Cottage Cheese - It's Worth Another Look

I just love making baked pasta - it takes only a little effort and the oven does all the work. I often make these types of dishes for when we have company, it makes cooking for a small crowd much easier and less stressful. Even when it's just the hubby and I, we love the ease of cooking once and eating many times.

This particular recipe was delicious, rich and cheesy. I have been reluctant to try recipes with cottage cheese until now, as it is not one of my favorite foods - but it is a healthy addition to my diet while pregnant. So I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor, texture and added creaminess (and nutrition too!). I hope to continue to broaden my horizons and try new recipes with cottage cheese - if you have a favorite, leave me a comment on any suggestions!


Baked Ziti
Seen on Annie's Eats; adapted from Cook's Illustrated March & April 2009

Ingredients:

1 lb. whole milk or 1% cottage cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups),divided
Table salt
1 lb. ziti
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
20 oz. turkey Italian sausage I used ground sirloin
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
5 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
1 tsp. sugar
Ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
8 oz. low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave in colander.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Crumble in the turkey sausage and cook until nearly browned. Add in the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is softened and the sausage is completely browned. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup basil and the sugar, and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch and heavy cream. Transfer the mixture to the now-empty stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cottage cheese mixture, 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and 3/4 cup mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce.

Transfer the pasta to a 9×13″ baking dish and spread the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil from the pan and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.

A 30 Minute Plus 8 Hour Meal

I had a busy day ahead of me, some veggies to use up and a craving for pasta. So I decided to let the slow cooker to do most of the work for me, and after only about 30 minutes of prep work, my sauce was simmering away in the crock pot. I just love how the crock pot infused the whole house with the delicious aromas of tomatoes and herbs - what a nice welcome home! It makes a larger batch, so there will be plenty of goodness for leftovers or freezer meals. Enjoy with a crisp green salad, plenty of Parmesan cheese and a nice glass of Merlot.

All Day Tomato Sauce & Meatballs

Meatballs: (Makes about 16-18 small-medium meatballs, next time I would use 1.5 lbs ground beef for more meatballs)

1 lb ground beef
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Add all ingredients except for the last two to a large bowl, combine and form into meatballs. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet and add the smashed garlic clove to infuse the oil. Add meatballs turning frequently to brown all sides, but not cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from skillet and add to sauce in the crock pot.

Sauce:
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, grated
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 cups Baby Bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
28 oz crushed tomatoes
28 oz tomato puree
about 1/2 cup water (I swished it around in the tomato puree can)
14.5 oz diced tomatoes with juices
1.5 tsp kosher salt or to taste
1 tsp freshly ground pepper or to taste
2 tsp dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1.5 tsp dried oregano
splash of red wine
1 tbsp EVOO (more if necessary)
1-3 cup fresh basil, torn, plus more for garnish
Parmesan cheese

Add all the tomatoes and water to the crock pot and set on high, cover.

In the same skillet as the meatballs were in, over medium heat add in a little more EVOO if necessary and add the celery, carrot and onions. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes. De glaze the pan with a splash of wine and continue to cook veggies till softened.

Remove, add to crock pot, and add all remaining herbs and seasonings. Turn down to low, and cook for 7-8 hours, tasting a couple of times and adjusting seasonings if necessary and stir on basil with about 20 minutes left. Garnish with more fresh basil before serving.

Stuffed & Satisfied

I've made something similar to this before I started blogging, so I thought I'd revisit Mexican- style stuffed peppers. This is such an easy dish that requires a little prep and then the oven does all the work for you. Also, it's a pretty light meal that is really filling - you don't need any side dishes, and it could be lightened up even more by substituting ground turkey or chicken breast for the sirloin.

**** I have submitted this to the Foodie Films: Tortilla Soup, a Mexican themed blogging event on Joelen's Culinary Adventures. Check it out to enter your own Mexican-inspired recipes or for other events and recipes.

South Of The Border Stuffed Peppers

1/2 lb ground sirloin
2 large bell peppers, seeded/cored
1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup fresh salsa
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Mexican chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2-1/3 cup tomato sauce
1/2 can black beans, rinsed & drained
water
2% shredded Mexican blend cheese

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare rice according to directions (I used quick cooking brown rice), drain and set aside.

