Pumpkin Pancakes

1 3⁄4 cups flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground ginger
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄4 tsp. ground allspice
1 cup canned pumpkin purée
1 cup heavy cream
1⁄2 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 tbsp. canola oil
Butter and maple syrup, for serving

1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, cloves, ginger, salt, and allspice. Add pumpkin, cream, milk, and eggs; whisk until smooth.

2. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Using a 1⁄4-cup measuring cup, pour batter into skillet to make three 3" pancakes. Cook until bubbles begin to form on the edges, 1–2 minutes. Flip and cook until done, 1–2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining oil and pancake batter. Serve pancakes hot with butter and syrup.

SERVES 8

Introducing....Baby Truss!!!

I know I have been M.I.A lately!!! I really want to share my 22 week ultrasound picture with you of baby trussler!! I am about 23 weeks pregnant now, and couldn't feel more better! I never got sick yet, and after the first tri-mester was over I started getting my energy back! Hopefully I will post more now....I have been busy with spring/summer weddings (My sister and I started Deux Adore about 2 years ago, where we travel on location to do wedding hair & makeup). It is fun, but it consumes about most of my time when I am not working my regular 40+ hour a week job, juggling travel, consultants, having my own life, and trying to still make dinner & be a good wife!! ;) We are not finding out the sex of the baby, which has been fun...but it is driving me crazy not knowing!! I think it's going to be a boy, but just in case we have picked both girl names & boy names so we will see......can't believe I am already going to be in my 3rd tri-mester in a weeks time.....sure is going fast & baby truss is expected on December 19th!!!

Orzo with Tomatoes + Parmesan

This is the ultimate perfect side dish, and not really that hard to make! I love tomatoes, parm & orzo!! Enjoy :)

Orzo with Tomatoes and Parmesan

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups orzo

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup chopped plum tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Italian Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Black Pepper, Coarse Grind

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan. Add orzo; cook on medium heat 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in large nonstick skillet on medium-low heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and Italian seasoning; cook and stir 2 minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften.

3. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cooked orzo and pepper. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Add green onions and Parmesan cheese; cook and stir 1 minute.

Southwestern Grilled Chicken with Lime Butter

YUMMMMM. This was FAB-U-LOUS!! Excuse the picture, it's from my blackberry since our camera was dead! You def should try this, if you don't want it so hot skip the chile's - you probably won't miss them anyway if you don't like spicy food. I made this with a side of Parmesan & tomato Orzo - I will post that in a little while, enjoy :)

Southwestern Grilled Chicken with Lime Butter

• Low Carbohydrates • Low Sodium

1 tablespoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Chili Powder

1 tablespoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Cinnamon, Saigon

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Black Pepper, Coarse Grind

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken parts

Lime Butter:

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 serrano chile, minced

2 tablespoons minced white onion

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Pinch McCormick® Gourmet Collection Black Pepper, Coarse Grind

1. Mix first 8 ingredients in small bowl until well blended. Spread seasoning paste all over chicken with spoon or basting brush,

2. Grill chicken using medium heat for a gas grill or indirect heat for a charcoal grill. Close the lid and grill about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

3. For the Lime Butter, mix all ingredients in small bowl. Drizzle over chicken just before serving or serve separately for dipping.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

I definitely had to document this recipe!!! This was so good, and I don't have a pic because we lost our camera :( So that is why I haven't been taking any photos the last few posts!!

You should really try this, we had it with asparagus...I know pretty lazy Sunday dinner! Thank god my neighbor came over to give Chad a hamburger they were grilling...I on the other hand, filled up on this yummy mac & cheese ;)

Makes 4 servings:

- 2 c. elbow macaroni, uncooked (I used the Barilla Wheat medium shells)

- 3 tbsp. butter (I used Light butter)

- 2 tbsp. finely chopped onion

- 2 tbsp. all purpose flour

- 1 tsp. pepper

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 2 c. milk

- 3 c. shredded American cheese (I used 2 jars of Old English, and 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese)

- 1 tbsp. buttered bread crumbs (I omitted, and did not put in oven)

Prepare macaroni according to package directions; drain. In large saucepan, melt butter. Add onion cook until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Blend in milk. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Add cheese; stir until melted. Combine macaroni and cheese mixture. Mix well. Pour into buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs. Bake in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly about 30 minutes.

