One of my most favorite guilty bar food pleasures are bacon-filled, dripped with cheese, fried potato skins topped with dollops of sour cream. How can one resist? Bacon just makes everything taste delicious. Upon finding a reduced-fat south-of-the-boder style potato skin recipe with all my favorite bits, plus pico de gallo, I immediately had to give them a try. And the results were absolutely fab. Enjoy with a little less guilt!

Serves 4. Recipe adapted from Restaurant Recipes.

INGREDIENTS:
Pico de Gallo
1  tomato, chopped (1/2 cup)
3 Tbs. chopped Spanish Onion
1-1/2  tsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. canned jalapeno slices (nacho slices), diced
dash salt
dash pepper

Potato Boats
3  medium russet potatoes canola oil nonstick cooking spray salt
1/3  cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/3  cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
2  slices Canadian bacon, diced (about 2 Tbs.)

On The Side
fat-free sour cream
salsa

PREPARATION:
Prepare the pico de gallo by combining the ingredients in a small bowl.  Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Bake the potatoes at 400°F for 1 hour, or until tender, and let cool. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise.

Heat oven to 450°F.

With a spoon, scoop some of the potato out of each skin, being sure to leave about 1/4 inch of potato inside of the skin. Spray the entire surface of each potato skin, inside and out, with a light coating of the canola oil spray. Place the skins on a baking sheet, cut side up, salt them, then bake them for 12 -15 minutes, or until the edges are beginning to brown.

Combine the cheddar and mozzarella in a small bowl. Sprinkle about a tablespoon and a half of the cheese blend on each of the potato skins. Sprinkle a teaspoon of Canadian bacon over the cheese on each skin. Spread a heaping tablespoon of pico de gallo over the bacon on each skin. Top off each potato skin with another pinch of the cheese blend.

Bake the skins once more for 2 to 4 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve hot with fat-free sour cream and salsa on the side.

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Replace traditional mexican ingredients with their Greek counterparts….feta for cheddar, hummus for guacamole, pepperoncinis for jalepenos, and tzatziki for sour cream. Delicious!

Serves 6. Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites.

INGREDIENTS:
1  lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
* Greek Vinaigrette
small tortillas

Toppings:
chopped romaine lettuce
crumbled fat free feta cheese
* tzatziki
hummus
chopped or sliced pepperoncinis
* pico de gallo
kalamata olives

* Greek Vinaigrette
1⁄4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1⁄4 cup white vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 cup olive oil
1⁄2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3⁄4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1⁄4 tsp. dry oregano

* Tzatziki
3⁄4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1⁄2 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. lemon juice
1-1⁄2 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbs. fresh dill weed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

* Pico de Gallo
3 vine Ripe tomatoes, diced
1⁄2 small red onion, diced
1⁄4 cup (total) of any combination of fresh chopped basil, oregano, and/or parsley
Greek Vinaigrette to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
For the Greek Vinaigrette, in a blender combine lemon juice, white vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper and garlic. Blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the oil in a steady stream. Turn off the blender and add the feta. Pulse the blender a few times. Whisk in the herbs. Marinate chicken in the vinaigrette for at least 4 hours. Reserve a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette for the pico de gallo.

Prepare the taco toppings in seperate bowls:
For the tzatziki, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Store covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

For the pico de gallo, combine the diced tomatoes, diced onions, and chopped herbs together. Toss with the leftover Greek Vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste.

After the chicken has marinated, grill and cut into strips for serving.

Let your guests help themselves to the Greek toppings and a sprinkling of feta cheese on top of a warm fajita shell.

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A creamy combination of chocolate, banana and crunch, these pretty parfaits are sure to satisfy the dessert craving. I topped mine with candles for a low-fat alternative to a ”birthday cake.” They were a hit!

Serves 8. Recipe from Taste of Home.

