Confessions of a Foodie

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Saturday, April 29, 2017

Chicken and a Side

Yes! It's a Saturday morning post. Here are six recipes to help you through the rest of the weekend, including Fast Chicken Curry and Mexicorn Chicken. Enjoy!

MEXICORN CHICKEN

This is one of my inventions, and can be found in my e-book, Off the Wall Cooking.

2 – 3 lb. chicken, cut up

12 oz. can Mexicorn

3 T oil

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 onion, chopped

1 C water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T soy sauce

2 T wheat germ

1 T honey

Brown chicken in oil. Put in baking dish. Brown onion, garlic & wheat germ, stirring. Pour over chicken. Add mexicorn, soup, water, soy sauce & hone. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

FAST CHICKEN CURRY

This is also in my e-book, Off the Wall Cooking. It's one of my dad's recipes.

I've posted several of Dad's recipes in this blog, as well as my Vegetarian Delights blog.

1 C sour cream

1 1/2 tsp. curry

2-5 oz cans boned chicken

1 small can pineapple, crushed

4 T butter

1 lb. cooked string beans

2 T flour

salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter slowly & add chicken. Stir constantly & heat thoroughly. Add flour, curry, salt & pepper. Add enough water to make thick cream sauce. Add pineapple, string beans & sour cream. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve over boiled rice with hot rolls & tossed salad. Serves 4. Time about 1/2 hour.

CHICKEN PICCATA

This comes from Ina Garten of The Food Network’s Barefoot Contesssa. Total Time: 30 minutes; Active Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings; Level: Intermediate.

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-piccata-recipe.

Ingredients

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 extra-large egg

1/2 tablespoon water

3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

Good olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved

1/2 cup dry white wine

Sliced lemon, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

CROCKPOT MAPLE BBQ CHICKEN SANDWICHES

This was on a Weight Watchers' emailing list years ago.

1 C. ketchup

1/2 C. maple flavored syrup

2 T. prepared mustard

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

2 t. lemon juice

1/2 t. chili powder

1/4 t. garlic powder

4 boneless, skinned chicken breasts

Place all ingredients in crockpot and cook on LOW for about 7 to 8 hours or until chicken is done.

You can either eat the breasts whole or shred them on buns or rice for more points.

4 servings = 225 calories, 4g fat, 1g fiber. 5 points per serving

ALIGOT (MASHED POTATOES WITH CHEESE)

This is from Tejal Rao in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Tejal wrote, “Somewhere between buttery mashed potatoes and pure melted cheese lies aligot, the comforting, cheese-enhanced mashed-potato dish from central France. The key to getting a smooth, airy texture is to rice the potatoes while they're still hot, then incorporate cold butter, hot milk and grated cheese over low heat. To build up the stringiness of that melting cheese, Ham el-Waylly, a chef at the Brooklyn restaurant Hail Mary, suggests whipping it with confidence, speed and vigor. This is what will create aligot's characteristic cheese strings: long and sheer, with some elasticity. ‘They should fight with you,’ Waylly says. While fresh tomme or Cantal is traditional, Gruyère or Comté work well, too.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes.

This was featured in “Cheesy Mashed Potatoes for the Soul”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

1/4 pound cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup cream, heated

1/2 pound Comté or Gruyère cheese, grated

Salt to taste

Preparation

Simmer the potatoes in water until very tender to the point of a knife, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, and tip out any remaining water from the pot. Push the hot potatoes through a ricer back into the pot. Over low heat, use a heatproof spatula to move the potatoes around the pot for a minute so that any excess water can evaporate.

Add butter to the potatoes, half at a time, stirring until completely incorporated. Add hot cream, half at a time, stirring until incorporated. Add cheese a little bit at a time, stirring vigorously, until all the cheese is evenly melted and the spoon makes cheesy strings as you pull it away from the potatoes. If necessary, turn the heat up a little. Taste, and season with salt. Serve.

SIMPLEST ROAST CHICKEN

This is from Mark Bittman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “With an ingredient list just four items long (chicken, olive oil, salt, pepper), the genius of this bare-bones roast chicken is in its technique. To make it, thoroughly preheat a cast-iron skillet before sliding into it a seasoned bird, breast side up. In under an hour you’ll get a stunner of a chicken, with moist, tender white meat, crisp, salty chicken skin, and juicy dark meat all done to a turn. If you don’t already have a cast-iron skillet large enough to hold a whole chicken, this recipe is a good enough reason to invest in one.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 50 to 60 minutes.

This was featured in “The Minimalist: Simplest Roast Chicken”, and can be viewed online here.

Note: Check out Melissa Clark’s guide, “How to Roast Chicken”.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, trimmed of excess fat

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Put a cast-iron skillet on a low rack in the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Rub the chicken all over with the oil and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper.

When the oven and skillet are hot, carefully put the chicken in the skillet, breast side up. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees. Continue to roast until the bird is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh reads 155 to 165 degrees.

Tip the pan to let the juices flow from the chicken’s cavity into the pan. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Carve and serve.

Friday, April 28, 2017

Friday Recipes

It's been a long week or two...I've started a new part-time job, which is why the posts here have been coming several hours later than usual. However, next week my hours are such that I'll be able to post around my usually earlier time.

And now, on to today's six yummy recipes to help you through the day (and weekend), including Honolulu Burgers and Eggplant Lasagna. Enjoy!

EGGPLANT LASAGNA

This recipe begins, “An extra set of hands from a little helper can shave minutes off the assembly of this Eggplant Lasagna, while getting a youngster excited about digging into a veggie-centric dinner.”

Yield: 8 servings

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1320

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1320.shtml

Ingredients

Pam Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/4-inch thick lengthwise slices

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 package (20 ounces) ground turkey

3/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 can (14.5 ounces) Hunt's Original Diced Tomatoes, No Salt Added, drained

1/4 cup Hunt's Tomato Paste (or Hunt’s Organic)

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

1-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 350F.

Spray 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning; set aside.

Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush eggplant slices with oil; sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

In batches, place eggplant on grill pan. Cook each side 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned and tender. Remove and place on baking sheet lined with paper towels; pat to remove excess moisture.

Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and garlic; cook 2-3 minutes more or until onion is tender and turkey is crumbled and no longer pink. Drain.

Add drained tomatoes, tomato paste and basil to skillet; stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes more.

Assemble lasagna by spreading 3/4 cup meat mixture over bottom of dish. Place 3 eggplant slices over meat mixture, top with 3/4 cup meat mixture, half of ricotta cheese mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.

Repeat layers, ending with a layer of eggplant slices topped with meat mixture and remaining mozzarella cheese.

Spray underside of aluminum foil with cooking spray; cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 318; Protein: 22 g; Fat: 19 g; Sodium: 363 mg; Cholesterol: 72 mg; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g ; Carbohydrates: 13 g

HOT AND SOUR SOUP

This comes from Publix Supermarket's Aprons. Makes 6 servings.

1/4 cup green onions (2 – 3 onions)

1 (28-ounce) can chop suey vegetables (drained)

4 1/4 cups water

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon miso paste

1/2 cup shredded carrots

2 teaspoons chili bean sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable base

1/4 cup Oriental salad dressing

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Wash onions and remove any wilted portions. Chop enough green onions into 1/4-inch pieces to measure 1/4 cup, including up to half of green tops. Discard tops or reserve for another use. Set aside.

Open can of vegetables and drain liquid by squeezing lid against vegetables. Set aside.

Place in large saucepan: 4 cups water, onions, vegetables, mushrooms, hoisin sauce, miso paste, carrots, bean sauce, vegetable base and salad dressing. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Place 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in 2-cup measuring cup. Stir together until creamy. When boiling, stir in cornstarch mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Serve.

