Hot Fruit Casserole

I don't have a picture of this recipe because by the time I remember that I should take one, it is almost gone! We started using a recipe/shopping list service called e-mealz! I love it so far. This recipe is supposed to be a side dish, but I think it is more of a dessert/cobbler.

Ingredients:

3 large Granny Smith apples, chopped

1 can whole cranberry sauce

Topping:

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c melted butter

1/4 c flour

1/2 c chopped pecans

1 c oatmeal

Preparation:

Mix apples and cranberry sauce in a 9x13 pan

Mix topping ingredients and spread over top.

Bake @ 350, 45 minutes.

Marsala Chicken Pot Pie

This is my first recipe on here-- Sorry it has taken me so long to get my act together! This one doesn't have pictures, but hopefully in the future I'll be a more responsible home cook and catalog my creations!

The following recipe is adapted from a Wolfgang Puck potpie recipe-- frankly, I think my recipe is better, sorry wolfie! Don't bother with exactness, just go for it! Use what you have- mine is always a bit different, but always delicious.

1.5 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch chunks (or smaller, or bigger, whatever! Also, you can do more or less, depending on what you have, or skip the chicken altogether! Wolf-man also adds 1/2 lb crab meat, but I don't do that business).

2 plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (always unsalted so YOU season it yourself!)

1/2 lb. yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (WP uses red-skinned. I just usually have yukons so I go with that. i'd use something other than a baker potato, but smoke it if you've got it, if you know what I mean here people)

1/2 lb. pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 pieces

8 oz. pkg. mushrooms, quartered, or however you like to slice 'em! (I use white button or cremini mushrooms depending on what I have in the fridge. You could even use portobellos for a meatier feel).

1 med. onion, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, diced

pinch of red pepper flakes (I like a bit o' spice, so I just shake some in til it is pretty, prob about a tsp)

1 sprig thyme (or a pinch of dry thyme if you don't have some in the garden or fridge- don't bother buying it at the store, not worth it)

1 dried bay leaf (now THIS is key- adds fantastic flavor!)

1 cup white wine (you're going to boil this off, but if you don't drink wine you can find an appropriate substitute, I'm sure! I tend to use cheapie stuff for cooking)

1 and 3/4 c. chicken stock (make your own, or grab some swanson's at the store- STOCK ideally, though broth works fine in a pinch)

1 C. heavy cream (if you're trying to be health conscious you can use 1/2 and 1/2, but beware! You are sacrificing taste and consistency-- You'll probably have to do more to thicken.)

1/4 C. Marsala wine (this lasts quite a while so you can bust it out whenever you're doing chicken marsala, or cooking up this baby. WP calls for sherry, but sherry is for sissies, and I prefer Marsala- gives it a REALLY lovely flavor, and thus, the superior recipe takes its grip! But sherry will do, if you must)

1/2 lb. Puff pastry (oh yeah! Buy it-- my belabored and beloved homemade version was less awesome than the store bought, I hate to say, and NOT cheaper since I used so much butter!)

1 egg (for your egg wash)

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. flour and toss to coat. Place a large skillet over high heat, heat 2 Tbsp. (eyeball it) of olive oil til hot. Add chicken, saute until light golden brown and cooked through (about 10 mins). Transfer to plate, set aside. Add 2 Tbsp. butter to pot (still on high heat) and immediately add onions and carrots. Saute til they begin to be bright, 2-3mins. Add potatoes and mushrooms. Saute about another minute. Then reduce heat to medium, add your garlic, red pepper, bay leaf, and thyme sprig (or sprinkle). Saute til it gets nice and cozy with each other, about 3 minutes.

2. Add 1 C. wine. Turn up heat to High and stir to deglaze your pan. Simmer and reduce by 1/2, about 3-5 mins. Add chicken stock and 1 C. cream. Bring to a boil and then reduce just a bit. Simmer briskly til reduced by 1/2 again and it thickening, ~15 mins. *Remove bay leaf and thyme sprig* (if you sprinkled, obviously, you won't remove your thyme sprig)

3. Stir in your chicken and the marsala wine. Combine 2T. butter and 1 T. flour (your butter will need to be room temp so you can combine them-- this creates a roux that helps thicken your juices. If you don't feel like doing this, you can use cornstarch, but just keep in mind that butter makes all things better, even as a thickening agent!). Stir in the combined butter and flour. Season to taste (will probably need a bit of both S&P, but always taste first). If you are using crab, you'd stir in your crab now.

4. transfer to ramekins and refrigerate for at least an hour (this helps thicken. If you're impatient and don't mind runny pot pie, have at it right away). This recipe makes approximately enough for four 16 oz. ramekins, or one larger one. I often half the recipe for just me and Matthew and usually have leftovers which are surprisingly good.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bust out your puff pastry which you've been softening (you have, haven't you? If you plan ahead you can pop it in the fridge overnight and it'll be malleable but still cold and ready to puff!). You can roll out your pastry to fit your ramekin or dish size however you want. To seal the pastry to the pot, combine your egg with a Tbsp. of water, or cream, etc (whatever you have) and beat slightly. Brush on the egg mixture to the edge of your pot and then lay your puff pastry over-- you'll figure it out. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash to give it a nice golden color, and poke some holes in the pastry so your pot pies can release their steam! (note: I set my smaller ramekins on a sheet pan so I can just grab that from the oven rather than worry about lifting the ramekin and breaking the crust.)

Cook 25-35 minutes, and enjoy! It is all cooked inside, so this is basically combining flavors and puffing your pastry!

*note: I never measure any of this. I eyeball all of it, so keep in mind you don't need to be precise. Add other stuff (peas, pearl onions, corn, etc etc), take out what you don't like, and enjoy!

Butter Spritz Cookies

Just to help you get into the Christmas baking spirit. :)
These are made with a cookie press, very fun and you can add colors to make them even more festive.

