Delicious Summer Salad

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.

Cooking Light Night #13

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 #7

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

Cooking Light Night #3

So....effin.....good! I can get used to this new healthy eating. Made this for gaming group tonight. Excellent reviews all the way around. We made a couple of substitutions: multigrain seeded baguette for the french bread, dijon mustard for the regular mustard, Arugula for the watercress, and fresh fuji apples from the Farmer's Market for the Granny Smith. There are countless possible variations for this recipe but the base idea of it is phenomal.

Smoked Turkey, Brie, Green Apple, and Watercress Sandwich


This baguette sandwich is a meal in itself. Serve it with a glass of crisp Chardonnay.


1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard
1 (8-ounce) French bread baguette
6 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey breast
1/4 pound Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup trimmed watercress
1 cup thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine honey and mustard in a small bowl. Cut bread in half lengthwise; place on a baking sheet. Spread honey mixture on bottom half of loaf; top with turkey and cheese. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.

Arrange watercress and apple slices onto melted cheese; sprinkle with pepper. Cover with top half of loaf, and cut into 4 portions.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 portion)

CALORIES 337 (29% from fat); FAT 10.7g (sat 5.3g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.7g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 114mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.8g; SODIUM 926mg; PROTEIN 19.4g; FIBER 2.5g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003

Strawberry-Kiwi Salad with Basil


Here we provide the exception to our picnic rule #1--the soupy sauce on this salad is irresistible, especially with angel-food cake "dunkers."


1/4 cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 peeled kiwifruit, each cut into 6 wedges
2 cups quartered strawberries (about 1 pint)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Add kiwifruit and strawberries; toss well. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Stir in basil just before serving.

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

CALORIES 90 (23% from fat); FAT 2.3g (sat 1.1g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.4g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 46mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17.8g; SODIUM 157mg; PROTEIN 1.6g; FIBER 3.8g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2001

Cooking Light Night #2

Welcome home Matt & Camille. I picked them up at the Burbank airport tonight on their return trip from Spokane. It was great to see them but did make for a bit of a long day. Between baggage mishaps, arrival times, and traffic, I didn't make it home until 7:30 p.m. And you know what, it was ALL WORTH IT. Because Don had dinner ready and waiting for me when I got home. Tonights Halibut recipe was a nice change from our regular chicken, beef, and salmon rotation. We just used frozen Halibut from Trader Joes and it turned out quite tasty. The whole steaming in Parchment thing is kind of fun and makes clean up pretty easy. But Halibut aside, the highlight of the meal had to be the dressing on the bean salad. It's absolutely unbelievable. You must try this recipe! We used fresh cut green beans instead of wax beans. Either way it's still delicious. Thank you, Babe, for an AMAZING dinner!

Parchment-Baked Halibut With Pesto, Zucchini, and Carrots


Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 15 minutes. In place of halibut, you can use other small, flat, white fish fillets, such as red snapper, sea bass, pompano, striped bass, or cod.


4 (12- x 18-inch) sheets parchment paper
Cooking spray
4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
1/4 cup commercial pesto
1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium)
1 cup shredded zucchini (1 small)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Follow directions for heart-shaped parchment package below.

2. Unfold parchment heart, and coat lightly with cooking spray, leaving a 2-inch border ungreased at edge.

3. Place fillet on one side so that it touches the fold, but not the ungreased border. Spread 1 tablespoon pesto over fillet; top with 1/4 cup carrot and 1/4 cup zucchini. Sprinkle with one-fourth of salt and pepper. Drizzle fillet with 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon wine.

4. Fold paper; seal edges with narrow folds. Repeat with the remaining parchment paper, fish, and vegetables.

5. Place packets on baking sheets. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. To serve, open packets and transfer the fillets with their vegetable topping to plates; pour juices over top. Or serve right in packets; carefully transfer to plates and pierce each to allow steam to escape.