Calories 332 kcal; Fat 11 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Carbohydrate 45 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 14 g; Sodium 1954 mg

Daily Values: Vitamin A 39%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 10%; Iron 16%

APPLE WALNUT CROSTADA

This came courtesy of U.S. Apple Association (www.usapple.org) via the October 2005 issue of Publix Supermarket's GreenWise magazine.

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Bake Time: 45 – 50 minutes; Serves: 8

Cooking spray

6 – 7 baking apples, peeled, cored, & sliced

1/2 C brown sugar

1/3 C chopped walnuts

1/4 C all-purpose flour

Dash of vanilla extract

1 refrigerated ready-made pie crust

2 Tbs butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray & set aside. Place apples, sugar, walnuts, flour, & vanilla extract in large mixing bowl & toss well. Transfer pie crust to baking sheet. Spoon apple mixture into center of pie crust & fold up sides of pastry to capture apples & juices. Dot with butter. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Per serving: 207 Calories; 2 g Protein, 27 g Carbo., 2 g fiber, 11 g total fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono, 4 g poly), 110 mg Sodium, Vitamin B1 (thiamin), E

SORREL DRINK

This is from the June 2008 Vegetarian Times, page 78. The recipe begins, “Red hibiscus flowers are a common ingredient in ruby-hued herbal tea bags, such as Celestial Seasonings' Red Zinger.”

Sorrel Drink:

3 C dried sorrel or red hibiscus flowers, or 5 Red Zinger tea bags

1 4-inch cinnamon stick

10 whole cloves

1/4 tsp. crushed allspice

2 3-inch pieces peeled fresh ginger

Simple Syrup:

1 C sugar

1 C water

To make Sorrel Drink: Bring all ingredients & 4 cups water to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer 10 minutes. Cool, strain & chill.

To make Simple Syrup: Bring sugar & water to a boil in small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar & simmer 1 minute. Cool.

Pour Sorrel Drink over ice. Serve with pitcher of Simple Syrup for guess to sweeten drinks to taste.

Per 1-cup serving: 33 cal; 0 g protein; 0 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 8 g crab; 0 mg chol; 0 mg sod; 0 g fiber; 8 g sugars; vegan

HONOLULU BOB'S BURGERS

This comes from Country Bob's. Yield: 4 servings.

2 pounds ground beef

Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce

4 slices Cheddar Cheese

4 well-drained canned pineapple slices

Divide ground beef into 4 portions & shape each into a patty. Grill over hot coals until cooked on one side. Turn patties over. Spread with Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce & top with pineapple slices. Grill for several min-utes or until cooked through. Add cheese slices. Grill until cheese melts. Top with additional Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce & serve as desired.

SPAETZLE

This is from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “Expand the concept of pasta a bit, and you arrive at spaetzle, the quickly made and rather thin dough (somewhat akin to savory pancake batter) that is often “grated” into boiling water on a spaetzle maker, a tool that looks like a grater without sharp edges. I find spaetzle makers unnervingly tricky, so I prefer to do what I've often seen done by Alsatians, for whom spaetzle is traditional: drop the batter by the spoonful into boiling water. As with all pasta, the more fragile the batter is, the lighter the result will be, so don't make it too stiff; just stiff enough to hold together.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes.

This was featured in “THE MINIMALIST; Fresh Pasta At Ferrari Speed” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

Salt

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

3 eggs

1 cup milk, more if needed

2 to 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish

PreparationSet a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. In a bowl, combine flour with pepper and a large pinch of salt. Lightly beat together eggs and milk, and add to flour, stirring. If necessary, add a little more milk until mixture has the consistency of pancake batter.

Scoop a tablespoon or so of batter, and drop it into water; small pieces may break off, but batter should remain largely intact and form a disk. Repeat, using about one-third to one-fourth the batter, depending on the size of the pot. When spaetzle rise to top a couple of minutes later (you may have to loosen them from the bottom, but they will pop right up), cook another minute or so, then remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl of ice water. Repeat until all the batter is used up.

Drain spaetzle; at this point you can toss them with a bit of oil and refrigerate, covered, for up to a day. Heat butter or oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add spaetzle a few at a time, and quickly brown on both sides. Serve hot, garnished with parsley or chives.

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Desserts - Double-Post Thursday

Yes, here it is, Double-Post Thursday. Here are six yummy dessert recipes to help you through the rest of the day. Enjoy!

WARM BROWNIE WEDGES WITH JAVA CREAM

This recipe begins, “Dense wedges of chewy chocolate are paired with a sweet coffee-flavored cream and fresh berries.”

Yield 8 servings

Serving size 1/8 brownie, 2 tablespoons cream and 1/4 cup berries

Source: "The Heart-Smart Diabetes Kitchen" by Chef Nancy Hughes

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1263

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1263.shtml

Watch video on how to make it: http://diabeticgourmet.com/media/67.shtml

Ingredients

Wedges

Canola oil cooking spray

2/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled

1/3 cup white whole-wheat flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup packed brown sugar substitute blend

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup egg substitute

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

4 ounces fat-free whipped topping

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup blackberries or blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F.

Coat 9-inch, nonstick springform pan or cake pan with canola oil cooking spray.

Combine flours, cocoa and baking powders, 1 tablespoon coffee granules and salt in medium bowl.

Combine sugar, canola oil, egg substitute and vanilla in another medium bowl; mix well. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture, and stir until just blended. Batter will be very thick.

Spoon into bottom of pan; spread evenly by coating the back of a spoon with cooking spray. Bake for 11 minutes or until slightly puffed. (Mixture will not be completely cooked at this point, but it will continue to cook while standing without overcooking and drying out.)

Place pan on a wire rack, and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove sides of the pan and gently remove from bottom or leave on bottom and place on a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature. When cooled completely, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

To make cream, combine water with 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules in a medium bowl, and stir until dissolved. Add whipped topping; whisk until a sauce consistency is reached. For thinner sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water or milk.

Refrigerate until needed. To serve, cut into wedges, spoon mocha cream on top, and sprinkle with berries.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 260; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 10 g; Sodium: 145 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 36 g

PEAR CRANBERRY CLAFOUTIS

This is from the fall issue of UnitedHealthCare's magazine, Renew. It begins, “A Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert — a cross between a flan and a German pancake. Whole grain flour adds a nice nutty flavor and blends well with the pear, cranberry and almonds.”

1 teaspoon softened butter

3 medium pears (any kind)

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1⁄2 cup fresh or frozen (drained) cranberries, divided

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon sugar substitute

1⁄2 cup whole grain flour

1⁄2 cup sliced almonds, divided

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie plate. Peel, core and slice pears into 12 slices each and toss with the lemon juice and zest. Arrange pears in the buttered dish. Sprinkle pears with 1⁄4 cup of the cranberries.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk together. Add almond extract, sugar substitute and whole grain flour. Finely chop 1⁄4 cup of the sliced almonds and stir into the batter.

Pour batter over the pears and sprinkle with the remaining cranberries and almonds. Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown on the edges and set in the center.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

Serves 8.

Calories: 142, Total Fat: 6.2g, Saturated Fat: 1.3g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 52mg, Carbs: 19g, Dietary Fiber: 3.7g, Sugar: 8.4g, Protein: 5.6g

ROASTED APPLE AND RAISIN PIE WITH ORANGE YOGURT CUSTARD

This is from the fall issue of UnitedHealthCare's magazine, Renew. This recipe begins, “Many pie recipes rely on sugar and starch to thicken up a pie filling. Roasting the fruit before filling the pie reduces excess moisture and concentrates the natural sugars in the fruit so adding sugar isn’t necessary. A light, creamy yogurt custard balances the fruit and spice. The oatmeal crust holds up well with the addition of ground flax seed, which acts as a binder and adds fiber and crunch.”

