A different approach to Grannys

I've never been one to cook with Granny Smith apples. Maybe because I've always associated them with apple pies; I think they are supposed to be good for that because they hold up well. I saw that they were one of the top 20 ARF from the list on Sweetnick's, so I decided to do a little more investigating. I knew I didn't want to make a pie. I did find a couple recipes that used them in main dish cooking. Unusually, both combined the Granny Smith with sauerkraut - an interesting combination, but might be better than it sounds if at least two recipes use it. I bought the apples to make the recipe I found from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, but didn't end up buying the sauerkraut, so they got ate out of hand. Not my favorite apple, but okay.

I did give Grannys another shot. In The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, there is also a recipe for Curried Apple Soup. So - Curried Apple Soup, and to go with it, Blueberry-Lemon Muffins from CL. Two, two, two ARF in one meal! Anyway, the soup turned out okay - but a little too strong on the spices. That can be an advantage, though. It forces me to eat slowly, which is better for you because it helps your body realize that you are full faster. The blueberry muffins are okay. They have an unusual texture to them - the cornmeal is not exactly grainy, but there is definitely an unusual feeling to it. So, two new recipes - not bad, but not a repeat.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Curried Apple Soup

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 cups chopped onion
3 large garlic clove -- minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
5 cups chopped apples -- tart,peeled and chopped
4 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and salt, and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.

Add the spices, and saute another 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add apples, water, cinnamon sticks, and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, mostly cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are very tender. Remove from heat.

Take out the cinnamon sticks, and puree in a blender or food processor - bit by bit, so as not to splash yourself. Return the puree to the pot.

Taste to adjust salt. Serve hot or cold.

Source:
"The Enchanted Broccoli Forest"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 144 Calories; 5g Fat (30.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 542mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 1 Fat.


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


* Exported from MasterCook *

Blueberry-Lemon Muffins

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen blueberries -- patted to remove ice crystals
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 large egg -- lightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl. Stir in blueberries; make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, butter, rind, and egg; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist.



Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.


Source:
"CL Recipe Search"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 154 Calories; 4g Fat (20.8% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 26mg Cholesterol; 175mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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

I guess it's a good change

It's something I've realized recently. I've lost my taste for very rich foods. Or maybe I'm just more sensitive to butter. I don't eat it on my bread anymore, at least not usually. I like the taste of a good bread or biscuit, and I think that butter hides it.

The reason I bring this up is that I made chocolate chip cookies tonight. And for the second time, I've made chocolate chip cookies and felt that they were too greasy/buttery. I hope that it's more the recipe than my taste, though. I like chocolate chip cookies.

Maybe I should go back to basics. Try the original Toll House recipe the next time.

One of those just do it nights

I didn't do much cooking last week. For some reason, I just wasn't in the mood. Probably stuck in overplanning mode. Anyway, last night I was trying to plan this week's meals. I already had found a recipe for ARF, and was planning on making it tonight. Oh - it's Sunday, just to give a sense of what I mean by tonight. Anyway, I was resisting making the ARF meal tonight, because it's fairly easy to put together, and since I had an entire day to play, I figured I might as well do something slightly more involved. I had had a frozen pizza Saturday night, so that put it into my mind - homemade pizza time!

This recipe is a new one to me, both crust and topping. The recipe is from Weight Watcher's Simply the Best Italian. The cookbook is one that I got for free from someone on one of the boards I used to post to. She had bought it, and didn't think she would cook from it. It is a little more "Italian" than the casual eater might think - more in depth than spaghetti with meatballs, I can tell you that. I've actually made another pizza from this cookbook that turned out well. Tonight's pizza turned out so nicely.

First of all, I am thrilled to say I had the patience to let the dough rise without rushing it. I let it go for longer than the recipe said, and by the time I got back to it, it was perfectly risen. Secondly, it was incredibly easy to work with. I've made pizza before, and have never been able to stretch the dough out to the 12-inch size. This dough went to 12 inches beautifully!

The toppings on this pizza were great. It's a white pizza, no sauce. The book says that the cheese doesn't melt like mozzarella, but it melted well enough for me. The way the book talked, it sounded like it would stay in the crumbles, but it didn't.

I really like the gorgonzola on this. It's a great pizza, all around! And I can count it for ARF too - artichoke hearts.

And I did end up counting it for ARF. Round up is here


* Exported from MasterCook *

Artichoke and Red Pepper Whole-Wheat Pizza

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup warm water -- plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 ounce active dry yeast
1 cup bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups artichoke hearts -- chopped
1 red bell pepper -- julienned
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces gorgonzola cheese -- crumbled
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

To make the dough, combine the water and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Combine both flours and half the salt in a food processor. With the machine running, scrape the yeast mixture through the feed tube. After the dough forms a ball, continue to run about 30 seconds to knead.

Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray; put the dough in the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Work the dough into a 12-inch circle on a nonstick baking sheet or pizza pan. Cover loosely and return to the warm spot 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 500.

Combine the artichokes, bell pepper, oil, and the remaining salt. Spoon over the dough; sprinkle with the cheese and pepper. Bake until the crust is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Source:
"Simply the Best Italian"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 312 Calories; 9g Fat (24.8% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 49g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 13mg Cholesterol; 414mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Black bean soup (ARF!) and cheddar biscuits

I'm trying to work from cookbooks that I own but are not one's that I immediately reach for. It's a matter of culling my collection, painful though it might be. I decided to work from Crazy Plates and Looneyspoons, two cookbooks written by the same authors. The books themselves kind of get on my nerves - a little too cutesy for me. The recipe names are bad puns. But I didn't want to close my mind, so I decided to try a pair that I had looked at and thought I might like.

The first is Bean Me Up, Scotty. It's a basic black bean soup. It includes carrots, red peppers, garlic, onions, and jalapenos, and of course black beans. The ingredients are cooked together, and then blended to what should be a somewhat thick soup, I would think. Unfortunately, it's not one that I think I will repeat. I wasn't too excited by it the first night. I decided to try it the next day, hoping that it would improve, as they mostly do the next day. Unfortunately, this didn't. It's a little too sweet for me. I didn't include the cilantro that it called for, but even with it, I can't see it being a favorite.

The second recipe is called Takin' Care of Biscuits. They are biscuits, made with reduced-fat cheddar cheese. I like the texture of these, but I don't actually taste any cheese in them. I did like the fact that the recipe has whole wheat flour.

So, nothing so far to make me keep this cookbook.

And, to see the roundup for ARF #3, go to Sweetnick's


* Exported from MasterCook *

Bean Me Up, Scotty

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soups/Stews

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped carrots
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 jalapeno chile pepper -- seeded and minced
2 cups beef broth, ready to eat
1 cup vegetable broth, ready-to-serve
8 ounces tomato sauce
25 ounces canned black beans -- drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, red pepper, carrots, garlic, and jalapeno. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Top each bowl with a tablespoon of sour cream.

