A Spicy Chinese Dinner and a Healthy Pilaf Lunch

A few days ago, Jack and I traveled to The Strip District in Pittsburgh. No, it’s not what it sounds like! It is a strip of land bordering the Allegheny River where warehouses receive produce and other merchandise from ships and trucks and then distribute. Actually, not a lot of ships are involved with this any longer, but trucks certainly are (judging from the traffic mess we encountered). Back (oh, way, way back!) in the early-80’s when I lived in the city, this area, which I was already familiar with from Saturday-morning trips to buy fresh produce at the retail stores, began a transformation. More retail shops, not only produce and specialty food, but other merchandise such as furniture, decorative items, etc., started to appear. Then the few restaurants (mostly there to feed hungry truckers in the wee hours) multiplied. Nightclubs followed, street vendors arrived, and now the place is busy all week long, day and night, with offerings no longer meant just for the wholesale or truck-driver trade. Saturday mornings is a zoo best left to those with incredible patience. And it seems as though Friday afternoons draw the office worker crowd from nearby downtown for lunch (as best I can figure by the plethora of suits-and-ties on men sitting at outdoor tables, in mild weather, eating huge fried fish sandwiches). In my experience, The Strip is best enjoyed on a Monday-to-Thursday basis, but not within 2 weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter! It’s a real experience.

My favorite places are Penzey’s, Pennsylvania Macaroni Company (huge selection of Italian products), and Wholeys ( the best selection of seafood anywhere, in my opinion). I wander through Balcony Cookware and dream of an all- Le Crueset kitchen. For a treat (that I don’t have to make myself!), I buy a cherry-almond biscotti from Enrico Biscotti Company. For lunch, you cannot beat Kaya, a Caribbean-theme restaurant with an always delicious, very adventurous, upbeat menu.

One of the bargains I found on this latest trip was snow peas. In the grocery store for $3.99/ pound, at an open-air stall in The Strip I found them for $1.59/pound. So when I was deciding what to serve for dinner last evening I decided that I needed to use these snow peas. And how better to enjoy them than in Chinese food? I bought a bag of blanched almonds at PA Mac (mostly for Easter baking), so I decided to incorporate some of these into the recipe as well. The result was Almond Chicken with Vegetables.

I like to make Chinese stir-frys because it is so easy to reduce toe amount of meat to a minimum and increase the vegetables. The only deterrent is the high sodium content. So I use low sodium soy sauce, and as little as possible. Oil, too. The meals we eat in Chinese restaurants usually have puddles of sauce, topped with a layer of cooking oil. So I use as little oil as I can get away with, and keep a small cup of water at the stove as I am cooking so I can drizzle some in if the ingredients in the wok begin to stick.

This is a lower sodium, lower fat recipe with an abundance of vegetables and just enough chicken to have a piece every bite or two. Jack says that it’s one of his favorite meals. Unfortunately, with all the recipes I have access to daily and place in my “to try” file, it’s difficult to remember to make this! Until I have snow peas to “remind” me…

* Exported from MasterCook *

Almond Chicken with Vegetables

Recipe By: Vicci

Servings: 2

Preparation Time: 0:40

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon hoi sin sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes -- optional

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons whole almonds -- blanched

2 teaspoons gingerroot -- minced

1 large garlic clove -- minced

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast -- 1/2" cubes

6 ounces broccoli florets

1/2 large red bell pepper -- 3/4" pieces

1 medium onion -- halved horizontally, each half cut into 4 wedges

4 ounces snow peas

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Mix first 6 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Fold a paper towel in half and place on a small plate. Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Drizzle 1 teaspoon canola oil around the bottom of the wok. Add almonds and stir continuously until browned on both sides. Remove from wok and place on the paper-towel lined plate. Set aside.

Drizzle another teaspoon of oil into the hot wok and add gingerroot and garlic. S

tir once and a

dd chicken cubes. Stir continuously for 3-4 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from wok onto a small plate and set aside.

