I hope everyone has as good as a Memorial Day Weekend as I’m having so far.  Now, I’m not suggesting that everyone make ALL these recipes but a couple of them wouldn’t be bad, eh?  I’m actually making it all.  I’ve got about a dozen people coming over and only 4 or so that are dieting.  So I’ve prepared a Dukan menu and I hope everyone enjoys it.  ENJOY!!

CHIPOTLE CHEESE DIP WITH RAW VEGGIES

1 can Mexican style diced tomatoes, fire-roasted if you can find them
16 oz. Velveeta 2% Milk
4 T chipotle chili with adobo sauce, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
any mixture of veggies you wish to eat that day, bell peppers, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, radish…

Melt the cheese in the microwave, add the tomatoes and juices, the chipotle and adobo sauce and reheat 30 seconds.  Add the cilantro and serve with veggies.

Serves 8

DUKAN-QUE’D CHICKEN

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts

BARBECUE SAUCE
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup
8 oz can of tomato sauce
2 T tomato paste
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 small Ancho chili, cut into small pieces
1/2 t cumin
1/2 cup Jack Daniels

Saute the onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil spray about 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 3o minutes until nice and thick.

Grill your chicken until it’s fully cooked.  Do it nice and slow over indirect heat so the breasts don’t dry out.  You should try only to flip the chicken once, to keep all the moisture in the breasts.  Once you make the first flip, start carmelizing the sauce onto the chicken with a pastry brush.  Flip the cooked side over for 10 minutes just to carmelize the sauce on the previously cooked side.

EGG AND SPINACH SALAD WITH WARM BALSAMIC BACON VINAIGRETTE

6 eggs, boiled, 3 yolks removed, sliced thinly
1 large bag of baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 10 oz bag sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 t Splenda (I use 1 T the Brown Sugar Blend)
4 oz Real Bacon Bits

Saute the mushrooms in a bit of olive oil spray.  Add sugar and balsamic to the pan and saute just until sugar has dissolved.  Toss the mushroom mixture while still warm, with the spinach and top with bacon.

Portabello Sliders

PORTABELLO MUSHROOM JALAPENO SLIDERS

1/4 lb ground sirloin
4 portabello mushrooms, about 3 inches in diameter
2 slices fatfree Cheddar slices
6 thin slices jalapeno pepper
salt and pepper
mustard

Preheat your grill or grill pan til it’s nice and hot.  Trim your mushrooms so they are only about 1-inch thick in height.  Throw them on the grill.  Form the hamburger into 2 small patties, about 1/2 inch thick.  Season with salt and pepper and throw them on the grill pan til they are medium rare, about 3-4 minutes per side.  Flip the mushrooms, put the cheese and jalapenos on the patties, and place a mushroom on top of each patty, waiting for the cheese to melt.  Place each burger on each of the mushrooms left.  Serve with mustard.

Makes 2 sliders