Beef Noodles with Oyster Sauce

This is another recipe from that Chinese Cooking book that J gave me. I talk about it here. I thought this was one of the best stir-fries I've made so far. J said it didn't have that "stir-fry" taste (I think he means burnt vegetables). Because I cook over really high heat in the wok some of the pieces taste a little charred like on a grill. I think that was the difference with this recipe. He also doesn't like asparagus so I wasn't expecting him to love this.

Beef Noodles with Oyster Sauce (adapted from Chinese Cooking)

1/2 lb beef thinly sliced into strips
9 oz. fresh Chinese Egg Noodles (found near the wonton wrappers in the store)
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 bunch fresh asparagus, woody ends removed and chopped (1.5" pieces)
2 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 tbsp fat free beef broth
1 1/2 tbsp rice wine
2 tbsp oyster sauce (found in the International aisle in the store)
1 tsp sesame seeds

Marinade:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp rice wine

1. In a non-metallic bowl mix marinade ingredients and add the beef. Marinate at least 15 minutes.
2. Boil the noodles according to the package, drain and rinse and set aside.
3. Heat the wok over high heat. Add half the oil and heat.
   
4. Add the asparagus and stir-fry one minute.
5. Add the beef and marinade to the wok (carefully). Stir-fry until medium.
   
6. Remove beef and asparagus from pan.
7. Heat the rest of the oil and stir-fry garlic, ginger, and onion until onion is soft.
   
8. Add broth, wine, and oyster sauce and bring to a boil, continuing to stir.
   
9. Return the beef and asparagus to wok with noodles. Mix everything together and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
   

Ginger Shrimp Wontons with Spicy Peanut Sauce

J was helping pick out recipes last week and he must have really been craving Asian food as you can see from the previous posts. He even had Chinese Buffet for one of his lunches, so apparently dinner almost every night wasn't enough for him. These were originally supposed to be potstickers but I didn't feel like dealing with it so these were baked nice and crunchy in the oven.
These were surprisingly fast to make. Don't be afraid of wonton wrappers; they are so much fun to work with. One day I'd like to have a dumpling party and make a bunch of fillings and sit around talking and wrapper and then snack on them during game night or whatever. If I could find enough people I would love to start a dinner club (or whatever you want to call it). Anyone interested in a once a month type of thing?

Ginger Shrimp Wontons with Spicy Peanut Sauce (adapted from Cooking Light)

(makes 24 wontons, I had some filling leftover either because I didn't fill them enough or I didn't measure my shrimp carefully enough)

1 cup shredded napa cabbage
1/3 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound cooked peeled small shrimp (I used thawed frozen pre-cooked)
Dash of hot sauce (sriracha)
24 wonton wrappers

Sauce:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste with garlic (such as sambal oelek)
1/2 teaspoon sugar

1. To prepare wontons, combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor; pulse 4 times or until coarsely chopped.
2. Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to prevent drying), spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons shrimp mixture into center of each wrapper.
3. Moisten edges of dough with water; bring 2 opposite corners to center, pinching points to seal. Bring remaining 2 corners to center, pinching points to seal. Pinch 4 edges together to seal. Place pot stickers on a large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Bake wontons at 400 degrees for approx. 8-10 min. Edges should be crispy but not burnt.
5. To prepare sauce, combine 1/4 cup water and next 5 ingredients (through sugar) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Serve sauce with pot stickers. Garnish with extra chopped green onions, if desired.

Pork Chops with Hoisin Barbecue Sauce

Look out. Incoming! Another Cooking Light recipe. Did I mention I took all my clipped recipes from all different sources and tried to file them in some type of system? In doing so, I also have to make an effort to actually try these recipes I've been hoarding. Yes, hoarding. My expandable folder literally couldn't hold all of the recipes. So besides the blogs, the databases, and the cookbooks, I am also trying to use as many of these recipes as well. If it isn't any good I can throw away the recipe. This particular recipe wasn't bad per se. I just don't actually know if I would make it again. When I was little my mother had a rating system in she would write in her cookbooks with the date she first made the recipe to keep track of them. Excellent, Very Good, Good, Ok, Fair, Poor. These are the words I've been trying to incorporate myself so I can decide whether or not to make something again (although we all know that I have a hard time making the same thing twice). I would say Good and above have a decent chance of a repeat performance. This recipe I rated as Good. I wouldn't serve it to company, but as a nice weeknight meal it fits the bill.

