Amish Ham, Green Beans, and New Potatoes

A couple of weeks ago, while I was at work, I picked up an old Amish cookbook. I like looking at various cookbooks so I can try and find recipes that maybe we haven't used before. While I did find several that I think we would like to try, the simplicity and combination of flavors of this one struck a chord with me.

I've had this combination before, of course. I believe many have. However, I don't believe I have ever cooked them all together as one dish. Apparently, this was a staple (and still is) in Amish country. Normally, this is cooked in a Dutch oven. And I do have a cast iron Dutch oven that I use on occasion for other dishes.

However, I am choosing to use my crock pot for this dish.

For anyone interested in browsing through Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking, you can go to this link. Here is an excerpt from the intro.

"The Pennsylvania Dutch are a hard working people and as they say, “Them that works hard, eats hearty.” The blending of recipes from their many home lands and the ingredients available in their new land produced tasty dishes that have been handed down from mother to daughter for generations. Their cooking was truly a folk art requiring much intuitive knowledge, for recipes contained measurements such as “flour to stiffen,” “butter the size of a walnut,” and “large as an apple.” Many of the recipes have been made more exact and standardized providing us with a regional cookery we can all enjoy."

This is not where I got the recipe; however I can not imagine what recipe I found to vary too much since it is pretty simple with the same ingredients.
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Ingredients:

• 3 lb bone-in ham, uncooked
• 1 lb whole green beans, trimmed
• 5-6 new potatoes, cut into quarters (or whole, as I used them)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large crock pot, cover the ham with water. Cook on high for about 4 hours. Add extra water if needed.

2. Add green beans to the pot. Remove the ham and add the potatoes. Cut the meat into bite sized pieces. Add the meat back to the pot and cook another hour on high.

3. Turn heat down to low to simmer until ready to serve.

**note** for those who may choose to utilize this recipe in the crock pot while you are away for the day and are crunched for time when you get home, adding the potatoes with the ham from the beginning will certainly yield well done potatoes with no wait. Adding canned green beans about 15-20 minutes before serving rather than raw, uncooked ones will also make the wait time less for when you arrive home with hungry mouths waiting to be fed.

Marinated Eye of Round, Glazed Brussels Sprouts,and Baked Potato

Tonight was one of those nights where I wasn't really thinking much about what I was going to do for dinner. I had nothing at all planned. However, hubby has been somewhat deprived lately, being how I have only sporadically been cooking an actual meal during the evenings. Summer is so busy and full of running! We tend to eat out, which I hate because it hits the pocket book hard as well as the gut. Or, we basically fend for ourselves, which means sandwiches with processed lunch meat and processed soups. I don't like getting into that mold every night, because overall I would like us to have some kind of control over our meals by using fresh/frozen foods rather than relying on the convenience of processed foods, which contain so much more sodium, preservatives and other junk that I am trying my best to limit for us.

So, I pulled out a few recipes and inspected them to do a quick inventory of what I had on hand. Before I did anything, tho, I scrubbed a couple of potatoes and threw them in the oven at 425 degrees so they could be cooking while I got the other stuff together.

I dug through the freezer, knowing we had a few other meats in there besides the chicken that we mostly eat. I found a package of some eye of round. The defrost was relatively quick, and I found a great marinade to use which ended up tasting very delicious. I only marinated for about 30 minutes, too, so it works in a pinch if you need to throw something together fast and don't have 8+ hours to marinade.

I decided before anything else that we would be having brussels sprouts. I knew we had a bag of frozen brussels, and determined that, altho they are not my favorite, we would use them because they are exceedingly healthy and it's not something we can really eat when the kids are around. However, I did indeed find a recipe that may actually work in enticing the kiddos to try these miniature cabbage-like vegetables. And while the recipe did turn out very well, I am not actually convinced that the kids will bite.

You may be skeptical of the ingredients for the brussels glaze. I was. It turned out great, so give it a try.

For those of you with cholesterol problems, brussels sprouts are your friend! They contain over 15% of the RDA of fiber. I also heard the other day that brussels sprouts contain more Vitamin C than an orange! Isn't that crazy? I never would have thought that. Of course, they also contain a slew of other vitamins that are important to our health as well. Just a few more things Brussels sprouts can aid in are inflammation and digestion. They help protect against cardiovascular problems as well as many cancers. They contain many antioxidants. Immunity health, eye health, bone and blood cell health - all can be aided by eating brussels sprouts on a regular basis.

So, dinner tonight was:

Marinated Eye of Round Steak
Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Baked Potato
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Marinated Eye of Round
(4 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoons Dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1/4 onion, sliced
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced

Whisk all ingredients in a glass bowl and let steak marinade for at least 30 minutes. When ready to cook, place about 1/3 of the marinade in a skillet and heat. Add meat and cook about 4-6 minutes on one side. Turn and cook on other side for about 3 minutes. Remove and place on a plate.

Glazed Brussels Sprouts
(6 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen Brussels sprouts
• 1/4 cup butter
• 8 ounces walnuts
• 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the Brussels sprouts. Return to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, until sprouts are tender. Drain.(if you have a steamer, steaming is better to conserve the most nutrients)
   
2. In a microwave safe bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Cover, and cook on High 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the walnuts are warm.
   
