Anytime Meals

Another week-day round of recipes. Enjoy!

TOMATO AND MINT TABBOULEH

Yield: 12 side-dish servings

Online Recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/695.shtml

Source: The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/48.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups bulgur wheat

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1-1/2 cups boiling water

1 pound ripe tomatoes (3 medium), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium cucumber (8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 green onions, chopped

3/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Directions

In medium bowl, combine bulgur, lemon juice, and boiling water, stirring to mix. Let stand until liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes.

To bulgur mixture, add tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, parsley, mint, oil, salt, and pepper, stirring to mix. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors or up to 4 hours.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 87; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 157 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread

BOSTON BAKED BEANS

This comes from About.com's American Food blog. The recipe starts off, “They don't call Boston 'Beantown' for nothing. This bacon-spiked Boston baked beans side dish recipe is perfect for picnics and potlucks.” Makes 10 Portions; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 3 hours; Total Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound dry navy beans

6 cups water

pinch of baking soda

1 bay leaf

6 strips bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces (traditionally salt pork is used, and if desired 4 ounces can be substituted for the bacon)

1 yellow onion, diced

1/3 cup molasses

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Soak the beans in the 6 cups of water overnight in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add a pinch of baking soda and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain into a colander set over a large bowl, and reserve the liquid.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Transfer the drained beans into a small Dutch oven, or a 2 1/2-quart bean pot if you have one, and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir until combined. Add enough of the reserved water to just barely cover the beans.

Cover the pot tightly and place in the oven for 1 hour. Uncover and check the liquid level. Add some more reserved liquid if the beans are getting too dry. Cover and cook 1 more hour. Uncover and test the beans; they should be starting to get tender, but if they're still firm, cover and cook a bit longer, adding a splash of water if they're getting too dry.

When just tender, turn the heat up to 350 degrees F., and continue to cook uncovered for another 30 minutes or so. This last 30 minutes is to reduce the liquid a bit, to create a thick, syrupy consistency. Remove when ready, and serve hot or room temperature.

APPLE PIE A LA ZING

I'm not sure what emailing list this came from, though the email says that the source is Fabulous Food Associations; it also ends with “Ocean Spray Cranberries,” so I'd be willing to bet it came from either/or (or both?). Either way, it starts off by saying, “Cranberries and apples make a festive, flavorful pie.” While you may have to wait another month or two to buy fresh cranberries where you live, once they do arrive, you can do what I do: buy a bag or two every time I go shopping, then stash them in the freezer. That way, I have cranberries all year long! Serves 8; prep time: 10 minutes; cooking time: 50 minutes.

Ingredients

4 cups pared, sliced apples

2 cups fresh or frozen Ocean Spray cranberries

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1 (9-inch) two-crust pie shell

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine all ingredients, except pastry, in a medium mixing bowl; mix well. Pour into a pastry-lined pie plate. Cover with top crust. Seal edges and cut several slits in top crust. Bake 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cover edges with foil if they begin to brown too quickly.

ZUCCHINI PESTO

This comes from Danette St. Onge, About.com's Italian Food guide. She writes, “The classic basil and pine-nut pesto from the northwestern coastal region of Liguria is by now famous throughout the world, but the winning formula can easily be swapped out for almost any kind of herb or vegetable and nut. This version, made with zucchini, mint, pistachios, and fresh ricotta, is perfect for the height of summer, when gardeners often have a glut of summer squash, and the mint adds a refreshing touch for those sultry summer nights. As with any type of pesto, this can be served with any type of pasta, but short, twisty shapes (such as fusilli) will work best. This recipe makes enough pesto to sauce approximately a pound of pasta (which translates to approximately four to five servings).

“You can also use this pesto the same way that that you'd use a traditional basil pesto -- that is to say, in almost anything! Try it as a condiment in sandwiches, salads, and soups, on crostini, or as a filling in lasagne.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices

5 mint leaves, washed, dried, and torn into small pieces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons shelled, unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted in a skillet

2 tablespoons fresh ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (a Microplane grater works great for this)

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the middle position.