Drizzle the final teaspoon of oil into the wok and add the broccoli, red pepper, and onion. Stir for one minute, and add 2 tablespoons of water. Immediately cover, and turn down heat to medium-low. Allow to steam for two minutes. Remove cover, turn heat up to high, and add snow peas. Stir for another minute. Turn heat back to medium. Give the sauce a stir (the cornstarch may have settled on the bottom of the bowl) and pour into the wok. Stir, glazing the chicken and vegetables with sauce, until thickened (about 30 seconds). Stir in almonds. Drizzle with sesame oil. Serve over steamed rice.

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Per serving: 414 Calories (kcal); 19g Total Fat (2g Saturated); (40% calories from fat); 38g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 66mg Cholesterol; 876mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 3 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

On our way back home from The Strip, we stopped in at my favorite grocery store, the East End Food CoOp. Yes, there’s a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe’s nearby, both less than a 10-minute drive, but the CoOp was my first “healthy grocery store”. They have

an excellent café, but my main focus on that day was the bulk foods section. I stocked up on bulgur wheat, steel-cut oats, barley, brown rice, whole wheat couscous, wheat bran, oat bran, and dried beans and peas. These are the items that cost a fortune packaged in small packages at the grocery store, but since I have a freezer to store everything in (especially in the summer when those nasty pantry moths invade) I can buy in quantity.

Since, being Sunday, we slept in and had a late breakfast, we decided to skip lunch and not eat until dinner. Around 2pm, however, I became a little hungry. Wanting to use one of the grains which I had bought the other day, I looked through a cookbook that I don’t use often enough, The Mayo Clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook, and found a recipe f

or a barley pilaf which appealed. It took about 40 minutes to put together, and satisfied our appetites enough to get through to dinner (which, since it is Sunday night, will be pizza). I followed the recipe exactly as directed except that I substituted red bell pepper for half of the green bell pepper. It was very good-- hearty, chewy, flavorful, and brimming with soluble fiber (7g per side dish serving). The only addition I might make next time is a little thyme and a pinch of cayenne.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Barley, Bell Pepper, and Almond Pilaf

Recipe By: John Phillip Carroll

Servings: 6

Preparation Time :40:00

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small onion -- chopped

2/3 cup red bell pepper -- chopped

2/3 cup green bell pepper -- chopped

1 cup pearl barley

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup low sodium vegetable broth

2 cups water

2 tablespoons almonds -- toasted, chopped

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until vegetables are wilted, about 4 minutes.

Add the barley and ground pepper and sauté for 3 minutes.

Stir in the broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the barley is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Stir frequently and even more often toward the end of the cooking time when the liquid begins to evaporate.

Divide among plates and garnish with almonds.

Source:

"The Mayo Clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook"

Copyright:

"1998"

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Per serving: 172 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat (Trace Saturated Fat); (17% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 93mg Sodium; 7g Fiber

Food Exchanges: 2 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES: This makes 6 side dish servings or 2 generous main-dish servings

Tonights Pizza du Sunday:

Garlic infused olive oil, light mozzarella, spinach, tomatoes, red bell peppers, mushrooms, Parmesan, herbs on a whole-wheat crust. We ate the whole thing!!!

Let’s do some lowfat baking!

I found a recipe for a Black and White Banana Bread recently and it sounded yummy. I coaxed my yellow-green bananas to ripen (really, I don’t know if it worked but they became yellow and spotted in only a couple of days in that cool kitchen of mine).

Upon reading through the recipe, the first thing that hit me was 10 tablespoons of butter per loaf. Now, any regular readers of my posts will know that, although I do not have a butter-phobia, I use only small amounts when it is necessary for flavor. I just want to cut out the saturated fat as much as possible-- you know, dreading the imminent “landmark birthday”, black balloons, icing vulture perched on my cake, geriatric gag gifts, etc. Okay, so perhaps I am a little butter phobic...

I took a pencil and subbed some ingredients, added others, then came up with a pretty darn good banana bread recipe. The chocolate portion is lightly flavored with dark rum and the chocolate swirl compliments the “plain” banana swirl quite nicely. It is not at all sweet, like many banana breads I have tried. We ate almost a half loaf before I could get enough willpower to wrap and "hide" in the freezer.

I hesitate to post lowfat baked goods based only on our opinion of the final product. We have been eating this way for many years and are accustomed to it and I’m never certain that those who do not eat lowfat foods, or eat them only occasionally, will find this type of baked good appealing. So, for this type of recipe, I needed a neutral third party. Which came about when it was time to find out just what it means to have the "check engine" light lit on our Toyota's dashboard.

