Entries by Tasha Webster

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (about 2 ounces) sun-dried tomato pesto
2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (8-ounce) loaf ciabatta
12 large basil leaves
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced bottled roasted red bell peppers
1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Directions:
Combine pesto and mayonnaise in a small bowl, stirring to blend.
Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken to cutting board, and cool slightly. Cut chicken lengthwise into thin slices.
Preheat broiler.
Cut ciabatta in half horizontally. Place bread, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove bread from pan. Spread pesto mixture evenly over cut sides of bread. Arrange the chicken slices evenly over bottom half. Top chicken evenly with basil leaves, and sprinkle cheese over top. Place bottom half on baking sheet, and broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Arrange bell pepper and tomato over cheese, and cover with top half of bread. Cut into 4 equal pieces.
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Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup natural-style, reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
2 (6-ounce) reduced-fat graham cracker crusts
20 teaspoons fat-free chocolate sundae syrup

Directions:
Combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add milk; beat until combined. Fold in whipped topping. Divide mixture evenly between crusts; chill 8 hours or until set (pies will have a soft, fluffy texture). Cut into wedges; drizzle with chocolate syrup. [Full story »] 

Ingredients:
9 oz. angel hair pasta
1/4 cup and 2 tbsp. fresh grated romano cheese
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. chopped basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1.5 lbs. scallops
4 lemon wedges

Directions:
Boil pasta; drain and keep 2 tbsp. of water.
Combine pasta with the reserved water, 1/4 cup of cheese, 1 tbsp. olive oil, salt, pepper and basil.
Use the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil to cook scallops. Combine scallops with pasta. Sprinkle remaining cheese and use lemon wedges if desired. [Full story »] 

Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
3/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, diced
2 cups packaged angel hair slaw
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas

Directions:
1. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with chile powder, garlic salt, and cumin. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove chicken from pan.
2. Combine rind, 1 tablespoon juice, and next 3 ingredients (through avocado) in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.
3. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon juice, slaw, onions, cilantro, oil, and salt, tossing to coat.
4. Heat tortillas according to directions. Divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with about 1 tablespoon avocado mixture and 1/4 cup slaw mixture.
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Ingredients:
1 poblano chile
2 cups shelled fresh lima beans (about 2 pounds unshelled beans)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Cut poblano chile in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place chile halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel, chop, and set aside.
3. Place beans in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and cook 25 minutes or until tender. Drain.
4. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell peppers; sauté 6 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in beans and corn; sauté 6 minutes or until corn is tender. Add poblano and tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in chopped cilantro, juice, salt, and black pepper. [Full story »] 

Ingredients:
8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Rinse and drain. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, broth, soy sauce, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Mix well. Add pasta, sliced red pepper, scallions, and cilantro; toss to combine. Chill. [Full story »] 

Ingredients:
Salsa:
8 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 seeded jalapeño pepper, quartered
Cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Casserole:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (10-ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. To prepare salsa, combine first 4 ingredients on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 20 minutes or until charred, stirring once. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Place tomato mixture in a food processor; add cilantro, lime juice, and pepper. Process until smooth. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. To prepare casserole, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion, corn, zucchini, and bell pepper; sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Add chicken and next 5 ingredients (through green chiles); sauté 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat.
5. Spread 1/2 cup salsa over the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange half of tortillas over salsa. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture evenly over tortillas. Top with 3/4 cup salsa. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of each cheese. Repeat layers, starting with remaining tortillas and ending with remaining cheeses. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes until bubbly.
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Ingredients:
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped into pieces about 3/4 inch square
1-2 tsp.olive oil, to saute mushrooms and green peppers
3 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
1 cup crumbled feta (or more, to taste)
18 eggs
ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray 10 X 14 glass casserole dish with non-stick spray.
Heat non-stick frying pan, add small amount of olive oil, and saute mushrooms 4-5 minutes, until softened and partly cooked. Spread mushrooms in bottom of casserole dish. Add a bit more olive oil to frying pan if needed, and saute green peppers until softened and partly cooked. Layer peppers over mushrooms. Crumble feta cheese over top of mushroom-pepper mixture.

Beat eggs with black pepper. (Don't add salt because Feta cheese is salty enough.) Pour on mixture.Sprinkle onions on top. Bake about 45 minutes, or until casserole is firmly set and top is slightly browned. Serve hot. Goes nice with low-fat sour cream and salsa.
Breakfast casseroles like this reheat very well in the microwave. It can be frozen. but for best results, allow to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. [Full story »] 

Ingredients:
8 ounces penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (about 9 ounces) cherry tomatoes
1 cup shelled fresh peas
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the asparagus, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until slightly soft. Add the cherry tomatoes and peas. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the asparagus mixture to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the remaining Parmesan and chopped basil.
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2 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
6 cups water
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup minced sweet onion
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 ripe avocado - peeled, pitted and chopped

Directions:
Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired.

Bring 6 cups water and next 4 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan; add shrimp. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Drain shrimp, reserving 1/2 cup liquid.

Stir together reserved liquid, ketchup, and next 3 ingredients. Stir in shrimp, tomato, and cilantro. Chill. Serve with lime wedges, and saltines, if desired.
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Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound wild salmon, skin removed, cut into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400-degrees Fahrenheit. Place salmon pieces on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Season with salt and pepper; roast for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, maple syrup, garlic and lemon juice. After the 10 minutes of cooking, brush salmon with mixture and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until salmon is just cooked through.

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Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 pinch salt (more as needed)
1 egg (lightly beaten)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons fresh chives (or spring onions chopped)
3 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated) (optional)


Directions:
*Pre-heat the oven to 350F (175C).
*Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or use paper liners (preferably green or with shamrocks on them).
*In a small saucepan, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until just tender.
*Drain and rinse under cold water and set aside.
*In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder.
*In a large bowl, beat the egg, oil, buttermilk, chives or spring onion and parsley.
*Stir the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture until nearly combined. Gently fold in potatoes. Add the cheese if using, note that you should reduce the added salt if using a salty cheese like parmesan or crumbled feta.
*Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes. You can top these with extra grated cheese, sesame seeds or even some flax seeds.
*Remove pan from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove muffins and cool on rack.

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Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup water
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
8 cups rolled oats
2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts, or slivered almonds
This is a basic recipe. Feel free to add any other goodies you love in granola.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and reserve.
Combine brown sugar and water in a 4-cup microwave proof glass measuring cup or bowl. Place in microwave on high for 5 minutes and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from microwave, add vanilla extract and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts, and brown sugar syrup mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread the granola onto cookie sheets and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden and crunchy.
When the mixture comes out of the oven, it is still very pliable. You may choose to add in dried fruit as a finishing touch at this time. When granola has cooled completely, store in an airtight container.
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Ingredients:
2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 extra-large egg yolk
2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly.
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