Confessions of a Foodie

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Friday, May 29, 2015

Weekend Recipes

Finally, the weekend! Here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

BROWN BUTTER PEACH CUPCAKES

One of the email newsletters that I receive is from Delish. They find recipes from a variety of places; this comes from Chocolate With Grace, and starts, “Browned butter and peaches make these cupcakes with a tender, moist crumb perfect for summertime celebrations.” Serves: 18 cupcakes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

3/4 cup butter

1 cup peach puree*

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups finely diced peaches

For the Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup peach puree*

1 tsp vanilla

5-6 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove the butter from the heat and pour into a separate heat proof bowl to stop the browning. Cool completely.

Preheat oven to 325 F. Whisk together the brown butter, peach puree, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Gently stir into the large bowl along with diced peaches, mixing until just combined.

Fill lined cupcake tins 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until the spring back when lightly touched. Cool completely on wire racks.

To make the frosting, beat together butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in peach puree and vanilla. Add enough of the powdered sugar until a piping or spreading consistency is reached. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

*To make Peach Puree, heat 3 cups of diced peaches, 1 T lemon juice, 1 T water and 1 T white sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool to a warm temperature. Blend in a blender until smooth. Cool completely before use.

GRILLED CHICEN SALSA VERDE

This comes from the Tablespoon newsletter. It starts, “Go green! Tomatillo salsa is an eye-catching, tasty topper to marinated chicken breasts.” Prep Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 8 hr. 50 minutes; Yields: 12 servings.

To view online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 large cloves garlic, halved

1 small white onion, quartered, separated

1 1/2 lb tomatillos (about 13)

3 medium to large jalapeño chiles, seeded

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro (10 to 15 sprigs)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

12 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4 1/2 lb)

Directions

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic and onion; cook about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until evenly roasted.

Remove husks and rinse tomatillos well. Core top stem area of each; cut tomatillos into quarters. In large food processor, place roasted garlic and onion, tomatillos, jalapeño chiles, cilantro, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the sugar. Cover; process about 15 seconds or until almost smooth.

Pour 2 cups mixture into small serving bowl; cover and refrigerate to use as salsa. To make marinade, add remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the cumin to remaining mixture in food processor. Cover; process 10 seconds.

Place 6 chicken breasts in each of 2 gallon-size resealable freezer plastic bags; divide marinade between bags. Seal bags; shake to evenly distribute marinade and coat chicken. Refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours; turn bags over at least once while marinating.

Take salsa, bags of chicken, tongs, metal spatula and a serving platter to potluck. Salsa should be room temperature when served with grilled chicken.

Heat gas or charcoal grill. Carefully brush oil on grill rack. Place chicken on grill over medium heat; discard marinade. Cover grill; cook 12 to 15 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F), turning once. Serve each chicken breast with about 2 tablespoons salsa.

MINI FRENCH SILK COOKIE PIES

This is also from the Tablespoon newsletter. This one begins, “Decadent mini pies with chocolate chip cookie crust and French silk filling. They are simply too cute to eat just one!” Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hr. 15 minutes; Yields: 24 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 (16.5 ounce) roll Pillsbury™ refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large pasteurized eggs, at room temperature

Whipped cream, for serving

Chocolate shavings, for serving

Directions

Prepare the Crust: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. Divide chocolate chip cookie dough into 24 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place dough in prepared muffin tin cups.

Bake dough until deep golden brown and set, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and use the bottom of a shot glass to make an impression in each cup. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. With a butter knife, gently remove each cookie cup from the tin and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Filling: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar, continuing to combine until the mixture is light-colored and very well blended. Beat in the salt. Once the melted chocolate is completely cooled, beat in the chocolate and vanilla extract. If using a standing mixer, switch to the whisk attachment. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for a full five minutes on high speed after each addition. (Don’t cheat!)

Spoon the French silk pie filling into each of the cooled cookie cups. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

CHICKEN WITH PICANTE PEACH SALSA

This comes from Campbell's Kitchen, and starts off, “Jazzed-up chicken sports a sweet-and-spicy glaze made with peach preserves, Pace® Picante Sauce, cumin and chili powder, and is served with a flavorful peach salsa.” Prep: 10 min; Total: 25 min; Serves 6

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

2/3 cup Pace® Picante Sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 can (about 15 ounces) peach halves in heavy syrup, drained and diced

1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper or green bell pepper

2 green onions, sliced (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 3/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup peach preserves or apricot preserves

Directions

Stir 1/3 cup picante sauce, lime juice, peaches, pepper and onions in a medium bowl. Reserve the mixture to serve with the chicken.

Stir the cumin and chili powder in a small bowl. Season the chicken as desired. Sprinkle the chicken with the cumin mixture. Stir the remaining picante sauce and preserves in a small bowl.

Lightly oil the grill rack and heat the grill to medium. Grill the chicken for 15 minutes or until it's cooked through, turning and brushing often with the preserve mixture. Discard the remaining preserve mixture.

Serve the chicken with the peach salsa mixture.

ITALIAN PEPPERONI-VEGETABLE QUICHE

This comes from the Tablespoon newsletter, and starts “Bake up a cheesy quiche loaded with colorful, good-for-you veggies.” Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 box Pillsbury™ refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

1 box (7 oz) Green Giant™ Immunity Blend frozen broccoli, carrots and pepper strips in an olive oil seasoning

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 oz)

1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato

1/2 cup sliced pepperoni, chopped

5 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Place pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.

Microwave broccoli, carrots and peppers as directed on box.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese in crust. Top with tomato and pepperoni. Spoon broccoli, carrots and peppers over pepperoni. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. In small bowl, beat eggs, milk and Italian seasoning. Pour egg mixture over cheese.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

BRUSCHETTA

This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. It starts off, “Red and yellow grape tomatoes are the star of this two-bite appetizer. These juicy in-season bites only need a bit of garlic, oil, balsamic and basil before they're spooned onto grilled baguette slices.” Total Time: 1 hr 30 min; Prep: 20 min; Inactive: 1 hr.; Cook: 10 min; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/bruschetta-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 pint red grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 pint yellow grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

16 whole fresh basil leaves, plus more as needed, chiffonade

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 whole baguette or crusty loaf

1 stick butter

Directions

In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute, removing before the garlic gets too brown (it can be golden). Pour the garlic and oil into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Add the red and yellow tomatoes, balsamic and basil to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed (don't over salt, though!) Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two if you have the time.

Cut the baguette into diagonal slices to allow for the most surface area possible. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and grill half the bread on both sides, making sure they're nice and buttery. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the other half of the bread.

To serve, give the tomato mixture a final stir, and then spoon generously over the slices of bread. Serve on a big platter as a first course or appetizer.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Diabetic Thursday

It's Thursday, time for another round of diabetic recipes. Enjoy!

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

TWO BEAN CHILI

Yield: Makes about 7 cups (7 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/509.shtml

Ingredients

2 onions, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons canola, corn, or olive oil

One 14-15 ounce can stewed tomatoes with juice

1 can or bottle beer (12 ounces)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or 1 tablespoon hot salsa or picante sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

One 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

Directions

Saute the onions and garlic in oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with their liquid, the beer, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and salt (if desired).

Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Stir in the beans and green pepper; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes longer.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 173; Protein: 9 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 238 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 2 Vegetable

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH FRUIT SALSA

Yield: 4 servings.

Serving Size: about 4 ounces

Source: The Diabetes Food and Nutrition Bible

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/11.shtml

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/537.shtml

Ingredients

Fruit Salsa:

2 cans (8 oz each) crushed pineapple, packed in juice, drained

1 mango, peeled and cubed

1/2 papaya, peeled and cubed

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp finely minced cilantro

1 Tbsp minced red pepper

Grilled Chicken:

2 whole chicken breasts, boned, skinned, halved (10 oz meat each)

2 tsp olive oil

Garnish:

Kiwi slices

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine salsa ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat an oven broiler or outdoor grill. Brush the chicken breasts with the olive oil. Grill or broil the chicken about 7 minutes per side or until no pink remains.

To serve: Place fruit salsa on a plate using a few spoonfuls per person. Top with a cooked chicken breast. Garnish with kiwi slice.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 305; Calories from Fat: 54 ; Protein: 32 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 79 mg; Cholesterol: 85 mg; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 25 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Exchanges: 4 Very Lean Meat; 2 Fruit; 1 Fat

TURKEY-VEGETABLE SOUP

Servings: 8

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/241.shtml

Source: Deliciously Healthy Favorite Foods Cookbook

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey or chicken breast

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

2 tablespoons sliced green onion

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4" slices

2 cups uncooked medium-wide egg noodles or rotelle pasta

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Mix turkey, thyme, green onion, cornstarch, garlic salt and pepper. Shape into 1" meatballs. Place chicken broth in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Add carrots and celery. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add meatballs, zucchini, noodles or pasta and parsley to simmering chicken broth. Simmer for 15 minutes longer.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 217; Protein: 26.5 g; Fat: 3.4 g; Sodium: 238 mg; Cholesterol: 37.4 mg; Carbohydrates: 19 g; Exchanges: 2 Lean Meat, 1-1/2 Bread/Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

CHICKEN CASSOULET

Yield: 6 servings

Source: The Other Diabetes: Living and Eating Well with Type 2 Diabetes

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/32.shtml

Notes: Chicken and beans are flavored with a small amount of sausage in this easy version of a classic dish. But this lighter cassoulet contains just a fraction of the calories and saturated fat that you'd would find in a French country kitchen.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 large yellow onions, chopped

2 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage

3 medium carrots, cut into chunks

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips

1 (15 1/2 ounce) can great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, defatted

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add the chicken, onions, and sausage, and cook until the chicken and sausage are brown on both sides. Break up the sausage into small pieces. Add the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil.

Bake, covered, for 1 hour. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:Calories: 290, Protein: 26 g, Fat: 7 g, Carbohydrate: 25 g, Sodium: 205, Potassium: 746, Fiber: 6 g Exchanges: 4 Vegetable, 2-1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Fat

BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE

Makes: 2-1/2 cups (5 Servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

Ingredients

2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons margarine

2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8-inch-round baking dish with butter-flavored nonstick pan spray.

In a small bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the margarine with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly.

Place the berries in a prepared baking dish. Cover with the crumb mixture. Bake 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/2 cup): Calories: 164, Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 159 mg, Carbohydrate: 26 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 13 g, Protein: 2 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Fruit, 1 Fat

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Wednesday Recipes

Half-way through the shortened work week. Here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

LEMON BLUEBERRY COOKIES

From a long-since-forgotten emailing list.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

2 egg yolks, at room temperature

1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel

1-1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 cup dried blueberries or cranberries

Preheat oven to 375. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.

Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and lemon peel.

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture; beat at low speed just until crumbly. Stir in blueberries (or cranberries).

Place dough on a sheet of parchment paper on countertop. Divide dough in half. Knead each half until dough holds together. Divide each half into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.

Place cookie balls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Flatten cookies to 1/4-inch thickness using the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges.

Makes 32 cookies.

PASTA, PANCETTA AND PEAS

This comes from Sunny Anderson of The Food Network's Cooking For Real. Total Time: 23 minutes; Prep: 8 minutes; Cook: 15 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/pasta-pancetta-and-peas-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

16 ounces fettuccine

8 ounces pancetta, diced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen peas

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, saute pancetta in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. In the same pan, saute onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add peas and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan, pasta and pancetta. Moisten pasta with some of the reserved pasta water. Toss to incorporate, season with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve, sprinkled with lemon juice.

CROWD-PLEASING MEATBALL & SPAGHETTI BAKE

This comes from FamilyTime.com. It begins, “Tender spaghetti, precooked meatballs, and savory mushroom-tomato pasta sauce, are baked until hot and bubbling and garnished with cheese.” Serves: 12; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

1 package (1 pound) spaghetti, cooked and drained (about 8 cups)

24 (1 ounce each) frozen fully-cooked meatballs

7 1/2 cups Prego® Fresh Mushroom Italian Sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Stir the spaghetti, meatballs, sauce and garlic powder in a 13 1/2 x 9 1/2 3-inch disposable foil pan. Cover the pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with toasted garlic bread. For dessert serve spumoni ice cream.

Tip: Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce will also work in the recipe.

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI STIR-FRY

This comes from The Food Network, and starts off, “Game Plan: Marinate the chicken while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.” Total Time: 27 min; Prep: 5 min; Inactive: 15 min; Cook: 7 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/chicken-and-broccoli-stir-fry-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast (about 2 breasts), cubed

3 scallions, whites only, thinly sliced on an angle

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 -inch piece peeled fresh ginger, minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

About 1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

5 to 6 cups broccoli, trimmed sliced stalks and medium florets (keep the 2 cuts separate)

3/4 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

Garnish: toasted sesame seeds, optional

Serving suggestion: Jasmine rice

Directions

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the scallion whites, about half the garlic and ginger, the soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the sherry, and the sesame oil. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Mix the remaining cornstarch with 1/3 cup water.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat. Add the broccoli stems, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the florets and the remaining garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of water, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Get the skillet good and hot again, and then heat 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the chicken and chili flakes if using. Stir-fry until the chicken loses its raw color and gets a little brown, about 3 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce, return the broccoli to the pan and toss to heat through. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil to thicken. Add more water if need to thin the sauce, if necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if you like. Mound the stir-fry on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates and garnish with sesame seeds; serve with rice.

Notes: The garlic and ginger can be chopped together in a minichopper to save time.

Scallion greens can also be used to garnish, if you like that extra onion-y flavor and you want to use up the scallions.

The broccoli stems are used (love all that fiber) to add textural contrast and also to help bulk up the dish, and why waste them?

LOADED CAULIFLOWER UN-MAC & CHEESE

This comes from Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com's Home Cooking expert. She writes, “Cauliflower takes the place of that carb-laden pasta in this faux version of macaroni and cheese. Cauliflower is a very bland vegetable, almost tasteless, and will take on the flavor of the rich, cheese-y sauce. Bacon and green onions give an extra punch of gusto to make you forget all about pasta. Even cauliflower-haters will enjoy this filling side dish. It''s great for those following a low-carb diet. Have all of your ingredients prepped, and this goes together fairly quickly. Be sure to check out my notes before you begin.”

