Weekend Recipes

No matter what you have planned for your weekend - from jam-packed days to simply vegging-out - you still need to eat. Here are some yummy recipes to try over the next few days. Enjoy!

OATMEAL COOKIES

This recipe comes from Carroll Pellegrinelli, About.com's Desserts/Baking expert. She writes, “I knew it was a special day when I came home from school and Mother had just baked a batch of these Oatmeal Cookies.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 8 minutes; Total Time: 29 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cups butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans*, lightly toasted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Combine first set of dry ingredients in a large bowl with a wire whisk. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Combine completely. Slowly add flour mixture until combined. Hand stir-in oats and nuts*.

For Drop Cookies:

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until done. Take from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheets for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove cookies to wire rack and cool completely before storing them.

For Bar Cookies:

13 x 9-inch pan - In a greased pan, bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack before cutting.

15 x 10-inch pan - (Jelly roll pan) In a greased panbake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Also cool in pan.

Carroll adds, “*I prefer to make these with nuts, but they are typically made with 1/2 raisins and 1/2 nuts or all raisins. Other dried fruits like cranberries may be used. Chocolate chips or coconut would also be a nice addition. Just be sure to not add anymore than 1 total cup of any of the above.”

ITALIANO SANDWICH

This is from one Seattle's Macrina Bakery. If I ever get to do a road trip, this has got to be one of the places I stop at. Makes 4 generous servings or 16 appetizer-size servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Caramelized Onions:

2 tablespoons pure olive oil

1 1/2 medium yellow or Walla Walla sweet onions, cut into 1/8-inch pieces

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Sauce Verte:

1/2 cup fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chives

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup pure olive oil

For the Sandwiches:

*2 slices Macrina Bakery Pizza Bianca

**12 ounces Fra’ Mani Rosemary Ham, thinly sliced 8 ounces fromage blanc or goat cheese

*Available in our cafés.

**Available at DeLaurenti Food & Wine.

***If you don't have access to either of these places, you could either consult with them online about possibly ordering them (?) or make do with local equivalents

Preparation

Preparing the Caramelized Onions:

Warm olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions to the pan and toss to coat. Cook the onions for about 10 minutes, stirring often to brown evenly.

Add the fresh thyme and 1 tablespoon vinegar to the onions and cook for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the last teaspoon of vinegar. Remove the onion mixture from the pan and set aside.

Preparing the Sauce Verte:

In a blender, combine the parsley, chives, yolk and lemon juice and pulse to purée.

With the blender on low speed, remove the cap on the blender top and slowly add the salt and olive oil to bring the sauce together. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and chill in refrigerator until needed.

Preparing the Sandwiches:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice each piece of Pizza Bianca in half to create two squares, and then slice the two squares horizontally to create thin top and bottom halves. Place the bread pieces cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet.

Spread sauce verte on each cut-side piece of bread. Divide the cheese among the four bottom pieces of bread, layering it over the sauce verte. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 2 to 4 minutes just to warm the bread through. Remove the bread from the oven.

Divide the ham and onions among the four bottom pieces of bread, layering them over the cheese. Add the top pieces of bread to each of the four sandwiches.

Slice each sandwich diagonally for ease of eating. If you wish to serve the sandwiches as an appetizer, place 2 toothpicks into each sandwich half and slice the halves in half again to create smaller triangle pieces. Otherwise, enjoy the whole sandwich as a meal.

MISO ONION SOUP

Yield: 8 servings

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/515.shtml

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided

3 peeled red (Spanish) onions, halved and thinly-sliced

1 tsp. sugar or equivalent sugar-substitute

1 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

1 tsp. dried thyme

3 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium beef broth

5 cups water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 1-inch thick slices whole-wheat Italian bread

1/4 cup red or brown rice miso

1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Heat half the oil in large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, stirring to coat them with oil. Cover tightly, reduce heat to medium low and cook until onions are wilted, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and stir in. Increase heat and saute until onions are well browned, about 12 minutes, stirring often.

