Cooking Kama Sutras

Collard Greens

2010-01-31T08:09:00.000-08:00

Since we started receiving our organic food delivery last week, I've been challenged to find recipes that I never thought to search for. I've never cooked collard greens. They are a leafy-green, with a different texture than that of spinach or kale. All the recipes I saw said to take off the stems, so I wanted a recipe that was relatively simple and not time consuming so that I could see if I like to eat collard greens.

I found out that I actually do! I wasn't sure about the vinegar in this recipe, but it actually worked. Sometimes I just have to leave it to the professionals to tell me what to do.

Ham, Collard Greens, and Egg Noodle Bowl

To speed up the preparation of this Southern-style noodle bowl, cook the pasta and broth mixture at the same time. Spice it up with hot pepper sauce, if you wish, and serve it with corn bread.

6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients:
3 1/3 cups uncooked wide egg noodles (about 6 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups diced reduced-sodium smoked ham (about 11 ounces)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups sliced collard greens, stems removed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:
Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add smoked ham; cook 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add chopped onion and next 6 ingredients (through garlic); cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are just tender, stirring frequently. Add collard greens; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar; cook 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes. Stir in the egg noodles and black pepper, and cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 270 (29% from fat)
Fat: 8.8g (sat 2.8g,mono 2.3g,poly 3g)
Protein: 18.8g
Carbohydrate: 29.4g
Fiber: 3.5g
Cholesterol: 76mg
Iron: 2.1mg
Sodium: 999mg
Calcium: 76mg

The BEST Cranberry Sauce

2010-01-03T14:35:00.000-08:00

I tried this sauce out last Thanksgiving and made a double batch. It's good that I did because it quickly disappeared. This last holiday season, I made it twice, and I think now I just need to find excuses year round to make it. I love my grandmas, but their cranberry sauces didn't even compare to this one! (It's a Real Simple recipe.)

Warm Apricot-Cranberry Sauce

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons ginger, finely grated

16 ounces cranberries (I used fresh)

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup apricot preserves

In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and preserves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes (it happens faster if you cover the saucepan). Transfer to a bowl and serve warm.

Make-Ahead Note: The sauce can be made up to two days in advance. Cover and keep refrigerated until ready to reheat.

Morning Hash

2009-12-31T12:02:00.000-08:00

By the way, in case you were wondering, the Root Vegetable Hash with Horseradish Cream tastes excellent the next morning with a Fried Egg on top and Crispy bacon on the side. Finish it off with a half a banana and a glass of Orange Juice. The breakfast of champions!

Organic Goodness

2009-12-30T20:12:00.000-08:00

I recently watched the documentary film called Food Inc. I'm not one for preachy documentaries but I have to say I was immediately grasped by this in terms of conviction and empowerment. I had no idea of the huge food conspiracy going on in this country by corporate foodies to keep hidden from us what we are actually eating. We have a right to know! Let's just say, Don and I have been persuaded to switch entirely to only pasture raised antibiotic free meat products and organic sustainable agriculture. One of the first things I did was sign us up for weekly deliveries of fresh organic produce from Dandelion Organic Delivery in Bellingham, WA. I've been so excited about this and our first Harvest Box arrived today! I have lots of fun meals planned for the week. Below is what we tackled for our first meal. It was fun and delicious!

Root Vegetable Hash with Horseradish Cream
This first recipe is from the Food Network website. Surprisingly there were no reviews or ratings on this one so it was a complete unknown for us trying this one out. The hash was delicious and I really cannot wait to eat the leftovers for my breakfast tomorrow. But the horseradish cream sauce is just amazing! Don doesn't like sour cream so we used plain organic yogurt instead. Also we added some fresh graded horseradish root to the hash itself that we had leftover in the fridge. I'm quite happy with our substitutions as I think they were an improvement on the original recipe. Also, trying to press the hash into individual cakes didn't really work so I left that part out. A simple standard hash is fine for this recipe. Below is the recipe as we made it and recommend.

Ingredients

Horseradish Cream:

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/2 cup plain organic yogurt
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground pepper

Hash:

4 tablespoons butter, diced
1 onion, sliced thinly, 1 cup (4 ounces)
2 springs fresh rosemary
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Yukon gold or other waxy potatoes, skin on
1 large carrot (2 to 3 ounces)
1 large beet, peeled (4 ounces)
1/4 cup fresh grated horseradish root
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the horseradish cream, whisk the horseradish into the sour cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (10-inch) nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Add the onion and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic to the onion and cook another minute.

Meanwhile, with the shredding blade of a food processor, or with a box grater, grate the potatoes into a colander. Rinse and pat very dry. (Giving them a turn in a salad spinner helps, too.)

Stir the potatoes into the vegetables in the skillet. Cook the potatoes, undisturbed until they get crusty on the bottom. Then, stir the crispy bottom into the tender potato, and continue to cook to re-crisp the bottom. Continue this browning and periodic stirring until the potatoes are almost cooked through, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the carrot and beet.

Remove the rosemary sprigs. Stir the carrot and beets into the potato hash, and cook until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in bits along the sides of the skillet, and then brown the hash over high heat. Turn the hash in large sections with a spatula to brown the other sides, another minute.

Divide the vegetable hash among 4 plates and serve warm with the horseradish cream.

Mustard-Roasted Fish

So very good and so very simple! It's hard to do wrong with this recipe. The sauce is light and flavorful and appeals to a broad range of pallets. Make with just about any white fish fillet. We made with fresh Dover fillets from Vis Fresh Seafood in Bellingham. We couldn't find Cream Fraiche so we used regular organic heavy whipping cream.

Ingredients

4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces creme fraiche
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons drained capers

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.

Hearty (and easy) Veggie Winter Soup

2009-11-05T07:39:00.001-08:00

Delicious. Hubby loves it (and he normally doesn't like straight veggie soups). Slowcooker recipe. Need I say more? Thanks to Mary for this recipe! I don't know why I waited so long to make this, I should have tried it years ago. It's delicious!

Vegetable Barley Soup

3 cups water
14 1/2 ounces canned diced tomatoes
10 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 ounces tomato sauce
1/3 cup regular barely
2 each vegetable bouillon cubes or 4 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
dash ground red pepper

In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart electric crocker cooker, combine all ingredients. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 11 hours or cook on high-heat setting for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours. Makes 5 side-dish servings.

Getting Creative

2009-09-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

Last week our printer broke. This proved especially difficult since I use Master Cook to meal plan. I can print out all my recipes and it even creates a grocery list so I don't have to wonder if I missed something. But as I sat at my computer and began to meal plan, I realized it was moot since I couldn't print out anything. So I turned to my cook-books and came up with a week full of new recipes. I had so much fun and am excited about these new dishes!

Monday: Hamburger Soup (courtesy Nancy, my MIL)

Tuesday: Penne w/ Chicken Sausage & Broccolini (from Almost Meatless)

Wednesday: Quick Beef Tacos (from Real Simple)

Thursday: Italian Tuna Melts w/ White Beans and Provolone (from Rachel Ray)

Friday: Meatballs with Sauteed Chard (from Real Simple)

Saturday: I think we're going out to dinner

Sunday: A new week begins! Maybe our new printer will have arrived, otherwise I'll be going trudging through my cookbooks once again. Maybe I'll just do that anyway, I never know what I'm going to find.

Fresh Summer Pizza

2009-09-08T23:39:00.000-07:00

Pizza is generally not one of my favorite meals during the summer. It's usually heavy with cheese and sauce, and don't feel good afterwards. But lately I've started making my own (still using a boboli but will eventually make my own crust) and they are so much better! For one, I can use any sauce I want and TWO it's not drowned in cheese. Cindy & I made a great pizza a few weeks ago -- and I'll post that recipe eventually -- but last night I decided to try a new version and it was delicious! I used mozzarella instead of provolone cheese, but it still tasted yummy!

I have no idea where I got this recipe, I've had it for years. It's probably from Cooking Light or Real Simple!

Fresh Tomato-Pesto Pizza

Ingredients:

Pesto:
4 cups basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil

Pizza:
1 Italian cheese-flavored pizza crust (such as 1lb Boboli)
3 cups chopped seeded tomato (about 2 pounds)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded provolone cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup thinly sliced basil leaves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475°.

To prepare pesto, place 4 cups basil leaves and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor, and pulse 5 times or until coarsely chopped. With processor on, add broth, Parmesan, and oil through food chute; process until well-blended.

To prepare pizza, place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread pesto over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with the tomato, garlic slices, and provolone. Bake at 475° for 12 minutes or until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup basil. Cut the pizza into 8 wedges.

mmmmmm....pasta.....

2009-08-05T10:17:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite comfort foods is a pasta dish paired with a good cold beer or a nice bottle of red wine, depending on the weather. I'm really working hard to incorporate more fresh veggies into our diet and eat a little less meat. I checked my newly favorite recipe site, and found her Mom's recipe for Pasta Primavera. It had all my favorite things , what I wanted(pasta and a little cheese) and what I needed (veggies and less salt). This was a big hit on all sides! Really tasty, and by using whole grain rotini, I felt even better about our healthy meal. Add an ice cold beer and some fresh fruit, and I was a happy CKS.

Mom's Pasta Primavera Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups of mixed vegetables, for example:
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 2x1/2-inch strips
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 small eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 bell pepper, any color, cut into thin strips

3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence
A sprinkling of garlic salt
1/4 cup of spaghetti, marinara, or tomato sauce
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound pasta (use rice pasta for wheat-free version)
Grated Parmesan (optional)

Method:

1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (for your pasta).

2 Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the vegetables, stir to coat with oil. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until vegetables are just cooked. Turn off heat, but let pan stay on the burner.

3 While you are cooking the vegetables, add the dry pasta to the boiling water and follow the cooking instructions for the pasta. You want to time it so that the pasta is done soon after the vegetables.

4 Add a 1/4 cup of the spaghetti, marinara, or tomato sauce to the vegetables, along with 1/4 cup of water to thin the sauce. If you are using a prepared spaghetti or marinara sauce, you don't need to add much seasoning, just a 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning or herbes de Provence, a few sprinkles of garlic salt, and salt and pepper to taste. If you are using a plain tomato sauce, you might want to start out cooking the vegetables by cooking a minced clove of garlic first, and then adding the vegetables, and then add a bit more of the seasoning (to taste). Spaghetti and marinara sauce are already seasoned.

5 Once the pasta is ready - cooked but still a bit firm, or al dente - drain the pasta and put it directly into the skillet with the vegetables. Adjust seasoning. Add more sauce if needed. Gently mix in the cherry tomatoes.

Serves 4. Serve with some freshly grated Parmesan, if you like. A little bit of chopped fresh basil would go nicely with this as well.

Cool Pasta Salad

2009-08-03T22:17:00.000-07:00

I don't normally gravitate toward pasta salads but I found this recipe when I was looking for things that traveled well and didn't require heavy refrigeration for a camping trip recently.

The Pesto is low-cal since it doesn't contain any dairy. That's right, no cheese. Aside from the fresh herbs, this pesto gets it's big flavor boost from freshly toasted walnuts.

The recipe works perfect for a hot summer night dinner, and also packs well for an easy lunch. I enjoy the salad much better after it has slightly chilled.

I spent about five minutes in the pasta isle at the grocery store trying to decide between whole wheat pasta and regular. I finally chose whole wheat and it was delicious. I also added yellow cherry tomatoes in addition to the red ones which added an extra element of taste and flavor. The kalamata olives are an essential ingredient complimenting the sweetness of the tomatoes and nuttiness of the pesto with their own salty contribution.

Chicken and Farfalle Salad with Walnut Pesto

Total time: 26 minutes. To make sure the walnut pesto ingredients are evenly minced, stop the food processor halfway through processing, and scrape down the sides.

Salad:
2 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta; about 6 ounces)
2 cups cubed cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives

Walnut Pesto:
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove

Remaining ingredient:
4 curly leaf lettuce leaves

To prepare salad, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; rinse with cold water. Combine pasta, chicken, tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl.

To prepare walnut pesto, combine basil and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until finely minced. Add pesto to pasta mixture, tossing gently to coat. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 4 plates; top each serving with salad mixture.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups salad and 1 lettuce leaf)

CALORIES 374 (30% from fat); FAT 12.5g (sat 2g,mono 5.5g,poly 3.9g); IRON 3.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 60mg; CALCIUM 62mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.3g; SODIUM 393mg; PROTEIN 29.4g; FIBER 3g

Watermelon and Cantaloupe Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

2009-07-27T19:04:00.001-07:00

Hello cooking superstars-- I haven't looked at this blog or posted in ages, but this is so good, I had to share it. It is a great and unusual summer treat. It's also completely easy to make and really fun if you have a melon baller to play with. It's the first time I've used one of those and I had a great time. This is a recipe a friend made for an activity and after I tasted the leftovers, I immediately got the recipe and made it for a potluck synod council meeting and it got rave reviews. The original author is Giada from the Food Network.

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
1/4c lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1/4c simple syrup (see recipe below)
1/8t amaretto
2c watermelon balls (about half a watermelon)
2c centeloupe balls (about 1 cantaloupe)

Directions:

In a blender combine mint, lemon juice, simple syrup, and amaretto- blend until smooth

put melon balls into a large bowl- add vinaigrette and toss, serve chilled in serving bowl

Servings: 4

Simple Syrup:

1/2c water
1c sugar

In a saucepan combine over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 min, until the sugar has dissolved. Cool the syrup.

Broccoli and Apple Salad

2009-07-25T08:03:00.001-07:00

MyRecipes

Shared via AddThis

Cold Asian Salad

2009-07-02T12:13:00.001-07:00

A terrific find from my new favorite cooking site. Goes well with a spicy, flavorful wine like Honey Moon Viognier from Trader Joe's.

Sesame and Cilantro Vermicelli Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Honey Soy Dressing
1/4 cup grapeseed oil or corn oil
3 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper or chili powder
3 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp soy sauce (less if using tamari which is more concentrated than soy sauce)

Salad
8 ounces of vermicelli, thin spaghetti, or angel hair pasta
Salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced and chopped red bell pepper
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

1 Cook the pasta in a large saucepan in salted boiling water, according to directions on pasta package. Drain but do not rinse.

2 While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing. In a microwave-safe dish, heat the vegetable oil, sesame oil, and red pepper, in the microwave on high heat for 2 minutes. Add the honey and soy sauce and mix well.

3 Combine the drained pasta with the dressing in a large bowl until the pasta is well coated. Cover and chill for several hours.

4 When ready to serve, mix in the cilantro, peanuts, green onions and bell pepper. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Serves 4 to 8, depending on serving size.

Delicious Summer Salad

2009-06-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I are on a eat-more-veggies-and-less-meat kick these days. It's also been crazy crazy hot here in Los Angeles, so I find myself craving salads that require as little use of my stove as possible. This salad goes excellent with a crisp, light white wine such as Synergy Blanc from Novella Vineyards (a whopping $4.99 at Trader Joes).

CKS Note: I used a large red pepper instead. It gave the salad a lot more color and tasted just as good. I also didn't have time to refrigerate the salad before serving, but I still gobbled it up!

Tortellini Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:
18 ounces tortellini, refrigerated
1 pound asparagus spears, chopped
1 large yellow pepper
1 teaspoon lemon peel, finely shredded
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic , minced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Directions:
1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook tortellini according to package direactions, adding asparagus and sweet pepepr the last minute of cooking; drain. Rinse tortellini and vetetables with cold water; drain again.

2. For dressing, in a screw top jar, combine lemon peel, lemon jice, oil, mustard, surgar, salt, and garlic. Cover and shake well.

3. In a very large bowl, place tortellini and vegetables. Add dressing, toss to coat. Cover and chill for 2 to 8 hours. Just before serving, stir in cheese, green onions, and nuts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Coming up!

2009-06-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I learned how to make wontons from scratch. I love wontons, particularly wonton soup, so this was very exciting for me. I'm still sorting out the pictures and the videos so I will post something soon. In the meantime, here's a picture to get your mouth watering.

Ham and Asparagus Frittata

2009-06-13T13:16:00.000-07:00

Ham and Asparagus Frittata

Extend whole eggs with egg whites for a generous serving size. Serve the frittata with fruit and toasted English muffins and jam for an Easter brunch for two.

2/3 cup chopped 33%-less-sodium ham (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded low-fat Jarlsberg cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
2 large eggs
Cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup (1-inch) slices asparagus
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat broiler.

Combine ham, cheese, black pepper, salt, egg whites, and eggs, stirring well with a whisk.

Heat a 9-inch nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and asparagus; sauté 3 minutes. Add egg mixture; reduce heat to medium. Cook, covered, 3 minutes or until almost set. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Wrap handle of pan with foil; broil 3 minutes or until egg is set. Cut into 4 wedges.

