Award Goes to Martini Spritz

This is great for watching the Oscars or any award show. 

Congrats to all the winners!

4 - 6 oz. gin or vodka

1 - 2 oz. vermouth

24 oz.  club soda

Ice

Place 4 clean martini glasses in freezer for a few minutes to chill.

 In a clean cocktail shaker combine gin, ice and vermouth. 

Shake for a few seconds.

Remove glasses from freezer.

Pour martinis into glasses.

Top off martinis with club soda.

Serves 4.

Easy Alfredo Sauce

Happy National alfredo sauce day.

I'm not a big fan of alfredo sauce, but this was pretty good.

1/2 c. each: sliced fresh mushrooms, parmesan cheese

1 - 2 c. reduced fat milk

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

1 clove garlic crushed and chopped

1 - 2 T. each: flour, butter

Rinse and slice mushrooms.

Peel, rinse and chop garlic.

Heat a saucepan over medium high heat

Reduce heat to medium low, add butter.

Mix flour in butter to make a roux.

Add milk, salt, pepper and garlic. Stir frequently and cook for 10 - 15 min or until done.

Halfway through cooking, add mushrooms cheese and continue cooking until thickened.

Serve over prepared fettuccine.

Serves 4.

Baked Potato Chips

This is great for watching the big game or anytime.

2 medium potatoes

Non stick cooking spray

1/8 - 1/4 tsp.: salt, pepper

1/8 - 1/4 c. oil

Pinch each: granulated garlic, dried parsley, red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Spray 2 baking sheets with non stick cooking spray.

Rinse and pat dry potatoes.

Cut ends of potatoes with a clean knife. 

Peel 1 side of potatoes.

Lay potatoes on a clean cutting bowl.

Very carefully slice potatoes into very thin slices, place potatoes into a clean bowl.

Pour oil over potatoes and toss to coat.

Arrange potato slices on baking sheets.

Sprinkle spices over both sides of potatoes.

Place potatoes in oven and bake on 1 side for 5 - 8 min.

 Flip potatoes on other side and bake for 5 - 8 min. more. 

Keep an eye on the potatoes to make sure they don't burn.

Serves 4.

Orange Beef

This stirfry is perfect for Chinese New Year or anytime.

1 lb. beef strips

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

1/8 tsp. sliced fresh ginger 

Juice and zest of 1 orange

3 T. olive oil

1 T. low sodium soy sauce

1 onion chopped

2 carrots sliced

1/8 c. sliced green onions

1/3 c. cold water

1 tsp. corn starch

Slice fresh ginger.

Rinse, zest, cut in half orange

In a bowl combine beef, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, 1 T. oil., ginger, orange zest.

Cut orange in half. 

Through a sieve squeeze orange over beef.

Toss mixture to coat beef.

Cover beef, place in refrigerator to marinate for a few hrs. or overnight.

Remove beef from fridge. 

Heat a skillet over medium high heat.

Lower heat to medium, add 1 T. oil.

Add beef and cook for 6 - 9 min.  

While beef is cooking, peel, rinse, chop onion.

Rinse, seed, chop pepper.

Rinse, cut ends off, chop carrots and green onions.

Place vegetable in a clean bowl.

Remove beef from skillet, add more oil if needed. 

Add vegetables and cook for 6 - 10 min. 

Add beef back into skillet and cook for a couple of minutes more.

In a cup combine water and cornstarch. 

Stir with a fork to mix.

Push vegetables and meat to the side of pan, pour water mixture in center of skillet. 

Stir to coat and let cook for a couple of minutes more.

Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle green onions over beef before serving.

Serves 4.

Easy Enchiladas

This is perfect for Winter or anytime.

6 - 8 flour tortilla
1 - 1  1/2 lbs ground meat
1 onion (chopped)
1 jar picante sauce
1/8 tsp. each: black pepper, salt, crushed red pepper flakes

2 - 3 c. shredded cheese (I use a Mexican blend)
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350' F degrees.

Lightly grease baking pan with cooking spray.

Put some of the picante sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. 

Peel, rinse, chop onions.

In large saute pan combine meat, onion, spices.

Brown ground meat, onions for 8 - 10 min. 

Drain meat & onions to remove excess fat.

In mixing bowl combine meat mixture, and picante sauce.

In baking pan, place 1 tortilla.

Spoon of the meat mixture evenly over tortillas. Top with some of the shredded cheese. 

Roll the tortilla up, place the tortillas seam side down in the pan.

Repeat process with remaining tortillas.

Place enchiladas in oven, bake for 20 - 30 min. or until done.

Makes 6 -8 servings.

Oh So Sweet Potato Soup

This is a great recipe to enjoy on a winter day.

I've used pre cooked sweet potatoes to save time.

I use plain low-fat Greek yogurt, but you can use lite sour cream instead.

2 - 3 c. chopped sweet potatoes

1/8 - 1/4 tsp each: salt, pepper

4 - 6 c. low sodium chicken broth
2  T. each: oil, butter

1  small onion chopped
1/4  c. reduced drained plain lite greek yogurt

2 tsp. honey

1 tsp. fresh ginger diced

Rinse, chop ginger.

Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, cut potatoes into very small pieces.

Peel, rinse, chop onion into very small pieces.

Preheat a clean soup pot over medium high heat, lower heat to medium, add oil, butter.

Add onion, sweet potatoes, salt, pepper, ginger to pot.

Cook vegetables for 10 min or until softened.

Add chicken broth 1/2 c. at a time, stirring constantly.  

Cook over medium heat until soup is heated through on medium low about 20 min.

Strain yogurt through a sieve in a bowl to remove excess liquid if needed.

Add yogurt, honey and cook for 5 - 8 min. more or until done.

Makes 4  - 6 servings. 

Easy Does It Eggs

This perfect for breakfast or anytime.

2 eggs
2 T. butter
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat lower heat to medium and add butter.

Crack eggs on edge of pan and put eggs in pan.

Cook eggs on one side for 2 to 3 minutes. 

Sprinkle eggs with salt, pepper.

Flip eggs over and cook another side for 2 to 3 minutes more or until done.

Remove eggs from pan and put onto a clean plate.

Serves 1.