Forgive me, I don’t have a great photo of this recipe. Sigh.

For Christmas, my husband got me something that I’ve been wanting for a long, long time: a point and shoot camera. I love my big Canon with its lenses and power and sharpness. But I wanted something that I could tote around everywhere and capture impromptu shots of the kids anywhere.

The only problem? I am completely inept when it comes to taking pictures with this camera. I can’t seem to get the hang of it to get brilliant, clear, in-focus shots … The photo below? Taken with the point and shoot (and thank goodness, since I hadn’t taken many shots of this dip!). Figures, I can handle a camera with about a billion settings, but the point and shoot eludes me. Am I the only one with this problem?

Okay, onto the dip. I love spinach artichoke dip, and have since my very first bite of it years and years ago. The combination of cheese, spinach and artichoke is just delightful — and perfect for a party. Last week, when I wrote about it for Tablespoon, I also decided that it would be great to make for Super Bowl Sunday. This healthier version was a huge hit — Paige, my two year old, couldn’t get enough of it (seriously, she kept asking for more … and licking it off the bread).

With ingredients that are a little lighter (reduced fat cheese, milk, etc), and a hearty dose of spinach and artichokes, this recipe is a little friendlier on your waist than some others … as long as you don’t eat it all yourself.

Looking for an appetizer for a crowd? This is fast, easy and won’t disappoint.

Healthified Spinach Dip with Artichokes
recipe adapted very slightly from Tablespoon

1 8 oz package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
4 tablespoons freshly grated Romano cheese, divided
1/4 cup reduced fat milk
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh chopped basil leaves
1 9 oz box frozen chopped spinach, fully thawed and drained (press to remove excess water)
1 14 oz can artichoke heart quarters, drained and lightly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8×8 glass baking dish with cooking oil spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth. Add the mayonnaise, 3 tbsp of the Romano, milk, garlic and basil and beat until well blended. Add the spinach and artichokes to the bowl and beat well.

Pour the spinach mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of Romano cheese.

Place the dish into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until ever-so-slightly browned on the edges and warm throughout. Serve with bread, crackers, tortilla chips or vegetables.

When the air hits that certain cold temperature and you can see puffs of breath whenever you go outside, you know it’s time for hearty meals. You know, ones that will warm you from the inside out like stews, roasts, chowders … and also chili.

I love chili. It reminds me of ski lodges, chair lifts and snow covered mountains. When I was younger, I was an avid skier and loved to fold into the lodge between runs for a hot lunch. Among my favorite bits? You guessed it – Chili. I haven’t skied in years, though I would love to.

Anyway, back to the chili. For me, it has to be topped with cheddar cheese and, if it’s spicy, it needs some avocado too.  Shawn likes his with a dollop of sour cream and a big sprinkle of cheddar. Paige isn’t yet a big fan of spiciness, but Will loves it, so he gobbles chili right up. Gosh, I hope Paige discovers a love of spiciness soon.

This chili is beanfree and ultra meaty. It has the glorious smokiness of the chipotle peppers, with the slight sweetness of the red onion. When you take a bite, you are hit with those flavors first, and then a hearty sting of spiciness. It’s divine. If you like chili, that is.

What’s your favorite cold-day meal? Share!

Meat-Lovers Chipotle Chili Con Carne
serves 4

Please note: the recipe calls for one chipotle chili in adobo. Cans of these can be found in the ethnic section of most major supermarkets. DO NOT use the whole can. Simply remove one chili from the can for this recipe. Leftovers can be store in the fridge in an airtight container or pureed and frozen for future use.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb beef stew meat (in chunks)
1 red onion, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 chipotle chili in adobo, plus 1 tsp sauce
1 20 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
Garnish: avocado, cheddar cheese, sour cream

In a large pot, brown the ground beef and the stew meat. Once it’s mostly cooked, pour off any excess fat.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, garlic and chipotle in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until everything is chopped up ultra fine (almost smooth). Add the mixture to the pot and stir to combine with the meat. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water and cumin to the pot. Salt and pepper to your desired taste.  Stir and then cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.

Serve, garnished with cheese, sour cream and/or avocado chunks.

What I’m Cooking With: a 5 quart pot, a wooden spoon and a full size food processor

If Will had his way, we’d eat Blueberry and White Chocolate Buttermilk Pancakes every single morning. Actually, scratch the ‘we’ – he’d eat the whole batch himself every day.

Not that I can blame him … they are delish.

