Good Ol' Banana Bread

Well, my friends, it has been many months since my last post. Don't worry; I'm still cooking and baking.  I just haven't been able to blog as much as I would like on the many fine foods I have had the opportunity to make.  Life has been busy with many changes, moves, and renovations,  literally and figuratively.

With all these changes, I have found myself a married woman and cooking and baking for the man I love with all my heart. :)  And, of course, he doesn't complain when I make anything for him.  

So with this post, I have brought out an old standard I have been making for years, Grandma Sprung's recipe, for banana bread.  However, I have altered it to make it a little healthier, and, I think tastier. 

Banana Bread (original recipe)

2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups flour

2 eggs

½ tsp. baking powder

½ cup melted oleo (1 stick)

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp. milk

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

Preparation:  Mix ingredients well.  Grease bread pans. Bake at 1 hour at 350 in oven or until toothpick comes out clean.

Banana Bread  (new and improved)

2 ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs (you may substitute the equivalent of egg whites if you'd like)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 6 oz. container Greek yogurt (A&E vanilla or almond creme are great!)

½ cup applesauce (I've also used coconut oil as well. It makes the flavor different.)

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp. skim milk

1-2 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt (I usually err on the side of less.)

2 cups flour (1 cup white; 1 cup whole wheat)

Optional add-ins: chopped walnuts, chocolate chips (my personal favorite!)

Preparation:  Mix wet ingredients well with sugar and cinnamon.  Then add dry ingredients to mixture.  Grease bread pans. Bake at 1 hour at 350 in oven or until toothpick comes out clean.  Rotate your bread pans as you bake to get the loaf to cook evenly.

Enjoy!

La Novella Sette Mescolare

Now, you may think from the title that I have become an expert Italian cook, however, that is not the case.  So in an attempt to make a meal with my sous chef this evening, we wanted to create a dish from my previous experiments in cooking.  Below you will find the original recipe (meaning I took it from Cooking Light in 2012 and made it my own) for my Sausage Ragu over Creamy Polenta.

The altered version of the recipe :)

http://lacydsprungcooksfood.blogspot.com/2012/01/sausage-ragu-over-creamy-polenta.html

The only thing that we altered was adding sauteed mushrooms to the dish.  The other alteration is the seasoning.  Because turkey sausage is not available in all supermarkets in Iowa (at least to my knowledge), we made our own spicy concoction for Italian sausage.

It was sooooo good, we have named it.  Now when one names something in my world, there has to be a story and meaning behind the name.  So after a few hours and raving over our own cooking skills, we finally came up with the following name:

La Novella Sette Mescolare

Novella in Italian literally means "new".  While I like to use it in the literary sense, this is definitely an appropriate use of the word.

It's a spice party!

Sette in Italian means "seven".  Because there are seven different spices we used to create this masterpiece, we had to continue to use the Italian theme in our naming.

Mescolare in Italian means "mix" or "blend".  How appropriate for the final part of our name, right?

Here is the recipe for our new blend of seven spices (listed in alphabetical order):

1 tsp. black ground pepper
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. minced garlic (fresh or dried)
1 tsp. sea salt

Blend all spices together and combine with ground turkey or pork for deliciousness in any meal!

Please note that this name and seasoning blend is copyrighted and patented (officially by my sous chef). We are happy to share with our family and friends; all we ask is if you use this recipe, give credit where credit is due and to also call it by its proper and newly dubbed name. :)

Creamy Spring Pasta

So in an attempt to please my assistant in the kitchen and his Italian cravings, I attempted a new recipe, with his help, this past week.  It was taken from my Cooking Light April 2012 edition.  It was quite a lovely dish, easy and fun to make, and best served with a glass of wine. :)  Served with this dish was a side of steamed carrots, lightly salted and peppered, for a colorful compliment to the dish.  Let's not forget the rhubarb pie with ice cream to balance out the meal. :)

Total Preparation Time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 quarts water (used for boiling veggies and noodles, so the amount doesn't really matter)
• 2 ounces French loaf or baguette, torn into pieces
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 1 1/2 cups (2 inch) diagonally cut asparagus
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 6 oz. uncooked wheat spaghetti, fettuccine, or any other variety of pasta
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1/4 cup fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup 1% or fat free milk
• 4 oz. 1/2 less-fat cream cheese
• 1 ounce or 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 2 tbsp. tarragon, fresh or dried

Putting It All Together:

1.  Bring water to a boil in a Dutch oven.  

2.  While water is boiling, take torn bread and put in food processor until coarse crumbs form.  

3.  Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 garlic clove to pan and saute for 1 minute; then add breadcrumbs to saute for 3 minutes or until golden brown or toasted lightly.  Remove mixture from pan and wipe pan clean with paper towel.

