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Showing posts with label Cooking Light. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking Light. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Cooking Light - August 2007


I haven't posted a Cooking Light "to try" list since the May issue! I'll try to get caught up, but first, here's one for the current issue. Most of August's recipes can be found on the Cooking Light website. It's a pretty long list and two of the recipes are on my list to make this week.....


That should do it for this issue. I hope to get June and July up there too. Kind of late, but I do like to keep track of what recipes catch my eye.....

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Cooking Light - May 2007

Looking over the May issue, I ended up making note of quite a few of them, including almost every recipe from a section entitled "Fiery & Cool". Some of the things that caught my eye were a pineapple salsa, plantains mashed with coconut milk and a banana and black bean puree - all things that wouldn't normally appear on my table, but sounded very appealing.

As always, what catches my eye and what actually ends up on our table are usually two very different things, but in any case.......here's my list:

Toasted Millet with Parmesan
Arugula Pesto
Chickpea, Chard, and Tomato Stew
Raisin-Honey Milk Bread
Banana-Coconut Ice Cream
Pineapple-Lime Sorbet
Pine Nut and Lemon Orzo
Sesame Green Beans
Raspberry-Ginger Sorbet
Spinach-Cheese Bake
Grilled Tuna with White Bean and Charred Onion Salad
Chicken Vegetable Potpie
Lemony Chickpea Dip
Szechuan Spicy Noodles with Carrot-Cucumber Relish
Jerk Chicken
Indonesian Beef Curry with Coconut Rice
Coconut-Chile Snapper with a Caribbean Bean Puree
Chipotle Pork Soft Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Chile-Rubbed Steak with Corn and Red Pepper Relish My Review!

Just a quick post today - now it's off to enjoy the beautiful weather today with a visit to the Italian ice shop, a baseball game and steaks on the grill for dinner tonight..............

Edited to add: Erika from Tummy Treasure has added her list of recipes to try from the May issue of Cooking Light.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Cooking Light - March 2007


Whoops, somehow I forgot to post about the March issue of Cooking Light! Folks are already beginning to receive their April issue, but better late than never?

CL has changed its look a bit - they have gone to a spine instead of the staple and they've changed the font. Not sure if it's better or worse or just different. At first, nothing really jumped out at me, but sometimes I need to go through an issue a few times before I start to see what I want to make. Anyway, I ended up with a pretty long list. Again, I rarely get to every recipe in every issue, but I still like to have a reference list to refer to when I need something new to make. So here goes.............

Penne with Pancetta, Spinach, and Buttery Crumb Topping My Review!
White Bean and Collard Greens Soup
Grits and Greens
Honey-Whole Wheat Bread
Flank Steak with Creamy Mushroom Sauce
Stir-Fried Szechuan Steak on Rice
Creole Shrimp Rémoulade over Baby Arugula My Review!
Parmesan Chicken Paillards with Cherry Tomato Sauce
Roasted Cauliflower with Brown Butter
Pork Tenderloin Kebabs
Thai Chicken Sauté
Oatmeal-Chai Buttermilk Pancakes
Tilapia Piccata
Cincinnati Chili
Cumin-Coriander Crusted Salmon

Thai Chicken Sauté

Last night I made the Thai Chicken Sauté. It's not unlike a coconut curry, but there is no curry in this sauce. It is perhaps a cross between a coconut curry and maybe a Pad Thai without the peanuts? Not a very good description, I know, but it's a hard sauce to describe. There's a pungency from the fish sauce and a bit of sweetness from the sugar and coconut milk, along with a punch of heat from the chili paste. Although I think it could use a splash of color and nutrition from a little bit of sliced red bell pepper, it goes together quickly and everyone enjoyed it. Hmph. My chicken doesn't look as nice and brown as their picture - that's because I always, always put it in the pan before it's really hot enough! Maybe some day I'll be patient and get some nicely browned chicken going.................

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Cooking Light - Jan/Feb 2007


The latest issue of Cooking Light arrived last week, and here's what caught my eye:

Main Course:
Escarole with Bacon and White Beans
Smoked Cheese Pasta Bake My Review!
Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Olives My Review!
Rosemary-Scented Lentils and Sausage
Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Cashew Rice
Fig and Blue Cheese-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Beef with Spicy Cocoa Gravy
Falafel Pitas My Review!
Smothered Pork Chops with Thyme
Cumin-Dusted Chicken Breasts with Guacamole Sauce My Review!
Barley Risotto with Roasted Winter Vegetables My Review!
Fettuccini Alfredo (I may have made this back when it originally came out....can't remember) My Review!

