Grilled Baby Back Ribs

Last night we made Baby Back ribs. I have a very simple rub that I do the night before and I like to slow grill them for 3-4 hours at 275 degrees on a grill with indirect heat.
Rub:
1/4 cup brown sugar (I used Splenda)
1/4 cup Emeril's Creole Seasoning (the original BAM)
2 cups of wood chips, soaked in water (I used cherry)

I remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs. With a skewer or with your instant read thermometer side it under the membrane along the bone to lift it up, grab a paper towel because it is slippery and pull. It should come off on your first try, if not just repeat. I like to score the fat to the bone on each rib so that the rub can penetrate into the meat.
On a big sheet of foil pour 1/3 of the rub onto the bone side and rub it in gently. Turn it over and pour all but 1 tbls of remainint rub onto meat side. I don't rub this side, while the ribs are in the fridge overnight it will break down and do it's job. Just pat it in firmly.
Cover with foil (you may want to double it, it will liquify somewhat with the meat juices and the sugar).
While the coals are heating remove the ribs to come to room temp.

I use both Kingsford for the bottom layer and natural coals for the top layer on both sides of the grill.
I set up a 2 zone grill. I put an aluminum pan in the middle to catch the drippings.
Using the upper holes in the lid and the lower adjustment on the bottom, I get the grill to 350 degrees.
Place the ribs, meat side up and close the cover. Grill for 30 minutes.
Now you need a mop sauce.
Mop Sauce:
1 cup water or apple juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Remaining tbls of rub mix

Do not baste a raw rib, that's why I cook them for 30 minutes.
Add the wood chips to each side of the coals and close the lid.
Adjust the temperature to 250-275.
Every 25-30 minutes mop the ribs.

About 3 1/2 hours later we had the perfect rack of ribs.
You will know they are done 2 ways.
First: The meat will shrink, exposing a 1/4" of the bone
Second: Pull the meat off one end, if it shreds and comes off easily, they are done.

Now, some baked beans and macaroni salad and you will be in Hog Heaven.



See the pink ring around the edges of the ribs? That's a smoke ring and the pride that I have NAILED it...YAY!!!

Blackberry Cheesecake Tart

Why do we all buy things that we never cook, and end up throwing it away?
Even if we make something with it, we end up throwing THAT away.
I found blackberries I didn't eat and 2 fairly large zucchini in my fridge. I never grilled the zucchini and I couldn't eat all the berries (they were sweet but I also bought strawberries.
My problem is I am not a baker. If you go back through my recipes, you may find 2 goodies.
2 reasons............I hate measuring, I have no patience & I end up throwing half of it away because we just don't eat many sweets.
OOPS, that's 3 reasons.

Hubby could eat ice cream everyday of the year, or my cheesecake.
That I can make. I make all kinds. I used to sell a pumpkin cheesecake to 3 small bar/restaurants during the fall up to Christmas.
My gifts to everyone at Christmas is a small cheesecake (flavor of the year) that I bake right into a 6" aluminum cookie tin.
I probably bake a dozen a Christmas.

Cheesecake can be very addictive and fattening. I will stick to what I know and make a diabetic friendly, low-fat blackberry cheesecake tart (now that's a mouthful).

I made just enough processor dough to fit an 8" tart pan.

Processor Dough:
* 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry dough
* 4 tbls cold butter
* 2 tbls splenda no calorie (there are 2, read the label)
* 2-3 tbls cold water

Process till it comes together and press into cold tart pan, refrigerate while making the filling.








Cheesecake Filling:

* 1 1/2 bars 1/3 less fat cream cheese (room temperature)
* 1/4 cup light sour cream
* 1 X-large egg (room temperature)
* 1/2 cup Splenda
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1 tbls lemon zest
* 1 tbls flour
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1-2 Pints Blackberries

In standing mixer, blend everything together until smooth and pour into cold tart crust.

Push fresh, washed blackberries right into the filling. Space about 3/4" apart because they might burst and spread.

Place on a baking sheet, in the center of a preheated 350 degree oven bake for 25-30 minutes.



Every morning me and my cat make the rounds to check all the plants and flowers and the neighborhood. When I came around the side of the house this.......







greets me on my side door stoop. I just had to smile.....isn't that why we plant them?