4.  Add asparagus and peas to boiling water; cook for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender (the asparagus is perfect with a slight crunch in the pasta, so don't overcook it!)  Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, placing in a bowl with ice and rinsing with cold water to keep bright green color.

5.  Add pasta to the same boiling water you used for the veggies.  Cook for 10 minutes or until al dente (slightly chewy).  Drain and keep warm.

6.  Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and the remaining garlic cloves.  Cook for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.  Place flour in a small bowl; whisk in chicken broth.  Then add broth mixture and milk to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Reduce heat; cook 1 minute or until thickened.  While keeping on low heat, add cream cheese and grated cheese until melted along with the salt, pepper, and tarragon.  

7.  Add pasta, asparagus, and peas to alfredo and toss well.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs on pasta when serving.

Servings (4) (1 1/4 cups)

Calories: 408

Fat: 13.8 g

Protein:  17.6 g

Carbs: 54 g

Fiber: 4.6 g

Sodium: 625 mg

Homemade Pizza :)

So, my partner in crime and I recently created a beautiful Italian cuisine with a little dough and sauce and Graziano sausage.

The recipe I use for my pizza dough can be found on the following website; I love this dough recipe as it is a healthier version and is quite tasty as well.

Whole Wheat and Honey Pizza Dough
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/whole-wheat-and-honey-pizza-dough/detail.aspx

I will go ahead and post the actual recipe and preparation of the dough below for convenience:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 wheat germ
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. honey or agave syrup
1 tbsp. corn meal

Preparation of Dough:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.
2.  In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  Let stand until creamy for about 10 minutes.
3.  In a large bowl, combine flour, wheat germ, and salt.  Make a well in the middle and add honey and yeast mixture.  Stir well to combine.  Cover and set in a warm place to rise for a few minutes.
4.  Roll dough on a floured pizza pan or stone and poke a few holes in it with a fork.  Sprinkle corn meal on pan and lay rolled out dough onto cooking pan/stone.
5.  Bake in a preheated oven for 5-10 minutes or until desired crispiness.  Now I don't usually cook it until I have all the ingredients on my pizza.


Here are the ingredients we used to create our masterpiece.

Pizza Assembling and Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. Graziano sausage, cooked
• 1 cup diced colored peppers (variety of colors-I prefer this to give the pizza some character) :)
• 1/2-1 package sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 small onion, diced (preferably red onion, but white or yellow is fine as well)
• 1/2-1 can black olives (sliced)
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce/pizza sauce
• Oregano/Italian Seasoning
• 1 package shredded mozzarella cheese

1.  Spread cornmeal on stone/pizza pan.  Then roll out dough onto pizza pan/stone.
2.  Saute onion and peppers until slightly crisp.
3.  Then saute mushrooms separately (but don't overdo it.)
3.  Spread pizza sauce and spices onto sauce.
3.  Evenly spread cooked meat, veggies, and black olives.
4.  Top pizza with mozzarella cheese.
5.  Follow directions for baking pizza in the crust directions above.
6.  Slice and enjoy! :)

Shrimp and Crab Gumbo Soup

This has always been one of my favorite recipes to make and eat!  It's healthy and easy to make.  If you like seafood and Cajun spice, you'll definitely be adding this to your keeper recipes.  I've taken this from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, but I've have added some of my own touches as well.  In the picture you see below, I have doubled the batch for leftovers for the week at work. :)

1 green bell pepper, diced (can use variety of colors; I used the mini bell peppers to add color and variety)
1 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp. corn starch
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes
6 oz. hot tomato sauce (can go Cajun if you'd like-found near the tobasco sauce)
2 cups frozen okra
1 cup frozen corn (this was an add-in for color)
1 8 oz. package of crab (imitation works fine), chopped
8 oz. frozen and cooked shrimp, detailed and chopped
3/4 cup brown rice (it calls for instant, but either works well)
1 1/4 cup water

Sautee pepper and onion in pan with olive oil until tender.  Add corn starch and stir for a minute or two.  Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, okra, and corn and let simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add crab, shrimp, brown rice, and water.  Cook on stove until rice is cooked.  This recipe is approximately 250 calories and is low in fat as well.  A great soup to warm you up for this time of year.