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1/2 sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour

Cream the butter, then add the 1/2 cup sugar
add in the egg and almond extract
beat in flour
divide in half if you want, and add green or red food coloring
fill cookie press with dough and place on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart

bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes

Simple Steel Cut Oatmeal

I just had a baby girl 2.5 weeks ago and my mom was here with us for a couple of weeks. She cooked like a mad-woman: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We got pretty spoiled. Every morning she made me the most wonderful bowl of steel cut oatmeal and it is so easy that I have continued making it without her here. It's easy, simple, and maybe unworthy of going on this blog - but I have so enjoyed it that I thought I would share it anyway. :)

1 cup of steel cut oats
4 cups of water
1/4 tsp of salt
A handful of fresh or frozen fruit (blueberries or raspberries are what I have been using)
A pinch of brown sugar
Chopped walnuts
Ground flax seeds**
Milk

Bring the water to a boil and add the salt. Then add the oats and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dish up and add your fruit, brown sugar (if you like), chopped walnuts, flax seeds, and as much milk as you like.

So healthy and easy! Enjoy!
**(Note about using flax seeds... remember that in order to benefit from the goodness and nutrition that flax seeds have to offer you must grind them up. If you don't grind them up your body digests them whole and you don't absorb their nutrients. You can buy them already ground, or buy them whole and grind them yourself in a coffee grinder)

Oatmeal Pecan Pie

Recipe from Cooking Light

1/2 package refrigerated pie dough

cooking spray

1 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup regular oats

1/2 cup chopped pecans*

2 tbs butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

*I didn't think 1/2 cup pecans was enough, so I probably used close to 2 cups; which worked out well.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into a 11-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under; flute. Combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 12 servings

Calories: 311; Fat: 11.3g

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

I had some leftover ricotta I wanted to use up so I made these yesterday for my husband who a) doesn't like pancakes and b) does not like lemon. But he LOVED these! They taste almost crepe-like, light with a wonderful lemon flavor. I used both orange and lemon zest which tasted fabulous.

From Sunset Magazine

Yield: Makes about 8 pancakes; 4 servings

Ingredients:
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

Preparation:
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.

Grilled Portobellos with Avocado Salsa

I decided to try this the other day when I wasn't feeling super hungry but wanted something with a lot of flavor. It is great either as an appetizer or just a mid-afternoon snack!

The recipe is from Yahoo Shine

ingredients

• 4, 6-to 8-ounce fresh portobello mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 medium avocado, seeded, peeled, and chopped
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 4 green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup crumbled, crisp-cooked bacon (about 4 slices)
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro

directions

1. Cut off mushroom stems even with caps; discard stems. Lightly rinse mushroom caps. Gently pat dry with paper towels. Combine vinegars, olive oil, and red pepper in a bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup vinegar mixture for salsa.
2. Grill mushroom caps directly over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender, turning and brushing once with the remaining vinegar mixture halfway through grilling.
3. For salsa, combine the reserved vinegar mixture, the avocado, tomato quarters, green onion, crumbled bacon, and cilantro in a medium bowl.
4. Slice the mushrooms about 1/2 inch thick. Spoon the salsa over mushroom slices. Makes 8 servings.

Moroccan Skirt Steak w/ Roasted Pepper Couscous

(photo courtesy of eatingwell.com)

I got a subscription to Eating Well magazine for my birthday this year and just got my first issue last week. This recipe was the first one I tried from the Dec. '09 issue and Glendon and I both loved it! The spices are delicious and it was quick to prepare. It may even be company worthy. :o) I didn't have couscous so I made it with rice instead, which still tasted great. I just cooked the rice as directed but added the spices when the water boiled.

Ingredidents:
- 2 medium bell peppers (I only used 1)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 whole lemon, plus more lemon wedges for garnish
- 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2/3 cup whole-wheat couscous
- 1 pound skirt steak or sirloin steak, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons chopped green olives (I didn't use)

Preparation:
1. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

2. Place bell peppers on a baking sheet and roast under the broiler, turning every 5 minutes, until charred and softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a clean cutting board; when cool enough to handle, chop the peppers into bite-size pieces.

3. Meanwhile, combine cumin, coriander, salt, turmeric, cinnamon and pepper in a small bowl. Grate 1/2 teaspoon zest from the lemon. Juice the lemon into a 1-cup measure and add enough water to make 1 cup. Pour into a small saucepan and add the lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover, remove from heat and let stand.

4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering (but not smoking). Rub the remaining spice mixture on both sides of steak. Cook the steak 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare (I cooked for 6-8 min for medium well). Let rest on the cutting board for 5 minutes. Stir olives and the peppers into the couscous. Thinly slice the steak and serve with the couscous and lemon wedges, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 455
Fat:18g (5 g sat, 10 g mono)
Chol.: 67 mg
Carbs: 36 g
Protein: 36 g
Fiber: 7 g
Sodium: 663 mg
Potassium: 483 mg

Plum Galette

I got this recipe from the September '09 issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. A galette is a free form tart and this one is SO good. And don't worry because it looks a lot more intimidating to make than it really is. To make it way easier, I used store bought Pilsbury refigerated pie crust I already had instead of making the crust from scratch. Nice little shortcut and it turned out great! But I included the recipe for Martha's pie crust incase you do decide to go all out.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup ice water

For the filling:

- 2 T. flour

- 5 T. sugar

- 1/4 cup whole, skin-on almonds, toasted
- 4 to 5 plums, halved, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (keep slices together)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Preparations:

1. In a food processor, combine 2 1/2 cups flour, butter, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 1/4 cup remaining ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Dont overmix. Remove dough from processor and shape into a disk; wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.

2.Meanwhile, wipe bowl of food processor clean and add almonds, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons flour; pulse until ground to a coarse meal.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. (If you are using refrigerated pie crust, lay it on a floured surface and roll out gently to thin out the dough a bit). Transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet; sprinkle almond mixture over dough. With a spatula, transfer plums to dough; press lightly to fan slices out, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold edge of dough over fruit. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Brush crust with cream; sprinkle galette with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until crust is golden and underside is cooked through, about 70 minutes.

Yield: 8 servings

German Pancakes

This morning I attempted to make German Pancakes (also known as Dutch Babies) and I think they turned out well! I'm looking forward to making them again now that I figured some things out. Here's the recipe, I think you will find that this is really easy. This works best with a 10" iron skillet or a pie pan. Any pan about 3 inches deep will work perfect.