Soups/Stews:
Chunky Red Dal Soup My Review!
Smokey Barbecue Chili
Dal with Ghee, Cumin and Mustard Seeds

Sweets:
Mudslide Cookies

Well, that's it. I have the Cumin-Dusted Chicken Breasts and the Barley Risotto planned for this week and I will post as soon as we try them.

I only made 3 recipes from last month's issue so far, but I don't try to cook my way through an issue the way I did at one time, I cook based on whatever sounds good at the moment, what fits with what we already have on hand, and what fits our budget. Things that looked great at the time I made my list, may not grab my interest until sometime much later on, or I may never make it, no matter how good it sounds. What can I say, I'm fickle..........

Any other CL fans want to share what they'd like to cook from this current issue? Just send me and email or leave a comment and I'll include a link here.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Cooking Light - December 2006


Browsing through the December issue of Cooking Light, I decided to try to keep better track of recipes that look I'd like to try. To that end, I am going to try something new here at The Savory Notebook. I used to wade through each issue and cook as many dishes as possible - rarely repeating the same dish twice - but I'm much more hit or miss these days. I tend to cook more based on daily whims, rather than keeping track of each issue and what catches my eye. This works fine and I don't think I'll ever get back to cooking quite that much again - it tends to be expensive and time-consuming - but I would like to try more new recipes.

Though I go through each issue and dog-ear any interesting recipes, I tend to put the magazine back on the shelf and forget about them. I also rely on the Recipe Finder/Kitchen Assistant for keeping track of recipes I want to try, but again, these can get lost in the shuffle.

Perhaps posting the recipes I'd like to try here on the blog will help? Maybe not, but it's worth a try. Thing is, what looks interesting to me changes from day to day. Many recipes I dog-ear never do get tried for whatever reason. I'm much more likely to try the recipes that are convenient for every day - easy weeknight meals that fit a busy lifestyle and a limited grocery budget. Items such as the cakes in this issue will likely go a long time before I try them - they look great, but I just don't make cakes all that often. I also love that over at the CLBB, someone will post a rave review about a recipe that totally missed my eye, causing me to go back and find quite a few treasures that were missed the first time around.

Any other Cooking Light fans out there that would like to join in, just send me a link and I'll link to your own list of recipes you'd like to try from the current issue.

Anyway, here is my list for December. I've linked to any recipes that are currently posted on Cooking Light and will post more links and/or photos if they become available.

Asiago and Balsamic Caramelized Onion Focaccia
Garlicky Broccoli Rabe
White Bean and Beef Soup with Tomatoes and Onions
Cranberry Upside Down Coffee Cake
Pumpkin Pound Cake with Buttermilk Glaze
Coconut Cake with Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake with Bittersweet Ganache
Pork Medallions with Gingered Cranberry Sauce
Farfalle with Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce My Review!
Artichoke, Spinach, and Feta Stuffed Shells
Beer-Braised Beef with Italian Salsa Verde
Sausage, Escarole, and White Bean Ragout My Review!

No way these will all get made before the next issue arrives, but it's fun to put the list out there and have it as a reference tool.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

What's for dinner? (10/06/05)

Whew - I'm feeling a bit stressed today. I spent all morning cleaning up for our afternoon showing today, then had a bit of a crazy day at work. I came home to relax a bit and realized that I needed to finish up an online course and that the last day to complete it is tomorrow.

While I was finishing up my classes and preparing for the exam (an easy exam, but an exam nonetheless), we got a call that the folks who looked at our house today want to look at it again tomorrow afternoon. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal, but I am leaving before 8 in the morning to go on a field trip with my youngest. DH will take care of everything just fine and the cleaning is really done since we had a showing today, but there are still beds to be made, etc. I'd just rather be here and be in control!