3. Pour over the cooked Brussels sprouts, add the walnuts and toss
4. Serving after step 3 is optional. However, I like to put mine in a shallow dish and broil the brussels for about 4 minutes or so, so they have a nice roasted look and flavor to them.

Stay tuned on whether I can get my kids to eat this!!

Spinach Salad, Roasted Vegetable Lasagna, Low Fat Apple Bread Pudding

With all the extras from the garden, it's easy to incorporate fresh veggies into your daily diet. Sometimes, you have to figure out ways to get creative with the abundance that comes with a well growing garden.

This is a healthier way to enjoy a family favorite while cutting out the red meat that usually goes into this dish.

Enjoy it!
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Healthy Spinach Salad

Salad ingredients:

• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
• 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, sliced in half lengthwise
• 2 chopped scallions (include ~4 inches of the green part)
• medium coarse black pepper
• ~3-oz mild goat cheese, crumbled

Dressing ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  
• black pepper

Whisk olive oil into the cider vinegar. Add pepper, and perhaps a tad of kosher salt, to taste.

Put all salad ingredients except cheese into a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Add goat cheese.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
serves 6

Sauce:

1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
1 can 14 oz tomato puree, low sodium
1 4 oz can tomato sauce, low sodium
1 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 tspn crushed red pepper flakes

Vegetables
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 small onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained
2 cups shredded, mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

In large pan, cook onion (for sauce) in oil until tender; add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Stir in puree, sauce and seasonings. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes until thickened.

In large mixing bowl, combine vegetables and pepper. Put in a baking pan and cook at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Spread 1/4 cup of sauce in a baking dish. Layer with noodles, top with half the sauce, and half the roasted vegetables, and half the cheese. Repeat another layer.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, covered. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes until bubbly. Let cool slightly before serving.


Apple Bread Pudding
9 servings

• 1/4 C. granulated sugar
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• 2 C. 1% milk
• 1 C. egg substitute
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 8 slices 100% whole-wheat bread, toasted and cut in triangles
• 2 large apples, cored and diced
• 1 1/2 Pint lowfat vanilla frozen yogurt (optional)
  

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9" square baking dish with nonstick spray. Mix sugar & cinnamon. In a bowl, whisk milk, egg substitute, brown sugar & vanilla extract. Arrange half the toast in baking dish; sprinkle with half the cinnamon-sugar and apples. Repeat layers. Pour milk mixture over top. Bake uncovered 40-50 minutes until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut in squares; serve with scoops of frozen yogurt.

Vegetable Night! Garbanzo Bean Tomato Salad, Pattypan Saute, Roasted Corn with Chive Butter

It's summer and garden vegetables are all around us!

We haven't really had a vegetable night in quite awhile and I would like to get back into the habit of having a veggie night at least once a week, and possibly work ourselves up to twice a week. This is really, really easy to make. And with summer here, corn is in abundance! It's a classic summer staple. High in fiber, and in B vitamins, as well as folic acid and a number of other things our bodies need, it is used to help with kidney function and protect the heart. It also supports lung health, memory and energy. Vegetables are good for you!!

D is such a willing participant in my experimental cooking. I have to admit that many of the recipes I have found have turned out to be quite good. If we didn't think so, the recipes would not be on here!!

However, it is important to reiterate that we have cut out a lot of sodium in our diet and we do not use table salt at all. This renders our tastes to be a tad different than some who have not done so; we have become acclimated to the natural taste of the foods we eat without salting them. It has amazed me to realize how much of our food we never really tasted before cutting salt out. It was all salt! It's hard to tell when you still use it.

An example is my 17 yr old son. A few weeks ago, I made the tomato soup recipe from this blog because I love it. It was the first time my 17 yr old had tried it. He says, "This is bland, Mom." and he proceeds to add a bit of salt to his, taste it then say, "Much better."

Well, funny thing is, he didn't finish his bowl so I started to eat what was left in his bowl. BLEGH!!! All I tasted was the overwhelming salt flavoring!! And he really did not add that much. However, it made me realize just how much salt really does mask what the food we eat really tastes like.

Please don't dismiss a recipe if you try it as is and it seems bland to you. If sodium levels are not an issue with you, feel free to add salt to taste to your dishes. When I use canned goods, I use "no salt added", but you do not need to do this if you are not watching your sodium intake.

As for our meal.....I don't really eat a lot of garbanzo beans, or beans in general. Did you know that garbanzo beans are a high source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fibers? The soluble fibers form a gel-like substance in the digestive tract, whose main function is to capture the cholesterol containing bile and remove it from the body. The insoluble fiber, on the other hand, prevents constipation, by increasing the stool bulk (yes I know, not exactly appealing, but your body needs to do it!!!). They also help prevent certain digestive disorders, like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis. Most people do not have enough fiber in their diet, and beans are a great source of this! They help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels. This is a good-news food for diabetics!

It is estimated that a single cup of garbanzo beans supplies around 84.5% of the body’s daily manganese requirement. Manganese is involved in the production of energy and antioxidant defenses! This means that garbanzo beans aid your immune system as well. Good things, these beans.

And we've all heard the benefits of tomatoes! Personally, I do not like the taste of tomatoes but I can (and do) eat them in certain dishes. (I love fried green ones!) An interesting trivia fact about tomatoes is that they were not eaten in the US until the 1800's because they were believed to be toxic and cause certain cancers and illnesses such as appendicitis.

