Stinky! Asiago Broiled Tomatoes

I had some Asiago cheese in the refrigerator that will be used for a potato gratin in the next day or so, and decided to use a little of it on these tomatoes. Don was grilling some pork steaks and corn on the cob, and instead of a tomato salad, I decided on these. They tasted wonderful - but that cheese sure stinks!  Don couldn't wait to light the candles to try to get rid of the pungent smell.

Asiago Broiled Tomatoes

1 medium tomato per person
melted butter
salt and pepper
grated Asiago cheese (or Parmesan, if that's what you have)

Slice tomato(es) into thick slices - about 3/4" - 1" thick. Place on a baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and top with salt, pepper, and some grated Asiago cheese. Broil 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted and starts to brown. 

I went to Ethiopia for dinner

In a way. Let's say it was my take on some Ethiopian food. My book club recently read Abraham Verghese's Cutting for Stone. Most of the book takes place in Ethiopia - we attempt to make food related to the books we read, so we had some pretty interesting dishes.

I was hesitant to even try the food my girlfriends brought - but once I tasted each dish, I kept eating, and went back for more!  Each one shared the recipes with the group, and tonight I made two of them. The main dish was Linda's Doro Wat - a spicy chicken stew.  It's a very simple recipe - chicken, onion, and spices. In Ethiopia, it's served on injera, a flatbread made from teff - a flour unavailable here. At book club, Debbie brought some Indian flatbread called Malabari Paratha. It's from the frozen food section at Trader Joe's.  You could also use pita bread or some other flatbread, I suppose. But I really like the paratha, and since we have a Trader Joe's fairly close, I bought two packages. There are five in a package - two for Don, two for me, and one for my leftovers that I'll take to work tomorrow.

The side dish was a room-temperature green bean dish, recipe from Betty. It's actually from South Africa, but I bet something similar is made in Ethiopia.

Doro Wat

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1" chunks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup water

Sprinkle the cut-up chicken with the lemon juice, and let sit while you cook the onion. In a 4 to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, brown the onion without fat until quite dark, stirring often. Add the butter and spices and stir to blend. Add the water and the chicken, stirring to combine everything. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat about 20 minutes until chicken is tender. Add more water, if necessary, to bring the mixture to stew texture. If the dish is watery, then thicken with 2 tablespoons of flour dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water. Serve with flatbread or pita bread. I use Malabari Paratha, which you can get in the frozen foods section at Trader Joe's.  This served two with a little for a leftover meal.

Note:  Browning the onion without fat is important - the caramelization of the onions adds both color and a bit of sweetness.

This is the flatbread we had. It needs to be browned more - but can be eaten hot or at room temperature.

African Green Beans

1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed

1/2 t salt

2 T olive oil

1 T lemon juice

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1 garlic clove, mashed

1/4 c sweet white onion, thinly sliced

2 T sliced green olives

1/2 T hot red pepper flakes

Cut the ends off the beans, and cook in a large pot of boiling water along with the 1/2 t salt for 10 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water for about 5 minutes. Drain again. Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the onions, green olives and beans and toss until well coated. Eat either room temperature or chilled.  4 Servings.

Almost Meatless Monday

This used to be a monthly meal for Don and me back when we were really pinching our pennies. It'll make a return, but perhaps not monthly.

Pinto Beans

1. Put 2 cups of pinto beans in the crockpot, covered with water, to soak overnight.
2. Drain, rinse the beans, and put new water in - I used 1 quart.
3. Add 2 pieces of bacon, diced, and about 1/8 cup chopped onion. Do not salt the beans before cooking them as it will make them tough.
4. Cook on LOW 8-10 hours.

Serve with salad and cornbread.

Roasted Asparagus - a first for me

We finally had some warm weather here at home, and I asked Don to cook out on the grill. I made some pineapple salsa and curry rice, and then sprinkled the boneless chicken thighs with some jerk seasoning. While the chicken was cooking, I roasted the asparagus.

