Ok, so who really wants to eat a traditional Irish dinner this St. Patty's Day?

Corned beef nothing, I say, let's have something tastey yet celebratory. I'm not going the green eggs and ham or Lucky Charms cereal route, so stick with me.

This cilantro pesto marinaded chicken is perfect for the occassion. After blending the ingredients to make this paste, tossing chicken in it and then grilling, your results are, well, bright green grilled chicken. However, the key ingredient of color (cilantro) with a little citrus and something nutty makes this a delicious dinner.

Traditional Irish, it's not. Festive, yes. Way yummier, definitely.

Cilantro Pesto Chicken
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds chicken, cut into strips
2 Tbsp. walnuts
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 ½ C. fresh cilantro
¾ C. fresh Italian parsley
¼ C. olive oil
Pepper to taste
Lime juice to taste
Directions:
In a food processor, chop walnuts and garlic, adding cilantro, parsley, pepper, olive oil and lime juice. Puree until smooth. Allow chicken to marinade in mixture for at least one hour. Grill over medium high heat.

Posted by · March 18, 2007 11:00 PM · Comments (0)

Here's one of the best breakfast dishes you'll ever be able to make yourself -- and for someone else.

This blueberry-stuffed French Toast is absolutely delicious thanks mostly to the wonderful syrup topping and, also in part to the cream cheese that is melted throughout. (I suggest using a reduced-fat but NOT fat free.)

Also, it doesn't seem to hurt to use a reduced-fat maple syrup and I wouldn't hesitate to blend egg substitute with the whopping 10 eggs this recipe calls for in order to knock that number down a little. If we're going to be eating Easter candy, we've got to cut somewhere, right? And you'll never miss it here. This is so good regardless.

I used frozen berries rather than fresh, and would suggest the same for you. I made the sauce with mixed berries just for fun. Raspberries would probably also work well, but what berry wouldn't be yummy smothered in cream cheese?

Serve this warm. Make it the night before and have a worry-free Easter morning brunch.

Blueberry-stuffed French Toast
Ingredients:
1 loaf fresh French bread
2, 8-ounces cream cheese
1 C. blueberries
10 eggs
1/3 C. maple syrup
1/2 C, skim milk
Sauce:
1 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 C. water
1 C. blueberries
1 Tbsp. butter
Directions:
Cube bread and cream cheese into one-inch pieces. Arrange half the bread in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Scatter cream cheese and berries on top, then cover with remaining bread chunks. In a large bowl, beat eggs, syrup and milk. Pour mixture over bread; cover and chill several hours or overnight. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then another 30 minutes uncovered.
Sauce: Cook sugar, cornstarch and water for 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in berries and simmer for 10 minutes. Add butter. Cook until melted. Serve with drizzled on top French toast.

Posted by · March 18, 2007 10:22 PM · Comments (0)

Who says soup can't be an entree? Not chili, not stew, but a nice Black Bean Shrimp Soup.

This recipe is no more difficult than throwing a bunch of ingredients in a pot left to simmer on the stove top, and results in a hearty dinner thanks to the beans, veggies and jumbo shrimp.

Don't let the clam juice throw you (and don't smell it before adding it to the pot). The final product doesn't have a fishy taste at all and is great with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese on top, and a side of warm corn tortillas.

The soup is even better re-heated the next day.

Black Bean Shrimp Soup
1-2 pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined, no tail
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. minced garlic
1, 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1, 16-ounce can chicken broth
Lime juice
1, 8-ounce bottle clam juice
2 C. corn, frozen or canned
2, 16-ounce cans black beans, drained

Directions:
Heat oil over medium heat; add bell pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano and tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes. Add chicken broth, and lime and clam juice; boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add corn, shrimp and beans. Cook for a few minutes more (until shrimp is cooked to a pink color). Serve with warm corn tortillas.

Posted by · March 10, 2007 5:33 PM · Comments (0)

Here it is: the ultimate dinner on reserve. This wonderfully easy and so delicious recipe for stuffed pasta shells can be whipped up a few days in advance and sit in the fridge, or frozen for who-knows-how-long until you're desperate for a fast dinner. In my case, oh, 24 hours.

Having never stuffed anything before, I was a little wary. But really, this takes only a few minutes longer than spaghetti and is so much better. The shells are very forgiving and hold about two spoonfuls of filling each. I like the filling to overflow slightly from the top. Yum.

A tip for calorie reduction: use a low-fat ricotta and substitute in a few parts fat-free cottage cheese--doesn't hurt the taste, helps the waist. Yay.

A jar of marinara is fine, and of course easiest, but this dish is much better with a homemade marinara, if you have time. Just simmer a can of diced tomatoes, minced garlic and fresh spices of your choice in olive oil. Easy.

Also, maybe add fresh spinach, mushrooms or small pieces of meat to your filling. Experiment with different sauces. Enjoy!

Stuffed Pasta Shells
Ingredients:
1, 12-ounce package jumbo pasta shells
4 C. ricotta cheese
3 C. shredded mozzarella
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley
¾ tsp. dried oregano
3-4 C. marinara sauce

Directions: Cook pasta shells in boiling water for about 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water. Spread out on foil lightly coated with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix ingredients for filling. Stuff shells with about two spoonfuls. Spread a thin layer of marinara in a 9-by 13-inch pan. Place shells in pan and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top (parmesan or mozzarella), if desired. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove foil and bake for five minutes. Serves four to six. (I had enough to also make an 8- by 8-inch pan for the freezer.)

Posted by · March 10, 2007 5:13 PM · Comments (0)