Vrai Bonheur Recipes

Salmon Skewers with Lemon-Parsley Pesto

2008-10-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup capers, drained
2 tsp grated lemon rind
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2.5 tbs extravirgin olive oil, divided
2 lbs skinless, boneless salmon fillets, cut into 1" chunks
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp ground pepper
Cooking Spray
4 cups hot cooked orzo
Parsley sprigs (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:
Prepare grill
Combine first 7 ingredients in a food processor. Add 1.5 tablespoons oil to herb mixture; process until smooth, scraping sides. Set aside.
Thread fish evenly on each of 16 skewers. Brush fish with remaining 1 tbs oil; sprinkle evenly with 1/4 tsp salt & pepper. Arrange skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 1 minute on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from grill and keep warm.
Combine orzo and remaining 1/4 tsp salt; toss well. Place 1/2 cup orzo on each of 8 plates; arrange 2 skewers on each plate. Top each serving with about 1 tbs herb mixture. Garnish with parsley sprigs & lemon wedges, if desired.

Reviews:
I made these over the summer for my Dad & his Fiance. They really liked them and fairly easy to make. If you want to get rid of the first 7 ingredients, and just used a pre made pesto, you could do that also. It may be a little easier.

Quick Spinach & Tomato Pasta

2008-10-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

1 lb whole-wheat pasta
1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 - 14 oz can tomatoes, drained
1 lb frozen spinach
Salt & Pepper
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute onion. Add tomatoes; simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; heat through. Drain the pasta, toss with sauce and season with salt & pepper. Top with feta.

Reviews:
This is a good recipe. We served it with fish and it made a good meal. This is a good recipe for a party and fairly low calories. About 352 calories.

Zucchini, Sausage & Feta Casserole

2008-10-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

2.5 cups uncooked ziti
8oz Sausage
Cooking Spray
1 tsp Olive Oil
5 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 1/5 lbs)
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup, crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes, omitting salt & fat, drain.

Remove casing from sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from pan. Heat oil in pan. Add zucchini, onion, salt, pepper and garlic. Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and zucchini begins to brown, stirring occasionally.

Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute. Combine zucchini mixture, pasta, sausage and feta cheese in a large bowl. Toss well. Spoon pasta mixture into a 11 X 7 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 degree for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Reviews:
Not too bad. Scott liked it. Recipe called for strips of onion which both of us didn't really like. So, next time I'll chop them up smaller.

Bow-Ties with Spinach & Cherry Tomatoes

2008-07-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

12 oz Bow-Tie Pasta
3 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic (I just used 3 garlic cloves)
1 bag (10oz) spinach
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 PT Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions:
-Cook Pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bow, set aside.
-Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add half the garlic, cook 30 second (you don't want to burn the garlic). Add half the spinach and a little salt & pepper. Saute 1 minute, or until spinach wilts. Add remaining spinach and cook until wilted. Transfer to bowl with pasta.
-Add remaining 2 Tbsp oil and rest of garlic to skillet. Cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and salt & pepper. Cook 1 or 2 minutes, or until tomatoes release their juices. Add to bowl with pasta.
-Add remaining ingredients to bowl and toss to combine.

Reviews:
This was one of the easiest recipes to make. And relatively good for you. Only about 525 calories. Scott isn't a huge sauce person, so I have started to make things that doesn't involve heavy sauces. Sam actually LOVED the Pine Nuts. I think he would just eat a whole handful of Pine Nuts if given the change.

Rustic Summer Squash Tart

2008-07-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb mixed summer squash, cut in 1/4-in. rounds
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp thyme or marjoram
Freshly ground pepper
1 refrigerated pie crust (from a 15-oz box)
4 oz Gorgonzola Cheese
1 roasted yellow or red pepper (from a jar) cut into strips
1 large plum tomato, sliced
1 large egg, beaten

Directions:
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add squash and shallots and cook, turning pieces as they start to color ... about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in thyme, garlic & pepper to taste. Cool at room temperature.
- Heat oven at 400 Degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; unroll or unfold pie crust on the parchment. With a rolling pin, roll cruise to a 13-in round. Crumble half the cheese over crust to within 2 in. of edge. Arrange squash mixture, pepper slices and tomato slices on cheese; fold edge of the crust over filling and brush crust with egg.
- Bake 35 - 40 minutes until pastry is golden. Slide tart, still on parchment, onto a wire rack. Crumble remaining cheese over top. Let cool before serving.

Reviews:
This wasn't bad. It had some good taste to it. Both Scott & I agreed that it was missing something but I am not sure exactly what. I think next time, I will make individual tarts for everyone. I'm not sure what else too add to it ... maybe it will come to me.

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp & Vegetables

2008-07-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 large red bell peppers, diced
2 lbs asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-in lengths
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined & no tails
1 cup vegi broth
1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Parsley

Directions:
- Heat 2 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, asparagus, lemon zest and salt and cook. Stir occasionally, until just begins to soften, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl; cover to keep warm.
-Add the remaining 2 tsp oil and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk broth and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth and add to the pan along with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve the shrimp and sauce over the vegetables.

Reviews:
It was good. We'd make it again. Sam really loved the Shrimp. And it was a really easy recipe to make.

Beef and Asparagus Stir-Fry

2008-07-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp Instant Beef Flavor Bouillon
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 lb fresh asparagus cut into 2-inch pieces
12 oz beef sirloin trimmed and thinly sliced
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup carrot strips
2 cup (6 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms
2 green onions, sliced
3 cups hot cooked rice

Directions:
- Combine: Water, Soy Sauce, Bouillon & Cornstarch in small bowl.
- Heat oil in large skillet. Add asparagus, beef, bell pepper, onion and carrot; cook, stirring frequently, until beef is no longer pink.
- Add muschrooms and green onions; cook until tender. Stir in soy sauce mixture. Cook. Stirring constantly, until sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Servce over rice. Season with the pepper.

