Jalapeño Popper Chicken (THM S)

This quick and easy main dish packs in all the flavor of bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers without a ton of the work. I’ve even included in a more kid-friendly option, so the whole family can enjoy it.

Jalapeño poppers are one of my favorite things. I mean, cheese, spicy peppers, and bacon?! How can you go wrong?

I roasted my jalapeños under the broiler for a few minutes to soften them. Turn on your broiler to “normal,” halve the peppers lengthwise and spritz with coconut oil spray. Roast on both sides for about 5-7 minutes or until the skin begins to blister.

Place the peppers into a heat-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap then cool. This helps steam the pepper and release the skin from the flesh of the pepper. When they’re cool enough to handle, peel the skin away and roughly chop.

If you prefer them raw, just finely mince them instead of chopping so that there aren’t any huge pieces of raw pepper.

Next, grill 2lbs of thinly cut chicken breasts. My shortcut is to use the scallopini cut breasts from the store, but you can also slice them thinner yourself. Season simply with salt and pepper, and throw them onto the grill.

Mix the jalapeño with softened cream cheese, salt and pepper, then top each breast with a few tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture and top with shredded sharp cheddar. [For the kiddos, I did not add jalapeño to their cream cheese. My daughter enjoys spicy food, but my son not so much.]

Bake the chicken for about 10 minutes at 350, or until the cheeses are melted and bubbling.

Top with chopped cooked bacon, and enjoy!

My kiddos are bacon lovers, and they devoured this main dish. The best part for me was how easy it was to make. I prepped the bacon and roasted peppers ahead of time, then the rest (with sides) came together in about 15 minutes. Perfect for those busy weeknights!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission off of purchases made using these links. If you’re interested in fitness, the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, or just living a more healthy life, please consider using one or more of the links below. The money made helps me feed my growing family and keeps this blog running with free recipes. Thank you!

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Credit: Erin Murray, My Fling with Food

Ingredients

• 2lbs scallopini (or thinly sliced) chicken breasts
• 3 jalapeños, roasted and chopped
• 6oz softened cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Grill the chicken breasts and set aside.
2. Combine the roasted jalapeños with the softened cream cheese. *If you have kids you’re making this for also, reserve some of the cream cheese without jalapeños for their portions.
3. Top each chicken breast with about 2 Tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture, spreading it around evenly.
4. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar, and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, or broil for about 5-7 minutes.
5. Top with crumbled bacon and enjoy!

Creamy Cauli Grits (THM S)

Let me tell you about one of my new favorite sides – cauliflower grits!

Cauliflower is a super food that can take on many roles – mashed cauliflower, roasted cauliflower, cauliflower steaks, and dairy free Alfredo sauce, just to name a few.

I’ve tried these grits a few times, but this recipe really hit it out of the park. They were creamy, flavorful, and a perfect breakfast or dinner pairing. This recipe actually went with my Southern-Style Shrimp and Grits, but I also ate the leftovers as a lovely breakfast side a few days later.

The best part is that these come together in under 10 minutes, and all you need is a microwave and a food processor.

Start by roughly chopping a small head of raw cauliflower. Toss it all into your food processor, and pulse until it’s finely minced. [Do not rinse out the raw cauli bits after pulsing. It helps add texture to your grits, so leave ’em.

Place the minced cauliflower into a microwave-safe bowl and cover with heat-safe plastic wrap. No water, nothing added to the cauliflower – just cover it. Throw it into the microwave on high for 6-7 minutes. My microwave is aging, so it generally takes longer whereas newer microwaves will take less time to cook the cauliflower. It won’t be completely soft – it will still have an al dente “bite” to it, but that’s what you want!

Carefully peel back the plastic, then place the (hot!) cauliflower back into your food processor (with the raw bits), add the butter, nutritional yeast, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, a few shakes of hot sauce, and the cream/half and half. Pulse a few more times until the grits are creamy and all the ingredients are incorporated. Season liberally with salt and pepper, and serve right away.

You won’t believe how easy it is to make these cauli grits. It’s one of those low-maintenance sides you can throw together in minutes while your main dish simmers.

