Taking a Leek...

I love this soup; it's more of a chowder, really, and it is a bit healthier than a typical potato-leek soup because of all the cauliflower!  It has been chilly here, so it's a great supper to warm your bones!

Potato-Leek Chowder

Ingredients:

2-3 large leeks
3 cups of cubed potatoes
3 cups of cauliflower florets
5 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of milk
1 14.5-oz can creamed corn
Salt & pepper to taste
Bacon, crumbled

1.  Clean the leeks well and remove all dirt; cut off the dark green tops so that only the white section is left.  Slice the whites thinly, using enough for 3 cups of leeks.
2.  Saute the leeks in a bit of oil for about 10 minutes, until softened.  Do not brown; set aside.
3.  Fill a pot or deep skillet with broth, potatoes and cauliflower; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer about 25 minutes or until potatoes are softened.
4.  Using a blender or food processor, puree the potato-broth mixture until smooth.  Return to pot.
5.  Stir in the leeks, creamed corn, salt/pepper, and milk.  (I didn't use any salt and about 1 tbsp of seasoned pepper.)  Warm until heated through.
6.  Serve warm, and garnish with crumbled bacon.  (I used a lot of bacon!)

Brulee a la Mango

Compliments of my Martha Stewart Living magazine...  This dessert is fantastically simple and delicious, and actually pretty healthy for a dessert!

Mango Brulee

Ingredients:
2 mangos
8 tbsp turbinado (raw) sugar
1 lime, cut into wedges

1.  Halve the mango on either side of the pit.  (To do this, I slice in the middle until I hit the pit.  Then I cut 1/8" to the right of that and repeat until I can slice all the way through; that leaves the pit, but you get a flat surface on that one half.  That is important because it won't crust if it's not flat.)
2.  Preheat the broiler to high (mine goes to 450F); line a baking sheet with foil.
3.  Arrange the mango halves on the foil; sprinkle 2 tbsp sugar on each half.  Be sure to make a good layer that covers the mango thoroughly.
4.  Broil on high until the sugar is browned and hardened; it takes me approximately 10 minutes.  (I watch for it to stop bubbling, and then it usually starts to harden.)
5.  Serve warm with lime wedges.

Stuffed Dates

This has been a recent discovery of mine in several restaurants, so I had to try it at home!  I plan on trying several variations (regarding cheese types and possibly the bacon types), but it is a very fast, easy snack, and I really like it!

Ingredients:
--10 dates (I like the fresh, non-pitted ones, and get as many as you can eat!)
--Goat cheese (again, can use any type of goat cheese you want, or other types of cheese!)
--Prosciutto or regular peppered bacon
--1 tbsp coconut oil
--1 tbsp seasoned pepper

1.  Slice the dates along one side, lengthwise, and remove pit.  Stuff with sliver of goat cheese.
2.  Wrap the date in a slice of prosciutto.
3.  Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
4.  Add dates, sprinkle with pepper, and cook until prosciutto is crisp and cheese is gooey (approx 5 min).
5.  Drain on paper towels and serve!

Fried Hominy

I made this today as a little football game snack before the burgers were done.  So, I just have to say, "Beat the hell outta Arkansas!!!"  WHOOP! 

Anyway, this snack reminds me of CornNuts; you know, that crunchy corn-like gas station snack food.  :)  The flavor I made is sort of a Mexican variety, but you could definitely adjust the seasoning.  Another idea I want to try: add a packet of ranch dip mix after cooking and toss.  (My husband loves ranch!)  Another note:  I use the canned hominy to save time, but you can also start from scratch and soak the dried hominy (like you would with beans).

Ingredients:
--2 cans of golden hominy
--Some oil for frying (I prefer peanut oil for larger batches, coconut for small ones)
--1 tsp garlic salt
--1 tsp ground pepper
--1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
--1 tsp dried oregano
--1 tsp cumin
--1/2 tsp chili powder

1.  Mix last 6 ingredients in a condiment bowl.
2.  Heat oil in a deep pan or deep fryer; add enough to cover the hominy.
3.  Deep-fry the hominy for 5 minutes, or until it is a crispy golden brown.
4.  Transfer to a dish with paper towels, and drain the oil off.
5.  Toss while still hot in a bowl with the seasoning mixture and enjoy!

Sushi

An easy appetizer to make at home; the hardest part is finding somewhere that sells sashimi-grade seafood! This is based on a dish from my favorite sushi place here in Denver. I could eat a ton of this!