Pork Chops with Hoisin Barbecue Sauce (adapted from Cooking Light)

3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup (King Syrup)
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Chinese hot mustard (such as Ty Ling brand)
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
4 green onions
1 cup hot cooked white rice

1. Combine sugar and syrup in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until sugar melts, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in hoisin, vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and garlic; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in mustard. Keep warm.
3. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
   
4. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper over pork. Add pork to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done.
5. Add pork to hoisin mixture, turning to coat. Keep warm.
6. Combine onions, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and rice; serve with pork.

Marinated Beef with Vegetables

You know those inexpensive cookbooks that don't really have an author (just a publishing company) that they sell in the sale sections at bookstore or in the front of stores like Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls? Well, somehow I have acquired several of those over the years. Some were gifts, some were impulse buys because two dollars for any book is worth it to me. At any rate, I've always been afraid to cook from them because I don't trust that anyone has ever tested these recipes. Let me know if you know anything about that. Paragon Books puts out several different kinds of these books and for Christmas one year J gave me one called Chinese Cooking: A collection of easy and elegant recipes. This Christmas I got a wok and J requested that I make a stir-fry once a week. So I decided what better way to get so use out of this book than to try to cook all the recipes that we would actually eat. The idea of cooking my way through an entire cookbook is very intriguing, but there are is rarely a book in which every single recipe sounds like something I would like. I'm not picky anymore but the few things I know I don't like I stay away from. Why waste calories on something you don't really want to eat? Going to weight watchers has definitely instilled this philosophy in me. This works only for things that aren't good for you of course. The healthy guidelines are good for you even if you don't really want to eat your vegetables. I guess the key is making the vegetables something you that you want to eat. This particular recipe includes lots of vegetables. I personally thought the recipe was a little bland but I like my Asian food to have some kick to it. J added a little hoisin or you could add some sriracha if you wanted something with a little more flavor.

Marinated Beef with Vegetables (adapted from Chinese Cooking)

Marinade:
1 tbsp sherry
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 pound thinly sliced beef
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
2 crowns broccoli, cut into florets
2 carrots, julienned
2 cups sugar snap peas
1/2 cup fat free beef broth
1 bag baby spinach
1/2 cup white rice, cooked according to package

1. Combine ingredients for marinade, add beef and cover. Let marinade 30 min and remove beef.
2. Heat half the oil in the wok at high heat. Stir-fry beef until medium rare and remove from pan.
3. Combine cornstarch and soy sauce. Add remaining oil to wok and add broccoli, carrots, and peas and stir-fry 2 minutes.
4. Add stock and let vegetable steam 2 minutes (covering if possible).
   
5. Add spinach, beef and cornstarch mixture. Cook to thicken and serve over rice.
   

Shredded Romaine Salad

Recently my friends and I have been talking about decreasing the amount of meat in our diets. I have been taking various steps at our house; being sure to package meat in single servings, only making enough to eat 2 servings or packaging extra servings immediately for later consumption, making meatless meals whenever possible. We watched Food Inc. at the local independent theatre and I starting looking into flexitarian living. My aunt and my sister are vegetarians but I don't think I'll ever have enough of a commitment to really go all the way and become a vegetarian. J would NEVER get on board with that one and I don't think I could give up some of my favorite foods. For me vegan is out of the question. Cheese is way too important. Anyway, I started looking into flexitarian cookbooks to nudge us in the right direction. While I haven't quite made any of the entree recipes my new book did give me some lunch ideas and made me a little less annoyed with my salad making attempts. After reading many reviews on cookbooks, for Christmas, I requested The Healthy Hedonist by Myra Kornfeld. So far I've made two salads which have both been very good. I've had to make some substitutions based on availability at the grocery store but the Baby Greens with Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette and Warm Goat Cheese Medallions was very good and so was the Shredded Romaine Salad with Dill and Scallions. As a change of pace for the side dish with those turkey meatballs (J insists upon each week) I made the salad.

Shredded Romaine Salad (adapted from The Healthy Hedonist)

1 small head romaine lettuce, shredded
1-2 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 bunch sliced scallions
salt and pepper
1 minced garlic clove
juice from 1/2 a lemon
2-3 tbsp olive oil
pomegranate seeds (from approximately 1/2 a pomegranate)
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Mix the lettuce, dill, scallions, and salt in pepper.
2. To make the dressing, whisk the garlic, lemon, and oil and toss with greens.
   
3. Garnish with fruit and cheese.
   

Sweet Orange Salmon

I am a big fan of Cooking Light recipes. I guess it is a pretty well known fact because my good friend B gave me a Cooking Light Cookbook this year. I found this recipe in that book and salmon was on sale. The recipe was extremely easy and flavorful. The orange was not over-powering and the sugar cut through the acidity.

