Finally: Thursday, and I'm posting before noon! Here are today's recipes. Enjoy!
LEMON CAESAR SALAD
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
Source: Manitoba Canola Growers Association
Photo & Print Version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1213.shtml
Ingredients
1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and trimmed, cut into bite size pieces
1-1/2 cups grape tomatoes
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (2 oz) can anchovies
1 cup canola oil
4 thick slices whole grain bread, cut into cubes
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
dash of pepper
1 Tbsp Italian parsley, very finely chopped
Directions
In a large salad bowl, prepare lettuce and toss with tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the dressing.
Combine lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, lemon zest, freshly ground pepper and Parmesan cheese in a food processor. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds. With processor running, add canola oil in a fine stream and continue to blend until smooth.
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Toss bread with canola oil, Parmesan cheese, pepper and Italian parsley. Spread on lightly greased baking sheet and bake about 20 minutes, until croutons are golden.
Pour desired amount of dressing over salad, add croutons and toss lightly. Top the salad with additional Parmesan cheese shavings. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 490 ; Protein: 9 g; Fat: 46 g ; Sodium: 570 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Saturated Fat: 4.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g
CHOCOLATE FILLED CAKE ROLL
Servings: 4 (1/2 cup)
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/118.shtml
Ingredients
Cake:
5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 packets of Sweet'n Low
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
Filling:
2 cups skim milk
1 package sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix
Topping:
2 teaspoons sugar-free cocoa mix
Directions
Preheat oven to 400F.
Grease and line the bottom of a 10x15" jelly roll pan with waxed paper.
Beat eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy.
Sprinkle sugar, Sweet'n Low and vanilla over eggs; continue beating for 2 minutes.
Sift flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.
Sprinkle half the mixture over batter; fold in with spatula.
Repeat with remaining flour mixture.
Spread batter evenly in pan.
Bake on center rack in oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched.
Arrange a towel on work surface and cover with aluminum foil.
Loosen edges of cake; unmold on foil.
Roll cake jelly roll style, using towel as a guide.
Leave cake rolled until it cools into jelly roll shape.
To make filling, blend milk with pudding mix according to package directions.
Refrigerate pudding until it thickens.
Unroll cake, spread evenly with pudding, and reroll.
Lightly sprinkle sugar-free cocoa over the top to decorate.
Cut into 1" slices and serve.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 122; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 197 mg; Cholesterol: 92 mg; Carbohydrates: 21 g; Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 1/2 Skim Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1 Starch
BLACK BEAN AND CHORIZO SOUP
This hearty Black bean soup will warm you up on a cold day.
Yield: 10 servings. 1/2 cup per serving.
Photo/Print: http://diabeticgourment.com/recipes/html/1204.shtml
Ingredients
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 onion, cubed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tomato, deseeded and chopped
1 ancho chile, seeded, soaked in hot water
1 pasilla pepper, seeded, soaked in hot water
1 (19 oz) can black beans
1 bouquet garni (1 Tbsp each dried cilantro, oregano, marjoram wrapped in cheesecloth)*
1 lime, halved
4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp mezcal or tequila
Salt to taste
6 Tbsp chorizo, fried and crumbled
6 Tbsp low-fat buttermilk
* Bouquet garni is a bundle of herbs used to prepare soup, stock and various stews. The bouquet is boiled with other ingredients, but removed prior to consumption. To make the bouquet, use 1 Tbsp each of dried cilantro, oregano and marjoram and place in cheesecloth to form a bundle.
Directions
In deep pan or pot, heat canola oil at high heat and add onion. Saute until brown and add garlic. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in tomatoes and peppers. Cook 15 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Combine black beans, bouquet garni, limes and broth with mixture. Cook 5 minutes. Add mezcal or tequila, salt and discard lime halves and herbs. Cook 10 minutes. Blend and season to taste.
Garnish with buttermilk and chorizo.
Tip: If too thick, add more broth
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 180; Protein: 10 g; Fat: 7 g ; Sodium: 310 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g
LEMON BASIL PESTO WITH FRESH VEGETABLES
Yield: Makes 8 servings.
View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/914.shtml
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups packed basil leaves
1/2 cup packed baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Asiago cheese
2 Tbsp. soft silken tofu
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4" strips
1 pint small cherry tomatoes
Directions
In food processor, pulse basil and spinach until finely chopped. Add nuts and cheese. Whirl until nuts are finely chopped. Add tofu, salt and pepper. With motor running, drizzle in oil. Add lemon zest and whirl to blend. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Makes 1 cup pesto.
To serve, scoop pesto into serving bowl. Set bowl in center of a plate and arrange pepper strips and tomatoes around it. Provide toothpicks so tomatoes can be neatly dipped.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 140; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 12 g; Sodium: 180 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 4 g
TART CHERRY PIE
This comes from Diabetic Connect, and starts off, "Tart cherries in a sweet, creamy filling make this a pie that's sure to please."
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 (16 ounce) cans pitted tart cherries (in water - no syrup)
1 large box cook & serve sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1 small box sugar-free cherry gelatin
Sugar substitute to equal 4 teaspoon sugar
1 baked 9-inch almond flour pie crust (recipe below)
1 1/4 cups almond flour
3 packets of Splenda
4 tablespoons softened butter
Directions
Drain cherries, reserving juice. Set cherries aside.
In a saucepan, combine cherry juice and dry pudding mix. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin powder and sweetener until dissolved. Stir in the cherries; transfer to pie shell. Cool completely. Store in refrigerator.
Pie Crust: Combine almond flour, splenda, and butter to form a pastry dough. Evenly spread dough in pie tin and bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes until browned.
Nutritional Facts: Servings: 8; Calories 176; Sodium 293 mg; Cholesterol 0; Carbohydrate 24 gm; Protein 3 gm; Fat 8 gm; Diabetic Exchange1 starch; 1/2 fruit
BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MINI MUFFINS
Yield: 48 servings
Print Version & Photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/788.shtml
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup light butter, softened
1/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend
1/3 cup packed Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 large egg
1 (12 ounce) package Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 48 mini-muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; set aside.
Combine butter, Splenda Sugar Blend, Splenda Brown Sugar Blend and vanilla in large bowl; beat at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Beat in bananas and egg.
Gradually mix in flour mixture; stir in morsels. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pan, filling cups 2/3 full.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack. Remove muffins from pans to wire rack to cool completely.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 90; Calories from Fat: 35; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 3.5 g; Sodium: 55 mg; Cholesterol: 10 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 8 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Wednesday Recipes
Wow, three days in a row...all after noon. I really need to get back to posting this before noon. (At least I'm posting, right?) Eventually, I will get back on track. In the meantime, here are today's recipes. Enjoy!
THREE-BEAN SOUP
This is one of my favorite quick meals that I usually only fix on weekends, especially if it happens to be cold and/or rainy. But I have been known to cook up a batch of it if I'm tired and/or in the mood for a quick, easy meal. It has become one of my favorite comfort-foods. It’s from the November/December 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37, in that issue’s “30 Minutes; Quick, Fast Food” section. This vegan recipe serves 6, and starts off, “Here’s a straight-from-the-pantry soup that’ll become a weeknight favorite. (Or, in my case, weekend favorite.) Pureeing one of the cans of beans creates a creamy base without adding extra fat or cholesterol. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and serve with vegetable chips, if desired.”
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 15.5-oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
1 15.5-oz. can great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add navy beans, black beans and garlic, and continue cooking and stirring 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in 1 cup broth.
Meanwhile, put great Northern beans and remaining 1 cup broth into food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. Pour puree into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth or water, if desired.
Spoon into individual soup bowls, and serve hot.
Per serving: 231 calories; 13 g protein; 5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat); 39 g carbs; 0 mg cholesterol; 557 mg sodium; 11 g fiber; 5 g sugars
ONE-POT PASTA PRIMAVERA
Another goodie from Vegetarian Times, this time, from page 74 of the June 2011 issue. It starts off, "This easy recipe lends itself to endless variations. In place of fresh basil, try 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley, 2 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 Tbs. finely minced fresh rosemary or oregano." Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
8 oz. fusilli pasta
2 small yellow squash, halved and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. small broccoli florets (3 cups)
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
8 green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan-style cheese for garnish, optional
Combine oil, garlic, and lemon zest in small bowl. Set aside.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions. Add squash and bell pepper 4 minutes before end of cooking time. Add broccoli 3 minutes before end of cooking time. Drain pasta and vegetables, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
Return pasta mixture to pot, and stir in tomatoes, green onions, basil, oil mixture, and reserved cooking water. Heat over medium-low heat until tomatoes are hot. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
nutritional information Per 2-cup serving: Calories: 346; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 112 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g
CURRY CHICKEN
I can almost hear the sigh of relief from non-vegetarians, who might have been thinking, "Wait, today's Wednesday, not Monday! What's with the vegetarian food?" So, for those who aren't vegetarian, here ya go. I'm not sure what emailing list I got this one from; maybe About.com? But when I saved it, it was without info.
The recipe starts off, "Curry chicken is a nice recipe for busy weeknights, with chicken breasts, onion, potatoes and carrots all cooked together in one dish. Feel free to use chicken thighs instead of breasts, and to replace the curry paste with 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons curry powder if needed." Serves 2 - 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
3/4 - 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks about 1 1/2 inches
2 potatoes, peeled, chopped into chunks
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
10 baby carrots, washed, drained, cut in half
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
2 tablespoons curry paste (traditional Indian yellow curry paste is best)
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
Ground coriander, optional
Preparation:
Heat a wok or deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the heated wok. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Stir-fry1 until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the curry paste and stir-fry until fragrant. (If using curry powder instead, add a small amount of water to form a paste).
Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 5 minutes so that the chicken is browned and coated with the curry paste.
Add the carrots and potatoes. Stir for a minute and add the chicken broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked.
MACARONI AND CHEESE
From another long-forgotten emailing list. Prep Time 5 minutes; Cooking Time 8 minutes; Serves 4
Ingredients
3/4 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
a few dashes Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the macaroni until just done, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot.
Put the pot over the lowest possible heat and add the butter, cheese, mustard, Tabasco sauce if using, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese melts, and serve.
BEEF STEW
I tend to be a vegetarian for a variety of reasons. But I wasn't always a vegetarian; I do have fond memories of family gatherings where meat was served. This is one of my creations from years ago when the stew recipes that I'd run across seemed too bland. Granted, this one isn't spicy; for that, I go for spaghetti or chili. This is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. If you have a Kindle or other ereader that handles Kindle stuff, check it out.
2-3 lbs. stewing beef
3 T oil
1 C flour
2 C water
1 onion, chopped
8 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
1 T soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
4 carrots, cut up
1 large potato, peeled & cut up
4 T vinegar
3 T honey
salt & pepper
Cut beef into bite-sized pieces. Trim fat & dredge in flour & brown in oil. Add everything except carrots & potato. Cook 15 minutes. Add carrots & cook 15 more minutes. Add potato & cook 30 minutes. Add water as needed. Serve over noodles.
POTATO SOUP
From yet another emailing list, long forgotten. This one starts off, "This creamy potato soup needs a crispy salad and crusty bread and voila! You have a meal." Prep Time 45 minutes; Cooking Time 25 minutes; Serves 6
Ingredients
6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if you want to keep it vegetarian)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 large yellow onions
6 leeks, well washed, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream (this and the butter can be switched for vegetarian options, if so desired)
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a large saucepan; add the salt. Add the potatoes, onions and leeks; cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes into the broth until it becomes a coarse-textured soup. Add the oregano, parsley, heavy cream and butter; simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
THREE-BEAN SOUP
This is one of my favorite quick meals that I usually only fix on weekends, especially if it happens to be cold and/or rainy. But I have been known to cook up a batch of it if I'm tired and/or in the mood for a quick, easy meal. It has become one of my favorite comfort-foods. It’s from the November/December 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37, in that issue’s “30 Minutes; Quick, Fast Food” section. This vegan recipe serves 6, and starts off, “Here’s a straight-from-the-pantry soup that’ll become a weeknight favorite. (Or, in my case, weekend favorite.) Pureeing one of the cans of beans creates a creamy base without adding extra fat or cholesterol. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and serve with vegetable chips, if desired.”
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 15.5-oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
1 15.5-oz. can great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add navy beans, black beans and garlic, and continue cooking and stirring 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in 1 cup broth.
Meanwhile, put great Northern beans and remaining 1 cup broth into food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. Pour puree into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth or water, if desired.
Spoon into individual soup bowls, and serve hot.
Per serving: 231 calories; 13 g protein; 5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat); 39 g carbs; 0 mg cholesterol; 557 mg sodium; 11 g fiber; 5 g sugars
ONE-POT PASTA PRIMAVERA
Another goodie from Vegetarian Times, this time, from page 74 of the June 2011 issue. It starts off, "This easy recipe lends itself to endless variations. In place of fresh basil, try 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley, 2 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 Tbs. finely minced fresh rosemary or oregano." Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
8 oz. fusilli pasta
2 small yellow squash, halved and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. small broccoli florets (3 cups)
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
8 green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan-style cheese for garnish, optional
Combine oil, garlic, and lemon zest in small bowl. Set aside.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions. Add squash and bell pepper 4 minutes before end of cooking time. Add broccoli 3 minutes before end of cooking time. Drain pasta and vegetables, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
Return pasta mixture to pot, and stir in tomatoes, green onions, basil, oil mixture, and reserved cooking water. Heat over medium-low heat until tomatoes are hot. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
nutritional information Per 2-cup serving: Calories: 346; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 112 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g
CURRY CHICKEN
I can almost hear the sigh of relief from non-vegetarians, who might have been thinking, "Wait, today's Wednesday, not Monday! What's with the vegetarian food?" So, for those who aren't vegetarian, here ya go. I'm not sure what emailing list I got this one from; maybe About.com? But when I saved it, it was without info.
The recipe starts off, "Curry chicken is a nice recipe for busy weeknights, with chicken breasts, onion, potatoes and carrots all cooked together in one dish. Feel free to use chicken thighs instead of breasts, and to replace the curry paste with 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons curry powder if needed." Serves 2 - 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
3/4 - 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks about 1 1/2 inches
2 potatoes, peeled, chopped into chunks
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
10 baby carrots, washed, drained, cut in half
2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying
2 tablespoons curry paste (traditional Indian yellow curry paste is best)
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
Ground coriander, optional
Preparation:
Heat a wok or deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the heated wok. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Stir-fry1 until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the curry paste and stir-fry until fragrant. (If using curry powder instead, add a small amount of water to form a paste).
Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 5 minutes so that the chicken is browned and coated with the curry paste.
Add the carrots and potatoes. Stir for a minute and add the chicken broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked.
MACARONI AND CHEESE
From another long-forgotten emailing list. Prep Time 5 minutes; Cooking Time 8 minutes; Serves 4
Ingredients
3/4 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
a few dashes Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the macaroni until just done, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot.
Put the pot over the lowest possible heat and add the butter, cheese, mustard, Tabasco sauce if using, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese melts, and serve.
BEEF STEW
I tend to be a vegetarian for a variety of reasons. But I wasn't always a vegetarian; I do have fond memories of family gatherings where meat was served. This is one of my creations from years ago when the stew recipes that I'd run across seemed too bland. Granted, this one isn't spicy; for that, I go for spaghetti or chili. This is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. If you have a Kindle or other ereader that handles Kindle stuff, check it out.
2-3 lbs. stewing beef
3 T oil
1 C flour
2 C water
1 onion, chopped
8 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
1 T soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
4 carrots, cut up
1 large potato, peeled & cut up
4 T vinegar
3 T honey
salt & pepper
Cut beef into bite-sized pieces. Trim fat & dredge in flour & brown in oil. Add everything except carrots & potato. Cook 15 minutes. Add carrots & cook 15 more minutes. Add potato & cook 30 minutes. Add water as needed. Serve over noodles.
POTATO SOUP
From yet another emailing list, long forgotten. This one starts off, "This creamy potato soup needs a crispy salad and crusty bread and voila! You have a meal." Prep Time 45 minutes; Cooking Time 25 minutes; Serves 6
Ingredients
6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if you want to keep it vegetarian)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 large yellow onions
6 leeks, well washed, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream (this and the butter can be switched for vegetarian options, if so desired)
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a large saucepan; add the salt. Add the potatoes, onions and leeks; cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes into the broth until it becomes a coarse-textured soup. Add the oregano, parsley, heavy cream and butter; simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Week Day Food
Wow, late again. Such is life. Meanwhile, here are today's offerings. Enjoy!
BEST TOMATO SOUP EVER
This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total Time: 40 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/best-tomato-soup-ever.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 medium white or yellow onion
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
One 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice
3 to 6 tablespoons sugar
1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sherry, optional
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
To begin, dice the onion. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the onion and cook until translucent.
Now dump in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the tomato juice.
Next - and this is important - in order to combat the acidity of the tomatoes add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar. Now, you'll want to start on the low side, then taste and add more as needed. Some tomatoes and juice have more of an acidic bite than others. (For what it's worth, and I realize it's not worth much, I use 6 tablespoons of sugar.)
Next, add 1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base to the pot. I added 3, and it wound up being a little too much.
Now you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil. Then turn off the heat.
Add in the sherry if desired. Stir in the cream. Add the basil and parsley and stir.
Serve the soup warm!
TWICE BAKED POTATOES
Prep Time: 10 Minutes - Cost: $ Servings: 4 - Difficulty Level: 2
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/175.shtml
Ingredients
4 Medium potatoes, baked
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 tbsp onion, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika
Dried Parsley Flakes
Directions
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out potatoes, leaving skins intact for restuffing.
With wire whisk, beat potatoes with cottage cheese, milk, and onion. Spoon mixture back into skins.
Sprinkle with paprika flakes and black pepper.
Bake for 10 minutes until just golden.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 73; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 316 mg; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Exchanges: 1 Bread
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.
TROPICAL CARROT CAKE WITH COCONUT CREAM CHEESE ICING
This comes from Carroll Pellegrinelli, About.com's Desserts/Baking expert. She writes, "I grew-up eating this cake. It's so sinful, and yet, filled with good things for you. I've had house guests request Tropical Carrot Cake for breakfast. I think this carrot cake recipe is by far the best you'll ever have." Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 90 minutes
Ingredients
The Cake Recipe:
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots
1-1/3 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs, slighly beaten
1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans
1 - 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
The Frosting Recipe:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 - 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1 - 16 ounce box powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans
1 cup flaked coconut
Preparation
The Cake Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two bread loaf pans. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add carrots, oil and eggs. Beat well, until mixed. Add other ingredients and stir. Put into baking pans. Bake for 1 hour or until done. Completely cool cakes before frosting.
The Frosting:
Combine butter and cream cheese; cream until light and fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in pecans and coconut. Spread on each cake. Store cakes in the refrigerator.
Note: This cake freezes beautifully. Place on foil covered baking sheet. Freeze until hard. Remove from freezer and wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. Return to freezer. Unwrap totally and then defrost cake.
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake! For the longest time, several members of my family wanted this for their birthday cakes. It can be found at my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding
Grease & flour 2 9" pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may & water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased & floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Place ingredients in bowl & cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
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.