3 eggs

1/2 C milk

1/2 C flour

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light & frothy; add milk, flour, vanilla & cinnamon; beat for 5 minutes. Place pan in the oven to heat until oven is preheated (about 7-10 min).

Remove pan from oven and add butter to coat the pan.

Pour the batter into the hot pan all at once and return to the oven. Bake about 15-20 min or until the pancake is golden brown and puffy.

Dust with powdered sugar and a spritz of lemon juice.

Makes about 2 servings.

German pancakes are also good when served with various fruit toppings or maple syrup.

Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta

(photo courtesy Randy Mayor & cookinglight.com)

I've made this dish a few times now and I love it. It is simple yet delicious. I use turkey sausage and whole wheat pasta to make it a bit healthier but using the real stuff is just fine too. Also, I add some chicken broth so make the pasta less dry and I like it better that way.

Ingredients:

- 8 ounces uncooked penne
- 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup vertically sliced onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 1/4 pounds tomatoes, chopped (I used 2 large tomatos and it was enough)

- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth (I added this)
- 6 tablespoons grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided (you can also use parmesean, asiago, or romano cheese)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Add chicken broth; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and basil.

Yield: 4 servings (2 cups pasta mixture, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1 tablespoon basil)

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 389
Fat: 10.7g (sat 4g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.7g)
Protein: 21.6g
Carbohydrate: 53.5g
Fiber: 4.5g
Cholesterol: 27mg
Iron: 3.3mg
Sodium: 595mg
Calcium: 159mg

Pumpkin Pie Cake

This recipe is from my friend, Jaime Green. It's delicious and always a huge hit! Mike, who doesn't love pumpkin pie, LOVES this pumpkin pie cake. The picture doesn't do it justice. But it's super easy and super yummy!

Step 1
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Egg
1/2 stick of butter - melted
*Save 1 cup of the cake mix (to use later)

Mix remaining cake mix, egg and margarine. press into 9X13pan.

Step 2
1 Large Can of Pumpkin
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2/3 Cup Canned Evaporated Milk
3 Eggs
*Combine and pour over pressed cake mix.

Step 3
1 Cup reserved cake mix (from step 1)
1/4 stick butter - melted
3/4 Cup of sugar
*Mix and sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.

Bake approximately 55 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with whipped cream

Creamy Pumpkin Oatmeal

I got this recipe from an old friend of mine, Brittany, that I used to play soccer with in high school. She got it from Weight Watchers and it is SUPER yummy. It is extremely easy to prepare and makes a large batch of oatmeal that you can refrigerate then heat up in the morning and eat throughout the week. The recipe does not call for brown sugar and uses less pumpkin pie spice but it didn't have enough flavor so I added more. It is really up to you and your taste buds, feel free to add more depending on what you like. I also sprinkled cinnamon on top and that made it way better.

Also, this is made in a slow cooker and takes about 4 hours to make. I woke up at 5:30am on a Saturday, put it all in the crock pot, then went back to sleep and it was ready to eat by 9:30. But you can also make it ahead of time and just heat it up in the morning. Also, if it doesn't seem to be thickening up well, turn the slow cooker to high. I cooked mine for 3 hours on low and 1 hour on high and it was perfect.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups steel cut oats (make sure they are steal cut oats, do not use regular oats)

- 1 12 oz. can fat-free evaporated milk

- 1 15 oz. can pumpkin

- 5 1/2 cups water

- 3 T. pumpkin pie spice

- 2 T. brown sugar

- 1 T. cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Put it all the ingredients in a crock pot and mix until combined. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add additional spice and sugar to taste. Sprinkle with cinnamon when served. And that's it!

2. For an apple version: substitute 2 cups applesauce for the pumpkin. Add one large chopped apple. Substitute 2 tablespoons cinnamon for the pumpkin pie spice.

Glazed Lemon Cookies

I found this cookie recipe (and the picture) on the Martha Stewart website, http://www.marthastewart.com/. I'm a big fan of lemon bars so I figured these would be delicious... and I was right. They are especially good with a cup of coffee by the way. Anyway the recipe has two parts. First the cookie, then the glaze.

Cookie Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice (Martha says fresh squeezed... I say store bought)

1/2 cup butter room temperature (Martha says unsalted, but I used salted)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla (Martha and Jennica say pure vanilla extract... I say imitation)

Glaze Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1/3 cup lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, and lemon juice together in mixer. Beat in flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheet. I chose to use parchment paper to line my baking sheet, but Martha doesn't mention anything about parchment paper so I'm sure you are fine either way. Bake 15-20 minutes.

While cookies are in the oven, whisk the glaze ingredients together in a medium bowl. After the cookies have cooled for a few minutes spread the glaze over them and let set for about an hour.

Side note: If you don't have a zester to zest a lemon, I'm sure they will be just as amazing. I actually didn't use the full amount recommended because I only had one lemon and it was too small (oops). It was my first lemon zesting experience so I underestimated what I needed!

Molten Chocolate Cakes

I love, love, love getting molten chocolate cakes at restaurants. I love how the gooey chocolaty center spills out when you eat it and it is all warm and delicious. Mmm. I always thought that these must be really hard to make. I mean, how to do make the decadent "lava" that comes out of the cake? It just seemed way hard. I was a wrong. I came across the recipe in my Southern Living: Incredible Chocolate Recipes book, attempted to make them for a friend's birthday, and found out they were quite easy and way delicious. Wanna know the secret? The lava is batter that just didn't cook all the way. Pretty simple huh? But they are made with egg substitute so you don't have to worry about getting sick from uncooked eggs. My suggestion when cooking them is to really watch them in the oven. If you over cook them, they won't have much "lava" and if you under cook them, you won't be able to flip them over and keep the "lava" inside. I hope you enjoy the "explosion" of flavor!

Ingredients:

- 2 T. butter, melted

- 2 T, unsweetened cocoa

- 3/4 c. butter, cut into pieces

- 3 (4 oz) bars of premium chocolate (I used Ghiradelli)

- 1/2 c. whipping cream

- 1 1/4 c. egg substitute

- 2/4 c. granulated sugar

- 2/3 c. flour

- powdered sugar

Preparation:

1. Brush 16 muffin cups (I used silicone flower baking cups) with 2 T. melted butter. Sprinkle evenly with cocoa, shaking out excess. Place in refrigerator to firm butter.