Source:
"Crazy Plates"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 173 Calories; 3g Fat (16.3% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1042mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 4 points - 12 grams of fiber!

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


* Exported from MasterCook *

Takin' Care of Biscuits

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 ounces reduced fat cheddar cheese -- sharp, shredded
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon honey

Preheat oven to 425.

In a medium bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir in cheese. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Combine buttermilk and honey. Add to dry ingredients. Using a fork, stir to form a soft dough. Turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface. Form into a ball. Roll out dough to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut into 2-1/2-inch rounds using a biscuit or cookie cutter. Place biscuits on a cookie sheet coated that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 12 minutes, until biscuits have puffed up and are golden brown. Serve warm.

Source:
"Crazy Plates"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 133 Calories; 4g Fat (27.9% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 11mg Cholesterol; 338mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

A beautiful muffin

I still had cranberries frozen from last year, and thought I would try out another recipe for cranberry muffins. I decided to pull from a cookbook that is very helpful as a recipe resource, as well as for learning about ingredients and techniques. The cookbook is How to Cook Everything.

The recipe I used was one that is meant to be all-purpose, and work with a variety of additions. I did the Cranberry-Walnut variation.

This recipe came out beautifully. The texture was perfect - tender, with tiny crannies. The flavor of the muffin was perfectly sweet, to balance out the tangy-ness of the cranberries.

I think this recipe could be repeated, with the different variations.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cranberry Muffins

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 11 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat together the egg, milk, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it. Using a large spoon or rubber spatula, combine the ingredients swiftly, stirring and folding rather than beating, and stopping as soon as all of the ingredients are moistened. Stir in cranberries.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of them comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before taking them out of the tin. Serve warm.

Source:
"How to Cook Everything"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 197 Calories; 8g Fat (34.4% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 20mg Cholesterol; 248mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Cold weather comfort food...even though it doesn't feel like winter

It's been a weird winter so far. One snowfall. And then today - temps in the 60's. I'm not looking for blizzards; I'm not a snow fan. It's just very weird.

Anyway, the recipe I made tonight is definitely a traditional comfort food. Of course, since most comfort food is a little heavier than I like to make for myself, I went with a revised version of the recipe, from Cooking Light. The recipe? Tuna Noodle Casserole.

I know a lot of people have emotional associations with this casserole. It's also stereotypical of bland food. Maybe because my mom didn't cook it when I was a kid, but I am very open to finding a good recipe. Unfortunately, this one wasn't it. Maybe it's because the recipe called for a specific brand of cream of mushroom soup that I couldn't find. I used a regular low-fat mushroom soup, while the one they called for had cracked peppers and herbs.

I do have half portions of some of the ingredients left, so I may repeat this sooner rather than later, if I can find the specific soup the recipe calls for.

Since I didn't love this recipe, I'll hold off posting, until I can see if it's the recipe or if it's my ingredients.

A possible new repeater - Chicken Basquaise

I can get particularly lazy sometimes. I buy ingredients for one recipe, and because of the delay in making it, I end up making something totally different. I have the ingredients for a tuna-noodle casserole that I am planning on making tomorrow night; I think I have had the ingredients for over a month (no, nothing perishable). Anyway, I had the chicken breasts for this recipe sitting in the fridge. The date on the package was January 11. I knew I had to buckle down and just do it. Problem is, I don't cook with meat that often, because I always feel like I overcook it. But I had bought the chicken; no turning back.

This recipe came out wonderfully. It had enough oil to cook the chicken (which is always an issue for me). The chicken cooked up to gorgeous golden color, with some specks of the paprika spice mix for contrast. I did use a orange pepper instead of the green pepper that the recipe originally called for, so the end result was a mixture of yellows, oranges, and red (from tomato & pepper). Sometimes that can be a little boring, but there were enough shades of color that it was just gorgeous. And not only did it look good, but it tasted wonderful as well. The chicken was tender, the veggies were perfect, and the rice really became a part of the dish, instead of being a separate component. Absolutely marvelous.

Of course, I then had to ruin my one day streak of great cooking by burning evaporated milk TWICE when trying to make brownies...


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chicken Basquaise

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast -- cut into 1" pieces
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion -- chopped
1 medium red bell pepper -- seeded and chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper -- seeded and chopped
2 plum tomatoes -- chopped
1 garlic clove -- minced
2 cups cooked white rice

Place the chicken pieces in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, basil, salt, cayenne, and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tsp of the seasoning mix evenly over the chicken; toss to coat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the chicken. Cook until nicely browned and cooked through, 7-8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl.

Add the onion and the red and green bell peppers to the skillet; cook until the peppers are tender. Add the chopped tomatoes, the garlic, and the remaining seasoning mix. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the chicken is heated through, about 10 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

Source:
"Best of Weight Watcher Magazine"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 305 Calories; 4g Fat (12.8% calories from fat); 30g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 66mg Cholesterol; 316mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.

NOTES : 6 points

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

ARF Monday - Better early than never

So, I decided to try early the recipe I had made for ARF. It's a recipe I've had on my list since I saw it posted on another blog. Orangette posted a recipe for stewed prunes. I have a weakness for prunes - but a little bit of disdain for stewed foods. I just associate stewing with tomatoes. I love tomatoes - stewed ones make me shiver.

I made this recipe Sunday night. It was easy to make - just mix, put on the heat, and simmer until ready. When I tasted it Sunday night, I thought I tasted it slightly burned. I cooled it, and put it in the fridge to sit as suggested. When I tried it again Monday evening, I thought I tasted the burnt part a bit in the sauce. I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did. The prunes had softened and plumped beautifully. What made the recipe for me however was the orange slices. They softened beautifully, and I ate them, peel and all. It was all delicious.

The cinnamon flavor that should have come from the stick was not there. It may be that I was expecting too much. Either way, I enjoyed this recipe. And it was healthy, which is always an added benefit.

ARF Tuesday - Waldorf Salad

Sweetnicks is one of my favorite blogs - I can't believe she manages to cook just about every night, spend time with an adorable child, and still manage to write some wonderful entries every day to her blog. She's inspirational - so when I saw she was going to do a new weekly challenge, I decided to join in with abandon.

I'm late on this entry - but hopefully will do better next week.

Anyway, last night's entry included pecans. I decided to do a simple recipe - because I came back from NJ on Monday, and didn't have much time to shop & cook. The waldorf salad came from 1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes. I've actually done another challenge with this book. I cooked 5 recipes from it, and they were pretty good. Although of all the recipes I've made from it, I think I like this salad the best. It was easy to make, held well overnight, and was very tasty. I can definitely see repeating this.

