Sunday, February 28, 2010

(42) Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions

I feel like I'm on a never-ending quest for THE pot roast. I have one that I prepare in the crockpot and I really like it, but I don't feel like it's the one. So I've tried quite a few pot roast recipes in the last year and I've found lots of good variations. (This is one of them!)

I like the concept of cooking it with all the onions and making a gravy. That means that the meat and the onions are the star of this dish! I roasted some potatoes and carrots to go along side of the meat because I always feel like pot roast needs veggies. Anyway, the gravy was delish and we both give this two thumbs up!



Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions

Source: Eating Well Magazine - Fall 2004
Yield: 10 servings, about 3 ounces meat & 1/3 cup gravy each

This recipe is reminiscent of a pot roast made with onion-soup mix, but the flavors are true and puree--and nobody misses the excess sodium. (For a slow-cooker variation, see below.)

1 4-pound beef chuck roast, (see Ingredient note), trimmed of fat
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced (4 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.

2. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, turning from time to time, until well browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add onions, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in coffee and vinegar; bring to a simmer. Return the beef to the pot and spoon some onions over it. Cover and transfer to the oven.

4. Braise the beef in the oven until fork-tender but not falling apart, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer beef to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, skim fat from the braising liquid; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, whisking, until the gravy thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Season with pepper. Carve the beef and serve with gravy.

Slow-Cooker Variation: In Step 2, transfer the browned beef to a slow cooker. In Step 3, use just 1/2 cup coffee. Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker. In Step 4, cover and cook until beef is tender, 4 1/2 to 5 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low. In Step 5, pour the liquid into a medium saucepan and continue as directed.

Nutrition Per serving : 252 Calories; 6 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 6 g Mono; 67 mg Cholesterol; 4 g Carbohydrates; 32 g Protein; 0 g Fiber; 99 mg Sodium; 49 mg Potassium

Tips & Notes

* Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
* Ingredient Note: Although it is not the leanest cut of beef, chuck is still our choice for pot roast because it doesn't dry out during braising. You will find pockets of fat as you carve it, but they are easy to remove.

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Saturday, February 27, 2010

(41) French Onion Burgers

For all of the cooking that I do, one of the things that I do NOT own is a cast iron skillet. I used to have one, but I have no idea where it came from (a roommate or old boyfriend, likely) and it was rusty. YUCK. I need to buy myself one for recipes just like this.... anybody have one they love?

In any case, I just used my grill pan, which worked fine! The burgers were nice and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I was not sure about the salting step and the burgers were a touch salty for my taste. I can appreciate what the salt does (helps the crust form), so I'd just cut it down a little next time. We really liked this recipe and I will repeat it!

Oh and for your diet minded people out there - you must fight the temptation to buy leaner beef!!!! Did you hear me?! You need ground round. That's 85/15. No leaner or your burgers will crumble. Ok!? :) It's worth it, I promise!



French Onion Burgers

Source: Cooking Light, MARCH 1997
Yield: 4 servings

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 pound ground round
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
4 (1 1/2-ounce) French bread rolls or hamburger buns, split and toasted
4 teaspoons fat-free French or blue cheese salad dressing

Heat oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Spoon onion into a bowl; let cool.

Add beef, pepper, and egg white to onion, and stir well. Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping into 3/4-inch-thick patties.

Sprinkle salt evenly over surface of skillet. Heat salt in skillet over high heat 2 minutes. Add patties; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Place patties on bottom halves of rolls; top each with 1 teaspoon French dressing and top halves of buns.

CALORIES 340 (21% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 2.4g,mono 3g,poly 1.8g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 40mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.1g; SODIUM 957mg; PROTEIN 31.6g; FIBER 2.3g

Friday, February 26, 2010

A word about the Indonesian Chicken

Due to my inability to stop eating the cauliflower last night, there were very few leftovers. So we were left with 2 of the Indonesian Chicken breasts for lunch today. I'm happy to report that they tasted great sliced up and put on a nice green salad. One of my favorite salad dressings is Ken's Lite Asian Dressing....


It's got a sesame ginger taste similar to the dressing you get on the salad at a sushi or hibachi restaurant. Anyway, with the Indonesian Chicken, Ken's dressing, and lots of veggies, I was a happy happy girl!! So try it out with your leftovers this week!! (and for what it's worth - nobody is paying me to say this, this is just my 2c!)

Thursday, February 25, 2010

(40) Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Herbs and Parmesan

Cauliflower is one of those things I don't cook very often. I love it, though, and it was on sale this week, so voila - here we have Roasted Cauliflower. I made half the serving, using only 1 head of cauliflower. I cut the florets too small, so take a note from me - medium to large florets!! The flavor was OUTSTANDING. I found myself standing over the bowl with a fork! I am going to make this again soon and will try it with dried herbs, which would be even quicker! This is a 5 star, 2 thumbs up dish! MEOW!


Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Herbs and Parmesan

Source: Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Use any fresh herbs you have on hand for this holiday recipe. While parsley, tarragon, and thyme make a nice combination, you can also try sage, chives, and rosemary.

12 cups cauliflower florets (about 2 heads)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place cauliflower in a large roasting pan or jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with oil; toss well to coat. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until tender and browned, stirring every 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, thyme, tarragon, and garlic. Bake 5 minutes. Combine cauliflower mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to combine.

CALORIES 89 (35% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 0.8g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.4g); IRON 1.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 2mg; CALCIUM 83mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.1g; SODIUM 251mg; PROTEIN 5.2g; FIBER 5.4g

(39) Indonesian Chicken

I'm feeling the winter blahs and while I can't force warm weather (I WISH!), I could get some summer vibes into dinner by grilling! I expected this to be super spicy, but it was not. Next time - HOT SAUCE! :) But you know I like it spicy! Anyway, it was pretty easy to put this together and was mild, but flavorful. With each bite, you got another hint of lime, or ginger, or garlic. YUM!

PS:  No picture. You don't need to see a piece of grilled chicken. You've seen one, you've seen them all!!

Indonesian Chicken

Source: Cooking Light, AUGUST 2001
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half)

"This recipe is one of my favorites because it's simple to make, tastes delicious, and is healthy. I have yet to find anyone who doesn't like it. I like to double the recipe and enjoy the leftovers. I prefer spicy food, so sometimes I'll add a dash of hot sauce. For friends who don't like spicy food, I just stick to the recipe. To get the best flavor, poke the chicken with a fork so it can really absorb the marinade."

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

Prepare grill.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken to bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade.

Place the chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until the chicken is done.

CALORIES 158 (19% from fat); FAT 3.3g (sat 0.9g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 73mg; CALCIUM 19mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.8g; SODIUM 238mg; PROTEIN 26.9g; FIBER 0.3g

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

(38) Pasta e Fagioli

I know I say that a lot of the recipes I cook are quick and easy, but this one should be put at the top of the list! There was nothing difficult about this. I minced my own garlic, which took 2 seconds as did opening the cans. Soooo, easy!!

I used regular spicy Italian sausage (not turkey - the plain was on sale!) and used 2 links. It was plenty spicy - certainly didn't need any extra red pepper! If you don't like spice, go for the sweet Italian sausage and add red pepper flakes until the heat is right for you! I wasn't sure if this was going to be filling enough, but it definitely was! We give this two thumbs up for sure!


Pasta e Fagioli

Source: Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2000
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
1 1/2 tablespoons bottled minced garlic
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup uncooked small seashell pasta (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, drained
Minced fresh parsley (optional)
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until browned, stir-ring to crumble. Add water, broth, and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta, 1/4 cup cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes or until pasta is done. Let stand 5 minutes; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Garnish each serving with parsley and red pepper, if desired.

CALORIES 353 (26% from fat); FAT 10.2g (sat 3.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.3g); IRON 4.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 34mg; CALCIUM 177mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.6g; SODIUM 742mg; PROTEIN 20.5g; FIBER 4.5g

Learning: Cocoa Powder

My sister was in town this past weekend and one of the places we went while we were out and about was Penzeys (I love this place, if you haven't noticed!). Anyway, our mom needed a refill on her favorite thing - Dutch Process Cocoa Powder. As we're picking it up, my sis says to me, "What's the difference between natural cocoa and Dutch process cocoa?" Please take this moment to visualize me making the 'huh?!' face. I have absolutely NO CLUE what the difference is!! I just always use Dutch process because I like it. But "because I like it" really isn't a good reason, is it!??? :)

Fast forward to yesterday. I turned on my trusty google reader and there's a post from one of my favorite food writers - David Lebovitz. He's an American living in Paris and he's a foodie. Food + Paris = 2 of my favorite things EVER. But I digress. He had a GREAT article on the differences between regular and Dutch process cocoas. So today's learning lesson will be just a link to his learning lesson. It's a great post with some beautiful photography. Take a few minutes to check it out, and add some more foodie/cooking random information to your brain! Enjoy!

Cocoa Powder FAQ: Dutch-process & natural cocoa powder

Monday, February 22, 2010

(37) Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Another excellent quickie for a weeknight dinner! I have to take this moment to tell you that I DESPISE garlic in the jar! Use the real stuff (ginger, too!) - it's so worth it! I used 4 cloves of garlic to get 1 Tbsp of minced. The sauce was not runny, but just sticky enough (like you get at the local Chinese place!) and very flavorful! If you don't like spicy things, cut the red pepper flakes down to 1/8th of a tsp.

