Roasted Vegetable & Mozzarella Panini

Tis the season I get energized & motivated, invigorated by the cooler weather. With Autumn comes the desire to be my best self so that I can truly enjoy everything around me, all the goodness that happens these last 3 months of the year.

Turning another year older & wanting to embrace it rather than regret ~ Brisk mornings in the park with a cup of coffee ~ Reading in the sun while feeling a cool breeze ~ And of course, the sights & smells of the holidays!!!!!!

So with all that goodness, here's some more.

ROASTED VEGETAGLE & MOZZARELLA PANINI

Bread of your choice
1 tblsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Garlic powder
1 red pepper, quartered
½ Onion, sliced thick
1 zucchini, cut in half then lengthwise into 1/4" slices
Pesto purchased (optional)
Fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
8 Fresh basil leaves

Pre-heat oven to 400. Combine balsamic, oil, salt, pepper & garlic powder. Brush over vegetables & roast for 10-15 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking time.


Meanwhile, prepare your sandwich. Spread slices of bread with a little prepared pesto. Layer with mozzarella, 3-4 basil leaves, roasted veggies & then a little more cheese. Top with bread.




Using either a pan on stovetop, a George Foreman grill or panini maker, grill sandwich until golden brown on both sides & cheese is melted & slightly oozing out.


I used a dry pan & heated the sandwich over medium heat for about 3 minutes on one side, carefully flipping using a plate, then heating on the second side for about 1 1/2 minutes. Makes 2 sandwiches.


{Food for Thought}

I used a multi grain bread fresh from the bakery but any bread cut into thick slices will work, especially sourdough. If you have leftover oil/vinegar mixture you can brush some on the bread, just don't use too much as you don't want the bread to become soggy. Eggplant & tomatoes would work wonderfully too in a combo of veggies.

Click Here to Print Recipe

And because it's Fall & that means apple picking, take a look at these sweet & savory beauties I posted last year:

Visit here for some Grilled Apples with Cheddar & Bacon
& Apple Thyme Martinis.

This post is my Not So Fat Friday & links to Momtrends Friday Food.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Wine & Cheese Please

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you may know two of my favorite things are appetizers & cocktails. Put them together, along with friends & family, & I am just a very happy girl.

When my BF Tam came over to kick off the 4th I concocted this cocktail because it would be nice to sip by the pool. Straight wine in the sun just doesn't do it for me & I wanted something a little snazzier than beer.

I started cutting my wine with club soda a long time ago to cut down on calories & it became a habit but it's nice to use something other than club now & again. The addition of a green tea gives me antioxidants I don't get from white wine, only red.

White Wine Green Tea Spritzer

White wine
Diet Green Tea
Fruit
Diet Ginger Ale, diet 7up or club soda for a little extra bubbly

The ratio on the wine, tea & soda is about 3 to 1 to 1. Combine & serve cold.

{Food for Thought}

I used Canada Dry's new Sparkling Ginger Ale with Green Tea "loaded with antioxidants" but what they don't tell you is how much sugar is in it. So, until they come out with a diet version I am sticking with other diet green teas. Another idea is to buy some peach green tea bags, steep, let cool, then add to the wine.

Lastly, this appetizer was quick to make & a lighter alternative for when you're spending an afternoon by the pool. A little blue cheese goes a long way so not much is needed, therefore, not a lot of fat. The catch is I don't remember the exact measurements. Just play with it & have fun. We all agreed when I made this for my parents that you can only eat a few & they're not something you want to keep munching on.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears Wrapped in Prosciutto

Pears, cored & sliced
Small container crumbled Blue cheese (won't use all)
Non-fat yogurt (8oz but won't use all)
Prosciutto, sliced thin, cut into strips

Combine blue cheese & yogurt. Should be thick enough to smear onto the pear slices. Wrap with a slice of prosciutto. Serve immediately.

Click Here for Recipes

{Happy Weekend Everyone!}

Going on a Picnic & Bringing Apples, Bananas....

Apple Toffee Crisp & Banana Chocolate Chip Bread that is.....

I figure before we go into Not So Fat Fridays tomorrow, bring on the Fat!! I kid, but everything in moderation right?!