I have to admit that this was the first time I've EVER bought fresh asparagus. I've had it in restaurants and really enjoyed it; but I'd never bought it and cooked it at home. It was very, very simple:

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚.
2. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Break each asparagus spear at the "tenderness" point - it'll break naturally and you can discard the woody ends. Place the spears in the pan, and use your fingers to roll each one in the olive oil until coated.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roll again.
5. Roast for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Roasting pumpkins again

This was in the bag of potatoes.

This is a Cinderella pumpkin, which is supposed to be one of the best varieties for roasting.



Very simple directions:
1. Cut open the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and membranes. Cut the pumpkin in large chucks.
2. Place chunks flesh side down on a cookie sheet.
3. Roast at 350˚ for about 90 minutes.
4. Peel skin off.
5. Pureé in food processor until smooth.
6. Store in 1-cup or 1-pint plastic zip bags in freezer. (A 1-pint bag equals one small can of pumpkin.)

Baked Cabbage and Braised Autumn Pork Chops

I hauled a big head of cabbage to Lake Mead and back, and decided Sunday night I needed to use it before it went bad. We weren't in the mood for cole slaw or any other kind of salad, and since we were having pork chops, this recipe sounded like it would go well with them.

Baked Cabbage
from recipezaar.com

1 medium cabbage
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole. Cook cabbage in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and let cool; chop finely. In mixing bowl, blend eggs, 3 Tablespoons butter, cream, salt and pepper; stir in cabbage.Turn into casserole dish. Blend remaining butter with bread crumbs and sprinkle over cabbage. Bake 30 minutes.

* Note: You might want to use some paper towels to dry the cabbage thoroughly before chopping it.


To go with the cabbage, I tried a recipe for pork chops that was in my old notebook - it sounded like something that was appropriate for Sunday. A cold winter storm had just come through southern California, and left several inches of snow behind.

Braised Autumn Pork Chops

2 boneless pork chops
¼ teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 teaspoon canola oil
¾ cup thinly sliced onion (about 1 medium)
1 rib celery, diced
½ cup apple juice
2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sage

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. In a nonstick skillet, cook meat in oil for about 3 minutes on each side or until browned; drain. Remove meat; keep warm. In same skillet, cook onion and celery for about 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in the apple cider, vinegar and sage. Return meat to skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until meat is tender.

Spinach and strawberries on the menu tonight

Since we got fresh spinach in our distribution Saturday I looked through my recipes for something to make that was different from the usual sautéed spinach. This recipe is from Cooking Light, though instead of using the egg substitute I used real eggs. We liked the flavor - but I felt the egg-flour part was a little dense. I was hoping for something along the Bisquick-type casseroles I've made in the past. I think I'll experiment in the future and try Trader Joe's Bisquick-type baking mix. It's whole grain and makes great pancakes, so it might be good for a dish like this.

Spinach-Cheese Casserole
from Cooking Light

1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 6 oz. packages fresh baby spinach
1 ¼ cups shredded lowfat cheddar cheese
¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups fat free milk
1 cup egg substitute (I used 4 eggs)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper

Preheat oven to 350˚. Pour the butter into the bottom of a 13 x 9" baking dish coated with cooking spray; tilt dish to coat. Place spinach evenly in bottom of dish; sprinkle evenly with cheeses.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Pour milk mixture over cheese. Bake 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.



I also had some fresh strawberries, and after seeing this recipe on Kalyn's Kitchen, tried it using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. It was FABULOUS!

Strawberries Romanof
from Kalyn Denny


1 pound fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sour cream (I used Fage 0% Greek yogurt)
1 T Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, or 2 T brown sugar (or to taste, depending on how sweet you like it)

Be sure to buy the reddest and ripest strawberries you can find for best flavor. Wash strawberries and cut off stems. Cut each strawberry into fourths. Mix sour cream and brown sugar and spoon over strawberries, or stir to coat strawberries. Makes 4 small servings.