I served this over rice and with some mini-eggrolls.  In the time it took the rice to cook, this dish was ready! This is a repeater for sure!


Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Source: Cooking Light, JANUARY 2008
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Stir-fry a zesty shrimp dish for a quick weeknight dinner. Spoon over basmati or jasmine rice. Try the recipe with chicken or steak, too.


1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups small broccoli florets
1 cup vertically sliced onion

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; stir-fry 30 seconds. Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Add shrimp to pan, and stir-fry 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp mixture from the pan.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil to pan. Add broccoli and onion to pan; stir-fry 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Add shrimp mixture and broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

CALORIES 220 (27% from fat); FAT 6.7g (sat 0.8g,mono 2.4g,poly 1.9g); IRON 3.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 172mg; CALCIUM 105mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.8g; SODIUM 577mg; PROTEIN 26.2g; FIBER 2.8g

Sunday, February 21, 2010

(36) Barbecue-Rubbed Pork Chops

This is one of those 5-star recipes that you would never think would be a 5-star recipe!! The flavors of the rub are so complex - smokey, sweet, spicy, all rolled in to one. We grilled the pork chops on the grill, vs. the stove top (which I am sure would have been fine too!). Super quick and so so good!! I highly recommend this recipe!



Barbecue-Rubbed Pork Chops

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, April 2007

These tasty chops use spices that can all be found in your pantry, making them a great choice for busy weeknights.


1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut loin pork chops, trimmed (about 1/2 inch thick)
Cooking spray

Combine first 9 ingredients; rub over both sides of pork. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 8 minutes or until done, turning occasionally. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes.

CALORIES 277 (34% from fat); FAT 10.5g (sat 3.8g,mono 4.7g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 105mg; CALCIUM 48mg; CARBOHYDRATE 4.3g; SODIUM 669mg; PROTEIN 38.8g; FIBER 0.5g

(35) Creamy Cheese Grits

I've made quite a few cheese grits in my life and they tend to fall into two categories. They're either the garlicky, super sharp cheese variety or the mild, creamy version. This recipe is the latter. This is an easy recipe and was a perfect compliment to the grilled pork chops.

Side note: Dry grits on a hot, flat top stove = flames. Ohhhh boy. I've never had a fire in the kitchen until today. Good times, good times!!

Creamy Cheese Grits

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Source: Southern Living Magazine, January 2006

5 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups uncooked quick-cooking grits*
1/2 (8-ounce) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
1/2 (8-ounce) block Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Bring 5 cups water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in grits; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in Cheddar cheese and remaining ingredients until cheese is melted and mixture is blended. Serve immediately.

*Stone-ground grits may be substituted. Increase liquid to 6 cups, and increase cook time to 50 minutes.

(34) Dijon Green Beans

This is a modification of a recipe I tried last week. It needed something, and the onions were the secret. These are light and easy to make. These beans will go into the regular rotation!


Dijon Green Beans

Yield: 4 generous servings
Source: An Amy original

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 1c)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper to taste

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until the beans are fork tender - about 8 minutes.

2) Drain beans and return the empty pot to the stove. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add Dijon mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Stir 30 seconds until combined with onions. Return green beans to the pan and stir until well combined with the onions.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 79.2, Total Fat: 3.6 g, Cholesterol: 0.0 mg, Sodium: 97.6 mg, Total Carbs: 10.5 g, Dietary Fiber: 4.4 g, Protein: 2.4 g

2/21/10 - This week's menu

I'm super excited that we have a NORMAL WEEK coming up. *faint* this is rare lately and I can't wait!! Here's what's on the menu this week for our house.


Sunday:
Barbecue-Rubbed Pork Chops
Creamy Cheese Grits
An experimental green bean recipe

Monday:
Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Steamed Rice
Egg Rolls

Tuesday:
Pasta e Fagioli
Salads

Wednesday:
Indonesian Chicken
Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Herbs
Fresh Fruit

Thursday:
French Onion Burgers
Steak Fries

Friday:
Dinner out with the family

What's cooking at your house this week?

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

(33) Creamy Cajun Shrimp Linguine

Oh my heavens, this was good!! This truly took less than 30 minutes to prepare and was so yummy! I have a salt-free creole seasoning blend that I made at some point in the last year (I don't remember when, or why, but it's good!) and I used that. Any salt-free cajun seasoning would work, though. It was adequately spicy, but not on fire. The serving size was very generous and it didn't taste light at all!! My favorite kind of recipe, really!!

