the chicken with the spices to your taste - both outside and inside the cavity.
Drizzle the oil over the chicken and rub to coat.
Drink about 1/4 of the beer and poke holes around the 1/4 top of the can with a small knife.
Carefully place the chicken over the top of the beer can through its cavity.
Place on a medium high grill and cover, allowing it to cook for 45-50 mins. Don't peek!
Before serving, allow the chicken to rest at least 10 minutes for the juices to redistribute.

To accompany our Beer Can Chicken, I served it with some leftover Portobella Mushroom & Spinach Pilaf, marinated tomatoes and a key lime tart. Because I forgot to share the recipe for my Portobella Mushroom & Spinach Pilaf yesterday, here it is:

3 medium sized portobella mushroom caps, stemmed removed & chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups prepared, cooked brown rice

In a skillet, melt butter, add onion and garlic.
While onions soften, rough chop the mushroom caps.
Once the onions become translucent, add mushrooms.
Saute until mushrooms soften and release their juices.
If the mushrooms are a little dry, add a touch of olive oil or another tablespoon of butter.
Add the prepared, cooked brown rice to the skillet* and stir until warmed through & serve.

* I recommend using a nonstick skillet when preparing this to prevent the rice from sticking and to prevent adding more butter/oil when you add the rice.

One reason why I really like cooking a whole chicken is because I can use the leftover meat for other dishes. With the leftover chicken I have, I plan on making a chicken salad and a chicken alfredo lasagna... so stay tuned for those recipes later this week!

**I've also submitted this chicken recipe to the Hungry for Some Chicken blogging event where they are highlighting chicken recipes this month! Check out the Nutiferia site for additional recipes for other foods they've highlighted in previous months.**

**I've also submitted this chicken recipe to the Let Them Eat Chicken blogging event! Read the interesting article about free range chickens on the blog, A Merrier World.**

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Bacon, Spinach & Cheese Quiche

The following recipe was made and shared at my Chef Spotlight dinner, highlighting Julia Child. You can read and view links to the other recipes HERE.

Betsy's Bacon, Spinach & Cheese Quiche
recipe from Julia Child

2-3 c. sliced onions cooked to very tender in 2 tbsps. olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little sage.

prebaked 9-inch pie shell in its ring or tin
1/4 c. lightly pressed down, coarsely grated Swiss cheese
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup whole or 2% milk

10-oz. pkg. of fine fresh spinach
2 tbsps. of shallots or scallions
2 tbsps. butter
1/4 cup cooked bacon

Stem, wash, blanch, squeeze dry, then chop spinach. Saute' 2 tbsps. of shallots or scallions briefly in 2 tbsps. butter, add spinach, and stir over moderate heat for several minutes until very tender. Season carefully with salt, pepper, and a speck of nutmeg.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the rack in the upper-third level. Spread half the cheese in the bottom of the pie shell, spread on the onions, spread the spinach and top with the remaining cheese and cooked bacon. Beat up the eggs and milk together in a separate bowl and pour it over the onions, filling the shell to within 1/8 inch of its rim if it's straight-sided, not much more than halfway if the shell is slant-sided and the sides seem at all fragile. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until filling is lightly puffed and nicely browned. For serving, slip the warm quiche out of its ring or pan and onto a serving board or platter, or serve from the pan cut into wedges.

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Spinach Alfredo Dip

Here are the recipes for the appetizers I'm serving up 2 hours prior to the Thanksgiving buffet dinner. I figured I'd post the recipes now before the kitchen chaos begins (and I'll post pics of the final products by Thursday)...

Spinach Alfredo Dip
& Gruyere Artichoke Dip

with Garlic Crostini

Spinach Alfredo Dip

1 1/2 cups homemade or prepared alfredo sauce
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, garlic powder & onion powder to taste

Combine all the above ingredients and place in a small serving dish.
Prior to serving, heat up until warmed.You could also serve it in a "Lil Dipper" mini crockpot or oven proof baking dish.
If using a casserole dish, bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until bubbly.
If using a lil dipper crockpot, plug in and allow to warm at least 30 minutes before serving.


Garlic Crostini
ciabatta, french baguette or italian loaf
1/2 stick butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh italian parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut bread on a bias across, about 1" thick, into small serving slices.
Combine the butter, garlic and parsley to make a compound butter.
Spread butter on one side of bread.
Bake on a cookie sheet until slightly browned.
Serve with your fave dip or with cheeses.

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