I'll try anything once - roasted radishes?

Yes! Roasted radishes. I saw that Kalyn had tried roasting radishes, using some soy sauce and sesame seeds to finish them, and have planned on trying them if I got radishes in my produce share. Today I got my chance. My share included a bunch of HUGE radishes - several of them were as large as golf balls. Don is eating the smaller ones raw, since he really enjoys them, but I used the larger ones for dinner tonight - along with some of the carrots and onions we received in the share.

Roasted Radishes, Carrots, and Onions

to serve two:
3 medium carrots, cut in 3-4" lengths, then sliced lengthwise
4-5 Mexican green onions, trimmed about 2" from bulb, then split lengthwise
4-5 large radishes, quartered
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450˚. Toss vegetables in a bowl with olive oil and garlic. Spread in a single layer on a metal cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and then LIGHTLY with cayenne pepper. Roast in oven approx. 30 minutes (watch for burning). Serve immediately.

While the vegetables were roasting, Don did his thing at the grill - since I, being female, am utterly incapable of cooking anything on the grill. I'd marinated the chicken breasts all day and they maintained the flavor through the grilling.


Asian Grilled Chicken Breasts

1 6-oz. can pineapple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, curry powder, and red pepper flakes in a gallon-size ziploc bag. Shake/squeeze to mix. Add chicken, press out the air, seal, and marinate 4-8 hours in the refrigerator. Remove from bag, discard the marinade, and grill until cooked through.


Dessert was a low-sugar peach crumble, made a tad healthier by the addition of oats, oat bran, and pecans to the crumble mixture on top. We received 5 peaches in our share, and my volunteer share included an additional 5, so I had 10 peaches to use for this dish. I used a larger tart pan than a regular pie plate, so it turned out perfect.

Peach Crumble
adapted from a recipe from Nicole of Baking Bites
5 large, ripe peaches (white or yellow) (I used 10 small ones)
½ cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup oat bran
3 tablespoons Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
3 ½ tablespoons butter, cold

Bring a small but deep saucepan of water to a simmer on the stovetop. Set a bowl of cool water next to it. Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each peach and submerge 3 or 4 at a time in simmering water for about 30 seconds. Dunk in cold water, then peel off skin. Repeat with all peaches. Slice peeled peaches into about 10-12 pieces each. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Cut butter into 6 or 8 pieces and rub in to flour mixture to create coarse crumbs.
Place peach slices in a pie dish and distribute crumble topping over the top.
Bake at 375F for about 30 minutes, until the crumble browns at the edges and the peaches are tender. Let cool for at least 20-30 minutes before serving.





Our produce share yesterday included:

1 bunch large radishes
1 bunch Mexican green onions (the ones with large bulbs)
1 bunch carrots
5 peaches
5 bananas
2 cucumbers
5 lbs. russet potatoes
1 bunch mint
2 green bell peppers
1 head cauliflower
1 bunch spinach
2 mangoes
1 bunch chives

And I thought I didn't like eggplant...

As I mentioned in a previous post, I received an eggplant in my most recent produce pickup. The last time I ate eggplant had to be 28 years ago, right after Don and I were married. I saw a cooking show (yes, there were cooking shows 28 years ago!) where the host breaded and fried the eggplant, and then placed it in a jar in some sort of marinade. It was pressed down, and refrigerated for a day or so before it was brought back out and eaten. It sounded wonderful. It wasn't. I don't remember exactly what was in the marinade, but it turned me off eggplant. I've believed ever since then that I didn't like it. WRONG!

I like it even better than zucchini!

All these wasted years.

I decided I really needed to use the eggplant, and not let it go to waste. I figured the easiest and "safest" way was to fry it. I did the 3-step process (flour, egg/milk bath, panko) and it came out light and crispy. When Don and I tasted the first piece that had cooled enough to eat it, both of us were surprised. His only experience with eggplant was in Eggplant Parmesan - and he didn't like that much at all. Both of us decided this tasted a lot like fried zucchini - only better - and the texture was lighter than zucchini.

