A practice in control - Keep the Kitchen Cool Brownies

I definitely love to bake, and I definitely love sweets. Recently I've realized that most desserts that I get at restaurants are not as good as I would like them to be. I'd prefer to eat sweets that I make myself. Unfortunately, when I make sweets at home, I tend to overindulge. I've learned the practice of portion control with main dishes and side dishes but sweets are still an issue. I'd like to make it not an issue.

Tonight's experiment was Keep the Kitchen Cool Brownies, from King Arthur Flour's site. It certainly was a temptation to overindulge, more so because I was at a low weight at my monthly weigh-in. But I did make a major first step - I took my time eating the brownie and really tasted it. And I didn't like it that much - so I was able to stick with the portion that I alotted to myself. Yay! It is a shame that the recipe wasn't that great though.

Practice, practice, practice - Rancho La Puerta Whole Wheat Bread

I love bread - a lot. Luckily for me, I like wheat bread especially. There is definitely a beautiful, heady fragrance that comes from wheat. I'm not talking about when it is fresh out of the oven (although that is heaven in its' own right). I mean cooled bread - it has a wonderful fragrance of its' own.

As part of my trending away from pre-made food, I've been sporadically doing some experiments with baking my own bread. I have in my head the whole "oooh - making bread is so hard!" thing, which is patently not true. I mean, c'mon - people in centuries before did it, so I'm sure that I can. And no - I don't mean by bread machine. I do own a bread machine, second-hand from a friend (it looks like R2D2!), and I definitely will be experimenting with it (the friend who gave it to me makes a great cheese bread in it - mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm). I'm talking free-hand, not even my KitchenAid mixer! I'm working to get a better sense of what the dough tells me - when to knead, and when to stop.

Anyway, I found this recipe at one of my favorite blogs, Orangette. I made a half batch, so I ended up with one loaf of bread. The good part - the loaf came together easily, rose beautifully. The bad part - the middle sunk in the baking, and I'm not sure if it was because I overkneaded. Also, I left out the optional salt - next time (if there is a next time for this recipe) I would definitely include it. The final result is a nicely basic bread - definitely edible - just not perfection, which I don't expect. It was all wheat flour, though, which is definitely a bonus for me.

A little something for those greens - Balsamic Vinaigrette

Well, as I said before, I'm not much in to salad dressings. The commercial made ones are full of either fat or preservatives. I also don't want to go searching out a really great organic one because I just wouldn't use it, and it would be money wasted. So, I'm not really searching for the ultimate salad dressing - just one that I can mix up when I need it, and not feel guilty about not being able to use it all.

Wonder of wonders - I've found my salad dressing! I used to just use balsamic vinegar on my greens, but it never fully satisfied - a little too tangy. That's probably why I am so thrilled with this dressing - it does include the flavor of balsamic vinegar (which I do love, but is a little overwhelming solo), but also tempers it. The dressing is vaguely sweet but not too sugary, and all the flavors blend nicely. Another nice aspect is that it will use up the leftovers from other recipes - I never use basil in more than one dish, and always feel bad when I have it leftover.

Bet you'll never guess where this one came from! (I'll give you a hint - the initials are CL). Maybe I should just re-name this blog to all-Cooking Light, all the time!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup chopped shallots -- finely chopped
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place of the all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Source:
"CL 01/01"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 38 Calories; 2g Fat (37.2% calories from fat); trace Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

A delicious combo - Tex-Mex Bean Burgers & Whole Wheat Burger Buns

So, summer is almost here. You wouldn't be able to tell from the weather recently, but that's another rant. Unfortunately for me, I don't grill. Apartment living + girly-girl basically. I will eventually learn to grill from self-preservation - there are so many great grill recipes I want to try! For now, though, I work with internal cooking.

So, I was in a mood for burgers. I also knew that I would be weighing myself at the end of the month, so I wanted them to be healthy & light. And all together now - Cooking Light! I searched for vegetarian burgers, and found a recipe that uses pinto beans from the 05/97 issue.

