Tomato Tart

D made this.  He subbed bacon for the olives, because I don't like olives.  It was good.  We would have again.

Tomato Tart 

Yield: Serves 8 (serving size: 1 tart slice and 2 tablespoons cherry tomato mixture)
Hands-on:20 Minutes
Total:1 Hour, 5 Minutes

Ingredients

1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough
Cooking spray
2.5 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped  (used 3 slices of bacon)
1/3 cup sliced shallots
3 heirloom tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Preparation 
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Roll dough to a 12-inch circle; press into a 9-inch deep-dish tart or springform pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with fontina, olives, and shallots. Arrange half of tomato slices over shallots Combine flour, cornmeal, and thyme; sprinkle over tomatoes. Top with remaining tomato slices; sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
3. Combine milk, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and eggs; pour into pan. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until set; let stand 10 minutes. Top with basil.
4. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt and cherry tomatoes. Slice tart; serve with cherry tomatoes.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 244; Fat: 13.9g; Saturated fat: 6g; Monounsaturated fat: 5.1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.4g; Protein: 8.9g; Carbohydrate: 22.7g; Fiber: 1.6g; Cholesterol: 96mg; Iron: 1.1mg; Sodium: 596mg; Calcium: 134mg

Cooking Light AUGUST 2012

Sesame Chicken and Noodles in Mushroom Broth

So we both liked part of this...the bok choy needs to be slices.  It was just too big and seemed weird.  We can never find Chinese-style Noodles, so D used 2 packs of Ramen without the seasoning packets. Besides the Bok Choy it was very good. Would have again.

Sesame Chicken and Noodles in Mushroom Broth  
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients 
4 shiitake mushrooms

1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
4 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
1 quart water
2 cups uncooked fresh Chinese-style noodles
1 pound chicken cutlets
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices red bell pepper
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Preparation 
1. Remove mushroom stems. Thinly slice caps; set caps aside. Bring stems, broth, and next 6 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan. Remove pan from heat.
2. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add noodles; cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain.
3. Sprinkle chicken with black pepper. Place seeds in a dish. Press seeds into both sides of chicken. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Add bok choy, cut sides down; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Add reserved mushroom slices and bell pepper. Strain broth mixture through a sieve into pan; cover and cook 2 minutes. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon.
4. Thinly slice chicken. Place 1/2 cup noodles, about 1/4 cup vegetables, and 4 ounces chicken into 4 shallow bowls. Spoon 1/4 cup broth mixture over each. Garnish each with two lime wedges.

Nutritional Information 
Calories: 338; Fat: 9.2g; Saturated fat: 1.5g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.2g; Polyunsaturated fat: 3.6g; Protein: 34g; Carbohydrate: 29.5g; Fiber: 4.2g; Cholesterol: 71mg; Iron: 3.6mg; Sodium: 795mg; Calcium: 65mg

Cooking Light AUGUST 2012 

Baked Rigatoni with Spinach, Ricotta, and Fontina

So I was supposed to make this, but D did instead.  It was pretty good.  Large portions (we had 6 servings).  It would be better with Italian Sausage....will try it with that the next time.

Baked Rigatoni with Spinach, Ricotta, and Fontina 

A quick take on spinach and ricotta cannelloni, this baked pasta is fast because there's nothing to stuff. The filling is simply tossed with cooked rigatoni that's then topped with fontina and baked to a golden brown.
YIELD: 4 (we had 6)
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
1 pound rigatoni
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 10- ounces package frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups (about 1 pound) ricotta  (used 15 oz part skim)
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan (used shredded)
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
6 ounces fontina, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)  (used Italian Blend)

Preparation 
1. Heat the oven to 450°. Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rigatoni until almost done, about 12 minutes. Drain. Put the pasta in the prepared baking dish and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
3. Meanwhile, squeeze as much of the water as possible from the spinach. Put the spinach in a food processor and puree with the ricotta, 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir in half the fontina.
4. Stir the spinach mixture into the pasta. Top with the remaining fontina and Parmesan. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the top. Bake the pasta until the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Variation: You can substitute another chunky pasta, such as penne rigate, penne, ziti, or fusilli. Boil all of these one or two minutes less.

Food & Wine JANUARY 1998

Nutritional Information 
from My Fitness Pal for 6 servings (using below ingredients)
Calories: 567; Carbs: 61; Fat: Carbs: 23; Protein: 28; Sodium: 651; Fiber: 3

Ronzoni - Rigatoni, Edited, 16 oz dry
Oil - Olive, 3 tablespoon
Kroger - Frozen Chopped Spinach (12 oz Package)
Aldi Priano - Parmesan Cheese - Freshly Shredded, 0.31 cup
Spices - Nutmeg, ground, 0.5 tsp
Morton - Iodized Table Salt, 3/4 tsp
Spices - Pepper, black, 0.25 tsp
Kroger - Italian Blend Shredded Cheese, 1.5 cup
Kroger - Ricotta Cheese Part Skim, 1 container (1 4/5 cup (62g) ea.)