Sweet Orange Salmon (adapted from Cooking Light)

1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 salmon fillets
Cooking spray

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Rub spice mixture over both sides of salmon fillets.
   
4. Place salmon on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.
5. Broil for 8 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Pork Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas

J thinks we should have a "wok meal" (basically a stir-fry) once a week. I am totally loving the new wok, but I don't know if I really want to have a stir fry once a week. We'll see how it goes. I was a little apprehensive trying this one because J doesn't eat asparagus. I personally thought the asparagus was less pungent a flavor compared to the sugar snap peas. This was one of the first times I had ever used pork strips in a stir-fry and I really like them. Next time I would probably not use sesame oil for the high heat frying. Dark sesame oil is usually used for finishing and flavor; I would use some peanut oil perhaps for the frying and add some sesame oil at the end perhaps. I'm a slowly learning the importance of my mise en place, this time I only forgot one ingredient when I was getting ready. I have also (finally) learned the importance of drying your meat before searing in a pan. The soba noodles were all J's idea. The recipe originally called for rice but I was ok with no starch at all.

Pork Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas (adapted from the kitchn)

1/2 small pork loin, cut into 1/2 thick strips totalling approx. 1 cup
salt and pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon corn starch
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 large shallots, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch piece ginger, grated
1 pound asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Season the pork strips with salt and pepper.
2. Whisk together the soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and corn starch. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a wok over very high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, until edges begin to brown and they are just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add the other tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan, and cook the shallots for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
   
5. Add the asparagus, cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then add the sugar snap peas.
6. Pour the water into the pan, and scrape the bottom of the pan to pick up browned bits.
7. Sauté the vegetable mixture for another 3 minutes, until asparagus and peas are bright green but still crunchy. Add the red pepper flakes. Add the sauce and the pork. Cook and stir until everything is coated in the sauce. Serve over soba noodles.

Pumpkin Risotto

Rice is born in water and must die in wine.
Italian Proverb

I know I've said how much I love risotto in the past. This was another experiment. I'm sure it would have been better with fresher ingredients but I tried my best with what I wanted to use up. I had some leftover pumpkin frozen that I wanted to use up. At first I wasn't sure that I liked this recipe but it really grew on me. I brought this over to a friend's house and we ate it as a side dish for some breaded tilapia and salad. I had originally intended on this being a main course, but many people don't see risotto as the centerpiece to a meal so it became our side dish. I think it was less overpowering as an accompaniment to something else. The almond flavor was very strong in my opinion. I should have either used less cookies (mine we so small I increased from 4 to 6 cookies) or omitted them and used something else. I think a ginger snap (while being less Italian) would have been a welcome flavor.

Pumpkin Risotto (adapted from FXcuisine.com)

4-5 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup arborio rice
3/4 cup sweet white wine
1 medium white onion, chopped
3 tbsp European style butter
1 cups pumpkin flesh
6 small amaretti cookies
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Start by melting 1 tbsp butter with a little oil in the large pot. Gently fry the onions. DO NOT let them become brown.
2. As soon as the onions are soft, pour in your rice.
3. Mix the rice with the fat and onions over high heat for about 2 minutes or until every rice grain is coated with butter and they toast slightly.
4. Pour in wine and stir briskly so that all of the rice will coated with wine.
5. When the wine has completely evaporated, add one generous ladle of stock and mix briskly.
6. Stir the rice every 20 seconds. Continue adding one ladle of broth at a time as it evaporates.
7. After about 10 minutes, add the pumpkin flesh to the rice and mix. Continue to cook as before with another ladle of broth, making sure the risotto never sticks.
8. Crumble your amaretti in a mortar. Be sure to leave larger crumbs to add interest to the dish.
9. Add the amaretti crumbles to the risotto and mix in. Continue to cook, tasting every 30 seconds now, until they rice is almost done.
10. First remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 1 minute covered. Then cut the rest of your butter in small and add them to the rice. Mix in the butter.
11. Grate the Parmesan and add it to the risotto. Mix it in.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe Bolognese

When J was out of town, I spent the week cooking meals I knew he wouldn't like very much. The artichoke soup was one of them. He also find broccoli rabe to be too bitter in most recipes. I don't know what it is about broccoli rabe, sometimes I find it too bitter and other times it doesn't bother me. It doesn't matter if I blanche it before I use it or not it varies on the bitterness. This recipe I'm sure would have been too bitter for J. This is a Weight Watchers recipe that I changed slightly. I ate it for several different meals. The beef was a welcome protein that we haven't used much lately (on the BL challenge we have been trying to limit it more than before). I don't cook with beef a lot in general but I know J has been eating more bison and poultry for his lunches. I try to buy very lean beef when available. I also tried a different shape of pasta (the recipe called for penne but this is pipette.

