Healthy and not so Healthy. . .

Here are a few Post worthy Recipes that I have made in the past week.
They all turned out really yummy!
The first two recipes were
easy to make,
very healthy,
really tasty,
and my kids also liked them.

Lemon-Butter Salmon & Broccoli Penne
Adapted slightly from Fitness Magazine

2-3 Salmon Fillets (salt and peppered)
3 cups of dry whole-wheat pasta or multi-grain
2-3 cups of cup up Broccoli
1 tbsp of butter
1/2 cup low-sodium Vegie broth
1 lemon juiced and zested
2 tbsp of corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup of the Vegie Broth
2 garlic cloves, minced

Make it: broil or Grill Salmon for about 8 minutes or until done.
Cook Pasta according to package directions. When pasta is almost done add broccoli and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Whisk together melted butter, broth, lemon zest and juice, and garlic in a saucepan. When slightly boiling add the cornstarch mixture. Cook until thick. Toss the sauce with the drained pasta and broccoli. Serve pasta and add Salmon to the side or on top. I also like to add some Parmesan Cheese on top of all.





Garlic Parmesan Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
Adapted slightly from Fitness Magazine

4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan Cheese
4 tsp. olive oil
3-4 Chicken breast
4 cups chopped vegetables
( 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup sweet potato, 1 cup red or yellow bell pepper, 1 cup other zucchini)

Make it: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix together 2 of the minced garlic cloves with the cheese and 1 tsp of the olive oil. Pat the garlic-cheese mixture onto chicken and place in baking dish. Toss cut up vegies with 3 tsp. of olive oil and the other 2 garlic gloves and salt and pepper. Put the vegies around the chicken in the baking dish. Cook for 20 -30 minutes until your chicken and vegies are done.



You are going to need some Cold Milk to go along with this Recipe!
If you like Chocolate you will LOVE this cookie recipe.
I found in on My Kitchen Cafe, and just had to try it.
I made these for Isaac's School Carnival that is tonight, but we all had to have one before we gave them away. . .they smelled to yummy baking to not try one!
I will make these again :-)



Thick and Chewy Double-Chocolate Cookies
Adapted slightly from The New Best Recipe

**Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer than indicated; they may appear underbaked at first but will firm up as they cool.**

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
½ cup (1 ½ ounces) baking cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (or melt the equivalent of semi-sweet chocolate chips)
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
1 ½ cups (10 ½ ounces) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (3 ½ ounces) granulated sugar
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave (50% power for 2 minutes, then stir and microwave in 20 second intervals until chocolate is melted - be careful not to overheat or chocolate will sieze). In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork; set aside.

Beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in the sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Finally add the chocolate chips. Do not overbeat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the consistency is fudge-like, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners (this is pretty important - if the cookies are baked on a greased baking sheet only, they will probably stick). Roll the dough into 1 ½ inch balls and place them on the cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 ½ inches apart.

Bake until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10-11 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets about 5 minutes or until set and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

Enjoy!!