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 2 wedges)

CALORIES 251 (33% from fat); FAT 9.2g (sat 3.4g,mono 3.5g,poly 1.1g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 247mg; CALCIUM 373mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9.6g; SODIUM 791mg; PROTEIN 31.3g; FIBER 2g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2004

Mango Salsa

2009-06-13T12:56:00.001-07:00

Another Treat from Don's Bday Party

Mango Salsa

You'll also love this salsa served with beef, fish, shrimp, or tortilla chips.

This recipe goes with Macadamia-Mango Chicken

2 ripe mangoes (about 1 pound), peeled and diced*
1 medium-size red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 small red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Stir together all ingredients; cover and chill at least 2 hours.

*1 (26-ounce) jar refrigerated mango slices may be substituted

Yield: 2 cups

Southern Living, JULY 2002

Guacamole

2009-06-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

Simple. Beautiful. Delicious. I made this for Don's Birthday.

Guacamole

Prep: 10 min., Stand: 30 min. While storing in the refrigerator, keep your guacamole from changing color by placing a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture.

5 ripe avocados
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
3/4 teaspoon salt
Tortilla chips

1. Cut avocados in half. Scoop pulp into a bowl, and mash with a potato masher or fork until slightly chunky. Stir in chopped red onion and next 4 ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap, allowing wrap to touch mixture, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Serve guacamole with tortilla chips.

Cilantro Guacamole: Mash avocado, and stir in ingredients as directed. Stir in 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro and an additional 1 Tbsp. lime juice. Cover mixture, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Yield: Makes 3 1/2 cups

Southern Living, MAY 2007

Sliders with Shallot -Dijon Relish

2009-06-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'll never eat another regular sized burger again. These sliders are to die for.

Sliders with Shallot-Dijon Relish

These mini-burgers make fun and tasty appetizers. Although we enjoyed them on Parker House rolls, they would also be tasty on small dinner rolls or sweet Hawaiian bread rolls.

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground sirloin
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons butter, softened
8 (1-ounce) Parker House rolls
16 dill pickle chips

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and sirloin. Divide meat mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/4-inch-thick patty. Lightly coat both sides of patties with cooking spray. Place patties on grill rack; grill for 3 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Combine shallots, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and butter in a small bowl, stirring well. Cut rolls in half horizontally. Spread shallot mixture evenly over cut sides of rolls. Layer 1 patty and 2 pickle chips on bottom half of each roll; top with top halves of rolls.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 slider)

CALORIES 167 (37% from fat); FAT 6.8g (sat 2.6g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 14.2g; SODIUM 404mg; PROTEIN 10.8g; FIBER 1g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2008

Braised and Beautiful

2009-06-13T12:26:00.001-07:00

Love this recipe for whole chicken pieces. Delicious, tender, and falling off the bone!

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Braised and Barbecued Chicken

Recipe courtesy Carol Daggers, Wilmington, Delaware

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 50 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 regular-size bags quick-cooking rice, uncooked
1/4 cup chopped green onion, green tops only

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and saute 6 minutes, turning once.

Combine fruit juices in a large bowl. Stir together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon juice mixture until smooth; set aside.

Stir soy sauce and next 6 ingredients into remaining juice mixture; pour over chicken. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes, turning chicken after 20 minutes.

Prepare rice according to package directions. Keep warm.

Uncover chicken, and stir in cornstarch mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Spoon rice onto a serving platter; top with chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with green onions.

"The recipes for this program, which were provided by contributors and guests who may not be professional chefs, have not been tested in the Food Network's kitchens. They have been tested in the Southern Living Test Kitchens. All brand names have been removed from these recipes, which originally appeared on southernlivingcookoff.com."

Pan-Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate Molasses

2009-06-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious treat although Pomegranate Molasses or concentrae is a bit difficult to find.

Pan-Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate Molasses

One of the flavors often found in pinot noir is pomegranate, which inspired me to create this easy dish. The sauce is based on pomegranate molasses, a thick, savory syrup used in Middle Eastern cooking that acts as a fascinating bridge to the pinot noir. Look for pomegranate molasses in Middle Eastern markets. Serve with a simple side dish of steamed asparagus and roasted onion wedges. To prepare the onions with the pork tenderloin, remove pork from pan after browning on all sides. Cook the onion wedges in the pan for one minute, then return the pork to the pan and bake as directed.

Sauce:
1 cup less-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup pinot noir or other spicy dry red wine
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon butter

Pork:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Cooking spray

To prepare sauce, combine broth and the next 4 ingredients (through honey) in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat 30 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup. Remove from heat; strain over a bowl. Discard solids. Add butter to the molasses mixture, stirring with a whisk until the butter melts.

To prepare pork tenderloin, preheat oven to 500°.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Combine salt, five-spice powder, and pepper; rub evenly over pork. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan, and cook 1 minute, browning on all sides. Place pan in oven; bake at 500° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155° (slightly pink). Let stand 10 minutes. Thinly slice pork, and serve with sauce.

Perfect wines: Sanford Pinot Noir 2001 "Santa Rita Hills" (Santa Barbara County, CA), $26. This wine's beautiful flavors of earth, pomegranate, grenadine, mocha, and cherry preserves come into focus when you serve it with the pork tenderloin and pomegranate sauce. The sauce also mirrors the wine's wonderful silky, plush texture. As a less expensive alternative, consider the Echelon 2002 Pinot Noir from the Central Coast of California, about $12.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3 ounces pork and about 1 tablespoon sauce)

CALORIES 220 (29% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 3.2g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.6g); IRON 2.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 81mg; CALCIUM 37mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13.1g; SODIUM 404mg; PROTEIN 25.2g; FIBER 0.1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2004

Mesclun with Berries and Sweet Spiced Almonds

2009-06-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

Although the raspberries went moldy before I had a chance to make the salad, I still used this dressing on some spring greens with spicy almonds and the result was excellent.

Mesclun with Berries and Sweet Spiced Almonds

Raspberries add bright color and several good-for-you nutrients like fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C. Almonds are a good source of vitamin E and monounsaturated fats. Chives, members of the onion family, add phenols and flavonoids.

5 cups gourmet salad greens
1 3/4 cups raspberries (about 1 [6-ounce] container)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon country-style Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
6 tablespoons Sweet Spiced Almonds

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine vinegar and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over lettuce mixture; toss gently to coat. Arrange 1 cup salad on each of 6 plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon Sweet Spiced Almonds.

Yield: 6 servings

CALORIES 84 (45% from fat); FAT 4.2g (sat 0.3g,mono 2.4g,poly 1.3g); IRON 1.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 47mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.2g; SODIUM 123mg; PROTEIN 2g; FIBER 3.8g

Greek Chicken Breasts

2009-06-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

My new favorite recipe for whole chicken breasts.

Greek Chicken Breasts

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4 bone-in chicken breast halves
8 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 lemons, thinly sliced
16 to 20 kalamata olives, pitted
1 (4-ounce) container crumbled feta cheese
Garnishes: lemon slices, fresh oregano sprigs

Lift skin gently from chicken breasts without detaching it; place 2 garlic cloves under skin of each breast. Replace skin.

Rub breasts evenly with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano.

Place lemon slices in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, and arrange chicken breasts over lemon. Sprinkle olives around chicken.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until done. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with feta cheese. Garnish, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

Southern Living, JANUARY 1998

Chicken with Mushrooms and Green Beans

2009-06-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

Taking Cindy's advice I looked up the sales at my local VONS and based my meal plans off of what I saw. This recipe is based on that decision, and it was so good! Squeezing the oranges over the finished chicken gave it a savory sweetness that would have been sorely missed otherwise.

CKS note: I left the chicken in for 1 hour, 15 minutes to get it up to 165 degrees with the meat thermometer. I left out the red pepper flakes just because the only ones I had were spicy.

* 1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into pieces
* 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, plus 12 whole cloves, unpeeled
* 1 small navel orange, halved
* 3/4 pound green beans, trimmed
* 1 10-ounce package button mushrooms, caps quartered

Directions

* Heat oven to 400° F.

* Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a roasting pan.

* In a small bowl, combine the thyme, red pepper, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.

* Brush the chicken with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle with the chopped garlic and spice mixture. Arrange the whole garlic cloves and orange halves around the chicken. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.

* Meanwhile, place the green beans and mushrooms on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining oil and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Roast until the mushrooms are cooked through and the beans are lightly browned, stirring once, about 15 minutes.

* Divide the chicken and garlic among individual plates and squeeze the roasted orange halves over the top. Serve with the green beans and mushrooms.

Jack Quesadillas with Cranberry Salsa

2009-04-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

OK, these were surprisingly delicious. I wasn't so sure about the salsa with the cumin in it when I taste tested it by itself. But it is the flavor combination of the quesadilla and salsa together that truly is award winning. We cannot wait to make this again! We substitute leftover chicken for turkey.

Jack Quesadillas with Cranberry Salsa

This salsa is also great on turkey sandwiches. To make meatless quesadillas, use sautéed vegetables in place of the turkey.

Salsa:
1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Anjou pear, cored and finely diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Quesadillas:
Cooking spray
1/4 cup (2-inch-thick) slices green onions
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

To prepare salsa, combine first 7 ingredients. Cover and chill.

To prepare quesadillas, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/4 cup sliced onions to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Remove onions from pan; reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each of 4 tortillas. Top each cheese-covered tortilla with one-fourth of onions, 1/2 cup turkey, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 1 tortilla.

Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 quesadilla to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and cheese melts. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges. Serve with cranberry salsa and sour cream.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 wedges, about 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

CALORIES 356 (25% from fat); FAT 9.7g (sat 4.2g,mono 3.5g,poly 1.2g); IRON 2.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 42mg; CALCIUM 218mg; CARBOHYDRATE 47.8g; SODIUM 372mg; PROTEIN 19.4g; FIBER 3g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2004

Grilled Herb-Coated Chicken Breasts

2009-04-30T22:15:00.001-07:00

Another excellent grilling recipe. The lemon buttermilk herb marinade tasted as good as it sounds. Also, I was able to put together the marinade a day ahead of time so all we had to do when I got home from work was throw it on the grill. I love those nights! We will definitely make this again.

Grilled Herb-Coated Chicken Breasts

Serve these juicy chicken breasts sliced over mixed greens, fanned out next to a grilled vegetable salad, or cold for lunch.

3/4 cup Herbed Lemon-Buttermilk Dressing
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon honey
Cooking spray

Combine Herbed Lemon-Buttermilk Dressing and chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour or up to 8 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

Remove chicken from marinade, and discard marinade. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt and black pepper. Combine fresh parsley, chives, canola oil, and honey, stirring well. Spoon herb mixture evenly over tops of chicken breast halves. Place chicken, herb side down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes each side or until done.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half)

CALORIES 222 (15% from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 0.7g,mono 1.4g,poly 1.2g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 99mg; CALCIUM 44mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.6g; SODIUM 540mg; PROTEIN 40g; FIBER 0.3g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2005

Herbed Lemon-Buttermilk Dressing

This all-purpose dressing is similar to ranch dressing. It's great as a marinade on chicken, dressing on salad, and dip with cut-up vegetables.

This recipe goes with Grilled Herb-Coated Chicken Breasts

3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Combine all ingredients, stirring with a whisk until dressing is well blended.

Note: Refrigerate dressing in an airtight container for up to five days; stir well before using.

Yield: 1 1/4 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

CALORIES 12 (23% from fat); FAT 0.3g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.2g); IRON 0.0mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 13mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.9g; SODIUM 89mg; PROTEIN 0.4g; FIBER 0.1g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2005

Weeknight Grill Special

2009-04-30T22:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple, healthy, and balanced grilling menu that's good for any night of the week. The chicken marinade was not out of this world but the flavors were simple and worked together.

Herbed-Grilled Tomatoes

Prep: 12 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 medium tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the olive oil and next 5 ingredients (through pepper).

2. Add tomatoes, and turn to coat them on all sides.

3. Prepare grill.

4. Place tomatoes, cut sides down, on the grill rack. Brush once with remaining marinade, and then discard marinade. Grill about 5-7 minutes on each side over medium-high heat or until tomatoes begin to blister, soften, and brown. (They can burn easily, so keep an eye on them.)

5. Remove the tomatoes from grill, and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired, and parsley. Serve immediately.

Yield: Makes 4 servings (serving size: 2 tomato halves)

CALORIES 60 ; FAT 4g (sat 1g,mono 3g,poly 1g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 18mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7g; SODIUM 79mg; PROTEIN 1g; FIBER 2g; IRON 0.0mg

Health, JUNE 2007

Skewers of Rosemary Chicken and Zucchini

If using wooden skewers, soak them in lemon juice for 30 minutes before grilling. This moistens the skewers so they don't char during grilling, and it infuses the food with more flavor from the inside out.

2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 pounds zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Cooking spray

Place rind, rosemary, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 teaspoon garlic in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; seal bag and refrigerate 1 hour.

Prepare grill.

Combine 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, juice, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk.

Thread chicken and zucchini alternately onto each of 12 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 12 minutes or until chicken is done, turning once. Drizzle with juice mixture.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 skewers)

CALORIES 183 (30% from fat); FAT 6.1g (sat 1g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 38mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.1g; SODIUM 370mg; PROTEIN 27.4g; FIBER 1.4g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2002

Red Wine Beef Stew with Potatoes and Green Beans

2009-04-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

This stew is delicious and so economical. The rosemary red wine combo is such a a complimentary flavour that adds depth to this simple comfort food. This has become my go to beef stew recipe inspired by Dave Lieberman of the Food Network.

Red Wine Beef Stew with Potatoes and Green Beans

Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman

Making an amazing stew is a whole lot simpler than most people figure. After you brown up your beef, all you basically have to do is throw a bunch of tasty ingredients in a pot and let it do its thing. Adding green beans at the end of cooking freshens up the stew and their snap is cool. You can make it completely in advance, as far as 2 days ahead of time. Just refrigerate it right in the pot and reheat it over low heat. You?ll have to stir in a cup or so of water because the stew will have thickened up. (Do the water thing if you?re reheating leftover stew too.) I use butter to brown the beef because it adds richness to the stew and makes for a creamier gravy. But you can substitute any type of oil for the butter if you want. Pretty much any decent red wine will do for stew; I like using Burgundy or Cabernet Sauvignon but the basic rule is that as long as you?d be happy drinking what you?re cooking with you?re in good shape.

Ingredients

2 pounds beef chuck for stew, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
4 medium carrots, peeled, halved and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 small onions, diced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans reduced-sodium beef or chicken broth
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 medium russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 handfuls green beans, ends trimmed

Directions

Season the beef cubes lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy 6-quart pot over medium heat. As soon as the butter starts to turn brown, add half the beef and raise the heat to high. At first, the beef will give off some liquid, but once that evaporates, the beef will start to brown. Cook, turning the beef cubes on all sides until the pieces are as evenly browned as possible, about 5 or 6 minutes after the water has boiled off. If the pan starts to get too brown at any point, just turn down the heat a little. Scoop the beef into a bowl and brown the rest of the beef the same way using the remaining butter.

Scoop out the second batch of beef, then add the carrots and onions and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook until the onion starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour until it has been worked into the veggies and you can’t see it any more. Pour in the chicken broth, wine, and crushed tomatoes, and toss in the rosemary. Slide the beef back into the pot and bring the liquid to a boil.

Turn down the heat so the liquid is just breaking a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook 50 minutes. Stir the stew several times while simmering so it cooks evenly and nothing sticks to the bottom.

Stir the potatoes into the stew, cover the pot completely, and cook until the potatoes and beef are tender, stirring occasionally, about another 45 minutes. Add the beans and cook for another 5 minutes until the green beans turn bright green and are cooked through but still have a nice snap to them.

Turkey and Cranberry Port Wine Sauce

2009-04-30T21:59:00.000-07:00

The sauce was pretty good but the turkey did get a little dried out. Not sure how you could correct that.

Turkey and Cranberry Port Wine Sauce

Use cranberry sauce left over from your holiday meal to make this easy supper. The recipe calls for shallots, which have a milder, sweeter flavor than onions. A sweet onion will work, as well.

1 tablespoon canola oil
4 (4-ounce) turkey breast cutlets
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2/3 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/4 cup port wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Whole sage leaves (optional)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle turkey with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add turkey to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer turkey to a plate.

Melt butter in pan. Add shallots; sauté for 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium; stir in cranberry sauce, wine, chopped sage, vinegar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Return turkey to pan. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve with sauce. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired.

