Pacific Northwest Burger

So we rarely have fish in our house. We have no problem eating frozen fish, but it still is never cheap.  And certain stores' fish tastes bleachy, so ...

When I saw this recipe, I asked D if we could have it.  He looked over the ingredients and said ok.  He may have cooked it differently.  I wasn't really listening when he said he was going to change something, and then it was ready when I got home.  So...

It was very good, althouhg mine was a bit fall-apart.  I wasn't all that ahhh over it.

D did change some of the ingredients mostly because Kroger didn't have them/we didn't feel like buying them.  Also Aldi sold salmon in 4-oz fillets, so D used 1 1/2 for me and 2 for him (this may be part of the fall apart-issue).

We had with a spinach salad.

Pacific Northwest Burger

Photo by ALB

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 burger)
Hands-on:47 Minutes
Total:47 Minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups very thinly sliced radish
1/3 cup canola mayonnaise (used Hellman's low-fat)
Added Sriracha
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce (used spicy)
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Cooking spray
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns
1 1/2 cups watercress (used arugula)

Preparation
1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour hot liquid over radish. Chill 30 minutes; drain well.

2. Combine mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.

3. Preheat grill to high heat.

4. Combine soy sauce and chili sauce, stirring with a whisk. Sprinkle fillets with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Place fillets on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes, brushing with half of soy mixture. Carefully turn fillets; grill 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, brushing with remaining soy mixture.

5. Spread 2 tablespoons mayo mixture on bottom half of each bun; top each with 1 fillet. Top evenly with radishes. Arrange about 1/3 cup watercress on each fillet; top with top halves of buns.


Nutritional Information
Calories: 397; Fat: 14.9g; Saturated fat: 1.6g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.7g; Polyunsaturated fat: 4.1g; Protein: 37.5g; Carbohydrate: 24.9g; Fiber: 1.8g; Cholesterol: 80mg; Iron: 2.4mg; Sodium: 567mg; Calcium: 117mg

Cooking Light JUNE 2013

Steak and Ale Chili with Beans

So this seemed like a good base chili.  It tasted good, but it needs some additions.  I just don't know what yet.

Steak and Ale Chili with Beans

Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours 30 mins
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients 
Rub
2 tsp ground cumin
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper

1 pound skirt steak, trim excess fat
Vegetable Oil

Chili
1-1.2 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
1 T garlic, minced
2 T pure chili powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 cans (16 oz each) chili beans, such as pinto beans, with liquid
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 bottle (12 oz) stout beer
2 T cider vinegar
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cups finely grated cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

Instructions 
1. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450° F).

2. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Lightly brush the steaks on both sides with oil and season evenly with the rub. Allow the steaks to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.

3. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the steaks over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to medium-rare doneness, 4 to 6 minutes, turning once. Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut the steaks into ½-inch pieces.

4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chili powder and oregano and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining chili ingredients and increase the heat to bring the chili to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the steak, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue to simmer until the chili thickens to the consistency you like, 40 to 50 minutes, stirring to the bottom of the pan occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm topped with grated cheese. -

Jamie Purviance, Weber’s Time to Grill 

Smoked Chicken with Homemade Coleslaw

So I'm weird... I grew up hating Barbecue Chicken.  It wasn't until high school that I figured out it was the sauce  It turned out I really don't like Kraft Barbecue Sauce. But since then, I really don't have it.  So D found this recipe.

We can have Barbecue Chicken any time if it is this.  It was really good.

Smoked Chicken with Homemade Coleslaw

Serves: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
 Grilling Time: 45 to 50 minutes

Ingredients
Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons pure ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
6 whole chicken thighs
6 whole chicken legs
Vegetable oil
2 handfuls hickory wood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Slaw:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced (didn't use because of price)
1 cup carrot, peeled and coarsely grated

Preparation
1. Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium heat (350 to 450 F).

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the sauce ingredients to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Lightly coat the chicken on all sides with oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the chicken, skin side down first, over direct medium heat, witht he lid closed as much as possible, until golden brown, about 10 minutes, turning once or twice. Watch for flare-ups. Move the chicken pieces over indirect medium heat. Drain and scatter the wood chips over the lit charcoal or put them in the smoker box of a gas grill, following manufacturer’s instructions. Continue to grill the chicken, with the lid closed, for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile make the coleslaw.