Fried Eggplant


1 medium eggplant (aubergine)
salt
flour (I used white whole wheat because that's all I have, but all-purpose would be fine)
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 cup panko crumbs
olive and/or canola oil for frying (to fill skillet about 1/4")

Peel the eggplant and slice into 1/2" thick slices. Sprinkle both sides with salt and let stand for about 20 minutes. Use paper towels to blot the water that is forced out by the salt. Lay out 3 shallow bowls: flour, beaten egg mixed with milk, and panko. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Dredge each piece of eggplant in the flour, then dip in the egg bath, and the in the panko so each piece is evenly coated on each side. Fry in oil until browned on each side. Drain on paper towels.


The eggplant was our side dish for some chicken thighs. I got the recipe out of Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious magazine, and will make some adjustments before I make it again. Here's the original recipe:

Applesauce Barbecue Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I used thighs)
½ t pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
⅔ cup chunky applesauce
⅔ cup spicy barbecue sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar (I used 1 tablespoon of Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)
1 teaspoon chili powder

Sprinkle chicken with pepper. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil on both sides. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Cover and cook 7-10 minutes longer or until juices run clear when cut with knife.

The verdict: too sweet. Next time I'll use unsweetened applesauce (the chunky was pretty sweet), add a little cayenne for spice, and omit the brown sugar. Since we use KC Masterpiece or Bullseye, the barbecue sauce is sweet enough. But overall, the flavor was nice.

Kale and Egg Breakfast "Muffins"

If anyone who reads my blog is NOT familiar with Kalyn's Kitchen, you need to visit her blog for a while. Not only is she a fabulous cook, and the queen of South Beach Diet recipes, SHE'S A TEACHER! And for a while, she was president of her local, just like I am. Any time I need inspiration for healthy recipes, and to use the produce I get from the IEOPBC, I go visit Kalyn's site.

I had some kale again from the last distribution, and have had the urge to make some portable breakfast "muffins." Kalyn's recipe called for red kale, since that's what she had in her garden, but she said you could use regular kale. I also changed the cheese to add some zing - I added blue cheese crumbles and used cheddar instead of the Italian mix she used.

Kale and Egg Breakfast "Muffins"

adapted from a recipe by Kalyn Denny

1 bunch kale
½ red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (1/2 tsp. teaspoon minced garlic)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 cup grated cheese (I used a mixture of cheddar and blue cheese crumbles)
6 eggs, beaten well
½ teaspoon Spike Seasoning (I finally found some!)

Preheat oven to 350˚. Cut off kale stems and discard, then wash kale leaves and dry well. (I used a salad spinner.) Pile kale leaves up on top of each other and chop, turning them sideways to get smaller pieces.
Heat olive oil in large heavy frying pan, then add onions and sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute about 2 more minutes, then add kale, turning over as it wilts and sautéing about 5 minutes, or until kale is significantly wilted.

Put kale and onion into large bowl and add soy sauce, cheese, beaten eggs, and Spike seasoning. Stir gently until ingredients are well distributed. Spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray (I use silicone ones) and fill with egg mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes until eggs are well set and the top is lightly browned. Serve hot.

Kalyn suggests eating these with salsa or sour cream - so that's how I'll try them in the morning when I reheat a couple for breakfast. Tonight I just wanted to try one and ate it plain. Yum!

It was a Cooking Light kind of day

Every once in a while I sit down with my recently-delivered Cooking Light magazines, and go through them to see what I might like to fix. I found a lot of recipes from the October and December issues (was there a November one?), and tried three of them. I'm always looking for good ways to fix fish - since A) it's good for you and B) Don often brings back fish from the ocean or Lake Mead. This recipe was simple, quick, and tasty. The fish itself was prepared as I often prepare it, but with the added touch of sprinkling it with garlic powder before it was breaded. The rémoulade was rich - I LOVED it. You have to be careful how much you use, because you could easily use too much. The recipe said it made enough for 2, but I cooked up 3 fillets and still had a little sauce left over. It reminded me of a tartar sauce, but I thought it was better.