My only suggestion is to save a little bit of the pasta water for emergency purposes. I left the pot on a touch too long after adding the half and half and if I had saved the water (which I did not), I could have used a little splash of that in with the cream (or more cream, which defeats the purpose of light!). In any case, it was delish and I will make this again!!


Creamy Cajun Shrimp Linguine

Source: Cooking Light, September 2006
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Shrimp and pasta combine with a creamy sauce for a quick and delicious dish. Round out the meal with a Caesar salad.

1 cup water
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces uncooked linguine
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1 large red bell pepper, cut into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Combine 1 cup water and broth in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Break pasta in half; add to pan. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes. Add shrimp to pan. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until shrimp are done; drain.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and pepper to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until moisture evaporates. Add flour, seasoning, and salt to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in half-and-half; cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add pasta mixture and parsley to pan; toss.

CALORIES 365 (27% from fat); FAT 10.9g (sat 5.9g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.8g); IRON 4.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 194mg; CALCIUM 101mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.1g; SODIUM 685mg; PROTEIN 27.4g; FIBER 2.2g

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

2/16/10 - This week's (short!) menu

Yesterday was a holiday which made for a long weekend. We had house guests (my best friend and her husband were here), which derailed my menu planning for the week. Small price to pay :) I don't get to see her nearly as much as I'd like to, that's for sure.

Anyway, this week is short because on Friday my little sister is flying in for the weekend (I know - we are always on the go, it's just how we roll!!) and we'll spend the weekend shopping for bridesmaids dresses! Yay!

So this week cooking in my kitchen:

Tuesday:
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Turkey Sandwiches

Wednesday:
- Creamy Cajun Shrimp Linguine
- Green Salad
- Breadsticks

Thursday:
- Cinnamon Bun Pancakes with Maple-Butter Icing (holy crap does that sound insane?!? I can't help myself!!)
- Bacon
- Fresh Fruit

What's cooking in your kitchen this week???

(32) Broccoli and Cheese Soup

I was looking for something quick and warm tonight for dinner. I was expecting the soup to be a bit thicker and after reading some of the reviews on CL's website, I apparently was not the only one. Many readers suggested using only 2c of milk and also maybe using 5 oz of Velveeta and 3oz of shredded sharp cheddar for a stronger cheese flavor.

This soup was incredibly mild and flavorful, just as written. The broccoli (I used fresh) was very tender and hit the spot for me. So don't be afraid to make it just as written, if you don't like experimenting! It's not a super filling bowl of soup, but with a sandwich or a baked potato, it would be a perfect light supper! The baby liked it and so did I. I will make this again for sure.

PS: I don't think the blender step is a must, so if you don't have one or are lazy, you can skip it without stressing out :)


Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Add voluptuous texture to a low-calorie soup by using processed cheese, which melts beautifully. Mix a small portion of the soup in the blender to add body.


Source: Cooking Light Magazine, January 2002
Yield: 6 servings (1 1/3 cup each)

Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)

Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.

Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed soup mixture to pan.

CALORIES 203 (28% from fat); FAT 6.3g (sat 4g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.4g); IRON 1.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CALCIUM 385mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.7g; SODIUM 897mg; PROTEIN 15.6g; FIBER 2.9g

Monday, February 15, 2010

(31) Mike's Amazing Queso Dip

Whenever we gather with my husband's side of the family, my father-in-law, Mike, makes this insane dip. Everyone stands around the counter, hovered over the mini-crockpot, inhaling this dip! I made it for the first time the other day and I had to keep track of what exactly went into it so I could share it with you! WARNING: This stuff is addictive and not low-fat. Sorry :) We love this with the tortilla chip scoops, but it's also great with Frito scoops, too!

Mike's Amazing Queso Dip

3/4 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced green pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tube of bulk (breakfast) sausage - you can use mild or hot
1 (15 ounce) can Hormel chili - with or without beans, your choice (I like beans!)
16 oz brick of Velveeta - use Pepper Jack or Mexican
2 Tbsp diced jalapenos (or more if you like the heat!)

1) Heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute onion and pepper until lightly brown and soft. Spoon the vegetables into the bottom of the mini crock-pot or dish you will be preparing the dip in.

2) In the same skillet, cook the sausage until browned. Spoon out into the dish with the vegetables (avoid as much of the fat as possible).

3) Cut Velveeta into large cubes and add to the sausage and vegetables. Pour in chili and diced jalapenos. Cook over low heat until the cheese has melted and ingredients are well combined. Enjoy with tortilla or corn chips!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Learning: Green Garlic

On my most recent cooking marathon, I ended up using LOTS of garlic. I mean LOTS. One of the heads of garlic was starting to sprout. The cloves looked like this:


That left me wondering if it was ok to use or if I needed to trash it. I found out that you can indeed use these green cloves, but the green part might be a little bitter. So if you're in a pinch (ie; this is all the garlic you have and it's this or nothing), go ahead and use it. But if you have other garlic on hand, you're probably better off to send it to the garbage can.