On a side note, I've been reading some other blogs and some insights about why people blog. Sometimes blogging seems like a very egocentric activity. Trying desperately to be heard by the masses. I think that for me however, I am using the blog as was way of documenting my food experiments. The blog puts all my opinions in one place and gives me a photo history of the cooking experiences I am having.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe Bolognese (adapted from Weight Watchers)

	1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta
	2 tsp olive oil
	1 cup(s) onion(s), chopped
	1 Tbsp minced garlic
	1 pound uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
	2 1/2 tsp fennel seed, crushed
	28 oz canned tomato puree
	1/4 tsp table salt
	1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
	1/2 tsp dried oregano
	12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, penne rigate suggested
	1 bunch broccoli rabe, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
   
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent. Add beef and fennel seeds to pan; cook until browned, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon.
   
3. Stir in tomato puree, salt, red pepper flakes and oregano; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
4. While sauce simmers, add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions, adding broccoli rabe to pasta water 5 minutes before pasta will be done; cook until pasta and broccoli rabe are tender.
5. Drain pasta and broccoli rabe; return to pot. Add sauce; toss to mix and coat.
   

Creamy Artichoke Soup

I know it isn't the most appetizing color. I don't even know how I stumbled upon this recipe. However this is the second time I've made Giada De Laurentiis' Creamy Artichoke soup. I don't really follow the instructions verbatim of course. At one point I was thinking this would be a very good soup to make for my parents, but perhaps the artichoke flavor is stronger than I first realized. It is a super easy recipe and comes together very quickly. Use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.

Creamy Artichoke Soup (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis) serves 2

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek, white part only, washed well and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small potato, peeled and chopped
1 can/jar of artichoke hearts in water (4-6 oz)
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy, large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and the garlic and stir. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the artichokes, stock, salt, and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Using a handheld immersion blender, or in a blender in batches, puree the soup. Add the 2 tablespoons mascarpone and blend again to combine.
3. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Dollop the top of each of the soups with a spoonful of the softened mascarpone cheese.
   

Feel free to garnish with chives or parsley (I used dried parsley and it turned out well). I have used both the immersion blender method and the blender method of pureeing. The the regular blender makes more of a mess but I think you get a smoother soup. It's really your call.

Stir Fried Chicken and Broccoli Rabe with Peanuts

With our Biggest Loser contest, I am now able to get J to eat more and more vegetables. This is one of the recipes I made the first week. He normally hates broccoli rabe, but this version he actually liked. This was also the first time I got to use my brand new wok. Yay wok! I don't usually keep salted peanuts in the house but I think it may be better for this recipe to go ahead and buy some. I didn't and the peanuts tasted a little out of place. It was a super easy recipe and very filling with how much broccoli rabe we ate. J likes the stir frying so much he wants me to make one once a week. He did say he would have preferred some soba or ramen with his chicken, but I don't really think it needed it. The recipe also suggested other greens if you don't like broccoli rabe, but when I see that as part of a recipe I naturally gravitate towards it. My friend told me that it is because I'm Italian. The funny thing is, we never had broccoli rabe at home growing up. Once in a while at a deli or sandwich shop they would sell it with sausage and my dad would get a little tub of it and we might eat it on bread. When I was in college I think it was more readily available in grocery stores and my mother starting making a Giada de Laurentis recipe using hot Italian turkey sausage and broccoli rabe.

Stir Fried Chicken and Broccoli Rabe with Peanuts
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons dry Sherry, divided
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons golden brown sugar, divided
1/2 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips
1 tablespoons peanut oil
4 green onions, white parts and green parts chopped separately
2 teaspoons chopped seeded serrano chiles
1 large bunch broccoli rabe, thick stems removed, cut into 1" chunks
1/4 cup peanuts

1. Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Sherry, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sugar in medium bowl. Add chicken; marinade 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Whisk remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Sherry, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sugar in small bowl and reserve.
3. Heat 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil in wok over high heat.
   
4. Add white parts of onions and chiles; stir 30 seconds. Add chicken; stir-fry just until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer chicken mixture to bowl.
   
5. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to same skillet; heat over high heat. Add greens by large handfuls; stir just until beginning to wilt before adding more. Sauté just until tender, 1 to 6 minutes, depending on type of greens.
6. Return chicken to skillet. Add reserved soy sauce mixture; stir until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl; sprinkle with green parts of onions and peanuts.

