Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Gremolata

D made this while I was sleeping. He must have done the 2 to 2-1/2 hour suggestion.

It was pretty good. It wasn't spicy at all. I think I would add more Sriracha next time. D thought more salt, but he likes salt in everything.

Would have again

Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Gremolata

Photo by ALB

Makes: 4 to 6 servings (4 2C servings)
Prep: 25 mins Slow Cook: 4 hrs to 5 hrs(low) or 2 to 2-1/2 hours (high)

Ingredients
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups chicken broth
1 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce
1/2 - 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (Sriracha) sauce or crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 Thai Gremolata (see recipe below)

Directions

1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker stir together squash, broth, coconut milk, onion, brown sugar, fish sauce, and Asian chili sauce.

2. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

3. Use an immersion blender to carefully blend soup until completely smooth. (Or, transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor or blender; or use a potato masher to mash mixture nearly smooth.) Stir in lime juice. Ladle into bowls and top with Thai Gremolata. If desired, serve with lime wedges.


Thai Gremolata

Ingredients

1/2 cup snipped fresh basil or cilantro
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 tablespoon finely shredded lime peel

Directions

In a small bowl stir together basil, peanuts, and lime peel.

Nutrition Facts (Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Gremolata)

Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 189; Protein (gm) 5; Carbohydrate (gm) 24; Fat, total (gm) 10; Cholesterol (mg) 1;Saturated fat (gm) 3; Monosaturated fat (gm) 3; Polyunsaturated fat (gm) 2; Dietary Fiber, total (gm) 4; Sugar, total (gm) 6;
Vitamin A (IU) 133; Vitamin C (mg) 30; Thiamin (mg) 0; Riboflavin (mg) 0; Niacin (mg) 4; Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0; Folate (µg) 56; Sodium (mg) 581; Potassium (mg) 567; Calcium (DV %) 81; Iron (DV %) 2,

Better Homes and Gardens

Colby-Pepper Jack Cheese Dip

This dip needs salt. Past that, I liked it. My brother liked it. D, not so much. He thinks Jalapeno Popper dip is better. I think we need to have it again with cilantro (and salt).

We dumped everything in a crockpot and heated.

Colby-Pepper Jack Cheese Dip

Prep: 15 min., Bake: 30 min.

Prepare up to a day ahead; cover and chill in an airtight container, and bake just before serving.

YIELD: Makes 10 servings
COURSE: Appetizers, Dips/Spreads

Ingredients
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened (used 1/3 Fat)
2/3 cup sour cream (used Reduced Fat)
1/3 cup mayonnaise (used Reduced Fat)
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (used 25 oz of canned chicken)
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded colby-Jack cheese blend
1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprig
Tortilla and sweet potato chips


Preparation

1. (we dumped everything into a crockpot and turned it on and stirred periodically until everything was mixed). Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients until blended. Spoon cheese mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.

2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Spoon into a serving bowl. Garnish, if desired. Serve with tortilla and sweet potato chips.


Southern Living NOVEMBER 2008

Jalapeño, Sausage, Jack, and Egg Breakfast Braid

I have looked at this recipe for a year. But never got around to making it. With Christmas coming, and not wanting a HUGE meal considering we would be grazing all day, this seemed to be a good idea.

D and I made this together. First, if you ever have used a Pillsbury Pizza Dough, you know what a PITA it can be. So lots of flour on the counter and rolled it out. I ended up cutting it into a rectangle.

Johnsonville has a new Chicken Sausage with Cheese, so we got the Chipotle Monterrey Flavor. I used 6 oz, because the package is 4 links/12 oz (I froze the other 2). D used 3 eggs in the mixture.

The result was decent. A little mild in my mind but I did seed the jalapeno much more than usual.

Update: I added cilantro, and half-ass seeded the jalapeno. I added salsa as a condiment. I also didn't roll out the pizza dough.  I just made sure there were no holes.  It was really good.

We got 4 servings out of it.

Jalapeño, Sausage, Jack, and Egg Breakfast Braid

Photo by ALB

YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
COURSE: Breads, Breakfast/Brunch

Ingredients

1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
Cooking spray

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
Added 2 minced garlic cloves
4 ounces chicken sausage with jalapeño peppers, chopped (used 6 oz)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten (used 3)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped seeded jalapeño peppers
Added some cilantro (between 3 TBSP and 1/4C)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten (used ICBINB Spray)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 15 x 10–inch rectangle.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion (and garlic) and sausage; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in eggs; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until set. Remove from heat.

4. Sprinkle Monterey Jack lengthwise down center of dough, leaving about a 2 1/2-inch border on each side. Spoon egg mixture evenly over cheese. Sprinkle cheddar over egg mixture; top with jalapeño peppers.

5. Make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling using a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Arrange strips over filling, alternating strips diagonally over filling. Press ends under to seal. Brush with egg white. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

Nutritional Information (6 Servings, none of my changes/additions)
Calories: 323; Fat: 15.1g; Saturated fat: 5.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 6.8g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.1g; Protein: 15g; Carbohydrate: 32.3g; Fiber: 1.2g; Cholesterol: 98mg; Iron: 2.1mg; Sodium: 643mg; Calcium: 119mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2010

Chewy Pizza Bread

So I made this while D was walking the dogs. It was so quick, the oven hadn't even heated all the way up.

While making it, I noticed it didn't have any flavorings besides the beer. So I added some garlic powder, oregano and Italian Seasoning. I couldn't find crushed red pepper. I didn't measure any of this. I probably should have because I'm pretty sure everything I used was less than 1/4tsp each

So the result was decent but it was a little raw tasting. Of course this didn't stop me from eating half the pan (no, not kidding!) I think there needs to be more tweaks. Like adding some garlic to the flour mixture and crushed red pepper. Or putting the basil in the dough.

I will continue to make/tweak these because we almost always have the ingredients on hand, which is certainly cheaper than Pillsbury Breadsticks.

