Jacque Made: a place to share my creative side.

My sister introduced me to this delicious Nancy Fuller recipe . It was so tasty and pretty quick to throw together. I made a few tweaks to it, but mostly followed the recipe.  Ingredients :  4 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise 1 Tbsp. olive oil 8 ounces sweet loose Italian sausage 8 ounces hot loose Italian sausage (I used 16 oz. of all sweet Italian sausage and squeezed it out of the links, since that's the only kind I could find.) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 small onion, chopped 2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped (I just used about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce) Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 C. Parmesan, finely grated 1/2 C. mozzarella, shaved 1/4 C. breadcrumbs (I used Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs) 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (I prefer flat leaf parsley) Directions : Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  With a teaspoon, scoop out the flesh from the inside of the zucchini, so they look like boats. Place the boats in a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Chop the ...

Pico de gallo is so delicious and so easy to prepare. All you need is tomato, white onion (or red onion), and cilantro. Chop them all and mix together.  For guacamole, I like to mix ripe avocado, chopped cilantro, garlic powder or garlic salt to taste, and lime juice. Then, I'll even add some pico de gallo to the guacamole for extra flavor and texture.  One of our family's favorites is chicken quesadillas. I like to marinate and grill chicken breasts and then make quesadillas.  I always add some kosher salt to the quesadillas to bring out all the flavors.   And then enjoy with pico, guac, and sour cream. Delicious!

My twin sis told me about this recipe. A friend of hers had made it for her while she was sick and pregnant, and she said it made her whole week! I am not sick or pregnant, but this soup tastes good no matter what you are! It's satisfying and versatile and so great this time of year. You can add a number of things if you want to like cheddar cheese, turkey, bacon, or eat it without meat. It was really easy and fast to throw together as well. Winner, winner, ham and potato dinner! Ingredients : 3 1/2 Cups peeled and diced potatoes (I like Yukon Gold potatoes best. I don't peel mine, because the skin is so thin it isn't bothersome to eat at all.) 1/3 Cup diced celery 1/3 Cup finely chopped onion 3/4 Cup cooked ham, diced (I used turkey kielbasa in my soup and added it at the end to warm. But I will try it with ham next time. I think I like turkey kielbasa cold better than warm.) 3 1/4 Cups water 2 Tbsp. chicken bouillon granules 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste 1 ...

Ladies and Gents, this recipe is seriously amazing. With each bite, I kept singing its praises... saying, "Oh my goodness.. wow, this is... wow, mmm..." I guarantee you, too will love it. It's from my girl Kelsey Nixon. (She's not technically my girl, or my girl friend even, but I like to think she and I would be great friends if we ever met. I love her cooking style, and her personality is adorable. And, she is always stylin'.) What made this recipe taste even better was that I made it with my twin sis, Jaime. She and I love to cook together, and we had a great time making this meal.  So, here's the printable recipe . Pork and Peach BBQ Sauce : 4 cups peaches, peeled and sliced (we used frozen peaches) 1 cup brown sugar 2/3 cup ketchup 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 Tbsp. garlic, minced 2 Tbsp. ginger, minced 2 1/2 pound boneless pork loin roast kosher salt and cracked black pepper 1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock Smashed Potatoes :  1 ...

This is one of my favorite breakfasts. It's easy, healthy, and delicious. It is also very satisfying to know that you're eating veggies in your breakfast!!   And you'll find that you feel full for quite awhile after eating this! Ingredients : 1/3 - 1/2 C. Chopped veggies (any kind you like - I used mushrooms, red, yellow, and orange peppers, and onions) 2 eggs 2 Tbsp. shredded cheese (any kind you like - I used Monterey Jack) 1 tsp. olive oil fresh flat leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped for garnish whole grain bread (I like to use Sara Lee's 45 Calories and Delightful bread) Directions : Heat your oil in your saute pan over medium heat. Saute all your vegetables until tender, 3-4 minutes. Mix your eggs together in a bowl with a fork or whisk. Add in your eggs and cheese to the pan with your veggies. Stir until firm, but not brown. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. Toast your bread, and enjoy together!

For those of you that have seen Next Food Network Star, this recipe comes from a winner on that show, Melissa D'Arabian. I really like her, and I really loved this recipe. The basil sauce and using an English Muffin for the bun made this burger so unique and yummy. It's a perfect summer time meal.   Here's the printable recipe . Ingredients : 1 1/4 lbs. ground beef (80% lean) kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella 4 English muffins, halved horizontally and toasted 1 tomato, sliced and lightly salted 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan Basil Sauce: 1 green onion, chopped 3 Tbsp. roughly chopped basil 1 large clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup mayonnaise 3 Tbsp. sour cream 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions : Quarter the beef into even portions. Form into burgers, indenting the middle slightly with your thumb. Season with salt and pepper, and brush lightly with vegetable...