I definitely liked this recipe. It came together quickly and beautifully. The patties melded together perfectly, and I left enough beans partial that there was a nice variety in color/texture. The flavors melded beautifully. The only issue I really had was that the monterey jack was a little oily, but that might be because I used full-fat. I love these as my perfect bean burger - they even tasted better 2 days later!

And to go with the burgers - whole wheat burger buns! The rolls came out to be the best recipe I have made with yeast. I think the hand mixing made a huge difference in terms of learning when the dough was ready to go to kneading. I think I tended to overmix when using the KitchenAid. I also used a tip from Alton Brown and put the dough in a container that had markings on it (an iced-tea pitcher) so I could tell when it doubled in size. The dough rose beautifully, and the only bad thing about the recipe was my imperfect splitting of the dough. The rolls had a beautiful and subtle flavor, and the crust was not too hard, which tends to be a weakness in my breadmaking. These rolls are a definite repeat. Oh, and I did use skim milk instead of 1%, but that's about all that I differed from the recipe.

My mods to the recipe were to make my own buns (linked above), not make the salsa (just did mustard), and to use full fat cheese (not through any preference, just because it was all I could find).


* Exported from MasterCook *

Tex-Mex Bean Burgers

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : May '97 Sandwiches

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans -- drained
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup minced fresh onion
2 garlic cloves -- minced
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Cooking spray
1 1/2 ounces shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
3 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns
3/4 cup salsa

Place pinto beans in a bowl. Partially mash with a fork, and set aside. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add coriander, flour, cumin, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to beans, and stir well. Cut 6 (4-inch) squares of wax paper. Divide bean mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping into 3 1/2-inch patties on a wax paper square.

Preheat broiler.

Invert patties onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; remove wax paper squares. Broil patties 4 minutes. Carefully turn patties over, and sprinkle with cheese. Broil an additional minute or until cheese melts. Place patties on bottom halves of buns; top each with 1/4 cup salsa and top half of bun.

Cuisine:
"Tex-Mex"
Source:
"CL 05/97"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 346 Calories; 8g Fat (20.5% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 53g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 1317mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 4510 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26424 713 0

Trying to fulfill a craving - Chicken Fried Rice with Bok Choy

So a couple weeks ago I had an empty freezer (and boy did that hurt). I fell back on an old fav - Lean Cuisine's Chicken Fried Rice. Oh boy, do I love the stuff. And I'm so used to lighter cuisine that when I go back to Chinese food I used to love it feels greasy. So, I want light Chinese - and I want to make it myself.

Cooking Light to the rescue! (As usual). Making this was really an accomplishment for me. It wasn't as much the actual cooking as it was the mindset change that is really becoming ingrained. It was a Friday - and of course, chaos ensued. Bad stuff always happens at work on Fridays - and if you are going on vacation, watch out! I thought I would be working late, but luckily it turns out I didn't have to. By then I had stuck in my mind the idea of a quick meal - I almost just went and grabbed a frozen dinner instead of making my planned meal. But then I said - it's just as much time (almost) to cook for myself, and the food is much better. So, I knuckled down and made this. And I'm happy I did. No, it's not the ultimate Chinese - but it's mine.

I like the taste of this recipe, but don't love it. It's something nice to have on hand or in the freezer - a very simple fried rice, but it doesn't have an overwhelming flavor to it. I've had recipes where the dominant flavor was of chicken broth, and although this recipe didn't have any broth in it, there was still a little taste of that in it. So, if I made this again, I would probably up the
spices. The mushrooms in this are interesting, in that I have a sense that they are not necessary here, but I am not sure what I would replace them with (if I
did at all). They don't add to the flavor, but they don't detract either. I love, love, LOVE baby bok choy - I've had it before, and didn't know what it
was. If I did this dish again, though, I think I would chop the leaves & stalks separately, just because of how big they were as pieces to try and eat. I did make this with chicken breasts instead of thighs, so that might have had an impact on the flavor, but I still think the spices need to be upped.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chicken Fried Rice with Bok Choy

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound skinless chicken thighs -- boneless, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce -- divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 garlic cloves -- minced
6 ounces mushroom caps -- shiitake, thinly sliced
3 cups cooked white rice -- cold
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound bok choy -- baby, quartered lengthwise
1 large egg -- lightly beaten
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Combine chicken and 1 tablespoon soy sauce, tossing to coat.