Chewy Pizza Bread

Posted by LDHAWKE98
8 Servings (2 squares each)

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup regular or non-alcoholic beer (used Bud Light)
½ cup spaghetti sauce
1/3 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
Chopped fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray square pan, 8x8x2 inches, with cooking spray.
3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Stir in beer just until flour is moistened. Spread dough in pan. Spread spaghetti sauce over dough. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into 2-inch squares. Serve warm.

NI Information per Serving:
Calories: 120; Fat: 2g; Carbs: 22g; Protein: 4g; Fiber: 1g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Sodium: 200mg

Tourtière

I found this recipe when looking for an untried recipe for ground pork. I wasn't sure about it, but after Thanksgiving we had leftover celery and potatoes and we routinely buy ground pork on quick sale. So it would be relatively cheap to make.

I helped D make this. It was pretty easy. Just a lot of chopping. We don't have 6 ramekins so we used a 2-qt casserole dish. It was very full. D pulled it out of the oven with 12 minutes left on the timer.

Although messy, it was very good. I loved all the flavors. Definitely would have again. We had with Broccoli with Roasted Balsamic Butter (subbed broccoli for the asparagus).

Photo by ALB

Tourtière

Spiced meat pie dating back to the Middle Ages is a holiday tradition in Québec. The dish is often made in a pie plate with top and bottom crusts. Our version calls to bake individual pies in ramekins with just a top crust—a simple way to shave both fat and calories from each serving. If you don't have ramekins, simply spoon the pork mixture into a (9-inch) pie plate and top with the entire store-bought pastry. (the pie plate will not hold it all, use a 2-qt casserole dish)

YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 1 ramekin)
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon salt, divided (it only was called out once...we added the 2nd 1/2 tsp when we added the veggies)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 (1-pound) russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)

Photo by ALB

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan. Sprinkle pork with 1/2 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper, and cloves; sauté for 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Using a slotted spoon, remove pork from pan. Add olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add 1 cup onion, carrot, celery, and potato; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return pork to pan. Stir in flour, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat; stir in chives.

3. Place 1 cup pork mixture into each of 6 (8-ounce) ramekins. Roll pie dough to an 11-inch circle. Cut 4 (5-inch) dough circles. Combine and re-roll dough scraps. Cut 2 (5-inch) circles. Place 1 dough circle on each ramekin, tucking edges inside. Cut an X in the top of each circle; coat lightly with cooking spray. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until golden and bubbly (D cooked it for 28 minutes since he used a 2-qt casserole dish).

Wine note: With traditional Canadian Tourtière, reach for the strong and spicy Québécois beer Maudite ($8.99/750 ml). Made in a Belgian style, Maudite has a peppery, spicy signature that echoes this dish's layers of cinnamon and clove. The beer is strong and full-flavored, with bold fruit, caramel, bready, and figgy flavors that work with the complex flavors of these meat pies, while remaining refreshingly drinkable. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

Nutritional Information
Calories: 420; Fat: 22.2g; Saturated fat: 7.6g; Monounsaturated fat: 9.8g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2g; Protein: 17.5g; Carbohydrate: 36.5g; Fiber: 2.4g; Cholesterol: 54mg; Iron: 1.8mg; Sodium: 683mg; Calcium: 45mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2010

Spicy Guinness Mustard

So although I love Guinness, I really don't like Guinness Extra Stout. It always tastes flat. And yet, most people will buy me that when I visit because they assume that I don't want to drink beer out of a can. So I acquired some Extra Stout and ran around this recipe from Saveur at the same time.

It was terribly easy to make. And it has a good kick/bite to it.
But it makes a ton. So much, that I actually threw some away. Because 2 Cups of Mustard is going to last me forever!.

Spicy Guinness Mustard

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 12-oz. bottle Guinness Extra Stout
1 1⁄2 cups brown mustard seeds (10 oz.)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon (I didn't have any, so I used apple pie spice)
1⁄4 tsp. ground cloves
1⁄4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1⁄4 tsp. ground allspice

Instructions
1. Combine ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1–2 days so that the mustard seeds soften and the flavors meld.

2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and process, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a jar and cover.

3. Refrigerate overnight and use immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 months. (The flavor of the mustard will mellow as the condiment ages.)

MAKES 3 1⁄2 CUPS

Pan-Fried Onion Dip

Yum and it only gets better the day after.

Pan-Fried Onion Dip

Photo by ALB

Posted by RLLLML508
Yield : 2 cups

Posted by Auntina32/November 2010:
"This recipe is from the Barefoot Contessa. It's so good. I use light sour cream, low fat cream cheese and light mayo. I cut the butter down to 2 TB. You'll want to forego the crackers and stick your face in the bowl."

Ingredients
2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil (Al's Note: used 1 TBSP)
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (Al's Note: used LF)
1/2 cup sour cream (Al's Note: used RF)
1/2 cup good mayonnaise (Al's Note: used Hellman's LF)

Directions
Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds. (You will have about 3 cups of onions.) Heat the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature (Al's Note: liked it better cold).

Baked Potato Soup

Can you guess what we had as leftovers from Thanksgiving? If you guessed potatoes, you'd be correct. So D found this recipe. He said it was very easy.

The result was an incredibly thick soup that stuck to your bones. I didn't know it was a CL recipe. It was good. You do have to play with the salt (add more).

Will have again. Had with a Caesar Salad.

Baked Potato Soup

Photo by ALB

YIELD: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups soup, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon)
COURSE: Main Dishes, Soups/Stews

Ingredients
4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)
6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 329; Fat: 10.8g; Saturated fat: 5.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.5g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g; Protein: 13.6g; Carbohydrate: 44.5g; Fiber: 2.8g; Cholesterol: 38mg; Iron: 1.1mg; Sodium: 587mg; Calcium: 407mg

Cooking Light SEPTEMBER 2007

Crescent-Wrapped Brie aka Redneck Brie

My neighbor's friend gave me this recipe. He called it Redneck Brie, because it wasn't all fancy using homemade or even Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry. Then I found it on the Pillsbury website. I like Redneck Brie as the title, better than Crescent-wrapped Brie. (The Star Wars Characters don't come out after having been baked).

Crescent-Wrapped Brie aka Redneck Brie

Geeky Redneck Brie

Baked brie is always a hit at parties, and the easiest -- and most delicious -- way to serve it is this classic Crescent-Wrapped Brie recipe.