But could we really eat pancakes daily? My schedule and waistline say no way, so I try to mix it up with easier options (yogurt, fruit and toast, scrambled eggs) and some alternative more-involved dishes (French toast, waffles, homemade muffins).

This quesadilla is heartier than your standard quesadilla and crammed with flavor. Yes, it’s more-involved, but it’s also a big family favorite. Serve it up plain or with a dollop of salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

What’s your family’s favorite breakfast?

Bacon and Bell Pepper Breakfast Quesadilla
serves 4

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced green pepper (dice it small)
2 eggs, beaten with a dash of milk and a sprinkle of salt and pepper
butter
4 tortillas
2 strips bacon, cooked and drained on paper towels
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers and cook until softened. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble, tossing together with the peppers. Remove from heat.

Working quickly, heat a large skillet over just-under medium heat. Butter one side of each of the tortillas. Flip over and divide the egg mixture evenly among the four tortillas (spread it onto half of the unbuttered side — I do this directly in the pan). Sprinkle 1/2 slice of crumbled bacon onto each tortilla. Top with 1/4 cup of cheddar.

Fold the empty half of the tortilla over and cook until browned on both sides, flipping ones.

Cut into wedges and serve.

It was a steamy, hot day today. It was one of those days where you just don’t know what to do with yourself. The kids and I ran errands, took a walk (what was I thinking?!?) and ran through the sprinkler. Because I wanted to. Finally, we gave in and collapsed onto the couch with the air conditioner on (remember how I was boycotting the a/c this year? I still am … but we did install one unit in an unused window).

When it came to dinnertime, I didn’t want to cook. Who would? But that’s exactly why I plan our meals for the week. When the plan is laid out for you, it makes it way easier to just give in and go for it … so I did. And really, when I realized what I had planned for tonight, I couldn’t say no.

That delicious burger above was worth every bit of heat and torment to create it. It’s just that good.

Inside this juicy burger is an oozing center of juicy, savory deliciousness. You bite into it and it spills warm juices down your chin, leaving you to lap them up wipe it away with your napkin. I first made these about two weeks ago and feel instantly in love. Since then, we’ve had them several times … they are rather addicting.

I have to give the credit for this one to Shawn, who wanted “something, some cheese to stuff the burgers with,” one day when I was heading to the store.

Coincidentally, the hamburger is a total New England food. The hamburger – a ground beef patty stuck between two slices of bread- was created right here in a little restaurant in Connecticut. The first burger was created by Louis Lassen, who ran a small lunch cart in New Haven that he called (so creatively) Louis’ Lunch.

Today, Louis’ is still run by the Lassen family and is now located in a small building on Crown Street. It’s a favorite for Michael and Jane Stern, who have written about it on their website Roadfood as well as naming it one of their picks for “20 Burgers to Eat Before It’s Too Late,” in the June issue of Gourmet. I daresay, I will be trying that little hamburger joint quite soon …

Back to my delectable burger, it’s worth every single second and bite. Try it.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers
serves 4

1 lb ground beef
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 oz blue cheese, cut into four 1/2 oz slices

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into four equal-sized balls (they should be 4 oz each). One at a time flatten the ball to 1/4 inch thickness. Place one 1/2 oz slice of blue cheese in the center and fold the ground beef in around it, like a package. Seal the edges, shape into a patty and press your thumb into the center. Repeat for the remaining three patties.

Cook the burgers on a hot grill, flipping once, to desired doneness.

Serve immediately on a soft bun.

The other evening was one of those nights. You know the ones: where you just don’t feel much like cooking and really aren’t sure what to make anyway. At first, I was going to do something with chicken and serve it over rice, but midway through the rice cooking process, I realized that I really had zero desire to trim the chicken and pound it into an even cutlet. None whatsoever, in fact.

Then, my thoughts turned to the rice, and a package of cubed ham steak in my fridge (freshly cut and packed at my local grocery store, thankyouverymuch!). Perhaps fried rice with ham? I could just see my husband’s skeptical face through the phone when I told him what I was making … I am sure he was thinking Who puts ham in fried rice?

As I was cooking up the rice, I realized the shredded swiss in my fridge would be a perfect finisher to this obviously Americanized dish. I was so right. Every last morsel of it was devoured.

Serve this up with a fresh chopped salad and perhaps some crusty bread for a wonderful, hearty, comforting meal.

Ham and Cheese Fried Rice
serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dried rice, prepared
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lb ham steak, diced
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup shredded swiss cheese

Heat the olive oil in a wok. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about a minute. Add the cooked rice and stir to incorporate. Add the ham, salt and pepper and stir well.

