Baked Penne with Chicken, Spinach and Mushrooms

This dinner was a real hit! Luckily, this recipe makes enough for two casseroles--one for now, and one you can freeze for later. I plan to make this recipe again, substituting the spinach for peas, sun-dried tomatoes, or a variety of other vegetables.

4 tablespoons butter
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound whole wheat penne
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each), halved horizontally
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups skim milk
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan (4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. I cooked the chicken on my George Foreman grill, but if you don't have one of those, feel free to cook in a skillet over medium heat. The fillets should take about 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Place cooked chicken fillets on a paper towel and let cool, about 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the fillets lengthwise into slices, then crosswise.

In a heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and spinach; cook 1 minute. Off heat, gradually stir in provolone.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes; sprinkle each with cup Parmesan.

Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Prepare through step 4; let cool. Cover tightly with foil, and freeze, up to 3 months.

To prepare the frozen casserole, preheat oven to 400, and bake (still covered in foil) on a rimmed baking sheet until center is hot, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil; bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

Lamb Chops with Curried Broccoli and Yogurt Sauce

The yogurt sauce paired nicely with the savory and spicy flavors of the lamb and broccoli. You can also use cauliflower or potatoes instead of the broccoli if you prefer.

1 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound fresh broccoli
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
8 (3 to 5 ounces each) lamb chops

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper then set aside. Cook rice according to package and set aside.

Break broccoli into large florets; place on a rimmed baking sheet with onions. Sprinkle with oil and curry powder. Season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt evenly in the bottom of skillet. Add lamb chops, and cook on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve lamb with rice, broccoli and yogurt sauce.

Beef Kebabs with Feta-Lemon Dipping Sauce

These skewers would also work well with chicken or lamb, as well as beef! The feta-lemon dipping sauce was particularly good. Feel free to add vegetables (such as tomatoes and bell peppers) to the skewers.

1 1/2 pounds beef, trimmed and cut into equal cubes (about 1 inch each)
8 thin lemon wedges
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 ounces feta cheese
2 tablespoons water

Heat grill to high. Assemble 4 long skewers, alternating 5 beef cubes with 2 lemon wedges on each. Arrange skewers in a nonmetallic dish.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and garlic. Pour marinade over skewers; turn to coat. Let stand at least 30 minutes (or cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally). Season with salt and pepper.

Lightly oil grates. Place skewers on grill; cover grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until grill marks are visible and meat is cooked to desired doneness, 1 to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Otherwise, you can place the skewers under the broiler if you are an apartment-dweller without a grill!

While the skewers are cooking, puree the feta, remaining lemon juice, and water. Season with freshly ground pepper and coarse salt.

Seared Steak with Creamed Spinach and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

I loved this dinner! It was very filling and provided a very colorful (not to mention flavorful!) plate. The spinach in particular was a big hit--even if it was low fat!

Kosher salt and ground pepper
4 tomatoes, halved

Extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion, sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 steaks (4 to 6 ounces each)

Preheat the oven to 325*. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, then place tomato halves, cut side up, on the tray. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes, then season with salt and pepper. Roast for 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the thickness of the tomatoes.

About 20 minutes before the tomatoes are ready, heat the olive oil oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add flour to pan; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir in spinach and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Cover, and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve steaks with roasted tomatoes and creamy spinach.

Welsh "Rabbit"

This was a great dinner on those nights when you really don't feel like cooking. It was ready in minutes, and had a nice kick to it. I served it over Jewish Rye (a personal fave), but it would work will with most breads or biscuits.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup porter beer

3/4 cup skim milk (or heavy cream)

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar

2 drops hot sauce

4 slices toasted rye bread

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Whisk constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour. Whisk in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth. Do this gradually so as to avoid any clumping. Add beer and whisk to combine. Pour in the milk (or cream) and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the cheese, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and sauce is smooth--about 5 minutes. Add hot sauce. Pour over toast and serve immediately.

Hearty Black Bean Stew

This was a great meal to make during the work week, because it had the heartiness and thickness of a slowly simmered stew, but it only took me about 30 minutes to prepare. It tasted wonderful, almost like a vegetarian chili, and I served it with sour cream and a baked potato on the side.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
2 cans (19 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounces) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add beans, broth, vinegar, and oregano. Cook, mashing some beans with the back of a spoon or fork, until slightly thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beans over rice if desired, although I enjoyed it with just a dollop of sour cream.

Turkey Meatloaf

This is a healthier version of my Mom's meatloaf. Just as delicious, though!

1 1/2 pounds of lean ground turkey

1 cup of low sodium V8 juice

3/4 cup of oats

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup of chopped onion

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Press firmly into an ungreased load pan. Bake for one hour at 350*. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.