Potato, Ham and Cheese Frittata

I made this for dinner but it really works at any meal. It is really low in WW points (so much so that we decided to have seconds). I served mine with strawberries but any filling (low point) side would make a filling dinner. This recipe called for a few ingredients I didn't have or couldn't find so I improvised. Otherwise it was very easy.

Potato, Ham and Cheese Frittata (4 servings/4 WW points per serving)
(adapted from Cooking Light)

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes (such as Ore-Ida)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped lean deli ham
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, onion, and ham; saute 8 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown.
   
3. Remove from pan. Wipe pan clean with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Combine salt, hot sauce, pepper, eggs, and egg whites in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in potato mixture, cheese, and chopped green onions.
4. Heat pan over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 3 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned, lifting edges and tilting skillet as eggs cook to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath cooked portion.
5. Wrap handle of pan with foil if non-oven safe. Broil 2 minutes or until top is lightly browned and set.
   

Asian Summer Rolls

I've been to many different types of restaurants that serve some version of this cold dish. Whether it be Vietnamese, Thai, or Asian fusion, the summer roll, or fresh spring roll is a light refreshing (normally) appetizer that leaves you wanting more food but not feeling so full that you wonder why you ordered an entree. J is a huge fan of these and tends to order them whenever possible; so when I discovered that our grocery store was now carrying rice paper wrappers (sometimes called spring roll wrappers), I knew I just had to try these out for ourselves.

I was a little nervous about these at first. Anytime you are working with a new ingredient, especially one that seems so delicate it can daunting. This was surprisingly easy. The prep work took a little but of time but the actual wrapping was fairly fast. I think the next time would be much faster because I'm used to it. You should definitely prep everything before you try to start preparing these.

Asian Summer Rolls

8 rice paper wrappers
32 small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked
1 1/2 cups rice vermicelli, cooked for cold noodle preparation according to package
1-2 cups red leaf lettuce, julienned
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp peanut butter (any variety)
1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp ginger
1/2 cup warm water (to taste)

1. Combine first 6 ingredients of dipping sauce. While mixing with a whisk, gradually add warm water until sauce reaches desired consistency/taste. Set aside.
   
2. In a large pie plate soak rice paper wrappers (do each one right before you fill and wrap it, not all at the same time) according to instructions on the box. My package suggested hot water for 15-20 seconds. As the water cooled it took a little longer to softened. I even had to microwave my water once to keep it warm. Be sure you are using a microwavable container (my pie plate was Pyrex).
3. Lay wrapper on a very clean tea towel to dry excess moisture and begin filling.
   
4. Place 4 shrimp in a row in the center of the wrapper.
5. Top with 1/8 of the noodles. Then add one 1/8 of the mint and cilantro, then 1/8 of the lettuce.
6. To wrap, fold the top fairly tightly over the filling (do not tear). Fold each of the sides in tightly and then making sure there isn't too much air inside, fold the bottom up over it all. The roll should be firm not floppy.
7. Repeat for remaining 7 wrappers.
8. Serve with dipping sauce, makes 8 rolls.

I calculated these summer rolls at 2 WW points apiece. I did not calculate for the sauce. We at a few as a main course for something nice and light.

Pork Ragout

This is a another Cooking Light recipe. I was making it and I decided that I wasn't a fan of the texture (or even the flavor for that matter).  Perfect excuse to use my new kitchen appliance (big grin). I received a lovely immersion blender for Christmas. I hadn't asked for one but surprisingly I've been thinking of different ways to use it now that it is here. I've already gotten some use out of my new wok, which I will be posting later on. All this recipe needed was a little insight (I'm not tooting my own horn) to wrap the flavors together. It was also too chunky for my taste so here it is, Pork Ragout my way adapted from Cooking Light.

Pork Ragout (adapted from Cooking Light)

1  pound  boned pork loin
1  (4-ounce) link hot Italian turkey sausage
1  cup  chopped onion
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4  teaspoon   kosher salt
1/4  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4  cup  fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
3/4  cup dry red wine
2  (15-oz) can Italian-style chopped tomatoes
1/4 tsp cinnamon
8 oz  dry penne  pasta, cooked according to package instructions
1/4  cup  grated fresh Romano cheese (I also added some Parmesan)

1. Trim fat from pork; cut pork into 1/4-inch cubes.
2. Remove casing from sausage and break in to pieces. Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned; stir to crumble. 
3. Remove sausage from pan. Add onion to pan; saute 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. Add pork, and saute 5 minutes. Add sausage, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
5. Stir in broth and wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. 
6. Bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cinnamon, and bring to a boil. 
7. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. 
8. Using an immersion blender, blend sauce until reaches desired texture. Serve over pasta, and sprinkle with cheese.

