Spiced Duck Breasts

I am making an Italian/Asian-Style duck dish for dinner.
I love rendering the fat from the breasts and saving it in the fridge. You haven't had the best roasted potatoes until you roast them in duck fat......YUMMY YUM

I'm cheating tonight and using a prepared Knorr side dish and canned green beans. I just don't feel like cooking from scratch today, plus I bought some canned vegetables from Libby due to a great coupon I had and a sale and the Shop-Rite. Might as well use them. My mom would use canned French-style beans every so often and if you add a splash of vinegar to them before serving it brightens them up and makes them appealing. Since the glaze for the duck has honey and red-wine vinegar in it I thought it would pair well with the green beans.

French Chicken In a Vinegar Sauce

French know chicken. They also do it simple and tasty. This recipe is a great one for when you come home and DO NOT feel like preparing a long, tedious meal. Everything is in your fridge or pantry.

Salt, pepper chicken thighs.
Saute in small amount of oil (the skin will give off more than enough fat).


While it's browning, dice a half a white onion. Add to the pan.


1/2 cup white wine & chicken broth, 3 tbls tomato paste (I have the tube in the fridge), 2 tbls good vinegar (I used Champagne), 1 tsp tarragon, 1/2 tsp brown sugar (I used the Splenda blend), red peper flakes to taste and salt & pepper at the end.
Simmer for 30 mins with the lid on.


This is a really easy, inexpensive, healthy and great tasting dish.

My Shop-Rite had Manager's Specials on all the Perdue chickens. Had to be sold by that day so the thighs were $.69 a pound and the wings were $.59 a pound and I bought what I could fit in my freezer. Everything goes into my Dutch Oven and 30 mins later dinner is served. I am making roasted peewee red potatoes and asparagus for hubby on the side. Both were roasted in the same aluminum pan in the toaster oven starting the potatoes for an hour and sneaking the asparagus in the last 20 mins.

YUM.

I am having sauteed cabbage instead.

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

What started out as a simple recipe ended up being an amalgamation of left-overs and a tweak here & a tweak there......this is what came out of the oven after the first baking.


I let it set for 30mins, then sprinkled mozzarella and Parmigiana Reggiano cheese on it. I will bake it right before serving it to brown the cheese.


Baked for another 20mins.


It was really ooey gooey and GOOD!!!


I do this all the time. I take a recipe and add things and never write it down and then I can't remember it and sometimes I would love to enter them in a contest.
This time I wrote it down but need to taste it before I embarrass myself.

Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
Ingredients

* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) vegetable or chicken broth
* 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and quartered
* 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
* 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
* 1 jar (16 ounces) roasted garlic Alfredo or Parmesan and mozzarella pasta sauce
* 12 no-cook lasagna noodles
* 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
* 1 cup crumbled tomato and basil feta cheese or feta cheese
* 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon each dried oregano, parsley flakes and basil

Directions

* In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, rosemary, nutmeg and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the artichokes, spinach and mushrooms. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce.
* Spread 1 cup sauce mixture into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with three noodles and 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers three times. Top with remaining sauce mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with feta cheese, garlic powder, oregano, parsley and basil.
* Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.

A True Beef Stroganoff

My Grandfather was German & my Grandma worked in a German restaurant. That's were they met and she learned to cook all his favorite recipes. She showed me how to make Stroganoff the right way.

Since I butcher my own beef fillet I save the odd pieces for stroganoff. That is the original meat to use.
Bad reviews often mean bad cuts of meat in the recipe, all of them complaining of the same thing.....toughness.

Stroganoff should not take more then 20mins to prepare and 15 mins to make, so slow cooking to tenderize is not an option. That's called a stew (meaning stewing in its juices). If you can't get beef tips from the butcher, a good sized tenderloin (slightly under a pound) or 2 small ones will feed 4. It gets sliced in thin ribbons and after slicing you have a nice stack of meat. If you are on a diet you should only be eating 4oz anyways. The leanness of the meat is an extra bonus for dieting.