One other thing I discovered is that you can plant this green/sprouting garlic. Plant them about 3 or 4 inches deep and about 6-8" apart. Bury the clove (not the whole head!) with the pointy side up and the paper on. It's best to plant garlic in the fall - at least 6 weeks before the first freeze. If you're like me and live in a relatively warm, humid climate, you can plant in January or February and harvest in the summer. (you can plant it any time of the year, really, but if not done in fall/winter you can expect smaller bulbs)

Garlic likes full sun and at least 1" of water at least once a week. When the garlic tops turn yellow (at least 50% yellow) or start to tip over, that means it's ready to be harvested!! You should always store garlic at room temperature!

Personally, I plan on trying this out! I've got nothing to lose and lots of free garlic to gain!!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

(30) Blondie Bars

Yummy yum yum yum!! I was going to make chocolate chip cookies, but got lazy, so I made these instead. Good choice! I didn't have to dirty my mixer (although my arm was tired from stirring!) and these were pretty quick to put together.



Blondie Bars

Yield: 36 bars

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

2) Stir in eggs, oil, and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in chocolate morsels until blended. Spread into a greased 13x9" pan.

3) Bake 45-50 minutes until lightly golden brown and edges just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely; cut into bars.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

(29) Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

This was our Superbowl meal - ready to cheer on the Saints to victory!! It was pretty easy to put together, very filling and very tasty. It wasn't spicy enough for my liking, so I added more Tabasco. I will make this again for sure!



Chicken and Sausage Gumbo


Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cups gumbo and 1/2 cup rice)
Source: Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion (1 large)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green bell pepper (1 large)
1 cup finely chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces light smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces (such as Healthy Choice brand)
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans no-salt-added organic diced tomatoes
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
3 cups hot cooked rice

Place flour in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook 20 minutes or until light brown, stirring constantly with a whisk. (If flour browns too fast, remove pan from heat; stir constantly until it cools down.) Remove flour from pan, and set aside.

Add oil to pan. Stir in onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds. Remove onion mixture from pan; set aside.

Increase heat to medium-high; add chicken and sausage to pan. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is done; return onion mixture to pan. Remove pan from heat. Sprinkle reserved flour over chicken mixture; stir well. Return pan to medium heat. Drain 1 can tomatoes; stir in 1 can drained tomatoes and 1 can undrained tomatoes. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth, Worcestershire, and bay leaves; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Stir in salt, black pepper, and hot sauce. Serve over rice.

CALORIES 419 (20% from fat); FAT 9.2g (sat 2.1g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.1g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 82mg; CALCIUM 42mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.2g; SODIUM 888mg; PROTEIN 35.8g; FIBER 3.3g

Monday, February 8, 2010

(28) Triple Cheese Garlic Bread

I will say that I did not make this recipe as written, but even still, there was no cheese flavor AT ALL and no distinct garlic flavor. It was tasty and had a good texture though. I'm not sure I would make it again, but I did want to review it and maybe revisit it to tweak sometime in the near future. I was out of white flour (I know, for real?!) so I used 2.5 cups of whole wheat flour.

Also, recipes for bread machine breads always say to put ingredients in using the machine's instructions. My machine tells me to put in liquids, dry ingredients, then yeast last. The handbook also mentions that if you've got salt, don't put that near the yeast because salt can prematurely activate the yeast. Good to know!

Here's what the bread looked like when it came out of the bread machine. Hello!? What the heck happened to the top?!




Triple Cheese Garlic Bread


1 cup water
1/2 cup creamed cottage cheese
2 tablespoons margarine, softened
3 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 1/2 teaspoon yeast

Place ingredients in bread pan in order listed for your machine. This makes a 1.5 lb loaf

Sunday, February 7, 2010

(27) Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

The key to an easy stir-fry experience is having everything chopped and ready to go when you put the first ingredient in the pan. This required a little chopping, but wasn't too difficult (overall) to make. The lemon flavor is dominant, but not overwhelming. We both really liked this!!

I served this over brown rice and it was a nice hearty serving size. Add some eggrolls and you're in business!!



Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry


Spiked with lots of zesty lemon, this delectable chicken stir-fry has a colorful mix of snow peas, carrots and scallions. But feel free to substitute other thinly sliced vegetables, such as bell peppers or zucchini. Serve with: Rice noodles or brown rice.

