I can’t believe it’s February already!  January whizzed by…and with the not so mild weather all of us have been having (some more than others!), the closer we get to spring the better, as far as I’m concerned.  I can’t wait to see some color in the grass and hit the beach again.  This Florida girl needs some sun.

Since it’s February, it’s time for another Virtual Cooking Club get together.  This month we cooked for the theme “Healthy Italian”…which is my kind of cooking.  Italian is really so easy to healthy up…you don’t need a lot of heavy cheese and bread to make a great and healthy Italian meal.  This Shrimp Arrabbiata is a perfect example of how simple Italian cooking can really be…and simple is good in my opinion.  Especially if you are trying to put something delicious and healthy on the table…quick.

(served with some Roasted Broccoli…my favorite side)

I followed the recipe to a T (how exactly do you spell T anyway?) for the most part…the only major thing I did differently is add an extra can of diced tomatoes.  I thought one can would not make it saucy enough for my liking.  I used one can of regular diced tomatoes and one can of Italian diced tomatoes for the additional seasoning.  I served it over whole wheat angel hair pasta.  I was a little disappointed in the amount of heat (spice) in the sauce, but that may have been my fault, I should have added more red pepper to compensate for the extra can of tomatoes, and also, I like things spicy.  My husband and nephew said they were good with the spice…but I could have used some more.  You’ll have to decide on that one.

Here is what the rest of the Virtual Supper Club girls brought to the table:

For a printable copy of Shrimp Arrabbiata or other Healthy Italian recipe visit CookingLight.com.

Join the club!  If you’d like to become an honorary member of the Virtual Supper Club, blog a recipe that fits the theme, leave a comment on the Test Kitchen Secrets – Cooking Light blog and leave a comment with a link to your post!

That’s what happens this time of year right?  Every where you turn….there’s a festive cookie recipe you want to try…cookbooks, magazines, blogs.  I’ve never been huge into cookie baking, but I can see where it can become a bit of a “sport”…I think this year I will be baking a few more than I normally do.

Our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club is having a Cookie Exchange for this month’s theme.  The girls and I each picked a Cooking Light cookie recipe to bake, taste and feature…and here’s what made it to the plate:

Jamie: Raspberry Strippers
Shelby: Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints
Val: Orange Walnut Tassies
Hélène: Maple Date Bars
Aggie: Peppermint Patties

Check out each member’s blog to see their cookies and recipes!

It was hard to choose just one cookie…but when I saw the Peppermint Patties I thought they were a perfect treat.  They aren’t just a cookie…they are actually an ice cream cookie sandwich and who’s not a fan of ice cream cookie sandwiches?  The cookies are crisp and chocolaty, and the crushed peppermint candy coating just makes this cookie sandwich that much better.  My little guy was quoted saying “That was awesome!” after eating his.

If you are in the mood for trying these yummy treats out for yourself visit MyRecipes.com for a printable copy of Peppermint Patties.

I highly recommend following the directions in the recipe that suggests you put back in the freezer for 4 hours before serving.  I was impatient and started photographing my yummy cookies immediately after making them and ended up with melty ice cream mess…so we had to hurry and eat them and then start filling a new batch.  No worries…we got it under control!

The whole idea behind having a tapas style gathering is to be able to enjoy small bites of different foods while enjoying the company you are with.  It’s such a great way to sample different flavors and foods, and if you and your guests enjoy food like I do, then this is definitely a fun way to eat at a party!

My Virtual Supper Club friends Jamie, Shelby, Val and Helene came together with a fantastic menu of goodies…it doesn’t fail that each month as I type out our menu I wish that this “supper club” was actually real!  This month’s idea is really inspiring to have a Tapas party of my own soon!

Another month…another gathering of the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.  This month one of our members suggested the theme, Cooking with Wine.  Now if you know me, you know that got me excited.  I love my wine.

There were so many great Cooking Light recipes using wine to choose from!  I really wish this “club” wasn’t virtual…I would love to have each of these wonderful ladies cooking these dishes for me!

Cheese Fondue with Apples - Shelby from Grumpy’s Honeybunch

French Onion Soup – Helene from La Cuisine d’Helene

Baked Rice with Butternut Squash – Val from More than Burnt Toast

Salmon with White Wine-Mustard Sauce – Jamie from Mom’s Cooking Club

Red Wine Pear Crisp with Spiced Streusel – Aggie from Aggie’s Kitchen

I’m not a huge dessert eater (not saying I don’t like dessert…just don’t have it often) but when I do I tend to make something with fruit.  I like fruit cobblers/crisps/crumbles…whatever you want to call them.  I like them because they are easy to make, usually without too much fuss, and for the most part they are on the healthy side.  This pear crisp was just that.  I’ve never made a crisp/cobbler/crumble with pears, so I was looking forward to trying this.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find Bosc pears to make this with (as the recipe calls for), so I had to settle for Bartlett and I left the skins on (it may not look as pretty but the skin is where the nutrients are!).  And instead of the whipped topping I opted for a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt.

I don’t have to tell you how delicious my kitchen was smelling while the pears were simmering in the wine and then baking in the oven with the spiced streusel.  It is a great fall dessert to treat yourself with.

The recipe can be found here on Cooking Light’s site.

(this recipe calls for feta…I didn’t have any on hand so I substituted grated Parmesan cheese…)

I really enjoyed the Lemony Orzo Salad. I am a huge fan of orzo, it’s a rice shaped pasta and can be enjoyed in many types of dishes such as a pasta salad. I loved the simplicity of this dish…lots of chopped up vegetables paired with a whole grain (I used whole wheat orzo). You can easily add something like chickpeas or grilled chicken for protein to make it a balanced meal in itself. The lemon in the dressing brightened it all up! And since the recipe makes a nice size batch it will last you for a couple of lunches (or make a great dish for dinner!).

For a printable copy of this recipe click here.