Note: Nutritional analysis includes Sugars 0g.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 parchment packet)

CALORIES 253 ; FAT 10g (sat 2g,mono 6g,poly 2g); CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 112mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1g; SODIUM 337mg; PROTEIN 36g; FIBER 0.0g; IRON 2mg

Health, MARCH 2005

Wax Bean, Roasted Pepper, and Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese


A tart vinaigrette dresses this fresh combination of mild-tasting wax beans, sweet roasted red bell pepper, and juicy cherry tomatoes. Pungent goat cheese adds an extra dimension of flavor. To save time, you can use bottled roasted red bell peppers; just rinse them well to remove as much of the briny flavor as possible.


1 medium red bell pepper
2 quarts water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 pound wax beans, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon extravirgin olive oil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preheat broiler.

Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and membranes. Place bell pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil pepper halves 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and cut into strips.

Bring 2 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add beans; cook 4 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Drain; place in a large bowl. Add bell pepper strips, tomatoes, onions, and parsley; toss to combine.

Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, cider vinegar, and remaining ingredients except goat cheese, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with goat cheese.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 63 (36% from fat); FAT 2.5g (sat 1.2g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.3g); IRON 1.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 3mg; CALCIUM 40mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.9g; SODIUM 289mg; PROTEIN 3g; FIBER 2.7g

Cooking Light, JULY 2005

Cooking Light Night

Trying to eat better. Planned a bunch of evening meals from Cooking Light and I'll be reviewing them here. Don cooked this one up to perfection. It's hard to believe it's a light recipe it was so good. We ommitted the frozen mashed potatoes and substituded the roasted potato recipe below. The mushroom sauce on the steak was incredible. Even so, it was the chile, garlic, and parmesan flavoring of the potatoes that really stole the spotlight. Be sure to give enough roasting time to let the potatoes get nice and crispy and make sure you don't add the asparagus too soon or it will get mushy. Serve with a tall glass of ice cold milk.



Sirloin Steaks with Mushroom Sauce and Chive-Garlic Potatoes


Serve with sautéed haricots verts.


4 (4-ounce) boneless sirloin steaks, trimmed (about 1 inch thick)
3/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (8-ounce) package sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 (24-ounce) package refrigerated mashed potatoes
1/3 cup chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Sprinkle steaks evenly with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add steaks to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; keep warm.

2. Add mushrooms to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown, stirring frequently. Combine wine, 1/2 cup water, flour, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; stir well with a whisk. Add wine mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until thick; stir constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Prepare potatoes according to package directions. Stir in chives and garlic powder. Place 3/4 cup potatoes on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1 steak and about 1/4 cup mushroom sauce.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 326 (29% from fat); FAT 10.4g (sat 3.4g,mono 4.9g,poly 0.7g); IRON 4.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 69mg; CALCIUM 46mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.8g; SODIUM 682mg; PROTEIN 28.4g; FIBER 3.6g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2008

Spicy Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus


Move the potatoes to one side of the dish before you add the asparagus so the spears can cook in a single, even layer.


2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 small red potatoes (about 3/4 pound), quartered
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic, divided
1/2 pound asparagus spears

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine 1 teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, thyme, peppers, and potatoes in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450º for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese and 1/2 teaspoon garlic.

Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Combine 1 teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic, and asparagus. Add asparagus mixture to dish. Bake for 10 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender.

Yield: 2 servings

CALORIES 223 (27% from fat); FAT 6.8g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.6g); IRON 3.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 136mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.2g; SODIUM 419mg; PROTEIN 9.1g; FIBER 4.6g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2003

A New Twist on Spinach

Now that the hustle and bustle of the holidays have passed--and I have returned home from a lovely vacation in sunny LA--I have made it back to the kitchen and already tried out a couple of new recipes.

This first recipe intrigued me with its unique combination of ingredients: Spinach with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins. I love foods that combine several unique tastes and textures, so I felt inspired to try this one out. I was also excited by the fact that the recipe was described as Spanish-inspired, as that is one type of ethnic food that I have not yet had the opportunity to try, so I was interested to see how well I liked this particular combination of flavors.

