A different heart-healthy - Romesco Sauce

A few months ago, I ran out of peanut butter. I always buy the natural PB to avoid all the extra sugars and trans-fats, but I felt like being a little healthier. Almonds are considered one of the many great sources of heart healthy oils. So - almond butter! Unfortunately, I have not felt as attached to almond butter as to PB. The texture is grittier. And since I am parsimonious, I need to use up the rest of the jar before I buy PB.

I found this recipe for romesco sauce in Peanut Butter Planet. From my research on romesco sauce, it is most commonly made with almonds. Peanut Butter Planet had replaced the almonds with PB, and I replaced the PB with almond butter. Loop back!

The preparation of the recipe made me nervous. I had read through the recipe before I decided to make it, but I guess I hadn't really taken it fully in. I didn't realize that I would be cooking the first ingredients for 15 minutes - including garlic! When I completed the first part, everything was blackened, which didn't seem to bode well. But onward I plunged.

And my cooking spaz moment - the most recent blade I had used in my food processor was the bread blade. So, of course, it was at the front of my pile of blades, and of course I used it. Of course, this ended up not blending it as well as it could have. Duh! And I didn't even realize it until I pulled it out of the dishwasher today.

The end result is a different sauce. I like the flavor. Of course, I've never actually tasted romesco sauce, so I don't know how authentic it is. The flavor is lightly spicy. I don't know if it's meant to be spicier. When I went to look for the small red pepper, all the ones at Wegman's looked wrinkled and old. First time I was ever truly disappointed there.

The recipe works nicely at room temperature. But what I'm not sure of is what to serve it with. I ate it with roasted veggies in a whole wheat pita this time, but it didn't feel right. I have two servings left, and a couple options I have considered are serving it with shrimp, or some form of veggie loaf.

I definitely could consider making this again. It depends on how it comes out of the freezer. If I do make it, I think it would serve 5 - 4 seems to be a lot of sauce per serving.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Romesco Sauce

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 red bell peppers -- chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red chile -- seeded and minced
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes -- drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup almond butter
salt and pepper -- to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped bell pepper, chile, onion, and garic, and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and vinegar and cook 15 minutes longer.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and add the peanut butter and salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth and creamy.



Source:
"Peanut Butter Planet"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 170 Calories; 13g Fat (63.4% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 13mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Yes, another soup - Butternut Soup with Pears and Apples

Stuck in a rut - me? Well, maybe. I found my love for pureed soups this past summer, and if it makes me happy to make them, why not? They are so easy, can be very healthy, can be served warm or cold, and are a great side to my other addiction - muffins! What could be better?

Yes, this soup is the same color as the last recipe I posted, but it is a different recipe, and one I like much better. My MasterCook lists this as a CL recipe, but when I search for it in their online recipe search it doesn't come up. Anyway, I made this recipe because I wanted to use one of those packages of pre-cut butternut squash that the grocery stores have out. It's one of the convenience packages that I don't feel guilty using. I've cut myself multiple times when chopping onions - you don't want me attacking a squash. Trust me on this.

This recipe was easy to put together. I think there's something about me, though - butter just doesn't smell as good to me as a cooking fat anymore. If I repeat this recipe, I'll probably use canola oil instead. Other than that, I really liked putting this recipe together. I'm a little averse to celery, but I wouldn't leave it out of this recipe. I don't like it on its own, and I always end up buying the celery with about one stalk that isn't breaking, but for this recipe, I think there's so much of it, it's really necessary.

I ate it warm the first night, at room temperature the next couple. I like how it tasted at room temperature, so I can eat it at work without reheating. (I hate microwaving soup).

A nicely full-bodied, fully-flavored healthy soup. Might be a repeat, but not a definite.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Butternut Soup with Pears and Apples

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 1/4 pounds butternut squash -- peeled and cubed
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup chopped apple -- Braeburn or other cooking, peeled
1 cup pear -- Anjou, chopped, peeled
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
14 1/2 ounces vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add squash and next 8 ingredients, and bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Discard bay leaf. Place half of squash mixture in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan, and stir in syrup. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.