Ingredients:
Sashimi-grade tuna
Fresh, thinly-sliced jalapenos
Coarsely-chopped cilantro
Bottle of ponzu sauce

Slice the tuna into thin strips and arrange on a plate or tray. Pour the ponzu sauce over the tuna; garnish with jalapeno and cilantro. Serve!

Parmesan Crisps

This is a good, easy snack that I use in place of chips.  I love to eat these with a good pesto - my fave is sun-dried tomato with the rosemary crisps!

Ingredients:

--Parmesan cheese (I also blended some asiago in here)

--Various herbs for seasoning (I used cayenne, coarse-ground black pepper, and rosemary)

1.  Preheat the oven to 300F.

2.  Shred the parmesan cheese (and asiago, if you're using it).

3.  Take a tablespoon-sized amount and spread thinly on a baking pan covered in parchment paper.  (The thicker the mound, the chewier the finished product will be - I like mine to be a little holey when it's finished.)

4.  Sprinkle the top with the seasoning.

5.  Bake for 5-6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and gooey.  Cool parchment paper on wire racks until completely cooled and crispy.

She's gone country

Hey y'all,

This is my most favorite BBQ side dish -- easy and delicious. I made it for a BBQ I am going to today. I Laurelize it up a little bit by using sweet & spicy Southwestern-style mustard or spicy dijon to add kick but it's good no matter what kind of dijon you use. To cut back on cals you can skip the "add bacon grease" to dressing option and use light mayo. But don't skip the bacon altogether, that's just not very Texan :-)

Texas Country Potato Salad (a la Paula Deen)

Ingredients

6 strips bacon

1 pound small red potatoes, unpeeled

2 green onions, sliced

1 boiled egg, chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

Directions

Cook bacon until crispy. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of the grease, and crumble. Set aside.

Slice potatoes into bite size pieces and place in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Add some salt and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let the potatoes cool

In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, few tablespoons of bacon grease, salt, and pepper for dressing.

Toss potatoes, onion, and egg in dressing. Add bacon. Serve chilled. 

Horizontal Tastebud Tango

I am already regretting my innuendo stupendo of a post title buuuuut here it is! Another great conquest, so great that it has taken me over a month to post the recipe online!! ;-) Seriously though, these empanadas turned out wonderful -- although I do recognize that it’s not something you would make on a daily basis. Do keep them in mind for those special occasions where you might want a flakey, savory appetizer treat with a South- American flare. :-)  I paired them with an avocado salad for a main meal. My boyfriend Shane happened to be in town when I made these so he did me a solid by snapping some really profesh pics with his SLR camera… my advanced apologies for the gratuitous amount of pictures! Makes me want to make them all over again yummmmmm

Argentinean Pork & Thyme Empanadas with Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

Chimichurri Sauce

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

3 garlic cloves

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Empanada Filling

¾ of a whole Butternut squash, small cubes (~1 inch)

Small yellow onion, diced finely

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 lb ground pork (I love Whole Foods’ spicy pork sausage filling behind the meat counter)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus small sprigs for topping

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, plus more for working

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and ground pepper

Empanada Dough

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 tablespoons each minced fresh sage and thyme

¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 ¼  cups ice water

1 large egg (for egg wash)

 Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Chimichurri Sauce

Place all ingredients in food processor/ Magic Bullet and blend until smooth

Filling

Spread cubes of squash on cookie sheet and lightly brush with a few splashes of olive oil. Roast in the oven for ~25 minutes or until caramelized. Remove and let cool.

While squash is roasting: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 5 to 7 minutes. Raise heat to high and add pork, thyme, and sage; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until pork is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, until blended, about 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons water; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in squash and pine nuts. Season filling with salt and pepper and let cool.

Dough

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Add minced
fresh sage and thyme; mix well until combined. Keep mixing while adding pieces of butter. Add 1 cup ice water; mix until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (add up to 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed).
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead just until dough comes together, 4 to 5 times.

Empanada Construction

Preheat oven to 400, with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a floured surface, divide dough in half and roll each piece to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 6-inch cookie cutter or plate as a guide, cut out 8 circles. Place 1/4 cup filling on half of each circle, leaving a ½-inch border. Brush edge of dough with water; fold top half over filling. Press edges to seal, then crimp firmly with a fork.

Transfer empanadas to two baking sheets lined with parchment. In a bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush empanadas with egg wash and top with thyme sprigs. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

One for Senore... and one for Bellissima...