Filling:

6 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cubed

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

zest and juice of one orange, zest used for custard topping

2 tablespoons raisins

Oatmeal Pie Crust:

1 cup quick oats

4 tablespoons ground golden flax seed

1⁄2 cup walnuts

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄3 cup unsweetened applesauce

Custard:

3⁄4 cup plain Greek non-fat yogurt

2 eggs, beaten

reserved orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon sugar substitute

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss cubed apples with cinnamon, salt and orange juice in a 9-by-9-inch baking pan and roast until tender, about 35– 40 minutes. While apples are roasting, prepare crust by blending the oats, flax seed, walnuts and salt together in a food processor (or blender) until crumbly. Stir in applesauce and mix until oats are evenly moistened.

Butter a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Press all but 2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into the dish, evenly along the bottom and up the sides. Reserve remaining 2 tablespoons of crust for the streusel topping.

Bake crust at 375 for 10–12 minutes, until lightly browned. When the roasting apples have softened, remove from the oven and stir in the raisins. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes before spooning into the pre-baked pie crust.

Whisk yogurt, eggs, orange zest, vanilla, sugar substitute and cornstarch together in a small bowl and pour over the apple filling. Bake until custard is set, about 20–25 minutes. Allow pie to cool for at least an hour before cutting.

Serves 8.

Calories: 229, Total Fat: 8.2g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 175mg, Carbs: 36g, Dietary Fiber: 6.5g, Sugar: 19g, Protein: 7.5g

SWEET POTATO PIE WITH CASHEW CREAM

This is from the fall issue of UnitedHealthCare's magazine, Renew. This recipe begins, “When roasted, the “sweet” in sweet potatoes intensifies. Dates add more natural sweetness, with a low glycemic index. The “silken”-style tofu is usually found in the Asian section of most grocery stores and generally doesn’t need to be stored in the refrigerator.”

1 prepared pie crust

Pie Filling:

3 medium sweet potatoes

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root

4 dates, pitted and chopped

1 (12.5 ounce) package extra firm silken tofu

pinch sea salt

Cashew Cream:

1⁄2 cup raw cashews

2 dates, pitted

1⁄4 cup water

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a baking pan. Roast the sweet potatoes until tender, about 45–50 minutes. Remove peels when cool enough to handle.

Place sweet potatoes in the bowl of a food processor (or blender) and add the remaining filling ingredients. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally.

Pour filling mixture into the prepared pie crust. Bake pie in the oven at 375 degrees for 45–50 minutes, until it no longer jiggles.

While the pie is baking, soak cashews and dates in 1⁄4 cup water for at least an hour. Blend in a blender or food processor with the vanilla extract and sea salt until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The pie will slice best when cooled at least two hours at room temperature and then refrigerated for at least another hour. Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of the cashew cream.

Serves 8.

Calories: 284, Total Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 0g, Sodium: 383mg, Carbs: 35g, Dietary Fiber: 5.2g, Sugar: 17g, Protein: 7.6g

TIP: If you are using a frozen pie crust that comes in an aluminum tin, but still want to bake your pie in a pretty ceramic pie plate, just transfer the crust over while it’s still frozen.

MEYER LEMON TART

This is from Amanda Hesser at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Amanda wrote, “The Meyer lemon has always been something of a California secret, and every year when its brief growing season begins there, eager cooks sigh with relief. The Meyer is not as assertive as the common supermarket varieties, but it offers so much more in nuanced flavor that it is unforgettable. And these days, the Meyer's secret is finally out. A Meyer lemon contains about four times the sugar of a regular lemon, but it can be used almost interchangeably with the traditional varieties, adding a rounder edge to both sweet and savory dishes. And you can use the whole thing – from pulp to peel. This gorgeous tart is the ideal way to showcase its seductive fragrance and flavor. (Regular lemons will work well in this recipe too, but you'll likely want to add a bit more sugar.)”

Yield: One 10-inch tart; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “All Perfume, No Pucker” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Crust

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing pan

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 tablespoon milk

12 ounces (about 2 1/3 cups) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Lemon Curd

1 1/4 pound (5 or 6) Meyer lemons

1 cup sugar

5 1/2 ounces (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing pan

7 large egg yolks

5 large eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Make the crust: in the bowl of a mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolk and the milk, and beat to combine. In a medium bowl, combine the flour with salt. Slowly add the flour to the butter mixture, stirring until completely blended. Gather dough into two balls. Freeze one for future use, chill the other for at least 1 hour.

Heavily butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan and trim the edges. Prick the bottom with a fork, and place the shell in the freezer for 30 minutes.

While shell is in freezer, prepare lemon curd. Grate zest of lemons. Squeeze lemons to extract 1 cup of juice. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, combine juice and zest. Add remaining sugar, butter and salt. Place over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted.

In bowl of a mixer, combine eggs and egg yolks until blended. Slowly add hot lemon mixture to eggs until blended. Return mixture to saucepan, and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency; do not allow it to boil. Remove from heat, and continue to stir to stop the cooking. Strain lemon curd into a bowl. Adjust sugar to taste; the curd should be tart, but may need additional sugar if the lemons were unripe. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it right against the surface of the curd. Allow to cool.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove tart shell from freezer, and bake until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Spoon lemon curd into tart shell, and smooth the top. Bake until filling has puffed around the edges, about 30 minutes. Cover edges with foil, if necessary, to prevent over-browning. Cool to room temperature before serving.

PEACH AND RASPBERRY CRUMBLE

This is from Diabetes Self-Management

Yield: 6 servings.

Prep time: 15 minutes. Baking time: 30-35 minutes.

Butter-flavor cooking spray

1 can (15 oz) sliced peaches in juice, drained

1 package (12 oz) unsweetened frozen raspberries, thawed

1 C quick-cooking oats, uncooked

2 Tbs brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 Tbs reduced-calorie stick margarine, melted

2 Tbs honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 8”X8” baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange peach slices evenly in bottom of the pan. Sprinkle raspberries evenly over peaches. Set aside. In bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon and mix with fork, breaking up brown sugar clumps. Add margarine & honey; stir to combine. Sprinkle topping over fruit. Bake uncovered for 30 – 35 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly. Portion into 6 equal servings. Serve alone or over low-fat, no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream.

Per serving: Calories: 185; Carbs: 33g; Fat: 4 g (sat. fat: 1 g); Sodium: 70 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 fat

Diabetic Thursday - Where's the Beef?

It's Thursday, which means Diabetic Thursday, as well as Double-Post Thursday. Here are today's six beefy diabetic recipes to help you through the day. Enjoy!

HARVEST BEEF STEW

This is from Diabetic Connect, and begins, “This is a hearty stew sure to keep you warm during cold autumn nights.”

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 lbs chuck beef chunks

2 TBSP olive oil

28 oz canned diced tomatoes in juice

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cups diced red potatoes

2 cups diced carrots

3 stalks of celery, diced

5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 cups water

3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

3 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

1 TBSP italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste (salt optional)

Directions

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Brown the beef for 2-3 minutes, not worrying about it cooking through.

Pour the beef, diced tomatoes with juice, and all the remaining ingredients into the crockpot.

Cook over low heat for 6-8 hours.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 12; For 1 serving of soup excluding salt: Calories 269; Saturated Fat 5 g; Sodium 414 mg; Carbohydrates 13 g; Dietary Fiber 2 g; Protein 19 g

QUICK ITALIAN BEEF ROAST WITH ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES

This recipe begins, “Rubs are an popular way to season a roast. Not only does it add flavor, but it creates a coat that helps seal in moisture and adds texture.”

Source: TBC

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1305.shtml

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

1 beef Eye of Round Roast (2 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 medium zucchini, sliced (1/2-inch)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halves

Directions

Heat oven to 325F.

Combine salt, 1/2 teaspoon basil, oregano and pepper; press onto beef roast.

Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of beef. Do not add water or cover.

Roast in 325F oven 1-1/4 hours for medium rare doneness.

Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 135F.

