Soup/Salad and Pizza, Review and Pics

The soup was super easy.  I really liked it.  The kids said they didn't like it that much but they have never had minestrone before.  They might like it better next time.  Maura did eat all of hers though.  Chris isn't home from work to try his yet.

The pizza smelled awesome.  I knew that the kids wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole so I made them a three cheese pizza.  I liked the pizza.  I would make it again for sure.  It had a unique taste and it's ingredients worked surprisingly well together.

The olive salad was good.  I ended up halving the recipe since I didn't have all that lettuce.  I was pleasantly surprised that the olive oil and olive brine was enough of a dressing for me.  I didn't miss any dressing at all.  I think if I made this again I would use less olives, maybe 1/2 of each type.  And for some reason I thought a thinly sliced cucumber would have added to the lightness of it.

And that was my dinner for tonight. 

Quick Minestrone, Sun-Dried Tomato, Veggie and Goat Cheese Pizza

These recipes were taken from the Vegetarian Times Vegetarian Beginners Guide.

Quick Minestrone
(makes 4 servings)

1 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery with leaves, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tsp dried Italian herb blend
3 TBSP raw quick-cooking brown rice
1 large unpeeled potato, cut into 1/4 inch dice
10-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables
4 cups canned vegetable broth
One 15-oz. can cannellini or other small white beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup elbow or small pasta shells
2 TBSP tomato paste
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Grated parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

1. Heat oil in large saucepan placed over medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery, garlic, and Italian herbs.  Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent (about 5 minutes) and herbs begin to release their flavor.  Add rice, potato, mixed vegetables, and vegetable broth.  Cover; simmer 10 minutes.
2. Stir in beans, pasta, and tomato paste.  Bring to a boil again over high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente.  Add salt and pepper.  Garnish with Parmesan.

Sun-Dried Tomato, Veggie and Goat Cheese Pizza
(makes 4 servings)

3/4 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced (I am using Great Lakes vac pack Sun-Dried tomatoes.  They aren't in oil so I will use olive oil).
2 TBSP oil from sundried tomatoes, divided
5-6 large basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 pound mild goat cheese  (I will use Athenos crumbled Feta cheese here)
10-inch prebaked pizza shell (I am using Whole Foods premade dough)
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
4 oz. large mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced  (no fresh mushrooms :(  I will use canned)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 TBSP minced fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary
3 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, combine dried tomatoes, half of the tomato oil, basil and goat cheese.  With a spatula, spread the tomato-goat cheese mixture over prebaked pizza shell to within 1-inch of outside edge.  Scatter onion and mushrooms over cheese.  Grind fresh pepper over all, then scatter with rosemary.
3. Drizzle remaining oil over pizza; sprinkle with Parmesan.  Bake 10-15 minutes.  Serve at once, cut in wedges.

Mixed Greens with Olives
1/2 pound mixed greens or 1 package pre-cut salad mix
1 cup green olives stuffed with pimento
1 cup sliced black olives
freshly ground pepper
1 TBSP olive oil
2-3 TBSP brine from green olives

1. Arrange mixed greens, green olives and black olives in a large salad bowl.  Grind black pepper over all.  Sprinkle with olive oil and green olive brine.  Toss well before serving.

Lemon Dill Halibut Kabobs

This recipe was taken from activeangler.com.  I have made it several times.  It is easy, healthy and the kids love it.  This is what I made for Chris and the kids tonight, along with garlic bread per their request and baby vegetable medley.  I had leftover eggplant parm. with salad and a few veggies and bread.  The best parts of this dish are fresh dill from the garden and the halibut was caught by my brother-in-law in Alaska.

Lemon Dill Halibut Kabobs

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. Halibut fillets
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP chopped fresh dill
1 TBSP vegetable oil (I used olive oil this time)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Cut halibut fillets into 1-inch chunks; place in bowl.  Whisk together lemon rind and juice, dill, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Pour this over the halibut and toss gently to coat.  Thread onto metal skewers.  Place on greased grill over medium-high or under broiler; close lid and cook for five minutes( turning once after about 3 minutes).  Fish is done when opaque and flakes easily when tested with fork.
Makes 4 servings.  They suggest this be served with mini potatoes and baby carrots.