The recipe is from the August 2006 issue of Cooking Light. It was simple to make--the biggest challenge was trying to stir the huge pot of fresh spinach without having several of the leaves jump overboard (I should have used a bigger pot!). If you have the same problem, don't be alarmed--after a few minutes the spinach at the bottom of the pot DOES begin to wilt and it becomes easier to stir as the pile begins to shrink. My favorite part of the recipe was the golden raisins--their sweetness was the perfect compliment to the strong flavor of the garlicky spinach.

For another unique twist in the future I might try the recipe using toasted almond slices in place of the pine nuts. This recipe paired nicely with grilled T-Bone steaks and corn.

SPINACH WITH PINE NUTS AND GOLDEN RAISINS
This Spanish-inspired side dish is a sweet-savory combination of garlicky wilted spinach, buttery pine nuts, and golden raisins. One serving is a tasty way to pack in 114 milligrams of magnesium--about 25 percent of your daily needs.

Ingredients
1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 (9-ounce) bags baby spinach
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted

Preparation
1. Combine 1/2 cup boiling water and raisins; let stand 15 minutes or until raisins are plump. Drain.
2. Combine spinach and 2 tablespoons water in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring frequently. Remove from pan. Wipe pan with a paper towel.
3. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add spinach, raisins, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Stir in pine nuts.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 121(23% from fat); FAT 3.1g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.4g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 3.9g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 100mg; SODIUM 352mg; FIBER 6.7g; IRON 4.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24.1g
Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light, AUGUST 2006

Merry Crockpot

Santa came Early this year and apparently is using UPS now as my beautiful shiny new six quart crockpot arrived last week. (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Bunch.) After doing a quick search on the internet I found this interesting recipe that I thought would be fun to try - Curried Zucchini and Apple Crock Pot Soup. I chopped everything up and set it to work this morning at 8:30 a.m. and by early afternoon my house was filled with wonderful aromas. The dogs were sniffing around the kitchen all day and putting on their best "I'm dying of starvation" acts. Luckily, Santa also sent us a package from the Omaha Steak Company which included a box of Canine Cookies. (Thanks again Grandma and Grandpa.)

I think this soup could really be hit or miss depending on your taste buds. It can make a great vegetarian meal if that is your persuasion but for me it worked better as a side dish served along side some turkey ham steaks and corn bread muffins (contributed by Katy). The curry flavor was good but but a little underwhelming. I think a dash or two of some fresh grated nutmeg would have done a lot to liven up the soup and bring it to the next level. I enjoyed this recipe and will be happy to eat the leftovers but not sure that I will make it again. It does make for a nice winter warm up though. Unfortunately, it happened to be in the 70s here today.

Regardless, I love my new crockpot and you can expect to see more of these slow cooker recipes popping up on this blog in the near future. Ho ho ho. Merry Crockpot Christmas.

I give this recipe an overall grade of a C+.

Zucchini Soup Recipe This delicious Zucchini Soup Recipe (or Courgette Soup recipe) combines zucchinis (courgettes), apples and curry - to produce a fantastic meal on a cold winters day. And it is so simple to create in your crock pot. Yes, we still have heaps of zucchinis. So Neil and I searched around for a delicious soup. We found a recipe cooked at "The Darby Field Inn and Restaurant" and after a few modifications we settled on this recipe and now have heaps in the freezer, ready for winter :-) This recipe makes about 8 to 10 servings. Add the milk just prior to serving. Don't add milk if freezing - add it once thawed and ready to serve.
	Curried Zucchini and Apple Crock Pot Soup Ingredients 1½lb (700g) Zucchini – sliced 2 large apples - peeled, cored, chopped 2 large onions - diced ½ cup rice (we used white, but any should work) 4 cups Chicken Stock OR Vegetable Stock for a Vegetarian alternative 2 tspn Curry Powder 3 tbls per serve milk Method 1. Mix curry powder and stock together. 2. Place all of the other ingredients into the crock pot. 3. Pour the stock over top. 4. Cover and cook for 8-10 hours on Low. 5. When ready to serve, puree soup in a blender or use a hand held device in the crock pot (saves washing another item). 6. Add 60ml (3 tbls) milk per serve and enjoy. Notes Serves 8-10 Freeze the excess, for an extra quick meal later. Add the milk just as serving. Don't add milk if freezing.