Yesterday Jack had to take our car in for service so I sent a plate of Chocolate-Swirled Banana Bread with him for the service manager (who has always gone out of her way to assist us with our car maintenance and problems). When she called to tell him that the car was finished and ready for pick up, she mentioned that the banana bread was “fantastic”, and when Jack told her that it was lowfat, she couldn’t believe it. Okay, so maybe this tweaked recipe is tastes good to everyone!

PUREED PEARS. My secret ingredient. Baby food can be used, but purchasing those little jars can get to be pricey, so I whirl a 14.5 ounce can of pears (packed in juice, drained) in my mini food processor until smooth. Each can makes from ²/_³ to ¾ cup of puree. This has a silky, almost slick, texture, very appropriate for using as an oil substitute. It’s tricky to sub oil and oil substitutes for butter, and probably shouldn’t be done in recipes where the butter is essential to the texture and rising of the product, but for quickbreads I really don’t notice much difference in taste or appearance. But, what is noticeable is the absence of many grams of saturated fat. I can easily sub ½ of the oil in a recipe with pureed pears, and I use the same rule-of-thumb for butter as well.

And, as in my yeast breads, I use Eagle Mills Ultragrain Blend flour because of its taste and fiber content.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Chocolate-Swirled Banana Bread

Recipe By : Vicci

Servings : 14

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1 cup Eagle Mills All-Purpose Unbleached Flour

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg -- fresh is preferred

1 1/2 whole bananas -- overripe, mashed

1 1/4 teaspoons lemon zest

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon dark rum, optional

3 ounces dark chocolate -- chopped

1 tablespoon butter -- softened

1/3 cup pureed pears

3 tablespoons canola oil

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325˚F

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together mashed bananas, lemon zest, lemon juice, and rum. Set aside.

In a medium-sized, heatproof bowl, add butter and chocolate. Heat in microwave at 50% power, stirring every 20 seconds or so, until almost melted. Stir until chocolate melts and butter is combined.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the pureed pears, canola oil, and both sugars together until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.

Add half of the flour mixture and, using a wooden spoon, mix just until the flour is almost absorbed into the liquid. Add remaining flour and mix until the flour just begins to become incorporated into the batter. Add the banana mixture and lightly stir until combined.

Add just a little less than half of the batter to the chocolate mixture and stir until blended.

Coat an 8-1/2"x 4-1/2" loaf pan with cooking spray. Drop alternating spoonfuls of each batter into the pan. Swirl the two batters together with a knife.

Set the loaf pan on a heavy baking sheet and place in oven. Bake until very golden and a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out mostly clean, about 70-80 minutes. Check often toward the end of the baking time to see if the top of the loaf is overbrowning. If so, tent loosely with aluminum foil.

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Loosen edges of loaf from the sides of the pan with a knife, turn out the bread, place upright on the rack and continue to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting.

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Per serving: 246 Calories (kcal); 7g Total Fat (1 saturated); (24% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 42g Carbohydrate; 29mg Cholesterol; 194mg Sodium; 3g Fiber

Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

By the way, my self-anticipated photographic series “A Step Out The Door” has hit a snag. Early March in Pennsylvania has absolutely nothing photogenic going for it!

Toasted Almond Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Well, somehow our part of the state missed the freezing rain and sleet that had been predicted (over and over by the television forecasters, each broadcast bringing more dire warnings) and temperatures are in the low 40’s. The snow is melting and some of the sidewalk is actually dry for the first time in weeks. Spooky enjoys being outside much more now (since we all know how much cats hate having wet paws).

I attempted to take a walk to the back of our property, but the path was quite muddy and the trails going through the woods were still covered with slushy snow. I turned around, stopped for a while to watch the horses at the farm next door chase each other (they must have been happy to be outside too), and returned home to find Spooky waiting for me, sitting on top of the plastic compost bin at the end of the garden. I haven’t run the trails since last November, but he remembered that’s where he always waits for me to return.

Over the weekend I tried a new biscotti recipe.