First Recipe From Babbo

Restaurant recipes aways contain 3 or 4 smaller recipes making up the whole.
Spicy artichokes..... Recipe #1
Sweet garlic cloves..... Recipe #2
Basic tomato sauce..... Recipe #3
Lobster spaghettini......Recipe #4

I love that we can make restaurant quality food at home but most of the time these recipes are good for a day off when you can spend the time it takes to make them correctly.
I have no patience and it gets me into trouble most of the time. This morning it was burning the sweet garlic cloves. I walk away from the stove, get involved on the computer and ..........BAM burnt food. Luckily I only made 4 cloves and could redo it but if I ruined a whole head I would be very upset.

This dish was excellent
Simple in the preparation once you have all the mise en place.

Recipe #1:
Spicy Artichokes
* 8 baby artichokes, trimmed and quartered (I cheated and use frozen)
* 1 cup EVOO
* 1/2 cup packed mint leaves
* 1 tbls red pepper flakes

Throw everything into a heavy bottomed pan and when it comes to a full bubble take it off the heat and let it cool.

Recipe #2
Sweet Garlic Cloves
(used all through the book so make plenty)
* 12 garlic cloves
* 1 cup Cinzanno (or any sweet wine)
* 1 cup balsamic vinegar

Put everything in a heavy bottomed pan and simmer until the liquid makes a glaze and covers the cloves. Cool. Can be stored in refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Recipe #3
Basic Tomato Sauce
* 1/4 cup EVOO
* 1 sweet onion, diced
* 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
* 3 tbls fresh thyme, or 1 tbla dried
* 1/2 medium carrot, shredded
* 2 (28oz) cans San Marzano tomatoes
* Salt to taste
* 1 pound Spaghettini (or thin linguine, vermicelli but not capellini) I use Dreamfields or Quinoa pasta

Sauce first 3 ingredients until slightly browned.
Add thyme and carrot, simmer 5 mins more.
Add tomatoes crushing them with the back if a wooden spoon.
Simmer, covered for 30 mins.

Recipe #4
Lobster Spaghettini

Boil lobsters until bright red, about 12 mins.
Cool, and remove all the meat (can be prepared 8 hours in advance & refrigerated).
Boil pasta according to package directions (I use 1 tbls sea salt per gallon of water).
While the pasta cooks, drain the artichokes and add them to a large saute pan with the sweet garlic and the lobster meat.
Stir the tomato sauce into the pan until warmed through. Drain pasta and add to sauce mix.
Serve immediately. Most italians do not like to add cheese to a seafood dish because it tends to overpower the delicate taste of the seafood. They want to taste the fish. Since this dish is very flavorful I would look the other way if someone wanted to sprinkle a little cheese on top. It certainly doesn't need it (I think we over cheese everything nowadays).

Bon Appetitto!!

Porcini Agave Mustard Sauce

Imagine a boring, basic honey-mustard sauce remade into a whole new food sensation?
Looks like the traditional honey-mustard but it tastes no where near that overly sweet, tart, raw dipping sauce they serve with chicken fingers.
Say 'Goodbye' to mustard as you know it. Keeps a long time in the refrigerator.
Silky, smooth, slightly sweet & tangy, creamy with a rich, deep finish to it.

The uses are endless......a dipping sauce, a salad dressing, I think better than Thomas Keller's Mustard Sauce for a cold Shellfish Platter (and I know, I have made it).
Imagine a Virginia Ham & Tallegio Cheese Panini slathered with this?
I can......and the best part?

It's diabetic friendly and can be made totally Vegan.
Yay for me......
Talk about a versatile food and it's easy to make......

I am entering it into a contest so wish me luck.

