Bread, Cheese and Wine

Really, that's all you need for a terrific meal: bread, cheese and wine. Here's a supremely simple dish that combines all three into one deliciously satisfying meal.

I don't know about you, but I am always tossing leftover hunks of bread into the freezer thinking that I'll find a use for them later. More often than not, I end up throwing them out when they start to look too dried out and freezer burned. While cleaning out the freezer the other day, I found yet another bag of neglected bread pieces - nice chunks of crusty sourdough - and decided I was going to use them, darn it. I ended up using half for this recipe and half for an Italian bread soup from Rachael Ray that I will share with you later.

Drunken Cheesy Bread

I started with a shallow 11 x 7-inch casserole dish and laid the bread cubes in a single layer (a slightly crowded single layer, but I tried to squish them all in there). Next comes a bit of thinly sliced onion - be sure to slice as thinly as possible as the onion does not get sauteed first - and ham (I used some sliced deli ham that we happened to have on hand). Unlike egg-based stratas or bread puddings, this one does not require an overnight soak - you just pour the wine over the bread mixture and you're good to go. I used one of those little 4-pack bottles of white wine which are just shy of 1 cup - these little bottles are great to keep on hand for cooking. The dish is topped off with 6 ounces of shredded cheese - I used Fontina and Asiago. Super simple - the hardest part is shredding the cheese.

Mmmmm....was this good. We got 4 servings out of this, just barely. It looks like a large amount of food when you're dishing it out, but since it is not dense with egg, it actually ends up being fairly light and I wouldn't have minded a bit more or at least some leftovers. Next time I'll increase the quantities and make a 9 x 13-inch pan. I was happy to see that the onions - if you slice them thinly - bake up quite nicely so sauteeing them first truly is not necessary. My first thought was that a bit of proscuitto would be really nice in this dish and of course, just about any variety of cheeses would do well - the type of dish that you can mold to whatever you have on hand.

A big thanks to Elisabeth over at the CLBB for bringing this recipe to light! I see various incarnations of this dish becoming part of our regular rotation.......so many possibilities and potential combinations.........

Shrimp Sauté with Orzo

Source: Martha Stewart

Serves 4

1 cup uncooked orzo
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 cup dry white wine
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (you can use a lot less and/or supplement with olive oil if you want to cut down on saturated fats)
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add orzo; cook until al dente, using cooking time suggested on package. Drain; toss with 1 teaspoon oil, and add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large skillet. Add garlic; cook over low heat for 1 minute. Add shrimp, salt and pepper to taste, and 2 tablespoons parsley; cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn, and cook for 3 minutes more, or until opaque. Remove from pan, and keep warm.

3. Add lemon juice and wine to skillet. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add remaining parsley; stir in butter, lemon zest, and capers. Adjust seasonings. Pour over shrimp, and serve on a bed of orzo.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Baked Triple-Bean Pot

Source: Cooking Light, March 2000

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (16-ounce) can baked beans (can use vegetarian baked beans)
1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (15.5-ounce) can butter or lima beans, drained

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Stir in the beans. Cover casserole and bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated.


Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 151(8% from fat); FAT 1.4g (sat 0.4g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 6.5g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 56mg; SODIUM 576mg; FIBER 5.3g; IRON 2.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.4g

Karen A. Levin
Cooking Light, MARCH 2000

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Barbecued Pork Chops

Photo from Cooking Light

Source: Cooking Light, March 2000

From Cooking Light

Sauce:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

Remaining ingredients:
6 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Cooking spray

Prepare grill or broiler.

To prepare sauce, combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Place 1/4 cup sauce in a small bowl, and set aside.

Trim fat from pork. Combine the thyme, garlic salt, and pepper; sprinkle over pork. Place pork on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 6 minutes on each side, basting with remaining sauce. Serve pork chops with reserved 1/4 cup sauce.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 244(42% from fat); FAT 11.3g (sat 3.9g,mono 5g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 24.6g; CHOLESTEROL 77mg; CALCIUM 22mg; SODIUM 649mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9.9g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2000

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Raspberry-Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Source: Cooking Light

Other fruit preserves, such as apricot, blackberry, or peach, will also work in this recipe.