Heat canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots, ginger, and garlic; sauté 10 seconds. Add chicken mixture and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes. Add rice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add bok choy; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Push rice mixture to one side of pan. Add egg to empty side of pan; cook 1 minute or until almost set, stirring constantly. Stir egg into rice mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Source:
"CL 03/04"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 249 Calories; 7g Fat (23.6% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 403mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

A little heat before summer kicks in - Thai Tomato Soup

I've always been a little wary of tomato soup. It all goes back to the time I saw part of a comedian's act about the gov'ts regulations regarding what the allowed limits of worm parts were in food. He used tomato soup as part of the joke, and it became associated in my mind with yuckiness. So, whenever my dad would heat up tomato soup, which he does often, I would cringe inside. I have the same reaction to pea soup; don't know why for that one, maybe it's just the canned nature of it.

I finally decided to face my fears and make my own tomato soup. The way I figure, I can see if there is any yucky stuff before I eat it. Didn't expect any yuckies, of course.

I got this Thai Tomato Soup from the 04/05 issue of Cooking Light. They recommend serving it with grilled cheese, but in all probability if I am going to be eating soup it is because I want a light meal, so I decided to go with the yogurt biscuits with it instead.

The soup has a nice flavor on reheat. I really discovered the true flavor after re-heating a frozen portion. It definitely is not hot, and I can't really describe the flavor except as to what it is not. It is not a traditional tomato soup - there is an underlying fragrance to it. It's not soothing - it has a little more flavor than I associate in my mind with the traditional tomato. It's a multi-note taste.

Thai is not a food that I have as much experience with, so I don't know if a person who is used to Thai food would consider this Thai at all. Either way, I like it, whether it is authentic flavors or not. I still will not eat canned tomato soup, though.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Thai Tomato Soup

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger
2 garlic clove -- minced
1 1/2 cups water
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes -- undrained
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup light coconut milk

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, chile paste, and salt. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.

Place one-half of tomato mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed tomato mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining tomato mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan. Stir in coconut milk; cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with lime wedges.

Source:
"CL 04/05"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 103 Calories; 3g Fat (22.8% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 821mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

The eternal question - Double Raisin Nut Carrot Muffins

So, the question is - how much of a change can be made to a recipe before it becomes a new recipe? I know there is a legal definition - from second-hand knowledge (which is best taken with a grain of salt). I know that some people don't believe in posting recipes to the net. I respect their opinion, and the reason I choose to post is because I am somewhat selfish - I like to talk about recipes, and feel it is a little mean to discuss a recipe without giving it as a point of reference. I also take a lot of recipes from other peoples' blogs, so I want to share as a way of giving back.

The reason this came up is because I made a CL recipe for the first time this week, but modified it a bit. I don't feel like I made enough changes to call it a recipe of my own, though. I did re-name it, because the original recipe called for dates, which I substituted out. For comparison, I will provide both recipes, so you can see where I differed. The reasons for the changes are fairly basic - using up ingredients that I already had on hand.

I really like how this recipe came out. I switched from doing it as a loaf to doing it as muffins, because it's instantly portion controlled, which really helps me in controlling my portions. I like the mix of unbleached & wheat flour because it tends to give baked goods a heartier flavor. The double raisin combination was meant to use up the last of my dark raisins as well as break into the golden raisins I've had hanging around for forever. And the final change of soaking the raisins in a coconut milk/apple juice combination came about as a convenience. I had leftover coconut milk from a soup recipe, and I had apple juice hanging in my fridge. I'm always a bit jumpy about how long to keep fruit juices. But since I'm still alive after eating two of the muffins I figure I was safe.