Remove the pot from heat and scrape it to loosen all the browned bits on the bottom. Stir in mustard, thyme, broth and water. Return to high heat and cook until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot and simmer until the onions are very soft, 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush bread on both sides with remaining oil. Grill or toast bread in 400 degree oven. Set aside to cool. Cut into rough cubes with a sharp, serrated knife.

Place the miso in a small bowl. Gradually stir in about 1/4 cup of the soup, mixing until well blended. Stir the mixture into the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into deep bowls. Sprinkle top with toasted bread cubes. Sprinkle 1 scant tablespoon cheese on top (optional).

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 102; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 608 mg; Carbohydrates: 13 g; Less than 1 g saturated fat, 3 g dietary fiber; Exchanges: 3/4 Bread/Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1 Fat

ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH POLENTA AND BABY GREENS

This comes from Publix's March, 2006 GreenWise Magazine. Makes 6 servings.

6 C cut-up vegetables, such as asparagus, red or green pepper wedges, zucchini slices, quartered mushrooms. and/or red onion slices

1/4 C organic olive oil

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbs organic olive oil

1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

2 C milk

2 C water

1 C cornmeal

1/2 C finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1 Tbs snipped fresh basil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Organic baby greens

In shallow roasting pan, combine veggies, 1/4 C olive oil & 1/4 tsp kosher salt; toss to coat veggies. Roast, uncovered, in 350 degree oven about 30 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring once.

Meanwhile, in large saucepan, cook garlic in 1 Tbs olive oil over medium heat. Stir in crushed red pepper. Stir in milk & 1 C water. Bring just to boiling. In small bowl, stir together cornmeal with remaining 1 C water. Slowly add cornmeal mixture to hot milk mixture, stirring constantly. Return to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered for 5-10 minutes more or until mixture is very thick, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 C Parmesan cheese, basil, & 1/2 tsp salt.

To serve, spoon polenta mixture onto individual plates or into shallow bowls. Place roasted veggies on top of polenta. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese & crown with greens. Serve immediately.

Nutrition per serving: 272 cal; 16 g total fat (4 g sat. fat), 11mg cholesterol, 404 mg sodium, 26 g carbo., 4 g fiber, 9 g protein.

EGGPLANT-RICOTTA BAKE

This comes from a long-since-forgotten cooking show on the local PBS station (Tampa's WEDU).

1 eggplant

1 C parmesan grated cheese

15 oz ricotta cheese

3 eggs

16 oz marinara sauce

Cut eggplant into 1-inch slices. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake for 20-30 minutes until cooked through & wilted. Take out of oven.

Mix ricotta, half the parmesan & eggs. In 8 X 8 or 9 X 9 inch pan layer as follows: 4 pieces of eggplant in a square, half the marinara sauce, 4 pieces of eggplant, half the ricotta mix; repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

BENECOL FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

I'm not sure where I found this recipe; possibly on the Benecol website. Makes 4 servings; 1 serving = 1 cup

2 tbsp. Benecol® Regular spread

4 to 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 1/4 cups skim milk

3 tbsp flour

4 ounces fat free cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

4 cups hot cooked fettuccine noodles (about 1/2 pound uncooked)

Heat Benecol and garlic slowly over low heat, 5 to 7 minutes, allowing full flavor of garlic to be released into the Benecol.

Meanwhile, combine milk, flour, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese in blender; then puree until smooth.

Add pureed mixture to Benecol® and garlic. Increase heat to medium-low and whisk continuously until mixture has thickened. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Toss with fettuccine noodles

Nutrient analysis (per serving): Total Calories 356; Protein 18 g; Carbohydrates 50 g; Fat 9 g; Saturated Fat 2 g; Cholesterol 14 mg; Sodium 371 mg; Fiber 2 g; 1 cup fettuccine alfredo provides a 1/2 serving of Benecol®