I made a Banana Bread from Emeril a while back which was excellent but this past weekend I tweaked it a bit & it was even more delicious. So moist, with a great banana taste, I added some chocolate chips & one more banana. That extra one made a difference because I feel some recipes don't call for enough. I won't add the recipe here again but you can click below to view it. I had to give away half of it before I ate the whole thing. I am not a huge dessert person so that goes to show how good it was. 

BANANA BREAD with chocolate chips



{Click Here to Print Recipe}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following is a little original creation. Last month my mom & brother came for a quick visit after dinner so I wanted to throw together something quick & easy for dessert with whatever I had in the house. It was a fun challenge & came out pretty good. We'll call it...

APPLE TOFFEE CHOCOLATE CRISP

4-5 apples, cut into wedges
1/3 cup Toffee bits
1/4 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 pkg Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 stick melted butter
Ice cream (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 375. Place apples in the bottom of a round baking dish. Mix the yellow cake mix with the toffee bits & chocolate chips. Distribute the dry mix evenly over the apples. Drizzle the melted butter over the mix. Bake for about 25-35 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

{My Thoughts}

If you use a larger baking dish than the one pictured in my recipe, like a standard 13 x 9 x 2, then use more of each ingredient & all of the cake mix. It's been a while since I made this so I can't recall the exact time. Just check your oven after 25 minutes & in 5 minute intervals thereafter. It's done when the top is brown & bubbly. 

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

Not So Fat Fridays - Peach & Pepper Fajita Chicken & Creamy Garlic Dressing

Today I bring you a dish I made for dinner this week as well as a creamy but low fat dressing made with non-fat yogurt!!!

The chicken dish couldn't be any healthier but I do warn you, it is not a saucy or even slightly wet dish. But it is a nice change of pace especially when your body might be craving goodness after being bad for a few days. I loved the natural sweetness of the red pepper & peaches alongside the fajita seasoning of the chicken. And if you're careful not to overcook your chicken, the moistness goes a long way in this dish. This is simple & Not So Fat Friday!

~ Peach & Pepper Fajita Chicken ~

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Fajita seasoning
2 tblsp olive oil
1 1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 medium fresh peaches, cut into thin slices

Pound chicken in between wax paper or saran, to flatten a bit. This will tenderize it and make it so moist & delicious. Sprinkle both sides with fajita seasoning. In a large skillet cook chicken in 1 tblsp of hot oil over medium high heat for 8-10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle, turning once. Transfer chicken to a serving platter; keep warm.

Add remaining 1 tblsp oil to skillet; add bell pepper. Cook & stir for about 3 minutes. Gently stir in peach slices. Cook & stir for 1 to 2 minutes more until heated through. Spoon over chicken.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

~ Creamy Garlic Dressing ~

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup bottled Italian salad dressing
1 clove garlic, minced

For dressing, in a small bowl stir together yogurt, salad dressing & garlic. Serve over your favorite salad.

{Food for Thought}

I used Paul Newman's Light Italian & this was incredible. I tried non-fat Italian & didn't like it at all. Top this over your favorite salad & add a little freshly grated parmesan cheese. It goes so well with this dressing.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND EVERYONE. I WILL BE AROUND TO SEE ALL OF YOU, CATCH UP & SAY HELLO!

Lemony Lime Fruit with Fresh Mint

Since everyone gained a few pounds yesterday from the cheesecake, I thought I would play nice & post a delicious healthy treat today that I made this past weekend to bring to my parent's house. After chowing down on BBQ ribs, this was a nice way to have dessert without continuing with the fat-fest. I can't tell you how refreshing & tasty this was. 

A simple fruit dish, yes, but what the lemon lime soda does to the fruit as it sits & chills for a bit is somewhat magical. If you don't like mint, go ahead & make this without. I just tossed my leftover fruit with some soda last night to enjoy for lunch today, without the mint or the orange peel even. 