Oops I made it again - by Broccoli Spears

I have definitely had my fill of broccoli this week. Last week I bought two bags of broccoli salad mix for Thanksgiving dinner and we ended up only using one. And since it was Thanksgiving, nobody wanted to waste their stomach space on boring green vegetables so Don and I ended up taking most of it home with us and have been munching away at it for the last week. We definitely are not up for polishing off another bag of broccoli salad by ourselves so I will serve the other one tonight for our gaming group and beg someone to take the leftovers home.

Also, I had forgotten about all the broccoli we already had in the fridge, so I didn't think to swap out this new recipe for Broccoli Spears that was queued up in my meal plan for something else when I did my grocery shopping over the weekend. But it worked out well anyway. The cooking method was so desperately easy, even easier than steaming broccoli as it uses up less dishes and is easier to clean up afterwards. Also, it has you peel the broccoli stems with a vegetable peeler so that the spears are not too tough and they soak up the flavor better. Despite the recent overdose on these little green bouquets, I still found this recipe quite enjoyable. In fact, it might be my favorite broccoli recipe to date. I'm guessing Don would disagree with me as he bit off all the broccoli heads and left all the spears behind on his plate like pitiful little decapitated corpses. Looks like my man is not a fan of Spears - neither of the Brittany or the Broccoli variety.

I give this recipe five out of five stars based on taste, ease of preparation, and economical ingredients.

Garlicky Lemon Broccoli

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds broccoli spears
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Peel broccoli stems using a vegetable peeler. Combine broccoli and water in a large nonstick skillet; cover and cook over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from pan; wipe pan with a paper towel.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broccoli, and toss to coat. Sprinkle broccoli mixture with rind; drizzle with lemon juice.

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 67(34% from fat); FAT 2.5g (sat 1.3g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 5.2g; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 85mg; SODIUM 212mg; FIBER 5.1g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9.6g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2003

Fancy Feast... and I'm not talking cat food

O.K. Last night I admit that even I bit off a little more than I could chew. I saw this incredible spread in my Cooking Light October magazine and I really wanted to give it a try: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chunky Spiced Applesauce and Swiss Baked Potatoes. Everything was delicious and really fun to make, but waaaaaaaay too much work for a week night. I slaved in the kitchen for a few hours and finally was ready to plate the meal at 8:30 p.m. By that time Don and I were both exhausted from the day and barely had the stamina to shovel it down and box up the leftovers before our heads hit the pillows. I was happy that I had already done most of the dishes as I went along but this was one of those nights where the rest will just have to sit in the sink until I have time to get to them. Luckily though, this meal makes the best kind of leftovers and it makes a lot of food so Don and I are set on our lunches for the next few days.

I would definitely make this spread again, just next time it will be on a night of the weekend variety. All three of these dishes work really well together. Incidentally, I have never been a huge fan of applesauce but this is hands down the best I have ever tasted. I am sure it has to do with the bag of whole fresh cranberries included in the ingredients. The recipe also says to mix up your apples for a more developed flavor. I used a combination of MacIntosh, Golden Delicious, and Pink Lady. We both ate the applesauce on top of the pork rather than on the side. I also prepared the brine for the pork in the morning before I left for work so that it had all day to marinade and it stayed nice and moist during the baking. This is also the first time I have ever made my own scalloped potatoes but it surely will not be my last! This is a meal that would be really fun to make for guests as it prepares ample proportions, amazing aromas, and highlights the best of home cooking. For a special treat, serve with Kelsey Vineyards Apple Merlot Wine or Apple Chardoney. Camille can tell you how to order their wines since she is a wine club member there.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

When the weather is mild, Hunt grills the pork outdoors. If it's too cold to grill, you can roast the tenderloins at 425° for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°; let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Ingredients

1 cup olive oil
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
2 teaspoons salt, divided
3 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
Cooking spray

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add 1 teaspoon salt and pork to bag; seal and shake well. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Preheat grill.