In my post several days ago I mentioned my failed attempt at making toffee. How I burnt the toffee and, still being optimistic that it might taste okay once the chocolate was spread on it, I finished the recipe. Only to discover that no amount of chocolate and almonds could disguise that terrible burnt-sugar taste. Blech. So I kept the pan in the refrigerator for several days, not wanting to let go of the chocolate and almonds but not quite knowing what to do with the mess. So the next time I baked I placed the pan in the oven for a few minutes and, fortunately, the chocolate softened but the toffee did not. I was able to scrape the chocolate and almond mixture off, spread it on waxed paper, wrap in plastic, and then I refrigerated it. For something. I said that I’m optimistic (usually).

I was reading some blogs the other evening and found a recipe for Toasted Almond Chocolate Chip Biscotti when I experienced a light-bulb moment. Chop the chocolate and almond mixture and use it in this biscotti! So I did and it turned out great.

I made some changes to the original recipe which I found on the Farmgirl Fare blog.

To begin with, I had to reduce the butter. In 1 year and 7 ½ weeks (who’s counting?) I will have a birthday that a lot of people don’t exactly look forward to. The age where “friends” may find it amusing to throw a party and decorate with black streamers and balloons proclaiming “Over The Hill!!!”. There may even be a small icing vulture perched on the birthday cake. I

n order to keep time at bay, I’m trying really hard to eat healthy foods and exercise, and only a small amount of butter fits into this diet. I replaced most of the butter with canola oil (monosaturated fat replacing saturated—a good substitution) and replaced one egg with two egg whites. I had slightly over the amount of chocolate-and-almond mixture that the recipe called for, so I was forced to eat a little of it rather than screw up the recipe by adding too much... The resulting dough was one of the biscotti doughs that I’ve ever used. Just slightly sticky, it was very easy to form into logs.

Jack proclaimed these biscotti “wonderful” and I agree. The texture is dry but not hard or overly crumbly, it’s just sweet enough, and the almond flavor compliments the chocolate nicely without being overpowering.

Here is the recipe, straight from Farmgirl , with my changes added in blue:

FARMGIRL’S TOASTED ALMOND CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCOTTI
This is a pleasant, all around, not particularly sweet biscotti that lasts for several days and improves with age (no, I doubt if I’ll find this out!). It also freezes well. It holds up dunking but is also yummy by itself. In my opinion, it goes well with everything from a cup of hot coffee to a cold glass of champagne. If you are craving a sweeter (or fancier) dessert, you could dip one side of each piece into melted chocolate. Or you could be dunking your biscotti in amaretto. Or you could break up a few pieces and stir them into some very nice ice cream and drizzle it with chocolate sauce or amaretto. The possibilities, really, are endless. The egg white glaze is totally optional but does give the tops of the biscotti a very nice shine.

¾ cup (2 ¼ ounces) sliced almonds, toasted at 350˚F for 8-10 minutes, then cooled

1 stick ( ½ cup/ 4 ounces) butter, softened ( 2 tablespoons butter, softened)

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup (8 ounces) sugar

2 large eggs ( 2 large egg whites, 1 large whole egg)

1 teaspoon real almond extract

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

2 ½ cups (13 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon ( ¼ ounce) baking powder (make sure it’s fresh!)

½ teaspoon ( ⅛ ounce) salt

¾ cup (5 ounces) dark chocolate chips or mini semisweet chocolate chips

1 beaten egg white for glaze, optional

1. Heat oven to 350˚F

2. Place butter, canola oil, sugar, eggs, and extracts in a bowl and beat until well-blended (I use an electric hand mixer on medium for about one minute).

3. Beat in flour, baking powder, and salt and mix just until dough forms. Stir in almonds and chocolate chips. Dough will be stiff.

4. Divide dough in half and, on a baking sheet lined with parchment or sprayed with cooking spray, pat each half into a 3” x 9” log. Brush with egg glaze, if desired.

5. Bake logs for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and just beginning to crack on the top. Reduce oven temperature to 300˚.

6. Allow logs to cool for 15 minutes or longer (30 minutes) and slice into ½” wide diagonal slices (I use a large serrated knife. I used an electric knife.)