Pan-fried Fish with Rémoulade

adapted from Cooking Light
Sauce:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped capers
1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Fish:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 (6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets
(I used 3 mahi mahi fillets)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (I substituted garlic salt for the salt and garlic powder)
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 2 lemon wedges
1. To prepare sauce, combine the first 6 ingredients.
2. Place flour in a shallow dish. Place panko in another shallow dish. Place egg white in another shallow dish.
3. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and garlic powder. Working with 1 fillet at a time, dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess. Dip fish into egg white, allowing excess to drip off. Coat fish completely with panko, pressing lightly. Set aside. Repeat procedure with remaining fish, flour, egg white, and panko.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add fish to pan; reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with sauce and lemon wedges.

In addition to a salad, I fixed this dish with the fish:

Eastham Turnip-Potato Gratin

adapted from Cooking Light

1 ¼ pounds medium turnips (about 2, the size of baseballs), peeled and cut into (1/8-inch-thick) slices
Cooking spray
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ pound baking potato, peeled and cut into (1/8-inch-thick) slices
¾ cup (3 ounces) grated Gruyère cheese, divided
¾ cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1. Place turnips in saucepan; cover with water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain; pat dry.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Arrange one third of turnips in a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with one third of salt and one third of pepper. Arrange half of potato over turnip. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons cheese evenly over potato. Arrange one third turnip over cheese; sprinkle with one third of salt and one third of pepper. Arrange remaining potato over turnip. Arrange remaining turnip over potato; sprinkle with remaining salt and remaining pepper. Pour broth over vegetables. Cover with foil, pressing foil down onto turnip slices. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
4. Preheat broiler.
5. Uncover turnips; sprinkle with the remaining 6 tablespoons cheese. Broil 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Notes:
While the recipe calls for broiling, I just added the cheese and continued cooking another 10 minutes. I also had to drain off some liquid before I added the cheese topping.


Dessert was a dish that somehow made its way into Cooking Light, but definitely wasn't light. It was a makeover, and I suppose that since they reduced the calories somewhat from the original, it qualified to be in the magazine. But ONE SLICE (which was ONE-TWELFTH of the cake) was 52 grams of carbs. Hmmm. I think next time I'll make it (and there will be a next time), I'm going to omit the sugary topping and add the coconut to the cake batter.




Sticky Date and Coconut Cake
adapted from Cooking Light

Cake:
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons butter
Dash of salt
6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Topping:
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons fat-free milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes or until dates are tender.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Stir in date mixture, granulated sugar, vanilla, and egg until well combined. Pour batter into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
4. To prepare topping, combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Pour brown sugar mixture over cake; bake at 350° for an additional 13 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around outside edge. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Acorn Squash - a new vegetable for us

I "discovered" a new vegetable - acorn squash. We'd never had it before; I never knew how to fix it. I was shopping for groceries at the commissary, and an older couple was discussing which ones to get. I asked the woman, "How do you fix that?" She explained that it was really simple - cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, add a little brown sugar and butter, and bake.

I did a little research to refine the technique further, and this is what I came up with:

Baked Acorn Squash

1 medium acorn squash
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar (we like ours sweet)

Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray a small baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut squash in half vertically through the stem. Using a spoon, scoop out the insides and discard them. Place face down on baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes. Turn over. (You might have to move them to a dish with sides so they don't fall over.) Place a tablespoon of butter and about a tablespoon and half of brown sugar in each half. Bake another 35-40 minutes. Serves 2.

The taste is reminiscent of sweet potato, but not as sweet. This is a joy to find something new and good. I found a different way to fix it here, a nice recipe by Alanna of A Veggie Venture.