Carrot and Orange Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream frosting

I've been wanting to make a cupcake for awhile.  I found this recipe in my "1001 cupcakes, cookies and other tempting treats" book.  It looked like a different than normal cupcake.  The recipe makes 9 cupcakes.

Image by Jason Hedlund

Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
8 Tbsp butter, softened
heaping 1/2 cup light brown sugar
juice and finely grated rind of 1 orange
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
heaping 1 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup walnut pieces (we left these out), coarsely chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground pumpkin spice
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Frosting:
7 Tbsp butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
grated rind of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350F and pan with cupcake liners.
2.  Place the butter, sugar and orange rind in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs.
3.  Squeeze any excess liquid from the carrots and add to the mixture with the walnuts and orange juice.  Stir until well mixed.
4.  Sift in the flour, pumpkin spice, and baking powder and fold in.
5.  Spoon batter into the paper liners.  Bake in oven for 25 minutes, or until risen, firm to the touch and golden brown.  Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
6.  To make frosting, place the butter in a bowl and beat until fluffy, then gradually sift in the confectioners' sugar and beat to combine.  Beat in the lemon rind, then gradually beat in the lemon juice.  Frost cupcakes.  Enjoy!

Jason's Rating: 7/10
Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:
370 calories
19g fat (12g saturated)
100mg cholesterol
200mg sodium
47g carbohydrates
1g fiber
26g sugar
3g protein

Greek Salmon Pasta

I found this recipe from a taste of home magazine.  It looked easy and I replaced the chicken with salmon!  The recipe below makes 5 servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked penne pasta

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 large onion, chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 can (14 1/2 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 cups rotisserie chicken (we used salmon off the grill)

1 jar (7 1/2 oz) marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1 cup (4 oz) feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1/3 cup sliced pitted olives (we left these out)

2 Tbsp fresh minced parsley

Directions:

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large ovenproof skillet, melt butter.  Add onion; saute until tender.

3.  Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth.

4.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

5.  Stir in chicken (salmon), artichoke hearts, cheese tomatoes and olives.  

6.  Drain pasta; stir into the pan.  Broil 3-4 inches away from the top of the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Enjoy!

Jason and Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:

380 calories

16g fat (6g saturated)

65mg cholesterol

1000mg sodium

32g carbohydrates

4g fiber

2g sugar

26g protein

Tuscan Artichoke and Spinach Strudel

I found this recipe in my mother-in-law's Taste of Home magazine.  There are a few steps to it, but it was fantastic!!  It is definitely the best appetizer I've ever made.  The recipe below makes 12 servings.

Image by Jason Hedlund

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups chopped baby portobello mushrooms
1/3 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (we accidentally used roasted red peppers)
4 tsp oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, divided
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 Tbsp basil pesto
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup coarsely chopped thawed frozen artichoke hearts (we used Trader Joe's canned)
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg
3 Tbsp finely chopped walnuts (we left these out)

Directions:
1.  In a nonstick skillet, saute mushrooms and tomatoes in 2 tsp oil from sun-dried tomatoes until mushrooms are tender.  Cool to room temperature.
2.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine spinach, pesto and pepper.  Add the artichokes, mozzarella cheese, 5 Tbsp, Parmesan cheese and mushroom mixture; mix well.
3.  Unroll crescent dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet into one long rectangle; seal seams and perforations.  Roll out into a 14 in x 9 in rectangle.
4.  Spread filling in a 3-in wide strip down center of rectangle.  On each long side, cut 1-in wide strips to within 1/2 inch of filling.  Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling.  Whisk egg and remaining oil; brush over dough.  Sprinkle with walnuts.
5.  Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese; bake 10 minutes longer or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes before cutting into 12 slices.

Jason, Beth and Terri's Rating: 9/10

Nutrition:
205 calories
13g fat (5g saturated)
27mg cholesterol
400mg sodium
12g carbohydrates
1g fiber
2g sugar
10g protein

Endive, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

This recipe came from a older magazine clipping.  It is a healthy salad and really easy to make.  The recipe below makes 4 servings.

Image by Jason Hedlund

Ingredients:
1/4 cup walnuts, halved (we left these out)
1 slice of rye bread, cubed (we used whole wheat bread)
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
3 assorted firm-ripe pears, such as Bosc, Anjou, or Barlett
1 Tbsp lemon juice, divided
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1 1/4 lbs endive, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400F.  On a small baking sheet, combine walnuts, bread cubes, rosemary, garlic, and olive oil; toss well.  Toast until fragrant (5-6 minutes); let cool.
2.  Halve, core, and slice pears.  In a small bowl, combine pear slices and 1 tsp lemon juice; toss well.
3.  In another small bowl, combine remaining 2 tsps lemon juice, buttermilk, Worcestershire, pepper, and half of blue cheese.
4.  Arrange endive on plate or platter with pears.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and walnut mixture; drizzle with dressing.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 5/10

Nutrition:
235 calories
10g fat (3g saturated)
12mg cholesterol
318mg sodium
8g protein
32g carbohydrates
9g fiber
16g sugar

Sweet Potato Gratin

I was going through my recipes I had cut out from magazines and organizing them.  I came across a really cool looking side dish.  It had sweet potatoes and russet potatoes!  The colors looked great when they were layered every other.  The recipe below makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped pecan halves (I left these out)
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
cooking spray
1 1/2 lbs peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 lbs peeled russet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/4 cup half-and-half
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 425F.  Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add breadcrumbs, pecans, and half of garlic.  Cook mixture until crumbs are golden (about 5 minutes) stirring well.  Remove from heat and set aside.
2.  Coat an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray; arrange potato slices in dish, alternating between sweet and russet.  Combine half and half and next 5 ingredients in a small bowl.  Stir in remaining half of garlic; whisk well. Pour half and half mixture over potatoes in dish.  Cover dish tightly with foil; bake in middle of oven 45 minutes to 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.
3.  Remove foil; discard.  Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over potatoes; return to oven.  Bake until crumbs are crispy, liquid is bubbling and reduced, and potatoes are tender (about 8 minutes).  Let stand at least 15 minutes; serve.

