Struffoli (Italian Honey Balls)

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Going up to New York during the holidays was something I always enjoyed doing as a kid. All six of us would all pile into the car and take the four hour trip to Brooklyn or Staten Island, but it was always worth it. We would get to see all of our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, which we didn't get the chance to do that often. We'd stuff our face with New York delicacies and reminisce and laugh until it was time to make the journey home, but those few days we got to spend with them each year are memories I'll never forget.

When we went over my maternal grandmother's house (whom we respectfully referred to as "Nanny"), she always had the table lined up with the most delicious Italian treats and the house would smell like baked goods. One of our favorite things she would make is Struffoli, which are small Italian fried pieces of dough drizzled with honey. Unfortunately, after she passed away I did not get the recipe that she would use each Christmas, although I wish I did because my family still talks about them to this day.

Last Christmas, I was determined to try to find a recipe that would replicate my Nanny's recipe, but I couldn't find one that sounded right. I mixed and matched a few ingredients from a few different recipes I found through Google and finally came up with the right concoction. The tower of fried cookie balls are drizzled with honey and topped with sprinkles, and I wouldn't have this holiday season any other way. It reminds me of my family and all the memories I have of spending time with them up in New York. I hope you all enjoy these as much as my family does!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp. butter, softened, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups honey
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• Colored sprinkles

In a food processor, pulse the flour and butter until well combined. Add the vanilla, eggs, sugar and baking powder and pulse until the dough comes together in a large ball. Remove from food processor and divide dough into 4 pieces.

On a floured surface, roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long. Cut the ropes into small pieces. Roll each piece into a tiny ball.

Heat oil to 375 degrees F in a deep fryer or large pot. Fry the struffoli a few handfuls at a time until they puff up and are golden brown, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain.

Add honey in a large saucepan over low heat until thin. Keep warm over low heat. Add the fried balls, a few at a time, and turn them with a wooden spoon to coat on all sides. Transfer the balls to a large platter and mound them into a pyramid, shaping with wet hands. Cover with remaining honey. Add sprinkles on top and allow to cool completely, about 1-2 hours. Enjoy!

Source: SK Original

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

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Pinterest has quickly become one of my favorite sites. If you aren't familiar with it, it's a website that you need to stay away from. Far away from. It's addictiveness is far more powerful than anything I've ever experienced before. If you want to remain an active social life, continue to be productive at work or successfully run your household, this is not the site for you. Trust me.

But if you're looking for awesome new recipes, creative fashion ideas, fun and easy tips for DIY projects and home decorations, travel advice, and a plethora of ideas that will make your life that much simpler, you should visit it. As long as you're not scared of the whole addictiveness thing.

Pinterest is where I found this recipe...one of many, many things I have on my to-do list. The chicken had great flavor and the sauce was so simple, yet added so much to the dish. I'll definitely be making this again as long as I can stay away from Pinterest long enough to make it. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 6 thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs.)
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 2 cups reduced-fat cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tsp. dried parsley

Sauce:

• 1 14-oz. can cream of chicken soup
• 2 tbsp. sour cream
• 2 tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small food processor grind up the Ritz crackers. 

Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.

Dip each piece of chicken into the milk then the cheese and finally the cracker crumbs. 

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan. 

Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken. 

Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy. 

Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken. 

Source: Adapted from Jamie Cooks It Up

Iced Sugar Cookies

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There are many types of cookies that I prefer to Sugar Cookies (Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Macadamia...do you see a trend?). I feel like the holiday season wouldn't be complete without them, though, so I made sure I jumped on the opportunity to make a batch before the year ended. Since they're Chris' favorite cookie, I knew they'd be gobbled up, too.

I was hesitant to try them since I had so many other treats I would rather waste my calories on, but when I did I was surprised with what I tasted. They weren't overly sweet and they were soft and chewy. Just the texture I prefer. I also knew I wanted to make an icing to accompany them, so I whipped up a basic icing using Confectioners' Sugar and that perfected them. Enjoy and happy holidays!

This (and a ton of other cookie recipes) can also be seen on SRC's site!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For cookies:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

For icing:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 4 tbsp. shortening
• 3 1/2 tbsp. milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Mix all icing ingredients in a small bowl. Once combined, ice cooled cookies and top with sprinkles. Enjoy!