The cinnamon added a sweetness without added extra calories. I think that it made all the difference between a sauce that was lacking something and bitter and a full-bodied flavor. I'm not trying to be cocky but it was really tasty once I took that one little risk. If could also have been a huge disaster.

Pasta Fagioli

I would call this a recipe makeover but all I did was adapt an already light recipe to suit my taste (not turn a decadent recipe into something light). Pronounced by many Italian Americans as pasta "fa-ZOOL", this is one of those recipes that will fill you up and keep you full all afternoon. It is 7 WW points per cup, but one cup is all you need to feel full and satisfied. With a salad you might feel hungry again in a little while. You can probably lighten up the recipe even more but for this time I made it the way I have in the past. It is very thick, bordering on a stew more than a soup so with just a little more broth or water you can stretch the recipe to feed more which would make the calories less per serving. I really enjoy this soup and plan to eat the rest of the pot as lunches for the entire week!

Pasta Fagioli (adapted from Cooking Light) Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
1 1/2 tbsp bottled minced garlic
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
4 oz. uncooked pipette pasta
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed
Dried parsley
Crushed red pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add sausage and garlic; saute 2 minutes or until browned, stir-ring to crumble.
3. Add water, broth, and tomato sauce; bring to a boil.
   
4. Stir in pasta, 1/4 cup cheese, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and beans; bring to a boil.
   
5. Reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes or until pasta is done. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Garnish each serving with parsley and red pepper.

The Biggest Loser Recipe Makeover #2: Chicken Caesar Salad

Bottled salad dressings are full of sugar, preservatives and fat. They also don't usually taste very good. I was trying to find a way to make something very light that still tastes flavorful and I stumbled upon several recipes on Cooking Light. This Creamy Caesar Dressing and Herb Croutons were just the thing to spice up boring romaine lettuce and chicken. While I try to eat as healthily as I can sometimes price and convenience override some of my choices. I always knew that the half a chicken breast that come in the family packs are way too large to be one serving. Instead of freezing 2 breast halves, I have been trimming, cutting and pounding my boneless skinless chicken breasts into paillards. Then I label each pack with the number of ounces of chicken so I know exactly how many WW points we are eating.

Chicken Caesar Salad (with recipes adapted from Cooking Light: croutons and dressing)
Serves 2

Chicken:
2 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning

4 cups romaine lettuce torn or cut into pieces
1 tbsp finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Herb Croutons:
1 cup Italian bread, cubed
olive oil cooking spray
Italian seasoning, to taste
salt and pepper

Dressing:
1/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt (can also use regular variety)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 small garlic cloves, minced

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spay bread cubes with cooking spray and toss with seasoning. Toast in oven 10 minutes or until golden brown. Set croutons aside for salad.
   
2. While the croutons bake combine ingredients for salad dressing and whisk well. This make 1/4 cup of dressing and you only need 1-2 tbsp per person. You can refrigerate what you don't use for 4 days or so.
   
3. Rub chicken on both sides with Cajun seasoning. Broil under high heat approx. 4 min each side or until done (depends on thickness of chicken). Cut into pieces for salad.
4. Combine lettuce and dressing, add chicken and croutons. Top with a sprinkle of cheese.

The guilt free full taste Caesar salad was very tasty, quick and easy.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

I decided to be daring this year... For Christmas Eve, I was asked to bring a dessert. I generally don't like to bring a dessert because I have trouble coming up with an idea. I don't bake often and I consider myself to be a good baker. I don't think I've had many kitchen disasters involving desserts that I can think of. Maybe if you count the time I was 13 and in Home Ec we forgot the extra cup of flour in the chocolate chip cookies and they came out shiny and tasting horribly of butter. And when my oven was one big hot spot and burned all but one section of my orange cake I was bringing to Easter. Then I had to start over and rotate the cake in the oven every 15 minutes. And we all remember the expired yeast episode. So when I decided to make my first cheesecake ever and a fairly "different" one at that, I was a little concerned with the outcome. I had an assistant in the kitchen, which I think was very helpful for the whole dessert. (He was also a very useful photographer.) According to the guests at my parents' house this was pretty good. I think the key to liking this cake is you have to like red velvet and cheesecake. Personally I thought the cake was gorgeous but average taste. I think it has real wow power visually though and worth making for that reason. The original recipe called for a cream cheese frosting. I thought that sounded too rich and made a simple whipped cream with a little vanilla and sugar.