Vegetarian Paella, Tomato and Orange Salad

More recipes taken from the Vegetarian Times Vegetarian Beginners Guide

Vegetarian Paella
Makes 4 servings

3 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced; reserve fronds
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking brown rice
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
One 15 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups "chicken flavored" vegetable broth, made from granules or canned
pinch saffron threads or 1/4 tsp turmeric
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large heavy paella pan or a 2 qt. Dutch oven.  Add onion; cook, stirring, over moderate heat 1 minute.  Add garlic; cook, stirring, 2 minutes.  Add fennel and bay leaf; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fennel is crisp tender.
2. Add rice, bell peppers, artichokes, wine, broth, and saffron or turmeric.  Add salt and pepper.  Raise heat, stir well, and bring to a boil.  Cover, and simmer over the lowest possible heat 10 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed.  Adjust seasonings if needed.
3. Mince the reserved fennel fronds and sprinkle over the paella.  Serve at once.

Tomato and Orange Salad
Makes 4 servings

2 Temple or Valencia seedless oranges
4 large or 8 small Roma or plum tomatoes
1 medium head Boston lettuce
1 medium red onion, peeled, thinly sliced, and seperated into rings
Reduced-fat salad dressing

1. Peel oranges, and cut them horizontally into 1/4 inch-thick slices, set aside.  Cut tomatoes vertically into quarters.  With a small spoon, scoop out core and seeds and discard.
2. Arange lettuce leaves on 4 salad plates.  On each plate arrange 2 or 3 slices of orange, a few onion rings and 4 pieces of tomato. Drizzle light with dressing.

They suggest Steamed Sugar Snap peas as an accompaniment.

Fettuccine with Black Olive Pesto and Scallions, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Vinaigrette

(Recipes taken from the book Vegetarian Times Vegetarian Beginners Guide)

Fettuccine with Black Olive Pesto and Scallions

Makes 4 large servings

1 or 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced
2 cloves garlic
2 TBSP chopped onion
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
One 9 oz. can pitted black olives (plus 3 TBSP black olive brine)
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 TBSP olive oil
10 oz. spaghetti or fettuccine
salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
Grated zest of 1 med. lemon
4 large scallions, thinly sliced

1. Set a large pot of lightly salted water on high heat to come to a full rolling boil.

2. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, finely mince the jalapenos, garlic and onion.  Add parsley, thyme, olives and brine, vinegar, and oil to the garlic mixture; pulse three or four times to coarsely chop olives and combine ingredients.  Set aside.

3. Drop fettuccine into boiling water and cook rapidly according to package directions until al dente.  Set a large colander into a large serving dish and place both in sink.  Pour the pasta into the colander, automatically warming the serving dish while draining the pasta.

4. Discard cooking water.  Dry underside of dish with a towel, and fill it with fettuccine.  Top with pesto sauce, six to eight grinds of fresh pepper and salt to taste.  Scatter lemon zest and sliced scallions over top.

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad
Makes 4 servings

4 large or 8 medium plum tomatoes
8 oz. part-skim mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
6 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Low-fat vinaigrette or oil and vinegar salad dressing

1. Stand tomatoes, core down, on cutting board, and make vertical 1/4 inch thick slices, stopping just short of the core.  Gently press each on the side to open into a fan.  Place one large or two small fans on each of 4 salad plates.  Slide a slice of cheese between each tomato slice.
2. Scatter basil over each salad, and drizzle with dressing.  Serve at once.

They suggest hot garlic bread as an accompaniment.