2. Place 3/4 c. butter and chocolate in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until butter and chocolate melt. Slowly whisk in cream; set aside.

3. Combine egg substitute and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly thickened; add chocolate cream and flour, beating until blended. Pout batter into muffin cups, filling to within 1/4 inch from tops. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

4. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 11 minutes or just until edges of cakes spring back when lightly touched but centers are still soft. Let stand 3 minutes before loosening edges with a knife. Quickly invert cakes onto a baking sheet. Transfer to dessert plates using a spatula being careful not to crack the bottoms and spill out the center. Sprinkle with powders sugar using flour sifter.

Yield: 16 cakes

Turkey Sausage-Gnocchi Soup

(photo couresty Oxmoor House & cooklinglight.com

This is the easiest soup I have ever made! It is very tasty too. I love gnocchi (potato pasta dumplings) so when I came across this recipe at cookinglight.com, I gave it a try. It was under 20 minutes to make. The hardest part was browning the sausage. I did make one change to the ingredients. I used mild ground Italian sausage instead of hot link sausage, personal preference. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
- 1 (4.5 oz) link hot turkey Italian sausage
- 2 cups water
- 1 (16 oz) package vacuum-packed gnocchi (such as Bellino or Vigo)
- 1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
- 1 (14 1/2 oz) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation
1. Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble.

2. Add 2 cups water and next 3 ingredients to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until gnocchi float to the top of pan. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle each serving evenly with cheese.

Yield: 7 servings ( 1 cup soup and about 1 tablespoon cheese)

Nutritional Information
Calories: 182 (21% from fat)
Fat: 4g (sat 1.7g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g)
Protein: 10.5g
Carbohydrate: 25.1g
Fiber: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 22mg
Iron: 0.7mg
Sodium: 809mg
Calcium: 134mg

Carrot-Ginger Soup

This is one of my favorite Fall soups & serves great as a first course or even as a main dish (it's much more filling than you anticipate). This also freezes well, so make a big batch & freeze the rest in mason jars. Of course, like all my best recipes, this one comes from my mom...

Ingredients

• 1 large onion (I prefer sweet onions)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 c chopped ginger root
• 3/4 c butter
• 7 c chicken broth
• 1 c dry white wine (such as a Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1 1/2 lbs carrots
• 1/2 of a lemon, juiced
• Salt & Pepper

Preparation

• Peel & cut carrots into 1/2 inch pieces...set aside
• Mince in a food processor: onion, garlic & ginger root
• Melt butter in a large pot, add onion, garlic, ginger & saute ~15 min
• Add chicken broth, wine & carrot pieces
• Heat to boil
• Reduce to simmer & simmer uncovered ~45 min
• Cover & simmer another 45 min
• Puree in blender until smooth (do this in small batches & keep top exposed to release steam)
• Season w/ lemon juice, salt & pepper

Tonight, I served the soup with a modified version of the Cooking Light Spinach & Pear Salad (link). The dressing is delicious! In addition to the pear & red onion, I add dried cranberries, feta cheese, candied almonds & grilled chicken to this sweet spinach salad. Enjoy!

Salmorejo- Spanish appetizer

If any of you have ever heard of Gazpacho, a cold tomato soup, Salmorejo (pronounced Sal-mo-ray-hoe) is a similar dish that is a bit thicker. I learned how to make this when I was in Spain and crave it all the time!

Ingredients:

3-4 very ripe, very red tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp spoon vinegar
4 tbsp of virgin olive oil
Salt to taste (sea salt is best)
2 hard boiled eggs
3-4 slices of Serrano ham or Prosciutto ham for garnishing
1 loaf of day old/ stale French bread –It should be very dry (but not moldy)
1 fresh loaf of French bread or Bruschetta to dip in the Salmorejo once it is finished

Preparation:

Slice your French bread up and peel or cut off the crust using a large, serrated knife.Chop the tomatoes up and put them in the blender with the oil, vinegar, garlic and a little salt.
Blend this all together and then start to add the stale bread bit by bit. The mixture will very quickly become thicker and as you add the bread it will take longer for it to mix through. I tend to hold back one tomato so that when the last bit of bread doesn't mix through I can add the tomato to loosen things up. When no more bread will mix through, the Salmorejo is ready. You may not need to add all the bread or you may need a bit more.

Pour the Salmorejo into a bowl and chill it in the fridge.

Lay strips of ham on a cookie sheet covered with foil and bake until crispy. Cool the ham and chop it up.Just before serving garnish with chopped up egg white and Serrano or Prosciutto ham.Serve in individual bowls for a first course to a meal or in a larger bowl surrounded by bread for a party appetizer.

Buen provecho!
(Enjoy)

Ginger-Peanut Chicken Salad Wraps

This is the best wrap I have ever eaten. Ok, so at least the best homemade wrap I have ever eaten and comes pretty close to the Thai Chicken Wrap at World Wraps in Seattle. I will definitely be making these often. It is from the Best of Cooking Light Cookbook. I have just two suggestions when making the wraps though: 1. Don't use as much chicken as it calls for. That is just way too much. Or if you do, add more of everything else. 2. Use flavored tortillas. I'm sure plain ones would be fine but I used Jalapeno & Cilantro tortillas and it was way good.

Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 6 (4-ounce) chicken breast halves
- 1 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
- 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 8 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the chicken from pan; cool. Shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Place chicken, cucumber, and bell pepper in a large bowl; set aside.

