Spinach and Feta Chicken Burgers

So this recipe caught my eye.  One, cilantro is hard to come by since Mexican Cilantro is not being sold at the moment.  Two, I had no idea what Halloumi was, and three, Feta just is delicious.

So I showed D and he said ok.  He made it.  I won't lie, my picture isn't that great, but life happens.  The flavors were really good together.  It was messy.  Everything was just good.  We had with a cauliflower "tabbouleh" from Whole Foods, that I would not recommend but that is another issue.

I didn't rebuild the calories to check the accuracy.

I would have again.

Spinach and Feta Chicken Burgers (aka Spanakopita Burgers) with Grilled Halloumi, Roasted Red Peppers and a Spinach and Feta Sauce

Photo by ALB

From Closet Cooking

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE BURGERS:
1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)
2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4 buns, optionally toasted or grilled
1 cup spinach
8 ounces halloumi, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 roasted red peppers, cut into 4 pieces

Directions
FOR THE SAUCE:
Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat until frothy, mix in the flour and cook until a light golden brown, mix in the milk and simmer until it thickens, add the feta and cook until it melts, mix in the spinach, dill and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat when the spinach wilts.

FOR THE BURGERS:
Mix the chicken, spinach, feta, garlic, green onions, dill, salt and pepper, form into 4 patties, oil the grill, heat to medium high and cook the patties, about 4-5 minutes per side.

Grill the halloumi slices, about 2 minutes per side, and hit them with the lemon juice.

Assemble the burgers and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Calories 720, Fat 41g (Saturated 21g, Trans 0.3g), Cholesterol 243mg, Sodium 1324mg, Carbs 37g (Fiber 2g, Sugars 11g), Protein 50g

Macaroni with Sausage and Ricotta

Another Pinterest Find, althought the picture was odd.  Called Macaroni, their picture used what look liked linguine.  But flour and egg taste pretty much the same to me, so I let that go.

D was working late, so I decided to make this.  Of course by the time I finished cutting the onion and the garlic he was home, and took over.    Basically this is deconstructed lasagna.  It is very good, but also pretty quick.

And it uses almost all ingredients that we tend to have in the house (minus ricotta).  We had with a Caesar Salad.

Would have again.

Macaroni with Sausage and Ricotta

A bit of sausage goes a long way in flavoring the creamy ricotta tomato sauce in this healthy and quick pasta recipe. While this recipe calls for macaroni, you can make this dish with any type of tubular pasta. It’s just the thing to satisfy your craving for comfort food in a hurry.

Photo by ALB

Makes: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 1/3 cups
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
Added 3 Garlic Cloves
6 ounces mild pork sausage, casings removed (used spicy)
1 14-ounce can no-salt-added whole peeled tomatoes, chopped, with their juice (used diced)
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt plus 1 tablespoon, divided
12 ounces thin tube-shaped pasta, such as pasta al ceppo
6 tablespoons part-skim ricotta cheese
10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation
Put 2 quarts of water on to boil in a large pot.

Meanwhile, combine oil, onion and sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and crumbling the sausage with a spoon, until the onion is golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook until the tomatoes have reduced and separated from the oil, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water, stir in pasta and cook according to package instructions until just tender. Just before the pasta is done, return the sauce to medium-low heat. Add ricotta and basil and stir until combined. When the pasta is done, drain well and toss with the sauce and Parmigiano. Serve at once.

Nutrition 
Per serving: 362 calories; 12 g fat (4 g sat, 6 g mono); 16 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 3 g total sugars; 15 g protein; 3 g fiber; 441 mg sodium; 276 mg potassium.

EatingWell: September/October 2014

Chicken and Couscous Salad

So this was one of those recipes I thought we had, D said no. I had it pinned on Pinterest a few times as to try, and we finally got around to it.  It was pretty flavorful, and I really liked it.  I liked it better for lunch the next day cold.

Would definitely have again.

Chicken and Couscous Salad

Photo by ALB

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients
Salad:
1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (5.7-ounce) box uncooked couscous
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup diced radishes (about 3 large)
1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Dressing:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Preparation 
To prepare salad, bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Spoon couscous into a large bowl; cool slightly. Add chicken, onions, radishes, cucumber, parsley, and pine nuts; toss gently to combine.

To prepare dressing, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss to combine.

Note: You can toast nuts quickly in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Stir frequently, and as soon as they become fragrant, remove the nuts from the pan.

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 334; Fat: 10.9 g; Satfat: 2 g; Monofat: 5.9 g; Polyfat: 2.1 g; Protein: 20.9 g; Carbohydrate: 35.8 g; Fiber: 2.9 g; Cholesterol: 39 mg; Iron: 1.8 mg; Sodium: 484 mg; Calcium: 23 mg

Cooking Light, MAY 2004

Mexican Street Corn Style Grilled Zucchini

This is one of those recipes where I should probably read better.  It wouldn't have been adapted if I had written on the list 2 pounds of zucchini and not 2 zucchini.  But such is life and thus 2 zucchini made 4 servings.

I love Elote, so this wasn't a huge stretch.  It was very good, had a nice bite, and I would have again.

Mexican Street Corn Style Grilled Zucchini 

Photo by ALB

Adapted from Closet Cooking

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4


Ingredients 
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1/4 cup queso freso, crumbled
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 lime, juice

Directions 
Grill the zucchini over medium-high heat until just tender, about 2-3 minutes per side, brush with the mixture of the butter and mayo, sprinkle on the cheese, cilantro, cayenne and lime juice and enjoy!

