YAY!! Company is coming. YIKES!!

YAY! I received an email that my favorite aunt and uncle were coming to visit from sunny Florida so I decided to have a dinner party. YAY! I called the rest of the family and everyone could come! YAY! Then the realization hit that everyone has been following my blog and the pressure was on to make a really nice meal. YIKES! No problem...I enjoy a challenge. I was so happy that my kids were going to join us. YAY! Then I realized that since the kids were vegetarian I would want to make a veggie friendly meal. YIKES! No problem...I enjoy a challenge. YAY! Oh, and since I was doing the cooking...then the meal had to be easy and low fat. YIKES! No problem...I enjoy a challenge.  YAY! To top it all off,  I then realized that I had a mandatory staff meeting for the whole day an hour away from home on the same day as the party.. YIKES! This was going to be the challenge that I enjoy...but with enough planning it could be done. YAY.. A dinner party!

This  is what I served and how I accomplished presenting a low fat, vegetarian friendly, dinner party for 10 people with no time to do it!

First Course- Fresh green salad (compliments of my sister-in-law, S)

Main Course- Jumbo Shells with Cheese Filling and Four-Cheese Pepperoni Vegetable Pizza

Vegetables- Roasted Cauliflower/Carrots and Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Cannelloni beans

Dessert- So Easy Even A Caveman Can Do It Cupcakes
 and fruit platter (compliments of Mom)
And...of course...wine!

I prepared the stuffed shells the day before and cooked them right before serving. I also roasted the cauliflower and carrots the day before and then just served them at room temperature for dinner. The cupcakes were simple, and were also made the day before. I made the pizza and the broccoli raab in the morning before I left for my meeting.

Yes, entertaining CAN be done with or without the emotional roller coaster we impose on ourselves. YAY! With a little help from your friends (thanks S and Mom), and some extra planning....nothing can get in the way of enjoying special family time!

Jumbo Shells with Cheese Filling

1 pkg. (12 oz) Jumbo shells, uncooked

4 cups (32oz) fat free ricotta cheese

2 cups (8oz) shredded fat free mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated fat free Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 tablespoon chpped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups (about 26oz jar) low fat spaghetti sauce

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and let cool individually on wax paper.  Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together cheeses, eggs, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg.  In 13x9 inch baking pan, spread some spaghetti sauce. Fill each cooked shell with about 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese mixture and place in prepared pan.  Pan will hold about 24 shells.  Spread remaining sauce on top of shells and sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Four Cheese Pepperoni-Vegetable Pizza

(Weight Watchers Comfort Classics Cookbook)

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 reb bell pepper, thinly sliced

8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1  lb. pizza dough (I used Pillsberry thick pizza dough)

3/4 cup fat free marinara sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded reduced fat Italian four cheese blend

2 tablespoons grated parmesan

36 slices turkey pepperoni

Adjust oven racks to divide the oven in thirds and preheat to 450 degrees.  Spray a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan with nonstick spray.  Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, bell pepper and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and liquid is evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook 1 minute.  With floured hands, press the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan.  If the dough shrinks back, let it rest a few minutes berfore pressing again.  Spread the marinara sauce evenly over the dough.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1 tablespoon of the parmesan.  Top evenly with ther onion mixture and then the pepperoni.  Bake on the lowest oven rack until crust is browned on the bottom, 12-15 minutes.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese blend and 1 tablespoon parmesan.  Bake until the cheese melts, 4-5 minutes longer.  Cut into 12 large squares.

Per Serving (1 square): 190 calories, 7g fat, 21g carbs, 2g fiber

So Easy Even a Caveman Can Do It Cupcakes

1 lemon cake mix

1 12oz can diet 7 up

Pour cake mix in bowl. Pour in 7 Up. It will fizz up like a science experiment. Stir with a spoon until it is a smooth batter. Pour into 18 cupcake tins. That's it. No oil. No water. No butter. No...nothing. Bake according to box directions for cupcakes...about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Although I have not tried other combinations...I am told that this same recipe can be made with chocolate cake mix and diet coke, or spice cake mix with diet ginger ale. It can also be baked into a whole cake instead of cupcakes...your choice!

Per serving (1 cupcake) 113 calories, 2g fat

The timing turned out great. The food was delicious. Everyone had a wonderful time. And the company....well, it was a beautiful evening just like the flowers I recieved from my favorite aunt and uncle who came to visit from Florida !!

Enjoy! Happy Eating! 

You are what you eat. Recipes from my friends.

You have heard the adage, "You are what you eat". Most times it means that if we eat healthy food, we will be healthy. If we gorge ourselves on Big Macs...well, it is not a pretty picture! However, this week I realized that the food we eat can reflect our personality.  Today I am posting 3 recipes... from 3 friends... with 3 distinct personalities. I laughed when I realized how similar my friends were to the recipes they submitted.

For instance, let's start with my friend, C. She sent me a delicious salmon recipe. No, there is nothing fishy about C. She is charming, sophisticated and classy. She is always dressed and ready for a photo shoot. She is a classic beauty with style. Her salmon dish reflects the same characteristics. You can't go wrong with C. She and her salmon will never disappoint you!

Salmon with Horseradish and Apricot Sauce

2  5oz salmon fillets

1/4 cup apricot jam or preserves

1/8 cup horseradish (white from a jar)

salt, pepper, garlic powder

Place salmon in pan or on cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Mix preserves and horseradish together and spread over fish.  Back in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Switch oven to broil and broil fish about 5 minutes or until the top gets browned and bubbly. (Feel free to increase this recipe...the sauce is basically 2/3 preserves, 1/3 horseradish) This recipe would be equally good with peach preserves!

The next recipe describes my other friend, C (not to be confused with the first friend, C) so well it is scary! She calls it "C,s Kick Ass Bowtie and Spinach Salad".  You KNOW when C is in the room. She is full of kick-ass personality. She is vibrant, full of color and freshness. This salad explodes with personality and goodness with just a touch of nuttiness...just like my friend, C

Kick Ass Bowtie and Spinach Salad

1/2 pkg (6 oz) bow ties

2 cups torn fresh spinach

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup sliced scallions

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon-style  mustard

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

toasted pine nuts (toasting brings out the oils and flavor of the nuts)

Cook pasta, according to package directions.  In large bowl, combine pasta, spinach, tomatoes and scallions.  In small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except pine nuts; mix well.  Pour dressing over spinach mixture and toss well. Top with pine nuts. Serve immediately.

My next friend, S, was a complete surprise.....as is her recipe, Chiles Rellenos Casserole.  I met S about 2 years ago and she impresssed me as a lovely person. Sorta quiet, very pleasant and definitely nice. But really get to know her...and WOW...she is full of spice with an underlying zing! S is definitely not the quiet dish of my first impression. I truly enjoy S...as I do her recipe.  One of the main ingredients is ground turkey. Sorta quiet, very pleasant and definitely nice. Add the other ingredients and you have the gusto of S!

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

(Cooking Light, Jan/Feb 1995)

1/2 lb ground turkey

1 cup chopped onion

1 3/4 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (16 oz) can fat free refried beans

2 (4oz) cans green chiles, drained and cut lengthwise into quarters

4 oz (1 cup) shredded fat free colby-jack cheese

1 cup whole kernel corn

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups skim milk

1/8 teaspoon hot sauce

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 egg whites

Cook turkey and onion in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat until browned. Combine turkey mixture, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and refried beans in a bowl. Stir well and set aside.  Arrange half of the green chile strips in an 11x7 baking dish; top with half of the cheese.  Spoon mounds of bean mixture onto cheese and spread gently, leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edge of dish; top with corn.  Arrange remaining chile strips over corn; top with remaining cheese. Set aside.  Combine flour and salt in bowl; gradually add milk and hot sauce, stirring with a wire whisk until blended.  Stir in eggs and egg whites; pour over casserole.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until set; let stand 5 minutes before serving. (I think this would be equally good with soy veggie crumbles instead of the ground turkey to give it a vegetarian flair)

Makes 6 servings. Per serving:  262 calories,6 grams fat, 4 grams fiber

Enjoy! Happy Eating!!