Of course, we now know that tomatoes actually have the exact opposite effect on our bodies. One tomato can provide 45% of the RDA for Vitamin C (which is required for growth and repair of tissues as well as immunity support), 15% of Vitamin A (promotes eyesight, offers immunity support), 8% of potassium RDA (aids in heart health and function and muscle repair), and is also high in iron (required for red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body and supplying us with energy).

New research is beginning to indicate that tomatoes may be used to help prevent lung cancer too. Two powerful compounds found in tomatoes-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid-are thought to block the effects of nitrosamines. These are compounds that not only are formed naturally in the body, but also are the strongest carcinogen in tobacco smoke. By blocking the effects of these nitrosamines, the chances of lung cancer are reduced significantly.

For more information on the benefits of tomatoes, go here 10 Health Benefits of Tomatoes

Now, on to the recipes. Bet you thought I'd never get to it, eh? ;)
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Garbanzo Tomato Salad

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

In a bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add beans; toss to coat. Place tomatoes in a serving bowl. Top with onion. Sprinkle with basil and remaining salt and pepper. Top with bean mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Toss just before serving.




Pattypan Saute

• 2 cups halved pattypan squash
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small sweet red pepper cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan Cheese

Coat large skillet with cooking spray. Saute squash and onion in oil for 2 minutes; add garlic, and cook one minute. Add red pepper and mushrooms; saute for 6-7 minutes.

Stir in tomato, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Heat thoroughly. Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.


Roasted Fresh Corn with Chive Butter
(4 servings)

• 4 ears of fresh corn, unhusked
• 1/4 cup buttery spread or butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh chives

Preheat oven to 350. Place unhusked corn on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake 30-45 minutes depending on size of corn. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove corn husks and silks and discard. Melt butter in microwave and stir in chives. Serve with corn.

Honey Garlic Pork Chops, Red Potato Bundles, and Grilled Cherry Tomatoes

It's summer time and that means everyone is breaking out their grills! Grilling gives food a unique flavor that can not be replicated by cooking in an oven and it just screams "SUMMER". It encourages interaction and fun times out doors.....yes, grilling is one good way to prepare food!

Besides, for some reason, it seems men really like to play with fire!

During the warmer months, we cook our frequently. Most times our menu consists of the traditional grilling fare; hot dogs for the kids, hamburgers, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and occasionally we will grill ribs or chicken.

We also just got back from vacation. Since we ate most of our meals in the hotel suite, which had a kitchenette, it means we ate hot dogs, mac and cheese, canned pasta, fruits and sandwiches. I was ready to make some real food again!!

For this night we grilled pork. It was easy to make but it does need to be marinated for at least 4 hours, and ideally for 8 hours, before grilling.

I also like to make foil packets of chopped veggies and/or small potatoes in individual sizes. It's an easy way to get vegetables on the grill as well, and not have to cook those separately indoors. Personally, I think the texture is better than cooking them indoors.

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Honey Garlic Pork Chops
serves 4

(this is not gluten free unless you use a special gluten-free soy sauce)

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 boneless pork loin chops, about 6 oz each

In a gallon size ziploc bag, combine all ingredients and seal. Turn to coat and refrigerate for 4-8 hours, turning every so often to evenly marinate.

Drain and discard marinade. Grill, covered, over medium heat for about 16-18 minutes or until juices run clear.

Red Potato Bundles
4 servings
(this dish is gluten free)

• 12 small red potatoes, quartered
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 12 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• dash pepper
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Place the potatoes evenly distributed on 4 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil the potatoes, garlic, and onion. Top with rosemary, pepper and cheese. Drizzle with oil. Fold in edges of foil and seal tightly. Grill for about 40 minutes. Carefully open foil to allow steam to escape.



Grilled Cherry Tomatoes
(this dish is gluten free)

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 Tablespoons butter
  

Place tomatoes in heavy duty foil about 24x12 inches.

In skillet, saute garlic and oregano in butter for about 2 minutes. Pour over tomatoes. Seal foil tightly. Grill 8-10 minutes and turn once. 4 servings

Grilled Ginger Salmon, Sugar Snap Peas, and Citrus Carrots and Sprouts

Fish. There's a lot to be said about it.

I don't much care for seafood. However, fish is really good for you. Salmon, in particular, is high in Omega-3 fats. This is a fat that our body requires yet can not manufacture on its own, making it necessary to get this vital nutrient from other sources. Omega-3 is "good" fat.

The numerous benefits of this essential fatty acid include the reduction in the risk for fatal heart arrhythmia since omega-3 acids increases heart rate variability, a measure of heart functionality. It also helps lower triglycerides which are linked to cardiac diseases while boosting HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol. It has also been shown to help control high blood pressure, which in our house is a concern.

It acts as an anti-coagulant, therefore reducing the risk for stroke. Omega-3 is also good for our brain. The brain is composed of more than 60% structural fat. The fatty acids found in fish like salmon help to move nutrients across the fatty membranes of our brain cells and help to eliminate the wastes. Related studies also show that cognitive related problems such as Alzheimer's, dementia and even behavioral disorders can be improved by the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. Studies are also starting to show that omega-3 may also help reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancer.