Vegetarian Recipes I would like to try

This week I read Vegetarian Times Vegetarian Beginners Guide.  I think there are some good sounding recipes in there and I would love to give some of them a try as soon as I can.
Here are some that sounded good to me;
1.Fettucine with Black Olive Pesto and Scallions
served with Tomato and Mozzarella Salad with Vinaigrette
and garlic bread
2. Vegetarian Paella
served with Tomato and Orange Salad
and steamed sugar snap peas
3. Quick Minestrone
served with Sun-Dried Tomato, Veggies and Goat Cheese Pizza
and Mixed Greens with Olives
4. Vegetable Curry with Lentils
served with Basmati Rice
and Cucumber and Radish Raita
5. Black Bean Enchiladas
served with Orange, Radish and Onion Salsa
and Spicy Mexican Rice
6. Moroccan Vegetable Tagine with Couscous
Served with Cucumbers with Garlic Yogurt
and Pita bread
Other things that sounded good but I didn't like their whole meal choices were:
1. Apple Salad
2. Spicy Sesame Noodles
3. Cucumber and Dill Salad
4. Cincinnati Chili
I look forward to making and sharing these recipes with you in the coming weeks!!

First, here is a picture of the breaded eggplant ready to go into the oven for first baking.

Next, here is a picture of the eggplant baked once and ready for second baking.

Finally, a picture of the ready to eat Eggplant Parmesan.

The only complaint; more sauce.  We ended up warming up some extra sauce and pouring onto our individual plates.  If you don't like a lot of sauce, this will do but pasta is a little dry without a little added sauce. 
The kids aren't into eggplant yet.  I am hoping one day, they will be.  I am looking forward to making this over the summer with some eggplant from my garden beds. 
My friend Sarah uses her extra eggplant parm. as a pizza topping.  I might try that this week. 

Eggplant Parmesan

Back to Blogging....

I am making Eggplant Parmesan tonight.  I cannot believe I never posted this before.  I am using organic eggplant and homemade sauce.  This is such an easy recipe.

1 good-sized eggplant, not huge, not tiny
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg or 1/4  cup egg sub.
4 tsp. parm. cheese
mushrooms (optional)
1 cup or more of sauce, I used about 2 cups
1/2 mozzarella cheese
noodles, whatever you like, I used Heartland whole wheat spaghetti

directions:
peel and slice eggplant into medium slices
I salt the eggplant and line a colander with paper towels, then I top the eggplant with more paper towels and put a pot of water on top.  This weighs it down and gets the moisture out.  Leave this here for about 30 minutes. (You can cut up all your veggies for salad while this is sitting.)
 Then pat the eggplant dry and wipe off excess salt (if you wish).
put breadcrumbs and parm. cheese into a bowl
beat egg in another bowl
Dredge the eggplant slices on both sides first in egg and next in breadcrumb mixture.  Lay these in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Bake each side for 7 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Pour 1 cup sauce into baking dish, lay your eggplant down and top with another cup of sauce (if desired).  Then top with cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes and then broil for another 30 seconds to 1 minute if you want bubbly cheese on top, I do!
While the eggplant is baking, get your noodles cooked and your garlic bread toasted.


Gotta eat, will post pics and comments after dinner!!!

Easy Weeks ahead!

This week I have been doing more traditional and somewhat easy recipes.  I experimented on my family for two full weeks.  Now I want to remind them why they like my cooking so much and give them some of their favorites. 

Monday- Leftovers
Tuesday- Crock-pot kielbasa and sauerkraut with cheese and potato pirogi and salad.
Wednesday- Cheeseburgers on the grill, baked potato wedges and sauteed zucchini.
Thursday-BLTA's, broccoli soup.
Friday-Homemade pizza and salad.

The crock-pot kielbasa is so easy.  I used the rest of the jar of organic sauerkraut from the week I did Reuben sandwiches.  I added a can of low fat mushroom soup and some turkey kielbasa.  I cooked on low for several hours and then boiled pirogi and threw a salad together.