I did make a simple sub in this recipe - I used nonfat plain yogurt instead of sour cream. I also halved the recipe, and just used 1 golden delicious apple.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Waldorf Salad

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups chopped apple -- unpeeled, cored, and cubed, red and green
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans -- toasted
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
lettuce leaves -- as garnish

Combine apples, celery, raisins, and walnuts in medium bowl. Mix remaining ingredients, except lettuce leaves, and stir into apple mixture. Serve on lettuce-lined plates.

Source:
"1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 193 Calories; 10g Fat (44.3% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 8mg Cholesterol; 115mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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

From meat to lovely beans

Ah beans. I love them so. Just don't get too near to me after I eat them sometimes. Not the nicest scent.

In a nice change from the hunks of meat, I made a new hummus recipe that I pulled from a WW magazine. It was a really simple recipe to make on a work night. I mixed it up and chilled for a couple hours. It was perfect with some mini wheat pitas. It definitely has a lemon edge to it, but if you didn't know it was lemon in it, you wouldn't be able to define what the edge was. The flavor lasted nicely for a few days in the refrigerator without overwhelming. I do have one serving left which I will freeze and will be interested to see how it defrosts. Pretty much a repeater.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Hummus

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Spreads/Dips

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
15 1/2 ounces chickpeas, canned
4 teaspoons natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 garlic clove
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt

Drain and rinse chickpeas, reserving 1/3 cup of the canned chickpea liquid; set aside.

In a food processor or blender, combine the chickpeas, peanut butter, lemon juice, lemon rind, garlic, cumin, and salt. With the processor running, gradually add the reserved chickpea liquid through the feed tube and process until smooth.

Source:
"WW magazine - July/August 2003"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 224 Calories; 5g Fat (21.0% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 554mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.

NOTES : 4 points

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

Hey - I brought meat!

So, after Thanksgiving excess and a visit from Mom, I finally got back in to cooking. The first holiday weight will be taken off - just in time to fight the Christmas weight! I know the extra would help insulate, but I prefer to wear warm sweaters that fit for that.

Anyway, I finally found a pair of recipes for meatloafs that I actually like and are somewhat healthy. Both recipes are from CL. The first is Mini Meat Loaves from the Jan/Feb 03 issue. This recipe serves 4 as originally written, but I split it in half when I made it, because I wasn't sure how much I would like them. The calorie count I got back from MasterCook is higher than is printed in CL, but it was still reasonable for the size of the servings. This meatloaf baked up easily, and had a nice topping. I definitely could see repeating this recipe. The individual loaves are cool because they look large, and trick the mind in to thinking the serving is larger than it is.

The second is a more unique recipe. It's the Skinny Turkey-Spinach Meat Loaf from CL March 03. This recipe is a mix of meats. I had 1/2 a pound of the beef left from the last meat loaf recipe, and decided to try this instead of the Wedding Soup recipe I thought of. This recipe is interesting because not only does it include meat, but it mixes in spinach as a binder. It gets in vegetables as well as meat. The flavor is very good. It is unusually colored inside, but not unappetizingly. And of course it had the nice topping that I like.

A couple months ago I said I would not be making more meat loaves because I thought I was not a person who enjoyed big hunks of meat. Turns out I like specific hunks of meat. (And keep your minds out of the gutter on that comment, if you can)


* Exported from MasterCook *

Mini Meat Loaves

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 pound 10% lean ground beef
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400

Combine ketchup and mustard, stirring well with a whisk. Reserve 2 1/2 tablespoons ketchup mixture. Combine remaining ketchup mixture, beef, and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring to combine.

Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion in to a 4x2 1/2-inch loaf; place loaves on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray.

Spread about 2 teaspoons reserved ketchup mixture evenly over each loaf. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until done.

Source:
"CL Jan/Feb 2003"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 293 Calories; 13g Fat (40.8% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 126mg Cholesterol; 985mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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


* Exported from MasterCook *

Skinny Turkey-Spinach Meat Loaf

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic clove -- minced
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 pounds turkey breast, boneless and skinless -- ground
1/2 pound 10% lean ground beef
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach -- thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/2 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute 4 minutes. Add garlic, and saute 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, and the next 8 ingredients (breadcrumbs through spinach), stirring well.


Shape meat mixture into a 12 x 5 inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush ketchup over the top of the loaf. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160; let stand 10 minutes before slicing.


Source:
"CL 03/04"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 256 Calories; 5g Fat (16.2% calories from fat); 33g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 72mg Cholesterol; 728mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 6 points

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

Working with the season - looking for much needed warmth

Brr. It was cold today. I don't even want to consider what it will be like once winter is actually here. I settled in for the night, and made a batch of warm soup and a hearty, yet strangely sweet muffin.

I decided to take advantage of the canned pumpkin and apple cider readily available for Thanksgiving. The soup recipe is from CL's November '05 issue. It caught my attention because I had a bottle of bourbon to use up in my pantry. I haven't really ever had a blended soup that became a repeat favorite, but this one probably comes closest. The results are sweet in that nicely savory way. I divided the recipe into 6 instead of 8 like they called for. I ended up with good size servings, and an almost complete milk serving.

The muffin was made because I had a bag of rye flour in my freezer. It's not an ingredient I usually use. I had bought it to make a mixed grain bread a few weeks ago. I have a lot of the flour left, so there will be more rye recipes to come. But for the present, the muffins also came out nicely sweet. The texture was grainy, but not excessively so. And interestingly enough, it looked grainier than whole wheat recipes I've made, but it really didn't taste like it.

So, two for two tonight. Hope that carries over into tomorrow - I have to make pumpkin bread for Thanksgiving, and Lebkuchen for this month's IsMyBlogBurning?


* Exported from MasterCook *

Spiked Pumpkin Soup

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves -- minced
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup bourbon
1/4 cup maple syrup
29 ounces canned pumpkin
14 ounces low-sodium defatted chicken broth
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 teaspoon unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, ginger, cumin, and garlic cloves; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in cider, bourbon, syrup, pumpkin, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Place half of pumpkin mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into a large bowl. Repeat process with remaining pumpkin mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan. Stir in milk, flour, salt, and pepper; cook until thoroughly heated (do not boil), stirring frequently.

Source:
"CL 11/05"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 145 Calories; 1g Fat (7.4% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 300mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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


* Exported from MasterCook *

Spiced Rye Muffins

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups rye flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 large eggs
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup raisins

In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, spices and orange zest.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, water, milk powder, and melted butter.

Combine the liquid and dry ingredients, then stir in the raisins.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400.