Remove pork from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle pork evenly with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Let stand 10 minutes before slicing thinly.

Yield

14 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 176(35% from fat); FAT 6.9g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 25.7g; CHOLESTEROL 72mg; CALCIUM 8mg; SODIUM 234mg; FIBER 0.1g; IRON 1.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.1g

Barbara Lauterbach , Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Chunky Spiced Applesauce

Cranberries lend this applesauce an appealing rosiness. For best flavor, use a variety of apples, such as Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Cortland, and Rome. Prepare it up to one day ahead. Serve with Grilled Pork Tenderloin.

Ingredients

10 cup cubed peeled apple (about 3 pounds)
1/2 lemon
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch fresh grated nutmeg

Preparation

Place apple in a large bowl; cover with cold water. Squeeze juice from lemon half into bowl; place lemon half in bowl. Set aside.

Combine cranberries and remaining ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook 3 minutes or until cranberries pop.

Drain apple; discard lemon. Add apple to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until apple is soft. Uncover, bring to a boil, and cook 15 minutes. Mash apple mixture with a potato masher. Pour into serving dish; cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Yield

7 cups (serving size: about 1/2 cup)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 124(0.0% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 0.3g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 14mg; SODIUM 2mg; FIBER 2.6g; IRON 0.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.5g

Barbara Lauterbach , Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Swiss Baked Potatoes

This homey gratin partners nicely with pork or other grilled meats. Dotting the top with butter adds richness.

Ingredients

6 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 3 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups thinly sliced onion (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
2 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Arrange one-third of potato slices in the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with one-third of onion slices. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with one-third of cheese. Repeat layers twice, ending with cheese. Dot with butter. Pour broth over potato mixture. Coat top layer with cooking spray. Cover with foil, and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until tender.

Yield

12 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 106(30% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 2.1g,mono 1g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 3.2g; CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 58mg; SODIUM 208mg; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 0.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.9g

Barbara Lauterbach , Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

A Cauliflower Roast

When I am thinking of sides off the top of my head I usually end up with something green - salad, broccoli, green beans. Whoever thinks to make Cauliflower as its own dish? Don and I have very different feelings about cauliflower. I consider roasted cauliflower a special treat since it's a little on the spendy side and we don't have it all that often. Don thinks it's about as exciting as eating plain oatmeal. He does not have anything against cauliflower per say - he likes it raw and in salads - but like many cooked vegetables he usually finds them a bit boring. And as he puts it, "I like my boring vegetables to be exceptional." So we are always on the look out (and by "we" I mean "I") for some new and exciting twist that will transform our boring vegetables from blah to hoorah.

I will admit that this recipe had a lot of potential, but at the end of a long night (after I had already walked the dogs, run for 45 minutes on my treadmill, showered, stretched, did the dishes, spent 45 minutes cooking the rest of the meal, and reset our hyper sensitive kitchen fire alarm that goes off every night when I'm cooking 8 times and finally covered it with a towel and a rubber band) I got a bit lazy at the end and left out a few ingredients. After roasting the cauliflower I tossed it with a bit of fresh squeezed lemon juice, capers and red chili flakes, but left out the breadcrumbs, anchovies, parsley and garlic. Don and I both felt that, as prepared, it was quite edible but nothing special (3 out of 5 stars) - something I would not mind making again but not anything that we would ever crave or really look forward to. But having tasted the base of the recipe, we are both quite curious - particularly Don - to see how this would turn out in the full version - especially with the anchovies. If anyone decides to give this a try, please let us know how it turns out. Otherwise, we will probably try it again but not anytime too soon.