BEST TOMATO SOUP EVER
This comes from Ree Drummond of The Food Network's The Pioneer Woman. Total Time: 40 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 15 min; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/best-tomato-soup-ever.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 medium white or yellow onion
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
One 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice
3 to 6 tablespoons sugar
1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sherry, optional
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
To begin, dice the onion. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the onion and cook until translucent.
Now dump in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the tomato juice.
Next - and this is important - in order to combat the acidity of the tomatoes add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar. Now, you'll want to start on the low side, then taste and add more as needed. Some tomatoes and juice have more of an acidic bite than others. (For what it's worth, and I realize it's not worth much, I use 6 tablespoons of sugar.)
Next, add 1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base to the pot. I added 3, and it wound up being a little too much.
Now you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil. Then turn off the heat.
Add in the sherry if desired. Stir in the cream. Add the basil and parsley and stir.
Serve the soup warm!
TWICE BAKED POTATOES
Prep Time: 10 Minutes - Cost: $ Servings: 4 - Difficulty Level: 2
Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/175.shtml
Ingredients
4 Medium potatoes, baked
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 tbsp onion, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika
Dried Parsley Flakes
Directions
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out potatoes, leaving skins intact for restuffing.
With wire whisk, beat potatoes with cottage cheese, milk, and onion. Spoon mixture back into skins.
Sprinkle with paprika flakes and black pepper.
Bake for 10 minutes until just golden.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 73; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 316 mg; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Exchanges: 1 Bread
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.
TROPICAL CARROT CAKE WITH COCONUT CREAM CHEESE ICING
This comes from Carroll Pellegrinelli, About.com's Desserts/Baking expert. She writes, "I grew-up eating this cake. It's so sinful, and yet, filled with good things for you. I've had house guests request Tropical Carrot Cake for breakfast. I think this carrot cake recipe is by far the best you'll ever have." Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 90 minutes
Ingredients
The Cake Recipe:
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots
1-1/3 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs, slighly beaten
1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans
1 - 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
The Frosting Recipe:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 - 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1 - 16 ounce box powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans
1 cup flaked coconut
Preparation
The Cake Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two bread loaf pans. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add carrots, oil and eggs. Beat well, until mixed. Add other ingredients and stir. Put into baking pans. Bake for 1 hour or until done. Completely cool cakes before frosting.
The Frosting:
Combine butter and cream cheese; cream until light and fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in pecans and coconut. Spread on each cake. Store cakes in the refrigerator.
Note: This cake freezes beautifully. Place on foil covered baking sheet. Freeze until hard. Remove from freezer and wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. Return to freezer. Unwrap totally and then defrost cake.
ROCKY ROAD CAKE
I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake! For the longest time, several members of my family wanted this for their birthday cakes. It can be found at my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
1 C chopped nuts
4 eggs
1 C raisins
1 C mayonnaise
1 C mini-marshmallows
1 C water
6 oz. package of chocolate
1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding
Grease & flour 2 9" pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may & water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased & floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.
Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box confectioners sugar
Place ingredients in bowl & cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!
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.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Meatless Monday
Monday...For those who celebrate Easter, hope yours' was good. If you're celebrating Passover, peace. (Actually, peace is probably a good thing to wish everyone; Lord knows it seems to be in short supply.)
As usual, today's recipes fit in with Meatless Monday. Enjoy!
PESTO PASTA WITH LEMON, SPINACH, EDAMAME & TOASTED ALMONDS
This comes from TheKitchn, one of my favorite emailed newsletters. If you haven't checked it out (or its brother site, Apartment Therapy, you should.) This recipe serves 4 to 6 and can be viewed online here. Also, check this out for making pesto.
8 ounces spaghetti
1/2 cup pesto
8 ounces spinach
2 cups edamame (shelled and shucked, the peas, not entire pods)
juice from 2 lemons (plus fresh lemon wedges for serving)
3/4 cup almonds, crushed and lightly toasted
Heat a large pot of water to boiling, cook pasta until al dente. Remove from water, strain and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, stir pasta, pesto and spinach until combined (some spinach will wilt, some will stay firm — this is a nice contrast of textures). Finally, stir in the edamame and squirt the lemon all over the finished dish. Reserve a few lemon slices for people to add more if they like. On a low heat, toast crushed almonds until just fragrant. Garnish pasta with the toasted almonds
CARROT RIBBON FETTUCCINE
This is also from TheKitchn, and can be viewed online here. Serves 4
4-5 medium sized carrots
8 ounces fettuccine pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon (with zest removed for garnish)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan (plus a little more for garnish)
1 sprig of fresh basil (for garnish)
Coarse sea salt
Peel the carrot skin and discard. Then, working from top to bottom, peel thin ribbons from the carrots. Spin the carrot as you go to get similar width strips (the remaining cores can be used for a salad later).
Cook and drain the pasta.
In a large skillet, sautee´ the carrot ribbons with 2T olive oil and a pinch of salt until they become just slightly limp (about 3 minutes on medium heat). Turn the heat to low and add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Add the juice from 1 lemon, 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4c shaved parmesan. Toss to combine, then plate.
Garnish each plate of pasta with a pinch each of: lemon zest, coarse salt, basil and parmesan. Enjoy!
CLASSIC WALDORF SALAD
This comes from the April/May 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It starts off, "Created in the 1890s at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City, and noted in Cole Porter’s 1934 tune “You’re the Top,” Waldorf Salad was once the be-all and end-all of culinary elegance." Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Salad
3/4 cup broken walnut piece
4 10-inch celery stalks, cut into 3/8-inch dice (2 cups)
2 red-skinned apples, cored and cut into ½-inch dice (3 cups)
1 cup halved red grapes
12 Boston lettuce leaves
Dressing
1/2 cup light or vegan mayonnaise
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. honey or agave nectar
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
To make Salad: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts on baking sheet, and toast 8 to 10 minutes, or until light brown and fragrant. Cool.
Combine celery, apples, grapes, and toasted walnuts in large bowl.
To make Dressing: Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, and parsley in bowl. Toss with Salad. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To serve, arrange 2 lettuce leaves on each plate. Top each with 1 cup Salad.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 188; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 176 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 12 g; Gluten-Free
BLACK BEAN AND CHILE POSOLE
This also comes from Vegetarian Times (March 2014 issue, page 69), and starts off, "The garnishes for this hearty Mexican stew make for a fun meal that lets everyone at the table customize their serving according to taste. STORE/SERVE: Ladle cooled posole into two 2-quart containers, and refrigerate three days or freeze up to three months. Thaw, if necessary, then warm in saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Serve with garnishes." This recipe, which serves 8, can be viewed online here.
Posole
2 4- to 5-inch dried pasilla chiles
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts cut into 2-inch chunks
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 15-oz. cans white hominy, rinsed and drained
2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
Garnishes (optional)
4 cups plain tortilla chips
2 small avocados, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, chopped
2 limes, sliced into wedges
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
hot sauce
To make Posole: Place pasilla chiles in large bowl, and cover with 3 cups boiling water. Let soak 15 minutes, or until softened. Drain chiles, and reserve liquid. Pull open chiles, and gently scrape out and discard seeds. Purée chiles in food processor with 1/4 cup reserved soaking liquid. (Press purée through sieve if bits of skin remain, and discard solids.) Stir chile purée into remaining soaking liquid.
Halve leek chunks, and thinly slice into matchsticks.
Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add leeks, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano, and sauté 1 minute. Add hominy, black beans, tomatoes with juice, chile liquid, and 6 cups water; cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes.
Place Garnishes (if using) in bowls; pass around table when ready to serve.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving (without garnishes): Calories: 176; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 588 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan
LEMONY MINTED ASPARAGUS WITH SAFFRON RICE
From April/May 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 30. It begins, "With fresh mint and lemon zest accenting asparagus spears, this stir-fry captures the brightness of spring. If you can’t find toasted sliced almonds, toast your own for 3 to 5 minutes in a 300°F oven." Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 1/2 cups white rice
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 pinch saffron threads
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
9 green onions, sliced into
1/4-inch lengths (2/3 cup)
1–2 small fresh red chiles, thinly sliced (1 Tbs.)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 lb. asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths (3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/4 cup sliced mint leaves
2 lemons, cut into wedges, for garnish
Combine rice and broth in large saucepan, and crumble in saffron threads. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat wok over high heat, until water droplets evaporate within 1 second. Add oil, swirl to coat pan, then add green onions, chiles, and garlic; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until onions turn bright green and soften. Add asparagus, and stir-fry 2 minutes more, or until asparagus is bright green and tender. Remove from heat, stir in almonds and mint, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Fluff rice, and spoon onto serving plate. Top with asparagus mixture. Garnish with lemon wedges.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 276; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g;Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 81 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free.
CRANBERRY PIE
This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking, which is for sale on Amazon.com. (To buy a copy of it for your Kindle or tablet, click here.) My dad sent this recipe in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.”
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Make as above.
As usual, today's recipes fit in with Meatless Monday. Enjoy!
PESTO PASTA WITH LEMON, SPINACH, EDAMAME & TOASTED ALMONDS
This comes from TheKitchn, one of my favorite emailed newsletters. If you haven't checked it out (or its brother site, Apartment Therapy, you should.) This recipe serves 4 to 6 and can be viewed online here. Also, check this out for making pesto.