Transfer to board; tent with foil. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10F to reach 145F for medium rare.)

Increase oven temperature to 425F.

Combine remaining ingredients, except tomatoes, in large bowl; toss. Place on rack in pan.

Roast in 425F oven 15 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes; toss. Carve roast. Serve with vegetables.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 244; Protein: 35 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 278 mg; Cholesterol: 86 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g

ITALIAN BRAISED BEEF ROAST

This recipe begins, “Cooking food for a long period of time in an amount of liquid, covered, is known as braising. Braising usually involves a large piece of meat that is browned in some oil or fat before being combined with liquid and cooked either on the stovetop or in the oven.”

Makes 8 servings

Source: TBC

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1306.shtml

Ingredients

1 beef Shoulder Roast Boneless (2-1/2 to 3 pounds)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 small onions, halved, sliced

4 medium shallots, sliced

1/4 cup chopped pitted dates

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 325F. Lightly coat beef pot roast with flour. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Brown pot roast; remove.

Add 1-1/2 cups water and vinegar to Dutch oven; cook and stir until brown bits attached to pan are dissolved. Return pot roast. Add onions, shallots, dates, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.

Cover tightly and cook in 325F oven 2-1/4 to 3-1/4 hours or until pot roast is fork-tender.

Remove pot roast; keep warm.

Cook liquid and vegetables over medium-high heat to desired consistency.

Carve pot roast. Serve with sauce.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 283; Protein: 34 g; Fat: 12 g; Sodium: 214 mg; Cholesterol: 104 mg; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g

CHIPOTLE PEPPER JACK SLIDERS

This recipe begins, “Lean ground beef mini-burgers, or sliders, are kicked up with chipotle chili and topped with spicy pepper jack cheese.”

Makes 8 sliders (mini-burgers)

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1227.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound Ground Beef (96% lean)

9 small whole wheat hamburger buns, split, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder

2 slices pepper Jack cheese, cut in quarters

Directions

Tear one hamburger bun into pieces. Place in food processor or blender container. Cover; pulse on and off, to form fine crumbs.

Combine bread crumbs, beef, garlic and chili powder in medium bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into eight 1/2-inch thick mini patties.

Place patties on grill over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 8 to 9 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 9 to 10 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160F, turning occasionally. Evenly top with cheese during last minute of grilling.

Place burgers on bottoms of remaining eight buns. Top with desired Toppings. Close sandwiches.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 201; Protein: 16 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 266 mg; Cholesterol: 40 mg; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 21 g

SLOW-COOKED SICILIAN POT ROAST

Yield: 8 servings

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=744

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/744.shtml

Ingredients

2-1/2 pound well-trimmed top round roast or flat half brisket

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped red or green bell peppers or 1 cup roasted bell peppers, drained and chopped

14-1/2 ounce can diced Italian-style tomatoes, undrained

6-ounce can tomato paste with roasted garlic or Italian seasonings

Directions

Rinse the meat with cool water and pat it dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with some of the pepper.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat.

Place the meat in the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.

Place the mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers in a 3-quart slow cooker and top with the roast. Pour the tomatoes over the meat. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 10 hours, until the meat is very tender.

Remove the roast to a serving platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Add the tomato paste to the remaining slow cooker mixture and stir to mix well.

Slice the roast across the grain and serve hot accompanied by the sauce. Serve with pasta if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 221; Protein: 29 g; Fat: 5.7 g; Sodium: 440 mg; Cholesterol: 80 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.7 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Exchanges: 3 Lean Meat, 2 Vegetable

MUSHROOM MEATLOAF

Yield: 8 servings

Source: Secrets of Good-Carb Low-Carb Living

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/739.shtml

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds 95-percent-lean ground beef or ground turkey

2 cups very finely chopped fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup very finely chopped onion

3/4 cup quick-cooking (1-minute) oats

8-ounce can tomato sauce with roasted garlic or Italian herbs

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fat-free egg substitute

1/4 cup very finely chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place all of the ingredients except for 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce in a large bowl, and mix well.

Coat a 9-by-5-inch meatloaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and press the mixture into the pan to form a loaf.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Spread the remaining tomato sauce over the meatloaf and bake for 30 additional minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink inside and a meat thermometer reads at least 160 degrees.

Remove the loaf from the oven, and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Protein: 20 g; Fat: 4.4 g; Sodium: 399 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.6 g; Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 3 Low-Fat Meat, 1 Vegetable

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Chicken!

Wednesday – half-way through the work week. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the day, including Chicken Piccata and Chicken Enchiladas . Enjoy!

CHICKEN POT PIE

This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman. Total: 2 hr 15 min; Active: 1 hr; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate.

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chicken-pot-pie.

Ingredients

Cooked Chicken:

One 2- to 3-pound chicken fryer, cut up

Chicken Pot Pie:

3 celery stalks

3 medium carrots, peeled

1 large yellow onion

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock

1 chicken bouillon cube

1/4 cup white wine, optional

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup heavy cream

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed

Black pepper

1/2 recipe Thyme Pastry, recipe follows

Thyme Pastry:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) cold butter

1 egg

5 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1 sprig fresh thyme leaves

Directions

Chicken Pot Pie:

For the chicken: Start by putting the chicken in a pot and covering it with water. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes, and then remove the chicken from the pot. Set the chicken aside to cool briefly.

Shred the chicken with 2 forks, reserving the bones. For the stock, return the bones to the pot and boil for 20 minutes. Remove the bones from the pot and discard.

For the pot pie: When you're ready to use the Thyme Pastry, remove from the freezer and allow it to sit on the counter to thaw slightly, about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Begin by finely dicing the vegetables. Slice the celery stalks into narrow strips, then slice in the other direction to create a fine dice. Repeat this process with the carrots, and the onion.

Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Saute until the vegetables start to turn translucent, a couple of minutes.

Add 2 cups of the shredded chicken and stir to combine. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and chicken, and stir to combine. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring gently.

Pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Stir in the bouillon cube and wine if using. The flour will combine with the chicken to create a delicious gravy. Next, add the peas.

Pour in the cream and stir. Allow the mixture to cook over low heat, thickening gradually, about 4 minutes. Season with the thyme, salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Be sure it's adequately salted!

Pour the chicken mixture into a deep pie pan or small casserole dish.

Roll out the pastry so that it's 1 inch larger than the pan. Place the crust on top of the chicken mixture and cut small slits in the top. Press the crust gently into the sides of the dish to seal. I don't worry about making a perfect edge on my chicken pot pie because a) it looks more rustic and b) I'm lazy, hungry and I want to eat.

Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

To freeze: Allow the filling to cool completely then top with the crust. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the freezer.

To cook from frozen: Remove the pot pie from the freezer, brush with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 2 tablespoons water or cream) and place directly in a 375-degree F oven and bake until lightly browned and bubbly, 30 to 45 minutes.

Thyme Pastry:

For the thyme pastry: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Using pastry cutter, gradually work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles. This step should take 3 or 4 minutes.

Lightly beat the egg with a fork, and then add it to the mixture. Next, add in the cold water and vinegar. Stir the mixture together until it's just combined, and then remove half the dough from the bowl. (Dividing the dough in half results in two pretty generous pie crusts. If you desire a thinner crust, you may divide the dough into three crusts.)

Place in a large plastic bag (do not seal) and slightly flatten with a rolling pin. This makes it much easier to roll out the crust later. After flattening, seal the bag tightly.

Repeat with the other half of the dough and place the plastic bags in the freezer. I like to make several batches of pie crust at a time so I always have a crust ready to go.

For recipes other than this pot pie, remove from the bag and place on a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, begin rolling the dough from the center, outward. Be gentle and patient; it'll take a little time to get the dough completely rolled out.

If you think the bottom is really sticking to the surface below, use a nice, sharp spatula to loosen it and sprinkle some extra flour on top. Then flip it over to finish rolling. Remember to roll from the center in single, outward strokes; no back-and-forth rolling.