Patata Insalata con Porcini Senape Salsa
Makes about 2 cups of sauce

Porcini Mustard:

* 1/2 Small Red Onion, Minced
* 1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
* 2 ounces Dried Porcini Mushrooms
* 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad Bites with Dressing/Sauce:

* 1/2 cup Porcini Mustard
* 1 cup Heavy Cream/Light Cream or Almond Milk
* 3 tablespoons Agave Nectar
* Salt & Pepper to taste
* 1 cup Extra-virgin Olive Oil
* 3 cups salad greens of choice
* 12 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
* 24 Basil Leaves
* 1-2 Large Idaho Potatoes

1. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine onion, vinegar, 1 cup water and the mushrooms and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce by half. Remove and cool.
3. Place cooled mixture into the bowl of a processor or blender and puree with the mustard and olive oil until emulsified.
4. Pass through a strainer to remove any solids.
5. Dressing: Whisk in cream, agave nectar, extra olive oil until smooth and season with salt & pepper.
6. Nuke (about 6 minutes) or steam (40 minutes) potato(s), cool. Cut in quarters length-wise and slice into 24 - 1/4" slices.
7. Halve Cherry Tomatoes and scoop out insides using a melon baller.
8. Place one basil leaf in tomato half and 1 piece of sliced potato. Spoon sauce/dressing over.
9. Line up in rows on a platter lined with greens and take a picture. They will be talking about this dish for weeks to come.

Tequila Chicken Quesadillas

You have to love quesadillas. Any leftover meat or veggies will do as long as you have plenty of melty cheese, good salsa and sour cream.
On the grill it's the best but in a cast iron griddle it's good. Don't let the vehicle stop you from making these gems.
I have seen peeps wrap them and bake them and they are OK.
You CAN'T screw up quesadillas. You just can't.

I had some leftover Tequila Chicken, baby spinach leaves, onions & red pepper saute and grated Jack & Swiss cheese. Good to go........
A near-frozen Dos Equis, Frontera Grill Salsa and Sour Cream.......this is primal grilling at it's best.

Banana Date Bread

I made a banana date bread. Yes...dates and bananas.
I am using whole wheat pastry flour and that (even though its lighter than regular ww flour) is still heavy and can be dry.
I had some dates left over from a date nut bread and I soaked them in boiling water for 20 minutes and pureed them in the processor.
My thinking is...if dates keep a date nut bread dense and moist it should help with the banana bread also.



Consensus is: I still don't like the taste of whole wheat flour. I like whole wheat bread, but in a cake or pastry I can't wrap my mouth around it.
The bread is tasty but it's got that wheaty texture. Hubby calls it HAY bread.

Original Banana Bread Recipe
(from Woman's Day - 1987

* 1 3/4 cup AP Flour
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1/8 tsp Salt
* 1/4 cup Vegetable Shortening
* 1/4 cup Butter, room temperature
* 1 cup Granulated Sugar (I used Splenda No Calorie for Baking)
* 1 tsp Vanilla
* 2 Eggs (I used 1/2 cup Egg Beaters)
* 1/4 cup Low-Fat Buttermilk
* 2 Medium Ripe Bananas, mashed

Mix all ingredients and pour into a sprayed loaf pan.
Bake 325 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes.

You can make all the adjustments you want but I have found it's best to just eat a smaller very good piece of banana bread then to eat something that's just not great.

Penne with Roasted Garlic & Tomatoes, Pesto & Mint

I halved the Cherry tomatoes and filled the cavity with:
* 1 Shallot, diced
* Roasted Garlic, about 4 cloves
* Garlic Infused Olive Oil
* Italian Seasoning Blend, about 1 tbls crushed between my fingers
* Sea Salt & Pepper
* Red Hot Long Pepper, diced - about a 1" piece, ribs and seeds removed
* Mint, 6 leaves finely chopped
* Pesto, 2 tbls
* Parmesan Cheese, 2 tbls

Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cool.




Boil the pasta al dente, drain into large bowl.
Add the cooled roasted mixture, top with basil, more mint and grated Parmesan Cheese.
Eat room temperature.



The original recipe called for canned Italian tuna. I will add that to the pasta for lunch tomorrow.

This was very, very, very good. The flavors just burst in my mouth.

No Falafel No More

Hubby is off on another trip so I get to play in the kitchen today!
I seem to be like others, all having a list of "To Do Recipes". I not only have a list I have a stack of cut out magazine pages to scan and file for future meals.
I do have to start a baby shower plate today but once I get the outline on I have to let it dry for 24hrs so that's when I cook.

