Breakfast for my love

Ok, clearly I'm a little behind in my blogging since I made this for a Valentine's Day breakfast, but it was just too cute not to share! My darling, basketball fanatic husband got tickets to go to the NBA All Star game, which just so happened to take place on Valentine's day (and he wasn't taking me!), so we had to squeeze in all of our V-day celebrations early on in the day. I made this yummy brunch for us to enjoy and it was perfect for the occasion! I think I originally saw this in the Martha Stewart magazine, but you don't really need an exact recipe. All you really do is butter a slice of toast, cut out the center with a heart-shaped cookie cutter, place it in a hot skillet until one side is browned, flip it, crack an egg in the center and cook until the egg is done. Two helpful hints that I learned along the way are to leave the cookie cutter in the center of the bread while cooking (spray it lightly with some cooking spray first) so that the egg keeps its shape, and to toast the cut out part for dipping into the egg. Overall it was super easy and very appropo for the occasion!

Blueberry Fool

Now that the weather has been warming up, I've really been enjoying more spring-like foods. This dessert is absolutely perfect for a spring treat. It's super easy and can really be made with any fruit of your choosing, so as different fruits come into season, this can easily be modified.

Servings: about 2

1/4 cup. whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup blueberries pureed, plus more for garnish

Whip the cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in the pureed blueberries. Garnish with whole blueberries.

Roasted Pepper and Pesto Pasta

This was SOOOOO good! It had tons of flavor and was really easy. Colin and I both loved it and I'm thinking this is a recipe that will most definitely make it into the regular rotation.

1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers (from a jar or fresh)
3 cloves garlic
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 1/2 cup basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound pasta of choice (I used rotini, which was great shape because the sauce was really able to cover each piece)
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Place red peppers and garlic into food processor. Pulse until well combined. Add Parmesan, pine nuts, basil leaves and salt. With processor running, slowly stream in olive oil. Set aside. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and transfer to a large skillet or pot. Pour in pesto and stir. Stir in heavy cream, if desired. Add pasta water as necessary. Heat for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.

Cajun Shrimp and Rice

I'm not sure just how "Cajun" this recipe really is--I probably wouldn't ever serve it to my stepdad who is from "the bayou" and takes great pride in having perfected his Cajun accent, but Colin and I both enjoyed it. It was also pretty quick and easy, so that's a winner in my book!

1 bag boil-in-a-bag long grain rice (I just used regular white rice)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup canned Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. While rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with Cajun seasoning; toss to coat. Add shrimp to pan; saute 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, saute 30 seconds. Add bell peppers, green onions and thyme, saute 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in cooked rice, shrimp, tomatoes, sat and pepper and cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Chicken Tequila Burgers with Baked Onion Rings

If you're in the mood for a burger and onion rings, but are attempting to be at least semi-healthy with your diet, this is a good option. It's yummy and fulfills the "burger" craving, while still being a lot healthier than the traditional version.

Chicken Tequila Burgers
Source: annies-eats.blogspot.com

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (feel free to use more jalapenos if you prefer more heat)
2 chicken breasts
3-4 tablespoons cilantro
Zest of 1/2 lime
1 oz. tequila (we don't have any tequila in the house, so I omitted this)
Dash of soy sauce
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

For Serving:
Burger buns (I used whole wheat to keep with the healthy vibe)
Sauteed bell pepper and onion
Lettuce

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil. Combine garlic, jalapeno, chicken, cilantro and lime zest in a food processor. Pulse several times until the chicken is uniformly ground. Mix in the tequila, soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and panko. Pulse a few more times until the ingredients are well blended. Form the mixture into 4-5 patties and place on baking sheet. Broil the burgers for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking to brown both sides. Check for doneness before serving. Place on bun and add toppings to serve.

Baked Onion Rings
Source: Cooking Light

3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup milk
2 large vidalia or sweet onions, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450. Combine everything through milk in a large bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a a separate shallow bowl. Dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture, then coat with the breadcrumbs. Place onion rings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes.