Cheddar Cheeseburgers with Caramelized Shallots

This was on odd recipe.  It looked easy enough, it tasted good, but it just seemed too much for a burger.  I think I have lost my mind.  I liked them (D made them) but I don't think we would have again.

I don't know how to explain it.  It just seemed like it was trying too hard.  I think I would have been happy with some ketchup and American Cheese.

Cheddar Cheeseburgers with Caramelized Shallots

Tender, golden shallots lend a lovely sweetness to this classic cheeseburger.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 burger)
Hands-on: 38 Minutes
Total: 38 Minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 cups thinly sliced shallots
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground beef, 90% lean
2 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup baby arugula
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns, toasted
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise

Preparation
1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil; swirl to coat. Add shallots and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; keep warm.

2. Gently combine garlic and beef. Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions, gently shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Press a nickel-sized indentation in the center of each patty. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add patties, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Top each patty with 2 tablespoons cheese; cover and cook 1 minute or until cheese melts.

4. Place 1/4 cup arugula on bottom half of each bun; top with 1 patty and one-fourth of shallots. Spread about 2 teaspoons mayonnaise on top half of each bun; place on top of burgers.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 370; Fat: 17.7g; Saturated fat: 6.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 5.4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.9g; Protein: 31.1g; Carbohydrate: 31.7g; Fiber: 8.1g; Cholesterol: 77mg; Iron: 2.2mg; Sodium: 654mg; Calcium: 113mg

Cooking Light JUNE 2012

Savannah-Style Crab Soup

I found this recipe the other day when looking for an untried soup recipe. I'm having trouble believing I didn't see it in my Cooking Light Cookbooks, but eh. I forgot about it and then D saw it and said it sounded good, so we put it on our menu.

D made it. He isn't sure why you have to brown the flour (neither am I), but he did. He said he probably used more vegetables than it called for. He thought it would be really salty but it wasn't.

The taste...needs a little more Old Bay (you know you're from Maryland when if). But overall it was very good. Would have again. We had with Beer-Cheese Bread.

Savannah-Style Crab Soup

If the flour starts to brown too quickly, remove the skillet from the heat and stir the flour constantly until it cools.

Yield: 9 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (used green pepper)
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (needs some more)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
4 cups clam juice
1 1/2 cups whole milk (used 2%)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
1/3 cup dry sherry

Preparation
Place flour in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet; cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until brown, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat.

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add carrot and the next 5 ingredients (carrot through garlic), and sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add Old Bay seasoning, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf; cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle the browned flour over vegetable mixture, and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in clam juice, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until mixture is slightly thick, stirring frequently.

Stir in the milk and half-and-half; cook 4 minutes. Stir in crabmeat and sherry; cook 5 minutes or until the soup is thoroughly heated. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 151; Calories from fat: 30%; Fat: 5g; Saturated fat: 2.6g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.4g; Protein: 13g; Carbohydrate: 13.3g; Fiber: 1.8g; Cholesterol: 46mg; Iron: 2.2mg; Sodium: 835mg; Calcium: 112mg

Cooking Light AUGUST 2003

Chicken Sausage Gyros

I made this the other night for me and D.  Quick, simple, tasty.
We had with Pan-roasted Potatoes.

Chicken Sausage Gyros

Posted By: Quilting Barbie
4 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients
1 package (12 ounces) fully cooked spinach and feta chicken sausage links or flavor of your choice, cut into 1/4-inch slices (used roasted red pepper/chicken sausage links)
1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber (used 1/2 Cup)
1-1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (used this and then more to taste)
1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (used 1 tsp)
4 whole wheat pita breads (6 inches)
1 plum tomato, sliced
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced (cooked these with the sausage)
Added feta since the sausage didn't have any

Directions
In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook sausage (and onion)over medium heat until heated through.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, cucumber, vinegar, oil and garlic powder.

Serve chicken sausage on pita breads with tomato, onion and cucumber sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (1 gyro with 1/4 cup sauce)

Nutrition Facts
418 calories, 15 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 75 mg cholesterol, 873 mg sodium, 42 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 27 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 starch, 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 fat.