8 ounces spaghetti
1/2 cup pesto
8 ounces spinach
2 cups edamame (shelled and shucked, the peas, not entire pods)
juice from 2 lemons (plus fresh lemon wedges for serving)
3/4 cup almonds, crushed and lightly toasted
Heat a large pot of water to boiling, cook pasta until al dente. Remove from water, strain and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, stir pasta, pesto and spinach until combined (some spinach will wilt, some will stay firm — this is a nice contrast of textures). Finally, stir in the edamame and squirt the lemon all over the finished dish. Reserve a few lemon slices for people to add more if they like. On a low heat, toast crushed almonds until just fragrant. Garnish pasta with the toasted almonds
CARROT RIBBON FETTUCCINE
This is also from TheKitchn, and can be viewed online here. Serves 4
4-5 medium sized carrots
8 ounces fettuccine pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon (with zest removed for garnish)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan (plus a little more for garnish)
1 sprig of fresh basil (for garnish)
Coarse sea salt
Peel the carrot skin and discard. Then, working from top to bottom, peel thin ribbons from the carrots. Spin the carrot as you go to get similar width strips (the remaining cores can be used for a salad later).
Cook and drain the pasta.
In a large skillet, sautee´ the carrot ribbons with 2T olive oil and a pinch of salt until they become just slightly limp (about 3 minutes on medium heat). Turn the heat to low and add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Add the juice from 1 lemon, 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4c shaved parmesan. Toss to combine, then plate.
Garnish each plate of pasta with a pinch each of: lemon zest, coarse salt, basil and parmesan. Enjoy!
CLASSIC WALDORF SALAD
This comes from the April/May 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It starts off, "Created in the 1890s at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City, and noted in Cole Porter’s 1934 tune “You’re the Top,” Waldorf Salad was once the be-all and end-all of culinary elegance." Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Salad
3/4 cup broken walnut piece
4 10-inch celery stalks, cut into 3/8-inch dice (2 cups)
2 red-skinned apples, cored and cut into ½-inch dice (3 cups)
1 cup halved red grapes
12 Boston lettuce leaves
Dressing
1/2 cup light or vegan mayonnaise
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. honey or agave nectar
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
To make Salad: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts on baking sheet, and toast 8 to 10 minutes, or until light brown and fragrant. Cool.
Combine celery, apples, grapes, and toasted walnuts in large bowl.
To make Dressing: Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, honey, and parsley in bowl. Toss with Salad. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
To serve, arrange 2 lettuce leaves on each plate. Top each with 1 cup Salad.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 188; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 18 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 176 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 12 g; Gluten-Free
BLACK BEAN AND CHILE POSOLE
This also comes from Vegetarian Times (March 2014 issue, page 69), and starts off, "The garnishes for this hearty Mexican stew make for a fun meal that lets everyone at the table customize their serving according to taste. STORE/SERVE: Ladle cooled posole into two 2-quart containers, and refrigerate three days or freeze up to three months. Thaw, if necessary, then warm in saucepan over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Serve with garnishes." This recipe, which serves 8, can be viewed online here.
Posole
2 4- to 5-inch dried pasilla chiles
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts cut into 2-inch chunks
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 15-oz. cans white hominy, rinsed and drained
2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
Garnishes (optional)
4 cups plain tortilla chips
2 small avocados, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, chopped
2 limes, sliced into wedges
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
hot sauce
To make Posole: Place pasilla chiles in large bowl, and cover with 3 cups boiling water. Let soak 15 minutes, or until softened. Drain chiles, and reserve liquid. Pull open chiles, and gently scrape out and discard seeds. Purée chiles in food processor with 1/4 cup reserved soaking liquid. (Press purée through sieve if bits of skin remain, and discard solids.) Stir chile purée into remaining soaking liquid.
Halve leek chunks, and thinly slice into matchsticks.
Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add leeks, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano, and sauté 1 minute. Add hominy, black beans, tomatoes with juice, chile liquid, and 6 cups water; cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes.
Place Garnishes (if using) in bowls; pass around table when ready to serve.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving (without garnishes): Calories: 176; Protein: 6 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 588 mg; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan
LEMONY MINTED ASPARAGUS WITH SAFFRON RICE
From April/May 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 30. It begins, "With fresh mint and lemon zest accenting asparagus spears, this stir-fry captures the brightness of spring. If you can’t find toasted sliced almonds, toast your own for 3 to 5 minutes in a 300°F oven." Serves 6 in 30 minutes or less.
This can be viewed online here.
1 1/2 cups white rice
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 pinch saffron threads
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
9 green onions, sliced into
1/4-inch lengths (2/3 cup)
1–2 small fresh red chiles, thinly sliced (1 Tbs.)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 lb. asparagus spears, cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths (3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/4 cup sliced mint leaves
2 lemons, cut into wedges, for garnish
Combine rice and broth in large saucepan, and crumble in saffron threads. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat wok over high heat, until water droplets evaporate within 1 second. Add oil, swirl to coat pan, then add green onions, chiles, and garlic; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until onions turn bright green and soften. Add asparagus, and stir-fry 2 minutes more, or until asparagus is bright green and tender. Remove from heat, stir in almonds and mint, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Fluff rice, and spoon onto serving plate. Top with asparagus mixture. Garnish with lemon wedges.
nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 276; Protein: 7 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 47 g;Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 81 mg; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free.
CRANBERRY PIE
This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking, which is for sale on Amazon.com. (To buy a copy of it for your Kindle or tablet, click here.) My dad sent this recipe in a letter dated “18 No 79”. He wrote, “Here is a recipe for a pie. 1st the way it was in the paper and the way I made it.”
2 T cornstarch
1 C sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T butter
2 C cranberries
Pie crust
Blend 1st four ingredients & cook in double boiler until thick. Add next 3 ingredients & cook 10 minutes. Put in pie shell & bake at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, covering pie with foil for the first 10-15 minutes. (Crust can be any kind you want, whether double crust or simply a bottom crust.)
VARIATION
2 Tbls cornstarch
3/4 C honey + 1/4 C molasses
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C hot water
1 C raisins
1 T margarine
1 1/2 C cranberries + 1 C canned cranberries (kind with berries in sauce)
Pie crust
Make as above.
Friday, April 3, 2015
Holiday Weekend Recipes
Today is Good Friday; Sunday is Easter. And for our friends and family members who are Jewish, Passover begins this evening. (Here's a link I found to give a little more background on Passover, for anyone who's interested.) So, while today's blog has recipes to serve over a holiday weekend, they can be served anytime. Enjoy!
Note: If you follow a religion/faith, I'm not ignoring you. There are so many ways to worship God/Allah/the Great Spirit. I'd love to hear from you and hear what you follow, what this means to you, and (since this is a food blog) some of the foods you might use when you're celebrating.
CHAROSET
This came from the link from today's intro. It starts off, "This fruit, nut and wine mix is eaten during the seder. It is meant to remind us of the mortar used by the Jews to build during the period of slavery. It should have a coarse texture. The ingredient quantities listed here are at best a rough estimate; I usually just eye-ball it. The recipe below makes a very large quantity, but we usually wind up making more before the holiday is over. Other fruits or nuts can be used."
4 medium apples, 2 tart and 2 sweet
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup sweet wine
1/4 cup dry wine
1 Tbs. cinnamon
Shred the apples. Add all other ingredients. Allow to sit for 3-6 hours, until the wine is absorbed by the other ingredients. Serve on matzah. Goes very well with horseradish.
HAM WITH COLA AND MAPLE GLAZE
This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. She writes, "This is an easy and delicious glaze to use on your holiday dinner ham." Serves 8 to 10.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 fully cooked ham, about 6 to 8 pounds
whole cloves, optional
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cola
1 tablespoon brown or Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation
Place ham, fat side up, on rack in a foil-lined roasting pan; score fat and stud with cloves, if desired. Cook at 325° for about 18 minutes per pound, until meat thermometer or instant read thermometer registers 148°. If your ham is labeled Ready to Cook, follow packaging directions. Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, cola, mustard, ginger, and cinnamon in saucepan; bring to a simmer and continue cooking over low heat for about 2 minutes. About 20 minutes before the ham is done, spoon about half of the glaze over top of ham, then about 10 minutes before done, spread remaining glaze over ham.
HONEY CUPCAKES (for PASSOVER)
This comes from Nichelle Stephens, About.com's Cupcake expert, who writes, "Honey cake is a Jewish traditional dessert that is often served at high holidays like Passover and Rosh Hashanah. I am not Jewish, but I had my first Seder meal at the Catholic elementary school that I attended in Alabama. Now that I have gotten your attention with the previous sentence, it is important as a food writer to sample foods from different cultures and countries. The cool thing about cupcakes is that you can be inspired to bake cupcakes from food all over the world. Honey cupcakes are a nice treat for both kids and adult that will be welcomed at Passover Seder dinner along family and friends. A Passover seder is a festive holiday meal. In some ways, it is somewhat similar to Thanksgiving where families gather, but there are prayers and a ritual that happens throughout the meal. These honey cupcakes are adapted from a Baked-Delicious.com recipe that originally had whole wheat flavor. For Passover, it is necessary to use unleavened bread like matzo for baking." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 18 cupcakes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
A pinch of salt
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup honey
1 lemon (only use the juice the zest)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325F. In a large bowl, sift the cake meal, flour, salt, spices and baking soda. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the honey and butter. Add in the lemon zest and juice and stir until well blended. Make a well in the center of the bowl that has the dry ingredients. Slowly add the honey mixture, stirring until it is well blended.
Beat the eggs and mil together in a measuring cup or small bowl. Then slowly beat into the batter. Use an ice cream scoop to pour the batter into baking cups. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center cupcake is well risen and springy.
Set the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
Make a honey syrup with 4 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons water and the grated zest of one lemon. Drizzle or brush honey syrup on top. For garnish you can add lemon zest and chopped almonds or peanuts on top. Honey cupcakes keep well and taste even better after two or three days.