Source:
"Whole Grain Baking"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 159 Calories; 5g Fat (27.4% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 46mg Cholesterol; 208mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Enough with the halloween chocolate - on to the banana & chocolate!

So my boss has had to giant ziploc bags of halloween candy in his office since the day after halloween. And of course, I was helping him go through it. I'm generous that way. Not the healthiest options of course. So, I decided this week to not eat it. I've been bringing in grapes, and that's my afternoon snack. But to ease the way, I made CL's Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread. Hey - it's better than pure chocolate!

I've tried to make this recipe before. I had gone with the 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch pan that they said. Unfortunately, it was too small. I had said I wanted to re-try it. That was 2 years ago. Never let it be said I rush things.

Anyway, I really like how this bread turned out. The fact that I ate two slices for this morning's breakfast might give a clue. Not too rich, not too sweet. I decided to give in and do all unbleached instead of the whole wheat/unbleached flour mix I've normally done. Treat myself right as it were. I think it's definitely a repeat for me.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread

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

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
1 1/2 cups mashed banana -- (about 3 bananas)
2 eggs
1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

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

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add banana, egg substitute, and yogurt; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist.

Place chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until almost melted, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly. Add 1 cup batter to chocolate, stirring until well combined. Spoon chocolate batter alternately with plain batter into an 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Swirl batters together using a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 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.

Source:
"CL September 2003, p. 154"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 240 Calories; 7g Fat (24.9% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 43g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 46mg Cholesterol; 186mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 5 points

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

Ahhhh - warmth.

It's fall - winter is coming too fast for me. I spent 4 years in Florida, and I did not move back up north because I missed the cold. Believe me. But, since I'm here, I have to deal.

The best way to deal is a warm meal at the end of the day. And nothing is more soothing than a vegetable soup (and maybe a nice muffin on the side). This weekend's recipe is a repeat. Not a well-loved recipe - just something simple & filling.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Italian Vegetable Stew

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:12
Categories : April '97 International
Soups/Stews/Chowders

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 garlic cloves -- minced
1 cup thinly sliced zucchini
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes -- undrained
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans -- drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian-cut green beans -- drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup (3 ounces) preshredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional) -- fresh thyme springs

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add zucchini and next 6 ingredients (zucchini through tomato sauce); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Add kidney beans, green beans, and parsley; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle into 6 bowls; sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Serving Size: 1 1/3 cups stew and 2 tablespoons cheese

Description:
"Reach for canned beans when you need an easy, nutritious, meatless main dish."
Cuisine:
"Italian"
Source:
"Cooking Light, April 1997, p.190"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"
T(Cooking Time):
"0:45"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 182 Calories; 3g Fat (15.5% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 3mg Cholesterol; 672mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.

Serving Ideas : Serve with store-bought breadsticks and a tossed green salad.

NOTES : 3 points

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 26099 0 3002 2470 0 4977 26429 26001 673 0 25072 3413

Again with the muffins

Last fall, right around Thanksgiving/Christmas, I bought three bags of cranberries and froze them in 1 cup portions. I swore that I would use them over the year. I just knew that I would be craving cranberry muffins. It's a year later, and I still had 4 cups in the freezer. I have a ton of cranberry muffin recipes. I will finish off the frozen berries - just in time to refill. It's a common hoarding behavior, from what I read on the Cooking Light bulletin board.

I decided to try a recipe that was a little different. Most cranberry muffins call for walnuts - this one calls for hazelnuts. It also calls for golden raisins, which I love and almost always have in my pantry. I of course modified the recipe to use 1/2 whole wheat flour. Always good to try and have some extra fiber.

The results of this recipe are okay, not great. Something about the taste of the muffin is a little greasy. It surprises me, since there is not that much oil in the batter. If I did repeat this recipe, I would go down to 1/4 cup canola oil, and maybe up the orange juice.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cranberry Hazelnut Muffins

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup cranberries
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
2 eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon brandy

Heat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and cloves. In a food processor, finely chop the cranberries, raisins and hazelnuts. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the brown sugar, orange juice, oil, and brandy. Mix the chopped cranberries, raisins, and hazelnuts and then pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Stir well.

Fill the greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes.

Source:
"Mad About Muffins"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 212 Calories; 9g Fat (37.1% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 35mg Cholesterol; 65mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Stupid oven!

I swear - I preheated my oven for more than an hour tonight, and it didn't get up to 500. I needed to broil the top of my frittata. It didn't seem to affect it much though - it cooked through and was golden on top. Unfortunately, it was also extremely browned on the bottom. Aside from the extra-crispy bottom, the flavor of the frittata was great. It was strangely sweet though. The texture was perfect as well. I'm not much of an eggs person, which is why I always planned on trying to make a frittata but never did. Since I've tried this one though, I think I will repeat. I know that you can also complete a frittata by flipping onto a plate and back into the pan instead of broiling. I might try that next time. (Stupid oven!)


* Exported from MasterCook *

Ham and Asparagus Frittata

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 ounces ham slice, extra lean
2 ounces jarlsberg lite -- shredded
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
2 large egg
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup red bell pepper, minced
1/2 cup asparagus -- 1" slices
1/4 teaspoon italian seasoning

Preheat broiler.

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

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

Source:
"CL 04/04"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 256 Calories; 11g Fat (38.7% calories from fat); 30g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 242mg Cholesterol; 1027mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


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

Adventures in timing

It's always an interesting experience to try a new recipe. Add in the fact that some recipes have multiple processes that should be timed so that they come together simultaneously, and you get some interesting events. I firmly believe in the theory of mis en place. It's saved my butt on more than one occasion. But then I get cocky sometimes, and end up with blackened garlic because I had my back turned in order to get ready for the next step. And I just never learn.

I'm not leading up to a huge catastrophe with tonight's meal. The dish was a vegetarian shepherd's pie from WW Versatile Vegetarian. I've had good luck with recipes from this cookbook. In particular, their macaroni and cheese is excellent, and really is open to variation. Anyway, the pie involved cooking up the filling and then covering with potatoes. And here I will admit - I don't remember ever cooking potatoes. Nutty, I know. So, I had pulled the directions for boiling them from a Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen. And my baker nature came in - it says 20 to 30 minutes to cook? Well, I'll make the filling at the same time, and it will all come together perfectly! Not quite. The damage was not that bad - the filling cooled a bit while I was waiting for the potatoes, and I definitely rushed the potatoes even with a longer cook, but the dish was still very good. Not sure it's a repeat, though. Something about all the vegetables involved - eh, they just didn't seem right to me. Something about tomatoes & potatoes in the same dish I think. And I normally would say that I could experiment with different add-ins, but somehow my brain has shut down on this one. Oh well. The very good thing is, there is no question that I got my veggies in for the day with this recipe!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Shepherd's Garden Pie

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions -- chopped
2 cups chopped mushrooms
3 garlic cloves -- minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces tofu -- crumbled
6 plum tomatoes -- diced
2 cups broccoli florets -- steamed
2 cups cauliflower flowerets -- steamed
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 large potatoes -- cooked, peeled, and mashed
2 ounces neufchatel cheese

Preheat the oven to 375. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions; cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper; cook, stirring as needed, until the mushrooms are wilted, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the tofu and tomatoes; cook about 3 minutes. Stir in the broccoli, broth and parsley. Transfer to a 9"-square baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes and the cream cheese. Spread it over the tofu mixture. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.

