.parmesan steak fries.

I love love love fries. These fries are actually much healthier than my favorite McDonald's fries..They take much longer to make, but I figure if I must eat fries, and I MUST, then parmesan steak fries are the way to go! These are a great addition to any burger (as pictured with my fav blue cheese burger) and fabulous for the summer. Enjoy!




Ingredients
cooking spray
2 large russet potatos (about 1 1/2 pounds total) unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder to taste

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Cut each of the potatoes in half lengthwise. Rest each half on its flat side and cut each half lengthwise straight down into 4 even slices. Put the potatoes into a medium-size bowl and toss with the oil and seasonings.
Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the potatoes with cheese and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, until they are crisp and golden brown; there is no need to turn them. Enjoy!

.chicken & fettucini with pesto.

I found this recipe in either Glamour or Cosmopolitan.. I can't really remember which. The original recipe makes it with spaghetti, but I like fettucini better, im sure you could use any pasta of your choice. I made this with my friend Lauren and we decided it needed a lot more pesto than the recipe calls for, so just add as much as you need to taste. I also like to cook the whole wheat pasta a little longer than the recipe calls for to make sure its tender enough (whole wheat pasta is so tough!) Have fun!



Ingredients
4 oz. dry whole wheat pasta of your choice
2 chicken cutlets
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp. pesto sauce
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. shredded parmesan
basil (optional)

Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, place a saute pan over medium heat.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. When pan is hot, gently lay cutlets in middle of pan. Cook approximately 3 minutes per side, or until the meat in the thickest part of the cutlet is not pink. Let rest for a minute; slice crosswise.
4. Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water.
5. Toss pasta with chicken, pesto, olive oil and enough cooking water so that the pesto spreads evenly over the noodles. Sprinkle Parmesan and basil on top.

.portobello mushroom burger.

This is my new favorite burger...Im actually not much for meat and love mushrooms so when my friend Val introduced me to this burger from Cheesecake Factory (which is fabulous) I was hooked! This burger is great for vegetarians and is made so quickly. I would also highly recommend honey wheat buns from trader joe's :) It pairs nicely with homemade parmesan fries..recipe for this soon to follow. I made this meal for my mom on mother's day and she loved it!



Ingredients
4 portobello mushroom caps
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
4 (1 ounce) slices provolone cheese
Sliced tomatos
Grilled red onions
Spinach salad (I use this in place of lettuce)
Mayo, Mustard, & Ketchup to taste

Preparation
Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat. (I do this all in a frying pan)
Brush grate with oil. Place mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush with marinade frequently. Top with cheese during the last 2 minutes of grilling.

.spinach cheese swirls.

The yummy and simple recipe was found in my 5 ingredient recipe book. I added chicken to this recipe, which made it a bit more hearty. Im sure adding some other stuff would also be nice :) The prep time on this recipe was my favorite, took practically no time at all! (vegetarian)



Ingredients
1 tube (10 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
Chopped chicken (optional)

Preparation
On a lightly floured surface, roll pizza dough into a 14-in. x10-in. rectangle. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cheese, onion and garlic; spoon over dough to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with long side; tucks ends under and pinch seam to seal.

Place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 25-27 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into slices.

.bbq beef biscuit bake.

This quick and easy recipe is from my mother-in-law. So simple and the hubby loves it! Just a note: This recipe will serve 4 or more. So if you are just making it for two I would probably cut it in half, unless you enjoy leftovers :) enjoy!



Ingredients
32 oz Lloyds Refrigerated BBQ Beef tub
1 28 oz can baked beans, undrained (Bush’s)
1 10 count Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk biscuits
Chopped onion

Preparation
Preheat oven 375°. Grease 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Mix beef
and beans well in the pan. Cover with foil. Bake 40 min till bubbly.

While waiting, cut biscuits into quarters. Remove beans and meat
mixture from oven. Uncover and place biscuit pieces over top of
casserole. Return to oven, bake uncovered 12-15 more min, till
golden brown

.tuna sandwich.

We are big on tuna in the Schneider household and this is by far our new favorite way of eating it. Instead of using bread I bought the biscuits that come in a can. Make sure to buy the "flakey" ones so they come apart really nice. I also like to make the sandwiches quickly after the biscuits come out of the oven so they are nice and warm.



Ingredients
*Add each to taste and consistency of your liking.
Tuna
Mustard
Mayo
Celery chopped
Relish
Onion chopped
Pepper
Garlic powder
Shredded cheese to sprinkle on top

.tikka masala.

These 3 fabulous ingredients were given to me by my lovely friend Alisha. She new of my love for tikka masala and brought these over so I could see how easy it was to make. In addition to these ingredients (all found at your nearest fresh & easy) I added some chicken and poured it all over steamed rice :) So tasty! To make I just followed the directions on the back of the package, such a quick meal for only $5 or less (not including meat). Plus the hubby said its his new favorite :)