Chocolate Bundt Cake with Raspberry Sauce

PREP TIME	30 Min
COOK TIME	1 Hr
READY IN	1 Hr 30 Min

Pictures to come!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups white sugar
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Sauce:
1 box (10 oz) frozen raspberries, thawed, drained and juice reserved
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1-2 tablespoons raspberry-flavored liqueur

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the dissolved coffee and buttermilk. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, add enough water to reserved raspberry juice to measure 1 cup. In 1-quart saucepan, mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in juice and thawed raspberries. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Boil and stir 1 minute. Place small strainer over small bowl. Pour mixture through strainer to remove seeds; discard seeds. Stir liqueur into mixture; set aside.

Chicken Francese over Linguini

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Recipe Summary

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts

All-purpose flour, for dredging

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

1.5 tablespoons water

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 lemon, with rind, cut in thin rounds

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, beat the eggs with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet.

Dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden, turning once. Remove the chicken cutlets to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Toss the lemon slices into the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the wine, broth, and lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. Roll the butter in some flour and add it to the skillet, this will thicken the sauce. Stir to incorporate and dissolve the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken to the pan; place the lemon slices on top of the cutlets. Simmer gently for 2 minutes to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving. Serve on top of linguine.

Spiced Butternut Squash Stew with Couscous

From Food Network Kitchens

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Intermediate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
6 canned plum tomatoes, crushed (I left these out since I don't like tomatoes)
1 cinnamon stick (I used about 3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken broth, low-sodium canned
1-inch strip lemon zest
1/2 cup golden raisins
4 cups chopped spinach (about 5 ounces) (I used a 10 oz box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained - Justin thought it was too much spinach, but I love spinach so I thought it was yummy)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Couscous:
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, low-sodium canned
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup couscous

Directions:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and spices and cook until the cinnamon stick unfurls and the tomatoes are cooked down, about 3 minutes. Add the squash, chickpeas, broth, lemon zest, and raisins and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the squash is fork tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season, to taste.

Meanwhile, make the couscous. Bring the broth to a boil with the salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Stir in the couscous, pull the saucepan off the heat, cover, and set aside until the water has been absorbed and the couscous is plump, about 5 minutes.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and mound it in 4 soup bowls. Spoon some butternut squash stew over each portion, top with almonds, and serve.

Nutrition Information
Nutritional Analysis per serving
Calories 394
Fat 13 grams
Saturated Fat 1 gram
Carbohydrates 65 grams
Fiber 9 grams
Protein 14 grams

Butternut Squash - Justin cut it up!!

Mmmm...chickpeas!

Onions and celery simmering...

Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey meat
1 1/2 cups Italian Seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup tomato sauce
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1 box (16 ounces) whole-wheat spaghetti
Tomato sauce

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the turkey with all other ingredients in a large work bowl. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on baking sheet. Bake 35 Minutes, until browned.

Meanwhile prepare pasta. Once cooked, drain and return to pot. Add tomato sauce (as much or as little as you personally like.) Serve spaghetti and top with meatballs!

Moroccan Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes

Courtesy of Everyday Food.



Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds) (I used 2 chicken cutlets)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches long), peeled (I used ground ginger, prob about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 cinnamon stick (I used 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon - could have probably used even more)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound total), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup couscous

Directions:
Place flour in a wide, shallow bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in flour, shaking off excess. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken, and cook until browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.

Add onion, ginger, and cinnamon to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Return chicken to pot. Add broth and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sweet potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard ginger and cinnamon. Stir in lemon juice, and season stew with salt and pepper.

While stew is simmering, prepare couscous according to package instructions. Serve chicken stew with couscous.

Good Eats Meatloaf

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, Food Network.

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Photo to come!

Ingredients:
6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons (I used a cup of dry italian breadcrumbs)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
1 pound ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg

For the glaze:
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Directions:
Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture and ground sirloin with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.

Vegetarian Ragout over Cheese Polenta with Red Pepper Coulis

Copyright 2007, Robert Irvine, All rights reserved

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Intermediate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Photos to come!!

Ingredients:
Red Pepper Coulis:
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
3 ounces (6 tablespoons or 3/4 stick) butter
2 roasted red bell peppers, seeded and peeled
1 clove garlic

Polenta:
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper

Vegetable Ragout:
1/8 cup olive oil
1 onion, medium diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 zucchini, medium dice
1 yellow squash, medium dice
1 small eggplant, medium dice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup kalamata pitted black olives, cut in 1/2 (I left these out - hate olives)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 fresh plum tomatoes, diced (I left these out too - hate tomatoes!)
6 to 8 sprigs fresh basil

Directions:
For the Coulis: Whisk the cornstarch into the vegetable broth. Melt the butter over medium heat in a saute pan, and then add the chicken broth mixture, red peppers and garlic. Simmer 30 minutes. Pour hot mixture into blender and blend until smooth to make red pepper sauce. While the pepper sauce is simmering, begin the polenta.

For the Polenta: Combine vegetable stock and cream in a large heavy saucepan. Heat to a gentle boil over medium heat, being careful not to burn. While whisking constantly, gradually add the cornmeal. Once cornmeal is incorporated, keep heat low and continue to whisk until mixture is slightly thickened and creamy. Stir in Parmesan, and season with pepper. (Since Parmesan is salty, add salt only if needed). Set aside in a warm place.

For the Ragout: Heat oil in a saute pan. Saute onion, garlic, carrot, zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant, until they begin to soften. Stir in tomato paste, chopped fresh parsley, thyme, and let cook until flavors integrate, about 10 more minutes. Add olives and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. Remove from heat and stir in fresh tomato. Let sit to rest.

To plate: place cheese polenta onto serving plate, making a well in the center. Top with vegetable ragout in the center, and spoon red pepper coulis over top. Garnish with fresh basil.

Sloppy Joes

Courtesy of Ellie Krieger, Food Network.

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Pictures to come!

Ingredients:
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 can small red beans or pinto beans, preferably low sodium drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 whole-wheat burger buns

Directions:
Brown the meat and the onion in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Pour the drippings out of the pan and discard. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes more. Place a half-cup scoop of the mixture onto each bun and serve.

Nutrition Information
Nutritional Information per Serving	Calories 248
Carbohydrates 37 grams	Total Fat 4 grams
Saturated Fat 1.1 gram	Protein 18 grams
Fiber 7 grams	Sodium 535 milligrams

Peppercorn Crusted Steak

Recipe to come - I need to transcribe it from my cookbook!

Pureed Vegetable Soup

Courtesy of the Williams-Sonoma Collections: Soup Cookbook.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 leeks, including light green parts, finely chopped
4 zucchini, sliced
3 waxy or all-purpose potatoes ~ 1lb. total weight, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
6 cups (48 fl oz./1.5L) chick stock or prepare broth
1 cup (6 oz/185g) canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp. finely chopped lemon zest

Directions:
In a large saucepan over meduim heat, warm the oil. Add the leeks and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and potatoes and sauté until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stock, cover partially, and simmer unti the vegetables are tender, 25-30 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Remove the soup from the heat.

In a blender or food processor, purée the soup in batches until smooth and return soup to the pan. Alternatively, process with a handheld blenger in the pan until smooth. Return the soup to medium heat and reheat gently. Stir in 2 tbsp of the parsley. Taste and adjuste the seasoning.

My prepped Zucchini, Potatoes, and Leeks.


Cooking the Leeks


Added the potatoes and zucchini.


Added the stock, tomato paste and simmered!


Pureed Soup!

Chicken in Red Wine Sauce

Chicken in Red Wine Sauce

Picture from my second go at the Red Wine Chicken - served with rice!

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook garlic in oil until tender. Place chicken in the skillet, and cook about 10 minutes on each side, until no longer pink and juices run clear.
Drain oil from skillet. Sprinkle chicken with paprika and 1 cup brown sugar. Pour red wine around chicken. Cover, and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes; lightly baste chicken with wine sauce while cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large sweet potatoes
2 pinches dried oregano
2 pinches salt
2 pinches ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a glass or non-stick baking dish with olive oil, just enough to coat.
Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into medium size pieces. Place the cut sweet potatoes in the baking dish and turn them so that they are coated with the olive oil. Sprinkle moderately with oregano, and salt and pepper (to taste).
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until soft.

Green Beans with Almonds
(the easy way)

Ingredients:
1 package frozen green beans
About a teaspoon olive oil
About a teaspoon of garlic
A handful of almonds (from Sunkist Almond Accents - Italian Parmesan Flavored Sliced Almonds)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook the green beans by the stovetop directions on the box. I overcooked them a bit, got a little bit of a well-done taste which is yummy. After that, I turned off the stovetop and added a bit of olive oil, the garlic, salt and pepper, and the handful of almonds and tossed well to mix.

Pepper-Crusted Tuna with Oven Fries and Spinach

Courtesy of Real Simple Magazine


Tuna in the skillet - well done on the left, rare on the right


Roasted Potatoes out of the oven


Sauteed Spinach with Shallots


All plated up! Mmmm

Ingredients:
3/4 pounds russet potatoes, cut into wedges
2.5 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
2 6-ounce tuna steaks, 3/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 shallot, cut into rings
1/2 10-ounce package fresh spinach

Directions:
Heat oven to 400° F. Combine the potatoes, 3 tablespoons of the oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast, stirring once, until golden brown, about 40 minutes. When the potatoes have 15 minutes left to cook, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the tuna with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the crushed pepper, and thyme. Cook, turning once, to desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Put the tuna on individual plates. Wipe out the skillet and heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook 2 minutes. Add the spinach, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Serve with the tuna, potatoes, and lemon wedges. Yield: Makes 4 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 536(44% from fat); FAT 26g (sat 0g); SUGAR 3g; PROTEIN 47g; CHOLESTEROL 77mg; SODIUM 751mg; FIBER 7g; CARBOHYDRATE 31g

Tofu Veggie Stirfry

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 zucchini, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 red pepper, cut into strips
A few Broccoli and Cauliflower florets
Tofu, cut into small cubes
1 cup cooked brown rice

DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet or wok, combine the water, soy sauce and oil. Add the zucchini, onion, pepper, and florets; stir-fry for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add tofu cubes, stir-fry until heated through. Serve over brown rice.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
6 cups chicken broth
2 (12-ounce) jars roasted red bell peppers preserved in water, drained
1 russet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 (3/4-inch thick) baguette slices, cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, bell peppers, potato, wine, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool the soup slightly.

Using an immersion hand blender, puree the soup in the pot until it is smooth. Alternately, working in batches, puree the soup in a regular blender, taking care while blending warm liquids. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and saute until they are crisp and golden, about 8 minutes.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Dollop a tablespoon of mascarpone in the center of each bowl and top with croutons. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.

Baked Ravioli Canapes

No picture...oops!

Ingredients:
30 fresh or frozen cheese ravioli
1/4 cup nonfat or low-fat Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt-free Italian herb seasoning mix
1 cup bottled low-sodium marinara sauce for dipping, warmed.

Directions:
1. Cook the ravioli as the package label directs, omitting the salt and oil. Drain in a colander and rinse under gently running cold water until cold. Drain and place 1 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the bread crumbs and seasoning mix together in a small bowl.

3. Lightly brush the top of each ravioli with dressing, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, turn, and repeat on the other side.

4. Bake the ravioli for 4 minutes, turn, and bake until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Serve with the sauce for dipping.