I was looking forward to cheeseburgers on the grill for some time.  I used pepper-jack cheese on two, swiss on one and colby-jack on another.
I cut some Yukon potatoes into wedges and sprayed with olive oil and baked at 425 degrees until browned.
Meanwhile, I tossed three sliced zucchini with 1 TBSP of butter.  This was yummy!

The BLTA's are another favorite.  Sometimes the kids use lettuce and usually use tomato.  I have an avocado that is ready to slice so I am adding that to the mix. 
I will also whip up some of the broccoli soup.  This will be a double batch since I have two bunched of broccoli to use.  That will leave plenty leftover for the weekend for easy lunches with sandwiches.

Pizza night never goes wrong here.  I will get fresh veggies from Door to Door tomorrow so will make the salad with whatever fresh stuff we get.

Enchilada Casserole

This recipe was taken from Cooking Light (Jan/Feb 2012, page 76)

Enchilada Casserole

1 pound ground sirloin
1 cup chopped onion
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP mined garlic
1 1/2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1 TBSP 40%-less-sodium taco seasoning mix (such as Old El Paso)
1 8 oz. can no-salt-added-tomato sauce (I used tomato paste)
4 (8-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas
1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add beef and onion to pan; cook 6 minutes, stirring to crumble.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add garlic; saute 1 minute.  Sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Add broth, taco seasoning and tomato sauce to pan.  Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add 1 1/2 cups tomato mixture to beef mixture; reserve 1/2 cup tomato mixture.
4. Place 1 tortilla in a 9-inch pie plate.  Top with 1 cup beef mixture.  Repeat layers, ending with tortilla.  Spread reserved tomato mixture over tortilla.  Top with cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.  Cool slightly.  Cut into 4 wedges.

Serves 4
calories-377, fat-14.6, protein-30.2, carbs-32.4, fiber-4.7

We all loved this!  It was really easy to make.  I would definitely make it again.  The kids shared one of the four slices so there was a slice left for lunch today.  Yum!

Philly Cheesesteak

This recipe was taken from Cooking Light (March 2012, page 134)

Philly Cheesesteak

1 (12 oz.) flank steak, trimmed
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 (5-inch) portobello mushroom caps
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper (I was out of pepper so...  didn't use it)
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk

1 oz. provolone cheese, torn into small pieces
2 TBSP grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 tsp dry mustard
4 (3 oz.) hoagie rolls, toasted

1. Place beef in freezer for 15 minutes.  Cut beef across the grain into thin slices.  Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.  Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon, discard gills.  Remove stem; discard.  Thinly slice mushroom caps; cut slices in half crosswise.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tsp oil to the pan; swirl to coat.  Add beef to pan; saute 2 minutes or until beef loses it's pink color, stirring constantly.  Remove beef from pan.  Add remaining 1 tsp oil to pan.  Add onion; saute 3 minutes.  Add mushrooms, bell pepper and garlic, saute 6 minutes.  Return beef to pan, saute 1 minute or until thoroughly heated and vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat.  Stir in Worcestershire and soy sauce; keep warm.
3. Place flour in a small saucepan; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat.  Add cheeses and mustard, stirring until smooth.  Keep warm (mixture will thicken as it cools)>
4. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use.  Maybe homemade croutons).  Divide the beef mixture evenly among bottom halves of hoagies.  Drizzle sauce evenly over beef mixture; replace top halves.

Serves 4
calories-397, fat-12.4, protein-30.8, carbs-44.1, fiber-3.7

Chris and I liked this.  I should have used the French rolls instead.  I used the wheat sub rolls from Meijer deli and they were too sweet tasting.  The kids liked this too!  The cheese sauce was really good.  I could actually see myself revamping this recipe to a vegetarian one using extra portabello mushrooms in place of meat.  It would be really good!!

Cheesy Pasta Bake

This recipe was taken from the Cooking Light magazine (March 2012, page 114).

