Glory asked me for my Chicken Marsala recipe in a thread at the 100lb club. I thought I'd post it here as well. I added in another couple of *my* recipes that my family (& guests) LOVE. They are staples in my house.

Robin's Chicken Marsala

Makes 6 serving, can easily be adjusted for more or less

6 - 6 oz. skinless chicken cutlets
2 TBSP flour
garlic & onion powders
1 medium onion, chopped
10 oz. fresh white mushrooms, sliced thin (I've substituted canned in a pinch)
2 cloves garlic, minced
non-stick cooking spray
1 tsp olive or canola oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup marsala wine (use more or less according to your taste. We like it STRONG.
about 3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken broth, I use the powdered consome' (boullion cube) and water
1/4 tsp fine black pepper
1 tsp dried parsley, can use fresh instead

-Lay out the cutlets on a plate, sprinkle generously with the garlic and onion powders and flour. Don't be concerned if it's all not coated - it's fine. Set aside.

-In a large skillet, coated well with non-stick cooking spray & 1 tsp oil, brown the onion, til just about brown. Add the mushrooms and brown them as well. Just needs a minute or two longer. Add the fresh garlic, saute a minute. Remove this mixture from the pan and place into a bowl. Set aside.

-Spray your pan once again. Add the chicken cutlets and saute' on both sides til just browned. Doesn't take long, maybe 3 -4 minutes per side. Add back to the pan the onion/mushroom mixture. Add the marsala wine, the chicken broth, the lemon juice, black pepper and parsley. Cook for about 5 -6 minutes. Til chicken is just done.

This is also my method for lemon chicken I just elminate the wine and up the lemon. Yumm.


This is also my method for Chicken with Spinach & Mushrooms. After I brown the onions, mushrooms, and garlic I add 2 bags of fresh spinach and saute that til wilted. . I don't use the marsala wine. I do up the chicken broth though. It's also super yummy.

I found a totally yummy shepherd's pie recipe online and thought I'd share. The original recipe is here. I have some ideas on how to lighten it up but I made it for a dinner party and didn't bother, so I'll put my ideas in italics. Probably a great way to reduce the cals per serving and get more nutrients would be to mix in extra frozen mixed veggies!

Shepherd's Pie
Makes 8 servings Those are generous servings if you're having any side dishes

Ingredients
* 1 1/2 pounds ground round I'm sure you could sub leaner beef or turkey
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1/2 (8-oz.) package fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
* 4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 (14 1/2-oz.) can stewed tomatoes
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* Cheese-and-Carrot Mashed Potatoes Recipe follows...


Preparation

1. Brown beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove ground beef from skillet using a slotted spoon; reserve 2 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Reduce heat to medium. If you use leaner meat, you can probably just spray with cooking spray or add in a little olive oil.

2. Sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic in hot drippings over medium heat 10 to 11 minutes or until tender. Stir in ground beef, peas, and next 4 ingredients. Sprinkle flour over meat mixture. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and vinegar, breaking up large tomato pieces with a spoon. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove bay leaf. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 3-qt. baking dish or pan. Spoon Cheese-and-Carrot Mashed Potatoes evenly over meat mixture, smoothing with back of spoon.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Note: To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed through Step 2. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator 24 hours. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated, shielding with aluminum foil after 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning.


Cheese-and-Carrot Mashed Potatoes

Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
* 1 (1-lb.) package baby carrots I used 1 lb of cut up regular carrots.
* 1 tablespoon butter Could definitely be reduced!
* 1 (22-oz.) package frozen mashed potatoes
* 2 1/2 cups milk The mashed potatoes I used, Alexia brand, didn't involve mixing in milk in the directions, so I didn't need this
* 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese Great opportunity to substitute low-fat cheese!
* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
* 1 teaspoon salt If there's already salt in your frozen mashed potatoes, leave this out!
* 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Preparation

1. Place carrots and 1/4 cup water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; fold back a small edge to allow steam to escape. Microwave at HIGH 8 to 10 minutes or until carrots are tender. Drain.