If all else fails I would buy a skirt steak, pan saute or grill whole, slice across the grain and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Here's what I did:
* 1/2 pound Beef Fillet tips, slivered
* 1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/4" (egg slicers work well)
* 1/4 large Spanish onion, diced
* 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
* 2 tbls butter
* 2 tbls flour
* 1/4 cup dry sherry
* 1 tsp fajita seasonings or Montreal Steak seasoning
* 1/4 low fat sour cream
* Chopped parsley

Sprinkle meat with salt, pepper and seasonings. Melt 1 tbls butter in skillet. Saute beef until pink is gone. Remove. In same pan saute onions, mushrooms until golden brown. Add to meat.
(If doing ahead, stop here)

Melt remaining tbls butter in same pan and drop in flour. Cook for 1 min. Add beef broth, sherry and simmer until thickened.

Add meat & mushroom mixture to pan and warm through.
Stir in sour cream, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve over large egg noodles.

I am serving steamed broccoli on the side.

Crunchy Shrimp with Ginger-Orange Sauce

Adapted from CookingLight Magazine

Yield: 2 servings
I halved the shrimp but not the couscous or sauce. I will use them both later in the week. I will eat 3 shrimp, hubby gets 5.







Ingredients:

Sauce
* 1 cup orange juice
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
* 1 1/2 tablespoons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
* 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Couscous
* 1 cup uncooked couscous
* 1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 cup orange juice
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup chopped green onions
* 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Shrimp:
* 8 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
* 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
* 1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 1 cup petite peas, steamed

Preparation:

To prepare sauce, bring 1 cup orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; cool completely. Stir in 1 tablespoon cilantro and next 7 ingredients (through red pepper); set aside.

To prepare couscous, place couscous in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup orange juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; add onions and almonds. Keep warm.

To prepare shrimp, combine shrimp and egg white in a large bowl, tossing to coat. Combine the panko, 1 teaspoon cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and black pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add shrimp to the bag, and seal and shake to coat.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; arrange shrimp in a single layer in pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until done.

Place 3/4 cup couscous on each of 2 plates; top each with 1/2 cup peas and 4 shrimp. Drizzle each with 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 376 (25% from fat)
Fat: 10.6g (sat 2.7g,mono 4.1g,poly 2g)
Protein: 17.6g
Carbohydrate: 51.9g
Fiber: 3.9g
Cholesterol: 61mg
Iron: 2.1mg
Sodium: 763mg
Calcium: 84mg

Albondigas

Adapted from CookingLight Magazine.

Ingredients:
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1/2 (16-ounce) bag frozen pepper stir-fry (such as Birds Eye)
* 3/4 cup diced carrot
* 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
* 1 quart fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 1 quart fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
* 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1 pound chopped pork
* 1 1/2 cups shredded spaghetti squash (that's what I had in the freezer, you could use zucchini
* 1/4 cup Matzo Meal
* 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, divided
* 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
* 1 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
* 1/4 cup Egg Beaters
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pepper stir-fry to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chiles, and broths; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until carrot is tender.
2. Using hand blender or table blender, blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl.
3. Combine chicken, pork, squash, 1/4 cup rice, onion, Matzo Meal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and egg beaters in a food processor; process 30 seconds or until blended. Bring broth mixture to a boil. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop meat mixture (about 45 meatballs) into broth mixture and simmer for 25-30 mins. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Cook remaining 3/4 cup rice. Before serving, stir in lime juice.

I am adding a can of small white beans to round out this meal.

Look at these numbers.........Yea for us!!!!

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 184
Fat: 3.5g (sat 0.9g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.5g)
Protein: 20.8g
Carbohydrate: 16.2g
Fiber: 2g
Cholesterol: 64mg
Iron: 1.6mg
Sodium: 790mg
Calcium: 26mg

Cranberry-Cinnamon Scones

I don't bake. I mean, I can bake a standard cake or a wonderful cheesecake but I'm not good with scones. Hubby loves scones. I have tried making them 7-8 times and even I wouldn't eat them. I tried the test kitchen no fail scone recipe. It failed....miserably.

Today is the day I take my time and really do it right. I am determined.



