The BEST Cranberry Sauce

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.

Organic Goodness

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

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.

Fresh Summer Pizza

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.....

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.

Cold Asian Salad

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

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.

Hoisin-Drenched Tofu and Stir-Fried Vegetables

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

Peanut Broccoli Tofu Stir Fry

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!"

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

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

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

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

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

Fabulous Crepes

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.

Some Like it Tart

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

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 #4

Believe it or not, this makes even better leftovers. The homemade pizza sauce is amazing! To be honest, I wasn't that crazy about the salad but it was very light and fresh. Other's might like it and the dressing keeps overnight and doesn't wilt the salad. I'm not a huge fan of Garbanzo beans so if I make again, I might leave those out and substitute in some olives.

Roasted Pepper Pesto-Tomato Pizza

1 large garlic clove peeled

1 cup basil leaves

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 (5.2-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained

1 (1-pound) Italian cheese-flavored pizza crust (such as Boboli)

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 6 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat oven to 450°.
Drop garlic through food chute with food processor on; process until minced. Add basil and next 6 ingredients (basil through bell peppers), and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl once.
Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread pepper mixture over pizza crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; sprinkle with mozzarella. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on top of the cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Sprinkle pizza with oregano.Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

CALORIES 285 (28% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 3.9g,mono 3.4g,poly 0.9g); IRON 2.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 376mg; CARBOHYDRATE 37.2g; SODIUM 611mg; PROTEIN 14.2g; FIBER 1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2000

Greek Dinner Salad

This main-dish salad works well with many variations - change the fresh herbs, beans, and cheese to use what you have on hand.

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

6 cups shredded Romaine lettuce

3 cups diced tomato

1 cup thinly sliced red onion

3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon capers

1 cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced

1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

6 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, each cut into 8 wedges

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add lettuce and the next 6 ingredients (lettuce through chickpeas); toss well. Serve with pita wedges.Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 cups salad and 8 pita wedges)

CALORIES 388 (29% from fat); FAT 14.8g (sat 3.8g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.4g); IRON 4.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 17mg; CALCIUM 173mg; CARBOHYDRATE 64.9g; SODIUM 779mg; PROTEIN 15.7g; FIBER 11.4g

Cooking Light, JULY 2003

Potatoe & onion soup

As soon as Cindy mentioned her Iron Chef challenge, I had two thoughts - she has waaaay too much free time ;) and secondly, the much happier one - I can do that and I know exactly what I'm cooking!

Since I'm lucky enough to go through the Swedish school system when home-economics actually included the textbook including lots of quick and easy recipes for two, this recipe is from my home-economics book. About 30 minutes from beginning to end.

Potatoe & Onion Soup

Ingredients
1/2 leek or 1 yellow onion
1/2 tbs margarine or butter
3 medium size potatoes
2 cups of water
1 bullion cube (I use Knorr's vegetarian bullion cube).
salt (optional)
pepper (optional)
2 tbs cut parsley or leek for decoration (optional)

• Peel and rinse the potatoes; clean and rinse the leek. Cut into thin slices.
• Melt the margarine in a pot (about 3 quarts size).
• Fry the onion in the melted margarine (just for a little bit so that the onion is soft).
• Add potatoes, water, bullion cube, stir and bring to a boil.
• Turn down the heat and allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes under lid.
• When the soup is done, add salt and pepper to taste, whisk the soup to break up the potatoes.
• Decorate with either parsley or leek (optional).

This has been a staple recipe for me ever since I moved out of the college dorms, so by now I just eyeball this ... if I have too much potatoes, I just add more water. I always use yellow onion, I'd like it better that way.

Tonight I just used half a yellow onion and four potatoes and it turned out great. I always skip the salt, but always add a little pepper to spice it up. I'm pretty sure it would be OK to substitute the water and the bullion cube with two cups of chicken broth, but I have never tried that. Added bonus, leftovers taste great for lunch the next day.