Taste of Home 2012

Fiery Thai Noodle Bowl with Crispy Chicken Thighs

I think this would better be called Boring Noodles and Chicken Bowl.  Nothing fiery about it.  And if you don't have a butcher in your grocery store, good luck finding boneless chicken thighs with skin.

Basically this was food to eat after a run.  It was bland. It was disappointing.  It is something we won't be having again.

Fiery Thai Noodle Bowl with Crispy Chicken Thighs

Using the cilantro stems for the base of the sauce (instead of throwing them in the trash) is a flavorful way to stretch a buck or two. If you can't find skin-on boneless chicken thighs, purchase bone-in and bone them yourself or have the butcher do so.
Yield: Serves 4
Hands-on:30 Minutes
Total:30 Minutes

Ingredients
4 (4-ounce) skin-on, boneless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 ounces uncooked rice vermicelli
1 1/2 cups cilantro stems (about 1 bunch)
1/4 cup no-salt-added chicken stock (such as Swanson)
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves
2 fresh Thai chiles
1 1/4 cups chopped yellow squash (about 1 medium)
6 ounces baby bok choy, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
8 lime wedges

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a large stainless steel skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken, skin side down; cook 3 minutes or until skin begins to brown. Remove chicken from pan. Pour oil into a small bowl; reserve oil. Return chicken to pan, skin side down. Place pan in oven; bake chicken at 425° for 4 minutes. Turn chicken over, skin side up, and bake an additional 2 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; place on a cutting board. Let chicken stand, skin side up, 10 minutes. Cut chicken into slices; keep warm.

3. Cook the noodles according to package directions, and drain. Sprinkle noodles with 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.

4. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, cilantro, and next 5 ingredients (through chiles) in a food processor, and process until well blended.

5. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add reserved oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add squash, bok choy, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; sauté for 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Stir in soy sauce. Divide noodle mixture evenly among 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1/2 cup squash mixture, 1 chicken thigh, and 2 lime wedges. Drizzle the sauce evenly over servings.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 320; Fat: 13.5g; Saturated fat: 3g; Monounsaturated fat: 6.1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 3.2g; Protein: 19.9g; Carbohydrate: 28.8g; Fiber: 2g; Cholesterol: 59mg; Iron: 2.7mg; Sodium: 669mg; Calcium: 81mg

Cooking Light SEPTEMBER 2012

Whiskey and Triple Pork Black Bean Chili

I made this and it was extremely easy.  I don't have really any clue how it tastes because I have strep and can't taste anything.  I assume it wasn't spicy because my nose didn't run. 

D said it was really good, unusual and we should have again. It is unusual because there are no tomatoes in it. Serve over rice.

Whiskey and Triple Pork Black Bean Chili

Why make the same old thing when you can cook up a chili rich and smoky with bacon and Spanish chorizo, mellowed by whiskey, and fired up with chipotles?

Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Total: 2 Hours, 30 Minutes

Ingredients

Photo by: Photo: Annabelle Breakey

1 pound pork shoulder (butt), cut into 1- to 1 1/2-in. chunks
Vegetable oil (if pork is lean) (didn't use)
5 slices (1/2 lb.) thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 1/2 cups dried black beans, cleaned of debris and rinsed (used pinto beans because we had them)
2 chopped canned chipotle chiles (used 3)
Added 1 TBSP Adobo Sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Added 1 teaspoon Chipotle Chile Powder
1 qt. reduced-sodium chicken broth (32 oz)
3/4 cup whiskey such as Jack Daniel's, divided
4 ounces Spanish smoked chorizo, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley (used cilantro)
Creme fraiche or shredded jack cheese (used jack)
Chopped chives

Preparation

1. Brown pork in a large pot over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes, adding a little oil if pork is very lean. Transfer pork to a plate. Add bacon to pot and cook, stirring often, until browned but still soft, about 5 minutes. Spoon out fat and return 2 tbsp. to pot. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Return pork to pot and add beans, chipotles, adobo, cumin, chile powder, broth, and 1/2 cup whiskey. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until beans and pork are tender, about 1 1/4 hours.