2. Stir in butter. Coarsely mash carrots with a potato masher.

3. Prepare potatoes according to package directions, using 2 1/2 cups milk. Stir in cheese, next 3 ingredients, and carrot mixture until well blended.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Ore-Ida Frozen Mashed Potatoes. Do not use refrigerated mashed potatoes.


The recipe as I made it (with Alexia brand frozen mashed potatoes and no milk in the potatoes) has the following nutritional stats given that it makes 8 servings (I calculated using Calorie Count):

Serving Size 304 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 341
Calories from Fat 136
Total Fat 15.1g
Saturated Fat 8.5g
Cholesterol 73mg
Sodium 566mg
Total Carbohydrates 22.1g
Dietary Fiber 5.4g
Sugars 6.4g
Protein 23.3g
Vitamin A 213%
Vitamin C 23%
Calcium 18%
Iron 18%

Here is one I love for the Winter!

Oven Baked Pork Stew

main meals

POINTS® Value: 7 the original way... 6.5 my way
Calories: 361 the original way... 341 my way.
Serving Size: 371 grams the original way... 393 grams my way.
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hours
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Warm winter one pot dish... okies its 2.

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs boneless pork
2 T olive oil
3 T flour
16 ounces diced tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp beef bouillon
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp hot sauce
4 medium sweetpotato
1 large onion
3 c mushrooms ( originaly called for... 1 medium green pepper )
10 ounces green beans ( originally called for... 10 oz. frozen peas )

Directions

Brown meat in hot oil. remove from skillet, reserving drippings. stir in flour, undrained can of diced tomatoes, garlic, bayleaf, sugar, bouillon and spices. Plus hot sauce 1/4 cup water & .5 tsp of salt. Cook n stir til thick n bubbly. In a 3 qt. casserole dish combine meat, sweet potatoes, onions, and veg. Stir in tomato mixture. Bake covered in a 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours or til meat n veg are tender. remove bay leaf.

Nutrition Facts my way:
Serving Size 393.3g
Amount Per Serving
Calories
341
Calories from Fat
80
% Daily Value*
Total Fat
8.9g
14%
Saturated Fat
2.0g
10%
Cholesterol
83mg
28%
Sodium
137mg
6%
Total Carbohydrates
31.3g
10%
Dietary Fiber
6.1g
24%
Sugars
8.6g
Protein
34.3g

Nutrition Fasts Original way:
Serving Size 378 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories
361
Calories from Fat
81
% Daily Value*
Total Fat
9.0g
14%
Saturated Fat
2.1g
10%
Cholesterol
83mg
28%
Sodium
136mg
6%
Total Carbohydrates
34.6g
12%
Dietary Fiber
6.9g
28%
Sugars
10.6g
Protein
35.2g

-------------------------------------------------------------------
And since Jessica brought up Mashed Potatoes I made some Wasabi Mashed to go with Steak and Asparagras for New Years that was to die for! Not sure I will go back to regular mashed ever again.

Wasabi Mashed Potatoes


Makes 4 servings


Spiked these mashed potatoes with wasabi-powder and wow, do they have fantastic flavor. Excellent with roast chicken, pork or beef.

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp wasabi powder
2 tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp chives, fresh, minced
1/2 tsp table salt

Directions

1. Boil potatoes in a large pot of water over high heat until very tender when pricked with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes; drain and mash potatoes with a hand masher or electric mixer.

2. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes; add wasabi powder and stir to dissolve. Add milk mixture, sour cream, butter, chives and salt to potatoes; stir to combine. Yields a generous 1/2 cup per serving.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 255.4g
Amount Per Serving
Calories
197
Calories from Fat
39
% Daily Value*
Total Fat
4.3g
7%
Saturated Fat
2.6g
13%
Cholesterol
11mg
4%
Sodium
340mg
14%
Total Carbohydrates
35.4g
12%
Dietary Fiber
5.1g
20%
Sugars
4.0g
Protein
4.8g

I haven't made this yet, but my kids have and they LOVED it. I'm making a 50th anniversary party for my parents in February. This will be on the menu:

Roasted Pecan Salmon

Ingredients:

· 4 salmon filets (4-6 oz. each)
· Salt and pepper to taste
· 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
· 1 tablespoon honey
· 2 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
· 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
· 1 teaspoon parsley
· Wedges of fresh lemon

Preparation:
1. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place skin side down on baking sheet.
2. Combine mustard and honey, brush on top of salmon.
3. Mix topping of breadcrumbs, nuts, and parsley and sprinkle over salmon.
4. Bake at 400°F 15-20 minutes or until flaky. Serve with wedges of fresh lemon.

4 servings at appox 265 calories each, 29 gms protein

Green beans add snap and color to the garlicky shrimp and butter beans in this Spanish-inspired sauté. Slightly pricier prepeeled shrimp are worth it, given the amount of time they save on a harried weeknight. Serve with quinoa or brown rice.

NOTE: THe green beans are actually cooked and then served under the shrimp mix, so I substituted asparagus. I also added some mushrooms to the shrimp dish. I give this recipe high marks. It was good!

Makes 6 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

4 cups green beans, trimmed (about 12 ounces)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 teaspoons paprika
1 pound raw shrimp (21-25 per pound), peeled and deveined( I used cooked)
2 16-ounce cans large butter beans or cannellini beans, rinsed
1/4 cup sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided (I left this out)
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put green beans in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until just fragrant but not browned, about 20 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Stir in beans, vinegar and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley.
3. Divide the green beans among 6 plates. Top with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 245 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 6 g mono); 115 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 23 g protein; 8 g fiber; 596 mg sodium; 855 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (43% daily value), Fiber (33% dv), Vitamin C (30% dv), Iron (25% dv), Potassium (24% dv), Vitamin A (20% dv).

I found this recipe on New York Times online a few months ago. I made it for my lunches this week since I had shrimp in the freezer and buttermilk left from baking someone's birthday cake. It is pretty good, and a bit of a different taste, at least as my lunches go. I calculated the nutrition info based on my reduced-oil recipe.

Quinoa Salad With Lime Ginger Dressing and Shrimp (from NY Times)
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (more to taste)
1 small garlic clove, minced
Salt to taste
Pinch of cayenne
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil or walnut oil
2 Tbsp canola oil (original recipe had 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons (lowfat) buttermilk
For the salad:
3 cups cooked quinoa (3/4 cup uncooked)
4 scallions, white and light green parts, sliced thin
1 small cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12 to 16 cooked medium shrimp, peeled
1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lime juice, rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt, cayenne, sesame oil, canola oil, and buttermilk.
2. In a salad bowl, combine the quinoa, scallions, cucumber, and cilantro. Toss with the dressing and divide among salad plates. Top each portion with 3 or 4 shrimp, and serve.
Yield: Serves 4

Amount per serving:
Calories: 250 Vitamin A 4% Manganese 45%
Fat 11.8 g Vitamin C 10% Phosphorus 28%
Sat. Fat 1.3 g Calcium 6.5% Copper 42%
Polyunsaturated fat 5 g Iron 22% Selenium 22%
Monounsaturated fat 4.4 g Vitamin D 24% Magnesium 28%
Cholesterol 50 mg Vitamin E 13% Zinc 20%
Sodium 200 mg Thiamin 9% Potassium 403mg
Carbohydrate 25.8 g Niacin 12% Riboflavin 15%
Fiber 2.6 g Vitamin B12 10%
Protein 11.4 g Vitamin B6 11.5%

Note the original recipe using 1/4 cup of oil had ~300 calories per serving.