7. Lay slices on their sides on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then flip slices and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, until cookies are dry and crisp (I placed the slices, standing up, on the baking sheet and baked for 25 minutes). (Note: they will crisp up more as they cool)

Store in an airtight container for up to several days or freeze. Flavors improve with age.

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Per serving: 130 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat (3 saturated, 2 monosaturated, 1 polyunsaturated); (46% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 17mg Cholesterol; 80mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

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Per serving: 112 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat (1 saturated, 2 monosaturated, 1 polyunsaturated); (38% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 7mg Cholesterol; 62mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates

Tonight I made a chicken and vegetable curry for dinner. It was quite good, although Jack wants it a little spicier next time. I thought it was just hot enough. ;)


I love Indian food, and the nearest restaurant is 45 minutes drive, so I just have to do it myself. Penzey's is a great source for the spices that I use. Their sweet curry powder rocks(although their hot curry powder is intense) and garam masala is great, too. In this recipe, I added a touch more spice and flavor with the addition of a small amount of red curry paste as well. However, the recipe is good without.


In order to reduce the fat in recipes containing coconut milk (even the "lite" coconut milk runs 4g staurated fat per 1/3 cup serving), I replace about half of the recipe amount with skim milk, then add coconut extract just before serving. About 1 teaspoon extract per cup of milk works well. I also stirred in 1 teaspoon of arrowroot mixed with 1 tablespoon water since the sauce was a little on the thin side.





* Exported from MasterCook *


South Indian Chicken and Vegetable Curry


Recipe By : Vicci
Serving Size : 6


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 large onion -- thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro -- loosely packed
1 large garlic clove -- minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 medium red bell pepper -- 3/4" dice
10 ounces cauliflower flowerets
20 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast -- 3/4" cubes
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon sweet curry powder
1 1/4 cups lite coconut milk -- divided
3/4 teaspoon red curry paste
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed


Heat oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven until hot. Add mustard seeds and allow to sizzle for 30-45 seconds. Stir in onions and garlic, reduce heat to medium, and sitr frequently for 4 minutes. Sprinkle in garam masala and curry powder and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add small amounts of water if the mixture seems to be sticking (don't worry if the mixture becomes "clumpy").


Add chicken cubes, stirring well and coating the pieces with spices. Stir for another 5 minutes, again adding small amounts of water if the chicken and onions are sticking. In a measuring cup, mix 1/2 cup lite coconut milk with 1/2 cup water and curry paste. Add to chicken and stir, bringing up the browned bits from the bottom and incorporating them into the sauce. When the sauce begins to boil, lower heat to medium-low and cover tightly. Simmer for 10 minutes.


Add remaining coconut milk and the skim milk, stir in vegetables until coated with sauce, then turn up the heat a bit to bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer for 1o minutes, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is just cooked but not mushy. Add coconut extract and peas, stir in, serve.


Serve over steamed basmati rice.


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Per serving: 216 Calories (kcal); 7g Total Fat; (27% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 56mg Cholesterol; 121mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : You can use more lite coconut milk in place of the skim milk and coconut extract, but obviously the fat content will be higher

Dinner with friends, and letting go of total control-- a bit!

After exhausting myself with entertaining during the last part of 2006 I decided that, in 2007, I would try a different route. So on Friday I had my first “test”. Friends were invited over for dinner and I actually allowed a guest to bring not one, but two, menu items. I had to swallow my need to plan menus, tweaking recipes and ingredients until I felt as though it was a perfect blend, and just allow myself to have a good time. It wasn’t a bad experience, after all!

Karla has been telling us about the wonderful baked ziti which she is almost-famous for, so this cold February evening seemed to be the perfect time to put that on the menu. She also brought a salad. I provided the appetizer, bread, and dessert. In splitting up the menu this way, I found myself being able to do preparation things that I had either hurried through at the last minute or dismissed in previous entertaining. I was able to actually spend time putting on makeup and getting dressed (I even ironed my slacks!). I washed and dried all of the dishes and everything was stored away. I placed a clean coffee filter in the pot, emptied the carafe of the morning’s coffee and rinsed it, and actually lit all of the candles. Before the guests arrived! The table was set, the flowers arranged, I was pleased.