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Combine thyme and 1/4 teaspoon salt; sprinkle over chicken. Add chicken to skillet; sauté 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, preserves, vinegar, and pepper, stirring constantly until the preserves melt. Spoon raspberry sauce over chicken.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 2 tablespoons sauce)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 210(12% from fat); FAT 2.8g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 26.6g; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 24mg; SODIUM 378mg; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.3g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 1998

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Tomato-and-White Bean Soup

Source: Cooking Light, October 1997

You can substitute navy beans for the cannellini beans, if preferred.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped (I use diced)
2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
(I add a splash of balsamic vinegar - adds great flavor and deepens the color)

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes and next 5 ingredients (tomatoes through pepper), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls, and sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups soup and 1 tablespoon cheese)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 297(22% from fat); FAT 7.2g (sat 1.7g,mono 2.9g,poly 1.8g); PROTEIN 18.2g; CHOLESTEROL 4mg; CALCIUM 154mg; SODIUM 451mg; FIBER 5.7g; IRON 4.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42g

My notes: This is one of my favorite soups to make. It's very easy to put together and it's very easy to keep all of the ingredients on hand. A great, healthful soup to whip up on a busy weeknight. This soup freezes very well.

Asian Barbecue Chicken

Source: Cooking Light, March 2002

"This is a recipe I love to make for family and friends. I usually serve it with roasted sesame asparagus and a sesame-noodle salad. Let the chicken marinate overnight for best results." -Jen McDonald, Centerville, VA

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 (6-ounce) chicken thighs, skinned (I used chicken boneless-skinless chicken breasts)
Cooking spray
Lime wedges (optional)
Green onion tops (optional)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute.

Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 20 minutes or until done, turning and basting frequently with the marinade. Garnish with lime wedges and green onion tops, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 thighs)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 297(23% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 2g,mono 2.4g,poly 1.9g); PROTEIN 39.2g; CHOLESTEROL 161mg; CALCIUM 39mg; SODIUM 706mg; FIBER 0.4g; IRON 2.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.1g

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Tortellini, White Bean, and Spinach Soup

Source: Cooking Light, November 1997

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups coarsely chopped spinach
2/3 cup water
1 (16-ounce) can navy beans, drained
2 cups Fresh Vegetable Broth or 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained (I substituted frozen green beans)
1 (9-ounce) package uncooked fresh cheese tortellini
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
(I also added a small amount of frozen corn that I had on hand)

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, bell pepper, seasoning, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add spinach and next 5 ingredients (spinach through artichokes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes. Add tortellini; cook until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups soup and 2 teaspoons cheese)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 281(18% from fat); FAT 5.7g (sat 2.1g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 15g; CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 158mg; SODIUM 562mg; FIBER 4.2g; IRON 2.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 43.9g

My notes: My kids really do not like artichokes, so I substituted frozen green beans. See this post for more comments. This recipe is flexible in that you can really add any veggie you have on hand and it will work nicely. I added some frozen corn - it was a great way to use up a small amount that was just sitting in the freezer. My kids will often willingly eat more vegetables if they are presented in a tasty soup or a tasty sauce, such as curry.

Italian Sausage Soup

Source: Cooking Light, July 2004

This soup has that simmered-all-day flavor but takes just minutes to prepare. Serve it with hot crusty bread.

8 ounces hot or sweet turkey Italian sausage
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
1/2 cup uncooked small shell pasta
2 cups bagged baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan, and cook about 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain; return to pan.

Add broth, tomatoes, and pasta to pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Remove from heat; stir in spinach until wilted. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and basil.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, and 1 1/2 teaspoons basil)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 216(30% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 2.6g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.8g); PROTEIN 17.4g; CHOLESTEROL 52mg; CALCIUM 153mg; SODIUM 1020mg; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 3.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 20g

Karen Levin
Cooking Light, JULY 2004

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Easy Layered Beans and Rice

Source: posted by Kari on the Cooking Light Bulletin Board

1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked (I used brown rice)
4 sun-dried tomato halves (not packed in oil), cut into small pieces (I skipped these)
1 can corn (8-oz) drained (I used frozen corn)
1 1/4 cups boiling vegetable broth (I used a whole can to add more liquid for the brown rice)
2 cups reduced-fat, meatless spaghetti sauce (I used my homemade marinara)
1 (1-lb) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups of cooked beans)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (I use regular)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375º.