Canadian Beef Stew & Honey Oat Bread

What a perfect time of year for a loaf of fresh bread and homemade soup!  You're getting a two for one deal today with a Canadian Beef Stew and Honey Oat Bread.  I obtained and altered the stew recipe from a healthy cookbook I have and the bread can be found on the following webpage: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/honey_oat_quick_bread.html.

Canadian Beef Stew 

1 pound lean beef or bison (cut into chunks)
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 Tbsp. freshly ground rosemary
1 Tbsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. sea salt
1-2 tsp. oregano
1-2 tsp. sweet dried basil

Directions for meat:  Place flour, spices and cut beef into a Tupperware container with lid.  Shake seasoned flour well with your meat and set to the side.

1 large sweet onion (chopped)
2 leeks (washed well and chopped)
4 Tbsp. olive oil
Ground pepper and sea salt to taste

Directions for onions:  In a large dutch oven, put onions, leeks, olive oil, and salt and pepper until onions and leeks are tender or for about 5 minutes.

3 carrots (peeled and cut into chunks)
3 parsnips (peeled and cut into chunks)
4-5 small red potatoes (cut into small chunks)
1 large package mushrooms (washed well and sliced)
2 cans plum tomatoes (chopped-save the juice to add to the stew)
2 cups beef or chicken broth
1 cup dark wine (I used a very inexpensive Cabernet Sauvingnon.)

Directions for rest of stew:  Add vegetables to dutch oven for about 10 minutes.  Add meat, broth, and wine.  Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Honey Oat Bread

2 Tbsp. plus 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. salt
8 ounces (scant 1 cup) nonfat or lowfat plain yogurt
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey or agave syrup
3/4 cup lowfat or fat free milk

Directions:  Place rack in middle of oven and preheat to 375F.  Generously coat a bread loaf pan with cooking spray.  Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. oats into the pan.  Tip the pan back and forth to coat the sides and bottom with oats.

Thoroughly stir together the flours, baking powder, soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Using a fork, beat the remaining cup of rolled oats, yogurt, egg, oil, and honey into a medium bowl until blended well.

Stir in milk.  Gently stir the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture just until it's incorporated but not over-mixed (otherwise, it will be tough dough and bread).

Spread the dough into bread pan and sprinkle remaining tablespoon of rolled oats on top of bread. Bake the loaf until well-browned on top and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean about 40-50 minutes.  (The top of the bread loaf may crack which is normal.)  Let the bread set for 15 minutes, and then take a table knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread.  

Enjoy together on a nice cold day! :)

Stuffed Peppers

I have a new favorite recipe from my mother.  She has given me the basic recipe, but, of course, I have adjusted it to make it my own.  It's a perfect and easy recipe not only for the autumn season but all year long. However, I especially like it when the cool weather has begun, and fresh produce is very inexpensive this time of year.  I was able to purchase three peppers for $1.00 at my local Fareway this week.

Stuffed Peppers

• 5-7 peppers
• 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped/diced
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (fire-roasted is what I like)
• 1 14 oz. can Manwich
• 2 cups brown rice, cooked (I use the new instant Minute Rice) (See picture for reference)
• 1 8 oz. bag mozzerella cheese
• 2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
• Seasonings to taste (fresh rosemary, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning)

Preparation:  Cook ground meat with seasonings and onion.  Add cooked rice and tomatoes and simmer. Cut the top of peppers and de-seed, leaving cavity for filling.  Place peppers in a baking dish (I used bread pans to keep them upright, but be sure to spray the pan!  Add a little cheese to the inside before adding meat mixture. Cool, then stuff mixture in peppers.  Add cheese as topping.  Cook peppers at 350 until peppers are soft.  I usually cook for about 30-45 minutes.  (You could skip the cheese if you want to cut on the calories or cholesterol.)

I had about two extra cups of meat mixture after filling seven medium to large green peppers.  I have decided to freeze that extra meat mixture and will make more stuffed peppers to freeze next week.  It makes quite a bit, and you'll have at least a full week of meals!  It's simple and easy, healthy, and filling! :)

Spanish Pork Burgers

I was "fearless" as one friend put it and put together a new recipe for my bible study group this week.  I should say that they are brave souls for coming and being my guinea pigs.