Wow! Almost makes me want to eat it......almost. (I'll stick with supplements.)

With it being summer, you can grill the salmon outdoors too! Woo hoo, make a cook out of it and let that fish stink up the outside rather than the inside of the house. Watch out, tho. You may notice that all of the neighborhood cats may think they're invited to dinner as well.

While I hate peas, I will eat sugar snap peas. Go figure, but for some reason, the taste and smell is much more subtle and therefore more tolerable for me. Peas have a decent amount of protein in them, being legumes, so will pack a powerful nutrient punch. as for carrots and brussels sprouts.....we all know that carrots help our eyes. They are packed full of Vitamin A, among many other nutrients. And those little sprouts.....they are very effective at strengthening the body's immune system. Good stuff, vegetables.

Now if we could only get the kids to eat them!

These recipes are all gluten free, too, if that is something you follow.



Grilled Ginger Salmon

• 1 cup gluten free soy sauce (San J brand is GF)
  
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 (5 inch) piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 (3 pound) whole salmon fillet with skin
• 1 untreated cedar plank

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, minced ginger, olive oil, and garlic in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic zipper bag. Add the salmon fillet, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days.
2. About 1/2 hour before grilling, soak cedar plank in water.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
4. Remove the salmon from the marinade, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Place the salmon, skin side down, onto the cedar plank.
5. Grill with the grill cover closed until the salmon is opaque but still juicy, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the salmon from the plank in one piece, leaving the skin on the plank.

Sugar Snap Peas
59 calories per serving

• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• kosher salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Spread sugar snap peas in a single layer on a medium baking sheet, and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with shallots, thyme, and kosher salt.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender but firm.

Citrus Carrots and Brussels Sprouts

• 1 pound fresh brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 pound fresh baby carrots
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 drops hot pepper sauce (optional)
  

1. Place brussels sprouts and carrots in a large saucepan with a small amount of water; cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients. Drain vegetables; add butter mixture and toss to coat.

Vegetable Grill Out Night: Zippy Corn on the Cob, Hearty Grilled Vegetables, Broiled Tomatoes

With summer comes the vegetable garden. The squash, zucchini and tomatoes are starting to yield in our garden and this is the first meal where we've been able to incorporate them into dinner this summer. Expect more recipes involving these veggies since they tend to grow at a faster pace than growers can use them! Not only that, we have been trying more and more to have a vegetable-only night at least once a week. We do not always succeed at that, but we do try.

To gain the full nutritional value of squash, including zucchini, the skins must remain on. Squash is high in carotene, as well as many other nutrients (like magnesium, potassium, folate, and fiber) needed for heart health. Many nutrients found in all squash varieties help to protect against certain cancers (lung and colon, for instance).

Corn also has a healthy dose of magnesium and folic acid, as well as being rich in fiber and B vitamins. It also aids with heart health, as well as management of diabetes, hypertension and kidney function.

And tomatoes. We've addressed the many benefits of tomatoes before. All in all, vegetables are some of the most nutritious foods one can eat. We all knew that, of course, and it doesn't have to be a chore to get in your recommended intake of daily vegetables to increase your nutritional benefit. Good recipes are all it takes to make eating your vegetables a tasty necessity.

You can grill these vegetables, or cook them in the oven. I opted for the latter, only because it was cleaner that way. But you choose!

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Zippy Corn on the Cob

• 4 medium ears of sweet corn
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place ears of corn, husked and silks removed, on a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, combine ingredients and mix well. Brush or pour equally over corn, covering all sides. Fold foil around corn and seal tightly. Grill, over medium heat, about 25 minutes, turning once. (or you can bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes)


Hearty Grilled Vegetables

• 12 small red new potatoes, halved
• 1 medium sweet potato, cut into chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
• 3/4 lb fresh mushrooms
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 medium green pepper, seeded and cut into strips
• 1 small zucchini, cut into chunks
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into chunks
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)

Place all ingredients except butter and cheese in large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil, or divided up into smaller pieces of aluminum foil. Drizzle butter over top, and sprinkle cheese on top. Fold foil up and seal. Grill for 20 minutes each side over medium heat. Or, place foil packet in baking dish and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Serve with brown rice


Broiled Tomatoes

• 2 large tomatoes, cut in half
• Parmesan
• oregano
• olive oil

Place tomatoes cut side up on broiler pan. Sprinkle with parmesan and oregano and drizzle with olive oil. Broil for 3-4 minutes, until tomato softens.

Gluten Free: Smothered Pork Chops, Broccoli w/Cheese Sauce, Crispy Baked Smashed Potatoes & Baked Acorn Squash with Candied Nut Stuffing

There has been an increase in Celiac diagnoses in recent years, mainly due to more awareness of the disease and a better understanding of it. With this has come more and more options for Celiac patients, and anyone else who has a gluten and/or wheat sensitivity. I have a child with Autism, and we tried the gluten free diet for him a few years ago, but since it didn't make much difference we gave it up. Some children with Autism have been suspected of having food allergies that contribute to the severity of their symptoms, thus why some parents of Autistic kids utilize a gluten free (and often casein free) diet for their child.