2. Place sugar and the next 6 ingredients (sugar through garlic) in a blender, and process until smooth. Add peanut butter and water; process until smooth, scraping sides. Add peanut butter mixture to chicken mixture; stir well. Add cilantro, and toss well. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla; top each serving with 1/2 cup lettuce, and roll up.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wrap)

Nutritional Information
Calories: 280 (19% from fat)
Fat: 5.9g (sat 1.1g,mono 2.7g,poly 1.6g)
Protein: 25.8g
Carbohydrate: 30.5g
Fiber: 2.4g
Cholesterol: 49mg
Iron: 2.5mg
Sodium: 572mg
Calcium: 29mg

Herbed Cheese Pizza

We just had these personal pizzas for our Sunday lunch. I simmered the sauce and made the dough in the bread machine before church so it came together quickly after church. I never would have thought of putting paprika and cumin on a pizza but it was tasty! I couldn't find "hot paprika" so I used regular and then added some sprinkles of cayenne pepper. I also splurged and found the kasseri cheese. Sharp Parmesan could probably work in a pinch as a substitute if you can't find it.

Dough:

2 cups bread flour, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
2 packages dry yeast (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
2 cups warm water (100° to 110°), divided
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
Cooking spray


Topping:
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot paprika
3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
10 ounce thinly sliced kasseri cheese
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley


To prepare dough, lightly spoon bread flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 cup bread flour, sugar, yeast, and 1 cup warm water in a bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Lightly spoon all-purpose flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup bread flour, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add yeast mixture, 1 cup warm water, and 2 teaspoons oil to flour mixture; stir well. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky). Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; divide dough into 8 equal portions. Cover and let rest 20 minutes.


To prepare topping, combine oregano, cumin, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic, bay leaf, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 15 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.


Preheat oven to 450°.


Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), roll each portion into a 6-inch circle on a lightly floured surface; place circle on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough portions.


Top each crust with 1/4 cup tomato mixture, 1 1/4 ounces cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon oregano mixture. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until crusts are lightly browned. Sprinkle evenly with minced parsley.


Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 6-inch pizza)

CALORIES 434 (28% from fat); FAT 13.4g (sat 6.6g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.2g); IRON 5.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 35mg; CALCIUM 308mg; CARBOHYDRATE 62.6g; SODIUM 934mg; PROTEIN 19.7g; FIBER 4.6g


Cooking Light, APRIL 2002

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

My most favorite soup ever is creamy chicken and wild rice soup. I just love it. Sadly, my favorite place to get it is back home in Oregon and since I'm in Utah, I miss it a lot. So I decided to make my own and try to make it as good (and healthy) as possible (creamy soup usually = not so healthy soup). So I found a bunch of different chicken and wild rice soup recipes, took what I liked and cut out what I didn't, and came up with this. I made it for dinner tonight and it was quite good (I swear it tastes better than this picture looks). Still not the healthiest soup ever but hey, its better than it was!

Ingredients:

- 1 T. Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 c. chopped celery

- 1 c. chopped carrots

- 1/4 c. all purpose flour

- 1/4 c. chopped shallots

- 1/4 t. salt

- 1/4 t. freshly ground pepper

- 1/4 t. thyme

- 2 bay leaves

- dash of garlic powder

- 4 c. reduced sodium chicken broth

- 1 c. quick cooking or instant wild rice

- 2c. - 3 c. cooked chicken (cubed or shredded, whatever you like)

- 1/2 c. reduced fat sour cream

- 1 T. parsley

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, carrots & shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

2. Add broth, thyme, bay leaves and garlic powder and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add rice and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the rice in tender, 7-10 minutes. Stir in chicken, sour cream, and parsley and cook until heated through.

Yield: 6 servings. Serving size, 1 3/4 cups

Nutritional Information: (as best as I could figure out)

Calories: 360

Fat: 9g

Chol: 90mg

Protein: 36g

Sodium: 380

Classic Caprese Sandwich

For a fast & easy sandwich that comes across with a fancy flare, look no further. This is especially perfect on a summer evening & pairs well with a salad or steamed veggie.

Ingredients
-Loaf of crusty bread (I prefer ciabatta or baguette)
-Mozzarella
-Ham
-Tomatoes
-Fresh basil
-Olive oil & balsamic vinegar
-Minced garlic
-Salt & pepper

Preparation
-Marinade sliced tomatoes in oil, vinegar, salt & pepper...set aside
-Cut bread in half
-Drizzle olive oil & balsamic vinegar & rub minced garlic on both slices
-Arrange sliced mozzarella & ham on one side
-Broil in toaster oven or conventional oven until cheese melts & bread is slightly toasted
-Arrange basil & marinaded sliced tomatoes on top

Additional Tips
-Have extra oil & vinegar on hand for dipping
-Grow your own basil & tomatoes...they are two of the easiest things to grow & are perfect for homemade pizza & caprese sandwiches all summer (this is coming from a very elementary gardener)

Chicken & Cashews

(photo by Randy Mayor and courtesy of cookinglight.com)

I'm a sucker for all Asian food and tend to make quite a bit of it at home. My pantry is now stocked with most of the Asian dish essentials like sesame oil, fish sauce, hoisen sauce and red curry paste so I'm ready to cook up some Asian flare at any time. This Chicken and Cashew dish is from the May 2009 issue of Cooking Light and is definitely a favorite ours. We just gobble it up and I hope you do too!

Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry (if you don't have sherry, use apple juice)
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 3 green onions)
- 1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted cashews

Preparation
1. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and chicken in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, broth, oyster sauce, and honey in a small bowl.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Return chicken mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with green onions and cashews. Serve over a simple rice pilaf like the one listed below.

Rice pilaf: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup water, 1/2 cup long-grain rice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

Nutritional Information (not including rice pilaf)
Calories: 257
Fat: 9g (sat 1.9g,mono 4.2g,poly 2.3g)
Protein: 26g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fiber: 1.9g
Cholesterol: 63mg
Iron: 2mg
Sodium: 584mg
Calcium: 45mg

If you like peanut butter....

These are heavenly. And they are a little bit more healthy for you because they are Gluten Free.
This recipe is taken from http://www.glutenfreeda.com/, one of my most visited sites for GF recipes.
Recipe for Gluten Free Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 eggs2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1-1/4 cup gf flour, I recommend Carol Fenster's Sorghum blend, which is:
1 1/2 cup(s) sorghum flour
1 1/2 cup(s) potato starch/cornstarch
1 cup(s) tapioca flour
(or regular flour if you don't want to do the GF kind)
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

For the frosting:
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup milk
1-3/4 to 2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat with a hand mixer the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, and vanilla until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the gf flour baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients alternately with 1/4 cup milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing after each addition.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Remove cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the frosting:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the peanut butter; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add 1/4 cup milk, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Gradually add powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla, beating with a hand held mixer until thickened. (Note: Start by gradually adding up to 1-3/4 cup powdered sugar. You may find that you will need to add more powdered sugar to get the consistency of frosting.) Spread frosting over cupcakes.