I had to combine 2 recipes because I did not have any buttermilk. I found 2 I liked and combined them for this recipe:

* 2 cups AP flour
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/4 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 stick (1/2 cup) very cold butter, cut into small dice
* 3/4 cup heavy cream
* 1 large egg
* 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
* 1 tbls cinnamon

I used the standard biscuit technique. Dry in Kitchen Aid bowl, add butter, using the paddle attachment, run until small pea-sized....add cream and egg (beaten together in a small bowl).
Once it becomes sandy I stop the blender, scrape down the sides, blend again for 3 seconds, stop and pinch between your fingers. If it stays together like damp dirt it's done. Dump onto a wooden board or marble slab and shape into a 9" round (will be about 1 1/2" thick).
Cut into 6 or 8 wedges (I did 6 because he takes them to work and only needs 5, that leaves one for the baker). Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment and brush cream on top for browning (If you want you can sprinkle Demarara sugar to the top for extra sweetness and crunch but hubby doesn't like them sweet). Bake at 425F for 15-17 mins.

Wha la!!
Hubby pronounced them better then Panera Bread's cinnamon scones.

Now that's a compliment. I have a feeling I will be making these every Sunday, but with different flavorings. Next week he wants blueberry and lemon.

Southeast Asian Beef and Rice-Noodle Soup

I added sliced mushrooms, julienned snap peas and some left-over corn. Even though this read as good we both agreed that we would not eat this again. It wasn't that it was not tasty, just not tasty for us. I think it was the star anise and cinnamon that turned us off.

* 3 pounds meaty beef short ribs
* 3 pounds beef shank in 2 or 3 pieces
* 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, divided
* 1 large onion, sliced
* 2 (1-inch) pieces peeled ginger, smashed
* 1 bunch scallions, white parts smashed and greens chopped
* 3 garlic cloves, smashed
* 1 (4-inch-long) fresh red or green chile, stemmed and halved lengthwise
* 2 quart water
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 4 whole star anise
* 1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick
* 14 ounces dried flat Asian rice noodles

Pat meat dry. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in an 8- to 10-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown meat in batches (do not crowd), about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter.

Cook onion, ginger, white parts of scallions, garlic, and chile in remaining tablespoon oil in same pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 12 minutes.

Add water, soy sauce, star anise, cinnamon stick, and meat (with juices) and simmer, covered, until meat is tender but not falling apart, 2 to 21/2 hours.

Transfer meat with tongs to a cutting board. Discard bones and membranes, then cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch pieces.

Strain broth through a sieve lined with a double layer of dampened paper towels set into a large saucepan. Discard solids. Skim off fat. Season broth with salt, then return meat to broth and reheat.

Meanwhile, add noodles to a 4-quart pot of unsalted boiling water and let stand off heat, covered, until softened, 4 to 8 minutes. Drain and divide among large soup bowls. Add scallion greens and ladle in soup.

Rigatoni Pugliese

Adapted from Andrew Carmellini's Urban Italian

For the sauce:
* 1-15oz can chickpeas
* 1/4 cup + 2 tbls EVOO
* 1 lb spicy Italian sausage
* 3 cups Basic Tomato Sauce
* 1/2 tsp ground fennel seed

For the broccoli rabe and rigatoni:
* 1 bunch broccoli rabe, cleaned of outer leaves and trimmed
* 1 lb rigatoni
* 2 tbls EVOO
* 1 clove thinly sliced garlic
* 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
* salt & pepper to taste

To finish the dish:
* 2 tbls butter
* 2 tsp EVOO
* 1 cup Romano cheese

Drain the chickpeas well, reserving the liquid. Blend half the chickpeas (about 1 cup) and all their liquid on high until the mixture forms a smooth paste, about 1 min.
Heat the EVOO in a large saucepan over high heat. Squeeze the sausage out of the casing and add the meat to the pan. Brown it, stirring regularly and breaking the meat up into small pieces with a spoon or potato masher. (I add white wine to a bowl with the meat in it and squish it. It works wonderfully).
Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine.
Add the chickpea puree and fennel seed and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat until the mixture form a loose sauce and the flavors are combined, about 15 mins.