Cheesy Pasta Bake
14 oz. uncooked ziti or mostaccioli  (I used mini wheels)
12 oz. ground turkey breast 
8 oz. sweet turkey Italian sausage, casings removed  (I used Meijer chicken sausage, sweet Italian with roasted red peppers)
Cooking spray
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
2 cups chopped onion

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red wine
5 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as McCutcheon's)  (I used homemade)
6 oz. whole-milk mozzarella, thinly sliced
2 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided (about 1/2 cup packed)
2 TBSP small basil leaves or torn basil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and oil; drain and set aside.
3. Place turkey and sausage in a medium bowl, and mix well with hands to combine. 
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  (I don't have a Dutch oven.  I just used a non-stick pan)  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add turkey mixture to pan, cook 8 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.  Remove from pan.
4. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add onion and pepper; saute for 5 minutes or until onion is tender.  Add wine, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits, and cook for 4 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.  Stir in pasta, turkey mixture, marinara sauce, and 1/2 cup basil.  Spoon mixture into a 13x9 glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Top with mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese melts and begins to brown.  Remove from oven; sprinkle with basil leaves and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

This serves 8.  I might half the recipe if I make it again, it was a lot!!
calories 492, fat 14.2, protein 30.2, carbs 88, fiber 2.4

Chris and I liked this a lot and thought that the chicken sausage added a lot of flavor.  The kids both ate it but I could tell it wasn't at the top of their list. 

Chicken with Pepperoni-Marinara Sauce

This is from the Jan/Feb 2012 Cooking Light Magazine, page 32.

Cooking spray
1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
16 slices pepperoni, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce (I used my homemade)
2 TBSP chopped fresh basil
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Heat saucepan over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add garlic and pepperoni; cook 2 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently.  Add oregano; cook 30 seconds.  Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in basil.
3. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  (I just used a reg. skillet and transferred to a baking dish for the oven step).  Add oil; swirl to coat.  Sprinkle chicken with pepper.  Add chicken to skillet; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning after 3 minutes.  Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle evenly with cheese.  Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

Serves 4
calories:380, fat:14.7, protein:48.5, carbs:28.7, fiber:0.1

I decided to serve this with whole wheat pasta.  It didn't offer a serving accompaniment.  I thought since it had the sauce, it would be best with pasta.  I don't think I would make this again.  If I did, I would try a different marinara.  They suggested McCutcheon's marinara.  I always use my homemade and it is good but this time, there was just something missing.  The kids ate this but weren't that into it.  I never did get Chris' opinion since he ate later than us.

It ended up being Meatless Monday anyway! Asparagus Lasagna

I had a different plan for tonight's dinner but maybe my subconscious had other plans.  It was soooo delicious.  I will forgive myself.  This dish was inspired by my favorite dish at Seva' vegetarian restaurant in Ann Arbor.  Since asparagus is seasonal, I always looked forward to going there for my birthday dinner and ordering their Asparagus Lasagna.  The last time I went there for my birthday, it wasn't on the menu.  I remember studying the menu and came up with my own version.

I decided that since it included a Bechame'l sauce, I would use the one that starts my mom's homemade mac and cheese.  I sauteed asparagus cut into bite-sized pieces and added 4 oz. of fresh mushrooms this time which the kid's picked out with surgeon precision.

Method:
1.Boil water and cook 6 lasagna noodles according to instructions.  I used Dreamfield's Healthy Carb Living brand this time.  I salted the water while it was boiling and then set it aside while I prepared the sauce and asparagus.  This kept them pliable.
2.Sautee' asparagus in pan with 1 TBSP olive oil.  Add mushrooms after 2-3 minutes, if using.  Add salt and pepper to the veggies.  Just eyeball it.

