Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Following along with today's Italian-themed posts, here's a recipe I have been wanting to try for a while. I have seen many cheese stick recipes using egg roll wrappers instead of the traditional breading, but most of them were still fried (yuck!)... Then I had a thought: Why not bake them instead? So, I did, and it was a wonderful idea. Is there really anything better than melty, hot cheese and marinara sauce? The answer is no. No, there is not.

It is only fair that I admit my mistakes before I pass this recipe along... I did not properly seal my egg roll wrappers with water before baking them. Two of them ended up oozing out and making a yummy, yet disastrous mess on the baking pan. Good news is, cheese is still tasty, even when it isn't pretty! :)

Ingredients:

4 mozzarella string cheese sticks
4 egg roll wrappers
Olive oil spray
Marinara sauce for dipping


Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a baking pan with olive oil. Place an egg roll wrapper at a diagonal, place one cheese stick at the top corner, and begin rolling it downward. Once you have rolled it half-way, tuck in the outer edges to keep the cheese from escaping... cheese is sneaky like that. Continue rolling the cheese stick inside of the egg roll wrapper and seal the last corner with water. Use small amounts of water to rub ALL of the edges and seal them very well (BIG step... do not take it lightly... lesson learned). Spritz the rolled cheese sticks lightly with olive oil spray - this will ensure they brown and crisp nicely. Bake for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through baking. Serve with marinara. Enjoy!

Vegetable Parmesan (Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash)

This is one of my favorite Italian recipes! I had been wanting to make a hearty, meatless meal for a while. One that would satisfy the men in my life (brother and bf) who believe that a meal is incomplete without meat. This did it! I didn't even tell them it was meatless until after I got their votes of approval... sneaky, I know. I also made this dish gluten-free for Mom, who is sensitive to the stuff. The best thing about this recipe? Its even better the next day. You just can't beat dishes that make great leftovers.

Ingredients:
1 eggplant
2 medium zucchini
2 medium squash
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
1 jar of marinara sauce
3 eggs
splash of milk
1 ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
1 box of bread crumbs (I used gluten free and seasoned them myself, regular Italian seasoned is fine)
Italian seasoning
garlic powder
salt
pepper
Olive oil for pan frying veggies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Chop eggplant, zucchini and squash into 1/2 inch slices.
Combine eggs with milk, salt, and pepper.
Mix together the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste, if you aren't using pre-seasoned breadcrumbs. If you are, throw in some garlic powder anyway...because garlic is wonderful.
Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray or rub with olive oil. Set aside.
Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and heat to medium.
While the skillet is heating, begin dipping the veggies in the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumbs to coat them.
Once the skillet is heated, pan fry the veggies in the skillet until they are golden brown and can be easily pierced with a fork. Place the pan-fried veggies on a paper-towel lined plate to drain any excess oil.
Begin placing the first layer into the bottom of the casserole dish. Pour 1/3 of the marinara sauce over the vegetables. Top with 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella, a few basil leaves, and 1/3 of the slices of fresh mozzarella. Repeat layering 2 more times until all veggies are used. Top with leftover marinara, basil leaves, and mozzarella slices. Sprinkle parmesan on the top.

Place in oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Variations: You could add meat sauce or prepare with chicken to make this dish even heartier. Also, if you prefer to use all eggplant, that works well too! There is a lot of room for variation in this recipe.

Island Wraps

Being a resident of the MS Gulf Coast, I frequent the islands with friends and family when the weather is nice. Growing up, we always stopped by the grocery store deli and got fried chicken and potato logs to take with us to the islands. Don't get me wrong, I love these delicious, southern delights... I just can't indulge too frequently, especially during swim suit season. Last summer, I decided to pack light wraps for my island lunch and they have become a staple. These are wonderful to have handy poolside, on the beach, or in your everyday lunch. I wanted to keep the wraps simple, so there are just a few fresh ingredients involved in this delicious lunch recipe. These are also vegetarian!

Recipe:

Red bell pepper strips (4)
Spinach (1/4 cup)
Avocado (2 slices)
Goat cheese (2 tbsp)
Hummus (2 tbsp - any flavor)
1 wrap of your choice

This recipe is all about preference and can be adjusted to your taste. First, spread the hummus onto the wrap, leaving a little space around the edges for folding. Next, place the spinach leaves down the center and top them with the red bell pepper strips, avocado, and goat cheese. Make a wrap fold (see diagram below) and slice the wrap in half. I wrapped it in aluminum foil and placed it in a ziplock bag. The foil does a great job of keeping the wraps in shape and secure in the cooler. Enjoy!

