Philly Cheesesteak

When you have steak about once a year, you don't really like when the person who makes it forgets all the seasoning for the recipe.  This thing sucked, but someone forgot to put Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce in it.

I don't want it again, just because the whole thing pisses me off.

Philly Cheesesteak

Meaty, gooey, and delightfully messy, our lightened version of Philly Cheesesteak is the type of sandwich you'll crave all year.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 sandwich)
Hands-on:35 Minutes
Total:45 Minutes

Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) flank steak, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (5-inch) portobello mushroom caps
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon lower-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 ounce provolone cheese, torn into small pieces
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
4 (3-ounce) hoagie rolls, toasted

Preparation
1. Place beef in freezer for 15 minutes. Cut beef across the grain into thin slices. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon; discard gills. Remove stems; discard. Thinly slice mushroom caps; cut slices in half crosswise.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add beef to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until beef loses its pink color, stirring constantly. Remove beef from pan. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes. Return beef to pan; sauté 1 minute or until thoroughly heated and vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in Worcestershire and soy sauce; keep warm.

3. Place flour in a small saucepan; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Add cheeses and mustard, stirring until smooth. Keep warm (mixture will thicken as it cools).

4. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use. Divide the beef mixture evenly among bottom halves of hoagies. Drizzle sauce evenly over beef mixture; replace top halves.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 397; Fat: 12.4g; Saturated fat: 4.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.7g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.6g; Protein: 30.8g; Carbohydrate: 44.1g; Fiber: 3.7g; Cholesterol: 37mg; Iron: 4.6mg; Sodium: 637mg; Calcium: 213mg

Cooking Light MARCH 2012

Parmesan-Crusted Zucchini Fries

So this is missing something huge... salt.  These were the most tasteless mushy things.  Ranks right up there with my dislike of eggplant (which I was reminded of).  Don't waste your time on these. If you insist (because the breading was good), add a HUGE amount of salt.  Nothing with the word "fries" in it should not have salt.

Not having again.

Parmesan-Crusted Zucchini Fries

These savory Parmesan-Crusted Zucchini Fries are less than 100 calories, so go ahead and splurge on their cheesy, garlicky goodness.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 6 zucchini fries and 2 tablespoons sauce)
Hands-on:13 Minutes
Total:33 Minutes

Ingredients
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large egg, beaten
3 small zucchini (1 1/4 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup tomato-basil pasta sauce

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small shallow bowl. Place egg in a separate shallow bowl.

3. Trim ends from zucchini; cut each zucchini in half crosswise. Quarter each zucchini half lengthwise to make 24 zucchini sticks. Dip zucchini in egg; dredge in panko mixture; pressing to coat. Place zucchini on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of zucchini with cooking spray.

4. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with pasta sauce.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 94; Fat: 3.9g; Saturated fat: 1.6g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.3g; Protein: 6.4g; Carbohydrate: 9.3g; Fiber: 1.8g; Cholesterol: 58mg; Iron: 0.9mg; Sodium: 251mg; Calcium: 128mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2013

Baked Mozzarella Bites

So when I saw this recipe back in 2011 I wanted to make it.  Someone in the house said no.  Then that someone's mother sent me a new cookbook for my birthday and this recipe was in there.  He was working so I went to the store and bought the ingredients to make them.  And then I made them.

Very easy.  Very good.  I made them again for that someone, and he said they tasted like Fried Mozzarella.  I'll take that as a compliment.

Baked Mozzarella Bites

Serve this quick after-school snack to your kids as an alternative to traditional fried cheesesticks.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 mozzarella bites and 1 tablespoon sauce)
Hands-on:15 Minutes
Total:18 Minutes

Ingredients
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3 (1-ounce) sticks part-skim mozzarella string cheese
3 tablespoons egg substitute
Cooking spray
1/4 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as McCutcheon's)

Preparation 
1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup panko to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and place the panko in a shallow dish (I left it in the pan...next time, I should split the panko in two, because it gets wet towards the end and stops sticking.

3. Cut mozzarella sticks into 1-inch pieces. Working with one piece at a time, dip cheese in egg substitute; dredge in panko. Place cheese on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 3 minutes or until the cheese is softened and thoroughly heated (more like 2 1/2 minutes).