Red Velvet Cheesecake (adapted from The Recipe Girl)

Crust:
17 Oreos, finely crushed
1/4 cup melted butter
1 Tbsp sugar

Cheesecake:
3 8oz. packs cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar
2 1 oz. bottles red food coloring

1. Combine crumbs, butter and sugar. Press into 9" springform pan.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare water bath: Fill roasting pan with 1 inch water. Heat in oven while oven is pregheating.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and mix at a low speed until combined and pour into crust.
4. Layer 2 sheets of foil wrap bottom of pan gently. Place pan into water bath.
5. Bake 10 minutes and reduce heat to 300 degrees F. Bake 75 minutes or until center is firm.
6. Turn off oven and let stand 30 minutes. Remove from oven and water bath and place on a wire rack to cool.
   
7. Run a thin knife around edge of cheesecake and cook several hours until room temperature.
   
8. Cover and chill 8 hours.
9. Remove sides of spring form pan.

I spread homemade whipped cream on the top and garnished with mint leaves and store bought red icing.

The Biggest Loser Recipe Makeover #1: Turkey Meatballs with Yogurt

My family (J, Dad, Uncle Brubo, Aunt Tetanie, Uncle Gorbo, Aunt Eeshu, and myself) have all put up $100 to see who can lose the biggest percentage of weight by March 31st. I have been using my online WW tools. I started a running regimen (Couch to 5K in 9 weeks), although it's been too chilly to really keep up with that since after I got over the stomach flu (ugh!). I decided to my own make-over of a recipe that was already a big hit here. Remember Lamb Meatball Gyros with Yogurt and Mint ? I have changed the meal to contain less fat, mostly by using turkey instead of lamb.

1/2 pound ground turkey
1/8 cup golden raisins, chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg white
3 scallions (white and light green parts), sliced

Follow the original directions but be sure to cook the meatballs long enough because it is turkey instead of lamb. This recipe served 3 with approx. 5 meatballs apiece and it was 4 WW points for that plus a 1/4 cup of fat free Greek yogurt. I mixed the yogurt with a little kosher salt and dried mint. Instead of pita I used 1 WW point sandwich things. Delicious substitutions! (Maybe The Simpsons in the background while I type is a poor idea).

Christmas Cake

I've been gone so long I don't know how to start a post anymore. I had the stomach flu this last week. I went to CT to visit family for the holidays. I haven't really been cooking since I made a cake for Christmas Eve (more on that later). This particular cake I make at the beginning of December to take to a friend's house for dinner. Personally I think this cake is appropriate for any season. I don't like cherries, especially in dessert but these are easy to avoid and I can usually find someone at the table on whom I can pawn them off. The best part of this cake is the crispy top. I find this goes very well in the morning as well, almost like a coffee cake. My mother uses a standing mixer and my grandmother mixes by hand. The cake comes out differently depending on which method you use. I think I creamed my butter and sugar with a hand mixer but the rest I did by hand. I don't know if I recommend that.
Christmas Cake

1 lb. confectionery sugar
1/2 lb. butter or margarine
3 cups flour
8 oz. walnuts
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 tsp. baking powder
10 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained

1. Cream butter and sugar.
   
2. Add eggs one at a time.
3. Add vanilla, flour, and baking powder.
4. Roll cherries in a little flour (this will keep them from sinking- some of mine sank because I didn't mix them in well enough and were already on the bottom when I poured the cake into the pan).
   
5. Fold in nuts and cherries.
6. Pour into greased and floured tube pan.
7. Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

I thought the cake came out very well considering I don't really enjoy baking all that much. Something made it a little drier than I would have liked but again. Feel free to enjoy with coffee or milk and it doesn't matter.

Fried Stuffed Peppers

This is another family recipe that doesn't really have measurements etc. To make fried stuffed peppers you basically take enough of the meatball recipe to fill as many cubanelle peppers you want to make. Grandma recommends that you try to buy the very straightest peppers you can find. I used 1.5 cups (approx.) for 2 peppers. Once the peppers are stuffed with the meatball mixture you heat a little oil in a pan and fry the peppers, turning them onto each side until the filling is cooked. Then the peppers are topped with tomato sauce and a little Parmesan cheese.
This was very easy and pretty fast. For a healthier version, I don't see why you can't bake them.
Here is a picture of the peppers right out of the pan. I basically divided the recipe by a third to make the filling. Any leftover filling can be made into meatballs so it isn't like you are wasting it by making a little too much.

Lamb Meatball Gyros with Yogurt and Mint/ with Sauteed Zucchini and Peas

Yummmmm. Mmmmmmm. Soooo good! This was totally my reaction during/after dinner the other night. Sorry I haven't really been posting much. I'm still cooking, and taking quick pictures of the food. I'm just not really making it to the posting part of the experience. So did I mention this meal was good. I'm pretty sure I must might have. This was super easy, fast and not too unhealthy. Thank you Real Simple. Thank you Susan for introducing me to Real Simple. Thank you Jason for actually liking this meal. I don't have anything else to add. I thought this was super and if I don't stop gushing, I'm probably going to be disappointed with all the other meals we eat for the next month.



Lamb Meatball Gyros with Yogurt and Mint (from Real Simple)

1 pound ground lamb
1/4 cup golden raisins, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1 bunch scallions (white and light green parts), sliced
4 pieces flat bread
1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh mint

1. Place an oven rack in the second-highest position and heat broiler.
2. Combine the lamb, raisins, cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the bread crumbs, egg, and three-quarters of the scallions in a large bowl.
3. Shape the mixture into golf ball-size meatballs and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Broil, turning once, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.
5. Microwave the flatbread 30 seconds wrapped in a dampened paper towel. Divide the flat bread among individual plates and top with the meatballs, yogurt, mint, and the remaining scallions.

Sauteed Zucchini and Peas (adapted from Real Simple)


1 medium zucchini
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1. Chop zucchini.
   
2. In a large skillet, over medium heat, combine olive oil, the zucchini, garlic, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add peas and thyme, toss well, and cook to heat through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pickled Eggplant

As a child, when family would get together and have a big meal there would inevitably be antipasto (pronounced ahn-tee-PAHST). Small children would pick around and eat the Genoa salami, the chunks of provolone cheese, the pitted black olives from a can and that's about it. As I got older I personally became more and more adventurous. One of my favorite things on the antipasto tray is pickled (sometimes known as marinated) eggplant. This is sold in a jar at many Italiam markets. The problem is that the compamny stores the eggplant in vinegar or brine and it make the eggplant too tough and bitter. My grandmother showed me how to drain and "fix" the store bought kind, but the homemade version is somehow more satifying. My family was a little disappointed with the oiliness of the eggplant, because my grandmother insists the eggplant be stored submerged in oil. My parents seem to think it's fine as long as it is refrigerated. I gave away the remainder of the one jar I made (I don't have a canner so it isn't made for long term storage), so unfortunately I cannot attest to how well it is keeping. I thought it was delicious and you can just drain them a little before you eat them.

Pickled Eggplant

You can make as much or as little as you like. For me 1 medium eggplant is 1 jar or maybe a little more. For each eggplant use 3-4 cloves of garlic. You also need white vinegar (enough to submerge eggplant, corn or vegetable oil (Never olive oil!), salt, crushed red pepper, and dried oregano. The crushed red pepper and oregano is really to taste.

1. Slice eggplant longways and put in a colander over the sink. Each layer of eggplant should be salted as you put it in the colander.
2. Put something heavy over the eggplant to press out the liquid (I used a plate with a large bottle of vinegar on top. Let eggplant sit for 2 hours.
   
3. Squeeze the eggplant out thoroughly.
   
4. Boil vinegar and pour on eggplant. Squeeze eggplant out again.
5. Put eggplant in a bowl and pour oil over them. Mix will and add more oil.
   
6. Add chopped garlic, hot pepper, and oregano and mix.
7. Put a littl oil in jars and add eggplant halfway up jar. Add more oil and then fill will egpplant being sure the top is covered with oil.

This is the recipe I followed.

Carrot Spice and Walnut Pie

Every year our local food bank, hosts a holiday dinner for those less fortunate at the beginning of December. It is between Thanksgiving and Christmas for those who will not be able to attend/provide one with their family. Every year the school where I work requests that we bake pies (some diabetic appropriate) for the dessert portion of the dinner. Last year I made a Cranberry Apple Pie and an Apple Butter pie. This year I decided to try something different. I made a Crustless Cranberry Pie and Cranberry Topped Apple Pie. I was going to make this Carrot Spice and Walnut Pie instead but I had to try it myself. My sister's best friend loves carrots and she thought this pie was delicious. I think I had pie overload and with so many other pies at our Thanksgiving dinner, I wasn't able to appreciate this pie. If you don't like pumpkin or want to try something different, then this might be the pie for you.

Carrot Spice and Walnut Pie (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 (9") pie crust, partially baked
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs
5 tablespoons softened, unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Steam or boil carrots until soft and let partially cool.
3. In a food processor, puree the carrots until smooth.
4. Add honey, eggs, butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, nutmeg and walnuts and blend until smooth.
   
5. Place carrot mixture in a bowl and fold sugars in gradually, getting out all the lumps.
   
6. Pour mixture into pie shell.
7. Bake pie for 60-70 minutes. Serve warm or cold, with or without whipped cream. Refrigerate to store.