Prep Time: 20 Min
Total Time: 1 Hr
Makes: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 round (8 oz) Brie cheese
1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350°F.
If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate crosswise into 2 sections. Pat dough and firmly press perforations to seal, forming 2 squares. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut crosswise into 2 rectangles. Pat dough to form 2 squares.

Place 1 square on ungreased cookie sheet. Place cheese on center of dough. With small cookie or canapé cutter, cut 1 shape from each corner of remaining square; set cutouts aside.

Place remaining square on top of cheese round. Press dough evenly around cheese; fold bottom edges over top edges. Gently stretch dough evenly around cheese; press to seal completely. Brush with beaten egg. Top with cutouts; brush with additional beaten egg.

Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information:
1 Serving (1 Serving)

Calories 140; (Calories from Fat 90); Total Fat 10g; (Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 1g); Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium 270mg; Total Carbohydrate 7g; (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 1g); Protein 5g;

Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2.00%; Vitamin C 0.00%; Calcium 4.00%; Iron 4.00%;

Exchanges:
1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat;; 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat; Carbohydrate Choices: 1/2;

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Don't-Be-A-Chicken Chili

So this was very good, although there is something wrong with the recipe as written.

D made it. It was very easy. We put all the cheese into the pot, so as to not think about it.

The problem...where does the whipping cream come in? We left it out, because we thought the consistency would be too much like soup and not chili.  We had with Mexican Corn Casserole.

Don't-Be-A-Chicken Chili

Sour cream and whipping cream are stirred into this chili, making it extra rich and creamy. Double this recipe and keep it warm for your guests in a 5-quart slow cooker.

YIELD: Serves 6 to 8.
COURSE: Soups/Stews

Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth (used 2 cans)
2 (15.8-oz.) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 (4 1/2-oz.) cans chopped green chiles
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 cup whipping cream (didn't use because we couldn't figure out where to use it)
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Garnish: cilantro sprigs

Preparation
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken and onion. Saute 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through; set aside.

Combine broth, beans, undrained chiles and seasonings in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add sour cream, stirring well. Top each serving with shredded cheese; garnish, if desired.

Oxmoor House OCTOBER 2011

Mexican Corn Casserole (aka Mexican Corn bread)

Let's just get it out there. I'm not a true Southerner. I don't make corn bread in a skillet. I don't like corn bread at most places because there is no amount of water, milk, or liquid that can get that dry taste out of my mouth. So when I came across this recipe, I wasn't sure. The result is moist sweet bread. I like it.

I have made it with and without the green chiles and the cheese.

Mexican Corn Casserole (aka Mexican Corn bread)

Ingredients
1 (14 3/4 ounce) can no salt added cream style corn
1 (8.5 ounce) package corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped mild green chili's
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup (1.3 oz) shredded Monterrey Jack cheese with Jalapeno peppers
Cooking spray.

Preparation
Heat oven to 350.
Combine first 5 ingredients; stir just until moist. Pour mixture into a 1 quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes.

8 servings; Points (not Points Plus) = 4 per serving
From Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success 2004

Simple Black Beans (Caraotas Negras)

So maybe Aldi Black Beans are cheaper because they have more liquid in them. This is the issue we had with these...they were too watery. That was the extent D talked about them in terms of making them.

They were decent in taste, a little bland, I thought. However, I put them on my tilapia taco and they were fine. Not sure I would have again, atleast not without arepas or rice.

Simple Black Beans (Caraotas Negras)

Frijoles is the generic Spanish term for beans, but caraotas refers specifically to black beans, the most common variety on South American and Caribbean tables. These beans cook down to create a thick and rich sauce—good to serve over Venezuelan White Rice or arepas. Make the beans up to a day ahead; you may need to add a little water when reheating, as the mixture thickens with time.

YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)
COURSE: Side Dishes/Vegetables

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup water (use less)
2 (15-ounce) cans 50%-less-sodium black beans, undrained
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in sugar, garlic, black pepper, and cumin; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup water and beans; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in vinegar.


Nutritional Information
Calories: 128; Fat: 3.6g; Saturated fat: 0.3g; Monounsaturated fat: 2.1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.1g; Protein: 6.2g; Carbohydrate: 23.3g; Fiber: 7.6g; Cholesterol: 0.0mg; Iron: 2.2mg; Sodium: 294mg; Calcium: 58mg

Cooking Light JUNE 2008

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos

D was surprised when I came home from Aldi with a frozen pack of Tilapia for ~$5.50 for 24 oz. Especially since the Kroghetto was having a sale on 12oz for $4.39.

And the Aldi pieces stayed together a little better (he hates cooking tilapia for this reason so we rarely have it).

Anyway, the recipe came together very fast because I barely sat down and he said it was ready. The sauce was very good. And because the onions were sliced in the sauce I could pick them out easily (I'm don't like raw onions). There was a lot of fish, so no lettuce/cabbage filler, although you could put it in there if you so pleased.

D thought it needed a little more flavor. I liked it. The next time I have a craving for fish tacos and go with this recipe, I'm sure he'll add a little more heat.

We had with Simple Black Beans.

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)
TOTAL:20 Minutes
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup thinly sliced white onion
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, thinly sliced
4 lime wedges

Preparation
1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine jalapeño sauce and onion in a small bowl.

2. Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through ground red pepper); sprinkle evenly over fish. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

3. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish, onion mixture, and avocado evenly among tortillas. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 362; Fat: 13.6g ;Saturated fat: 3.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 6.4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.8g; Protein: 37g; Carbohydrate: 27.1g; Fiber: 4.9g; Cholesterol: 79mg; Iron: 1.5mg; Sodium: 388mg; Calcium: 74mg

Cooking Light MARCH 2011

Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup

Another use of the Immersion Blender! D made this after I found another recipe to use the blender. I watched him make it. It seemed easy; he confirms it was.

It tasted like broccoli cheese soup, which I love.  D enjoyed it as well.  We doubled the recipe so that we could each have 2 cups as a serving. We had with Basic Beer-Cheese Bread.

Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup

Photo by ALB

White beans pureed into this broccoli soup make it extra creamy so you don't need heaps of cheese to do the job. Serve with a crunchy whole-grain roll and a glass of winter ale.

6 servings, scant 1 cup each (we each had 2 cups)
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth

1 cup water
1 pound broccoli crowns, trimmed and chopped (about 6 cups)
1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed (see Tip)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation
Bring broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add broccoli, cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in beans, salt and pepper and cook until the beans are heated through, about 1 minute.
Transfer half the mixture to a blender with half the cheese and puree. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.)(D used an Immersion Blender). Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining broccoli mixture and cheese. Serve warm.

Nutrition (per 1 Cup)
Per serving : 152 Calories; 7 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 0 g Mono; 20 mg Cholesterol; 15 g Carbohydrates; 11 g Protein; 6 g Fiber; 558 mg Sodium; 491 mg Potassium

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 lean meat

Tips & Notes
Tip: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (These recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.

EatingWell, September/October 2007

Braised Pork with Lemon and Sage

So D's Mom got my a crockpot for Christmas after I broke mine by tripping over the cord. I might not have waited until December to open it. This recipe was one of the reasons why. I showed D the recipe and he said ok (he isn't a big crockpot meat fan).

I watched D prep it. I think I could have done it. Then into the crockpot for 5 hours at high and then 3 hours without the lid. The smell was wonderful.

The pork was very tender (crockpot meat), and very flavorful. The sauce doesn't get thick. Probably all the fat in it from the pork. We both liked it. We had with mashed potatoes.

Will have again.

Braised Pork with Lemon and Sage

Photo by ALB

The traditional Italian method used for this dish makes a rather lumpy, toffee-colored sauce, but it is one of the most succulent ways to cook pork. You'll need to uncover the cooker for the last three hours, so plan ahead. Serve with polenta and a green salad.

Prep and Cook Time: about 25 minutes, plus 7 to 8 hours in the slow-cooker.

YIELD: Makes 6 servings
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
3 pounds boned pork shoulder roast, fat trimmed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh-ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 fresh sage leaves
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Preparation
1. Rinse pork and pat dry. In a small bowl, mix flour, salt, and pepper; sprinkle mixture over pork. Pour oil into a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat; add pork and turn to brown well on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork and any juices to a slow-cooker (at least 5 qt.).

2. Let pan cool slightly, then add garlic and sage and stir over medium-low heat until garlic turns golden, about 1 minute. Add to the slow-cooker, along with milk and lemon peel.

3. Cover and cook on high until pork is tender when pierced and sauce is golden brown and reduced by about half, 7 to 8 hours; about 3 hours before pork is done, uncover the crock to let the pan juices reduce and thicken.

4. Transfer pork to a rimmed board and slice. Serve meat with sauce on the side.

Note: Nutritional analysis for sodium is N/A.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 491; Calories from fat: 49%; Protein: 49g; Fat: 27g; Saturated fat: 9.7g; Carbohydrate: 9.8g; Fiber: 0.3g; Sodium: 0.0mg; Cholesterol: 172mg

Sunset JANUARY 2006

Prosciutto Pizza with Tangy White Sauce

So note to self:  You don't like white sauce on pizza. Face it. Learn it. Live it. This is why you order red sauce on every pizza you ever order.

I liked the rest of the ingredients.  D made it.  I think he liked it. Such is life.

He used a Boboli because we had a coupon, rather than make the dough.


Prosciutto Pizza with Tangy White Sauce

YIELD: Serves 6 (serving size: 2 wedges)
HANDS-ON:30 Minutes
TOTAL:3 Hours, 50 Minutes
COURSE: Main Dishes, Breads

Ingredients
2/3 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
7 3/4 ounces bread flour, divided (about 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Cooking spray
3/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Preparation
1. Combine 2/3 cup warm water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook, and let stand 5 minutes or until bubbles form. Weigh or lightly spoon 6.75 ounces bread flour (about 1 1/2 cups) into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sprinkle 6.75 ounces bread flour over yeast mixture. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt. Mix at low speed for 2 minutes or until dough forms a ball. Increase speed to medium, and mix 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a medium bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down.

2. Cover surface of dough with plastic wrap lightly coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove the dough from refrigerator. Let stand, covered, for 2 hours or until dough comes to room temperature. Punch dough down. Place a piece of parchment paper on a flat work surface, and sprinkle parchment with remaining 2 tablespoons bread flour. Roll dough out to a 13-inch circle. Slide the parchment and dough onto a pizza peel or flat baking sheet. Brush the dough evenly with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap.

3. Position an oven rack in the lowest setting, and place a pizza stone on rack. Preheat oven to 500°.

4. Combine milk and next 3 ingredients (through egg yolk) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add garlic to pan; cook for 3 minutes or just until butter and garlic begin to brown, stirring frequently. Add 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour to pan, and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in milk mixture, and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Spread sauce in an even layer over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border; sprinkle sauce evenly with cheese. Slide parchment and pizza onto preheated pizza stone. Bake at 500° for 18 minutes or until crust is golden. Arrange prosciutto on pizza, and sprinkle with chives. Cut pizza into 12 wedges.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 298; Fat: 13.7g; Saturated fat: 5.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 5.1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.1g; Protein: 13g; Carbohydrate: 30.2g; Fiber: 1.1g; Cholesterol: 67mg; Iron: 2.1mg; Sodium: 534mg; Calcium: 186mg

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2011

Garlic Breadsticks

D made these.  We thought they needed a little more flavor.  But they are bread, so it wasn't like we threw them away.  Probably will still have them again.  Maybe with some salt.

We had with Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya.

Garlic Breadsticks

YIELD: Serves 4 (serving size: 2 breadsticks)
BAKE:12 Minutes
COURSE: Breads

Ingredients
1 (11-ounce) package thin-crust pizza dough
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley (didn't use)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°. Unroll pizza dough. Cut in half crosswise; reserve half of dough for another use. Combine melted butter and minced garlic; brush evenly over dough. Sprinkle with parsley. Cut dough crosswise into 8 strips; twist each piece. Place twists on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 142; Fat: 6.2g; Saturated fat: 2.5g; Sodium: 247mg

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2011

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

D made this. Since I'm not a jambalaya connoisseur, I can't tell you how authentic it was, but I can tell you it was good. The flavors melded well, not a lot of heat, but still a lot of flavor. D said it was easy to make. Would have again.