Santa Maria Smoked Tri-Tip

2009-04-30T21:52:00.001-07:00

This was nothing short of remarkable. The salsa was decent but really wasn't needed. The meat was so flavorful and smokey just by itself. We will definitely make this again but without the salsa.

Santa Maria Smoked Tri-Tip

Flavorful tri-tip steak is a cut of beef also known as bottom sirloin or sirloin tip. Compared to other styles of barbecue, this recipe comes together quickly, making it ideal for a weeknight, as well as special dinners.

3 cups hickory wood chips
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (2 1/4-pound) tri-tip steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
2 cups Santa Maria Salsa
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Soak wood chips in water 1 hour; drain well.

Combine salt, pepper, and garlic powder; sprinkle evenly over steak. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Remove grill rack; set aside. Prepare grill, heating one side to high and one side to medium. Place wood chips on hot coals on medium-heat side of grill; heat wood chips 10 minutes. Coat grill rack with cooking spray; place on grill.

Lightly coat steak with cooking spray. Place steak on grill rack over high-heat side of grill; grill 6 minutes, turning 3 times. Place steak on grill rack over medium-heat side of grill; grill 40 minutes or until a thermometer registers 140° (medium-rare) or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from grill; let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve with Santa Maria Salsa; garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Wine note: Tri-tip from California's Santa Ynez Valley goes naturally with a full-throttle merlot from the same region. Gainey Merlot 2004 (Santa Ynez Valley, California), $26, is plush and plummy, with enough structure to stand up to the steak, the char-smokiness of the wood chips, and the pungency of the salsa. --Karen MacNeil

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak and 1/4 cup salsa)

CALORIES 259 (46% from fat); FAT 13.1g (sat 4.8g,mono 6.9g,poly 0.5g); IRON 3.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 26mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.6g; SODIUM 544mg; PROTEIN 30.9g; FIBER 0.7g

Cooking Light, JULY 2007

Curried Beef and Onions

2009-04-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

This is another long time favorite of ours. It's cheap, simple to make, and can be made year round. It also smells delicious while it's cooking.

Curried Beef and Onions

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1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 cups hot cooked basmati rice
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak, and sauté 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add ginger, garlic, and jalapeño; sauté 1 minute. Add onion, curry, and coriander; sauté 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, and simmer 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates.

Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Stir in yogurt. Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup steak mixture and 1/2 cup rice)

CALORIES 408 (30% from fat); FAT 13.6g (sat 5.2g,mono 5.1g,poly 1.7g); IRON 5.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 116mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.2g; SODIUM 418mg; PROTEIN 27.5g; FIBER 3g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2003

Warm Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie

2009-04-30T21:43:00.001-07:00

I can't believe we didn't get a picture of this. We never bake in our house but I happened to have an extra pie crust in the freezer since I had gotten a package of two when we made the vegetable and goat cheese tart a while back. Well, I definitely picked a winner of a recipe. This was delicious! Hard to believe it's a cooking light recipe.

Warm Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie

The key to both a flaky piecrust and crisp streusel topping is to keep them as cold as possible before putting them into the oven.

Crust:
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
Cooking spray

Streusel:
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Filling:
5 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 pounds)
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325º.

To prepare crust, roll dough into a 14-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch deepdish pie plate coated with cookig spray. Fold edges under; flute. Place pie plate in refrigerator until ready to use.

To prepare streusel, lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place streusel in refrigerator.

To prepare the filling, heat a large nonstrick skillet coated with cookig spray over medium heat. Add sliced apple, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; cook 10 minutes or until the apple is tender, sitrring mixture occasionally. Spoon the apple mixture into prepared crust.

Combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 325º for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300º (do not remove pie from oven); sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake at 300º for 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 1 hour before serving.

Yield: 10 servings

CALORIES 317 (29% from fat); FAT 10.1g (sat 4.6g,mono 3g,poly 1.2g); IRON 0.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CALCIUM 73mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52.6g; SODIUM 230mg; PROTEIN 5g; FIBER 1.3g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2003

Parmesan Chicken Paillards with Cherry Tomato Sauce

2009-04-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

I'm not into breaded chicken, but chicken crusted in Parmesan? That I can get behind! This was a very simple and tasty weeknight meal and kept surprisingly well as reheated leftovers. The only real substitution we made was using red wine vinegar in place of the sherry vinegar since the only sherry vinegar we could find in the entire valley was $14 a bottle. Ridonculous! Still tasted great to me. Serve with a simple side salad.

Parmesan Chicken Paillards with Cherry Tomato Sauce

Paillards are boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded flat and sautéed. A crust of Parmesan adds flavor. The sauce combines savory marinara sauce (which Aaron loves) with the freshness of cherry tomatoes. Serve with green beans and orzo with parsley.

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine cheese and flour in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 side of each chicken breast half in cheese mixture.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breast halves, cheese side down; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and chicken breast halves. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in broth and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Add tomatoes, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and oregano; cook 2 minutes.

Wine note: These chicken breasts have a piquant Italian flavor. I love to serve them with an Italian red made from the sangiovese grape. Try the incredible Marchesi di Frescobaldi "Campo ai Sassi" Rosso di Montalcino 2004 (Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy), $20. -Karen MacNeil

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1/3 cup tomato mixture)

CALORIES 264 (20% from fat); FAT 5.9g (sat 1.8g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.9g); IRON 1.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 102mg; CALCIUM 95mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.4g; SODIUM 504mg; PROTEIN 42.6g; FIBER 1.3g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2007

Lemon-Glazed Cranberry Rolls

2009-04-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

These were super fun to make but I definitely screwed up the glaze. Measure and follow the directions exactly on this. It's hard to tell the true taste since they were covered in soggy lemon juice, but I did enjoy the use of the cranberries. The roll itself was a little bland but now that I've found a really tasty refrigerated pizza dough at Fresh & Easy I would be interested to give these another try.

Lemon-Glazed Cranberry Rolls

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1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2/3 cup dried cranberries
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot water

Preheat oven to 375°. Unroll pizza dough, and pat into a 12 x 9-inch rectangle. Spread marmalade over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle cranberries over marmalade, pressing gently into dough. Beginning with a long side, roll up jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place slices, cut sides up, in muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove rolls from pan, and place on a wire rack.

Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and hot water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Drizzle icing over warm rolls.

Note: Substitute 1/3 cup apple jelly for the orange marmalade and 2/3 cup raisins for the cranberries, if desired.

Yield: 12 rolls (serving size: 1 roll)

CALORIES 155 (6% from fat); FAT 1g (sat 0.3g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g); IRON 0.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 15mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.7g; SODIUM 229mg; PROTEIN 2.9g; FIBER 3g

Cooking Light, MARCH 1996

Hoisin-Drenched Tofu and Stir-Fried Vegetables

2009-04-30T20:57:00.000-07:00

This recipe had it's merits, but without a second thought I would not make it again. Still, it's worth sharing as I did learn a few things. Don and I do love hoisin, and I have been trying to find new ways to use tofu since it's such a cheap and sustainable source of protein. However, I've found much better hoisin sauce recipes out there, and the preparation involved was soooo not necessary. I really did not find any better flavor our texture out of the extra time spent marinating and baking the tofu prior to going into the stir fry. It would have done just as well stirfrying regularly and then adding the sauce at the end. The one thing you do want to do though is drain your tofu ahead of time which I show you how to do in another blog post How to Cook Tofu and Like It. On the other hand, the flavors and stir fry components do to well together, just not outstanding and not worth the effort. This would make a great base recipe though and you can even buy a ready made hoisin sauce at the grocery store to save some time though it will probably not be as low calorie.

Hoisin-Drenched Tofu and Stir-Fried Vegetables

A vibrantly seasoned marinade of hoisin sauce and five-spice powder is baked into the tofu, so the flavor really sinks in. Select the firm water-packed tofu, which stands up to stir-frying. Use your largest skilled for this dish.

Tofu:
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/3 cup sake (rice wine)
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 1/2 pounds firm water-packed tofu, drained and cut into (1/2-inch thick) slices

Stir-fry:
3 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion bottoms
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic
1 1/2 cups red bell pepper strips
1 1/2 cups yellow bell pepper strips
1/2 pound snow peas, trimmed
2 tablespoons sake (rice wine) or sherry
2 cups (1-inch) sliced green onion tops
4 1/2 cups hot cooked jasmine rice

To prepare tofu, combine first 6 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a foil-lined jelly roll pan; pour hoisin mixture over tofu, turning tofu to coat. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Bake tofu mixture at 375° for 35 minutes. Discard marinade.

To prepare stir-fry, combine 3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.

Heat olive oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onion bottoms, 2 tablespoons garlic, and chile paste; stir-fry 15 seconds. Add bell peppers; stir-fry 1 minute. Add peas and 2 tablespoons sake; cook 3 minutes or until peas are tender, stirring constantly. Add tofu, soy sauce mixture, and green onion tops; toss gently to combine. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve over rice.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup stir-fry and 3/4 cup rice)

CALORIES 427 (28% from fat); FAT 13.4g (sat 2g,mono 4.8g,poly 5.3g); IRON 5.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 170mg; CARBOHYDRATE 57.4g; SODIUM 736mg; PROTEIN 18.7g; FIBER 5.5g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003

Roasted Salmon with Chile Minted Cucumbers

2009-04-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe Don and I discovered on the Food Network website during our first year of living together. We made it many times during that first year and often come back to it still. The minty cucumber salad compliments the roasted salmon deliciously and the sesame crust makes for a beautiful presentation. If you want to get really fancy, try laying down alternate of regular and black sesame seeds. Than press the salmon flesh into the seeds for a tiger stripe like effect.

Roasted Salmon with Chile Minted Cucumbers

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Ingredients

1 small hot house cucumber, sliced thin
1/2 fresh red chile, sliced thin
1 handful fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-ounce) salmon fillet, without skin
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine the cucumber, chile, and mint in a mixing bowl. Pour in the vinegar, sprinkle with the sugar, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together so the cucumbers are well coated in the vinegar, the cucumbers will soften and the flavors deepen as it sits.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season both sides of the salmon with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Sprinkle the top of the salmon with the sesame seeds. Place a cast iron or regular ovenproof skillet on the stove over medium heat. Coat the pan with the oil and when it is nice and hot, lay the salmon in the pan, sesame seed-side down. Sear the salmon for 3 minutes, then stick it in the oven and roast for 10 minutes until it's just cooked through. Serve the salmon on a pile of the chile minted cucumbers.

Peanut Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry

2009-04-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

This recipe (see end of post) was originally inspired by one I found on MyRecipes.com, but I made my own version of it when I discovered that Tofu at Fresh and Easy was less than a dollar. I cheated by buying ready made bottled peanut thai sauce, but next time I make it (prob later this week) I think I will try the South Beach Diet version that Jeremy and Katy make. It's excellent and goes like this:

1/4 c creamy peanut butter
3 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
1 T canola oil
8 ounces tofu or tempeh
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 red bell peppers, sliced
1 bunch of scallions, chopped

whisk together the peanut butter, 2 T of soy sauce, and the rice vinegar until smooth. Heat 1/2 T of oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add tofu and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add remaining soy sauce and toss to coat. Transfer tofu to a plate.

Heat remaining oil in skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, scallions, and bell peppers; cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add tofu and peanut butter mixture, toss until all ingredients are well coated, and serve.

Peanut-Broccoli Stir-fry

Prep: 30 min., Stand: 55 min., Cook: 10 min.

1 (16-oz.) package firm tofu
2 cups uncooked brown rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon lite soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 cup carrot sticks
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts
Garnish: lime wedges

1. Place tofu between 2 flat plates. Weight the top with a heavy can. (Sides of tofu should be bulging slightly but not cracking.) Let stand 45 minutes; discard liquid. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.

2. Prepare rice according to package directions, adding 1/2 tsp. salt.

3. Meanwhile, combine vegetable broth and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Add tofu, and toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove tofu from marinade, reserving marinade.

4. Heat oils in a nonstick skillet or wok over high heat 1 minute. Add tofu, and stir-fry 4 to 5 minutes or until browned. Remove tofu. Add broccoli and carrot sticks; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add reserved marinade, and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until thickened; stir in cooked tofu. Serve over hot cooked rice. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Garnish, if desired.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

CALORIES 400 (0.0% from fat); FAT 13g (sat 2.1g,mono 3.8g,poly 2.7g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 188mg; CARBOHYDRATE 58g; SODIUM 633mg; PROTEIN 15.3g; FIBER 5.8g

Southern Living, JANUARY 2008

"Nothing this healthy should taste this good!"

2009-04-27T22:31:00.000-07:00

Enough said.

Zucchini, Olive, and Cheese Quesadillas
from Cooking Light, October 2001

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 1/4 cups shredded zucchini
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 fat-free flour tortillas (8-inch)
1/2 cup preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (2 ounces) divided
1/2 cup diced tomato, divided
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives, divided
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce) divided

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add zucchini; sauté for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; stir in oregano, salt, and pepper.

Wipe pan clean with paper towels, and coat with cooking spray. Heat pan over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla to pan, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup mozzarella. Top with half of the zucchini mixture, 1/4 cup tomato, 2 tablespoons olives, 2 tablespoons feta, and 1 tortilla. Cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Carefully turn quesadilla; cook for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Place quesadilla on a cutting board; cut in half using a serrated knife. Repeat procedure with the remaining tortillas, mozzarella, zucchini mixture, tomato, olives, and feta. Serve warm.

Artichoke-and-Red Pepper Pizza

2009-04-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

I'm finding myself with a busy schedule these days and have fallen behind on the cooking blog. I've also started a new blog called LA Cheapskate in which I've been featuring a lot of great tasting economical recipes, finding new ways to cook and enjoy amazing food for less. However, I've also realized that I've reached a milestone with the cooking blog. Camille and I started this blog together on November 7th of 2007. A whole year and a half ago! It's now become not just a fun place to share recipes, but an important resource and collection for me to reference back on when trying to think of what to plan for dinner. So even though I've already posted some of these on my other blog, I want to repost them here so I'll be able to reference them all together here in the future.

This incredible sauce-less vegetarian pizza was recently featured on my other blog here. We have fallen in love with Fresh & Easy's refrigerated Pizza Dough and this recipe really lets it shine. Be sure to cook the crust before putting on the toppings and then just put in long enough for the cheese to melt and bubble a bit.

Artichoke-and-Red Pepper Pizza

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1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza dough
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup julienne-cut red bell pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 (2.5-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Cracked pepper (optional)

Unroll pizza dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat dough into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Bake at 425° for 5 minutes; set aside.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add red bell pepper, basil, oregano, and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in artichokes and mushrooms.

Sprinkle half of cheese over prepared pizza crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Spread the vegetable mixture evenly over cheese, and top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle with cracked pepper, if desired. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned.

Yield: 16 appetizers (serving size: 1 appetizer)

CALORIES 101 (32% from fat); FAT 3.6g (sat 1.3g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.6g); IRON 1.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 103mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.7g; SODIUM 256mg; PROTEIN 4.8g; FIBER 0.3g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1995

Breakfast Fit For a Queen

2009-04-08T01:49:00.001-07:00

I have been swimming 3 to 4 times a week and been starving since I started. I don't know what it is, but I'm burning so many more calories now and my body is craving good food that has some carbs. I've also been craving french toast but a healthier version, one that's not sitting in fat and butter for minutes on end. I turned to MyRecipes and found this recipe that was completely satisfying. It's a great brunch recipe and would taste fantastic with bacon (not so healthy) and mimosas (be sure to drink water too!) When I own a B&B someday, this will definitely be on the menu!

French Toast For A Queen

from Sunset Magazine

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup nonfat milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cooking oil spray
8 slices sweet French or challah bread, about 1 inch thick
Powdered sugar
Maple syrup
Orange wedges

Directions:
1. In a shallow bowl, whisk to blend eggs, egg whites, milk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. Lightly mist a 10- by 15-inch nonstick pan with cooking oil spray.
3. Soak bread thoroughly on each side, a few pieces at a time, in egg mixture.
4. Place slices slightly apart in a single layer in baking pan.
5. Bake in a 500° oven until toast is golden on bottom, about 5 minutes. With a wide spatula, turn slices over and bake until other side is browned, about 3 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer hot French toast to plates.
6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, drizzle with maple syrup, and serve with orange wedges, squeezing juice onto toast.

CKS Note: I didn't have any oranges or powdered sugar, and frankly, you don't need them. I also realized I was out of vanilla extract so I used almond extract instead and it gave the dish a really nice flavor.