5. In a large bowl whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the green and purple cabbage and carrot and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

6. After the chicken pieces have cooked over indirect heat for 20 minutes, brush both sides with aa thin layer of the sauce and continue cooking until the juices run clear and the meat is no longer pink at the bone, 15 to 20 minutes, occasionally turning and brushing with sauce. Serve warm or at room temperature with the remaining sauce and the coleslaw on the side.

from Weber’s Time To Grill

Nutritional Information of the Coleslaw from My Fitness Pal
Servings 4
Hellman's - Low Fat Mayo, 5.33 Tbsp (15g)
White House - Apple Cider Vinegar All Natural, 1.5 Tbsp (15mL)
Domino - Granulated Sugar-1 Teaspoon, 1 tsp
Spices - Celery seed, 0.25 tsp 2 0 0 0 1 0
Fresh Express - Green Shredded Cabbage (for Cole Slaw), 4 cup
Carrots - Raw, 1 cup, grated
Per Serving: Calories: 53; Carbs: 9; Fat: 1; Protein: 1; Sodium: 203; Fiber: 1

Nutritional Information of the BBQ Sauce from My Fitness Pal
Servings 6 (best guess based on how much is left over)
Heinz - Simply Heinz Tomato Ketchup, 16 Tbsp
Regina - Fine Red Wine Vinegar, 4 Tbsp
Molasses - Grandma's Molasses, 4 Tbsp.
French's - 100% Natural Classic Yellow Mustard, 6 tsp
Lea & Perrins - Original Worcestershire Sauce, 1.5 tsp
Mccormick's Gourmet Collection - Ancho Chili Powder, 0.5 tbsp
Colgin - Hickory Liquid Smoke, 0.5 tsp.
Mccormick - Granulated Garlic, 0.5 tsp
Per Serving: Calories: 95; Carbs: 25; Fat:  0; Protein: 0; Sodium: 592; Fiber: 0

SoCal Guacamole Burger

This was really good.  The burger was very simple but  juicy.  The guacamole was very flavorful.  I can't wait to have it again.

We had with Black Bean Salad.

SoCal Guacamole Burger

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 burger)
Hands-on: 15 Minutes
Total: 15 Minutes

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 ripe peeled avocado, divided
1 tablespoon light sour cream

1 tablespoon canola mayonnaise (such as Hellmann's)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup chopped seeded tomato
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound 90% lean ground sirloin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
4 (1 1/2-ounce) whole-grain hamburger buns
1 cup alfalfa sprouts (didn't use)

Preparation
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Place half of avocado in a bowl; mash with a fork until almost smooth. Add sour cream and next 3 ingredients to bowl; stir to combine. Dice remaining half of avocado. Add diced avocado, tomato, jalapeño, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to bowl; stir gently to combine.

3. Divide beef into 4 equal portions. Gently shape each portion into a (1/2-inch-thick) patty. Press a nickel-sized indentation in center of each patty. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place burgers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Lightly coat cut sides of buns with cooking spray. Place buns, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 1 minute or until toasted.

4. Place 1/4 cup sprouts on bottom half of each bun; top each with 1 patty, about 3 tablespoons guacamole, and top half of bun.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 403; Fat: 21.1g; Saturated fat: 5.6g; Monounsaturated fat: 10.4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.6g; Protein: 27.6g; Carbohydrate: 27.5g; Fiber: 7g; Cholesterol: 74mg; Iron: 3.8mg; Sodium: 499mg; Calcium: 74mg

Cooking Light JULY 2013

Spicy Shrimp Sliders with Celery Mayonnaise

D made these the other day.  They were pretty good.  They had a good kick and the mayonnaise felt a little indulgent.  I would definitely have again.

We had with fries.

Spicy Shrimp Sliders with Celery Mayonnaise

Sustainable Choice: For a "best choice" purchase, look for U.S. Pacific white shrimp farmed in recirculating systems or inland ponds.

If you prefer a milder sandwich, omit the ground red pepper.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 2 sliders)

Ingredients
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

24 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 12 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
8 (1 1/4-ounce) wheat slider buns
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
1 tablespoon plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 small Bibb lettuce leaves

Preparation
1. Preheat broiler.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add ginger; cook 1 minute. Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add shrimp to pan; cook 3 minutes or until done. Keep warm.