Meanwhile heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the beef. While beef is still browning, add in the onions and garlic and continue to cook till meat is browned and onions and garlic is softened and drain.

Return beef mixture to skillet. Add in ingredients from cumin through paprika and 2 tbsp of water, stirring to coat. Add in the salsa, tomato sauce, beans and rice and heat through.

In a baking dish pour in a little tomato sauce and water (maybe 3 tbsp) to lightly coat the bottom and provide moisture. Fill in the peppers and place in dish. Add a couple of tablespoons of cheese on top and cover with tin foil.

After 30 minutes, remove foil and spoon juices over the peppers. Bake another 15-20 minutes, add a little more cheese on top if desired and bake another 5 minutes or so until melted.

* The recipe makes enough filling for 3-4 peppers. I filled only two for dinner, and the remaining filling was used for wraps - I heated the filling, put in a whole wheat low carb wrap, added a little more salsa and cheese, and heated in the microwave till the cheese melted.

Burgers & Fries - Italian-Style

I love Italian food, and I thought, why not combine that with two of my other favorite things - burgers & fries? So that's how this twist on an American classic was created - it was so flavorful and a great change from the norm. I'll definitely be making these again soon...and don't tell the hubby I used baby spinach (my new favorite ingredient) instead of lettuce!

Italiano Burgers with Provolone & Sun Dried Tomatoes

3/4 lb ground round or sirloin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes (softened)

Toppings - baby spinach leaves, chopped sun dried tomatoes, basil pesto mayo (1/4 cup light mayo mixed with 1/2 tbsp pesto), provolone cheese slices

Heat a grill over med-high heat. Mix all ingredients (except for the toppings) in a large bowl and form two large burgers. Grill about 8 minutes per side, or until desired. With a couple of minutes left, top with provolone, remove and add the remaining toppings.

Italiano Potato Wedges with Parmesan and Parsley

3 medium potatoes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
kosher salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp EVOO
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 425. Cut potatoes in half, then slice again into wedges (I got 6 larger wedges from each potato). Add to a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients and add to potatoes and toss to coat. On a lightly sprayed baking sheet lined with foil, spread out potatoes and add to the oven.

Bake for about 40 minutes turning a couple of times. With about 3 minutes left, remove form oven, add cheese and parsley and bake for another couple of minutes till cheese melts.

Griddle Me This

Griddle me that....Jamie always makes the Batman/Riddler references whenever I make things with my Cuisinart Griddler. Jokes aside, I absolutely love that appliance - I use it multiple times a week for all kinds of meals. This time, I was experimenting with different panini's. While the following are not exact recipes, they are more so to get an idea for topping combinations that go deliciously well together.

Panini's are such a great dinner, they are so versatile, quick and easy. Just heat your panini maker or grill pan (place a heavy pan on top to get the sandwich pressed), drizzle your bread with some EVOO or spread a little butter, add your toppings, grill and enjoy.

Apple Smoked Cheddar, Turkey and Bacon Panini

Sourdough bread
shredded apple smoked cheddar cheese
spicy ground (honey mustard was great too)
cooked turkey bacon
lower sodium turkey breast lunch meat (I like Boar's Head brand)
thin apple slices
softened butter (to spread on outsides of bread)



Italian Salami & Cheese Panini with Pesto Mayo

Italian bread
sliced provolone cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese
Italian salami (I love Boar's Head Biano D'Oro Dry Salami)
sliced roma tomato
thinly sliced red onion
pesto mayo (I mixed a little basil pesto paste with some low fat mayo)
drizzle of EVOO (on outsides of bread)

Grilled Cheese Panini

sourdough bread
softened butter (to spread on outsides of bread)
shredded colby cheese (I used a good quality Amish cheese)
shredded apple smoked cheddar cheese
shredded sharp cheese (I like Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar)
Sometimes I like to add sliced or tomato or bacon also

Not pictured here, but other panini's that I make regularly are:

Caprese Panini

ciabatta bread
sliced buffalo mozzarella cheese
fresh basil leaves
thinly sliced tomato
drizzle of EVOO and balsamic vinegar
dash of salt and pepper

Turkey Reuben

Swirled Rye bread
lower sodium turkey breast lunch meat (I like Boar's Head brand)
Swiss cheese
sauerkraut
thousand island dressing

Get Out Your Fork & Knife

Because you're going to need them to eat this sandwich! I've made this dish many times, but it was either before I began this blog, or I just plain forgot to take pics. So I'm finally posting my meatball sub recipe, but I apologize for the picture - it looks like a big gooey mess. It was not only delicious, but versatile as well - I served it for another meal over rigatoni with a little Parmesan, and I think it would be great as a stromboli or meatball pizza too.