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 105 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

8 slices bacon, divided use

1 head cauliflower

1/2 cup sliced green onions (scallions), green tops included (about 4 green onions)

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup diced sweet onions

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon reserved bacon grease

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup full-flavored, strong chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream or whole milk

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Dash of nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cups fine-shredded Cheddar cheese, divided use

Sweet Hungarian paprika

Preparation

Fry the bacon strips until crispy. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease. Crumble the bacon into pieces (not as small as bits). Remove 2 tablespoons of the bacon pieces and keep separate for the topping. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a 8- by 8- by 3-inch glass or ceramic casserole dish with vegetable spray.

Remove the core and stems from the cauliflower. Cut and separate the florets into pieces roughly the size of elbow macaroni. You should have about 4 cups.

Make the Sauce:

In a large saucepan, gently saute the diced sweet onions in the bacon grease and butter until the onions soften but do not brown. Add pressed garlic and saute, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook, continuing to stir, for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth and stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Add heavy cream or milk, onion powder, and nutmeg. Continue to simmer while stirring until thickened. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup of the shredded Cheddar cheese to the sauce, stirring until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind that the cauliflower will absorb some of the salt.

Add the cauliflower, green onions, and bacon to the cheese sauce. Gently stir to coat the cauliflower. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese and the reserved 2 tablespoons of bacon pieces. Sprinkle lightly with the sweet paprika.

Bake for 1 hour, or until cauliflower has softened but is not mushy. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

• Don't overcook this casserole. It is important that the cauliflower retain its texture in order to mock the missing pasta.

• You may substitute turkey bacon for pork bacon.

• Packaged bacon pieces may be used to save time, but be sure to get the pieces and not the bits. The pieces should be about 1/4 inch in size. I'm not crazy about imitation soy bacon bits, but if you like them, feel free to substitute.

• Fresh chives may be substituted for the green onions.

• Ham chunks may be added for extra protein.

• You can lighten this up by using low-fat milk or half-and-half, along with low-fat cheese. However, keep in mind that you will lose the richness and mouth-feel of traditional macaroni and cheese.

SWISS SWIRL ICE CREAM CAKE

From the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. However, the email gives credit for this from Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook. It starts off, “With cake rolls, ice cream and hot fudge, this dessert suits anyone with a sweet tooth. Family and friends get a kick out of this treat's fun appearance.” Servings: 12 to 14; Prep: 30 min; Total: 30 min

Ingredients

10 to 12 Swiss cake rolls

2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened

3/4 cup hot fudge ice cream topping

2 pints chocolate ice cream, softened

Directions

Line a 2-qt. bowl with plastic wrap.

Cut each cake roll into eight slices; place in prepared bowl, completely covering the bottom and sides. Cover and freeze for at least 20 minutes or until cake is firm. Spread vanilla ice cream over cake. Cover and freeze for at least 1 hour. Spread with fudge topping. Freeze for at least 1 hour. Spread with chocolate ice cream. Cover and freeze (for up to 2 months). Just before serving, remove from the freezer and invert onto a serving plate. Remove bowl and plastic wrap. Cut into wedges.

Note: This recipe was tested with Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls.

Nutrition Facts One serving: (1 piece) Calories: 309 Fat: 14 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 35 mg Sodium: 130 mg Carbohydrate: 43 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 4 g

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Tuesday Recipes

Tuesdays after a three-day-weekend are a little rough. But on the plus side, it leaves us with a four-day work-week (some of us, anyway). In the meantime, here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

PEACH COOKIES

This comes from Delish's newsletter; it's originally from Cooking Classy. The official recipe's title is: Peach Cookies {That Look Like a Real Peach}. Yield: 17 sandwiched cookies (34 singles)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

10 1/2 Tbsp butter, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

2 Tbsp sour cream

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Filling and Coating

peach jam or preserves

6 Tbsp milk, divided

red and yellow food coloring

1/2 cup granulated sugar

fresh mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

you'll also need a clean paintbrush

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, granulated sugar and light-brown sugar on medium-low speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add sour cream and mix until blended. With mixer on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.

Scoop dough out 1 even tablespoon at a time and with buttered hands roll dough into a ball. Place balls on cookie sheet (you can fit 15 per sheet but then you are left with 4 in the end so unless you were making a double batch it wouldn't matter to try and fit that many). Bake in preheated oven 14-15 minutes until bottoms are lightly golden brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Allow cookies to cool completely then spread about 1 teaspoon of peach jam evenly across the bottom of one cookie then gently press another cookie over the jam layer to sandwich them together. Repeat this process with remaining cookies.

To decorate cookies, pour 3 tbsp of milk into two small bowls. Tint one bowl of milk with red food coloring until it reaches a vibrant pink, then tint the other bowl of milk with yellow food coloring until its reaches a vibrant yellow. Take a paint brush and dip into the yellow tinted milk then paint randomly across both cookies leaving some areas unpainted. Then dip paintbrush into red tinted milk and paint randomly across unpainted areas and blend slightly (tip: I found the less milk I was able to paint across the cookie the better because then your cookies won't become soggy. You really don't need very much at all). Immediately after painting cookie, dip and coat entire cookie with sugar. Insert one or two fresh mint leaves into the side of each cookie if desired. Store in an airtight container.

BLUEBERRY-PINEAPPLE PARFAIT

This comes from FamilyTime.com, and starts off, “A quick and easy parfait!” Pref time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: 0; Serves: 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained

1 container (8 ounces) fat free lemon yogurt

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 cup granola

Directions

In a small bowl, combine pineapple, with half of the yogurt.

In four small wine or juice glasses, spoon alternate layers of pineapple mixure, blueberries and granola, repeating twice.

Top with a dollop of yogurt.

VEGETABLE BEEF BARLEY SOUP

Yield: 4 Servings

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/376.shtml

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

1 medium onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 cups sliced mushrooms

3-1/2 cups beef stock

1/3 cup barley

2 small potatoes, peeled and diced

4 oz. stewing beef, diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

In large non-stick saucepan, heat oil; saute garlic, onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms until tender, approximately 10 minutes.

Add stock, barley, potatoes and beef; cover, reduce heat and simmer approximately 50 minutes or until barley and potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 208; Protein: 11 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 1009 mg; Cholesterol: 13 mg; Carbohydrates: 31 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Medium Fat Meat, 1/2 Fat

BROCCOLI RAAB WITH GARLIC, WHITE BEANS, TOMATOES, AND PARMESAN

This one is from the September 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 44. It starts off, “The depth of the wok allows you to simultaneously sauté and steam the broccoli raab while preserving its beautiful green color. To make the dish vegan, garnish with toasted breadcrumbs instead of Parmesan cheese.” Serves 5 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 12-oz. bunches broccoli raab, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 14-oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Heat 2 Tbs. oil in wok over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until it sizzles, then add broccoli raab and red pepper flakes. Season with salt, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until broccoli raab is wilted. Transfer broccoli raab from wok to serving plate.

Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to wok. Add tomatoes, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until skins brown and tomatoes begin to split, stirring occasionally. Stir in white beans, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Spoon tomato-bean mixture on top of broccoli raab, and garnish with Parmesan.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 220; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 9.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 604 mg; Fiber: 7 g; Sugar: 3 g; Gluten-Free

EGGPLANT AND PASTA ROLLS

This comes from Danette St. Onge, About.com's Italian Food expert. She writes, "This dish is quick and easy to prepare, but makes for a beautiful presentation and a satisfying antipasto, primo, or even a vegetarian main dish accompanied by a salad or vegetable side. " Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 75 minutes; Yield: 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 large eggplants, washed and dried

Olive oil, for brushing eggplant slices before grilling

4 large, very ripe and flavorful tomatoes (should give you about 3 cups when diced)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small clove garlic, peeled and finely minced

1 small shallot, peeled and finely minced

2 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 pound (227 grams) spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for serving

Optional: finely chopped chives, fresh basil leaves, or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Preparation

For the eggplants:

Cut off the stem end of the eggplants and then cut the eggplants lengthwise into slices about 1/4-inch (1/2-centimeter) thick. Lightly brush each side with olive oil and then grill the slices for 2 to 3 minutes per side on a charcoal or gas grill or stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. Set grilled eggplant slices aside while you make the tomato sauce.

For the sauce:

Cut a small, shallow "X" shape in the bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife.

Drop the tomatoes into a large pot of boiling water for about 45 to 60 seconds, then remove the tomatoes from the boiling water with a slotted spoon or mesh skimmer and drop them into a bowl of ice water to cool. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, drain them well, slip the peels off (they should peel away easily from the X using either your fingers or a paring knife) and finely dice the tomatoes. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and the minced garlic and shallot in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Saute until softened and lightly golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and basil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cover. Let simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes while you cook the spaghetti.

While sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti just until al dente in a large pot of boiling salted water. When done, drain and return to the pot. Add the tato sauce (reserving several spoonfuls for garnishing the finished rolls) and stir with a wooden spoon to coat the pasta well with the sauce.

To assemble:

Divide the spaghetti evenly between the eggplant slices, using a fork or your fingers to arrange it into a loop shape. Roll up the eggplant around each pasta bundle (use a toothpick to secure the roll, if necessary). Add a dollop of the reserved tomato sauce to each roll and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Serve immediately.

Optional:

Sprinkle the eggplant rolls with finely chopped chives, fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

CACCIATORE

This also comes from The Healing Heart Foundation website, and starts off, "A single-skillet quick and easy version of the old Italian favorite Hunters' Stew." It serves 6.

This recipe also comes with several Healing Heart Hints:

"This is the way hunters in old Italy prepared whatever game they found. It's just as delicious made with all vegetables, meat substitutes or low-fat tofu. If bean curd or seitan is not available, crumble in two or three fat-free Boca Burgers instead for a 'beef' flavored dish that meat-eaters will not know was vegetarian.

"Dried bean curd (thit chay) is available in many Asian food markets. It comes in many forms, but for this dish, chips are recommended. Be sure to read the labels, some brands of bean curd are high in fat, others contain no fat at all.

"Seitan is a meat substitute made from wheat gluten, a protein in wheat that can be boiled and baked with various spices to make it resemble almost any kind of meat or fish. Seitan can be prepared at home, or it can be bought already prepared, usually frozen, in many health food stores and some Asian food markets."

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 C seitan or bean curd

1 C mushrooms

1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 sweet bell peppers, 1 green & 1 red, coarsely chopped

3 cloves of fresh garlic (or 1 t dried minced)

28-oz can chunky tomato sauce

1/3 C dry white wine or sherry

2 t dried oregano

2 t sweetener (succanat, sugar or substitute)

1/8 t freshly-ground pepper

1/2 t salt

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms, celery, carrot, onion, peppers and garlic in balsamic vinegar until tender (add a small amount of water, if needed). Add tomato sauce, bean curd, wine, oregano, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over rice or pasta.

6 servings, each 164 calories: 6% from fat (0.6 g), 67% from carbohydrates (26.2 g), 30% from protein (12.2 g). Sodium 284 mg, Fiber 3.6 g.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Meatless Monday - Memorial Day

Since today is Memorial Day, today's Confessions of a Foodie post is a rerun from August 18, 2014 post. Enjoy!

Another Meatless Monday, which means vegetarian food. (Yay!) Enjoy!

GLUTEN-FREE TERIYAKI SAUCE

This comes from the July/August 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 38. The recipe starts off, “Use this all-purpose sauce to marinate tofu, top vegetables, season rice, and flavor stir-fries.” Makes 1 1/2 cups in 30 minutes or less. To view online, click here.

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1/4 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos or gluten-free tamari or soy sauce

1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil

1 Tbs. finely grated onion

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 tsp. mirin or rice wine

3 Tbs. brown rice syrup

1 Tbs. sesame seeds, optional

Place cornstarch in small saucepan, and slowly whisk in Liquid Aminos until no lumps remain. Whisk in 3/4 cup water, then sesame oil, onion, garlic, ginger, and mirin. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, and boil 1 minute, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in brown rice syrup and sesame seeds (if using).

nutritional information Per 1-Tbs. Serving: Calories: 16; Protein: less than 1 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 114 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 2 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

GRILLED VEGETABLE PANZANELLA

From the July/August 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 27. The recipe starts off, “Grilled summer vegetables require little seasoning to taste spectacular in this hearty bread salad.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view online, click here.

4 slices rustic French bread (8 oz.)

1 12-oz. pkg. cherry tomatoes

16 large green beans (4 oz.)

1 large yellow squash, quartered lengthwise

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar

1 large clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1 small head radicchio, diced

1 oz. chilled blue cheese, crumbled or coarsely grated (1/3 cup)

4 hard-boiled eggs, roughly chopped

Coat grill pan or basket with cooking spray, and preheat over medium heat.

Grill bread slices 3 to 4 minutes per side until crisp and lightly charred. Slice into cubes, and transfer to large bowl.

Coat tomatoes, green beans, and squash lightly with cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Arrange in separate groups on prepared grill pan or in grill basket. Grill 8 minutes, or until squash and beans are charred and just tender, and tomatoes are splitting open, turning vegetables occasionally.

Transfer all but 4 tomatoes to medium bowl. Press tomatoes in bowl slightly to release juices. Spoon tomatoes, and then their juices, over toast cubes.

Whisk together oil, vinegar, and garlic in large serving bowl. Add remaining 4 tomatoes, mash coarsely, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cut green beans and squash crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Add cut vegetables, radicchio, and blue cheese to bowl with dressing. Toss to coat. Add bread cube mixture, and toss to coat. Sprinkle chopped eggs over top.

nutritional information Per 2-cup serving: Calories: 361; Protein: 15 g; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 39 g; Cholesterol: 192 mg; Sodium: 533 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 8 g

LATE SUMMER SUCCOTASH

If you're like me, you're probably signed up for several emailing lists, some definitely better than others. One of my favorite ones comes from Vegetarian Times. Their email dated August 8, 2014, has several lima bean recipes. Mary Margaret Chappell, Vegetarian Times' food editor, writes, “Growing up in the South, late summer meant lima beans for supper at least once a week. Everybody in my family grew them, and whenever there weren't enough in the garden, there was always a truck or two parked on a main road selling them alongside tomatoes and corn. Come August, I start to crave them. Fresh are ideal, but frozen will also do when seasoned with butter or olive oil, salt, and pepper (I can make a meal out of just a bowl of them) or added to other summery recipes.” Having grown up in New York (state, not city) and Connecticut, I can tell you that lima beans made it to our table several times a month. To this day, I still love them.