INGREDIENTS:
3  medium bananas, sliced
1 tsp. lemon juice
2  cups cold fat-free milk
1  package (1.4 ounces) sugar-free fat-free chocolate pudding mix
1  cup (8 ounces) fat-free sour cream
1-1/2  cups reduced-fat whipped topping
8  chocolate wafers, crushed*

PREPARATION:
In a small bowl, combine bananas and lemon juice; let stand for 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk the cold milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Refrigerate for 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream.

Drain bananas. Place half of the banana slices in eight parfait glasses; layer with pudding mixture, whipped topping, chocolate wafer crumbs and remaining banana slices. Refrigerate until serving.

NOTES:
* Substitute Oreo cookies for chocolate wafers and remove the cream in the center.

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A healthy alternative to the traditional nacho plate. Enjoy the combination of warm crispy nacho chips and melty cheese with fresh cool salad ingredients draped over the top. I can’t wait to make it again!

Serves 2-4. Recipe from Drizzle + Dip.

INGREDIENTS:
24 baked chips
1⁄2 cup cheddar jack cheese, grated
3⁄4 cup salsa
1⁄2 red onion, chopped
1⁄2 green pepper, chopped
1⁄2 avocado, chopped
1⁄4 cup frozen corn, steamed
1⁄4 cucumber, chopped
1⁄8 cup cilantro
6 grape tomatoes, quartered

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place a layer of corn chips at the bottom of a baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese and a few generous dollops of salsa. (Save a little salsa to drip on the top later).

Place the dish in the oven until the cheese is melted, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and scatter the remaining salad ingredients over the top. Top with remaining salsa.

Serve immediately.

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Skip the pre-packaged pork spareribs in the grocery store and create your own sauce. Not only a healthier alternate, but half the price and so delicious!

Serves 3-4. Recipe from Modern Grilling.

INGREDIENTS:
1 rack pork spareribs (about 3 1/2 lbs.)

Sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, minced

PREPARATION:
Prepare pork marinade by mixing all the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine ribs and about half of the sauce, turning to coat. Refrigerate ribs and remaining sauce for at least 6 hours, or as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Wrap the ribs in foil and place in a shallow pan. Bake for 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160-165°F.

Unwrap the ribs and place on the grill pre-heated to Medium. Turn and baste with the extra sauce for 12 minutes.

Cut into individual ribs and serve with any remaining sauce for dipping.

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Cinco de Mayo is just three days away. For those of you serving up some Mexican inspired dishes this week, add a little kick to your sundae with cinnamon fudge sauce and toasted coconut. Yum.

Serves 6. Recipe from Everyday Food.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup heavy cream
6 oz. pkg. bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
1-1/2 pints vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup redskin or unsalted peanuts

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet; toast, tossing occasionally, until brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. (Store at room temperature up to 1 day.)

In a medium saucepan over medium-high, bring cream to a boil; remove from heat. Add chocolate, cinnamon, and salt. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is shiny. (Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days; before serving, reheat in a double boiler or the microwave.)

Remove ice cream from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls; top with warm sauce, peanuts, and coconut.

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Mmmmmmmm…spinach and artichoke dip. A go-to appetizer for parties and gatherings…warm, cheesey, full of flavor and so easy to make.

Makes 2 cups. Recipe adapted from CopyKat Recipes.

INGREDIENTS:
1-14 oz. can artichoke hearts, chopped
1⁄2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
8 oz. fat free cream cheese
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1⁄8 tsp. garlic powder
dash black pepper
crackers or chips for dipping

PREPARATION:
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, boil spinach and artichoke hearts in one cup of water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.

In a small bowl, microwave the cream cheese on high for one minute. Combine the spinach and artichoke hearts and cream cheese and stir well.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl. Stir.

Serve hot with chips or crackers.

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After analyzing the ingredients of the Killer Club…avocado, ham, turkey, bacon combined with both a basil-pesto mayonnaise AND a sun-dried tomato mayonnaise…this recipe needed to be made immediately. I felt like an architect building my masterpiece sandwich and upon taking the first bite, there was a happy dance. Step aside traditional club, there’s a new Killer Club in town.