Yield: 4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each
Source: Eating Well Magazine, May/June 2009

1 lemon
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 ounces mushrooms, halved or quartered
1 cup diagonally sliced carrots , (1/4 inch thick)
2 cups snow peas , (6 ounces), stems and strings removed
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts divided
1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest and set aside. Juice the lemon and whisk 3 tablespoons of the juice with broth, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs. Add mushrooms and carrots to the pan and cook until the carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add snow peas, scallion whites, garlic and the reserved lemon zest. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add to the pan; cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add scallion greens and the chicken and any accumulated juices; cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Per serving:
225 Calories; 6 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 63 mg Cholesterol; 14 g Carbohydrates; 27 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 448 mg Sodium; 796 mg Potassium

(24 - 26) 3 recipes not worth typing up

Boo. I hate that. I am not sure I'd call them stinkers, per se. But they are not worth posting the recipe for....

Cajun Shrimp Dip
- The flavor on this dip was GREAT, but the consistency was like clam chowder. WAAAY too runny. It would be great on fettucine or over rice, though! Love the idea, but it needs some tweaking.

Light & Easy Lasagna


- The homemade sauce for this was AWESOME, but the filling was 'eh'. The recipe just had you put the ricotta in without mixing an egg in. My head told me to just add one anyway, but I didn't and regretted it. We will certainly eat this, but it needs some tweaking before I share it.

Buttermilk Pralines

- Ok, the flavor on these are OFF THE HOOK. Insanely good.... But the consistency was kind of grainy. Maybe I ovecooked them on the stove? Or maybe they're just supposed to taste like that?! Someone? Anyone?!

You know that old saying?!

The saying is something along the lines of throw spaghetti to the wall and see what sticks!? Well that's the kind of day I'm having in the kitchen! So far we have:

- Queso dip prepped for tomorrow. This will be good. Love this stuff.

- Lemon Stirfry - this was really good (I ate a serving for lunch)

- The 3 Cheese Bread - first of all, I am out of flour?! WHAT?! So I decided to try wheat flour. Then I forgot to click the bread machine in place  so it just sat there spinning for like 20 minutes. DUH. It came out in a mighty weird shape, but it was tasty. But it wasn't cheesy AT ALL. What the heck!?!

- Cajun Shrimp Dip - the flavor on this is AWESOME but it's like soup :( Bummer.

- Lasagna is in the oven. Im holding out hope for this one. It's the most gigantic lasagna I've ever made. We'll see how it turns out. It's about a 70/30 shot on this one.

I can see how cooking is frustrating to people I love doing it and am not too worried about the whole trial-and-error aspect of it, but it still stinks to have things go wrong! Stay tuned for reviews...

2/7/10 - This week's menu

I have a busy week this week! We're gearing up for the opera I'm singing in, so I have rehearsal every night this week (except Friday). I'm planning on doing a ton of cooking today and then I'm taking the day off on Thursday, so I will do a little more then!

Today's Cooking:
The Superbowl Meal....
- Baked Cajun Shrimp Dip
- Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
- Green Beans w/Remoulade
- Buttermilk Pralines and maybe some homemade vanilla ice cream!!

The rest of today's work....
* The stir-fry meal from last week that I never made:
- Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry
- Brown Rice
- Egg rolls

* An Italian Meal:
- Light and Easy Lasagna (I'm adapting this from The Chicago Tribune's Good Eating cookbook)
- Salad
- Triple Cheese and Garlic Bread

* Some spicy cheese dip for a work function tomorrow
* Some homemade chocolate chip cookies for a work function tomorrow (and a few for us too!)

Thursday:
- I have a ham that Im going to cook
- The Pioneer Woman's Mac & Cheese
- Steamed Broccoli

Friday:
- Since it's my only night off (and it's payday!) I think we'll go out for a family dinner. Maybe some sushi or Thai! YUM!

What's cooking in your house this week?! Please share!!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Decisions, Decisions

Ok, I think I finally figured out what the heck our Cajun meal is going to look like. I REALLY want to make a King Cake, but realistically (1) I don't bake very often/well (2) we're trying to eat light and (3) I don't have a ton of extra time. So here's the lowdown on Sunday's menu...

Appetizer
- Baked Cajun Shrimp Dip

Main Meal
- Chicken & Sausage Gumbo
- Green Beans w/Remoulade

Dessert
- Buttermilk Pralines and maybe some homemade vanilla ice cream!!

Do I need bread with the main meal? Cornbread? French bread? Rolls? I'm open for suggestions...

So is anybody else making a special Superbowl meal in the works!? I'd love to know what you're cooking!!

Here's another one for your files...

Mirliton!!?

Lord, I cook A LOT, and I feel like I know a lot of random ingredients, but in my continued hunt for Cajun recipes, I came across a few calling for Mirlitons...

So it's off to google I go. Love google!!