It was very delicious, and I would definitely make it again!  I may even try it with beef to try something a little different and cut down on the fat content and save a little money since the ground pork is a little more spendy than ground beef. The original recipe called for a few things I couldn't find or didn't want to attempt to search for, so I will paste the link for the original recipe; I like the recipe adaptations I have made.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/spanish_pork_burgers.html

Spanish Pork Burgers

1-2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 c. thinly sliced Vidalia or sweet onion
3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided
1/4 tsp. salt, divided (I usually just wing it with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and throw it in.) :) 

Minced Spanish olives and garlic

1 lb. lean ground pork
1 tbsp. finely chopped Spanish green olives, such as Manzanilla  (I probably added a lot more.)
2 tsp. minced garlic (Again, I added a lot more.)
2 tsp. Spanish paprika
1-2 tsp. Penzy Mitchell Street Steak Seasoning (Because the original recipe called for a special kind of paprika that had a smokey flavor, I used this spice to help give the burger this flavor.)

Lemon/Saffron Sauce

Saffron

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pinch of saffron (It's a very expensive spice and wouldn't be needed as I know I wouldn't spend that kind of money on it, however, if you know someone going to the Middle East, have them pick you up a small bit of it; it will keep for years if kept in a dry container. I was lucky enough to pick some up myself when I was in Israel.)



Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese, sliced or shredded (1/4 cup shredded)
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted
2 whole jarred Piquillo peppers or jarred pimientos, halved lengthwise

Preparation

Sauteed onions

1. Combine mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice and saffron in a small bowl. ( Cover and refrigerate the lemon-saffron mayonnaise for up to 5 days.)
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Set aside half the onion for topping; finely chop the other half.
3. Preheat grill to medium.
4. Place the chopped onion in a large bowl; add pork, olives, garlic, paprika, Penzy seasoning, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated.
5. Form into 4 equal patties, about 1/2 inch thick.

   

   Make the patties nice and thick

6. Oil the grill rack with cooking spray. Grill the burgers, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 10 to 12 minutes total. Top with cheese and cook until it is melted, about 1 minute more.



Pork burgers grilling away!

7. Assemble the burgers on toasted buns with the lemon-saffron mayonnaise, some of the reserved onions and a half a Piquillo (or pimiento) pepper.  I also added a slice of a fresh Heirloom tomato and chard from the garden.

The finished product...YUMMY! :)

Nutrition
Per serving: 364 calories; 16 g fat ( 5 g sat , 3 g mono ); 71 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 29 gprotein; 5 g fiber; 659 mg sodium; 209 mg potassium.Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (31% daily value).Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2Exchanges: 2 starch, 3 1/2 lean meat, 1 fat

Creamy Peppercorn Salad Dressing

Yes, it has been awhile, my friends, but that doesn't mean I've stopped experimenting in the kitchen.  This new post is a healthy version of a creamy dressing if you can't seem to let go of your ranch dressing on your rabbit food.  It's a perfect substitute for your summer salad!

Creamy Peppercorn Dressing

1 container A&E Greek yogurt (130 calories)
1/2 cup of 1% or 2% milk (70 calories)
2-3 tsp. Penzy's creamy peppercorn mix (30 calories)

Mix and shake yogurt and milk.  Add the creamy peppercorn mix to taste.

Now do the math from above.  The whole jar is 230 calories!  That's pretty amazing!  Now if you don't have the Penzy spice store available to you, someone suggested using a ranch powder dressing mix.

Creamy Pumpkin-Red Pepper Soup

It has been so warm these past couple of weeks in October and November here in Iowa that I haven't been able to make any soup at all.  I was almost ecstatic to see the temperature drop from almost 70 yesterday to a mere 40 degrees today.  God even added a drizzly, rainy morning to the docket as well.

This is from my Cooking Light magazine, November 2012.  I had a pumpkin squash I had been waiting to use from the garden for over a month now, so I was pretty excited to be able to use it.  The other ingredient I've never used before that I found utterly amazing is called "five-spice powder".  It is an Asian spice comprised of China cassia cinnamon, star anise, anise seed, ginger, and cloves. I bought mine from Penzy's Spices.

I've, of course, taken some liberties with some of the ingredients and measurements, but it turned out fantastic!

Without further delay, here is a fall favorite of mine:

Creamy Pumpkin-Red Pepper Soup

Hands-on Time:  30 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

The gorgeous veggies ready to go in the oven for roasting
with the awesome spices!