I'd love it if it would all be over after we get home from the field trip, but we have another showing scheduled tomorrow! The other showing is at 6:30. We'll be dropping the kids at the YMCA for Parent's Night Out at 6. It's too bad that we'll be spending the first hour of our alone time together fussing with a showing, but the night out lasts until 10 p.m., so we have plenty of time to fit in dinner out somewhere. I'll SOOO ready to be waited on and to drink a big old glass of red wine (or two)! I'm counting the hours until then......

I'm sad that I haven't had time to bake or play in the kitchen - the weather really cooled off today and that always triggers a baking response in me. However, baking just dirties up too many things (I'm very messy when it comes to flour) when you're trying to keep the house really neat for showing and makes cooking stressful, so I haven't been doing much this week. But just wait until Saturday - as long as no one calls for a showing! I might have to say no even if they do.....


Here's the plan for tonight. I haven't had time to come up with any sides and it's too late to do brown rice, so I'll just have to wing it:

Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light

Honey-Ginger Glazed Salmon with Arugula Salad
Source: Cooking Light, October 2005

If sage honey isn't available, substitute alfalfa or another light-colored, mild honey. For bolder flavor, try a dark honey, such as gallberry.

2/3 cup sage honey
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
2 tablespoons warm water (100° to 110°)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets (1 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups trimmed arugula

Preheat oven to 350°.Combine honey, 2 tablespoons juice, water, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Pour honey mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; arrange fish in pan, skinned side up. Let stand 20 minutes. Turn fish over; sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes. Remove from oven.

Preheat broiler.

Brush fish with honey mixture; broil 7 minutes or until fish is browned and flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

Combine remaining 2 tablespoons juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, oil, and pepper in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Add arugula; toss gently to coat. Serve salad with fish.

Wine note: Honey intensifies the rich meatiness of salmon in this dish, which requires a clean, crisp wine. I love Havens Albariño 2004 from Napa Valley, California ($24). (Albariño is a Spanish white grape.) -Karen MacNeil

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and about 1/2 cup salad)

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 396(38% from fat); FAT 16.6g (sat 3.6g,mono 8.2g,poly 3.6g); PROTEIN 36.9g; CHOLESTEROL 87mg; CALCIUM 56mg; SODIUM 378mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25g

Marcia Whyte Smart Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2005

My notes: This dish was quite good. I really got all the great flavors on my first bite, but had a problem tasting after that - I probably just needed to drizzle on more sauce. The sauce glazes the salmon when you broil it, but it also gets thick and syrupy after it's been out of the oven and has cooled down a bit - perfect for drizzling. It didn't knock my socks off, but it was very easy to put together and quite good.

I ended up serving it with some leftover whole wheat couscous and a broccoli slaw salad with cashews.

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Thai-Style Pork Stew


This is a recipe from Cooking Light that was written for a crockpot. I have tried it twice in the crockpot and both times, the pork came out too dry and the vegetables too mushy. Still, it had great flavors and was easy to throw together, so it deserved another chance.

Here is the recipe as originally written with my alterations below:

Source: Cooking Light, September 1999

Peanut butter melds with classic Asian flavors to lend this one-dish meal a Thai flair. Lime makes a perfect accent.

Stew:
2 pounds boned pork loin, cut into 4 pieces
2 cups (1 x 1/4-inch) julienne-cut red bell pepper
(I also added about 2 cups of chopped broccoli)
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce*
2 tablespoons rice or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I cut way back on this)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
(I had a lot of pork and we like a lot of sauce, so I increased the sauce by about 1/2)

Remaining ingredients:
6 cups hot cooked basmati rice
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
8 lime wedges

To prepare stew, trim fat from pork. Place pork and next 5 ingredients (pork through garlic) in an electric slow cooker. Cover with lid, and cook on low-heat setting for 8 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker, and coarsely chop. Add peanut butter to liquid in slow cooker; stir well. Stir in pork.

Combine stew and rice in a large bowl. Top each serving with onions and peanuts; serve with lime wedges.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup stew, 1 tablespoon green onions, about 1/2 teaspoon peanuts, and 1 lime wedge)

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 412(30% from fat); FAT 13.6g (sat 3.6g,mono 6.2g,poly 2.5g); PROTEIN 28.9g; CHOLESTEROL 64mg; CALCIUM 37mg; SODIUM 425mg; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.3gCooking Light, SEPTEMBER 1999

My notes: This time I did it on the stovetop as follows:

Sauté the pork in a small amount of toasted sesame oil, just until it begins to turn white. (I am a firm believer in not cooking meat until it's completely done or it will dry out - the meat will finish cooking while resting or when you return it to the pan to warm through.) Remove pork from pan and set aside.