Today's DO recipe is...........falafel. I have never had a falafel. I have never been close to a falafel. I love chickpeas, I have never had hummus either.
So, what's wrong with me, huh?

We are not noshers in this house. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if I like guacamole either.............duh.
I have had it in things (burritos, fajitas, etc) had it under things (cakes, fritters, stuffed chilies, etc.) but I have never just dipped a chip in it.
Same with salsa. No chips, no dips. Salsa in this house is for toppings (eggs, tacos, enchiladas, all things Tex and Mex) along with sour cream.

So I guess if we were noshers we would have all sorts of dippy things in the house.

I have been collecting falafel recipes from various sources (Internet, magazines)in preparation for the big day.
Did I just type in BIG DAY?
That's weird even for me.
Current front winner recipe is for Crabby Falafel Sliders.
Yes, crab and chick peas, on a small potato roll, topped with tomato, basil and a mean, spicy, wonderful harissa mayonnaise, what's not to like? I think this is a good starter.

--------------------------------------------

I brought 1/2 cup dried garbanzos to a boil with bay leaves and salt. Yes, salt. I am not cooking them, I am soaking them. Test Kitchen says you should soak them in salted water. I will add salt without toughening them. It also helps to stop the skins from wrinkling if you are cooking them to serve whole. Since I am going to puree them I only want the salted flavoring.


I read in a recipe from Food Network that using soaked beans (not cooked) is better than using canned.The moisture level would be way down and since you will be cooking the mixture, you don't need to cook the beans for hours, just re-moisturize them.
Makes sense to me, that's why I am doing only the quick soak method.






Crabby Falafel 'Sliders'
1 cup soaked dried chick peas
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 scallions, roughly chopped
1 large clove garlic
Juice from 1 lemon and it's zest
1 tsp white wine
2 tbls Tahini
1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 tbls flour
1 can crabmeat, drained
Salt & Pepper to taste
Martin's Slider Potato Rolls


Harissa Mayonnaise
3 tabls low fat mayonnaise
1 tsp adobo sauce
I drop Harissa paste (more if you're daring)

These were excellent. Crunchy crust on the outside, moist and flavorful on the inside and the mayonnaise is perfect with the creaminess & heat.
I now really like Falafels. I will make these again.
Perfect for a Diabetic.

Basil Pappardelle with Snap Peas & Chard

I decided to make homemade pappardelle with a twist.
Since this is a light dish I wanted to infuse as much flavor into it as possible without over doing it.
I had seen many years ago in a magazine where when they rolled the pasta through the machine they pressed parsley leaves right into the dough and as the numbers on the machine got larger the parsley stretched wider making a very neat looking pasta.

I haven't seen it lately so I thought I would try it. Below is a step by step pictorial of the procedure.

Step 1: In a processor, make the pasta dough. I used spelt and AP flour for more nutrition punch.

Pasta
Makes 2 servings

2/3 cup AP Flour
1/3 cup Spelt Flour
1 Egg, scrambled with 2 tbls water (more if needed)
1 tsp olive oil

Blend in processor (or by hand) until dough is tacky but not sticky.
Cover in Saran Wrap and let rest for 1 hour.
Cut into 4 pieces.

Step 2: Put through a pasta roller.
If using a rolling pin, roll to a 1/16th" thickness (was "1" on my roller attachment).


Step 3: Press herbs into half the dough and fold over. Roll out to 1/2 the thickness again (or a 32nd" or "5" on a roller) and let it rest on a floured towel.


Step 4: Cut into 3/4" x 5" strips.

I added 2 cherry tomatoes to the sauce for color and flavor, but other than that I followed the recipe. A very light and tasty dish, perfect for a Sunday Summer Supper.
You could taste the basil in the pasta. Was a nice addition. Next time I will try a different herb, maybe even tomato powder or dried mushroom powder.

Baked Clam Muffins

I love clams. Probably THE one food I could eat prepared any way.............shucked, steamed, baked, with linguine, with mussels, in a paella, fritters, fried, on a sandwich.......get it?