The Late Summer Succotash is from page 70 of V.T.'s September 2007 issue. It serves 6 in 30 minutes or less, and starts out, “What better way to make the most of end-of-summer produce than with a sunny succotash that can also be served cold as a salad? Feel free to use frozen lima beans—simply substitute a 10-oz. bag of thawed frozen beans, and skip step one. If you can’t find white balsamic vinegar, try white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.”

2 cups shelled lima beans or 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen baby lima beans, thawed

1 Tbs. butter

1 tsp. olive oil

1 small red onion, diced (1 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil

1 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar

If using fresh lima beans, bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add beans, and blanch 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender but not soft.

Heat butter and oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more.

Stir in lima beans, and sauté 5 minutes. Add corn and tomatoes, and sauté 1 minute more, or until heated through, but tomatoes have not released their juices. Remove from heat, and stir in parsley, basil, and vinegar. Serve warm or chilled.

nutritional information Per SERVING: Calories: 179; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 4.5 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 8 mg; Sodium: 240 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g;Gluten-Free

BOW TIMES WITH FENNEL, GREEN BEANS AND BABY LIMAS

This one is from the April 2000 issue of Vegetarian Times, and starts out, “Most of us prefer our green beans briefly cooked just until they're crisp-tender and bright green. Slightly longer cooking may dim the color, but it brings out the beans' inherent sweetness. Braising them with lima beans, tomatoes and fennel creates a delightful sauce for pasta.” Serves 4 to 6.

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 medium bulb fennel, chopped (1 cup)

4 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs. fennel seeds, lightly crushed

3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup frozen baby lima beans

6 oz. green beans, trimmed and halved (1 1/2 cups)

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup kalamata olives, rinsed, halved and pitted

1⁄3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

12 oz. dried bow-tie pasta (farfalle)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (2 oz.; optional)

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and fennel and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and fennel seeds and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in broth and lima beans and bring to a simmer.

Stir in green beans and salt, reduce heat to medium and simmer until all beans are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add tomatoes and olives and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have blended, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and pepper.

Shortly before sauce is ready, add bow ties to boiling water; stir to prevent sticking. Cook, stirring often, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well and place in large warm serving bowl. Add bean mixture and toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan if desired.

nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 338; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 50 g; Sodium: 726 mg; Fiber: 9 g; Vegan

TOMATO COBBLER WITH CORNMEAL-CHEDDAR BISCUITS

If you've been following this blog for a while, you probably realize that The Kitchn is one of my favorite places to receive emails from. That, and its brother site, Apartment Therapy send out really cool emails, which I highly recommend signing up for. (And no, no one offered any compensation for plugging either site. I just think that they're majorly cool.)

That said, Faith Durand of The Kitchn wrote of this recipe, “I'm declaring this cobbler the Recipe of Summer. It take those pints of cherry tomatoes that you can't help bringing home from the farmers market and transforms them into silky, oh-so-tender bites. Plus, you know, cheddar biscuits. Trust me: it's worth turning on the oven for this one.” She also adds, “Make sure your cast iron skillet is well-seasoned for this recipe. Tomatoes are acidic, and they can dissolve the seasoning somewhat. This isn't a big deal with a well-seasoned skillet — just rub it with a little oil after cleaning — but it can set you back a few seasonings with a new skillet. New skillets can also sometimes give acidic foods an unpleasant metallic flavor.

“If you'd prefer not to use cast iron for this, you can also cook the cobbler in a 12-inch stainless steel skillet with high sides or in a 13x9-inch baking dish.

“On its own, this cobbler makes a very satisfying vegetarian main dish. One biscuit each, plus a generous scoop of warm tomatoes, and dig in! It's filling, but not actually too heavy — it still feels like a good summer dinner. It would also go nicely with some grilled chicken on the side.” Serves 6 to 8.

To view it online from her site, click here.

4 pints cherry tomatoes (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup red wine (or 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

For the biscuits:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 cup + 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided

3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk, plus extra to brush.

Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack placed in the middle of the oven.

Pick the stems off of the cherry tomatoes and rinse them under running water. Larger tomatoes can be sliced in half, but I generally just leave the tomatoes whole.

Warm the olive oil in a 12-inch cast-iron or high-sided stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. When warm, add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Sauté until the onions are very soft and tender, at least 10 minutes, or if you have the patience, lower the heat and continue cooking for another 20 or 30 minutes to caramelize the onions.

Stir the garlic into the onions and cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Pour in the wine (or balsamic) and cook until the wine has mostly evaporated. Stir in the flour and cook until the flour is paste-like. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt, carefully stirring and folding until the onions are evenly mixed with the tomatoes.

To prepare the biscuits, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Cut the cold butter into chunks and scatter it over the flour. Pulse a few times until the butter has been cut into pea-sized pieces.

Transfer the flour-and-butter mixture to a bowl and stir in 1 cup of the cheddar (reserve the other 1/2 cup for sprinkling over the top). Form a well in the middle and pour in 3/4 cup of buttermilk for firmer biscuits, or 1 cup of buttermilk for looser biscuits. Use a spatula to gently stir the buttermilk into the flour; continue stirring until all the buttermilk has been incorporated and no more dry flour remains. (Alternatively, you can make the biscuits entirely in a bowl and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to cut in the butter.)

Drop the dough over the tomatoes, making 7 to 8 biscuits. Brush the biscuits with a little buttermilk. Place the skillet on a baking sheet to catch drips, and then transfer to the oven.

Cook for 55 to 60 minutes, until the tomatoes are very bubbly and the tops of the biscuits are nicely browned. About 10 minutes before the end of baking, sprinkle the tops of the biscuits with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar.

Remove from the oven and let the cobbler rest for at least 15 minutes before eating. Leftovers will keep for about a week.

Recipe Notes

This recipe can also be cooked in a 13x9-inch baking dish or other 3 quart baking dish. Prepare the tomato mixture in a skillet on the stovetop, then transfer to the baking dish, top with the biscuits, and bake until bubbly.

FAT-FREE VEGAN PASTA SALAD

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food guide. Jolinda writes, “Make a fat-free vegetarian pasta salad by using fat-free Italian salad dressing. Seasoned with fresh herbs, this fat-free pasta salad is both vegetarian and vegan.”

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups bowtie or corkscrew pasta

1 cup broccoli, chopped small

1 12 ounce can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 purple onion, diced

1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced

1 12 ounce can green beans, diced

1 -2 tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup sliced black olives

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

3/4 cup fat-free vegan Italian salad dressing

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water. Drain and allow to cool.

Lightly steam the broccoli, until just tender.

In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, broccoli and remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Allow to marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour before serving. Toss again before serving.