Add a bit of water to the pan, along with chopped broccoli; cover and lightly steam broccoli for about 5 minutes. (I overdid the broccoli a little - next time I would steam for maybe 5 mintues or even less.) Add red bell pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add teryaki sauce and vinegar. Next add the peanut butter and stir to blend well. Add pork and scallions and heat through.

This was a big hit with the family and was very easy to prepare. It even got my husband and my youngest son to enthusiastically eat their broccoli. Not only that, but my broccoli-hating older son didn't hate it so much with this delicious sauce to mask the broccoli so well. Quick, easy and delicious - definitely a repeater for us, especially with the new cooking method - not as easy as a crockpot, but it is still prepared in only one pot and with added veggies, can be a one-dish meal.

*I like to use Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce. It is one of the few store-bought sauces that I really like. Plus, I LOVE the name!


Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Friday, September 30, 2005

Spinach Salad with Egg, Bacon and Goat Cheese


This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Cooking Light, May 2006.

4 cups fresh spinach leaves
4 eggs
4 slices of bacon, cooked (in microwave on paper towels)
1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
Dijon Salad Dressing

Cook bacon on plate lined with paper towels (double layer on bottom, single layer on top) for about 5 mintues or until crisp. Remove bacon from plate and drain on a fresh paper towel.

Break 1 egg into each of 4 (6-ounce) custard cups coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap, and microwave at high for 40 seconds or until set; let stand 1 minute. Remove eggs from cups; drain on paper towels.

Assemble salads with 1 cup spinach, 1 egg, 1 slice of bacon crumbled, a sprinkling of goat cheese and a drizzle of Dijon dressing.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Starting to go stir crazy...

...with our third day home this week. DS was inactive all day yesterday (not like him) but his fever stayed down - right until about bedtime when it went up over 100º again. I kept him home again today and took him to the doctor. Just as I figured, they didn't find anything, but at least I can send him to school tomorrow with more confidence. Thank goodness because I'm ready to go back to school too!
One might think I'd have gotten a lot done with my 3 days off from work this week, but I feel like I did nothing. I did do some cooking and lots of blogging, but didn't get all those other things done that are on my "to do" list like cleaning, phone calls, etc. Oh well. At least today I did manage to finish my online Excel course and will try to finish the Word course as well.

I'm tempted to try another brownie recipe, but may put that off until Saturday. What I really need to do is make sure I fit in some good exercise today to work off all the brownies I've eaten so far this week! Instead, I'll try something less fattening - maybe using up some of our apples from the orchard to make some Overnight Apple Butter.

I tried this recipe last year from Cooking Light and liked it very much. Not only is it easy and tasty, but it puts my crockpots to use - they don't get much of a workout, except for the very occasional recipe (like pot roast) and when I sometimes use them to make marinara. The recipe also includes stovetop instructions. Someone on the CL boards suggested using apple butter to flavor oatmeal - I tried it - very yummy!


Added note: I skip the straining part and simply use my immersion blender to get the mixture nice and smooth. Much easier and less messy!

Overnight Apple Butter
Source: Cooking Light, October 2004




Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light


A mixture of apple varieties, rather than just one type, will produce apple butter with rich, complex flavor in this slow cooker recipe. Good choices include Esopus Spitzenburg, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Northern Spy, Rome, Stayman, Winesap, and York. Enjoy the apple butter over toast or English muffins, or serve it with pork chops or chicken.

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
10 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks (about 2 ½ pounds)


Combine all ingredients in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 10 hours or until apples are very tender. Place a large fine-mesh sieve over a bowl; spoon one-third of apple mixture into sieve. Press mixture through sieve using the back of a spoon or ladle. (See note above.) Discard pulp. Repeat procedure with remaining apple mixture. Return apple mixture to slow cooker. Cook, uncovered, on high 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. Spoon into a bowl; cover and chill up to a week.