Light and Summery

2009-04-03T14:15:00.001-07:00

Matt and I have been having an adverse reaction to spaghetti sauce, and really, cooked tomatoes altogether. Pizza is no longer an appealing option so it has been a fun challenge for me to find fresh tomato sauces that taste good, are comforting, and easy on the digestive system. A few weeks ago I found a large amount of dill for a great price at the farmers market. I had so much leftover that I had to go digging around on the Internet to find another recipe to use up the rest! Luckily, I found one that matched our needs and I've made it twice this week. I'd use fresh parsley and dill if you can, it makes all the difference. I think next time I'll add another clove of garlic, and maybe some cooked chicken too, right before serving. This would also taste excellent with homemade pesto and/or grilled shrimp! You could even dice the tomatoes a little more and serve on baguette slices - bruschetta!

Fresh Tomato Dill Pasta
from Cooks.com

Ingredients:
3 1/2 c. diced ripe tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
2 tbsp. minced parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dill weed
2 tsp. finely minced shallot or green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. thin pasta noodles (such as linguine, angel hair or spaghetti), cooked

Directions:
In medium bowl, combine tomatoes, parsley, dill, shallot and garlic. Gradually stir in olive oil.

For best flavor, let sauce sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. When ready to serve, add salt and pepper; toss with hot cooked pasta.

Makes 2 to 4 servings (about 3 1/2 cups sauce).

Purrrfect Pancakes

2009-03-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

Matt is not a pancake fan, and yet it is a breakfast staple of mine. Growing up, Sunday mornings were my favorite because Mom made either homemade pancakes or waffles, sometimes served with homemade raspberry or strawberry jam (there's only a few left now in the freezer). Sometimes she'd even surprise us with bacon or sausage as a side, and as always, orange juice to drink (they didn't have organic juice in those days). It's one of my favorite memories and many emotions are tied to them, happy ones of course. The house was always so warm and snuggly on those mornings, and Mom, Dad and I (and Katie too when she finally arrived) would talk about the week that we had and the week that was coming up.

But I digress...

In search of more breakfast recipes, I came across one for Lemon Ricotta Cheese pancakes. What really got me excited was that this was not a standard pancake recipe. Sure, it involves buttermilk, but the flavors are totally different and the buttermilk adds a nice tartness that balances out the lemon. The ricotta adds depth and texture. I reccomend serving these on warm plates with strawberry or raspberry jam and a side of bacon never hurts!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
from Sunset Magazine

Notes: This is our adaptation of Crest Cafe's (San Diego, California) lemon-ricotta pancakes, which are served with fresh strawberries and bananas. Top the bananas with a sprinkling of grated lemon peel and offer warm maple syrup to drizzle over the fruit and cakes.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
Salad oil (I used Canola oil which worked just fine)

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg yolks, and lemon peel to blend. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture just until evenly moistened. Gently stir in ricotta cheese.

2. In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. With a flexible spatula, gently fold the whites into the batter just until they are incorporated.

3. Place a nonstick griddle or a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat (350°); when hot, coat lightly with oil and adjust heat to maintain temperature. Drop batter in 1/2-cup portions onto the griddle and cook until pancakes are browned on the bottom and edges begin to look dry, about 2 minutes; turn cakes with a wide spatula and brown other sides, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. Coat pan with more oil as necessary to cook remaining pancakes.

4. Serve pancakes as cooked, or keep warm in a single layer on baking sheets in a 200° oven for up to 15 minutes.

Yield: Makes about 8 pancakes; 4 servings

CALORIES 318 (21% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 2.6g); CHOLESTEROL 116mg; CARBOHYDRATE 48g; SODIUM 759mg; PROTEIN 13g; FIBER 1.4g

Slow Cooked Goodness

2009-03-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

There are no words to describe how much I love this recipe. The warm flavors of the sauce and the absolute tenderness of the pork, combined with sour cream, warm corn tortillas, and fresh cilantro (from the farmer's market) made for a perfect dinner last night. Add a lager beer, and voila! Dinner was a definite success and you can bet that I'll be making this recipe again. Perfect for large groups, this is a slow-cooker recipe - aka throw it in and forget about it for 7-8 hours. Now that's my style of cooking! :)

Pulled Pork Tacos

from Real Simple

Ingredients:
2 cups store-bought salsa, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
kosher salt
1 2 1/2 pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
18 corn tortillas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:
1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pork and turn to coat.
2. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
3. Twenty minutes before serving, heat oven to 350° F.
4. Stack the tortillas, wrap them in foil, and bake until warm, about 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, lime, and extra salsa.

Tip: When using a slow cooker, resist the urge to lift the lid until the dish has cooked the minimum amount of time specified in the recipe. Each peek allows heat to escape and can increase cooking time by as much as a half hour.

Fabulous Crepes

2009-03-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Since I want to run a B&B someday, I've now made it part of my meal plan to have a nice breakfast on Sunday mornings. I need to branch out from egg mcmuffins and cheesy toast. So, with that in mind, this Sunday I'm making Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (recipe to be posted next week). Last week, I made these fabulous crepes using seasonal strawberries from the local farmer's market. They were so good, and I loved making something sweet and healthy at the same time.

These recipes are from Master Cook, and unfortunately I don't have pictures. I guess I'll just have to make them again (darn) and take pictures next time!

Low Fat Honey Crepes

Ingredients:
2 cups nonfat milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 egg whites
1 egg
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor; blend until smooth. Rub 8-inch nonstick skillet with oiled paper towel or spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons crêpe batter into skillet, tilting and rotating skillet to cover evenly with batter. Cook until edges begin to brown. Turn crêpe over and cook until lightly browned. Remove crêpe to plate to cool. Repeat process with remaining batter. Crêpes may be refrigerated 3 days or frozen up to 1 month in airtight container.

Strawberry Brunch Crepes with Honey Suzette Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Low-Fat Honey Crêpes, see recipe
2 cups low-fat lemon yogurt
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions:
To prepare sauce, whisk together honey, orange juice, lemon juice orange peel, lemon peel and cornstarch in small saucepan until well blended and cornstarch is dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally; cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter. Cool to room temperature or refrigerate until ready to use. To assemble, press 1 crêpe into each of 6 ramekins or bowls to form a cup. Fill each with 1/3 cup yogurt. Top each with 1/4 cup sliced strawberries and 2 to 3 tablespoons sauce.

CKS Note: I would recommend not using so much yogurt. You could leave it out entirely, but it does give the filling a little more substance.

Breakfast for Dinner

2009-03-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

My sister's good friend Roxy came to visit and I was concerned that since she's young and energetic, she'd want to go out and eat and fancy/hip restaurants. This was certainly not in our budget! Luckily she was fine with whatever we wanted to cook at home, so I came up with a few tasty dishes that all of us were pleased with.

Last night it was hot, and Roxy and I had spent the afternoon walking around in the sun in Downtown L.A., perusing Little Tokyo and Olvera Street. I wanted to make something simple that involved minimal prepration but didn't mean ordering in.

I had bought some lovely fresh dill at the Glendale Farmers Market a few weeks ago and needed to use it up before it went bad. So I went to My Recipes and typed in "fresh dill". I saw a recipe for Smoked-Salmon, Goat-Cheese, and Fresh-Dill Fritatta. Just reading the recipe made my mouth water! It was as delicious as it sounds and I can't wait to make it again. This was also part of my research in breakfast recipes, and it was a huge hit.

Serving Suggestion - pair this with fresh fruit, such as strawberries or grapes, and a light white wine, such as the Dry Gewurztraminer from Claiborne and Churchill.

Smoked-Salmon, Goat-Cheese, and Fresh-Dill Frittata

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

2 1/2 cups shredded peeled baking potato or refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 large egg whites

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

3 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add potato; sauté 5 minutes or until golden brown, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Combine the egg whites, eggs, goat cheese, and smoked salmon in a medium bowl, and stir well with a whisk. Spread the egg mixture evenly over the potato in skillet, and cook 2 minutes or until edges are set and bottom is lightly browned. Sprinkle the top with dill.

Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Broil 3 minutes or until center is set. Carefully loosen frittata from skillet with a spatula; gently slide frittata onto a platter. Cut into 4 wedges.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)CALORIES 202 (30% from fat); FAT 6.8g (sat 3.2g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.7g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 128mg; CALCIUM 100mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.5g; SODIUM 589mg; PROTEIN 16.2g; FIBER 1.6g

Cooking Light, MAY 1998

Red meat, PLEASE!!

2009-03-21T23:01:00.000-07:00

I have been craving red meat these last few weeks, and not just a burger. STEAK. Just steak. Steak with just a bit of salt and pepper. Nothing too complicated. But I don't want to go out and pay for one at a fancy restaurant and yet I'm not good at cooking them either. What to do?

Enter Real Simple and their fabulously easy dishes.

I subscribe to the above magazine, mostly for theri AHA! articles and easy recipes. One recipe that I set aside was the one I'm listing now -- Seared Skirt Steak with Mushroom Salad. I was a bit nervous about preparing this dish as 1) Hubby doesn't like raw mushrooms and 2) Again, I'm not very good at cooking steak. However, this dish seemed easy enough and with the addition of Betty Crocker's scallped potatoes, this meal was a HIT. Huge HIT. Hubby's favorite part was the salad, oddly enough! I loved the simplicity of the steak, and the dressing on the salad was so flavorful. I felt really good about preparing a cost-efffective and delicious meal for the two of us. Too bad there weren't any leftovers.

CKS note: Trader Joe's didn't carry skirt steak so I used tri-tip instead and broiled it for about 9 minutes on each side. Just as delicious and at a cheaper cost!

Seared Skirt Steak with Mushroom Salad

from Real Simple

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
2 8-ounce packages sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 1/4 pounds skirt steak

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the mushrooms, cheese, and parsley and toss to combine.

Cut the steak into pieces as necessary to fit in a large skillet. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the steak to the desired doneness, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Slice the steak and serve with the mushroom salad.

Happy St Patrick's Day!

2009-03-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night, Matt and I went to a Saint Patty's day party. The hosts asked us to bring a dessert and I was more than happy to oblige! I knew that one of the guests was pregnant and wouldn't eat anything with chocolate, so that was my biggest challenge. Finding a dessert that was light, easy, and didn't have chocolate. After much Internet research, I found something that pleased the crowd. I used apricot jam, but I think it would taste really good with raspberry or strawberry preserves as well!

CKS Note: I used quick-cooking steel oats and my bars looked nothing like the picture, but they still tasted very good!

Fruit & Oat Bars

1 c. all-purpose flour

2-1/2 c. uncooked quick oats

1 c. packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 c. butter, softened

1-1/2 c. fruit preserves or jam, any flavor

3/4 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 375F. Beat butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add the first 6 ingredients and beat until well blended and crumbly. Reserve 1/3 of the mixture for topping. Press remaining 2/3 crumb mixture onto bottom of un-greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes; let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.

Combine preserves and almond extract; spread over crust; sprinkle evenly with reserved crumb mixture. Return to oven; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until topping is golden and filling is slightly bubbly. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen bars

Note: If using raspberry or blackberry preserves, buy the seedless variety for a smoother filling.

Pink Ladies, and I'm not talking about Grease

2009-03-11T03:27:00.000-07:00

Don said I nearly stumped him at the grocery store this weekend. We decided to divide and conquor. Since they are in the same shopping center, Don took the list for our local produce mart (Farm Boy) while I hit up the Trader Joes. We had just had a lovely afternoon in the park with the dogs and we wanted to get the shopping done quickly since Cordy and Seumas were waiting for us in the car. Anyway, on my list were Pink Lady Apples which Don had never heard of before and I don't blame him. It's not an apple that gets center stage a lot of times. In fact the only time I can ever recall using pink ladies before is in my cranberry apple sauce recipe that calls for a variety of apples for depth of flavor. Pink Ladies are a sweet variety and especially tasty when eaten sliced raw and chilled. They go well in fruit salads and, in this case, performed fantastically in my new delicous Apple Slaw recipe below, courtesy of Cooking Light. If you dn't have dried cherries on hand, this would also go really well with dried cranberries.

Apple Slaw

The sweet-spicy Pink Lady apples complement the tartness of the cherries and the vinaigrette in this slaw, which is a natural companion for pork chops or ham. Cameo, Fuji, or Gala apples will also work well.

Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Slaw:
2 1/2 cups chopped Pink Lady or other sweet apple
1 (12-ounce) package broccoli slaw
1 (3-ounce) package dried tart cherries
2 tablespoons unsalted sunflower seed kernels

To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

To prepare slaw, combine apple, broccoli slaw, and dried cherries. Drizzle with vinaigrette; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds; chill for up to 3 hours.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 125 (29% from fat); FAT 4g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.1g,poly 1.1g); IRON 0.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 33mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24.9g; SODIUM 91mg; PROTEIN 2.1g; FIBER 2.7g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2002

Some Like it Tart

2009-03-11T02:52:00.000-07:00

You know how it goes when it comes down to the decision of what to make for dinner. There is the easy option, quick and uninspiring leftovers, take out, or PB& J, or their is the longer drawn out version, the meal you actually planned out for the week, which involves prep time, physical labor, and no immediate gratification. The latter is always the more rewarding route as it usually tastes better, fresher, leaves you feeling more healthy and satisfied, and responsibly uses up your ingredients before they go bad. But it does require an investment of time up front. Tonight we decided to choose the latter, and we were no less than glad we did. Not only did we have an awesome time making it, but it was delicious and now I have two new recipes to add to my repertoire. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Scallops with Chipotle Orange Sauce, served up with a side of Vegetable-Goat Cheese Tart.

Cooks Notes - for the Scallops we just used a bag of the Frozen Scallops from Trader Joes defrosted under cold running water. The sauce is excellent and this recipe could be further improved by serving over a bed of rice, or with a side of bread to add a little texture and further soak up the juices. We added extra chipotle chilies since we like ours spicy. Additionally, the Vegetable Goat Cheese Tart is a substantial meal in and of itself and could easily serve as a vegetarian friendly main dish.

Scallops with Chipotle-Orange Sauce

Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeños that are often canned in sauce; use more or less than we call for here, depending on your tolerance for heat. A preheated pan is essential for good browning, so heat your pan while you prep the ingredients.

2 tablespoons butter, divided
Cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with paprika and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Add scallops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan, and keep warm.

Add orange juice and chile to the pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 1 minute). Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1/8 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Serve the sauce with scallops, and garnish with the onions.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 4 1/2 ounces scallops, about 1 tablespoon sauce, and 1 tablespoon onions)

CALORIES 218 (29% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 3.7g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.7g); IRON 0.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 72mg; CALCIUM 47mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.1g; SODIUM 488mg; PROTEIN 28.9g; FIBER 0.4g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2003

Vegetable Goat-Cheese Tart

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Preparation Time: 40 minutes minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes minutes

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 small bay leaf
1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into slivers
4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces soft goat cheese
9-inch ready-to-use piecrust, partially baked (follow label directions)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon olive oil

Over medium-low heat, add the oil to a large skillet with the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until the eggplant has softened. Stir in the zucchini, red bell pepper, tomatoes, and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the basil and a few grinds of pepper to taste.

Spread goat cheese piecrust. Top with the vegetables, sprinkle Parmesan, and drizzle olive oil. Bake in a 350º F preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the Parmesan is golden and the tart is heated through.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 524 (1% from fat); FAT 38g (sat 13g); CHOLESTEROL 32mg; CALCIUM 200mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31g; SODIUM 1100mg; PROTEIN 17mg; FIBER 6g; IRON 3mg

Real Simple, FEBRUARY 2003

Plan #4 - Let it Stew

2009-02-15T08:45:00.000-08:00

Stews are a great way to stretch a budget because they don't cost much to make and can feed a crowd. The two recipes below - Autumn Cranberry Beef Stew and Red Wine Beef Stew with Potatoes and Green Beans - will take you just a couple of hours to cook up on a Sunday, but provide you with 20 servings of home cooked goodness to pop in the freezer and pull out for lunches or an easy weeknight dinner. Purchase the chuck roast package from Costco which usually comes with two roasts at about 2-3 pounds each, and cut into your own cubes. And don't forget that when it comes to stew, the more the merrier. Start with the base recipes the below, but feel free to make substitutions or additions to use up whatever you have in the bottom of your veggie drawer before it goes bad. And since we can't live on stew alone (well possibly we can but don't want to) I've added a recipe for Turkey and Cranberry Port Wine Sauce to make use of the remaining wholeberry cranberry sauce from the first recipe. The recipe fits well with the comfort foods theme of the week with all the tastes of Thanksgiving at a fraction of the cost. Serve with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and steamed green beans and carrots to use up any of those remaining veggies that didn't make it into the Red Wine Beef Stew.

