Gumbo Ya Ya

Brown Sugar Fudge (Penuche)

2012-01-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

I learned to make this candy MANY years ago. I don’t remember where the recipe came from, but my Mom and I made it every year for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. I’ve made it almost every year for Christmas since my Mom has passed. It’s one of those recipes that can instantly transport me back – all those years – into the kitchen with my Mom. Laughing and carrying on while we cooked together and enjoyed each other’s company. Love you Mom! Miss you!

Ingredients:

1 lb. brown sugar

1 lb. white sugar (approx 2 ¼ cups)

1 cup evaporated milk

1 stick margarine

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cup chopped nuts (I usually use walnuts, but I’ve also used pecans and hazelnuts)

Directions:

Mix sugars, evaporated milk, margarine and salt in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Cook stirring until sugar dissolves. Insert candy thermometer in the pan – continue cooking, without stirring, until thermometer reaches 238 degrees.

Remove pot from heat; allow to cool until temperature reaches 180 degrees. Add vanilla and nuts; beat until thick and creamy.

Pour into 7 x 11 glass pan that has been rubbed with butter or margarine.

Allow to cool completely before cutting with a very sharp knife. Makes approximately 3 pounds.

Click here for printable recipe.

Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya

2011-12-10T21:10:00.000-08:00

This turned out better than I expected. It is flavorful with a hint of spice and that delicious New Orleans flair that I love so much!

Ingredients:

1 ½ white onions, chopped

1 ½ green bell pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic

Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s

14 – 16 oz. Andouille sausage, cut into rounds – or half rounds

14 ½ oz can diced tomatoes, break up tomatoes with a spoon

¾ cup chicken broth

1 ½ cups white rice

2 ½ cups chicken broth

1 ½ teaspoon Tony Chachere’s

1 lb chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces (can substitute chicken breast)

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil in large, non-stick skillet. Add onions and garlic; sauté for a couple of minutes. Add green & red peppers; continue to sauté for a few minutes.

Add tomatoes, Tony’s and ¾ cup chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add rice, 2 ½ cups chicken broth, 1 ½ teaspoon Tony’s, and chicken tenders. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until broth is absorbed, and rice and chicken are cooked. Check the rice occasionally and add more broth if needed.

Click here for printable recipe.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Toffee Sauce

2011-12-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

I wanted to try something a little different for Thanksgiving this year. I still made my traditional Pumpkin Pie (recipe here), but I thought Pumpkin Bread Pudding might be a nice change. After reading about 10 different recipes – this is what I came up with. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Bread Pudding Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon cloves

¼ teaspoon (heaping) allspice

1 ½ cup milk

3 Tablespoons melted butter

5 cups bread, torn or cut into 1” cubes (I actually used left over rolls, but a challah or a dense egg bread would be perfect for this)

½ cup pecan pieces

For Topping:

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Mix pumpkin, eggs, sugars, vanilla and spices together in a large bowl. Add milk slowly, whisking to fully incorporate. Add melted butter; mix well.

Add bread pieces and gently mix to be sure bread is completely soaked in mixture. Stir in pecan pieces.

Transfer to a 8 x 8 baking dish, ungreased. Mix cinnamon and sugar together; sprinkle over top.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until set, in 350 degree oven.

Remove from oven, allow to cool. Can be served warm, or reheated in the microwave.

Serve with Toffee Sauce drizzled over pudding. Can be served as is, with fresh whipped cream, or with vanilla ice cream.

Directions for Toffee Sauce:

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the butter, sugar, and cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for about 3 minutes then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. You can make this sauce in advance and simply reheat.

Click here for printable recipe.

Fisherman's Stew

2011-11-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

This is perfect for a chilly autumn or winter afternoon. Pair it with a salad and you have a delicious healthy meal. You can use any combination of fish and seafood that you prefer… The only thing you absolutely need is the shrimp so that you can make the broth.

Ingredients:

1 lb of shrimp, reserve the shells to make broth

1 lb calamari rings & tentacles – or 1 lb of Seafood Blend from Trader Joes

1 lb white fish, I used tilapia

26 – 28oz jar of tomato basil marinara sauce (I used Trader Joes this time but I’ve also used Classico brand)

One half of a white onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

2 red potatoes cut into bite-sized cubes

¼ cup dry white wine (Optional)

3 cups water

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Optional – you could also add chopped celery & carrots if desired.

Directions:

Clean the shrimp, reserving the shells. Pour 3 cups of water into a saucepan; add the shrimp shells and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place over medium heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

While the shrimp shells are simmering, drizzle olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Sauté the onions, garlic and potatoes until the onions are translucent and the potatoes are tender. (If you decide to add celery & carrots cook them with the rest of the vegetables at this time.) Deglaze pan with white wine, if using. NOTE: Be careful not to let the vegetables/potatoes burn. Add a touch of water if needed to keep the vegies from browning.

Strain the broth into a clean pot. Add the marinara sauce, pepper flakes and vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and add all of the fish. Simmer until the fish is cooked. Salt & Pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread and a salad – Viola! You have a delicious meal in about 30 – 40 minutes.

Click here for printable recipe.

Chicken Panang Curry

2011-11-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

I love the show “Semi-Homemade” with Sandra Lee. She proves that you can use prepared ingredients to save you time, while still serving creative and delicious meals. In the spirit of Sandra Lee, I came up with this recipe. I love Thai food and Panang Curry is one of my favorites. This didn’t take much time at all – I think I had dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes! The combination of chicken with fresh green beans and basil was delicious. Serve over steamed jasmine rice…. You’re going to thank me!

Ingredients:

1 jar Thai Kitchen Panang Curry

1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce

½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional, depending on your spicy tolerance)

½ teaspoon curry powder

10 boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced into thin strips (You could substitute chicken breast if you prefer. You will cook the chicken for less time in that case.)

1 package of BirdsEye SteamFresh Whole Green Beans

1 white onion, sliced lengthwise into crescent shapes as they do in stir-fry

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Olive Oil

Handful of fresh basil, chopped

1 tablespoon corn starch

2 tablespoons cold water

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Add the garlic chili sauce, chili flakes and curry powder to the jar of Panang Curry. Replace lid, shake well, set aside.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat; drizzle olive oil into it. Add onions and garlic; sauté for about 5 minutes.

While the onions and garlic are cooking, microwave the green beans according to package instructions – however cook one minute less than the instructions call for.

Add the chicken to the skillet and continue cooking with the onions and garlic for about 7 minutes.

Add the contents of the Panang Curry jar to the skillet, bring to a simmer. Combine the cornstarch with cold water. Add to the skillet. This will thicken the sauce.

Add the cooked green beans to the skillet. Stir to mix well. Add the basil at the very end. Toss all together. Serve over jasmine steamed rice, or long grain.

Click here for printable recipe.

Cajun Meatloaf - My 200th Post!

2011-10-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my 200th post! Yay! I thought it appropriate it should be something Cajun, due to my love for all things New Orleans.

After reading several meatloaf recipes, I was in the mood to experiment. This meatloaf can be as spicy, or non spicy, as you would like it. When I make this again, I will “kick it up a notch” by adding some cayenne and/or red pepper flakes. My son loved the results. I wasn’t sure he would – he had never had meatloaf before! This turned out really yummy!

Ingredients:

½ white onion, chopped

½ bell pepper, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ teaspoon Tony Chachere’s seasoning

14 ½ oz. can diced tomatoes

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

2 teaspoon salt-free Spike seasoning

1 teaspoon Johnny’s Seasoning Salt

2 cups Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs

2 egg whites

¾ cup ketchup

½ teaspoon seasoning salt

1 Tablespoon Worchester sauce

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil in nonstick skillet. Add onions, garlic, bell pepper & celery. Sprinkle Tony’s seasoning over all. Saute until vegetables are cooked, about 10 minutes.

Take ½ of the tomatoes and whirl in the blender or food processor. Add all of the tomatoes to the vegetable mix. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Mix the beef and pork together thoroughly. Add the Spike and Johnny’s seasoning salt. Add the vegetable mixture and combine thoroughly.

Add the bread crumbs and egg whites. Mix well. Form into two loaves on a broiler pan.

Mix the ketchup, seasoning salt, Worchester and cayenne together. Spread over both loaves.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Note: We enjoyed this the evening I made it, and we’ve completely LOVED the leftovers for lunch and one more dinner. The meatloaf heats up beautifully in the microwave. I think I see a meatloaf sandwich in my future this afternoon!

Click here for printable recipe.

Thai Braised Chicken

2011-10-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

I found this FABULOUS recipe in the Cooking Light cookbook – but of course I’ve altered the ingredients and directions a little bit. (This was originally a Crockpot recipe. And it called for cooking the carrots along with the broth. I choose not to do that, because I find it makes the broth too sweet.) When I made it the second time I cooked it as a soup, as opposed to a full meal. I really love this easy recipe that is so incredibly fragrant and FULL of amazing flavor. Give this one a try. I don’t think you’ll be sorry!

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Thai curry paste (I used red curry paste)

1 white onion, cut vertically (like you would see in stir-fry)

1/3 cup julienne-cut peeled fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves, halved

3 (4-inch) stalk fresh lemongrass, cut in half lengthwise

8 chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), skinned

1 (1-pound) bag baby carrots

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

2 cups hot cooked jasmine rice

1/2 cup sliced green onions

4 lime wedges

Directions:

Place the first 11 ingredients into a soup pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and place a lid on the pot – but don’t cover completely. Simmer for about 2 – 2 ½ hours.

