Spaghetti Bolognese

This was eh. Fast to make but it had too much of a carrot taste. So much better ones out there. We had with salad.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Other Time: 40 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup spaghetti, about 3/4 cup sauce, and 1 tablespoon cheese)

Cost per Serving: $1.53

1 (3/4-ounce) slice French bread
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
12 ounces ground sirloin
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained (such as Hunt's)
4 cups hot cooked spaghetti (about 8 ounces uncooked)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Pulse bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Combine crumbs and milk in a bowl.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot; sauté 8 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add vinegar; cook for 30 seconds. Add oregano, salt, peppers, and beef; cook 7 minutes, stirring to crumble. Stir in breadcrumb mixture and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over spaghetti; top with cheese.


CALORIES 440 ; FAT 9.6g (sat 3.4g,mono 4g,poly 1.2g); CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CALCIUM 164mg; CARBOHYDRATE 59.1g; SODIUM 682mg; PROTEIN 29.8g; FIBER 6g; IRON 5.1mg

Cooking Light, MARCH 2011

Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sliders

So D made this.  I think it was easy. It was fast.  It had a good smoky flavor.  Would have again.  We had with fries.

Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sliders

For a less sweet option, use sliced dill pickles.

Other Time: 20 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 sandwiches)


1/2 cup no-salt-added ketchup
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
8 (1.3-ounce) sliders mini buns (such as Pepperidge Farm)--we used Kroger
8 bread-and-butter pickle chips--we used dill

1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; cook 3 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Add chicken to ketchup mixture; stir to combine. Cook 2 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated.
2. Spoon 3 tablespoons chicken mixture on bottom half of each bun; top each with 1 pickle chip and top half of bun.

CALORIES 400 ; FAT 7.5g (sat 2.3g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.5g); CHOLESTEROL 60mg; CALCIUM 83mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52.7g; SODIUM 481mg; PROTEIN 30g; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 2.7mg

Cooking Light, MARCH 2011

Spinach and Feta-Stuffed Focaccia

So this was an easy weeknight, we have other things to do than worry about dinner meal. D made this and added 12 oz of cooked chicken breast. It was more of a calzone than foccacia, but good none the less. I probably would add marinara, because it was so pizza like (and we didn't use raisins).

We forgot a side. Would have again.

Spinach and Feta-Stuffed Focaccia

This calzone-like roll mixes fresh spinach with cheese, raisins, and pine nuts--a flavor combination reminiscent of the Mediterranean.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)..we had 4 (the NI is for 6 and wo chicken)


1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 (6-ounce) packages baby spinach
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup golden raisins (didn't use)
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon 2% reduced-fat milk
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
(added 12oz. cooked chicken breast)

Preheat oven to 450°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 1 minute. Add half of spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Add remaining spinach; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until spinach wilts. Remove from heat; stir in feta and next 6 ingredients (through pepper).

Place dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat dough into a 15 x 12-inch rectangle. Spread spinach mixture lengthwise over half of dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold other half of dough over filling; press edges together with a fork. Cut 5 (1-inch) diagonal slits in top of dough.

Combine milk and water; brush evenly over dough. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until golden.

CALORIES 334 (29% from fat); FAT 10.6g (sat 3.5g,mono 4.6g,poly 1.3g); IRON 3.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 16mg; CALCIUM 201mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48.7g; SODIUM 815mg; PROTEIN 12.6g; FIBER 3.5g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2004

Hawaiian Chicken

I really liked the rice. It was flavorful. The chicken was eh. D thought it was teriyaki-ish. I thought it was missing something...heat or sweet or tang. Something...

We had with brussel sprouts.

Hawaiian Chicken

Other Time: 4 hours, 23 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half and 1/2 cup rice)

1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine first 5 ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade; place remaining marinade in a zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Chill 4 hours.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade in bag. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; baste with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade. Cook 6 minutes. Turn chicken over; baste with 2 tablespoons reserved marinade. Cook 6 minutes.

3. Combine rice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cilantro.

CALORIES 247 ; FAT 1.8g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.4g,poly 0.4g); CHOLESTEROL 68mg; CALCIUM 26mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.2g; SODIUM 674mg; PROTEIN 29.9g; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1.9mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2011

Chicken Burgers

I'm beginning to think if a chicken burger doesn't have cilantro, avocado and jalapenos with it, it just isn't worth it. This recipe didn't change my mind.

D made it. I guess it was easy. We were originally going to use ground chicken but Kroger seemed to have a shortage of it in Atlanta this week (2 groceries = nada). So he made it according to the directions. He made it while I was driving home from work, so it took less than 70 minutes.

He said he thought cheese would be good, so we added Italian blend cheese. It turned out we had no Dijon.

The taste was bland. Although Dijon would have added flavor, in my opinion, a condiment shouldn't make or break a burger. Neither of us liked it, although it was better than the Greek burger.

We had with tater tots.

Chicken Burgers

Other Time: 26 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 shallots, trimmed and peeled
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
4 green leaf lettuce leaves
8 plum tomato slices
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely ground. Divide chicken mixture into 4 equal portions; shape each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side.

2. Place bottom half of each bun on a plate, and spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise over each. Top each burger with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 patty, and 2 tomato slices. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard over each bun top, then top burgers.