And can we talk about TASTY?! The texture alone was just dreamy. You hear cauli grits and think, “OK, just more cauliflower mush.” NOPE. They have texture and depth of flavor – you get a little heat from the hot pepper sauce and creaminess from the butter, cream cheese, and sharp cheddar – it’s the perfect balance.

Try these with your low carb breakfast or for dinner (Shrimp and Grits, HAY). They’re perfect any time!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission off of purchases made using these links. If you’re interested in fitness, the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, or just living a more healthy life, please consider using one or more of the links below. The money made helps me feed my growing family and keeps this blog running with free recipes. Thank you!

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 10 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Credit: Erin Murray, My Fling with Food

Ingredients

• 1 small head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 1/3 c grated sharp cheddar cheese (bagged or fresh grated is fine)
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2oz cream cheese
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2-3 Tbsp heavy cream or half and half
• 8-10 dashes hot sauce
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Add the raw cauliflower to a food processor and pulse until finely minced.
2. Place into a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 7-8 minutes. (Newer microwaves start on the lower time. Don’t rinse the raw bits of cauliflower out of your food processor.)
3. Carefully remove the plastic and place the hot cauliflower back into the food processor.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as needed. Serve immediately.

Low Carb Gruyère Chive Biscuits (THM S)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission off of purchases made using these links. If you’re interested in fitness, the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, or just living a more healthy life, please consider using one or more of the links below. The money made helps me feed my growing family and keeps this blog running with free recipes. Thank you!

I have been working on my biscuits recipes, trying new things, and tweaking a few recipes. I listened to some of your critiques of my parmesan garlic biscuits, and tweaked the recipe a bit to add some moisture. Then I started building on that recipe, and created deliciously cheesy Gruyère Chive Biscuits.

Believe me, these sound so fancy but they’re easy with just a touch of elegance.

Gruyère is a hard yellow cheese that you typically find atop French onion soup. It’s nutty, buttery, slightly salty, but very mild in flavor (hence, being an excellent pairing in your biscuits!). For this recipe, I actually used smoked Gruyère for a little hint of smoky flavor, but feel free to use regular as well.

When I’m baking, I always throw together my dry ingredients first – it’s just how I work. In a small bowl, combine the coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, cheese, and fresh chives.

Then cut in the softened butter with a fork, and add the beaten eggs.

As you can see, this dough is fairly wet (which means more moisture!). I used a small measuring cup to get even portions of the dough, about 1/4 c or 1/3 c measure should do.

Scoop it out, add it to a lightly sprayed cast iron skillet (or parchment-lined baking sheet), spacing them about 1/4 – 1/2 inch apart.

I like my biscuits to have nice buttery, brown tops, so I brushed them with about 2 Tablespoons of melted butter.

Pop them into a 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes (watch the sides and bottoms for doneness).

Look at those beauties!

The tops get a little cracked (a la traditional biscuits) and the bottoms have a light crunch. The cheese melts into the biscuits and the chives add a very delicate onion flavor. The texture is fluffy, light, and moist.

Enjoy these alongside any S meal. We had these with our Loaded No-Tato Soup last week, and I tell ya – my kids get SO excited for biscuits. They are biscuit maniacs, and I’m just happy we can ALL have biscuits that are good for us.

• Servings: Makes 6
• Time: 35 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Credit: Erin Murray, My Fling with Food

Ingredients

• 1 c almond flour
• 3 Tbsp coconut flour
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 c Gruyère cheese (smoked or regular)
• 2 Tbsp fresh chives
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine the coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, cheese, and fresh chives in a small bowl.
3. Cut in the softened unsalted butter with a fork, then add the beaten eggs.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, or small measuring cup, scoop the biscuit batter into even portions and place into a lightly sprayed cast iron skillet (or a parchment-lined baking sheet is perfectly fine too) about 1/4 – 1/2 inch apart.
5. Brush the tops lightly with a few Tablespoons of melted butter.
6. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned. *NOTE: Check the sides and bottom for browning, as they will get darker before the tops get very browned. Serve warm with a little extra melted butter, if you like.

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Low Carb Chunky No-Tato Soup (THM S)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission off of purchases made using these links. If you’re interested in fitness, the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, or just living a more healthy life, please consider using one or more of the links below. The money made helps me feed my growing family and keeps this blog running with free recipes. Thank you!

