Monday, March 28, 2011

Mooched March Mexican Monday

What are friends for???  Sharing recipes, of course!  I stole this recipe from my bestie (LB)!  YUM!


White Chili


Ingredients:


Cooking spray
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced finely
1 lb. extra lean ground turkey
1/2 lb. lean ground turkey (adding some less lean turkey makes it non-rubbery)
1 1/2 to 2 (depending on how spicy you like it) 4-oz. cans green chile peppers, chopped
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, undrained and pureed
4 c. fat-free chicken broth
1 c. reduced-fat Mexican cheese, shredded


Directions:


1.  In a large pot coated with cooking spray over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic, and turkey.  Saute until turkey is well browned, about 10 minutes.  Add the chile peppers, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt.  Saute another 5 minutes.


2.  Add drained garbanzo beans, drained cannellini beans, and broth to pot.  Bring to a boil, uncovered.  Reduce heat to a simmer.  Add pureed cannellini beans and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.


3.  Serve chili hot, topped with cheese.


Serves 6.
400 calories per serving.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Like I said...

I've been big on beans these days.  Happy Mexican Monday!


Spicy 17 Bean & Barley Soup


Ingredients:


Cooking spray
2 c. Trader Joe's 17 Bean & Barley Dried Soup Mix (this is just a mixture of dried beans and barley, no seasoning.  so anything of the sorts would do)
64 oz. vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
8 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
15 oz. tomatoes, canned, diced


Instructions:


1.  In large saucepan, cover dried beans with 6 cups of cold water.  Bring water to a boil, then lower to moderate heat and cook uncovered for 2 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and soak beans for 1 hour, covered.


2.  Rinse and drain beans, return to saucepan.  Pour 4 cups of broth over beans.


3.  In a separate non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and basil until soft.  Add vegetable mixture to beans.


4.  Add remaining ingredients to pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 1 hour, 15 minutes.


Serves 8.
268 calories per serving.






I also tried a recipe from my new cookbook.  YUM!  Definitely adding it to the weekday dinner roster.


Chicken with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, Peppers, and Goat Cheese


Ingredients:


4 (4-oz.) chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, thin-cut
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking spray
1/2 c. tomatoes, canned, fire-roasted, drained
1/4 c. roasted red peppers, diced
2 oz. goat cheese
1 tsp. fresh basil, finely minced


Instructions:


1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.


2.  Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Combine tomatoes and peppers in a small bowl; set aside.


3.  Place a medium OVENPROOF nonstick skillet over high heat.  When hot, coat with cooking spray and immediately add the chicken (side by side, but not touching).  Cook the chicken just until it is golden brown on the outsides (but not cooked through), about 1-2 minutes on each side.


4.  Remove the pan from the heat and top each piece of chicken with 1/4 of tomato mixture, followed by 1/2 ounce of cheese.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the chicken until it is cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from oven carefully (I burnt myself...boo).


5.  Top each piece of chicken evenly with the basil.  Serve immediately.


Serves 4.
171 calories per serving.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Blog Update!

Hi Everyone!


As I'm sure you noticed, my blog got a face-lift today!  I was feeling a little "blah" about my blog, but I was getting pestered about updating...so I decided to go for a new look.  Like it?


I've been really into beans these days (and therefore, the husband and I have had stomach aches for quite some time), so I apologize if the posts are a little bean-heavy.  Now let me try and recall what I've been making...




3-Bean Salad


Ingredients:


15 oz. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. canned small cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. canned chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 medium red onion, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste


Instructions:


1.  Combine all ingredients.  Let sit in refrigerator for at least 4 hours to allow flavors to combine.  Serve cold.


Serves 6.




Slow-Cooked Red Beans and Barley


Ingredients:


1 c. barley, rinsed, uncooked (not pearled barley)
1 small red onion, diced
2 stalk celery, diced
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
15 oz. canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
3 c. vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt


Instructions:


1.  Place all ingredients in the order they are listed in the slow-cooker.  Do not stir.


2.  Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours.  Stir and serve.


Serves 6.




Mini Chocolate Meringues


Ingredients:


5 large egg whites
1/4 c. cocoa, unsweetened
2. Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. cocoa, unsweetened
1/8 tsp. cinnamon, ground


Instructions:


1.  Preheat oven to 225 F.  Cover 2 cookie sheets with wax paper (or parchment paper); set aside.


2.  Combine 1 egg white, 1/4 cup of cocoa, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and extract in a large bowl.


3.  Beat remaining 4 egg whites and salt with an electric mixer (a stand mixer is best) just until soft peaks form; add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating, until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.  Fold the egg whites (eeeek...my least favorite part...I get nervous that the egg whites will collapse) into the chocolate mixture in 2 batches.


4.  Fill a plastic ZipLock bag with the mixture.  Cut a hole in the corner of the bag and pipe out the cookies onto the cookie sheets (mine ended up looking like tiny doodies).  Each cookie should be about 1-inch wide.


5.  Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes until a dried texture.


6.  Mix the remaining 1 teaspoon of cocoa an cinnamon in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over the hot cookies.  Let cool completely on wire racks before removing from wax paper.


Yields 10 servings.
12 cookies per serving.




Polenta Parmesan


Ingredients:


Cooking spray
1 log pre-made polenta, sliced into 15 rounds
15 oz. canned tomato sauce
1 c. ricotta, fat-free
3/4 c. mozzarella, reduced-fat, shredded
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, reduced-fat, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste


Instructions:


1.  Preheat oven to 375 F.  Heat non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.


2.  Season both sides of polenta rounds with salt and pepper.  Spray hot skillet with cooking spray.  Sear polenta rounds until browned on both sides.


3.  Cover bottom of 9X9 baking dish with 1/4 cup of tomato sauce.  Place 5 polenta rounds on top of sauce.  Combine remaining sauce with ricotta.  Spoon 1/3 of ricotta mixture on top of polenta rounds.  Place another round on top of ricotta mixture.  Continue layering until you have 5 stacks of 2 rounds topped with ricotta mixture.


4.  Sprinkle rounds with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling.  Remove from oven and let cool 3-5 minutes.


Serves 5 (or fewer because it is SOOOOO yummy!).




I went to Borders the other day because they are going out of business and I had a gift card.  I don't typically buy books anymore (love my Kindle!), so I headed over to the cookbooks.  I bought one that looks really awesome!  It is written by the author of The Biggest Loser Cookbook and it seems very similar to the Hungry Girl cookbooks.
  

I can't wait to try some of the recipes.  Here is what is on tap...


Mini Frittatas with Herbed Goat Cheese
Blue Cheese Portobello Mushroom Burger (can't wait for summer!!!)
Grilled Chicken & Caramelized Onion Flatbread with Blue Cheese
Buff-Corn (Buffalo Popcorn...YUM!)
Chicken Breasts with Goat Cheese and Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
Penne and Asparagus with Ricotta Cheese
Tuscan Pizza
Buffalo Mashed Potatoes
Powerhouse Polenta Fries
Mexican Mac & Cheese
Cinnamon Sugar Triangles


My mouth is watering now.