Again with a spatula, loosen and lift the pie crust and carefully lay it over a pie pan. Using your hand, lightly form the crust so that it fits inside the pan and overlaps the edges.

Because it's quick and easy, I just tuck the excess dough under itself above the rim. Then you can apply whatever decorative effects that you like to the edge. Or you can leave it plain if you'd like! Just tell yourself it's more rustic that way!

Fill the pie crust with filling and bake according to the pie recipe's directions. Or, for a pre-baked crust, fill with pie weights (or pinto beans placed on aluminum foil) and bake at 400 degrees F until golden, about 10 minutes.

Cook's Note

Prepare the filling and pie crust ahead of time. Just keep them separate in the fridge until you're ready to assemble and bake. Or, fully assemble, cover tightly and freeze, unbaked, until ready.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

This comes from Food.com, and begins, “I call this gloppy and sloppy and definitely my family's favorite.” Makes 6 servings; Prep Time: 40 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 1 hr. 20 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

3 cups diced cooked chicken

1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained and chopped

1⁄2 onion, chopped

1 (4 ounce) can green chilies, drained

1⁄4 teaspoon oregano

salt and pepper

10 -12 flour tortillas

Topping

1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1⁄4 cup milk

1 lb shredded monterey jack cheese or 1 lb monterey jack pepper cheese

Directions

Mix together first 7 ingredients.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling in center of each tortilla; roll mixture up in tortilla.

With seam side down, place each rolled tortilla side by side in a 13x9 inch casserole dish Mix together first 2 topping ingredients.

Pour evenly over enchiladas in casserole dish.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

CHICKEN PICCATA

This comes from Ina Garten of The Food Network’s Barefoot Contesssa. Total Time: 30 minutes; Active Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings; Level: Intermediate.

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-piccata-recipe.

Ingredients

2 split (1 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 extra-large egg

1/2 tablespoon water

3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

Good olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons), lemon halves reserved

1/2 cup dry white wine

Sliced lemon, for serving

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a shallow plate. In a second plate, beat the egg and 1/2 tablespoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and bread crumb mixtures.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on the sheet pan and allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

For the sauce, wipe out the saute pan with a dry paper towel. Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add the lemon juice, wine, the reserved lemon halves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine. Discard the lemon halves and serve 1 chicken breast on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

GRILLED SESAME CHICKEN BREAST

Servings: 4

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=20

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/20.shtml

Ingredients

3 tablespoons lite soy sauce

1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, dried

2 cloves garlic

8 ounces chicken breast, skinless and raw

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 tablespoon brown sugar
Directions

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a shallow dish.

Mix well.

Add chicken, turning to coat.

Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Remove chicken from the marinade.

Grill 4-5 inches from medium-hot coals for 15 minutes.

Turn and grill.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 114; Protein: 15.1 g; Fat: 2.5 g; Sodium: 413 mg; Cholesterol: 32 mg; Carbohydrates: 7.2 g; Exchanges: 2 Very Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Starch

CHICKEN IN WINE

This is one of my numerous inventions before I moved out on my own.

This can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

2 onions, chopped

1/4 milk or water

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

3 T honey

2 T butter

1/2-1 C cornmeal

2-3 lb. chicken, cut up

3 1/2 C tomatoes

1 tsp mustard

6 oz. can tomato paste

1/4 C red wine (note)

salt, pepper, spices to taste (note)

1 tsp Worchester sauce

Brown onions & garlic in butter. Add 2 T honey to milk or water. Dip chicken in milk & honey, then in cornmeal. Add to onions & garlic. Mix other ingredients & pour over chicken. Cover & simmer until done (about 45 minutes). Serve over brown rice.

NOTE: Alcohol-free wine, water or tomato juice can be used in place of the wine. For the spices, I used a mixture of oregano, marjoram, thyme, savory, & ground lemon peel, for a total of about 2 T (not including salt & pepper), though any spices can be used.

CHICKEN SPECIAL

Another one of my inventions, also in my e-book, Off the Wall Cooking.

2 – 3 lb. chicken, cut up

salt & pepper to taste

3 T oil

8 oz can tomato sauce

1 onion, chopped

1 C water

2 T butter, melted

16 oz package peas & carrots

2 1/2 T peanut butter

Brown chicken in oil. Put in casserole or baking dish. Sauté onions in butter. Put on top of chicken. Add salt & pepper, tomato sauce, water & peas & carrots. Top with peanut butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Taco Tuesday

It's Taco Tuesday! Here are six taco recipes to help you through the day, including Loaded Crispy Tofu Tacos and Buffalo Style Tacos. Enjoy!

SOFT TACOS WITH SCRAMBLED TOFU AND TOMATOES

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Soft tofu makes a wonderful stand-in for scrambled eggs. Serve these savory tacos for a great Mexican and vegan breakfast.” Yield: Serves four; Time: 25 minutes.

This was featured in “Tofu: Not Just for Health Nuts Anymore” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can tomatoes, drained

2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded if desired and chopped (more if you like things really hot)

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small or 1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 teaspoon lightly toasted cumin seeds, ground

Salt to taste

1 12-ounce box medium or firm silken tofu, drained

Soy sauce to taste

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

8 corn tortillas

Salsa

Preparation

Combine the tomatoes, garlic and chile in a blender, and blend until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the cumin. Stir together, and when the pan is quite hot, pour in the blended tomato mixture. It should sizzle. Cook, stirring, about five minutes, until the sauce is thick, dark and fragrant, and your spoon leaves a canal when you run it down the center of the pan. Add salt to taste.

Add the tofu to the pan, and mash it into the sauce using the back of your spoon. Add the soy sauce, and continue to cook for another five minutes, stirring and mashing the tofu. Stir in the cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Heat the tortillas and place two on each plate. Top with the tofu mixture and serve, passing salsa on the side.

Tip

Advance preparation: Unlike scrambled eggs, scrambled tofu keeps well for a couple of days. You can reheat it — I even like to eat this dish cold for a quick lunch.

SOFT TACOS WITH MUSHROOMS AND CABBAGE

This is also from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Two nutrient-dense vegetables combine forces in this delicious filling. Mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamins and many minerals, particularly selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and manganese – and they contain a powerful antioxidant called L-ergothioneine. They're used medicinally throughout Asia for their immunity-boosting properties. They also contain more protein than most other vegetables, and their meaty texture makes them a perfect choice for vegetarians. Cabbage possesses phytochemicals like sulforaphane, which protects the body against cancer-causing free radicals, and indoles, which help metabolize estrogens. It’s also an excellent source of vitamins K and C, and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin B6, folate, manganese and omega-3 fatty acids.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: About 15 minutes.

This was featured in “Tacos for the Holidays” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound mushrooms, cut in thick slices

1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 small head cabbage

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 to 1/2 cup Chipotle Ranchera Salsa

8 corn tortillas

Queso fresco to taste

Preparation

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and sear, stirring often or tossing in the pan, until they are lightly colored and beginning to sweat, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the scallions and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until tender. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.

Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and stir in the cabbage. Cook, stirring often, until the cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir in the cilantro and .25 to .5 cup of the salsa (to taste).

Heat the tortillas. Top with the mushroom/cabbage mixture, sprinkle with cheese if desired, and serve.

Tip

Advance preparation: The mushroom filling will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator.

CRUNCHY BLACK BEAN TACOS

This comes from The Kitchn’s e-newsletter. If you haven’t signed up for The Kitchn’s e-newsletter yet, I highly recommend that, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy.

This recipe serves 3 to 4, or makes 8 tacos; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes and can be found online by clicking here.

2 cups cooked black beans

1/2 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of salt

4 to 6 ounces (1 heaping cup) grated Pepper Jack cheese

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

8 corn tortillas

Toppings

Avocado

Hot sauce

Salsa

Sour cream

In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, cumin, and paprika. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all the ingredients together. Grate the cheese and have it ready as well.

