Today’s recipe is another easy and tasty one dish meal but with a Mexican flavor. I’m using lean ground beef, 93% fat free, but you could also use ground turkey. Start with a bed of crushed tortilla chips and then add sauteed ground beef with salsa, taco seasoning, and chili beans. Spread low-fat sour cream over the beef and bean layer. Sprinkle the fresh tomatoes, green onions, and black olives over the sour cream and top with grated Cheddar cheese. Bake until it’s hot and bubbly for a great dinner. I’d serve it with a green salad. I always look for lower fat sour cream and cheese as it’s better for you but still gives you great flavor. Regular sour cream is fairly high in fat and calories. Reduced fat sour cream has a similar nutrient profile and a pleasant taste but with fewer calories and about 38% less fat. I don’t recommend fat free sour cream as they add fillers to give it a creamy texture.
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Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Peaches with Cheese
Summer is the time to cook food on the grill. Meat, vegetables, and fruits all have their flavors enhanced with the high heat that seals in all the juices. Magic seems to happen when we grill fruit. Today’s recipe uses ripe but not soft peaches wrapped in prosciutto. Grilled prosciutto wrapped peaches are a perfect sweet and savory dish. Serve with mozzarella or burrata. Drizzle the platter with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle a little salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh basil strips.
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Grilled Cheese & Pear Sandwich
As I’ve mentioned before, this time of year is the perfect time for sweet pears. Today I’m making a great mix of sweet and savory in an easy to make grilled cheese and pear sandwich. I’m not talking about plain white sliced bread and a slice of “American” cheese food. Think complex flavors and textures. There are 3 things to consider when trying to elevate a simple grilled cheese sandwich: 1. choice of bread and cheese 2. ripeness of pear and 3. any additions and condiments to make it your own. You can use a hearty whole grain bread, multi-grain bread, French bread, or whatever grabs your fancy at the bakery. Slightly stale works best. You also have so many choices for cheese. Try brie, blue cheese, goat’s cheese, feta, mozzarella, or sharp cheddar. Each cheese has its own unique flavor. You can do small thin slices or grate and sprinkle cheese on the bread.
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Low Carb Cauliflower Pizza Bites
Many folks are cutting back on gluten and carbs for their health. For some time, cauliflower has been used to replace carb-heavy foods like potatoes and grains. Remember creamy cauliflower mash with garlic ? You’ve probably also heard of cauliflower pizza where cauliflower is used for the crust. Today I’m sharing cauliflower pizza bites which are similar, and a crowd-pleasing fun food to eat.
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Baked Brie With Cranberries & Pecans
Serving Brie
Brie and camembert are wonderful cheeses with a harder outer skin and a soft center. People often wonder if the outer rind is edible and the answer is yes. It adds so much character to the cheese. Keep the brie stored in its original container in the refrigerator until opened. If you have left over unbaked brie, wrap with wax or parchment paper not plastic wrap. The cheese needs to breath. If it has been baked, then you may wrap in plastic.