Source:
"CL Annual Recipes 2001"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 175 Calories; 3g Fat (16.2% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 6mg Cholesterol; 563mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 3 points

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

New to me - Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar and Chopped Walnuts

I like brussels sprouts. Frozen, at least. I've always been semi-daunted by the idea of working with fresh ones. No idea why, they just seemed a bit more adventurous than some other vegetables.

After hearing some people maligning frozen brussels sprouts, I decided to be adventurous (ha!) and try fresh brussels sprouts.

The recipe I chose was from Vegetables Every Day, which I have not worked much from, but is a cookbook I love on concept alone. It's also a step out due to the fact that I've ingrained myself over 5 years of WW to only eat simple methods of cooking vegetables. In my mind, anything extra to veggies was just "wasted points". But you know what? There are only so many times you can eat the same veggies without starting to get burned out. And believe me, I was beginning to feel the burn. So to get myself over the hump, I reminded myself that this recipe has the healthy oils that I need.

I think I overtrimmed the brussels sprouts on this one. Other than that, I feel like the recipe came out nicely. It's not a jump up and down excitement recipe, but I liked it well enough. I do have one serving left in the freezer which I will be happy to eat, but I'm not sure I will repeat this recipe. I've opened my mind to fresh brussels - let's not close it again too quickly!

And by the way - I always thought they were brussel, not brusselS. Learn something new every day.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar and Chopped Walnuts

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound brussels sprouts
salt
33 grams black walnuts -- chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion -- chopped fine
2 garlic cloves -- minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Bring several quarts of water to boil in a medium saucepan.

Trim brussels sprouts. Add sprouts and salt to taste to boiling water. Cook until sprouts are almost tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and cool. Cut sprouts crosswise (not through the stem end) into thin strips.

Place nuts in a large skillet over medium heat. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally to turn the nuts, until they are golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a small plate.

Briefly heat the oil in the empty skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the brussels sprouts and salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts have browned slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vinegar and cook just until liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Stir in nuts and adjust seasonings. Sereve immediately.

Source:
"adapted from Vegetables Every Day"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 184 Calories; 11g Fat (49.3% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 36mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat.


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

Updated review - Chicken Soft Tacos with Sauteed Onions and Apples

Well, in my last post, I said I wanted to re-review this once I tried it as leftovers. I had it today for lunch, and have to say, it is solidly good. The best part to me was the flavor of the chicken. The spices on the outside really flavored it nicely.

I'd have to say, it might be a repeat (I have more chicken in the freezer), but it may not. Depends on how it comes out of the freezer, and if it grows on me.

Back to the wrap - Chicken Soft Tacos with Sauteed Onions and Apples

It's apple season, and I had two granny smiths left from a trip to the farmer's market. I'd done the sweet; time for the savory.

I've worked with this kind of recipe before, but it was before I was tracking my recipes, so I don't remember what the actual recipe was. Digression aside, this was a nice recipe. I decided to go with 4 larger tortillas instead of 8 small. Unfortunately, the amount of filling made it hard to wrap, so the picture was not taken for this entry. But I decided to try something new this time; I filled the tortillas, wrapped in foil, and froze 2 of them. We'll see how well they come out of the freezer.

This recipe I'd say is a solid 6 or 7. Final rating is on hold, until I am able to try it as leftovers (co-workers dragged me to Vietnamese for lunch the day I was going to eat it).


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chicken Soft Tacos with Sauteed Onions and Apples

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast -- cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium onions -- sliced thin
1 pound Granny Smith apples -- thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves -- minced
4 la Tortilla Factory Rosemary Wraps -- 6-inch

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Add chicken to pan; sauté 7 minutes or until golden. Remove the chicken from pan; keep warm.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add apple; cook 6 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Return chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Arrange 1/2 cup chicken mixture evenly over each tortilla.

Source:
"CL 08/03"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 352 Calories; 11g Fat (25.0% calories from fat); 35g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 15g Dietary Fiber; 74mg Cholesterol; 695mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat.


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

Pizza - and it's fairly quick

I love pizza. No doubt about it. Luckily, I also like Lean Cuisine pizzas, so when I get in the mood for one for dinner, I can pick up one without guilt. But, I prefer to cook my own meals, so I have been searching for a great pizza recipe. Unfortunately, pizza dough usually involves rising time, which doesn't work well for work nights - I eat late as it is, I can't go any later. So, I was very excited when someone on the CLBB posted the Eating Well whole wheat pizza dough, which doesn't involve any rising. Yay!

