Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Mascarpone

So this was in CL, as a classic (meaning they had already posted it before). D and I had had the 2005 version. This one is slightly different. I really couldn't tell the difference. This was the first time we had it as the main dish though.

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Mascarpone

Meaty, woodsy mushrooms and a dollop of buttery Italian cream cheese make this rich dish a risotto to remember.

2 cups boiling water
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
Cooking spray
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
3/4 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

1. Combine 2 cups boiling water and mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid; chop mushrooms.

2. Bring soaking liquid and broth to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm.

3. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).

4. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Add mushrooms, grated cheese, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper; stir gently until cheese melts. Spoon 1 cup risotto into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon mascarpone and thyme leaves, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 369 ; FAT 15g (sat 7.9g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.6g); CHOLESTEROL 39mg; CALCIUM 115mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48g; SODIUM 570mg; PROTEIN 11.5g; FIBER 4.2g; IRON 2.1mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2010

Patty Melts with Grilled Onions

D made these when my MIL and SIL and niece came. They were really good. Everyone said so. D said they were very easy too. I thought so, since we saw him lots during his cooking.

We had with French Fries.

Patty Melts with Grilled Onions

Juicy hamburgers are packed with flavor from the sweet onions and spicy mustard. For a sharper onion taste, use white or red onions in place of Vidalias.

Total Time: 36 minutes

8 (1/8-inch-thick) slices Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Cooking spray
1 pound extra lean ground beef
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons creamy mustard blend (such as Dijonnaise)
8 (1-ounce) slices rye bread
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Jarlsberg cheese (used Swiss)

1. Arrange onion slices on a plate. Drizzle vinegar over onion slices. Heat a large grill pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; cover and cook 3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.

2. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Divide beef into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Sprinkle patties evenly with salt and pepper. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Spread about 1 teaspoon mustard blend over 4 bread slices; layer each slice with 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 patty, 2 onion slices, and 2 tablespoons cheese. Spread about 1 teaspoon mustard blend over remaining bread slices; place, mustard side down, on top of sandwiches.

4. Heat pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook).Yield:

4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

CALORIES 341 (25% from fat); FAT 9.6g (sat 4.4g,mono 3.2g,poly 1g); IRON 3mg; CHOLESTEROL 60mg; CALCIUM 350mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.1g; SODIUM 754mg; PROTEIN 31.5g; FIBER 3.6g

Cooking Light, MAY 2008

Chipotle Blue Chili

So, I got this recipe from grouprecipes.com. I made it. It made a ton. 8 pounds of meat!!!

D wished I had seeded the chipotles. It was really spicy but I liked it.

Chipotle Blue Chili

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 pounds uncooked stew meat
2 pounds pork breakfast sausage with sage
2 large white onions chopped fine
14 ounce can beef stock
2-1/2 ounces canned chipotle peppers in adobe sauce chopped fine
2 squares bittersweet chocolate
14 ounces canned salsa verde
24 ounces bottled dark beer
1 ounce top shelf tequila
2 limes juiced
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons liquid smoke
6 tablespoons chili powder
6 tablespoons ground cumin
1 bunch green onions sliced
2 cups 4 blend cheeseDirections
Heat olive oil in large cast iron pot on high heat.
Add beef and cook until browned stirring occasionally.
When browned remove from pot and set aside then drain well.
Brown sausage and chopped onions until sausage is browned then drain well.
Return beef to pot along with remaining ingredients then stir well.
Cover and simmer on medium heat for 4 hours stirring occasionally.
Serve in bowls with cheese and green onions as garnish.

Dijon Croque Monsieur

We both liked this one. It was really good. It tasted like a breakfast sandwich. We had with Waffle Fries.

Dijon Croque Monsieur

Instead of your usual grilled ham and cheese, try this French-style sandwich that's enhanced by the zip of whole-grain mustard.

Other Time: 30 minutes minutes

1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise
8 (1-ounce) slices Italian bread
6 ounces thinly sliced ham
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup fat-free milk
Cooking spray

1. Combine mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Spread 3/4 teaspoon mustard mixture over each of 4 bread slices; layer each slice with 1 1/2 ounces ham and 1/4 cup cheese. Sprinkle evenly with pepper. Spread 3/4 teaspoon mayonnaise mixture over each remaining bread slice; place, mustard side down, on top of sandwiches.

2. Combine egg substitute and fat-free milk in a shallow dish. Dip both sides of each sandwich into the egg mixture.

3. Heat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cheese melts.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

CALORIES 350 ; FAT 11.7g (sat 6.1g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.9g); CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CALCIUM 344mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.6g; SODIUM 935mg; PROTEIN 25.1g; FIBER 1.7g; IRON 2.8mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2010

Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

This was good to me, but D didn't like the pasta. He said it tasted overcooked. He likes dry pasta better. The only issue I had was the serving size was small. He said it was easy to make.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

When you're short on time and the ingredient list is short, make every ingredient the freshest and best you can find. A real wood-smoked bacon imparts lots of flavor: Applewood is mild and slightly sweet, while hardwood, such as hickory, is more assertive.

Other Time: 20 minutes minutes

1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fresh fettuccine
2 slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

2. While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings. Add garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly thick, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Gradually add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add hot pasta to pan; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with bacon, parsley, and pepper.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
CALORIES 339 ; FAT 11.7g (sat 5g,mono 3.8g,poly 0.7g); CHOLESTEROL 22mg; CALCIUM 291mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.4g; SODIUM 833mg; PROTEIN 17.3g; FIBER 2g; IRON 0.5mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2010

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers

Neither D nor I thought this was anything great. We thought it was trying to be fancy and in fact really wasn't. The Balsamic was underwhelming. And nothing seemed to go with each other. It was like chicken that seemed to have peppers on it as an afterthought. We had with mashed potatoes.

Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 cup thinly sliced yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 1 large)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Brush chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; sprinkle spice rub over chicken. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; cook 1 minute. Arrange chicken in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until done.

3. Heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, shallots, and rosemary; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve bell pepper mixture over chicken.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half and about 1/2 cup bell pepper mixture)

CALORIES 282 ; FAT 11g (sat 2.1g,mono 6.4g,poly 1.7g); CHOLESTEROL 94mg; CALCIUM 38mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.8g; SODIUM 644mg; PROTEIN 35.9g; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 2mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2010

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

So these were really good. I have no clue if they were easy or not, because I didn't feel well, and zoned in and out while D made them. But they were juicy, tangy, and good.

We had with Roasted Potatoes.

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Photo by ALB

A new take on a familiar favorite pairs grilled cheese with a BLT for a luscious veggie-packed sandwich that feels like an indulgence. Serve with zesty dill pickle spears. If you have extra room in your budget, pair with a sweet-tart hard cider.

Cooking spray
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp white cheddar cheese (such as Cracker Barrel)
8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices hearty white bread (such as Pepperidge Farm)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
6 slices center-cut bacon, cooked


1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion and garlic; cook for 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally.
2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each of 4 bread slices. Top each slice with 1/2 cup spinach, 2 tomato slices, 2 tablespoons onion mixture, and 1 1/2 bacon slices. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese; top with the remaining 4 bread slices.
3. Heat skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place sandwiches in pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese melts.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

CALORIES 376 ; FAT 11g (sat 5.3g,mono 4.8g,poly 0.6g); CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CALCIUM 308mg; CARBOHYDRATE 50.3g; SODIUM 876mg; PROTEIN 20.2g; FIBER 3.3g; IRON 2.9mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2010