Bechame'l Sauce-
ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups warm milk (I used skim milk)
dash pepper
1/2 tsp or more of hot pepper sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot)
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half (I used half and half, you can use any milk you have on hand)
12 oz. cheddar cheese- 3 cups divided.  (I used New Zealand Grass fed Sharp Cheddar from Trader Joes.  It was only $3.79 for 11 oz.)
directions:
In sauce pan on low heat melt butter, add flour and stir for 3 minutes.  Gradually, stir in warm milk.  Turn up heat, stir until sauce is just boiling.  Turn heat down, let simmer for a few minutes.  Add pepper and hot sauce.  Stir in cream, simmer.  Stir 2 cups of the cheese in until melted. 
Drain noodles, spray Pam or another non-stick cooking spray in dish.  Lay 3 noodles across the bottom.  Pour veggies on top and spread them evenly.  Top with 1/2 of the bechame'l sauce.  Put the last 3 noodles on top and top with the rest of the bechame'l sauce and the other cup of shredded cheese.
Bake in 350 oven for 30 minutes.  Since everything is cooked, you could go shorter.  I put it on broil for about 5 minutes, watching very carefully and let the top cheese get golden.  Yum!

Okay, Chris and I loved this!  Maura ate all of hers except the mushrooms and Nolan said he liked it but got full.  I am so glad that I came up with this.  It really does hit the spot and is a filling alternative to traditional lasagna.  And the best thing is there are leftovers for lunch.
Also, I figured out WW points for this when I first made it.  IF you use all skim milk it will be about 45 WW points for the entire pan.  We had 7 squares for dinner.  There are 8 squares left so it worked out to 3 WW points per square! 

This Week's Menu 4/22-4/26

I went through my Cooking Light magazines this morning and found a few new recipes to try.  I am looking forward to trying these out and sharing my pictures and reviews with all of you.  I won't necessarily make them in this order.  Here goes:

Enchilada Casserole with Spicy Black Beans
Chicken with Pepperoni Marinara Sauce
Asparagus Lasagna
Cheesy Pasta Bake
Philly Cheese steak

I don't know if I am looking forward to my made-up Asparagus Lasagna recipe more or trying this Philly Cheese steak recipe for the first time?!

Homemade Pizza and Salad

When I went shopping last weekend, I stocked up on pizza dough from Whole Foods (my favorite of all I have tried and tried making) and wine from Trader Joe's.  They have great prices on wines and carry Two Buck Chuck.
I don't think we will ever get sick of salad and pizza for dinner at our house.  I usually take one dough and divide it into three.  I use one bigger portion to make a pizza for Chris and I and then two smaller pizzas for the kids.  Maura doesn't like sauce on her pizza and yesterday opted for cheese only.  Nolan likes a variety of things and chose sauce, cheese, pepperoni and ham on his.  He made his own.  And I used the giant slices of pepperoni from Whole Foods deli on mine and Chris'.  Maura ended up eating a slice of this later.
I love salad with pizza.  It takes the edge off of your hunger before you dig in and it is such a refreshing thing.  I tend to throw in a mix of what I have around.  This week I chopped up the last boiled Easter egg and sprinkled it on top.

Beef Filets with Red Wine Sauce and Roasted Veggie Fries

This is from the Cooking Light May 2012 issue, page 104.
Veggies:
2 TBSP yellow cornmeal
2 TBSP. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
1 pound Yukon Gold potato, cut into wedges  (I used 1 1/2 pounds potatoes)
1 1/2 pounds baby carrots with tops, peeled and trimmed  (I used 1 pound pre-washed bag)
2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Steaks:
1/2 cup earthy red wine (such as pinot noir)  (I got Blue Fin Pinot Noir at Trader Joes $3.99)
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium shallot, sliced
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 1/2 cups fat-free, lower- sodium beef broth
1 TBSP olive oil
4 (4 oz. ) beef tenderloin steaks
3/8 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, optional