We started with an appetizer which I have made before, Spinach-Artichoke Dip. I made a baguette the day before, sliced part of it on the diagonal and toasted the slices to dip into the spinach-artichoke-cheese mixture. Jack claims to dislike artichokes, but he loves this dip (his comment—“you can hardly taste the artichokes though all of the cheese!). Karla’s baked ziti was all she had promised. Tender pasta with a slightly garlicky, light tomato sauce and different varieties of (lowfat) cheese. Absolutely delicious. Her salad was really good as well (she said that it was her husband, Frankie’s, sister’s recipe) with a variety of “gourmet” greens, dried cranberries, mandarin orange slices, and walnuts in a raspberry vinaigrette. I made a loaf of the no-knead bread (actually I made 3 loaves earlier in the day) and it was a hit because it’s just so darn good!

And for dessert—Flourless Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake. This was an incredible cake. We only needed thin slices because it was very rich (but I think that I could have hidden in a closet and happily made myself ill by eating the entire cake). An intense bittersweet chocolate flavor with an undertone of cream cheese and vanilla. It made our mouths extremely happy! I garnished with a piping of Cool Whip and a squiggle which I made from melted Hershey Kisses (I ran out of bittersweet chocolate). I "marbled" the cake too much because the vanilla batter was so much thinner in texture than the chocolate, but that will be remedied next time. And, although I'm certain that it didn't help much (I refuse to put this one through MasterCook for the nutritional information!) I used neufachel cheese instead of the full-fat cream cheese.

Along with a bottle of shiraz (and a few Killian Red’s for Frankie), this meal, and the company, made for a very enjoyable evening. I made a loaf of bread for our guests to take home, and gave them half of the cake, obsequiously for their teenage daughters… And I was left with that excellent baked ziti for another meal.

Okay, the first try at allowing others to contribute was a success. My next chance may come next Saturday when we have another couple over for dinner.

Now, I realize that the No Knead Bread, which was published in the New York Times last fall,

has been written about to death. Discussed, analyzed, varietized for months. But I think that I have finally found the prefect recipe for making it and that’s what I’m sticking with. 360g Eagle Mills Ultragrain Flour blend, a rounded ¼ teaspoon of yeast, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 12 ounces less 1 tablespoon of water. Lots of wheat bran and cornmeal to prevent sticking. Bake at 435˚F for 43 minutes, or until 204˚F internal temperature. And allow 22 hours from mixing the dough to removing that heavenly bread from the oven. Easy, easy, easy and to think I have been searching for this type of bread, attempting (and failing at) various recipes for the last few years. And with that particular flour, which I buy at Sam’s Club, it contains 5g of fiber per slice with no grainy taste to detract from the light, airy, texture and almost-sourdough-like flavor which we enjoy so much.

I vote for the High Carb lifestyle!

Tonight’s dinner. I needed to make something relatively quick, but not pasta (since we have eaten pasta for the previous 2 nights), and Jack suggested Chinese. I started rice and took a quick look through the refrigerator and freezer. We don’t eat red meat, but we really enjoy Morningstar Farm’s Meal Starters Beef Strips. Most times I use them in fajitas, but tonight I saw the bag in the freezer and decided to make a stir-fry with the “beef” strips, red and green bell peppers, and onions in a tomato-soy seasoning sauce.

“Beef” Stir-Fry with Peppers and Onions

1/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth

½ cup crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon cornstarch

½ large red bell pepper, cut into 1” dice

½ large green bell pepper, cut into 1” dice

1 medium onion, cut into lengthwise into eight wedges

1 8-ounce package Morningstar Farm’s Meal Starters Beef Strips, unthawed

Mix broth through crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Blend in cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add peppers and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add onions and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes. Add “beef”strips and stir for 30 seconds (they may start to stick a bit, that’s okay as long as nothing burns). Add ¼ cup water and cover. Turn heat down slightly and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and stir in seasoning sauce. Cook until thickened. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

Mardi Gras dinner

The elusive recipe remains so. I looked everywhere I could think of, but my tried-and-true recipe for shrimp etoufee cannot be found. So at the last minute I switched gears and started thinking about jambalaya. I located a recipe, which I happened to have most of the ingredients for, and it turned out to be a great one. Popped an old Professor Longhair cassette in the stereo for ambience, and CL’s Peppered Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya was the perfect recipe for dinner on this Mardi Gras.