"Mirlitons (pronounced MEL-lee-tawns or MER-lee-tawns) are a type of squash found growing wild and in backyards throughout southern Louisiana. They're pale green, with a delicate flavor and a large, dense central seed. In other parts of the country, they're called chayote squash."


And there you have it. A big green fist, I mean SQUASH.
Now back to recipe hunting....

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Thinking about the Superbowl

For most, Superbowl food is wings, nachos, chips, dips, and other sinful things!! We love that kind of stuff (and will probably have some of it!), but this year I'm feeling adventurous. We are Steelers fans in this house and live in Jaguar country, so you can probably guess we don't give a rip about who's playing this year. Since the Colts always are beating up on the Jags, we made a group decision to cheer for the Saints! Plus, they have never been in the Superbowl before, so we've gotta cheer for the underdogs, right?!

So that being said, I'm going to do a New Orleans themed menu! I'm super excited to start planning it and I doing some thinking (dangerous, I know!) about what makes New Orleans cuisine?! The top things that come to mind immediately are gumbo, crawfish, andouille sausage, beignets, and boudin. YUM.

Boudin? What the heck is Boudin??

I know, I know, it sounds weird. I was looking for a gorgeous picture to show you, but really, it's sausage. How pretty can sausage be, after all!? Boudin is a cajun sausage that is typically pork, rice, onions, spices, etc. I've only ever had it at my friends house and not in casing, just on crackers. It's TASTY! But it doesn't seem super easy, quick, or cheap to make. If I was feeding a crowd, I'd go there, but since we will be staying home, I'll find another appetizer to make. But if you're feeling adventurous one of these days, try it!!

A few notes on Cajun ingredients
(File this away in the "random things I learned today" file! And yes, I know this nowhere near an inclusive list... but it will get you started and hopefully teach you a few new tidbits this week :) Do you feel smarter yet?)

Andouille Sausage -  (I say it like and-dew-eeeee but I think some say ahn-dooo-eee) Cajun Andouille sausage is generally made with pork, garlic, and other spices and is then smoked. It's the smoking that gives it the real flavor!

Creole Mustard Creole mustard is a coarsely ground mustard that still contains many of the mustard grains. What makes Creole mustard different is that the mustard seeds are marinated in vinegar beforehand. There is also horseradish added into the mix, which makes it a little zippier than regular American mustard!

Filé -  (said like feeee-lay) This is dried and ground up leaves of the sassafrass tree! Filé is most often used in gumbo for flavoring and thickening and is generally added after the gumbo has been removed from the heat.


Now, I'm back to my recipe hunting. I will post my choices soon! I can't wait to cook us up a Cajun feast!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

(23) Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole

As I mentioned last night, this was pretty easy to put together (about 20 minutes start to finish). Look for the tube of turkey sausage in the freezer section. I haven't eaten in quite a while and it was surprisingly tasty!! I had to cook the casserole about 10 minutes longer than written because it was still really wet in the center.

I have to admit, one serving was a tease! I wanted more! This was really good and I will make it again. You could serve 4 good size servings for weekend guests or put this on a brunch spread with other goodies. Did I mention this was good!? YUM!



Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, May 2007

8 ounces ciabatta bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Cooking spray
1 pound turkey breakfast sausage
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) carton egg substitute
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400°.

Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until toasted.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Combine sausage, bread, and onions in a large bowl. Combine milk, cheese, eggs, and egg substitute in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to bread mixture, tossing to coat bread. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover casserole. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Sprinkle with parsley; serve immediately.

CALORIES 344 (28% from fat); FAT 10.8g (sat 4.2g,mono 2.2g,poly 1g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 123mg; CALCIUM 227mg; CARBOHYDRATE 26.4g; SODIUM 983mg; PROTEIN 28.7g; FIBER 1g

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Dinner tonight....

I completely forgot that we had a fundraiser to go to tonight. Every year a lot of the restaurants in St. Augustine do a big fund raising effort. Local celebrities wait tables at popular restaurants and the tips go for the charities. I also suspect that the restaurants donate profits to the various charities, too, but I wouldn't swear to it. Anyway, we ate at a local seafood restaurant and we were waited on by the head of our division at work. Super fun outing and REALLY good fried shrimp and hush puppies! Big Brothers, Big Sisters were the real winners, though!!

So that derailed my menu for the week, but that's ok! I prepped the Breakfast Casserole tonight for tomorrow. It took me 20 minutes from start to drying dishes, which was great. In a side note, I had an awful hard time finding turkey breakfast sausage (in a tube/bulk), but guess what?? In the freezer section. AHA! I bought Louis Rich brand and it smelled good :) I think it's very true that you learn something new every day!!

Happy Tuesday! :)

More on this tomorrow....