Edamame

ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh edamame in pods, or frozen edamame in pods
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tbsp salt

Preparation:

Cut off the stem end of edamame pods. Wash edamame and drain. Put edamame in a medium bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the edamame. Rub them with salt. Boil lots of water in a large pot. Add 1 Tbsp of salt in the boiling water. Add edamame in the boiling water and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander. Spread boiled edamame on a flat tray and sprinkle 1 Tbsp of salt over them. Cool the edamame.
*Makes 4 servings

Mom's Best Macaroni & Cheese

Not my "real" mom's homemade macaroni & cheese....but this recipe gives it a little more nutritional value to it while I am trying to eat healthy for 2 now :) I have to find recipes that I can fit into out lifestyle & something I will really eat...Ugh it's so hard trying to eat healthier and worry about eating enough protein & veggies, when I used to be able to just come home and eat a salad and soup and be done with it....I am hungry like every 2 hours now!! Last night I ate a huge meal around 6pm of chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits & salad and I was starving by 9pm! Well, at least I don't feel guilty anymore picking up an extra biscuit to eat at dinner :)

Mom’s Best Macaroni and Cheese

The real thing — macaroni and cheese as it was meant to be made.

The white sauce in this recipe takes a few minutes but adds a rich, creamy flavor that may be comfort food at its finest. For added protein, cube 1 cooked chicken breast and stir into the mix with the veggies. Tip: There’s no need to cook the frozen peas; the heat of the pasta cooking water will do the job. If you don’t want to take the time to cook carrots separately, add them to the pasta in the last few minutes of cooking.

Ingredients

~½ lb whole-wheat or soy small-shaped pasta, such as elbow macaroni or shells
~2 Tbsp butter
~1½ Tbsp whole-wheat flour
~1 cup non-fat milk
~1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
~1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
~1 cup frozen peas, thawed
~½ cup cooked carrot slices
~2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
~1 Tbsp wheat germ

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in small nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook until a paste forms, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the milk, stirring briskly. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until white sauce thickens slightly. In large bowl, combine white sauce with shredded cheddar and mozzarella.
4. Place peas in a large colander in the sink. Drain pasta into colander. (The heat of the water will cook the peas.) Add pasta, peas, and cooked carrots to cheese sauce; gently stir to coat. Pour pasta mixture into a 9-inch round casserole.
5. In small bowl, combine Parmesan and wheat germ. Sprinkle over pasta.
6. Bake casserole about 10 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information

• 1 serving = 340 calories
• Protein: 1½ servings
• Calcium: 2½ servings
• Green/yellow vegetables: ½ serving
• Other vegetables: ½ serving
• Whole grains: 2 servings
• Fat: ½ serving

Alfredo Chicken Pizza

This was soooo good. I made this last Friday and I bought the 50% less fat Ragu Parmesan Alfredo. So much better than the pizza recipes I have made so far. Use only the amount of sauce they tell you, you might need less - you don't want the pizza to come out soggy. I got this recipe from my new magazine "Dinners for Less"....it has some really good recipes that I will be making soon!

Adapted from Dinners for Less Magazine.

ingredients:

~1 12-inch Italian bread shell (I used wheat pizza dough)

~1/2 of a 10oz container of refrigerated Alfredo pasta sauce (about 2/3 c.)

~1/2 tsp. dried italian seasoning

~8 oz. shredded mozarella or shredded pizza cheese (I used 2% mozzarella)

~1 1/2 c. cooked chopped chicken

~Desired toppings, such as thinly sliced onion, sliced tomato, and or crushed red pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Place bread shell on ungreased baking sheet. In a bowl combine Alfredo Sauce & italian seasoning. Spread over bread shell or pizza dough.

Sprinkle sauce with half the cheese, Top with chicken. Sprinkle with remaining cheese & add toppings of your choice. (I topped with red onion, tomatoes, & crushed red pepper.