Lightly oil a deep 2-quart casserole or spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Spread rice in the casserole. Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes. Spread corn evenly over rice. Gently pour broth over corn. Spoon half of the spaghetti sauce evenly over the corn. Spoon beans over the sauce, followed by remaining sauce. Cover tightly and bake 45 minutes.
Uncover, sprinkle with both cheeses, and return to oven until cheese is melted and begins to brown, 5-10 minutes.

Serve-again hint: Here's everything you need for a bean and rice burrito, including the cheese. Just roll leftovers in flour tortillas, heat in an oven or microwave, then top with salsa.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 413 cals, 6g fat (3 g sat), 19g pro, 71g carbs, 938mg sod, 11mg chol

My notes: A meal that's quick, easy and delicious. As someone on CL said, the sum is greater than the parts with this dish.

Other things that have worked well in this dish:

• Muir Glen Pizza Sauce in place of marinara
• smoked turkey sausage
• fontina cheese
• black beans

North Woods Bean Soup

Source: Cooking Light, J/F 2002.

Pureeing some of the soup lends body to the dish. Stir in fresh spinach after the soup is removed from heat so it won't overcook and lose its bright color.

Cooking spray
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

Heat a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and kielbasa; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes. Add the broth, Italian seasoning, pepper, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to pan. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add the spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 227(15% from fat); FAT 3.9g (sat 1.2g,mono 1.3g,poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 18.1g; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; CALCIUM 112mg; SODIUM 750mg; FIBER 6.7g; IRON 3.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30.8g

My notes: This soup is easy, nutritious and delicious. I love that the sausage makes you feel like you're cheating - it makes the soup hearty and full of flavor. Both of my boys really love this soup too - always a plus when you can please adults and kids alike.

I cook this soup with a different process than written by Cooking Light. My modifications are to accomodate the fact that pureeing the sausage doesn't appeal to - I'd rather have more to bite into - while on the other hand, I'd rather NOT have bits of carrot to bite into.

So, I start out with some olive oil (no cooking spray for my non-stick pans) and saute the onions, garlic and carrot. I then add the broth and spices and simmer until the carrot is soft. I then puree the whole mixture along with about a 1/2 can of beans. The carrots lend a very nice color to the broth and I can have the nutrition of carrots without the taste I don't care for. After pureeing, I add the beans and sausage and simmer for about 10 minutes, adding the spinach at the very end.

I talked about this recipe HERE and HERE.

Pesto Salmon

Source: based on Easy Pesto Salmon from Cooking Light

This recipe was developed by a fellow CL bulletin board participant. I often have homemade pesto in the freezer, though it uses a full-fat recipe. If I want to cut the fat a bit, I simply take several tablespoons-1/4 cup of my own pesto and run it through the processor with some fresh spinach. Not only does this lighten and add nutrition, but it also revives the pesto by giving it a nice, bright green color. Add a bit of olive oil or chicken broth as needed. I will include the recipe as written on CL, as well as a link to my own pesto recipe.

"We grow basil on our porch and are always looking for tasty new ways to use it. I created this dish on a whim to try and get my husband to eat salmon. I succeeded: He loved it, and now he even requests it on occasion. The salmon tastes wonderful served with grilled or steamed vegetables."

2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, peeled
Cooking spray
2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned
2/3 cup hot cooked brown rice
(pesto recipe)

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place the first 6 ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Spoon 3 tablespoons pesto into bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with the salmon fillets, and spread with the remaining pesto.

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with rice.

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 salmon fillet and 1/3 cup rice)

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Quick Shrimp and Corn Soup

Source: Cooking Light, April 2000


Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 cups fat-free milk
1 (15-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 teaspoons sliced green onions

Heat a Dutch oven or large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese; reduce heat, and cook until cheese is melted. Add milk, corn, soup, and tomatoes; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bring milk mixture to a boil. Add shrimp; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Remove from heat. Sprinkle each serving with green onions. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1/2 teaspoon green onions)

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 228(29% from fat); FAT 7.4g (sat 3.8g,mono 1.9g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 18.8g; CHOLESTEROL 118mg; CALCIUM 176mg; SODIUM 663mg; FIBER 1.5g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 20.8g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2000

My notes: This recipe has to things I generally consider no-nos - creamed condensed soup and cream-style corn, but I'm giving it a whirl anyway. The condensed soup is just something I don't think of as being all that healthy, but I know they can sure taste good!