Jason and Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:
320 calories
7g fat (3g saturated)
20mg cholesterol
700mg sodium
63g carbohydrates
9g fiber
21g sugar
10g protein

Panko-Crusted Oven-"Fried" Fish

I guess I was craving a crispy dinner.  So I found this fish recipe to go with the potatoes.  The recipe below makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs thick white fish fillets
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
3 Tbps olive oil
2 cups whole wheat panko crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
lime wedges

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 450F.  Soak fillets in buttermilk.  Coat bottom of 13 x 9 baking dish with olive oil; set aside.  Put Panko on a plate, add salt and pepper, and mix well to combine.
2.  When oven is hot, pull fish from buttermilk; let it drain.  Dredge still-wet fish in panko, patting to make sure panko adheres, then lay fillets in prepared pan; drizzle with remaining olive oil.
3.  Bake fish in oven for 8-15 minutes, depending on thickness of fish; it will be crisp and golden on the outside and tender and opaque inside when done.
4.  Serve 1 fillet on each of four plates with lime wedges.

Beth and Jason's Rating: 7/10

Nutrition:
760 calories
23g fat (5g saturated)
120mg cholesterol
600mg sodium
80g carbohydrates
11g fiber
5 sugar
60g protein

Butterfinger Cookies

Tomorrow I'm meeting up with some family to go through photos for our family tree.  My mother brings dinner and I sometimes bring dessert!  I found this recipe in my book: "Recipes from Gloria".  This is the third recipe in a row that I've gotten from this book.  All three have been fantastic!  These cookies were super yummy.  The recipe below makes 2-3 dozen.  One cookie is a serving.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs whites
1 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
5 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 oz each), chopped

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, beat in egg whites.  Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.  Gradually add to the creamed mixture and stir in candy bars.

Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove to wire racks to cool.

Beth's Rating: 8/10

Nutrition:
155 calories
8g fat (3g saturated)
10mg cholesterol
118mg sodium
18g carbohydrates
1g fiber
13g sugar
3g protein

Hot Wings Wrap

This recipe was originally written to be an appetizer, but we changed it to be a main dish.  This one also came from the book: "Recipes from Gloria".  Both the Steak sandwich and this recipe were amazing!  I love my new cookbook.  The recipe below makes 4 large wraps.

Ingredients:
Blue Cheese Sauce:
1/4 cup mayo (we used Greek yogurt)
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

For condiments:
1/2 cup cucumber halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced (about 1/2 a cucumber)
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced (about 1 celery stalk)
1/2 cup carrot, julienned
8 Boston, Bibb letuce leaves washed and dried (we used spinach)

For the hot sauce:
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 lime juice

For the chicken:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (we used Grape seed oil)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning blend

Directions:
1. Stir together blue cheese sauce ingredients in a small bowl, chill until ready to serve.
2.  Chop vegetables and chill until ready to serve.
3.  Combine the wing sauce, honey and lime juice in a bowl.
4.  Toss cubed chicken with seasonings in a bowl.
5.  Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat; add the oil and saute the chicken stirring occasionally until chicken begins to brown, about 3 minutes.
6.  Add the hot-sauce honey mixture; simmer until sauce reduces and thickens, about 5 minutes.
7.  Assemble wraps with chicken, lettuce, blue cheese sauce, and vegetables.  Enjoy!

Jason and Beth's Rating: 8.5/10

Nutrition:
520 calories
14g fat (5g saturated)
100mg cholesterol
1400mg sodium
55g carbohydrates
2g fiber
17g sugar
45g protein

Italian Venison Steak Sandwich

We've made a new "foodie" friend lately.  We like to prepare dinners together at each others houses.  His mom is a wonderful cook and wrote a cookbook called: "Recipes from Gloria".  This recipe is the first one I've made from her book.  It was fantastic!!  The recipe below makes 4 servings.

Image by Jason Hedlund

Ingredients:
Roasted Pepper Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise (we used low-fat greek yogurt)
1/3 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers
1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
1/8 cup shallots, chopped
1/8 cup fresh parsley leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Oil-herb mixture:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh minced parsley
1 Tbsp fresh minced thyme (we used dried)
1 Tbsp fresh minced rosemary (we used dried)
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 sirloin steak (1 1/2 lbs) (we used 1 lb of venison steak)
4 ciabatta rolls (or whatever looks good at the bakery)
watercress (we used spinach)

How to make it:
1.  Puree mayonnaise (or yogurt), peppers, cheese, and shallots in a food processor until smooth.  Add parsley and pulse until chopped.  Season with salt and pepper, cover to chill.
2.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Combine oil, herbs and pepper flakes in a bowl and set aside.
3.  Grill steak on both sides until desired doneness (keep it rare since it will cook more while it rests).  Remove from grill and let rest for 6 minutes.  Slice into thin strips.
4.  Brush the cut sides of the rolls with oil and grill until toasted.
5.  To assemble, divide watercress evenly among bottom halves of roll; top with slices of steak.  Spoon mayonnaise over steak then top sandwiches with remaining half of rolls.  Enjoy!

Jason and Beth's Rating: 9/10!

Nutrition:
400 calories
20g fat (3g saturated)
10mg cholesterol
500mg sodium
26g carbohydrates
1g fiber
2g sugar
32g protein