Source:
"WW Versatile Vegetarian"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 314 Calories; 12g Fat (32.1% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 43g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 11mg Cholesterol; 443mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Here's a shocker - a muffin!

Yeah, I know. I have a weakness for muffins. They're just so perfect. They're portion controlled, and as long as you stick with true muffins, and not cupcakes-hiding-as-muffins, you can have healthy versions. They also can be stored in the freezer, and any day can start out beautifully.

My freezer is pretty much always crammed with muffins and quick bread, but most of the time they are breakfast-y. This time, I decided to use up the wine in my freezer and go for a savory muffin. And believe me, I was happy with the result. These came out very nicely, with the wine and cheese flavor coming through nicely. They baked up beautifully and came out smoothly from the tin. I used lite jarlsberg instead of the swiss and half wheat flour to try to improve the nutritional profile. Even without those changes the muffins aren't totally bad for you, which is nice to have. And even though a muffin in mostly carbs, these have a nice amount of protein, so they definitely have sticking power. They are nice warm, and just different enough!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Wine and Cheese Muffin

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 7/8 cups unbleached flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

Heat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the oregano, and parmesan and swiss cheeses. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg and and to it add the milk, white wine, and worcestershire sauce and stir. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Fill greased muffin tins. Bake for 18 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown. Serve warm.

Source:
"Mad About Muffins"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 128 Calories; 4g Fat (29.0% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 45mg Cholesterol; 232mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Oh so pretty, but not quite sure...

...on the taste. I have had a bag of flax seeds in my freezer for several months. I had thought about this recipe for several months. I definitely prefer muffins, but a quick bread loaf will do in a pinch. I would normally make a loaf into muffins, but this recipe uses a topping. I don't do well with toppings.

I should have gone with my first instinct and mixed all the pecans into the batter instead of going by the recipe and putting about 1/2 on top. They browned a lot, and a lot fell off.

Aside from the topping falling off, I can honestly say that this loaf was the prettiest quick bread I've ever made. It crowned beautifully and evenly above the top of the pan. It sliced smoothly.

The loaf itself held together nicely in the next couple days. Didn't dry out. Wasn't too wet. But...I'm still not sure on the flavor. It's on the edge of unlikeable.

If I did repeat the recipe, I would do a full 1/2 cup of pecans, and mix them into the loaf. And probably make it as muffins.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Zucchini-Pecan Flaxseed Bread

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 14 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flax seeds -- ground to measure 1/2 cup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup stonyfield Nonfat Vanilla Yogurt
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans -- toasted
3 tablespoons chopped pecans -- toasted

Preheat oven to 350º.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine dry ingredients (flours through nutmeg) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Spread zucchini onto several layers of papertowels; cover with additional towels. Press down firmly to remove excess liquid.

Combine liquid ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in zucchini.

Add zucchini mixture and 1/4 cup pecans to the flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Pour batter into a 9X5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the top with 3 tbs of chopped pecans. Bake at 350º for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; place on wire rack.

Source:
"CL 05/05"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 225 Calories; 8g Fat (29.4% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 30mg Cholesterol; 266mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Yeah, it's a muffin...juuuuuuust barely

I am a muffin lover. I will never make my way through all the muffin recipes I've collected. Doesn't stop me from trying, of course.

Tonight's muffin was sweet enough to be my dessert. Happily it also has enough healthy ingredients to make me not feel as guilty when I savor it.

This muffin tastes exactly like a peanut butter oatmeal cookie. It also hides the flavor of the grain-sweetened chips that just don't taste good on their own. I'm not buying them again, for sure. I'll go for the healthy stuff for everything else, but the chocolate stays real.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 15 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 ounces chocolate chips
1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 12-cup muffin pan.

In large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips. Make a well in center of bowl.

In another bowl, beat together yogurt, brown sugar, peanut butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Pour into well in bowl of dry ingredients and stir just until moistened and blended. Do not overmix.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cups three-quarters full. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until done.

Source:
"CLBB Vicanddi - http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=68666&highlight=tollhouse"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 236 Calories; 9g Fat (34.7% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 32g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 29mg Cholesterol; 341mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Sweet - but with a bite

I know some people have strong opinions on what 'real' cornbread is. Sweet or not sweet - I don't care. As long as it's cornbread, it makes me happy. And I feel lucky that cornbread seems to lend itself easily to low-fat cooking - I have so many options to try.

Last night's recipe was cornbread that was sweet, but also had a sharp kick to it. I served it with leftover cream of tomato soup, and the two flavors complemented each other beautifully.

The only issue I had with this recipe was probably cooks' error. I'm still trying to get adjusted to the way my oven heats, and how high to set it, since according to my oven thermometer the settings are off. Last night the top browned, but it was still slightly gooshy inside. Didn't kill me though, so it's all good.

Good all around recipe - a probable repeat.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Honey Jalapeno Cornbread

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted
2 jalapeno peppers -- seeded and minced
1 large egg -- lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, honey, butter, peppers, and egg in a bowl; add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Source:
"CL 07/99"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 199 Calories; 4g Fat (15.7% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 31mg Cholesterol; 452mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Simple, delicious...

Cream of Tomato Soup. I've never tried to make it. I never felt the need to. It's not a food I normally make. But it's fall - soup time!

A great ingredient can really contribute a lot to a recipe. So although I do love the fact that the recipe is so easy to put together and has a wonderful texture, I am sure that most of the praise for the actual flavor of the recipe can go to the tomatoes. Go Muir Glen - you'll never go back.

I had had a chaotic work day on the day that I made this. It's truly a testament to the simplicity of the recipe that I was able to make a success of it, even though I was flustered.

I definitely think it is a repeat. The ingredients are things that I will always have on hand. It is so quick and rich tasting but is truly light that I can feel decadent even though I am eating healthily.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cream of Tomato Soup Variation 1

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons unbleached flour
28 ounces canned tomatoes -- pureed
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup 1% low-fat milk

Melt the butter or heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, bay leaves, and other seasonings, and saute over medium heat until the onion is soft (10 minutes or so). Have a whisk ready for the next step.