Overall, this soup was pretty tasty but not as good as I had hoped. I'm not sure if this will be a repeater, but if I do make it again, there will be some changes.

As I began making this soup, I started to think, "Now why did I think this sounded so good?". It suddenly dawned on me that out of tomatoes, chilies, creamed corn and cream of mushroom soup, one of them just didn't belong - the mushroom soup. The mushroom soup, however, wasn't the problem. It was the cream-style corn that I didn't like - it smelled funny to me and I thought it came through too much in the soup. I would have much preferred regular corn - either canned or frozen. I guess cream-style corn just isn't my thing.

The only other problem was that it was a little too spicy. Fine for adults, but a little spicy for my crowd. To cut down the heat, I would use regular diced tomatoes and perhaps add canned chilies along with a little cayenne so that I could have better control over the spiciness. I used Rotel - I don't remember other brands being quite this spicy, but I don't use these very often.

Easy Chicken Santa Fe

Source: from a friend

1-2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans whole kernel corn (15.25 ounce) drained (I used frozen)
2 cups bottled thick and chunky salsa
3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 8-ounce brick cream cheese (you can use less-fat variety)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a 3.5 or 4-quart electric slow cooker, mix together beans, corn, and 1/2 cup salasa. Top with chicken breasts, then pour remaining salsa over chicken.

2. Cover and cook on high heat setting 2.5-3 hours or until chicken is tender and white throughout. Do not overcook or chicken will be tough. Remove chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add back to slow cooker.

3. Add cream cheese (cut into cubes to melt faster) and turn cooker to high heat. Heat until cream cheese melts and blends into sauce. Serve over rice (or in tortillas). Top with shredded cheese. Serves 4.

For the stovetop: Heat oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan, cover and cook, 5-6 minutes on each side or until just barely done. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Once chicken has cooled, shred or chop.

Lower heat to medium-low and add salsa to pan. Heat gently. Add corn and beans. Add cream cheese and stir until thoroughly melted. Add chicken back to pan and heat through.

My notes: This is, admittedly, not the prettiest dish to look at but it truly is quick, easy and tasty. There is no chopping (a huge plus on a busy night) and it's still reasonably healthful, provided that you use 1/3-less-fat cream cheese. Many folks even skip the cheddar since the cream cheese adds plenty of cheesey flavor of its own.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Lemon-Horseradish Sole

Photo from Martha Stewart

Source: Martha Stewart's Everyday Food

Serves 4; Prep time: 10 minutes; Total time: 15 minutes

To make tasty dishes in minutes, use your microwave. It’s a great way to steam fish. You can also microwave potatoes or other vegetables to serve with the fish; if you do, double the butter mixture, and toss the extra with the vegetables before serving.

3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons prepared white horseradish
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 sole fillets (6 ounces each)
Coarse salt
Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

1. In a small bowl, stir together butter, parsley, lemon zest and juice, horseradish, and mustard.

2. Season both sides of fillets with salt; lay, flat side up, on a clean work surface. Reserve 2 teaspoons butter mixture; dividing evenly, spread remaining butter mixture on top of fillets. Fold fillets in half crosswise, enclosing butter mixture.

3. Place folded fillets in a 9-inch microwave-safe dish with a tight-fitting lid. Top with reserved butter mixture, dividing evenly. Cover; microwave on high until fish is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

4. To serve, place fillets on plates, and spoon juices from dish over fillets; garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.

Per serving: 235 calories; 10.7 grams fat; 32.3 grams protein; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0.3 gram fiber

My notes: This dish couldn't be easier to prepare and all family members loved it. Using this cooking method opens the door to exploring other ideas for a quick week-night fish meal. I substituted olive oil for some of the butter to make it a little more healthful. The sauce isn't exactly light as far as fat goes, but most of it stays in the dish, so you can monitor your fat intake by how much sauce you choose to drizzle over your fish when you plate it. The horseradish and dijon flavors did not come through enough for our tastes, so I would increase both of these ingredients.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Mustard-Glazed Salmon

Source: Martha Stewart's Everyday Food

Serves 4; Prep time: 5 minutes; Total time: 15 minutes

This dish is casual enough for a family dinner and elegant enough to serve to company. To keep the fillets from sticking to the pan, cook them with the skin side of the fish down. Some of the skin may stick to the pan a bit, but you can use a spatula to slide the fillets right off the pan without tearing them.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
4 pieces salmon fillet (6 ounces each), with skin
chopped fresh dill (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

2. Put salmon, skin side down, in a baking dish, and spoon mustard glaze over each piece of fish. Bake until salmon is just cooked through and no longer red, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped dill, if desired, and serve.