Move the rice to one side of the skillet, exposing a section of pan. Pour the eggs into the exposed section and let cook for a minute or so. Stir to incorporate into the rice. Cook for until the eggs are set throughout.

Sprinkle the cheese on top and stir into the rice mixture. Once the cheese is melted, remove from heat.

Serve immediately.

Things change. I still have a soft spot for Kraft’s obscenely orange powdered cheese, but I rarely indulge in it. More often than that I opt for tortellini tossed with some lemon olive oil, Romano and sea salt. As children do, Will loves macaroni and cheese — so does Paige, and Shawn for that matter. And I have learned that homemade food can be equally as accessible as convenience food.

That’s what this recipe is. It’s quick, easy and accessible macaroni and cheese, and it’s all made fresh. Honestly, this won’t take you any longer than the box if you start cooking the sauce at the same time as the pasta. Sure, it might not be the healthiest side dish, but this is comfort food and sometimes we all need a little comfort.

Quick Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
serves 6 as a side

1 slice bacon, uncooked and roughly chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
1/2 lb pasta, cooked

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just about browned. Add butter to the pan and melt. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Cook for about 2 minutes, until a smooth paste is formed. Whisk in the milk and cook for an additional 5 minutes or so, until thickened. Stir in the cheese until melted and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well.

Serve immediately.

Leftovers make great lunches.

For a few years now, I’ve had this fascination with frittatas. Convinced that they would be too thick, too dense, too eggy and so on, I swore I would never make one. Yet, I coveted every photo that my fellow food bloggers snapped of the interesting egg dish.

Finally, in search of an easy breakfast recently, I decided to just make one. It would use up the eggs in the house so that I wouldn’t feel guilty buying a dozen at the farmer’s market and it would get this unhealthy frittata obsession out of my system.

After all my assumptive analysis, I was very wrong. Frittatas aren’t really too thick, heavy, dense or even eggy. In fact, they are quite tasty. And the leftovers reheated easily the next day. This is a good dish, believe it or not, when you really don’t feel like cooking since it’s something you put on and just leave alone.

Easy Spinach Frittata
serves 6

1 tsp olive oil
2 cups baby spinach
salt and pepper
8 eggs, beaten
1 tsp Italian herbs
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar

In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Salt and pepper generously.

Beat the eggs, adding Italian herbs to the mixture. Pour over spinach mixture. Top with the cheddar.

Cook, without stirring, for 15 minutes, or until the frittata is mostly set. (No, I don’t cover it.)

Preheat a broiler to high. Place the cast iron skillet in the oven and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until golden.

Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

I am a Romano girl. Always have been, always will be. There is almost always a big chunk of Romano from Costco in my fridge, at the ready to be grated, sliced or chopped. Why do I love it? It’s like biting into certainty. That sharp, decisive taste adds dimension to many dishes in my kitchen. But lately, I have been craving something a little more subtle, a little lighter. Parmesan fits the bill in that respect. So, for a little while at least, my chunk of Romano will be substituted with a hunk of Parmesan. Hey, variety is good.

Last night it was just Will and I for dinner. I wanted to cook something and perhaps use the lone tomato I had laying about. But what to do with a perfectly ripened tomato?

I had to stop at the grocery store anyway for milk, so I picked up another lovely red tomato, a chunk of Parmesan, a ball of fresh mozzarella and some chicken prosciutto tortellini. Can you guess what I decided to make?

Pasta Fresca is a favorite of mine, and Will’s as well. We use basil straight from the garden. This is a lighter version than the one I have previously written about here . . . unless you use scrumptious tortellini like I did (more calories than a whole wheat or regular pasta).

Lighter Pasta Fresca
serves 2

1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes
8 leaves basil, chopped
salt
pepper
2 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed
2 servings pasta, cooking while sauce is cooking
2 tbsp Parmesan, freshly grated

Heat olive oil in small frying pan over medium heat.

Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for one minute.

Stir in diced tomatoes and cover, stirring occasionally for 4 minutes. Stir in basil, salt and pepper and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Add mozzarella cubes and stir, quickly removing from heat and turning on to the pasta.

Mix pasta and sauce well. Plate it and garnish with Parmesan.
________________________
This post is for Presto Pasta Night, hosted by Ruth at Once Upon a Feast. It’s my first time participating in this fun weekly event.