Peppered Chicken-and-Shrimp Jambalaya

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound skinned, boned chicken breasts, diced
6 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup water
2 (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken, kielbasa, onion, and bell peppers; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Add rice; sauté 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add thyme, black pepper, and red pepper; sauté 1 minute. Add water, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Add shrimp and hot sauce; cover and cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Remove from heat; stir in parsley.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

CALORIES 374 (16% from fat); FAT 6.6g (sat 2g,mono 2.8g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 26g; CHOLESTEROL 65mg; CALCIUM 95mg; SODIUM 919mg; FIBER 3g; IRON 7.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 51.3g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 1999

The only change I made to this recipe was to omit the turkey kielbasa, and I added 4 ounces additional chicken to make up for it. I also found that it was a little too saucy for my taste, so I uncovered the pan for the last 10 minutes of cooking and it thickened nicely. Jack added extra hot sauce because he has an asbestos-coated stomach.

Today the temperatures outside were in the mid-40’s and a good deal of the snow melted. Walking across the grass is like walking on a sponge, very squishy. And muddy. Spooky went outside with me and explored, going places he hadn’t been for a few weeks. Checking out the perimeter, Jack said, as Spooky explored and sniffed everything and anything that he encountered for over an hour. Our Security Cat! Who had to have his little paws wiped clean prior to coming in the house. As did Jack and me.

Dinner this evening was a cauliflower tomato curry over rice. Very good, but I was in a hurry and forgot to write down the ingredients… I’ll try to refine the recipe and post in the future.

The next few days are looking to be busy ones, so it appears as though there will be no new or exciting recipes to report on. Except for Friday night’s dessert and maybe an appetizer. Dinner guests are bringing the remaining food-- part of my New Year's Semi-Resolution to try not to do it all myself, and to let others contribute. We'll see how long this lasts!

I “missed” celebrating Chinese New Year because, since it fell on a Sunday, nothing , not even Chinese food, would keep Jack from his highly-anticipated Sunday night pizza! So on Monday night I made an oldie-but-goodie. This recipe was adapted from a Cooking Light recipe for Orange-Ginger Chicken Lo Mein. Ten years ago it was published in the magazine and I’ve made it a few times each year ever since. It’s a great winter dish—steamy hot noodles with the fragrance of oranges and the zing of ginger and garlic. I deviated from the original recipe and use fresh-cut veggies, whatever is on hand, instead of buying a stir-fry vegetable assortment. I also increased the amount of chicken (which I rarely do, but the original recipe was very light on the chicken for a main dish) and I played with the preparation technique a little as well.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Orange Chicken Lo Mein

Servings : 2

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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

1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth

2 tablespoons orange juice, frozen concentrate -- thawed, undiluted

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger root

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon minced garlic -- divided

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 ounces whole wheat spaghetti

2 teaspoons canola oil -- divided

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast -- cut into 1/2" strips

12 ounces vegetables -- a variety cut into similar-sized strips or pieces (bell pepper, onion,

broccoli, snow or snap peas), or for carrots, thin strips; or for bean sprouts, just rinse

1 tablespoon chopped peanuts -- unsalted

Combine chicken broth through salt in a small bowl, stir in 2 teaspoons of garlic, mix well and set aside.

Cook spaghetti as directed, omitting salt. When the pasta is just tender (usually 1 minute before the minimum cooking time listed on the package) add broccoli florets and/ or carrot. Cook for an additional 1-1/2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Spread 1 teaspoon canola oil in wok and heat over medium-high flame. Add the remaining teaspoon of garlic and allow to sizzle for about 20 seconds. Add chicken and stir fry until chicken is cooked through. Remove from wok and set aside.

Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in wok. Add vegetables (except bean sprouts, if using) and stir fry until almost tender (about 2 minutes) Add bean sprouts and stir fry for another minute. Add pasta and parboiled vegetables and mix well. Pour in orange juice mixture and mix (a pas

ta server is perfect for this) until the sauce coats the pasta and vegetables and has thickened.

Divide between plates. Sprinkle with peanuts.