In a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet, add the 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Try not to overfill the tacos, or you might have issues flipping them without losing filling.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. If some cheese spills out, don’t worry — it will get crispy and delicious.

As the first taco cooks, move it to the side and begin a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three tacos at once. A griddle will hold even more.

Cook each taco until they are nicely browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out. If your pan is very dry between batches, add another drizzle of oil.

Place the cooked tacos in a warm oven while you finish the rest. If the tacos are very greasy, blot them with a paper towel before moving them to the oven.

Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.

Recipe Notes:

Corn tortillas are resilient to heat. Don’t worry about burning them; they are very sturdy. Just be sure to cook tortillas on each side long enough to get them really crispy.

BUFFALO STYLE TACOS

Makes 8 servings

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1341

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1341.shtml

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package JENNIE-O Lean Ground Turkey

1/3 cup hot pepper wing sauce

8 hard corn taco shells, heated as specified on package

1 cup shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

Directions

Cook turkey as specified on package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Add hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.

Fill tacos shells with lettuce, turkey mixture, tomatoes and avocado.

Drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Fat: 13 g; Sodium: 260 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g

LOADED GUACAMOLE VEGETARIAN TACOS

This is from Karen, the Soup Addict. Karen wrote, “Veggie-loaded with lots of guacamole, black beans, corn, and peppers, these vegetarian tacos are full-on yummy.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 8 minutes; Total Time: 28 minutes; Serves: 6 tacos.

This can be viewed online at http://soupaddict.com/2014/06/loaded-guacamole-vegetarian-tacos/.

Ingredients

for the guacamole

2 avocados, pit and skin removed, roughly chopped

1/2 of a lime

1/2 of a lemon

1/4 salt (plus extra as needed)

1/3 cup corn kernels (raw, from about 1/2 of a large cob, or thawed from frozen)

1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

2 tablespoons diced poblano pepper

1 tablespoon diced red onion

1 tablespoon diced jalapeño pepper

2 teaspoons minced cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced

for the black beans

1 can black beans (15 ounces)

1/3 cup corn kerns (raw, from 1/2 of a large cob, or thawed from frozen)

1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup poblano peppers, diced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

for the tacos

6 small flour or soft corn tortillas

2 cups chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

hot sauce, such as Cholula or Sriracha (optional)

lime and/or lemon wedges

Instructions

prepare the guacamole

Mash the avocado in a medium bowl with a fork (or molcajete) until it reaches your desired consistency, chunky or smooth. Add a small squeeze each of lime and lemon juice, along with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well and taste. Add more lime juice, lemon juice, and salt as you like. Stir in the remaining guacamole ingredients. (To make ahead, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and press gently against the guacamole. The entire surface of the guac should be touching and covered by the wrap, to keep air out. Then, cover the bowl with a second sheet of wrap, and refrigerate.)

prepare the black beans

Add all of the black bean ingredients to a 2 quart sauce pot and heat over medium-low until hot. Turn off the heat and allow to cool to a very warm, eatable temp (a few minutes should do it).

assemble

If the tortillas are not soft and pliable (or if you like your tortillas warm), stack them on a microwaveable plate, separated with paper towels, and heat for 20 to 30 seconds.

Line half of each tortilla with lettuce. Spoon the black bean mixture over the lettuce (on half of the tortilla). Spoon guacamole on the other half. Top with a few shakes of hot sauce (optional) and a sprinkle of cilantro. Serve with lemon and lime wedges.

LOADED CRISPY TOFU TACOS

This is from The Woks of Life, and can be viewed online at http://thewoksoflife.com/2014/07/loaded-crispy-tofu-tacos/.

Prep time: 30 mins; Cook time: 15 mins; Total time: 45 mins; Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

You'll need:

1 package firm tofu

1 tablespoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup oil

3 scallions

1 bunch cilantro

1/4 cup yogurt

warm corn tortillas

Other toppings:

shredded cheese

chopped tomato

chopped onion

sweet corn

avocado

lime wedges

Instructions

Cut the tofu into 3/4 inch cubes. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the Sriracha and honey, and gently toss the tofu in the mixture. In another wide, shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss the tofu in this dry mixture until well-coated.

In a cast iron or non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the tofu and allow the pieces to crisp up on all sides. While that's happening, whizz up the scallions, cilantro, and yogurt in a food processor or blender. Build your tacos with tortillas, your sauce, and whatever toppings you like.

Monday, April 24, 2017

Stroganoff

It's Monday, which calls for a Double-Post Monday.

It seems that many people have at least one Beef Stroganoff recipes. What's not to like? And if you're a vegetarian, you can substitute any number of vegetarian "meats". (Yup, I've done that.)

Here are six beef stroganoff recipes to help you through the day, including Poor Man’s Stroganoff and Beef Stroganoff over Buttered Noodles. Enjoy!

CROCKPOT BEEF STROGANOFF

This comes from Diana Rattray, the Southern cooking expert for The Spruce. If you remember from previous posts about Diana being on About.com, you’re right. However, About.com recently launched The Spruce as “a standalone site for home decor and food,” according to Techcrunch (“About.com launches The Spruce, a standalone site for Home Decor and Food”).

Anyway, Diana wrote, “For an easy cold-weather meal you can throw together in 20 minutes, look to the crockpot to cook hearty beef to perfection for this hearty Strognaoff. Making this dish in a slow cooker allows the flavors to blend together and fully marinate the meat until it's juicy, tender, and totally satisfying. Serve with sour cream for an extra rich dinner on top of your favorite hot cooked noodles.” Time: 8 to 10 hours.

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 pounds stew beef or round steak or lean chuck, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

3 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 cup beef broth

2 tbsp. ketchup

1 sm. garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp. salt

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 med. onion, chopped

1 c. sour cream, blended with 2 tablespoons flour

hot cooked noodles, 3 to 4 cups

Directions

Dredge beef in flour and salt.

Melt butter or margarine in large skillet and add beef and onion.

Cook over medium heat until browned.

Combine beef broth, ketchup, garlic and mushrooms in crockpot. Add cooked beef and onions; stir gently to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. Add sour cream, cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Serve over hot cooked noodles.

BEEF STROGANOFF

This is one of the recipes my Mom gave me. This, along with the next two recipes (Stroganoff and Poor Man's Stroganoff) can be found in my e-book, Off the Wall Cooking.

1/2 C finely chopped onions

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

2 T tomato paste

1/3 C butter

3/4 tsp. Worchester sauce

1 1/2 lb. chuck, cut up

1/4 C sour cream

2 T flour

1/2 C heavy cream

1 C bouillon

1 1/3 C white rice

1/2 C butter

Sauté onions & mushrooms separately, cooking each in butter until tender. Remove & set aside. Roll beef in flour & brown in remaining butter. Add bouillon, salt & onions. Cover & simmer until beef is tender (about 1 1/2 hours). Add tomato paste, Worchester sauce, sour cream, heavy cream & mushrooms. Heat thoroughly. Meanwhile, cook rice & add butter.

STROGANOFF

This was from the wife of a now forgotten coworker.

1 lb. hamburger

1 – 2 cans cream of mushroom soup

2 onions, chopped

1 C sour cream

1 green pepper, chopped

Brown hamburger, onions & pepper. Pour off fat. When brown, add soup & stir in. Add sour cream and lower heat. Stir once or twice, then serve with noodles.

POOR MAN'S STROGANOFF

It seems that everyone has at least one stroganoff recipe. This one, as well as the recipe for Fast Chicken Curry, are from my dad. This one ends, “Service with hot Italian bread, vegetables, and tossed salad. Services four. Total time with rice about 45 minutes.”

