Semi-Homemade Raspberry-Lemon Cheesecake Bites

Why do I love mini food so much? Is it because I'm mini? At 5'0, I rarely get to look others in the eye. Is it because I have mini kids? Or maybe mini food makes me feel better about eating ten? Regardless of what it is, the smaller food is, the happier it makes me.


This idea came after making those mini quiches. The little pie crusts were so easy to make that the possibilities became endless. Then I discovered that you can buy premade cheesecake filling that requires no baking.



That combined with a layer of lemon curd, and a bright raspberry, and you have one (or ten) tasty little bite!

Semi-Homemade Raspberry-Lemon Cheesecake Bite
A Blog About Food

Ingredients (Makes 48)

2 refrigerated rolled pie crusts
1 tub cheese cake filling
1 jar lemon curd
1 container of raspberries, washed (just about any berry would work)

Directions

Preheat oven to temperature on pie crust box. Unroll pie crust, flour on either size and roll out to almost twice it's size. Use a round glass or biscuit cutter to cut out circles to fit a greased mini muffin pan. Bake according to directions. (You'll do this twice). Allow to cool.

Fill each pie crust with cheesecake filling, a layer of lemon curd and top with one berry.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Sometimes I think casseroles get a bad rap. Sure, they don't always make the healthiest meal, but when you think about it, you can basically fit your carb, meat, and vegetable all in the same dish. Not a bad deal for a busy weeknight. It's also pretty great when it's a casserole full of your favorite Mexican flavors. Salsa verde, corn tortillas, chicken thighs and lots of cilantro, so good! And while these don't quite qualify as enchiladas, this might be the best flavored enchilada dish I've ever had! And as far as health is concerned, this is a Cooking Light casserole, so I've got you covered there too!



Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Cooking Light March 2011

Ingredients

Cooking spray
4 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chopped onion, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup salsa verde
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeño pepper
9 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side. Place skillet in oven; bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; shred. Discard bones. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, corn, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) to chicken; toss to combine.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 garlic cloves; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine.

4. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, broth, salsa, 1/4 cup water, and jalapeño in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Carefully pour mixture into a blender; add 2 tablespoons cilantro. Process until smooth (if you have an immersion blender, it comes in very handy for this part).

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove tortillas from pan; repeat procedure with remaining tortillas. Cut tortillas into quarters.

6. Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 12 tortilla quarters over salsa mixture. Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Pour remaining salsa mixture over tortillas; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Top with remaining cilantro.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 371 cal, 12g fat, 23g prot, 45g carb, 5g fiber,

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

Isn't it funny how your tastes change as you get older? When I was younger, the worst words ever uttered from my mom were "we're having meat loaf for dinner." NOOOOOOOO! And the food wars began.

Now I think meat loaf is great, I've made several different kinds, and I make them often. I think that's what I like so much about it, it's so versatile!

The first thing I thought after I made these was how fun they would be for entertaining. I love the idea of everyone getting their own little meat loaf, it feels so welcoming and personalized. Plus, you can't go wrong with a meat loaf that is gushing with cheesy pockets, and full of great flavor. Give these a try, you'll love them!

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis
Cooking Light January 2011

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (about 1 ounce)
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.

3. While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done.

Serves 6

Per Serving: 256 cal, 11g fat, 28g prot, 11g carb, 0.9g fiber

Have your tastes changed? What kinds of things do you like more/less now that you're older?

Mini Quiches

I always think about quiche this time of year. Maybe it's the eggs, representing Easter. Maybe it's the bright yellow color representing spring. Either way, I'm not complaining because quiche is awesome!

I made these sweeties for a baby shower. I have a thing about turning food mini and these little quiches are much easier to make then you think. A store bought pie crust helps a lot, just line your mini muffin tins with a cut out piece of pastry, fill and bake! They're the best warm, but also taste great at room temp, making them perfect for say an upcoming Easter Egg hunt, or brunch you have coming up!



Mini Quiches
Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients

2 sheets store-bought pie crust
6 slices bacon, diced
1 onions, finely diced
6 eggs
1 cup cream
1 cup grated cheese, I used sharp cheddar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (I used fresh)
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the onion and bacon over a low heat until the onion is softened.

2. Allow to cool a little.

3. Mix together with the eggs, cream, cheese, parsley and salt and pepper.

4. Unroll pie pastry, dish with flour and roll with rolling pin until it's increased in size by about a third. Using a cookie cutter or glass, cut 12 circles from each pastry sheet.

5. Use these to line a greased mini muffin pan.

6. Place about 2 teaspoons of the egg and bacon mix in each pastry base.

7. Bake in a moderate oven for about 12 minutes per tray (or until puffed, golden and set).

8. repeat with remaining pastry sheets and mix.

My kids made paper crowns for their little bunnies, they're so dang cute!

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad

Ah spring. It's glorious isn't it? It's warm, sunny, bright, and CLEAN! The air is fresh, the grass is covering all the mud, and everyone is scrubbing and purging for the bright new season. Our dinner tables start to look different too. Instead of rich creamy soups and casseroles, we see a lot more fresh veggies and grilled meats.

This pasta salad definitely fits in that category. Penne pasta full of bright, fresh veggies, tangy roasted chicken breast and tossed in a light, but flavorful dressing. It's served cold or at room temp, which makes it perfect for a picnic. Just the thing you'd want to do on a beautiful spring day.

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad
Adapted from Cooking Light August 2005

Ingredients

1/2 pound uncooked penne rigate
2 chicken breasts
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato (about 2 tomatoes)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (I used a blend of Mexican seasonings instead, about 2 teaspoons)
3 teaspoons chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Rub chicken breasts in lemon pepper and drizzle in olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and juices are clear. Let chicken cool and dice it.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add Chicken and next 5 ingredients (through tomato); toss well to combine.

3. Combine orange juice and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill. (Be sure to season well to your liking).

Happy Spring!!

Coconut Chicken Fingers

I had made a brief mention of these a week or so ago when I was in utter despair over my lost cameras. But as you know, the camera crisis had a happy ending and now I can give this chicken the credit it deserves.

My family doesn't like shrimp. None of them. I know. But, trooper that I am, I've learned to curb my shrimp cravings with similar substitutes like this fabulous coconut chicken.



This was the perfect meal to also experiment with my new olive oils that I received from Foodbuzz. When I was younger I had no idea that different oils served different purposes. I'm pretty sure I used olive oil in cake mixes several times. And while it probably wouldn't ruin your dish to use a less suitable oil, certain oils are best put to use in different things. The light olive oil is best for frying and baking, extra virgin for dipping, dressings and sauces, and pure for grilling, sauteing and marinades. I definitely learned something!



So I decided to have an oily night (yeah, oily just isn't a good adjective, even when you understand the context, but I digress) by using the light oil to shallow fry my chicken, and the pure oil to saute my peppers. They both turned out wonderfully. The chicken was sweet, crispy and a total family pleaser. The peppers were done simply, sliced and sauteed with salt and pepper, also sweet and crispy, a perfect side for the chicken.



Coconut Chicken Fingers
Cooking Light 2011

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup rice flour
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
3 tablespoons canola oil
Sweet chile sauce (optional, but I highly recommend it!)

Directions

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine buttermilk and egg in a shallow dish, stirring well. Place coconut in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour; shake off excess. Dip chicken in egg mixture; dredge in coconut.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Serve with chile sauce, if desired.

Serves 6

Per Serving: 298 cal, 12g fat, 28g prot, 1g fiber

Baked Penne and Sausage Supper

It's been a hectic morning, but we're already done for the day, and now we are all in jammies watching Tangled. Have you seen Tangled yet? I'm pretty sure it's the cutest cartoon ever made.

And while we are all snuggling and munching on Pirate's Booty, it's hitting me how important it is to embrace the small things that make us happy. We can't always escape life with a cruise or ease the pressure of life with a new car, but we can be grateful for life's day to day mercies and gifts. Here are some of those things for me...

*Reading a book and reaching that twist or climax in the plot that makes me gasp, or laugh out loud (resulting in really weird looks from my family).

*The store clerk that comps a treat for my kids and has them smiling all afternoon.

*Finding that article of clothing that fits so well that you're convinced it was made JUST for you.

*A three hour gab fest with your best friend at Cheesecake Factory, Buffalo Blasts included.

*A passing kiss on the arm from your little boy who in that moment just needed to let you know that he loves you.

*Your husband coming home early, when you didn't plan on him coming back until way past dinner.

*Eating a dish full of pasta, AND sausage, AND cheese, without feeling any guilt because it happens to be light!

Baked Penne and Sausage Supper
America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces hot or sweet Italian turkey sausage, cut out of it's casing
salt and pepper
8 ounces whole wheat pasta (I used regular)
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking dish with vegetable oil spray and set aside. Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until mostly smooth, about 5 pulses.

2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Stir in the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in the processed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until almost al dente but still firm to the bite. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

5. Add the meat sauce and reserved cooking water to the pasta and toss to combine. spread half of the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining pasta and 1/2 cup mozzarella.

6. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let cook for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4: 1 serving is 1 4 inch square

Per Serving: 380 cal, 13g fat, 45g carb, 22g prot, 8g fiber



What are some of the small things that make YOU happy?

Homemade Tartar Sauce

I'm playing a little game right now, it's called, "I'm Not Going Grocery Shopping Until I've Managed To Use Up Most of the Food That Is Already In My Freezer Or Pantry."

And it's taking FOREVER!

I guess I'm just in a spring cleaning mode right now, but I'm having an increasingly harder time buying food when I have a ton of food, just not food that fits in my meal planning. So that's what we've been eating lately. And while on occasion I don't mind whipping up a box of Hamburger Helper (just finished the last box, thank you!), I just don't think I can take many more freezer or boxed meals.



The bonus to having frozen salmon burgers for dinner, is at least it lends itself to something homemade, which is why I happily whipped up this fantastic tartar sauce. It was really easy to put together, and since I apparently have a ton of random food to use up, it didn't require an extra trip to the store either. This is one of those things that you want to make a day or two in advance with time, the flavors just get stronger and more delicious. We all loved this tartar sauce, it's so tangy and perfect for all of your seafood needs.



Homemade Tartar Sauce
Adapted from Food.com

Ingredients

1 cup lowfat mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped sweet onions (less if you're not big on onion flavor)
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, or any preferred seasoning, seasoned salt would be good too
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon capers, chopped

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

2. It is best to make this about an hour before you plan to serve it so the flavors can blend.

Caprese Panini

Spring is here! And Spring means spring cleaning, which doesn't just happen in my closets, it happens in my fridge too. And as much as I love the rich comforts of soups, chilis and casseroles, I am ready for clean, light, colorful food, just like the season.



One of my very favorite warm weather dishes is the Caprese salad. Sweet tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and aromatic basil, it's to die for! I'll eat it in any form, including in a melty panini, which is exactly what I did. Recently Foodbuzz sent me a sample loaf of Natures Pride Whole Wheat Bread with Flax. The bread is wonderful, nutty and wholesome, which was exactly what was needed for a good sandwich. It's such a bright, and fresh sandwich with nothing but clean beautiful ingredients. I could eat this every day, especially when the weather is nice, the Diet Coke is cold, and there is a good book waiting for me!



Caprese Panini

Ingredients for one sandwich

2 slices Natures Pride Whole Wheat Bread with Flax (or preferred bread)
1-2 tomatoes sliced
4 large basil leaves
3-4 slices fresh mozzarella (be sure it's fresh, it's just better)
salt and pepper

Directions

Assemble sandwich with cheese in center to hold it all together, season to taste. Press in panini press, or on skillet with a weight to hold it down. Enjoy!