Sprinkle in the flour as you stir constantly with a whisk. Continue stirring and cooking for about 5 minutes more.

Stir in tomatoes and honey. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently from the bottom.

Turn the heat down to a simmer, and slowly drizzle in the milk. Fish out bay leaves.

Source:
"The Enchanted Broccoli Forest"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 136 Calories; 4g Fat (27.8% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 594mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Back - with a healthy twist

Ah - procrastination - it is what I do very well. I would say best, but I like to believe I do other things better. Denial - it's a good thing.

Anyway, short but sweet - below are two recipes I made this past weekend. I'm still trying to perfect my bread baking, and this was not a huge step forward. The bread's strength is that it is very nicely flavored. Its weakness is that it didn't rise as high as it could have because of my impatience. So really it's my weakness, and not the bread's.

The tofu salad is - okay. Nothing to turn cartwheels over. It's likeable to me for the walnuts and grapes. The texture is fine. The flavor is nothing overwhelming. It may be that I need to get a better or stronger curry powder to make it pop, but at this point, I'm not sure if I necessarily want to try it again.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Bran and Oat Sandwich Bread

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup oat bran
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast -- instant
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
1 cup 1% low-fat milk

Place flours and oat bran in food processor fitted with steel blade. Add salt and yeast and process for 5 seconds. With the machine running, add the syrup, softened butter, and most of the milk through the feed tube. Process about 30 seconds, then remove the cover. The dough should be in a well-defined, barely sticky, easy-to-handle ball. If it is too dry, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time and process for 5 or 10 seconds after each additiion. If it is too wet, which is unlikely, add a tablespoon or two of flour and process briefly. Knead for a minute or so by hand.

Grease a large bowl. Shape the dough in a rough ball, place it into the bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise for at least 2 hours, until nearly doubled in bulk. Deflate the ball and shape it once again into a ball; let rise on a lightly floured surface for about 15 minutes, covered.

Using only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the work surface, flatten into a rectangle, then shape it into a loaf. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the dough in the pan, flattening the top of it with the back of your hand. Cover and let rest for 1 hour, or until the top of the dough is nearly level with the top of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350. Brush the top of the loaf with lightly with water, then place in the oven. Bake about 45 minutes, or until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when you tap it (it will fall easily from the pan) or the internal temperature reads about 200. Remove loaf from pan and cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Source:
"How to Cook Everything"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 194 Calories; 3g Fat (15.0% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 8mg Cholesterol; 490mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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


* Exported from MasterCook *

Curried Tofu Salad

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons mango chutney
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper -- to taste
14 ounces extra-firm tofu -- drained, rinsed, and finely crumbled
2 stalks celery -- diced
1 cup red grapes -- halved
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, chutney, curry powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in tofu, celery, grapes, scallions, and walnuts.

Source:
"EW Oct/Nov 2005"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 149 Calories; 9g Fat (47.9% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 139mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Good, better, best! - Yes, I am really behind...

I am extraordinarily lazy in some things. I hate doing small tasks - like emptying the dishwasher. It takes 5 stupid minutes, but I can be lazy as all get out when it comes time to do it. (That reminds me - I have to unload before I go to bed tonight). I just procrastinate way too much. The point is, I have a bunch of recipes to review, so for now I'll be lazy, and review three at once. It really is a cool convenience that they do happen to fall into the categories of good, better, and best (AKA awesome!).

First, the good. Herbed Zucchini Soup, from August/September Eating Well. This recipe was simple to put together, and did something different with zucchini (I usually steam for a side, or bake into bread, like everyone else does). On first taste, I didn't like this recipe that much. I used Cabot 50% cheddar, and it just didn't melt well. The result wasn't bad, it just wasn't set of the fireworks good. Lucky for me, I gave it a second chance, kept the rest, and ate it over the next three days. The grainyness of the cheese was still slightly there, but I really think the flavor in the soup developed over time (as soups & stews tend to do). I definitely think this will be a repeat, if I have cheese to use up.

The good was Citrus-Scented Snap Pea and Carrot Couscous, from WW Simply Delicious. This cookbook is very cool - it seems to go for different recipes (I am dying to try the balsamic mushrooms!). This salad came together quickly, had a gorgeous flavor and color, and reheated nicely the second day. Since I do love couscous, I could definitely see repeating this recipe if I had the orange juice on hand.

The best/awesome was Fettuccini and Tofu with Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce from CL 04/01. This is a recipe I had on my list-to-try (that's the true question to a cook - how long is your "to try" list? Could you ever write it down without getting hand cramps?) because of other peoples' favorable reviews. And boy, am I glad I listened to them! I split the recipe in half, and managed to accidentally add too much vinegar, and it still tasted wonderful! Definitely a repeat - and probably soon, since I have the fettuccini ready in the closet.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Herbed Zucchini Soup

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 cups vegetable broth, ready-to-serve
1 1/2 pounds zucchini -- cut in 1" pieces
1 teaspoon dried dill -- or tarragon
3 ounces cheddar cheese, lowfat -- shredded
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place broth, zucchini and tarragon (or dill) in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the zucchini is tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Puree in a blender, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and heat over medium-high, slowly stirring in cheese until it is incorporated. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or chilled.

Source:
"EW August/September 2005"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 75 Calories; 2g Fat (27.5% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 1019mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Citrus-Scented Snap Pea and Carrot Couscous

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 carrot -- peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar snap peas
3 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup couscous
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/2 teaspoon lemon rind

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the carrot and cook 1 minute. Add the snap peas and almonds; cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Return the saucepan to the heat and add the orange juice, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Add the couscous and remove from the heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the vegetables, raisins, basil, and lemon zest.

Source:
"Simply Delicious"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 263 Calories; 6g Fat (21.1% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 281mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 1 Fat.


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


* Exported from MasterCook *

Fettuccini and Tofu with Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup vegetable broth, ready-to-serve
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons grated ginger root
2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic
4 garlic cloves -- minced
8 ounces fettucine
1 pound firm tofu -- drained and cubed
1 cup sliced green onions -- 2-inch slices
1 cup shredded carrot

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Cook pasta in boiling water 8 minutes, omitting salt and fat. Add tofu, onions, and carrot; drain. Place pasta mixture in a large bowl. Add peanut butter mixture; toss gently.

Source:
"CL 04/01"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 467 Calories; 14g Fat (27.1% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 64g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 816mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Cannellini Beans with Herbs and Prosciutto

I finally tried a recipe from one of the many chefs I watch on Food Network. Giada De Laurentiis is not my all time favorite (any good food geek loves Alton Brown), but she seems to really know her cooking. Unlike others on the network. *ahem*Sandra Lee*ahem*.