Marinara Sauce with Meatballs

Sauce:

1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (plus half can of water)
freshly ground black pepper & Kosher salt to taste
1.5 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
a pinch of sugar
1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute for about 8 minutes or until softened, add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the last two. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours. Stir occasionally, and add sugar if sauce is too acidic. Add parsley in the final 20 minutes of cooking, and another handful for garnish.

Meatballs:

1.3 lb ground beef (That's the size that my package was, just adjust the ingredients a little if you have less meat)
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1/2 cup Parmesean cheese, shredded
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients till combines. Form into meatballs (Yielded about 24 meatballs. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with EVOO non-stick spray, and bake meatballs for about 15 minutes, turning a couple of times to cook evenly.

Remove from oven and add to the simmering sauce for at least an hour.

Subs:

hoagie rolls (I used whole wheat sesame seed topped rolls)
Marinara sauce with meatballs
Parmesan, provolone and mozzarella cheeses

Place rolls on a baking sheet, and bake for about 5 minutes or less, until bread starts to toast. Remove from oven, spread a some of the sauce and meatballs on the rolls. On top of that, I tore a slice of provolone into strips, and used approximately 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1 tbsp of Parmesan cheeses on each sub. I baked them in a preheated oven at 400 for about 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with a little freshly chopped parsley.

The 5 1/2 Hour Sauce

A couple of Saturdays ago, I was watching the Food Network, and I saw a bolognese sauce being made. It looked delicious - even though I had just made another Ragu Bolognese alla Fettucine last month and still have some in the freezer, this recipe looked so good, I had to try it. It definitely lived up to my expectations, it was one of the favorite sauces that I've made.

And yes... it takes a while...but it's completely worth it and is a perfect thing to make for that chilly Sunday afternoon.



At first the vegetable mixture resembles baby food....


But here it is looking like a delicious meal in the making....


And....finally it's ready to be devoured :)

Pasta Bolognese
Food Network/Secrets of a Restaurant Chef

Prep Time: 45 min
Cook Time: 4 hr 30 min
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice
4 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
Kosher salt
I also added freshly ground pepper and two cloves of minced garlic
3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination I used 1 lb ground sirloin, 2 lbs ground chuck
2 cups tomato paste
3 cups hearty red wine
Water
3 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
1 pound spaghetti I used a combination of whole wheat penne & rotini
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
High quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing

In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.

Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.

Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Pasta water should ALWAYS be well salted. Salty as the ocean! TASTE IT! If your pasta water is under seasoned it doesn't matter how good your sauce is, your complete dish will always taste under seasoned. When the water is at a rolling boil add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than it calls for on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking remove 1/2 of the ragu from the pot and reserve.

Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the remaining ragu. Stir or toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add some of the reserved sauce, if needed, to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced. Turn off the heat and give a big sprinkle of Parmigiano and a generous drizzle of the high quality finishing olive oil. Toss or stir vigorously. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated Parmigiano.

Serve immediately.....and ENJOY

I Love Ragu (Not From the Jar)

I was on my own for a few days, and found myself with a pasta craving (yeah...again) and some time to devote to the sauce, so I found this recipe for Bolognese on Cooking Light. It was wonderful, the meat takes center stage in this style of pasta, where normally the tomatoes/sauce is more prominent. I loved this sauce, and after eating it for dinner two nights in a row, and lunch one day, I reserved the rest and stored it in the freezer for another day when the pasta cravings return.



Ragu Alla Bolognese with Fettuccine
Cooking Light

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
5 ounces ground veal For the meat, I used 1lb ground turkey, 1/4 lb ground sirloin
5 ounces ground pork
5 ounces ground round
1 cup dry white wine I didn't have any, so I used 1 1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato puree I used about 20 oz
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley I used 1 tbsp dried parsley and 2 tsp dried basil
2 (9-ounce) packages fresh fettuccine, cooked and drained I used dried linguine
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Parsley sprigs (optional)

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot; cover and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove onion mixture from pan.