Directions
1. Place a large baking sheet in oven.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. To prepare veggies, combine the cornmeal and cheese in a small bowl, stirring well.   Place potato and carrots in a large bowl.  Drizzle vegetables with 2 TBSP oil.  Sprinkle vegetables with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; toss. Sprinkle the cornmeal mixture over the veggies; toss. Arrange veggies in a single layer on preheated baking sheet; bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.  Turn veggies over and bake an additional 8 minutes or until golden and tender.
3. To prepare steaks, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add wine and next 4 ingredients (through rosemary) to pan. and bring to a boil.  Cook until liquid almost evaporates (about 8 minutes).  Add broth; bring to a boil.  Cook until reduced to about 1/2 cup (about 13 minutes).  Remove from heat; strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl.  Discard solids.
4. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 TBSP oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Sprinkle both sides of the steak evenly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Add steaks to pan; saute' for 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.  Let steaks stand 5 minutes.
5. Heat pan to high heat.  Add reduced broth mixture to pan; stir in mustard and remaining 1/8 tsp salt.  Remove from heat.  Add butter to pan, 1 piece at a time, stirring with a whisk until each addition is incorporated.  Place 1 steak on each of 4 plates; drizzle each serving with about 1 TBSP sauce.  Sprinkle each steak with 1/2 tsp thyme leaves, if desired.  Divide the veggie fries evenly among 4 servings.
Serves 4
calories 521, fat 24g, protein 31.1g, carbs 41.6, fiber 6.3g.

This was a lot of work for a steak.  I will make them on the grill instead.  If you try this though, make sure you start the steak first.  It takes a while and the veggies are really easy to prepare.  I LOVED the veggies.  I will make them again and again as a side dish for dinner.  The steaks were tasty.  Everyone enjoyed them and the sauce was soooo good.  If I was stuck inside and couldn't grill, I would make these again.

Turkey Bacon Sandwiches with Broccoli Leek Soup

So, I had a little help from my friends on this one.  I had a little get-together over the weekend and Trader Joe's turkey bacon came up.  I was intrigued so we made a trip there and to Whole Foods for this week's grocery haul.  The bacon was $2.99, not bad and nitrate free (except where it occurs naturally through celery).  I was told it was like pieces of ham.  I was not disappointed.
Chris likes to mess around with cooking sometimes and it usually involves some method that strays from the norm.  One day he looked up baking bacon.  We line a pan with tin foil, put it in a cold oven set to 250 degrees and it takes between 10-20 minutes, depending on size and type.  No splattering and with the tin foil tossed in the trash, there is minimal mess.  Anyway, thanks Michelle for the bacon recommendation and Chris for the cooking method.
Bacon Sandwiches
whatever bread is on hand
turkey bacon (baked in the oven) in this case
lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo (whatever you like)
Broccoli Leek Soup
http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/5671
Here is the recipe.  This was recommended by my neighbor and friend Nicole, thank you.  She said it is her almost five-year old son Jack's favorite soup.  I can see why.  We all liked it here. 
I did make a few changes as usual.  I mashed the stuff with a potato masher.   Maybe one day, I will buy an immersion blender.  Also, left out the chives, cayenne, lemon juice, lemon zest and half and half.  I did have half and half but Nicole said she never used it and I wanted to try it without (less calories).  The lemon aspect didn't sound appealing and I thought the chives and cayenne might scare the kids off.  Chris did add cayenne to his.  I also noticed that we added quite a bit more salt and pepper to our individual bowls.  And I had to use chicken broth since I am out of vegetable broth. 
All that being said.  This was a great soup.  We all liked it and it could be tweaked to your current groceries and taste buds.

Garlicky Spaghetti and Meatballs

Here is the recipe from Cooking Light magazine (issue April 2012)  I will put my alterations in blue parenthesis.
9 oz. refrigerated fettuccine  (I used whole grain angel hair pasta)
12 oz. ground sirloin  (I used 1 lb. ground beef. from the 1/4 cow we bought)
1/2 cup panko  (I only had 1/4 cup panko so used that + 1/4 breadcrumbs)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil  (I used 3 tsp dried basil leaves)
3/8 tsp kosher salt (eyeballed it)
1/4 tsp black pepper (eyeballed it)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp olive oil
1 3/4 cups lower sodium marinara sauce  (I used 2 cups of my homemade sauce)
1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated  (I used Trader Joes Parmigiano Reggiano)
Directions:
1. Cook the pasta per directions.  Drain over a bowl and reserve 1/3 cup pasta water.
2.  While pasta cooks, combine beef and next 6 ingredients (through egg); shape mixture into 16 meatballs.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add meatballs; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Add marinara and 1/3 cup reserved pasta water.  Cover and cook 11 minutes or until meatballs are done.  Divide the pasta evenly among 4 plates; top evenly with sauce, meatballs and cheese.
Serves 4
calories: 489, fat:16.6, protein:29.1, carbs:71.6 and fiber: 2.6