Source: Cookies: All Recipes; Icing: All Recipes

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

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This recipe comes from my best friend, Laura, and her family. While I was in high school, these were always a coveted treat. Laura would bring me a bag of pecans that her sister made, and my family would fight over them. Literally. They were just so good and we could never get enough.

I finally asked Laura for her family's recipe, and she didn't hesitate sending it over. I made them right away so they'd be ready for Christmas, but I probably should have doubled the recipe since I wasn't shy about snacking on some and wanted to save a good amount for my family. The texture of the pecans becomes softer after baking and the cinnamon sugar coating is just enough to add some sweetness and to make a crunchy shell. I know you will love these. They're also a great last minute Christmas gift for friends, family, coworkers and neighbors. Trust me. Merry Christmas!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. pecans
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• Butter

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

Beat egg white and water until foamy in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix cinnamon, salt, and sugar.

In a large bowl, add the egg white mixture to the pecans and stir to combine. Add the cinnamon mixture to the pecans and stir to cover all pecans.

Spread the pecans on the cookie sheet in an even layer.

Put pecans in oven for 1 hour, making sure to flip them every 15 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Source: My friend, Laura

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

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These pizza bites are my go-to when I need to make an appetizer and I'm out of ideas. They're always the first thing to go at a party, too. They literally come together in five minutes and just need to be baked. You can add other fillings (such as olives, green peppers, etc.) if that's what you fancy, but I prefer plain ol' pepperoni and cheese. To simplify things even more, I serve them with store-bought pizza sauce, which makes my life so much easier (especially around the holidays).

Give these a try for your next holiday potluck or for a new Christmas appetizer this weekend. You won't be disappointed!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp. fresh chopped basil (or 1 tsp. dried basil)
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 4 oz. pepperoni, cut into small pieces (about 1 cup)
• Pizza sauce for dipping

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan. In a large bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder. Slowly whisk in the milk, egg, Italian seasoning and basil. Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir batter and divide among the mini muffin cups. Fill almost to the top. Bake until puffed and golden, about 20 – 25 minutes.

Serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Source: Adapted from EveryDay

Oreo Truffles

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Today is my second post for the Secret Recipe Club! I was given Erin's blog over at A Tale of One Foodie's Culinary Adventures and I had a great time going through her recipes! She is very adventurous in the kitchen and there were many recipes I was tempted to make. Since I've been meaning to try making my own cake balls ever since the craze started a year or two ago, I knew this had to be my chosen recipe. Especially since they are so cute for Christmas!

I love the mixture of oreo and cream cheese and really enjoyed how dense and rich the cake is. I think these are perfect because you don't have to be tempted with a large slice of chocolate cake sitting right in front of you. If you're like me and have trouble exhibiting self control when sweets are around, these miniature cake balls are a perfect portion size to help you do that. One (or two) little bites and your craving is curbed and you are left feeling satisfied. Enjoy!

Also, don't forget to enter to win my giveaway. You have until tomorrow!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 pkg. oreo cookies
• 16 oz. semi sweet chocolate
• Extra oreo crumbs or sprinkles

Using a food processor, add the whole package of oreos and whirl until you have coarse crumbs. Toss in the cream cheese and whirl until just combined.

Shape into 48 1-inch balls. Put the balls into the fridge for about 1/2 an hour to firm up (you don't have to do this, but it makes dipping them a lot easier and they will come out looking nicer).

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Do this by boiling water in a small saucepan and placing a Pyrex bowl over top of the saucepan so it fits tightly. Add the chocolate into the glass bowl and stir until melted.

Dip the balls in the chocolate and, using two forks, toss to coat. Place on a waxed paper covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining oreo crumbs or sprinkles. Chill 1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in the fridge.

Source: A Tale of One Foodie's Culinary Adventures

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

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As I've said in the past, I'm usually in charge of making appetizers when we have family gatherings. I really don't mind since there are so many different things I want to try, and I don't really get a chance to when I'm cooking dinner at home on a normal weeknight. I'm a "dip" girl and love trying out new recipes that are accompanied by chips, crackers or chunks of bread.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip is an instant classic and very easy to prepare. Since mostly everyone likes it, it would be perfect to bring to your next holiday party. You can even make it the day before if you're short on time and then heat it up right before.  I even healthified this recipe so you can eat scoop after scoop without all the added guilt. Enjoy!

Printable Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz.) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a small baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned

Source: Adapted from All Recipes

Giveaway!! (Winner Announced)

Pin It According to random.org, the winner is:

#6 Molly Harris!!