This sandwich recipe from Kelsey Nixon has the perfect balance of flavors and textures. I love it so much, the first time I made it for dinner I ended up eating it for lunch and dinner the next day, too. I couldn't get enough!!   It's not too spicy, but has enough kick to satisfy. I also love that you make this meat in your crockpot. It's so easy to just throw everything in, and then assemble your sandwiches at dinnertime. Ingredients : 1/4 C. hot sauce 1/4 C. Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp. molasses 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 yellow onion, chopped 14 oz. can tomato sauce 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts salt and freshly ground pepper 6 hamburger buns, split and toasted (I like to eat it on an Orowheat sandwich thin bun) Celery leaves, for serving Blue Cheese Aioli, for serving, recipe follows Blue Cheese Aioli : 1/2 C. crumbled blue cheese 1/3 C. mayonnaise 1 tsp. fresh tyme leaves 1 clove garlic, minced (I usually add a few teaspoons...

I got this delicious recipe from a cookbook that was created by a group of women I attended church with years ago. A friend, Amanda, submitted it. It is so easy and so versatile. I make it with a variety of veggies, and it always turns out perfect. If you have a hankering for pasta, this should be on your plate! Ingredients : 1 lb. farfalle (bowtie) pasta, cooked al dente (with some pasta water reserved for later) 5 Tbsp. butter 1 medium onion, chopped 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced AND/OR chicken, grilled and cut into bite size pieces 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces 1 Cup Mascarpone cheese pinch of ground nutmeg 1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 head roasted garlic (If I'm too lazy to roast my garlic, I'll just mince some up and put it in with the onion.) (I added fresh chopped tomato to mine in the above pic) fresh parsley, chopped Directions : Melt butter and saute onions until translucent. Add mushrooms and saute about 5 minutes...

My kids have recently grown very fond of meatloaf. But, as much as I like it, too, I hate that it takes forever to cook!! So, when I found this recipe for mini meatloaves, I was thrilled. The glaze you put on the top is perfect, and it tastes great with some mashed cauliflower . Ingredients : 17-20 saltine crackers, crushed fine (about 2/3 cup) 1/4 cup whole milk 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 large egg 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 1/2 pounds ground meat (My kids prefer beef, but I've used turkey or beef and pork as well.) 2 teaspoons oil (I used canola oil) Glaze: 1/2 cup ketchup 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 4 teaspoons cider vinegar Directions : Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Stir cracker crumbs, milk, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, egg, mustard, onion powder,...

I had a serious hankering for potatoes over the weekend. When I saw this Bobby Flay recipe online, I had to try it. The only thing I changed was I used bacon instead of pancetta. I wished I had used Yukon golds instead of Russets, but really, these were amazing. Probably my favorite breakfast potato recipe I've ever had. I ate them with an over easy egg, and I made sure to drizzle the rosemary oil over the whole dish before digging in. Ingredients : Rosemary oil: 1 C. Canola oil 1/2 C. fresh rosemary leaves 4 cloves garlic, crushed salt and freshly ground black pepper Home Fries: One 1-inch-thick piece pancetta, diced 3 large russet potatoes, cooked in salt water until tender, cooled and diced Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Pinch red pepper flakes Freshly grated Parmesan cheese Directions : For the oil:   Combine the oil, rosemary, garlic and some salt and pepper in a blender and blend for 2 minutes....

 I make this meal so often; I love it. It's so tasty and satisfying. My friend, Elizabeth is the creator of this recipe. I love all of her recipes. Check out her blog here.  Here's the recipe . 4 chicken breasts (I actually like to slice two breasts in half because they're so large) 4 slices Swiss cheese 2 avocados, sliced 2 tomatoes, sliced 4 Kaiser rolls (or hamburger buns) - I like to use Orowheat Sandwich Thins, toasted 1 lime Dressing (recipe below) Drizzle chicken breasts with canola oil and season generously with salt and pepper (you can also marinate the chicken in lemon/lime juice, oil and salt and pepper for a few hours but I often don't think ahead that far in advance). Grill chicken until almost done (this takes me about 10 minutes because I half mine). Place cheese slices on top of each breast for the last few minutes of cooking until melted and bubbly. Remove from grill and squeeze lime juice over the chic...

This steak is one of my favorite "fancy" meals to make. It is so easy and so flavorful. You can eat it in a quesadilla, taco, on top of a salad, or on its own. Whenever I make dinner for a family, this is one of my go to meals. I either make it with the Pioneer Woman's Mac n Cheese or with a potato  side of some sort. (Below I made it with the Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes .) Oh, and I always make it with this yummy green salad . So delicious!  Marinated Flank Steak Ingredients : 1.5 - 2.5 lb. flank steak unseasoned meat tenderizer 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 packet of Good Seasons brand Italian dressing mix (I've also used lime juice in this recipe and a combination of lime and lemon juice, and both those options are tasty, too. The lime juice gives it a nice zing.) Directions : I like to line a cookie sheet with foil and place my steak on it, so I don't dirty a tray for this process. Liberally sprinkle...

