Justin's 7.86 Swedish Meatballs

This tasty appetizer is my tribute to Sandra Lee and here semi-homemade philosophy. I had found a really awesome recipe for Swedish Meatballs, but the ingredients list went forever! So I decided to save some time and money by not making the meatballs myself, but instead purchased some frozen meatballs and cooked them up in the microwave, and then used the remaining ingredients from the recipe to create my own quick, creamy gravy.

Recipe by: Carrie P.
Prep: 5 min/ Total Time: 8 min/ Makes: 5 servings

1 packet brown gravy mix
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
30 meatballs, frozen, cooked as directed on package

Empty packet of gravy mix into a small saucepan. Gradually whisk in water until blended. Add allspice and nutmeg. Cook on medium heat, whisking frequently until gravy comes to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir for one minute more. Add cream and whisk until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour gravy over cooked meatballs and serve.

Fried Cheese Ravioli with Tomato Red Pepper Relish and Artichoke Caper Dip

Looking for new superbowl snack ideas? Try this fun recipe, sure to please fans on both sides!

Recipe from: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade 20 Minute Meals 2
Total Time: 20 min/ Makes: 4 servings

vegetable oil, for frying
1 pkg. (9 oz) refrigerated four cheese ravioli

For Tomato Pepper Relish
1 cup roasted red peppers, drained, finely chopped
1/4 cup diced tomatoes, drained, finely chopped
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

For Artichoke Caper Dip
1 jar (6.5 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained, finely chopped
2 teaspoons capers
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a straight-sided skillet, heat 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat. (The oil is ready when a drop of water splatters in the skillet.) When oil is ready, carefully fry ravioli until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towel-lined plate.

For tomato pepper relish, combine red peppers and tomatoes in a small bowl. Stir in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and set aside.

For artichoke caper dip, combine artichoke hearts, capers, mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Serve ravioli hot with Tomato Pepper Relish and Artichoke Caper Dip.

Happy Chinese New Year!

For a quick and easy themed dinner solution, tonight we are featuring Wanchai Ferry's Sweet and Sour Chicken Dinner Kit. This fun-shaped box comes with jasmine rice, sweet and sour sauce, pineapple & waterchestnuts, and seasoned cornstarch, you just add chicken (or pork or shrimp) & water and in 20 minutes dinner's ready! You can even add more vegetables like carrots or snow peas to sneak more nutrients into your kid's diets. And to complete the meal, you can purchase La Choy Fortune Cookies and Chopsticks for an added element of fun! Everything (short of the chicken) can be purchased from the Asian Aisle in our store (Aisle 3) and if Sweet and Sour Chicken doens't tickle your fancy, Wanchai Ferry also has 3 other kits: Kung Pao Chicken, Spicy Garlic Chicken, and Cashew Chicken, and each comes with it's own unique sauce and toppings and the jasmine rice. So Welcome the Year of the Ox with a fun and fast meal that your family is sure to enjoy!

Pace Pico De Gallo Tortilla Soup

This soup is quick and easy to whip up, easy on the caloric intake, and has a nice little kick to it!

Recipe from: campellkitchens.com

Prep: 15 min/ Total Time: 15 min/ Makes: 4 servings

1 jar (16oz) PACE Pico De Gallo

2 cups chicken broth

1 large zucchini, diced (about 2 cups)

1 cup diced cooked chicken

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

3 corn or flour tortillas (6-inch), cut into strips

Heat the pico de gallo, broth, zucchini, and chicken in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the zucchini is tender. Stir the cilantro and tortilla strips into the saucepan.

Fruit in a Cone

Recipe from: bettycrocker.com
Prep Time: 10 min/ Total Time: 10 min/ Makes: 4 Servings

3 cups cut-up fresh fruit
4 ice cream cones
4 teaspoons honey
4 teaspoons granola, miniature semisweet chocolate chips, or chopped nuts

Place 3/4 cup of the fruit in each cone. Sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon granola. Serve immediately.