Congratulations! I will be contacting you via email :)

To enter:

Become a follower of The Savvy Kitchen AND leave a comment below telling me you've done so and what your favorite holiday recipe is! Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. Good luck!

**One entry per person. Contest closes Tuesday at 12pm EST. The winner will be randomly selected and announced Tuesday evening.

Note: Must be a U.S. resident to win.

Angel Hair Pasta with Hearty Roasted Tomato Sauce

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These days, one of my favorite things to do is cook with my fiancé. It's always enjoyable when someone you loves takes an interest in your hobby, and since cooking something I love to do it's nice having someone to share that with.

Chris and I made this pasta on a whim one night. We were both getting over being sick, so we had not been to the grocery store in a few days. Therefore, this basically became an "everything but the kitchen sink" pasta. We had recently hosted some friends over for dinner, so we had a few leftover fresh vegetables that we definitely wanted to incorporate. The rest was just pure instinct. Our instincts were right because we both really enjoyed what we created. Topped with some fresh Parmesan cheese, we had ourselves a hearty and delicious pasta dish. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 plum tomatoes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 package mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped into small pieces
• 1 red pepper, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut plum tomatoes in half and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add 1 tbsp. butter and let melt. Add onions and red peppers and allow to cook for 4 minutes or until softened. Add remaining 1 tbsp. butter. Add mushrooms and garlic and allow to cook until mushrooms are cooked through.

Chop roasted tomatoes into bite-size pieces. Add the roasted tomatoes and canned tomatoes with juices to the skillet. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, basil, bay leaf and Parmesan cheese over top. Allow to simmer for 10-20 minutes.

Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.


Source: SK and Chris Original

Orange Chicken

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I love ordering Chinese food and trying new things, but I've never been a fan of Orange Chicken. It's usually too sweet for me and something about putting orange juice in the sauce just turns me off.

I did, however, try a Chinese food place recently that changed my opinion of this. The sauce was only a tad bit sweet and didn't ruin the flavor of the chicken at all. After that, I was on a hunt to find the perfect recipe.

This Orange Chicken will probably change your perception of this classic Chinese dish if you have never been a fan. The sauce is sweet, but once you pair it with the chicken it mellows out and the two blend together perfectly. I found the sauce a bit too sweet on its own, but Chris enjoyed it. I think it's just a preference thing! I just added some extra soy sauce to mine before sprinkling it over the rice, and it was perfect. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the marinade and sauce:

• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• 6 tbsp. white vinegar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
• 3 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. cold water
• 8 thin strips orange peel (optional)
• Rice, cooked, for serving (optional)

For the coating and frying:

• 3 large egg whites
• 1 cup cornstarch
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 cups peanut or canola oil

To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to blend well.  Measure out 1/2 cup of the mixture and transfer it to a large zipper lock plastic bag.  Add the chicken pieces to the bag, pressing out the excess air and sealing well.  Refrigerate and let marinate 30-60 minutes, but no longer.  

Place the remaining mixture into a saucepan with the remaining mixture on the stove. Leave alone for now. 

To prepare the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and whisk until frothy.  In a second pie plate combine the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne pepper; whisk to blend.  Drain the chicken of the marinade in a colander or large strainer; pat dry with paper towels.  Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat.  Transfer the pieces to the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly, shaking off the excess.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in a 11- or 12-inch round Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan until the oil reaches 350˚ F.  Carefully place half of the chicken pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking.  Remove from the oil with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.  Return the oil to 350˚ F and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

While chicken is cooking heat the remaining sauce mixture over medium-high heat.  Bring to a simmer.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth.  Add the mixture to the saucepan with the sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce is thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the strips of orange peel, if using.  

Toss sauce with the cooked chicken pieces.  Serve over rice, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats

Monkey Muffins

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One little round is missing. I may or may not have eaten it before I could snap a picture.


Christmas morning is always here and gone before you know it. Especially if you have a large family like I do. When we were younger the whole process of waking up, opening presents, cleaning up, putting toys together and taking pictures can take up a large chunk of your morning. My dad always used to make Sausage McMuffins when we were done, but he did all the prep work beforehand so all he had to do was heat them up for us. If you're looking for another recipe that you can easily put together and not fuss over so you can enjoy time with your family, I've got the recipe for you.