There is nothing more comforting in these cold Winter months than a big bowl of soup. And who doesn’t love a good loaded “potato” fake-out?

This soup comes together in one pot, however you will need a blender or food processor to get it nice and smooth.

The base of this soup is cauliflower. What I love about cauliflower is that it’s basically a blank canvas – it’s very versatile and you can make the flavor whatever your heart desires. I added some extra flavor by putting some onions, celery, and garlic into the broth with the cauliflower.

All of those soften together in a large Dutch oven. Rapidly simmer all the vegetables together in chicken (or vegetable) broth for about 12-14 minutes, or until everything is super soft.

While that’s happening, peel and dice a small bunch of radishes. [I know, peeling radishes is totally a pain in the rear. Trust me, if you don’t want those things turning pink, just peel.]  Boil them in some salted water for about 8-10 minutes until fork tender. Drain when finished

If you want to use some cooked bacon as a topper, you can use some leftover from the morning or you can cook some fresh in a separate pan.

Puree the vegetables and broth together until smooth, and place it back into the warm pot. Add the nutritional yeast, cream, and seasoning.

Turn off the heat, add some fresh chives and the cooked diced radishes, then serve.

As far as toppings go, use whatever you like for a loaded baked potato – sour cream, chives, cheese, bacon, etc. I used smoked gruyère cheese, bacon, and chives. Gruyère is a rich, soft cheese you typically see atop French onion soup. I had some left over I was also using for biscuits that night, so feel free to use whatever you like – blue cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack.

This soup was DELICIOUS. Comforting, creamy, and satisfying. The bacon and smoked cheese added a little salty bite, while chives brought some freshness to the soup. My kids gobbled it down, and my cauliflower-skeptic husband scarfed down not one but TWO bowls of it. HA.

I’ll call that a win!

Chunky No-Tato Soup (THM S)

• Servings: 6-8
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Credit: Erin Murray, My Fling with Food

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 1/2 large red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• 3 stalks celery with leafy parts, diced
• 1 32oz container broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 1 small bunch of radishes, peeled and diced
• 1 c water
• 1 c cream
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• seasoning blend to taste (salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, ground celery root, parsley)
• 3 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
Toppings of choice:
• cooked bacon
• cheese (cheddar, blue, pepper jack, parmesan, gruyère, etc.)
• additional chives
• sour cream

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the cauliflower, onion, garlic, celery, salt and pepper. Saute over medium-low heat until the onions start to develop some color, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the broth and water, cover, bring to a rapid simmer, and continue rapidly simmering covered for 12-14 minutes until vegetables are fully cooked and very soft.
3. While that’s happening, bring the radishes to boil in a small pot of lightly salted water. Boil them for 8-10 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain and set aside.
4. When the cauliflower is fully cooked, puree the mixture in one or multiple batches in a high-powdered blender or food processor until smooth.
5. Add the puree back to the Dutch oven and turn the heat down to low. Add the cream, nutritional yeast, cooked radishes, and any additional seasoning.
6. Turn off the heat, add the chives, and serve.

Low Carb Parmesan Garlic Biscuits (THM S)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission off of purchases made using these links. If you’re interested in fitness, the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, or just living a more healthy life, please consider using one or more of the links below. The money made helps me feed my growing family and keeps this blog running with free recipes. Thank you!

As I was making my zucc-ghetti and meatballs last week, I was really itching for a dunker. You know, something you can pull apart and use to scoop up spaghetti sauce remnants. Don’t pretend like you don’t do it. Everyone does.

I didn’t want to crossover, so I decided to whip up some garlic biscuits.

The gluten free flour base I used was a mix of fine almond flour and coconut flour. If you have THM Baking Blend, you can also use that in place of the almond flour.

The best thing about this recipe is how easy it is. It comes together in one bowl, and the ingredients are pretty straight forward. (I don’t know about you, but I personally love recipes that are easy to make, and don’t require my entire pantry.)

Start by combining all the ingredients except the eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk the eggs together before adding them to the rest of your ingredients, and combine using a fork or pastry cutter, if you have it. The mixture should be homogeneous and easy-to-form. (Not too dry!)