Recipe comes courtesy of Sunset Magazine via www.myrecipes.com.

Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

2 heads cauliflower (about 3 lb.)
1/4 cup olive oil
About 1/4 teaspoon salt
4 slices (about 3 by 4 in. and 1/2 in. thick) Italian-style white bread such as pane pugliese
1 clove garlic, peeled
6 canned anchovy fillets, drained
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 teaspoon hot chili flakes

Preparation

1. Rinse cauliflower; cut into quarters. Cut off and discard leaves and cores; cut quarters into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices.

2. In a 12- by 17-inch baking pan, mix cauliflower with olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon half the mixture into another 12- by 17-inch pan and spread mixture in both pans level.

3. Roast in a 450° regular or convection oven until cauliflower is browned on the edges and tender when pierced, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, toast bread slices. Rub one side of each with garlic clove; discard any remaining garlic. Let bread cool, then tear into 1-inch chunks. In a food processor or blender, whirl to coarse crumbs.

5. In a large bowl, mash anchovies with lemon juice to a coarse paste. Add cauliflower, parsley, capers, hot chili flakes, and bread crumbs, and mix. Add salt to taste.

Yield

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 143(63% from fat); FAT 10g (sat 1.4g); PROTEIN 3.9g; CHOLESTEROL 2.2mg; SODIUM 444mg; FIBER 2.6g; CARBOHYDRATE 11g

Sunset, NOVEMBER 2001

Yet Another Pear Salad Recipe

You readers may be getting bored of all these pear salad recipes I have been posting lately but I for one am not! And, I am telling you, this recipe is the best one yet. This version "pears" together firm ripe Bosc pears with crunchy juicy granny smith apples. The green and gold contrast is as aesthetically pleasing as it is delicious and it gave me a strange urge to begin decorating my house for Christmas. But the thing that really makes this recipe stand out from the other pear salad recipes that I have tried recently is the vinaigrette. Ordinary pantry spices come together in an unusual combination in this recipe (dried basil, dry mustard, paprika, and even cayenne pepper) that had my taste buds dancing in ecstasy. And do not even think about substituting a different cheese for the goat cheese. Since the vinaigrette packs in so much flavor a strong cheese like blue cheese would be too overpowering, and feta too salty. But a nice mild crumbled goat cheese adds soothing bits of creamy texture to the this autumn salad's otherwise crisp contents that puts this recipe on a whole new level of classic cuisine. You can find this recipe in the October 2007 edition of Cooking Light magazine or by visiting www.myrecipes.com.

Autumn Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of dried basil
Pinch of cayenne pepper
5 cups mixed salad greens
4 cups torn romaine lettuce
2 1/2 cups cubed Asian pear (about 1 large)
2 cups chopped Granny Smith apple (about 1 large)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

Combine first 9 ingredients in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Combine salad greens, romaine lettuce, Asian pear, apple, and red onion in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette, and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.

Yield

12 servings (serving size: about 1 cup salad and 1 teaspoon cheese)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 48(60% from fat); FAT 3.2g (sat 0.8g,mono 2g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 1g; CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 19mg; SODIUM 40mg; FIBER 1.4g; IRON 0.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.7g

Barbara Lauterbach , Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007

Turnip - Turn Out - Toss Out

I am a big proponent of the Five a Day Fruit and Veggies campaign. When doing meal planning, it's always one of the first things I consider is how to get as many different fruits and veggies into my diet as possible. It's one of the reasons I love cooking too is how many health benefits there are to getting all of those lovely greens, reds, oranges and other nature's fresh varieties of produce into your diet. I just do not understand how people can live on processed food when the fresh stuff tastes and feels soooo ... much ... better.

