French Onion Salisbury Steak

August 4, 2012

You won’t find this in one of those frozen TV dinners. You’ll love this fresh version of the classic dish so much more than that frozen food crap.

The sauce in this dish is based on another classic, French onion soup, using the Cheese Toasts as a big crouton.

Enjoy!

French Onion Salisbury Steak

Yield: 4

Ingredients

FOR THE STEAK

1 ¼ pounds ground chuck
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced scallions
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons non-bleached all purpose flour

FOR THE SAUCE

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups sliced onions
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups low sodium beef broth
¼ cup dry red wine
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Cheese Toasts
Minced fresh parsley
Shredded Parmesan

FOR THE CHEESE TOASTS

4 slices Italian baguette, cut diagonally (1/2 inch thick)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon minced garlic
Pinch of paprika
¼ cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

FOR THE STEAK

Combine ground chuck, ¼ cup parsley, scallions, salt and pepper. Divide evenly into four portions and shape each into ¾ to 1 inch thick oval patties. Place 2 tablespoons flour in a shallow dish, dredge each patty in flour. Reserve 1 teaspoon flour.
Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add patties and sauté 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove from pan.

SAUCE

Add onions and sugar to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; sauté until paste begins to brown 1 minute. Sprinkle mixture with reserved flour; cook 1 minute. Stir in broth, wine, salt and thyme.
Return meat to pan; bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve steaks on Cheese Toasts with onion parsley and Parmesan.

FOR THE CHEESE TOASTS

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Place bread on a baking sheet.
Combine butter, garlic, and paprika; spread on one side of each slice of bread. Combine cheeses and sprinkle evenly over butter. Bake until bread is crisp and cheese is bubbly, 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 614Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 1479mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 32g

Fish Veracruz en Papillote

August 3, 2012

This makes for a very elegant dinner. It looks beautiful, tastes fresh and is light. I like to try different techniques in cooking. And it’s been quite awhile since I made anything in a pouch.

Because it’s sealed, you can’t add flavor as you cook, so seasoning is key when cooking in paper. I don’t usually care for green olives but I am glad I kept them in this recipe. They give this dish a nice punch of flavor. As do the capers.

I found this recipe in Cuisine At Home the February 2012 issue. I doubled my recipe so I could have left-overs for tomorrow’s lunch.

Fish Veracruz en Papillote

Yield: 4

Ingredients

2 cups seeded and diced Roma tomatoes
1 cup sliced white onion
½ cup chopped pimento stuffed olives
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 white fish fillets, such as halibut, with skin removed
2 red or green jalapeno, sliced
2 small lemons, thinly sliced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Fold 4 pieces of parchment paper (18-24 inches wide), in half. Brush inside of paper with olive oil.
Combine tomatoes, onion, olives, capers, lemon juice, and garlic in a bowl. Divide tomato mixture between each paper, oil side up, near the fold; top with fillets, then jalapeno and lemon slices.
Fold wide ends of paper together in the center to create a sealed packet. Tie packets with kitchen string and tuck ends underneath to secure. Transfer packets to a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 109Total Fat: 5gSodium: 463mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 40g

Crusted Chicken with Almonds and Sage

August 3, 2012

With today being National Almond Day I thought I would post a recent recipe I tried about a week ago. I found this one from Cuisine At Home the October 2011 issue. See my version below.

Crusted Chicken with Almonds and Sage

Yield: 6

Ingredients

6 bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed (2 breast, 2 legs, and 2 thighs)
Sea salt and black pepper
1 ¼ cups sliced almonds, crushed
1 ¼ cups panko bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh sage
2 cups buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Coat a wire rack with non-stick spray and set inside baking sheet.
Season all the chicken pieces with sea salt and black pepper.
Combine almonds, panko and sage in a dish. Place buttermilk in a separate dish.
Dip chicken pieces in buttermilk, roll in almond mixture to coat, and place on prepared rack.
Roast chicken until crisp and golden brown, about 50 minutes. Chicken is cooked when an instant read thermometer registers 165 F for white meat and 175 F for dark meat. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 580Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 459mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 42g

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

August 3, 2012

I will never buy store-bought granola bars again! Not that I really ever did anyway. They are usually heavily processed. These granola bars taste wholesome and best of all they are real, and incredibly easy to make. All you’ll need is a big bowl, a wooden spoon and a baking dish. There should be no excuse to buy those boxed granola bars again.

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Yield: 8

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
½ cup whole-grain flour
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 to ½ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup canola oil
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon to combine.
Spread mixture evenly in a 9”x9” baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Let cool and slice into 8 bars. Serve or refrigerate for later.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 115mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 4gSugar: 19gProtein: 6g

Chicken Pomodoro

August 3, 2012

Are you looking for different chicken recipes? Well here is one you can add to your recipe book.

Chicken Pomodoro

Yield: 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to about ¼ inch thickness
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons safflower oil
¼ cup vodka
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup scallions, sliced

Instructions

Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Coat a sauté pan with nonstick spray, add oil and heat over medium high heat.
Saute cutlets on both sides. Transfer cutlets to a platter; pour off fat from the pan.
Deglaze pan with vodka (away from the heat); return to heat and cook until nearly evaporated.
Add broth and lemon juice. Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side for 1 minute. Transfer cutlets to a warm plate.
Stir tomato and cream into sauce. Heat through; pour over cutlets.
Garnish with scallions.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 405Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 514mgCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 47g

The original recipe was found in Cuisine At Home the free trial issue.

Chipotle Turkey Cutlets with Charred Corn Salsa

August 2, 2012

I’m not quite sure why turkey cutlets are hard to find around my area. I get pretty annoyed when I can’t find my turkey cutlets!!! When I do find them I feel like I hit the jackpot! Of course I can never find them when I need them and that goes for this time around as well. So I had to use boneless pork chops. I really wish turkey cutlets would be more readily available but since they are not pork chops will have to do.

Chipotle Turkey Cutlets with Charred Corn Salsa

Yield: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed
1 ¼ pounds turkey cutlets
2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons corn oil, divided
1 medium green bell pepper
1 small red onion, diced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

Char the corn in a cast iron skillet with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir often, until corn has a nice char on it.
Sprinkle the turkey on both sides with chipotle powder and salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of corn oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add half the turkey and sauté until cooked through, about 1 ½ minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon corn oil and remaining turkey.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons corn oil to drippings in skillet. Add bell pepper and onion, sauté for 3 minutes. Increase heat to high and add charred corn. Saute until the green pepper begins to brown, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper; transfer to a medium bowl. Return the turkey to the same skillet and reheat for about 1 minute. Transfer to plates and spoon the salsa on top.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 378Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 141mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 37g

Chicken, Asparagus and Broccoli Stir-Fry

August 2, 2012

Let me start out by saying I am not a fan of Asian food, at least not from any of the restraints here. The dishes are usually too salty for my liking. But when I make it at home I absolutely love it! And it doesn’t hurt that it’s super healthy and fairly low in sodium in comparison to what you would get at a Chinese restaurant.

Chicken, Asparagus and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Yield: 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and sliced into 1 ½ inch pieces
2 cups broccoli florets
6 tablespoons low sodium chicken broth, divided
1 ¼ pounds skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise
4 large green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. Add sliced asparagus, broccoli florets and 4 tablespoons of the chicken broth. Cover and cook until veggies are crisp and tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the same skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, then add the chicken and green onions to the skillet. Stir-fry until chicken is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Mix in hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, vegetables and the remaining 2 tablespoons of chicken broth. Toss until heated through and evenly coated with sauce, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 539mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 32g

Cheese Tortellini in Light Broth

August 2, 2012

This Cheese Tortellini in Light Broth is an old favorite of mine from Giada’s book Everyday Italian. I’ve been fighting a cold for the last week and was craving something light, simple and easy to make. Being sick I have not been up for cooking much and I was getting tired of all the takeout Craig was bringing home, and wanted something home cooked. I then remembered this recipe, and on Easter Sunday mustered up enough energy to make it to church and then head over to my local Trader Joe’s to pick up the small list of ingredients for this soup. With just 5 ingredients you can prepare this soup when you are not feeling so great, or for a quick dinner after work, or anytime you are in need of a quick and tasty meal. Feeling better already 🙂

Cheese Tortellini in Light Broth

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 cups homemade or organic chicken broth
1 12-ounce package cheese tortellini
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

Pour broth into a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cover partially and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the tortellini is al dente, about 7 minutes.
Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 279Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 547mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 17g

Adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

Black Beans and Rice with Chicken and Apple Salsa

August 2, 2012

I am always pleasantly surprised when I mix fruit with savory meals. It’s hard for me to grasp food that’s usually meant for sweet dishes going into savory dishes. Slowly but surely, that way of thinking is diminishing as I am branching out and trying new things I wouldn’t normally eat.

This recipe comes from Bon Appetit magazine the January 2012 issue. I changed it up just a tad by adding a Serrano pepper into the beans, as well as using Eden Organic canned black beans. They do cost more but they aren’t packed with additives and are BPA free!