Will is a cheese-a-holic. He asks for it all the time in that cute little voice (“chhhheeeeesssssse”) and it’s always followed with a bit of gratitude (“dank you”) for his favorite food item . . . next to chocolate, of course. Fresh mozzarella is his favorite, but he’s not picky . . . he will eat whatever cheese you want to share. Then again, it’s no wonder that he’s a cheese-lover with the excess of cheese I ate while I was pregnant with him (the same justification applies to the chocolate too . . . geez, and I wonder why I was a whale when I gave birth).

Anyway, knowing that he has a penchant for cheesiness, I had him in mind when I created this dish on the fly this week. Originally, I had planned to make a lasagna with the wonderful, fresh flat sheets of egg noodles I purchased at Costco last week. But lasagna takes a while to cook and it was late. Besides, I was hungry and knew Will would love to eat this for lunch the next day.

So instead I made this lovely tray of manicotti. I love manicotta, particularly when the ricotta is smooth (instead of grainy, like it gets when you overcook it). There’s a great little restaurant in Danbury, Conn., that does it just right called The New Sorrento. Their manicotti is to die for. My husband and I actually had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding there since we loved their manicotti (and chicken parm, too) so much. We still drop by for take out once in a while. In any case, it holds a special place in our hearts.

I modelled this after the manicotti at The New Sorrento, with smooth ricotta and a homemade marinara. You don’t have to make your own marinara, but I do recommend it. (Check back tomorrow for my marinara recipe.)

Homemade Manicotti
serves 4-6

3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup Romano cheese, freshly grated
4 eggs
4 cups marinara sauce (divided)
6 sheets of fresh pasta dough (or 6 manicotti shells, cooked according to package directions)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of Romano, and eggs. Mix well until smooth.

Spread 2 cups of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking pan.

If you are using fresh pasta dough, use a pastry brush to brush the sheets with water on both sides. Spread a generous amount of the ricotta mixture on one end of the pasta sheet. Roll up and place in the baking pan. Repeat with the remainder of pasta sheets.

If you are using manicotti shells, fill each prepared shell with an equal amount of the ricotta mixture and place in the pan.

Top the manicotti with 2 cups of marinara sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of Romano on top.

Cook for 20-25 minutes, until mozzarella is fully melted.

Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Will is a cheese-a-holic. He asks for it all the time in that cute little voice (“chhhheeeeesssssse”) and it’s always followed with a bit of gratitude (“dank you”) for his favorite food item . . . next to chocolate, of course. Fresh mozzarella is his favorite, but he’s not picky . . . he will eat whatever cheese you want to share. Then again, it’s no wonder that he’s a cheese-lover with the excess of cheese I ate while I was pregnant with him (the same justification applies to the chocolate too . . . geez, and I wonder why I was a whale when I gave birth).

Anyway, knowing that he has a penchant for cheesiness, I had him in mind when I created this dish on the fly this week. Originally, I had planned to make a lasagna with the wonderful, fresh flat sheets of egg noodles I purchased at Costco last week. But lasagna takes a while to cook and it was late. Besides, I was hungry and knew Will would love to eat this for lunch the next day.

So instead I made this lovely tray of manicotti. I love manicotta, particularly when the ricotta is smooth (instead of grainy, like it gets when you overcook it). There’s a great little restaurant in Danbury, Conn., that does it just right called The New Sorrento. Their manicotti is to die for. My husband and I actually had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding there since we loved their manicotti (and chicken parm, too) so much. We still drop by for take out once in a while. In any case, it holds a special place in our hearts.

I modelled this after the manicotti at The New Sorrento, with smooth ricotta and a homemade marinara. You don’t have to make your own marinara, but I do recommend it. (Check back tomorrow for my marinara recipe.)

Homemade Manicotti
serves 4-6

3 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup Romano cheese, freshly grated
4 eggs
4 cups marinara sauce (divided)
6 sheets of fresh pasta dough (or 6 manicotti shells, cooked according to package directions)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of Romano, and eggs. Mix well until smooth.

Spread 2 cups of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking pan.

If you are using fresh pasta dough, use a pastry brush to brush the sheets with water on both sides. Spread a generous amount of the ricotta mixture on one end of the pasta sheet. Roll up and place in the baking pan. Repeat with the remainder of pasta sheets.

If you are using manicotti shells, fill each prepared shell with an equal amount of the ricotta mixture and place in the pan.

Top the manicotti with 2 cups of marinara sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of Romano on top.

Cook for 20-25 minutes, until mozzarella is fully melted.

Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.