Bake about 10-15 minutes until heated thru and cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings.

Parmesan Garlic Chicken

This is really easy & simple for an after work weekday meal!

ingredients:

~1/2 c. parmesan grated cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)

~1 envelope of Good Seasons Italian dressing

~1/2 tsp. garlic powder

~6 boneless chicken breast halves (3 chicken breasts)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix cheese, dressing mix, and garlic powder

Moisten chicken with water; coat chicken with cheese mixture.

Place in shallow baking dish.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

roasted potatoes with herbs

Are you kidding me??!! These were freaking amazing...I don't know how I ever lived without roasted veggies! I can seriously live on these now, they are the best potatoes I have ever had!! Love how they used all these herbs...and they cooked up to perfection, my DH loved them too! Making these again soon, and next time I will roast asparagus! Recipe adapted from all recipes.

Ingredients:

serves 4

(I cut down to serve 2, so 1/4 tsp of each herb, 1 1/2 tsp. of jarred garlic, 2 potatoes, and 1 tbsp of evoo is perfect)

• ~1/8 cup olive oil
• ~1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ~1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• ~1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• ~1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• ~1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• ~1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ~1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• ~1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ~1/2 teaspoon salt
• ~4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used red potatoes and did not peel)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, basil, marjoram, dill weed, thyme, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir in potatoes until evenly coated. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet.
3. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.

oven roasted broccoli

As you know...not a fan of broccoli whatsoever...so I found this recipe from Taste of Home & I was really impressed, this was fantastic! I couldn't even tell it was broccoli - they tasted like french fries! Yummmm I will def be making this more often as a side dish, and who doesn't like Panko....Brilliant! I served with roasted salmon (lemon juice, fish seasoning, pepper, and lemon pepper on 400 degrees for 18 minutes)

Ingredients:
~1 pound broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
~2 tablespoons olive oil
~2 cloves garlic, minced
~1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
~1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
~1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
~1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or sharp Cheddar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets into bite size pieces. Cut the stalk into 1/8-inch thick, round slices. Place the broccoli into a mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.

Spread the panko into a 13 by 9-inch metal cake pan and place into the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. (I skipped this step and just combined Panko with all other ingredients) Remove the panko from the oven and add to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine. Return the mixture to the cake pan (I used baking sheet sprayed with olive oil), place in the oven and roast just until the broccoli is tender, approx 10-15 minutes (I cooked at 400 for 18 minutes with Salmon) Just make sure half-way to flip broccoli or stir). Remove from the oven, toss in the cheese and serve immediately.

creamy tomato pasta

Well you know I have a love affair with pasta...and Chad was not going to be home for dinner so...I decided to make this, because I didn't have any energy to go out and pick something up & I had to make do with whatever I had in the cupboards. I didn't have a jar of pasta sauce, so I used a can of diced tomatoes to start. This was really easy & definitely hit the spot! I also really wanted to use my new freeze dried spices I found up north at a Glen's supermarket....hello?! I have never seen these at my Kroger...these are the best invention EVER...now I dont have to waste $4 bucks on a bunch of parsley or basil, because I only use about a 1/4 of it and it goes bad....seriously try to find these if you can, I bought the parsley & basil since that is what I use most in my recipes, but also contemplated the sage & dill because you dont even have to refrigerate them & 1tsp of freeze dried is = to 1 tsp of fresh.

ingredients: serves 2

~1/2 box of whole wheat pasta (I used Barilla While Wheat shells)

~10.4 oz can of diced tomatoes

~1/2 c. cooking wine or sherry

~1/2 c. chopped onion

~1 tsp. fresh basil

~2 garlic cloves, minced

~1 tbsp. light butter

~4oz. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)

~1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package.

In saucepan add butter and melt. Add minced garlic & onion and cook until tender. Add white wine and wait until it boils. Add in the diced tomatoes, cream cheese, basil & parmesan cheese. Boil and reduce to simmer for approx 2 minutes & serve over pasta. Enjoy!!