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger

1/2 onion, diced

1 can condensed mushroom soup

1 small can mushrooms

pepper & salt

1 pt. sour cream

4 T margarine

Brown onion in margarine. Add hamburger & brown slowly. Add pepper & salt to taste. Add 1/2 can water to mushroom soup & add to hamburger. Simmer 5 minutes. Add mushrooms & simmer 5 more minutes. Add sour cream, stir & bring again to simmer. Serve over brown rice.

RICH AND CREAMY BEEF STROGANOFF

This is from SANFRANCOOK on All Recipes. The recipe begins, "A rich, creamy beef stroganoff. This recipe uses a roux to create a beef gravy that is then thickened with sour cream AND cream cheese. A little bit of zip is added using pepper flakes. Serve this over egg noodles.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes; Makes: 8 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 (2 pound) beef chuck roast, cut into 1/2-inch thick strips

1/2 cup red wine

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1/3 cup sour cream

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

Directions

Place the beef into a large bowl. Stir in the red wine, salt, and black pepper. Marinate for 10 minutes, then remove the beef and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve the remaining marinade.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the beef; cook and stir until browned, then transfer to a plate, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any remaining grease from the skillet. Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir until the onion is soft and translucent. Transfer the onion mixture to the plate with the prepared beef; set aside.

Melt another 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat, and stir in the mushrooms. Cook and stir until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Place the cooked mushrooms in a bowl and set aside. Melt 1/4 cup of butter in the skillet. Whisk in the flour, cook and stir until the flour no longer tastes raw, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in the beef stock. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat to medium low. Pour in the reserved red wine marinade, Worcestershire sauce, prepared mustard, and red pepper flakes, then add the beef and onion mixture. Cover and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and black pepper.

Stir in the mushrooms, sour cream, and cream cheese about 5 minutes before serving.

BEEF STROGANOFF OVER BUTTERED NOODLES

This is from Tyler Florence of The Food Network’s Food 911.

Total: 3 hr 25 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/beef-stroganoff-over-buttered-noodles-recipe.

Ingredients

3 cups beef stock

1 carrot, chopped

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons cognac

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons sour cream, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

1 (1-pound) package wide egg noodles

Directions

Heat the beef stock with the carrot, 3 thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Pat the beef dry and season it with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet over high heat. Fry the meat in batches so that it is browned on all sides. Lower the heat to medium and return all the meat to the pot. Add the onions and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Pour in the cognac and cook until the alcohol has burned off, about 5 minutes. Add the beef stock, discarding the carrot, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Cook, partially covered, over a very low flame for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and remaining 3 thyme sprigs and cook until the mushrooms are browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.

When the meat is done, remove it from the heat and fold in the mushrooms, sour cream, mustard, and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender. Drain the noodles well, toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and season with salt and pepper. Serve the stroganoff over the noodles; garnish with more sour cream and chopped parsley.

Meatless Monday

It's Monday, which means (ta-da) Meatless Monday (as well as Double-Post Monday). Here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce and Caramel Apple Cheesecake. Enjoy!

PASTA WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “This wonderful pasta is made with nothing more than fresh tomato sauce and good ricotta, plus a little pecorino. It’s most delicious if you keep the pasta quite al dente; use just enough sauce, no more; give it a good pinch of crushed red pepper; and season it with enough salt of course. For the best results, use good quality imported noodles made from hard Durum wheat.” Time: 30 minutes; makes 4 to 6 servings.

This, along with the Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, was featured in “The Time Is Right to Make Tomato Sauce”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 pound dried pasta, such as farfalle or penne

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Crushed red pepper (optional)

2 1/2 cups Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce, warm (see recipe, which follows)

6 ounces ultra-fresh ricotta, at room temperature

Grated pecorino

Basil leaves, for garnish

Preparation

Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, making sure to keep it quite al dente.

Put butter in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add drained pasta to the pan and season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.

Add tomato sauce gradually and stir to coat pasta, using only enough sauce for a light coating (you may not need the entire 2 1/2 cups).

Transfer pasta to a warm serving bowl and dot top with spoonfuls of ricotta. Sprinkle lightly with pecorino and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.

QUICK FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

This also comes from David Tanis in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “In August and September, when tomatoes are at their ripest, make a batch of fresh tomato sauce. At the market, look for the cracked, slightly bruised tomatoes sold at a discount. The flesh of the tomato should be dense, sweet and blood red. This makes a very fresh- and bright-tasting sauce in a manageable small batch. Take advantage of good tasty tomatoes and fill a few zip-top bags for the freezer.” Time: 30 minutes; makes about 2 1/ 2 cups.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

5 pounds tomatoes

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 garlic clove, halved

1 basil sprig

1 bay leaf

Preparation

Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.

Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.

Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.

QUICK & EASY APPLE CRISP

This was posted by Deb’s Recipes on Food.com. Deb wrote, “A traditional autumn dessert that's delicious served with vanilla ice cream. I've often made this recipe ‘diabetic-friendly’ without sacrificing taste or quality by using Splenda No-Calorie Sweetener. Directions are included.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 - 8 tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (such as Granny Smith)

2 - 3 teaspoons lemon juice

1⁄4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1⁄2 cup butter

vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream

Directions

Toss apples with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon; turn into an 8x8" baking pan that has been lightly coated with no-stick cooking spray; dot with butter.

Cut together flour, brown sugar, and butter until crumbly; sprinkle evenly over apples.

Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes until apples are tender; serve warm with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

VARIATION: This recipe can be made diabetic-friendly by substituting Splenda for the granulated sugar and substituting 1/2 cup Splenda for 1/2 cup of the brown sugar - the remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar is still used.

CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE

This is from Tearanii, also on Food.com. Tearanii wrote, “This is absolutely stunning and delicious!” Prep Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Servings: 8 - 12.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling, divided

1 10 inch graham cracker crust

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1⁄2 cup sugar

1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1⁄4 cup caramel topping

12 pecan halves, plus

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Reserve 3/4 cup apple pie filling.

Spoon remaining filling into pie crust.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Add eggs and mix well.

Pour over apple filling.

Bake 35 minutes or until center is set.

Cool to room temperature.

Mix reserved apple filling and caramel topping in a small saucepan.

Heat, about 1 minute.

Arrange apple slices around outside edge of cheesecake.

Spoon caramel sauce onto the cheesecake and spread evenly.

Decorate with pecan halves around edge.

Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

GARLICKY TOFU WITH SPINACH OVER PASTA

This comes from the October 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “A nonstick skillet is a must for this recipe—it makes the garlic cling to the tofu and form a sort of crust.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

10 oz. whole wheat linguine

1 1/2 cups prepared pasta sauce

12 oz. baked tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

6 cloves garlic, minced

10 oz. baby spinach, washed

Cook linguine according to package directions; drain.

Warm pasta sauce in pot over medium-low heat.

Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat. Add tofu, and cook 5 minutes, or until crisp and browned, turning often. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute more, or until tofu is coated with browned garlic. Transfer to plate, and cover to keep warm.

Add spinach to same skillet. (Add spinach in batches, if necessary, stirring to wilt so remainder will fit.) Cover, and cook 2 minutes, or until tender.

Divide cooked pasta among 4 individual plates. Top each with equal amounts of spinach then garlic tofu. Spoon sauce on top, and serve.

nutritional informatio Per SERVING: Calories: 506; Protein: 28 g; Total Fat: 15 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 70 g; Sodium: 847 mg; Fiber: 18 g; Sugar: 8 g; Vegan

PERFECT MACARONI AND CHEESE

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com’s Southern Food expert. Diana wrote, “Lots of Cheddar cheese inside and on top make this a delicious, creamy macaroni and cheese. Serve this casserole as a main dish with a salad or serve it as a side dish.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Cook Macaroni: 8 minutes; Total Time: 58 minutes; Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 ounces macaroni

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup half-and-half or light cream

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or a spicy brown mustard

2 1/2 to 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup soft bread crumbs, tossed with 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Preparation

Heat oven to 375°. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.

