the ultimate twice baked potato

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• 8 green onions, sliced, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
4. When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
5. Bake for another 15 minutes

Fried Rice

2 c white instant rice
3-4 tbsp. soy vay (in the soy sauce aisle)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 eggs
extra virgin olive oil, keep this handy
1/2 package of mushrooms, sliced and fresh
1 tsp garlic salt

1. Make the rice and set aside.
2. In a non-stick pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil, crack the eggs into this and start separating them as they cook.
3. Add the onion, add the rice, stir around and add the mushrooms and garlic salt.
4. Pour soy vay onto the rice, stir, and add a bit more olive oil.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes on medium.

*courtesy of amyjo

Best Ever Ribs

Ingredients:

4 pounds pork baby back ribs
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups honey BBQ (I used Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ)
1 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 dash hot sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow baking pan. Brown in oven 15 minutes. Turn over, and brown another 15 minutes; drain fat.DO NOT SKIP THE BAKING!
   
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt and pepper. Place ribs in slow cooker. Pour sauce over ribs, and turn to coat.
4. Cover, and cook on Low 6 hours, or until ribs are tender.

Orzo and Roasted Veggies

Ingredients:

1 box of Orzo
veggies of your choice (red onion, zucchini, eggplant, red peppers, carrots)
1/2 c. olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 c. crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

1. Cook paste according to package; set aside
2. Toss washed & cut veggies with olive oil & season with salt & pepper. Roast in oven until done.
3. Combine orzo & veggies and toss with 1/4 c. olive oil, lemon juice & feta.
4. Serve warm or cold.

Teriyaki Kabobs

Ingredients:

2 lbs. any meat or seafood -chicken, steak, shrimp, etc.
1 cup teriyaki marinade or sauce
2 red or green peppers - cut in thick pieces
1 large onion - cut in thick pieces
1 large can (16 or 20 oz.) chunked pineapples
1/2 cup pineapple juice

Directions:

1. Drain pineapples and reserve 1/2 cup of the juice
2. Mix teriyaki sauce & pineapple juice & add meat
3. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours; stir occasionally
4. Thread meat, peppers, onions & pineapples on skewers.
5. Shrimp - grill for 4-5 mins each side. Do not overheat shrimp.
Steak or chicken - grill 10 mins each side until meat is cooked through.
6. Serve over rice.

Crash Hot Potatoes

Ingredients:

10-12 New Potatoes -or other small, round potato

Olive Oil
Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

any herbs/extras you like: pressed garlic, rosemary, chives, parmesan cheese, bacon bits, thyme, etc.

*serves 4

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add clean potatoes and cook until the are fork-tender. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Generously drizzle olive oil on a cookie sheet. Place potatoes on sheet 2-3" apart.

3. Next, grab your potato masher and gently press down on the potato until it slightly mashes. Then rotate the masher 90 degrees and finish flattening it.

4. Brush tops of potatoes generously with olive oil mixed with the garlic. Then add a generous amount of kosher salt and pepper.

5. Next add any herb that you wish - finely chopped & preferably fresh (I used chives & bacon bits - yum!)

6. Put cookie sheet on top rack of the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

"Cook Yourself Thin" Southwestern Burger & Sweet Potatoe Fries

Serves 4

Calories per serving, turkey burger: 342

sweet potato fries: 89

sweet potato fries:

2 sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling

Juice of 1/2 lime

turkey burgers:

1 1/3 pounds lean ground turkey

1 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2–3 spritzes canola oil in a mister

3 ounces 50%-reduced-fat pepper-jack cheese, cut into thin slices

4 whole-wheat Kaiser rolls (or Arnolds 'Thin' Buns to save a few more calories)

Romaine lettuce leaves

Tomato, sliced

Red onion, sliced

1/2 avocado, sliced

1. For the sweet potato fries, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Wash and dry the potatoes and, with the skin on, slice into 1/2-inch-thick rounds; cut the rounds into 1/2-inch-thick finger-shaped pieces. Toss the potatoes in a bowl with the oil, chili powder, garlic powder and salt.

3. On a baking sheet, spread the sweet potato fries in a single layer and roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until brown and tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter or bowl and sprinkle with a little more salt.

4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the lean ground turkey with the diced chiles and season with salt and pepper. Shape into patties and refrigerate until ready to cook.

5. Heat a large grill pan or nonstick skillet on medium heat and spritz with canola oil. Add the turkey patties to the grill pan and cook until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Flip, reduce the heat to low, cover (if using a skillet) and cook until the juices run pale pink, about 4 more minutes. Top with the reduced-fat pepper-jack cheese during the last minute.

6. Toast the rolls in the oven or in a toaster oven. Alternatively, grill them 1 minute on each side.

7. To assemble: On a platter, place the fries and a burger on a bun and top with lettuce, tomato, onion and avocado slices. Squeeze lime juice over the fries and serve.

"Cook Yourself Thin" French Onion Soup

4 servings
300 calories each

1/4 cup olive oil
2 large white onions, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices crosswise
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup dry white wine
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
4 (1-inch-thick) slices whole-wheat baguette
toasted and cooled
2 ounces Gruyere, shaved into paper-thin slices with a cheese plane or vegetable peeler

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden (not brown) and nearly melting, about 45 minutes. Stir in wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half. Stir in stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
3. Place 4 soup crocks or ovenproof bowls (no larger than 4 inches round) on a rimmed baking sheet. Place a baguette slice in each crock. Divide the soup among the bowls and top each with a single layer of cheese slices.
4. Transfer to the oven and bake until cheese melts and is golden brown in spots and soup is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Garlic Roasted Veggies

*This is one of mine and Mark's new favorite sides. Its pretty healthy too if you go easy with the olive oil

Ingredients:
3-4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3-6 garlic cloves (crushed, pressed or chopped)
your favorite veggies
I like to use:
potatoes (skins on, cut in bite-size pieces)
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
whole vidalia onion (cut thick)
carrots
broccoli
cauliflower

Directions:
1. wash & cut veggies
2. spread on a cookie sheet
3. drizzle with evoo & garlic
4. cook at 450 degrees for 30-45 mins, or until lightly browned

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper.

2. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.
3. Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.
4. Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 pounds potatoes, cut in half or fourths

Optional: Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat 15x10-inch baking sheet with no-stick spray.
2. Mix together oil, rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add potatoes. Toss well until coated. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
3. BAKE 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are fork-tender and golden brown.