Place the carrots with approximately 1 cup of water in a separate pot. Cover; bring to a soft boil and cook until tender – about 45 minutes. (I find that by cooking the carrots in the soup itself – they tend to leave a sweet taste in the broth, which I don’t really like. So, I prefer to cook them separate.) Drain the carrots and set aside.

After the soup has been cooking for about 2 hours, add the carrots and cook until they are heated through. This takes just a few minutes. Remove the lemon grass stalks and add the cilantro.

Place a half-cup of rice in a bowl; serve with two chicken thighs and the broth and vegetables. Garnish with green onions and a squeeze of fresh lime. Delicious!

Note: The second time I made this, I chose to make it more of a soup – as opposed to a meal. I used only four chicken thighs, and removed them from the soup after 2 hours. I removed the chicken from the bone and added it back into the broth. I followed all of the other directions with the exception of not using any rice, and I added some celery to the soup when I started cooking it. This made a deliciously fragrant chicken soup that we enjoyed for lunch.

Click here for printable recipe.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

2011-10-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

Oh... this ain't your Momma's old fashion tamale pie. (Although I do remember it fondly!) I made this on a Sunday afternoon, for dinners on a week that I knew was going to be busy. The individual pieces warmed up beautifully in the microwave – and dinner was ready in a flash! It's creamy, cheesy and so full flavored you would guess there were twice as many calories in it!

I slightly adjusted this recipe from the 2009 Cooking Light cookbook. The original recipe called for 2 cups of shredded chicken breast and ¼ cup egg substitute. I used 1 lb. of chicken tenders and 2 eggs instead. If you want to follow the original recipe – there is only 354 per serving. I don’t think these alterations increased the calories that much… maybe about 390 calories.

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken tenders

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

1 cup pre-shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided

1/3 cup fat-free milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 – 14 ¾ oz can creamed corn

1 – 8.5 oz package corn muffin mix, I used Jiffy

1 – 4oz can chopped green chilies, drained

1 can of red enchilada sauce, not the biggest can – the normal size – about 12 – 14 oz

Cooking spray

Fat Free Sour Cream for garnish

Directions:

Preheat a non-stick skillet; drizzle olive oil in it. Season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Cook tenders for about 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and allow to cool. Shred with a fork.

Preheat oven to 400. Combine ¼ cup of cheese with next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; mix until just moist. Pour mixture into 9” x 13” baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.

Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with shredded chicken; sprinkle with remaining ¾ cup cheese. Bake at 400 for an additional 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Remove from oven; let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces, top with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Click here for printable recipe.

Happy National Gumbo Day

2011-10-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

Who knew... October 12th is National Gumbo Day!

I love me some gumbo, y'all! I think I may have to make a pot of this for dinner tonight. Enjoy!

Here's my recipe for gumbo: http://gumboyaya2u.blogspot.com/2008/08/nawlins-gumbo.html

And here's a link to learn more about Gumbo and explore other delicious sounding recipes! http://southernfood.about.com/cs/gumborecipes/a/gumbo.htm

Chicken Stroganoff

2011-10-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

Here’s another recipe from the Cooking Light cookbooks, although it is altered and probably not quite as “light” as it started out to be. This was fairly quick to make and really scrumptious. Hearty, creamy and full of flavor. I think you’ll enjoy it!

Ingredients:

5 slices of bacon

1 white onion, chopped

2 lbs chicken tenders, cut into bite sized pieces

1 ½ cups chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

½ cup dry white wine

2 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz low fat sour cream

4 tablespoons flour

8 oz no-yolk egg noodles, cooked and drained

Flat leaf Parsley, chopped for garnish

Directions:

Cook bacon in large non-stick skillet. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Leave about 2 tablespoons of grease in pan. Add chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add chicken tender pieces; sauté for another 5 minutes.

Add broth, salt, pepper, paprika, wine and garlic to pan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; cook for 10 minutes.

Combine sour cream and flour, stirring until smooth. Add sour cream to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add cooked noodles and stir to combine. Continue to simmer until some of the sauce is absorbed by the noodles.

Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve this delicious meal and enjoy the creamy and decadent treat.

Click here for printable recipe.

Greek Lamb Pilaf

2011-10-08T07:59:00.000-07:00

The combination of lamb, mint and lemon is just amazing. This is a quick and filling meal that can be made easily on a weeknight. Add a side salad and dinner is served. This is another Cooking Light recipe… but I’ve altered it slightly. I don’t believe my alterations changed the caloric value very much. It serves four and according to the recipe - 1 2/3 cups of this contains 446 calories, 17.2 g fat, 26 g protein, 45 g carbs and 2.4 g fiber.

Note: I have made this twice. The second time I couldn't find ground lamb, so I used beef. It was still tasty - but for me I preferred it with the lamb. However, if you're not a fan of lamb - try it with the beef and substitute beef broth for the chicken.

Ingredients:

Drizzle of olive oil

1 large white onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped in small bite-sized pieces (about ¾ cup)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. (approximately) ground lamb

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ cups chicken broth (recipe calls for fat-free, low sodium. I used regular)

3/4 cup water

1 can diced tomatoes

Good sized handful of chopped fresh mint

3 - 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (taste after adding 3 to see if you would like more)

¾ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil in a heated large non-stick pan that has a lid. Add chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes; add carrots. Continue to cook until onions are translucent – about 5 minutes. Add lamb; cook and crumble the lamb for about 5 – 7 more minutes.

Stir in rice and cinnamon. Sauté for about 2 minutes allowing the rice to absorb the juices in the pan. Add the chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover with lid. Simmer for about 10 minutes, add the can of diced tomatoes; continue simmering for another 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. Remove from heat; add the mint, lemon juice and salt. Cover and let stand for about 5 minutes.

Click here for printable recipe.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

2011-10-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

I can’t even begin to list enough adjectives to describe these muffins. They are AMAZING! The recipe is from the 2004 Cooking Light Annual Recipes cookbook. Each muffin is 187 calories, with only 23% from fat (4.8g) I’ve never been a huge fan of blueberries, but there was something about reading this recipe that caught my eye – and taste buds. The combination of flavors, between the lemon and blueberries, is PERFECTION. Your taste buds will thank you for making these, as well as anyone that you share them with.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

¼ cup butter

1 ¼ cup low-fat buttermilk

Zest of one lemon

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup blueberries (I used the entire 6 oz package, which was slightly more than 1 cup)

Cooking spray

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine buttermilk, zest and egg; mix well. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Gently fold in blueberries.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until muffins spring back when lightly touched. Remove muffins from pan immediately and place on wire rack to cool.

Combine lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze evenly over cooled muffins.

Click here for printable recipe.

Maple-Sage Roasted Pork Tenderloin

2011-10-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

This recipe came from the Cooking Light cookbook (2009). The pork was so savory and fragrant with the combination of the maple syrup and sage. It was perfectly delicious with mashed potatoes and the Brussel Sprouts I blogged about yesterday. Click HERE for recipe. This was easy and fast enough to make on a weeknight – and the pork made fabulous leftovers.

Ingredients:

1 ½ tablespoon maple syrup

1 ½ teaspoon chopped fresh sage

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pork tenderloin, approximately 1 pound

Note: The pork tenderloins come two to a package. I prepared both tenderloins and doubled the other ingredients above. It turned out perfectly.

Directions:

Combine the first four ingredients in a Ziploc bag, mixing together. Add the pork tenderloin. Seal the bag and turn to complete coat the pork. Place in fridge and let marinate for at least 30 minutes. I think I left mine in the fridge for about 1 ½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 400.

Remove pork from bag. Place on a foil lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for approximately 25 minutes, or until a thermometer reaches 155. I left mine in the oven for about 28 minutes.

Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve on a platter and pour juices over it. I hope you enjoy this mouth-watering meal.

Click here for printable recipe.

Brussel Sprouts

2011-09-30T01:53:00.000-07:00

I must confess I’ve never liked Brussel Sprouts. I’ve always turned up my nose, because every time I’ve tried them – they’ve been bitter and unpalatable to me. But, everyone always says… you’ve just never had them prepared properly. Uh huh… sure! Well, earlier this year I ate at Ford’s Filling Station in Downtown Culver City, and my friend David and I order the brussel sprouts. I admit they were extremely tasty and I did enjoy them. They were delicious without a drop of bitterness. So, they’ve been on mind and I’ve wanted to try making them myself. I looked at a few recipes and this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. They were divine.

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. brussel sprouts

4 slices bacon

1 shallot, minced

1/2 cup chicken broth

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Wash the brussel sprouts, trim about ¼ inch off the bottom. Remove some of the outer leaves, leaving the core, and cut the sprout in half lengthwise. This helps the sprouts to cook quicker.

Cook the bacon in a skillet. When finished drain the bacon on paper towels, pour all but about 2 tablespoons of the grease out of the pan. Return the pan to the heat.

Add shallot to hot grease, and sauté for about 3 – 4 minutes. Be careful not to let them burn. Add the brussel sprouts to the pan. Sauté for a few minutes and then add the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cover with a lid. Let steam for about 8 minutes. Remove lid and test for doneness. You want them to be tender, but not mushy.