*Special Touch: Make a chocolate-edged cone. In a two cup microwavable measure, microwave 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon shortening uncovered on medium (50%), about 2 minutes or until chips are melted; stir. Dip edge of each cone into melted chocolate, then dip into small candy decorations; let air dry.

Peach Honey Spread

This spread also goes well over lightly pan-fried or baked salmon seasoned with salt and pepper (drizzle with spread after cooking) and with a pinch of oregano to top it off.

Recipe from: mayoclinic.com

Makes: 6 servings

1 can (15 oz) unsweetened peach halves, drained
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, add the peaches, honey, and cinnamon. Using a fork, mash until the mixture is the consistency of chunky applesauce. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve over roasted chicken, or pork.

Creamy Lemon-Asparagus Risotto

Recipe from: kraftfoods.com

Prep: 10 min/ Total Time: 20 min/ Makes: 6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cups instant white rice, uncooked

1/2 lb. fresh asparagus, cut into 2-inch lengths

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons light cream cheese spread

grated peel and juice from 1/2 of a medium lemon

Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice, asparagus, and broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 min. Add cream cheese spread, lemon peel and juice; stir until well blended.

Pineapple Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Recipe from: mayoclinic.com
Makes: 8 servings

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, each about 5 ounces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (8oz) unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained except for 2 tablespoons juice
2 cups broccoli florets
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
½ cup thinly sliced red onions

For the vinaigrette:
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon


Cut each chicken breast into cubes. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked chicken, pineapple chunks, broccoli, spinach, and onions. To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour over the salad. Toss gently to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes

Recipe from: foodnetwork.com (Sandra Lee)
Total Time: 10 min/Makes: 4 servings

4 Roma tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons light balsamic vinaigrette
3 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place tomato halves on baking sheet and sprinkle with balsamic dressing and Parmesan cheese. Top with chopped basil and roast for 10-12 minutes.

New Year, New You!

Happy New Year!

It seems everyone around this time of year resolves to get into better shape, and yet very few of us are able to stick to our resolutions. I know for me in the past it has been extremely hard to stick to any kind of exercise or diet plan, because I don't see much logic in going out and purposefully making myself sweat and stink, and, in the immortal words of Garfield the Cat, "diet" is nothing more than "die" with a "t". :) I don't know about you, but whenever I've gone on a diet, I always either starve to death, or the subscribed diet "foods" taste so awful and are the farthest thing from edible that I just give up and revert to my regular cooking style. Then there's the fact that there are just so many diet plans out there, spanning the spectrum of being obviously ineffective to the downright unhealthy and unsafe. I don't want gimmicks or food sent through mail or to have to drink every meal, I want a diet plan that uses real food, real cooking methods that I can control, and that will improve my health overall, not just make me lose weight through starvation or by eating "rabbit food".

A while ago, a friend referred me to the new food pyramid website, so I checked out www.mypyramid.gov and I loved it! Unlike the old pyramid that suggested the same number of servings for everyone regardless of activity level, age, gender, weight, etc., the new pyramid offers personalized eating plans, as well as interactive tools for learning about the new pyramid. I also love how the new pyramid promotes whole grains, lean meats, a variety of vegetables, and so forth. Real food, real cooking I could do at home, and the healthiest parts from each food group is promoted, I struck gold, y'all! I would definetely suggest that if you are looking to change your eating habits, whether to lose weight or to help maintain a healthy lifestyle, this is worth checking out some time! There's even a tool called mypyramid tracker that you can use after recieving your on-line personalized eating plan (which is free by the way) to track the foods you eat and how they fulfill your personal daily requirements (that's free too!) .

So,to help you start out your New Year right, for Savory Selections this Friday, Saturday, and Monday, I have selected some awesome recipes, using real food, that are all under 20 minutes to prepare, and to put the cherry on top (pardon the expression) these recipes are down right tasty ( I know because I just got done cooking and tasting all of the recipes in the last hour) so make sure to stop by Providence's Maceys this weekend or on Monday, or check back here on each of our presentation days for a copy of each of the respective recipes. Happy New Year again, and good luck reaching your goals!

-Carrie