3. Arrange buns in a single layer on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Broil 45 seconds or until toasted. Combine celery and next 4 ingredients (through juice) in a medium bowl; stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place 1 lettuce leaf on bottom half of each bun. Top with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture and 3 shrimp. Cover with top halves of buns.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 324; Fat: 10.6g; Saturated fat: 0.5g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.9g; Polyunsaturated fat: 4.2g; Protein: 22.3g; Carbohydrate: 36.4g; Fiber: 2.5g; Cholesterol: 107mg; Iron: 2.2mg; Sodium: 704mg; Calcium: 139mg

Cooking Light JULY 2013

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Roasted Corn Hash and Buttermilk Dressing

So I wasn't really impressed with the chicken part of this but I liked the hash. The chicken was just bland.  D thought so as well.  I would definitely have the side again. Probably the chicken if it was easy.

Panko-Crusted Chicken with Roasted Corn Hash and Buttermilk Dressing

Chicken breast halves have ballooned beyond reasonable portion size, so just use 2 (8-ouncers), and cut each in half lengthwise to form 4 uniform cutlets. Bread all of your cutlets and get them in the pan in rapid succession so that they soak up fairly equal amounts of bacon flavor.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 3/4 cup corn mixture, 1 chicken cutlet, and 1 tablespoon dressing)
Hands-on:20 Minutes
Total:50 Minutes

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk, divided
1/2 teaspoon paprika, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper, divided
2 (8-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, each cut in half lengthwise
4 ears yellow corn with husks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3 center-cut bacon slices, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 thinly sliced green onions
2 bottled roasted red bell peppers, chopped (about 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon bottled roasted red bell pepper liquid

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1 cup buttermilk, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.

3. Place corn directly on oven rack. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Cool slightly; remove husks and silks. Cut kernels from ears of corn, and place in a large bowl; discard corn cobs.

4. Combine remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk, parsley, and lemon juice in a bowl.

5. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon paprika, remaining 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper, and panko in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Dredge chicken in panko mixture.

6. Place bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook 8 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add oil to drippings in pan. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and done.

7. Combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, corn, bacon, green onions, roasted red peppers, and red pepper liquid in a large bowl. Divide corn mixture evenly among 4 plates; top each with 1 chicken cutlet. Drizzle with buttermilk dressing.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 375; Fat: 11.8g; Saturated fat: 3.4g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.2g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.5g; Protein: 33.7g; Carbohydrate: 35.2g; Fiber: 3g; Cholesterol: 87mg; Iron: 1.3mg; Sodium: 558mg; Calcium: 18mg

Cooking Light JULY 2013

Cajun Shrimp Pastalaya

So my friend Guilllera posted this the other day. She got is from Beazell's Cajun Seasoning page. I looked at it and went, "MMMM" and shared it to D's page. He made it.

It wasn't very spicy, but it did have a lot of flavor. I definitely enjoyed it and wanted it again.

Cajun Shrimp Pastalaya

Ingredients
1 tablespoon EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb. Andouille sausage, diced
1/2 cup onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup red & yellow bell peppers, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
2 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup of water
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. Beazell's Cajun seasoning or to taste
1 Tbsp. butter
1 green onion, sliced
Salt, to taste
Parmesan cheese
2 cups dry medium pasta shells, cooked

Preparation
Heat EVOO in a large Dutch oven. Place shrimp in the pot and sprinkle with Beazell's Cajun Seasoning. Cook them about 5 minutes or until pink, then remove them and set aside. Add the sausage and brown it on all sides and then remove it from pot and set aside. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender and wilted. Add the minced garlic.

Stir in the diced tomatoes and 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the sausage, thyme, basil and Beazell's Cajun Seasoning, return to boil; reduce to medium low, cook for 5 minutes. Stir in your cooked shrimp. Cook another 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir in the butter and green onion. Taste, add salt and adjust Beazell's Cajun Seasoning as needed.

Serve over your cooked pasta shells. You can top this with Parmesan cheese!

Outside-In Turkey Tamale Pie

So awhile ago, I wrote a review for Chipotle Tamale Pie, and someone told me I should try this one.  I wrote it down, and when D was making a menu, he decided we should try it.