And happily, I liked this pizza recipe, and can see repeating it - just as it is. The crust is not exactly like the Lean Cuisine, but it is the best crust I've ever done, and the no-rise option brings it just that much higher on the scale.

This is also the first time I tried veggie pepperoni. Right out of the package, I didn't like the taste. But under the mozzarella, it worked well.

The amount of mozzarella and parmesan worked well. The quick pizza sauce was pretty good; not too sweet. I do have to mince the garlic better, though.

So, all in all, a good pizza. Especially on a weeknight.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Pepperoni Pizza (mix of CL & EW)

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Sauce
2 garlic cloves -- minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8 ounces tomato sauce -- no salt added
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Crust
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached flour
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast -- rapid-rise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2/3 cup hot water
2 teaspoons olive oil
Remaining ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 ounces veggie Pepperoni
6 ounces part skim milk mozzarella cheese -- shredded
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

To prepare the sauce, place a small saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add the dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt, red pepper, and tomato sauce; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley, and keep warm.

To prepare crust, Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.



Preheat oven to 450°.



Roll dough into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Place dough on a 12-inch pizza pan or baking sheet coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a rim. Brush edge with olive oil.


Spread sauce over pizza crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; top with pepperoni. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until crust is puffy and lightly browned. Remove pizza to cutting board; cut into 6 slices.

Source:
"CL 07/99 / EW crust"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 361 Calories; 12g Fat (29.4% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 25mg Cholesterol; 1266mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

A little picture practice, and second review

So, lunch today is leftovers from my last post - Parsnip Pear Soup, and Allspice-Apple Butter Muffins. Thought I'd take the opportunity to practice my pictures, and also re-review the soup.

As I said, I wasn't hugely fond of the soup on first taste. On second review, it's still not quite right, but I can see re-making, with modifications.

Instead of re-heating the soup, I just took it out of the fridge and let it sit for about half an hour to take the chill off. I then grated fresh nutmeg over the top, to see if it would bring a little more flavor. It didn't make a huge flavor difference, but I think it definitely added some nice visual flair. The color of the soup definitely reminded me of fall, and the ingredients definitely are fall ones in my mind.

If I did remake the soup, I would use vegetable broth instead of water. I actually was missing the extra flavor of veggie broth when I was eating it. It worked nicely at room temperature too, which is good, because I love pureed soups at room temperature with a nice muffin.

Soup's done - on to the heavenly muffin!

Soup and muffin - just what I love

I've been doing some cooking (and admittedly, not updating this blog. Bad, bad me!). Tonight I made two new recipes. One was a muffin recipe that I had been eyeing making for a while; the other a soup recipe that I made to use up some leftover ingredients.

The muffin came out the best of any muffin ever. Probably because they had more fat than most muffin recipes I usually make. The recipe came from a holiday baking magazine, and I actually got to do a double-cooking moment, because the recipe called for apple butter, which I had made a couple weeks ago.

The soup is a blended soup, which is my favorite. I've found that I can eat blended fruit soups at room temperature or chilled, which I like a lot. The soup was a bit light on flavor. I think that's because instead of broth, it uses water. I actually ended up grinding some pepper on top.

The muffin was tender and lightly buttery, with the perfect texture and muffin-y top. I did leave the topping off the muffin, but when I repeat (which I most likely will), I think I will add it (although it is not necessary). The soup was just at the edible level, but it may improve on sitting.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Allspice-Apple Butter Muffins

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon allspice
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup apple butter
3/4 cup unsalted butter -- melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400. Grease twelve 2-1/2 inch muffin cups or line with paper bake cups.

For topping: In a small bowl, stir together granulated sugar and the 1/8 tsp allspice. Set aside.

For batter: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, the 1 tsp allspice, the baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Set aside. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk or rotary beater. Stir in apple butter, melted butter, and vanilla. Add apple butter mixture to flour mixture all at once. Stir until just moistened (batter will not be smooth). Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each almost full. Sprinkle with topping. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups. Serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.