D has a grown daughter who was diagnosed with Celiac Disease as a toddler. This was back when Celiac was believed to be a very rare disorder and little was known about it. Since her diagnosis (she is now 27), much has been learned about this once-rare disorder and it has been determined that it is not very rare at all. As a matter of fact, according to Dr. Fasano who is the medical director of the Center for Celiac Research, it is "the most prevalent genetically transmitted disease in the world". Wow!!

We read labels and sometimes cook gluten free meals. My stepdaughter has made us meals as well and I am amazed at how tasty much of it actually is. So much is naturally gluten free in the natural food world!! Eating gluten free does not have to be a chore in denial of good foods!

As my own young daughter struggles with belly issues, we have decided to try a gluten free diet with her this summer to see if that helps her.

So, our gluten free dinner tonight is:

Smothered Pork Chops
Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
Crispy Baked Smashed Potatoes
Baked Acorn Squash with Candied Nut Stuffing

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Smothered Pork Chops
4 servings












Ingredients

• 4 boneless pork chops, 4 oz each
• 1/2 cup pure cornstarch + 2 tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup gluten-free low sodium chicken broth (Swanson's Natural Goodness)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Put 1/2 cup cornstarch in a shallow bowl and add onion powder, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk with fork to combine ingredients. Dip pork chops in the cornstarch mixture.

In large skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Place pork chops in skillet with plenty of room. Fry 9-10 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Remove chops and place on a plate and keep warm. Add all but 1/4 cup of broth to skillet and cook until liquid is slightly reduced.

In separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken broth until well blended. Add this mixture to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until thickening starts. Reduce heat and add buttermilk.

Return pork to skillet and spoon gravy over them. Cover and simmer for about 4-5 minutes or until pork is thoroughly cooked.

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

• 1 1/4 cups of half and half
• 1 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 lbs fresh broccoli florets

In medium saucepan, whisk 1/4 cup half and half with cornstarch over medium heat until it gets smooth. Add the remaining half and half with garlic and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened.

Remove pan from heat and add cheese, stirring until it melts. Add cayenne, then lemon juice and keep warm.

Steam broccoli in steamer, or cook in boiling water until tender. Serve immediately with sauce drizzled over broccoli.

Crispy Baked Smashed Potatoes

• 1 lbs small red potatoes
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 cup warm buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes and boil them until they are tender. (Test with a fork). When draining potatoes, reserve about 1/4 cup of the water. Mash with a manual masher or fork to a coarse texture with the buttermilk and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and use reserved water if necessary.

Heat olive oil in oven-tolerant skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium heat. Add smashed potatoes when oil is hot. Cook until bottom starts to brown, then transfer (pan and all) to oven.

Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove with care (and oven mitts!!) and overturn skillet onto a plate, then cut the potatoes into wedges. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve!

Dessert!!

Baked Acorn Squash with Candied Nut Stuffing

• 2 small acorn squash, about 1 lb each
• cooking spray
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter spread
• 1 cup finely chopped almonds or walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate

Preheat oven to 350

Cut squash in half and scrape out seeds. Set the squash halves on baking sheet cut side up. Coat with cooking spray and cover tightly with foil, baking 25-30 minutes.

In medium bowl combine butter, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange jucie concentrate. Remove foil from squash and fill centers of each acorn with the "stuffing".

Return to oven and bake uncovered another 15 minutes, until stuffing is lightly browned. Serve hot.

Dijon Crusted Chicken, Southwest Corn and Tomatoes, and Green Beans in Creamy Dill Sauce

It's been awhile since I updated, I know! In the meantime, there have been several recipes I have tried with good results for everyone! This one in particular was a hit with the kids. I was also quite surprised at how well it turned out. If you are trying to eat light, yet get a hankering for Fried Chicken, this chicken recipe will hit the spot without the guilt.

So, okay, yes yes it involved frying a bit. That's not always a bad thing. Deep frying is bad, yes. But some oils have good fat in them. I have a hard time believing it, you know. That certain kinds of fat actually help your body stay thin. But it is true. Our body needs fat to be healthy and then trick is picking the right kinds ---- and not eating fat overall in excess.

The original recipe calls for olive oil but it has a high temperature tolerance. So I use canola. It's almost as good as olive oil health wise, and some say it's better.

As for the green beans: I am not a fan of dill. But, my husband liked it a lot and I didn't think it was half bad, despite my aversion to dill.

Dinner Tonight is:

Dijon Crusted Chicken
Southwest Corn and Tomatoes
Green Beans in Creamy Dill Sauce

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Dijon Crusted Chicken
serves 4
(1 chicken breast half = 169 calories, 5 grams fat, 380 mg sodium)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tspns Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tspn dried thyme
• 1/4 tspn pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves (4 oz each) (I use tenders)
• 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tspns olive oil (or canola)
• 1 tspn margarine

Place first 5 ingredients in shallow bowl and mix together. Brush chicken with mustard; roll in crumb mixture.

In large skillet, cook chicken in oil and margarine over medium heat 5-6 minutes each side.


Southwest Corn and Tomatoes
(6 servings)

This dish is gluten free!!

(2/3 cup = 130 calories, 5 grams fat, 205 mg sodium)




Ingredients

• 1 pkg (16 oz) frozen sweet corn, thawed
• 5 plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1/2 tspn kosher salt

In large bowl, combine the corn, tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, and garlic. Drizzle with oil; toss to coat. Transfer to a baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring twice. Spoon into a bowl. Stir in cilantro and salt. Serve warm.