It was ok, but it was dry. He did use ground chicken because of my turkey allergy, and skipped the olives. The taste was good, but it had that over all dryness taste that I'm afraid to get when I order tamales in general.

D cooked it on low for 7 hours.

I think we'll stick to the Chipotle Tamale Pie.  It was just better.  We had with Refried Pinto Beans with Chipotle.

Outside-In Turkey Tamale Pie

From Hungry Girl website
Get ready for an amazingly comforting, scoopable, Mexican-inspired dish, because HERE... IT... IS!!! Just a warning: This stuff is hauntingly delicious!

Ingredients
1 1/4 lbs. raw lean ground turkey (used 1 lb of chicken)
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
One 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup canned sweet corn, drained
1/2 cup canned kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup sliced black olives, drained (didn't use)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
Optional toppings: fat-free shredded cheddar cheese, fat-free sour cream

Directions:
Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add turkey and spread it around to break it up a bit. Cook and crumble until meat is brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and add turkey to the crock pot.

In a bowl, combine cornmeal with broth and whisk thoroughly. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Add cornmeal mixture to the crock pot along with all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours.

Serve and, if you like, top each serving with cheese and/or sour cream. Mmmmmm!!!

MAKES 7 SERVINGS

Nutritional Information 
Per Serving (1 cup): 230 calories, 7.5g fat, 481mg sodium, 21g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g sugars, 19g protein

Cheddar-Jalapeño Quesadilla Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

This was one where D prepped everything for me, and I had to assemble (and make a quesadilla) when I got home.  It was was pretty easy to assemble, and considering I lived on quesadillas when I was single, I had no problem with that.

As barely any meal in our house is vegetarian, this one was no different.  Moreso because we had a chicken leg in the fridge so I pulled the meat off the leg.  Also because I love avocados, I added 1/4 of one to my portion (I only made a portion).

I really liked it and would have again.

Cheddar-Jalapeño Quesadilla Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Photo by ALB

This fresh take on the traditional taco salad works well as a vegetarian main course.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup Dijon-Lemon Vinaigrette (see below)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice

Quesadillas:
1 (15-ounce) can black beans (undrained)
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
Cooking spray

Remaining ingredients:
6 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
2 cups chopped tomato
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 cup chopped onion (didn't use)
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
(Added avocado and chicken)

Preparation
To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 3 ingredients; stir with a whisk. Set aside.

To prepare the quesadillas, drain beans through a sieve over a bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon bean liquid; discard remaining liquid. Combine 1/2 cup beans and 1 tablespoon reserved bean liquid in a small bowl; mash with a fork. Reserve remaining beans. Spread bean mixture evenly over 4 tortillas. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup cheese and about 1 tablespoon jalapeño; top with remaining tortillas.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Cook quesadillas for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove the quesadillas from the pan, and cut each into 4 wedges. Combine vinaigrette with lettuce, and toss well. Arrange 1 1/2 cups lettuce mixture on each of 4 plates. For each serving, spoon 3 tablespoons reserved beans over lettuce mixture, and place 1/2 cup tomato over the beans. Top each serving with 1/4 cup salsa, 2 tablespoons chopped onion, and 1 tablespoon sour cream. Serve each with 4 quesadilla wedges.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 389; Calories from fat: 29%; Fat: 12.4g; Saturated fat: 4.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.2g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.5g; Protein: 20.2g; Carbohydrate: 53.9g; Fiber: 8.5g; Cholesterol: 25mg; Iron: 3.9mg; Sodium: 985mg; Calcium: 424m

Cooking Light JUNE 2001


Dijon-Lemon Vinaigrette

This is the base for our other vinaigrettes, but it also tastes great on its own. Refrigerated, the vinaigrette keeps for about a week.

Yield: 2/3 cup (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable broth or water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously. Store in refrigerator.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 25; Calories from fat: 86%; Fat: 2.4g; Saturated fat: 0.3g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.7g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g; Protein: 0.1g; Carbohydrate: 1g; Fiber: 0.0g; Cholesterol: 0.0mg; Iron: 0.1mg; Sodium: 93mg; Calcium: 3mg

Cooking Light JUNE 2001