Source:
"BH&G Holiday Baking"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 275 Calories; 12g Fat (39.7% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 40g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 66mg Cholesterol; 177mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Fat; 2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 6 points

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


* Exported from MasterCook *

Parsnip Pear Soup

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soups/Stews

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped parsnips
1 1/2 cups pears -- peeled, cored, and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
4 1/2 cups water

In a soup pot, warm the oil. Add the onions, carrots, parsnips, pears, and salt and saute on medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and water. Cover and bring to a boil; then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

In batches in a blender, puree the soup. Reheat and serve.

Source:
"Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 145 Calories; 3g Fat (16.6% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 565mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : 2 points!

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

A simple home favorite - Classic Meat Loaf

I've tried different meat loaf recipes, but never found one that I fell in love with. Meat is more of a condiment for me most of the time (following the Chinese type of meal); veggies are usually the main element.

I decided to make a turkey meatloaf. I got Purdue ground turkey this time, even though the recipe calls for a mix of turkey and beef. I also got to use up some of my wheat germ, which is good. It also makes me think I might make it again, because I have it to use up.

I like this recipe, but I might like it better if I actually made it right. I accidentally left out the chopped onions. Onions make a meatloaf, so it really speaks well to this recipe that I like it even without the onions. It's especially nice that it comes out a lovely brown color.

This is the meat loaf I like the best so far. It's not perfect, though. Aside from the missing onion, I feel like there was too much pasta sauce on top. The meat loaf also released a lot of fat, so it may be that I use half turkey breast and half turkey next time.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Classic Meat Loaf

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
15 ounces muir Glen Chunky Tomato & Herb Pasta Sauce -- garlic & herb, divided
1 1/4 pounds purdue Ground Turkey
2/3 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg -- lightly beaten

Combine 1 cup tomato sauce, turkey, and next 8 ingredients (turkey through egg) in a large bowl, and stir until well-blended. Place turkey mixture in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Brush remaining tomato sauce over top. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove meat loaf from pan. Cut into 12 slices.


Source:
"CL 10/98"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 235 Calories; 9g Fat (34.0% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 119mg Cholesterol; 473mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fat.

NOTES : 5 points

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

Not a total success...Baked Eggplant Sandwiches

Still had some provolone to use up (after the "Philly Cheese Steaks"). So, I decided to try something a little different. I love paging through Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. Everything seems so different, and it really makes me want to try new things. The recipe that caught my eye this time, though, isn't truly exotic. Its advantage is that it uses up some cupboard ingredients, and has eggplant, which I love. So, I thought I'd give the Baked Eggplant Sandwiches a try.

The recipe is definitely in the Italian style, which I love. It's conceptually an eggplant parm, but without the sauce. They suggest using it as an appetizer or light lunch (which is what I did, just substitute the word "dinner" for "lunch").

What I like - it's lighter than the nutritional information given below. Honestly, even though I halved the recipe, I probably used a 1/4 of the toppings listed below. I also liked how the sandwich looked when it was cut. Something about the shape of the little eggplant bites really appealed. Also, there was a saltiness that brought out the provolone. I'm pretty sure that was because I salted liberally with kosher salt instead of regular salt.

What didn't work as well - the topping didn't melt and brown as much as the bottom did. I think if I moved the rack further up in the oven it might be better. It also might be the fact that I lined the baking sheet with foil instead of buttering it like the recipe called for. Laziness (not wanting to scrub down the sheet) probably was my undoing.

Would I make it again? Probably, if I had the provolone. I like the lightness of it, for those days when I've had a heavy lunch. But I won't deliberately buy the cheese for it.

And maybe as a sign, the pictures didn't turn out fantastically. Ah well - practice makes perfect!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Baked Eggplant Sandwich

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 small eggplants
salt
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
fresh ground black pepper
6 slices sargento Deli Style Provolone -- thinly sliced
1 cup unbleached flour
3 eggs -- beaten

Lightly salt the eggplant slices and set them aside for at least 20 minutes.

Mix together the bread crumbs, grated cheese, parsley, and black pepper.

Preheat oven to 350. Oil a baking sheet.

For each sandwich, place a slice of cheese between two slices of eggplant. Hold the sandwich firmly and coat both sides with flour. Dip the sandwiches first into the eggs and then into the bread crumbs to coat both sides. Place the finished sandwich on the baking sheet.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.