4 cups chopped & peeled pumpkin squash
2 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
2 cups chopped & peeled sweet potato
1 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp. five-spice powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 tsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp. salt
6 cups no-salt-added chicken stock
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Fresh rosemary (garnish)
Almond slivers (garnish)
Parmigiano Reggiano (garnish)

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Combine first 8 ingredients (from pumpkin squash to salt) in a large mixing bowl.  Toss well, and place vegetable mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan or large cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender, only stirring once.
3.  Combine vegetables, stock, and a dash of salt in a large cooking pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then let simmer for 5 minutes.  I added another dash of cumin and five-spice powder for good measure. :)
4.  Put butter in large bowl.
5.  Place part of vegetable mixture in a blender.  Remove the center piece of the blender lid (to allow steam to escape.)  Place a clean towel over opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters).  Process until smooth.  Pour into large bowl.  Repeat this procedure with the remaining vegetable/stock mixture.  Stir in butter.  Top with fresh rosemary, slivered almonds, and/or parmigiano reggiano, if desired.

The final product with fresh rosemary sprigs, slivered almonds,
green onions, and parmigiano reggiano.  

Note:  I had 1/4 cup of heavy cream in my fridge, so I added that to the vegetable stock mixture as well, and it made it creamier.  You wouldn't have to use that, but I was making use of my stocked fridge.  The original recipe's nutritional information is below.  It might be slightly more with the 1/4 cup of heavy cream I added.  It definitely made more than 6 servings, the original amount that the recipe makes.

Nutritional Information (1 cup per serving)
Calories: 120
Fat: 3.8 g
Protein: 6.2 g
Carbs:  16.2 g
Fiber: 2.9 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 279 mg

Homemade Beef Stroganoff

It has been a very long time since I last gave you a recipe.  When I was looking to cook something for my friend to warm our insides and take away the chill the autumn has been leaving us as of late, I had a hankering for beef stroganoff; I remember my mother making her version with ground beef and cream of mushroom soup.  It was a simple and easy recipe, but it lacked some pizzazz and creativity.  No offense to my mother as it was very good, but I wanted to try a homemade, made from scratch version of the recipe.  

When I found the recipe you see in the link below, I saw that it took over 2 hours and the oven was used.  I decided again the oven and let it cook on the stove instead.  My friend and I were quite amazed with the results considering I changed quite a bit with the recipe.  It's very low calorie and fat.  On the website, it brought it in around a little over 200 calories (without the noodles) and 9 grams of fat.  Check it out below for a complete list of nutritional information.  

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/mushroom_beef_stroganoff.html

Homemade Beef Stroganoff

1/2 pound beef top round, trimmed and cut into thin slices

3 Tbsp. olive oil

Forgot the sprig of parsley, but it was very tasty.  Can't wait for the leftovers! :)
This version did not have onions to cater to my friend's tastes. 

1 large onion, finely chopped 

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. paprika

Dash red cayenne pepper

14 oz. beef broth (made from 14 oz. water and low sodium beef broth powder)

2 Tbsp. dijon mustard

2 red bell peppers, diced

1/4 cup red wine (I used merlot.)

1 lb. mushrooms (2-8 oz. containers), sliced

1/4 tsp. salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 A&E Greek yogurt (regular 6-oz.)

Fresh parsley, chopped

1.  Slice the beef across the grain into thin strips.  Heat 1 tsp. of olive in Dutch oven over high heat.  Add beef and cook until browned on all sides for approximately 1-2 minutes.  Transfer to plate, and reduce heat to medium.

2.  Add 2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil to pot.  Add onion and red peppers until tender (about 5 minutes).  Add garlic, flour, and paprika.  Cook stirring one minute more.  Add broth, red wine, mustard, and beef.  Bring to a simmer and cover pot for about 15-20 minutes. 

3.  Add mushrooms and Greek yogurt, stirring.

4.  Season with salt and ground fresh pepper and garnish with fresh parsley.  May serve with mashed potatoes, biscuits, or egg noodles. 

Enjoy!

Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette

I love salad!  I know some might think that lettuce tastes like dirt, but I find it has a refreshing taste with the right kind of vegetables to give the salad a bit of color and flavor.

This recipe came from Cooking Light with a Fennel and Spinach Salad with Shrimp recipe in the December issue.  I usually double or triple the recipe, so I have a bit to last for a few weeks.  Since it's a vinaigrette, it's healthier than the creamy dressings you might choose.  The fat content may seem high, but it's the good fat from extra-virgin olive oil, and you're using the vinaigrette in moderation with fresh vegetables!

Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp. finely minced shallots
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper


Combine in small bowl, and stir with a whisk.  Serve with salad and enjoy! :)  I like to add tomatoes, carrots, 1/2 diced avocado, green or red pepper, black olives, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, and meat (chicken, crab meat, or turkey or turkey ham) over a bed of spring greens and spinach.