Autumn Cranberry Beef Stew

1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 (12-ounce) Guinness Stout
1 (10-ounce) package frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 (8-ounce) package button mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
8 cups cooked egg noodles (about 1 pound)
Chopped fresh thyme (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle over beef. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add chopped onion, broth, bay leaves, and stout; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in pearl onions and mushrooms; cook, covered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine 1/4 cup water and flour in a small bowl. Add flour mixture and cranberry sauce to pan. Cook 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve with noodles. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup stew and 3/4 cup noodles)

CALORIES 479 (27% from fat); FAT 14.6g (sat 4.8g,mono 6.3g,poly 1.1g); IRON 6.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 138mg; CALCIUM 35mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.7g; SODIUM 239mg; PROTEIN 39.5g; FIBER 2.6g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Red Wine Beef Stew with Potatoes and Green Beans

Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman

Prep Time:20 min

Cook Time:2 hr 0 min

Level:Intermediate

Serves:about 10 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds beef chuck for stew, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
4 medium carrots, peeled, halved and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 small onions, diced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans reduced-sodium beef or chicken broth
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 medium russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 handfuls green beans, ends trimmed

Directions

Turkey and Cranberry Port Wine Sauce

Use cranberry sauce left over from your holiday meal to make this easy supper. The recipe calls for shallots, which have a milder, sweeter flavor than onions. A sweet onion will work, as well.

1 tablespoon canola oil
4 (4-ounce) turkey breast cutlets
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2/3 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/4 cup port wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Whole sage leaves (optional)

Return turkey to pan. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve with sauce. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cutlet and 1/4 cup sauce)

CALORIES 276 (23% from fat); FAT 6.9g (sat 1.7g,mono 3.2g,poly 1.1g); IRON 1.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 53mg; CALCIUM 16mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.5g; SODIUM 428mg; PROTEIN 28.4g; FIBER 0.8g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005
Roasted-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 whole garlic head
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound peeled Yukon Gold or red potatoes, quartered
3 cups water
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375°.

Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate cloves). Rub oil over garlic head; wrap in foil. Bake at 375° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Set aside. Discard skins.

Place potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 15 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Heat milk in pan over medium heat until hot (do not boil). Add potatoes, salt, and pepper, and beat at medium speed of a mixer until potato mixture is smooth. Add garlic pulp, and stir well.

Variations:

Mashed Potatoes With Sage: Omit garlic; add 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage to milk, salt, and pepper.

Chive-and-Goat Cheese Potatoes: Omit garlic; add 3 tablespoons minced chives and 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese to milk, salt, and pepper.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

CALORIES 105 (27% from fat); FAT 3.1g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.3g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 79mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.6g; SODIUM 140mg; PROTEIN 3.9g; FIBER 1.8g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1997

Plan #3 - You Can Flank Me Later

2009-02-14T23:09:00.000-08:00

Plan #3 is dedicated to Costco's Flank Steak. If you know how to prepare it, this underrecognized cut can be a great source of red meat for those on a budget. It's not the tenderest cut out there and so can usually get an excellent price per pound. The trick with Flank Steak is to cook with strong, bold flavours, and to slice thinly against the grain into small pieces when serving, otherwise it can seem a little tough. And try as we might not to be food wasters, Don and I have found that we just do not enjoy reheated steaks of any kind. So pay attention to how many people you are serving, portion off the meat and only prepare what you plan to eat that night. I've found from experience, that Costco's Flank Steak packages usually come with two very large cuts per package. One large costco cut can typically feed up to six people. For just Don and I, I cut each steak in half and freeze the four sections separately. Each half a steak contains more than enough meat for a dinner for two in our household.

Below are a couple of recipes for flank steak. As I mentioned above, start by dividing the meat into the right proportions for your family size. The Soy-Balsamic Marinade can be prepared ahead of time and frozen with the meat in an airtight ziploc bag, then grilled or broiled for an easy weaknight meal. Serve the marinated grilled steak as is with some roasted potatoes and veggies, or try it with the Chimichurri Sauce shown below for some additional flavor. The Curried Beef and Onions is an easy weeknight meal which makes use of lots of typical pantry items and spices. If you decide to make ahead and freeze, only complete the directions up through the tomatoes. Then on the night you are ready to serve, cook up some fresh rice and stir in the yogurt right before serving. Be warned though that this recipe is not one for those who cannot handle the heat. It's a spicy one but very tasty!

Soy-Balsamic Marinade

Notes: This marinade imparts a rich mahogany sheen and spicy bite to red meats and salmon. The recipe can be multiplied for larger batches; cover and chill up to 2 weeks.

This recipe goes with Grilled Marinated Meat

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot chili flakes
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

In a small container, mix soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, chili flakes, and garlic.

Yield: Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 1 to 1 1/2 pounds meat, poultry, or fish

Sunset, JULY 2002

Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri is a traditional tangy herb sauce from Argentina that's usually paired with grilled meat. Set aside half of the flank steak for Steak Panzanella another night.

1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
4 servings Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak

1. Place first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely minced. With processor on, slowly pour oil and 1 tablespoon water through food chute; process until well blended. Serve sauce with Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak and 1 tablespoon sauce)

CALORIES 221 (50% from fat); FAT 12.4g (sat 3.2g,mono 7.1g,poly 1g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 33mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.2g; SODIUM 349mg; PROTEIN 24.2g; FIBER 0.5g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2008

Curried Beef and Onions

1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 cups hot cooked basmati rice
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Stir in yogurt. Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Plan #2 - Double Duty

2009-02-14T22:33:00.000-08:00

This plan doesn't even require massive bulk purchases to make your groceries stretch. Sometimes even ingredients that you buy in smaller quantities can go to waste. With this plan, I've tried to make the most of some fresh ingredients that usually don't keep too long by applying them to more than one recipe. Instead of buying two smaller cans of chicken stock for the Sausage and Spinach Soup and the Turkey Jambalaya, buy one large quart at a fraction of the cost. The Lemon Basil Chicken Breast recipe calls for fresh basil which appears also in the soup and green onions which do double duty with the jambalaya. For the ultimate convenience, when you prepare the Lemon Basil Chicken breasts, make a couple extra and use the leftovers as a substitute for the shredded turkey in the Jambalaya. Finally, pair the Lemon Basil Chicken Breasts with a Baby Spinach Salad with Mandarin Orange and Red Onion to make use of the leafy green leftovers from the soup. And the best part of this entire meal plan is that each of these recipes can be made in under thirty minutes for the busy weeknight cook.

Sausage and Spinach Soup

Fresh herbs are added after the soup cooks so they'll retain their bright color and flavor. You can substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each tablespoon fresh, but add them with the tomatoes. Serve with a toasted baguette.

10 ounce sweet turkey Italian sausage
Cooking spray
1 cup prechopped onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/2 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can organic stewed tomatoes, undrained (such as Muir Glen)
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons grated fresh Romano cheese

Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage in a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion and 2 teaspoons garlic to pan; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup water, beans, tomatoes, and broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat, and stir in spinach, basil, and oregano. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 4 bowls, and sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese.

Wine note: This delicious soup needs a wine that's crisp and medium-bodied, such as a California pinot gris (aka pinot grigio). The wine's crispness balances the richness of the sausage and the density of the beans. At the same time, the wine's body is substantial enough to stand up to the weight of those ingredients. Try Morgan Pinot Gris "R & D Franscioni Vineyard" 2006 (Santa Lucia Highlands, California), $18. -Karen MacNeil

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 261 (30% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 2.8g,mono 2.7g,poly 2.5g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 62mg; CALCIUM 105mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.1g; SODIUM 842mg; PROTEIN 20.9g; FIBER 5.4g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2007

Lemon-Basil Chicken with Basil Aioli

A side of egg noodles complement the fresh lemon and basil flavors of this guest-friendly entrée.

Chicken:
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

Basil Aioli:
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon olive oil

To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to basil mixture, turning to coat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 8 minutes on each side or until done.

While chicken cooks, prepare aioli. Combine 1/4 cup basil and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Serve with chicken.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1 tablespoon aioli)

CALORIES 284 (32% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 1.7g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.6g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 106mg; CALCIUM 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.1g; SODIUM 410mg; PROTEIN 40.1g; FIBER 1g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005
Turkey Jambalaya

Andouille sausage adds a kick to the Cajun classic from Louisiana. Rice and shredded turkey absorb a flavorful mixture of tomatoes and spices until they're bursting with flavor.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups shredded cooked turkey
6 ounces andouille sausage, chopped
2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in bell peppers and next 5 ingredients (bell peppers through black pepper); sauté 1 minute. Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add turkey and sausage; cover and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 249 (27% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 2.4g,mono 3.4g,poly 1.3g); IRON 2.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 42mg; CALCIUM 37mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.4g; SODIUM 523mg; PROTEIN 17.3g; FIBER 2.7g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2001

Baby Spinach Salad with Mandarin Orange and Red Onions

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Ingredients

8 ounces baby spinach, about 5 to 6 cups
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball the amount
Salt and pepper

Directions

Arrange spinach leaves on a large platter or individual salad plates. Top with mandarin sections and chopped red onion. Whisk together marmalade and vinegar. Stream oil into dressing while continuing to whisk.

When you are ready to serve, pour the dressing over salad and season with salt and pepper.

The Freezer Chef

2009-02-14T21:56:00.000-08:00

My friend and co-host of this blog, Katy, recently bought a book titled "Fix it, Freeze It, and Feast," or something of the like. You can pretty much get the concept by the title. It basically takes large catering style proportions and organizes family style meals into freezable sections which you can prepare ahead of time, store, and then take out and cook up in a matter of minutes. I'm excited to add this as yet another resource in my never ending quest for healthful, convenient, tasty, and economical cooking.

The idea of buying in bulk can be a great strategy for stretching a budget, but only if you are smart about how you apply your purchases. For instance, Costco, has excellent prices on fresh meats and produce. But unless you're having a lot of guests over, you usually can't eat the produce before it goes to waste (not exactly a money saver). And the meat, while it certainly is competitive at price per pound, it's typically proportioned much greater than an actual serving requires. In the future, us girls are hoping to get together and have some freezer cooking parties with Katy's new cookbook where we all make a few recipes, divide them up amongst each other and then take home our spoils. In the meantime, it has inspired me to do a little prep of my own, and have compiled some weekly menus that stretch the budget, capitalize on bulk items, and can be easily portioned off and frozen for a better shelf life. I hope you enjoy.

Plan #1 - The Thigh Master

This plan is a great way to make use of an entire pack of boneless skinless chicken thighs from Costco. They typically come in packs of about 6 pounds, and can usually be purchased at around $2.00 to $2.50 a pound. The Brunswick Stew and Chicken Thighs Braised in Garlic and White Wine are both delicious comfort food dishes that reheat well so can be cooked up over the weekend and then divided into individual servings to be refrigerated or frozen and eaten throughout the week. The Asian Barbecue Chicken is one of my all time favorite marinades. I recommend mixing the marinades as soon as you get home from the grocery store and then tossing together with the chicken in one or two ziploc bags depending on how much chicken you have left and how many people you plan to feed. Then store in the freezer to pull out later for a convenient weeknight meal.

Chicken Thighs Braised in Garlic and White Wine

2 teaspoons dried oregano
Kosher salt and pepper
8 small chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 small yellow onions, quartered
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 jarred hot cherry peppers, seeded and roughly chopped, plus 3 tablespoons of the brine
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice

In a small bowl, combine the oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, season with the spice mixture, and dredge in the flour.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the chicken, 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onions to the pot and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cherry peppers and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the pepper brine, wine, and broth and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions. Divide among individual bowls and spoon the chicken and sauce over it.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 675 (37% from fat); FAT 28g ; CHOLESTEROL 113mg; CARBOHYDRATE 64g; SODIUM 960mg; PROTEIN 31g; FIBER 2g; SUGAR 5g

Real Simple, SEPTEMBER 2007

Brunswick Stew

From 19th-century Virginia, this stew originally included squirrel meat (we opt here for chicken). Although the stew is sometimes thickened with stale bread cubes, this version uses flour to give it body and features garlic bread on the side. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.

Cooking spray
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby lima beans, thawed
6 (1-ounce) slices Italian bread, toasted
2 garlic cloves, halved

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell pepper, onion, and celery to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add oil to pan. Combine flour and chicken in a medium bowl, tossing to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through lima beans) to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

Rub bread slices with cut sides of garlic; discard garlic. Serve bread with stew.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup stew and 1 slice bread)

CALORIES 319 (26% from fat); FAT 9.2g (sat 2.2g,mono 3.5g,poly 2.6g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 50mg; CALCIUM 58mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38g; SODIUM 596mg; PROTEIN 22.4g; FIBER 5.8g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Asian Barbecue Chicken

"This is a recipe I love to make for family and friends. I usually serve it with roasted sesame asparagus and a sesame-noodle salad. Let the chicken marinate overnight for best results." -Jen McDonald, Centerville, VA

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 (6-ounce) chicken thighs, skinned
Cooking spray
Lime wedges (optional)
Green onion tops (optional)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute.

Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 20 minutes or until done, turning and basting frequently with the marinade. Garnish with lime wedges and green onion tops, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 thighs)

CALORIES 297 (23% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 2g,mono 2.4g,poly 1.9g); IRON 2.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 161mg; CALCIUM 39mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.1g; SODIUM 706mg; PROTEIN 39.2g; FIBER 0.4g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2002

I present: Awesome Sauce

2009-01-28T13:38:00.000-08:00

I made this BBQ sauce the other night, and yes, it is awesome. This is my variation of a sauce recipe found on recipezaar.com, as I can best remember it (I adjusted while cooking to get the flavor just right):

4 cups tomato sauce
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/4c onions (finely chopped)
1/4c + 1T soy sauce
1/4c + 1T brown sugar
1/2t mustard powder
1t cayenne
2t morrocan spice mix (Ras al Hanout listed below. You could also do 1/2t each cinnamon, corriander, cumin and black pepper and it would probably come close)
1T oregano
2 Bay leaves

Bring all to a boil and then simmer for 30 min. Done.

Ras al Hanout from Gourmet, 1998

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Wisk together and keep in an airtight jar. Great for a spice rub, or for pumping any dish that requires cumin flavor.

Mediterranean Night

2009-01-19T23:01:00.000-08:00

Don and I made a commitment this week to walk the dogs every night even if it was only for five minutes. And tonight, we did just that - walked the dogs for only five minutes. I was ready to keep going but when we rounded the block and I posed the question back or forward, Don determined that he was ready to head back since he was getting hungry. One of our neighbors was grilling steak and it smelled mighty good. Imagine Don's delight when I told him that we too were having steak for dinner. And not just steak, but steak and eggs. And not just any eggs, but poached eggs. And not just poached eggs, but Mediterranean Poached Eggs, a Cooking Light Recipe I've been wanting to try for a long time and one that is featured in the Meatless Main Dishes of my new Cooking Light cookbook that my sister got me for Christmas. I might as well have just told him that we won the lottery.

Jeremy and Katy came over to share in the meal and some much needed bonding time - been far too long since we had seen our best friends through a couple of freak weeks of opposite schedules. And this was a great meal to bring everyone back together. New fun flavors and awesomeness all around. Everyone gave it rave reviews and Katy did a really nice job for her first time ever with broiling steaks. Way to go Katy! Below is the featured recipe and a few pics of the meal.

We served with a lovely bottle of Cabernet from our favorite winery in Solvang. They actually have a White Cabernet also that is to die for.

Katy dishes up the first helping. Keep an eye out for Katy in an upcoming infomercial for a new exercise program. She recently dropped some significant poundage and does she not look fabulous?! And this Cooking Light Recipe works perfectly with her diet too.

The eggs are poached right in the tomato broth and then served over a nice slice of toasted french bread to soak up all the juices.

This is a meal that can certainly stand on it's own. But if you want to really put a smile on your husband's face, treat him to a lovely piece of sirloin steak, broiled here to perfection by the lovely Katy Spray.

Mediterranean-Style Poached Eggs

Eggs gently cook atop a savory mixture of onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts in this version of pipérade. Served over toasted bread, it makes a filling one-dish meal.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup green bell pepper strips
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
4 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
4 (1 1/2-ounce) slices French bread, toasted

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add cumin and paprika; sauté 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; stir in tomatoes, black pepper, and artichokes. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Form 4 (3-inch) indentations in vegetable mixture using the back of a spoon or bottom of a large custard cup. Break 1 egg into each indentation. Cover and cook 8 minutes or until eggs are done. Sprinkle with parsley, olives, and cheese. Serve over bread.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 bread slice, 3/4 cup vegetable mixture, and 1 egg)

CALORIES 355 (30% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 3.5g,mono 5.4g,poly 1.5g); IRON 3.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 217mg; CALCIUM 197mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.2g; SODIUM 1050mg; PROTEIN 17.8g; FIBER 7.5g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2004

Gnocchi anyone?