In a large bowl, combine the zucchini slices, torn mint leaves, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a generous pinch of pepper. Spread the zucchini mixture on an oiled baking sheet and bake until tender, about 30 minutes. (If serving over pasta, start the pasta water boiling during the second half of the baking time so that you can have the pasta ready at about the same time as the pesto.)

In a blender or food processor, combine the baked zucchini mixture, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, pistachios, ricotta, parmesan, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water. Puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.

When serving over pasta, be sure to reserve some of the pasta cooking water (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup should be sufficient) and stir a little of it (one or two spoonfuls) into the pesto before adding it to the pasta to help it blend and adhere to the pasta better. Add a little more pasta water, as necessary, if the sauce is too thick or dry.

Serve with extra grated Parmesan for sprinkling over each serving, as desired.

FRESH HOMEMADE RICOTTA

Another great recipe from Danette St. Onge. While store-bought ricotta may be easier when you're in a hurry, something tells me that this is definitely a keeper of a recipe!

Danette writes, “Many people are not aware of just how incredibly easy it is to make your own ricotta at home, and if you use good-quality dairy, your results will be far superior to most store-bought U.S. brands: fresher, creamier, and more flavorful. Once you've tried it, you might never go back to store-bought! Note that traditional ricotta is made from the whey that drains from freshly made cheese curds, reheated to separate out the remaining curds (hence the name ricotta, or "recooked"), but it is perfectly fine (and more productive) to make it from whole milk instead.

“It's such a fantastically versatile end product as well: You can spread it on crostini and pair with savory or sweet toppings for fantastically simple, yet elegant antipasti or finger foods for a party, use it directly as a very simple pasta sauce, thinned with a little bit of the pasta cooking water and seasoned liberally with freshly ground black pepper, or in stuffed pasta recipes...

“(For a lighter version, you can just use 4 cups of whole milk instead of milk and cream. I would not recommend, however, using skim or nonfat milk, or the results can be quite bland and grainy.)” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Strain Time: 3 hours; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Yield: about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of ricotta

Ingredients:

3 cups whole milk

1 cup of heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

3 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar (I much prefer lemon juice for the flavor, but vinegar can be used as well, as long as it is a neutral, white vinegar.)

3 large squares cheesecloth

Preparation:

Prepare either a fine-holed colander or a fine-mesh strainer by lining it with the layers of cheesecloth and placing it in a larger bowl. Set aside.

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the milk, cream and salt over medium heat just until it reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit (prepare your lemon juice or vinegar while the milk heats), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning. Remove the pot from the heat immediately and quickly pour in the acid (lemon juice or vinegar) and give the mixture a couple of quick stirs with a wooden spoon to incorporate the acid well. Curds will start to form immediately. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, undisturbed, then pour it into the prepared colander or strainer, through the cheesecloth.

Now let it sit and strain, undisturbed, for anywhere from half an hour (for a wetter, thinner consistency) to 3 or 4 hours (for thicker, creamier, dryer ricotta). It depends on your preference and how you intend to use it, and you can check it periodically to determine whether it has reached your desired consistency or not. If it's going to be a several-hour-long sit, you can transfer the entire straining setup to the refrigerator to finish straining there.

BROKEN LASAGNA WITH ZUCCHINI-TOMATO SAUCE

This comes from the Food Network Magazine. The email sates, “The best parts of lasagna, like fresh tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese, combine in this quick-fix dinner, but not a casserole dish.” To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Kosher salt

2 large zucchini (about 1 3/4 pounds), coarsely grated

12 ounces lasagna noodles (not no-boil), broken into bite-size pieces

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 cup whole, 1 cup halved)

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

1 small bunch chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, toss the zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes, then gently squeeze out the excess moisture.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir vigorously to prevent it from sticking. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until blistered and slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and lemon zest and cook, lightly crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the zucchini-tomato mixture to a large bowl. Add the pasta and cheese and toss. Stir in half of the chives and about 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, adding more to loosen, if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and top with more cheese and the remaining chives.

Per serving: Calories 478; Fat 13 g (Saturated 8 g); Cholesterol 36 mg; Sodium 407 mg; Carbohydrate 73 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 17 g