A rustic Italian classic. Gnocchi is my most favorite pasta and I always wanted to make my own from scratch so I did and followed this self-tailored recipe. I wanted to try something different besides your textbook marinara or pesto sauces so I chose a twist on a gorgonzola cream sauce. There is something magical about the pear + gorgonzola combination so hopefully y’all try it out and agree! For those calorie-counters out there (I am one of them), guilt not! I chose low-fat/ fat-free ingredients where I could :-) My plan is to eventually link a few more sauces to this gnocchi recipe so you can mix and match according to what you're in the mood for that day. Anyways enjoy! Bellissima!

Gnocchi with Bosc Pears and Gorgonzola

Ingredients

Gnocchi:

2lb Yukon gold potatoes (finer consistency than Russet)

2 ½ cups flour (keep more on hand)

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) light butter
2 Bosc pears, cored & sliced into 1/3-inch-thick strips
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces light Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup grated light Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fat free half & half cream
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Gnocchi (can make ahead of time and store in fridge for up to 12 hours)

1.            Lightly flour a baking sheet. Put potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook until potatoes are very tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 25 minutes.

2.            Drain potatoes. When they are just cool enough to handle, peel, and then pass through a potato ricer into a medium bowl (if you don’t have a ricer, just mash with a fork until there are minimal lumps). Sprinkle with flour, and add eggs. Season with black pepper and 1 tablespoon salt. Stir mixture with a fork to combine.

3.            Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead until it is soft and smooth, about 3 minutes. If dough is too sticky, keep adding flour until it is more manageable. Divide dough into handfuls. Roll each piece into a long rope about 3/4 inch thick. Cut ropes crosswise into 1-inch gnocchi.

4.            Roll a cut side of each dumpling against the tines of a fork with your thumb so each piece has ridges on one side and an indentation on the other. Place on the floured baking sheet until ready to cook.

Sauce

5.            Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears and sauté until tender and beginning to brown but not soft, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer pears to bowl.

6.            Reduce heat to medium-low and allow pan to cool slightly. Add rosemary to same skillet and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, Gorgonzola cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and half & half. Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes. Return pears and any accumulated juices to sauce.

When ready to cook pasta….

7.            Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add half the gnocchi; when they rise to the top (after about 2 minutes), continue to cook until tender, about 15 seconds more. Transfer gnocchi with a slotted spoon to the sauce. Repeat process with remaining gnocchi.

8.            Add pecans to sauce. Toss mixture over medium-low heat until sauce coats pasta, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls and sprinkle servings with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.

Just for kicks I attached a video of one of my fav SNL sketches to get you inspired for some good Italian cooking….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeDHFxT-qnY

Scones will put some meat on your bones

Just tried my first scones recipe - they were so easy, and you can make any kind you can imagine!  They were soft and moist - delicious!

Blueberry scones

2 cups flour (I used half whole wheat and half all-purpose)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter (cold)
1/2 cup fresh, frozen or dried blueberried (I used frozen and they worked great)
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 large egg

1.  Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat over to 400 degrees.
2.  Dump 1st 5 ingredients (through salt) in a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.  Cut up butter and put in food processor and pulse until crumbled into the flour mixture.  Dump in a medium bowl and stir in fruit.
3.  In a small bowl whisk yogurt and egg until smooth.  Using a fork, stir into the flour mixture until large dough clumps form.  Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball.  (The dough will be very sticky.)
4.  Place on a lightly floured surfact and pat into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick.  Sprinkle with 1 tsp of sugar.  Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about 1 inch apart (they will get significantly bigger so make sure you space them out).  Bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

Variations:
Lemon-blueberry scones:  Add 1 generous tsp lemon zest to the flour mixture.
Chocolate chip:  Substitute 1/2 cup chocolate chips for the blueberries.
Cranberry-orange:  Add 1 generous tsp orange zest to the dry ingredients and substitute cranberries for blueberries.

Here is the original recipe:  http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/simple-scones/Detail.aspx

If lovin' you is wrong, I don't wanna be right

I'm pretty sure Barbara Mandrell was singing about this cake when she belted out that line.  WARNING - these are not healthy by any stretch!

I frosted them all together like a cake for my friend's birthday,

and we just pulled them apart

(my decorating skills need some work, I know)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake (or cupcake cake, in this case)

Just cheat and use a chocolate cake mix (I used a Betty Croker Super Moist cake mix)

Peanut butter filling:
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 c. powdered sugar

Beat PB and butter until smooth.  Mix in sugar until smooth.

Chocolate frosting:
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. shortening
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

Beat all ingredients in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until smooth and spreadable.