2009-01-15T08:47:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to try this recipe for awhile and the ingredients have been sitting in our fridge for almost a week. Since we are moving in 3 weeks from tomorrow, it's time to clean out the fridge and the pantry, and cook up what we've got.

Gnocchi is one of my favorite "pastas" if you will. There is something so very comforting about those little potato dumplings. Trader Joe's has an excellent pesto version, but the ones Matt picked up at the store were parmasean/potato. And they were delicious. I wasn't too sure how this recipe would turn out, especially when I realized that I forgot to reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water! But it was delicious, or so Matt said. For whatever reason I wasn't hungry last night. It was a very hearty meal and I'm sure I'll make it again soon.

CKS Note: I only used about 1/4 to 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 onion to save calories and my sensitive stomach.

Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach

from Real Simple

Tip: Gnocchi are small, quick-cooking dumplings, usually made from potatoes. You'll find them with the fresh or dried pasta in supermarkets, or you can substitute a short pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, or farfalle.

Ingredients

2 9-ounce packages refrigerated gnocchi or one 17.5-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

1 clove garlic, finely chopped1

5-ounce bag baby spinach

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan, plus more for garnishing

Directions:

Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling it with a spoon, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, spinach, salt, and pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Add the drained gnocchi, the reserved cooking liquid, and the Parmesan and toss. Divide among individual bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 815 (53% from fat); FAT 48g (sat 14g); CHOLESTEROL 96mg; CARBOHYDRATE 58g; SODIUM 1,886mg; PROTEIN 36g; FIBER 4g; SUGAR 11g

Real Simple, MARCH 2007

'Tis the season for hearty soups.

2009-01-05T15:41:00.000-08:00

I'll be posting a few more soup recipes this month. With the cold weather, especially up in Washington, I had forgotten how warm and soothing a bowl of soup can be.

I made this dish on Christmas Day, and it was gobbled up in no time. I made it again last night and Matt was quite excited! I love the heartiness of the soup, and putting 2 cups through the blender really helps thicken it up. I would certainly reccomend using the whole kielbasa and a whole bag of spinach. It really adds to the flavor and texture of the soup. You can add extra seasoning if you like, but I love it just on its own.

CKS Note - I am not the biggest fan of beans in soup, so I just used 1 can instead of 2 - hence using the entire Kielbasa.

North Woods Bean Soup

Adding turkey kielbasa lends this soup a rich, slow-simmered flavor even though it takes less than 30 minutes to make. Puree a portion of the recipe for a velvety consistency, and stir in fresh spinach after the soup is removed from the heat so it retains its bright color.

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:
Heat a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and kielbasa; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes. Add the broth, Italian seasoning, pepper, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to pan. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add the spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)CALORIES 227 (15% from fat); FAT 3.9g (sat 1.2g,mono 1.3g,poly 1.2g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; CALCIUM 112mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30.8g; SODIUM 750mg; PROTEIN 18.1g; FIBER 6.7g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2002

Couscous and Glazed Chicken (Must Love Apricots)

2009-01-04T19:18:00.000-08:00

I tried another new recipe tonight. I have never made anything with couscous before, so I was especially excited about trying this new dish. The cooking process goes pretty fast, so make sure you have the apricots chopped and the other ingredients ready to go before begining.

Overall, I give the dish 3 out of 5 stars. It wasn't my favorite, but I would eat it again. Even my dad cleaned his plate, which should warrant an extra star in and of itself (as he prefers not to stray far from the meat and potatoes americanized diet). His review: "I would eat it again, but not tomorrow."

If you love apricots, you will probably enjoy this dish. The couscous soaked up and enhanced the apricot flavors very nicely! The chicken was very tender.

The recipe is from Cooking Light's Annual Recipes 2001 or it can be found on the MyRecipes website.

Couscous and Glazed Chicken

Here's a quick main dish with a Moroccan touch. Kick this dinner off with a fresh spinach salad tossed with orange wedges.

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 3 chicken tenders and 1 cup couscous)

Ingredients
1/2 pound chicken breast tenders (about 6 tenders)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup uncooked couscous

Preparation
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook 4 minutes or until done, turning after 2 minutes. Combine preserves and vinegar in a bowl; add chicken. Keep warm. Add broth to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; add apricots. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Gradually stir in couscous; top with chicken mixture. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 374 (8% from fat)
Fat: 3.3g (sat 0.6g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.6g)
Protein: 33.3g
Carbohydrate: 53.2g
Fiber: 3.5g
Cholesterol: 66mg
Iron: 2.7mg
Sodium: 474mg
Calcium: 27mg

Elizabeth Taliaferro, Cooking Light, APRIL 2000

Barbecued Turkey Cutlets

2009-01-03T21:11:00.001-08:00

It was definitely inspiring to have Cindy and Don here for Christmas, cooking delicious food and reminding me how tasty healthy meals can be with just a little planning. One night, towards the end of their visit, Cindy and I spent a few hours looking through cookbooks and bookmarking future meals. Most of the cookbooks were Cooking Light varieties, but I also recently acquired a copy of Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook from Costco which includes 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes. It is in this cookbook I found the recipe for barbecued turkey cutlets.

This recipe is super simple and it only takes four hours to cook on low setting (even when increasing the recipe to 1.5x the original amounts). We couldn't find cutlets, so I used tenderloins and trimmed them to smaller pieces. The turkey was well cooked, but not overcooked, and the flavor was good. Even my 3-year old niece proclaimed, "I DO like turkey!!" The flavor reminded me of something similar to an asian teriyaki blend of sorts (not like typical american "barbecue sauce"). We will definitely be making this one again!

Barbecued Turkey Cutlets
Maricarol Magil Freehold, NJ
Makes: 6-8 servings
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-5 quart

6-8 (1 1/2 to 2 lbs.) turkey cutlets
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt
3 Tbsp. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Place turkey cutlets in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over turkey.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours.
4. Serve over white or brown rice.

Punkin Biscuits

2009-01-03T13:17:00.000-08:00

During our recent Christmas vacation to Eugene, Don and I had the pleasure of planning and preparing Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner for the family. We served a couple of our favorite Early Household recipes which were a little out of the ordinary four our basic meat and potatoes family. But everyone was a good sport and we think mostly enjoyed the new adventures in the kitchen. For Christmas eve we served Garlic and Herbed Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Roasted Potatoes, and Spinach Salad with Roasted Pecans, Gorgonzola, and Shallot Vinaigrette. Kristy was particularly excited about learning how to stuff a chicken breast and may be trying some other variations on this soon so keep checking back on the cooking blog! For Christmas Dinner Don made balsamic glazed Rack of Lamb, and we served with apricot glazed roasted asparagus, and cheese and herb stuffed roasted red peppers. Finally, we served with this new recipe I've had my eye on for a while: Pumpkin Biscuits with Orange Honey Butter.

It was a bit of an adventure finding canned pumpkin in the grocery store so close to Christmas and so last minute (Freddy's was all out!), but these were a lot of fun to make. I don't usually do a lot of baking so this was a little different even for me but what a treat. They are so easy even for the inexperienced baker and orange honey butter is delicious. The butter makes quite a bit so be prepared to freeze some or scale back the recipe.

Pumpkin Biscuits with Orange-Honey Butter

Serve at breakfast or dinner with baked ham or pork chops.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
Cooking spray
1/4 cup Orange-Honey Butter

Preheat oven to 450º.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through nutmeg); cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine buttermilk and pumpkin; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 5 times. Roll dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 12 biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 11 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with 1/4 cup Orange-Honey Butter.

Totals include 1/4 cup Orange-Honey Butter.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 biscuit and 1 teaspoon butter)

CALORIES 153 (33% from fat); FAT 5.6g (sat 3.4g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.3g); IRON 1.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 15mg; CALCIUM 68mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.1g; SODIUM 311mg; PROTEIN 2.9g; FIBER 1g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

Orange-Honey Butter

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

This recipe goes with Pumpkin Biscuits with Orange-Honey Butter

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.

Yield: 1 1/4 cups (serving size: 1 teaspoon)

CALORIES 22 (61% from fat); FAT 1.5g (sat 0.9g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.0mg; CHOLESTEROL 4mg; CALCIUM 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.3g; SODIUM 16mg; PROTEIN 0.0g; FIBER 0.0g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

A Hearty (and healthy) Breakfast

2008-12-17T14:21:00.001-08:00

Today I went to bootcamp for the first time in over a week and Matt went swimming this afternoon. I don't eat much before exercising - I find it helps keep the nausea at bay when I am pushing myself so hard. However, Matt likes to eat before his swims, it makes for stronger strokes.

We're also leaving on Monday for Seattle for the holidays.

Last night as I was somewhat meal planning and trying to keep both of these elements in mind, I was searching online recipes that could use up what we have in the fridge. Like those 12 dozen eggs that expire on Christmas Eve.

I found a wonderful recipe from Cooking Light. It's got everything you need to start your day or replenish what you've lost during that tough morning workout! Matt doesn't like to combine strong salty and sweet flavors, so unfortunately we left out the mango chutney. But I think you could use that, or even some apricot or raspberry jam instead. I don't like soy ham, so we used canadian bacon instead, and I scrambled the eggs because that's the way Matt & I like our eggs. All in all this recipe was a huge hit and kept me full for most of the day. Matt even commented that it's a much healthier (and tastier) version of a certain breakfast sandwich at a certain fast food restaurant. Bonus: It's from Cooking Light so you know that a) it's going to taste good; b) it's not bad for you and c) Cindy will be totally intrigued! :)

And yes, I will definitely be making this again, probably as soon as tomorrow morning!

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with Mango Chutney

This sandwich packs protein from egg and soy ham, calcium from cheese, and fiber and B vitamins from the whole-grain muffin. If you can't find soy ham, use Canadian bacon or ham.

Cooking spray

8 (1/2-ounce) slices soy ham (such as Lightlife) or Canadian bacon

4 large eggs

4 whole-grain English muffins, split and toasted

8 teaspoons mango chutney

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat broiler.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add ham; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium; recoat pan with cooking spray. Break eggs into hot pan; cook 1 minute on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Place muffin halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Spread 2 teaspoons chutney over bottom half of each muffin; top with 2 ham slices, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon cheese. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over top half of each muffin. Broil 1 1/2 minutes or until bubbly. Place top halves of muffins over the bottom halves.

Featured Ingredient: Hoisin Sauce

2008-12-08T20:51:00.000-08:00

Don and I are both big fans of Hoisin Sauce. During my pantry cleanout, I went looking for a new recipe that could incorporate this wonderful ingredient that has now become a staple in our pantry and we found this winner below. Garlicky Hoisin Beef, is packed with all the flavours you could ask for - salty, sweet, and mildly spicy. In fact, it's so flavourful that it's a good way to use up the old meat in your ice box. No freezer burn detected here! Don and I used some old strip steaks, but you really could substitute any meat and it would work just as well (chicken, pork, or even shrimp). The sauce alone might even make a nice glaze for a Grilled Salmon Fillet. Another thing to mention is not to be scared away by the entire full teaspoon of red pepper flakes that the recipe calls for. The spice level is still only moderate, enough to detect the heat but not feel the burn. You can definitely control the level of spice by decreasing or increasing the amount of red pepper flakes you add. Even for weak-spice folks, I would go no less than 1/4 teaspoon since it is an important component of the flavor. I think next time Don and I make this we might try 1 1/2 teaspoons and see how it comes out.

Along with the sauce, the featured recipe incorporates a nice array of vegetables that you don't get in your every day cooking including snow peas and sweet potatoes. I don't think I've ever heard of putting sweet potatoes in a stir fry before but it really works here. The trick is to steam them in a little bit of water first to soften them up before adding the other vegetables as it says in the recipe. Don and I both enjoyed this recipe quite a bit as is, but our thoughts for next time we make this will be to increase the amount of scallions and also to add some sliced mushrooms as well. We served over Brown Rice which not only is healthier but I think really works with the recipe. It stands up to the strong flavors better and compliments the dish well. Other than that, I don't have any further recomendations except to TRY THIS ONE! You will not be disappointed. Additionally, this recipe comes from Real Simple Magazine which I know Camille will love!

Garlicky Hoisin Beef

null
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound flank or boneless sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/3 cup water
1/3 pound (1 1/2 cups) snow or sugar snap peas
3 scallions (green parts only), cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
1 recipe Garlicky Hoisin Sauce
Cooked rice

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the steak and stir-fry until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high, add the remaining oil, and heat for 30 seconds. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 seconds. Add the sweet potato and water. Cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes. Add the peas and scallions and cook for 1 minute. Add the Garlicky Hoisin Sauce and increase heat to high. When it starts to bubble, add the steak. Stir-fry until warmed through, about 1 minute. Serve immediately over the rice.

Tip: Pork or turkey cutlets can stand in for the beef, and green beans for the sugar snaps.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 463.88 (42% from fat); FAT 22.13g (sat 4.94g); CHOLESTEROL 46mg; CALCIUM 76.25mg; CARBOHYDRATE 39.15g; SODIUM 1213.56mg; PROTEIN 27.25mg; FIBER 4.34g; IRON 3.59mg

Real Simple, OCTOBER 2005

Garlicky Hoisin Sauce

This recipe goes with Garlicky Hoisin Beef

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced scallion (white parts only)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 cup hoisin sauce (available in the Asian-food aisle of most supermarkets)
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the scallions, garlic, and pepper flakes, if using, and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour into a bowl.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

CALORIES 180.38 (33% from fat); FAT 6.73g (sat 0.96g); CHOLESTEROL 1.44mg; CALCIUM 27.88mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.97g; SODIUM 1153.88mg; PROTEIN 2.65mg; FIBER 1.61g; IRON 0.82mg

Real Simple, OCTOBER 2005

Home Cooked Goodness

2008-12-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight's dinner was inspired by a pantry clean out. I decided to go through the fridge and cupboards and see what kind of recipe I could throw together that would use up as many items as possible from my overstocked shelves. This recipe was inspired by the Gnocchi, Chicken Stock, Frozen Chicken, and Leftover Celery in my fridge. Gnocchi is a finicky thing. It's difficult to find a recipe for store bought prepackaged Gnocchi that keeps the potato dumplings from getting too dry without using a sauce with a catastrophic calorie count. The solution is soup. While this is definitely no Cooking Light Recipe, it's a good compromise and a little lighter than the normal doughy biscuits that go with the classic version of Chicken and Dumplings. In Rachel Ray's version of this ultimate comfort food, she substitutes gnocchi for the traditional dumplings, and adds a little homeade pesto to the broth for a unique flavor. I think this would be good without the pesto too if you are in a hurry, however, the general consensus was that it definitely added something special and took the recipe up that one extra notch.

Italian Chicken and Dumplings

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 4 to 6 servings

If you love Chicken Fricassee, Chicken and Biscuits and Chicken and Dumplings here's a flavorful, Italian take on the classic. Here, basil pesto - a kid favorite, is stirred into the light gravy. For the dumplings, fresh potato gnocchi tossed in lemon butter. WOW!

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 pounds chicken tenderloins, diced into bite-sized pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, divided
12 large white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup shredded carrots, store bought
4 ribs celery from the heart, very thinly sliced
1 to 2 fresh bay leaves
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock, divided
1 cup basil leaves
1 clove garlic
A generous handful parsley leaves
A handful pine nuts, lightly toasted
A couple handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 lemon , zested
2 (10 to 12-ounce) packages, fresh gnocchi

Place a large pot of water on to boil for gnocchi.

Heat a pot with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and lightly brown. Remove to a plate and add another tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter and heat. Add mushrooms, carrots, celery, and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper. Soften 5 minutes, sprinkle in flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in 2 1/2 cups stock, slide the chicken back into the pot and simmer to allow sauce to thicken.

Place the remaining 1/2 cup stock in food processor with basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and cheese, salt and pepper. Turn processor on and pour in the remaining few tablespoons oil.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat with the zest of 1 lemon.

Salt cooking water and drop gnocchi in the water, cook until the gnocchi floats, drain and add to the lemon butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss the gnocchi 2 to 3 minutes in lemon butter until light golden at edges.

Turn heat off chicken and stir in pesto sauce. Serve the chicken in shallow bowls and top with lemon butter dumplings.

Happy Diet Food

2008-11-18T20:19:00.000-08:00

Some of you know that we have started a Biggest Loser contest at work. We are two and a half weeks into it and have already started to make some pretty significant changes in my diet and exercise. We weigh in every Monday morning for 10 weeks and the person at the end with the Biggest percentage of weight loss wins the grand prize ($25 buyin per participant). Some people are competing for the money and others are competing just for the benefit of getting healthy. I'm doing it for both! Although I don't actually expect to win since other people have more weight to lose than I do. But as of the second weigh in I have lost three pounds! So exciting and motivating to continue the work! I've also been putting a lot of time and energy into meal planning, snacks and proportioning. Here is a fun new recipe we tried tonight.