I definitely think this recipe is a repeater. I really like that it actually tastes good without having to be toasted. It tasted good the first and second day and I expect it to taste good on the third day. Plus there are plenty left to fill the freezer.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Double Raisin Nut Carrot Muffins

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 15 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Nov/ Dec '97

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/4 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine coconut milk, apple juice, and both kinds of raisins in a bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Stir in carrot, walnuts, oil, eggs, and egg white. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add carrot mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into muffin tins coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove muffins from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Source:
"modification of CL recipe"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 200 Calories; 6g Fat (26.9% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 187mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 20027 3532 4921 20187 0 3218 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Date-Nut-Carrot Bread

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Nov/ Dec '97

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup pitted dates -- chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine water, dates, and raisins in a bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Stir in carrot, walnuts, oil, eggs, and egg white. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add carrot mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8×4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Serving Size: 1 slice

Source:
"Cooking Light, November/December 1997, p.186"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 185 Calories; 6g Fat (26.4% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 27mg Cholesterol; 174mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 20027 3532 4921 20187 0 3218 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

A trio of favorite veggies - Sesame Snap Peas with Carrots & Peppers

There is no question that red peppers are my favorite veggie. I think it's the sweetness - there is nothing like them. Sugar snap peas are another favorite - and who can't love carrots? I was searching for something to make to use up what I had left of a bag of carrots - and this recipe from the EW June/July 05 issue looked perfect to use some of it up.

Of course, since it was a weeknight, I was looking for simple, which this definitely was. Unfortunately, I over-steamed a little bit in my electric steamer, but it didn't seem to have an overwhelming impact. The one thing I did not like is that I felt there was just a little too much oil for the veggies - it didn't as much coat as drain to the bottom of the bowl. I did add salt and pepper after first taste, because it seemed to need it. The leftovers did reheat well, although on first opening of the bowl the sesame was a little pungent.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Sesame Snap Peas with Carrots & Peppers

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces sugar snap peas -- trimmed
1 small red bell pepper -- cut into strips
1 large carrot -- peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a pan. Put peas, bell pepper and carrot in a steamer basket and place in the pan. Cover and steam, stirring once, until crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; add soy sauce, oil, sesame seeds and pepper; toss to coat. Serve warm.

Source:
"EW June/July 2005"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 76 Calories; 4g Fat (45.5% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 160mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Something for the side - Yogurt Biscuits

I love bread but rarely have it as a side. For some reason though I was doing a recipe search and decided to make these biscuits. I have had my eye on some biscuit recipes, but decided to try these first, because the other recipes involve rolling & cutting - and these days I am feeling a little too lazy. These biscuits are drop - and large! I truly was thrilled with how big and beautiful these baked up to be. They also had the slight touch of salt that I love. I am definitely not a salt person, but I love a good biscuit for the light saltiness, and this recipe definitely had that taste.

So, simple & with the taste I like - I'd call this a hit.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Yogurt Biscuits

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 tablespoon canola oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the yogurt and oil; mix well. Spoon into the muffin cups and bake until firm and browned, 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.

Source:
"WW magazine July/August 2001"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 159 Calories; 2g Fat (13.2% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 579mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 3 points

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0

Girls Night! - Best Cocoa Brownies

Ah, girls night - a time for women to gather away from their husbands/kids/SO's, and get with their friends and celebrate their girly ways. This past Friday was girls night in Boston, and I decided to contribute with homemade brownies. This actually was a double bonus - I got to try a new brownie recipe, and it was from the cookbook my sister got me for my birthday. By bringing these to her house (she was hosting) she would see what a great birthday gift she got me.

