Grilled Chicken Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• 3 medium vine ripe tomatoes
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 3 oz part skim mozzarella, diced
• 1.25 lbs (8 thin sliced) chicken cutlets

Directions:

1. Combine onion, olive oil, balsamic, 1/4 tsp kosher salt and pepper. Set aside a few minutes.

2. Chop tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Combine with garlic, basil, onion-balsamic combo and additional 1/8 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and let it sit at least 10 minutes or as long as overnight. Toss in the cheese when ready to serve.

3. Season chicken with salt and fresh pepper. Preheat the grill to medium-high, clean and oil the grates to prevent sticking. Grill the chicken 2 minutes on each side, set aside on a platter and top with bruschetta and serve.

Vegetable Kabobs

Ingredients

• 2 cups cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 1 red onion, cut into chunks
• 1 zucchini, sliced into thick rounds
• 1 yellow zucchini, sliced into thick rounds
For the marinade
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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• 2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano and basil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
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• 3. Thread mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers, onion and zucchini onto skewers. Place skewers onto a baking sheet. Brush olive oil mixture onto the skewers and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
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• 4. Place into oven and roast until tender, about 10-12 minutes.*
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• 5. Serve immediately.

Notes

*These can be grilled over medium high heat, about 5-6 minutes per side.

Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large red bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 yellow squash, de-stemmed and diced
• 1 small head of broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 (8-ounce) package button or baby portabella mushrooms, quartered
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled
• 1 (12-ounce) can 2% evaporated milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• pinch of cayenne
• 12 ounces elbow macaroni (or any shape of pasta)
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 8 ounces freshly-grated smoked or sharp white cheddar cheese (do not use pre-grated cheese)
• 1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.  Prepare a large baking sheet (or two medium-sized baking sheets) with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

2. In a large bowl, toss diced vegetables with olive oil. Season with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet(s). Place the garlic cloves in the center of a sheet of aluminum foil, then wrap the foil around them to form a sealed packet and place the packet in the center of the baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and have begun to brown a bit around the edges, giving them a stir halfway through and checking on the garlic to be sure that it doesn't burn.

3. While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, and then return the pasta to the pot and toss with butter over medium-high heat until melted.

4. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, egg, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cayenne until combined. As soon as the butter is melted with the macaroni, pour in the evaporated milk mixture and stir until combined. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 2-4 minutes, or until the sauce comes to a simmer.

5. Remove pan from heat and stir in the grated cheddar and Parmesan until melted. Then gently stir in the roasted vegetables and roasted garlic cloves until combined. Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

Gnocchi Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (1-pound) packages *DeLallo mini potato gnocchi or 3 (12-ounce) packages DeLallo gluten-free potato and rice gnocchi)

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock

• 2 tablespoons butter or DeLallo extra virgin olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup milk, warmed

• 1 1/4 cups freshly-grated fontina cheese

• 1 cup freshly-grated sharp cheddar cheese

• 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon finely-ground black pepper, or more to taste

• (optional toppings: finely-chopped fresh parsley or basil, extra Parmesan cheese)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook the gnocchi in a large stockpot of boiling water, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, as you are waiting for the water to come to a boil and for the gnocchi to cook, make your cheese sauce.  Begin by whisking the cornstarch and the vegetable/chicken stock together in a small bowl until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.  Set aside.  (Be sure that the stock is room temperature or cooler, otherwise the cornstarch will not dissolve.)

3. Heat butter or olive oil in a (separate) large saucepan or saute pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.  Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and whisk until combined.  Add in the milk, and whisk until combined.

4. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches a low boil.  Then remove from heat, and stir in the cheeses until they are melted and smooth.  Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

5. Combine the cooked gnocchi and cheese sauce in the large stockpot, and toss together until the gnocchi are evenly coated.  Serve immediately, topped with optional toppings if desired.

*If you are making this recipe gluten-free, be sure to use DeLallo's gluten-free gnocchi.  Otherwise, their traditional mini potato gnocchi are not gluten-free.

California Roll Sushi Bowl

Sauce

1. 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
2. 2 Tablespoons Sugar
3. 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar

Sushi Bowls

1. 2 Cups Cooked White Rice* - cooled
2. 1/2 Cup Chopped Imitation Crab
3. 1/2 Cucumber - peeled, seeded and chopped
4. 1/4 Small Lemon - sliced extra thin then finely chopped (peel included)
5. 1 Tablespoon Pickled Sushi Ginger - chopped
6. 1/2 Avocado - sliced or cut into chunks
7. 1 Sheet Dried Seaweed - crumbled
8. Black and Tasted Sesame Seeds - to taste

     Sauce

1. Combine sauce ingredients in a small pot over medium heat. While continuously whisking, bring to a boil and reduce to a slightly syrupy consistency. This will take approximately 3 minutes. Do not walk away as this can easily burn. Remove from heat and allow to cool while assembling sushi bowls.

Sushi Bowls

1. Combine all ingredients and top with a drizzle of soy sauce mixture.

Notes

1. *I use the microwaveable par-cooked rice packets to make this super convenient.

Fresh Tomato and Ricotta Whole Wheat Pasta

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole wheat short pasta, I used farfalle
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 11.5 ounce package t'mates cocktail size tomatoes, about 8-10 tomatoes, quartered
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
• ⅓ cup fresh basil, slivered
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

Instructions

1. Cook the whole wheat pasta about 1 minute less than the package directions, so pasta is done but al dente. Drain and reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the minced garlic and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about 5 minutes until oil becomes fragrant. Be sure to watch the garlic so it doesn’t burn. Add the tomatoes and season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until warmed through.
3. Add the drained hot pasta to the tomatoes with the fresh spinach. Toss and cook until spinach begins to wilt. Add the fresh basil leaves, grated parmesan cheese and more kosher salt and pepper to taste. If the pasta seems dry, add more olive oil or 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water to the pasta mixture. Top with dollops of fresh ricotta, drizzle with more olive oil and serve.

Skinny Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves


For the alfredo sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 (6-ounce) can 2% evaporated milk
• 1 ounce light cream cheese
• 1/4 cup chicken broth, or more, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• 1. To make the alfredo sauce, melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
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• 2. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and chicken broth until smooth, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add more chicken broth as needed until desired consistency is reached.
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• 3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
• Place shrimp onto the prepared baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste, and gently toss to combine. Place into oven and roast just until pink, firm and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
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• 4. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
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• 5. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
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• 6. In a large bowl, combine shrimp, pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, red pepper flakes and alfredo sauce. Add pasta mixture to prepared baking dish and top with Parmesan.
• Place into oven and bake until golden brown and cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
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• 7. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.