The dough should stick together without feeling dry or crumbly.

Form the dough into palm-sized domes with your hands, and place it into a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Place the dough about 1/2 inch apart, as they will puff/spread a little.

Brush the tops with some melted butter, and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden.

Puffy, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

You can brush the tops with a little more melted butter after baking, if you wish. It helps keep them moist.

• Servings: Makes 6
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Credit: Erin Murray, My Fling with Food

Ingredients

• 1 c fine almond flour or 3/4 c THM Baking Blend
• 3 Tbsp coconut flour, reduce to 1 Tbsp if using Baking Blend
• 5 Tbsp softened, unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 c grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
• 3-4 Tbsp melted butter (for brushing)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients except eggs in a medium-sized bowl, and begin to cut together. Add the beaten eggs and continue cutting until the fully mixed. The mixture should stick together without feeling dry or crumbly.
3. Form the dough into palm-sized domes and place in a 10-inch cast iron skillet about 1/2 an inch apart.
4. Brush the tops with melted butter, and bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven, and apply more melted butter to the tops (if you wish). Serve immediately (while they last!).

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Lamb Spanakopita Burgers with Tzatziki (THM S)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission off of purchases made using these links. If you’re interested in fitness, the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, or just living a more healthy life, please consider using one or more of the links below. The money made helps me feed my growing family and keeps this blog running with free recipes. Thank you!

I love Greek food. I think I must have some Greek in my background, because I just can’t get enough of their food.

I also love a good burger. You can make a burger however you want it – with bacon and eggs, with onion jam and barbecue sauce, with grilled pineapple and teriyaki sauce, or with tzatziki over salad. Endless possibilities!

For the tzatziki sauce, I combined fat free Greek yogurt, lemon juice, dill, finely diced cucumbers, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Let it hang out in the fridge while the burgers cook so that the flavors have a chance to get to know one another.

For these burgers, I started with a base of ground lamb. If you’re hesitant to use lamb, can’t find lamb in your grocery store, or think it’s too expensive to use just use ground beef (or a mix of beef/pork, if you like).

In fact, by using different meat (with different fat content) you could make this an E or FP meal. As it is, if you used 96% or higher lean ground beef this would be a FP because there are no significant carbs in this meal. If you want to be in E territory, you could sandwich these babies between a sprouted bun (*Note that this is for a case of 6).

I seasoned the lamb with shallots, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, ground cinnamon, frozen cut leaf spinach, and feta cheese crumbles. Then I threw in one egg, and mixed it all up with my hands, formed a loaf in the bottom of my bowl, and scored it with my hand to make sure I got even patties.

When I form burger patties, I always make a little well in the center to keep them from puffing up in the middle when they cook. The center always puffs up to a normal height when cooking, so the burgers end up being even all the way around.

My favorite way to cook a burger is in a cast iron skillet. You get even cooking (with no burnt spots) and no sticking.

Cool the burgers slightly before putting them over your salad greens, otherwise your lettuce will get sad. Throw on some diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and  your cooked burger on top of your choice of salad greens, then slap some tzatziki on top.

That’s what I call an easy, flavorful, and fresh meal.

Lamb Spanakopita Burgers (THM S)

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 15 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Credit: Erin Murray, My Fling with Food

Ingredients

• 1 1/2lbs ground lamb
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 c frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
• 1/4 c feta cheese crumbles
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until everything is mixed (being careful not to over mix).
2. Form a loaf in the bottom of the bowl and score the meat with the back of your hand. Form patties with a small well in the center to prevent puffing.
3. Place patties into a preheated cast iron skillet over medium heat, and cook to desired internal temperature, flipping only once.
4. Remove from pan, cool, and top with tzatziki sauce.

Greek Tzatziki Sauce (THM FP)

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Credit: Erin Murray, My Fling with Food

Ingredients

• 1/2 c fat free Greek yogurt
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/3 c finely diced seedless cucumbers
• 1 Tbsp fresh dill
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate until serving time.