To assemble:

Pipe about a tablespoon (?) of the peanut butter filling into the cupcake with an icing bag/large tip.  (Thanks, Mom, for this idea!)  Then frost with the chocolate frosting, and that's it!  (These are FANTASTIC when the cupcake is still warm, and it melts the PB filling.... YUM!!)

Salsa Recipes

I'm not feeling clever today, so no catchy titles.  :)  However, I did make two batches of salsa recently - one regular tomato salsa, one tomatillo.  The tomatillo is similar to the sauce in the recipe here; the red salsa is one I like to use in my chilaquiles recipe...which will follow at a later date.  However, since it's salsa, you obviously can use it on anything!  These are both great basic recipes that you can tweak as you like, but I absolutely love the deep color and flavor the Ancho chiles add to the salsa. I also make homemade chips from store-bought corn tortillas, which are much more delicious and healthy.

Roasted Tomato & Ancho Salsa

Ingredients:

--8 roma tomatoes

--1 large yellow onion

--2-3 large jalapenos (depending on how spicy you want it)

--3 large cloves of roasted garlic (instructions below)

--3 large dried Ancho chiles

--1 cup cilantro

--2 tbsp lime juice

--1 tbsp Mexican chicken bouillon

--1 tbsp oregano

--1 tbsp cumin

--Salt to taste

Directions:

1.  To roast garlic: Peel the papery skin off a whole head of garlic; drizzle the top with olive oil and wrap in foil.  Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 min to an hour, until the head is soft.  (I do this ahead of time.)

2.  Cut the stems from the Ancho chiles and shake free the seeds; place the chiles in a bowl of HOT water and allow them to soften.  Check them periodically to be sure the WHOLE chile is softening; sometimes you may need to turn them or freshen the hot water.

3.    While the Anchos are softening, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

4.  Spray a cookie sheet or baking pan with non-stick spray.  Stem, seed and halve the jalapenos.  Cut the onion into 1" slices.  Place the onion, jalapenos and roma tomatoes on the baking pan; roast in the oven until the tomato skins split and the vegetables start to char.  Remove from oven.

5.  Peel off the tomato skins and discard.  Remove the remaining seeds from the Ancho chiles.  Combine the ingredients and blend in a food processor.  Add salt to taste (everyone's taste varies!) and serve with homemade chips.

I prefer to serve this salsa warm; it kinda reminds me of Pappasito's salsa.  Sooooo good! 

Homemade chips:

1.  Take a baking sheet and coat with non-stick spray. 

2.  Cut corn tortillas into small pieces (I make two cuts each way, like a tic-tac-toe board).

3.  Place pieces on baking sheet and spray tops with non-stick spray.

4.  Bake in oven at 400 degrees until golden brown - remove immediately to prevent burning.

5.  While hot, lightly salt the chips with sea salt.  Allow to cool.

Tomatillo Salsa

Ingredients:

--2 Anaheim peppers

--1.5 lbs tomatillos

--1/2 cup cilantro (I used a bit more 'cuz I love cilantro)

--1.5 tsp cumin

--1 tsp oregano

--2 tbsp Mexican chicken bouillon

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to broil on high (400-450 degrees).

2.  Peel the skins from the tomatillos and wash thoroughly.  Halve/stem/seed the Anaheim peppers.

3.  Line a pan with tin foil, coat with cooking spray, and broil the Anaheim peppers until they are charred, about 5 minutes.  Bundle up the tin foil after roasting to contain the chiles; let them sit for 15 minutes.

4.  Arrange tomatillos on the same pan and broil until they are charred, about 15 minutes, turning once.

5.  Combine tomatillos, Anaheims, and remaining ingredients in a food processor and serve.

Chicken Souvlicious... OPA!!

I have always been a a huge fan of Greek food... I mean what's not to love about hummus, the amazing spicy meat, the tabbouleh... delish! have been honing my gyro-creating skills over a few iterations now and I think I finally have a great, simple recipe that you can throw together on those nights where you want to eat healthy but don't have the energy to make it into a "big thing". Most of these things I'm sure you'll find stocked in your fridge already. And the rest... well suck it up and drive 5 min to the grocery store!!!! ... heh, sorry - that was my attempt at being a pushy Greek aunt who also wants you to eat more... or is it a pushy Italian aunt? ANYWAYS, enjoy and OPA!!