6 cups assorted fresh fruit
1 12 oz can diet lemon-lime soda
2 tblsp chopped fresh mint
1 tsp finely shredded orange, lime or lemon peel

In a large serving bowl combine fruit. Stir in soda, mint & orange peel. Cover & chill for 2 - 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

~ My Thoughts ~

I used watermelon, pineapple, grapes & strawberries. As for the orange peel, I just zested an orange for 1 tsp but it wasn't shredded - no biggie.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

See you tomorrow for Not So Fat Fridays for a nice meal, including a simple salad & healthy dressing.

Not So Fat Fridays - I Forgot Dessert!!!!

See below for the entree but I also promised dessert, didn't I. So, today I am kicking it off with the easiest, tastiest yet not hip damaging dessert. I served this for my parents when they came over for dinner last weekend.

I don't even have a name for this yet:

Just buy the storebought angel foodcake shells. Use fresh fruit or the frozen mixed berries I used. I defrosted the berries the day of & then tossed them with 1 tsp of sugar & a couple of tblsps of Cointreau, an orange liquer. But this is not necessary. Just nice! Top with fat free cool whip and you're done!

A Little Sweetness

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMMY!!!!!

Go give her some birthday wishes!

That's what this weekend was, sweet! It was balanced & it was lovely, not to mention the weather is just so invigorating here in FL right now. The Christmas show at the church was nothing short of spectacular. A real heartfelt reminder of the reason for this season. And while Tristan played with an old friend on his playdate, I made a new one! We have known Angel & his mom Tanya for awhile but this was the first time we got together, just the 4 of us, & it was a wonderful thing!!

So, to celebrate all the sweetness here is some banana bread I made Saturday morning. I found this recipe from Emeril where he had 188 reviews & a 5 star rating so I was intrigued. It had a great banana taste without it being too sweet! Perfect for breakfast or snack. Everyone loved it.

BANANA BREAD

10 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter. Puree the bananas, sour cream, eggs & vanilla in a bowl using a mixer. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder & salt into another bowl. Add the remaining 10 tablespoons butter & mix on medium-low speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture in 3 batches, scraping the sides of the bowl & mixing on medium speed between each addition. Fold in the nuts.

Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until lightly browned & bread bounces back to the touch, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove from the oven & cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool completely.

My Thoughts:

I made this in a bundt pan for looks & it only took 35-38 minutes. I question the time above, even for a loaf pan, so keep checking after 40 minutes if you're using one. I also sprinkled mine with a little confectioners sugar for presentation.

Click Here to Print Recipe

I also made this sangria for our playdate because I know Tanya loves red wine. We noshed on a couple of appetizers, watched the boys play in the bounce house, & sipped our sangria as we constantly digressed from one thing to another. A sign of a great conversation. Like the banana bread, this had the perfect amount of sweetness without going overboard!

RED WINE SANGRIA

1 orange, sliced
1 orange, juiced
1 lemon, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec
750 ml Red Wine

In a pitcher, combine the sliced orange, sliced lemon & sugar. Mash gently until sugar is slightly dissolved. Add orange juice, Cointreau & red wine. Mix well & let sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, pour over ice & garnish with a lemon or orange slice. Or top off with some club soda for a little spritzer.

My Thoughts:





I used Carlo Rossi Burgundy for this recipe. For a cheap wine, we enjoy it very much so it goes to show that expensive wine isn't always better. You can add any fruit you like to this sangria. All you need is a friend to sip it with & enjoy!

Click Here to Print Recipe

Things to Come......A Wordful Wednesday

Quaint & charming spaces are sometimes created through untraditional means. Putting something in a small space can then make it a cozy, small space. The first bed & breakfast I ever stayed in had a clawfoot tub at the foot of my parent's bed. Weird, I thought, but that's why I fell in love with B&B's!!

Our kitchen isn't big enough for a built in island so I knew this mobile island was perfect. I had been wanting one for so long, unable to find the right one, until now. Am I crazy for looking forward to creating so many memories over this cute little piece of furniture? For being so excited to have my kitchen reflect more of who I am & what I enjoy?

Chef's Catalog - please hurry to fulfill my order just in time for Christmas entertaining. I'll love you forever!!!

Speaking of Christmas, this will be a perfect treat before dinner. This vertical pear salad with watercress, toasted pecans, crumbled blue cheese & vinaigrette is not only pretty but delicious when drizzled with some honey. I'm expecting 9-10 people for the holiday but instead of making one per person I may serve them on a few plates & scatter them around the table for a family style salad.