The cookbook I got this recipe from is one that I had been drooling over for a while before I got it - Bittersweet by Alice Medrich. I have one of her other cookbooks (Chocolate and the Art of the Low-fat Dessert), but this cookbook really called to me. There are other recipes in there that I am looking to make - specifically the Tiger Cake, which looks very unusual (white pepper & olive oil feature prominently).

The brownies are definitely the fudgy kind - very dense. I definitely like this texture, but I don't know if I can adequately judge how well I like them. There was so much food that I didn't get to really take the time and savor all the flavors - at the end of the night the talk overwhelmed everything else. The cooking itself was fairly easy, but it took longer than I thought it would - not the baking, but the beginning part, the melting of everything together. I'm not sure if what she reads as smooth is what I read as smooth. The texture was still grainy when I finally gave in after over an hour of heating and mixing.

I think I'd like to compare this with the on-the-fence brownies from the King Arthur Cookie Companion, which is a recipe for brownies I definitely liked when I made them. Next time, I'll make them for a time when I can focus on how much I like the taste.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Best Cocoa Brownies

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 9 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
14 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder -- natural or Dutch-process
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs -- cold
1/2 cup unbleached flour
2/3 cup chopped walnuts -- optional

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until incorporated. Beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, i using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares (I got 12).

Source:
"Bittersweet"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 335 Calories; 20g Fat (50.6% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 82mg Cholesterol; 79mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 3 1/2 Fat; 2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

A foray into meat - Honey Mustard Tenderloin

I am not the best at meat. I think I feel more comfortable with ingredients that are not as precise about cooking. I mean, you don't cook meats enough - chance of disease. Too much - dry and unappetizing. Veggies seem to have a wider range of doneness.

Every once in a while, though, I decide to try a change. And since I've seen recipes for pork tenderloin, I thought I'd try it again. My first attempt was okay, but semi-dry. I wasn't sure if it was the recipe or my cooking, so I decided to try again.

This recipe came from a search of my MasterCook software (don't ask me how many recipes I've typed in - it's not pretty). It was very simple, with ingredients I had on hand - which makes a recipe perfect in my view. I am somewhat compulsive about not spending money on jars of ingredients that I will never use again. The recipe looked perfect for a Monday night after work. And yes, it was Monday when I made it. Told you I was behind.

Good thing: Quick & simple to put together, even though I was clumsy and accidentally poured too much cider vinegar into the honey at first and had to start over (smooooooooooooooooooth). One thing about the sauce - the amounts they call for are way excessive - you could split it in half easily. Bad thing: Still dry. It may still be my oven, though - I have a feeling it underheats. So, I will keep an open mind until I can verify what the cause of the dryness is. I still have some of the leftovers in my freezer, and I have a plan for them...


* Exported from MasterCook *

Honey-Mustard Tenderloin

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:05
Categories : Main Dish

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound pork tenderloin (one whole)
4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Combine all ingredients but tenderloin; coat tenderloin well with sauce. Roast for 20-30 minutes, basting occasionally, until meat thermometer registers 155-160ºF. Slice thinly to serve.

Source:
"National Pork Producers Council"
S(Internet address):
"http://www.nppc.org"
T(Cooking Time):
"0:25"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 222 Calories; 4g Fat (16.3% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 74mg Cholesterol; 106mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 1169 0 0 0 0

Still catching up - Thai Carrot Salad

So - day 2 of non-counting (Weight Watchers - 3 years at goal, and feeling a little obsessive) and non-cooking. I think that by the time I get back from my girls' weekend in Boston, I will be dying to get back to my own kitchen. Until then, I have time to do laundry, get ready for my twice-monthly cleaners visit, and catch up here.

Thai Carrot Salad from Simply the Best. 4 carrots in the food processor, mix with marinade ingredients & chill. Once again, the lazy cook. Don't know if it should really be counted as a recipe - but since I make the rules here, I count it. Besides, I sliced up a serrano and felt the burn for the rest of the night so I think I deserve some latitude.