After seeing this recipe reviewed on the CLBB, I decided to try it. It's a good, simple recipe - doesn't set off fireworks, but it definitely works well as leftovers. A good way to use one of my favorite beans. Everything mixed together into a subtle flavor.

I serve it as a light dinner. The recipe calls for serving mixed with greens, but I feel it loses focus that way. I just re-heat in the microwave & serve in a salad bowl by itself - yum.

The recipe is posted on the Food Network Site

It's just not my taste - Red Curry with Sweet Red Peppers, Snow Peas, and Tofu - Honey Carrot Cake

Well, they can't all be successes. I think that as I cook more, I get a feeling for not only what works, but what works for me as well. I really thought the curry would work for me. I used to love hot food when I was younger, but for some reason, as I've gotten older, I prefer my food with less heat, so I can taste a deeper flavor. Unfortunately, the curry recipe was a little on the hot side for me. I wish it had worked - it had three of my favorite things - snow peas, red peppers, and tofu. This recipe was the first I tried from Real Vegetarian Thai. I did see other recipes in this cookbook that I am excited to try. Fortunately, there is a recipe in A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen that was somewhat similar in terms of ingredients, but the spices/herbs may be different, so I might give it a chance.

I also was going to try to become involved in my first SHF. Unfortunately, I missed the deadline. I still ended up making the cake, and although I ended up eating three large pieces in 2 days, I honestly think that it's not my style. A little too buttery for my taste. Whether that is because I just don't eat butter on a regular basis, I don't know. I still like sweets, but this one just didn't do it for me. It came together nicely, though, so if you want to try, it's at http://www.honey.com

Pasta with (Turkey) Sausage and Olives

I do love my pasta. Unfortunately, I have to find good recipes that can be well-divided so I won't end up with too many leftovers. This one wasn't it.

I did like how it ended up on first & second days - but it didn't freeze well. I love the rigatoni that I used as the pasta. For those looking for an extremely saucy pasta dish, definitely look elsewhere. This is less about an all-over saucy dish and more about chunkiness, with the olive, turkey, and tomatoes.

It definitely was easy to put together, but for my tastes, it wouldn't divide well.

The recipe can be found at ilovepasta.org

Chocolate....- Moist Fudgey Brownies

I love to bake. Love, love, love to bake. I also love having a small waist, so I try to limit my baking. The problem with baking, though, is that the yield is so large. That and my tendency to eat more of the pan than I really should.

Enter Small Batch Baking. It's a cookbook that I looked at and didn't think I would get - mostly because the recipes I first saw seemed to call for specialized pans. But when someone on the CLBB reviewed this, I thought I might as well try it.

The results are mixed, in my mind. The recipe definitely was a fudgey brownie, and the fact that it only served 3 means that I ended up with only 2 servings in my freezer. The problem I had is that the brownie came out more puffed up then I expect in a brownie. Maybe it's all psychological, but I am used to a brownie that is flatter, which ends up with a square that is larger, and easier to consume in small bites. I like the flavor & convenience of this brownie - it'll just take time to get used to the looks.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Moist Fudgey Brownies

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter -- at room temperature
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate -- chopped (original calls for 3/4 ounce()
6 tablespoons sugar
1 egg white -- beaten well
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 2/3 tablespoons unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts -- optional

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 5x3-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom of the loaf pan with a strip of aluminum foil to fit down the length and up the short sides, with enough extra length to extend over the edges by about 1 1/2 inches. Lightly grease the foil, and set the pan aside.

Place the butter and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on medium power until the chocolate is soft and the butter is melted, about 1 minute. Stir until the chocolate is smooth. Add the sugar and whisk well. Then add the beaten egg and vanilla, and whisk until well blended. Add the flour and salt, and whisk well. Then fold in the pecans, if using. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 28 to 30 minutes; the top will appear dry and will be starting to shrink from the edges of the pan. Do not overbake.

Remove the loaf pan from the oven, place it on a wire rack, and let the brownies cool completely in the pan. Use the edges of the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan. Remove the foil and cut the brownies into bars.

Source:
"Small Batch Baking - posted on CLBB by Meganator - http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=75923"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 224 Calories; 13g Fat (47.7% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 12mg Cholesterol; 82mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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

2,2,2 reviews in one! - Cranberry & Herb Turkey Burgers w/Blueberry Ketchup

So, I had a post written on these recipes - and I managed to lose it. Smoooooooooooooooth.

It was all about how I love flavor/ingredient combinations that are outside of the norm. Although when I think about it, it's not too far outside of the norm. I mean, I have Iron Chef on right now, and some of the combinations they put together make me flinch. My "unusual" tastes go towards things like raisins in couscous and pepper in cookies/cakes/brownies - the latter of which I never have had, but have a few recipes that I am dying to try. Something like the grapes in the chicken curry is something I like in theory, although my rendition did not totally appeal.

Anyway, blueberry ketchup is something fun to do. I like regular ketchup, but it's not my favorite condiment. I will actually only eat it pretty much on the rare hot dog or hamburger. Not even on fries! And just for completeness' sake, I'm not big on mayonnaise, and prefer mustard on subs.

I quartered the batch of ketchup but still felt like I had plenty. I used it the first day on a turkey wrap. It's not an overwhelming flavor. That's the whole point though - a condiment should enhance, not overwhelm. So on that basis, the ketchup works.

The next day I mixed up the burgers. A warning - if you are looking for a standard hamburger replacement/mimic, this isn't it. It is an unusual flavored recipe. Someone else said in reviewing it that it reminded them of Thanksgiving, and I have to agree. But it's a good Thanksgiving flavor. It was so nice to work with the fresh herbs. I think they really enhanced the flavor. The meat was definitely moist. The blueberry ketchup worked well with it. And the hamburger bun was whole wheat, leftover from a month or so ago.

I'm not sure I'd repeat either recipe. Comparing this burger to the pinto bean vegetable burger I made with those buns, I prefer the pinto burger. And the ketchup is not a very universal condiment to me, although I have enough to freeze, and will try over salmon, as they suggested.

All three recipes are on Eating Well's website -
Cranberry & Herb Turkey Burgers
Blueberry Ketchup
Whole Wheat Burger Buns

Cate's Springtime Risotto Soup

It's funny - this recipe made me think of something from my childhood. Chicken and rice soup - condensed, by Campbells. Not the flavor, just eating rice in a soup. I haven't had that in a while.

I liked this recipe. It's a good way to use up asparagus, and not do the standard cream soup. It had nice color from the green asparagus and spinach. Unfortunately, as it sat, some of the color drained from the asparagus on leftovers. The rice also got a bit logged & lost some structure.