Chicken Souvlaki
(makes 4-5 gyro style sandwiches)

INGREDIENTS
Chicken Marinade
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
juice of one lemon wedge
1 teaspoon oregano
4-5 healthy grinds of fresh black pepper

Tzaziki Sauce
8 oz non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, seeded and chopped
juice of one lemon wedge
splash of red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
3 cloves garlic

Souvlaki
1 lb chicken breast
2 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 cups hearts of romaine, chopped into chunks
small red onion, thinly sliced
Italian flat-leaf parsley sprigs (optional)
4 oz crumbled feta
4-5 flatbread pita rounds (not the weird crumbly kind with pockets, get the good stuff that is more like flatbread -- Whole Foods is my go-to for this)
Extra-virgin olive oil for pitas

DIRECTIONS

• Slice chicken thinly and place in medium bowl. Coat chicken with all marinade ingredients and marinate for 30 min to an hour (or more if you'd like) but that's all the time I personally have patience for.
• In the meantime make your tzaziki sauce. I like to use my magic bullet but you can also make the sauce in a food processor. Place all ingredients in the processor and blend until smooth. Place in fridge. 
• Pre-heat oven to 350. Lightly brush olive oil on each side of pita bread rounds and cover stack of rounds in foil. Bake in oven for 10 min. 
• Once the chicken is ready to go place in a skillet and pan fry on medium heat until cooked through, draining any excessive juices.
• Now, to build your gyro, lay a piece of flatbread on each plate. Arrange pieces of chicken, romaine, tomato and red onion on top. Sprinkle a little feta and drizzle with tzaziki. Garnish with fresh ground pepper and parsley sprigs. Eat as is with knife and fork or fold in half to eat like a taco!

Valentine's Dinner

I have a LOT of "favorite" recipes, as you may notice.  This is one of them.  I started making this when I got my Cooking Light cookbook, and I am still soooooo in love with it.  It's reasonably healthy, but a bit more of a splurge than, say, baked fish.  :)  I included my serving suggestions below as well.  Enjoy!

Pork Saltimbocca with Polenta and Green Beans



For the pic, I sliced the pork chop so you could see the stuffing.



Ingredients:

--1 pkg thin-cut pork chops (about 8 pieces)

--1 pkg fontina or fontinella cheese, grated (8 oz or so)

--1 pkg sliced prosciutto (to match the 8 chops)

--4 oz sage leaves

--Flour (I use whole wheat) to dredge chops

--4 tbsp olive oil

--Salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Trim fat from chops.

2.  Lay chops flat.  Layer a slice of prosciutto across the pork chop.  Top one-half with crumbled or chopped sage leaves, then a tbsp of cheese.  Fold the chop over and secure with toothpicks.

3.  Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.  Dredge stuffed pork chops in flour.

4.  Heat oven to 350 deg F.  Grease pan.

5.  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet; when hot, brown 4 stuffed pork chops on all sides.  Repeat with remaining 4 pork chops.  When browned, place on pan and into preheated oven for 20 minutes to finish cooking.

For the side dishes, this is what I do while the pork chops are baking:

Green beans:

--Trim the beans and thinly slice the shallots.

--In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil.  Add shallots, green beans, and salt/pepper to taste; saute until tender.

Polenta:

--Add 3 cups water and 2 cubes chicken bouillon to pot.  Heat to boiling.

--Add 1 cup uncooked polenta; stir constantly until thick.  Be careful not to burn on bottom of pot. (Note - there is pre-cooked polenta in a little tube you can buy; if you do this, just follow those directions.  This is for raw polenta in a bag.)

To serve, ladle a spoonful of polenta on plate; add 1 or 2 pork chops on top.  Finish with a serving of the sauteed green beans. 

Cake Wrecks.... by Caroline

Sometimes, things just go terribly, terribly wrong.  Like tonight.  When I tried to make Mom's "green cake," only in pink.  You know, for Valentine's Day.  However, I got home late from work and threw it together while on a conference call with Singapore.  I greased the pan, but did not flour.  And this is what happened.

Hmmmm... I know it's been a few years, but this is not what I remember it looking like...

 Oh, ok - here's the rest of it.

Then I tried flipping it over.  Right... much better.

Nothing says "I love you" like a giant, jagged, pink doughnut!  Happy Valentine's Day!

If you like Green Enchiladas...

...and getting caught in the rain...  If you're not into yoga; if you have half a brain...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVdhZwK7cS8&feature=related

Okay, sorry...bad pun.  :)  Well, I DO like green enchiladas - or, enchiladas verdes - you know, chicken with the tomatillo sauce on top.  This stew is a dead ringer for that flavor, and it is so easy.  This would make enough to feed 4-6 people, or 2 with leftovers!  I changed the name a bit to reflect what I really think it tastes like, but it's heavily based on a recipe from Cooking Light, Jan/Feb 2011.