Green Beans in Creamy Dill Sauce
(5 servings)
2/3 cup with 5 teaspoons sauce = 59 calories, 2 grams fat, 283 mg sodium


Ingredients

• 1 pkg (15 oz) frozen cut green beans
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter
• 1 1/2 teaspooons flour
• 1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon dill weed
• dash pepper
• 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

Cook beans according to package directions.

Meanwhile in skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth.

Stir in vinegar, salt, dill, and pepper. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Reduce heat. Stir in sour cream; heat thoroughly but do not boil. Drain beans and serve with sauce.

Gluten Free: Salad, Honey Baked Chicken, Squash Medley, Roasted Brussel Sprouts,

Meal time again!

I am always looking for a new way to make chicken. The thing is, while limiting our red meat and pork and focusing on leaner meats, chicken tends to be the main part of our meal. Occasionally I will cook something like fish, but not often. I do not like seafood and hate the way it smells the house up!

Besides, most of the chicken type of meals, my kids will eat! (Oh, by the way, I tested that Spinach Casserole recipe out on my kids, and my autistic son, who hates nearly all things good for him, ate it and actually liked it!!! Talk about shocked!! He was reticent, of course, but I insisted that he must take a small bite. He took a nibble, his eyebrows went up, and he gobbled up what was left on his fork. As he ate, he told his sister, "It only looks disgusting but it tastes good." If you have picky eaters, give that recipe a go!)

Anyway, back to this meal. I am often in a rush if I haven't pre-planned how to cook my chicken. So, I found this recipe that required ingredients that I had in the house. It was really good! An interesting taste, but a very good one! I will make it again.

So, enjoy the dinner if you try it! It really is good!

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Salad

• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 5oz package of mixed salad greens
• 6 cups of torn romaine
• 1 11-oz can of mandarin oranges
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Dressing

• 3 Tablespoons canola oil
• 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/8 tspn salt

1. In small, heavy skillet, cook and stir sugar over medium heat until melted. Stir in almonds, cook for 1 minute until lightly browned. Spread onto foil coated with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, romaine, oranges, celery, and onions.
3. Tn small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Drizzle over salad. Add almonds and toss to coat. Serve immediately

Nutritional information: Serving size is 1 1/4 cups. Contains 125 calories, 8 g fat, 85 mg of sodium


Honey Baked Chicken

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/8 cup prepared mustard (French's Mustard is gluten-free)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place chicken pieces in a shallow baking pan, skin side up. Combine the melted butter or margarine, honey, mustard, salt and curry powder and pour the mixture over the chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/4 hours (75 minutes), basting every 15 minutes with pan drippings, until the chicken is nicely browned and tender and the juices run clear.

Makes 6 servings

Nutritional Information: 325 calories, 13 grams of fat



Squash Medley

• 6 cups summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 6 cups zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 tspn. garlic powder, divided
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2/3 cup pure cornmeal (NOT a cornmeal blend)
  
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 T. freshly chopped parsley
• 1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1. Place the summer squash slices in a steamer basket and steam for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
   
2. Transfer the slices to a plate and set aside. Place the zucchini slices in the steamer basket and steam for 2-3 minutes or until tender.
3. Lightly oil a large casserole dish. Alternately layer the summer squash and zucchini in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 t. garlic powder and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. In a small bowl, place the remaining garlic powder and remaining ingredients, and stir well to combine. Sprinkle the mixture over the vegetables and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Serves 6

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.
3. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Calories per serving: 104 calories, 7.3 grams fat

Vegetable Night! Winter Fruit Salad, Baked Potato, Spinach Casserole, Honey Ginger Carrots,

Folks, it's been very cold here the last few days. I've been making a lot of soups! Yesterday I made Cream of Pea Soup, for my husband to take to work the next day, while also cooking this dinner. I'll not include the recipe at this time, as I believe the last few entries have been soup recipes!! So goes it with the cold! I don't eat peas, but I did give him a sample of the soup last night while it was piping hot, and he did eat it for lunch today, and he claims it hits the spot. So, I will include that in an entry soon.

Last night we had vegetable night. I try to incorporate veggie night in at least once a week. I am not always successful, but it's becoming easier to do with all the different vegetable recipes that I have been able to find and experiment with. My husband is my guinea pig; my kids, not so much! However, I read reviews for this spinach casserole and saw where tons of people claimed that their kids loved it and asked for more. There's hope!! Kids asking for spinach. I shall try it myself soon and see if it works on my picky eaters. It really was very, very good.

For the baked potato, there's nothing to it, really. Pick out the number of baking potatoes that you need to feed your crew. Scrub them and cut a big X across the top, deeply. Rub with oil, wrap in aluminum foil individually and bake at 425 degrees for an hour, or more, depending on the size of the potatoes. If they're especially large, up the degrees to 450 and cook about an hour and a half. Fix them as you please. I like to use a smidgen of butter and low fat sour cream. D eats his plain.