I like the convenience of store chopped clams. The clams I can get usually has large pieces not shredded so when they stock them, I buy them. The Shop-Rite had them so
I decided to make baked clams.
I used real clam shells for years but after a while they dry out and crack. Such was the case with mine so I made a decision to buy the aluminum clam shells.
I can recycle them and it just makes my life a little easier. Well, since I'm already having a bad day I should have figured I could not find them.
I don't remember where I put them and was not in the mood to tear the house apart.

What to do............I took out my mini muffin tin and made clam muffins.


Stuffed Baked Clams aka Clam Muffins
2 slices pancetta, diced
3 scallions & 3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup white wine
juice & zest from 1 large lemon
1 container of chopped clams (1 pound fresh shucked clam meat) drained
2 tbls goat cheese
2 tbls creme fraiche or sour cream
2 eggs
1 tbls Dijon
salt & Pepper
1/4 cup red Thai sweet chili sauce
1 roasted pepper, diced
1/4 cup Parmesan
3/4 cup Italian Style bread crumbs, or more if needed

Saute pancetta in pan, remove with slotted spoon leaving fat.
Saute onions and garlic for 4 mins. Add wine and lemon juice and simmer until thickened.
Add to everything else in a bowl.

With small scoop, fill muffin tin to top and bake for 20 mins at 400F.
Let cool and remove.
Repeat.

Grilled Pizza

Since it is going to rain all day Sunday I am taking advantage of the good weather today to grill pizzas.
I can get 4 pizza's out of 1 recipe (I use Wolfgang's Spago recipe, it's foolproof).

Pizza Dough
3 cups AP flour
1 tbls Olive Oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbls Agave Nectar or Honey
1 1/4 cup Warm Water (105-115 degrees)
2 1/4 tsp Yeast

Add all ingredients and knead for 8 minutes. Put in oiled bowl and let it rise for 2 hours. Punch it down and let it rise again. Divide into 4 equal balls and let it rise again.

Hubby likes it thin and crispy while I like it chewy with a crust.
He likes it Margarita-style, I like it with Spinach, pesto, maybe some ricotta, more like a "white" pizza.

Tonight for my pizza I used grilled red peppers (made a day ago using leftover heat from grilling dinner) that I store in olive oil with pressed garlic.
Along with the peppers I spread some pesto, laid out baby spinach leaves, mozzarella, some red pepper flakes and sea salt.

Hubby wanted a meatza pizza so he had caramelized onions and sausage, cut up pepperoni and mozzarella.
When they come off the grill I grated fresh Parmigiano Reggiano on top with a drizzle of really good Spanish olive oil.
I now have no leftovers in my fridge.

How to Grill a Pizza
(can be done on a gas grill)

1. Set up a 2-stage grill. Half searingly hot...the other nothing.

2. While the coals are heating, get all your ingredients ready.

3. A large wooden board is recommended for rolling the dough.

4. Brush olive oil on the board. It keeps the dough from springing back.

5. Roll out 1 ball at a time to a 12x5" size and put it on the grill until the underside was cooked and showed grill marks. I took it off and grilled the other 3 the same way.

6. When done put favorite toppings on the grilled, browned side (ungrilled facing down).

7. Place it on the indirect part of the grill, cover with the lid and let it "bake" for 15 mins.

8. The last 3 minutes move the pizza directly over the coals to crust the crust.......YUM !!

I did the other 3 the same way.

The bottom gets that brick oven-like char that pizza lovers covet. I suggest you do this not tomorrow but TODAY.
A bottle J.Lohr merlot and a pizza cutter is all that's needed.

Final Contest Recipe - Sausage & Sweet Onion Beer Rolls

Ingredients
Dough:
1 cup Guinness (room temp)
1 1/2 tbls veg oil
2 3/4 cup AP flour
1/8 cup agave nectar
2 tsp dry yeast
3/4 tsp salt

Filling:
2 tbls unsalted butter
3 al Fresco Red pepper and Asiago Cheese Chicken Sausages, chopped
1 med Sweet Onion (Vidalia, Walla Walla, Texas Sweets), sliced 1/4"
1 tbls spicy brown mustard
1/4 cup Guinness
1 bag 2% Reduced Fat Sargento Colby/Jack blend

Directions
In standing mixer, food processor, bread machine or my hand, mix all dough ingredients.
Standing mixer with dough hook: Knead for 6-8 mins .
Bread machine: Programmed to stop before baking.
Food processor: Process until it comes together, about 1-2 minutes. Remove and knead for 5-10 mins.
Dough should feel like pizza dough. Slightly sticky but smooth.
Place in well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size (At this point dough can be frozen).