We had with garlic breadsticks.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

YIELD: Serves 4 (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)
COURSE: Main Dishes, Soups/Stews

Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
6 ounces reduced-fat smoked sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices (we used andouille)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 fresh thyme sprigs
1 (14.5-ounce) can fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast (D sauteed a large chicken breast)

Preparation
1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage; sauté 1 minute or until browned. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Add rice and next 5 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is done. Remove thyme sprigs; discard. Stir in tomatoes and chicken. Cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 341; Fat: 5.8g; Saturated fat: 1.3g; Monounsaturated fat: 2g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.9g; Protein: 19.3g; Carbohydrate: 50.6g; Fiber: 2.8g; Cholesterol: 44mg; Iron: 3.2mg; Sodium: 723mg; Calcium: 59mg

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2011

Basic Beer-Cheese Bread

The hardest part of this recipe was sauteeing the onions. So it was pretty easy. I made it and it came together in about 15 minutes to be ready for baking.

The onions were the key to this. It was so flavorful. Both D and I thought it was great. We had with Black Bean-Tomato Soup. Will make again.

Basic Beer-Cheese Bread

Photo by ALB

This savory quick bread pairs well with soup or chili and is ideal for an open house or casual get-together.

YIELD: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
COURSE: Breads

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced
13 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups) --used 3 cups
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (12-ounce) bottle lager-style beer (such as Budweiser) -- used Bud Light
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons melted butter, divided -- didn't melt...just put the pieces on the dough and let the oven melt it.

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; make a well in center of mixture. Add onion mixture, cheese, and beer to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

4. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon butter over batter. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon butter over batter. Bake an additional 25 minutes or until deep golden brown and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 144; Calories from fat: 28%; Fat: 4.4g; Saturated fat: 2.4g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g; Protein: 4.3g; Carbohydrate: 20.6g; Fiber: 0.7g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Iron: 1.3mg; Sodium: 257mg; Calcium: 89mg

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2008

Black Bean-Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream

I showed D this dish last week, and he said ok. We were going to make it for lunch, because who eats soup for dinner. Well, we forgot to write down a recipe for a day of the week, so this became Friday night's dinner.

D made it. He said it was easy. He doubled the recipe. Also because of doubling he didn't want to use the blender so he used the immersion blender.

It was very aromatic. The taste was outstanding. Smoky, warming, and just plain good. It got spicier as the weekend went on. We had with Beer Cheese Bread.

We will definitely have again.

Black Bean-Tomato Soup with Cilantro-Lime Cream

Photo by ALB

"This soup is easy to prepare and has plenty of flavor from the aromatics, bacon, and sour cream garnish." —Gloria Bradley, Naperville, IL

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 1/2 tablespoons cream)
COURSE: Soups/Stews

Ingredients
2 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 small)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preparation
1. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add onion and celery to pan; cook 5 minutes or until celery is tender. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon cumin, chile powder, and garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in bacon, pepper, beans, tomatoes, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Place half of bean mixture in a blender (this is where D used an immersion blender). Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining bean mixture; process until smooth. Keep warm.

2. Combine sour cream, remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin, cilantro, rind, and juice in a small bowl. Drizzle cream over soup.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 123; Calories from fat: 31%; Fat: 4.3g; Saturated fat: 2g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4g; Protein: 6.4g; Carbohydrate: 16.3g; Fiber: 5.1g; Cholesterol: 10mg; Iron: 2.1mg; Sodium: 488mg; Calcium: 58mg

Cooking Light SEPTEMBER 2008

Oven Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

Well, we wanted green beans so we made it with green beans, seeing as we have substituted one for the other in various recipes. Very good. Would definitley have again.

Oven Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

Serves - 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. Fresh Asparagus
olive oil flavored cooking spray
salt and pepper
grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Clean and trim asparagus. Lay on a cookie sheet in a single layer, coated with olive oil flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes until tender and sightly browned.

Sprinkle with 3-4 tablespoons of fresh grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy,

German Meatballs

So I think I liked this a little more the second day. The sauce was thicker. But it was really good. I don't know if it is authentic or not, since I have never had German Meatballs.

D said it was easy. We had with Egg Noodles and Broccoli. Would have again.

German Meatballs

The Worcestershire sauce and mustard boost the flavor of this dish considerably, so choose a delicate, well-balanced Riesling from either Alsace or the Pacific Northwest.

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 6 meatballs and 1/4 cup sauce)
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground round
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs (used stuffing because I forgot to buy breadcrumbs)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Vegetable cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Riesling or other slightly sweet white wine (used cooking wine since we don't drink wine)
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Shape mixture into 24 (1-inch) meatballs.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add meatballs; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet; set aside.

Add garlic to skillet; sauté 30 seconds. Add wine; bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook 1 minute. Return the meatballs to skillet; cover and cook 5 minutes or until done. Remove from heat.

Remove meatballs from the skillet with a slotted spoon; set aside, and keep warm. Add sour cream (at room temperature) and pepper to wine mixture in skillet; stir well. Spoon sauce over meatballs.


Nutritional Information
Calories: 224; Calories from fat: 27%; Fat: 6.8g; Saturated fat: 2.3g; Monounsaturated fat: 2.9g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g; Protein: 29.4g; Carbohydrate: 8.4g; Fiber: 0.4g; Cholesterol: 68mg; Iron: 2.3mg; Sodium: 321mg; Calcium: 25mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 1995

Tri-Tip with Avocado Sauce

Weber does it again! This one is from Weber's Charcoal Grilling: The Art of Playing with Live Fire.

So it seemed a bit odd with the cucumber. You could taste it, but it wasn't gross, just unique. I liked it. D liked it. I'm going to assume it was easy. I had a few too many beers to pay attention to what D was doing.

We had with Smoked Baked Beans.