Nutrition Facts (1 1/2 Tbsp.)
104 Calories
2 Grams Carbohydrates
11 Grams Fat
1 Gram Protein

Sausage Ragu over Creamy Polenta

Wanting to feed a dinner party of four under $10?  This recipe is the perfect way to feed and fill you and your dinner guests, and it's super easy!  

This recipe, of course, was found in my January issue of Cooking Light.  I've made some subtle changes; there were no sweet Italian sausage turkey links, so I substituted a pound of ground turkey; the guy behind the meat counter at Hy-Vee gave me an Italian seasoning spice mix FOR FREE because he had run out of the turkey sausage links. :)

So without further ado, here is the recipe. 

Sausage Ragu over Creamy Polenta

1 lb. ground turkey 

4 Tbsp. Italian seasoning spice mix

1 cup finely chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (I got an Italian-flavored 

            jar of Prego sauce)

2 1/3 cups water, divided

1 cup skim milk

3/4 cup instant polenta

4 Tbsp. Romano Parmesan cheese, grated

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

4 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

1.  Mix ground turkey and Italian seasoning spice by hand in medium bowl until evenly mixed.

2.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sausage; sautee for 6 minutes or until browned.  (There 

           will not be much fat at all, so no need to remove the fat as it will help flavor the onion and garlic.)

3.  Add onion and garlic to cooked sausage for 1-2 minutes.  

4.  Stir in marinara sauce and 1/3 cup water; bring to a boil.

5.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

6.  Bring remaining 2 cups water and milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Reduce heat to 

            low.

7.  Gradually add polenta, and cook for 3 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

8.  Serve sausage mixture over polenta and sprinkle parsley for garnish as well as 1 Tbsp. of grated cheese  

         for each serving.

SUPER DELICIOUS and EASY TO MAKE! :)  ENJOY!

Serves 4;  serving size:  3/4 cup polenta, 1/2 cup sausage mixture, 1 Tbsp. parsley

Carlories:  357

Fat: 14 grams

Protein: 17.2 grams

Carbs: 50.8 grams

Fiber: 3.7 grams

White Bean & Hominy Chili

So, I was really indecisive about what to make for a soup this week.  I usually try to make a batch every week to warm my little cold bones on these frigid winter nights.  Once again, Cooking Light, provided a twist on chili I never would have thought of.  I did some altering since a.)  I couldn't find some of the ingredients in my local grocery store and b.) I thought it might be nice to add a couple of ingredients.  It was originally a vegetarian dish, but I decided I wanted to add pork sausage, but you could definitely make this dish without the meat! I was not disappointed! (although it changed the caloric intake, but it is a very filling and healthy meal otherwise!)

White Bean and Hominy Chili

• 2 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans or white beans, drained, rinsed, and divided
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil (didn't need for this batch since I had the pork sausage grease to saute veggies)
• 1 (4 oz.) meatless Mexican chipotle sausage, finely chopped (no idea where to find this) (substituted 1/2 pound pork sausage and fried that with 2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped white onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 poblano chiles, seeded and chopped
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 1/2 c. water (I doubled this since I like to have my soup a little more soupy, not casserole-like)
• 2 Tbsp.  oregano (fresh or dried)
• 2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (Tabasco works just fine)
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with chiles (this was added)
• 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced green onions
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 lime wedges

1.  Mash 2/3 cup of beans with fork. 

2.  Heat large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add sausage and saute for 4-5 minutes.  Add onion, garlic, and poblano chiles; saute 6 minutes.  

3.  Add chile powder and cumin; stir and blend constantly for 30 seconds.

4.  Add mashed beans, whole beans, water, oregano, Tabasco, and hominy.

5.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until slightly thickened.

6.  Garnish your serving of chili with a touch of cilantro and green onions with your lime wedge.

So, the next time you want to add a little spice (or rather, change it up), try your chili a different way, Mexican style. :)

Serving size is 1 1/2 cups.

Cooking Light's Nutritional Facts:

Muy bien, mis amigos! :)

Calories: 261
Fat: 6.1 grams
Protein: 14.4 grams
Carbs: 41.4 grams
Fiber: 9.7 grams
Sodium: 596 mg.

My Nutritional Facts for my Recipe's version: (these are approximate)
Calories: 600 (due to the pork sausage)
Fat: 25 grams
Protein: 33 grams
Carbs: 61 grams

Turkey-Lurkey Part II

Well, there isn't much to say other than cooking my first turkey really wasn't that difficult!  You, too, can be a master chef for your family's Thanksgiving!