Serves 4. Recipe from Pioneer Woman.

INGREDIENTS:
12 slices sandwich bread
4 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 Tbs. prepared basil pesto
1 Tbs. prepared sundried tomato pesto OR 4 pureed sundried tomatoes
8 slices bacon, cut in half
½ lb. shaved ham
½ lb. shaved turkey
2 whole avocados, peeled + sliced
4 slices swiss cheese
romaine or green leaf lettuce

PREPARATION:
Toast bread in toaster until light golden brown. Set aside.

Fry bacon until just barely crisp, then drain on a paper towel. Set aside.

Mix together 2 tablespoons mayonnaise with prepared basil pesto; in a separate bowl, mix additional 2 tablespoons mayonnaise with sundried tomato pesto.

To make one sandwich, spread two pieces of bread with basil pesto. On one piece, lay ham, cheese and lettuce. On other piece, lay 1⁄4 avocado slices and a layer of bacon. Lift the second slice of bread (the one with avocado and bacon) and place it, ingredient side down, on top of the first piece of bread (the one with the ham, cheese and lettuce).

On top of your masterpiece, spread a layer of sundried tomato mayonnaise. Top with 1⁄4 avocado slices and bacon. Spread one side of the final piece of bread with sundried tomato mayonnaise. Top with ham, cheese, and lettuce. Place this piece of bread, ingredient side down, on top of your mega sandwich. Cut, repeat and enjoy!

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All of the great taste of spicy, tangy, buffalo chicken with crumbled blue cheese and sweet caramelized onions folded up inside a toasty grilled pita.

Serves 4. Recipe from Panini Happy.

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1/2 ” strips
1 12-oz. bottle of Buffalo wing sauce (i.e., Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce)
1 Tbs. butter
1 large red onion, sliced into thin
rings
2 tsp. granulated sugar
4-6” pita breads
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled

PREPARATION:
In a large saucepan, combine chicken and Buffalo wing sauce over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked throughly.

While the chicken is simmering, heat butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Saute onions for 13 minutes until soft. Stir in sugar and saute for another 10 minutes or until onions are caramelized. Set aside.

Heat the panini grill to 350°F or use your George Foreman like I did!

Microwave a pita on high for 15 seconds (it should be malleable enough to fold without breaking; if not, microwave for a few more seconds). Lay the pita flat on a clean work surface. Place 1/4 of the caramelized onions on half of the pita. Add chicken on top of the onions with a slotted spoon, draining most of the sauce through the spoon. Top the chicken with about 2 tablespoons of the blue cheese.

Carefully fold the pita over the filling and transfer to the grill. Grill for 5 minutes until cheese is melted and pita is toasted. Serve hot.

NOTES:
Assemble and grill each sandwich one at a time to ensure the pita breads do not break.

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EXTRAS:
Check out these buffalo chicken related goods in case you just can’t get enough.

Seared chicken in a rich Marsala and mushroom sauce with the unique flavor of Gorgonzola cheese is both simple and spectacular. Double it for leftovers!

Serves 2-3. Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking.

INGREDIENTS:
1⁄2 lb. penne pasta
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3)
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz. white mushrooms, sliced thin (about 21⁄4 cups)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1⁄2 cup dry Marsala Wine
1⁄3 cup light cream
1⁄2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

PREPARATION:
Cook pasta according to package directions.

Slice chicken on an angle into 3⁄4” thick pieces; season generously with salt and pepper.

In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add half of the chicken
and cook, flipping once, until lightly browned and just barely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; repeat with the remaining chicken. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt, and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened and well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Pour in the Marsala and scrape the pan with the spoon to loosen any browned bits; simmer until the Marsala is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and simmer until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Gorgonzola and stir until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the sauce; add salt and pepper as needed. Add the chicken along with any accumulated juices and turn to coat with the sauce. Serve over pasta, sprinkled with parsley.

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