With lid off, increase heat and cook until liquid evaporates and coats the brussel sprouts. Remove from heat, crumble bacon over the brussel sprouts; salt and pepper to taste.

Click here for printable recipe.

Vegetable Samosas with Mint Raita

2011-09-22T06:09:00.000-07:00

Samosa’s are an Indian pastry that is filled with an assortment of meats and vegetables. This recipe is vegetarian. They are usually prepared with dough, but I’ve adapted this recipe from Cooking Light, in which we substitute phyllo dough. Makes them lighter and flakier. If you prefer – you could use a pre-made pie pastry like I did for my empanadas. You can find that recipe HERE. And, if you’re in search of gluten free foods, you could make or purchase a gluten free pie dough and use that in which to stuff the samosa filling. I served these with Chicken Burger Patties with an Indian Flair. Click HERE for the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 medium baking potatoes; peeled and chopped into small chunks. Maybe about ½ to ¾ inch.

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into small chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

2 ½ tablespoons minced peeled ginger (I used the kind from a jar for simplicity)

1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic (again, for simplicity – this time I used it from a jar)

¾ teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon turmeric

1 ½ cups peas, use frozen and just thaw them first

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

16 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed (18 x 14 inch sheets)

Cooking spray

Raita Ingredients:

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I like to use the Greek yogurt because it is thicker)

1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped

Juice of one lime

½ of a cucumber, grated

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the potato and carrot in boiling water for about 8 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain.

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan. Add cumin seeds. Stir for a few seconds and add the onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add ginger, garlic and red pepper; sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the cumin and next 5 ingredients. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the potato, carrots, peas, cilantro and lemon juice. Stir until well combined and turn heat off. Let cool slightly.

Depending upon the size of your food processor, place ¼ to ½ of the mixture into it and pulse until coarsely chopped. Put the chopped mixture into a bowl and repeat with the remaining mixture until all has been processed and coarsely chopped.

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 1 sheet of the phyllo dough on a large cutting board. (cover the rest of the phyllo with a clean dish towel so it doesn’t dry out.) Spray the sheet with cooking spray. Fold in half so you have an 18 x 7 sheet. Fold the bottom corner over to form a triangle to mark where to place the filling. Unfold. Place about 3 tablespoons, or 3 heaping teaspoons of the filling by the line you’ve made. Fold over the bottom corner to make a triangle. Fold back and forth over itself to make a triangle until you get to the last fold. Tuck edges under; lightly spray both sides with cooking spray, place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Or, if you have a silpat – you can use that.

Repeat process above until all of the filling has been used. Should make about 14 – 16 samosas. This will use 2 baking sheets.

Place one baking sheet on the bottom rack and the other on the second from the top. Bake for 13 minutes. Switch positions of the sheets in your oven and bake for an additional 12 minutes, or until they are lightly browned.

To prepare the Raita, combine all the ingredients and mix well.

Serve the samosa’s with the raita.

I won’t fib, this recipe is a bit labor intensive… but it’s not difficult to make. Just time consuming. But, I think the labor involved is SO worth it. The fragrant flavor of these will make you forget the time it took you to make them.

Click here for printable recipe.

Chicken Burger Patties with Indian Spices

2011-09-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

First, this recipe makes four patties... but my kiddo doesn't think he should have to wait until Mom is finished with her photography. So, he got served first! Ha!

These were really yummy. I chose to serve them with Samosa’s (an Indian pastry stuffed with meat and/or vegetables) rather than making an actual burger out of them. But, they would make an excellent burger. This is another great recipe from Cooking Light, which I altered slightly. They are full of flavor and fragrant from the garam masala (an Indian spice mixture). Whether you serve them as patties – or a full fledged burger – I think you’re going to like them!

Ingredients:

1 – 2 green onions, depending upon your taste, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 heaping teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 lb. ground chicken

Cooking spray

½ cup low-fat greek yogurt

Handful of chopped fresh mint

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ to ½ cup mango chutney (I had a small jar from Trader Joes – I used half of the jar)

4 hamburger buns

1 cup fresh spinach leaves or lettuce

Directions:

Combine the spices, lime juice, green onions and chicken in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and form into four patties. The chicken mixture is really sticky. You can use plastic food-prep gloves OR if you wet your hands first, before forming each patty, it helps to cut down on the sticking.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat, coat with cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil. Add patties to the pan and cook for 7 minutes on each side.

Combine yogurt, mint, salt and chutney. Spread on the top and bottom half of each bun, add the patty and the spinach or lettuce leaves. Add more of the yogurt mixture if desired. If you choose to serve without the bun, serve the sauce on the side of the patty for dipping.

Click here for printable recipe.

Now on Facebook

2011-09-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

Gumbo Ya Ya is now on Facebook! Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/gumboyayarecipes

Please come visit the page and click LIKE. When I publish a recipe on Gumbo Ya Ya, I will announce it on Facebook - along with other fun facts and revisiting some of my favorite older posts. So stop by and say HI!

Indian Spiced Nuts

2011-09-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

I posted a spiced nut recipe from Giada De Laurentis last summer. It’s really good! Click HERE to compare it to this recipe. They are both excellent – but I think today’s recipe is slightly more sweet and the other more savory.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (heaping)

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Dash of freshly ground black pepper

½ cup almonds

½ cup hazelnuts

½ cup cashews

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until blended. Add nuts; toss to coat.

Spread nuts evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper – or if you have a silpat, you can use that.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let cool completely (that’s the hardest part!) before serving.

Click here for printable recipe.

Lime-Cilantro Pork Tacos

2011-09-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

Made these the other night from one of the Cooking Light cookbooks. SO, yummy – and pretty much a healthy meal. The recipe calls for only 2 teaspoons of olive oil. I think when I drizzle the olive oil I probably use about that much – but if you want to be sure, you should measure it. The recipe also calls for using flour tortillas. I substituted corn. If you do use the flour tortillas and only 2 teaspoons oil, the calories per serving is 416. Enjoy! These are really savory and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into thin strips

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 ½ cup thinly sliced white onion

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

½ cup chicken broth

½ cup chopped tomato

Cilantro, chopped – 1 handful

Juice of 2 limes

Olive Oil

8 corn tortillas

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil in pan. Add the pork and sauté about 5 minutes, until browned. Remove pork from pan, place in a bowl.

Add the onion and jalapeno to the pan, sauté 5 minutes until tender. Drizzle a little more olive oil if needed. Add broth, reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute – scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in tomato and; simmer 2 minutes.

Return pork and juices to pan. Stir in cilantro & lime juice. Cook 1 minute; until pork is done.

Heat tortillas, split meat mixture up between them.

Yields 4 servings – 2 tacos per serving.

Click here for printable recipe.

Creamsicle Cocktail (Easy)

2011-08-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

Oh, this is so yummy. My friend Kathy introduced me to these… super easy to make – even easier to “go down”. If you love Orange Crush – or Creamsicle ice cream, you’re going to love these!

Ingredients:

Ice

1 oz Pinnacle Orange Whipped Vodka

Orange Crush (diet or regular)

Orange slices for garnish

Directions:

Fill a glass with ice.

Add 1 oz Pinnacle Orange Whipped Vodka.

Fill with regular or diet Orange Crush.

Stir and garnish with an orange round.

Sit back – relax – and say SO GOOD!

Click here for printable recipe.

Delicious Date Nut Bread

2011-08-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

When I was little I remember my Grandma used to buy Van de Kamp’s Date Nut Bread. She, my Mom and Dad all enjoyed it with Philadelphia Cream Cheese spread on thin slices. I would occasionally enjoy a slice or two as well. I had completely forgotten that memory until I saw this recipe for “Moist N Dark Nut Bread” in one of my Cooking Light Annual Recipes cookbook. The minute I read the ingredients, the memory came flooding back and I could remember the taste of creamy fresh Cream Cheese on the moist and nutty bread. It’s pretty easy to make and the taste is excellent – chewy and moist and flavorful. It freezes well, or keeps for several weeks in your fridge, if wrapped well in plastic wrap.

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped pitted dates

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups boiling water

2 cups sugar

1 Tbls vegetable shortening (I didn’t have any, so I used butter)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

3 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Combine dates and baking soda in a medium bowl. Pour boiling water over date mixture. Stir and let cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350

3. Place sugar, shortening, salt, vanilla and egg in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until well blended.

4. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Add flour and date mixture alternately to sugar mixture; beginning and ending with flour. Stir in pecans.

5. Pour batter into 3 (8 ½ x 4 ½ - inch) loaf pans. (I bought three foil disposable pans) coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire racks. Remove from pans; cool completely.

16 servings per loaf – 107 calories per slice.

Serve with a light spread of cream cheese – your taste buds will thank you!

Click here for printable recipe.

Twice Baked Roasted Garlic Potatoes

2011-08-05T23:05:00.000-07:00

Oh, these are delicious – and fairly easy to make. Your guests will be super impressed… and they are worthy of making even if you don’t have guests! This was my first time making twice baked potatoes, and I’m really pleased with how they turned out. Hope you like them too!