So after letting the turkey set in the brine from Tuesday night to Sunday afternoon (approximately five days), I prepared it for its ultimate destination: the oven.

Steps to getting the turkey ready for cooking:

Step 1:  Take out the turkey and pat the bird dry with paper towels.  You will want to not only dry the bird on the outside but also the inside.

Step 2:  Take out the gizzards.  If you want to cook them, great!  If not, dispose of them as you wish.  Also, my birds' legs were clamped together with a plastic tie thingy.  I cut that off, so it would not melt into the bird.

Step 3:  After drying the turkey, I brushed the outside with olive oil.  It gives the bird a nice crispy look if that's what you're going for.  It didn't really matter for me since I was tearing it apart right away after it got out of the oven for later consumption this week.

And she's done! :)

Step 4:  Preheat oven for 350 F.  Put bird in baking pan (I bought a disposable one from the grocery store).  Set in oven for about 30-40 minutes at that temperature.  My turkey went in the oven around 2:45 p.m.

Step 5:  Turn down the temperature of the oven to 250 F.  Let the turkey slowly cook for about 4-6 hours.  I took my bird out at about 8:30 p.m., so it wasn't quite 6 hours in the oven.  Use a meat thermometer to check if the meat is cooked.  Stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey (the thigh).  It should read at least 165 degrees F.

Step 6:  Carve your turkey, and enjoy! :)  It should be really moist and have a hint of smokey flavor due to the liquid smoke you brined it in! :)  Yum, yum!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey-Lurkey Part I

I'm attempting a big feat, something I've never done before: cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving.  Now I'm not cooking for my family at all; I'm cooking for my Bible study group next week.  I am not going to take a day off to cook this lovely bird.  I will be brining it this coming week, and on Sunday, cook her up, nice and slow.

Here is the quick and simple recipe my mother gave me to use to brine the bird.  Thanks goes out to my friend, Chris, for letting me borrow her canning pot to hold the turkey.

This is all you need!  Seriously! And the 12 pound bird.

Thanksgiving Turkey Brine

1 turkey (12-14 pounds, frozen)
1/4 cup pickling salt
1 cup Tender Quick (meat tenderizing salt)
5 tsp. liquid smoke
1 gallon water

Let it "marinate" for several days before cooking

Combine water, salts, and liquid smoke in a large pan big enough for the turkey.  Place turkey in mixture for 7-10 days in refrigerator.  Cook as directed.

More will be coming to you when this turkey gets cooked next week.

A Farewell Dinner

I found out my good friend, whom I had sponsored for RCIA and entering the Catholic Church two years ago, was moving just recently.  So, in an effort to send her off well and also cook, I invited her and another mutual friend over for dinner last night.  I made a meatless Mexican dish that I obtained from October's edition of Cooking Light.  I also made a torte that involves the super-goodness of cream cheese and fruit.  Both are fairly simple to make if you make the time and have the patience.  Dinner overall was a success with great conversation and good food! :)

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce (Vegetarian)

2 large chipotle peppers in adobe sauce from the can (original recipe calls for dried ancho chiles, but I
         couldn't find in the store)
2 cups water

2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. kosher salt (I used sea salt)
2 cups chicken broth (recipe call for vegetable
      broth, but I couldn't find that in the store either)
2 Tbsp. corn starch
2 Tbsp. oregano
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. lime juice (I used the juice from a whole
    lime)
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups (8 oz.)  pre-shredded reduced fat 4-cheese
     Mexican blend, divided
6 green onions, chopped
10 mulit-grain tortillas (recipe calls for 12 corn tortillas)
6 Tbsp. light sour cream or regular Greek yogurt

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 400 F.

Step 2: Combine chiles and 2 cups of water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes then drain chiles in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

Step 3:  Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over high heat.  Add onion; saute 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and salt.  Cook 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Add broth (I made mine on the stove with 2 cups of water and the granule/powder broth), corn starch, oregano, tomato paste, and cumin.  Cook 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Step 4:  Pour onion mixture into a blender; add chiles and reserved liquid.  Don't let the steam build up in your blender, so leave it set a few minutes. Be sure that your lid is on very tight, or you will have a complete mess! Blend until smooth (just a few quick pulses to get the big chunks out).  Stir in the lime juice and red pepper.

Step 5: Combine the beans, 1 cup cheese, and half the green onions into a bowl.  

Step 6: Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of 9x13 glass or ceramic baking dish (I don't own one, so I used my regular 9x13 pan I use for baking); coat it with cooking spray.