VEGAN GINGERED CARROT SOUP
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, "Colorful and fragrant carrot and ginger soup is a light and soothing soup. Carrot soup with ginger is a nutritious and low fat soup recipe with just a touch of sweetness and a touch of spice." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh ginger, minced
4 cups chopped and peeled carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups orange juice
dash nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
In a large pot, sautee onions and ginger in olive oil until soft, about 3-5 minutes.Add carrots and vegetable broth and reduce heat to medium. Allow to simmer for about 40 minutes, or until carrots are soft.
Add orange juice and stir well.
Working in small batches and using a food processor or blender, process soup until smooth.
Return to pot or serving bowl and add nutmeg, salt and pepper, stirring well. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream if desired and enjoy!
HAM AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY
This comes from Ina Garten, The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. I know I'm a vegetarian, but Ina's food could make me almost start eating meat! Total Time: 50 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 25 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ham-and-cheese-in-puff-pastry-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.
Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.
EASTER BUNNY CAKE
This comes from The Food Network. I've never quite figured out what, exactly, rabbits have to do with Easter, but that's beside the point. Maybe because baby rabbits are born in spring, and Easter is in spring? Who knows.
Here's my short semi-rant: If you're buying things for children for Easter (or any holiday, for that matter), don't make it an animal, even rabbits. The only exception is if the parent (if you're not the parent) says it's okay, and/or it's an animal that's been approved by the parents. If it's a rescue animal, even better. But it's really best to wait until after the holidays.
This cake looks cute (a photo is on the link for the recipe), and takes 1 hour total time. Yields 12 to 14 servings; level: intermediate.
Read more (and view photo) at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/easter-bunny-cake-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Frosting:
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 cups confectioners' sugar
Pinch fine salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Bunny:
2 baked 9-inch round cake layers (your favorite recipe or a 18.25-ounce boxed cake mix)
1 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 store-bought biscotti
1 tube pink decorating icing
2 black jelly beans
2 marshmallows
1 white jelly bean, halved lengthwise
1 pink jelly bean
1 black licorice wheel, such as Haribo
Directions
For the frosting: Combine the butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand-held electric mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with milk until the frosting is easy to spread.
For the bunny: Spread a thin layer of frosting on the flat side of one cake layer, about 2/3 cup, and top with the flat side of the second cake layer. Measure 5 inches across the top of the cake and cut down through the layers, creating two layered pieces that are slightly different sizes.
Place the larger piece of cake, cut-side down, on a large platter or cake board. If using a rectangular cake board, place the larger piece so that the long edges are parallel with the long edges of the board. This is the body of the bunny. Cut the smaller piece of cake in half crosswise, so you have two layered wedges. Place one wedge in front of the body, with one flat side on the board and the other flat side against the body. The curved side will be on top. Take a serrated knife and round off the sharp edges on top of the head. Cut the tip off (the nose) at a 45-degree angle. Reserve all scraps in a bowl.
Separate the layers of the remaining wedge of cake. These will be the back legs. Round the sharp edges of the cake wedges with your knife, and add to the scrap bowl. Place one piece on each side of the bunny, with one flat side down and the other flat side facing forward (the round side towards the back of the bunny), about 1-inch from the end of the bunny's body.
Mix the cake scraps in the bowl with a fork until mashed, and then pack into a ball with your hands. Place the ball behind the bunny's body and adhere with a dab of frosting. This is the bunny's tail.
Frost the entire bunny, tail and all, using 2 to 3 cups of the frosting, keeping some definition with the bunny parts, and frosting more generously around any sharp edges to give a rounded look to the bunny parts. Sprinkle the bunny with the coconut to fully cover. Gently pat to adhere.
Insert the biscotti between the head and body, pressing into the cake to secure them. These are the ears. Place the base of the ears close together at the center of the head and angle them out. Frost the front of each biscotti with some frosting. Then, using the pink decorating icing, frost a smaller strip in the center of each biscotti, going down to where the ears meet the head but not going all the way to the top.
To make the face, press a black jelly bean into each side of the head for the eyes. Cut one of the marshmallows into 3 circles, discard the middle piece, and press the 2 end circles, cut-sides-in, into the front of the face for the bunny cheeks. Take the white jelly bean halves and push them into face below the cheeks, round-sides-out, for the teeth. Place the pink jelly bean above for the nose.
Unroll the licorice wheel and cut 2 pieces about 1 1/2 inches long each. For each piece, peel the strips apart halfway down, and then cut each separated strip in half lengthwise so you end up with a piece looking a bit like a broom. Repeat with the second piece of licorice. Tuck each piece, with a dab of frosting, behind a marshmallow cheek, with the cut ends facing out, for the whiskers.
Cut the second marshmallow in half lengthwise. Make 3 slits in each half, going about halfway through (these are the toes), and place in front of the legs for the bunny's feet. Adhere the bottom of the feet with icing if necessary.
Cook's Note:
Take 2 1/2 sheets of parchment paper and cut in half. Line the edges of your cake board with these parchment rectangles so that they form a rectangle of open space in the middle. Build your cake on the edges of these pieces of parchment. When you are finished you can slide them away along with any excess icing and coconut.
Make sure your cakes are completely cooled before you being to ice and cut them.
Note: If you follow a religion/faith, I'm not ignoring you. There are so many ways to worship God/Allah/the Great Spirit. I'd love to hear from you and hear what you follow, what this means to you, and (since this is a food blog) some of the foods you might use when you're celebrating.
CHAROSET
This came from the link from today's intro. It starts off, "This fruit, nut and wine mix is eaten during the seder. It is meant to remind us of the mortar used by the Jews to build during the period of slavery. It should have a coarse texture. The ingredient quantities listed here are at best a rough estimate; I usually just eye-ball it. The recipe below makes a very large quantity, but we usually wind up making more before the holiday is over. Other fruits or nuts can be used."
4 medium apples, 2 tart and 2 sweet
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup sweet wine
1/4 cup dry wine
1 Tbs. cinnamon
Shred the apples. Add all other ingredients. Allow to sit for 3-6 hours, until the wine is absorbed by the other ingredients. Serve on matzah. Goes very well with horseradish.
HAM WITH COLA AND MAPLE GLAZE
This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. She writes, "This is an easy and delicious glaze to use on your holiday dinner ham." Serves 8 to 10.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 fully cooked ham, about 6 to 8 pounds
whole cloves, optional
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cola
1 tablespoon brown or Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation
Place ham, fat side up, on rack in a foil-lined roasting pan; score fat and stud with cloves, if desired. Cook at 325° for about 18 minutes per pound, until meat thermometer or instant read thermometer registers 148°. If your ham is labeled Ready to Cook, follow packaging directions. Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, cola, mustard, ginger, and cinnamon in saucepan; bring to a simmer and continue cooking over low heat for about 2 minutes. About 20 minutes before the ham is done, spoon about half of the glaze over top of ham, then about 10 minutes before done, spread remaining glaze over ham.
HONEY CUPCAKES (for PASSOVER)
This comes from Nichelle Stephens, About.com's Cupcake expert, who writes, "Honey cake is a Jewish traditional dessert that is often served at high holidays like Passover and Rosh Hashanah. I am not Jewish, but I had my first Seder meal at the Catholic elementary school that I attended in Alabama. Now that I have gotten your attention with the previous sentence, it is important as a food writer to sample foods from different cultures and countries. The cool thing about cupcakes is that you can be inspired to bake cupcakes from food all over the world. Honey cupcakes are a nice treat for both kids and adult that will be welcomed at Passover Seder dinner along family and friends. A Passover seder is a festive holiday meal. In some ways, it is somewhat similar to Thanksgiving where families gather, but there are prayers and a ritual that happens throughout the meal. These honey cupcakes are adapted from a Baked-Delicious.com recipe that originally had whole wheat flavor. For Passover, it is necessary to use unleavened bread like matzo for baking." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 18 cupcakes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
A pinch of salt
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup honey
1 lemon (only use the juice the zest)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325F. In a large bowl, sift the cake meal, flour, salt, spices and baking soda. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the honey and butter. Add in the lemon zest and juice and stir until well blended. Make a well in the center of the bowl that has the dry ingredients. Slowly add the honey mixture, stirring until it is well blended.
Beat the eggs and mil together in a measuring cup or small bowl. Then slowly beat into the batter. Use an ice cream scoop to pour the batter into baking cups. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the center cupcake is well risen and springy.
Set the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
Make a honey syrup with 4 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons water and the grated zest of one lemon. Drizzle or brush honey syrup on top. For garnish you can add lemon zest and chopped almonds or peanuts on top. Honey cupcakes keep well and taste even better after two or three days.
VEGAN GINGERED CARROT SOUP
This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian Food expert. She writes, "Colorful and fragrant carrot and ginger soup is a light and soothing soup. Carrot soup with ginger is a nutritious and low fat soup recipe with just a touch of sweetness and a touch of spice." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh ginger, minced
4 cups chopped and peeled carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups orange juice
dash nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
In a large pot, sautee onions and ginger in olive oil until soft, about 3-5 minutes.Add carrots and vegetable broth and reduce heat to medium. Allow to simmer for about 40 minutes, or until carrots are soft.
Add orange juice and stir well.
Working in small batches and using a food processor or blender, process soup until smooth.
Return to pot or serving bowl and add nutmeg, salt and pepper, stirring well. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream if desired and enjoy!
HAM AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY
This comes from Ina Garten, The Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. I know I'm a vegetarian, but Ina's food could make me almost start eating meat! Total Time: 50 min; Prep: 25 min; Cook: 25 min; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ham-and-cheese-in-puff-pastry-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound black forest ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.
Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.
EASTER BUNNY CAKE
This comes from The Food Network. I've never quite figured out what, exactly, rabbits have to do with Easter, but that's beside the point. Maybe because baby rabbits are born in spring, and Easter is in spring? Who knows.