Black Beans and Rice with Chicken and Apple Salsa

Yield: 4

Ingredients

1 cup chopped, peeled Granny Smith apple
½ cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion, divided
1 teaspoon (or more) fresh lime juice
1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¾ teaspoon cumin
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 15-oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 2-3 pound rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
4-6 lime wedges

Instructions

Combine apple, ¼ cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons onion, and 1 teaspoon lime juice in a small bowl, toss to coat. Set apple salsa aside.
Combine remaining onion, bell pepper, and oil in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until completely softened, 6-7 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder, ground coriander and cumin; stir constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in broth, beans and Serrano pepper, bring to a boil.
Simmer briskly, mashing some of the beans with the back of a spoon and stirring often, until sauce is thickened, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and more lime juice, if desired.
Divide rice and beans among plates. Top with some chicken and apple salsa. Garnish with remaining ¼ cup cilantro and lime wedges.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 884Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 187mgSodium: 1904mgCarbohydrates: 87gFiber: 16gSugar: 9gProtein: 64g

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Maple Jalapeno Sour Cream

August 2, 2012

The first time I made this recipe I was thinking I wasn’t going to like it. I had been trying to incorporate more sweet potatoes into my dishes since they are healthier than regular white potatoes (which I absolutely love!!!), but so far I hadn’t really found a recipe that I enjoyed. I am just not a big fan of sweet potatoes unfortunately. I wish I were. But like I said before I didn’t think I would like this one either, but I was wrong! This has been the only sweet potato recipe that I crave. Looking at the ingredients I really wasn’t holding out much hope that I was going to like this recipe. But I was willing to try anything to find a sweet potato recipe I like. And it turns out, I actually LOVE this recipe! This baked sweet potato is full of flavors and textures. I could go on and on about it but I won’t. Because you should get that oven preheated and get it ready for these sweet potato bad boys.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Maple Jalapeno Sour Cream

Yield: 4

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes
Olive oil
Sea salt
½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons seeded, minced jalapeno
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Salt and Tabasco sauce to taste
Bacon bits
Sliced scallions

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a rack positioned in the center.
Rub sweet potatoes with oil and salt. Bake directly on rack until soft when pierced, 40-45 minutes.
Combine sour cream, maple syrup, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and Tabasco; and chill until ready to serve.
Serve potatoes with sour cream mixture, bacon bits and scallions.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 307Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 409mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 6g

Recipe found in Cuisine At Home the free trial issue.

Baked Pecan Crusted Flounder with Squash Saute

August 2, 2012

Who knew something so small could really take the dish over the top! The pecans give this dish a great texture and a toasty flavor. A little chopped onion and sliced squash, then a simple marinade to brush on the flounder, and at last topped off with toasted pecans! It couldn’t be any more simple and delicious.

Baked Pecan Crusted Flounder with Squash Saute

Yield: 4

Ingredients

FISH

4 boneless, skinless Pacific flounder fillets, rinsed and patted dry
2 teaspoons raw honey
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup unsalted pecan pieces, toasted

SQUASH

1 tablespoon safflower oil
1 cup diced onion
2 medium yellow squash, sliced
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, combine honey, mustard, salt and cayenne pepper. Brush tops of fillets with mustard mixture, dividing evenly. Sprinkle pecans over top, dividing evenly. Bake for 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Meanwhile, prepare squash: Heat oil in a large stainless steel skillet on medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until it begins to richly brown, stirring frequently. Add squash and cook for 4 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Add salt and black pepper, stir gently.
To serve, place equal amounts of squash mixture on each of 4 dinner plates, then top with 1 fillet.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 248Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 407mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 5gSugar: 9gProtein: 47g

Original recipe found in Clean Eating magazine the April/May 2011 issue. See my version below.

Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Burgers

August 1, 2012

Adapted from Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook

I love cheese on my hamburgers. It’s just not the same without it. I usually use Swiss cheese and always have some sliced Swiss cheese on hand but noticed that this time I was running pretty low and I wasn’t sure I was going to have enough until I remembered…….hello the cheese is stuffed inside the burger and it was cheddar cheese I am using this time and I always have cheddar cheese on hand. I always have to top my egg whites off with some cheddar cheese. But not the kind in the pre-shredded bags, the good kind from the block that you shred yourself. OK so technically I didn’t shred it myself but my food processor did and the cheese that comes from the block just tastes so much better and it’s fresh. I prefer Tillmook cheese.

Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Burgers

Yield: 6

Ingredients

2 pounds of lean ground beef
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, packed
6 Oroweat 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins

Instructions

Prepare barbecue on medium-high heat. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; blend well. Divide the meat into 6 equal portions. Shape into balls. Poke deep holes in each ball and fill each with cheese. Mold the meat around the cheese to enclose. Flatten each filled burger to ¾ inch patty.
Grill burgers to desired doneness, about 5 minutes on each side for medium.
Toast the sandwich thins and place the burgers on one side of the sandwich thin. Cover with the top.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 509Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 597mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 6gSugar: 4gProtein: 38g

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FOR THE STEAK

FOR THE SAUCE

FOR THE CHEESE TOASTS

Instructions

FOR THE STEAK

SAUCE

FOR THE CHEESE TOASTS

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