Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened.
1 1/2 c sifted powder sugar
3/4 t vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually sitr in the powder sugar.

Red Velvet Brownies

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 t salt
3 T cocoa powder
2 T red food coloring (about 2 of the small bottles)
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Butter and flour 8 x 8 cake pan.

In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, food coloring and 1 t vanilla to create a paste.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy with electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time, then add remaining teaspon of vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, add in cocoa powder mixture. Beat until batter is completely red. Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread in the pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

I frosted it with a cream cheese frosting.

Originially from How Sweet Eats.

Roasated Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

1 bunch fresh asparagus
cooking spray
salt and pepper
2 T butter
1 T soy sauce
2 t balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Snap ends off of washed asparagus and place on baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Melt the butter in the microwave. Stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over roasted asparagus and serve.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi

1 small box uncooked orzo
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1/2 t salt, divided
7 t unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp (we used the precooked frozen shrimp)
2 t minced garlic
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/4  black pepper

1. Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain. Place orzo in a medium bowl. Stir in parsley and 1/4 t salt. Cover and keep warm.

2. While orzo cooks, melt 1 T butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 t salt. Add the shrimp to the pan. Saute for 2 minutes or until almost done (time can be shortened if using precooked shrimp). Transfer shrimp to plate. (If using jumbo jumbo shrimp, do this in 2 batches and add another t of butter before doing the second bunch).

3. Melt remaining 1 T butter in pan. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, lemon juice, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done.

NOTE: The orzo may taste a tad bit plain since there is no sauce. We added a touch of balsamic vinegar to the pasta just to spice it up a bit.

Goes deliciously with Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce (we also sprinkled some of this sauce over the scampi)

Calories: 403
Fat: 10.4 g (sat 4.8 g, mono 2.2 g, poly 1.4 g)
Protein: 40.1 g
Carbs: 34.7 g
Fiber: 1.7 g
Cholesterol: 276 mg
Iron: 4.3 mg
Sodium: 549 mg
Calcium: 97 mg

Linguine and Spinach with Gorgonzola

4 servings

1 (9-ounce) package fresh linguine
1 T butter
1 T flour
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
3/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach

Cook pasta according to directions.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Increase the heat to medium-high; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, salt, and pepper. Combine the saucem pasta, and spinach, tossing gently to coat.

The sauce for this recipe has a strong flavor. Next time we make it, I would either make more pasta to spread out the sauce, or use a different type of cheese. It might be a good basic recipe to try for a healthier alfredo sauce. Monk does not like this sauce because it taste like goat cheese. 

Calories: 379
Fat: 12.3 g (sat 7.5g, mono 1.5g, poly 0.8 g)
Protein: 19.6 g
Carbs: 48.3 g
Fiber: 4.6 g
Cholesterol: 80 mg
Iron: 3.7 mg
Sodium: 898 mg
Calcium: 411 mg

Pineapple Chicken Salad Pitas

Serves 4
Serving Size: 2 stuffed pita halves

2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup light mayo
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 stalk of celery, chopped
1/2 Gala apple, chopped
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pinapple, drained
4 Whole wheat pitas, each cut in half
Lettuce

Combine first 13 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir. Place a piece of lettuce in each pita. Fill pita with 1/3 cup chicken mixture.

Calories: 471
Fat: 15.5g (sat 2.5g, mono 5.4g, poly 6.2g)
Protein: 36.8 g
Carbs: 48.8 g
Fiber: 7.2 g
Cholesterol: 82 mg
Iron: 3.9 mg
Sodium: 776 mg
Calcium: 98 mg

Mardi Gras Cupcakes

• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons each lemon, lime and grape gelatin powder
• 1 can (16 ounces) cream cheese frosting
• Purple, green and yellow sprinkles

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, sour cream, oil, sugar and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Divide evenly among three bowls.
• Stir one flavor of gelatin powder into each bowl until blended. Fill paper-lined muffin cups with 2 tablespoons of each flavored batter.
• Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting. Decorate with sprinkles. Yield: 2 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cupcake equals 301 calories, 15 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 42 mg cholesterol, 218 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 3 g protein.