3. Stir in chorizo and remaining 1/4 cup whiskey. Simmer, covered, until flavors are blended, about 10 minutes more. Stir in parsley (cilantro).

4. Ladle into bowls and top with crème fraîche and chives.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 579; Calories from fat: 49%; Protein: 35g; Fat: 32g; Saturated fat: 11g; Carbohydrate: 32g; Fiber: 11g; Sodium: 973mg; Cholesterol: 105mg

Sunset FEBRUARY 2012

Herb and Onion Wheat Biscuits

I found these when I was looking for a new onion recipe.  They got good reviews so I decided D and I should try them.  I was going to make them, but D ended up making them.

Unlike a lot of wheat rolls which are bone dry, these were a bit moist.  Not very, but they weren't bricks either.  They had a lot of herb flavor.  I would have them again.  We had them with Baked Potato Soup.

Herb and Onion Wheat Biscuits

The onion is puréed so that its flavor carries throughout the biscuits. You can make and freeze the biscuits up to a week ahead. When ready to serve, thaw, wrap in foil, and heat in a 325º oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 biscuit)

Ingredients

Photo by: Becky Luigart-Stayner;
Jen Rotenstreich

Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat a small skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add onion; cook 6 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Spoon onion into a blender. Add milk; process until smooth. Cool.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flours and next 5 ingredients (flours through basil) in a large bowl; cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add onion mixture; stir just until moist. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface (dough will be sticky), and knead lightly 5 times with floured hands. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness; cut into 10 biscuits with a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until golden.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 119; Calories from fat: 31%; Fat: 4.1g; Saturated fat: 2.4g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.2g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.3g; Protein: 3.1g; Carbohydrate: 17.9g; Fiber: 1.3g; Cholesterol: 11mg; Iron: 1.1mg; Sodium: 227mg; Calcium: 73mg

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2001

Tortilla Chip Casserole

I made this over the course of a few days.  I started to make it (I made cooked up some chicken with salt and pepper) and then realized our milk was bad.  So into the fridge.  2 days later, I restarted the dinner. Overall it was easy to prep...I didn't roast the red pepper.  I cooked it with the onion.  Also, we didn't have green onions.

Overall, it was good.  It needed some cilantro and something else.  D thought green chilies. I thought maybe jalapenos.  It was comfort food, but it needed a zap of fresh-taste, if that makes sense.  Perhaps that was what the green onions were supposed to be for.

I would have again.  We had with no side so we each had 1.5 servings.

Tortilla Chip Casserole

Photo by ALB

Tortilla Chip Casserole retains all the full-flavor of this popular chicken comfort dish but with lighter ingredients.

Yield: Serves 6
Hands-on: 30 Minutes
Total: 1 Hour

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 cup organic canned black beans, rinsed and drained (used the whole can because it was 1.25 C)
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
4 ounces baked tortilla chips, crushed
1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped (didn't roast...sauteed with the onion)
8 ounces lower-sodium green chile enchilada sauce (such as Frontera)
2.5 ounces shredded cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend (about 2/3 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion (I added the red pepper here); cook 6 minutes. Add garlic and flour; cook 2 minutes. ­Gradually add milk and stock, stirring constantly; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and cream cheese.

3. Spread 1/2 cup milk mixture over bottom of a broiler-safe 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Layer beans, 1 1/2 cups chicken, and 2 ounces chips. Top with 1/2 cup milk mixture. Layer 1 1/2 cups chicken, bell pepper, and 2 ounces chips; top with 1 cup milk mixture and enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 379; Fat: 14.6g; Saturated fat: 6.8g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.4g; Protein: 28.5g; Carbohydrate: 34.2g; Fiber: 4.7g; Cholesterol: 75mg; Iron: 1.9mg; Sodium: 686mg; Calcium: 215mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2013