4. Pour the marinara sauce into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring after 30 seconds. Serve with mozzarella pieces.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 91; Fat: 5.1g; Saturated fat: 2.8g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.3g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.3g; Protein: 7.2g; Carbohydrate: 6.7g; Fiber: 0.1g; Cholesterol: 12mg; Iron: 0.3mg; Sodium: 162mg; Calcium: 162mg

Cooking Light AUGUST 2011

Chipotle Tamale Pie

So the other night when D and I were out I had the most bland dish ever in a restaurant. So bland, in fact, I didn't eat it.

Fast forward 3 days, and D makes this. I told him if the beef in here had been shredded instead of ground, it was how I had expected the bland dish to taste. This was wonderful. Full of flavor, spicy, but not burning my tongue off (I do like things spicier than most, so it may still be spicy). The bread on top was good.

I have no idea how easy it could have been. Just I would have again. And it didn't even have cheese in it!

Chipotle Tamale Pie

This spicy pie needs only a salad to make the meal complete. Use a disposable aluminum pan wrapped in foil for easy delivery and cleanup.

Photo by ALB

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 pound ground round
1/2 cup bottled salsa
1 to 2 tablespoons bottled chipotle sauce (such as La Preferidia) or hot sauce (I think D used Chipotle Tabasco)
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pinto beans in zesty sauce (such as S&W), undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and beef; cook 5 minutes or until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in the salsa, chipotle sauce, beans, and tomatoes; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup cilantro. Spoon beef mixture into a 3-quart casserole.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup cilantro, milk, butter, and egg; stir until well-blended. Spoon the batter over beef mixture; spread evenly. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until golden.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 329; Calories from fat: 30%; Fat: 11g; Saturated fat: 4.7g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.2g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.8g; Protein: 16g; Carbohydrate: 41.7g; Fiber: 5.8g; Cholesterol: 64mg; Iron: 4.2mg; Sodium: 655mg; Calcium: 157mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2001

Italian Ravioli Casserole

I made this and it was really easy. I couldn't find reduced-fat ravioli so we bought regularly. Also we used Romano Cheese.

The hardest part was boiling water.

It was pretty good and we would have again. We didn't have with a side.

Italian Ravioli Casserole

This delicious Italian ravioli casserole is quick and easy to prepare, making it a great choice for busy weeknights. Serve with a green salad and garlic toast to round out the meal.

Yield: serves 6 (serving size: 1/6 of casserole)

Ingredients

Photo by ALB

2 (9-ounce) packages fresh reduced-fat cheese ravioli (we used 1 20 oz package of regular).
1 (6-ounce) package fresh spinach (about 6 cups) (used a 9oz bag)
1 (26-ounce) bottle tomato-basil pasta sauce (such as Classico)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (heaping)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese, divided (used Romano)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.

Cook ravioli in boiling water 3 minutes, omitting salt and fat. Stir in spinach until wilted. Drain.

Combine pasta sauce and pepper. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce mixture in the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Spoon half of the ravioli mixture over sauce. Top with 1/2 cup cheese. Spoon remaining ravioli mixture over cheese. Top with remaining sauce. Cover with foil; bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish with basil.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 350; Calories from fat: 25%; Fat: 10g; Saturated fat: 5.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 1.3g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2g; Protein: 20.1g; Carbohydrate: 47g; Fiber: 4.4g; Cholesterol: 50mg; Iron: 1.4mg; Sodium: 848mg; Calcium: 302mg

Health JANUARY 2002

White Cheese and Sausage Pasta

I found this last week or the week before.  I was not sure how good it would be, because it doesn't really have a lot of ingredients.  D said add some garlic.

Anyway he ended up making this and said it was easy. I think the hardest part was finding the sausage... Aldi has been out for weeks, and Kroger usually has 1-2 packs if that. Atlanta must be in the Great Sausage Shortage or something.

We had 5 servings.  We didn't have a side.  Both of us liked it for its simplicity.  Would have again.