Recipes that require no mixing, limited kitchen tools and hardly no time to make are my favorites. Especially since they're finished cooking before you know it and there's hardly any clean up! For these muffins, all you have to do is layer (that's right, layer!...no mixing, blending or combining) the ingredients inside a muffin tin and pop them in the oven. The frosting is simply sweetened condensed milk (I NEVER would have thought to use that), which is an amazing icing substitute. Hope you give these a try Christmas morning so you can spend more quality time with your family!

Here's the pan lined up before baking. So easy...just layer the ingredients and you're set!

Finished muffins with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• Refrigerated biscuit dough, cut into quarters
• Butter
• Sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Sweetened, condensed milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add 1/2 teaspoon butter to muffin tins. Sprinkle in about 1 tsp. sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.

Cut dough into quarters. Roll each piece into walnut sized balls. Place three into each muffin tin.

Top with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Sprinkle on about 1/3 tsp. sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon.

Allow dough to rise, if applicable, or just go ahead and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Remove from oven and immediately drizzle plenty of sweetened condensed milk over the top of each one. Be generous! Allow rolls to sit for a little while before serving.

Scoop out with a spoon and serve.

Source: Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

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It's that time of year again! Christmas cookies, holiday parties, fancy cocktails...all recipes for a beautiful disaster. And by disaster I mean weight gain. We all do it.

Since I know the kitchen at work is going to be overflowing with baked goods the next few weeks and I have more Christmas get-togethers lined up than I can fit in my schedule, I thought it would be smart to at least make dinner somewhat healthy. At least that's one thing I can control.

Shrimp is always my go-to when trying to eat healthy because it's so easy to make and Chris and I both love it. Cilantro and lime are one of my favorite combinations on seafood, and this recipe is no exception. I served this over Cilantro Lime Rice and they were perfect together. It would also be great with some warm, crusty bread. Try this recipe out and maybe it will help save your waistline, too!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 lbs. shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 6 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat.


Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add oil to the pan and add shrimp when hot. When the shrimp is cooked on one side, about 2 minutes, turn over and add garlic. Sauté another minute or two until shrimp is cooked, careful not to overcook. Remove from heat. Squeeze lime all over shrimp and toss with cilantro. Serve with Cilantro Lime Rice.

Source: Adapted from Skinny Taste

Grilled Cheese with Fried Ham

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This was a staple in our house growing up.  Not just ordinary grilled cheese, but grilled cheese with fried ham. If you've never had it, it will change your world. My mom would also make it with fried bologna once in a while, but that only works if you have the fresh, thin-sliced bologna from the deli. Both are amazing.

It took me a few times to learn that the trick to making perfect grilled cheese is cooking it for a long period of time over low heat. This way allows the bread to slowly brown, but gives it enough time to let the cheese melt. I used to be so impatient that I would cook it over medium-high heat, but I'd be left with really crisp bread and cold cheese. Not the ideal grilled cheese sandwich. So take your time and you'll wind up with this pretty looking and delicious tasting thing!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 slices white bread
• 1/2 tbsp. plus 1 tbsp. butter, softened
• 5-6 slices deli ham
• 2 slices American cheese (or your favorite cheese)

Melt 1/2 tbsp. butter over medium heat in a small frying pan. Once melted, add ham and cook until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spread remaining butter on one side of both pieces of bread. Heat a pan to medium-low heat. Place the first piece of bread butter side down in the pan. Put the cheese on top and then top with the ham. Place the second pieces of bread, butter side up, on top of the ham.

Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes or until the first side is brown. The trick to perfect grilled cheese is to cook it for a long period of time over medium-low heat to allow the cheese to melt without the bread getting brown too quickly.

Once the first side is browned, flip the sandwich and cook the second slice of bread. Once brown and cheese is melted, remove from heat and serve with your favorite chips!

Source: My mom

Baked Scallops

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Here's another one for the rotation.

My favorite dinners are those that come together in no more than 20 minutes, are reasonably cheap, use basic ingredients, and are, for the most part, healthy. This dish fits all four criteria and has great flavor on top of all that! The only thing I had to buy at the grocery store were scallops, which were on sale for $8. Talk about a bargain. Serve this with some crusty bread and you're in business!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 lb. bay scallops
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 tbsp. breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley and scallops. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

Spray your ramekins with cooking spray. Using a slotted spoon place enough scallops into each ramekin so that they are 3/4 full or equally divided between the four ramekins. Top with 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs per ramekin and a 1/2 teaspoon butter each.

Bake until golden and bubbly, approximately 10-15 minutes.

Source: Bell'alimento