Ingredients:

4 baking potatoes

1 head of garlic

4 Tbls. butter

1/3 cup of half & half

Lawry’s Seasoning Salt

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

Paprika

Directions:

1. Wash & dry the potatoes. Pierce them several times with a fork; place on a baking sheet. Wrap the garlic in foil and place alongside the potatoes. Bake at 425 for 50 – 60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the garlic is browned and softened.

2. Let the potatoes and garlic cool until comfortable to handle – about 15 minutes.

3. Halve the potatoes lengthwise; scoop the pulp into a large bowl, leaving the skins intact. Add the butter to the warm potatoes to help it melt.

4. Cut the garlic head in half; squeeze out the pulp and add to the potato.

5. Add the half & half; stir and mash until the butter and half & half are mixed in, and the potatoes are a smooth consistency. Add seasoning salt to taste.

6. Spoon the potato mixture back into the skins; place back on the cookie sheet.

7. Sprinkle with the paprika and then the cheese. Sprinkle tops with a touch more paprika.

8. Place back in the oven at 400 for about 15 minutes – or until heated through.

Note: I made the potatoes through step 7 about 3 hours before my scheduled dinner time. I covered them with foil to keep them fresh. Popped them back in the oven at dinner time and they turned out golden, cheesy and delicious!

Click here for printable recipe.

Bouillabaisse

2011-07-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

This recipe came from my friend Robin. He found it on the Internet and made it for a dinner that we had together. I have to say it was DELICIOUS. We didn't really follow the directions for the amount or types of fish used. We "winged it". We used halibut, clams, shrimp, crab and baby octopus. And, I'm pretty sure we used MORE fish than what was called for. So feel free to experiment. But, here is the recipe as he printed it from the Internet. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 pounds of at least 3 different kinds of fish fillets, fresh or quick frozen (thaw first)

1/2 cup Olive oil

1-2 pounds of Oysters, clams, or mussels

1 cup cooked shrimp, crab, or lobster meat, or rock lobster tails

Note: you can really use any types of seafood that you would like. We even added baby octopus

1 cup thinly sliced onions

4 Shallots, thinly sliced OR the white parts of 2 or 3 leeks, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 large tomato, chopped, or 1/2 cup canned tomatoes

1 sweet red pepper, chopped

4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2-inch slice of fennel or 1 teaspoon of fennel seed

3 sprigs fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2-3 whole cloves

Zest of half an orange

1/2 teaspoon powdered saffron

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup clam juice or fish broth

2 Tbls. lemon juice

2/3 cup white wine

Sliced French bread

Sauce Rouille (See recipe & Ingredients below)

Directions:

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large (6-qt) saucepan. When it is hot, add onions and shallots (or leeks). Sauté for a minute, then add crushed garlic (more or less to taste), and sweet red pepper. Add tomato, celery, and fennel. Stir the vegetables into the oil with a wooden spoon until well coated.

Add another 1/4 cup of olive oil, thyme, bay leaf, cloves and the orange zest. Cook until the onion is soft and golden but not brown.

Add 2 cups of water to the vegetable mixture. Add oysters, clams or mussels (though these may be omitted if desired) and shrimp, crabmeat or lobster tails, cut into pieces or left whole. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cut fish fillets into 2-inch pieces. Add the pieces of fish and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

Add saffron, salt, pepper, clam juice, lemon juice, and white wine. Bring to a simmer again and cook about 5 minutes longer.

At serving time taste and correct the seasoning of the broth, adding a little more salt or pepper if need be, and maybe a touch of lemon juice.

Into each soup bowl place a thick slice of crusty French bread, plain or slightly toasted. Spoon the bouillabaisse over the bread, and about ½ teaspoon of the Sauce Rouille.

Serves 6.

Directions for Sauce Rouille:

1 Tbls. hot fish stock or clam broth

2 cloves peeled garlic

1 small red hot pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup soft white bread, pulled into bits

1/2 cup olive oil

Put hot fish stock or clam broth into the bottom of a blender. Add garlic and red hot pepper, salt and bread. Blend until very smooth. With the blender still running, add olive oil slowly and stop the blending as soon as the oil disappears. At serving time pass Rouille in a little bowl along with the bouillabaisse. Each serving is about 1/2 a teaspoon that you stir into your soup. Use sparingly like Tabasco.

Click here for printable recipe.

Silken Chocolate Mousse

2011-06-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

You won’t believe the main ingredient in this rich and creamy chocolate mousse…. It’s TOFU! That’s right… I said tofu! This recipe came from Rocco Dispirito’s “Now Eat This”. I’ve made the recipe three times, and each time I’ve altered it slightly. I’ve increased the amount of cocoa powder and agave nectar, and Rocco calls for sugar-free chocolate syrup – I just used regular Hershey’s. The photo above was the first time I made it. I didn’t use any chocolate shavings on top, as Rocco describes in the recipe. In my subsequent servings – I’ve used added the chocolate shavings, and they definitely add that little extra something to dish. You’ll love this mousse – and it’s so wonderful to know that it’s not a diet killer. Don’t tell anyone there’s tofu in it – and trust me – they’ll never know!

Ingredients:

12 oz. silken tofu

3 tbls. unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tbls. agave nectar

½ tsp. instant espresso powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbls. chocolate syrup

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, shaved for garnish

Whip cream

Directions:

Cut the tofu into 1” pieces. Place in a strainer for 10 minutes to allow excess liquid to drain out.

Place the tofu in the food processor; add the cocoa powder, agave nectar, espresso powder, vanilla and chocolate syrup. Blend until smooth, stopping once to scrape down the sides.

Transfer the mixture into 4 small ramekins. Refrigerate until serving. Top with a small dollop of whip cream and chocolate shavings.

Click here for printable recipe.

Chicken Almandine with Green Beans and Lemon Butter

2011-06-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased Rocco Dispirito’s cookbook – “Now Eat This”. I have loved all of the recipes that I’ve tried thus far. I’ve made this particular recipe three times now – and every time it receives rave reviews. It’s not extremely labor intensive, and it only takes about 30 minutes from start to table, so it’s a good busy weeknight choice. I've made some minor adjustments, like using Birds-Eye Steam in the bag Green Beans, and adding almonds to them. Try it… you’ll like it!

Ingredients:

¼ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup whole wheat panko crumbs (I couldn’t find whole wheat panko – so I used regular panko crumbs)

½ cup toasted sliced almonds, rough chop

½ cup egg substitute

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise into four thinner breasts (cut in layers, if you will)

Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

Non-stick cooking spray

1 Tbls butter

¼ cup toasted sliced almonds

1 package Birds-eye whole Green Beans – steam in bag

Juice from one lemon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400. Place a wire rack on a foil lined baking sheet and set aside.

Place the flour in a bowl. Place the panko crumbs and ½ cup of roughly chopped almonds in another bowl; mix thoroughly. Place the egg substitute into a third bowl.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Working one piece at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Now dredge in the egg substitute and then the panko almond mixture. Place the chicken on the wire rack. Continue until all the chicken has been fully coated.

Lightly spray the chicken pieces with the non-stick cooking spray. Place in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes. The chicken should be golden, crispy and cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, microwave the green beans according the package directions. Heat a non-stick skillet and add ¼ cup almonds. Lightly toast. When the green beans are cooked, remove from the microwave and add to the almonds. Top with butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve and enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe.

Fresh Raspberry & Whipped Cream Cake

2011-06-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

My friend Kathy wanted something light and different for her birthday cake this year. I’ve made her my Fresh Strawberry and Whipped Cream Cake on a few occasions. Click here for recipe. We talked and I said, what about raspberries? She liked the idea… so a new recipe was born. This was light and wonderfully delicious!

Ingredients:

1 white cake mix (I like Duncan Hines), baked in a 9 x 13” pan, according to package directions

1 jar of Smuckers, Seedless Red Raspberry Jam

2 packages of red raspberries

3 cups whipping cream

Vanilla and Sugar for whipping cream

Directions:

Bake the cake mix according to package directions, in a 9 x 13” pan.

Allow the cake to cool and then cut the cake in half to make two 6 1/2” x 9” pieces.

Cut each piece into two layers. A little trick to cut layers in a cake is to use waxed dental floss. Wrap the dental floss around the cake, cross the ends, and pull. Easy cake layer!

Warm some of the jam in the microwave – just enough to make it easy to spread. Spread it between the layers of the cake.

Whip the cream with the vanilla and sugar – to your taste. Spread it on one of the 6 ½” x 9” pieces of cake. Layer some of the fresh raspberries in the cream. Top with some more of the whipped cream. Place the other 6 ½ “ x 9” piece of cake on top. Cover all with a healthy amount of whipped cream.

Top with remaining fresh raspberries.

Place in fridge for 30 – 60 minutes before serving.

Note: if you prefer – you could bake round layers. I just opted to do something a little different this time.

Click here for printable recipe.

Italian Beef Stew

2011-04-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy a nice beef stew; so hearty and filling. This time I wanted to give my stew an Italian twist, so I used the Italian Stewed Tomatoes and added the oregano and basil. I served it over rice, but I also like to serve over fluffy mashed potatoes sometimes.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil for sautéing

1 white onion, chopped

1 celery heart, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 pounds stew beef cut into 1” cubes

1 cup dry red wine

3 – 15oz. cans Italian Stewed Tomatoes

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon basil

8 oz. crimini mushrooms, cleaned - quartered or halved

3/4 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot

Directions:

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drizzle some oil into pan. Add onion and chopped celery; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté for another minute or two. Remove from pan.

2. Drizzle some additional oil into the pan. Place flour in a shallow dish. Season beef salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Add some beef to pan – making sure not to crowd too much into the pan at one time. You want the meat to brown, not steam. Sauté 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure until all the meat is cooked.

3. Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 5 minutes). Return meat and the onion mixture to pan. Add tomato and next 4 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and stir in sliced carrot and mushrooms. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Click here for printable recipe.

Crepes with Orange Sauce

2011-03-10T21:21:00.000-08:00

I’ve never made crepes before – and to be perfectly honest – I didn’t cook these crepes either, my friend Robin did the cooking and he did an excellent job! I did make the batter and the orange sauce though. These were really good and were enjoyed by all. I got the recipe for the crepes from Food Network TV. They are Alton Brown’s recipe.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 ½ tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cointreau or grand marnier (optional)

Butter, for coating the pan

Directions:

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.

Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone.

After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

Orange Sauce:

3 Tbls butter

2 heaping Tbls flour

1 ½ - 2 cups orange juice

3 Tbls sugar

Melt butter, add flour and whisk for a minute. Add sugar and whisk again.

Slowly add orange juice while whisking. Cook until thickened. Start with less orange juice and add as needed to make the desired consistency.

Click here for printable recipe.

Spicy Orange Beef with Vegetables

2011-02-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

Here’s another recipe from Weight Watchers… adjusted, of course, courtesy of me! This was really yummy. It was the perfect amount of spicy – which melded wonderfully with the sweetness of the orange juice. We really liked this one!

Ingredients:

1 lb. sirloin steak, visible fat trimmed – thinly sliced

2 heaping tablespoons corn starch

Grated orange rind from one orange

1 cup orange juice (I used the juice from the orange that I zested, and then supplemented with orange juice from the grocery store – no pulp)

½ cup beef broth

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 ½ teaspoons chili-garlic sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger

1 lb. green beans, cleaned with ends broken off and de-stringed

2 carrots cut into matchstick-thin strips

½ white onion, sliced lengthwise into thin crescent strips.

Olive Oil for frying

Directions:

Combine the beef with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and orange rind in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.

Prepare the green beans, carrots and white onion; set aside.

In a bowl or cup combine the remaining cornstarch with the orange juice, beef broth, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, sugar and sesame oil; set aside.

Heat a non-stick wok or large deep skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Drizzle and then swirl in some olive oil. Add beef and stir fry until cooked through, 2 – 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Swirl another drizzle of olive oil into the pan, then add the ginger; stir fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the onions and carrots; stir fry for about 2 – 3 minutes. Add the green beans and continue stir frying for another minute or two, until your vegetables are tender-crisp.

Add the broth mixture, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Add the beef back to the skillet and cook until hot, about 1 more minutes.

Serve over brown or white steamed rice.

Serves 5 – 6 depending upon portion size.

Click here for printable recipe.

Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

2011-01-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

Here’s another recipe that I discovered in a Weight Watchers cookbook. I’ve used all the same ingredients, but slightly altered the quantities. This was a winner! My son and I even took the leftovers for lunch the next day. I believe this dish will have a permanent place on our menu rotation. With my change in quantities this makes 5 -6 servings.

Note: Next time I think I will add some red pepper flakes, or some chili garlic sauce to give the dish a little "spicy kick".

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half to make less thick, and then cut into thin strips

2 ½ tablespoons corn starch

1 cup chicken broth

4 tablespoons black bean sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 ½ tablespoon minced fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ lb white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

½ lb fresh snow peas, trimmed

2 carrots, thinly sliced

Directions:

Combine the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch in a medium bowl; toss well to coat and set aside. Combine the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch, broth, black bean sauce, soy sauce and ginger in a small bowl or measuring cup; set aside.

Heat a nonstick wok, or large skillet, over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl the oil, then add the chicken. Stir fry until lightly browned, 2 – 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, snow peas and carrots; stir fry until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, and the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Serve over white or brown steamed rice.

Click here for printable recipe.

Chimichanga's

2011-01-15T22:18:00.000-08:00

I found a recipe for baked Chimichangas in a Weight Watchers cookbook. I’ve altered this recipe considerably – but retained the portion where they are baked, rather than fried. These were fabulous. I had never even considered making Chimichanga’s before – and these were really wonderful – full of flavor and quite easy to make. Serve with your favorite salsa, red or green, and a dollop of sour cream. You could even top with some guacamole if desired.

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef (7% fat)

1 white onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

Drizzle of Olive Oil

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

15 oz can tomato sauce

Shredded cheddar or jack cheese

6 - 8 flour tortillas, soft taco size (depending upon how full you want the chimichanga’s to be)

Salsa, Sour Cream and/or Guacamole for toppings, if desired.

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Sauté onions, jalapeno and garlic until translucent. Add a touch of water if the mixture gets too dry and starts to burn.

Crumble ground beef into the onion mixture. Add the chili powder, cumin powder, oregano and salt; continue cooking, breaking the meat up as you go, until meat is thoroughly cooked.

Add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened – about 5 minutes.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave. Spoon about 1 /2 cup of the filling into the center of each tortilla. Add desired amount of cheese. Fold in the sides, then roll to enclose the filling. Place each Chimichanga seam side down on a baking sheet.

Lightly spray the top of each Chimichanga with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes, in a 400 degree oven.

Click here for printable recipe.

Chocolate Chunk Bread Puddings

2011-01-09T09:54:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from the 2004 Cooking Light cookbook. It yielded two servings, baked in 6oz ramekins. I wanted to make smaller servings in my 3.5 oz ramekins. I altered this slightly by adding more milk and eggs, an extra ¼ cup of bread – and I didn’t measure the chocolate. The recipe called for 1 oz of semisweet chocolate to be coarsely chopped. I opted to use chocolate chips – and I didn’t measure how much I used. I’d guess about 1 ½ tablespoons, per ramekin. (Original recipe – served 2 for 319 calories each. This serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 cups (1/2 inch) cubed Hawaiian sweet bread

1 1/3 cup 2% milk

2 tablespoons

1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 tablespoon Kahlua

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

Chocolate Chips

Whipped cream – or whipped topping.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray each of the ramekins with cooking spray.

Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, until toasted. Remove from oven and decrease temp to 325.

Combine milk and next five ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add bread, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill for 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.

Fill each of the four ramekins half full with the bread mixture. Sprinkle some chocolate chips over each. Fill each of the four ramekins with the remaining bread mixture, and top with more chocolate chips.

Click here for printable recipe.

Candied Walnut, Gorgonzola & Cranberry Salad

2011-01-01T22:45:00.000-08:00

For my New Year’s Eve party, I was looking for a flavorful, but light, salad to serve between the soup and main course. This sounded perfect! I discovered it while searching the AllRecipes.com site. Here’s the link directly to the recipe. All of my guests LOVED the salad and raved about the flavor and combination of raspberry vinaigrette, Gorgonzola, walnuts and dried cranberries. It was delightful!

Note: The ingredients listed here will serve 4. I used the recipe calculator on their site to adjust it to serve 10. I was really only serving 8, but wanted to be sure I had enough. There was “just enough”. So, be aware if you follow the directions below “exactly”, it will be four small servings.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup walnut halves

1/4 cup sugar

(I found sugared/spiced walnuts already made in the bulk bins at my grocery store. So I bought those. Cut out some of the prep time!)

3 cups mixed greens

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1 tablespoon raspberry vinaigrette (I used Girard’s Light Raspberry. It was very good!)

1 tablespoon white vinegar (I substituted white wine vinegar)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Place walnuts and sugar in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves into a light brown liquid and coats the walnuts. Remove walnuts from skillet, and spread them out on a sheet of aluminum foil to cool. (If you purchase them already sugared – you get to skip this step!)

Place in a large salad bowl the mixed greens, cranberries, cheese, vinaigrette, vinegar, and olive oil. Toss gently; add candied walnuts, and toss again.

Note: I combined the vinaigrette, vinegar and olive oil in a separate container and mixed it until well combined. I tossed everything together – with the exception of the walnuts. I sprinkled those on top of each salad. Very nice presentation.

Click here for printable recipe

Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce

2010-12-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe online. It sounded very yummy – and the recipe didn’t disappoint. It was very easy to make and the family loved it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs (you can use breasts, but the thighs are more flavorful)

1 large red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

2 Tbsp olive oil or grapeseed oil

1 14-oz can coconut milk (I used light coconut milk)

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger

Hot cooked rice

Directions:

1 In a small bowl, mix together the salt, ground coriander, cumin, ground cloves, cinnamon, ground cardamom, black pepper, chili powder, and turmeric. Set aside.

2 Rinse chicken, pat dry. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Put into a bowl and sprinkle the spice mix over all the pieces. Coat well and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

3 In a large skillet heat 1 Tbsp oil on medium high heat. Add the onions and jalapeños and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove the onions, peppers and garlic from the pan and put into a medium sized bowl. Set aside. Use the same pan for the next step.

4 Add 1 Tbsp oil to the skillet and heat on medium high heat. Add one half of the chicken pieces, spreading them out on the pan so they are not crowded. Brown for a few minutes on each side. When the chicken pieces are cooked through, and no pink remains, remove from pan, add to the bowl with the onions. Cook the second batch of chicken pieces the same way. Remove from pan, add to bowl with onions.

5 Add the coconut milk, minus a couple tablespoons, to the skillet. In a small bowl, mix the remaining coconut with the corn starch to dissolve the corn starch. Add the corn starch mixture back to the skillet with the coconut milk. Cook on medium heat and stir till thick and bubbly. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce. Add chicken mixture, basil, and ginger. Cook 2 minutes more to cook through.

Serve over rice. Serves 4.

Click here for printable recipe.

Chicken Shawarma

2010-11-11T19:16:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe on the Cooking Light website. I had not previously eaten shawarma, in fact I'm not sure that I've ever heard of it. Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish of garlicky meat or poultry served on pitas. This chicken version is flavored with a savory yogurt sauce. I decided not to go through the process of threading the chicken onto skewers and then grilling. So, I pan fried the chicken strips in a tiny amount of olive oil. Turned out GREAT! The chicken was succulent, perfectly spiced, and really delicious!

Ingredients:

Chicken:

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 16 (3-inch) strips

Sauce:

1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons tahini

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced

(Note: Sometimes when I eat tahini, my mouth gets very sensitive. So, I decided not to use the tahini. I added 1 tsp of curry powder to the sauce. It turned out delicious.)

Remaining ingredients:

Cooking spray

4 (6-inch) pitas

1 cup chopped romaine lettuce

8 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

3. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients (through 1 garlic clove), stirring with a whisk.

4. Thread 2 chicken strips onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. (This is where I deviated from the recipe. I opted to just fry the chicken pieces in a non-stick skillet with a small amount of olive oil.)

5. Place pitas on grill rack; grill 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Place 1 pita on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup lettuce and 2 tomato slices. Top each serving with 4 chicken pieces; drizzle each serving with 2 tablespoons sauce.

Click here for printable recipe.

Spinach Frittata

2010-11-07T08:09:00.000-08:00

Love this recipe. So good for lunch, or for a light supper. It is one from the Richard Simmons collection. Truly spectacular. I really like tofu, but if you're not a fan... trust me... you'd never guess there was tofu in it!

Ingredients:

1 - 10 oz pkg. Frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
12 oz of well drained SOFT tofu
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 crushed clove garlic
1/4 tsp. Pepper
2 tbls. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
3 tbls. Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. Dried basil
1/2 cup steamed sliced leeks, white part only
1 can of redi-cut tomatoes, drained
4 oz. (1cup) shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
Lemon & parsley for garnish.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In food processor or blender, combine spinach, tofu, lemon juice, Parmesan, mustard, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Process until smooth.

Fold in leeks, tomato and cheese.

Pour mixture into a 10” pie plate coated with non-stick spray.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until set. Let sit 15 minutes before slicing

Garnish with lemon slices and parsley.

Makes 4 servings - 202 calories.

Click here for printable recipe.

Beef Stroganoff Soup

2010-11-05T20:30:00.000-07:00

My friend Stephanie recently moved to Scotland. On her blog she wrote about making beef stroganoff, but she didn’t realize that the cream of mushroom soup she purchased was not condensed, and therefore the stroganoff was runny and more like a soup. This gave me the bright idea to intentionally try to make Beef Stroganoff soup. I think it turned out really good. It’s creamy and delicious and definitely a keeper!

Ingredients:

1 – 1 ½ lbs extra lean ground beef (I use 7% fat – but if you use a higher fat content, make sure to drain the fat from the meat.

6 oz. egg noodles, cooked and drained – according to package directions

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 white onion chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

8 oz. sliced mushrooms (I used “Baby Bellas”)

¼ cup brandy

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

4 cups beef broth

1 ½ cups water

2 beef bouillon cubes

½ teaspoon thyme

8 - 10 oz sour cream (I used light)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions:

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Cook the ground beef until browned and cooked through. Place the cooked meat in your soup pot, along with the cooked noodles.

In the same non-stick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter into 1 tablespoon of olive oil; sauté the onions and garlic for about 7 minutes. They should be translucent – but not yet browning. Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until the mushrooms are cooked and everything is nicely browned. Add the brandy and continue cooking until bubbly. Add everything to the soup pot. (If you feel confident, light the brandy on fire after adding to the mushrooms and onions. Let it flame for about a minute – or until it burns out. This burns off the alcohol.)

In the same skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour to make a roux. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture becomes a light peanut butter color. Be very careful not to let the roux burn. Gradually add 3 cups of the beef broth to the roux, whisking to thoroughly combine, making sure to not leave any lumps. Add to the soup pot.

Add the remaining beef broth to the soup pot, along with the water, the bouillon cubes, and the thyme. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and let simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Make sure to thoroughly combine and not leave any lumps. Serve with fresh chopped parsley sprinkled over all.

Click here for printable recipe.

Spinach Citrus Salad

2010-10-29T18:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a recipe from one of Richard Simmons’ cookbooks. I love this one! It is very tasty and refreshing.

Salad Ingredients:

2 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed dried and chilled

1 small orange, peeled and segmented

2 tablespoons finely sliced red onion

3 walnut halves, coarsely chopped

Dressing Ingredients:

1 tablespoon natural rice vinegar

¼ tsp Dijon mustard

¼ tsp sugar

½ tsp olive oil

Dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.

Arrange the salad ingredients in a bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss.

Makes one delicious serving as a meal, or serves two as a side salad.

Click here for printable recipe.

Herbed Cucumber and Yogurt Soup

2010-10-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

This is a Weight Watchers recipe. I altered it slightly by using Greek yogurt instead of regular low-fat yogurt - and chicken broth in place of water. I also added the step of using a blender to more fully combine the ingredients. Very refreshing and delicious. I served it with a Greek chicken breast and some Quinoa Pilaf. The flavor is very similar to the Greek sauce, tzatziki. You could also take this for lunch with toasted pita pockets, or a pita sandwich. Yummy!

Ingredients:

3 cups plain Greek yogurt

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 Tbls. finely chopped fresh dill, or 1 ½ tsp dried dill

1 Tbls. finely chopped fresh mint

1 Tbls. snipped fresh chives

1 garlic clove, minced (I put it through the garlic press)

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

½ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

1 cup chicken broth

Fresh mint, dill or chives for garnish

Directions:

In a large non-reactive bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumbers, dill, mint, chives, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chicken broth. Thoroughly mix to combine well.

Place half of the mixture into a blender, and blend well. Return to bowl.

Place in refrigerator, covered, until chilled.

Serve garnished with the mint, dill or chives.

Click here for printable recipe.

Lentil Salad

2010-10-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

I based this salad off Richard Simmons’ “Yentl Lentil Salad”. I pretty much used the same ingredients (except I excluded the bell pepper, which you could add if you so desire) but I changed the measurements. I served this for dinner with pan fried boneless skinless chicken breasts. Tasty, AND healthy.

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked lentils, rinsed and drained (I followed the package directions to boil them for about 15 – 20 minutes. You don’t want them to be too soft, so check on them often.)

¼ of a red onion, finely chopped

3- 4 celery ribs, finely chopped

¾ - 1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 – 15 oz can diced tomatoes

¼ cup lemon juice

1 tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the lentils, onion, celery, tomatoes, parsley, cumin powder and garlic powder. Drizzle olive oil over all and toss. Pour lemon juice over all and stir to combine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; mix to combine well.

Let stand for about 10 – 15 minutes. Toss one more time before serving.

Click here for printable recipe.

Spicy Baked Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)

2010-10-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

I saw Claire Robinson from the Food Network make these a couple of weeks ago. They sounded so wonderful and savory that I had to make them right away. We had them during “cocktail hour” and they were fantastic. What a wonderful addition to my repertoire. Different and unexpected – and quite delicious!

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

Kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse and drain the chickpeas well. Dry by rolling them around in a kitchen towel.

Combine the oil, paprika, cumin, and cayenne in a large bowl. Add chickpeas and toss to coat evenly.

Transfer the chickpeas to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt.

Bake until golden and crispy, 25 to 35 minutes, shaking the tray to toss after 15 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the chickpeas to a serving bowl.

Click here for printable recipe.

Lamb and Spinach Curry (Lamb Saag)

2010-10-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Oh my! Indian Lamb. Probably my FAVORITE Indian meal. So succulent and flavorful. Serve it over fluffy aromatic basmati rice. The perfect meal! I use my large non-stick skillet with a lid from Costco for this recipe. It is about 3 – 4 inches deep. Perfect for a meal like this.

Ingredients:

6 tbls Olive oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

6 cloves

6 cardamom pods, break open and remove the seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 boneless leg of lamb, visible fat removed and cut into 1” pieces

2 onions chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

2” piece of ginger, finely chopped

2 tbls ground cumin

2 tbls ground coriander

1 tbls turmeric

1 tsp salt

Cayenne pepper to taste

¼ - ½ cup water

1 tbls garam masala (A spice blend that is available in Indian food stores. If you can’t find an Indian food store, you can also make it yourself using common spices and a coffee grinder. Search the internet for the recipe. )

2 – 10oz pkgs frozen chopped spinach – defrosted and all excess water squeezed out

¾ cup half and half, or cream

Directions:

Warm the skillet and add the olive oil. When heated, add the cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom seeds and cinnamon stick. Heat until the seeds begin to sputter. Add the chopped onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté for 4 – 5 minutes.

Add the lamb pieces and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, salt and cayenne. Fry until you can’t see any pink on the outside of the lamb. Sometimes the lamb creates enough liquid on its own, so I don’t have to add any liquid. If it seems dry, add a little bit of the water. You can always add more if necessary.

Reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Cook for about 50 minutes. Check often to make sure that the mixture hasn’t dried out.

Remove lid; add the spinach and garam masala. Stir well to combine, and replace lid. Cook for about 10 – 15 more minutes.

Remove lid, increase heat. If there is some excess liquid you can cook for several minutes to let it evaporate. Add the half and half. Cook to heat through. You want the mixture to be creamy – not runny. If there is still too much liquid you can mix a little cornstarch with cold water and add to the lamb.

Serve over fluffy white rice – basmati is preferable.

Click here for printable recipe.

Quinoa Pilaf

2010-10-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

I love quinoa. It really is the perfect grain and incredibly delicious. I love the nuttiness of it and the texture. Here’s a wonderful recipe that was inspired by Aarti Sequeira on Food Network. She likes to use spices and put an Indian spin on many of her dishes. I enjoy her show “Aarti’s Party”. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup quinoa

2 ¼ cup chicken stock or broth

½ a red onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic finely minced

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. turmeric

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. garam masala

Olive Oil

½ cup chopped dried fruit (I used cherries, next time I am going to use apricots)

½ cup nuts (I used pine nuts, next time I am going to use cashews)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

Quinoa must be well rinsed before using. I place it in a fine mesh sieve and run water over it for several minutes.

Place quinoa in a saucepan, along with chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes; until the liquid is completely absorbed. Fluff with a fork, replace lid and let sit for several minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, drizzle olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Sauté the red onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the spices to the pan and cook for several minutes.

Add the nuts and chopped fruit. Continue to sauté until heated through. If necessary, turn off heat while waiting for quinoa to finish cooking.

Add quinoa to the onion and fruit mixture. Stir well, well return to heat. Let the flavors mix well – sprinkle lime juice over all and continue to combine. Salt and Pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy this delicious combination of flavors.

Click here for printable recipe.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-09-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

Autumn has arrived, and I always have an urge to start baking and cooking hearty meals that take hours on the stove. I wanted something yummy to make, and was thinking of cupcakes - but this quickly transformed into muffins. Found a great recipe on The Pioneer Woman.com website. I doubled the recipe because I wanted to make the muffins a little bit larger - and I wanted to have enough to share with neighbors and take a few to work. I added cloves to the muffin batter and used less butter in the cream cheese frosting. The muffins can be frosted, or left plain. They are wonderful either way. Great recipe - totally easy - and completely delicious! Below is the recipe for 12 muffins, I doubled everything, and ended up with 21 muffins.

Ingredients:

FOR THE MUFFINS:

1 cup All-purpose Flour

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1½ teaspoon Cinnamon

¼ teaspoons Ground Ginger

Pinch of cloves, about 1/8 tsp.

½ teaspoons Nutmeg

½ teaspoons Salt

4 Tablespoons Butter, cut into pieces

1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree

½ cup Evaporated Milk

1 whole Egg

1½ teaspoon Vanilla

½ cups Golden Raisins (optional!)

_____

FOR THE TOPPING:

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

¼ teaspoons Nutmeg

_____

FOR FROSTING: (When I doubled this I used 8 oz of cream cheese and still only 1/4 cup of softened butter.)

¼ cups Softened Butter

4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese

½ pounds Powdered Sugar

½ teaspoons Vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins, or place paper baking cups in the tins and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.

Pour into a greased muffin pan or paper baking cups. The batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture over the top of each unbaked muffin.

Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

To make the frosting, mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy! Store in the fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

Click here for printable recipe.

Jambalaya

2010-09-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

I made this with chicken only, because “the boy” doesn’t like shrimp. But, I would totally recommend adding some shrimp and or sausage to this jambalaya. I’ve never made jambalaya before – which is surprising given my love for all things New Orleans. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did! It was quite tasty and flavorful.

Ingredients:

12 chicken thighs, skinned and boned, and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 bell pepper

3 celery ribs

1 ½ cups rice

2 tsp. salt free Spike seasoning

1 tsp. Seasoning Salt (I use Johnny’s for this recipe)

1 tsp. Tony Chachere’s

1 – 15oz can tomato sauce

1 ½ cup water

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet or pan; heat. Add chicken to the pan; season with salt and pepper; sauté until cooked through. Remove from pan.

Drizzle a little more olive oil to the pan, if needed. Add onions and sauté for several minutes. Add garlic, bell pepper and celery. Sauté for about five minutes.

Return meat (and any accumulated juices) to pan, add rice and cook for about one minute. This allows the rice to absorb the pan juices. Add the Spike, Seasoning Salt and Tony’s; stir to combine well. Add the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer until the rice is completely cooked. Keep an eye on the jambalaya to be sure the mixture doesn’t dry out or burn on the bottom. Stir occasionally.

Note: If you would like to add shrimp to the jambalaya wait until the last 5 minutes of cooking. If you would like to add andouille sausage – or a similar sausage – add it when you return the chicken to the pan.

Click here for printable recipe.

Pork Chili with Hominy

2010-09-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on CookingLight.com. I have adjusted it by adding some butter and flour and using more olive oil than the original recipe called for. It is really a wonderful full flavored chili that is delicious and doesn't leave you with that "heavy feeling" that you sometimes get after eating these "stick to your ribs" kind of meals. Give this one a try - I really think you will enjoy it!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons chile powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ pounds pork, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I use the pork roasts from Costco that come four to a package. You could also use pork tenderloin – but then reduce the final cooking time to 25 minutes.)

Olive Oil

1 white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 ½ tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 ½ cups chicken broth

1 (28-ounce) can hominy, drained

1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, “Mexican Style”, undrained

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; set 1 ½ teaspoons spice mixture aside. Add pork to remaining spice mixture in bowl, tossing well to coat.

Drizzle some olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. (I use a large non-stick skillet that I purchased at Costco. See photo below.) Add pork mixture to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove pork from pan; set aside.

Drizzle a little bit more olive oil in pan. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan; set aside. (I added it to the bowl in which I placed the pork.)

Add butter to pan; melt. Add flour to pan and stir to cook for several minutes; making a roux. Return pork and vegetables to pan. Add reserved 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture, broth, hominy, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for one hour. (If you used pork tenderloin instead of a pork roast – remember to reduce cooking time to 25 minutes.)

Click here for printable recipe.

Red Raspberry Jam

2010-09-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

Raspberry Jam is my FAVORITE kind of jam. Love it! Since I've ventured into the world of canning this summer, it seemed natural that I would try raspberry jam.

I learned a few things along the way - like, when the recipe says "don't double the recipe" - you really shouldn't double it. My jam didn't firm up the first time. Luckily I found a solution, after the fact. But, that involved having to open all the jars and use something called "liquid cement" - and then reprocess all of the jars. So, it's like I had to make the jam twice. Lesson learned!

I opted to use frozen raspberries for the jam; the recipe says to let them thaw first. The jam is delicious! I had anticipated giving some of these jars away as Christmas presents. I have a feeling not too many of these jars are going to be leaving my house. YUMMY!

Here's a link to the recipe I used. It really was quite easy and very delicious!

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Red-Raspberry-Jam

Ginger Cookies

2010-09-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

There is a wonderful independently owned movie theater in Salem - called the Salem Cinema. It's really fantastic and we love going there several times a month to catch a unique movie, enjoy the freshly popped popcorn with REAL butter and brewers yeast, and to devour a delicious HUGE ginger cookie. Honestly, the best $2 you'll ever spend. I decided to make some ginger cookies at home. I found a recipe HERE and they turned out great. I'm not a confident enough baker to "play with" the ingredients when baking. So, here is the recipe, as it appears on the AllRecipes.com website. They aren't as big as the cookies at the theater - but their packed with as much flavor!

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

2.In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

3.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Click here for printable recipe.

Baking Powder Biscuits

2010-09-04T11:54:00.000-07:00

I haven’t made homemade biscuits in years! But, I’ve been craving them, so I started hunting on the internet for recipe that I liked. I didn’t want to use shortening; I wanted to use butter. I finally found the recipe below from THIS website, which took it from a 1933 recipe.

The recipe talks about not using a pastry cutter or a fork; use your clean hands to work in the butter with the flour. It might be a little bit messy, but it works. I’ve made these biscuits three times and they turn out fluffy and delicious every time. It’s important not to over work the dough. Mix until it’s all moistened, and then gently fold it over, rather than kneading – then roll it out, or pat into shapes.

Ingredients:

2 cups sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

4 tablespoons butter or shortening (I used butter)

1/2 tsp. salt

about 3/4 cup milk

Directions:

Sift Flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt, and sift again.

Cut in shortening or butter. (This is where I use my hands by rubbing the butter into the flour).

Add milk gradually, stirring until soft dough is formed.

Turn out on lightly floured board and lightly "knead" for 30 seconds, enough to shape. Roll 1/2 inch thick and cut with 2 inch floured biscuit cutter.