Bring a large pot of well salted water (1 tbls for each gallon).
Blanch the broccoli rabe until the stems are just softened and the color has deepened, about 90 seconds (I like mine cooked longer, about 3 mins). Remove with a slotted spoon. Return water to a boil and add rigatoni and cook until al dente. Drain but do not rinse.
Warm the EVOO over medium heat in a saute pan. Add broccoli, garlic, red pepper flakes and the remaining chickpeas. Season with salt & pepper and saute until the greens are well coated.

Return the rigatoni to the pot, add the sauce and cook on medium-high heat, mixing well until the pasta is coated.
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, EVOO and half the cheese.
Transfer the pasta and sauce to a large serving dish and pour the broccoli rabe and chickpea mixture over the top.
Top with the rest of the cheese and serve immediately.

Yummy !!! I know this doesn't sound like something a diabetic could eat but if you use turkey sausage, a lot less EVOO and use Dreamfield's pasta, this is actually good for you.

Yesterday got away from me fast.....

9:30 AM...up and running.....3:00 PM pooped and hungry.
All that time shopping & doing errands.

1. Diner (need substanance)
2. Cablevision (replace 2 TV changers, both broke)
3. Wine Store
4. Bed, Bath & Beyond (platters, plates, stands)
5. Michaels Craft Store (pens, paint, frame screws
6. Lowe's (screen door, coals, safflower seeds)
7. Staples (filler paper, business card holder for my upcoming shows and report covers)
8. Home Depot (for everything else Lowe's didn't have like a replacement Weber grill grate, bamboo rake)
9. Shop-Rite
...and in the middle of all that we went to the drive-in bank and post office.....LOL

Whew, what a day!!

I stood in front of my Weber Kettle, held my breath and opened the top......someone up there must owe me something because surprisingly it was in great shape after all that record snow & rain. The new grill grate is closet bound.

I grilled my first Rib-eye steak of the year and made skinny frits and finished up the green beans from the night before. Nothing smells better than a lit grill. I love grilled foods over charcoal. I'm just not into propane.
Tonight I am making a fav from Andrew Carmellini's cookbook.....Rigatoni Pugliese which uses pureed Chickpeas as the sauce with hot Italian sausage.
I seem to be making "comfort food" dishes lately. I sense the end of cold weather & trying to get in as many as I can before it's too hot for the oven.

Easy Haddock Bake

I designed and coded my own website and it's functional but not professional.
I think it's time to pay a site like iPage.com or GoDaddy.com to host my website.

I tried aways back and didn't like any of the skins they had and I had no patience at that point to try to download a skin off the internet but I think I have to be less critical in order to get an easier site for my customers to navigate around in. I will let you know when I get it all set up.

Tonight's dinner is a Haddock Bake but I'm tweeking the ingredients to use up some items in the fridge before they go bad.



Easy Haddock Bake

* 1 lb haddock or cod
* 1 ripe tomato
* Salt & Pepper
* Spinach Enchilada Sauce (from 3-8)
* 1 cup sauteed spinach
* 1 tbls Parmesan cheese

In a baking pan with 2" sides, place sauteed spinach, then salted & peppered fish, slices of tomato to cover and pour on enchilada sauce, sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 20 mins at 400 degrees.
Serve with brown rice.

Chicken Scarpariello

What's not to like? Chicken, Sausage, Peppers, Mushrooms, Penne, Homemade Gravy and chicken broth, baked together for 30 mins.


Hubby gave it a "thumbs up".
Recipe can be found on the Food Network.

The sun is shining & my screen door is OPEN !!!!

Finally a nice, sunny day. I got to go outside and survey the damage from the last 2 months. Not bad considering, but before it got cold we managed to put away most of the items in the shed. Today was a good day to paint. The sun lets me not have to use the lamp and that does make it easier on my eyes.

This was today's Wedding Platter for an older couple on their 2nd marriage. I think they will love it.
You can view all of my plates on my website.

Curry-Red Lentil Butternut Squash Soup

I love soup day and I try to make a different one each Monday. We only have 2 favs that are repeated at least every 2 months.....7 Onion Soup which is Emeril's on Food Network the other is Lobster Bisque which is my recipe.