Pineapple Salsa

Pineapple Salsa

THIS IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE FOOD, EVER! 

Yes, it's that serious. I just love this stuff. It is fresh, flavorful, spicy (if you want it to be... and I do, duh...), and absolutely beautiful to look at! The greatest thing about this dish is how versatile it is - you can serve this stuff on anything! I have had it on chicken tacos, fish tacos, shrimp tacos (I kinda like tacos, can you tell?)... I have stuffed it in quesadillas, sprinkled it on nachos, tossed it in salads, served it on top of chicken, you name it! It has never disappointed. Ever.  If you are lonely and need friends, bring this stuff to a party... its like crack. 

Okay, enough... here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 fresh pineapple, diced

1 red onion, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeño, diced (remove the membrane and seeds for less spice... I prefer the heat!)

1-2 handfuls of cilantro, roughly chopped (I use 2 handfuls because I'm a cilantro junkie, but one is just fine too)

Juice of 1 lime

Optional : I have really branched out a few times and have chopped up a mango or two to throw in this salsa. It tastes wonderful, but I just hate chopping mangoes more than just about anything... the rewards is just never worth the work. I finally decided to quit cussing fruit and I stick with pineapple only now. I don't miss the mango one bit! 

Chop. Chop. Chop. Dice. Dice. Dice.

That's pretty much all there is to it! Cut all ingredients into small, scoop-able, bite size pieces, sprinkle with the juice of 1 lime, toss in the cilantro and mix together. Its best to chill the salsa for at least 15-20 minutes before serving so that the flavors meld together, but it isn't necessary. 

That's it, that's all there is to it! You should probably go make this...like, now.  

Mom's Zucchini Boats

Zucchini Boats

Mom made these zucchini boats for dinner a few nights ago, and they were a HIT! Even my brother (who is rather hard to impress culinarily) loved them.  I even enjoyed them reheated the next day! We were in shock by their deliciousness, I tell you! So, we decided to try them again tonight with my stuffed chicken breasts recipe. I highly encourage you to do the same. Oh em gee. So good.

Ingredients:

6 shmedium (small - medium) zucchini
2 roma tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced (you can also add a pinch of garlic salt if you feel you need more)
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil
mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
italian breadcrumbs (for gluten free, omit or use gluten free breadcrumbs)
basil

Preheat oven to 350F.

Slice the zucchini long ways (if larger, cut it in fours). Scoop out a little of the middle of the zucchini to create your "boat." Don't scrape too much, you still want them to hold up. Dispose of the middle (this is the only step I don't like... I love zucchini and hate to see it go... but its worth it).

Next, mix the garlic with a little olive oil. Brush the mixture onto the zucchini boats. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Slice the roma tomatoes thinly and quarter the slices. Spread the sliced tomatoes on the zucchini. Sprinkle VERY lightly with italian breadcrumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove after 30 minutes and sprinkle with your desired amount of mozzarella. Return to oven and broil until the cheese browns slightly.

 Remove from oven, sprinkle with parmesan and sliced basil, and enjoy!

Oatmeal with Raisins and Strawberries

Oatmeal with Raisins and Strawberries

I'm keeping it simple and starting off my first post with one of my favorite breakfast meals, raisin and spice oatmeal with fresh strawberries. I'm sure you have already been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I find it to be my most important meal for another reason... If i start my day off with a good, nutritious, substantial meal, I find that I am less likely to "go rogue" with my diet for the rest of the day. I usually enjoy this with 32 ounces of water (gotta stay hydrated!)

While this breakfast meal might not be ideal for everyone, it works for me and I really enjoy it! I use instant oats so that it is a snap to prepare in the mornings, and I put it in a coffee mug so that I can take it with me on the ride to work. Super convenient. 

Here's the recipe:

1 package of Quaker Instant Oats - Original

1 package of Quaker Instant Oats - Raisin and Spice 

1/4 - 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries, sliced

Pour both oatmeal packages in a microwave safe mug, use water and follow directions on the packet. (Double since you are using two packages).

Stir in or top with sliced strawberries.