Banana Cinnamon Bread Pudding*

Makes 5 6-ounce ramekins

3 T unsalted butter
1 cup condensed milk
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium very ripe bananas, sliced
2 1/4 cups cinnamon bread (ideally challah style) diced
1/4 cup brown sugar
caramel sauce for serving
ice cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, eggs, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

3. Butter the botoms of each ramekin with butter. Divide the butter, placing a small pat in each ramekin. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of sugar into each ramekin. Arrange the bananas over the sugar, follwed by the bread. Soak with some of the custard mixture. Repeat with another layer of banana, bread, and custard. Press the bread into the custard to ensure it gets a good soaking. Sprinkle with any remaining sugar.

4. Cover ramekins with a foil, place in a baking dish in the oven. Pour boiling water into baking dish, filling halfway. Bake for 30 minutes, uncover, then bake for another 30 minutes.

5. Serve the bread pudding warm with drizzle of caramel sauce and ice cream.

Originally from: http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/3316065-banana-cinnamon-bread-pudding

Chocolate Lava Cake

1/2 cup butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (about 1 chocolate bar)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Butter and flour four 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups.
2. In the top of a double boiler, heat the buter and chocolate until chocolate is almost completely melted.
3. Beat the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar together until light colored and thick.
4. Stir together the melted chocolate and butter. Whie stirring, slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour and mix until just combined.
5. Divide the batter between the four molds and bake for 8-12 minutes. The center of the cake will still look quite soft. Invert cakes on serving plates and let sit for about 15 seconds, then unmold. Serve immediately with berries, ice cream, or whipped cream.

NOTE: The batter can also be made early and stored in the fridge until ready to use. Take it out before dinner though so its not cold before baking.

Calories 475
Total Fat 37.1 g
Cholesterol 270 mg

Baked Dijon Salmon Recipe

1/4 cup butter, melted
3 T Dijon mustard
1 1/2 T honey
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
4 t chopped fresh parsley
4 (4 ounce) filets
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a small bowl, stir together butter, mustard, and honey. Set aside. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley together.
3. Brush each salmon fillet lightly with honey mustand mixture, and sprinkle the tops of the fillets with the bread crumb mixture.
4. Bake salmon 12-14 minutes in the preheated oven, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a wedge of lemon.

Calories 375
Total Fat 24.1 g
Cholesterol 97 mg

Chocolate Truffle Cookies*

4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. In the microwave or in double boiler, melt unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, and the butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, whip eggs and sugar until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and the chocolate mixture until well mixed. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining 1 cup chocolate chips. Cover dough and chill for at least an hour or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll chilled dough into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets so they are 2 inches apart.

3. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Calories 112
Total fat 6.8 g
Cholesterol 23 mg

Pasta for Two*

Originally from The Pioneer Woman

2 T olive oil
1/2 whole red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes with juice
1/3 cups assorted olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1/3 cup white wine (white grape juice)
2 whole boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
grated parmesean cheese
1/2 pound Linguine, cooked al dente and drained
1 t olive oil

Heat mediume skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil. When warm add diced red onion and stir. Cook slowly for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, then stir and cook for one minute. Pour in diced tomatoes with their juice. Add chopped olives. Stir and cook for a minute or two.

Splash in wine, then stir and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While sauce is cooking, sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper over the chicken breasts. Heat 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter in a separate skillet. Cook on both sides until golden brown and done. Set aside.

Toss cooked linguine in olive oil and arrange on a small platter. Spoon 3/4 of the sauce over the pasta. Place chicken on top, then spoon remaining sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle on grated Parmesean and serve immediately.

Tomato and Sausage Risotto*

Originally from Smitten Kitchen


Serves 4

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small onion, finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bunch flat-leaf spinach (10 to 14 ounces), washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 7 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons butter

1. In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is opaque and onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.
4. Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid).
5. Remove pan from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and butter; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools), and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

2 medium sweet potatoes (8-10 ounce each)
3 ounces Canadian bacon, diced
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablesspoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Pierce potatoes with a fork, and arrange on paper towels.

Microwave on high 12 minutes; turn potatoes over after 6 minutes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise, and scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Mash pulp with 3 ounces Canadian bacon, 2 T sour cream, and 2 t chives in a bowl. Spoon mixture into shells.

Sprinkle 2 T cheese over tops of potatoes. Microwave on high 2 minutes, and sprinkle with 1 t chives.

Serving Size: 1 potato
Calories 341
Fat 6 g (sat 3g, mono 2g, poly 1g)
Protein 15 g
Carb 57 g
Fiber 7 g
Cholesterol 30 mg
Iron 2 mg
Sodium 681 mg
Calcium 109 mg

Oven "Fried" Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Sauce:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

Chicken:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders (about 16 pieces)
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup coarsely crushed corn flakes
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon instant minced onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

To prepare sauce, combine honey and mustard in a small bowl; cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To prepare chicken, combine chicken and butermilk in a shallow dish, cover and chill 15 minutes. Drain chicken, discarding liquid.

Combine cornflakes and next 5 ingredients (cornflakes through pepper) in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken 4 piences to bag. Seal and shake to coat. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken. Spread oil evenly in a jelly-roll pan, and arrange chicken in a single layer in pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 4 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with sauce.

Serving Size: 2 chicken tenders
Calories 185 (18% from fat)
Fat 3.7 g (sat 0.8g, mono 1.2 g, poly 1.2 g)
Protein 21.6 g
Carb 16 g
Fiber 0.3 g
Cholesterol 49 mg
Iron 1.3 mg
Sodium 306 mg
Calcium 46 mg