Lately, I have been taking it one step further and really trying to listen to my body and what fresh fruits and vegetables I am craving thinking that maybe my body will be able to detect and tell me on its own what vitamins it is deficient in and steer me to select the foods that I need. One night it was oranges so I stopped on the way home from work to pick some up and had a bowl of fresh orange slices on the side of our dinner. Another night it was fresh broccoli. I have even caught myself going across the street to the 7-11 for a banana of all things. And yesterday at the store I picked up an awesome array of fresh dried fruits from the local produce mart that my eyes spotted and my stomach said "FEED ME!"

This time of year, I also tend to crave a lot of the hearty winter vegetables. So this week I decided to try out a new recipe from Cooking light called Wine Glazed Winter Vegetables. The recipe combined one of my favorite root vegetables - Parsnips (kind of a cross between a potato and a carrot) - with a unique vegetable that I can't recall the last time I had eaten or what it even tasted like - Turnips. The honey sweetened wine glaze reduction also sounded intriguing so Sunday night we opted for an easy main dish, quick marinated Flank steak, with these hearty vegetables on the side.

I have to say that this recipe was a major disappointment. For all of it's potential, the thing that really ruined it was the cooking method. Boil the veggies until soft, drain and then return to pan with wine glaze and cook until evaporated. After trying this recipe, I'm convinced that unless it's part of a soup, these veggies were not meant to be boiled. The texture was really unpleasant and the recipe boiled most of the natural flavoring right out of the vegetables. The wine glaze did little to save the flavor either. When it comes to winter vegetables, I will stick to roasting, a cooking method that enhances the flavor rather than washes it down the drain. Like good boys and girls, Don and I ate our veggies nonperplexedly, but opted not to save the leftovers. They went down the garbage disposal too along with all that lost flavor.

For your curiosity, here is a quick rundown of the recipe.

Wine-Glazed Winter Vegetables

Ingredients

10 cup (1-inch) cubed peeled turnip
2 cups (1-inch) sliced peeled carrot
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled parsnip
8 cups water
1 cup Sauvignon Blanc or other white wine
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Combine first 4 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain; return vegetables to Dutch oven. Add wine, honey, butter, and salt; bring to a boil. Cook 9 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield

8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 138(21% from fat); FAT 3.2g (sat 1.8g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 2.2g; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 72mg; SODIUM 272mg; FIBER 5.1g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.4g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2002

Super Sides Me

Because I love to blog, I'm trying all the new recipes I can so that I can write about them. This has included looking up new and interesting side dishes. Last night I picked out this recipe as an accompaniment to the Brunswick Stew. This was a neat twist on your ordinary cornbread recipe and though it dirtied a lot of dishes for the amount of food it produced, I had so much fun making it. I don't normally prepare anything that falls into the baking category, so the fact that I was making pancakes out of fresh vegetables was really exciting to me. If you make these, watch the pan carefully because they go from perfectly done to burnt in a matter of seconds. I almost considered halving the recipe since it said it produced 16 cakes, but don't be fooled. I only got 8 cakes out of them and they were pretty small so figure two to a person.

Fresh Corn Cakes

Dress up these cakes with salsa and sour cream and serve as an appetizer. They're also delicious as a side dish, simply smeared with butter. Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. In a blender or food processor, pulse corn and green onions until chopped but not smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in 2 tbsp. oil and the egg yolks.

2. In another large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Add to corn mixture and mix thoroughly but gently.

3. In a large clean bowl, whisk or beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into corn mixture.

4. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, drop large spoonfuls of the corn mixture into pan (do not spread or flatten). Cook until edges begin to set and undersides are browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until cakes are browned and cooked through. Cook remaining batter the same way, adding oil as necessary. Serve hot.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per cake.

Yield

Makes 16 cakes

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 63(60% from fat); FAT 4.2g (sat 0.6g); PROTEIN 1.5g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; SODIUM 0.0mg; FIBER 0.0g; CARBOHYDRATE 0.0g

Lynn Lloyd, Santa Cruz, CA , Sunset, AUGUST 2007