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

Per serving: 458 Calories (kcal); 9g Total Fat; (17% calories from fat); 38g Protein; 59g Carbohydrate; 66mg Cholesterol; 735mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

All morning I was startled by the sound of huge icicles falling off the house. The ice coating is finally off the trees and shrubs, and I actually see sidewalks now, but these temperatures in the high 40’s are making tons of slush. Wet, sloppy stuff and I’m glad that I did my grocery shopping yesterday. Parking lots are going to be a mess!

For lunch today I made soup from the turkey carcass stock which I prepared on Sunday. Perfect for a cool, damp day. And I have to say, that turkey stock is the best. I made chicken stock from an Eating Well recipe last month and it was good, but this turkey stock is incredibly flavorful. And, being so, makes excellent soup. And I had 3 quarts of stock leftover to go in the freezer. Must remember to label the containers... ;)

Turkey Tortellini Soup

(about 6 servings)

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 large carrots, finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped white mushrooms

6 cups turkey stock

3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon ground celery seed

¾ teaspoon crumbled dried thyme

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

½ cup frozen corn, thawed

3 cups small cheese tortellini

1 cup diced turkey meat (optional)

Sauté onion, garlic, and carrot in 1 tablespoon canola oil until softened. Add mushrooms and sauté for another minute or two. Sprinkle flour on mixture and stir for another minute. Add turkey stock slowly, stirring briskly to incorporate flour into broth. Add seasonings, stir, bring to a boil, turn heat down, simmer for 30 minutes.

Turn up heat and bring to a boil. Add tortellini, lower heat a bit, add corn and peas, and cook according to package directions until done. Stir in turkey meat and turn off heat.

Today is Mardi Gras and I am hoping to dig up a recipe for Shrimp Etoufee which I have made several times in the past 15 years or so and has never quite made it to being typed into my MasterCook program. Last I saw it, a yellowed scrap of newsprint, it was in a file box in a cupboard in the dining room. Wish me happy hunting…

A Quiet, Snowy Sunday

An odd weather day here. Fits of grey skies and heavy snow punctuated with sun and blue skies. It made for an interesting day! The first of a new series :)

A step out of the door and a click of the camera

It will be interesting to see how many doors I can step out of and take an original photo. I may have to rename this "series" later.

My cold frame, which held parsley and cilantro through the second week of January, is mounded with snow. I wonder if, when it all melts, the snow would have insulated the interior of the cold frame enough to allow me to have a few fresh herbs. Probably not. I decided that today I would clean out my deep freeze a bit and make stock. I bought a whole turkey to roast for New Year's Day dinner. It was a great price, 49 cents a pound, so I bought a big one. A 20-pounder for Jack and me! After a couple of days we became tired of leftovers so I separated the remaining breast meat and wrapped and froze it, then did the same with the carcass and the dark meat. The carcass I defrosted today, along with the dark meat, giblets and extra gravy, and made my favorite soup stock.


Jane's Brody's Turkey Carcass Soup Stock

• Turkey carcass from a 20-24 lb turkey that has not been picked too clean; broken into pieces
• Any defatted pan juices or leftover gravy
• 16 - 20 cups of water, to cover the carcass completely
• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 ribs of celery with leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup well-washed leek, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup parsnip or turnip, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, if desired
• Bouquet garni

Combine all the ingredients in a large stock pot, bring the stock to a boil and simmer it, partially covered for two to three hours. (It tastes better the longer it simmers, as long as you don't cook away the liquid.) Add more water as necessary. Allow stock to cool. May be chilled to remove additional fat. Skim the fat and strain the stock, reserving any turkey meat to use in the soup. Stock may be frozen at this time.


Since the stock pot is so large I have it on the back porch and will skim off the solidified fat tomorrow when I will make soup and freeze the extra stock.


For dinner this evening I made our usual Sunday Night Pizza. Every other week I make a batch of dough, then split it in two and freeze one piece for the following Sunday night. The other half is made into the Pizza Du Jour. Which tonight was a red sauce, the recipe I posted on February 5, reduced-fat mozzarella, sliced green and yellow bell peppers, sweet onion slices, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese.

And for dessert, assorted Valentine's Day goodies. I just love the camouflaging ability of heavy, bulky sweaters...