I did not realize when I planned this soup that butternut squash had a high GI, but since it is so good for you and the other ingredients were extremely low I went with it. I was glad. Not a fan of curry but just a little did make an OK difference.

Our Road Trip

Saturday, during the deluge, we took a ride, a long ride, so I could finally shop at a Whole Foods Store.
I see it on Emeril's new show, and of course Alton Brown is in there all the time.

After I got over the shock of all the vegetables and cheeses and sauces and fresh pastas and...and...and...LOL
I was actually slightly disappointed.
It was a small one and they didn't have a lot of fish and chicken, but their bakery and butcher dept. was top notch. We left the store with a few items on my list missing from our bags. Now I understand the premise is Organic but there were things I needed that could have been organic and just were not sold. They only have room for the higher price point items because it is in an area with a higher income per household.
It was an experience and I'm glad I went, but I don't think we will be shopping there in the near year.

They looked fake but they smelled like August when my tommies will be ripe. I had to buy them so a Caprese Salad went on tomorrow's lunch menu.


When I saw the Prosciutto de Parma on the slicing machine, I had too. I bought a jar of roasted yellow and red peppers (I will do my own in the summer on the grill) and a small ball of fresh mozzarella. I have a bottle of very good EVOO from Spain and all this will make a very good lunch on Sunday.

Since I was a good girl, hubby took me to Macaroni Grill for dinner. I admit it, even though I picked a not-so-bad-entree I did have a few spoonfuls of hubby's cheesecake and we shared a bottle of wine. On the way home we had to make a couple of U-turns due to downed trees I was seriously hoping that our street had electricity. The sump pump was going all day and I know it will up till Monday, possible Tuesday.

Yay...all was dry in the house.

Now I can sleep OK.

Breaded Pork with a Red-Wine Cranberry Sauce

This sauce is amazing. Not only will it go with the pork it would taste good on poached pears or grilled fruits. YUM.

* 1 cup dried cranberries
* 3 cups red wine
* 2 oranges, zested & juiced
* 1 cup Splenda No Calorie

Simmer until thickened, cool and using a hand blender, blend to puree.


I put it in a stoneware milk pitcher to reheat for dinner.


Pounded pork cutlets are dipped in salt & peppered Egg Beaters.


From Egg mix it gets dredged in Panko crumbs.


I always wanted to try putting a wooden spoon bottom in the oil to see if it's hot enough......it is, see the bubbling?


Sauteed in canola oil on both sides till lightly browned.


Anything breaded just tastes sooooooooooo good.

Braised cabbage & BBQ beans will round out this meal.

Thank God it's Friday!!!

Testing a Quiche for Cook's Country Magazine

I have the pleasure of being one of the recipe testers for America's Test Kitchen or now it's Cook's Country Kitchen. I don't always test all of them, I find that in the winter I get sent grilling recipes and if you live on the East Coast you will know that for the last month we had snow, after snow, after snow.
I do follow the recipes as written and a few I wouldn't make again, but the majority are keepers.

Tonight we are testing a Leek & Blue Cheese Quiche. I love quiche. I am dying to make Thomas Keller's Bouchon version. I even bought a special "ring".
Of course, the size recommended would make a quiche for a family of 8.....LOL

Told hubby you was bringing lunch leftovers for his group the day after I make that recipe. This one is more manageable. It only requires a 9" x 2" pan. I can't publish the recipe but I can take pics. When I do publish the recipe, it will probably be with adjustments for my diabetic requirements. I will have something to compare it too. Is mine as good as theirs?

Boursin Stuffed Chicken with a Pear-Rosemary Glaze

I had some left-over Boursin and a jar of my homemade Pear-Rosemary Jam so I substituted them for the Chevre-Stuffed Chicken with Apricot Glaze.
The post after this one show you how to prepare meat for stuffing.
After refridgerating breasts for 1 hour, brown them in a tsp of oil on all sides. Pour in the liquid mixture and simmer, covered for 20 mins on low.
THIS IS A MUST !!!>
After removing chicken from the pan..... LET IT REST AT LEAST 15 MINS......
Why? Because if you don't, when you cut it, the insides with squirt all over your cutting board. I read it all the time. People have no patience....but as Alton Brown always says........