Skillet Gnocchi

In this one-skillet supper, we toss dark leafy greens, diced tomatoes and white beans with gnocchi and top it all with gooey mozzarella. Serve with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette.

Makes 6 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi (see Tip)
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
6 cups chopped chard leaves (about 1 small bunch) or spinach
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 325 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 8 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrate; 14 g protein; 6 g fiber; 616 mg sodium; 360 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (50% daily value), Vitamin C (40% dv), Calcium & Iron (19% dv).
3 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 fat

TIP: Tip: Look for shelf-stable gnocchi near other pasta in the Italian section of most supermarkets.

From Eating Well

Chicken Fingers and Fries!

It feels like such a treat!

Cut up boneless and skinless chicken breasts into strips
Crush a few cups of kellogs special K into a fine powder like substance...
Mix some Mrs Dash seasoning into the special K...
Dip the chicken strips in egg whites....
Roll the chicken strips in the special K...
Bake in the oven - yum!

Cut potatoes into fry strips, dip in egg whites and bake - crunchy like fries without the fat!

I also do this for fish and vegetables...amazing!

Eating this for lunch right now and I'm loving it so I thought I'd share!

Bean Salsa
1 (~15 oz - or 15.5 oz?) can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can blackeye peas, " "
1 can corn, drained
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 green onions, diced
large tomato or 2-3 smaller tomatoes, diced (I've also cut up cherry tomatoes, etc.)
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
a little chopped cilantro if you like it, leave it out if you don't
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
red wine vinegar & olive oil to taste (a few Tbsp of each, less if you want to keep the calories lower)

Mix it all in a bowl - yum! It's an easy, summery thing to serve with tortilla chips at parties, and "non-dieters" really like it too and don't think about how healthy it is.

Today my lunch variation is dumping a pouch of plain tuna in, mixing it up, and just eating the whole mess with a spoon. It's absolutely delicious!

I made both of these delicious recipes today and last weekend as well. They are both soooo good. These are definitely going to be a staple in my home. I changed them up to lower the calorie contents and eliminated chicken consommé powder in the first one. They are both super yummy and I can’t imagine why they would have needed the ½ cup of oil that each of them called for.


Purple cabbage salad

Salad:

1 small purple cabbage shredded
2 scallions, sliced
3 carrots shredded or 8 oz bag shredded carrots
1/3 cup slivered almonds or pine nuts (I used almonds)
1 11 oz can mandarin oranges, reserving juice
1 - 2 handfuls craisins or raisins.


Dressing:

2 tbsps brown sugar + 2 tbsps Splenda
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsps Red wine vinegar
3 tbsps reserved Mandarin Orange juice
1 tsp olive oil, I'm not even sure if it needs it

Place cabbage, scallions and carrots in a bowl. Add the dressing ingredients and mix well. Add the oranges, craisins and almonds. Mix again. Refrigerate for at least an hour so that flavors will blend.


Slow-roasted tomatoes - A real no brainier. Beautiful, simple and DELICIOUS! If you can’t find yellow tomatoes, just use the red, though the combination of the 2 different colors makes a gorgeous presentation.

10 (or more) garlic cloves, chopped
¼ tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 pints red cherry or grape tomatoes
2 pints yellow cherry or grape tomatoes
cooking spray
Oregano, optional **

Spray a large roasting sheet with cooking spray. Lay the tomatoes on the tray. Spray with cooking spray. Add the garlic, salt, pepper & oregano if using. Roast uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until tomatoes start to blacken and are a bit wrinkly. Serve hot or warm.

** Last week I had made homemade pesto and added it to the dish. This week I didn't use it and I left out the oregano. Just a matter of taste. Either way, you can't imagine how fantastic this was.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chunky Tomato Sauce

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb
2 tsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, cut into a ½ in. dice
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 cups marinara sauce
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 tbsp fresh basil, minced
Salt, to taste

In a large saucepan, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until translucent. Add the bell pepper and continue to cook 2-3 min over medium-high heat. Add the balsamic vinegar and sugar, and cook 2-3 min more, or until the balsamic becomes slightly thickened.

