I made this last night & we really liked it - a new "keeper" recipe for us. My notes are in ( )

 

Stuffed Pork Sandwiches

 serves 4

from Eating Well, jan/feb 2009

 

4 Boneless Pork Chops, about 4 oz each, 1/2 inch thick, trimmed

1-2 slices of Swiss Cheese, cut in half

4 Dill Pickle Sandwich Slices (the thin cut ones, I used Klausen)

Salt &  Pepper

1 tbsp. Oil

4 Whole Wheat Hamburger/Sandwich Buns, toasted

2 tsp. Dijon Mustard (I used a bit more)

4 slices Tomato

Romaine Lettuce Leaves (I used fresh baby spinach as that's what I had in the fridge)

 

 Cut each pork chop nearly in half, stopping short of oen side to make a "hinge". Open each pork chop (like it's butterflied) & place between plastic wrap, pound to flatten to about 1/8 inch thick.

 

On one side of each flattened pork chop, place a piece of cheese and a pickle. Fold in half, clsing it like a book.  Press the edges firmly to seal & season both sides with salt & pepper. 

 

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat (I used a nonstick skillet). Add pork chops, in batches in necessary, reduce heat to medium and cook until golden browned & cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.(flip one time to brown both sides)

 

To assemble sandwiches, spread toasted side of each bun with mustard, top with a pork chop, tomato slice & lettuce.

 this is a great light meal or lunch. I made it sunday & will definitely make again. My notes are in 

(  ).  I didn't have pitas so I served it on a salad plate with triscuit crackers.

 

Mediterranean Chicken Salad Pitas

 serves 6

Cooking Light, july 2008

 

1 c. Plain Greek Yogurt 

2 tbsp. Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper

3 c. Cooked & chopped Chicken (I cooked 2 b/s breasts & shredded those, it was plenty)

1 c. Chopped Red Bell Pepper (I used jarred roasted red pepper)

1/2 c. Chopped Pitted Green Olives

1/2 c. Diced Red Onion

1/4 c. Chopped Fresh Cilantro (used less, I'm not a fan of a lot of cilantro)

15 oz. can Chickpeas, drained & rinsed

6 Whole Wheat Pitas with pockets, cut in half

Lettuce

Tomato Slices

 

In a bowl combine yogurt, lemon juice, cumin & red pepper flakes. Mix & set aside.

 

In a medium bowl combine chicken, bell pepper, olives, onion, cilantro & chickpeas. Stir in yogurt mixture & toss to coat. Line each pita half with lettuce & tomato, divide chicken mixture among pitas & serve

 

 

These are the recipes I made the other night. We have a friend who is vegetarian, and I thought it would be nice to try these recipes out, and see how they turn out, in order to have something yummy to have them over for dinner one night. They turned out absolutely wonderful. Both are courtesy of Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style.

Rosemary Polenta Triangles


1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 c olive oil
1 TBS minced garlic
1 TSP red pepper flakes (I found this a bit spicy, you may want to do less)
1 TSP fresh minced rosemary leaves (my store was out of fresh, so I used 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 TSP kosher salt
1/2 TSP freshly ground black pepper
3 c chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 c half and half
2 c milk
2 c cornmeal
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
Flour, Olive Oil, and Butter for frying later

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary, salt, and pepper and saute for 1 minute. Add the stock, half and half, and milk and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the cornmeal while stirring constantly. Cook over low heat with a whisk, stirring constantly for a few minutes until  thickened. Off the heat, stir in the cheese. Pour into a 9x13x2 pan, smooth the top, and refrigerate until firm and cold.

Cut the chilled polenta into 12 squares. Lift each one out, and cut diagonally into triangles. Dust each triangle with flour (I forgot to do this part!) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick saute pan, and cook the triangles in batches over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once until browned on the outside and warm inside. Add more oil or butter as needed. Serve immediately.

If serving as a side dish, one triangle per person should be plenty. If this is the main course of a vegetarian meal, two triangles, or one whole square should be served per person.

After reading this as I was typing it us, I realize I should point out a couple of things. I halved the recipe and made it in an 11x7x1.5 pan. The pan size doesnt really matter. If you use a smaller pan, the triangles will just be a little thicker. If you do a larger pan, they will just be a little thinner. Its no big deal. Also, I didnt dust mine with flour before I sauteed them. It seems Im always not reading something through before I do it! It still turned out wonderfully, and browned great without the flour, so I didnt even realize I had forgotten something!



Roasted Winter Vegetables


1 lb carrots, peeled
1 lb parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash, about 2 lbs, peeled and seeded
3 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 TSP kosher salt
1/2 TSP pepper
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut all of the veggies into 1 inch pieces

Place all of the cut vegetables into a single layer on two sheet pans. Drizzle them with the oil, salt and pepper. Toss well and bake for 25-35 minutes, turning once with a metal spatula.

Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste of needed, and serve hot.


These vegetables turned out wonderful. I did not bother to peel my carrots, as they looked very clean, I just washed them. This was the first time I had ever had parsnips, or squash, so it was a very pleasant surprise. The store didnt have any butternut squash, so I used an acorn squash, and it turned out good. I also only cooked on one large sheet pan, and it was plenty big enough, and I didnt sprinkle with the parsley. They were good just the way they were. Didnt require any more seasoning.

Warning! This is not anywhere near a healthy recipe. Its a "once a year" type recipe. But its the best sausage gravy Ive ever made.

Natasha's Sausage Gravy


3 TBS Butter
1 package Jimmy Deans Maple flavored Sausage
1/4 C Flour
2-2 1/2 C Heavy Cream
1 TSP Tabasco Sauce
1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1/3 C Pure Maple Syrup
Salt and Pepper to taste


Melt the butter in a large skillet, and add the sausage. Cook until fully browned and cooked through. Add flour and cook for one minute. Add the cream and cook over medium heat, stirring continually until thickened and bubbly. Add the tabasco, worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup. Stir together and taste test before you add any salt or pepper.

Serve over warm biscuits.

Okay, so I know this is a terribly unhealthy recipe, but oh so good and sinful :) I adapted it from a gravy I saw on Food TV before. Ive never tried making it with anything other than the heavy cream, because it has such a good mouth feel. I dont make it often, once or twice a year, so feel it is okay to splurge and use the cream in it. It has a great mouth feel to it. I know the tabasco and the worcestershire sauce sound like very strange ingrediants, but they really work well in this, Im not sure why. It does have some kick to it when its finished. Not hot.... but it kinda heats up your throat as it works its way down. Its absolutely delicious, and I hope you guys can find a use for it during a special occassion type thing. Its great!

 We have these sandwiches a LOT. Very easy, very good and a nice quick meal for a busy night. You can adjust the "heat" of the sandwich by how many jalapenos you use and if you seed them there is very little 'hot'.

 

the original recipe is by Sherry (GratefulServant), but I've adjusted it to suit dh & I, made a few changes. I'll post Sherry's original after my version.

 

 

Jalapeno Chicken Sandwiches

adapted from Sherry's Jalapeno Steak Sandwiches

serves 6

 

Ingredients:

 6 cloves Garlic, minced

3 Jalapeno Peppers, cut into rings (seed if desired)

1/3 c. Olive Oil

1/3 c. Lime Juice

3 tbsp. Dijon Mustard

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

4-5 medium Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into strips or cubed

6 Whole Wheat Sub Rolls, cut in half lengthwise

1/3 c. Low Fat Mayo or Sour Cream

1 tbsp. Ground Chipotle Powder*

*or 1/2 tsp. of cumin & chili powder, 1/4 tsp. cayenne

Sliced Red Onion

6 slices Cheese, optional (I use whatever cheese I have in the fridge - provolone, cheddar, colby, swiss, etc)

 

In a large ziplock bag combine garlic, jalapeno, oil, lime juce, mustard & salt. Add chicken, seal bag, turn to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

 

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (I add a bit of olive oil). Remove chicken & jalapenos from marinade, discard marinade and cook chicken/jalapenos over medium-high heat until chicken is done, stir occasionally. When chicken is done, remove it from the pan to a serving bowl.

 

(I just scoop the chicken & jalapenos with my hand out of the bag, you get some sauce/marinade and that's ok. Sometimes I pour a bit of marinade in the pan to give it some extra sauce).

 

While meat is cooking, combine mayo or sour cream with seasonings. Toast the sandwich rolls (either in the oven or on the stove top). 

 

To assemble the sandwiches - spread mayo/sour cream thinly on both sides of the cut rolls. On the bottom half, place cheese then divide onion among rolls. Top with chicken & jalapeno, replace tops & serve.

 

***

Jalapeno Steak Sandwiches

by Sherry

 

6 cloves Garlic, minced

3 jalapeno peppers, cut into rings

1/3 c. olive oil

1/3 c. lime juice

3 tbsp. dijon mustard

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 lb. thin cut steak, cut into strips

12 slices Texas Toast

1/2 c. chipotle mayonnaise

1 red onion,cut into slices

6 slices provolone or pepper jack cheese

 

In a large ziplock combine garlic, jalapeno, oil, lime juice, mustard & salt. Add steak, seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate  8hours or overnight

 

On an indoor grill or in a nonstick skillet, cook chicken until done. Discard marinade.  Toast the bread, spread each piece with the chipotle mayonnaise, to with a slice of cheese and onion rings. Top with cooked steak, replace tops and serve.

 

 

 

 This is a really good meal - the hummus sounds odd, but it's really very good. Better than I expected it to be.The combination of all the flavors- the chicken & hummus - really works and this is a T&T favorite in our house now.

 

 Chicken Burritos with Black Bean Hummus

from Rhonda GA

serves 4-6

 

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into strips

4 tsp. Cumin

4 oz. Crumbled Feta Cheese

 1-1/2 c. Black Bean Hummus (recipe below)

4-8 Whole Wheat Tortillas

Mixed Greens or Fresh Baby Spinach

Salsa

 

 In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil. Add chicken and sprinkle with cumin. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken to a serving bowl.

 

Spread hummus on each tortilla. Top with chicken, mixed greens and salsa. Roll up to eat/serve.

 

 

Black Bean Hummus

 16 oz. can Black Beans, do not drain

 1/4 c. Tahini or 2 tbsp. Cream Peanut Butter*

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp. Cumin

1/2 tsp. Salt

3 tbsp. Olive Oil

3 tbsp. Water, optional

Juice of One Lemon

Juice of One Lime

 

*tahini is sesame seed paste, usually found near the peanut butter.

 

combine everything in a food processor and blend unti you have a smooth paste. Add water if you need to thin the hummus a bit. Serve with warm pita bread or with the chicken burritos.

 

 Indian Spiced Chicken Pita Sandwiches

 

from Eating Well, June 2009

Serves: 4

Time:  30 min prep, 30 min total

 

1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1-1/2 tsp. Garam Masala, divided *** (I used more)

3/4 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 c. Peeled & Diced Cucumber

3/4 c. Nonfat Plain Yogurt (I used 6 oz. Greek Yogurt)

1 tbsp. Chopped Fresh Cilantro

2 tsp. Lemon Juice

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

4 Whole Wheat Pita with pockets, cut in half

Slices of Tomato

Thin slices of  Red Onion

1 c. Shredded Lettuce or Salad Greens (I used baby spinach)

 

Sprinkle chicken with salt and 1 tsp. garam masala (I used about 2 tsp). Grill over medium heat until no longer pink.  cut into strips.

 

Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cucumber, remaining 1/2 tsp garam masala, cilantro, lemon juice and black pepper. Mix well. 

 

Divide chicken strips among pita pockets. Fill with lettuce, tomato and onion. Spoon sauce over the top and serve immediately.

 

***

Garam Masala is a blend of spices used in Indian cooking. Usually you can find it in the spice aisle, but you can also make your own.

 

 

Garam Masala Spice Mix

1 tbsp. Ground Cumin

1 tbsp. Ground Corriander

1 tbsp. Cardamom

1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 tbsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

 

Mix together and store in an airtight jar.

 ASIAN BEEF STIRFRY
(Body for Life recipe)

8 oz. - thin spaghetti - cooked
1 lb. lean ground beef (could use turkey)
1/8 t red pepper flakes
3 cloves - garlic - minced
1 onion - sliced
1 head or 1 pkg. cabbage - shredded
1/2 C lite soy sauce

Cook spaghetti as directed
Brown beef -
when brown, add the rest - in order listed.
Add cooked Spaghetti last

 

(I add what ever vegetables I want to with all of this., chopped Mushrooms, and some pre-packaged frozen stir fry vege's  )

 

 

this is a favorite in our house - the chicken has a nice kick to it, but feel free to adjust seasonings per personal preference. 

 

 Chicken Fire Salad

serves 4

 

Dressing:

1/3 c. Low Fat Sour Cream

1/3 c. Fat Free 1000 Island Dressing

1/2 c. Salsa, mild or hot per preference

 

Chicken:

3 b/s Chicken Breasts, cut into strips

1 tbsp. Ground Cumin

1 tbsp. Chili Powder

1 tbsp. Ground Chipotle Chili Powder (or 2-3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo,  chopped + 2-3 tsp. adobo sauce)

2 tsp. Garlic Powder/salt

2 tsp. Onion Powder/salt

1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp. Paprika

 

Salad (amounts are approximate)

10 c. Salad Greens

1/2 Red Onion, chopped

1 c. shredded Carrots

1/2 c. Cherry Tomatoes, halved (or 1 plum tomato diced)

1 c. Frozen Corn, thawed

1-1/2 c. Shredded Cheese (I use a bag of blended colby/jack)

2 c. Crushed Baked Tortilla Chips

 

 

combine dressing ingredients; stir, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

 

For chicken, heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet. In a shallow dish combine spices. Add chicken to skillet, sprinkle with half the seasonings. Cook for 3-4 minutes, turn & sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Cook 3-5 minutes more or until chicken is done. Remove from pan & keep warm.

