Monday – Spinach and Cheese Bake with Cheese Muffins

Spinach-Cheese Bake
You can assemble the casserole in less than 10 minutes by using preshredded cheeses. Pair this dish with fresh berry salad and mini muffins for a lovely Mother’s Day or graduation brunch.

1 tablespoon butter, melted
Cooking spray
2 (6-ounce) packages fresh baby spinach
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 3/4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.Pour the butter into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; tilt dish to coat. Place spinach evenly in bottom of dish; sprinkle evenly with cheeses.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Pour milk mixture over cheese. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Yield: 12 servings

writeNutrient();NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 157(34% from fat); FAT 6g (sat 3.7g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 10.8g; CHOLESTEROL 18mg; CALCIUM 263mg; SODIUM 494mg; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 2.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.1g

Cheese Muffins
Be sure to splurge on freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano for these muffins because the flavor is superior. Serve any leftover muffins with soup or a salad for a light lunch.

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (4 1/4 ounces) fresh finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.Place 3 tablespoons cheese in a small bowl; set aside. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, remaining cheese, sugar, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk, oil, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Spoon batter into 15 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved 3 tablespoons cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.

Yield: 15 servings (serving size: 1 muffin)
writeNutrient();NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 176(30% from fat); FAT 5.9g (sat 1.9g,mono 2.6g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 7g; CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CALCIUM 191mg; SODIUM 379mg; FIBER 0.7g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.5g

Tuesday – BLTs with pita chips and fresh fruit salad

Wednesday – Leftover Buffet

Thursday – Shrimp Caesar Salads with Sundried Tomato-Garlic Breadsticks (I’ll add the recipe for the breadsticks later!) and a 1/2 chocolate birthday cake for Punky’s HALF Birthday!

Shrimp Caesar Salad

Precooked shrimp speed up preparation. If you purchase raw shrimp, cook them in boiling water for two minutes or until done. Sriracha Thai hot sauce adds spicy heat to the dressing; omit it for a mild dish. Serve with sauvignon blanc. Time: 30 minutes.

Dressing:
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced

Salad:
3/4 cup fat-free seasoned croutons
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
1 (10-ounce) package chopped romaine lettuce
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Chopped fresh chives (optional)

To prepare dressing, combine mayonnaise and next 7 ingredients (through garlic), stirring with a whisk.To prepare salad, combine croutons, 2 tablespoons cheese, shrimp, and lettuce in a large bowl. Add dressing; toss well to coat. Top with pine nuts. Garnish with chives, if desired. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 cups salad and 2 1/4 teaspoons pine nuts)

writeNutrient();NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 295(29% from fat); FAT 9.4g (sat 1.7g,mono 2.1g,poly 4g); PROTEIN 38.6g; CHOLESTEROL 261mg; CALCIUM 149mg; SODIUM 462mg; FIBER 1.8g; IRON 5.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.2g

Friday – We’ll be in route to Chicago for my nephew’s 1st birthday party! 🙂