Source:
"Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 302 Calories; 9g Fat (27.8% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 109mg Cholesterol; 767mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


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

I don't want to let summer go...Fresh Ginger-Peach Soup

This past weekend was a nice weekend, for the most part. And to me, it seemed, fairly unseasonably warm. Call me crazy, but shorts at the end of September doesn't seem normal, unless you are substantially south of the Mason-Dixon.

I decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth, though, and try to grab one last dish with summer fruit before the prices skyrocket, and I would be overpaying for not the best quality.

One of my favorite sources of inspiration is the CLBB (Cooking Light Bulletin Board). I have tons of recipes in my MasterCook that I either got from threads on the board, or were brought to my attention because of reviews on the board. I trust the cooks on the board (after all, one of our members won the Pillsbury Bake-off this year!),and I was thrilled to find an original recipe for a fruit soup on the board. I am all about the fruit soups - they go so nicely with my other cooking obsession (muffins!).

The recipe - as found here - says that the recipe can be served cold or hot. Personally, I loved it when I served it at room temperature. The texture is perfect for a fruit soup. I do have to warn, though; the overwhelming flavor is of the curry. On the first day it had a nice bite, which mellowed overnight, but definitely was delicious as a leftover. The color was gorgeous, it was simple, and I want to make it again as soon as I can! Darn me for being stupid, and only doing a half batch.

It's not my number one favorite soup, but it's definitely a better curried soup than the curried apple soup I've tried before. I can see it as part of my summer rotation.

Changing a recipe to my own tastes - Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwiches

I've never had a cheese steak. It's strange to believe, given that I lived fairly close to Pennsylvania, but I guess I never did much visiting to Philadelphia. So, for those who have had a cheese steak, you might not want to take my endorsement of this recipe as saying it's a pretty good vegetarian mimic. All I say is that I like this recipe.

I had made this recipe before, and liked it well enough. I actually made the rolls that I put the recipe on, which was cool. This time, however, I decided to use La Tortilla Factory Rosemary wraps (leftover from when I used them with Roasted Veggie Spread). I think using the wrap made everything that much better - basically because it was much, much neater to eat.

As for the actual recipe, I like the flavor very much. The filling cooks down to a great texture. I especially like how the mushrooms cook down - I've lost a taste for raw mushrooms, but still like them when they are cooked. The flavor of the filling is salty, and resembles soy sauce somewhat, but not so much so. If you gave this to someone without telling them what was in it, I don't think you'd be able to identify the soy sauce, but you would have a sense that it's a familiar flavor. The provolone adds the final flavor, and it definitely adds the perfect final touch.

I like this recipe. Making it a wrap turns it into a recipe I definitely want to repeat (and freeze?). I can't promise it's a perfect imitation of the real thing, but I think it stands up well enough on its own.

Portobello "Philly Cheese Steak" Sandwich

Arrr - back to ARF we be! Chilled Cherry-Plum Soup

Avast! 'Tis Talk Like a Pirate Day. Avast ye scurvy dogs! Wait, hold on. We can't be scurvy dogs - we're celebrating ARF!

I'm so glad to be back regularly posting, and especially joining in Sweetnick's ARF roundup (so nice, we'll share it twice). I am also glad I get to share my ultimate favorite soup.

It's very strange to call this recipe my ultimate favorite soup. I only discovered it a couple months ago! But, I fell in love on first taste, and I can't help but want to make it over and over again. The recipe is simple, sweet, rich, colorful, and most of all, filling and healthy! I love this soup, and I wish the weather would be warm year round, and the plums cheap, so I could make it every week.

One more addition to my posts - a picture! Yay! Gotta practice to get better, but at least it's a start!



* Exported from MasterCook *

Chilled Cherry-Plum Soup

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 pounds plums
3 cups frozen unsweetened cherres -- (1 pound fresh)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey -- 1 to 2 tablespoons, to taste
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 cups nonfat yogurt -- or buttermilk

Pit and coarsely chop the plums. Place them in a medium-sized saucepan with the cherries, salt, and orange juice. Heat to boiling, turn heat down, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in ginger and mustard. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in honey and orange rind. Cool to room temperature, then puree until smooth in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, and chill until very cold.

Whisk in the yogurt or buttermilk just before serving. Top each bowlful with a swirl of buttermilk, a scattering of fresh mint, and a few kiwi slices.

Source:
"The Enchanted Broccoli Forest"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 179 Calories; 1g Fat (6.0% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 169mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 2 Fruit; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Crushin' on Alton - Roasted Veggie Spread

I love Alton Brown. I know - shocking. Everyone on the 'net loves Alton. It's the geek thing. He's a geek, and he's not afraid to admit it. Plus, he's fun. He's definite a celeb crush for me.

I finally got around to trying one of his recipes, and if they are all as good as this one, I can't wait to try them all. This recipe is simple, fun, and looks exactly like the veggie cream cheese that my mom buys for bagels when I come to visit. The advantage is, this recipe tastes better. Plus, I was able to use yogurt cheese, instead of the cream cheese that the original calls for. Using yogurt cheese cut the calories significantly, which I love. I ate this spread on a rosemary tortilla from La Tortilla Factory (first time for that as well). It's definitely better than the turkey wrap I usually get at work, especially the tortilla, which is made with no hydrogenated fats (yay!) AND uses olive oil for the fat that is there (double yay!)

I definitely will repeat this; I might even cut the olive oil to 2 tsps. Definitely want to try it on bagels, or in whole wheat pitas. And, of course, trying it as a dip.

The original:
Roasted Vegetable Spread (yum)

And the nutrition info for it using yogurt cheese:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Roasted Vegetable Spread

Recipe By :Alton Brown
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Dips/Spreads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 red bell pepper -- sliced into rings
1 medium onion -- sliced into rings
4 garlic cloves -- crushed
1 small zucchini -- sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces yogurt cheese
Kosher salt -- to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper -- to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the bell pepper, onion, garlic, zucchini, and olive oil in a medium mixing bowl and toss until the vegetables are coated. Spread the vegetables evenly on sheet pan lined with foil and place into the oven. Roast, tossing occasionally, until they are soft and are beginning to turn brown around the edges, approximately 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Place the vegetables in the bowl of a food processor along with the cream cheese and process until well combined and spreadable; do not process until completely smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Spread on soft bread, such as challah, foccacia, or pita bread. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

This recipe yields 1 3/4 cups spread.

Source:
"GOOD EATS with Alton Brown - (Show # EA-1H11) - from the TV FOOD NETWORK"
S(Formatted for MC8):
"02-04-2005 by Joe Comiskey - Mad's Recipe Emporium"
Yield:
"1 3/4 cups"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 123 Calories; 4g Fat (27.5% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 89mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat.


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

Clearing out the fridge II- Cranberry Brown Muffins

Well, this might accidentally turn into a series! I started to type in the title for this entry, and up popped the fact that I had used it before (for whole wheat beer bread). Nice synergy.

I always feel so good when I finish a jar/bottle of something. Not quite sure why - it's just a nice little thrill. So, when I noticed that the cranberries I bought last Christmas were still languishing in the freezer, I knew I had to use them in the next couple months - so I could replace them with new bags of cranberries! I know, it's weird - I love cranberries, but then I never cook with the ones I freeze! And I usually do so well with working from my freezer... Anyway, I was paging through my new favorite cookbook, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, and found Cranberry Brown Bread. Perfect! It used a combination of wheat and white flour, which is what I like to use, it used minced walnuts, which I had the tiniest bit to use, it used molasses, which I had just a little bit clinging to the bottom of the bottle, and it used orange juice, which I could squeeze from an orange leftover from a previous recipe. Perfect! And, as it turned out, I actually used up more of the little drips and drabs than I thought I would. I didn't have enough molasses, so I filled in the gaps with the drabs of my maple syrup. And, of course, I converted the recipe from bread to muffins. I can just never slice bread evenly, so I prefer to do muffins, and use my handy dandy ice cream scoop (that never gets used for ice cream) to make them even.

And? Well, these muffins are okay, I guess. Don't think I'd repeat them. Just the fact that they use a whole stick of butter bothers me. Darn me for getting so fussy! Hehehe. Anyway, the muffins are more buttery than I am used to, but others may like them more. I dug on the fun part of cooking the cranberries and walnuts in the butter. I just love new ways to cook ingredients, even though they don't seem as effective as they could be (which was the case here). Visually the muffins are gorgeous. I think I have the texture down, but I always struggle with the moist bottom problem. I think there has to be a balance between letting the muffins sit in the tin to cool a bit, and letting them sit so long they steam themselves a bit. I let them sit for 5 minutes this time; might cut it in my next recipe down to 2.

So, I damn these muffins with faint praise; they are good, but just not my style.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cranberry Brown Bread (Muffins)

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups cranberries -- coarsely chopped
1/3 cup chopped walnuts -- minced
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a medium-sized loaf pan.

Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet. Add cinnamon, cranberries, and walnuts, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Sift together flours, powder, soda, and salt into a medium-large bowl.

Combine eggs, orange juice, vanilla, molasses, and brown sugar in a separate bowl and beat well. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the cranberries (be sure to scrape in all the butter). Stir until completely combined.

Spread into the prepared pan, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted all the way comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then rap the pan sharply to remove. Cool at least 30 minutes on a rack before slicing.

Source:
"The Enchanted Broccoli Forest"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 219 Calories; 11g Fat (42.5% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 56mg Cholesterol; 241mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


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

I baked the muffins for around 20 minutes, I think. I'll keep better notes next time.

It's funny, how some cookbooks surprise you

I fall in love with cookbooks so easily. They are so pretty, in so many different ways. The pictures are always nice, of course, but there are also other elements. The typing, how many recipes there are, how everything is laid out - they all add up to something special that says - "Yes, you have so many cookbooks that you'll never get through all of them in this lifetime - but look, I'm so special, you must take me home!". And I have no shame in admitting, I listen.

And then I take them home. They are still exceedingly pretty; I love to read them in bed at night (especially ones that tell stories about the recipes - how fun are they!). But when it comes to actually cooking from them...well, I'm actually pretty good about trying new things, so I think I will use at least one recipe from all of them. I hope.

I never had a true favorite cookbook. But now, I find myself going back to one over and over. And it surprises me to say which one it is - The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. This is a cookbook I first found out about several years ago. I first heard of it when my sister gave it to my brother for Christmas. I kept seeing it when I went cookbook shopping, but for some reason, I resisted buying it. Misplaced sibling issues? Goodness only knows. I only gave in and bought it after I had the recipe for marinated potato salad from it at a barbecue at my brother's. It's definitely a fun cookbook to page through - the illustrations around the pages are cute, and the pictures are definitely appetizing. It has good descriptive sections, such as on ingredients, as well as non-recipe recipes, for simple things like stuffed cucumbers. So, it fit my criteria of a good cookbook.

What brings it up to great is that I have found recipes in there that I fell in love with. My number one favorite recipe in the world is from there - Chilled Cherry-Plum Soup. I've made it three times in the past two months, and believe me, for me, that is amazing! And yes, I have not posted about it before (shame on me), but I will - probably on Tuesday, in time for ARF/5-A-Day Tuesday. This recipe has simple ingredients, but when they come together, it's like heaven.

Another recipe that I go back to is Cream of Tomato Soup. The cookbook gives three variations of Cream of Tomato soup; I don't know how the other two are, I never got to trying them because I love this variation so much! It's a funny recipe; I always feel like I am screwing up, but then it turns out so perfectly.

So, two recipes - and this makes a great cookbook? Well, yes, because of how truly great I consider these recipes. These are recipes that I can see myself happily making for the rest of my life. And that's something, in my mind.

Inspired again

So, summer is over. I'll definitely miss the warmth. Boy, did those temps change fast! But enough of that; discussions of weather can be very, very boring and repititious. What I am happy to say today is that I was inspired by cooking again.

I had been somewhat depressed this summer. A combination of great vacations and great food made me gain some weight. I am very obsessive about my weight (in a healthy way!), so I felt a lot of pressure on myself to eat light, which can be tough sometimes when you love to cook. I lived on some very light foods, and did not cook as much.

I still have to lose the weight, but I am back on the cooking wagon. Tonight was a recipe that made me happy to be a cook. Truly not an incredible, ohmigod, this is perfect recipe, but a recipe that had enough appeal in different ways to bring me back to cooking, and back to this blog.

The recipe is Coconut Curried Chicken, from Cooking Light. The result was a beautiful dish to view. The mushrooms, green peas, and onions cooked up very aromatically. The chicken came out beautifully - very tender. And happily, there was definitely enough sauce! The down side was that I wasn't sure that the flavor was there. It felt like it was just an echo in the dish. I was glad to have a curry that was not overheated, though; I had made a curry from another source that was so hot I couldn't eat it!

So, even though it was not a perfect recipe, it was enough to make me happy again in the kitchen. And happy to be back to myself.

Fruity and light

So, this week is prep for vacation, which means trying to take off a pound or so, in order to get ready for any weight that might be put on. So, this week is mostly CL. First recipe is from June '06. Chunky Tomato-Fruit Gazpacho. CL says it serves 7, but I decided to serve 5.

The recipe is light & summer-y which is nice. The mix of fruits is good, and it's interesting that tomatoes and cucumbers mix in. Unfortunately, the orange juice that serves as the liquid doesn't offer much flavor. I served it 5 days in a row; the first night the mint came out nicely. After the first day, the mint disappeared.

I think with some experimentation the idea of a fruit gazpacho is a great concept. This one just doesn't work for me.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chunky Tomato-Fruit Gazpacho

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 pound tomatoes -- finely chopped
3/4 pound honeydew melon -- finely diced
3/4 pound cantaloupe -- finely diced
1 medium mango -- finely diced
1 medium cucumber -- finely diced
3 nectarines -- finely diced
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup chopped onion -- vidalia, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped basil
3 tablespoons fresh mint -- chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Source:
"CL 06/06"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 148 Calories; 1g Fat (5.8% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 229mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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

Starchy joy!

I did a couple recipes from CL 03/06. More starch together than I usually do in one meal, but they were great recipes.

First was Black Pepper Corn Bread. Although the recipe I post calls for 3 tablespoons butter, and 3/4 tsp of salt, I left out the butter and salt that they suggest putting on top. I do like how this came out. The bread is thin, but nicely tender and lightly sweet. Could definitely see repeating. I do have to say, though, that the recipe name is definitely not appropriate. The black pepper is definitely not a prevalent flavor.

Secondly I did Cuban-Style Red Beans and Rice. I used applewood bacon which gave a light flavor. I also split the recipe,used a combo of veggie & chicken broths and medium-grain rice. I love the colors, and the kidney beans I used were beautifully flavored. Just an all-around nice recipe.

Susan


* Exported from MasterCook *

Black Pepper Corn Bread

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/3 cup unbleached flour
1 1/3 cups cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt -- divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels -- thawed
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted and divided
2 tablespoons honey
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Place corn and milk in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons butter, honey, and eggs; process until combined. Add milk mixture to cornmeal mixture; stir just until combined.

Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack. Lightly brush corn bread with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve warm, or cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Source:
"CL 03/06"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 143 Calories; 5g Fat (29.1% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 62mg Cholesterol; 244mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.


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


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cuban-Style Red Beans and RIce

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

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 slices bacon slices
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
4 garlic cloves -- minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups water
3 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium defatted chicken broth -- divided
3 (16-ounce) cans canned red beans -- rinsed and drained

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan; crumble bacon, and set aside. Add oil to pan. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute or just until garlic begins to brown. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add rice, oregano, cumin, salt, and black pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Place reserved bacon and bay leaf in pan; stir in water and 2 cans broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf. Stir in remaining can of broth and beans. Cook 5 minutes over low heat or until heated through, stirring frequently. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

Source:
"CL 03/06"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 328 Calories; 4g Fat (10.9% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 58g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 1067mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


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

A great return

I haven't been feeding my muffin addiction as much recently. Maybe I was feeling that muffins weren't keeping me full until lunch; maybe I just needed a change. But I only have two kinds of muffins in the freezer. Something is wrong! I had raspberries; I had finally bought cacao nibs. Time to make a recipe from another blog. And although I can't pronounce it, I can link to it. Muffins à la Framboise, Eclats de Fève de Cacao

I do have to say, these are one of the best muffins I've ever made. They are sweet, but not too sweet. I definitely won't feel guilty having one for breakfast. They also have the interesting texture and slight crisp from the brown sugar/cacao nib topping. I do have to say, however, that I would halve or 2/3 the topping next time. Other than that, the muffin is absolutely perfect.

I'm back on the muffin train!