Add the marinara, chicken broth, cherry tomatoes, black pepper, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and allow to simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add half of the basil and stir to combine.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper, and place in a large baking dish with high sides. Pour the prepared sauce over the tenderloin, cover the pan with foil, and place in the preheated oven.

Bake for 55-60 minutes, then remove from oven, carefully remove foil (watch for steam!) and allow to rest 10 minutes.

Remove the pork tenderloin from the sauce, slice, and serve topped with the sauce and sprinkled with the remaining basil.


Yields: 4 servings

I made a great recipe from Cooking Light the other day and I have to share. The best part? The whole thing is ready from start to finish in half an hour.

My substitutions: I used whole wheat sweet potato gnocchi, sun-dried tomato chicken sausage, and parmesan cheese, and I left out the parsley. I think what made this recipe great for me was that I chose a really great sausage -- basically everything ends up tasting a little like sausage.

Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage, Bell Peppers, and Fennel

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients
* 1 (16-ounce) package vacuum-packed gnocchi (such as Vigo)
* 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
* 6 ounces basil, pine nut, and chicken sausage (such as Gerhard's), casing removed and sliced
* 1 cup thinly sliced fennel
* 1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
* 1 cup thinly sliced onion
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Asiago cheese
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation
1. Cook the gnocchi according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the gnocchi in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Keep gnocchi warm.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove sausage from skillet using a slotted spoon.

3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add fennel, bell pepper, and onion to pan; cook 13 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add sausage, gnocchi, cheese, black pepper, and reserved cooking liquid to pan; cook 1 minute or until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in parsley.

Nutritional Information

Calories:
342 (30% from fat)
Fat:
11.5g (sat 4.3g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.6g)
Protein:
15.9g
Carbohydrate:
45.4g
Fiber:
2.9g
Cholesterol:
50mg
Iron:
1.1mg
Sodium:
829mg
Calcium:
155mg

These are so DELICIOUS and incredibly decadent. And a heckuva lot healthier and less caloric then most desserts I can think of. I can't begin to tell you how people were oohing and ahhing over these. I will be making them again and again.
Original recipe here:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/1000907-post12.html

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites appox 16 calories each

· 1 (8 ounce) package fat free cream cheese, softened
· 1/3 cup powdered sugar
· 2 teaspoons lemon juice
· 44 medium strawberries, whole
· 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1.In a small mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice until smooth and creamy, set aside. *I added about 1/2 tsp vanilla

2.Using a paring knife, hollow out the top of each strawberry to a depth of approximately 3/4 an inch. Gently fill each with cream cheese mixture using a pastry bag just slightly above the tops. Place them on a cookie sheet(s) as you do this. *I didn't bother with the pastry bag. I just spooned it in there.

3.Once all of the strawberries are filled, dip each top into the graham cracker crumbs and place back onto the cookie sheet. *Next time, I would probably dip the berries into the crumbs right before serving. They got a little soggy and hard to see. They tasted fine, but you didn't get the full, pretty effect of them.

4.Place the cookie sheet into the refrigerator and leave them for a few hours or over night to completely chill *I just left them in a couple of hours.

Oh and I dipped a bunch of them in some melted chocolate chips. But believe me, they were fine and yummy without it.

Enjoy!

Normally I cook zucchini/summer squash by slicing into half-circles and sauteeing with a little olive oil, a lot of garlic, and a handful of italian seasoning. But when there is a lot of it, it's time to find other ways to use it up! Here are some of my favorites (in addition to, of course, zucchini bread, which isn't always very healthy). They're both from Cooking Light, I copied and pasted the recipes from their website. The website has pictures, you can search for these recipes at myrecipes.com.

About the harissa -- I was unable to find harissa anywhere, but if you search online you can find some recipes to make your own.