All was not negative by any measure. I do see myself repeating this. I split the recipe, and didn't measure the nutmeg and went free-hand (so nice to work with whole nutmeg & a microplane!). Next time I would up the amount I used.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cate's Springtime Risotto Soup

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
3/4 cup arborio rice
3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium defatted chicken broth
1 pound asparagus -- cut in 1" pieces
2 cups chopped spinach -- coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 ounces grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add lemon rind; sauté 2 minutes. Add rice; sauté 3 minutes.

Stir in broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in asparagus, spinach, and nutmeg; cook, uncovered, 2 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Top each serving with cheese. Serve immediately.

Source:
"CL 05/05"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 182 Calories; 5g Fat (22.6% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 6mg Cholesterol; 675mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.


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

Asparagus-Turkey Wraps with Roasted-Pepper Mayonnaise - Now that one's a mouthful.

Now that I've made tortillas, I like mixing up what goes in them. I also had been interesting in trying Spectrum Light Canola Mayo, because I was looking to be able to do some recipes that included mayo, but not deal with the light mayos that had ingredient lists that scared me. Unfortunately, I was too blonde to check the expiration date on the mayo before I bought it, and the date was only a couple days later than the day I bought it.

I did split this recipe in half, which unfortunately gave problems when working with the blender. There was not enough bell pepper to force it to do anything besides be flung to the sides. I did try including the mayo in the mix, but still not enough. I ended up with a lightly tinted mayo with large pieces of roasted pepper, which was not unappetizing, but it just wasn't what the recipe was meant to be.

I did like the addition of asparagus to the wrap. I just get stuck in the same rut, and I like how it took < 5 minutes to steam up something nice. The sprouts were interesting too, but I'm not sure what they add to the wrap - bulk maybe? The romaine leaves were lovely to work with, and it was easy to rough chop them to make a salad for the side. Of course, I got that idea from Rachael Ray.

All in all I didn't feel like there was enough mayo to give any real flavor to the wrap. Maybe I'm just used to the strong element that mustard gives to a wrap.

I think this recipe helped me in experimenting with different sandwich elements, but as for the entire recipe, it's not something I would repeat.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Asparagus-Turkey Wraps with Roasted-Pepper Mayonnaise

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
24 asparagus spears
1 red bell pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 recipe Whole-Wheat Flour Tortillas
4 romaine lettuce leaves
8 ounces turkey slices
2 cups alfalfa sprouts

Preheat broiler.

Snap off the tough ends of asparagus. Steam asparagus, covered, 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place bell pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil for 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes; peel. Place the bell pepper, honey, juice, salt, and ground red pepper in a blender; process until smooth. Combine bell pepper mixture and mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Warm the tortillas according to the package directions. Spread 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture evenly over each tortilla. Layer each tortilla with 1 romaine leaf, 2 turkey slices, 1/2 cup sprouts, and 6 asparagus spears; roll up. Serve with remaining mayonnaise mixture.

Source:
"CL 05/01"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 288 Calories; 10g Fat (28.7% calories from fat); 20g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 29mg Cholesterol; 1091mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Lime-Peach Vinaigrette

Ya gotta love the single-subject cookbook. Just don't ask me how many muffin/quick bread cookbooks I have. Hey - we all have our weaknesses. Bread-y foodstuffs are mine.

Anyway, back to single-subject cookbooks. The cookbook I got this recipe from is interesting, but a little deceptive. Not all the recipes are for peaches. Which is good, I guess. You don't want to be too exclusive.

Okay - actual recipe review. Salad dressings seem to be simple to put together - just blend, right? Well, my last dressing didn't turn out right for me. This Lime-Peach Vinaigrette, though, blended beautifully. The color is very pretty as well. The flavor is subtle, and to get it you have to put more on than I am used to. It's definitely not too sweet, and not too heavy. It's good. Not excellent, but good.

I have enough left that I may use some of it in a wrap. I'm also considering using it as a part of the Summer Chicken Stir-Fry that I've tried before. I also will probably use it on some form of salad with fruit in it - maybe the classic combo of blueberries and walnuts. Or maybe even over a salad with greens & tuna. I feel like the flavors of the vinaigrette is so flexible that it can work with everything. It may be that it needs to find the right combo to really shine.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Lime-Peach Vinaigrette

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup lime juice
1 cup sliced peaches
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves

Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Refrigerate for up to one month.

Source:
"Peaches and Other Juicy Fruits"

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

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 48 Calories; 5g Fat (81.9% calories from fat); trace Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 8mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

They can't all be successes - Nonfat Berry Muffins

It's always painful to have a recipe just not turn out. After the success of the Blueberry Cinnamon-Burst Muffins, I thought I'd finally use up the bananas that I had frozen.

I know others have said that they've had success with freezing bananas, but I don't think I've been able to make a successful recipe that uses them. I just don't know what I am doing wrong.

This recipe wasn't painfully bad. I know - not the most enthusiastic endorsement. Maybe I'm just not used to totally nonfat recipes anymore. The flavor was not extraordinary, and the texture was like the raspberry muffins I made before - too moist.

Well, they can't all be gems.

Why didn't I try this before? - Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas

Tortillas are one of those products that for some reason always seemed a little shrouded in mystery to me. Not so much the usage of - I love getting them whenever possible, although the disadvantage is I pretty much dislike everything else about Mexican food. It's the making of that always intimidated me. Goodness knows why - I make bread, which would appear to be harder. There's just something about tortillas...Anyway, after many times where I put it on my list and took it off, I finally decided to just buckle down and make them. And I ask - why did I wait?

These were so easy to put together. The pride factor on this recipe is high, just because of that slight amount of mystique. They are slightly floury, so next time I make them it will be with a little less flour, I believe. And oh yes - you better believe there will be a next time. Whether it will be with this recipe, I'm not sure - I do have another one from Mark Bittman that I may check out.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Whole-Wheat Flour Tortillas

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup warm water -- to 3/4 cup

Combine whole-wheat flour, unbleached flour, and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle in oil and blend thoroughly with a fork. Gradually add 1/2 cup water, stirring to moisten evenly. If the dough is too dry to gather into a ball, add more water. Turn out onto a floured surface; knead briefly. The dough should be soft and easy to knead.

Divide the dough into 8 even pieces. Flatten each one between lightly floured palms into a 3-inch disk. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll out each tortilla into a 7- to 8-inch rough circle. Keep tortillas covered with a damp towel as you work. (You can stack them with parchment or wax paper between each layer.)

Heat an 8-inch or larger skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat until hot. Cook each tortilla until it is speckled with brown spots and puffed, about 45 seconds on each side.

Source:
"Eating Well, Spring 2003"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 146 Calories; 5g Fat (32.3% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 134mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0