Wasabi and Panko-Crusted Pork with Gingered Soy Sauce

Recipe from: Keeping Up with the Joneses

Ingredients:
2/3 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 large boneless, center-cut loin pork chops (I bought butterfly chops)
1 tsp peanut oil - I used olive oil
Cooking spray
1/2 Tbsp ground ginger
1/3 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp sake or dry sherry - I used sherry
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp wasabi paste
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
Rice made according to package directions - I used Uncle Ben's Jasmine rice with parsley sprinkled on top

Directions:
1. In a shallow dish, place the egg white and lightly whisk. In another dish, add the breadcrumbs.

2. Dredge the pork in the egg white and then coat in breadcrumbs.

3. In a nonstick skillet, coated with cooking spray, heat the oil over medium heat.

4. Cook the pork chops about 4 minutes on each side, being careful not to burn. (The chops I bought were about an inch thick and took about 20-30 minutes to cook)

5. In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, soy, sherry, sugar and wasabi paste.

6. Remove the pork chops and set on a plate. Reduce heat down, and add ginger. Stir constantly until it starts to brown (this was only like 15 seconds for me), and then pour in the sauce. Stir around to loosen the browned bits in the pan.

7. Stir in the green onions...

8. Pour sauce over the pork chops and serve with rice.

***We loved this dish. It took a little longer than expected, but in the end, it was delicious. I'd definitely try it again, but buy thinner chops. We will be having this again.

Chopped Broccoli with Pine Nuts

Recipe from: Bob Harper

Ingredients:
1 large stalk of organic broccoli (florets and stem cut into uniform pieces)
3 Tablespoons of pine nuts (toasted) - OMITTED
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 garlic cloves smashed and skinned - I used 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 large shallot sliced - OMITTED
1 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes (less if you don't like spicy)
1 Teaspoon of chopped and grated lemon zest
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot with olive oil, add the pepper flakes, garlic, shallot, and season with salt and pepper. Once the garlic and shallot are "soft" add the portioned broccoli. Stir until evenly coated. 2. Add 1/2 a cup of water and put a lid on the pot. Cook the broccoli until the water evaporates about 6-8 minutes.
3. Once water is evaporated add the toasted pine nuts and lemon zest.
4. With an old school potato masher "mash" the broccoli.

**This was delicious and so easy to make. Not to mention healthy! I don't care for pine nuts and I didn't have a shallot; so, I omitted, but it still tasted great.

Stuffed Peppers

Recipe from: Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
4 medium red bell peppers
3/4 pound ground sirloin
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups bottled tomato-and-basil pasta sauce (such as Classico), divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry red wine
Cooking spray


Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°.

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Set aside.

While rice cooks, cut tops off bell peppers; reserve tops. Discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut sides down, in an 8-inch square baking dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Cool.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and the next 5 ingredients (beef through allspice); cook 4 minutes or until beef is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from heat. Add rice, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and cheese to beef mixture, stirring to combine.

While beef cooks, combine 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce and wine in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.

Spoon about 3/4 cup beef mixture into each pepper. Place peppers in a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; add wine mixture to pan. Cover with foil.

Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve peppers with sauce. Garnish with pepper tops.

**I've made stuffed peppers before, but this was a great recipe. I loved the flavor of the peppers. Also, we had rice on the side instead of inside the pepper.

Easy Calzone

Recipe from: Simply Made...with Love

Ingredients:
1 can of crescent rolls
pepperoni (or any pizza topping you want)
shredded mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
1 T. italian seasoning
pinch of garlic salt
olive oil (1 T)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to time directed on rolls can. Roll out 4 separate rectangles (2 triangular squares together).
2. Place pepperoni on top of the dough. Place cheese on top of the pepperoni (in the center).
3. Roll dough & pinch dough to seal the ends. Brush with olive oil & seasonings. 4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until dough is brown.

**We loved these. They were so easy and so delicious. I made two chicken and two pepperoni.

Zucchini Patties

Recipe from: Haystacks & Champagne

Ingredients:
3 medium zucchini
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 very small onion (or half a medium onion), diced
1-1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
½ cup Asiago cheese (or Parmesan/Romano)
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil

Directions:
Wash and cut the end off of the zucchini--do not peel. Shred the zucchini using the large holes of a cheese grater. Squeeze the shredded zucchini inside of a clean towel until you’ve removed as much liquid as possible. Or, alternately, you can put the shredded zucchini on several paper towels, lay more paper towels on top and pat down gently (repeat a couple times).

Place shredded zucchini into a medium sized bowl. Add garlic, onion, breadcrumbs, cheese (shredded), eggs, salt and pepper. Stir with a fork until well mixed.

Heat olive oil (about ¼ inch deep in bottom of skillet) to a medium heat (I used a bit less and it turned out ok). When the oil is hot enough drop a glob of zucchini batter into the skillet and flatten it a bit.

After about two minutes, turn the cakes over ( they should be a nice shade of golden-brown) and cook on the other side until done (about 2-3 minutes).

Place on paper towels (to absorb any oil). Serve with the dipping sauce of your choice and enjoy!

Serves 6.

**These were phenomenal. We loved them! And they were so easy.

Italian Spinach

Ingredients:

EVOO

1 tbsp. minced garlic (or add more if you like)

1 can of fresh spinach

1 can of petite diced tomatoes

Parmesan cheese (OPTIONAL)

Directions:

1. Warm EVOO and garlic in skillet. Do not burn the garlic.

2. Once garlic is browned, add spinach and tomatoes (be sure to drain both cans).

3. Heat all ingredients until warm (3-5 minutes) and serve.

It's really that easy and it's delicious!

Dump Cake

Ingredients:
1 can (21 Oz.) Strawberry Pie Filling (or Cherry - your preference)
1 can (15 Oz.) Crushed Pineapple
1 box (about 18 Oz.) Yellow Or White Cake Mix (I used Yellow)
1 stick Margarine - or several spritzes of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
Whipped Cream - Optional

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Dump pie filling and crushed pineapple into baking dish. Stir together.
3. Sprinkle cake mix over the top of the fruit.
4. Slice margarine and butter and distribute over the surface of the cake mix. (Or spray lots and lots of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)
5. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Recipe adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

When I asked Fred if it was good, he said, "It's too good!" Pat on the back for moi!