Here's my short semi-rant: If you're buying things for children for Easter (or any holiday, for that matter), don't make it an animal, even rabbits. The only exception is if the parent (if you're not the parent) says it's okay, and/or it's an animal that's been approved by the parents. If it's a rescue animal, even better. But it's really best to wait until after the holidays.
This cake looks cute (a photo is on the link for the recipe), and takes 1 hour total time. Yields 12 to 14 servings; level: intermediate.
Read more (and view photo) at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/easter-bunny-cake-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
Frosting:
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 cups confectioners' sugar
Pinch fine salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Bunny:
2 baked 9-inch round cake layers (your favorite recipe or a 18.25-ounce boxed cake mix)
1 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 store-bought biscotti
1 tube pink decorating icing
2 black jelly beans
2 marshmallows
1 white jelly bean, halved lengthwise
1 pink jelly bean
1 black licorice wheel, such as Haribo
Directions
For the frosting: Combine the butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand-held electric mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with milk until the frosting is easy to spread.
For the bunny: Spread a thin layer of frosting on the flat side of one cake layer, about 2/3 cup, and top with the flat side of the second cake layer. Measure 5 inches across the top of the cake and cut down through the layers, creating two layered pieces that are slightly different sizes.
Place the larger piece of cake, cut-side down, on a large platter or cake board. If using a rectangular cake board, place the larger piece so that the long edges are parallel with the long edges of the board. This is the body of the bunny. Cut the smaller piece of cake in half crosswise, so you have two layered wedges. Place one wedge in front of the body, with one flat side on the board and the other flat side against the body. The curved side will be on top. Take a serrated knife and round off the sharp edges on top of the head. Cut the tip off (the nose) at a 45-degree angle. Reserve all scraps in a bowl.
Separate the layers of the remaining wedge of cake. These will be the back legs. Round the sharp edges of the cake wedges with your knife, and add to the scrap bowl. Place one piece on each side of the bunny, with one flat side down and the other flat side facing forward (the round side towards the back of the bunny), about 1-inch from the end of the bunny's body.
Mix the cake scraps in the bowl with a fork until mashed, and then pack into a ball with your hands. Place the ball behind the bunny's body and adhere with a dab of frosting. This is the bunny's tail.
Frost the entire bunny, tail and all, using 2 to 3 cups of the frosting, keeping some definition with the bunny parts, and frosting more generously around any sharp edges to give a rounded look to the bunny parts. Sprinkle the bunny with the coconut to fully cover. Gently pat to adhere.
Insert the biscotti between the head and body, pressing into the cake to secure them. These are the ears. Place the base of the ears close together at the center of the head and angle them out. Frost the front of each biscotti with some frosting. Then, using the pink decorating icing, frost a smaller strip in the center of each biscotti, going down to where the ears meet the head but not going all the way to the top.
To make the face, press a black jelly bean into each side of the head for the eyes. Cut one of the marshmallows into 3 circles, discard the middle piece, and press the 2 end circles, cut-sides-in, into the front of the face for the bunny cheeks. Take the white jelly bean halves and push them into face below the cheeks, round-sides-out, for the teeth. Place the pink jelly bean above for the nose.
Unroll the licorice wheel and cut 2 pieces about 1 1/2 inches long each. For each piece, peel the strips apart halfway down, and then cut each separated strip in half lengthwise so you end up with a piece looking a bit like a broom. Repeat with the second piece of licorice. Tuck each piece, with a dab of frosting, behind a marshmallow cheek, with the cut ends facing out, for the whiskers.
Cut the second marshmallow in half lengthwise. Make 3 slits in each half, going about halfway through (these are the toes), and place in front of the legs for the bunny's feet. Adhere the bottom of the feet with icing if necessary.
Cook's Note:
Take 2 1/2 sheets of parchment paper and cut in half. Line the edges of your cake board with these parchment rectangles so that they form a rectangle of open space in the middle. Build your cake on the edges of these pieces of parchment. When you are finished you can slide them away along with any excess icing and coconut.
Make sure your cakes are completely cooled before you being to ice and cut them.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Diabetic Thursday
Another diabetic Thursday. Enjoy!
CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, AND RICE BAKE
This came in an email from Diabetes Self-Management. This starts off, “Living well with diabetes requires keeping a close eye on your meal plan, but it doesn't have to mean sticking with a dull and dreary diet. To add some pizzazz to your plate, why not try one of the delicious, diabetes-friendly dishes below!” This recipe and the next are from their newsletter. And if you haven't signed up to receive their newsletters, now would be a good time to do it! Preparation time: 15 minutes; Baking time: 25–30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This recipe freezes well. It can be doubled to make a 9" x 13" casserole.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 package (10 ounces) frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup cooked white rice (warm slightly if using leftover rice)
2 cups (about 8 ounces) diced cooked chicken breast
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Healthy Request cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup skim milk
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fine, dry bread crumbs
Paprika
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8" x 8" pan with cooking spray. Layer broccoli in bottom of pan. Top evenly with rice and then chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together soup, mayonnaise, milk, curry powder, dill, and lemon juice; mix well. Pour evenly over chicken. Sprinkle top of casserole with bread crumbs and paprika. Spray cooking spray over bread crumbs (to help them crisp during baking). Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, or until bubbly.
Nutrition Facts; Serving size: 1/4 of recipe; Per Serving: Calories: 244; Carbohydrate: 20 g; Protein: 23 g; Fat: 8 g; Saturated fat: 2 g; Sodium: 382 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 1/2 lean meat; Carbohydrate choices: 1 1/2
CHOCOLATE MOCHA PUDDING
Prep time: 20 minutes; Chilling time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup double-strength coffee (coffee made with twice as much instant granules or ground beans as usual)
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Fresh raspberries or strawberries for garnish (optional)
Directions
Place the chocolate in a 2-quart, microwave-safe glass bowl and microwave at Medium (50% power) for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the milk and coffee into the chocolate. In separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, sugar, and salt; whisk this mixture into the milk mixture. Microwave the entire batter at High for 4 minutes. Whisk the mixture and continue cooking at High for 4 to 6 more minutes, whisking each minute until the pudding thickens. Pour the pudding into eight dessert cups and refrigerate for at least one hour. Before serving, top with a few raspberries or strawberries for garnish.
Yield: about 4 cups. Serving size: 1/2 cup.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 142, Carbohydrates: 28 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 77 mg, Fiber: less than 1 g; Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1 fruit. Carbohydrate choices: 2.
HERB POTATO SALAD
Servings: 6
Source: Cooking Healthy and Fast
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb new red potatoes
1/2 cup sliced radishes (optional)
Dressing:
3 Tbsp plain, nonfat yogurt
1 Tbsp reduced calories mayonnaise
1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
Directions
Scrub potatoes & cube. Place in medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until potatoes are done. Drain. Mix dressing ingredients and combine hot potatoes, dressing and radishes. Serve hot or cold.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 60 mg; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread
CABBAGE AND TURKEY RAGOUT
Yield: 6 servings
Photo/Print: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1203.shtml
Ingredients
1 lb. ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 medium stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 medium green bell peppers, diced
1 small green cabbage, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can no salt added diced tomatoes
3/4 cup reduced-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. cayenne or red pepper, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In large pot over medium-high heat saute turkey, onion, garlic, carrots, celery and peppers about 12-14 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and let simmer about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Serve hot over whole-wheat wide noodles.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 203; Protein: 18 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 208 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 21 g
PORTABELLO MUSHROOM STROGANOFF
The recipe states, “You save about 36 grams of carbs by using Skinny Noodles Spinach Fettuccine instead of regular spinach fettuccine.”
Yield: 4 servings
Source: Skinny Noodles
Visit Skinny Noodles: http://diabeticgourmet.com/skinnynoodles
Photo/Print: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1290.shtml
Ingredients
2 (8 oz) packages Skinny Noodles Spinach Fettuccine
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 lb. portobello mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 Cup vegetable broth
1 cup fat-free sour cream
2 Tbsp cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Drain Skinny Noodles Spinach Fettuccine into a colander and rinse well with warm water. Drain and set aside.
Add olive oil to large skillet on medium heat. Stir in onion and cook until soft; turn heat up to medium-high, add mushrooms and cook until browned and limp. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Add broth to the same skillet, stirring and mixing any onion/mushroom bits from skillet. Bring to a boil and cook to reduce mixture by 30 percent.
Reduce heat and add back the mushroom/onion mixture. Remove pan from heat.
Mix together the sour cream and cornstarch, and pour into the skillet to blend with the mushroom/onion mixture. Return skillet to the burner, add salt and pepper to taste and stir until the sauce thickens.
Meanwhile, microwave drained Skinny Noodles Spinach Fettuccine for 2 minutes. Drain again and top with thicken sauce.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 180; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 7 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g
SPINACH SALAD WITH SEARED BOK CHOY, GINGER AND CILANTRO
The recipe starts off, “This Asian-inspired recipe is alive with shades of green from spinach and bok choy and distinct flavors of soy sauce, ginger and garlic. And when you arrange the bok choy over fresh spinach, the warmth gently and slightly wilts the spinach leaves. The result is a mouth-watering medley of tastes and textures. To turn this salad into a complete meal, top it with grilled or seared tofu, grilled or roasted chicken breast, or grilled or steamed shrimp.”
Yield: 4 servings.
Serving size: 2/3 cup bok choy mixture, 1 cup spinach.
Photo/Print: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1205.shtml
Ingredients
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 bunch bok choy, rinsed well and chopped (4 cups)
1/3 cup chopped whole green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Directions
In large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat.
Add bok choy, green onions, garlic and ginger and cook 2-3 minutes or until bok choy is tender-crisp.