CALORIES 335 ; FAT 9.2g (sat 1.1g,mono 3.9g,poly 3g); CHOLESTEROL 63mg; CALCIUM 69mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.9g; SODIUM 764mg; PROTEIN 29.2g; FIBER 3.8g; IRON 2.8mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2011

Al and Doug's Chili

After a year of making other people's chili, we decided to try our own. The first time was decent, but D used stew meat (he likes stew meat, I like ground beef). Also we forgot about the chili and it burned. This is our 2nd attempt.

Al and Doug's Chili 

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
2 lbs. ground beef (90/10)
1 lb. chorizo
2 Onions, chopped
3 Jalapenos, chopped and seeded (half-assed)
3 Serranos, chopped and seeded (half-assed)
10 Garlic Cloves, crushed
.5 TBSP Penzey's Arizona Seasoning
1 TBSP Cumin
1 TBSP Oregano
.25 C Chili Powder
.5 TBSP Unsweet Cocoa
2 TSBP Worcestershire
2 TBSP Cider Vinegar
28 oz can Diced Tomatoes
1 12-oz. beer (lager)
1 Can Beef Broth
1 Cup Water
1 tsp Salt

Directions
1. In a Dutch Oven, over medium heat, brown the ground beef and chorizo (take the chorizo out of the casing).

2. Add the onions, jalapenos , serranos and garlic; cook until the onions are tender, 10 minutes..

3. Add the Arizona Seasoning, cumin, oregano, chili powder and cocoa, and stir.

4. Add Worcestershire, Vinegar, Diced tomatoes, beer, and beef broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 or more hours (we did 4). If it gets to thick, add water (or broth). Add salt to taste.

• Servings Per Recipe: 12
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 362.1
• Total Fat: 23.6 g
• Cholesterol: 78.5 mg
• Sodium: 890.4 mg
• Total Carbs: 11.1 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.0 g
• Protein: 24.6 g

Greek-Style Chicken

This was just flavorless. The sauce tasted watery and the burger had no flavor. I didn't finish the dinner portion and was sad there was still some left over for lunch. Definitely will not have again.

Greek-Style Chicken

Other Time: 25 minutes minutes
Yield: 4 servings

3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup chopped English cucumber
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 green leaf lettuce leaves
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 12 slices
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 ounces feta cheese, sliced
2 whole-wheat pitas, cut into wedges

1. Combine first 4 ingredients and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor; process until ground. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions; shape each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add patties to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side.

2. Combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 4 plates. Top with tomato slices; sprinkle with black pepper. Divide cheese evenly among servings. Arrange 2 patties on top of tomato mixture; top each serving with about 2 tablespoons yogurt mixture. Serve with pita wedges.

CALORIES 359 ; FAT 11.4g (sat 4.5g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.9g); CHOLESTEROL 95mg; CALCIUM 192mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25g; SODIUM 751mg; PROTEIN 39.6g; FIBER 3.4g; IRON 2.5mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2011

Lion's Head Meatballs in Spicy Coconut Sauce

These were definitely spicy (D used Thai Red Pepper)! D made these. We really liked them. Of course I had 2 servings of them, but I had the calories to do so. Will definitely have them again.

We had with wild rice and asparagus

Lion's Head Meatballs in Spicy Coconut Sauce

Photo by ALB

These spicy meatballs are called "Lion's Head" because of their large size. Also, lions are believed to ward off evil. You can make the meatballs a day or two ahead, store them covered in the refrigerator, and heat them in the sauce before serving. Decrease the red pepper for a milder flavor.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 meatball and 3 tablespoons sauce)

Sauce:
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup soy milk (used light coconut milk)
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced hot red chile pepper
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
Meatballs:
1 pound ground round or ground pork (we used pork)
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced hot red chile pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

To prepare sauce, combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.
To prepare meatballs, combine ground pork and next 9 ingredients (pork through salt) in a large bowl, and shape mixture into 8 meatballs. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs; cook 7 minutes, browning on all sides. Drain well.
Place sauce in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes. Garnish with basil and rind.

CALORIES 297 (20% from fat); FAT 6.5g (sat 1.8g,mono 2g,poly 2.1g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 30mg; CALCIUM 12mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.7g; SODIUM 616mg; PROTEIN 13.2g; FIBER 17g
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2002

Pork Tenderloin with Red and Yellow Peppers

So D made this. It was pretty easy from what I could tell. It was very simple, yet very flavorful. I would definitely have again. We had with Peanutty Couscous.

Pork Tenderloin with Red and Yellow Peppers

Anchovies melt into the pepper mixture, adding a savory, salty quality. If you don't like anchovies, omit them and add 3 tablespoons minced olives. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork and about 1/2 cup bell pepper mixture)

1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick medallions
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
4 canned anchovy fillets, drained and mashed
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; turn pork over. Add 1 teaspoon rosemary, anchovies, garlic, and bell peppers; cook 7 minutes or until peppers are tender and pork is done. Drizzle with vinegar. Top with remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary.

CALORIES 215 ; FAT 10.1g (sat 2.7g,mono 5.4g,poly 1.2g); CHOLESTEROL 78mg; CALCIUM 26mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5g; SODIUM 441mg; PROTEIN 25.2g; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 2mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2011