 

To assemble salad -use 4 larger bowls (I use my individual pasta bowls). Divide lettuce among bowls. Top with onion, carrots, tomatoes & corn. Add dressing, about 1/3 c. for each salad. Mix well, top with cheese & crushed chips. Serve.

 

 

 

 

 

 Sausage with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

 

serves 4

from Rhonda

 

2 tbsp. Tomato Paste

2 tbsp. Minced Garlic (3-4 cloves)

14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes, do not drain

 1 tsp. Dried Rosemary, crushed (or fresh)

salt & pepper

15 oz can Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans, drained & rinsed

2 lbs. Italian Sausage - cut into pieces (I use turkey italian sausage, usually a 1lb and ground instead of links)

Hot cooked rice or pasta

 

Precook the sausage in a skillet & drain. In a crockpot, combine everything except rice/pasta. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or pasta.

 

 

Dawn's note: if I don't have tomato paste (or don't have another use for the remaining amount), I use an 8 oz can of tomato sauce. It just gives you a bit more sauce, the flavor is just as good.

 

Posted by Jeannie(Hayburner)! Copying over here so it won't get lost in the shuffle. :)

 

QUINOA AND BLACK BEANS

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (I use canola)

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 sweet red pepper, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (I used 1.5 cups chicken broth made from granules + water)

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• salt and pepper to taste (I used a few shakes)

• 1 cup frozen corn kernels

• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (orig. recipe called for 2... I think that's overkill)

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or 4 Tablespoons dried)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, sweet red pepper and garlic, and sauté until lightly browned.

2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,

3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Spicy Island Shrimp
Teresa Methe Minden Nebraska

1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 c butter cubed
2 lbs uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined
16 oz tomato sauce
3 tbs chopped green onions
1 tbs minced fresh parsley
1 tsp each salt, pepper, paprika
1/2 tsp each garlic powder, dried oregano, dried thyme (I also added some onion powder)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp white pepper (I left this out)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used 1/4 and it was plenty spicy enough)
Hot cooked rice

1. In a large skillet, saute the green pepper and onion in the butter until tender. Reduce heat and add the shrimp. Cook for 5 min or until shrimp turn pink.

2. Stir in the tomato sauce, green onions, parsley and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until thickened slightly. Serve over rice.

 Simple Glazed Shrimp

 

serves 4

from Cooking Light, July 2008

 

3 tbsp. Dijon Mustard

2 tbsp. Honey

1/4 c. Lemon Juice

2 cloves Garlic, minced (I use 3-4)

1-1/2 lb. Large Shrimp, deveined & peeled

 

Thread shrimp onto skewers. Combine mustard, honey, lemon juice and garlic. Brush one side of shrimp, grill (or broil) for 1-2 minutes. Flip, coat with glaze and cook for another 2 minutes or until shrimp are done

 

***

dawn's note - I'll pour the marinade in a shallow casserole dish (long, like a 13x9) then lay the skewers in the marinade. Cover & refrigerate until ready to grill or broil

 

 Shellfish with Chipotle & Tequila

 

serves 4

originally from Cooking Light, this is my version - adapted slightly.

*note - this is easier to make than the recipe looks. It's a lot of ingredients but simple to fix

 

 1 tsp. Olive Oil

1 large Yellow Onion, chopped

1/2 c. Chopped Red Bell Pepper (I use a jar of roasted red pepper)

 Fresh Ground Black Pepper & Sea/Kosher Salt

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1-3/4 c. Water

1/4 c. Tequila

2 tbsp. Lime Juice

1 tsp. Groudn Cumin

8 oz can Tomato Sauce

2 canned Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce, seeded & chopped

2 tsp. Adobo Sauce from above chilies

1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme

1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano

1/2 tsp. Ground Turmeric (if you dont' have it, you can omit)

14.5 oz can Diced Tomatoes

14 oz can Chicken Broth

1 lb. Medium Shrimp, peeled & deveined

3 oz. can Lump Crab Meat, don't drain, pick out any shell fragments

Chopped Cilantro & Chopped Green Onion, optional

 

Coat a dutch oven with nonstick spray. Add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper, garlic, salt & pepper. Saute for 5 mintues or until tender. Add water, tequila, lime juice, cumin, tomato sauce, chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, thyme, oregano, turmeric, diced tomatoes and chicken broth.  Reduce heat to low & simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add shrimp and crab, cook for 6-8 minutes or until shrimp are done.

 

to serve, ladel into bowls. Top each bowl with cilantro & green onion if desired.