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Winter Fruit Salad

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons diced onion
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 apple - peeled, cored and diced
• 1 pear - peeled, cored and sliced

1. In a blender or food processor, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard, and salt. Process until well blended. With machine still running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until mixture is thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds, and process just a few seconds more to mix.
2. In a large serving bowl, toss together the romaine lettuce, shredded Swiss cheese, cashews, dried cranberries, apple, and pear. Pour dressing over salad just before serving, and toss to coat.

Honey Ginger Carrots
(this dish is gluten free!!)

• 1 lbs baby carrots
  
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
  
• 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 pinch ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain.
2. In a large skillet over low heat, melt butter with honey. Stir in ground ginger and lemon juice. Stir in carrots and simmer until heated through.

Spinach Casserole

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
• 3tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 5-7 Ritz crackers, crumbled finely

1. In a saucepan, cook spinach in a small amount of water for 2-3 minutes; drain thoroughly. Add pepper, cheese, eggs and milk and stir together. Spoon into a shallow baking dish, about 1 qt. Sprinkle finely crumbled ritz crackers over spinach mixture. Drizzle melted butter over top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until almost set.

(This is a dish that is even tastier cold!)

Spinach Salad, Pineapple Pork Chops, Sweet Red Cabbage, Baked Yellow Squash & Bread Pudding in Bourbon Sauce

Yum Yum for this meal, I must say! I love trying new recipes and this one did not disappoint me.

Of course, I live with a man who will eat just about anything, and kids who eat just about nothing. Ha ha, so maybe that's not entirely true. The kids eat some things, but experimenting is out when they are around. My daughter might have eaten a good portion of this meal, so maybe we will try again at anoth

er time with the kids around.

I love salads made of spinach. Fresh spinach makes such wonderful salads, particularly baby spinach. Spinach is also very, very good for us too. It is high in calcium. It is also high in Vitamins A and C, as well as magnesium and folic acid. The flavonoids i

n spinach help protect our memory, and the luteins in spinach are believed to guard against cancer, cataracts, macular degeneration and a world of other ailments. Yes, spinach is certainly good for us!

Pineapple is a natural complement to pork, and adds a bit of sweetness. It also aids you in getting in a fruit serving! Red cabbage, too, has many health benefits. It's high in Vitamin A, C, E and B. Cabbage has actually been shown to boost the immune system's ability t0 produce more antibodies. It also contains compounds shown to stave off certain cancers. And recently, studies have shown that red vegetables, like red cabbage and beets, have the ability to treat ulcers with quite a bit of success. There was a good reason why Mother said to eat your vegetables!!!

Everything in this post is gluten free, with the exception of the Bread Pudding, obviously!!!

Be healthy!

Dinner is

Wilted Spinach Salad

Pineapple Pork Chops

Sweet Red Cabbage

Baked Yellow Squash

Bread Pudding in Bourbon Sauce

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Wilted Spinach Salad

• 1 lbs baby spinach (washed, dried, crisped)
• 2 hard cooked eggs (coarsely chopped)
• 1/2 cup water chestnuts (thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lite soy sauce (walmart brand is gluten free)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked peppercorns

Cook olive oil and garlic over medium heat in saucepan for 2 minutes

Add soy sauces, water chestnuts and peppercorns. Cook for 1 minute, tossing lightly. Blend in lemon juice. Add spinach and toss.

Transfer to salad bowl and garnish with chopped egg.

Pineapple Pork Chops

• 4 center cut pork chops
• 2 tablespoon acceptable vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 small can pineapple slices (save the juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Trim fat from chops. Heat oil in skillet then brown the chops on both sides. Season with kosher salt (optional) and pepper.

Add enough water to the pineapple juice to make 1 cup. Add this and cloves to pan with chops. Bring to boil, then turn down heat to simmer.

Simmer covered for one hour.

Add pineapple, and simmer until heated thoroughly. Remove from skillet and place on serving platter.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with a little water then add to skillet. Whisk until thickened, making gravy. Pour gravy over chops and serve.

Sweet Red Cabbage

• 1 lb cooked red cabbage, shredded
• 1 small apple, grated
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/4 lb bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup peach juice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 2 cloves
• 1 tablespoon raw white potato, finely grated

Fry the chopped bacon until slightly browned. Add onion and apple. Cook 5 minutes. Add the rest of ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.

Baked Yellow Squash

• 4 yellow squash
• 1 stick of butter, or butter substitute
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (use a food processor)
• 2 tablespoons parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan (optional)

Boil whole, un-peeled squash for about 15 minutes.

Drain, cut off stem and cut in half lengthwise. Place in baking dish cut side up. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Cut butter into small pieces and sprinkle over top of squash. Sprinkle with onion, parsley and Parmesan.

Bake in preheated oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes.

Bread Pudding in Bourbon Sauce

This is NOT kid friendly. Definitely a grown up treat. However, I will include an alternate sauce for your bread pudding if you wanna treat your kids to some as well.

Grown Up Bourbon Sauce:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup bourbon whisky

Bread Pudding:

• 1 loaf french bread, cut into 1 inch squares
• 1 qt milk
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablspoon vanilla
• 1 cup raisins (soaked in 1/4 cup bourbon)
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a saucepan, melt butter; add sugar and egg, whisking to blend well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. (Do not allow to simmer, or it may curdle.) Whisk in bourbon to taste. Remove from heat. Whisk before serving. The sauce should be soft, creamy, and smooth.