Note: The mustard glaze will complement virtually any type of fish. You can try it on tuna, swordfish, or catfish. It's also good on baked chicken.

My notes: The glaze for this fish is very good, but there wasn't enough of it for my tastes. I would make this again, but next time I would make more glaze and cook the fish with only part of the glaze, reserving some to drizzle on at the table. I used dried dill and put it right in with the glaze before cooking the fish. A very easy dish for those busy weeknights.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Ginger-Glazed Salmon

Source: Cooking Light

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray
1/2 cup pineapple preserves
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place fillets in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine preserves and remaining ingredients; pour over fillets.

Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 336(29% from fat); FAT 10.9g (sat 2.5g,mono 4.7g,poly 2.6g); PROTEIN 31.4g; CHOLESTEROL 80mg; CALCIUM 23mg; SODIUM 372mg; FIBER 0.1g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.5g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2003

I talked about this recipe HERE.

White Chicken Chili

Source: Cooking Light, October 2004

Cooking spray
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
1 cup water
2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (such as Goya)
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. (I almost always cook the chicken and THEN cube to help keep it from drying out. I then add the chicken toward the end of the cooking time, along with the other ingredients that you just want to heat through.)

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in cumin, dried oregano, and coriander; sauté 1 minute. Stir in chiles; reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes, partially covered. Add the chicken, water, cannellini beans, and broth; bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. (I added the cheese here (and the cubed chicken) insead of sprinkling it on top.) Stir in hot sauce. Ladle 1 cup of chili into each of 8 bowls; sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and 1 tablespoon green onions.

Yield: 8 servings (IMO - This would be 8 small servings or 6 fairly large servings)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 233(23% from fat); FAT 5.9g (sat 3.1g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 32.7g; CHOLESTEROL 78mg; CALCIUM 180mg; SODIUM 694mg; FIBER 3.4g; IRON 3.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.7g

Mercy Ingraham
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2004

I talked about this recipe HERE.

Sweet and Salty Pretzel Candies

Source: ?????

These little candies are so easy to make and very addictive. I make several variations. It is a GREAT project to do with the kids.

The basic ingredients:

Round or waffle pretzels
Rolos or Hershey's Kisses (Hugs look particularly festive)
M&M's (in Christmas colors) or nuts

Preheat oven to 250º.

Spread pretzels out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat (this is important - the candies will be much easier to remove). Top each pretzel with with a Rolo or Hershey's Kiss. Bake at 250º for about 4 minutes, maybe a little longer for the Rolos. Remove from oven and allow to cool very slightly. Place an M&M or a nut on top of each Rolo or Hershey's Kiss. Allow to cool. I like to speed up this process by placing them in the refrigerator after the baking sheet has cooled - otherwise the candies take quite a long time to harden completely.

In my experience, these don't last very long - the pretzels begin to get stale, so either eat them quickly or store in the freezer.

I talked about this recipe HERE.

S'mores Bars

Source: Gourmet Magazine

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 pound milk chocolate (I used semi-sweet)
4 cups mini-marshmallows (I used between 3 and 4 cups)

In a bowl combine well the crumbs, the sugar, the salt, and the butter and, reserving 1 cup of the mixture, press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a flameproof baking dish, 13 by 9 by 2 inches. Bake the crust in a preheated 350°F. oven for 12 minutes, or until it is golden, and let it cool in the dish on a rack. In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt the chocolate, stirring, pour it over the crust spreading it evenly, and sprinkle it with the marshmallows, pressing them lightly, and the reserved crumb mixture. Broil the dessert under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from the heat for 30 seconds, or until the marshmallows are golden, let it cool completely, and cut it into squares.

Makes about 24 bars.

Gourmet
July 1990

I talked about this recipe HERE.