While dough is rising, prepare the filling.
Melt butter in saute pan. On med-low heat saute onions until lightly browned (about 15-20 mins). Remove.
Add sausage to pan, breaking up with spoon and saute until crispy brown about 10 mins.
Add 1/4 cup beer and mustard to deglaze the pan.
Add the onions and cook until mixture is dry. Any residual moisture will effect the dough.

When dough has risen, punch it down and divide into 8 equal balls.
Roll each ball into a 1" wide log. Move aside.
Take roll and with rolling pin, roll out each log to a 3" x 12" strip (about the size of a boxed lasagna sheet).
If you lightly coat the board with oil , the dough will stick and not spring back.
Divide onion/sausage mix into 8 even piles. Cover each dough sheet with 1 pile and sprinkle cheese on top.
Roll each one lasagna-style and place in greased 9" x 13" baking pan with seam against outside edge.
Repeat with each roll, placing them in the baking pan with about 1" space in between.
Cover with plastic wrap to rise again for about 1-2 hours or place in refrigerator to bake the next day.
Before baking, baste each roll with melted butter and place in preheated 375F oven on middle rack and bake for 20-25 mins.
When rolls are removed, sprinkle more cheese on top and let the residual heat melt it.

I sent it off to 3 recipe contests and as usual, I'm sure what I think tastes great will not be what they want in a recipe. The only way to learn is to keep doing until you finally get it.

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Tomatoes and Sweet Peppers

Every once in a while you have to pull out those old cookbooks and revisit old friends. I don't think I ever made a recipe from Wolfgang Puck's Adventures in the Kitchen.
It was published way back in 1991 when he finally became famous with Spago and Chinois. He was always known for many ingredients and steps to each recipe but if you think about it he was just like Thomas Keller is today.

I don't know if his new books are written in the "30-minute meal" structure so many magazines and cookbooks have adopted for today's lifestyle, but I know he was trained in the old ways. Like building a house.

This recipe is actually on the table in "30" and is full of flavor and low in calories. It originally called for halibut, my Shop-Rite never gets halibut so I had to substitute something that would stand up to grilling......Mahi Mahi.
My husband actually discovered this delightful fish. To look at it amongst the other fish in the counter it looked dull and slightly grey. I never would have tried it without him first tasting it in California where they make the infamous Baja Fish Tacos with it.

I recommend this recipe for party fare, it's that good and can be eaten room temp.

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Tomatoes and Sweet Peppers
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of chili pepper flakes to taste
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (I used the canned Petite Cut Hunt's)
1 red bell pepper, diced
Pinch of Saffron
Pinch of chopped fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of chopped fresh basil leaves plus whole for garnish
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 pounds of firm fish (Halibut, Mahi Mahi, Snapper, Bass)

Heat the grill.
In a heavy saute pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil. Saute the onion, garlic and chili flakes for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, bell pepper, saffron, thyme and basil, pour in the wine, and cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Keep warm.
Brush the remaining oil over the fish and season with salt & pepper. Grill until medium, about 3 1/2 minutes each side.

Spoon the tomato and bell pepper mixture in the center of 4 heated dinner plates. Place a fish fillet on top and garnish with basil leaves.

Oregano Lime Chicken

Pretty straightforward recipe. I should have made some Mexican rice for this but I had some pierogues in the freezer that I have been wanting to use up so I popped 4 of them in a pan of water and dinner was done. I had fresh blackberries and strawberries for desert with my favorite topping.......FREE (Cool Whip).
The good news is that I have leftovers and I will be making tequila lime chicken quesadillas for dinner soon.........YUM
Especially on the Weber with lots of cheese and chipotle salsa.....DOUBLE YUM-YUM!!

Rainy day blues...............