Enchiladas Verdes Posole

Ingredients

--2 Anaheim peppers

--1.5 lbs tomatillos

--1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

--1.5 tsp ground cumin

--1 tsp dried oregano

--2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided

--2 tbsp olive oil, divided

--1.5 cups finely chopped onion

--1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery

--1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrot

--12 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper

--3 tbsp whole wheat flour

--4 tsp minced garlic (about 6-8 cloves)

--1.5 lb skinless, boneless chicken*, cut into 1.5" pieces

--3/4 tsp sea salt

--1/2 tsp black pepper

--30-oz can of hominy (or 2 15-oz cans), drained and rinsed

--Optional:  sour cream, cilantro, lime, avocado, cheese for garnish

*To save time, I like to buy the pre-cooked rotisserie chickens from the grocery store and de-bone them, then add the chicken to the stew.  Saves time, and I think it has a better flavor.

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to broil on high. 

2.  Halve/stem/seed the Anaheim peppers.  Line a pan with tin foil, coat with cooking spray, and broil the chiles until they are charred, about 5 minutes.  Bundle up the tin foil after roasting to contain the chiles; let them sit for 15 minutes.

3.  While peppers are sitting, skin and wash the tomatillos.  Arrange tomatillos on the same pan and broil until blackened, about 14 minutes, turning once.

4.  Combine the Anaheim peppers, tomatillos, cumin, cilantro, oregano, and 1 cup broth in a blender or food processor; blend until smooth.  Pour the tomatillo mixture in a bowl and set aside.

5.  Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 2 tsp olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.  Add onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper; saute for 2 minutes.  Stir in flour; saute 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add garlic; saute for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Place onion mixture in another bowl.

6.  (At this point, you can cook your own chicken if you'd like in the pan.  Add olive oil, and brown cubes/pieces of chicken in the pan.  I prefer the de-boned rotisserie...)  Add chicken pieces to onion mixture.

7.  Add remaining 1 cup broth, tomatillo mixture, onion mixture (with chicken), and hominy in the skillet over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce, and simmer fof 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

8.  To serve, ladle posole into deep soup bowls.  Garnish with slices of lime and avocado, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprig of cilantro.

The recipe in the magazine says it's only 322 calories, without the avocado.  Delicious! 



Wait lentil you try this!

I can't compete with you ladies in the photography department, so please bear with me on that front!  This is my go-to, easy-to-remember-all-the-ingredients-and-improvise-if-you-don't-have-something, delicious Italian soup.  Compliments of Giada De Laurentiis (with a few minor modifications):

Lentil Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 14 1/2-oz can diced tomatoes (I used a big Mason jar of stewed tomatoes - about 3 cups - because that's what I had!)
1 pound lentils
11 cups low-salt chicken broth (I used less because I added more tomatoes)
4-6 fresh thyme sprigs (I didn't have this so I just sprinkled dried Italian spices on the veggies)
2/3 cup dried elbow pasta
1 cup shredded Parmesan
(and I added a package of turkey pepperoni, chopped, some crushed red pepper and chopped parsley)

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery.  Add the garlic, salt, and pepper (and I sprinkled in some dried Italian seasoning) and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5-8 minutes.  Add the tomatoes with their juices.  Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.  Add the lentils and mix to coat.  Add the broth and stir.  Add the thyme sprigs.  (Throw in the turkey pepperoni, if you're using it.)  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the pasta.  Simmer until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, and crushed red pepper, to taste.  Sprinkle on some chopped fresh parsley if you like.

Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and enjoy!

I make this all the time - it makes a huge pot, and it freezes well too.  I put about 1 1/2 cup portions in Ziploc freezer bags and freeze them flat (they thaw more quickly that way).  Hope you like it!

Ravioli Ramekins

This has quickly evolved into one of my FAVORITE recipes.  The method below is the absolute best way to make it, so please try it this way first.  However, it also is a very forgiving and versatile recipe; you can substitute various types of pasta and cheese, and also add your own touches (bacon, peppers, etc.) to make it your own!  This is based on a recipe from my Le Creuset cookbook; as usual, I have tweaked it to cut some of the fat and calories and fit my taste.  The actual recipe calls for homemade pesto, too, but their recipe is VERY garlicky; I'm no alliumphobe, but that was even too much for me and my husband! (Yes, I Googled the word for "fear of garlic".) 