This was excellent.  BUT  I think that I will stick to the good old Rachael Ray chicken meatballs that we bake in the oven.  The basil in these gave them amazing flavor and I can only imagine how much better it would have been with fresh basil. 

Something else I did was drain the grease from the meatballs by putting them on a paper towel lined plate.  While the meatballs were draining, I sauteed some fresh mushrooms and added those to the sauce.

Cooking Light Reuben Sandwiches

I think that these Reuben sandwiches were delicious but I did make a little switch-up.  I will give the original recipe and then tell where I adjusted.  I also have a great tip for leftovers.

Dressing:  1/4 cup canola mayo  (I used Hellman's light mayo)
1 TBSP chili sauce
2 tsp finely minced dill pickle  (I used dill relish)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp grated onion
Sandwiches:
8 (3/4-ounce) slices rye bread
3 ounces Swiss cheese, shaved (about 3/4 cup)  (I bought a 6 oz. block at Whole Foods and cut it in half and then that half into quarters to make 3 oz. chunks.  Then I grated each chunk individually and added it as I went).
4 ounces lower-sodium corned beef  (I got this at the Whole Foods deli.  They are used to picky people or those asking for 4 oz. of meat and didn't look at me sideways.  They didn't have low sodium though.)
1 cup organic sauerkraut, drained well

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. To prepare dressing, combine first five ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well.
3. To prepare sandwiches, place bread in slices in a single layer on a heavy baking sheet.  Broil bread 1 1/2 minutes or until toasted.  Turn bread over; broil for 1 minute or until lightly toasted.  Remove 4 slices.  Divide cheese evenly among 4 slices, sprinkling it over lightly toasted sides.  Broil 1 minute or until cheese melts.  Spread about 1 1/2 TBSP dressing over the cheese-coated side of each bread slice; top each serving with 1 oz. corned beef. 1/4 cup sauerkraut, and remaining bread slices.  Serve immediately.
Serves 4
calories 336, fat 19.9, protein 14.7, carbs 24.2, fiber 3.4.

For lower calories or vegetarians, used tomato slices in place of corned beef.  That's what I did for lunch today with the leftovers!

I served this with a altered version of the Kale and White Bean soup from a previous post.

I used pinto beans and one can each of vegetable broth and chicken broth since I only had one can of the vegetable broth.

Juicing right along

So...  It's been forever but I am back.  I have been eating healthier again for about two weeks and trying to get outside for bike riding or walking at least once per day.

I was lucky enough to have a friend willing to lend us her juicer.  I wanted to try the juice, see how we all liked it and how often we would use it before purchasing one for our household.

So far, we have used it twice but in one day.  I was having a party the next day so wanted the counter space.  I am planning to get it out at least once this week.

Here is a picture of our orange, banana, carrot juice!  We all liked it and the kids couldn't guess that there was carrot in there.  Yum!

Trying Something New

One of our house favorites is macaroni and cheese.  My son will order it no-fail EVERY time we go out to dinner.  He is not a huge meat eater anyway, either am I for that matter but I wanted to re-vamp my traditional recipe.  Here I used some Irish Cheddar instead of Sharp and then I sprinkled some fresh crisply cooked bacon on about half.  Yummy!!  This was delicious.  I think next time, I will do it without the bacon unless it acts as a main dish but the Irish Cheddar is a new must for me.  And cavatappi noodles are the best  for homemade mac and cheese.   I like the twisty look and it seems to catch lots of yummy bits of cheese in just the right way.