Got up early and dressed for a day out. Good thing about rain is it keeps peeps away from the stores and I can shop in peace.
This morning I needed to run into Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy a plate to paint for a Baby Shower Guest Plate and whenever I go there for 1 item, I inevitably buy 6.....so was the case today. There is something about glasses and dishes with me. I love them. I like them more when they are different and I hate them because I shouldn't buy them.
I bought 2 new white serving pieces, a vegetable bowl (serves 2) and a dish to photograph this blog food on. Ina always says, most food looks better on a white plate and I agree. I do like the darker plates for cream based pastas and egg dishes.

If I like them I will buy more.

Now to the gadget aisle. I bought a razor-shaped OXO peeler (for large items like butternut squash) and I did get a small (6oz) ramekin set.
The ones I have now are those brown, thick Pfaltzgraf stoneware ones, only 1/2 cup and they aren't really good for baking souffles. You need the unglazed bottom and thin sides.

Hint: If you buy them separately they cost $2.00 each but you would need to use 4 coupons but if you buy the 4pc set at $7.99 you use one coupon. Better to buy the four.

That's what I will tell hubby when he points out I bought one more thing I really didn't need.
Of course I had my coupons (they take them from last year if you have them) and I can use up to 5 (which I did).

I was hoping to run to the garden center to pick out my tomato, eggplant and Italian pepper flats and an Oregano and Thyme plant.

I'm hoping the rain stops soon. Hubby will kill me if I put wet plants into his car.

Ever wake up thinking about food? Of course you do, if your reading this your a foodie........I woke up thinking about this recipe testing I did yesterday. I hate to say this but I have to try one more version. I am going to put the filling in the dough and wrap it like an enchilada and them roll it up and put it in a Texas-sized muffin pan. Almost like monkey bread, but with a sweet roll technique. The ones I did yesterday were mini muffin sized, good but can be better. I think better is a BIG version.

Enough babbling, off to Kohl's for slippers and Walmart for a wood cutting board for cheese platters. Later.................

Since we went fishing on Saturday...............

We had to go food shopping on Sunday. Hubby had to do the laundry and pack and get to bed early (limo was picking him up at 4:00 AM, yuck).
We decided to grill some steaks and eat the Swiss Chard from our garden.....

Make it an easy day for both of us.

Potato Crusted Pork Tenderloin

I found a half-eaten bag of these Potato Crisps. I thought they would be perfect for crusting the tenderloin. Although the recipe says loin roast I know tenderloin is better for us and it's the perfect size for 2 people so I cook them a lot.



I have been toying with the idea of using the pesto as a stuffing and testing a mustard cream sauce.
Since I haven't bought my basil for my garden yet (the weather just won't settle in) I bought a tub of Buitoni's pre-made lower-fat pesto.
I'm curious to see how good it really is.






I butterflied the loin, spread it with about 2 tbls of prepared pesto, rolled and tied.

Wrap in Saran until it's time to coat with the herbs and potato chips.

After coating tied loin in herbs, I dipped it in Egg Beaters and then rolled in in the crushed potato crisps, placed it on a baking rack over a jelly pan and sprayed it with Olive Oil. Baked for 35 minutes (turning once halfway through) until the internal temperature reached 145.



It got really crunchy. Yes, I am surprised. I've not had luck with "Fried Baked" meats before but I think the large crumb of the crisps protected the meat so it could get crunchy before it got overdone.


Hubby said KEEPER and the mustard cream sauce (which is a contest entry, recipe for later) was also good. I know when he goes back for 2nd's he doesn't have to say anything.

Thinking can get me into trouble

I imagine 100 or more comments to a single post is rewarding for the blogger but do you think when they become that popular they actually read all the comments?
I know when companies look for ways to get potential customers they look for blogs that have a huge following and offer them giveaway prizes in return for all the Emails the blogger gets in the comments.
Has blooging gotten so out of control that the only reason people do this is for financial rewards?
I am new to this, but I have a dot.com business that does quite well. I am actually doing this blog because I learn from myself every day when I blog about something and I need to know more. I Google and learn. If along the way someone gets something out of this blog (like a healthy recipe) or a favorite site of mine that makes their life easier, I'm happy.
Said my piece and if I ever win a giveaway I will probably change my mind.