Vegetable-and-Black Bean Soft Tacos

A chef's surprise is hidden beneath a soft tortilla. The crisp broccoli buds combine well with the chewy shiitake mushrooms and nuttby black beans. The spicy salsa complements this package nicely. You may never be able to eat another mundane taco after this.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets (1/2 bunch)
1 cup sliced red onion
1 cup julienne-cut green bell pepper
1/2 cup julienne-cut red bell pepper
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1/3 cup minced seeded Anaheim chile
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
6 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
3/4 cup medium salsa
6 tablespoons nonfat sour cream

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, onion, and bell peppers; sauté 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, chile, cumin, and chili powder; sauté 2 minutes. Add tomato juice; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in minced cilantro and lime juice, and set aside.

Divide black beans evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/2 cup broccoli mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Fold tortillas in half, and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with lettuce, salsa, and sour cream.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 taco, 1/2 cup lettuce, 2 tablespoons salsa, and 1 tablespoon sour cream)

CALORIES 433 (33% from fat); FAT 15.9g (sat 6.5g,mono 5.9g,poly 2.5g); IRON 4.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 22mg; CALCIUM 345mg; CARBOHYDRATE 54.6g; SODIUM 739mg; PROTEIN 19.9g; FIBER 6.9g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1995

Elect This!

2008-11-04T19:01:00.000-08:00

Cooking Light Night #18

OK. I was getting a little bored with the numerical titles. So here is a dinner worthy of such a historic occasion as the election night of the 44th president of the United States. After work I rushed off to the ballot box, cast my vote, and then came home to Don who had operation dinner underway in the kitchen. The results aren't in on the presidential election yet, but we have had a unanimous household decision that we will be making both of these recipes again. If you like flavourful, fragrant, mediterranean inspired dishes, you should definitely try this one. This is also the first time that both Don and I have ever had Israeli Couscous and we love it! It kicks the *bleep* out of Moroccan Couscous. I forgot to pick up the dried fruit mix at the grocery store so we used cranberries and golden raisins in the couscous and it was perfect. The sauce for the lamb chops was really delicious too and despite the massive amount of mint in the recipe, the flavouring was actually pretty subtle and not too overpowering. If you are not into lamb, you still must try the couscous and the apricot-lime sauce. It would also be good with Pork tenderloin.

Curry- and Ginger-Rubbed Lamb Chops with Apricot-Lime Sauce

The sweet tang of the Apricot-Lime Sauce contrasts with and balances the earthy, hot flavors of the curry-ginger paste. The sauce and paste make a versatile combination that's equally suited to grilled beef or pork.

2 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
8 (6-ounce) lamb shoulder chops, trimmed
1/2 cup Apricot-Lime Sauce

Prepare grill.

Combine the curry, ginger, oil, salt, and pepper; rub paste evenly over lamb.

Place lamb on grill rack, and cook 4 minutes. Turn lamb; brush with 1/4 cup Apricot-Lime Sauce. Cook for 4 minutes. Turn lamb, and brush with 1/4 cup sauce. Cook 2 minutes, turning once.

Totals include Apricot-Lime Sauce.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 chop)

CALORIES 241 (45% from fat); FAT 12.1g (sat 4.1g,mono 5.2g,poly 1.1g); IRON 2.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 77mg; CALCIUM 28mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.2g; SODIUM 195mg; PROTEIN 24.1g; FIBER 0.9g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2001

Apricot-Lime Sauce

This recipe goes with Curry- and Ginger-Rubbed Lamb Chops with Apricot-Lime Sauce

2/3 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Melt the preserves in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Remove from heat.

Yield: 2 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

CALORIES 26 (0.0% from fat); FAT 0.0g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g); IRON 0.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.9g; SODIUM 61mg; PROTEIN 0.2g; FIBER 0.2g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2001

Fruited Israeli Couscous

One person can tackle this recipe, which requires just a saucepan, a cutting board, and a knife. Israeli couscous has bead-sized grains that are much larger than those of regular couscous, and it takes just 15 minutes to cook.

2 teaspoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
2 1/2 cups uncooked Israeli couscous
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in currants, apricots, salt, broth, and cinnamon sticks; bring to a boil. Add couscous, and return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Let couscous mixture stand 5 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks. Stir in cilantro.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup)

CALORIES 190 (4% from fat); FAT 0.9g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.1g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 21mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.2g; SODIUM 297mg; PROTEIN 6.5g; FIBER 2.8g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2003

Cooking Light Night #17

2008-11-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

Don prepared this fantastic dinner tonight. He took one bite of the soup and proclaimed immediately that it was amazing. It's warm, comforting, flavourful. We used Chicken Italian Sausage from Trader Joes. Nathan thought it might be good to try with some spicy sausage but Don and I both agreed that we liked it just the way it was. I really enjoyed the muffins. The tart cranberries went well with the orange flavouring and I had a hard time limiting myself to just one. Don wanted them a bit sweeter and thought that a cornbread might go better with the soup. The recipe makes quite a few muffins so put the rest in the freezer to whip out and serve as appetizers next time we have company.

Sausage and Spinach Soup

Fresh herbs are added after the soup cooks so they'll retain their bright color and flavor. You can substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each tablespoon fresh, but add them with the tomatoes. Serve with a toasted baguette.

10 ounce sweet turkey Italian sausage
Cooking spray
1 cup prechopped onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/2 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can organic stewed tomatoes, undrained (such as Muir Glen)
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons grated fresh Romano cheese

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 261 (30% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 2.8g,mono 2.7g,poly 2.5g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 62mg; CALCIUM 105mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.1g; SODIUM 842mg; PROTEIN 20.9g; FIBER 5.4g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2007

Cranberry-Citrus Muffins

Turbinado sugar, with its coarse texture and mild molasses flavor, helps make the topping for these muffins extra-special. But granulated sugar also works well.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup 2% low-fat milk
1/3 cup light ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
Cooking spray
6 tablespoons turbinado or granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk and next 8 ingredients (milk through egg); stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over batter.

Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until done. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen (serving size: 1 muffin)

CALORIES 159 (14% from fat); FAT 2.4g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.9g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 14mg; CALCIUM 69mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.4g; SODIUM 153mg; PROTEIN 3.4g; FIBER 0.6g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 1997

Cooking Light Night #16

2008-11-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

Want to get more seafood in your diet but tired of salmon and white fish? Here is an awesome new recipe we cooked up tonight. Instead of fresh scallops, we used a frozen seafood blend from Trader Joes including scallops, shrimp and Calamari and it really turned out well. We also substituted whole wheat pasta instead of regular and am really glad we made that choice. It didn't taste all that different but oh man was it a lot more filling! This recipe carries a lot of heat so if you don't like spice this one is not for you. Don wanted a little more sauce but I thought it was perfect as is. Goes great with steamed broccoli and cauliflower. If you aren't watching your carbs, a nice dinner roll would also be great to mop up the sauce and help cut the heat a little.

Spicy Scallops in Red Sauce

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound sea scallops
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 cups hot cooked rotini (about 4 ounces uncooked short spiral pasta)

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal bag, and shake well. Add scallops to bag; seal bag, and shake to coat scallops.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add scallops and garlic, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until the scallops are done. Remove scallops from skillet; set aside, and keep warm.

Combine cornstarch, sugar, oregano, pepper, and tomatoes in skillet; stir with a wire whisk until blended. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons parsley.

Combine tomato mixture and pasta; toss. Spoon pasta mixture onto plates; top with scallops, and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 2 cups pasta mixture, 5 ounces scallops, and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley)

CALORIES 452 (13% from fat); FAT 6.7g (sat 0.8g,mono 3.4g,poly 0.9g); IRON 2.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 121mg; CARBOHYDRATE 65.7g; SODIUM 686mg; PROTEIN 29.3g; FIBER 1g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1995

Cooking Light Night #15

2008-11-01T22:05:00.001-07:00

With our Biggest Loser contest starting next week at work, you can expect to see a lot more cooking light recipes here in the next several weeks. Here is a dinner we tried recently. The salad was really tasty and refreshing, and even with the delicious dessert afterwards, the total meal is still less than 500 calories.

Stir-Fried Chicken Salad

The pan sauce in this dish doubles as a piquant vinaigrette for the salad. Serve with crunchy breadsticks, if you wish.

1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon bottled chopped garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon peanut oil
4 cups mixed salad greens
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
Lime wedges (optional)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken to broth mixture, stirring to coat. Let stand 3 minutes.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Add chicken to the pan; cook 4 minutes or until done, stirring frequently. Stir in the reserved marinade. Reduce heat; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat.

Combine greens and basil in a large bowl. Add chicken mixture, tossing to coat. Place 1 1/4 cups salad mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons onion and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanuts. Serve immediately. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 214 (30% from fat); FAT 7.2g (sat 1.3g,mono 3g,poly 2.2g); IRON 2mg; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 60mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8g; SODIUM 594mg; PROTEIN 29.1g; FIBER 2g

Cooking Light, MAY 2006

Strawberries Romanoff

Marinating fruit in liquid is also called macerating. Orange-flavored liqueur complements fresh berries in this classic dessert. Macerate for only the length of time specified so the strawberries retain their texture.

4 cups sliced strawberries (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 cup Cointreau or Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur)
1/3 cup whipping cream, chilled
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mint sprigs (optional)

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill 3 1/2 hours.

2. Place cream, 3 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Spoon over strawberry mixture. Garnish with mint, if desired. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup strawberry mixture and 3 tablespoons whipped cream mixture)

CALORIES 207 (29% from fat); FAT 6.7g (sat 3.9g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.5g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 22mg; CALCIUM 41mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.2g; SODIUM 10mg; PROTEIN 1.6g; FIBER 3.4g

Cooking Light, JULY 2008

Cooking Light Night #14

2008-10-21T20:29:00.001-07:00

Flipping through recipes, this is not something that would ever stand out to me or that I would be drawn to. The title is long and confusing and I'm not sure what chimchurri sauce even is. But for this one, I went purely off of other people's ratings on the website who gave it 5 out of 5 stars. Flank steak is a great meat to cook with if you are on a budget because it's inexpensive and can go a long way. But it can be tough and tasteless. The Chimchurri Sauce though is AMAZING and really makes this deal a delight. This is my new favorite way to prepare Flank Steak and we will definitely be making again and often. Loved it! If you're interested in cooking more and exploring new recipes but aren't sure what you like, try visiting a website and reading other people's reviews. Not only will it give you a good idea of the quality of the recipe, but often times you can get good tips from other people on preparation methods, variations, and great sides suggestions. Here were some of the reader reviews for this recipe:

cooker - Five Stars
WOW!!!! this was awesome. I was a little worried that not marinating the flank steak would make it tough, but not the case at all. The sauce definitely made this dish, sooooo good! very very easy to make. 08/16/08

Monique - Five Stars
Wow...so delish...and so easy to prepare! I'll be making this dish again, and again, and again... 08/10/08

velveetahead - Four Stars
While I think I would recommend a higher cut of meat then flank steak since it was kinda chewier than I would have liked. The sauce was excellent. I recommend the sauce highly. 08/07/08

My Review - Five Stars
This is a great and inexpensive way to dress up boring Flank Steak. It was so simple and easy to prepare. The added lime juice gives this a sweet refreshing flavor that makes this much more exciting than your basic pesto. Try serving with fresh spring greens and strawberry salad. Delish!

Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri is a traditional tangy herb sauce from Argentina that's usually paired with grilled meat. Set aside half of the flank steak for Steak Panzanella another night.

1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
4 servings Garlic-Rubbed Flank Steak

Cooking Light Night #13

2008-10-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a well balanced meal like my mother used to make - Chile-Spiced Tenderloin Steaks with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Garlicky Green Beans. Of all the nutrition advice out there - food pyramids, low carb, low calorie, this, that, and the other - when it comes to creating a balanced meal, I think we were better off when we just had the four food groups. Every night for dinner growing up, my mom always did her best to make sure that the four food groups were well represented. Although I'm not sure my mom would have picked out these exact recipes, tonights Cooking Light Dinner #13 is still a tribute to her.

This is a very easy weeknight meal for four. I had a fun time putting the rub together and brushing it on the steaks. We did decide though that while not offensive, the lime juice was a little too acidic for the ideal flavouring of this tender beefy cut. I would like to try this rub again with just an olive oil base or something else in place of the lime. Also, it's getting dark out earlier now so it becomes more difficult to grill this time of year. Instead of grilling, I cooked the steaks in a hot cast iron skillet, four minutes on each side for a nice sear. Then, since a couple of the steaks were almost two inches thick in the middle, I also baked them for an additional 4 to 6 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees to get the middle cooked through to a nice medium /medium-rare. One way to know if a steak is done on a thick cut like this is to press into the steak with your finger, if the indentation stays, you need to cook it longer. If it bounces back up firmly then you are good to go. Other modifications to the recipes included leaving the skins on the Yukon Gold Potatoes for a little extra rustic texture (great idea Katy!) , and adding a splash of lemon juice to the Garlicky Green Beans to brighten up the flavor. Serve this with a tall glass of cold milk to complete your four food groups!

Chile-Spiced Tenderloin Steaks
Fire up the grill for juicy, flavor-packed steaks coated in a quick and easy marinade. Serve with baked fries and sliced ripe tomatoes for a complete meal. Time: 35 minutes.

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray

Prepare grill.
Combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl, and rub marinade mixture evenly over both sides of steaks. Let steaks stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Remove steaks from marinade, and discard remaining marinade. Place steaks on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from grill, and let stand 5 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 steak)CALORIES 173 (35% from fat); FAT 6.8g (sat 2.6g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.3g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2g; SODIUM 424mg; PROTEIN 24.5g; FIBER 0.4g Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Horseradish adds a peppery kick, but the potatoes are also good without it. Or add the horseradish last, just to the portion of potatoes reserved for the adults.

2 1/4 pounds cubed peeled Yukon gold potato
2/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk, warmed
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pan. Add milk and remaining ingredients; mash to desired consistency. Cook over low heat until warm.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)CALORIES 174 (28% from fat); FAT 5.5g (sat 3.4g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.2g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 15mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.6g; SODIUM 315mg; PROTEIN 3.2g; FIBER 1.9g Cooking Light, JANUARY 2004

Garlicky Green Beans
If you can find them, use haricots verts, thin and tender green beans. Because this recipe is so simple, coarse freshly ground sea salt and black peppercorns really count.

2 cups green beans, trimmed
1 teaspoon butter
Cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Cook beans in boiling water 2 minutes. Drain and plunge beans into ice water; drain.
Melt butter in a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add beans, salt, pepper, and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until heated.

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 cup)CALORIES 54 (35% from fat); FAT 2.1g (sat 1.2g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.1g); IRON 1.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 45mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.4g; SODIUM 170mg; PROTEIN 2.1g; FIBER 3.8g Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2003

Cooking Light Night #12

2008-10-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun new salmon recipe if you're looking to add new flavors into your life. That's what tonight's dinner was all about. Don did say that given the title of the dish, he was a little disappointed that the horseradish didn't come through stronger. So don't be scared away if you don't like horseradish. This definitely is a sweet dish and not a spicy one. The apple jelly and champagne vinager come together to form a subtle and yet sophisticated sweet glaze. Searing the Salmon Fillets in a hot skillet before baking it off in the oven gives it a nice crispy carmelization that compliments the other flavors well. And baking the fish in the same frying pan that you seared it in, saves dishes and extra clean up after dinner. We didn't have chives so we used green onions and that worked just as well. Now that we have all the ingredients, we will certainly make this again, and will surely entertain with it.

We also tried a new salad recipe tonight. It's definitely not for everyone with it's unusual combination of flavors and textures. In this recipe, cold Spinach Salad meets warm cooked apples and caramelized onions with spicy curry, tangy cider vinegar, and crispy salty bacon crumbles. I enjoyed it but probably won't make it again. I love apples in my salads, but I think I'll stick to raw and not cooked. If you decide to try this recipe, I recommend adding a little crumbled goat cheese if you have on hand.

Apple and Horseradish-Glazed Salmon

Mild apple jelly and hot horseradish pair well with rich salmon. Serve with a neutral-flavored side of couscous or rice.

1/3 cup apple jelly
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick), skinned
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine apple jelly, chives, horseradish, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk.