Click Here to Print Recipe

These are just 2 things I am really looking forward to during the holidays but would mean nothing if I couldn't share them with those I love!

Brought to you by Angie & Wordful Wednesdays from:

An Apple a Day, Right?

This morning, my angel Tristan shouts out "Mommy, everybody wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to go now." I laugh & smile because I hear Kenny's video playing that song. That's right, baby, that's right.

So, until then, here's some heaven right here on earth. 2 apple-y recipes today! I made these Apple & Thyme Martinis, from Giada, for my parents when they came over on Sunday. My Dad was good at one but Mom & I had a couple. They are very unique & I loved the earthiness to it from the thyme. I should call these Apple & Thyme Will Tell because we couldn't stop gabbing.

APPLE & THYME MARTINIS

Ice
10 ounces vodka
6 ounces apple juice
1/4 cup thyme syrup, recipe follows
1 large apple, peeled
4 fresh thyme sprigs

Fill a shaker with ice. Combine the vodka, apple juice & thyme syrup. Pour over ice & shake for about 10 seconds. Divide between the 4 chilled martini glasses. Use the melon baller to scoop out small balls of apple. Place 3 balls of apple & 1 sprig of thyme in each glass for garnish. Serve immediately.

Thyme Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
5 large sprigs fresh thyme

In a saucepan combine sugar, water, and thyme over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Click Here for Printable Recipe

GRILLED APPLES WITH BACON & CHEDDAR

My best friend Tammy, who I am so blessed to have living a couple miles away, told me about these cute little things from Rachel Ray. I told her to make them first & let me know. She brought me some & I LOVED them. The sweetness of the apple with the saltiness of the bacon coupled with the savory cheese is a beautiful wake up call to the tastebuds. You must try these. The kids might love 'em too!

3 large, firm apples, such as gala, cored & sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
Juice of 1 lemon
1 pound bacon
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 bunch scallions, green parts only, chopped

Preheat a grill or grill pan. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the apples & lemon juice.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then coarsely chop.Grill the apple slices until grill marks form on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip & top each slice with bacon, cheese & scallions. Cover & grill until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

To reheat leftovers, I suggest microwaving for a few seconds just to get the chill out from fridge, then placing under broiler until browned & sizzling.

Next time I may thinly slice cheddar from the cheese blocks sold in the supermarket, just for easier handling.

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Recipe for Party Fun

You start with a beautiful Ben 10-lovin' 4 year old going on 14, patiently awaiting all his friends & family to come over for his 5th birthday party.

(Click on pictures to enlarge)

Then you throw in some family & friends.


Add in a bunch of fun.

This wet slide was amazing!!! Once the party ended I was on it like white on rice, since we had it for the whole day. Some kids went into the pool as well with close supervision but this was the main draw of the party & kept everyone cool!

Then sprinkle on lotsa sugar.

For the favors, I printed some Ben 10 labels & affixed them to the party favor bags. Inside was a little notebook with pen for the kids to doodle as well as some fishies, raisins & M&M's.

My biggest creative contribution to the party was the fruit kebabs. They were so much fun to put together & instead of just putting them on a platter I thought the kids would get a kick out of them hanging vertical through pieces of cut fruit, ahem, planets. I picked up some crystals at the crafts store which acted as meteor pieces from another galaxy & matched the green color scheme of the party. 

As for the cake, since the market didn't carry any Ben 10 designs I drew up something very simple & had them decorate accordingly. I also bought some Ben 10 cake toppers online. For food, I kept it easy for myself as I usually do for Tristan's parties & made a pasta salad as well a spinach dip. I also had platters of Cubanitos, sandwiches & chicken tenders brought in from Publix. 

This was one super fantastic party. We had a blast, kids & adults alike. While it ended at 2 for most, the party went on until 7! Tristan got some beautiful gifts & really enjoyed his day. 

For some other fun birthday celebration pics please also visit Chronicles of a Mommy who had a big bash going on as well this weekend. I know you'll find a lot of good ideas her way if you have a party coming up.