Monday, February 1, 2010

(22) Caesar Salad with Light Homemade Dressing

This recipe is adapted from a Cooking Light one. The original calls for anchovy paste, which I could not find. The flavor on the dressing is great and I love that it's light! (The dressing comes out to about 30cals/Tbsp, which is awesome!!) It's slightly garlicky, slightly tangy - just right!! I am a bad recipe writer - I should have measured my cheese and lettuce. I can tell you about how much to use, but just use your own judgment, really!!

I promise, nobody is paying me to say this :) but my favorite croutons of all time went on this salad. We LOVE LOVE LOVE the Texas Toast croutons. This was my first taste of the Caesar ones and they did not disappoint!!





Caesar Salad with Light Homemade Dressing


Yield: 4 salads

1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (depending on how spicy you like it!)
1 garlic clove, minced
4-6c chopped romaine lettuce (depends on how big your bowls are!!)
1/2c grated Parmesan, divided
croutons

Combine the first 8 ingredients (yogurt through pepper) in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. Place lettuce, 1/4c Parmesan, and 1/2c of the dressing in a large bowl or dish with a lid and stir to coat the lettuce with the dressing. (I used a big Tupperware with a lid and shook it all up - worked great!!) Place mix into 4 individual bowls and top each salad with 1 Tbsp Parmesan and croutons to your liking. Voila! Easy Caesar salad!!

(21) Parmesan Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms

I need to get something off my chest before I review this recipe. Dear Cooking Light - what the hell kind of recipe serves FIVE?!? Weird. At the suggested serving sizes, I got 4 servings of polenta and 5 servings of sausage, which is fine because the baby will love the sausage serving. Ok, vent over.

This is a solid, quick, weeknight meal. I had it on the table in 30 minutes and there was little to no chopping, which is always a bonus!! I think this meal has potential, too. I think it would be great with some caramelized onions and a little fresh garlic in with the tomatoes. I also should have used fresh basil, but we're budget cooking this week, so dried had to do (it was fine!). I added a touch of red pepper flakes because I only had sweet Italian sausages in my freezer.

The polenta was delish (I used regular old cornmeal, not 'instant polenta') and a beautiful soft contrast to the sausage and mushrooms. My only suggestion to you is to slowly add the cornmeal to the water and whisk while you're doing it. Otherwise you'll end up like a few clumps. I speak from experience here, I promise!



Parmesan Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms

Source: Cooking Light Magazine, October 2000
Yield:
5 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup sauce and 3/4 cup polenta)

3 (3-ounce) links hot turkey Italian sausage
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups water
1 cup instant polenta (such as Contadina)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pierce sausages; cut each diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Add the wine and mushrooms; cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove sausage from pan. Cook the mushroom mixture over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in the basil and tomatoes; cook 1 minute or until heated. Return sausage to pan; keep warm.

While sauce is simmering, prepare polenta. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in polenta, garlic powder, sugar, and salt. Reduce heat to low; cook until thick (about 5 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in cheese. Serve with sausage mixture.

CALORIES 288 (30% from fat); FAT 9.5g (sat 3.3g,mono 3.6g,poly 2.4g); IRON 2.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 58mg; CALCIUM 95mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.1g; SODIUM 689mg; PROTEIN 18.2g; FIBER 1.6g

2010 Recipe Index

Last year I scrambled to summarize all of my recipes, so this year I've decided to keep the master list post going all year long! So if you're looking for something that I tried in 2010, here ya go! I will keep a link to this post on the right panel of the main page of the blog (underneath my picture) so you can access it whenever your heart desires :)


2010 Master Recipe List

Appetizers:
Mike's Amazing Queso Dip

Beef:
Better Than Mom's Meatloaf

Breads:
Bacon-Cheddar Corn Muffins
Chile-Cheese Cornbread
Pumpkin Bread with Raisins
Triple Cheese Garlic Bread

Breakfast:
Cranberry-Apple French Toast Casserole
Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole

Chicken:
Chicken Baked in White Wine Marinade
Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

Dessert:
Blondie Bars

Meatless Mains:
Moroccan Chickpea Stew
Rigatoni Mediterranean

Pork:
Pork Chops with Maple Mustard Glaze
Slow-Roasted Pork Tacos

Salads:
Caesar Salad with Light Homemade Dressing

Side Dishes:
Buttermilk Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Crisp Mashed Potato Cakes
Fiesta Rice
Roasted Potato Wedges with Rosemary Butter

Soups:
Beef, Barley, and Mushroom Soup with Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Chicken Green Chili with White Beans
Corn and Bell Pepper Chowder
Ultimate Beef Chili

Turkey:
Parmesan Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms
Turkey Reuben Sandwiches

Veggies:
Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms