Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Pumpkin Risotto

Recipe courtesy of AllRecipes.


Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1 cup Pure Pumpkin
1 teaspoon thyme or sage
1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine broth and wine; set aside.

Heat oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in rice; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Stir in pumpkin and thyme.

Stir in 1 cup broth mixture. Reduce heat to medium; continue adding broth mixture, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more broth. Rice should be tender but firm to the bite and mixture should be creamy. This should take 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in cheese and butter until melted. Season with pepper.

Monday, December 14, 2009

London Broil with Red Onions and Mashed Cauliflower

London Broil recipe thanks to Cooking Light, Cauliflower Mash from Recipezaar.



Ingredients:
Steak:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tsp minced garlic
1 pound London Broil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Cooking spray

Onions:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small red onions, sliced
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions:
To prepare steak, place first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add steak. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat broiler.

Remove steak from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle steak with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 10 minutes on each side (medium-rare) or until desired degree of doneness. Place steak on a cutting board; cover loosely with foil. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut steak against grain into thin slices.

To prepare onions, heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, ginger, and minced garlic cloves; cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.


Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients:
2 cups cauliflower, finely chopped fresh or frozen works great
2 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon butter
Salt & Pepper
Rosemary

Directions:
Steam cauliflower until soft. Put cauliflower in food processor with butter and sour cream. Blend until creamy like mashed potatoes. Add seasonings to taste and serve immediately.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Apple Crumb Coffee Cake

A delicious dessert recipe, courtesy of Food Network.


Ingredients:
Cake:
1 stick plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

Creamy Mac n Cheese

I was looking for a healthier version of Mac n Cheese and found this one from Cooking Light. I couldn't find all the required cheeses, so I sort of made it up from what I found/had on hand.



Ingredients:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 2/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 cup (2 ounces) light shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese or mexican cheese mix
6 cups cooked shell macaroni (about 3 cups uncooked)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.

Place flour in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Add cheeses; cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in macaroni and salt.

Spoon mixture into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over pasta mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Healthy Shepherd's Pie

Adapted from recipes from EatingWell and Food Network.


Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef (90 percent lean or higher)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
2 green pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup tomato sauce or paste
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas, corn kernels, and lima beans
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
2 12-ounce packages frozen winter squash puree, thawed
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet cook the meat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate. Drain any fat remaining in the skillet.

Heat the oil in the skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook, covered, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Raise the heat to moderately-high. Return the meat to the pan. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and bring to a simmer being sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the peas, corn, and lima beans. Pour the mixture into a 12-cup shallow baking dish (about 11 by 9 inches).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place squash in a bowl and stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Top the meat mixture with the squash. Bake until heated through and bubbling around the edges, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 3-5 minutes.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Turkey Chili

Recipe courtesy of Food Network!



Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon paprika
3/4 tablespoon cumin
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
3/4 tablespoon salt
3/4 tablespoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 small white onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 green onions, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can whole stewed tomatoes
2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 cup fresh corn (I used frozen)
1 cup finely chopped zucchini
1 cup chicken stock

Directions:
Preferably using a cast-iron skillet, brown the turkey in the oil for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add all the ingredients except the vegetables and chicken stock, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetables and stock, and cook for approximately 5 to 10 minutes.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Honey Soy Broiled Salmon

Another winner from EatingWell!



Ingredients:
1 scallion, minced
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 pound center-cut salmon fillet
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce.

Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Transfer the salmon to the pan, skin-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

Side Dishes:
Brown rice
Roasted zucchini and sweet potato

Cut zucchini and sweet potato into 3-inch sticks. Toss with oil, salt and pepper (or spray with Pam) and spread on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Another delicious recipe from Eating Well!



Ingredients:

2 cups instant brown rice
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely grated or minced ginger (I used ground ginger)
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cups bite-size pieces of vegetables, such as snow peas, broccoli and bell peppers
(I used a bag of frozen mixed veggies - broccoli, cauliflower, edamame, asparagus, green beans and carrots, and I added some chopped up red pepper)

Directions:
Prepare rice according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and apricot preserves in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside and just starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add vegetables, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Whisk the reserved sauce and add to the pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.