(This picture is a variation on the recipe below, using penne pasta)

Ravioli Gratins

Ingredients (some volumes are estimated):
--3 oz reduced-fat goat cheese crumbles
--3 oz reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
--3 oz reduced-fat Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan cheese, shredded
--3/4 cup skim milk
--2 oz pine nuts
--10 oz cheese ravioli (I use Buitoni whole-wheat 3-cheese ravioli)
--4 oz prepared pesto with basil (I use Buitoni pesto with basil)

1.  Boil a pot of lightly-salted water and pre-cook the ravioli for 1 minute.
2.  Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.
3.  Coat 4 ramekins with non-stick cooking spray.
4.  Layer the ingredients (divided evenly) in each ramekin as follows:
--Bottom layer:  Ravioli, mozzarella, pine nuts, pesto, splash of milk
--Middle layer:  Ravioli, goat cheese, pine nuts, pesto, splash of milk
--Top layer:  Ravioli, and top with Parmigiano Reggiano
5.  Bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until the tops are a golden brown.

I usually serve this with a baked chicken or pork chop and some asparagus.  One thing I want to try and haven't is to make this as a casserole with the chicken IN the dish, like thin slices baked into the casserole.  It is one of our faves now, so enjoy!

I'm the Devil, and I'm here to say...

...you have to try my Spicy Eggs!  I like things spicy (and healthy!), so I've added a few things to an old classic; I also made some substitutions to keep it healthy.  If you don't like horseradish, you can omit that and have a classic deviled egg.  These remind me of when I was a kid, helping my mom peel the hard-boiled eggs; they're one of my favorite snacks!



Spicy Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

--6 eggs

--4 tsp fat-free Greek yogurt

--3 tsp yellow mustard

--1/4 cup minced onion

--1 tsp sweet relish

--1/2 tsp horseradish

--Splash of Tabasco

--Salt/pepper to taste

--Cayenne pepper (to dust the eggs)

1.  Boil enough water in a pot to cover the eggs; hard-boil for 10-12 minutes.

2.  Place eggs in ice water to chill; peel and discard the shells.

3.  Halve the eggs with a sharp knife; remove the yolks with a spoon and place in a small mixing bowl.

4.  Add the remaining ingredients - except the cayenne pepper - to the bowl and mix thoroughly.  Be sure to smash the yolks and blend to a smooth texture.

5.  Sprinkle the tops with cayenne pepper and serve.  (For a milder flavor, use paprika instead of cayenne.)

Makes 12 eggs.

*Note:  I can never get enough of "The Best of Will Ferrell", so please be tolerant of my endless quotes from that movie.  If you haven't seen it...you don't know what you're missing!!!

This won't give you a muffin top!

We are having a winter storm here in Houston - yes, Houston!  The roads are icy, businesses are closed, and we were expecting snow (which still hasn't come).  So I decided this was a great day for baking.  These are good for breakfast, or a winter storm snack - and this recipe is from Cooking Light, so it won't give you a muffin top!

Ingredients
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I substituted half for whole wheat flour)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 375.  Combine flour and next 8 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Make a well in the center of the mixture.

Combine pumpkin and next 6 ingredients (through egg white); add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.  Spoon the batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

Combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and brown sugar; sprinkle over muffins.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center.  Remove from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Now you brie it, now you don't!

Basing the recipe on a few I found online and from when a friend had made it for a party, I made baked brie for a wine and cheese night here at school and it was a HUGE hit -- the entire thing was gone in like 5 minutes, I kid you not! ... ahhh grad students, will never let you down when it comes to making food disappear :-) But ser-brie-ously, its A-mazing and perfect for superbowl parties.

Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

Ingredients

1 large wheel of brie cheese of your choice

Handful of dried cranberries

Handful of sliced almonds

1 puff pastry sheet

Serve with

Fruit preserves

Crackers

Directions

Thaw out puff pastry sheet if frozen. Pre-heat oven to 350. Chill brie in fridge 30 minutes prior to slicing. Slice brie wheel in half horizontally to make two flatter wheels of brie and place on counter rind side down. Sprinkle almonds and cranberries over one half and place the other half back on top. Place wheel in the middle of unwrapped and flattened pastry sheet -- wrap pastry sheet around brie and bundle in the middle. For decoration, make pinpoint holes around the bundle with a fork. Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Dollop fruit preserves on top and serve with crackers.

Red Curry Quinoa

This is by far one of my favorite recipes of all time. It's delicious, healthy, simple and it's great as an on-the-go power lunch since the quinoa has twice the protein of any other grain. The mango and cilantro really balance out the spice well.