NOTE:....In order to make the cupcakes a little bit softer (as GF tends to become hard quickly), I recommend splitting the egg whites and leaving them until the very end. Then, just before baking the cupcakes, whip the egg whites until they are fluffy, almost like whipped cream. Fold in egg whites with a spatula until completely blended in.
It is also recommended that you cover the cupcakes once baked and place them in the refridgerator. This will help them stay softer, longer.

Orange Mandarin Chicken

Last week when I was home in Oregon I took a big pile of my mom's old magazines and searched them for some new recipes. I got some good ones, including this one from the old July 2003 issue of Cooking Light magazine. I made it tonight for dinner and I loved it. The recipe says to serve it with Asian noodles but I served it with brown rice instead. I'm sure both would be good.

Ingredients:

- 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

- 4 (4-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

- Pinch of Kosher salt

- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

- 1 (11-oz.) can mandarin oranges in light syrup, undrained

- 1/2 cup chopped green onions

- 1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper

- 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

- 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned.

2. While chicken cooks, drain oranges in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons liquid. Add oranges, 2 tablespoons liquid, onions, jalapeno and garlic to pan. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes. Combine broth, soy sauce and cornstarch, and add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Serve with Asian noodles (soba, somen, or udon) or rice and steamed snow or sugar snap peas.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 212

Fat: 3.8g

Protien: 27.2g

Carb: 15.2g

Fiber: 0.7g

Chol: 66mg

Iron: 1.9mg

Sodium: 562mg

Calc: 27mg

Rhubarb Custard Pie

In honor of my dad's 60th birthday (which is today) I thought I'd post my mom's recipe for his favorite pie (which I am about to eat). My dad LOVES Rhubarb Custard Pie, especially because the rhubarb comes straight from my mom's garden and is super fresh. I love the tartness of the rhubarb and the sweetness of the custard. YUM!

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cups sugar

- 1/4 cup flour

- 1/4 t. nutmeg

- dash of salt

- 3 eggs, lightly beaten

- 4 cups of 1 inch slices of fresh rhubarb

- 2 T. butter, cut into small pieces

- pie crust, enough for crust and lattice (my family pie crust recipe is posted below)

Preparation:

Mix together the sugar, flour, nutmeg, and salt. Add the beaten eggs. Stir in 4 cups rhubarb. Line a 9 inch pie pan with pie crust leaving some hanging over the side (if you use the recipe posted below, you want to double it or make 1.5 times the recipe). Fill with rhubarb mixture. Dot top of filling with butter pieces. With remaining pie crust, arrange the lattice crust on top. Seal edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve a la mode if you wish (we always do!)

Grandma Gert's Flaky Pie Crust

My mom's parents owned and operated a few restaurants when she was a little girl back in the 1950's. Basically, my mom grew up in a restaurant, eating delicious food whenever she wanted. Sounds like a dream, huh? I think so. She has many wonderful recipes from her parents who were the cooks and one of the best is her mom's pie crust. I swear that because of this pie crust my mom's pies are always SO good. She is able to make the perfect crust that is both tender and flaky and it is wonderful. The secret is in how you prepare it. You should feel privileged to now have this recipe in your library, it's that good!

Ingredients:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/3 cup butter
- 2 T. water

Preparation:
Mix together flour and salt in a mixing bowl. With pastry blender, cut in half of the butter until it has a fine coarse meal consistency (this gives it the tenderness). Cut in the remaining butter until the particles are the size of large peas (this gives it the flakiness). Sprinkle with water a tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a fork until all the flour is moistened . Form into a ball (if you doubled the recipe, divide dough into 2 balls), place on a floured surface, and flatten a little with your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle as thin as you can without it being too thin that it would fall apart. Gently place pie crust into pie pan.

* Never use a shiny-finished aluminum pan. Glass, enamelware, or satin finished metal pans work better.

* If you are making a pie that is not baked but does need a baked shell, first prick sides and bottom with a fork then bake 8-9 minutes at 475 degrees.

* If you are making a pie that requires a lattice or a top, double the recipe.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

(photo by Randy Mayor, courtesy of cookinglight.com)

This is my all time favorite mac & cheese recipe. I love it because it has great texture and flavor and is a lot healthier than your typical mac & cheese. It is also super easy to make and is an easy dish to serve for lunch when you have guests staying with you. Sometimes I add grilled or lightly breaded chicken for some added protein. Yum! It is from the Best of Cooking Light cookbook

Ingredients

- 4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups (8 oz) uncooked)

- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

- 1 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese

- 3/4 cup nonfat sour cream

- 1/2 cup skim milk

- 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion (I usually I add more)

- 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon pepper

- 1 egg, lightly beaten

- Vegetable cooking spray

- 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

- 1 tablespoon butter, melted

- 1/4 teaspoon paprika

- Fresh oregano sprigs (I rarely use these but feel free too if you want better presentation)

Preparation

Combine first 10 ingredients; stir well, and spoon into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Combine breadcrumbs and next 2 ingredients; stir well. Sprinkle over casserole. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 5 minutes or until set. Garnish with oregano.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
Calories: 356 (28% from fat)
Fat: 11.2g (sat 5.2g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.4g)
Protein: 24.9g
Carbohydrate: 37.5g
Fiber: 1.2g
Cholesterol: 63mg
Iron: 2mg
Sodium: 724mg
Calcium: 402mg

Stawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb isn't loved by everyone but I definitely LOVE rhubarb. It's easy to bake with and definitely easy to freeze. I recently made a crips with strawberries and rhubarb - a common combination.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Topping (recipe fro America's Test Kitchen)

6 tbs flour (I used whole-wheat)

1/4 c brown sugar

1/4 c granulated sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

5 tbs cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3/4 c coarsely chopped nutes (I used almonds)

Note: I doubled the recipe because I like a lot of topping. :) I also added ground flax seed.