Bake on ungreased sheet in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

Makes 12 biscuits.

Note: You can also make tiny tea biscuits that are only 1 ½ inches wide with a small cutter or glass bottom. These are great served with tea, jam or honey. Makes 24.

Click here for printable recipe.

Spicy Pickled Green Beans

2010-08-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

I've been patiently waiting to post this recipe, because I wanted to taste the green beans to be sure they were as wonderful as they looked, but after canning them - you have to wait a month.

I must confess, I only waited three weeks. Curiosity got the better of me, and I thought they would be delicious with the Bloody Mary's we are enjoying as I type this. I can confirm - they are FAB-U-LOUS!

The recipe can be found here:

http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/127963/spicy-pickled-green-beans

I slightly changed the recipe in the following ways:

Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to each jar

Instead of fresh dill, add 1/2 tsp dried dill weed to each jar - along with a dill head

Other than the above alterations - I followed the instructions on the website.

FYI - My friend and I canned the beans together. We got 12 pounds of beans - they made 19 pint jars.

Ginger Beef with Broccoli Stir Fry

2010-08-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

My son loves beef and broccoli. Those are his two favorite foods. Throw in some tomatoes and he’s a happy boy. I made this on the spur of the moment one night – and he LOVED it. He likes the spicy combination of the ginger along with the Garlic Chili Sauce. Be careful with that sauce though. Too much and your mouth will be ON FIRE! You can always add more… so take it easy.

Sauce Ingredients:

3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated with a microplane. Or, 3 Tbls fresh minced ginger from a jar
Soy Sauce
Sesame Oil
1 tsp of garlic chili sauce
2 Tbls. Sake or Dry Vermouth
Chicken broth
1 ½ Tbls Cornstarch

Directions for sauce:

Place the garlic in a 2 cup measuring cup. Add soy sauce to the ½ cup mark. Add sesame oil to the 2/3 cup mark. Add sake or dry vermouth. Add teaspoon of garlic chili sauce. This red sauce is very spicy – add more or less depending upon your taste, but be careful. It’s crazy powerful!

In a separate bowl combine the cornstarch with some chicken broth. This should be a very thin pourable liquid. Add to the measuring cup. Now add enough chicken broth to bring liquid to the 2 cup mark.

Other Ingredients:

1 lb. sirloin steak, sliced across grain very thin
1 white onion sliced thin
2 – 3 stalks of broccoli, cleaned and cut into florets

Directions:

Drizzle some sesame oil into a hot skillet or wok. Add the onions and stir fry for a minute or two.

Add the steak to the skillet and stir fry until it begins to brown. Add the broccoli and continue to stir fry for another few minutes. I use a skillet that has a lid and put the lid on at this point so that the broccoli steams.

Add the sauce and cook until it thickens.

Serve over rice and enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

Tomatillo Salsa for Canning

2010-08-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a GREAT recipe for canning. A Green Salsa that is tart, has a good heat to it, and is so very tasty. I will say it is a bit of work, between all the chopping and the roasting of the peppers. But the taste proves to be so completely worth the extra effort!

Ingredients:

8 cups rough chopped tomatillos (about 2.75 lbs)

5 chopped long green chiles - I use poblano or pasilla. Follow directions below to roast and skin.

3 seeded, finely chopped jalapeño peppers

2 white onions, chopped

1 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons dried oregano leaves

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Caution: Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. If you do not wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes.

Procedure: Wash and rinse canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer’s directions.

Preparing Tomatillos: Remove the dry outer husks; wash thoroughly. They do not need to be peeled or seeded.

Preparing Peppers: The jalapeño peppers do not need to be peeled. The skin of long green chiles may be tough. If you choose to peel chiles, peel using one of these two methods to blister skins:

Oven or broiler method to blister skins – Place chiles in a hot oven (400°F) or broiler for 6 to 8 minutes until skins blister.

Range-top method to blister skins – Cover hot burner (either gas or electric) with heavy wire mesh. Place peppers on burner for several minutes until skins blister.

To peel, after blistering skins, place peppers in a pan and cover with a damp cloth. (This will make peeling the peppers easier.) Cool several minutes; slip off skins. Discard seeds and chop.

Hot Pack:Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and stir frequently over high heat until mixture begins to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a potato masher to mash the ingredients together.
Laddle into hot jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.

Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes.

click here for printable recipe

Sunday Scramble

2010-08-07T22:26:00.000-07:00

This is a little Sunday morning breakfast creation that I came up with one day. I’m sure there are a million variations of this dish. Use this as a basic dish, and add whatever other yummy ingredients you like!

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 egg whites

1 ½ cups frozen southern hash browns (the square chunky kind, not the shredded)

½ white onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Salsa & fresh parsley to garnish

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil in a heated non-stick pan. Add onions and garlic; sauté for about 5 minutes.

Add the hash browns to the onions. Cook until potatoes begin to brown. Salt & Pepper.

Whisk the eggs and egg whites together. Pour over the cooked hash browns. Scramble together until cooked.

Serve in two bowls; garnish with salsa and fresh chopped parsley.

Variations: Add mushrooms, bell pepper, bacon bits, green chilies or zucchini. You could also garnish with the cheese of your choice.

Click here for printable recipe.

Peach Almond Jam

2010-07-31T16:29:00.000-07:00

OK... When I tell you this is the MOST wonderful jam I've ever had, I'm not kidding. The perfect combination of sweet summery peaches, sugar and almond. The tip? Add 1 teaspoon of almond extract after the jam has finished cooking. AMAZING!

I found the recipe on SimplyCanning.com. Make sure to use ripe peaches. I bought some this morning and if I had let them sit for a few days it would have been easier to peel them after their "hot water bath". The site will also link you to many other wonderful canning recipes. The next one I want to try is the Spiced Peach Jam. I'll definitely buy my peaches a few days before I'm going to make the jam. Peeling the peaches will be a breeze!

Click here to be directed to SimplyCanning

Italian Chicken with White Beans

2010-07-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

I saw a recipe for Italian White Beans someplace, and they sounded good. So, I bought a couple of cans of beans and then couldn’t remember where I had seen the recipe. They say that necessity is the Mother of Invention. I guess it’s true. Here’s my version of Italian White Beans, and I made an Italian inspired chicken breast to go along with them. They were quite tasty. Even our kidlet enjoyed them!

Ingredients:

For the Beans -

2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed well

½ white onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Olive Oil

¾ tsp dried rosemary

Pinch of red pepper flakes

¼ - ½ cup chicken broth

Salt & Pepper

For the Chicken & Sauce -

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half butterfly style to make thinner

Garlic Salt

Dried Basil

Olive Oil

¼ cup White Wine

1 Tbls butter

Spoon of cornstarch

Chicken broth

Directions:

For the Beans –

Drizzle olive oil in pot. Heat and add the onions & garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the rosemary, pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Continue sautéing for a couple of minutes. Add a little chicken broth to deglaze the pan.

Add the beans and continue cooking. Add more of the chicken broth to keep the beans moist and continue cooking until the beans are soft; approximately 20 – 30 minutes.

For the Chicken and Sauce –

Drizzle some olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Season the cut chicken breasts on both sides with the garlic salt and basil. Because the breasts are cut thin, it won’t take long to cook. About 2 minutes per side.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Add a small amount of white wine to deglaze the pan. Add butter to the pan and melt. Meanwhile combine the cornstarch with enough chicken broth to make an easily pourable liquid. Add to the pan and cook until thick, like gravy. If you need more chicken broth to thin – or more cornstarch mixture to further thicken, do so.

Serve with the chicken breast placed on top of the beans and drizzle the sauce over all.

Click here for printable recipe.

Spicy Garlic Dill Pickles

2010-07-23T21:47:00.000-07:00

This was my first attempt at making pickles. I found this recipe on the internet, and have adjusted it slightly. The site says that these pickles won three awards at the Stanislaus County Fair in California. And the source it sites is “Blue Ribbon Pickles and Preserves” by Maria Polushkin Robbins. I let them sit for one week before tasting. They are SO yummy! This was a really fun experience and the only thing more fun than making them, is eating them!

Ingredients:

1 small hot red pepper per jar

1 cluster fresh dill per jar (I used dill heads)

2 garlic cloves per jar, cut in half lengthwise
Pinch of red pepper flakes per jar

4 lbs medium-size canning cucumbers (approximate on the weight. I used 14 medium sized cucumbers)

2 3/4 cups white vinegar

3 1/4 cups water

6 tbsp. canning/pickling salt

1 tsp. dill seed

1 tsp. mustard seed

Directions:

Wash the cucumbers and place in a large pot with cold water & ice cubes. Allow to sit for at least 2 hours, and not more than 8. I’ve read that doing this will preserve the crispness of the pickles.

Sterilize wide mouth pint jars. Put 1 hot red pepper, 1 cluster fresh dill, a pinch of red pepper flakes and 2 garlic cloves on the bottom of each sterilized jar.

Cut the ends off the cucumbers and slice lengthwise in fourths or sixths, depending upon the diameter of the cucumber. Pack the cucumbers into the sterilized jars.

In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, salt, dill seed, and mustard seed. Bring to a boil and pour over cucumbers, leaving 1/2-inch headroom.

Seal and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: About 5 pints

Click here for printable recipe.