Makes 6 servings fat-free pasta salad.

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 171; Calories from Fat: 14% Daily Value: Total Fat: 1.6g; 2%; Trans Fat: 0.0g;
Cholesterol: 0mg; 0%; Sodium: 544mg; 23%; Total Carbohydrates: 34.4g; 11%
Dietary Fiber: 7.4g; 30%
Protein: 7.2g;Vitamin A 28%, Vitamin C 98%, Calcium 9%, Iron 15%

Friday, May 22, 2015

Friday Food

It's always nice to get to the weekend, especially if you have weekends off. (And if you work weekends, hopefully you have some time off during the week.) But here's to time off, whenever you have it. Enjoy!

DUTCH OVEN PEACH CRISP

One of the email newsletters that I receive is from Delish. They find recipes from a variety of places; this comes from Oh, Sweet Basil. It starts off, “A sweet, crispy recipe that will be the highlight of your backyard cookout.” She also adds, “I like to line Dutch Oven with foil for easy clean-up.” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Filling

8-10 peaches peeled and sliced (any fruit works wonderful!)

#12 or #10 Dutch Oven

For the Crisp Mix together:

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup butter

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Place fruit in bottom of Dutch Oven or 9x13" pan, mix the topping.

Spread topping mixture over fruit and bake for 35-45 minutes or until done. (10 briquettes on bottom, 14 on top). Or you can do it in the oven on 350.

**The top should be crisp like a cookie when it is done. If it is still soft you need to keep baking.

MY SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Okay, shameless plug time: I have an e-cookbook on Amazon.com. This recipe is in it. You can find (and buy) Off The Wall Cooking here.28 oz. can tomatoes (note)

2-8 oz. cans tomato sauce

2-6 oz cans tomato paste

3 onions, chopped

3-5 cloves garlic, minced

2 T olive oil

1 T oregano

1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. dill

1 tsp. anise

2 T honey

Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce & pasted. Stir. Add everything ex-cept cheese & stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese & stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot spaghetti. Better the next day—if any is left!NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of tomato sauce.

SLOW-COOK VEGGIE CHILI

From http://www.mydailymoment.com/

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

4 onions, chopped

2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped

2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14 oz.) package firm tofu, drained and cubed

4 (15.5 oz.) cans black beans, drained

2 (15 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. ground cumin

6 tbsp. chili powder

2 tbsp. dried oregano

2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar

1 tbsp. liquid hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they start to become soft. Add the green peppers, red peppers, garlic and tofu; cook and stir until vegetables are lightly browned and tender, the whole process should take about 10 minutes.

Pour the black beans into the slow cooker and set to Low. Stir in the sauted vegetables and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, vinegar and hot pepper sauce; Stir gently and cover. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Additional Tips: Ready in 6 hours 10 min

ZELDA'S (AND SHELLA'S) CLAM CHOWDER

I'd "met" Shella on a feminist bulletin board that has long since closed. She and her other half, Zelda, on a bulletin board that they then put together that also has long since closed. This was one of the recipes they shared.

Zelda wrote, "I found this recipe at allrecipes.com and altered it slightly." She also added at the end of the recipe, "This tastes really good with toasted sourdough bread! Yum!"

Also, since I lean towards vegetarianism, I'd probably forgo the clams and just make this into a potato soup.

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons dried thyme

4 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1 cup diced celery

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 (10 ounce) cans minced clams, drained with juice reserved

1 quart half-and-half cream

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Sauté onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter for about 8 minutes or until tender. Add dried thyme and sauté another two minutes. Let cool about ten minutes and then blend with enough water to make a smooth paste.

In a large pot, combine potatoes, celery (I like a lot of celery so I usually add more), salt, pepper, onion mixture, and juice from clams. Augment with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.

With the flour and the rest of the butter you will make a roux. This will do away with the raw flour taste and help to thicken the chowder. To make the roux, melt the butter in a skillet (I prefer cast iron), add the flour. Cook for about 2 minutes on a medium to high heat, stirring constantly. The color of the roux will be a light cream color when it is finished. Set aside.

Stir the half-and-half into the pot. Whisk roux into the chowder. Cook and stir until thickened. Stir in clams and adjust seasonings. Cook another 5 minutes or until the clams are heated though.

LASAGNA PRIMAVERA

This comes from FamilyTime.com, and starts off, "Using oven-ready lasagna noodles makes this recipe simple to prepare...and layering vegetables into the lasagna is a brilliant way to add flavor and lighten up this delicious dish." Serves: 8 (about 1 1/2 cups each); Prep time: 40 minutes; Cook time: 45 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons light butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 medium zucchini, or summer squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

1 package (10 ounces) cremini mushroom, , sliced (about 3 3/4 cups)

1 medium red pepper, cut into 2-inch-long strips (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces (about 2 cups)

3 cups Prego® Heart Smart Ricotta Parmesan Italian Sauce

12 oven-ready lasagna noodle, (no boil)

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or the mixture is golden. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the milk mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the nutmeg and black pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Heat the remaining butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, pepper and asparagus and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.

Layer 1/2 cup Italian sauce, 4 lasagna noodles, 3/4 cup Italian sauce, one-third of the milk mixture and half the vegetable mixture in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat the layers. Top with the remaining lasagna noodles, sauce and milk mixture. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil.

Bake for 45 minutes at 375°F. or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

CREAMY IRISH POTATO SOUP

This recipe comes from Campbell's Kitchen; to view this recipe online, click here. The recipe starts off, "This rich and creamy potato soup is subtly flavored with celery and green onions. It's the kind of soup you'll want to savor slowly...even though it's ready in just 35 minutes."

Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 25 minutes; Serves: 5 servings (1 1/4 cups each)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

4 medium green onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 stalk celery, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth, (Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic)

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 medium potato, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 cups)

1 1/2 cups milk

Directions

Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until they're tender.

Stir the broth, black pepper and potatoes in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Place half of the broth mixture and half of the milk in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Repeat with the remaining broth mixture and remaining milk. Return to the saucepan and heat through.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Diabetic Thursday

Thursday - time for another round of diabetic recipes. Enjoy!

MERINGUE COOKIES

Yield: 3-1/2 dozen cookies (14 Servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/26.shtml

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/511.shtml

Ingredients

2 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Pinch of salt

1/3 cup finely chopped pecans or almonds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or non-stick oven liner film.

Put the egg whites and lemon juice in a chilled bowl. Beat with an electric mixer to a soft foam. Slowly beat in the sugar, mixing well after each addition. Continue beating at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and salt. Gently fold in the nuts.

Drop the batter by heaping teaspoons onto the cookie sheets. Shape with the back of a spoon onto 1-inch circles. Bake until set and firm, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven but leave the cookies there until the oven is completely cool. Remove the cookies from the oven and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 46; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 18 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 7 g; Exchanges: Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Other Carbohydrate

APPLE AND HONEY SCONES

Servings: 10

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/226.shtml

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2/3 cup toasted wheat germ

1/3 cup margarine

1-1/4 cups finely chopped apple

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup honey Topping

1 tbsp toasted wheat germ

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp sugar

Directions

Preheat oven 400F. Lightly spray a large cookie heet with non-stick cooking spray. Handle the dough gently; overmixing the scones can make them tough.