When my twin sister, Jaime, a food lover like me, was in town, she told me we MUST make Rachael Ray's veggie sandwiches , so I agreed. And boy am I glad I did! To say that this is a delicious sandwich is a complete understatement. I was literally saying, "yum", and "oh my", with every bite! Even if you don't think you like grilled veggies, try this and you will! Something about the herbed mayo, creamy avocado, the taste of the grilled veggies and bread make it melt in your mouth! So yummy! Here's the recipe: Ingredients: veggies of choice (we used portobello mushroom caps, zucchini, eggplant, red onion, tomato, avocado, and green leafy lettuce) olive oil salt and pepper ciabatta rolls Herbed Mayo : 3/4 cup mayo 1/2 lemon, juiced a few drops of hot sauce 1-2 garlic cloves, minced 1-2 Tbsp. thyme leaves, chopped finely 1-2 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, chopped finely 1-2 Tbsp. chives, chopped finely (I've made these with...

I've been on the hunt for healthy and yummy recipes. Here's a Bobby Flay recipe I love that fits the bill perfectly. I tweaked it a bit by adding some fat free refried beans to them and by topping them with homemade salsa. These are so light, fast, and delicious! Here's the printable Shredded Chicken and Tomatillo Tacos with Queso Fresco Ingredients: 6 tomatillos, husked and washed 1 serrano chili olive oil 1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro juice of 1 lime 2 Tbsp. honey 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 8 blue corn tortillas (I used white corn tortillas) 1 cup crumbled queso fresco 1 can fat free refried beans, warmed cilantro for garnish salsa (recipe below) Salsa Ingredients: 1 lg. can of crushed tomatoes 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1/2 bunch cilantro 1 small can diced green chilies garlic salt, to taste Blend all ingredients except garlic salt in a blender or food processor. Ad...

This is one of my favorite things to make. Grilling the crust makes all the difference, in my opinion. Not only that, but you can make the pizza your own by adding whatever toppings or sauces you like. It's also great to make with friends or for a party. Ingredients : pizza dough from your local pizza place (I buy Barro's dough. It's awesome. Of course, you can always make your own dough, and I've done that, too. But I find it so much easier to just buy a few dough balls. They're super cheap, too.) sauce cheese any toppings you like Directions: Heat your grill pan or grill to medium high. Sprinkle some flour or cornmeal on your counter and roll out some dough pretty thin. (If you don't roll it out thin, your dough may not cook enough all the way through before it starts to burn on the bottom, so make sure it's thin.) Place the dough on your grill or grill pan and let it cook a minute or so. When you start to see it bubble up a bit, turn it over a...

This is another recipe I love from the Jillian Michaels' Body Shred nutrition program. I've done 2 rounds of Body Shred now, and I love it. I tweaked her recipe a bit (mostly by adding some reduced fat blue cheese to my steak and by eating grilled corn on the cob with it.) Ingredients : 4 4 oz. filet mignon or sirloin steaks fresh ground pepper 4 cups baby spinach, cleaned and dry 4 plum tomatoes, cut into 8ths 16 black Greek olives, roughly chopped (I used Kalamata) 1 red onion, sliced thin 8 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 4-6 tsp. balsamic vinegar 4 Tbsp. reduced fat blue cheese 4 corn on the cob butter salt and pepper Directions : Season the steaks with pepper and any other herb of choice. (I used kosher salt on mine.) Broil or grill steaks on medium high, on each side, until desired doneness is achieved. I cooked mine about 4 minutes per side, because I like mine to not be totally pink in the center. Put husked corn directly onto grill grates. Grill for 10-...

I've been doing the Jillian Michaels' exercise DVD's for months now. I thought I'd give her recipes a try to that came with the DVD's. This recipe was so tasty. I really loved it and will definitely make it again. Ingredients : Spinach & Ricotta filling: 1 C. part-skim ricotta cheese 1/3 C. reduced fat organic Parmesan cheese 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper 1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry 1 large egg Chicken: 6 (6 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1/2 cup dry white wine (I just used chicken broth) Directions : Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare filling, combine all filling ingredients. To prepare chicken, place each chicken breast between two sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap, pound to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Divide and spread filling evenly over chicken breasts. Roll up jelly-roll fashion. Tuck in sides. Place chicken, s...

It is no secret that I LOVE potatoes. And well, potato skins, come on. I cannot resist them! So, when I had a hankering for these babies recently, I knew I wanted to find a healthier version than the kind you'd find at a restaurant.  Ellie Krieger is an amazing chef. She makes healthy food so delicious!  This recipe did not disappoint at all. In fact, I like this version of potato skins so much more than the restaurant type. It didn't taste greasy or oily at all, and the avocado cream on top was to die for! My mouth waters every time I think of these babies.  Here's the printable recipe .  Ingredients : 8 small potatoes (I used Yukon Gold, because they are my fave - about 2 1/2 pounds total, scrubbed and dried) 4 tsp. canola oil 1/2 tsp. salt 8 oz. broccoli florets, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups) cooking spray 3 pieces Canadian bacon, finely diced (about 3 oz.) (I didn't have Canadian bacon on hand, so I used regular bacon.) 3/4 cu...