Step 7:  Warm tortillas according to package directions (popped mine in the microwave for 30 seconds).

Step 8: Spoon 3 Tbsp.  bean mixture down center of each tortilla then roll up.  Place, seam-side down, in prepared dish.  Pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas.  Top with remaining cheese.

Step 9: Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Sprinkle with remaining green onions and serve with sour cream or Greek yogurt.

To add some variety, make some guacamole with tomatoes to eat with these enchiladas!  Muy bien!

Nutritional and Serving Information
Serves 5-6 depending on type of tortillas used; 2 enchiladas and 1 Tbsp. sour cream/Greek yogurt
Calories: 302
Fat: 12.9 g
Protein: 17.3 g
Carbs: 36.1 g
Fiber: 6.4 g
Sodium: 574 mg

Summer Fruit and Sweet Cream Cheese Galettes


1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. sugar (and a little extra for sprinkling)
3 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
1 whole egg separated
1 tsp. vanilla extract or 1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 refrigerated pie crust from a 14.1 oz. box
2 cups fruit (I've used fresh peaches when in season
    in the past; this time, I used the frozen berry mix
    that can be found in your local freezer section.)

Step 1:  Preheat oven for 400 F.

Step 2:  Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp. corn starch, and egg yolk in medium bowl.

Step 3:  In a separate medium bowl, mix fruit, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. corn starch, and vanilla or almond extract

Step 4: Unfurl pie dough on a lightly floured surface and roll to about 13 inches in diameter.  Slide onto a cookie sheet or pizza pan and spread cream cheese mixture evenly, leaving a 2-inch border.

Step 5: Scatter fruit mixture evenly over cream cheese mixture.  Fold pastry border over the fruit.  Brush dough perimeter with egg white and sprinkle with a bit of sugar.

Step 6:  Bake galette until golden brown and bubbly about 30 minutes.  Loosen with a metal spatula and slide onto a wire cooling rack to cool slighly.  Serve warm.

Nutritional and Serving Information
Serves 6
Calories: 372
Carbs: 40 g
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 23 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 306 mg

Maureen, Angela, and me one last time

Angela with a bun in the oven...I think Maureen was shocked! :)

For those Lovers of Carrot Cake :)

Archived from April 18, 2011

This isn't just for any lover of cake or carrots or a combination of the two; this is a true delicacy made with the thought of healthiness without losing the true taste of carrot cake.

I found this recipe in, again, my Cooking Light magazine that I had such success with last month; this month's looks just as promising! :) Now I've made some slight changes to make it healthier and find more commonly used ingredients (which you'll see below).

Yield is 20 servings: 1 piece is 284 calories with 9.7 g fat and 3.6 g protein. That is with the original recipe. Total prep time and cooking time is approximately 1 hour and 53 minutes (that doesn't include clean up time).

Cake:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used wheat flour with flaxseed and other grains to make it more whole grain)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups grated carrots (for convenience, you could buy the shredded carrots, but I like to buy the regular sized carrots, not the baby carrots, and use my grater to shred the orange vegetable)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

6 Tbsp. butter (softened) (here I used unsweetened applesauce)

3 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

Cooking spray

Frosting

6 oz cream cheese, softened (because you can't find packaging with 6 oz, I bought and used 8 oz.)

1 ounce fromage blanc (it's a soft cheese in case you were wondering (I used an ounce or two of vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt- AE Dairy now makes it really reasonable!)

2 Tbsp. butter, softened (I just took this out completely)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. salt

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 chopped pecans, toasted (I didn't find the need to toast them, but I bought the already chopped up pecans for convenience)

1. Preheat oven at 350.

2. To prepare cake, combine flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl with whisk. Add carrots, tossing to combine.

3. Place granulated sugar, brown sugar, and applesauce in a (different) large bowl. Beat with mixer at medium speed until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Then add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

4. Spread batter into 9x13 metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 28 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cook cake completely on wire rack.

5. To prepare frosting, place softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium bowl; beat with mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at medium speed until combined (don't overbeat it!). Spread frosting evenly over top of cake; sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans.

A side note: If you want to add a different flavor or texture, boil a cup of raisins in a cup of water; add boiled raisins to mixture of cake once combined. It will add a little pizazz to your carrot cake. :)

People, namely co-workers, raved about this wonderfully simple and semi-healthy (minus the cream cheese frosting with 3 cups of powdered sugar) dessert! They even asked when I would make another one again! :)

Happy Baking!