Souffles

I know you shouldn't bake on a rainy day but does the same old wives tale mean the same to a souffle? I have to guess "NO" because you want the moisture, don't they suggest you use a water bath on occasion? Yes, they do.
I have been trying to find a low fat recipe or more to the point....diabetic friendly recipe because once I do you can bettcha I will be making these more often.
I love fluffy foods.....hubby, well, he's on board with this idea as much as he is with fish.
I did make Ina's Bleu Cheese Souffle and it really came out great but was too much cheese for me. I probably should have made a salad with it, or a side of sauteed greens to balance out the bleu cheese but we had it solo.
This time I'm using the greens as the flavoring agent. I know the calendar says asparagus but the money-hungry Shop-Rite decided that for Mother's Day shoppers they would up the price of asparagus to $.50 more a pound then last week and I honestly could not buy it. Since I won't do frozen asparagus I decided that the spinach looked good and that was the way to go.

Spinach and Gruyere Cheese Souffles
Makes 1-16oz souffle and 2-6oz ramekins, 1 quart-sized souffle or 4-6oz ramekins

* 1/2 pound fresh spinach, washed and torn into pieces
* 3 scallions, green & whites cut in 1" pieces
* 1 tbls whole wheat flour
* 2oz low fat cream cheese
* 1 tbls creme fraiche
* 1 tbls agave nectar
* salt & pepper to taste
* pinch of fresh nutmeg
* 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
* 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
* 4 basil leaves
* 1/4 cup Gruyere cheese
* 2 egg yolks
* 2 tbls white wine
* 1 tbls butter
* 1 tsp roasted garlic olive oil (Rick Bayless' Mojo)
* Almond Milk for thinning if needed
* 4 egg whites
* 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Release spray
Fine bread crumbs for preparing pans.
 

1. Saute spinach in butter. Remove to processor.
2. Saute green onions in garlic olive oil. Deglaze with wine. Use a spatula to remove to processor.
3. Add everything else except last 4 ingredients to processor.
Process until smooth, season highly and remove to plastic container and refrigerate till ready to bake.
4. Leave egg whites out to room temperature.
5. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and a pinch of salt till soft peaks and fold by 3rds into spinach mix. If too thick use almond milk to thin. Should be the consistency of waffle mix.
6. Spray pans and coat with breadcrumbs.
7. Bake 16oz souffle for 35-40 mins.
8. Put the ramekins in a 9x9 baking pan, fill with hot water halfway up sides of ramekins and bake 25 mins.


 Exchanges (per serving): 2 meat, 1 starch, 2 veg, 1 1/2 fat

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Stuffed Chicken Breasts

One day I was watching the local PBS channel and Rick Bayless was on that AM. I love Rick, have been a fan for 20 years at least. He introduced me to dried chillies and sauces and I always have bags of chillies in the cabinet and ground chillies in the spice closet.
Anyways.....he was talking about growing Swiss Chard in his backyard. Well, Chard is a huge Italian green and I love it more than spinach. It has more flavor and it doesn't break down and disintegrate when you cook it.

He was showing this self-watering container that was growing this beautiful chard plant. Well, that was enough for me. I went right out to Walmarts and bought me the same container and I bought 3 baby plants. In 3 weeks we have this beauty that is ready to harvest. Best to do that so the plant's energy can go into making more.....Yah for us!!!!

Now for tonight's dinner............
I'm using the Marx Food dried trumpet mushrooms.
For 2 breasts I will probably use a 1/4 of an ounce.
Trumpets will expand larger then other dried mushrooms so you use less.

I pounded out 2 chicken breasts and combined them together, sprinkled with S&P and grated cheese.

I stuffed it with the mushroom & scallion stuffing and the mozzarella. Sprinkled with S&P.

Dipped in egg, breaded with crumbs and sauteed in canola oil.


This is what it looked like sliced in 2" pieces. Hubby was wowed by the pic (he doesn't look at my site that often)..it looked as good as it tasted.



I can't say it more than I did at dinner. For the few ingredients in the stuffing, it really has a lot of flavor. The dried mushrooms are packed with Unami so you don't need much to achieve GOOD. Hubby really liked it also and he's more critical of dishes then I am. When he says ...."it's a Keeper" I know it's good but I know it's really good when he goes back for seconds, which he did.