Pizza with Pizazze

One of the things Don and I used to love trying during our early exploits in the kitchen as a young couple was putting together our own different versions of specialty pizzas. One that we turned to a lot was inspired by our favorite pizza place in Bellingham - a wood-fire grilled pizza kitchen called La Fiamma's, and one of the restaurants we miss most out of all the places we have ever lived or eaten. Not only did they have the coolest atmosphere there which included heated seating on their porch, but they also had our favorite pizza ever the "Pizza Diablo." It had a nice smoky flavor, with spicy sauce, sausage, and sliced hot cherry peppers which significantly upped the heat factor and flavor factor as the juices soaked out into the cheese and surrounding crust. Of course we always substituted pepperoni for the sausage because of it's clear superiority.

Besides having the most amazing single pizza dish we have ever tasted -- the Diablo -- La Fiamma's also had the best ranch dressing I have ever tasted, made from scratch and infused with dill so fresh it tasted like it had just been snipped form the garden that morning. The day that we happened to think to combine the two, the cherry pepper-pepperoni-goodness dipped in the buttermilk nectar of the gods, is the day that we knew we had achieved pizza perfection and that no other toppings, cooking method, or complimentary condiments could ever combine in such a way as to exceed the awesomeness of this pizza. Below is our homemade version of this delicious masterpiece. Of course it will never taste as good as it did under the warmth of the heat lamps on a cool winter's night looking out across downtown Bellingham with great friends that we miss dearly. But it will do in a pinch.

Pizza Diablo De Casa Early

1 ready made pizza crust such as Bobili
2/3 cup prepared spicy pizza sauce or spicy pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Sliced pepperoni (to taste)
6 - 8 jarred hot cherry peppers stemmed and sliced with or without seeds for extra heat
Ranch dressing for dipping (optional)

Spread sauce on pizza crust. Topped with cheese, pepperoni, and peppers. Cook according to crust package directions.

Another of our favorite specialty recipes that we created again during our first year together was the Pesto-based pizza. We had fun varying the toppings and trying new combinations but they usually boiled down to something along these lines:

Greek Inspired Pesto Pizza

1 ready made pizza crust such as Bobili
1/2 cup prepared basil pesto sauce
2 cloves of thinly sliced garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Thinly sliced mushrooms
Sliced Kalamata Olives
Sun-dried Tomato Strips

Spread pesto on pizza crust. Top with garlic, cheese, mushrooms, olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Bake according to crust package directions.

Finally, in the more recent years of our marriage, we discovered this new recipe for Barbecue Chicken Pizza to add to our file of exciting specialty pizzas. These days, we are upgrading the fancy factor of our homemade pizzas by starting with a ready-mixed refrigerated pizza dough from Trader Joes which we work and cook ourselves before adding the toppings. This recipe works especially well with the whole wheat crust. Be very liberal with the cilantro. It is surprising how well it compliments the barbecue sauce - a unique flavor combination you won't find elsewhere. I have never seen a grilled pizza that turned out well that wasn't cooked by a professional chef so we skip the grilling instructions and bake it directly in the oven. Katy helped me put this together last night during an exciting game of miniatures, in which I should mention that the girls completely wasted the guys. She also described to me the awesomeness of a pizza stone which I DO NOT have and now desperately want.

So I've showed you mine. Now you show me yours. What do you like to put on your homemade pizza?

Grilled Barbecued-Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

2/3 cup barbecue sauce, divided
1 cup (about 6 ounces) roasted skinned, boned chicken breast (such as Tyson), chopped
2 (10-inch) Quick-and-Easy Pizza Crusts
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Combine 1/4 cup barbecue sauce and chicken in a bowl. Toss well; set aside.

Prepare grill. Place 1 crust on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes or until puffy and golden. Turn crust, grill-mark side up; spread with 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Top with half of Gouda, chicken mixture, mozzarella, and green onions. Cover; grill 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is lightly browned. Sprinkle with half of cilantro. Repeat with remaining crust and toppings.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1/3 pizza)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 315(24% from fat); FAT 8.4g (sat 3.3g,mono 3.1g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 17.7g; CHOLESTEROL 33mg; CALCIUM 147mg; SODIUM 686mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41.1g

Cooking Light, JUNE 1997