Preparation

Place flour, sugars, spices, and salt in food processor and process briefly to combine. Add butter and pulse 10 times, about 4 seconds for each pulse. The mixture will first look like dry sand, with large lumps of butter, then like coarse cornmeal. Add the nuts, then process again, four or five 1-second pulses. The topping shoud look like slightly clumpy wet sand. Be sure not to overmix, or the mixture will become too wet. Refrigerate the topping while preparing the fruit, at least 15 minutes.

Filling (my own eye)

Strawberries (quartered) and rhubarb (1/4 inch pieces) nicely coated with honey

Preparation

Fill 8x8 pyrex pan 2/3 way full of strawberry and rhubarb mix, and 1/3 with topping mixture

Bake @ 375 degrees for 25 minutes

After 25 minutes, raise temp to 400 for another 5 minutes; fruit should be bubbling

Total baking time = 30 minutes

Let cool and then serve with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Jello Salad

I love this salad because it's easy and it's a great side to any meal (I think so at least!) It's also really good to double so it can last longer and feed more mouths! Again, no nutritional info or picture...sorry!

1 (3 oz.) Jello (any flavor)

16 oz. 7-Up, divided

1/2 container Cool Whip

Heat 12 ounces of 7-Up to boiling. Add Jello and remove from heat. Stir until dissolved. Refrigerate until wobbly, but not set. (This usually takes about an hour in my fridge (when it's doubled)-just to give you an idea.) Add remaining 4 ounces of 7-Up and whip with mixer. Add Cool Whip and mix until well blended. Pour into bowl and refrigerate until set.
*Side note: If you double it, it's always fun to mix flavors. For instance, instead of using one 6 oz. box of a flavor, use two 3 oz. boxes of different flavors-like lime and cherry. It's just fun to create a flavor that sounds good to you!

Aunt June's Chicken Casserole

My mom's great aunt made up this recipe decades ago and it won first place in a cooking contest! Anyway, it's a family favorite and one that's perfect for those colder days. I'm actually cooking it as I type though! It's also great to divide up into 2 8x8 pans. I do that and we eat one pan and put the other one in the freezer for a "rainy" day when I don't want to cook! I have no idea what the nutrition facts are, but here's the recipe:

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 chopped onion (I just pour some onion flakes in)

1 T. dried parsley

celery tops (I don't use)

2 c. chicken broth

2 c. Minute Rice

2/3 c. mayonnaise

2 (10 1/2 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup

2 c. Rice Krispies

2 T. butter

salt and pepper

Boil chicken with parsley, celery tops, onion-or flakes, and dash of salt and pepper. Cook 20-30 minutes or until chicken is white completely through. Drain chicken reserving 2 c. chicken broth. Cut chicken into small pieces. Add rice into a 9x13 pan and pour chicken broth in. Let rice soak up chicken broth for a couple of minutes. Add chicken, mayonnaise and soup and stir until well blended. On stove top, melt butter in saucepan and add Rice Krispies. Stir until coated. Pour Rice Krispies over top of chicken mixture and spread evenly. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes.

The World's Easiest Lasagna

This is my mom's recipe and I think she loves it because of how easy it is. It's very simple and easy to add your own additions, flavors or spices. I recently made this for a small gathering of friends. Depending on how hungry people are, one pan feeds about 8 people.

1 lb of hamburger (I typically use ground turkey)

1 pkg of lasagna noodles (uncooked)

1 jar of the sauce of your choice

1 lb of motzerella cheese

(I like when the deli slices it for me)

1 container of cottage cheese (I use low fat)

Brown hamburger; add sauce to the skillet with meat and heat thoroughly; add some water. Layer a 9x13 pan in this order: sauce, noodles, sauce, cottage cheese, cheese, noodles, sauce, cottage cheese, cheese. Cover and bake for 45min-1 hour @ 350 degrees. Serve hot. (This is great as left-overs, too!)

Finger Lickin' Asian Chicken

Here's another easy recipe courtesy of Sunset Magazine to throw on the grill. Serving suggestion: rice and grilled bell peppers-YUMMY!

Yield: 6 to 8 appetizer servings or 2-4 main course servings

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon Asian chili paste
2 pounds chicken wings, thighs, drumsticks, skin removed
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 green onion, trimmed and chopped

PREPARATION:
1. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and chili paste. Add chicken and let marinate for 15 minutes, stirring often.
2. Set up a gas or charcoal grill for medium heat (350° to 400°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above the cooking grate only 5 to 7 seconds). Put chicken on grill and cover with lid. Cook, turning often, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine honey and hoisin sauce. Using a pastry brush, generously baste chicken wings with honey glaze. Cover grill with lid and cook till honey glaze starts to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Turn chicken wings over and baste again, using the remaining honey glaze. Cook 3 minutes more, being careful not to let the glaze burn, removing pieces from the grill as they're done.
4. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion. Serve any remaining honey glaze on the side.

Ruby Red Jasmine Rice Salad

Taken from Gluten Free Girl's recipe by Shauna Ahern

1 star anise

nub of ginger, peeled

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tablespoon butter (or non-dairy substitute)

pinch of pepper and kosher salt

1 cup ruby-red jasmine rice

2 cups of water

Put the star anise, ginger, garlic cloves, butter, pepper and salt in your rice cooker (or pan).

Add the rice, and then the water.

Stir once, then set the cooker on high to do its magic.

When the rice has finished cooking, deeply fragrant and enticing, spread it out on a large plate. Pick out the nubs of ginger and garlic, and the star anise.

Put the rice in the refrigerator to cool down.

After the rice has sufficiently cooled, toss it with your favorite vinaigrette (we like champagne vinaigrette in particular).

And then top with the following:

pieces of avocado

goat cheese

chive blossoms and stalksfresh cilantro, chopped

shaved asparagus stalks

Great as a summer treat!

Steak and Potato Kebabs with Creamy Cilantro Sauce

I tried out this new grilled recipe from Eating Well Magazine last night and it was a hit! It was pouring down rain but worth getting a little wet for. It came together quickly and we loved the flavor of the creamy cilantro sauce. I served it with Grilled Corn with Lime Butter .