Good side - I finally got myself to buy fish sauce so will be more willing to make recipes that include it in the future. Got to work with a serrano pepper which I've never used before. Which brings me to the bad side - all I tasted in the recipe was heat. I like things to be hot - not palate burning, but a nice heat works well. It works well that is if it has a flavor component which this salad unfortunately did not. I will post it anyway - see if someone else has a different experience with it.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Thai Carrot Salad

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 carrots -- shredded
1 serrano peppers -- seeded, deveined and chopped
4 scallions -- thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons fish sauce -- or low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanuts, dry-roasted unsalted -- coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, combine the carrots, chiles, scallions, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Refrigerate, covered, until the flavors are blended, at least 1 hour. Serve, sprinkled with peanuts.

Source:
"WW Simply the Best"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 79 Calories; 3g Fat (29.3% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 29mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Way behind - Penne Rigate with Red Pepper Pesto

So, I've made it a goal to post about everything I cook. Don't ask me why - at this point, I am just talking to myself, so it really doesn't do much. But it's something to do - and if I get better at writing, I will hopefully make myself a part of the rich food blog community, and maybe contribute. I have gained so much from reading from others and I want to try sharing myself.

Anyway, I have been very lazy about posting, but rather than overwhelm myself and write it all at once, I will go back to where I left off, and slowly catch up. Since I am not in the mood for cooking (food just doesn't appeal right now), I hope to catch up in time to actually be writing right after I taste.

So - Penne Rigate with Red Pepper Pesto. This one comes from Simply the Best Italian (Weight Watchers). I actually got this book for free, when someone on a board I used to post to saw that I wanted it. She didn't get any inspiration from it - but I think it is full of recipes that I can see myself trying. I think this is the first recipe from this I have tried. It's not an overwhelming success, but it does have some good points. First of all, it is simple - cook the pasta, blend the pesto, bing - you're done. Second, it has a unique appeal - it is definitely a nice color when mixed - no pics here yet, but to get an idea, it is a nice reddish-pink. Kinda like a penne in vodka sauce I've had before - very appetizing. On the downside, it doesn't zing for me. It's not a recipe I toss immediately - and I have one serving in the freezer that I will defrost and eat with pleasure after some time has passed. But sadly, it is not something I will readily repeat. Good, but not great.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Penne Rigate with Red Pepper Pesto

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 roasted red peppers
8 ounces penne rigate
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 garlic clove -- crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil

Cook penne. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid, and transfer to a serving dish.

Put the peppers, cheese, almonds, tomato paste, garlic, and salt in a food processor; puree until thick and creamy, but not perfectly smooth. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil and process until it is completely absorbed, about 1 minute. If the mixture is too thick, drizzle in some of the pasta cooking liquid. Pour over the penne and toss to coat.

Source:
"Simply the Best Italian"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 290 Calories; 7g Fat (22.0% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 46g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 253mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sugar coma! - Nordy Bars

So, you have a recipe that calls for two kinds of chips (butterscotch and chocolate), marshmallows, and walnuts. Nice and healthy, huh? Well, I made this tonight - and although I ate my normal 1/4 of the pan like I do when I make sweets, at least this time I was able to put it back in the fridge without being tempted to eat more. We take our accomplishments where we can.

Given all the sweet things in it, it wasn't hurt-your-teeth sweet, which is definitely good. I think if I made it again, I'd cook it longer, because it was less bar on the bottom than goo. Of course, a good sweet goo is still good.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Nordy Bars

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 24 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup unsalted butter
11 ounces butterscotch chips
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 13x9 inch baking pan.

In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter or margarine over medium heat. Add the butterscotch chips and brown sugar. Stir until melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in the eggs. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix thoroughly and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool.

Once cool, stir in the chocolate chips, marshmallows and chopped nuts. Spread batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 22-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool thoroughly before cutting into squares.