Sprinkle salmon with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add salmon, and cook 3 minutes. Turn salmon over; brush with half of apple mixture. Wrap handle of skillet with foil; bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Brush with remaining apple mixture.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet)

CALORIES 375 (40% from fat); FAT 16.8g (sat 4.3g,mono 7.7g,poly 3.4g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 90mg; CALCIUM 30mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.1g; SODIUM 376mg; PROTEIN 36.4g; FIBER 0.1g

Cooking Light, MAY 2004

Spinach, Walnut, and Curried-Apple Salad

This warm spinach salad is sweet, salty, spicy, and crunchy. Add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of red curry powder for a spicier dish.

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced Granny Smith apple
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 teaspoon red curry powder
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey
8 cups fresh spinach (about 1/2 pound)
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (drained)

Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add apple and onion; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in curry powder; sauté 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, broth, and honey. Remove from heat.

Place spinach in a large bowl. Pour warm apple mixture over spinach; toss well. Sprinkle with nuts and bacon.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

CALORIES 74 (35% from fat); FAT 2.9g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.9g,poly 1.2g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.3g; SODIUM 69mg; PROTEIN 2.5g; FIBER 2.4g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2002

Cooking Light Night #11

2008-10-16T21:03:00.000-07:00

Don made this delicious and refreshing recipe tonight. The feta dressing was remarkably tasty. Definitely a Greek inspired dish, I liked this much better than a traditional Greek Salad. This would be the perfect meal for a hot summer night. For the plain yogurt, we used nonfat Greek yogurt from Trader Joes. Also, this would go really well with some fresh Toasted Pita Bread on the side. We will definitely make this again. Serve with a cool glass of Chardonnay.

Chicken Souvlaki Salad

The elements of a classic Greek salad and a chicken souvlaki sandwich combine in this piquant dish. You can also use lamb in place of the chicken.

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic, divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
3 cups cubed peeled cucumber (about 3 cucumbers)
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
2 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup grated peeled cucumber
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat grill or broiler.

Combine 1 teaspoon garlic and the next 6 ingredients (1 teaspoon garlic through chicken breast) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake to coat. Remove chicken from the bag. Grill or broil chicken 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces.

Combine chicken, cubed cucumber, and the next 4 ingredients (cubed cucumber through tomatoes) in a large bowl. Combine yogurt and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over chicken mixture; toss well.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

CALORIES 259 (28% from fat); FAT 8.2g (sat 3g,mono 3.4g,poly 1g); IRON 2mg; CHOLESTEROL 79mg; CALCIUM 161mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.3g; SODIUM 679mg; PROTEIN 31.8g; FIBER 2.9g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2002

Cooking Light Night #10

2008-10-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

I've been watching a lot of the show Biggest Loser lately. It is a really interesting and motivating show. I never thought I would learn as much as I have about living a healthy lifestyle. I've learned so many new exercises, tips, etc. But the one thing I am continually reminded of is how important it is to eat healthy and balanced foods to give your body the nutrients it needs to endure your workouts, build muscle, and maintain a healthy heart. Last night I came home from work, ran three and a half miles on the treadmill, did a 20 minute strength training workout on Exercise TV, and then made this tasty and hearty meal. I used smoked chicken Andouille sausage from Trader Joes and grilled chopped chicken breast instead of turkey. It was a fun and easy recipe with good flavoring and a nice kick of heat from the spicy sausage. I served with steamed broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower. And I'm really looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today!

Turkey Jambalaya

Andouille sausage adds a kick to the Cajun classic from Louisiana. Rice and shredded turkey absorb a flavorful mixture of tomatoes and spices until they're bursting with flavor.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups shredded cooked turkey

6 ounces andouille sausage, chopped

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup) CALORIES 249 (27% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 2.4g,mono 3.4g,poly 1.3g); IRON 2.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 42mg; CALCIUM 37mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.4g; SODIUM 523mg; PROTEIN 17.3g; FIBER 2.7g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2001

Cooking Light Night #9

2008-10-07T20:08:00.000-07:00

I can't remember the last time my mouth was this happy. I think this is the best new recipe that I have tried in the last year. And I'm so excited that I have a cooking blog to share it with the world! Don and I don't even care for pork. We have found a couple of recipes that are tolerable, but this one is down right delicious! And it is as enjoyable to cook as it is to eat. With spices and flavors that don't make it into your every day meals such as cinnamon, all spice, and bourbon, it fills the house with amazing aromas while the pork sizzles and the sauce reduces. Give this one a try. You will not be disappointed.

Spiced Pork with Bourbon Reduction Sauce

Substitute chicken broth for bourbon, if you prefer. Serve with couscous or rice.

Sauce:
1/2 cup bourbon
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pork:
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Cooking spray

To prepare sauce, combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 11 minutes), stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

To prepare pork, combine chili powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt, stirring well; rub evenly over pork. Cut pork crosswise into 12 slices.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 pork slices and 2 tablespoons sauce)

CALORIES 277 (13% from fat); FAT 4g (sat 1.4g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.5g); IRON 2.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 29mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.7g; SODIUM 673mg; PROTEIN 24.9g; FIBER 0.5g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2006

Cooking Light Night #8

2008-10-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

Don prepared this dinner tonight and it was heavenly. Despite my adventurous spirit in the kitchen, I think this is the first time I've ever had shitake mushrooms. Me likey very much! The depth of flavor was both meaty and earthy and with a nice sweet caramelization. We served this with one of our new favorite side dishes - Spicy Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus (see post Cooking Light #1). Give this one a try. I'm sure you will like it as much as we did!

Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

The steaks are sautéed in cooking spray to create a crust, while the mushrooms are sauteed in butter for flavor. Since the mushrooms release liquid as they cook, the butter is less likely to burn. Shiitake mushrooms create a sublime sauce with deep, earthy flavor, but you can substitute any other mushroom variety. Serve with mashed potatoes and Broccolini.

4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (1 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 8 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1. Sprinkle steaks with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; sauté 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Transfer steaks to a serving platter.

2. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add butter to pan, swirling to coat; cook 15 seconds or until foam subsides. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, and soy sauce; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Spoon mushroom mixture over steaks. Sprinkle with thyme leaves.

Wine note: Merlot can be as serious as many cabernets. It's also a natural with both red meat and mushrooms, making it a good partner for this dish. California's Paso Creek Merlot 2005 ($20) has flavors of dark cherry and smoke with a savory edge that will highlight the thyme, while firm, drying tannins balance the steak and buttery mushrooms. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 steak, 1/4 cup mushroom mixture, and 3/4 teaspoon thyme leaves)

CALORIES 326 (31% from fat); FAT 11.2g (sat 4.7g,mono 4.2g,poly 0.5g); IRON 2.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 95mg; CALCIUM 34mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.9g; SODIUM 428mg; PROTEIN 34.9g; FIBER 3.2g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2008

Brunch 'n Munch

2008-10-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite childhood memories is breakfast/brunch on weekend mornings. My mom would make waffles or pancakes, and to mix it up she'd sometimes make what I always called Lazy Man Pancakes (the technical term is Dutch Babies). It's a fabulous pancake that poofs up in the pan when it's cooked, and it tastes excellent with plain yogurt and jam, or just good old fashioned maple syrup. No need to add butter as the pancake already has enough.

I made these for Matt on Saturday morning using my mom's recipe and it was the best yet. It was an emotional experience digging through those recipe cards in her handwriting, but it was also very special to have my mom with me as I cooked my hubby's birthday breakfast.

I hope you enjoy these pancakes as much as I did and always will.

Lazy Man Pancakes (also known as Dutch Babies)
Karin Mesmer and Grandma Elizabeth

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups milk
6 eggs
6 tablespoons butter
generous pinch nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter and pour into a large (9"x13") pan and swirl to coat the bottom surface. In a large bowl beat the flour and milk until smooth Add the eggs and nutmeg and continue beating until smooth. Pour into buttered dish and bake approximately 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door, but check in oven windowand remove pancake when it poufs up and begins to brown. Serve immediately with plain yogurt, berry jam, and maple syrup. Best served on warm plates.

Special note from Mom: This recipe can be cut in half or thirds. Use an 8"x11" pan for 1 cup and 4 eggs, or an 8"x8" pan for 3/4 cup and 3 eggs.

Cooking Light Night #7

2008-10-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

Many exciting things going on at the Early Household. Our friend Nathan just moved down to California to pursue his acting career. He will be staying with us over the next few days until he finds a place and then kick into job finding gear. We are so excited that he is down here and can't wait for Hannah to follow suit in the next few months. With lots going on, we've gotten a little off track with the meal planning, but now are back on schedule. Tonight we cooked up this quick dish and it was the easiest quickest one yet. I did the main dish and Nathan, my Sous Chef, prepared the salad. I kid you not, start to finish in less than 15 minutes.

The tomato sauce was really excellent and a quite flavorful with the salty kalamata olives, garlic, and chili flakes for an extra kick. (We turned the heat up by adding quite a bit of chili flakes for a nice little endorphin boost.) And the corn and black bean salad was so refreshing and delicious. The dressing was really tasty and even Nathan said he thought the salad was quite good even though he's normally not a salad person. We used leftover corn on the cob from the night before in the salad and will keep this in mind for future occasions too.

Tofu Steaks with Tomato-Olive Sauce

While tofu is often paired with assertive Asian seasonings, it also benefits from intense Mediterranean flavors. In this recipe, an easy olive-spiked tomato sauce enlivens pan-grilled tofu. Round out the meal with steamed broccoli and orzo. Each serving contains about 8 grams of soy protein.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 pound extra-firm light tofu, drained and cut lengthwise into 4 slices

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add red pepper and garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add olives; cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and black pepper; keep warm.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add tofu; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 tofu steak and 1/2 cup sauce)

CALORIES 115 (49% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 0.8g,mono 4.1g,poly 1g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 77mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.7g; SODIUM 363mg; PROTEIN 9.2g; FIBER 1.3g

Corn and Black Bean Salad

"I wanted a side dish that had a little spicy heat to serve with my pan-fried tilapia. I came up with this Mexican-inspired salad." -Peggy Kistler, Salem, OR

2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
1 cup diced red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of salt

Combine corn, bell pepper, onions, cilantro, and beans in a medium bowl.

Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over corn mixture; toss well. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

CALORIES 74 (28% from fat); FAT 2.3g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.3g); IRON 0.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 19mg; CARBOHYDRATE 14.4g; SODIUM 208mg; PROTEIN 3.4g; FIBER 3.4g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2006

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2001

Birthday Dinner

2008-10-04T08:20:00.001-07:00

Last month I was parousing through the cable channels when I came across The Food Network and saw that Rachael Ray was on. I checked out the episodes and saw one that interested me. It was called "You and Me, Babe". It sounded like an excellent date night dinner, and that's exactly what she prepared.

Matt's birthday is today (Happy birthday, honey!) and since we planned to get together with friends tonight, I thought a good gift would be to make him dinner by cooking something that is out of the ordinary for me - lots of ingredients, lots of things on the stove, etc. - but it was less complicated that I thought. It did take more than half an hour - probably forty five minutes - but my hubby was completely satisfied. I paired it with a Kelsey Wine that really brought out all the flavors of the dish.

And the dessert. Words cannot describe how much we loved it! We each had two pieces, and I think I'll be bringing it to game night one of these weeks.

I have to say that I was really nervous about making this dinner. However, it turned out so well that all the nerves went away when I saw Matt's face as he tasted the chicken. And that was my ultimate goal. :)

CKS note: I was very fortunate to run into my friend Jenny at Trader Joe's. She is a chef and teaches cooking classes, so I asked her opinion on the recipe. She reccomended using cremini mushrooms instead of portobellos and shitakes, so that's what I did, and it not only saved my sanity (having to not clean out the shitakes) but made it easier on my budget!

On the dessert I only used strawberries as blackberries are out of season.

Chicken Marvalasala and Pappardelle with Rosemary Gravy
(Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray)

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients:

3/4 pound pappardelle pasta (wide ribbons, substitute fettuccine if unavailable)
Salt
4 large, thin pieces boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets
Ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced
12 shiitakes, stemmed and sliced
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste, look for this in a tube (it's easy to store that way)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock, eyeball it
2 tablespoons minced rosemary leaves, a couple of sprigs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 cup Marsala wine
Grated pecorino Romano cheese
A couple handfuls arugula or baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced

Directions:
Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. When it comes up to a boil, salt the water, drop in the pasta, and cook to al dente.

While the pasta is working, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium to medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and brown lightly on both sides; remove to a platter and cover with foil to hold in heat. To the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons more extra-virgin olive oil and 1 clove garlic. Cook garlic a minute or so, then remove and add the mushrooms. Let the mushrooms brown evenly and become tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

While the mushrooms work, start gravy for pasta. In a deep medium skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add a clove of crushed garlic and cook a couple of minutes then remove. Whisk flour and tomato paste into garlic infused butter. Cook the flour a minute or 2 then whisk in the stock. Add rosemary and whisk in tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer to thicken, 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to your taste.

To the cooked mushrooms, add capers and Marsala and reduce a minute or so. Add 2 tablespoons butter in small bits to finish sauce and shake the pan to incorporate. Slide the chicken back into sauce and warm. Drain pasta and toss with sauce and a handful of cheese. Serve pasta alongside Chicken Marvalasala. Scatter arugula or spinach across both the chicken and pasta, to garnish.

Devilish Angel Cake with Wine Soaked Berries
(Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray)
Prep Time: 5 min
Inactive Prep Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings (you can have seconds, on a date night)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup dry Italian red wine
3 tablespoons sugar
A few grinds black pepper
1/2 pint strawberries, sliced
1/2 pint blackberries
1 store bought angel food cake
Whipped cream, canister
Finely chopped fresh mint leaves or orange zest, for garnish

Directions:
Combine wine, sugar, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add berries and soak 20 minutes. Cut the cake into thick slices. Serve wedges doused with wine soaked berries then garnish with whipped cream and fresh mint or orange zest.

Inspiration

2008-09-22T13:59:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I've been going to bootcamp a few times a week and have already noticed amazing results. I know that if I improved my diet, I will feel better and look better too. So, with that in mind, I've been inspired to find more healthy and inventive recipes that look good and taste good. Part of this inspiration has also come from my girlfriends - Katy, Cindy, and Paige - who have been doing their part to get healthy too!

Paige and I made this salad over a month ago, and Matt requested that we make it into the regular rotation. It's really tasty, and I honestly would have never thought to combine whole grain mustard and white vinegar together for a dressing. Beyond that, I never thought it would taste so good! The next time I serve it, I think I'll add a side of homemade cornbread. But it's perfect on its own.

CKS note: I used just 2 bunches of spinach and about 5 tomatoes.

Warm Spinach Salad with Grilled Sausage
From Real Simple, August 2008

4 Italian sausages (about 1 pound)
8 plum tomatoes, cut in half crosswise
1 onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
3 bunches spinach, thick stems removed (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Heat grill to medium-high. With a fork, prick the sausages in several places. Grill, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.Meanwhile, brush the tomatoes and onion with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill until tender, 5 to 6 minutes per side for the onion and 2 to 3 minutes per side for the tomatoes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl as they are done, add the spinach, and toss.In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, the remaining 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Slice the sausages and serve with the vegetables and dressing.

Tip: Tossing the spinach with warm vegetables wilts the leaves slightly and makes them more tender. Delicious on its own, this salad is also great mixed into pasta.

Yield: Makes 4 servingsCALORIES 506 (67% from fat); FAT 38g (sat 10g); CHOLESTEROL 60mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22g; SODIUM 1789mg; PROTEIN 25g; FIBER 8g; SUGAR 6g

Cooking Light Night #6

2008-09-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

This one was delicious! A nice easy weeknight low carb meal with lots of flavor. Don declared, "I love Hoisin Sauce." Jeremy asked for the recipe so that he can make it again and again. There's nothing else to say. Try it.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Sweet and Spicy Sauce

You can serve these casual wraps buffet style. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter, spoon the chicken salad in a bowl, and place the sauce in a small bowl on the side. Let people assemble their own wraps since this is one less step for the cook.

3 tablespoons unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
2 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw
1 cup canned sliced water chestnuts, drained
8 ounces grilled chicken breast strips (such as Louis Rich)
12 Bibb lettuce leaves

Place peanuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan frequently. Remove pan from heat; set aside.

Combine hoisin, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, oil, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Combine peanuts, coleslaw, water chestnuts, and chicken in a medium bowl; toss well.

Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken salad in the center of each lettuce leaf; top each with 2 teaspoons sauce. Roll up; secure with a wooden pick.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 wraps)

CALORIES 197 (34% from fat); FAT 7.4g (sat 1.4g,mono 2.9g,poly 2.1g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 37mg; CALCIUM 40mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.2g; SODIUM 825mg; PROTEIN 16.5g; FIBER 3.4g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2006