Filed under: Recipes | Tags: cooking for 2, easy family meals, easy recipes, healthy dinner recipes, healthy family recipes, maple salmon with couscous, mommy wears heels, thenest.com
Maple Salmon over Nutty Couscous
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1⁄4 cup maple syrup
1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups (total) baby carrots, broccoli florets and sliced zucchini rounds
1 Tbl. olive oil
2 (6- to 8-oz.) salmon fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chicken broth
1⁄2 cup uncooked couscous
1⁄4 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine maple syrup and balsamic vinegar in a bowl.
2. On one side of a roasting or baking pan, drizzle carrots, broccoli and zucchini with olive oil. Place salmon fillets on the other side of the pan. Season all with salt and pepper. Brush salmon with the maple syrup mixture and bake 15 to 20 minutes.
3. In a saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Turn off heat and add couscous, walnuts, salt and pepper. Cover 5 to 7 minutes, until broth is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
4. Place a generous scoop of couscous on each plate and top with a salmon fillet. Arrange roasted vegetables on the side.
Thanks to www.thenest.com for this recipe!
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: bbq pizza, bbq pizza recipe, dinner recipe for pizza, easy appetizer for party, easy appetizers, easy family meals, easy recipes, grilled mango bbq pizza, kid friendly recipes, mango bbq pizza
Ingredients
1 pound frozen pizza dough, thawed
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce
1 shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 ounces Canadian bacon, cut into strips
1/2 mango, thinly sliced
Directions
1. Heat gas grill to medium or prepare charcoal grill with medium-hot coals.
2. Coat a 12-inch perforated pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Roll dough out to a 12-inch circle. Place on prepared pizza pan. Put on grill rack and close lid of grill. Grill for 5 minutes. Check bottom of pizza. If getting too dark lower heat to medium-low.
3. Open grill. Spread dough with barbecue sauce and sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Scatter the Canadian bacon and mango slices over the top.
4. Grill for 5 to 7 minutes more, until crust is lightly browned and cheese melted.
5. Gently slide pizza onto a cutting board.
6. Allow pizza to cool slightly before cutting into slices.
Easy Does It: You can also make pizza directly on grill rack—heat grill and grease rack. Slide rolled-out dough from pan directly onto rack; cover grill. Cook 5 minutes, flip dough, add toppings and cook, covered, 5 more minutes.
Tip: Add a little sweet onion for a little extra kick!
Recipe compliments on www.Parents.com
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: appetizer cookbook, easy appetizer for party, easy appetizers, easy recipes, family recipes, mommy blog, mommy blogger, papaya avocado salsa, Papaya-Avocado Salsa with Quesadilla Triangles
Ingredients
1 papaya, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 red onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
Preparation
Combine the papaya, avocado, onion, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lay 1 tortilla in the pan and add a generous sprinkle of cheese. Top with another tortilla and cook, turning once or twice, until the tortilla is crisp and cheese is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the tortilla to a cutting board and cut into 4 triangles. Keep warm in a low oven while cooking the remaining quesadillas. Serve on a warmed platter, with the papaya-avocado salsa in the center or alongside.
From the book, 50 Great Appetizers, by Pamela Sheldon Johns
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: easy appetizers, easy family meals, easy recipes, kid friendly recipes, nfl gameday cookbook, smoked cheddar baked potatoes, tailgating recipes, twice baked potatoes
Ingredients
4 large baking potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
2 bunches green onions, white and light green parts only, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup ½-inch cubes smoked Cheddar cheese
Paprika, as needed
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Wash the potatoes, poke a few holes in them, and rub them with the oil. Bake for 1 hour, or until tender. Let them cool for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile in a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onions are soft. Set aside. Slice the top off the potatoes and scoop out the pulp into a medium bowl. Set the skins aside. With a potato masher, crush the potato pulp. Add the onion mixture, cream, salt, and pepper and mix well. Add the cheese and fold gently until mixed well. Spoon the potato mixture back into the shells. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet and return to the oven for 15 minutes, or until hot.
Recipe taken from The NFL Gameday Cookbook
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: biggest loser dessert recipe, easy appetizer for party, easy dessert for party, fall dessert recipes, family recipes, healthy dessert recipes, mommy blog, mommy wears heels, pumpkin pie bites
Perfect for the wonderful weather we have. Will go great with apple cider for the kids and “spiked” apple cider for mom and dad! 
Note: When making the crust for this recipe, it might, at first, look like the crumbs won’t cover the bottom of the pan, but trust me, they will! The easiest way to distribute them evenly is to use a small piece of parchment paper or wax paper, and gently press the cereal mixture until you get a nice even layer.
Ingredients:
Butter-flavored cooking spray
3/4 cups all-natural, whole-grain, crunchy, high-fiber, low-sugar cereal
2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 large egg whites
15-ounce can (1-¾ cups) solid pumpkin puree
3/4 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
2-½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1-¼ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
32 teaspoons whipped topping, divided (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11” x 7” glass or ceramic baking dish with spray.
Add the cereal to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Process it for 15-20 seconds, or until the cereal is crushed. Transfer it to a small mixing bowl and add the maple syrup and cinnamon. Mix them until well combined (the mixture should be slightly sticky). Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Using a small piece of parchment paper, gently press down on the cereal mixture, spreading it evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Bake the crust for 7-9 minutes, or until it is slightly browned. Set aside.
Meanwhile, add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl. Using a sturdy whisk, lightly beat them until they bubble very slightly. Still using the whisk, stir in the pumpkin, agave, and flour until well combined. Stir in the vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt and continue mixing until well combined. Pour the filling over the baked crust. Using a rubber spatula, spread it into an even layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry (a few crumbs are okay). Transfer the dish to a wire cooking rack, allowing it to cool to room temperature. Carefully cut 32 pumpkin “bites” (3 cuts along the width of the pan, 7 cuts along the length, creating 4×8 bites). Just before serving, top each bite with 1 teaspoon whipped topping, if desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
From the cookbook: The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook
