I’m always looking for ways to cut my grocery budget and reduce spending. Unfortunately, doing that and still eating healthy can be a challenged since most convenience foods that are less expensive are also less healthy for you. One way I try to reduce our grocery bills while still maintaining our health is to add some meatless meals to our diet. With my husband and 2 boys in the house this can be a challenge. In their minds, if it doesn’t have meat, then it’s not a complete meal. Americans, in general, eat way more protein than the body can digest, so adding meatless meals to our diets is one way to reduce our consumption of proteins and saturated fats. It’s difficult because I love the flavor and texture of meats, as does my family. In my efforts, I have used TVP.
Texture vegetable protein, TVP for short, is a high-fiber, high-protein meat substitute made from soy flour and available in a variety of flavored and unflavored varieties, as well as different sizes, from large chunks to small flakes. Also known as textured soy protein (TSP), TVP is not tofu. It is, however, made from soy. TVP comes from defatted soy flour, which is a by-product of soybean oil, so it is plentiful in supply. Because it is a dehydrated product, TVP needs to be reconstituted in hot water for about ten minutes or in the cooking process before eaten. TVP has a similar texture to ground meat when cooked and TVP works well in dishes such as casseroles, pasta sauces, vegetarian soups and chili. TVP absorbs spices and flavorings well, much like tofu, so it is an extremely versatile staple. I’ve added a half cup dry TVP to broth-based soups, chili or pasta sauce recipes while cooking. It’s also quick to cook and a great source of vegetable protein without all the fat. TVP it makes a great protein-filled addition to many dishes calling for ground meat.
A 43-gram serving of TVP contains 120 calories and 21 grams of protein and hardly any fat. Since it’s so high in protein, it makes a great transition meat substitute. When it’s used to replace part or all of the meat in stews and soups, your family will hardly be able to tell the difference and since you can marinate it in many of the same sauces as meat, it can take on many of meat’s flavors.
Though TVP is much healthier than most meats, it’s still a high-protein processed food. Natural food stores, health food stores and large supermarkets (like Walmart & Meijers) generally carry TVP; check the bulk section if you can’t find it. I hope this helps you in your quest to be fiscally smart and stay healthy. Mangia!
Stacy’s Compromise Chili- this is a “compromise” on my full-fat, all-meat, no beans chili. It’s a great way to introduce kids to TVP. I usually make it with beef because my family likes that flavor better. Just use a really lean ground beef or rinse the beef off in a strainer with water after frying.
1 & ½ cups boiling water
1 cups TVP
1 lbs. ground turkey or beef
1 & ½ cups chopped onions
1 & ½ cups chopped, green pepper
2 teaspoons of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
5 oz. of canned, diced tomatoes including liquid
1 & ½ ups tomato sauce, canned
2 oz. canned, green chiles
2 % ½ Tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspoons of jalepeno peppers, minced
1 & ½ quarts of water
In a large bowl, pour boiling water over TVP. Allow to rehydrate while preparing other ingredients.
In an 8 qt. pot, sauté turkey (or beef), onions, peppers, and garlic in oil over medium heat until turkey (or beef) is no longer pink.
Add rehydrated TVP and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
Serve with assorted condiments such as shredded, lowfat chees and sour cream. Makes 12 servings.
One Pot Pasta- a healthier version of “Hamburger Helper”, Italian-style;-) This is very lean, low-fat, low sodium and high fiber, but it is high carbohydrates. You can reduce serving size in half and add a salad for a more balanced meal. Serving size is 2 Cup. Dale and the boys top this meal with Parmesan cheese at the table. I like it with or without the cheese.
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of zucchini, sliced in rounds, then rounds cut in quarters
8 oz. mushrooms, cremini or Portobello work great, thinly sliced
28 oz. canned, pureed tomatoes
1 & ¾ cups water
½ cup dry TVP
1 Tablespoon of Italian herb seasoning (or a 1 & ½ teaspoons each of dried Basil & Oregano)
¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon crushed fennel seed or ground fennel (optional)
2 cups of small macaroni or shell pasta
Saute onion, garlic, zucchini and mushrooms in a non-stick skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, until they are barely tender.
Add remaining ingredients. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer on medium low for 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Makes 4 servings.
Per serving without cheese: 320 Kcals, 2 g of total fat, 20 g of protein, 60 g of carbohydrates, 6 g of fiber 338 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol. (If only serving 1 Cup, reduce these numbers in half.)
TVP Soft Tacos- quick, healthy and easily serves a family of four for 2-3 meals.
1 & ½ cups boiling water
2 cups TVP
1 lbs. lean, ground beef
1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil (I use Enova)
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup diced, green chiles
1 Tablespoon of chili powder
2 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Pour boiling water over TSP. Allow to rehydrate while preparing remainder of the dish.
Saute ground beef until fully cooked. Drain and rinse, removing as much fat as possible. Return to pan and add onion. Saute additional 3-5 minutes. Add rehydrated TVP, tomato sauce, green chiles, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Use 1/3 cup of taco filling per tortilla, along with ¼ cup of shredded lettuce and 2 Tablespoons each of fresh, chopped tomatoes and low-fat, shredded cheese. Guacamole, fat-free sour cream and salsa also make great additions. Makes 24 tacos.
Per taco: 149 total Kcals, 10 g of protein, 15 g of carbohydrates, 5 g of fat, 16 mg cholesterol, 560 mg sodium, 1.5 g of fiber
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Omega-3s, farmed or wild?
Fatty fish like albacore tuna, mackerel and salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which research suggests may help lower the risk for blocked blood vessels, heart attacks and strokes. These lovely, little fats are polyunsaturated fatty acids found mostly in seafood, especially higher-fat, cold water varieties like those mentioned above as well as sardines, anchovies, Atlantic herring, swordfish and lake trout. Omega-3’s may help prevent arteries from hardening, lower levels of triglycerides and modestly reduce blood pressure levels. (www.Mayoclinic.com)
In addition to fish, omega-3’s can also be found in the form of alpha-linoleic acid, which converts to omega-3’s in flaxseed oil, soybean oil, canola oil and walnuts. But you get more bang for your buck when you eat the fish. While I encourage you to find ways to incorporate the above-listed fatty fishes into your diet, if flaxseed is your only choice, then it’s definitely better than nothing. But not all omega-3’s in fatty fish are created equal. Wild fishes are your best choice. You get more omega-3’s for your bucks, significantly more, as stated in the chart below. So choosing your source of omega-3s is just as important as choosing to get more omega-3s in your diet.
Why are wild fishes a better choice? Because the farmed fish are fattier, you’ll get less protein per serving as well. So since there is more fat in a farmed fish that means there is more omega-3s, right? Wrong. Many assessments have found fewer omega-3s per ounce in farmed salmon compared with wild salmon, but we know the farmed stuff also comes with a bunch of other, unhealthy fats including omega-6s. That’s a problem because the omega-6s and omega-3s compete for the same receptors in our bodies. Consequently, the “net” omega-3 gain will always be less than what you’ll get with a wild serving.
To add insult to injury, I can’t skip the added ingredients you’ll get with a farmed fillet: dioxins, PCBs, fire retardants, pesticides (especially for sea lice), antibiotics, copper sulfate (to take care of algae on the nets and canthaxanthin (a dye associated with retinal damage used to make gray farmed fish various shades of “wild” pink).
As for dioxins, PCBs, and fire retardants, they show up in wild varieties as well, but the concentrations are vastly different. Tests have shown that farmed salmon contains 16 times more cancer-linked PCBs than wild salmon. Why is there a difference? It’s because of the protein pellets they are fed – nuggets of mostly mashed fish and fish oil. The intense concentration of toxins from the fish feed builds up in the raised salmon over time – from fish farm to your fish dinner. Sounds yummy, doesn’t it? Even I was turned off by this information.
O.K., so you’re no fan of the farm anymore. Unfortunately, a “wild” label may only be telling a half truth. (They are generally the less expensive “wild” brands offered in your grocery store.) Almost all “wild” salmon actually spend half their lives in hatcheries before being released. While these quasi-wild fish are a better nutritional deal than fully farmed salmon, they still bear the burdens of early exposure to toxins (dioxin, PCBs, etc.) and a less impressive omega 6:3 ratio. (USDA Nutrient Database)
So, what about truly wild salmon? As suggested, the genuine wild article only accounts for about 20% at most of the harvest. Some of the reasons it’s so expensive because of the flood of farmed fish (and subsequent drop in asking price) has forced many traditional fishermen/women out of business. Add to this scenario the ongoing destruction of wild salmon populations by aquaculture farms, and we all end up paying a premium for the real thing.
So our challenges abound and are compounded by the fact that people have strong feelings about fish containing omega-3s. They either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I’ve never met anyone in the middle of the road. I love them, my husband and boys hate them. I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to find ways to increase their omega-3 consumption from fish…with minimal success. I have had some success and below are some recipes I would recommend, if you have someone close to you, adverse to the omega-3 fishes. Mangia!
Spaghetti with Broccoli and Anchovies- This is a most amazing and simple dish. My family was averse to trying it, but once they did, it became a popular way to get their omega-3s. I didn’t tell my kids there were anchovies in the recipe and they never knew until I told them. The anchovies dissolve in the olive oil.
1 lb. of linguini or thin spaghetti
1lb. of broccoli florets
½ cup of pasta and broccoli cooking water
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, pressed
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 oz. can of flat anchovy filets
¼ cup of chopped, fresh parsley
¼ cup toasted bread crumbs
Grated parmesan cheese to taste
Cook pasta according to package, adding the broccoli to the cooking pasta for the last 4-5 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic and red pepper flakes in the oil, cooking until the garlic is golden (not burnt) about 2 minutes. Add the anchovy filets and stir for a minute, until they begin to dissolve. Now add ½ cup of cooking water and bring to a boil. Drain the pasta and broccoli and add them to the skillet with anchovy sauce. Add parsley and bring to a boil again, stirring to be sure all the anchovy filets have dissolved. Remove from heat and add toasted bread crumbs. Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese for topping if desired.
Salmon Cakes- Delicious fish cakes made with salmon, potatoes, onion, butter, and parsley! You can substitute cod for salmon if you would rather make cod cakes.
2 large potatoes, peeled and halved
1 pounds cod fillets, cubed
1 T butter
1 T grated onion
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1 egg, beaten
3 T olive oil for frying
Directions
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot of water; bring the water to a boil. Let the potatoes cook until they are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the fish to the pot and let the fish and potatoes cook until they are both soft (about 10 additional minutes). Drain well and transfer the potatoes and fish to a large mixing bowl.
3. Add butter, onion, parsley, and egg to the bowl; mash the mixture together. You can use a potato masher, but I just use my hands. Mold the mixture into patties.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Fry the patties on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.
Serves 4
Poached Salmon with Red Pepper Sauce- a little fancier and more work, but really delicious.
8 salmon steaks
Place salmon steaks in a large deep skillet or cook in batches if you do not have a pan large enough to accommodate all 8 portions. Pour equal parts wine and water into the pan so that just the very top of the salmon is exposed. Add a bay leaf and a bouquet of a few sprigs each fresh tarragon, dill and parsley to the pan and set it down into the liquid. Place the pan or pans over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover the pan. Poach salmon for 10 minutes or, until fish is firm and opaque
Red Pepper Sauce:
2 shallots, minced
6 roasted red peppers, chopped
8 ounces vegetable stock
1/4 cup white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 quart heavy cream
To roast peppers, place whole, uncut peppers over an open flame until the skin begins to blister and turn black, turning to get all sides. Take roasted peppers off flame, and put immediately into a brown paper bag to steam them. Let them remain in bag for approximately 10 minutes, then remove from bag. The blackened skin should peel right off the peppers.
Sauté the first 5 ingredients until peppers are soft. Take off the heat and add the heavy cream, then stir gently to warm. Put mixture into blender or food processor and puree. Strain through a china cap and set aside.
Roux:
4 Tablespoons of light butter
4 Tablespoons of A.P. flour
Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and cook over heat until mixture combines and turns a golden brown. Add roux to red pepper mixture a teaspoon at a time to thicken, being careful not to add too much. Serve Red Pepper Sauce over Poached Salmon steaks
GRILLED TROUT WITH CITRUS SALSA - Alex discovered he can "choke" down any fish if he has enough citrus salsa. Hey, I take victories wherever I can get them;-)
1-2 lbs trout filet
2 teaspoon Creole, Jamaican Jerk or Adobo spice mix
Salt and pepper
Tortilla chips
1/2 cup orange sections
½ cup pineapple, cubed
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)
Preheat the grill. Season the fish with the spice, salt and pepper. Place on the grill. Grill for about 10- 12 minutes on indirect medium high heat.
In a small bowl, combine the fruit, shallots, jalapeño, olive oil, honey, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the fish from the grill. Set up a small pile of tortilla chips on plate and place the fish on top. Top with the salsa. Serve immediately.
In addition to fish, omega-3’s can also be found in the form of alpha-linoleic acid, which converts to omega-3’s in flaxseed oil, soybean oil, canola oil and walnuts. But you get more bang for your buck when you eat the fish. While I encourage you to find ways to incorporate the above-listed fatty fishes into your diet, if flaxseed is your only choice, then it’s definitely better than nothing. But not all omega-3’s in fatty fish are created equal. Wild fishes are your best choice. You get more omega-3’s for your bucks, significantly more, as stated in the chart below. So choosing your source of omega-3s is just as important as choosing to get more omega-3s in your diet.
Why are wild fishes a better choice? Because the farmed fish are fattier, you’ll get less protein per serving as well. So since there is more fat in a farmed fish that means there is more omega-3s, right? Wrong. Many assessments have found fewer omega-3s per ounce in farmed salmon compared with wild salmon, but we know the farmed stuff also comes with a bunch of other, unhealthy fats including omega-6s. That’s a problem because the omega-6s and omega-3s compete for the same receptors in our bodies. Consequently, the “net” omega-3 gain will always be less than what you’ll get with a wild serving.
To add insult to injury, I can’t skip the added ingredients you’ll get with a farmed fillet: dioxins, PCBs, fire retardants, pesticides (especially for sea lice), antibiotics, copper sulfate (to take care of algae on the nets and canthaxanthin (a dye associated with retinal damage used to make gray farmed fish various shades of “wild” pink).
As for dioxins, PCBs, and fire retardants, they show up in wild varieties as well, but the concentrations are vastly different. Tests have shown that farmed salmon contains 16 times more cancer-linked PCBs than wild salmon. Why is there a difference? It’s because of the protein pellets they are fed – nuggets of mostly mashed fish and fish oil. The intense concentration of toxins from the fish feed builds up in the raised salmon over time – from fish farm to your fish dinner. Sounds yummy, doesn’t it? Even I was turned off by this information.
O.K., so you’re no fan of the farm anymore. Unfortunately, a “wild” label may only be telling a half truth. (They are generally the less expensive “wild” brands offered in your grocery store.) Almost all “wild” salmon actually spend half their lives in hatcheries before being released. While these quasi-wild fish are a better nutritional deal than fully farmed salmon, they still bear the burdens of early exposure to toxins (dioxin, PCBs, etc.) and a less impressive omega 6:3 ratio. (USDA Nutrient Database)
So, what about truly wild salmon? As suggested, the genuine wild article only accounts for about 20% at most of the harvest. Some of the reasons it’s so expensive because of the flood of farmed fish (and subsequent drop in asking price) has forced many traditional fishermen/women out of business. Add to this scenario the ongoing destruction of wild salmon populations by aquaculture farms, and we all end up paying a premium for the real thing.
So our challenges abound and are compounded by the fact that people have strong feelings about fish containing omega-3s. They either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I’ve never met anyone in the middle of the road. I love them, my husband and boys hate them. I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to find ways to increase their omega-3 consumption from fish…with minimal success. I have had some success and below are some recipes I would recommend, if you have someone close to you, adverse to the omega-3 fishes. Mangia!
Spaghetti with Broccoli and Anchovies- This is a most amazing and simple dish. My family was averse to trying it, but once they did, it became a popular way to get their omega-3s. I didn’t tell my kids there were anchovies in the recipe and they never knew until I told them. The anchovies dissolve in the olive oil.
1 lb. of linguini or thin spaghetti
1lb. of broccoli florets
½ cup of pasta and broccoli cooking water
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, pressed
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 oz. can of flat anchovy filets
¼ cup of chopped, fresh parsley
¼ cup toasted bread crumbs
Grated parmesan cheese to taste
Cook pasta according to package, adding the broccoli to the cooking pasta for the last 4-5 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic and red pepper flakes in the oil, cooking until the garlic is golden (not burnt) about 2 minutes. Add the anchovy filets and stir for a minute, until they begin to dissolve. Now add ½ cup of cooking water and bring to a boil. Drain the pasta and broccoli and add them to the skillet with anchovy sauce. Add parsley and bring to a boil again, stirring to be sure all the anchovy filets have dissolved. Remove from heat and add toasted bread crumbs. Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese for topping if desired.
Salmon Cakes- Delicious fish cakes made with salmon, potatoes, onion, butter, and parsley! You can substitute cod for salmon if you would rather make cod cakes.
2 large potatoes, peeled and halved
1 pounds cod fillets, cubed
1 T butter
1 T grated onion
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1 egg, beaten
3 T olive oil for frying
Directions
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot of water; bring the water to a boil. Let the potatoes cook until they are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the fish to the pot and let the fish and potatoes cook until they are both soft (about 10 additional minutes). Drain well and transfer the potatoes and fish to a large mixing bowl.
3. Add butter, onion, parsley, and egg to the bowl; mash the mixture together. You can use a potato masher, but I just use my hands. Mold the mixture into patties.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Fry the patties on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.
Serves 4
Poached Salmon with Red Pepper Sauce- a little fancier and more work, but really delicious.
8 salmon steaks
Place salmon steaks in a large deep skillet or cook in batches if you do not have a pan large enough to accommodate all 8 portions. Pour equal parts wine and water into the pan so that just the very top of the salmon is exposed. Add a bay leaf and a bouquet of a few sprigs each fresh tarragon, dill and parsley to the pan and set it down into the liquid. Place the pan or pans over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover the pan. Poach salmon for 10 minutes or, until fish is firm and opaque
Red Pepper Sauce:
2 shallots, minced
6 roasted red peppers, chopped
8 ounces vegetable stock
1/4 cup white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 quart heavy cream
To roast peppers, place whole, uncut peppers over an open flame until the skin begins to blister and turn black, turning to get all sides. Take roasted peppers off flame, and put immediately into a brown paper bag to steam them. Let them remain in bag for approximately 10 minutes, then remove from bag. The blackened skin should peel right off the peppers.
Sauté the first 5 ingredients until peppers are soft. Take off the heat and add the heavy cream, then stir gently to warm. Put mixture into blender or food processor and puree. Strain through a china cap and set aside.
Roux:
4 Tablespoons of light butter
4 Tablespoons of A.P. flour
Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and cook over heat until mixture combines and turns a golden brown. Add roux to red pepper mixture a teaspoon at a time to thicken, being careful not to add too much. Serve Red Pepper Sauce over Poached Salmon steaks
GRILLED TROUT WITH CITRUS SALSA - Alex discovered he can "choke" down any fish if he has enough citrus salsa. Hey, I take victories wherever I can get them;-)
1-2 lbs trout filet
2 teaspoon Creole, Jamaican Jerk or Adobo spice mix
Salt and pepper
Tortilla chips
1/2 cup orange sections
½ cup pineapple, cubed
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)
Preheat the grill. Season the fish with the spice, salt and pepper. Place on the grill. Grill for about 10- 12 minutes on indirect medium high heat.
In a small bowl, combine the fruit, shallots, jalapeño, olive oil, honey, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the fish from the grill. Set up a small pile of tortilla chips on plate and place the fish on top. Top with the salsa. Serve immediately.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
What to do with leftovers?!
As you well know, I love roasted poultry. That is my comfort food. But I’m not a big fan of leftovers. As a matter of fact, I have “food rules” regarding if and when I’ll eat a leftover. I will not bore you with those details, but let’s just say my husband will have no problem having me committed should it ever come to that. All he has to do is give them my “Leftover Rules”. While my husband has his own “Food Rules”, none apply to leftovers. He loves them. He’ll eat them as long as they exist. So over the years, to accommodate my husband’s love of leftovers, I have “created” recipes that reinvent leftovers, making a whole new meal. It’s a psychological trick I play on myself and it works. So either the recipes are good or I’m just not as smart as I think. Feel free to let me know what your opinion is;-)
Dale began his love of leftovers in college with his roommate, Bryan. The boys reveled in the fact that they could cook 1 casserole and eat off of it all week. My best friend, who dated and eventually married Bryan, and I assumed the boys were lying. We couldn’t imagine how they could do this. I couldn’t imagine why they would do it. Ewwww! That’s about 10 meals of the same food in a row with the exception of breakfast. So when the boys invited us over dinner, to say I was concerned was an understatement.
“Don’t worry,” my future husband said, “it’ll be fine. You’ll love it.” And we did. It was a delicious meal.
It was so good that I asked, “Is this fattening? I’m betting it is high in calories.”
“No, not at all.” Dale assured me. “I’ll give you the recipe if you want.” The evening continued pleasantly. Later that same evening, after arriving back at our apartment, Deb and I had some serious stomach issues. The kind you experience when you eat really rich food that your college G.I. tract is not accustomed to. I called Dale the next day to get the recipe. Upon reading the recipe, I realized why Deb and I experienced such discomfort. Heavy cream, full-fat cream soup, full-fat sour cream, and lots of cheese were in the recipe. We were also very bummed because it was a really great casserole. So after I married Dale, I set out to reinvent the yummy casserole of fat so Deb and I could enjoy it as much as the boys without the side effects.
Cutting the fat does not mean losing the flavor. Flavor can be enhanced with herbs, not just fat. And when you use herbs and spices to enhance the flavor, you may discover a whole new flavor to love. So below are two of Dale’s favorite recipes that I modified so we could all enjoy them. Dale gets to eat the casseroles he loves and I’ve found ways to utilize the leftovers I don’t. It’s a win-win!! Mangia!
Dale’s Chicken Enchiladas
½ cup chopped onions
1 Tblspn of light butter
8 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 Tblspn of skim milk
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
2 Cup of leftover poultry, chicken or turkey
1 Cup low-fat Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese
4 oz. of chopped green chiles
1 cup of frozen corn
8 inch flour tortillas
1 10 ¾ oz can of fat-free condensed condensed cream of chicken soup
8 oz fat-free sour cream
1 cup skim milk
1 raw jalapeno, seeded and chopped (you can add more or less to taste)
1 cup of Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese
Cook the onions and the butter, until the onions caramelize. In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, milk, salt, cumin, cheese, chiles, corn and chicken. Add cooked onions and stir together until well combined.
Spoon about ½ cup of chicken mixture onto each tortilla near one edge; Roll up. Place filled tortilla, seam side down, in a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
In a bowl, combine soup, sour cream, milk and jalapeno pepper. Pour the soup mixture evenly over the tortillas in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove foil and sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Return to the oven, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Makes 6-8 servings
Turkey Tetrazzini
Topping:
2 cups of bread crumbs
Pinch of salt
1 Tblspn of dried parsley
1 tsp of paprika
3 Tblspns of light butter
¼ cup of parmesan cheese, grated
Soften butter in microwave or out on counter. Mix with salt, parsley, paprika and bread crumbs. When cool, mix in grated cheese. Set aside.
Filling:
1 lb of spaghetti or other, long thin pasta
8 Tblspns of light butter
12 oz. of white button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced thin
1 large onion, minced
½ cup A. P. flour
2 ½ cups of chicken stock or broth
4 Tblspns dry sherry or white wine
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 Tblspn lemon juice
1 tsp dried Thyme
4 cups of leftover turkey, diced
1 Cup of frozen peas
1 Cup of summer squash, sliced and diced
Cook spaghetti according to package except only boil pasta for about 5-7 minutes. Pasta should be slightly underdone. Save a ladleful of the cooking water for later. Return pasta to the pot. Toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Spray a 13 x 9 casserole with no stick spray.
In a medium saucepan, sauté mushrooms and onions in the butter until the liquid evaporates. This should take about 7-10 minutes. Now add the flour and cook, stirring constantly until flour turns golden. (about 2 minutes) Continue stirring while adding chicken stock. Adjust heat to medium-high and simmer until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Take saucepan off the heat and stir in sherry, parmesan, nutmeg, salt to taste, lemon juice and thyme. Add turkey, summer squash and peas to the sauce and stir well.
Pour sauce into pasta pot and toss to coat the spaghetti. Add salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Turn entire mixture into casserole dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping.
Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Dale began his love of leftovers in college with his roommate, Bryan. The boys reveled in the fact that they could cook 1 casserole and eat off of it all week. My best friend, who dated and eventually married Bryan, and I assumed the boys were lying. We couldn’t imagine how they could do this. I couldn’t imagine why they would do it. Ewwww! That’s about 10 meals of the same food in a row with the exception of breakfast. So when the boys invited us over dinner, to say I was concerned was an understatement.
“Don’t worry,” my future husband said, “it’ll be fine. You’ll love it.” And we did. It was a delicious meal.
It was so good that I asked, “Is this fattening? I’m betting it is high in calories.”
“No, not at all.” Dale assured me. “I’ll give you the recipe if you want.” The evening continued pleasantly. Later that same evening, after arriving back at our apartment, Deb and I had some serious stomach issues. The kind you experience when you eat really rich food that your college G.I. tract is not accustomed to. I called Dale the next day to get the recipe. Upon reading the recipe, I realized why Deb and I experienced such discomfort. Heavy cream, full-fat cream soup, full-fat sour cream, and lots of cheese were in the recipe. We were also very bummed because it was a really great casserole. So after I married Dale, I set out to reinvent the yummy casserole of fat so Deb and I could enjoy it as much as the boys without the side effects.
Cutting the fat does not mean losing the flavor. Flavor can be enhanced with herbs, not just fat. And when you use herbs and spices to enhance the flavor, you may discover a whole new flavor to love. So below are two of Dale’s favorite recipes that I modified so we could all enjoy them. Dale gets to eat the casseroles he loves and I’ve found ways to utilize the leftovers I don’t. It’s a win-win!! Mangia!
Dale’s Chicken Enchiladas
½ cup chopped onions
1 Tblspn of light butter
8 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 Tblspn of skim milk
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
2 Cup of leftover poultry, chicken or turkey
1 Cup low-fat Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese
4 oz. of chopped green chiles
1 cup of frozen corn
8 inch flour tortillas
1 10 ¾ oz can of fat-free condensed condensed cream of chicken soup
8 oz fat-free sour cream
1 cup skim milk
1 raw jalapeno, seeded and chopped (you can add more or less to taste)
1 cup of Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese
Cook the onions and the butter, until the onions caramelize. In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, milk, salt, cumin, cheese, chiles, corn and chicken. Add cooked onions and stir together until well combined.
Spoon about ½ cup of chicken mixture onto each tortilla near one edge; Roll up. Place filled tortilla, seam side down, in a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
In a bowl, combine soup, sour cream, milk and jalapeno pepper. Pour the soup mixture evenly over the tortillas in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove foil and sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Return to the oven, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Makes 6-8 servings
Turkey Tetrazzini
Topping:
2 cups of bread crumbs
Pinch of salt
1 Tblspn of dried parsley
1 tsp of paprika
3 Tblspns of light butter
¼ cup of parmesan cheese, grated
Soften butter in microwave or out on counter. Mix with salt, parsley, paprika and bread crumbs. When cool, mix in grated cheese. Set aside.
Filling:
1 lb of spaghetti or other, long thin pasta
8 Tblspns of light butter
12 oz. of white button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced thin
1 large onion, minced
½ cup A. P. flour
2 ½ cups of chicken stock or broth
4 Tblspns dry sherry or white wine
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 Tblspn lemon juice
1 tsp dried Thyme
4 cups of leftover turkey, diced
1 Cup of frozen peas
1 Cup of summer squash, sliced and diced
Cook spaghetti according to package except only boil pasta for about 5-7 minutes. Pasta should be slightly underdone. Save a ladleful of the cooking water for later. Return pasta to the pot. Toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Spray a 13 x 9 casserole with no stick spray.
In a medium saucepan, sauté mushrooms and onions in the butter until the liquid evaporates. This should take about 7-10 minutes. Now add the flour and cook, stirring constantly until flour turns golden. (about 2 minutes) Continue stirring while adding chicken stock. Adjust heat to medium-high and simmer until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Take saucepan off the heat and stir in sherry, parmesan, nutmeg, salt to taste, lemon juice and thyme. Add turkey, summer squash and peas to the sauce and stir well.
Pour sauce into pasta pot and toss to coat the spaghetti. Add salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Turn entire mixture into casserole dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping.
Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Easy cooking is a crock!
Happy Monday! This weekend was a busy one, or busier than normal. My husband and I threw a surprise party for our son, Anthony. He turns 13 years old this Thursday. It was great fun. And I got to talk to a lot of Moms over the weekend from the party and at Anthony’s soccer game. I literally AM a soccer mom, like many others. My social schedule revolves around Anthony’s soccer and Alex’s swimming. While talking to the other Moms at the soccer game, I was surprised to get a number of requests for Crock pot recipes for the blog. It seems we, Michiganders, are already preparing for the cool weather and busy days to come.
I love the crock pot for many reasons, the least of which is ease. A crock pot is unintimidating. People, who don’t consider themselves “cooks”, will gladly make something in the crock pot. I remember a mother at my son’s high school telling me, “I don’t cook, can’t really. Oh, but I can make something in the crock pot.” I do not know why the crock pot is perceived as “not cooking”. It is, plain and simple. It counts. And it’s a very healthy way to cook. Sometimes I will cook pork and beef with spaghetti sauce in the crock pot. It’s amazing, but less expensive cuts of pork and beef, like shoulder or butt, can be very fatty. An oil slick forms a top layer in the crock pot. I plan ahead so I can remove as much of the fat as possible. I trim the meat as much as I can before adding it, then after cooking the meal in the crock pot, I refrigerate it for a day. After 24 hours, the fat has risen to the top and congealed or solidified. Then I just remove the fat before reheating the meal. All the flavor stays with food, but with limited fat. Please remember when adding vegetables, try to keep the size of the pieces uniform, so they will all cook evenly. It’s just not so pleasant biting into a mushy carrot and an uncooked potato;-)
Also, crock pots are a safe and easy way to teach your children to cook. Most recipes are simple enough for any reading-age child and many of the ingredients are also simple to prep and add. My boys love crock pot meals because they meet everyone’s requirements for nourishment. They’re easy, nutritious, filling and the taste great. Below are some of my favorite crock pot recipes. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Mangia!
Prime Rib Sandwiches (This is a HUGE fave at the Elenbaas household;-)
5 lbs beef Rump Roast
1 package onion soup mix
2 tsp of sugar
2 cups beef stock or broth
12 oz. beer (your favorite;-)
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
Place roast in crock pot. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over roast. Set crock pot to 300 degrees and cook for 8 hours.
Remove meat from liquid and shred the beef. I discard the liquid, but you can reserve 1 or 2 cups and reduce it by 1/3. Then add 1-2 cups of water to make an au jus. It’s a little too “much” for me, but try it. You might like it. Regardless, the beef should be served on crusty buns with horseradish sauce (recipe follows)
Horseradish Sauce
1 Tblspn of horseradish
1Tblspn of milk
1 Tblspn of sour cream
Mix well.
Old-fashioned Sunday Supper
2 packages of beefy onion soup mix or onion soup mix
3 -4 lbs of beef rump roast
3 lbs of potatoes, white or red, scrubbed and halved
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced uniformly
2 celery ribs, sliced
8 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cups of fruity red wine
15 oz. of beef broth
¼ cup of A.P. Flour
Place the contents of the dry soup mix envelopes in a small baking dish. Place the roast in the dish and rub or pat the dry soup mix all over it.
In a 5 quart crock pot, place half of the potatoes, carrots, celery and garlic season with half the black pepper and thyme. Tuck a bay leaf into the vegetables. Mix together 1 cup of the wine and the broth. Pour it into the crock pot. Add the roast and scrape any dry soup mix left in the baking dish on top. Cover the meat with the remaining vegetables, garlic, pepper and thyme.
Cover and cook on a low setting (250 degrees) for 9-10 hours or until the meat is tender.
Remove the meat to a warm serving platter. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Scoop out the vegetables with a slotted spoon and scatter them over and around the roast. Cover with foil to keep warm.
Pour juices from the crock pot into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Whisk together the remaining wine and the flour until well blended. Stir the wine and flour into the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens. This will be about 5 minutes. Either pour gravy over roast and vegetables and serve or serve the gravy on the side.
Sunday Gravy- this is what East Coast Italians call “Spaghetti Sauce”. It’s not a gravy, but who cares? It’s amazing!
2 Tblspns of olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 lb of pork neck bones or spareribs
1 lb beef shoulder
1 lb Italian, fennel pork sausage
6 cloves of garlic, pressed
¼ cup tomato paste
3 28oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
½ cup of water
½ cup of strong, red wine
2 tsp of dried oregano and basil
To make the “gravy”, heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Pat the pork dry and put the pieces in the pot to brown. Transfer the pork to a plate. Brown the beef the same way and add it to the plate. Next brown the sausage and set it aside as well. Lastly, brown the onions in this same pot, but do not transfer them when you are done. Leave them in the pot. You should have a dark fond on the bottom of the pan. Mix the wine and water together and add it to the onions in the pot to deglaze it, being sure to scrape the bottom well to get all the flavor and color.
Next add the crushed tomatoes, pressed garlic, basil and oregano to the crock pot. Add to that, the wine mixture from the deglazed pot. Stir really well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add all the meat to the crock pot and covering it as much as you can. Cook on low (200- 250 degrees) for 4-6 hours.
To serve, remove the meats from the gravy and set aside. Toss the cooked pasta with the gravy and serve with Parmesan cheese on the side. Sometimes, I just serve the pasta with meatballs and save the meat for another meal. Sunday gravy freezes really well.
Meatballs
2 slices of white or wheat bread, torn into small pieces
6 Tblspns of plain yogurt
1 lb of lean, ground beef
½ cup of parmesan cheese
2 Tblspns of finely minced, fresh parsley
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 large egg
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine bread and yogurt together in a small bowl with a fork or your hands to form a paste. It takes about 10 minutes.
Place ground beef, cheese, parsley, egg, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the bread paste and combine until evenly mixed. Shape 3 Tablespoons of mixture into 1 ½ inch round meatballs. Use a light touch, as compacting them too much can make the meatball dense and hard.)
Bake in a 400 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a dark brown crust forms on the outside.
This makes about 14 meatballs. At my house, I double the recipe with the hopes that some will make it to dinner. The boys love them and are eager to “steal” them when I’m not looking. They go to elaborate extremes to trick me just so they can steal a meatball.
If you are adding the meatballs to the Sunday gravy, do so for the last hour of cooking in the crock pot.
I love the crock pot for many reasons, the least of which is ease. A crock pot is unintimidating. People, who don’t consider themselves “cooks”, will gladly make something in the crock pot. I remember a mother at my son’s high school telling me, “I don’t cook, can’t really. Oh, but I can make something in the crock pot.” I do not know why the crock pot is perceived as “not cooking”. It is, plain and simple. It counts. And it’s a very healthy way to cook. Sometimes I will cook pork and beef with spaghetti sauce in the crock pot. It’s amazing, but less expensive cuts of pork and beef, like shoulder or butt, can be very fatty. An oil slick forms a top layer in the crock pot. I plan ahead so I can remove as much of the fat as possible. I trim the meat as much as I can before adding it, then after cooking the meal in the crock pot, I refrigerate it for a day. After 24 hours, the fat has risen to the top and congealed or solidified. Then I just remove the fat before reheating the meal. All the flavor stays with food, but with limited fat. Please remember when adding vegetables, try to keep the size of the pieces uniform, so they will all cook evenly. It’s just not so pleasant biting into a mushy carrot and an uncooked potato;-)
Also, crock pots are a safe and easy way to teach your children to cook. Most recipes are simple enough for any reading-age child and many of the ingredients are also simple to prep and add. My boys love crock pot meals because they meet everyone’s requirements for nourishment. They’re easy, nutritious, filling and the taste great. Below are some of my favorite crock pot recipes. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Mangia!
Prime Rib Sandwiches (This is a HUGE fave at the Elenbaas household;-)
5 lbs beef Rump Roast
1 package onion soup mix
2 tsp of sugar
2 cups beef stock or broth
12 oz. beer (your favorite;-)
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
Place roast in crock pot. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over roast. Set crock pot to 300 degrees and cook for 8 hours.
Remove meat from liquid and shred the beef. I discard the liquid, but you can reserve 1 or 2 cups and reduce it by 1/3. Then add 1-2 cups of water to make an au jus. It’s a little too “much” for me, but try it. You might like it. Regardless, the beef should be served on crusty buns with horseradish sauce (recipe follows)
Horseradish Sauce
1 Tblspn of horseradish
1Tblspn of milk
1 Tblspn of sour cream
Mix well.
Old-fashioned Sunday Supper
2 packages of beefy onion soup mix or onion soup mix
3 -4 lbs of beef rump roast
3 lbs of potatoes, white or red, scrubbed and halved
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced uniformly
2 celery ribs, sliced
8 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cups of fruity red wine
15 oz. of beef broth
¼ cup of A.P. Flour
Place the contents of the dry soup mix envelopes in a small baking dish. Place the roast in the dish and rub or pat the dry soup mix all over it.
In a 5 quart crock pot, place half of the potatoes, carrots, celery and garlic season with half the black pepper and thyme. Tuck a bay leaf into the vegetables. Mix together 1 cup of the wine and the broth. Pour it into the crock pot. Add the roast and scrape any dry soup mix left in the baking dish on top. Cover the meat with the remaining vegetables, garlic, pepper and thyme.
Cover and cook on a low setting (250 degrees) for 9-10 hours or until the meat is tender.
Remove the meat to a warm serving platter. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Scoop out the vegetables with a slotted spoon and scatter them over and around the roast. Cover with foil to keep warm.
Pour juices from the crock pot into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Whisk together the remaining wine and the flour until well blended. Stir the wine and flour into the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens. This will be about 5 minutes. Either pour gravy over roast and vegetables and serve or serve the gravy on the side.
Sunday Gravy- this is what East Coast Italians call “Spaghetti Sauce”. It’s not a gravy, but who cares? It’s amazing!
2 Tblspns of olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 lb of pork neck bones or spareribs
1 lb beef shoulder
1 lb Italian, fennel pork sausage
6 cloves of garlic, pressed
¼ cup tomato paste
3 28oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
½ cup of water
½ cup of strong, red wine
2 tsp of dried oregano and basil
To make the “gravy”, heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Pat the pork dry and put the pieces in the pot to brown. Transfer the pork to a plate. Brown the beef the same way and add it to the plate. Next brown the sausage and set it aside as well. Lastly, brown the onions in this same pot, but do not transfer them when you are done. Leave them in the pot. You should have a dark fond on the bottom of the pan. Mix the wine and water together and add it to the onions in the pot to deglaze it, being sure to scrape the bottom well to get all the flavor and color.
Next add the crushed tomatoes, pressed garlic, basil and oregano to the crock pot. Add to that, the wine mixture from the deglazed pot. Stir really well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add all the meat to the crock pot and covering it as much as you can. Cook on low (200- 250 degrees) for 4-6 hours.
To serve, remove the meats from the gravy and set aside. Toss the cooked pasta with the gravy and serve with Parmesan cheese on the side. Sometimes, I just serve the pasta with meatballs and save the meat for another meal. Sunday gravy freezes really well.
Meatballs
2 slices of white or wheat bread, torn into small pieces
6 Tblspns of plain yogurt
1 lb of lean, ground beef
½ cup of parmesan cheese
2 Tblspns of finely minced, fresh parsley
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 large egg
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine bread and yogurt together in a small bowl with a fork or your hands to form a paste. It takes about 10 minutes.
Place ground beef, cheese, parsley, egg, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the bread paste and combine until evenly mixed. Shape 3 Tablespoons of mixture into 1 ½ inch round meatballs. Use a light touch, as compacting them too much can make the meatball dense and hard.)
Bake in a 400 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a dark brown crust forms on the outside.
This makes about 14 meatballs. At my house, I double the recipe with the hopes that some will make it to dinner. The boys love them and are eager to “steal” them when I’m not looking. They go to elaborate extremes to trick me just so they can steal a meatball.
If you are adding the meatballs to the Sunday gravy, do so for the last hour of cooking in the crock pot.
Friday, September 11, 2009
It's like comparing apples to...eggplant?
Hi All,
Today is 9/11 and it’s been 8 years since the September 11th bombings. I can’t believe it’s been that long. I still pray that all affected find some level of peace. Because of the date, I started out the day in a rather somber mood, but that was instantly changed when I realized that TODAY IS HONEYCRISP APPLE PICKING DAY! Oh JOY, oh BLESS, oh HAPPINESS;-) I get to pick apples, (physical activity=$0, a bushel of Honeycrisps= $40), see some of my friends (Jackie Yeomans and Kari Yergin, $0) and I get the most delicious apples ever to bless this earth (priceless).
The price of honeycrisps has risen dramatically, but like everything else, it’s affected the law of supply and demand. Demand is great because they are so yummy and supply is limited because they are a relatively new apple. They are still worth the effort and the cost. As I bit into my first honeycrisp of the season, the intense crunch resonated in my ears while the sugar-sweet juice ran down my chin. My husband says I’m the only person he knows that can actually make a mess eating an apple. C’est la vie. While at the orchard, we met a really nice guy, Mike. He was working at the orchard and kept us company while we waited for our tractor ride back to the front of the orchard. He told me he was a single dad and wanted to make Apple pie for his kids. I thought that was just the lovliest thing I’d ever heard. He had never made pie before so I gave him my blog address and encouraged him to make the Paper Bag Apple Pie. I also encouraged him to make applesauce because it’s so easy and his kids are the perfect ages to introduce them to preparing and eating homemade pie and applesauce. (Actually, there is no perfect age, as you well know, but I believe the younger the better;-) The sad thing is I know a lot of great Dads, my own, my father-in-law, my husband, my male friends, but overall, as a generalization, the Dads of our society have dropped the ball when it comes to their kids. This man, Mike, renewed my faith in Fathers and men, in general. So , thank you, Mike for making an already pleasant day, even more so.
While at the orchard, in addition to my new friend, Mike, I ran into my friend, Jackie Yeomans. Jackie and I meet up every year at the orchard on “Honeycrisp-picking Day” unintentionally. We also run into each other unintentionally at church, volunteer work and random activities throughout the school year. Our kids don’t even go to the same schools. Jackie and I have never formally made plans to get together, not for coffee or a Mom’s Night Out, yet I see her quite frequently throughout the year. Lucky me, because she is one of the nicest, most fun people I know and…she’s a vegetarian! (gasp!) A what?! I couldn’t imagine having a friend who doesn’t eat meat…ever. But I make the exception because Jackie is a very nice person, has a great attitude,likes to cook and, in my opinion, is a hearty and rather adventurous eater. (If you have a healthy appetite and aren’t picky, I can forgive a lot;-) While waiting to pick our apples, in the course of our conversation, we started discussing eggplant. I planted 4 eggplants and haven’t gotten a single eggplant yet this summer! It’s just been a lousy summer for them. After discussing my disappointment, Jackie drops a bombshell on me.
“I don’t like eggplant.” She states. In shock, I ask her to repeat what she just said. She does. I still pause because I’ve met a lot of vegetarians in my life, but I’d never met one who didn’t like eggplant. For some vegetarians, they eat it so often, it could be classified as it’s own food group.
Incredulously, I ask, “What about Eggplant Parmesan?” How could anyone not like eggplant parmesan?
“Oh, I like that, but not plain eggplant. I also have a good vegetarian moussaka recipe with eggplant that I like.” Jackie replied. Of course, my dear readers, thinking of you, I have already asked Jackie for her moussaka recipe which I will gladly share on my blog. After asking for her recipe, I offered my Eggplant Parmesan recipe, which she seemed interested in. I say “seemed” because I am very blessed with friends and family, who encourage me with this blog, so I have a healthy self-esteem and assume everyone wants one of my recipes.
Eggplant has no Saturated Fat or Cholesterol. It is a good source of Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese, and Dietary Fiber. I encourage to incorporate it into your current diet. Remember, 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day! Are you getting yours? To be truthful, vegetarians are some of the healthiest people around and they have a significantly less chance of getting cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But like everyone else, they have to actively make sure they are getting enough iron and complete proteins. Jackie is very responsible when it comes to her health and is blessed with all the attributes I see with most vegetarians: great skin, great hair and healthy physiques. Now, I’m not ready to stop eating meat, but I do try to add vegetables to my diet as often as I can and watch my portion control with meat. Eggplant is one of my favorite ways to add vegetables to my diet. Listed below are some of my suggestions for ways to add eggplant into your diet, but don’t hesitate to be creative on your own. Have a beautiful day and Mangia!
Stacy’s Lower-fat, Easy Eggplant Parmigiana
1 one-pound eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼ in. slices
½ teaspoon salt
2 Cups or Tomato-Herb Sauce. (Recipe at bottom).
1 Cup plain bread crumbs
1 ¼ Cups shredded light Mozzerella cheese
1.Set the eggplant in a single layer on a paper towel and sprinkle with the salt, cover with more paper towel. Let stand 30 minutes, then pat dry with paper towel.
2.Preheat overn to 350 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets and an 8 inch square baking dish with olive oil cooking spray (or any non-fat cooking spray that is unflavored). Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake until tender, 15-20 minutes.
3.Spread ¼ of the Tomato sauce in the baking dish. Top with some of the eggplant slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with one-third of the bread crumbs, one-fourth of the cheese and another one-fourth of the sauce. Repeat the layers finishing with the cheese. Cover with foil and bake until heated through and bubbling, 30-40 minutes. Remove foil; increase the oven temperature to 400 degree and bake until top is slightly crisp, about 15 minutes longer. Serve hot or warm.
Tomato-Herb Sauce
4 teaspoon olive oil
35 ounces diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan, when hot add garlic. Saute until garlic turns golden. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer until reduced to about 2 cups, about 15 minutes.
SPICY LAMB AND EGGPLANT LASAGNA
30 slices of eggplant (1/4-inch thick), about 3 pounds
3 cups flour
3 eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
3 cups fine dried bread crumbs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 recipe of Spicy Lamb Sauce, recipe follows
1 pound Feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a deep-dish (11 by 14) lasagna pan. Season the eggplant slices, flour, egg wash and bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Dredge the eggplant in the flour. Dip each eggplant in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the eggplant in the bread crumbs, coating completely. In two large pans, over medium heat, add 1/2 cup of the oil to each pan. When the oil is hot, pan-fry the eggplant for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Fry the eggplant in batches. (You can use one frying pan, but it will take longer. Also, to lower the fat, you can use the preparation explained in the Eggplant Parmesan recipe. Then assemble as listed below.)
To assemble, spread 2 cups of the sauce over the bottom of the pan. Crumble 1/3 of the cheese over the sauce. Lay 10 slices of the eggplant over the cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. Spread the Béchamel Sauce over the top and bake for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with parsley.
Yield: 12 to 16 servings
BECHAMEL SAUCE:
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 1/2 cups milk
In a saucepan combine oil and flour, stirring it to a smooth paste. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 4 minutes, without letting the roux brown. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. If sauce has any lumps, strain it before using. (You can also use a handheld immersion blender to remove any lumps.)
SPICY LAMB SAUCE:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground lamb
Salt
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 cups finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 (28-ounce) can of peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
3 cups beef stock or water
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
In a large nonreactive saucepan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the meat and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Brown the meat for 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the tomato paste with the water and add to the tomatoes. Add the thyme, bay leaves, oregano, basil and red pepper. Mix well. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if needed. During the last 30 minutes or cooking, re-season with salt and pepper and stir in the cheese. Remove from the heat and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Grilled Eggplant Panini
Ingredients
•2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
•8 1/2-inch slices eggplant, (about 1 small)
•1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
•8 slices whole-grain country bread
•8 thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese
•1/3 cup sliced jarred roasted red peppers
•4 thin slices red onion
Directions-Preheat grill to medium-high.
•Combine mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl. Using 1 tablespoon oil, lightly brush both sides of eggplant and sprinkle each slice with garlic salt. With the remaining 1tablespoon oil, brush one side of each slice of bread.
•Grill the eggplant for 6 minutes, turn with a spatula, top with cheese, and continue grilling until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is tender, about 4 minutes more. Toast the bread on the grill, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
•To assemble sandwiches: Spread basil mayonnaise on four slices of bread. Top with the cheesy eggplant, red peppers, onion and the remaining slices of bread. Cut in half and serve warm.
Today is 9/11 and it’s been 8 years since the September 11th bombings. I can’t believe it’s been that long. I still pray that all affected find some level of peace. Because of the date, I started out the day in a rather somber mood, but that was instantly changed when I realized that TODAY IS HONEYCRISP APPLE PICKING DAY! Oh JOY, oh BLESS, oh HAPPINESS;-) I get to pick apples, (physical activity=$0, a bushel of Honeycrisps= $40), see some of my friends (Jackie Yeomans and Kari Yergin, $0) and I get the most delicious apples ever to bless this earth (priceless).
The price of honeycrisps has risen dramatically, but like everything else, it’s affected the law of supply and demand. Demand is great because they are so yummy and supply is limited because they are a relatively new apple. They are still worth the effort and the cost. As I bit into my first honeycrisp of the season, the intense crunch resonated in my ears while the sugar-sweet juice ran down my chin. My husband says I’m the only person he knows that can actually make a mess eating an apple. C’est la vie. While at the orchard, we met a really nice guy, Mike. He was working at the orchard and kept us company while we waited for our tractor ride back to the front of the orchard. He told me he was a single dad and wanted to make Apple pie for his kids. I thought that was just the lovliest thing I’d ever heard. He had never made pie before so I gave him my blog address and encouraged him to make the Paper Bag Apple Pie. I also encouraged him to make applesauce because it’s so easy and his kids are the perfect ages to introduce them to preparing and eating homemade pie and applesauce. (Actually, there is no perfect age, as you well know, but I believe the younger the better;-) The sad thing is I know a lot of great Dads, my own, my father-in-law, my husband, my male friends, but overall, as a generalization, the Dads of our society have dropped the ball when it comes to their kids. This man, Mike, renewed my faith in Fathers and men, in general. So , thank you, Mike for making an already pleasant day, even more so.
While at the orchard, in addition to my new friend, Mike, I ran into my friend, Jackie Yeomans. Jackie and I meet up every year at the orchard on “Honeycrisp-picking Day” unintentionally. We also run into each other unintentionally at church, volunteer work and random activities throughout the school year. Our kids don’t even go to the same schools. Jackie and I have never formally made plans to get together, not for coffee or a Mom’s Night Out, yet I see her quite frequently throughout the year. Lucky me, because she is one of the nicest, most fun people I know and…she’s a vegetarian! (gasp!) A what?! I couldn’t imagine having a friend who doesn’t eat meat…ever. But I make the exception because Jackie is a very nice person, has a great attitude,likes to cook and, in my opinion, is a hearty and rather adventurous eater. (If you have a healthy appetite and aren’t picky, I can forgive a lot;-) While waiting to pick our apples, in the course of our conversation, we started discussing eggplant. I planted 4 eggplants and haven’t gotten a single eggplant yet this summer! It’s just been a lousy summer for them. After discussing my disappointment, Jackie drops a bombshell on me.
“I don’t like eggplant.” She states. In shock, I ask her to repeat what she just said. She does. I still pause because I’ve met a lot of vegetarians in my life, but I’d never met one who didn’t like eggplant. For some vegetarians, they eat it so often, it could be classified as it’s own food group.
Incredulously, I ask, “What about Eggplant Parmesan?” How could anyone not like eggplant parmesan?
“Oh, I like that, but not plain eggplant. I also have a good vegetarian moussaka recipe with eggplant that I like.” Jackie replied. Of course, my dear readers, thinking of you, I have already asked Jackie for her moussaka recipe which I will gladly share on my blog. After asking for her recipe, I offered my Eggplant Parmesan recipe, which she seemed interested in. I say “seemed” because I am very blessed with friends and family, who encourage me with this blog, so I have a healthy self-esteem and assume everyone wants one of my recipes.
Eggplant has no Saturated Fat or Cholesterol. It is a good source of Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese, and Dietary Fiber. I encourage to incorporate it into your current diet. Remember, 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day! Are you getting yours? To be truthful, vegetarians are some of the healthiest people around and they have a significantly less chance of getting cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But like everyone else, they have to actively make sure they are getting enough iron and complete proteins. Jackie is very responsible when it comes to her health and is blessed with all the attributes I see with most vegetarians: great skin, great hair and healthy physiques. Now, I’m not ready to stop eating meat, but I do try to add vegetables to my diet as often as I can and watch my portion control with meat. Eggplant is one of my favorite ways to add vegetables to my diet. Listed below are some of my suggestions for ways to add eggplant into your diet, but don’t hesitate to be creative on your own. Have a beautiful day and Mangia!
Stacy’s Lower-fat, Easy Eggplant Parmigiana
1 one-pound eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼ in. slices
½ teaspoon salt
2 Cups or Tomato-Herb Sauce. (Recipe at bottom).
1 Cup plain bread crumbs
1 ¼ Cups shredded light Mozzerella cheese
1.Set the eggplant in a single layer on a paper towel and sprinkle with the salt, cover with more paper towel. Let stand 30 minutes, then pat dry with paper towel.
2.Preheat overn to 350 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets and an 8 inch square baking dish with olive oil cooking spray (or any non-fat cooking spray that is unflavored). Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake until tender, 15-20 minutes.
3.Spread ¼ of the Tomato sauce in the baking dish. Top with some of the eggplant slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with one-third of the bread crumbs, one-fourth of the cheese and another one-fourth of the sauce. Repeat the layers finishing with the cheese. Cover with foil and bake until heated through and bubbling, 30-40 minutes. Remove foil; increase the oven temperature to 400 degree and bake until top is slightly crisp, about 15 minutes longer. Serve hot or warm.
Tomato-Herb Sauce
4 teaspoon olive oil
35 ounces diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan, when hot add garlic. Saute until garlic turns golden. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer until reduced to about 2 cups, about 15 minutes.
SPICY LAMB AND EGGPLANT LASAGNA
30 slices of eggplant (1/4-inch thick), about 3 pounds
3 cups flour
3 eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
3 cups fine dried bread crumbs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 recipe of Spicy Lamb Sauce, recipe follows
1 pound Feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a deep-dish (11 by 14) lasagna pan. Season the eggplant slices, flour, egg wash and bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Dredge the eggplant in the flour. Dip each eggplant in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the eggplant in the bread crumbs, coating completely. In two large pans, over medium heat, add 1/2 cup of the oil to each pan. When the oil is hot, pan-fry the eggplant for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Fry the eggplant in batches. (You can use one frying pan, but it will take longer. Also, to lower the fat, you can use the preparation explained in the Eggplant Parmesan recipe. Then assemble as listed below.)
To assemble, spread 2 cups of the sauce over the bottom of the pan. Crumble 1/3 of the cheese over the sauce. Lay 10 slices of the eggplant over the cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. Spread the Béchamel Sauce over the top and bake for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with parsley.
Yield: 12 to 16 servings
BECHAMEL SAUCE:
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 1/2 cups milk
In a saucepan combine oil and flour, stirring it to a smooth paste. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 4 minutes, without letting the roux brown. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. If sauce has any lumps, strain it before using. (You can also use a handheld immersion blender to remove any lumps.)
SPICY LAMB SAUCE:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground lamb
Salt
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 cups finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 (28-ounce) can of peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
3 cups beef stock or water
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
In a large nonreactive saucepan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the meat and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Brown the meat for 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the tomato paste with the water and add to the tomatoes. Add the thyme, bay leaves, oregano, basil and red pepper. Mix well. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if needed. During the last 30 minutes or cooking, re-season with salt and pepper and stir in the cheese. Remove from the heat and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Grilled Eggplant Panini
Ingredients
•2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
•8 1/2-inch slices eggplant, (about 1 small)
•1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
•8 slices whole-grain country bread
•8 thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese
•1/3 cup sliced jarred roasted red peppers
•4 thin slices red onion
Directions-Preheat grill to medium-high.
•Combine mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl. Using 1 tablespoon oil, lightly brush both sides of eggplant and sprinkle each slice with garlic salt. With the remaining 1tablespoon oil, brush one side of each slice of bread.
•Grill the eggplant for 6 minutes, turn with a spatula, top with cheese, and continue grilling until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is tender, about 4 minutes more. Toast the bread on the grill, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
•To assemble sandwiches: Spread basil mayonnaise on four slices of bread. Top with the cheesy eggplant, red peppers, onion and the remaining slices of bread. Cut in half and serve warm.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Clam up!
'Tis the season of clambakes, as my new friend, Marilyn, reminded me. I love clambakes as they combine the best of summer for me: Sun, sand and SEAFOOD:-) And clambakes provide lean protein choices and are an excellent source of iron. Clams are sweet and savory, complimenting virtually any dish to which they are added. But often there are leftovers from a clambake (including the broth) and, honestly, it would be a sin to waste all that lovely deliciousness.
Have no fear! There are many dishes that you could incorporate your clambake leftovers and utilize the clambake broth. Here are just a few of my recommendations. I hope they help you to continue to savor the joys of the clambake long after it ends. Mangia!
Clambake Clam Chowder
Ingredients
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups medium-diced celery (4 stalks)
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (6 carrots)
• 4 cups leftover clambake potatoes, diced (@8 potatoes)
• 2 cups leftover corn (remove kernels from cobs)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart (4 cups) clambake liquid ( or chicken stock)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 pounds cooked clams, shucked
Directions
Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of the butter in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the clambake broth, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
In a small pot, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over very low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly (This makes a roux, which will be used to thicken the chowder). Whisk in a cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the cooked vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened.
Add the milk, potatoes, corn and clams and heat gently for a few minutes to cook the clams. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot
Clam Bake Soup
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound kielbasa, diced
• 4 cups (half a 32-ounce bag) frozen diced hash browns (or 4 C leftover clambake potatoes)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Leftover shrimp (about 2 lbs)
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
• 3 cups leftover corn kernels removed from the cob or frozen kernels
• 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 quart clambake liquid or chicken stock
• leftover clams- about 3 dozen (or 2 cans whole, baby clams)
• Hot sauce, to taste
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 4 jumbo sourdough English muffins, split
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and pressed
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Directions
Heat a large soup pot with extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa and brown for 2 minutes; add the frozen potatoes, onions, celery, bay, thyme, seafood seasoning, salt and pepper and let the veggies soften up 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have leftover potatoes from the clambake, don’t add the frozen ones. Just hold off on adding the leftover potatoes until the end of the recipe. Add corn and tomatoes to soup pot.
Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the leftover seafood from the clambake. You can remove the shellfish from their shells or leave them whole. Finish soup with hot sauce, lemon zest and juice and a handful of parsley. Heat for additional 5- 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated through.
Toast the English muffins. Soften the butter in the microwave. Press the garlic cloves into the butter, adding a little salt and make a paste. Add the chives to the garlic butter paste and mix. Rub hot toasted muffins with garlic/butter mixture and chop into large dice.
Serve soup in shallow bowls with muffin croutons. Place an extra bowl at each setting to collect any shells as you eat.
SEAFOOD IN SAFFRON BROTH
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
1 fennel bulb (You can substitute 2 stalks for celery, but the fennel really adds YUM!)
2 small onion
2 large plum tomato
2large garlic clove
1/2 pound leftover clambake mussels or clams
1/4 pound large shrimp (about 7)
a 1/2-pound piece fresh, skinless scrod or halibut
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups clambake liquid or low-salt chicken broth
Garnish: lemon wedges
Accompaniment: crusty bread
Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb, discarding stalks. Finely chop fennel and onion. Seed tomato and finely chop. Mince garlic. Cut scrod into 1-inch pieces. Stir saffron into wine.
In a 4-quart kettle cook fennel and onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine mixture and simmer until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add stock and simmer, covered, about 2 minutes. Add scrod/halibut and tomato, and cook at a bare simmer until the scrod/halibut is just cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Lastly, add cooked mussels and shrimp, cover, simmering for additional 5 minutes or until all the fish is heated through. Season mixture with salt and pepper.
Divide seafood between 2 bowls and ladle broth over it. Garnish seafood with lemon wedges and serve with bread.
Have no fear! There are many dishes that you could incorporate your clambake leftovers and utilize the clambake broth. Here are just a few of my recommendations. I hope they help you to continue to savor the joys of the clambake long after it ends. Mangia!
Clambake Clam Chowder
Ingredients
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups medium-diced celery (4 stalks)
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (6 carrots)
• 4 cups leftover clambake potatoes, diced (@8 potatoes)
• 2 cups leftover corn (remove kernels from cobs)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart (4 cups) clambake liquid ( or chicken stock)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 pounds cooked clams, shucked
Directions
Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of the butter in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the clambake broth, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
In a small pot, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over very low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly (This makes a roux, which will be used to thicken the chowder). Whisk in a cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the cooked vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened.
Add the milk, potatoes, corn and clams and heat gently for a few minutes to cook the clams. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot
Clam Bake Soup
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound kielbasa, diced
• 4 cups (half a 32-ounce bag) frozen diced hash browns (or 4 C leftover clambake potatoes)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Leftover shrimp (about 2 lbs)
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
• 3 cups leftover corn kernels removed from the cob or frozen kernels
• 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 quart clambake liquid or chicken stock
• leftover clams- about 3 dozen (or 2 cans whole, baby clams)
• Hot sauce, to taste
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 4 jumbo sourdough English muffins, split
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and pressed
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Directions
Heat a large soup pot with extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa and brown for 2 minutes; add the frozen potatoes, onions, celery, bay, thyme, seafood seasoning, salt and pepper and let the veggies soften up 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have leftover potatoes from the clambake, don’t add the frozen ones. Just hold off on adding the leftover potatoes until the end of the recipe. Add corn and tomatoes to soup pot.
Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the leftover seafood from the clambake. You can remove the shellfish from their shells or leave them whole. Finish soup with hot sauce, lemon zest and juice and a handful of parsley. Heat for additional 5- 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated through.
Toast the English muffins. Soften the butter in the microwave. Press the garlic cloves into the butter, adding a little salt and make a paste. Add the chives to the garlic butter paste and mix. Rub hot toasted muffins with garlic/butter mixture and chop into large dice.
Serve soup in shallow bowls with muffin croutons. Place an extra bowl at each setting to collect any shells as you eat.
SEAFOOD IN SAFFRON BROTH
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
1 fennel bulb (You can substitute 2 stalks for celery, but the fennel really adds YUM!)
2 small onion
2 large plum tomato
2large garlic clove
1/2 pound leftover clambake mussels or clams
1/4 pound large shrimp (about 7)
a 1/2-pound piece fresh, skinless scrod or halibut
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups clambake liquid or low-salt chicken broth
Garnish: lemon wedges
Accompaniment: crusty bread
Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb, discarding stalks. Finely chop fennel and onion. Seed tomato and finely chop. Mince garlic. Cut scrod into 1-inch pieces. Stir saffron into wine.
In a 4-quart kettle cook fennel and onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine mixture and simmer until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add stock and simmer, covered, about 2 minutes. Add scrod/halibut and tomato, and cook at a bare simmer until the scrod/halibut is just cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Lastly, add cooked mussels and shrimp, cover, simmering for additional 5 minutes or until all the fish is heated through. Season mixture with salt and pepper.
Divide seafood between 2 bowls and ladle broth over it. Garnish seafood with lemon wedges and serve with bread.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Be kind to yourself in 10 Items or less
Today begins a new year for me, a kinder, gentler year. I know “New Year’s”, technically, is in January, but for me a new year starts officially when the last kid in the house goes back to school. Our routine has officially started. And for those of you, who have commented that they don’t know how I manage to do a blog, maintain my home, take care of the kids, work, etc , I have a confession. I totally dropped the ball and I really can’t do it all.
Here is my offense: I completely forgot to get the boy’s their sport’s physicals for school. I know, I know. I’ve been doing it for years and yet, this year, I forgot. So now I am scrambling to get two appointments with their doctor or find a walk-in clinic that won’t charge me an arm and a leg for a sport's physical. Does this make me a bad Mother? I think not and I’m choosing to forgive myself for these transgressions because I am not perfect nor can I do it all. More importantly, I shouldn’t be expected to be Supermom. I do as much as I can, whenever I can, as well as I can. That is as much as we can ask of ourselves. God made us in his image, but he did not make us God.
I bring this up because over the weekend, I went to lovely, lovely picnic at my neighbor’s, the Roelant’s. Len and Joy provided us with many grilled delights from steak and pork to hot dogs and bacon and cheese-stuffed burgers. I partook in Len’s Baked Salmon, which Len graciously tells me he’s willing to share the recipe, which I will pass on to you, because it was so simple and very yummy. Everyone that attended brought a dish to pass. There were lots of beautiful and delicious homemade dishes. I marveled at all the healthy choices I had. It gave me hope that maybe people out there, my neighbors and friends, really do care about what they eat and how they feed their families. Between the products at the groceries stores and the commercials on TV, I am despondent about the current state of nutrition in the average household in America. But, I digress, back to the picnic. I brought my bruschetta with some homemade garlic toast. Of course, my dear friends all made the appropriate fuss and gushed over my dish, making me feel like a rock star. One of my friends, Karen, commented that she makes something similar, only it’s more like salsa. She was telling me how she chops the tomato and cilantro, while her 12 year old son, Andy, sat down next to her, scarfing a plate of my bruschetta.
“Did you make the bread for this, Mrs. Elenbaas?” Andy asked while shoveling.
“Why, yes, I did, Andy.” I replied, so proud that someone noticed.
“How come you never make anything homemade?” Andy comments to his Mom.
To which she replies, “I do. I make a lot of stuff. I make the salsa homemade…”
“Yeah, but,” Andy interrupts. “…you don’t grow your own stuff or make homemade bread,”
Now, I really like Andy. He’s a fun kid, who genuinely appreciates my cooking, but I immediately interrupted him and told him that just because his Mom doesn’t grow her own vegetables or make homemade bread, doesn’t mean she doesn’t make homemade food. I told him I do it, because I love it, because it’s my way of expressing myself and my love for my family and friends. I do it because I love the whole process from seed to table. It gives me peace. I told him his Mom is a busy woman and he should be grateful for whatever she has time to put on the table. It may be a while before Andy speaks to me again;-)
It got me thinking: why do people, especially our children, think it has to be all or nothing? Karen is an amazingly brilliant, kind woman, who is a great Mom. She works full-time, does all the things a Mom has to do and has two kids and a dog. Yet, she finds time to make salsa. I was thrilled! I’m still thrilled. If crazy busy people like Karen can find time to cook, then there is hope for the rest of us, right?
This is why I am confessing my transgressions to you, my dear readers. It’s cathartic, really. I’m openly admitting my shortfalls. You can make nutritious meals that are not completely homemade and still express love to your family. And with that openness I share my “somewhat homemade” recipes to you. Eat well and be kind to yourselves. Mangia!
Nacho Casserole -Alex and Dale had no idea there was no meat in this dish. They really enjoy it, even the beans;-)
1 C dry TVP (textured vegetable protein)
1 can (14.5 oz) Mexican-style tomatoes
1 C frozen corn
1 can ( 15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
½ C prepared salsa
¾ C beef broth
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
2 C crumbled, baked tortilla chips (regular chips will work, also)
1 C Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine dry TSP, tomatoes, corn, black beans, salsa, beef broth, chili powder and oregano in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer until TSP is rehydrated and corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Put half the TSP mixture in a 2 qt. Casserole. Top with half the tortilla chips and half the cheese. Repeat layers of TSP and chips, but do not add cheese…yet. Bake for 20 minutes, until heated through. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Place casserole back in oven and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Yields: 6 servings. Serving size = 1 Cup.
Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Bake (One-dish)
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup or Campbell's® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup OR Cream of Chicken
• 3 T cooking sherry or white wine
• 1 cup water
• 1 (6 ounce) package seasoned long-grain and wild rice mix
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli and carrots
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts
• Paprika
1. Mix soup, water, rice, seasoning mix, vegetables and half the cheese in 3-quart shallow baking dish.
2.Top with chicken. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover.
3.Bake at 375 degrees F for 1 hour or until done.
4.Top with remaining cheese.
Chiles Rellenos Casserole – Anthony LOVES this!
3 cans (4 ounces) chopped, green chiles
3 cups reduced fat, cheddar cheese
4 green onions -- sliced
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
6 eggs ( you can substitute ¾ C of egg beaters for 3 of the eggs)
4 cups low-fat milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 can green chili salsa or red, whichever you prefer.
Spread chilies in a single layer in a greased, 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese, green onions, and 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese over chilies. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, flour, and salt together until smooth. Pour over chilies and cheese. Bake in a 325 degrees oven for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in custard comes out clean. Meanwhile, mix salsa with the remaining 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle over casserole and return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Stacy’s Cheese Blintz Soufflé - I make this all the time for brunch or a light, summer meal.
12 store-bought, frozen cheese blintzes, thawed
½ stick butter or margarine (low fat works also)
4 eggs (or you can use egg substitute, but the texture is not as pleasing, in my opinion, but it does work.)
¼ C sugar
½ t vanilla extract
½ t orange extract
1 ½ C sour cream (you can use fat-free)
1. Melt butter in 9 x 13 glass baking dish
2. Layer blintzes in dish
3. Mix remaining ingredients really well.
4. Pour over blintzes. Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 minutes, uncovered. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. How easy is that??? Enjoy! Makes 12 whole servings (or 24 half servings).
Linguini with Clam Sauce This is my go-to dish when I’m in a pinch, as it’s a household favorite. I always marvel when I go to Italian restaurants and see how expensive it is on the menu. Talk about way over priced. When I was pregnant with Anthony, I couldn’t get enough of it. This was my craving. Thank God it’s so easy.
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2t crushed red pepper (seasoning not fresh)
½ C extra-virgin, olive oil
1 T All-Purpose Flour
2 cans of chopped or minced, canned clams
1 bottle of clam juice
½ C Italian, flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ t salt
¼ t black pepper
1 lbs of linguini or thin spaghetti
Sauté garlic and crushed red pepper in EVOO over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Blend in flour. Stir well until “rawness” is cooked out. @ 2 minutes. Add clam juice and liquid from canned clams. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add clams and parsley. Stir well and continue cooking for additional 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with al dente pasta and serve immediately. Enjoy!!!! Serves 4
This recipe is flexible. You can add more flour for a thicker sauce. You can leave out the clam juice and use 4 cans of clams, just separate the juice from the clams. Add as much parsley as you like. You can leave out the crushed red pepper. You can drizzle with fresh lemon juice or top with parmesan cheese right before serving.
Here is my offense: I completely forgot to get the boy’s their sport’s physicals for school. I know, I know. I’ve been doing it for years and yet, this year, I forgot. So now I am scrambling to get two appointments with their doctor or find a walk-in clinic that won’t charge me an arm and a leg for a sport's physical. Does this make me a bad Mother? I think not and I’m choosing to forgive myself for these transgressions because I am not perfect nor can I do it all. More importantly, I shouldn’t be expected to be Supermom. I do as much as I can, whenever I can, as well as I can. That is as much as we can ask of ourselves. God made us in his image, but he did not make us God.
I bring this up because over the weekend, I went to lovely, lovely picnic at my neighbor’s, the Roelant’s. Len and Joy provided us with many grilled delights from steak and pork to hot dogs and bacon and cheese-stuffed burgers. I partook in Len’s Baked Salmon, which Len graciously tells me he’s willing to share the recipe, which I will pass on to you, because it was so simple and very yummy. Everyone that attended brought a dish to pass. There were lots of beautiful and delicious homemade dishes. I marveled at all the healthy choices I had. It gave me hope that maybe people out there, my neighbors and friends, really do care about what they eat and how they feed their families. Between the products at the groceries stores and the commercials on TV, I am despondent about the current state of nutrition in the average household in America. But, I digress, back to the picnic. I brought my bruschetta with some homemade garlic toast. Of course, my dear friends all made the appropriate fuss and gushed over my dish, making me feel like a rock star. One of my friends, Karen, commented that she makes something similar, only it’s more like salsa. She was telling me how she chops the tomato and cilantro, while her 12 year old son, Andy, sat down next to her, scarfing a plate of my bruschetta.
“Did you make the bread for this, Mrs. Elenbaas?” Andy asked while shoveling.
“Why, yes, I did, Andy.” I replied, so proud that someone noticed.
“How come you never make anything homemade?” Andy comments to his Mom.
To which she replies, “I do. I make a lot of stuff. I make the salsa homemade…”
“Yeah, but,” Andy interrupts. “…you don’t grow your own stuff or make homemade bread,”
Now, I really like Andy. He’s a fun kid, who genuinely appreciates my cooking, but I immediately interrupted him and told him that just because his Mom doesn’t grow her own vegetables or make homemade bread, doesn’t mean she doesn’t make homemade food. I told him I do it, because I love it, because it’s my way of expressing myself and my love for my family and friends. I do it because I love the whole process from seed to table. It gives me peace. I told him his Mom is a busy woman and he should be grateful for whatever she has time to put on the table. It may be a while before Andy speaks to me again;-)
It got me thinking: why do people, especially our children, think it has to be all or nothing? Karen is an amazingly brilliant, kind woman, who is a great Mom. She works full-time, does all the things a Mom has to do and has two kids and a dog. Yet, she finds time to make salsa. I was thrilled! I’m still thrilled. If crazy busy people like Karen can find time to cook, then there is hope for the rest of us, right?
This is why I am confessing my transgressions to you, my dear readers. It’s cathartic, really. I’m openly admitting my shortfalls. You can make nutritious meals that are not completely homemade and still express love to your family. And with that openness I share my “somewhat homemade” recipes to you. Eat well and be kind to yourselves. Mangia!
Nacho Casserole -Alex and Dale had no idea there was no meat in this dish. They really enjoy it, even the beans;-)
1 C dry TVP (textured vegetable protein)
1 can (14.5 oz) Mexican-style tomatoes
1 C frozen corn
1 can ( 15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
½ C prepared salsa
¾ C beef broth
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
2 C crumbled, baked tortilla chips (regular chips will work, also)
1 C Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine dry TSP, tomatoes, corn, black beans, salsa, beef broth, chili powder and oregano in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer until TSP is rehydrated and corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Put half the TSP mixture in a 2 qt. Casserole. Top with half the tortilla chips and half the cheese. Repeat layers of TSP and chips, but do not add cheese…yet. Bake for 20 minutes, until heated through. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Place casserole back in oven and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Yields: 6 servings. Serving size = 1 Cup.
Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Bake (One-dish)
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup or Campbell's® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Mushroom Soup OR Cream of Chicken
• 3 T cooking sherry or white wine
• 1 cup water
• 1 (6 ounce) package seasoned long-grain and wild rice mix
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli and carrots
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts
• Paprika
1. Mix soup, water, rice, seasoning mix, vegetables and half the cheese in 3-quart shallow baking dish.
2.Top with chicken. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover.
3.Bake at 375 degrees F for 1 hour or until done.
4.Top with remaining cheese.
Chiles Rellenos Casserole – Anthony LOVES this!
3 cans (4 ounces) chopped, green chiles
3 cups reduced fat, cheddar cheese
4 green onions -- sliced
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
6 eggs ( you can substitute ¾ C of egg beaters for 3 of the eggs)
4 cups low-fat milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 can green chili salsa or red, whichever you prefer.
Spread chilies in a single layer in a greased, 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese, green onions, and 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese over chilies. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, flour, and salt together until smooth. Pour over chilies and cheese. Bake in a 325 degrees oven for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in custard comes out clean. Meanwhile, mix salsa with the remaining 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle over casserole and return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Stacy’s Cheese Blintz Soufflé - I make this all the time for brunch or a light, summer meal.
12 store-bought, frozen cheese blintzes, thawed
½ stick butter or margarine (low fat works also)
4 eggs (or you can use egg substitute, but the texture is not as pleasing, in my opinion, but it does work.)
¼ C sugar
½ t vanilla extract
½ t orange extract
1 ½ C sour cream (you can use fat-free)
1. Melt butter in 9 x 13 glass baking dish
2. Layer blintzes in dish
3. Mix remaining ingredients really well.
4. Pour over blintzes. Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 minutes, uncovered. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. How easy is that??? Enjoy! Makes 12 whole servings (or 24 half servings).
Linguini with Clam Sauce This is my go-to dish when I’m in a pinch, as it’s a household favorite. I always marvel when I go to Italian restaurants and see how expensive it is on the menu. Talk about way over priced. When I was pregnant with Anthony, I couldn’t get enough of it. This was my craving. Thank God it’s so easy.
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2t crushed red pepper (seasoning not fresh)
½ C extra-virgin, olive oil
1 T All-Purpose Flour
2 cans of chopped or minced, canned clams
1 bottle of clam juice
½ C Italian, flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ t salt
¼ t black pepper
1 lbs of linguini or thin spaghetti
Sauté garlic and crushed red pepper in EVOO over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Blend in flour. Stir well until “rawness” is cooked out. @ 2 minutes. Add clam juice and liquid from canned clams. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add clams and parsley. Stir well and continue cooking for additional 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with al dente pasta and serve immediately. Enjoy!!!! Serves 4
This recipe is flexible. You can add more flour for a thicker sauce. You can leave out the clam juice and use 4 cans of clams, just separate the juice from the clams. Add as much parsley as you like. You can leave out the crushed red pepper. You can drizzle with fresh lemon juice or top with parmesan cheese right before serving.
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