Add veal, pork, and beef to pan; cook over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add wine, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture, broth, and tomato puree; bring to a simmer. Cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Stir in milk and minced parsley; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Add pasta, and toss to coat. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

When It's Chilly - Make Some Chili

The Fall weather has arrived, and when I have all afternoon to cook, my obvious choice was to make some chili. I love trying different combinations of spices & ingredients, so here's another new recipe. I usually serve chili with garlic bread, but this time I made a cheesy beer bread to go with it. Great decision - it was a change, the flavors went well, and it was just plain wonderful!

Take Off The Chill Chili

Ingredients:

1.5 lb ground round
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large onion, diced (1/4 of that reserved)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small-med Poblano pepper, diced (they only had mild)
15 oz tomato sauce
28 oz can diced tomatoes

14.5 oz diced tomatoes with jalepenos
3-6 oz tomato paste

1 can of spicy chili beans

1 can of dark kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 bottle of beer (I used Michelob Porter, this beer had notes of chocolate & coffee, two ingredients often used as "secret" ingredients in chili)
1.5 tbsp Mexican chili powder
1/2 tsp Mexican oregano

1 tsp ancho chile powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1.5 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
approximately 1 tsp Kosher salt & 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper (I used a mixture of black, white, red & green peppercorns)

Directions:

Heat a skillet and cook beef until browned. Remove, drain but reserve some of the liquid in pan, and set beef aside.

Over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, Poblano and celery for a few minutes until softened. Add meat back to the skillet and combine the mixture. Add beer to skillet and simmer a couple about 5 minutes till slightly reduced. Add all the seasonings & stir to combine.

Meanwhile on another burner, heat a large pot and add all the tomatoes. Stir in the skillet mixture and bring to a boil. Check seasonings, adjust if necessary and reduce to low, cover and simmer. Put in the beans about 45-60 minutes before the end of cooking. I had the time, so I simmered it for about 3 hours. If needed, add more tomato paste to thicken. Remove bay leaf.

Serve with your favorite toppings - I like to have some of the following:

2 % shredded Mexican cheese
fat free sour cream
diced green & yellow onions
oyster crackers
beer or garlic bread
oyster crackers
Fritos

Easy As Mexican Pie

I was feeling like Mexican, but didn't want plain old tacos. After browsing through some blogs, I found a recipe that sounded great. I had the ingredients on hand, and it meant that my poor, rarely used springform pan would get some action time in the oven. We loved this dinner, layers of tortillas, Mexican seasoned beef, black beans, enchilada sauce...it looks impressive, but it so easy...what's not to love? And the leftovers are just as good. I made some changes to the recipe, the original ones can be seen in the links below.


Before.... and trying to wait patiently for 25 minutes....

After...25 minutes are up, time to dig in!


Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
adapted from Delicious Meliscious & Liz's Cooking Blog

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 small jar enchilada sauce
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 large onion, diced
1 can fire roasted diced green chilies
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
2 tsp Mexican chili powder
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces Mexican beer
8-10 oz frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 1/2-3 cups shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese
1 tomato, seeded and diced
sour cream and salsa, for serving

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.

Brown ground beef and drain fat.

Add onion, diced chilies, garlic, cumin and chili powders; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add beans and beer to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn, and remove from heat.

Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the meat & beans, spoon some enchilada sauce over top (maybe 3-4 spoonfuls) and 1/2 cup cheese.

Repeat three times, using 1-1.5 cups of cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; spoon any extra enchilada sauce on top, then sprinkle with scallions & diced tomatoes.

To serve, slice into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa if desired.

Good Things Come in Foil Packages

This has to be one of my favorite summertime meals - potatoes & corn on the cob in foil, and burgers on the grill. It's so easy, quick, and just sooooo yummy! I make some variation of this just about every week. I love adding different things to the potatoes - garlic, onion, mushrooms, butter, fresh herbs......I'll stop right there - enjoy!


Wrapped & Grilled Herbed Baby Reds

8 baby red potatoes, washed and cut into 1/4-1/2 inch slices
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley

In a bowl, toss potatoes with above ingredients, except for parsley. Spray a sheet of tin foil with extra virgin olive oil or butter cooking spray. Spread out the potatoes into a thin layers (maybe two or three potatoes thick). Add additional seasonings if desired. Fold over the tin foil, press all edges and deal into a neat little packages.

Grill over medium heat, carefully flipping over once. Cook for about 15-20 minutes. (the thicker the potatoes, the longer it needs to cook) Remove from grill, and add freshly chopped herbs.

Herbed Grilled Corn

I didn't take a picture of it, but it looks just like the other grilled corn pics in my blog ;)

2 ears of corn, husks & silk removed
2 tbsp Smart Balance 50/50 blend, softened (or butter, or whatever you like!)
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp dried Italian herbs
a few sprigs of freshly finely chopped parsley

Spray a piece of tin foil (not too big, just enough to wrap around the corn) with non-stick olive oil or butter flavored spray. Spread butter mixture on corn, and wrap in foil. Grill over medium heat for 20 minutes, turning often to cook evenly. Remove from grill, and sprinkle some fresh parsley over corn.

Double Cheddar Burgers

1 LB ground sirloin
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped or grated onion
1 tbsp BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/4-1/3 cup shredded Monterrey Cheddar Jack cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
slices of Sharp cheddar cheese
lettuce, tomato, red onion, or desired toppings

In a bowl, mix all ingredients through the garlic. Form into 3 or 4 burgers, pressing down slightly in the middle. Grill on med-high heat for 16-18 minutes or until cooked as desired, flipping halfway through, add the cheddar slices in the last couple of minutes of cooking.

I usually toast the buns when I put the cheese on the burgers. Finish off with desired toppings/condiments.

Eat Your Bowl....Taco Salad

I've made taco salad a couple of times before, but I forgot to blog it. So the third time, I did some more experimenting, and this is my favorite so far. It's such an easy & quick meal that is also great for the summer time. I got the original idea for the tortillas from Chelley, a fellow WC'er. The idea to add the rice came from one of my favorite cooking sites Cooking Light. Then I played around with all of those ideas, and came up with the following. You could also use the filling to make burritos, tacos or nachos, which I probably will do with the leftovers.

Eat Your Bowl Taco Salad

(the recipe makes too much for two servings, but I plan on using the leftovers)

1 lb ground beef

low carb large flour tortillas

2 coves garlic, minced

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 can of black beans

handful of shredded or torn lettuce

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced (or green onion would be great sprinkled on top of salad)

2% Mexican cheese blend

1/2 -3/4 cup cooked brown rice (yellow or Mexican rice would have been great, but I didn't have any on hand)
1 tsp cumin

juice and zest of half a lime

Preheat the oven to 425. Brown ground beef, drain and add minced garlic, seasonings & water, recipe below. Add diced onions and black beans to meat mixture. Simmer till slightly thickened. (I kept rice separate since Jamie didn't want any, if not, you could add it to meat mixture)

Brush tortillas with some vegetable oil or use non-stick spray, and bake on balls of tin foil or inverted ramekins on a baking sheet for about 6 minutes, till slightly browned and crispy.

Add the lime juice, zest and cumin to the cooked rice.

Toss the meat and rice mixture, or just layer into the bowls, add the dressing, and top with tomatoes, lettuce, extra onions if desired, and cheese.

Taco Seasoning:

1 tsp cilantro (I only had dried on hand)

1/2 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp cumin

2-3 tbsp Mexican chili powder

Mix above ingredients together in a bowl, and add 2 tbsp or more if desired, to browned ground beef and add 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp of water, and simmer till slightly thickened.

Dressing:
2/3 cup fat free sour cream

2/3 cup fresh medium salsa

1/2 tbsp of taco seasoning

Mix above ingredients, and toss in or put on top of taco salad.

Southwestern Grillin'

My blog entries may be a little back and forth since I have some catching up to do. But I actually made this last night, and as Rachael Ray would say - YUM-O! It is pretty hot again, so I didn't feel like cooking in the kitchen. Grilling burgers and corn sounded great - and they were - one of my favorite burgers that I've made. It included my new favorite ingredient - Mrs.Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning (and it's salt free). I served it with a great big baby spinach & romaine salad. I did forget one thing - I was going to add some turkey bacon on top, or cooked and crumbled in with the beef mixture, I might try again tonight!

Sizzling Southwest Chipotle Cheeseburgers

*I estimated the amounts of BBQ sauce & seasoning

1lb ground sirloin (or whatever meat you prefer)

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion (or grated)

1 clove garlic, minced

a dash of salt and pepper (if desired)

2 teaspoons of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend (more if desired)

2 tbsp BBQ sauce (I used Stubs Smoky Mesquite, but Sweet Baby Rays Honey Chipotle or a honey BBQ sauce would be great too)

2 tbsp shredded Monterrey jack cheese
sliced red onion
sliced cheddar Monterrey Jack cheese
Extra BBQ sauce for topping

Mix together just till ingredients are combined (beef through shredded cheese & don't over mix!) Form into 4 patties, pressing down slightly in the center. Grill till desired, maybe 7 minutes each side for well done. A couple of minutes before burgers are done, put more cheese on top if desired, and toast the buns. Grilling the onion would also be good too! I topped with some extra BBQ sauce.

Southwest Chipotle and Lime Grilled Corn
*I estimated the following amounts

2 ears of corn, husked
1 tbsp Smart Balance or butter, softened
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
sprinkle of garlic salt & pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp of Mrs.Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
squeeze of lime juice

Mix all ingredients and spread on corn. Wrap in foil and grill for about 15-20 minutes, turning often. Remove from foil and squeeze some more lime juice, sprinkle on extra seasonings if desired.

Skip The Drive-Thru, Stay In The Kitchen!

Burgers & fries = my favorite fast food. I know how bad it is, which is why I rarely have them, but the cravings are still there! So these versions of my faves are yummy alternatives, since I'm using my Cuisinart Griddler (which doesn't dry up lean meat) for the burgers, and the oven for the fries. I switched up regular potatoes with sweet potatoes -I've made them a few times, each time trying something different, but I have yet to get them as crispy as I have accomplished with white potatoes. (But they were yummy!) And the burger, well I love experimenting with different ingredients & toppings!

BBQ Burgers with Grilled Onions

1/2 lb extra lean (90/10) ground sirloin
1.5 tbsp shredded 2% milk cheddar cheese, divided
garlic salt & pepper to taste
1/2-1 tsp BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby's Ray's)
1 tsp grated yellow onion
a few pieces of yellow onions cut in wide slices, drizzled with a dash of extra virgin olive oil

Plus buns & favorite toppings

Mix all ingredients together, but only add 1 tbsp of the shredded cheese. For into two equal patties, and make a slight indentation in the center of each, to help prevent a bulge in the middle while cooking.

Grill on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes on each side, I leave it on longer since I like mine well-done. Put the onions on the grill till soft & caramelized. If desired, about 2 minutes before burgers are done, place the remaining shredded cheese on top of each burger, place another type of sliced cheese (American, etc) on top of the burger and melt. I also like to toast the buns (I use whole wheat or lite) I topped my burgers with grilled onions, sliced roma tomatoes, Boston lettuce & a pickle.

Sweet Potato Fries
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

2-3 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled I used 1 large potato
Oil and Spice Rub
Tbsp of Earth Balance, melted (vegan margarine) I used 1tbsp Smart Balance spread, and 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp Paprika I omitted
1/4 tsp Chili Powder I omitted
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes I omitted
1/4 tsp Salt, Black Pepper I used garlic salt
I used 1 tsp dried parsley & 1.5 tsp of grill seasoning

Preheat oven to 450º F.

Slice potatoes into thin fry shapes with a large chef’s knife. Mix melted earth balance and spices together and toss the potatoes in it. Place oiled/spiced fries on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper (they might stick to foil). Do NOT crowd the pan - you want space between every fry. Bake for 20 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.

Place potatoes under the broiler, turning every minute or so and keeping a close eye on them. Broil them for as long as you can without incinerating them. Serve immediately or you’ll lose any crispiness you achieved. Goes great with ketchup or a creamy vegan mayo.

Comfort Food - Without Guilt

Ahhhh....comfort food - you know, potatoes, mac & cheese, soup/stews, etc. They are wonderful when it's frigid & snowing outside - but spring will be here before you know it, and it'll be time to put those sweaters away - no more hiding! So, to make the most of the last of winter, I'm trying to make some low fat comfort food recipes, that will (hopefully) taste just as good. So far...so good. I made some BBQ mini meatloaves, baked potato & roasted broccoli - I didn't follow any particular recipe - I just used ingredients that I enjoy, while trying to keep it light. All of the dishes were cooked at 375 degrees.

BBQ Baby Meatloaves

1 lb extra lean ground beef (I'm sure turkey would be good too, I've just never tried it)

1 egg

1/3 cup finely diced red bell pepper

2/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp onion powder

1 tsp fresh parsley

4 oz plus 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's), divided

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven for 375 and coat a muffin tin with olive oil cooking spray(or whatever you have).

Mix all ingredients except for the 4 oz of BBQ sauce in a large bowl and form into 8 equal portioned balls. Press into the muffin tin, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Spread the remaining 4 oz BBQ sauce on meatloaves and bake for another 5-8 minutes.

*If you wanted to freeze unused portions, omit the last step, and put BBQ sauce when reheating.

Garlic Roasted Broccoli

1 crown of broccoli, washed, stems trimmed

1/2 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced

In a bowl, toss all ingredients togther and spread on a foil lined, olive oil sprayed baking sheet (I used the same one as the potatoes) Spread out in a single layer and bake for approx. 20 minutes, and turn once.

Baked Potato

Russet potato

garlic salt & pepper to taste

olive oil

Scrub potato & dry. Pierce potato all over with fork, rub with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake on baking sheet for 45-55 minutes. Remove and serve with salsa, fat free sour cream, chopped chives or heart smart butter spread if desired.

Light My Fire ;)

I'm a little behind on my postings, but this is from Valentine's Day. I prepared a fondue - which is just perfect for a long, romantic Valenine's Day meal. I only did the peanut oil/main course fondue - I've never done a cheese one(but I plan to), and didn't prepare a chocolate/dessert one since I already had dessert - the yummy pb cheesecake brownies in my blog. You can include whatever combination of meat/seafood/veggies you like, and pair them with dipping sauces - either prepared or homemade. I got some inspiration from Gourmet Sleuth & Go Fondue web sites.

Romantic Fondue

Meat: chicken breast & beef tenderloin, cubed
Seafood: peeled/deveined uncooked shrimp
Vegetables: cherry tomatoes, green & red pepper, and red pepper (cut into chunks) & baby bella mushrooms (halved)

I served the fondue with Creamy Parmesan Orzo, in my blog under Pasta.

I marinated the chicken & beef in some garlic flavored olive oil, salt & pepper for 30 minutes. Soy sauce would be great too!

Dipping Sauces:

These are really rough estimates, I kind of added more/less of ingredients to taste, as well as how much we needed.

BBQ Sauce - I recommend Sweet Baby Ray's or Stubby's Mesquite ;)

Ginger Teriyaki - mix 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce, 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger(fresh if you have on hand)

Garlic Herb Butter - melt some butter, maybe 4 tablespoons, and stir in 1/4 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp Italian herbs, 1 tsp minced garlic

Honey Dijon Mustard - mix 1/2 cup dijon mustard & 3 tbsp honey

Hoisin Dipping Sauce -mix 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup & season with salt & pepper

Spicy Oriental Sauce - mix 2 tbs soy sauce, 1.5 tbs lemon juice, 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers, 1 clove garlic, 2 tsp sesame oil

Lemon Basil Olive Oil - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, dash of salt & pepper, 1/4 fresh chopped herbs(I had basil & parsley), 1 tbsp lemon juice

Fill a fondue pot with peanut oil (not to the top, a little more than half), then dump into a pot and heat on the stove till oil reaches 375 degrees. Remove from stove & carefully put back in fondue pot, and place on stand above the flame. I also added a tablespoon of Fondue Seasoning from The Melting Pot restaurant, but I'm sure you could always add your own faves - like garlic salt, onion powder, Italian seasoning, etc.

Spear your meat & veggies w/the fondue forks, and cook. Unfortunately, I didn't time it but it's less than 5 minutes - the veggies & shrimp cook the fastest.

And it's a fondue rule that if your food falls off the fork, you must kiss!