Ajlouk Qura'a (Mashed-Zucchini Salad)

In this Tunisian salad (pronounced aj-LUKE coo-rah-AH), served as an appetizer with bread, the rich flavoring lifts the blandness of zucchini. Harissa, a spicy North African sauce made with chile peppers and garlic, is available in specialty markets. You can use a good pinch of ground chile pepper instead. (Begin with a small dash--you can always add more.)
Yield

8 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup and 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese)
Ingredients
* 1 1/4 pounds zucchini, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon harissa
* 1 garlic clove, crushed
* 1/4 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Place zucchini in a large saucepan; cover with water to 1 inch above zucchini. Bring to a boil, and cook 20 minutes or until zucchini is very tender. Drain. While zucchini is still in colander, coarsely mash zucchini with a fork; drain.

Combine juice and next 6 ingredients (juice through garlic) in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Add zucchini; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with pita bread.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 39 (65% from fat)
Fat: 2.8g (sat 1g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.2g)
Protein: 1.6g
Carbohydrate: 2.7g
Fiber: 1g
Cholesterol: 4mg
Iron: 0.4mg
Sodium: 201mg
Calcium: 37mg


Zucchini Oven Chips

Yield 4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)
Ingredients
* 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
* 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
* 2 1/2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)
* Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 61 (28% from fat)
Fat: 1.9g (sat 1g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.2g)
Protein: 3.8g
Carbohydrate: 7.6g
Fiber: 1g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Iron: 0.6mg
Sodium: 231mg
Calcium: 87mg

Another Cooking Light gem, the original can be found here. I serve it with rice, and since I don't have a grill and my grill pan always fills the kitchen with smoke, I cook the chicken thighs in the broiler. I have to say though, the author of the recipe shouldn't call the cucumber salad "speedy" when it requires draining for an hour! The whole recipe is very easy, but there is time involved in marinating too.

Also - if you're using regular cucumber instead of English, you probably need two cucumbers to make up 2 1/2 C sliced.

Other notes . . . I use low-sodium soy sauce, and instead of discarding the marinade, if there's enough I boil it for about 5 minutes to kill bacteria then use it as a sauce.

Seoul-ful Chicken with Minted Cucumbers

Category Finalist, Entrées. "My family loves Asian food, and I enjoy its vivid flavors and colors. This is my spin on Korean grilled chicken with a speedy kimchi-type accompaniment. I prefer using chicken thighs for this dish because they are juicier and tastier than boneless breasts. This dish is simple enough for an after-work dinner but scrumptious enough for guests." —Janice Elder, Charlotte, North Carolina

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
Cucumbers:
* 1 English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup minced shallots
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
* 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
* 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

Chicken:
* 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/4 pounds)
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* Cooking spray
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
* 4 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation

1. To prepare cucumbers, place cucumber slices in a colander; sprinkle with salt, tossing well. Drain 1 hour. Place cucumber slices on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Combine cucumber, shallots, and next 6 ingredients (through chile) in a large bowl; toss gently. Cover and set aside.

2. To prepare chicken, place each chicken thigh between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Combine soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to soy sauce mixture in bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.

3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place 4 thighs in pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 thighs. Place 2 thighs and 1/2 cup cucumbers on each of 4 plates; sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon green onions and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.

Wine note: Serve an herbaceous sauvignon blanc to echo the crisp freshness of the dish's cucumber and mint. Chilean versions, like Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2007 ($11), strike a balance between the crisp, green flavors of the New Zealand–style wine and the juicy tropical fruit and melon of California versions in an affordable package. —Jeffery Lindenmuth
Nutritional Information

Calories: 262 (31% from fat)
Fat: 8.9g (sat 1.9g,mono 3g,poly 2.8g)
Protein: 29.9g
Carbohydrate: 14.9g
Fiber: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 115mg
Iron: 2.7mg
Sodium: 502mg
Calcium: 40mg