Alright, per Ginger and Krysten's request, here is my egg salad recipe. I was really surpised to find I liked egg salad because I HATE mayo. If I'm going to eat mayo, it better be low fat and heavily disguised by other flavors. (I also was suprised that I like potato salad for the same reasons, but I only like the kind they serve at Minute Maid Park. I don't know what's in it, but someday when I'm rich I'm going to buy a luxury box and do nothing but fill out my scorecard and eat potato salad.)

Anyway, I found this recipe here and adapted it a little bit. I barely put any mayo, so mine is more chunky and less goopy. I added an handful of parsley, and lots of cracked black pepper. I've seen recipes that put all kinds of stuff in it, from peppers to bacon (hmmm spread that on a bagel or biscuit and have breakfast egg salad? That's an idea.) Green onions, chives or shallots might be good too.

I spread mine on toasted whole wheat bread (just regular sandwich bread works). If you don't toast it, its all too soft with the egg salad unless you use some hearty country bread or something. Any bread would be good.

4 Hard-boiled Eggs, peeled and chopped
Less than ¼ cup Light Mayonnaise
1 Celery Stalk (no ends or leaves), finely chopped
2 teaspoons Red, finely chopped
Handful of chopped parsley
1 ½ teaspoons Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed if possible)
To taste: Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1. Make sure your eggs are cooled, and chop them finely. I used a pastry cutter to get diced down small enough with out making a huge mess. Toss with chopped celery, which should also be very fine. You don't want to taste it, just to get that crunch.
2. Combine mayo, red onion, parsley and lemon juice in a separate bowl
3. Fold mayo mixture into egg mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

-Sarah

As we all know, Lent in Louisiana is really just an excuse to eat massive amount of seafood rather than fast or abstain (as if giving up meat is so hard on the Gulf Coast.) I miss good seafood so badly. I definitely grew up spoiled.

Anyway, I had a craving for BBQ shrimp last week, and I found this recipe in my new Cooking Light Complete Book (great cookbook, I totally recommend it) Of course, it's nowhere near as good as what you'd find in New Orleans and because it's light, it's more wine based than butter based. But it's quick to make and most of the ingredients are probably already in your fridge, and you can use frozen shrimp since this recipe seasons the hell out of them, so its a good home-away-from-home recipe for those of us stranded without good seafood.

If you don't have everything the recipe calls for, just mix and match seasonings. Like all good Louisiana cooking, its no exact science. Put the shrimp on french bread for a po-boy or just eat them plain. The leftovers are even better because the sauce intensifys in the fridge.

1/2 cup fat-free Caesar dressing
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
5 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds large shrimp
1/3 cup dry white wine

1. Combine the first 11 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a boil.
2. Add shrimp, and cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add wine, and cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done.

-Sarah

A few days ago, Sarah asked me if I had a good alfredo recipe. I told her I had a good one, but it was really, REALLY unhealthy.

That night, I decided I wanted alfredo sauce for dinner, but I didn't have whipping cream or a lot of butter to make the full-fat recipe happen.

This was my 'healthier' creation (with ingredients I enjoy), and it turned out well considering this is the first time I attempted it.

Light Chicken Alfredo Sauce
Adapted from Agnoletti with Light Alfredo Sauce
Serves four.

Chicken
2 chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Light Alfredo Sauce
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 tablespoons half and half
1 teaspoon flour
1/4 cup parmesan
Pepper to taste

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season. Pour olive oil into pan over medium heat. Brown the chicken in the pan, stirring occasionally. After chicken is browned, take out of pan and dab excess oil off with a paper towel.

In the same pan, lower heat, add yogurt and milk and simmer. Be careful to not have the heat on too high because scalded milk in a sauce makes an unhappy sauce. Add the half and half and a teaspoon of flour to help thicken the sauce. Make sure to use a whisk to break apart the flour so it does not make the sauce lumpy. The sauce will gradually thicken over the heat.

As the sauce thickens, put the chicken back into the pan to meld with the sauce. Let them meld together for about ten to fifteen minutes. Add pepper to taste. After that, take the pan OFF the heat and pour in the parmesan. Keep in mind that the cheese will make the sauce saltier and once you add it to the mix, you cannot take it out. Measure the parmesan in increments so the sauce won't be TOO cheesy. (If that's possible.)

Once the parmesan melts through, pour sauce on top of pasta and enjoy.


What is YOUR favorite alfredo recipe?

-Erin