Daily Recipe Round-up for May 14, 2012

If anyone makes one of these recipes, I’d love for you to let me know, give me your thoughts and even take a picture or two.  I’d LOVE to start posting updates from other cooks, such as myself.  Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect.  That’s the point of this blog.

All pictures came from the website specified.  You can click on the picture or recipe name to follow the link to their website.

Food Network

Grilled Chicken Salad

Total Time: 30 min

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 15 min

Yield: 4 servings

Level: Easy

Lightened-Up Mac and Cheese

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – April 25, 2011

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Lightened-Up Mac and Cheese recipe originally published by Food Network Magazine – April 2012.

I make a mean macaroni and cheese.  Unfortunately, my mac and cheese has about a pound of cheese, milk and bacon in it.  I swear I could gain 30 pounds and/or have a heart attack just looking at it. 

When my husband got serious about fitness, we had to say a sad goodbye to our beloved mac and cheese recipe.  I tried once to make it hoping we could eat a spoonful here and a spoonful there keeping our daily diet in check.  Yet, every time I’d open the refrigerator door, the cheesy-deliciousness would be staring at me.  Then I thought I could cut the recipe in half, but what was the purpose of that?  Nope, I wasn’t going to take the chance of overindulging.

I’ve tried a couple of lightened versions.  They were tasty, but I always wanted something more.  Then I came upon this recipe in my latest issue and I decided to give it a try.

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Lightened-Up Mac and Cheese

Notice how creamy and cheesy it looks?  And yes, it tastes as rich as it looks without all of the fat.

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo and Roasted Asparagus

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – August 25, 2011

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For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of the Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo recipe, please click here.

For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of the Roasted Asparagus recipe, please click here.

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo recipe originally published in Cooking Light – September 2011.

Roasted Asparagus recipe originally published in Cooking Light – September 2011.

I love alfredo.  I REALLY love it.  Unfortunately, it has got to be one of the least healthy pasta dishes you can make.  Weighed down by cream and butter, it is one of those meals that we can only have once in a blue moon.  So imagine my excitement when I was presented with a healthier version of one of my favorite dishes.

You Want Me to Cook?
Shrimp Alfredo and Roasted Asparagus

Now I know what you’re thinking… it doesn’t look as good without alfredo sauce oozing all over the plate.  Trust me though.  It didn’t need it.  I didn’t get as pretty of a plating (or picture for that matter) but it still looked pretty close to that from the magazine.  I certainly wouldn’t push this away from me at the table.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – May 5, 2011

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Recipe originally published by Cooking Light via e-mail on May 3, 2011.

So we continue with the trend of cooking a lot of the same things with another one of my favorites – Mexican chicken casseroles.  I know what attracted me to this dish other than my love of Mexican food.  It is supposed to be a “healthier” version of a creamy chicken casserole.  The ingredient listing had all the right things and the picture looked fantastic, so why not?

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Mexican Chicken Casserole

Okay, it looks tasty, but it isn’t what the recipe’s picture looked like.  I can’t figure out why it is so orange looking.  Okay, I can (enchilada sauce), but I used the same amount as specified in the recipe and the same type of cheese.

 

Saucy Portobello Pitas

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – April 14, 2011

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Recipe originally published in Taste of Home – April/May 2011.

There’s nothing I love more than a greasy gyro.  When I lived downtown (Chicago that is), I would walk past this beef joint on my way to and from the EL that had the most delicious gyros ever.  I would have them at least a couple of times a week.  (Don’t judge)  Of course, they aren’t the most healthy things to eat and the older I’ve gotten, the less they agree with me.

I found this recipe and my eyes lit up with excitement.  It was combining my love of mushrooms, gyros and eating healthier in a single dish.  It even included a recipe for Tzatziki sauce.  I couldn’t wait to try it.

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Saucy Portobello Pitas

The mushrooms look divine and the “fixins” look scrumptious, but the pita looks kind of weak and thin.  For me, it destroys the look of the dish, but it did smell fantastic.

Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – March 16, 2011

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Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce recipe originally published by Cooking Light on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 via e-mail

Not too long ago, I bought a ridiculous amount of tilapia.  It was a great deal (on top of the usual inexpensive price of tilapia) and I couldn’t resist.  Of course, now I had a ridiculous amount of tilapia to cook.  I originally couldn’t decide if I wanted to make this dish or not.  On one hand, it has a bunch of my favorite things: red peppers, curry, coconut milk and basmati rice.  On another hand, the fish is broiled and I’ve only experienced disaster with broiling fish.  It always ends up too dry.  On yet another hand, it is a full meal at around 500 calories.