"Trust me, your patience will be rewarded."

I used an empty fruit cup to mold the Basmati Pilaf and sliced the chicken on a diagonal.


Once the glaze thickened I spoon it over the chicken and placed the roasted asparagus on the side. I then reheated it in the oven for 10 mins.

Glycemic Index

I know you have heard of it and I know there are a few who even follow it. The South Beach Diet is based solely on it. It's

the Glycemix Index.....

I think that by having a balance of low and mid level GI food in a recipe is probably the easiest way to plan a diet, a menu and a lifestyle for dealing with all types of diabetes.
Below is a listing of the LOW GI foods. Click on the pic for a printable version and post it next to wherever you plan your meals.
I suggest you highlight all the foods that you currently like and will eat over & over without getting tired of them.
Next, I would base a weeks worth of recipes on those items adding 6oz (each person) of either chicken, fish or meat.

I bet not only can you make everyone happy with your meal plan but they won't even know they are on a healthy diet.

You could even get your kids involved pretending that this is all we have (like on survivor) so each one has to try to win the "Menu Challenge".


For a more comprehensive listing which can be viewed alphabetically or by Hi-to-Low index, click on my link under Information & Products.

Sole with Shrimp Sauce, Linguine and Swiss Chard

I mixed the ricotta with the chicken broth, grated the Parmesan and then cleaned the shrimp to bake for 3 mins in the oven.



Took the shrimp shells and boiled them in water, reduced to 1/4 cup and added it to the sauce.

I microwaved the mushrooms with about a tsp of the shallots for 7 mins.

The sole is placed in a baking pan, sprinkled with the salt, pepper & paprika mixture then the sauteed mushrooms were scattered on top. I also sprinkled a small amount of the Parmesan for some extra flavor.


I will be serving it with Dreamfields linguine mixed with the swiss chard leftover from last nights soup. 3 mins before the pasta is done I will drop the chard in the water and drain them both together. Saves a step and a cleanup of more pots. I like that a lot.
I borrowed the pic from the Taste of Home site where I get most of my tryout recipes.
Ours didn't look as good but you can at least see what it can look like.
It was OK, not what we call a "keeper" but it wasn't bad either.
I reviewed it with a suggestion that using the mushrooms and shrimp in a stuffing then baking the sole with the sauce over it would make it much more flavorful. I might try it again that way.


Tomorrow night is Chevre Stuffed Chicken with an Apricot Glaze. I will roast asparagus and make a rice-n-roni pilaf using broken pieces of Dreamfields Linguine and Basmati rice which are both low on the Glycemic Index.

My AH HA moment....................

I wonder how many Type 2 diabetics understand why they have it?
I bet you Type 1 people know. It's so simple once you see the BIG picture.

Race, age, weight, BP, Cholesterol, lack of exercise and diet, while they all contribute to it....do you really know why you have it?

Let's see if I get an "A" in school......the minute your food hits your stomach your pancreas emits insulin that starts to work on digestion. Sugar is energy (or food) to your body so the faster your food is broken down into sugar the higher the "spike is" (glucose measurement).

When your stomach doesn't convert the food into sugar before it gets into the intestines the less sugar your reading will have (maintainance). So, the harder the food is to digest (bulky, dense) the better your sugar levels will stay low longer.

Does that make sense? Think about it....beans, broccoli, yams, cabbage, barley, mushrooms, red peppers are all low on the

GLYCEMIX INDEX

so they take longer to digest, hence they don't turn into sugar and you don't need to help your pancreas emit insulin to break it down.

I think now that I understand it I can make easier, better choices for meals.

Chicken Enchiladas aka Rick Bayless

I knew of Rick Bayless years ago. Over the years his products have graced my pantry but I never tried one of his recipes.