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

So whenever you are PMSing you probably shouldn't get on Facebook and look at a bakery's photo album.  I did and I saw these cookies.  The picture sent me to Evil Chef Mom's Blog.  My friend J invited us to his house for the Fourth of July so I decided to make these.

I hadn't made chocolate chip cookies with a real batter (Peanut Butter Quickies batter is odd) since High School. Back then nothing in our house was real, so my cookies were never crisp since I only had fake butter available back then.  These cookies were crisp.  They were good. I was glad I had a place to take them to so my pants would still fit today.

I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of them.

I made them exactly like the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies

From Evil Chef Mom's Blog and  adapted from the Cookiepedia; Mixing, Baking, and Reinventing the classics by Stacy Adimando

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg, plus 1 egg white
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups of pretzels, broken into cookie friendly pieces

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Cream the butter and both sugars in medium speed until they are light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs and continue to beat on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two batches, beating slowly after each addition, until fully incorporated. Pour the chocolate chips and pretzels in the mixer bowl. Use a spatula to stir them together.

 Portion 2 heaping tablespoons of dough at a time into imperfect balls and place them at least 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.Bake rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden brown, about 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Beef Kefta Patties with Cucumber Salad

Had I not made Superfast Kofte a few weeks ago, I think I would have really liked this dish.  But after D made these, we both said, "These are good, but the other recipe is better."

The positive for this dish is everything was in included (the side and the meat).

Beef Kefta Patties with Cucumber Salad 

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 pound ground sirloin
1/4 cup plus
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 2 cups thinly sliced English cucumber
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (6-inch) pitas, quartered

Preparation 
1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Combine beef, 1/4 cup parsley, cilantro, and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

2. Combine cucumber and vinegar in a medium bowl; toss well. Combine yogurt, remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, juice, and pepper in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Arrange 1 patty and 1/2 cup cucumber mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with about 2 tablespoons yogurt sauce. Serve each with 2 pita wedges.

Nutritional Information 
Calories: 321; Fat: 12.1g; Saturated fat: 4.7g; Monounsaturated fat: 5g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6g; Protein: 28.7g; Carbohydrate: 22.4g; Fiber: 1.8g; Cholesterol: 74mg; Iron: 4.1mg; Sodium: 696mg; Calcium: 85mg

Cooking Light JULY 2012 

Garlic-Chipotle Chicken Tacos

D made these.  You should too.
We had with Baked Black Beans with Chorizo.

Garlic-Chipotle Chicken Tacos 

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 2 tacos)

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound chicken cutlets
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 small red bell pepper, quartered
1 small green bell pepper, quartered
1 small Vidalia onion, cut into 1/2-inch rings
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 cup shredded green leaf lettuce

Preparation 
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine garlic, chipotle, and 1 tablespoon oil; rub evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Place on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from grill; keep warm.

3. Combine remaining oil, remaining salt, remaining black pepper, and chili powder in a large bowl. Add bell peppers and onion; toss gently to coat. Place vegetables on grill rack; grill 5 minutes on each side or until soft and charred. Place tortillas on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 30 seconds on each side or until lightly charred. Remove from grill; keep warm.

4. Thinly slice chicken. Divide chicken, bell peppers, onion, and lettuce among tortillas.

Nutritional Information 
Calories: 312; Fat: 9.8g; Saturated fat: 0.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.8g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.8g; Protein: 29.5g; Carbohydrate: 27.8g; Fiber: 4g; Cholesterol: 66mg; Iron: 1.4mg; Sodium: 533mg; Calcium: 60mg

Cooking Light JUNE 2012

Baked Black Beans with Chorizo

So D was home to make dinner, so we actually had something good. And how we never had this before, I'm not sure. It was so good. You could have it as a dip too.
Definitely having again.

Baked Black Beans with Chorizo 

Serve this versatile dish warm or at room temperature as a tasty side to accompany the tacos or as a dip with chips.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)
Hands-on: 35 Minutes
Total: 1 Hour, 5 Minutes

Ingredients 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced Spanish chorizo (used Mexican)
Cooking spray

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Preparation 
1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chorizo; sauté for 2 minutes. Remove chorizo from pan. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and jalapeño; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt, cumin, red pepper, and garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and beans; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Mash to desired consistency. Spoon bean mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Top with chorizo, tomato, and cheese (left off tomatoes). Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Top with green onions (and the tomatoes).

Nutritional Information
Calories: 189; Fat: 8.4g; Saturated fat: 3g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g; Protein: 10.2g; Carbohydrate: 19.4g; Fiber: 6.2g; Cholesterol: 8mg; Iron: 1.7mg; Sodium: 307mg; Calcium: 142mg

Cooking Light JUNE 2011