Nutritional Information (from My Fitness Pal)
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 73; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 14 mg; Sodium: 112 mg; Potassium: 268 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 3 g; Protein: 3 g

JALAPEÑO POPPER PIZZA

So I have never met a jalapeno popper I haven't liked.  When I saw this recipe, I decided we must have it.  Also I have 2 jalapenos growing in my garden (we're up to a grand total of 4 since I planted in April and it is now the end of July).

We were going to make the crust, but I had to go to the grocery store for something else, and D hadn't left work, so I just grabbed a Boboli.

D commented it used a lot of cream cheese.  That was ok.  This "shit on bread"  (what I call pizza without red sauce) was awesome.  We'll definitely have again.

JALAPEÑO POPPER PIZZA

Photo by ALB

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Adapted from Damn Delicious

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 jalapeños, sliced
1 shallot, sliced
1/4 cup semolina or yellow cornmeal (didn't use)
1 ball pizza dough, homemade or store-bought (used a original Boboli)
6 ounces cream cheese, softened (used reduced- fat)
1 1/2 cups grated jalapeño monterey jack cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet or pizza pan with olive oil.

Heat a small skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

In a small bowl, combine the jalapeños and shallot with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil.

Working on a surface that has been sprinkled with semolina or cornmeal, roll out the pizza dough into a 10-inch-diameter round. Transfer to prepared baking sheet or pizza pan.

Spread the cream cheese evenly over the top, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with jalapeño monterey jack, jalapeños, shallots and bacon.

Place into oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and brown on the bottom and the cheese is melted on top (if using a Boboli, check on the bag how long to cook one).

Cut the pizza into wedges and serve immediately.

Orecchiette with Peas, Shrimp, and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing

Considering I hate peas, I'm not sure how I came across this recipe and marked it to have.  But I did.  I asked D to replace the Peas with Broccoli, which he did.

I think it was easy to make. It tasted good.  The only issue was that we had was we were both still hungry after we ate it.  But overall we both would have again.  It was better cold than at room temperature.

Orecchiette with Peas, Shrimp, and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing

This herby pasta salad is perfect for a picnic or potluck gathering; double the recipe to serve a crowd. Medium shell-shaped pasta will also work in place of orecchiette.

Photo by ALB

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)
Total time: 30 Minutes
Recipe Time
Hands-on: 30 Minutes
Total: 30 Minutes

Ingredients
8 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta
1 cup shelled green peas (about 1 pound unshelled green peas) or frozen green peas (used Broccoli)
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup thinly sliced radishes
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add peas and shrimp during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.

2. Combine pasta mixture and radishes in a large bowl. Combine mayonnaise and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Pour over pasta mixture, tossing to coat. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature, or cover and chill until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 340; Fat: 3.4 g; Sat fat: 0.4 g; Mono fat: 0.3 g; Poly fat: 1.5 g; Protein: 22.2 g; Carbohydrate: 54.7 g; Fiber: 4.7 g; Cholesterol: 86 mg; Iron: 4.1 mg; Sodium: 585 mg; Calcium: 84 mg

Cooking Light, JUNE 2011

Aaron Franklin's Pinto Beans

So I got this recipe from Homesick Texan's site. She mentioned peppery in her intro, but I kind of missed that part. I was too focused on beans and brisket. Also my friend Todd had gotten Aaron Franklin's Cookbook, so I figured if a personal friend and a blogger both got this book, and pretty much everyone says Aaron Franklin is the best BBQer of all time, well I should make these beans.

And I had every intention too. Then I had that Orange Creamsicle drink and a few beers and using sharp objects isn't a smart idea when I'm sober, so D prepped this on Saturday night.

We had planned on going to 3-4 different Barbecue Restaurants for lunch Sunday but Biscuits and Gravy were had (yes, I made biscuits), and then a nap was required, and so we settled on the quickest one, as D still had to make Carne Guisada.

So we ended up getting 1/2 pound of brisket at Grand Champion Barbecue (their pulled pork and brisket sandwiches were good, as well).

Anyway, back to the beans...D chopped up the meat, and there was a little over a cup, but he dumped it all into the beans.  And we waited for the Carne Guisada.

So the beans were spicy.  Immediately I thought because of the chili powder, but D said the pepper.  I thought about it and agreed.  So next time we make it we will back off on the pepper to 1/2 TBSP.

But the first 3 bites, before the heat started building were awesome!

Aaron Franklin's Pinto Beans

From Homesick Texan

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 pound dried pinto beans
1/4 medium yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt*
1 tablespoon black pepper (next time, cutting back to 1/2 TBSP)
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup chopped smoked brisket

Instructions:
Rinse the pinto beans and remove any rocks. Place the beans, onion, chili powder, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin in a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water, stir until the spices are well distributed, and then soak the beans uncovered for 8 hours. Alternatively, you can bring the pot to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let them quick soak for 1 hour.

To cook the beans, add the brisket to the pot. (Do not drain the soaking liquid.) You want there to be at least an inch and a half of water above the beans, so add more water to the pot if needed. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn down the heat down to low, cover the pot, and then gently simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the cover and then continue to cook the beans until they’re tender, which will depend on the age of the beans. This can happen anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours.

If you want to make these in the slow cooker, after soaking, cook them covered on low for 6 hours, then remove the lid and continue to cook on low for 2 more hours.

Yield: 6 to 12 servings

*Notes:
If you're not using kosher salt but table salt or sea salt instead, reduce the amount of salt to 1 tablespoon, otherwise the beans may be too salty.

Nutritional Information (from My Fitness Pal)
Servings: 8; Amount per Serving
Calories: 235; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 756 mg; Potassium: 111 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 37 g; Dietary Fiber: 10 g; Sugars: 2 g;  Protein: 18 g