Reviews:
This was pretty good. But Scott did say that it tasted pretty salty towards him. So next time I make it, I will probably not use as much soy sauce. I have a feeling that might have been it.

Mini Meatloaves

2008-06-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

12 oz lean ground beef
12 oz lean ground pork
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup oats
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp low-fat milk
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1.5 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Coat 8 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Mix beef, pork, egg, oats, parsley, 2 tablespoons ketchup, milk, onion, salt & pepper in a large bowl.
3. Form the mixture into 8 balls and place in the muffin cups. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup & Worcestershire sauce and spread about 1/2 teaspoon over each mini meatloaf.
4. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet. Bake the meatloaves until their internal temperature reaches 160 ... about 30 minutes. Pour off fat before serving.

Reviews:
So Sam LOVED helping me make these. He thought it was a kick. And he loved getting his hands "ewwey gooey slimy" with making the balls. There was still something that was missing with these. I may try adding more ketchup or some more seasonings. I'll have to continue to play around with it. I did love putting the meatloaves into the muffin tins! Perfect sizes.

Tuna Pomodoro

2008-06-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

8 oz Whole-Wheat Spaghetti
2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
A pinch of Crushed Red Peppers
1 28oz Can of Diced Tomatoes
1 6oz can Tuna, Drained & Flaked

Instructions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti, stirring occasionally, according to directions. Drain.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for only about 1 minutes. Add red peppers & cook for another minute. Add tomatoes, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes. Stir in tuna and cook for maybe about another 10 minutes.
3. Divide spaghetti and top with sauce.

The Reviews:
Scott said that he really liked it. I think something was missing though in the recipe and I am not exactly sure what it is. I might try it with Italian Seasonings or more garlic next time.

Scott & Andrea's Quiche

2008-05-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

As I was driving home from the office last night, Scott asked me what I had thought about for dinner. I said, "Well, I found this recipe for a Ham Casserole." He then suggested that we make a Quiche. So this was our couples Quiche:

6 Eggs
1/2 Cup Bisquick
1 Cup Ham cut in Cubes
1 Can of Mushrooms or 1/2 Cup fresh Mushrooms
1 Cup Baby Spinach
1 Green Bell Pepper Cut into Cubes
1.5 Cups of Cheddar Cheese

Directions:
Mix the Eggs & Bisquick together until very well blended. Greece and 9X11 Pan. Combine the Ham, Mushrooms, Spinach & Bell Peppers. Evenly poor in the Eggs & Bisquick. Layer the top with Cheese.
Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes or until top layer of Cheese is brown.

Shrimp & Mushrooms in the Rice Cooker

2008-04-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

1 Cup Rice
1 Cup Onions
1/2 C. Celery
1/2 C. Bell Pepper ... I used a Green Bell Pepper
14 oz Can Beed Broth
1 Stick Unsalted Butter
2 lbs Frozen Shrimp
1 Can Mushrooms ... Don't drain, just dump it in.
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Easiest Recipe ever! Cut everything up and throw everything into your Rice Cooker. Turn it on and when the button goes off, you will have made an amazing meal that is highly liked.

The Reviews:
My husband again raved about this. He said it was very good. Our 5 year old loved the shrimp. Next time I will add maybe 2 cans of Mushrooms & a little more Shrimp.

One Pot ... Pesto, Tomatoes & Beans

2008-04-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 Can Vegetable Broth
1 Cup or more of Water
3 1/2 Cups Bow Tie or Spiral Noodles
1 Can White Beans (just pick your favorite white beans)
1 Container Bertolli Pesto (7oz)
2 Medium Tomatoes ... Chopped
Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
Combine Vegetable Broth & Water in large saucepan, you want the liquids to be able 3 cups. (I did about 2 cups Vegetable Broth & 1 cup water) Bring to a boil. Add Pasta. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes or until pasta is tender and broth has reduced to about 1/2 cup; do not drain. Reduce heat to low; add pesto. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has reduced slightly. Stir in tomatoes and beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese before serving. Season with ground black pepper, if desired.

The Reviews:
Scott absolutely LOVED this recipe. He even commented how good it was to his parents. Just have fun with it. You don’t have to follow the recipe exactly. And the dish was even good the day after as my left over lunch.

Virgin Blog - Recipe Style

2008-04-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

So this was an idea I had in the shower this morning. I am not sure how well it will work out, but lets try it. This idea started yesterday with a problem I have.

I LOVE COOKING!

Love it! I don't think my husband realizes the amount I love to cook. And I have some really great recipes out there. Most of the recipes I find, I take and mix them up, take out ingredients, add ingredients and make them my own. The problem I have, is I have a whole cupboard full of recipes. And I don't tend to make the same recipe again because of a few factors:

I don't plan ahead.
I don't have time to go thru my whole cupboard of recipes.
If on the off chance I actually make a recipe again, I don't remember what I did to make it so good.
Once I get to work, I start thinking about what to have for dinner. So I jump online to see if there is a recipe I like and can make my own.
And I don't have my recipes with me to see if there is a recipe that I really liked and want to have again.

So my solution to my problem ... make another Blog just dedicated to recipes.

Now, one good thing I am hoping I will come away with is I will actually learn how to spell recipe!

Also ... I am not a cook! I am a Mom (well techniquely a Step-Mom currently but we are working on that part now) and I work full time and own a few online companies. I put on recipes that I like and my family likes. These recipes are not professional by any means. I am just trying to find something that my husband and son will like. Just a good Home Cooked Meal.