CEiMB: Broccoli & Cheddar Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

This is last week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe and it was great. The hubs deemed them "a little too healthy," but loved the avocado cream. They weren't quite the cheesy, greasy potato skins he loves :) I swapped turkey bacon for the canadian since the hubs does not eat pork. I'd love to make the avocado cream again to use on something else.

Broccoli & Cheddar Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

• 8 small Idaho potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds total), scrubbed and dried
• 4 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces broccoli florets, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
• Cooking spray
• 3 pieces Canadian bacon, finely diced (about 3 ounces)
• 3/4 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Avocado Creme:

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, greens reserved
• 1 medium avocado
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Pierce potatoes several times with a fork and wrap in paper towels. Microwave on high for 13 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Remove from microwave and cool until potatoes are easy to handle. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop all but 1/8 inch of the inside of the potato, leaving skin intact. Reserve scooped potato flesh for another use.
Brush both inside and outside of potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place potatoes, skin-side down, on a baking sheet and bake until skins are crisp and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the filling. Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until crisp stirring often, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve.
To make avocado cream, combine scallion whites, avocado, sour cream lime juice, cilantro, garlic and salt in the small bowl of a food processor and process on high until smooth. About 30 seconds.

Toss the broccoli with cheese and spoon filling evenly among potatoes. Lower oven to 400 degrees F and return potatoes to oven until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the avocado cream on top of broccoli-filled potatoes, then top with scallion greens and 1 teaspoon crisped bacon bits.

Yield: 8 servings (1 serving equals 2 potato halves, 1 tablespoon avocado cream, 1/2 teaspoon scallions and 1 teaspoon bacon bits)

Per Serving:
Calories 180; Total Fat 10 g; (Sat Fat 3.5 g, Mono Fat 2 g, Poly Fat 1 g) ; Protein 8 g; Carb 15 g; Fiber 3 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Sodium 380 mg
(*Analyzed using 1 pound of potatoes)

CEiMB: Confetti Chili

Though I'm late in posting, this was a recent Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe. Note that the recipe in the actual cookbook is slightly different from the online recipe listed below. I used the cookbook recipe which is why there is corn in my chili. Also, if I remember correctly, no pinto beans. The recipe was great...although not quite as good as my favorite chili recipe which can be found here.

Confetti Chili

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
• 2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 pound extra-lean ground beef (90 percent lean)
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ground beef; raise the heat to high and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Menu Plan Monday

I'm trying to get on track with planning meals in advance so I only have to make one trip to the store every week. So...maybe I'll be better at it if I actually write it down...that usually helps, right?!?!

Monday - Broccoli and Cheddar-Stuffed Potato Skins with Avocado Cream

Tuesday - Confetti Chili on baked potatoes with roasted asparagus

Wednesday - Linguini with Spinach Pesto (I use this recipe with pasta instead of chicken) with roasted asparagus - a very green meal :)

Thursday - Take-out

Friday - Grilled chicken and Carmelized Butternut Squash

Saturday - Company Pot Roast

Let's see how I do...

CEiMB: Linguini with Shrimp

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe was chosen by Confessions of a Novice Baker. It's not too often that I make a recipe exactly as written. For this one, I did, and it was awesome (well I did use whole wheat linguini but we won't count that). Loved the asparagus, the lemon, and even the tomatoes!

Linguini with Shrimp

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

• 3/4 pound linguini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 bunch asparagus stalks, trimmed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 container cherry tomatoes, halved

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the linguini and cook according to the directions on the box. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high flame. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add the lemon juice, white wine, and the reserved cup water to the skillet. Let simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half. Salt and saute the asparagus. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Return the shrimp to the pan and stir in the parsley. Add the drained linguini to the shrimp mixture, tossing to combine. Add asparagus and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serves 4

CEiMB: Tuscan Vegetable Soup

My second Craving Ellie in My Belly recipe was hosted by Lobster and Fishsticks. I made a couple of changes to this recipe. First, when I realized at the last minute that my spinach had gone bad, I threw in some asparagus into the hot soup for about 4 minutes...perfect. I also threw in some egg noodles, mainly for the hubs who doesn't think soup is a meal. While this soup was really healthy, it didn't do a whole lot for me. Although if there's a next time, I'll make sure to add the parmesan (I forgot...it was a rough week) which makes everything better!

Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

• 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced, (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional

In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired.

BB: Cheddar Corn Chowder

This month's first Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Jill of My Next Life. I've made this soup before. I didn't like it...thought it was too watery, especially for a chowder. So, after reading some of the reviews on Food Network's website, I decided to make a few changes in addition to halving the recipe...this recipe makes a TON. I added about a cup more corn, didn't skimp on the potatoes, and used about a cup and a half less chicken stock (and remember, I had halved it to begin with). Now I love this soup!

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Courtesy of Ina Garten

• 8 ounces bacon, chopped
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 12 cups chicken stock
• 6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
• 10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Serves 12

CEiMB: Chicken Chop Suey

So I'm blogging again! I hope somebody is still reading! I also joined a new cooking group -- Craving Ellie in My Belly. Belonging to these groups means less time spent deciding what to make for dinner :) In addition, there are leftovers for lunch and we try many things we wouldn't normally try.

My first CEIMB recipe was chosen by The Healthy Hostess. Even though I used a store bought roasted chicken which I shredded and 3 minute frozen brown rice from TJ's, I still thought this recipe required quite a bit of work (or maybe just a few too many ingredients) for what it ended up as. I would make it again, but add in some more spice since I thought it was a little bland. But don't get me wrong, I did take it for lunch the following day!

Chicken Chop Suey

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger

• 8 (3 by 3-inch) packaged Chinese wonton skins, separated
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 scallions, greens included, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 cups sliced napa cabbage
• 3/4 cup celery, thinly sliced (about 4 celery hearts or 2 long stalks)
• 1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained and julienned
• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 6 ounces) (I used asparagus)
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cooking sherry
• 2 cups cubed or shredded cooked turkey or chicken
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush a baking sheet and the wonton skins lightly on both sides with 2 teaspoons of oil. Season with salt and bake for 10 to 12 minutes (mine only needed about 7 minutes - I burned the first batch), or until browned and crisp. Transfer to a cooling rack and reserve.

In a large heavy skillet or wok, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallion, garlic, cabbage, celery, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms and stir-fry until cabbage is soft and wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar, 3/4 cup of the chicken broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sherry-cornstarch mixture and, if the mixture is a little dry, the additional 1/4 cup chicken stock. Add the turkey or chicken and heat through. Serve the chop suey over the cooked brown rice and top with sesame seeds and reserved crushed wonton skins.

Yield: 4 servings (1/2 cup brown rice, 1 cup chop suey, 2 wonton skins)