Cream cheese stuffed strawberries (lovingly dipped in graham crackers) – perfection.

I’m still on a cream cheese and strawberry kick this week and Dan isn’t complaining a bit. I made cream cheese stuffed strawberries (dipped in graham crackers and sprinkled with chocolate shavings) and they were all gone within five minutes. I ate two. Dan ate – and I kid you not – fifteen. In five minutes.

That has to be a record. By the time I got comfortable on the couch there were only three left. Only men get this kind of freedom without seeing it add on to their weight a mere hour later. Luckily he saved me from that by eating them!

Cream cheese stuffed strawberries.

Ingredients:

One (small) package of strawberries

8 oz. cream cheese (low fat if it makes you feel better, like it did me).

3/4 cup powdered sugar.

2 oz. honey graham crackers (3 whole crackers)

Chocolate (for shavings).

Mix cream cheese and sugar until fully blended.

Cut ends of strawberries so that they can balance upright without falling.

Remove leaves.

Hollow out strawberries – try to avoid cutting straight through and creating a hole.

Fill strawberries with about 1/2 a tsp of cream cheese.

Dip strawberries in graham cracker crumbs.

Top strawberries with chocolate shavings.

Gorgonzola garlic butter – even better than it sounds.

This evening, before the downpour began, I had a serious craving for some steak. I have to be completely honest with you, I’ve never been that great at steak, but this one turned out pretty phenomenal. Maybe it had something to do with the Gorgonzola garlic butter I whipped up while waiting for the potatoes to boil. Maybe it was all that butter I used in general. Either way, here’s a recipe for a quick fix that will make your meal taste that much better.

Gorgonzola Garlic Butter.

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves.

3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola.

1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature).

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel garlic cloves and wrap in aluminum foil.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Blend Gorgonzola, butter, and baked garlic cloves (should be mushy now) together.

Chill in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes, preferably 30. I only waited about 15.

Add a dollop of the Gorgonzola garlic butter on top of a steak while it’s still hot.

Suggestions: I served this on grilled filet mignon (unseasoned), with mushrooms sauteed in garlic butter and garlic mashed potatoes. It sounds like a lot of garlic, but I swear it’s amazing!

Pizza Smothered Chicken.

I love pizza. I could eat pizza every day. In fact, a couple of weeks ago I did eat pizza every day. Dan and I ordered $67 worth of Pizza Hut in one day. For a moment there, I felt like I may not be able to, in fact, sustain my love for it, but the feeling of disgust quickly faded. Now I’m back to needing it in my life once again.

 Here’s a little different take on chicken that somehow managed to satisfy my craving for pizza, and finally added a little variety to my week.

Pizza smothered chicken.

Ingredients:

Olive oil (for frying).

Fresh mozzarella cheese (about 3 ounces).

¾ cup pizza sauce.

1 cup mushrooms.

1 garlic clove.

1 tbs butter.

½ of 1 tomato (on the vine type preferred).

3 small boneless chicken breasts, about ½ lb total.

1 egg.

½ cup panko breadcrumbs.

½ cup parmesan cheese + 1 tsp for topping.

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning.

1 tablespoon basil.

Heat up olive oil in frying pan on low-medium heat.

Mix breadcrumbs, ½ cup parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and basil in small bowl.

Stir egg in separate bowl to combine yolk and white.

Dip chicken breasts in egg and then in the breadcrumb mixture.

Fry for ten minutes or until cooked through, flipping breasts every 2 minutes or so.

In the meantime, sauté mushrooms in garlic and butter for about 4-5 minutes, until softened. Set aside.

Turn oven (or toaster oven, my preference) on broil.

Top each chicken breast with a slice of fresh mozzarella, about 1 ounce. I use the big mozzarella balls sold in the cheese section of grocery stores.

Put in oven for 4-5 minutes, only until cheese softens and melts over the chicken.

Top with 1/4 cup pizza sauce (warmed will taste better), tomato (cubed or sliced), mushroom, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese.

Enjoy.

Five Minute Tomato and Basil Bruschetta Appetizer.

Eat Pray Love has ignited the joy of cooking in me this evening! Later this week, I’ll be sure to cook something fabulous, but tonight I’m thinking light and quick.

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta Appetizer.

Prep time: 3 minutes.

Cook time: 2 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 tomato, chopped.

6 fresh, large basil leaves, chopped.

1 ounce fresh mozzarella, chopped.

2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette.

2 tsp fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano (not pictured).

10 pieces of a french baguette.

Set toaster oven on “toast” setting – or, alternatively, the bread can be grilled as well.

Toss tomato, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic vinaigrette in small bowl.

Place french baguette pieces in oven, toast for 2 minutes or until crispy.

Place about 1 tsp of earlier mix onto each piece of bread.

Cover each with a dash of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Serve and enjoy.

 

A 5 Minute Maple Sugar Granola & Raspberry Parfait and a Comedy

I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do more this Saturday night, make an elaborate dessert or lounge on the couch in my pjs. Both sounded equally appealing. Then I thought to myself- why can’t I do both?

I put Bridesmaids in – what a funny movie – and got to work.

…..Five minutes later I was done.

And the best part? The previews hadn’t even finished.

Maple Sugar Granola & Raspberry Parfait

Prep time: 5 minutes.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

2 cups Greek yogurt – vanilla or other preferred flavor.

1 cup maple sugar granola

1 cup raspberries

Step one: Fill dessert glass with 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt.

Step two: Sprinkle about 1/4 cup maple sugar granola (found in the nut section of your local grocery store).

Step three: Cover granola with 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt.

Step four: Top with 1/2 cup of raspberries and sprinkle another 1/4 cup granola on top as garnish.

Step five: Repeat above steps in second dessert glass.

Note: Different kinds of granola, yogurt, and fruit can be substituted as desired. I also recommend adding some grated chocolate on top 🙂