Combine flour, wheat germ, baking powder, spices, baking soda & optional salt. Cut in the margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add combined apple, milk, and honey, mixing until dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead gently 5-6 times. Pat dough into a 9-inch circle. Mix together topping ingredients (1 tbsp wheat germ, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tbsp sugar). Sprinkle over dough. Cut dough into 10 wedges. Place 1/2-inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 223; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 270 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Exchanges: 1-1/2 Bread/Starch; 1 Fat

MINESTRONE SOUP

Yield: 4 servings (about 1 cup each)

Source: "Cooking with The Diabetic Chef"

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1/4 medium carrot, finely diced

1/4 stalk celery, finely diced

2/3 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons leeks, finely diced

3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) canned tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium zucchini, diced

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

3/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

3 cups chicken stock

3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) frozen spinach, chopped

3/4 cup white beans, cooked

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and leek and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato, zucchini, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the spinach and white beans. Return the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes. Season with the salt and white pepper. Serve immediately and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (about 1 cup): Calories: 110, Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 283 mg, Carbohydrate: 15 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 7 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

CURRIED RICE

Yield: 6 servings (Makes 2-1/2 - 3 cups)

Source: "Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine"

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/24.shtml

Ingredients

2 cups Chicken Broth

1 cup brown Basmati rice, well rinsed

2 teaspoons virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon raisins

1/2 cup green peas, thawed if frozen

6 hazelnuts, chopped

Directions

In a medium-size saucepan, bring broth and rice to a boil. Cover and simmer 40 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Drain, if necessary.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a non-stick skillet and saute onion until softened. Stir in curry powder. Add onion, raisins and peas to rice and heat through. Garnish with nuts.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (About 1/2 cup): Calories: 128, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Carbohydrate: 23 g, Protein: 3 g, Sodium: 13 mg, Fat: 3 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch/Bread, 1/2 Fat

GREEN BEANS WITH TOASTED NUTS

Yield: 4 servings

Source: The Eating Well Diabetes Cookbook

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/87.shtml

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/508.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped peeled hazelnuts or walnuts

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Return the reserved beans to the pot and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 104; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 145 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1 Fat

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Yield: 10 servings

Source: "Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook"

Ingredients

1 package (10 ounces) fresh baby spinach, washed, dried and trimmed

1 pint fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced lengthwise to 1/4-inch thickness

1/2 of a small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

Directions

Place the spinach in a large salad bowl; add the strawberries.

In a small bowl, combine the onion, sugar, water, vinegar, mustard, and oil. Whisk until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup): Calories: 79, Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 23 mg, Carbohydrate: 6 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 1 g Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Carbohydrate, 1 Fat

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Wednesday Recipes

This week seems to be flying along. Seems like it was just the weekend, and already, it's Wednesday. No matter...Here are today's recipe offerings. Enjoy!

PEACH VANILLA CHEESECAKE TRIFLE

One of the email newsletters that I receive is from Delish. They find recipes from a variety of places; this comes from Shared Appetite, and starts off, “Quick and easy snacks and desserts are best, aren’t they? This Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle is simple to whip up and will be sure to impress all your family and friends!” Prep time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 8

Ingredients

for the Cheesecake layer

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed

for the Vanilla Pudding layer

2 small boxes Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix

3 1/2 cups milk

1/2 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed

for the Peach layer

6 peaches, peeled and sliced

1/3 cup sugar

1 lemon, juiced

for the Cookie layer

1 (11 ounce) container vanilla wafer-style cookies, crushed

Nilla wafers, crushed

Ingredients

for the Cheesecake layer

In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a medium mixing bowl fitted with an electric hand mixer, whip together the cream cheese, mascarpone, vanilla extract, and sugar until light and fluffy. Gently fold in Cool Whip by hand.

for the Vanilla Pudding layer

Combine pudding mix and milk in a medium mixing bowl, stirring constantly for 2 minutes (as per package directions). Let stand at least 5 minutes, then gently fold in Cool Whip.

for the Peach layer

Combine sliced peaches, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

In a serving bowl, layer crushed vanilla wafer cookies, vanilla pudding, peaches, and cheesecake. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Devour with intensity.

PEACH STREUSEL MUFFINS

This also comes from Delish's newsletter, and originally from Sally's Baking Addiction. It starts off, “This is my favorite peach muffin recipe! Buttery, tender, and moist, these peachy muffins are heavy on the crumb topping and sweet vanilla glaze.” Prep time: 25 minutes; total time: 55 minutes; yield: 12 standard size muffins

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping

1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Muffins

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature preferred

1/2 cup yogurt*

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons milk (any kind)

1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped peaches (3 peaches)*

Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

3 Tablespoons heavy cream (or milk for a less creamy texture)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

First, make the crumb topping. In a medium bowl, combine both sugars, the cinnamon, and melted butter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the flour. The crumb topping will be thick and crumbly. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Make the muffins: In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on high until creamed, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, then turn up to high speed until the mixture is combined and uniform in texture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, all-spice, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and slowly mix with a whisk. Add the milk, gently whisking until combined and little lumps remain. Fold in the peaches with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

Spoon the muffin batter evenly between all 12 muffin tins. There may be enough to make a 13th muffin in a 2nd batch, depending if there were a few extra peach chunks thrown in. Fill the muffin tins until they are full all the way up to the top. Press a handful of the crumb topping into the top of each; crumble it with your hands to make some big chunks.

Bake for 5 minutes at 425F degrees, then keeping the muffins in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350F degrees and bake for 15-19 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the glaze: whisk all of the ingredients together and drizzle over warm muffins. Muffins stay soft, fresh, and moist at room temperature for up to 5 days. Unglazed muffins freeze well, up to 3 months.

Additional Notes:

*Use your favorite yogurt; I prefer low fat plain Greek yogurt but regular (not Greek) would be just fine. Try with apple flavored, vanilla, honey, nonfat, or full fat. Sour cream works as well.

*You may use chopped frozen peaches - do not thaw.

TORTILLA PIZZA

About a year ago, my daughter and I were sitting around, talking. We both were hungry, but it was too hot to go out anywhere. Rummaging through the cupboard and fridge, she discovered a package of soft tortilla shells, jarred spaghetti sauce, and cheese. Voila! Pizza!

2 large soft tortilla shells

1 small jar spaghetti sauce

1 - 2 cups shredded cheese

Any veggies you might want to add, chopped up

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On a large pie pan or cookie sheet, place 1 tortilla shell. Cover with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce, and 1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Place second tortilla shell on top, add a little more spaghetti sauce for this layer, and the remainder of the cheese, as well as any veggies.

Bake at 350 for 7 - 10 minutes. Makes 4 servings for snacks, or 2 larger servings

Note: We covered the bottom of the pan with foil to make cleaning up easier.

HERBED CARROT SOUP

This came from the December 2005 issue of Runner's World, and was reprinted from HerbWise: Growing, Cooking WellBing, by Bruce Burnett.