Tri-Tip with Avocado Sauce

Prep time: 20 minutes
Grilling time: 30 to 45 minutes
Paste
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tri-tip roast, 2 to 2½ pounds and about 1½ inches thick, trimmed of surface fat

Sauce
1 ripe Haas avocado
1 four-inch section English cucumber (seedless)
¼ cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lime
1 small garlic clove
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon Tabasco® sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium bowl mix the paste ingredients until smooth. Coat the tri-tip evenly with the paste. Let the
tri-tip sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.

2. Scoop out the flesh of the avocado and combine it with the remaining sauce ingredients in a food processor.  Process until smooth. The sauce should be fairly thick.

3. Prepare a two-zone fire for medium heat (see pages 14-15).

4. Brush the cooking grate clean. Grill the tri-tip over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as
possible, until lightly charred on both sides, 10 to 15 minutes, turning and rotating as needed for even cooking.
Move the tri-tip over indirect medium heat and cook to your desired doneness, 20 to 30 minutes for medium rare, turning and rotating as needed for even cooking. Remove from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut the tri-tip across the grain into very thin slices. Serve warm with the sauce on the side.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Bacon, Tomato, and Arugula Pizza

So D made this.  It wasn't as crispy as we would have thought but it was still good. The only thing missing was mayonaise to make it a BLT pizza from California Pizza Kitchen.

Would have again.

Bacon, Tomato, and Arugula Pizza

YIELD: Serves 6 (serving size: 1 slice)
TOTAL:40 Minutes
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
1 pound refrigerated fresh pizza dough (used Pillsbury Pizza Dough)

Cooking spray
5 applewood-smoked bacon slices
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise (used Roma)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as McCutcheon's) (used whatever Basil and Garlic Tomato Sauce was in the fridge)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup baby arugula
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray; let dough stand, covered, for 15 minutes.
3. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon; crumble. Add tomatoes and pepper to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal; roll dough into a 12-inch circle (kept a rectangle) on prepared baking sheet. Spread sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with tomatoes and bacon. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake at 450° on bottom oven rack for 17 minutes or until crust is golden. Combine arugula and remaining ingredients; top pizza with arugula mixture.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 314; Fat: 9.1g; Saturated fat: 4.5g; Monounsaturated fat: 2.1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.1g; Protein: 13.5g; Carbohydrate: 50.2g; Fiber: 2.1g; Cholesterol: 17mg; Iron: 2.5mg; Sodium: 770mg; Calcium: 124mg

Cooking Light OCTOBER 2011

Tri-tip Roast with Chimichurri Sauce

I think this was last night's dinner. If not, it is close.

Basically you need to run out and make this now. Of course, it is from Weber's Real Grilling, so of course, it is excellent.

Neither D and I were familiar with Tri-Tip but he got some for free, so we decided to try it. It was very good. Add the herbful chimichurri with it. Yum. A good tang. I can't wait to have it again. We had with elote.

Tri-tip Roast with Chimichurri Sauce 

Photo by ALB

From Weber's Real Grilling (Weber-Stephen Products, 2005, $33.95) by Jamie Purviance. For indirect heat, light one side of grill and place food on unlit side.

INGREDIENTS
4 large cloves garlic
1 cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaves
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 tri-tip roast, about 2-1/2 lb (1-1/4 kg) and 1-1/2 inches thick

DIRECTIONS
For marinade/sauce, in food processor, mince garlic. Add parsley, cilantro and basil. Pulse to finely chop. With motor running, slowly add oil in thin stream, then add vinegar, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Reserve half marinade/sauce.

Pour remaining half in large, resealable plastic bag. Add roast. Press our air; seal. Turn bag to distribute marinade. Place bag in bowl; refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Remove roast from bag; discard marinade in bag. Let roast stand at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Grill roast over direct medium heat (350F to 450F) 5 minutes per side, or until well marked on each side. Move roast over indirect medium heat. Cook with lid closed to desired doneness, about 20 to 30 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare. Remove roast from grill to cutting board. Let rest, loosely covered with foil, 5 to 10 minutes. Cut across grain into thin slices. Serve warm with reserved sauce.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

No NI because again, I don't know how to account for a marinade.

Chicken Pasanda

So I found this recipe when looking for an untried recipe using yogurt.

Both D and I were wary of the pineapple but decided to try it anyway.  Turns out it was a good call. We both enjoyed the flavors of this dish. A lot of spiciness, but not "hot." Well not to me. We had with rice. We will definitely have again.

We made it into 4 servings because we made the pitas as sandwiches not as scoops.

Chicken Pasanda

Yogurt combines with cashew cream to replace heavy cream in this fragrant and traditional Pakistani main dish recipe. The spicy chicken is accompanied by refreshing fresh pineapple and the mellow cashew-yogurt sauce. Use the pita wedges to scoop up the remaining sauce.

YIELD: 6 servings
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients 
1/2 cup roasted cashews
2 cups plain low-fat yogurt (used Greek Yogurt)

1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded
2 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt, divided
6 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into thirds (cut into pieces)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup cubed fresh pineapple
2 tablespoons chopped cashews, roasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 (6-inch) pitas, each cut into 6 wedges (left as 4 pitas, and made a sandwich)

Preparation 
Place 1/2 cup cashews in a food processor; process until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping sides of bowl once. Add yogurt; process until well blended. Remove from processor; set aside.

Combine onion, juice, ginger, and jalapeño in a blender or food processor; process until finely chopped.

Combine coriander and next 4 ingredients (coriander through cloves) in a large zip-top plastic bag; add 1/2 teaspoon salt and chicken. Seal bag and shake to coat.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken pieces. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Add onion mixture to pan. Reduce heat to medium; cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and yogurt mixture to pan; cook 3 minutes or until heated, stirring frequently.