Cook macaroni in boiling salted water following package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse with hot water.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth and bubbly. Continue cooking and stirring for 1 minute. Add the salt, pepper, cream, and milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add mustard and 2 cups of the cheese.

Continue cooking, stirring, until cheese is melted.

Combine the sauce mixture with the drained macaroni. Spoon into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 1/2 to 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Scatter the buttered bread crumbs evenly over the cheese layer.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Saturday Recipes

I know, I know. It's Saturday, and I'm posting on Confessions of a Foodie. I figure that since I've posted links to this blog late all week, I'd post a Saturday blog. The blog has actually updated early all week (before 8:00 a.m.), but because of a new job, the links haven't been posted online until later. (Feel free to check here before the links show up on Facebook and Twitter.)

And how, here are six diabetic recipes to help you through the rest of the weekend, including Pear Cranberry Clafoutis and Super Chili. Enjoy!

PEAR CRANBERRY CLAFOUTIS

This is from the fall issue of UnitedHealthCare's magazine, Renew. It begins, “A Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert — a cross between a flan and a German pancake. Whole grain flour adds a nice nutty flavor and blends well with the pear, cranberry and almonds.”

1 teaspoon softened butter

3 medium pears (any kind)

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1⁄2 cup fresh or frozen (drained) cranberries, divided

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon sugar substitute

1⁄2 cup whole grain flour

1⁄2 cup sliced almonds, divided

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie plate. Peel, core and slice pears into 12 slices each and toss with the lemon juice and zest. Arrange pears in the buttered dish. Sprinkle pears with 1⁄4 cup of the cranberries.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk together. Add almond extract, sugar substitute and whole grain flour. Finely chop 1⁄4 cup of the sliced almonds and stir into the batter.

Pour batter over the pears and sprinkle with the remaining cranberries and almonds. Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown on the edges and set in the center.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

Serves 8.

Calories: 142, Total Fat: 6.2g, Saturated Fat: 1.3g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 52mg, Carbs: 19g, Dietary Fiber: 3.7g, Sugar: 8.4g, Protein: 5.6g

INSTANT POT ROAST

Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen, and can be viewed online at https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/instant-pot-roast-recipe.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/4cup dried porcini, rehydrated

1/2 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons olive oil

One 4-to-4 1/2-pound chuck roast

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 cup tomato paste

3 garlic cloves, smashed

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

2 thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions

Place the dried porcini in a small heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let rehydrate while you sear the chuck roast.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper, and sear, turning as needed, until the entire roast is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the seared roast to the bowl of an Instant Pot.

To the pot that you seared the roast in, add the tomato paste, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, bay leaves and onion, and cook until the vegetables are softened and the paste begins to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the stock and red wine vinegar. Pour the contents over the chuck roast in the Instant Pot, along with the rehydrated porcini and their soaking liquid.

Seal the Instant Pot according to the manufacturer's instructions and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Let depressurize, then remove the roast and transfer to a cutting board to slice. Season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper.

Spoon some of the vegetables onto a platter and fan slices of the pot roast over top. Drizzle the cooking liquid on top, then serve.

PICADILLO

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Picadillo is one of the great dishes of the Cuban diaspora: a soft, fragrant stew of ground beef and tomatoes, with raisins added for sweetness and olives for salt. Versions of it exist across the Caribbean and into Latin America. This one combines ground beef with intensely seasoned dried Spanish chorizo in a sofrito of onions, garlic and tomatoes, and scents it with red-wine vinegar, cinnamon and cumin, along with bay leaves and pinches of ground cloves and nutmeg. For the olives you may experiment with fancy and plain, but rigorous testing here suggests the use of pimento-stuffed green olives is the best practice. A scattering of capers would be welcome as well.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “The Ultimate Cuban Comfort Food: Picadillo”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and chopped

2 ounces dried chorizo, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ripe tomatoes, chopped, or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 bay leaves

Pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of nutmeg

2/3 cup raisins

2/3 cup pitted stuffed olives

Preparation

Put the olive oil in a large, heavy pan set over a medium-high flame, and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add onions, chorizo and garlic, stir to combine and cook until the onions have started to soften, approximately 10 minutes.

Add the ground beef, and allow it to brown, crumbling the meat with a fork as it does. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Add tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaves, cloves and nutmeg and stir to combine. Lower the heat, and let the stew simmer, covered, for approximately 30 minutes.

Uncover the pan, and add the raisins and the olives. Allow the stew to cook for another 15 minutes or so, then serve, accompanied by white rice.

CUBAN-STYLE ARROZ CONGRI

This is from Kim Severson, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “The combination of white rice and black beans is a Cuban staple. Black beans served on top of or next to white rice is most commonly called Moros y Cristianos, a reference to the medieval battle between Islamic Moors and Christian Spaniards on the Iberian Peninsula. When rice and beans are mixed with sautéed aromatic vegetables and sometimes bits of pork, the result is called congrí. (In some Cuban households, it is also called Moros y Cristianos.) As a rule, congrí is a fluffier and drier dish than Moros y Cristianos. Yolanda Horruitiner, who has lived in Cuba for all of her 70 years, makes this simple version of congrí without pork or cumin, which is a staple in some versions. Feel free to add either to the sofrito base. This recipe uses a stovetop to cook both the rice and beans, although the dish can be assembled more quickly using a pressure cooker and rice cooker and making the sofrito in a separate sauté pan, then mixing it into the rice before it’s all cooked.”

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

This was featured in “For Cuban Home Cooks, Ingenuity and Luck Are Key Ingredients” and can be viewed online here.

Note: This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco. Since I don’t keep alcohol around, I would substitute 1 tablespoon water.

Ingredients

1 cup dried black beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small green pepper, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

5 or 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

2 small bay leaves

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed

Preparation

Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.)

Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat.

Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2 1/4 cups.

Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

SUPER CHILI

One of my inventions, this can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

2 C pinto beans

2 T oil or butter

4 C water

1 lb. ground beef

4 – 8 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 lb. bacon, chopped

2 – 4 onions, chopped

28 oz. can tomatoes (undrained)

2 T chili powder

6 oz. can tomato paste

1 tsp. oregano

1 T chili powder

Soak beans in water for several hours. Drain & place in 4 C water. Add 2-4 cloves garlic, 1 onion & 1 T chili powder. Bring to boil, stir, reduce heat, cover & simmer several hours, or until soft & creamy. Add tomato paste & 1 T chili powder & water as needed. Stir, cover & let simmer 30 more minutes. While beans are simmering, brown 1-3 onions, 2-4 cloves garlic & ground beef in butter. Add to beans. Cook bacon & add to beans. Add tomatoes, oregano & 1 T chili powder. Cook for 1-1 1/2 hours. Great for anyone who likes good, hot chili. Better the next day.

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

From Diabetic Connect

To view this online, go to http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetic-recipes/general/2418-broccoli-cheese-soup

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

1 cup half & half - fat free

4 ounces cheddar cheese

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon onion

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

4 cups broccoli florets - bite-size

Directions

Combine chicken broth, water, half & half, cheese, flour, onion and pepper in a large saucepan. Whisk to break up any lumps of flour; turn heat to medium/high. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to low.

Add broccoli and simmer for 15-20 minutes until broccoli is tender, but not soft.

For each serving spoon one cup of soup into a bowl and garnish with a Tbsp. of shredded cheese and a pinch of parsley.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 8; Each (app 1 1/2 cup) serving contains an estimated: Cals: 126; FatCals 42; TotFat: 5 g: SatFat: 3 g; PolyFat: 0 g; MonoFat: 2 g; Chol: 14 mg; Na: 253 mg; K: 368 mg; TotCarbs: 15 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 5 g; NetCarbs: 13 g; Protein: 9 g