2 pounds of carrots, chopped

1 large onion, diced

6 sprigs of fresh parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried

thyme, and 6 six black peppercorns, bundled together so that they can be easily removed after cooking

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 Tbs of butter

6 C of vegetable or chicken stock

Freshly grated mace or nutmeg

Salt & pepper to taste

Lightly sauté the onion & garlic in the butter. Add the stock & carrots & simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bundle of herbs & continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, allow the soup to cool, & put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup over low heat while adding the mace or nutmeg & salt & pepper to taste. Serve with some fresh, homemade bread & garnish with some fresh parsley & a little chopped fresh thyme.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total Time: 50 minutes; Prep: 30 minutes; Cook: 20 minutes; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/pasta-primavera-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Vegetables:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally

1 cup bite-size broccoli pieces

1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

2 tablespoons butter

4 ounces white mushrooms, washed and sliced

2 medium zucchini, sliced diagonally

1 medium summer squash, sliced diagonally

Sauce:

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup frozen peas

12 whole fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more for serving

1 pound pasta (fettuccini), cooked according to package directions and drained

Directions

For the vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook, about 1 minute. Then add the broccoli and cook, about 1 additional minute. Add the red peppers and cook, about 1 minute. Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside.

To the skillet, add the butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and allow it to heat up. Add the mushrooms, zucchini and squash and cook until the vegetables are starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet, add to the other vegetables and set aside.

For the sauce: Add the garlic and onions to the skillet and cook until starting to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.

Next, pour in the chicken broth and wine and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the flavorful bits. Cook the liquid for 3 to 4 minutes, allowing it to reduce by about half. Stir in the cream and Parmesan and allow the cheese to melt. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Add all the vegetables to the sauce along with the peas and basil. Stir to combine. If the sauce needs a little more liquid, splash a small amount of broth as needed. Place the cooked pasta in a large serving bowl and pour all the contents of the skillet over the pasta. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with extra basil and serve with extra Parmesan.

”BETTER THAN THE DELI” MACARONI SALAD

This is also from Kathy Kingsley, About.com's American Food guide, who writes, “Take your time, and use your sharpest knife to get a nice fine dice on the veggies in this classic pasta salad. When made right, this is a macaroni salad where every forkful bursts with flavor.” Serves 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed in cold water, and drained well

1 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup sweet pickle relish

1/4 finely grated carrot

2 tablespoons finely diced roasted red pepper or pimento

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preparation:

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and add the drained pasta. Toss to combine thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Tuesday Recipes

Another day, another six yummy recipes. Enjoy!

GRILLED PEACHES WITH MAPLE HONEY MARSCAPONE CHEESE

One of the email newsletters that I receive is from Delish. They find recipes from a variety of places; this comes from Joyful Healthy Eats. It starts off, “A sweet healthy dessert that will leave you feeling satisfied and guilt free, fresh Grilled Peaches with a Maple Honey Mascarpone Cheese topping!”Prep time: 3 mins; Cook time: 3 mins; Total time: 6 mins; Serves: 12 peach halves

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 peaches, halved

canola oil

1/2 cup of almond slices {as garnish}

Maple Honey Mascarpone Cheese:

8 oz. of mascarpone cheese

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1 tablespoon of honey

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together mascarpone, maple syrup, honey, and vanilla extract until combined. Set aside.

Heat grill to medium high heat.

Brush peaches with canola oil.

Place flesh side of peaches on grill.

Grill for 2-3 minutes on flesh side. Remove from grill.

Serve peaches with a tablespoon of mascarpone and a tablespoon of almond slices.

BROCCOLI AND BOW TIES

This comes from Ina Garten, The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. Total Time: 23 min; Prep: 15 min; Cook: 8 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/broccoli-and-bow-ties-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Kosher salt

8 cups broccoli florets (4 heads)

1/2 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 lemon, zested

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts

Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In the same water, cook the bow-tie pasta according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.

Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with the pignolis and cheese, if using, and serve.

To toast pignolis, place them in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat and cook, tossing often, for about 5 minutes, until light brown.

OATMEAL COOKIE PEACH COBBLER

This also comes from Delish's newsletter, and originally from Spicy Southern Kitchen. It starts off, “A delicious peach cobbler with a topping that tastes like an oatmeal cookie.” YUM! Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Topping

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling

6 cups sliced, peeled peaches

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter in the mixing bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-speed until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and egg and beat well.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Add to sugar mixture beating on low-speed until blended. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Combine all ingredients for filling in a medium bowl.

Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and pour peach mixture into pan.

Drop spoonfuls of topping over peaches to completely cover peaches. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until light brown and bubbly.

SAVORY VEGETABLES

This comes from FamilyTime. It starts off, “You won't believe how the wholesome flavor of fresh vegetables is enhanced by cooking them in chicken broth instead of water...and you've got a delicious side dish in just 15 minutes.” Serves: 4 servings (about 3/4 cup each); Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic)

3 cups cut-up fresh vegetables, (broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, sliced carrots and sliced celery)

Directions

Heat the broth and vegetables in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Drain the vegetables.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with roasted chicken breasts and white beans simmered with olive oil and sage. For dessert sesrve fruit kabobs with yogurt and/or light whipped topping.

Note: You can use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth and serve it with any form of vegetarian dinner.

SWEET POTATO RISOTTO WITH PECANS

While many of us think of sweet potatoes as only an autumn food, I could eat it at any time. This yummy recipe comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. She write, "This is a fabulous combination, and you'll want to make this dish again and again. Serve as a side dish or serve as a main dish or lunch with a chopped salad and crusty bread." Cook time: 30 minutes; serves 3 to 4.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 medium sweet potato, cut in small dice, about 8 ounces or 2 cups

1/3 cup chopped pecans

2 to 3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup Arborio rice (about 6 to 7 ounces)

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion tops or fresh parsley

Preparation:

Heat 3 cups of vegetable broth to the boiling point; reduce heat to the lowest setting to keep hot. In a medium saucepan, melt butter; add minced shallot and pecans; cook until shallot is tender. Add rice and cook, stirring, until well blended. Stir in sweet potato. Stir about 3/4 cup of the hot broth into the rice mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding liquid, about 1/4 to 1/3 cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice and sweet potato are tender (not overly soft). The texture should be creamy a little loose. This will take about 25 minutes and about 2 to 3 cups of broth. Stir in Parmesan cheese and green onion or parsley, then taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

CHICKEN CASSOULET

Yield: 6 servings

Source: The Other Diabetes: Living and Eating Well with Type 2 Diabetes

Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/32.shtml

Notes: Chicken and beans are flavored with a small amount of sausage in this easy version of a classic dish. But this lighter cassoulet contains just a fraction of the calories and saturated fat that you'd would find in a French country kitchen.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 large yellow onions, chopped

2 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage

3 medium carrots, cut into chunks

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips

1 (15 1/2 ounce) can great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, defatted

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add the chicken, onions, and sausage, and cook until the chicken and sausage are brown on both sides. Break up the sausage into small pieces. Add the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil.

Bake, covered, for 1 hour. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:Calories: 290, Protein: 26 g, Fat: 7 g, Carbohydrate: 25 g, Sodium: 205, Potassium: 746, Fiber: 6 g Exchanges: 4 Vegetable, 2-1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Fat