Artichoke Dip

I first made this recipe when I was about 19 and new to cooking. It has evolved to be my own since then. I've found that it is pretty flexible with ingredients. You can throw in some spinach or crab for a different twist. Or even some green peppers or feta. Just be sure to add enough mayo to have it still be a dip!

Serves 10

INGREDIENTS:
2 cans of quartered artichoke hearts in water
2 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup of Parmesan, shredded or grated
Seasonings to taste - I use S&P, garlic powder, sometimes a little Worcestershire, and paprika for color

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
4. Serve warm with crackers and/or tortilla chips.

Fish Tacos

You're either a fan or you're not. We definitely are. I especially like that this is a fairly healthy dish. When I made it for dinner the other night, we grilled some corn to serve along side. It was GOOD! Also, I know I need to start taking pictures of the food I cook. It will happen soon...

The following recipe was enough for my husband and I to both eat dinner and have leftovers for my lunch the next day. I would say on average this recipe would serve 4.


FISH TACOS:
1 lb. fish of your choice (I've used cod, mahi, ahi and sole - all were good, but my fav was mahi!)
4 tbsp lemon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice
Few dashes of hot sauce (optional)
8 corn tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix lemon pepper, garlic, lemon juice and hot sauce. Pour over fish.
2. Grill fish over medium heat until flaky - the time depends on the thickness and type of fish. For example, the other night with cod, it took about 8 minutes per side.
3. During last few minutes of cooking, heat tortillas on grill.
4. Spoon fish into tortillas and serve with sauce (below).


TACO SAUCE:
1/2 cup of sour cream (I use non-fat)
2 tbsp cilantro
1/4 cup of chunky salsa
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients. Chill for at least 20 minutes. Serve on tacos.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I pretty much love anything that's stuffed. Mushrooms stuffed with sausage and cheese, prawns stuffed with crab and cheese, chicken stuffed with bacon, spinach and, well, cheese! And also, stuffed bell peppers. Plus, when I eat these I feel healthy, unlike the other stuffed foods that occasionally find their way into my mouth!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. ground meat ( I use turkey)
4. large bell peppers (any color)
1 cup of cooked rice
1 can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup of shredded cheese
4 tbsp BBQ sauce
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup of onion, diced
Seasonings (I used S & P, garlic powder, and a little chili powder)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Remove cores and seeds from peppers. Place in large pot and boil in water for about 4 minutes. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Meanwhile, brown the meat with the onion. Add garlic during last 2 minutes of cooking.
3. Remove peppers from water and place in a casserole dish.
4. Mix meat, tomatoes, rice, cheese, BBQ sauce and seasonings in bowl.
5. Scoop mixture into peppers until they are all full.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle additional cheese on top if desired : )

Shrimp Pasta with Feta Cheese

I love me some seafood. And some cheese. This recipe is delish. If you're not a feta fan, trade it out for mozzarella instead.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used the 24/28 per pound, but you can use smaller)
8 oz. thin spaghetti (I use whole grain)
1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 cup of diced red onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced (you can also use yellow or green summer squash)
1 cup of feta cheese
2 tbsp butter
Splash of wine (red or white)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions and preheat oven to 350*
2. Melt butter in pan and then saute onion and mushrooms for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
3. Throw the splash of wine into the pan to deglaze. Then add tomatoes and tomato past. Stir.
4. Add in shrimp and cook until pink (about 3-5 minutes).
5. Combine sauce concoction and cooked pasta in large baking pan and bake for about 15 minutes.
6. Sprinkle feta on top and bake and additional 5 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Last summer, I was tired of green salads to go along with what we were grilling for dinner. After Googling some alternative salad recipes, I used a mishmash of recipes to come up with the following.

Serves 6 (as a side dish - serves 2 for a main dish wrapped in tortillas!)
INGREDIENTS:
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bell pepper, chopped (I use yellow, but any color is fine)
1 cup of pico de gallo (I use the prepared kind found in the produce section)
3 tbsp lime juice
Cilantro (to your preference. I LOVE cilantro!)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir. Chill for at least one hour prior to serving.

WW Greek Isles Salad

Weight Watcher's has some really tasty recipes. This one did not disappoint. It's a yummy salad that's different from the average garden salad! This recipe makes about 4 servings and each serving is worth 3 points.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
***Dressing***
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
***Salad***
3 cups of Romaine, torn
1 thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup pitted ripe olives - sliced (black or kalamata will work)
1 tomato, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced

DIRECTIONS:
1.In jar with lid, combine dressing ingredients and shake to mix.
2. Combine all other ingredients in a large bowl and toss.
3. Serve with dressing!