White Cheese and Sausage Pasta 

This recipe is definitely a family favorite. The reader and her daughter invented it 10 years ago because they loves cheese. Now it is the family's favorite meal. It is very easy, and if you like cheese, you'll love this.

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

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1/2 pound mild Italian turkey sausage (used Spicy Italian - Pork)
Add some garlic
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% skim milk
6 cups hot cooked ziti (about 4 cups uncooked short tube-shaped pasta)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation
Remove sausage from casings. Place a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat; cook sausage until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well; set aside. Wipe drippings from pan with a paper towel.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add flour; stir with a whisk. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Cook until thick (about 8 minutes); remove from heat. Combine sauce, sausage, pasta, Parmesan, and salt in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 577; Fat: 18.4g; Saturated fat: 10.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3g; Protein: 31.3g; Carbohydrate: 71.4g; Fiber: 2.7g; Cholesterol: 56mg; Iron: 3.7mg; Sodium: 907mg; Calcium: 562mg

Nutritional Information (with my changes)
Calories: 678; Fat: 27g; Saturated fat: 13g; Monounsaturated fat: 4g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1g; Protein: 36g; Carbohydrate: 75g; Fiber: 3g; Cholesterol: 80mg; Sodium: 868mg


Cooking Light JANUARY 2002

Shot-and-a-Beer Pork Stew

I made this. It was pretty easy. I was a little intimidated by the dried ancho chiles (didn't use dried chipotles). D had told me how to soften them which was not the way the recipe said to. Next time, I'll follow his way, as even after 3 hours they weren't totally soft.

So anyway, I was a little confused as to why I needed to turn the oven on...I figured out "Bake" is code for "Stick in oven."

I did have to put in some water to cover the pork. I didn't check on the pork for the entire 3 hours. It came out as pork with no liquid (as in I am afraid to look at the pot, because I wonder if I ruined it, it was so bone dry). I used 2 forks and shredded it the pork.  It had no burnt taste, and was rather moist.  D and I had it with rice, sour cream, and cheese. Really, tortillas would have been fine as well.

Would have again.

Shot-and-a-Beer Pork Stew

Photo by ALB

Time: 3 3/4 hours.

Tacolicious, a taco stand at San Francisco's Thursday Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, serves this braised pork in tacos, but owner Joe Hargrave also makes it at home as a fall stew. The chiles fall apart as the dish cooks, giving the meat a mellow, earthy spiciness.

Yield: Serves 6
Total: 3 Hours, 45 Minutes

Ingredients

2 large dried chipotle chiles* (used 3 non-dried)
2 large dried ancho chiles*
12 ounces Mexican lager such as Tecate
1/4 cup white (silver) tequila
3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-in. cubes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (used 2 next time)
3 garlic cloves, chopped (used 6)
3/4 pound tomatoes, chopped (used a can of diced, not drained)
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano* (used regular)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Added 1 teaspoon of Ancho Chile Powder

Accompaniments: cabbage and cilantro slaw with lime vinaigrette, lime wedges, crumbled cotija cheese, and tortilla chips

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Wipe chiles clean with a damp cloth. In a dry, heavy saucepan over medium heat, toast chiles until fragrant and puffy, turning occasionally to keep them from burning, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Pour beer and tequila over chiles to soften.

2. Meanwhile, season pork with salt. Heat oil in a heavy, large ovenproof pot such as a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown half the pork at a time, turning as needed, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pork to a bowl.

3. Add onion and garlic to pot; cook until soft, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in beer mixture, tomatoes, oregano, cumin, and pork. Add water if needed to barely cover pork. Bring to a boil over high heat; cover.

4. Bake stew until pork is falling-apart tender, 3 hours. Skim fat. Ladle stew into bowls and serve with accompaniments.

*Find in the Latino foods aisle or spice aisle of a supermarket, or at a Latino market.

Make ahead: Chill, covered, up to 2 days.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 618 Calories from fat: 58% Protein: 50g Fat: 40g Saturated fat: 14g Carbohydrate: 15g Fiber: 4.4g Sodium: 517mg Cholesterol: 186mg

Sunset OCTOBER 2009