Red Curry Quinoa

Ingredients

(For pre-cook of quinoa)

1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed

2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup water

2 tbsp Thai red curry paste

(For stir fry)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp ginger, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 carrot, sliced thinly

20 snowpeas, halved on the bias

¼ - ½ tsp crushed red pepper

few dashes of sea salt

(To mix in fresh)

1 ripe mango, diced

2 stalks green onion, diced (white and green parts)

handful of cilantro, chopped (I use liberally)

½ cup cashews, chopped

Directions

1.     Add water, stock and curry paste to medium saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure curry paste has dissolved. Add quinoa to pan, stir briefly and cover the pan. Bring down to a simmer and cook quinoa for 15 minutes or until all water has evaporated.  You should see the little mini rings that sprout from the grain. Remove quinoa from pan and place in large bowl/plate to air dry and cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

2.     Add oil, garlic, ginger, shallot, red pepper and salt to large pan/pot and turn to medium high heat. Sautee together for 5-7 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients from the stir-fry list to hot pan and quick fry for a few minutes, until carrots are just cooked but still a little crispy.

3.     Add quinoa and fresh-mix ingredients to pan with carrot mixture. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Cover and remove pan from heat. After a few minutes the quinoa will be ready to serve.

Beef & Butternut Heaven

I made this for dinner tonight, and it took 1 hour - INCLUDING a trip to the grocery store.  It is amazingly fast and delicious if you like Moroccan food.  I highly recommend it!  And as you'll notice as we continue this blog...you can't go wrong with cilantro.  This recipe doesn't require any fancy kitchen equipment, but you can also use an actual tagine or dutch oven to cook this.  I left out the couscous to cut back on the carbs, but it was still so great.  The recipe is from the January/February 2011 edition of Cooking Light magazine.

Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 lb of beef roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots, quartered
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 lb)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Directions:
1.  Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl; toss beef to coat.
2.  Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat.  Add beef & shallots; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
3.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
4.  Stir in broth & tomatoes; bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.
5.  Add squash; cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until squash is tender.

Serve in shallow bowls; top with cilantro and green onion.

Optional serving suggestion:  Mix 3/4 cup of low-sodium chicken broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil in a saucepan.  Add 1 cup uncooked couscous; remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.  Fluff couscous with a fork and serve with beef tagine.



I'm just a Cheese Ball

An easy DenKag family classic - The Cheese Ball

Since I like to watch what I eat, this recipe is a twist on the old classic from my mother.  It's as fat-free as I could make it!

Ingredients:

8 oz fat-free cream cheese

4 oz reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles

1 cup fat-free cheddar, shredded (about 4 oz)

1/4 cup minced onion

1 tbsp worcestershire

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Soften ingredients and beat with a mixer until well-blended and smooth.  Pour onto plastic wrap and form into a ball.  Chill this in the fridge until it firms just a bit. Roll the ball in the chopped pecans until it's fully covered; re-wrap and re-form into ball.  Serve straight from the fridge with crackers.

*Note:  If the entire cheese ball is not eaten at once, re-form in the plastic wrap and cover any bare spots with more pecans.

Penne with Butternut Squash and Sage

I was really craving butternut squash and sage the other night and wanted to incorporate those flavors into one well-balanced entree for the sake of quick convenience so of course Martha never lets me down. I saw this recipe on her website and modified it slightly, adding mushrooms because I thought it really deserved mushrooms and a few tablespoons of low fat butter to coat the pasta a bit better. The result: epic tastebud euphoria!! ...or something like that. Anyways, I thought it was really good and perfect for winter. So here ya go!

Penne with Roasted Butternut Squash, Pancetta, and Sage

Ingredients

1 medium (about 2 1/4 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbs butter/ margarine

Coarse salt

3/4 pound penne pasta

3 ounces pancetta, sliced 1/4 inch thick and finely chopped

2 shallots, thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup sliced white mushrooms

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

10 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped or torn

1/2 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; season with salt. Transfer to oven and roast until squash is browned and tender, about 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Set pasta and reserved cooking liquid aside.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add pancetta and cook until just crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add shallots, crushed red pepper, mushrooms, sage and butter. Cook until shallots are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add penne and squash and toss gently, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid as necessary to moisten.

Add cheese and black pepper and cook, tossing gently, until pasta and squash are heated through. Serve immediately with more grated cheese, if desired.

From The Martha Stewart Show, November 2008