I watch him on PBS all the time, but for some reason when I saw him prepare this version of Chicken Enchiladas (Enchiladas Especilaes Tacuba Style) I just had to put them on the menu for this month. Hubby had been bugging me about making them anyways, so on they went.

OMG....these have got to be the BEST nontraditional enchiladas I have ever eaten. I will never make the "open a can of Enchilada Sauce" enchiladas again....NEVER!!!

Not only are they healthy, they were extremely tasty and easy to make.

I forgot to take a pic of them but I found a pic on SeriousEats.com of the exact enchiladas. You can see how beautiful they turn out.


I will probably get a whipping for remaking them into a healthier, diabetes friendly version, but if the remake gets you to make these than it is worth the flogging. They are that good. Even the original version wasn't unhealthy but I am skimming where I can so I don't deprive myself of anything I want to eat (mostly a litte sweet after dinner).

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

I used a 6" spring form pan to bake my bread in. I sprayed it with Pam and ladled in half the mix then sprinkled grated pepper jack cheese on it and repeated. I find that if you use the smaller sized grate on a box grater it not only melts better but you can use less which is a good thing.
I added pickled jalapenos to the mix for an additional kick and a tsp of cumin. Should be good with the chili.











This recipe was taken from Bon Appetit Magazine.
I am not changing a thing.
I love the "A" grade.
I did buy a Hodgson Mill boxed mix for whole wheat corn muffins which I will convert to Mexican cornbread.
Just got done filling out my shopping list based on next weeks menu.

I do my menus for the whole month then I change what I need based on what's on sale that week. Most of the time I don't have to change all that much. I bought a stand up freezer 2 years ago & I stock up on sale items so I rarely need to buy meats. If I do I go to a butcher.
Two reasons:

1. I can't find some cuts of meat at my Shop-Rite.
2. He isn't all that more expensive (sometimes cheaper) and the meat is far superior.

Coffee Creamer Conondrum

I paint for a living. I'm one of those lucky ones that gets to do what they love for a living. Problem with that is I'm home, so if something has to get done it's usually by me. I wear the hat titled "Home Nanny".

Honey, can you check to see if we need oil.
Honey, it's recycling tonight, can you tie up the papers?
etc...etc...etc

Now, granted I don't mind it, but there are days when I wish I could get up and leave the home so that he has to help with some of the chores.

That's the downfall for working at home.

Bitching time is over....now to get back to what I was thinking.
I love my morning cups of coffee. I only drink it in the morning and I usually only have 2 mugs.
I like it "light & sweet". My diet doesn't like the "light" part. The sweet is packets of Splenda.
I love the flavored creamers, especially the Hazelnut and Italian Sweet Cream when I can find it.
I have tried the sugar-free and the fat-free versions and I hate them, I just don't like the flavor or the mouth feel. Why can't these companies come up with a "Lite" version, you know, half sugar-free and half fat-free?
What I do is make my own now. Buy 1 bottle of fat-free and 1 bottle of sugar-free and mix them together.

At least I know I'm cutting half of the BAD ingredients but still can enjoy my coffee.

This is the blended creamer nutrition stats.

This is the original creamer stats.

I feel better about it. Sometimes you just have to get creative to achieve the prize.

Bacon Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and Spinach Souffle

Yum Yum

My one weakness for processed foods is Stouffer's Spinach Souffle. When I can find them in my local market I buy 3 at a time.

Hubby's weakness is Kraft Mac 'n Cheese. Yeah, the blue box. I like to think that mine is slightly better being made with spinach but I cave in and make his dish at least 3x a year.
He gets to ask for 4 meals a month and Breaded Chicken Cutlets with Kraft Mac 'n Cheese is always 1 of them.
Another is what we are having for dinner tonight......Meatloaf & mashed potatoes.

I always have roasted garlic in the fridge and once you add 1 tablespoon of that to your mashies you have kicked it up a BIG notch.
Can actually get away with no gravy doing the mashies that way. Better for the diet.

Roasted garlic, carmelized onions and roasted carrots are 3 of the best FREE foods used to replace BAD things in your recipes. I actually added ground oats & quinoa to my meatlaof this time to see if I can get away with it. I will not tell him and I will see what he says.