Add soy sauce and pepper, stir to coat and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
Arrange spinach leaves on serving platter. Spoon bok choy mixture over spinach and serve.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 50; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 3.5 g; Sodium: 140 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g
CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, AND RICE BAKE
This came in an email from Diabetes Self-Management. This starts off, “Living well with diabetes requires keeping a close eye on your meal plan, but it doesn't have to mean sticking with a dull and dreary diet. To add some pizzazz to your plate, why not try one of the delicious, diabetes-friendly dishes below!” This recipe and the next are from their newsletter. And if you haven't signed up to receive their newsletters, now would be a good time to do it! Preparation time: 15 minutes; Baking time: 25–30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This recipe freezes well. It can be doubled to make a 9" x 13" casserole.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 package (10 ounces) frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup cooked white rice (warm slightly if using leftover rice)
2 cups (about 8 ounces) diced cooked chicken breast
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Healthy Request cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup skim milk
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fine, dry bread crumbs
Paprika
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8" x 8" pan with cooking spray. Layer broccoli in bottom of pan. Top evenly with rice and then chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together soup, mayonnaise, milk, curry powder, dill, and lemon juice; mix well. Pour evenly over chicken. Sprinkle top of casserole with bread crumbs and paprika. Spray cooking spray over bread crumbs (to help them crisp during baking). Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, or until bubbly.
Nutrition Facts; Serving size: 1/4 of recipe; Per Serving: Calories: 244; Carbohydrate: 20 g; Protein: 23 g; Fat: 8 g; Saturated fat: 2 g; Sodium: 382 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 1/2 lean meat; Carbohydrate choices: 1 1/2
CHOCOLATE MOCHA PUDDING
Prep time: 20 minutes; Chilling time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup double-strength coffee (coffee made with twice as much instant granules or ground beans as usual)
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Fresh raspberries or strawberries for garnish (optional)
Directions
Place the chocolate in a 2-quart, microwave-safe glass bowl and microwave at Medium (50% power) for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the milk and coffee into the chocolate. In separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, sugar, and salt; whisk this mixture into the milk mixture. Microwave the entire batter at High for 4 minutes. Whisk the mixture and continue cooking at High for 4 to 6 more minutes, whisking each minute until the pudding thickens. Pour the pudding into eight dessert cups and refrigerate for at least one hour. Before serving, top with a few raspberries or strawberries for garnish.
Yield: about 4 cups. Serving size: 1/2 cup.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving: Calories: 142, Carbohydrates: 28 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 77 mg, Fiber: less than 1 g; Exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1 fruit. Carbohydrate choices: 2.
HERB POTATO SALAD
Servings: 6
Source: Cooking Healthy and Fast
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 lb new red potatoes
1/2 cup sliced radishes (optional)
Dressing:
3 Tbsp plain, nonfat yogurt
1 Tbsp reduced calories mayonnaise
1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
Directions
Scrub potatoes & cube. Place in medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until potatoes are done. Drain. Mix dressing ingredients and combine hot potatoes, dressing and radishes. Serve hot or cold.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Fat: 1 g; Sodium: 60 mg; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread
CABBAGE AND TURKEY RAGOUT
Yield: 6 servings
Photo/Print: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1203.shtml
Ingredients
1 lb. ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 medium stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 medium green bell peppers, diced
1 small green cabbage, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can no salt added diced tomatoes
3/4 cup reduced-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. cayenne or red pepper, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In large pot over medium-high heat saute turkey, onion, garlic, carrots, celery and peppers about 12-14 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and let simmer about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Serve hot over whole-wheat wide noodles.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 203; Protein: 18 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 208 mg; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 21 g
PORTABELLO MUSHROOM STROGANOFF
The recipe states, “You save about 36 grams of carbs by using Skinny Noodles Spinach Fettuccine instead of regular spinach fettuccine.”
Yield: 4 servings
Source: Skinny Noodles
Visit Skinny Noodles: http://diabeticgourmet.com/skinnynoodles
Photo/Print: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1290.shtml
Ingredients
2 (8 oz) packages Skinny Noodles Spinach Fettuccine
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 lb. portobello mushrooms, sliced
1-1/2 Cup vegetable broth
1 cup fat-free sour cream
2 Tbsp cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Drain Skinny Noodles Spinach Fettuccine into a colander and rinse well with warm water. Drain and set aside.
Add olive oil to large skillet on medium heat. Stir in onion and cook until soft; turn heat up to medium-high, add mushrooms and cook until browned and limp. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Add broth to the same skillet, stirring and mixing any onion/mushroom bits from skillet. Bring to a boil and cook to reduce mixture by 30 percent.
Reduce heat and add back the mushroom/onion mixture. Remove pan from heat.
Mix together the sour cream and cornstarch, and pour into the skillet to blend with the mushroom/onion mixture. Return skillet to the burner, add salt and pepper to taste and stir until the sauce thickens.
Meanwhile, microwave drained Skinny Noodles Spinach Fettuccine for 2 minutes. Drain again and top with thicken sauce.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 180; Protein: 5 g; Fat: 7 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g
SPINACH SALAD WITH SEARED BOK CHOY, GINGER AND CILANTRO
The recipe starts off, “This Asian-inspired recipe is alive with shades of green from spinach and bok choy and distinct flavors of soy sauce, ginger and garlic. And when you arrange the bok choy over fresh spinach, the warmth gently and slightly wilts the spinach leaves. The result is a mouth-watering medley of tastes and textures. To turn this salad into a complete meal, top it with grilled or seared tofu, grilled or roasted chicken breast, or grilled or steamed shrimp.”
Yield: 4 servings.
Serving size: 2/3 cup bok choy mixture, 1 cup spinach.
Photo/Print: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1205.shtml
Ingredients
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 bunch bok choy, rinsed well and chopped (4 cups)
1/3 cup chopped whole green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Directions
In large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat.
Add bok choy, green onions, garlic and ginger and cook 2-3 minutes or until bok choy is tender-crisp.
Add soy sauce and pepper, stir to coat and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
Arrange spinach leaves on serving platter. Spoon bok choy mixture over spinach and serve.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 50; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 3.5 g; Sodium: 140 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Midweek Recipes
Since I'm running waaaay late today, I'm combining several previous blogs in today's blog. This first one is from Monday, September 8, 2014, on cutting up onions. The rest are from other days throughout the blog. Enjoy!
A while back, I overheard someone mention that she wasn't sure the best way to cut up onions for recipes. It's one of those things that many of us know how to do, but obviously others are a little confused about it. If you haven't grown up seeing something done, it can be a little confusing.
Sooo...here's my crash course on chopping onions.
Last night, I cooked vegetarian chili. (I'll post that in my Meatless Monday, in a few minutes.) For that, I tend to use both a red AND a yellow/white onion; since it's easiest to see the steps on the red onion, that's which one I'll be cutting up for this. (It works the same way for the white onion.)
So, here we've got both the red and yellow onions:
You'll notice that both onions have a head and tail (or think of them as north and south poles). We're going to started there.
Okay, with a sharp knife, cut off both ends/"poles" from the onions.
Then slice through the papery-outer layers of the onion, as well as maybe the first layer of the onion, from end to end.
After you've pulled that off, cut the onion in half, from end to end.
Then cut each half along parallel to the first cut.
Now, cut the half parallel to where the ends were.
Now, cut each half length-wise, from end to end.
Here are both halves cut up.
Each onion is layered like this, so use the same way of cutting up an onion, and you'll have diced onions, every time.
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
Two of the cookies recipes in today’s offerings come from my mom’s mom, Lillian Longmuir Hallock. While both of my grandmothers’ places always smelled wonderful from all the great food they cooked, Grandma Hallock’s cookies were something to really look forward to.
When I was growing up, my family (parents, sister, brother and I) lived in New York (state, not city). I’d been home sick with the flu, while my sister had gone to school. By late afternoon, the skies turned grey. My grandmother had come to our house with a batch of her peanut butter cookies and oatmeal cookies. After my sister got home from school, just ahead of the rain, my grandmother regaled us over stories of her youth while we had tea and cookies. One of her stories entailed being introduced to one of her teacher’s friends, whose stage name happened to be Buffalo Bill Cody. So I’m always reminded of that when I bake either cookie recipe.
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
1/2 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES
Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking
1 C flour
1 C brown sugar
3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)
1 C butter or margarine
1/4 C boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking
Then cut down the center, like so:
Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling
Texas Chili
One of my dad’s recipes. Note: Actually, it is the one he said he found in the airline magazine. Whenever Dad fixed this, he’d have to make 2 batches of chili: this for those brave enough to try it, another for everyone else, somewhat cooler.
A funny anecdote: Dad had been involved in Civil Defense when we lived in New York. He had a friend who was also in C.D. who swore that since he'd grown up in New Mexico, he could eat anything spicy hot without it bothering him; in fact, the hotter it was, the better he liked it.
One evening, Larry and his wife came to dinner. Dad had invited them, fixing up a batch of this chili, along with the milder batch. Larry was served the hot stuff. Next time Dad went to a C.D. meeting, he overheard Larry state, "I can eat anything hot - except John S's chili!" Be forewarned!
3 balls ground beef suet
4 slices bacon, cut up
2 lbs. stew beef, cut small
2 lbs. chopped chuck
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Bernudea onions, chopped
1 T paprika
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne
6-9 T chili powder
2-4 walnut-size pieces suet
1 can beef broth
1 tsp. oregano
3 cans measured water
3/4 tsp. cumin
6 C tomatoes & juice
1 2/3 T salt
1 1/2 lbs. drained kidney beans
In heavy pot place 3 balls suet with bacon. Cook out fat. Add & brown beef & chopped chuck. After browning, add garlic. Cook lightly. Add remainder of spices. In another pot, heat 2-4 pieces of suet. Add onions. Cook until almost burned. Add to meat pot. Deglaze pot with meat broth. Add water, tomatoes & juice. Mash tomatoes into chili. Cover & simmer slowly 1 1/2-2 hours. Uncover. Cook down for about 1/2 hour, adding kidney beans. Serves 6-8.