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Warm Bacon & Blue Cheese Dip (THM S)

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission off of purchases made using these links. If you’re interested in fitness, the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, or just living a more healthy life, please consider using one or more of the links below. The money made helps me feed my growing family and keeps this blog running with free recipes. Thank you!

If you aren’t already  aware, bacon and blue cheese are besties.

I remember my mother-in-love making a fabulous bacon and blue cheese spread years ago, before my husband and I were married, and I think that was the moment her and I became best buds. We completely bonded over our mutual love of this spread, and it never died.

Another example: For my husband’s and my anniversary a few years ago, we went all-out to a fancy steakhouse nearby. I still remember that meal, because it was so amazing. Beautifully seared steak alongside a risotto which featured, you guessed it, blue cheese and bacon. THEIR LOVE CANNOT BE DENIED.

Flash forward to Thanksgiving season this year, and I was heavily contemplating what appetizers to make for our Friendsgiving meal [we spent our day with friends, so we dubbed it Friendsgiving ^_^]. In dreaming up ideas, my mind came to this conclusion: a warm bacon and blue cheese dip.

Cream cheese, scallions, crispy bacon, blue cheese, and a variety of stringy cheeses to take it that extra mile (because I can).

People went nuts over it. Even people like my husband who feel “meh” towards blue cheese, could NOT get enough of this dip. Simple ingredients, easy prep, and you get something that’s equal parts impressive and tasty.

I mean, need I do more explaining?

Serve this dip with some baked low carb pitas and/or an assortment of crudites (zucchini sticks, cucumbers, celery, mini sweet peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.).

I’m loving this new stoneware made by Le Creuset. The larger stone baking dish fit this dip perfectly, and it made for great presentation (straight from the oven to the table). If you don’t have a dish like this, that’s OK – just pick something relatively long and shallow that will make for easy spooning/dipping.

• Servings: Multiple
• Time: Prep, 10 mins, Bake 30 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
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Credit: Erin Murray, My Fling with Food

Ingredients

• 2 8oz blocks cream cheese, softened
• 12 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 c heavy cream or half and half
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese (or a mix of mozzarella and monterrey jack)
• 1/4 c blue cheese crumbles
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 6-10 dashes hot sauce
• 1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients, leaving out half of the mozzarella, parmesan, and parsley. You can also reserve a small handful of bacon as topping.
3. Lightly butter your baking dish, and spoon in the dip mixture.
4. Top with the remaining cheeses and parsley. (If you’re worried about the mixture dripping, you can place the dish on a sheet pan. Although, mine did not boil over.)
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375, until hot and bubbly.
6. Serve hot with an assortment of crudites.

THM Mummy Dogs

It’s no secret that I love Halloween. This is my favorite time of year! And I’m letting it shine in my food.

Mummy Dogs (THM S)

Serves 4-6

• 1 package of all-beef uncured hotdogs (I used an 8-ct from Trader Joe’s)
• 1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese (packaged is fine! I used Kirkland brand)
• 2 Tsp cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c almond flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• pinch of salt and pepper
• googly eye candies for decoration (optional, not for consumption ^_~)

Preheat oven to 425.

Begin by removing the dogs from their package and scoring them a few times on two sides. Place them in a medium-sized skillet (I used cast iron), and brown them on all sides over medium heat. NOTE* I like a crispy dog. You can skip this, if you like, as they will go into the oven. I just like the extra layer of flavor a crispy dog provides.

Prepare the dough by placing the mozzarella and cream cheese in a medium-sized microwave safe bowl. Microwave them for about a minute, stir, then let it go for another 30 seconds.

The mixture will  be HOT. Stir it with a spatula or a large wooden spoon. Add the egg, almond flour, and seasonings. Wet your hands slightly, and press the dough out to a 10-in round (don’t worry about it being perfect). Cut mummy “strips” with a pizza cutter (about 1/2 – 3/4 in.). Roll the strip between your fingers (like you would Playdoh, back in the day) and wrap your dog with the mummy strip. NOTE* If you have an 8-ct package, you likely won’t use all the dough. You can roll some up and bake it as garlic knots or make yourself a mini flatbread.

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

These were so fun! My kids loved them, and it came together fairly quickly. An easy crowd-pleaser, if I do say so. They also warm up beautifully the next day in lunches.