What to do… oh, what to do.

In the end, my desire to eat low-fat curry and use up some of my tilapia won out.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut-Curry Sauce

My tilapia is swimming in the sauce and I SWEAR that it is the serving size given by Cooking Light.  I believe my nephew said, “WTH – Heck?”  (Yes, he added an additional “Heck” on to the “What the Heck”.  Cut him some slack – he’s only 10.)   

So floating fish aside, I wanted to eat it immediately.  It was bright, had a lot of texture and it smelled fantastic!

© Cooking Light

Walnut-Breadcrumb Pasta with a Soft Egg and Chive & Cheese Breadsticks

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – March 14, 2011

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For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of the Walnut-Breadcrumb Pasta with a Soft Egg recipe ONLY, please click here.

For a commentary-free and printer-friendly version of the Chive and Cheese Breadsticks recipe ONLY, please click here.

Walnut-Breadcrumb Pasta with a Soft Egg recipe originally published by Cooking Light – January/February 2011

Chive and Cheese Breadsticks recipe originally published by Simple and Delicious – December/January 2011

I’m writing this post angry today.  I decided to make myself an omelet for breakfast this morning and it sucked.  It made me cranky.

Then I got a headache that will not disappear.  This made me surly.

Now I’m watching the Bears game and it isn’t making it any better.

Okay, focus… I’m going to focus… I promise I won’t be a Debbie Downer and I’ll just get to the recipes.

I love pasta and I enjoy finding recipes that don’t involve the traditional pasta sauce.  I remember the first time I took a chance on pesto and fell in love, so when I saw the recipe for the Walnut-Breadcrumb Pasta in Cooking Light, I was ready to take a chance.  Also, I was intrigued by the soft boiled egg.  I’ve got the technique for hard boiled down and this presents a new challenge.

I decided that I wanted to have savory bread with this dish.  Regular bread and butter just didn’t seem like they would cut it.  Luckily I didn’t have to look too hard – the recipe for the Chive and Cheese Breadsticks was in the next magazine that I read.  My meal was complete.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Walnut-Breadcrumb Pasta with a Soft Egg
and Chive & Cheese Breadsticks

My pasta looks okay.  I’m a little disappointed in the pasta color though.  I used regular pasta in this case, so it shouldn’t be as brown as it is.  The goat cheese on top looks messy… like it doesn’t belong there.

As for the breadstick, this was one of the prettiest ones in the bunch.  Nicely browned and it held the twist.  However, if I’m being honest, I have to admit that not all of them looked like this.  In fact, not many of them looked like this.

Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

Recipe modified by You Want Me to Cook? – March 10, 2011

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Recipe originally published from Cooking Light – January 2011

There are only so many things you can do with a chicken breast, so I’m always on the lookout for recipes that have a different twist.  Does this one have that twist?  I’m not really sure it does, but it looked delicious.

I love shallots and mushrooms so I was excited.  But I’m usually not fond of a wine sauce, so I was skeptical.  Since the wine was used to basically deglaze the pan, I decided to go for it.

© You Want Me to Cook?
Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

Does anyone doubt that my chicken looks juicier?  I’ll be honest, that’s what I look for in a chicken dish.  Chicken is one of those things that can dry out and be like eating cardboard.

Eggplant Parmesan

Published in Cooking Light – September 2010

This was a recipe makeover, which surprised me because, it’s eggplant.  Of course, fry it and even vegetables become fattening.  This recipe eliminates the frying, uses Japanese panko instead of bread crumbs and uses significantly less cheese.  Of course, I made a goof while making this recipe, but I’ll get into that later… Let’s start with what this luscious dish is supposed to look like & the dishes stats:

© Cooking Light

318 calories per serving 8.2 grams saturated fat 655 milligrams sodium Looks good, doesn’t it?  And the calories & fat content make me smile too.  I’ve been trying to eat more vegetarian and this is right up my alley!  Also, I remember eating it fondly as a child, but now when I see recipes with eggplant I make the crinkle face.  You know the one.  I decided that it was worth a try after all this time has passed.