Spoon 1/2 cup yogurt mixture onto each of 6 plates. Top each serving with 3 chicken pieces. Sprinkle each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons pineapple, 1 teaspoon chopped cashews, and 1 teaspoon cilantro. Arrange 4 pita wedges on each plate.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 368; Fat: 11g; Saturated fat: 2.5g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.5g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.5g; Protein: 27.7g; Carbohydrate: 40.3g; Fiber: 2.9g; Cholesterol: 51mg; Iron: 3.2mg; Sodium: 708mg; Calcium: 206mg

Cooking Light OCTOBER 2002

Manchego and Chorizo Pizza

So D and I need to find cheaper pizza. We had Spanish Chorizo in the freezer, so all we had to splurge on was manchego, right? Except I forgot it at the grocery. Then Broccoli Rabe isn't sold at Kroghetto on Sundays at 8AM (don't get me started on why they don't pack out shelves over night, but choose to do it between 8 and 12 on Sunday morning). So on Tuesday we went back to Kroghetto to get pesto (I forgot that too) and got the manchego. Still no broccoli rabe. So Wednesday off to PetSmart and a quick trip to Whole Foods to get the rabe. Finally Wednesday night, I was done my Sunday grocery shopping!

Even with all that, yes, I would have this pizza again. It was so flavorful and good. And perfect for a 12 mile run the next day.

Definitely a must have!

Manchego and Chorizo Pizza

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 2 wedges)
TOTAL:30 Minutes
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
1/2 pound broccoli rabe (rapini), trimmed
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) prebaked pizza crust (such as Mama Mary's)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Manchego cheese
1 link Spanish chorizo sausage (about 2 ounces), thinly sliced
2/3 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup vertically sliced red onion

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Cook broccoli rabe in boiling water 4 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain; squeeze excess moisture from broccoli rabe, and pat dry with paper towels. Coarsely chop, and sprinkle with salt.

3. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with Manchego cheese. Top with broccoli rabe, chorizo, plum tomato, and red onion. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until crust browns. Cut pizza into 8 wedges.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 382; Fat: 15.4g; Saturated fat: 4.7g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.7g; Polyunsaturated fat: 5.6g; Protein: 15.1g; Carbohydrate: 46.1g; Fiber: 5.1g; Cholesterol: 23mg; Iron: 3.6mg; Sodium: 624mg; Calcium: 175mg

Cooking Light MARCH 2010

Farfalle, Zucchini, and Bell Peppers in Pesto

So this was just an sort of there dish. D and I ate it about 20 minutes after getting home (which was nice).

D looked at the recipe and decided he wasn't going to make it the way they suggested, because it seemed weird. So, he sauteed all the vegetables and added some chicken. Over all there was so much food. It wasn't spectacular (to me) but it wasn't horrible. Just kind of one of those quick and easy dishes that there was no thought to.

Farfalle, Zucchini, and Bell Peppers in Pesto

Shredded zucchini contributes both moisture and texture to this pesto-based sauce.

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups pasta mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese)
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta; about 4 cups)
3 tablespoons commercial pesto
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
added some chicken

Preparation
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta; return to pan. Add pesto; stir well. Add (cooked) zucchini and next 6 ingredients (zucchini through black pepper); toss well. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 346; Fat: 10.2g; Saturated fat: 4.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.5g; Protein: 15.6g; Carbohydrate: 14.5g; Fiber: 4g; Cholesterol: 19mg; Iron: 2.9mg; Sodium: 705mg; Calcium: 261mg

Cooking Light MAY 2003

Fiery Beef and Rice Noodle Salad

So I really want to like this salad. But it is missing something. I think a vinegar of some sort. I want that "tang" in the back of my throat. Instead, I get zilch, nothing, nada.

D made it. I guess it was easy. Even with the habenero it wasn't that spicy (deseeded and deribbed). We ate around 6. By 8, I was gnawing on my arm, I was so hungry, so think againg about "salads are filling."

For lunch (leftovers), this was mushy. Overall, I feel a good piece of meat was ruined with salad. Will not have again.

Fiery Beef and Rice Noodle Salad

Think salads aren't filling? Then you haven't tried this one packed with rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and tender steak.

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups salad and about 1 tablespoon basil)
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
2 ounces uncooked rice stick noodles
12 ounces flank steak, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1/2 habanero pepper, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
12 basil leaves, torn

Preparation

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Coarsely chop noodles.

2. While noodles cook, freeze steak 5 minutes. Remove from freezer; cut across grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add beef; sauté 4 minutes.

4. Combine steak, noodles, lettuce, onion, cucumber, and habanero. Combine juice, sugar, and fish sauce; pour over noodle mixture, tossing gently. Sprinkle with basil.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 197; Fat: 4.3g; Saturated fat: 1.7g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g; Protein: 20g; Carbohydrate: 20.2g; Fiber: 1.3g; Cholesterol: 27mg; Iron: 1.8mg; Sodium: 545mg; Calcium: 35mg

Cooking Light MARCH 2010

Spicy Chicken Shawarma

So whenever I have something in pita with Greek Yogurt, I automatically think gyro. This is not a gyro. However, I have had Shawarma at the Jerusalem Bakery, and this is closer to that (hence the name).

For some reason, I didn't taste any heat in the spiciness of the title. However it was flavorful and good. We had with Cumin Potatoes. Would definitely have again.

Spicy Chicken Shawarma

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves)
PREP TIME:20 Minutes
COURSE: Sandwiches

Ingredients
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
5 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek-style yogurt, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
4 (6-inch) pitas, halved
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup prechopped red onion

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon yogurt, 1 tablespoon juice, and 2 garlic cloves. Add chicken; toss to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until browned and done, stirring frequently.

2. While chicken cooks, combine remaining 1/4 cup yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 1 garlic clove, and tahini, stirring well. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons tahini mixture inside each pita half; divide chicken evenly among pita halves. Fill each pita half with 1 tablespoon cucumber, 1 tablespoon tomato, and 1 1/2 teaspoons onion.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 402; Fat: 10.7g; Saturated fat: 1.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2g; Protein: 36.4g; Carbohydrate: 40g; Fiber: 2.1g; Cholesterol: 67mg; Iron: 4.1mg; Sodium: 541mg; Calcium: 93mg

Cooking Light APRIL 2010

Asian Aromatic Chicken

So D sort of made this. We have no type of steamer so he marinated the chicken (used quarters) and grilled them and had rice as the side. The only bummer was there was no sauce to use for the rice.