Marinated Antipasto Salad

I used to get an antipasto salad at Quizno’s (are they even around anymore?) back in my days of roaming  my college campus nearly all day. Until recently, I had almost completely forgotten about it, but in trying to come up with adult-friendly finger food for my daughter’s birthday party this weekend it all came back to me.

You can mix up the flavors any which way you please, based on what you like in an antipasto platter. Things not included in my salad which may be good are: marinated mushrooms, giardiniera (an Italian mix of hot-pickled vegetables), cucumbers, different cheeses (hunks are parmesan, provolone, feta, or swiss), or roasted red peppers.

I picked up most of my salad fixings at the salad bar of my local Sprouts. It was much easier, and cost-effective, than doing jars of every item. Plus, in  picking the marinated olives, I got to choose more black than green ^_~.

Marinated Antipasto Salad (THM S)

Multiple Servings

• 1 roll of dry Italian salame, sopressata, or hot ham (or a combo!)
• 1 8-oz container bucatini (small fresh mozzarella rounds)
• about 1/2 c mixed marinated olives (I got green and black, even though I hate green olives)
• about 1/4 c pickled cherry peppers
• about 1/2 c marinated artichokes
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (I use the heirloom cherries from Trader Joe’s – tasty and colorful!)
• 2 Tsp balsamic vinegar
• 6 Tsp EVOO
• 2 tsp herbes de Provence (or dried Italian seasoning)
• salt and pepper

Cut the salame and bucatini into bite-size chunks (I did 1/4 inch pieces). Roughly chop all the other ingredients and add them to a large bowl.

In a small jar or bowl, combine the vinegar, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Stream in the EVOO as you whisk until the dressing comes together. Taste and adjust for seasoning as needed.

Drizzle the salad with 2 Tsp of the dressing and toss to combine. Cover and marinate for 4 hours, or overnight.

Party ideas: Serve as is or on skewers (just cut everything a little bigger). For individual servings you can have it as is, or put it over mixed greens with some onions and cucumbers and drizzle with some additional balsamic dressing (this was my favorite!).

This was incredibly easy to toss together, and makes lunchtime prep a breeze.

Enjoy!

Shrimp & Broccoli Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

Who doesn’t love a big bowl of stringy, cheesy goodness? 

Just look at it! This was a fairly easy meal to make, with most of the components coming together in under 30 minutes. (Glaring at you, spaghetti squash.)

Shrimp and Broccoli Alfredo (THM S)

• 1lb jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed
• 1 lb broccoli florets
• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 c heavy cream
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 c shredded mozzarella
• 1 c shredded asiago (or parmesan)
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
• S & P to taste

There are a few different methods to cooking spaghetti squash. You can halve it and throw it in a crockpot with some water on high for a few hours, until tender. I usually do it in the oven, at 400, for one hour. I halve and seed it, and place it cut-side down in a deep pan with about an inch of water. I make little cuts in the bottom of the squash to vent it, and that’s it. Cook it however you like!

In a large skillet, melt 1 Tsp of the butter over medium heat. Toss the shrimp with salt and pepper, and arrange them in the skillet in one even layer. Cook through on both sides, about 90 seconds. Remove them to a plate.

In the same skillet, heat another 2 Tsp of the butter over medium and add the garlic. Cook for one minute, then add the cream. Once the cream starts to bubble, whisk in the mozzarella. Once that’s melted, whisk in the asiago or parm and whisk until it’s all melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Once the spaghetti squash is cooled enough to handle. Scoop out the squash onto some paper towels, in one even layer. Place more paper towels on tops and press out as much water from the squash as you can. It will take a few rounds, but trust me you don’t want that beautiful alfredo sauce getting runny because of squash water.

Once the the squash is squeezed, add it to a large casserole dish with the last pat of butter and salt and pepper, toss to coat. Add the broccoli, season a little more and toss again. Finally, add the shrimp and sauce and toss to combine. Sprinkle the top with another hefty handful of cheese (mozzarella or asiago, or both!) and place it under a heated broiler until the cheese is hot and bubbly.

Do you want to eat your screen right now? It’s OK. It’s every bit as tasty as it looks.