Stovetop variation: Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 1 hour or until apples are very tender, stirring occasionally. Strain through a sieve as recipe instructs in Step 2. Return mixture to pan. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently.

Yield: 4 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup) NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 132(0.0% from fat); FAT 0.0g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g); PROTEIN 0.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 18mg; SODIUM 6mg; FIBER 3.1g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.3g

Domenica Marchetti
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2004

Friday, September 02, 2005

Baked Barley with Shiitake Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

Source: Cooking Light

Slow baking allows the barley to absorb the woodsy flavor of the mushrooms and the sweetness of the caramelized onion.

2 tablespoons butter (substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a vegan version of this recipe)
4 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon sugar
(for vegan, skip or sub raw sugar)
3 cups sliced button mushrooms (about 9 ounces)
3 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups uncooked pearl barley
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups vegetable broth
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sugar; cover and cook 25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Add barley; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce, salt, pepper, and thyme.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pour broth over barley mixture; cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until barley is tender. Let stand 10 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 292(17% from fat); FAT 5.4g (sat 2.6g,mono 1.2g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 9.5g; CHOLESTEROL 10.4mg; CALCIUM 42mg; SODIUM 908mg; FIBER 10.7g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.1g

Jeanne Lemlin
Cooking Light, MARCH 2003

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Sausage, Escarole and White Bean Ragout


Source: Cooking Light

The flavorful sausage and bold escarole are filling additions to this French-accented stew. Substitute mustard greens to mimic the bitter flavor of escarole, or use spinach for milder flavor. Serve with a crusty baguette or rolls.

12 ounces sweet turkey Italian sausage
Cooking spray
1 cup prechopped onion
1 cup cubed peeled red potatoes (about 6 ounces)
1/3 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
4 cups sliced escarole (about 4 ounces)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Remove casings from sausage.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add Italian sausage and onion to pan, and cook for 4 minutes or until sausage browns, stirring to crumble. Drain sausage mixture well; return to pan. Stir in potatoes, wine, garlic, beans, and chicken broth; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 7 minutes. Stir in escarole and rosemary, and cook for 4 minutes or until the escarole wilts, stirring occasionally. Ladle 1 1/4 cups soup into each of 4 shallow bowls, and sprinkle each serving evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups soup and 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 254(33% from fat); FAT 9.2g (sat 2.9g,mono 3.2g,poly 2.7g); PROTEIN 21g; CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 86mg; SODIUM 929mg; FIBER 4.9g; IRON 2.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.2g

Melanie Barnard
Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2006

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Fettucine with Butternut and Gorgonzola Sauce

Source: Cooking Light

This rich dish works well for a dinner party--simply add a tossed salad, bread, and wine. Gorgonzola is a creamy blue cheese that creates a luscious sauce. If you use another type of blue cheese, the sauce will still taste great but not be as creamy. To help cut prep time, look for prechopped butternut squash, which some large supermarkets stock in the produce section.

1 tablespoon butter
3 cups vertically sliced onion
3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, divided
8 cups hot cooked fettuccine (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, squash, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper; sauté 6 minutes or until the squash is almost tender. Add minced garlic; sauté 1 minute. Cover and set aside.

Bring 2 cups milk to a boil in a saucepan. Combine the remaining 1 cup milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk; gradually add to boiling milk, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup cheese, and stir until smooth.

Combine squash mixture, pasta, and cheese mixture in a large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parsley, chopped walnuts, lemon rind, and the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 429(25% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 6.6g,mono 2.2g,poly 2g); PROTEIN 17.6g; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; CALCIUM 299mg; SODIUM 723mg; FIBER 5.4g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 65.5g

Julie Grimes Bottcher
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2006

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Soy-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Source: Cooking Light

1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
(for vegan, sub raw sugar)
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 sweet potatoes, each cut lengthwise into 4 wedges (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Combine first 6 ingredients; stir well with a whisk. Arrange potatoes in a single layer in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Pour soy sauce mixture over potatoes. Cover and bake at 400 for 50 minutes or until tender; baste with soy sauce mixture. Bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 wedges)

CALORIES 325 (14% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 0.8g, mono 1.8g, poly 2.2g); PROTEIN 4.8g; CARB 65.2g; FIBER 6.9g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 440mg; CALC 82mg

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Onion and Fontina Beer Batter Bread

Source: Cooking Light

Bake this quick bread before you leave town, or mix dry ingredients, sauté onions, and grate cheese in advance, then bake the loaf on-site.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fontina cheese
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer (such as amber ale)
Cooking spray
1/4 cup butter, melted and divided (I used closer to 3 tablespoons and it was plenty)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Cool to room temperature.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add onion, cheese, and beer; stir just until moist.

Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; drizzle evenly with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes; brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake an additional 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 149(30% from fat); FAT 5g (sat 2.3g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 3.5g; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 61mg; SODIUM 259mg; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.2g

Jennifer Martinkus
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2006

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Bacon, Onion and Fontina Strata

Source: Cooking Light

5 cups chopped Oso Sweet or other sweet onion
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 cup egg substitute (I used 4 eggs)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
10 ounce day-old Italian or French bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 10 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Add water; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer 30 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Cool.

Combine milk, egg substitute, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in onion and bacon. Add bread; toss gently to coat.

Arrange half of bread mixture in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Top with remaining bread mixture. Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover strata. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese; bake an additional 20 minutes or until browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 257(27% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 3.6g,mono 2.3g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 14.8g; CHOLESTEROL 22mg; CALCIUM 236mg; SODIUM 614mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 1.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.6g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Pumpkin-Cinnamon Streusel Buns


Source: Cooking Light

To make these year-round, substitute canned pumpkin puree and add an extra cup of all-purpose flour.

Buns:
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (I used about 5.5 cups due to pumpkin accident)
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree (I used one full can by accident)
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk (I used skim)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Glaze:
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

To prepare the buns, dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour, pumpkin, and next 5 ingredients (pumpkin through nutmeg); beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of the remaining 3/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into the dough. If an indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)

Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Roll up the rectangle tightly, starting with a long edge, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch seam and ends to seal. Cut roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place slices in a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Bake the rolls at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon water, and vanilla extract in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over buns. Serve warm.


Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 bun) (with the added pumpkin and flour, this recipe made about 16 rolls)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 219(25% from fat); FAT 6.2g (sat 3.7g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 3.8g; CHOLESTEROL 16mg; CALCIUM 24mg; SODIUM 311mg; FIBER 1.2g; IRON 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.9g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2001

Make sure to read about my mistakes and successes with this recipe.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Black Bean and Chorizo Chili


Source: Cooking Light, March 2003

The smoky chipotle chiles and Spanish chorizo sausage combine to give this chili a kick.

1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Cooking spray
2 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 links Spanish chorizo sausage, diced (about 6 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained
3 (14-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (8 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, drained
1 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup fat-free sour cream
Baked tortilla chips (optional)

Remove 2 chiles from can; finely chop, reserving remaining chiles and sauce for another use.

Heat a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chiles, 1 3/4 cups onion, bell peppers, garlic, and chorizo; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add chili powder and next 7 ingredients (chili powder through corn), stirring to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate, salt, and black pepper.

Ladle 1 cup chili into each of 12 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1 tablespoon onion. Serve with tortilla chips.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 311(24% from fat); FAT 8.4g (sat 3.2g,mono 3.4g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 16.5g; CHOLESTEROL 13mg; CALCIUM 95mg; SODIUM 888mg; FIBER 12.9g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.9g

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Cheesy Squash and Rice Pie

Source: Cooking Light, June 2000

1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups (1/4 inch thick) sliced yellow squash (about 1/2 lb)
2 cups (1/4 inch thick) sliced zucchini (about 1/2 lb)
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives or green onions
cooking spray
1/2 cup 1% low fat milk (I used skim)
1/2 cuo(4 oz) garlic and herbs reduced fat soft spreadable cheese (Boursin or Rondele) (I used full-fat Alouette - will try Boursin, full-fat or light, next time)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten (I skipped this and used 3 whole eggs total)

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add yellow squash, zucchini, onion, and rosemary; cook 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Cool.

Combine squash mixture, rice, and chives in a large bowl; spoon into a 9 inch pie plate coated with cooking spray.

Combine milk and remaining 5 ingredients; stir well with a whisk. Pour over squash mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until center is set.

I talked about this recipe HERE.