It was pretty good. Very juicy. We had with Broccoli with Red Pepper.

Asian Aromatic Chicken

Here's a Chinese version of comfort food, sometimes referred to as soy sauce chicken in restaurants. Instead of steaming over water, the chicken cooks over a soy sauce marinade, which is then reduced to a sauce that captures all the flavor. Start marinating a day ahead, and you'll have an easy main dish for any night of the week.

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 2 tablespoons sauce)
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons minced green onions
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste) or chile paste with garlic
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken
1 star anise
4 (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.

2. Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Pour marinade into a large skillet; stir in broth. Arrange chicken in a bamboo steamer coated with cooking spray; cover with steamer lid.

3. Place bamboo steamer in pan; bring marinade mixture to a boil. Steam the chicken 18 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in center of breasts registers 165°. Transfer chicken to a platter.

4. Remove steamer from pan. Strain marinade mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Return marinade mixture to pan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 2 minutes). Serve sauce with chicken.

Wine note: This recipe includes lots of savory elements, like soy and hoisin sauce, making it suitable for lighter red wines. Li Veli Passamante 2005 ($12) is made from Italy's negroamaro grapes and offers layers of dried cherries, blueberry, and herbs. The wine's light body and bright acid, along with its soft tannins, allow it to match this dish's complexity without overpowering it. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

Nutritional Information
Calories: 183; Fat: 2g; Saturated fat: 0.5g; Monounsaturated fat: 0.5g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.5g; Protein: 35.5g; Carbohydrate: 2.9g; Fiber: 0.5g; Cholesterol: 86mg; Iron: 1.5mg; Sodium: 634mg; Calcium: 26mg

Cooking Light MAY 2008

Risotto with Italian Sausage, Caramelized Onions, and Bitter Greens

This one was good. But pretty much anything with Italian Sausage is.

We had with zucchini.

Risotto with Italian Sausage, Caramelized Onions, and Bitter Greens

Sweet onions and salty cheese temper the bitterness of arugula, which cuts the starchy richness of the rice. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired.

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons olive oil (didn't use)
2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
2 teaspoons sugar
8 ounces sweet turkey Italian sausage (used Hot Pork Italian)
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 cup Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
1/3 cup white wine
2 cups arugula leaves
3 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Preparation

1. Bring broth and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

2. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sugar to pan; sauté 7 minutes or until onion is golden. Place onion mixture in a small bowl; set aside.

3. Removing casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add chopped shallots; sauté 2 minutes. Add Arborio rice; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in white wine; cook 45 seconds or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup hot broth; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Remove from heat; stir in reserved onion, arugula, and remaining ingredients.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 390; Fat: 10.3g; Saturated fat: 3.6g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.4g; Protein: 21.1g; Carbohydrate: 53.1g; Fiber: 4.4g; Cholesterol: 54mg; Iron: 2.4mg; Sodium: 900mg; Calcium: 104mg

Cooking Light MARCH 2008

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Chorizo Cream Gravy

My friend A had received sweet potatoes from a friend with a farm. Her husband isn't a huge fan so she gave me some potatoes. I had been eying this recipe from Homesick Texan for some time.

Well we now had the sweet potatoes, the chorizo and milk, so D and I made this.

The biscuits aren't sweet, but good. The gravy is good. D said this was restaurant worthy. I haven't run the NI yet. Not sure I want to know.

Will have again.

Sweet Potato Biscuits with Chorizo Cream Gravy

Photo by ALB

Sweet potato biscuit ingredients:
1 sweet potato (about 1/2 pound)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) of cold butter, sliced
1/2 cup buttermilk or half-and-half (probably used 3/4C after everything was said and done)

Chorizo cream gravy ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 pound Mexican chorizo, crumbled
2 tablespoons of flour

1 1/2 cups of milk
 (used 2%)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Salt black pepper and chipotle powder to taste.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Poke holes in the sweet potato with a fork and place on a foil-lined sheet. Place in the oven and cook until tender, about 1 hour. (used the microwave)

Leaving the oven on, remove the sweet potato and slice in half, lengthwise. Scoop out 1/2 cup of flesh, reserving the rest for another use.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and chipotle powder. Cut the stick of butter into pieces, and work into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender until it resembles pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the 1/2 cup of cooked sweet potato and the buttermilk, mixing until a bit loose and sticky.

Pour dough out on a floured surface, and knead for a minute. The dough will be smooth but a bit wetter than a regular biscuit dough, so you can sprinkle more flour on the surface if you find it’s sticking too much. Take the dough into a ball, and hit it with a rolling pin, turning it and folding it in half every few whacks. Do this for a couple of minutes. Roll out dough until it’s a quarter of an inch thick and then fold it in half.

Using a round cutter (can use a glass or a cup if don’t have a biscuit cutter) cut out your biscuits from folded dough. Place on a greased baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet close together (so they rise up not out) and bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

While the biscuits are baking, make the chorizo gravy. Warm the oil in a skillet on medium heat, and cook the chorizo until browned. With a slotted spatula, remove chorizo from the skillet and place on a plate. Drain the oil from the pan reserving 2 tablespoons in the skillet.

Combine the oil in the pan with the flour in a hot skillet and while continuously stirring cook on medium low for a couple of minutes until a roux is formed. Add milk slowly to skillet and mix with the roux using either a whisk or wooden spoon (be sure and press out any lumps). Turn heat to low and continue stirring until mixture is thickened, a couple more minutes. 


Stir in the chorizo and cilantro, and add salt, black pepper and chipotle powder to taste. If gravy is too thick for your taste, you can thin it by adding either more milk or water a tablespoon at a time.

To assemble the biscuits and gravy, slice each biscuit in half and drizzle with gravy.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Nutritional Information (built in SparkPeople)- 4 Servings
Calories: 678.3; Total Fat: 36.4 g; Saturated Fat: 19.9 g; Polyunsaturated Fat 2.2 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 11.7 g; Cholesterol: 93.6 mg; Sodium: 1,807.5 mg; Potassium: 282.0 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 68.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 2.6 g; Sugars: 6.7 g; Protein: 18.9 g