Super Chili
One of my inventions.
2 C pinto beans
4 C water
4-8 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 onions, chopped
2 T chili powder
6 oz. can tomato paste
2 T oil or butter
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. bacon, chopped
28 oz. can tomatoes (undrained)
1 tsp. oregano
1 T chili powder
Soak beans in water for several hours. Drain & place in 4 C water. Add 2-4 cloves gar-lic, 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.
VEGETARIAN CHILI
This is from Runner's World. Apparently, it was in the December 1999 issue and repeated after someone mentioned it in a letter in the February 2000 issue. I'm always amazed at the great food coming out of there!
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon soybean or olive oil
1 16-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 or 2 19-once cans of beans (kidney, pinto, or white)
1 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sauté the onion, pepper & garlic in oil over medium heat. Add the tofu and sauté until crisp & lightly browned (about 10 minutes). Add the beans, stewed tomatoes, carrots, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, & salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 50-60 minutes. Serves 4.
From Runner’s World, December, 1999/letters Feb. 2000
REWORKED VEGETARIAN CHILI
I've fixed this recipe probably several hundred times, easily. I started off with the above Runner's World recipe; it slowly morphed into this recipe.
Note: I have a habit of buying anywhere from 16 to 20 (or more) peppers of varying colors at the same time, then chopping them all up, putting them into several containers, and freezing them. When I put them into the containers, they're not separated by color, but, rather, dumped in together. This way, I end up with containers with red, green, yellow and orange bell peppers all thrown in together. Then, whenever I need cut up peppers, I end up with a colorful bunch of peppers in whatever I'm putting them in. If you prefer, you can buy one or two peppers as needed (like for this recipe) and cut it up at that time. You can use whichever color bell pepper you want; if I'm out of frozen peppers, and am planning to buy only one or two for this recipe, I usually go with the green peppers, since they're usually the cheapest.
Also, with the onions, I usually try to have both yellow and red onions on hand; when I do, I use one of each in this recipe. Finally, for the cans of beans, I lean toward one can of black beans and one can of either Navy or Great Northern beans, both of which are white. Between the multi-colored peppers, two different kinds of onions, and different colored beans, it makes for a more colorful chili. But if you only have two cans of white, red or black beans, that's fine, too.
2 T olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 peppers, chopped
16-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
2 19-once cans of beans, drained
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt & Pepper to taste
Note: For cutting up onions, check here.
Sauté the onion, peppers & garlic in oil over medium heat.
Add tofu and sauté until crisp & lightly browned. While this is cooking, peel and cut the carrots. Add the beans, crushed tomatoes, carrots, chili powder, cumin, & salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 50-60 minutes. Serve over noodles. Serves 4.
Make sure to stir periodically to keep chili from burning
YUM!
A while back, I overheard someone mention that she wasn't sure the best way to cut up onions for recipes. It's one of those things that many of us know how to do, but obviously others are a little confused about it. If you haven't grown up seeing something done, it can be a little confusing.
Sooo...here's my crash course on chopping onions.
Last night, I cooked vegetarian chili. (I'll post that in my Meatless Monday, in a few minutes.) For that, I tend to use both a red AND a yellow/white onion; since it's easiest to see the steps on the red onion, that's which one I'll be cutting up for this. (It works the same way for the white onion.)
So, here we've got both the red and yellow onions:
You'll notice that both onions have a head and tail (or think of them as north and south poles). We're going to started there.
Okay, with a sharp knife, cut off both ends/"poles" from the onions.
Then slice through the papery-outer layers of the onion, as well as maybe the first layer of the onion, from end to end.
After you've pulled that off, cut the onion in half, from end to end.
Then cut each half along parallel to the first cut.
Now, cut the half parallel to where the ends were.
Now, cut each half length-wise, from end to end.
Here are both halves cut up.
Each onion is layered like this, so use the same way of cutting up an onion, and you'll have diced onions, every time.
MEATLESS-BALL SUBS
1 package Meatless Balls (see note)
1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce
4 hoagie rolls
cheese slices
Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.
Makes 4 meatless ball subs.
Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.
Two of the cookies recipes in today’s offerings come from my mom’s mom, Lillian Longmuir Hallock. While both of my grandmothers’ places always smelled wonderful from all the great food they cooked, Grandma Hallock’s cookies were something to really look forward to.
When I was growing up, my family (parents, sister, brother and I) lived in New York (state, not city). I’d been home sick with the flu, while my sister had gone to school. By late afternoon, the skies turned grey. My grandmother had come to our house with a batch of her peanut butter cookies and oatmeal cookies. After my sister got home from school, just ahead of the rain, my grandmother regaled us over stories of her youth while we had tea and cookies. One of her stories entailed being introduced to one of her teacher’s friends, whose stage name happened to be Buffalo Bill Cody. So I’m always reminded of that when I bake either cookie recipe.
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
1/2 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES
Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking
1 C flour
1 C brown sugar
3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)
1 C butter or margarine
1/4 C boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking
Then cut down the center, like so:
Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling
Texas Chili
One of my dad’s recipes. Note: Actually, it is the one he said he found in the airline magazine. Whenever Dad fixed this, he’d have to make 2 batches of chili: this for those brave enough to try it, another for everyone else, somewhat cooler.
A funny anecdote: Dad had been involved in Civil Defense when we lived in New York. He had a friend who was also in C.D. who swore that since he'd grown up in New Mexico, he could eat anything spicy hot without it bothering him; in fact, the hotter it was, the better he liked it.
One evening, Larry and his wife came to dinner. Dad had invited them, fixing up a batch of this chili, along with the milder batch. Larry was served the hot stuff. Next time Dad went to a C.D. meeting, he overheard Larry state, "I can eat anything hot - except John S's chili!" Be forewarned!
3 balls ground beef suet
4 slices bacon, cut up
2 lbs. stew beef, cut small
2 lbs. chopped chuck
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Bernudea onions, chopped
1 T paprika
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne
6-9 T chili powder
2-4 walnut-size pieces suet
1 can beef broth
1 tsp. oregano
3 cans measured water
3/4 tsp. cumin
6 C tomatoes & juice
1 2/3 T salt
1 1/2 lbs. drained kidney beans
In heavy pot place 3 balls suet with bacon. Cook out fat. Add & brown beef & chopped chuck. After browning, add garlic. Cook lightly. Add remainder of spices. In another pot, heat 2-4 pieces of suet. Add onions. Cook until almost burned. Add to meat pot. Deglaze pot with meat broth. Add water, tomatoes & juice. Mash tomatoes into chili. Cover & simmer slowly 1 1/2-2 hours. Uncover. Cook down for about 1/2 hour, adding kidney beans. Serves 6-8.
Super Chili
One of my inventions.
2 C pinto beans
4 C water
4-8 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 onions, chopped
2 T chili powder
6 oz. can tomato paste
2 T oil or butter
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. bacon, chopped
28 oz. can tomatoes (undrained)
1 tsp. oregano
1 T chili powder
Soak beans in water for several hours. Drain & place in 4 C water. Add 2-4 cloves gar-lic, 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.
VEGETARIAN CHILI
This is from Runner's World. Apparently, it was in the December 1999 issue and repeated after someone mentioned it in a letter in the February 2000 issue. I'm always amazed at the great food coming out of there!
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon soybean or olive oil
1 16-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 or 2 19-once cans of beans (kidney, pinto, or white)
1 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
Sauté the onion, pepper & garlic in oil over medium heat. Add the tofu and sauté until crisp & lightly browned (about 10 minutes). Add the beans, stewed tomatoes, carrots, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, & salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 50-60 minutes. Serves 4.
From Runner’s World, December, 1999/letters Feb. 2000
REWORKED VEGETARIAN CHILI
I've fixed this recipe probably several hundred times, easily. I started off with the above Runner's World recipe; it slowly morphed into this recipe.
Note: I have a habit of buying anywhere from 16 to 20 (or more) peppers of varying colors at the same time, then chopping them all up, putting them into several containers, and freezing them. When I put them into the containers, they're not separated by color, but, rather, dumped in together. This way, I end up with containers with red, green, yellow and orange bell peppers all thrown in together. Then, whenever I need cut up peppers, I end up with a colorful bunch of peppers in whatever I'm putting them in. If you prefer, you can buy one or two peppers as needed (like for this recipe) and cut it up at that time. You can use whichever color bell pepper you want; if I'm out of frozen peppers, and am planning to buy only one or two for this recipe, I usually go with the green peppers, since they're usually the cheapest.
Also, with the onions, I usually try to have both yellow and red onions on hand; when I do, I use one of each in this recipe. Finally, for the cans of beans, I lean toward one can of black beans and one can of either Navy or Great Northern beans, both of which are white. Between the multi-colored peppers, two different kinds of onions, and different colored beans, it makes for a more colorful chili. But if you only have two cans of white, red or black beans, that's fine, too.
2 T olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 peppers, chopped
16-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
2 19-once cans of beans, drained
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt & Pepper to taste
Note: For cutting up onions, check here.
Sauté the onion, peppers & garlic in oil over medium heat.
Add tofu and sauté until crisp & lightly browned. While this is cooking, peel and cut the carrots. Add the beans, crushed tomatoes, carrots, chili powder, cumin, & salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 50-60 minutes. Serve over noodles. Serves 4.
Make sure to stir periodically to keep chili from burning
YUM!
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