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, minced

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar or cider vinegar

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chile powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

8 new or baby red potatoes

1 1/4 pounds strip steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

2 poblano peppers or 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

1. Combine cilantro, vinegar, sour cream, garlic, chile powder, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Preheat grill to high.

3. Place potatoes in a microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave on High until just tender when pierced with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.

4. Toss the potatoes, steak and pepper pieces with oil and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Thread the potatoes, steak, peppers and onion chunks onto 8 skewers. Grill, turning once or twice, until the steak reaches desired doneness, about 6 minutes for medium. Serve the kebabs with the reserved sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 271 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 65 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrate; 30 g protein; 2 g fiber; 368 mg sodium; 786 mg potassium.

Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Pasta

This one doesn't have a picture - sad. But it's delish!! One of our favorite pasta dishes. I have also served it several times for company and it's always a big hit. It is from Cooking Light (love that magazine!) and is super easy.

This recipe makes 4 servings (and that's very accurate)

.
Ingredients
3 large red bell peppers (about 1 1/2 pounds)
5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 cups hot cooked bow tie pasta (8 ounces uncooked)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

.
Preparation
Preheat broiler.
Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 8 minutes or until blackened.

Place peppers in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 20 minutes. Peel; place peppers in a blender.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.

Add garlic mixture, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, broth, and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) to blender with peppers; process until smooth.

Combine bell pepper mixture and basil with pasta.

Sprinkle with cheese.

.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 342 (26% from fat)
Fat: 9.8g (sat 3.1g,mono 5.1g,poly 1.2g)
Protein: 12.1g
Carbohydrate: 53.4g
Fiber: 4.6g
Cholesterol: 7mg
Iron: 2.8mg
Sodium: 549mg
Calcium: 48mg

Baked French Fries w/ Garlicky Dijon Mayo

I've posted this recipe on my personal blog before but I thought I'd share it on here too. I seriously make these fries all the time and use the dip for other things besides the fries as well. I got this recipe from January '09 issue Cooking Light (which is where I get most of my recipes). I've changed the recipe a little bit based on what I think works better and make it serve 2 people instead of 4 because I usually only cook for 2 and I don't need extra french fries laying there tempting me! They wanted you to bake them at 450 but I found the fries to be way too crispy and almost burnt doing that so I bake them at 400. Perhaps if you make more then 2 servings, you may want to turn up the heat if you find your fries are too mushy.

Ingredients:

-1 teaspoon sherry vinegar (I use normal vinegar if I don't have sherry vinegar)
-1 large garlic clove, minced
-3 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
-1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
-1 baking potato (you can use more potatoes if you want more, 1 potato feeds 2 people)
-2 teaspoons olive oil
-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I add a little minced garlic sometimes too)
-cooking spray

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine vinegar and garlic in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in mayonnaise and mustard.

3. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices; stack slices and cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick strips. Place in a large bowl; cover with hot water. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain potatoes, pat dry with paper towels. Combine potatoes, oil, and salt in large bowl; toss gently to coat (add minced garlic now if you want). Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes (might need longer if you use more potatoes); carefully turn over and bake an additional 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with sauce.


Yield: 2 servings (about 1 cup fries and about 1 tablespoon sauce)

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 180
Fat: 7g (sat .5g, mono 4.3 g, poly 1.5 g)
Protein: 3.2 g
Carb: 26.2g
Fiber: 1.9g
Chol: 0mg
Iron: 1.3mg
Sodium: 233mg
Calc: 21mg

Apple Dip

You can't go wrong when serving my mom's famous apple dip at a party or as an appetizer. It's fast, easy & oh so tasty (let's just say a fight typically breaks out when deciding who gets to lick the beaters).
Ingredients
-1 (8 oz) block cream cheese (I use lowfat)
-3/4 c br sugar
-1/4 c sugar
-1 tsp vanilla

Preparation: Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for 15-30 min before blending with other ingredients using a hand mixer. It's delicious with tart apples & really any kind of fruit.

Berry-Peach Cobbler w/ Sugared Almonds

I thought I'd start us off with a new delicious cobbler recipe I tried from the July 2009 issue of Cooking Light. Great tasting and low calorie? Score! I made it for a BBQ and it was devoured quickly. I think I might add some raspberries next time I make it and see how that works. Happy eating!

Ingredients
Filling:
3 (6-ounce) packages fresh blueberries
3 (5.6-ounce) packages fresh blackberries
3 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
Cooking spray
2/3 cup granulated sugar (I used a little less and it was still good)
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup sliced almonds (I used more almonds because I love them)
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (the bigger crystals of sugar)
1 egg white

Remaining ingredient:
4 cups vanilla fat-free ice cream

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare filling, combine blueberries, blackberries, and peaches in a 13 x 9–inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt over fruit; toss gently to combine.

3. To prepare topping, combine flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking powder, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, stirring well. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add half-and-half; gently knead dough just until moistened. Drop dough by spoonfuls evenly over top of filling. Combine almonds, turbinado sugar, and egg white; sprinkle over top. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until topping is browned. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

Yeild:

12 servings (1 c. cobler & 1/3 c. ice cream)

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 321
Fat: 8.9g (sat 4.5g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.8g)
Protein: 5.3g
Carbohydrate: 58.9g
Fiber: 4.2g
Cholesterol: 19mg
Iron: 1.1mg
Sodium: 147mg
Calcium: 101mg

Enjoy!

Recipe Labels

Note: These labels are slightly different than the ones in the e-mail I sent out. I am using (-) instead of (,) because commas divide the label into 2 labels which is no good.

main dish-poultry
main dish-seafood
main dish-beef
main dish-pork
main dish-meatless
main dish-pasta

side dish-starch
side dish-vegetable
side dish-fruit
side dish-other

salad

soup

dessert-cake
dessert-cookie
dessert-pie
dessert-other

appetizer

bread

breakfast

beverage

non-recipe post (for if you have something to say but it isn't a new recipe)

Can anyone think of a label we need that I don't have here? Comment and let me know.