Source:
"CL BB Chocolate Rose - http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70080"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 243 Calories; 12g Fat (41.6% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 29mg Cholesterol; 102mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Fat; 2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Feelin' dippy...White Bean and Red Pepper Dip

Beans and red peppers - two of my favorite things. So, I expected to like this recipe. And let me say - I didn't hate it, exactly. But there was just too much lemon juice in it. And it made a little too much for just one person. On the bright side - I did get to eat more of the yummy wheat pitas. So - to damn with faint praise - I didn't want it immediately in the trash, but it doesn't work well as a repeat, so it's not for me.


* Exported from MasterCook *

White Bean and Red Pepper Dip

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups canned white beans -- drained
1/3 cup roasted red peppers
1 garlic clove -- minced or pressed
2 tablespoons lemon juice -- to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper -- to taste

Combine the beans, roasted peppers, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir in the parsley and add salt and pepper to taste. Add more lemon juice, if you like, and whirl for a few moments until just combined. Chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Source:
"CL 09/02"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 242 Calories; 1g Fat (2.3% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 46g Carbohydrate; 10g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 13mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0

Mmmmm....nanas - Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

When I was a kid I hated bananas - I couldn't even smell them without feeling sick. But I still liked the smell of banana bread - who can't love the smell of banana bread?

In college I decided to try bananas again - and found a love for them. But of course, nothing could be as wonderful as banana bread.

I'm still searching for the perfect banana bread - moist, but not too moist - and not too fatty - I'm eating this for breakfast! This recipe comes close - and it's interesting enough that I could see myself repeating it. The moistness is definitely there on first day - it's a matter of the second and third day. The coconut adds an interesting flavor and doesn't overwhelm the bananas, which is good. The lime glaze gives a nice touch, but I do believe could be left off without losing too much. I did pretty much stick to the recipe, but substituted apple juice for the rum, and accidentally left off the 1 tablespoon of coconut on the top. There is another CL banana bread that is similar (Jamaican Banana Bread) that I might try, but I do like this one as well - it may be a matter of making a bread that is the best of both.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups unbleached flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter -- softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed banana -- about 3 bananas
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk to combine.

Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, rum, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coconut. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and juice, stirring with a whisk; drizzle over warm bread. Cool bread completely on wire rack.

Source:
"CL 09/03"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 251 Calories; 6g Fat (21.6% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 46mg Cholesterol; 193mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Yay! A new grain!

I love black beans - and luckily it seems to be one of the more useful and versatile beans. I was in the mood for beans this week, and in a salad mood as well, perhaps as a way of encouraging the warm weather to finally visit. Mother nature - it's spring, it's alright to let the sun out!

A bonus for this recipe is that it uses quinoa, a grain that I've never used before (and don't ask me to pronounce it - I've seen it said that it is keen-wa, but I'm well-known for poor pronunciation, so I'll just skip trying). The recipe is from Moosewood Low Fat Favorites, a cookbook that I've never found an excellent-total repeat recipe from, although I have had some good ones, and the fact that I've made many recipes from it speaks to it as a good cookbook in terms of versatility.

The recipe came together nicely, except for me clumsily knocking off the first round of parsley (which I was substituting for cilantro) off of the counter. Just call me queen klutz. I also decided to be lazy and use canned diced tomatoes + a 1/2 leftover tomato.

I liked this recipe a lot - I have two servings left, and it'll be interesting to see how it does over the next couple days. The quinoa is definitely something I'd like to use more.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/3 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced scallions
1 1/2 cups canned black beans -- drained
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup bell peppers -- diced
2 teaspoons chili peppers -- diced
salt and pepper -- to taste

Rinse the quinoa well in a sieve under cool running water. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, cover, and simmer on low heat, until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the oil, lime juice, cumin, coriander, cilantro, and scallions. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, and chiles. Add the cooled quinoa, and salt and pepper to taste, and combine thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with lemon or lime wedges.

Source:
"Moosewood Low Fat Favorites"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 178 Calories; 3g Fat (15.5% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 315mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0