Lemon Herb Baked Chicken

This is a great, lite, easy baked chicken recipe.  I served with rice and veggies for a quick healthy meal.

• 10 chicken thighs (I used skin on, could also substitute breasts or your favorite cut)
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 4 tbls fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
• 4 tbls fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• zest of 2 lemons, and juice

Preheat oven to 400.  On large greased baking pan spread out all chicken skin side up, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Mix all other ingredients in small bowl and whisk together.  Brush onto chicken evenly, making sure to get the herbs on each piece.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 mins.  Uncover and broil until skin is brown and crispy about 8-10 minutes. Let rest 10 mins.  Serve with the pan drippings spooned over top.

Inside Out Egg Rolls

This is a great easy dinner for a small crowd - healthy too

2 lbs ground beef
2 bags coleslaw mix
3 or 4 sliced green onions
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt to taste.

In a large skillet brown ground beef, drain.  While the meat is draining saute onions and garlic in the soy sauce and sesame oil, add in slaw mix one handful at a time.  Stir frequently until most of the cabbage is soft, the last couple of handfuls will still be crunchy.  Remove from heat and stir ground beef back in.  Mix thoroughly and serve.

Bacon Wrapped Salmon

4 fresh, skin on salmon fillets

Olive oil

Garlic

Salt

Pepper

Dill sprigs

8 slices bacon

Grease a 9 x 12 baking dish liberally with olive oil.  Place salmon fillets skin side down in pan.  Sprinkle with garlic, salt,  pepper, and dill.  Place 2 strips of bacon on each filet.  Bake for 20 minutes on 375.  Turn oven to broil and watch closely to brown bacon. 

Low Carb Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls:

• 1 head cabbage, Peeled into single leaves.  Try to not tear them, removing the core with a knife first helps. 
• 1 lb lean ground beef, I like ground sirloin
• 1 white onion diced
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt, Pepper, and Chopped Parsley to taste

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 large or 2 regular size cans diced tomatoes
• 2 tbls white wine vinegar
• 1 tbls splenda, or other sugar substitute
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and Pepper

Fill a large pot halfway full of water and bring to a boil, add cabbage leaves a few at a time and boil for 3 minutes, Drain and Set Aside.  In a mixing bowl combine ground beef and remainder of ingredients for rolls.  Mix well.  In a medium skillet combine all the ingredients for the sauce and simmer on low until it thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with Pam, layer cabbage pieces that are too small to roll up on the bottom.  Use the large leaves and roll a handful of beef mixture in each one.  To roll them.  Place the meat about an inch from the largest edge, fold the sides over the meat and then roll forward.  Place the rolls in the pan, then cover with the tomato sauce.  Cover with foil and bake on 450 for 1 hour. 

Baked Eggplant and Tomatoes

• 1 large eggplant, sliced into ¼ inch circles
• 2 sliced tomatoes
• Low fat Parmesan, or cheddar cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400, on a cookie sheet place the eggplant in a single layer.  Top each piece with cheese and tomatoes.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the eggplant is soft and the cheese is melted. 

Mushroom Turkey Burgers

• ½ lb ground lean turkey meat
• 2 large Portabella mushroom caps
• 2 slices reduced fat Colby Jack Cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ white onion diced
• ¼ white onion sliced in strips
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and Pepper
• Olive oil

Burgers:  Combine the Turkey, garlic, diced onion, Worcestershire, salt and pepper.  Mix well in large bowl, I just used my hands, then form into 2 equal size patties.  In a small skillet simmer the patties and the strips of onion on low for 15 mins on each side, covered.  Cook them until they are white all the way through.

Mushrooms:  Place on cookie sheet gill side up, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Drizzle with Olive oil  and bake at 350 for 15 to 20 mins until they are soft and darker brown around the edges.

Stack the mushroom, patty, cheese, and onions.  Eat with a fork and knife, I dipped mine in mustard and it tasted just like a great burger off the grill.  I didn’t even miss the bun. 

Holiday Standing Rib Roast

• 4 to 6 pound standing rib roast, boneless
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup green onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• Splash of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• Pepper

Au Jus

• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup red wine
• ½ a stick of butter

In a roasting pan place the roast fat side up on a elevated rack.  Rub the entire roast down with the mustard and sprinkle with pepper.  In a food processor combine green onion, garlic, olive oil, rosemary and thyme.  Pulse until finely chopped and mixed.  Spread this mixture over the entire roast.  Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, try to get the end of the thermometer into the center of the roast.  Place in oven preheated to 450 for 20 to  25 mins.  Then reduce heat on oven to 350 and bake until the internal temp is about 140 for rare, 160 for medium.  Usually about 1 to 1 and half hours.  Let meat stand for 20 mins before carving.  Also, it is important not to open the oven until the meat is close to done.

When the meat is about 30 mins from done combine all the ingredients for the Au Jus sauce in a shallow skillet.  Simmer for 20 to 30 mins until sauce has thicken and reduced by half.