Bread Pudding:

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.

2 Soak the bread in milk in a large mixing bowl. Press with hands until well mixed and all the milk is absorbed. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and spices together. Gently stir into the bread mixture. Gently stir the raisins into the mixture.

3 Pour butter into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Coat the bottom and the sides of the pan well with the butter. Pour in the bread mix and bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes, until set. The pudding is done when the edges start getting a bit brown and pull away from the edge of the pan. Can also make in individual ramekins.

Serve with bourbon whiskey sauce on the side; pour on to taste. Best fresh and eaten the day it is made. Makes 8-10 servings.

Kid Bread Pudding Sauce

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cook over medium heat in saucepan until thickened. Can be served hot or cold.

Gluten Free: Brown Sugar and Dill Cured Salmon, Baby Carrotswith Dill Maple Syrup, and Sherried Green Beans with Mushrooms

This is another one of those "sans kids" recipes. I love family dinners, I do. Despite some of the activity and chaos that children sometimes bring to the table, it has such a wholesome feel to it that I like. But quite dinners alone are also nice and allow us a bit of "adult time".

This is also gluten free, if that interests you.

If you are going to make the salmon in this recipe, it needs to refrigerate for at least 8 hours before cooking. Keep that in mind.

So, on the menu is:

Slow Roasted Brown Sugar and Dill Cured Salmon
Baby Carrots with Dill Maple Syrup
Sherried Green Beans and Mushrooms
Candied Clementines

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Slow Roasted Brown Sugar and Dill Cured Salmon
*slow roasting the cured fish gives it a velvety, silken texture

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped, fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons of kosher salt
• 1 (3-lb) salmon fillet
• cooking spray
• 1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard (Heinz is gluten free)
  

Combine 1st 3 ingredients in bowl. Place fish, skin side down, in a 13x9 inch baking dish. Rub sugar mixture over fish. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Wipe remaining sugar mixture from fish with a paper towel. Coat a jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Place fish, skin side down, in pan. Bake at 175 for one hour and 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.

Combine mayo and mustard; stir well. Serve mayo mixture with fish.

Serves 8.

Baby Carrots with Dill-Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

• 2-lb baby carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 4 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed (or 4 teaspoons of dried)
• Dash of white pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine baby carrots and salt with enough water to cover over high heat. Bring to boil and simmer, covered for 8-10 minutes or until carrots are barely tender. Drain.

Toss carrots with maple syrup, dill weed, and white pepper.

Makes 8 servings.

Sherried Green Beans with Mushrooms

• 1 1/2 lbs of fresh green beans, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons of butter, divided
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 3/4 lbs fresh mushroom blend, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped, fresh thyme (3/4 teaspoon, dried thyme)
• 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Steam green beans 5 minutes or until crisp tender; remove from heat.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots to pan and saute 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, saute 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sherry; bring to boil. Cook until liquid almost evaporates. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and green beans; cook 30 seconds or until thoroughly heated, tossing to coat. Remove from heat. Add parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Makes 8 servings.



Candied Clementines

• 8 whole clementines, peeled
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, such as triple sec or orange juice
• fresh mint for garnish

Arrange clementines in 13x9 baking dish (preferably glass), pulling the tops of each clementine slightly apart without detaching the bottoms (like opening petals on a flower)

In medium saucepan, combine sugar, water and lemon juice over medium heat. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring constantly until mixture is clear. Remove from heat and stir in orange liqueur. Cool 15 minutes, or until syrup is lukewarm.

Pour syrup over clementines, making sure they are well coated. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving. Place in a small bowl or goblet and drizzle syrup over it.

12 servings.

Herb-Roasted Beef and Potatoes with Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts

Some days, I have more time to prepare a nice meal that my husband and I can eat alone. This means that I can get a bit more creative without the picky kids around, and we can have a somewhat nice time to reconnect over food that we would not normally eat. It's certainly an effort sometimes, but worth it!

Ok, so I have to admit that I do not much like Brussels Sprouts. My mother loves them, but I just can not really wrap myself around their flavor.

However, for diversity I do cook some things I do not like. Take peas, for instance. You will rarely see pea recipes on this blog because I absolutely abhor peas. My husband, on the other hand, finds them heavenly. They are one of his favorite foods. So, while I do not go out of my way to fancy up these tiny offenders of my gag reflex, I will on occasion cook frozen baby peas for my husband because that's the kind of thing you do for people that you love (besides having dinner waiting for them when they get home from work). It can be a lot of work, for sure, but on days that the kids are not here, I actually have time to spend on chopping and preparing a nice meal.

This recipe calls for beef shoulder roast, but if you can not find it, you can substitute beef or pork tenderloin just as well.

To save time, you can also use packaged refrigerated potato wedges, which will cook much more quickly than fresh tubulars would take.

Dinner Tonight is

Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing Herb
Roasted Beef
Potatoes
Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts
German Chocolate Mousse
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Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing
4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 medium beets, red and golden
• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups torn Boston lettuce
• 1 cups trimmed watercress
• 1 cups torn radicchio
• 1 ounces of crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Leave root and 1 inch stem on beets; scrub with brush. Place beets on foil lined jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat the beets with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until tender. Cool beets slightly. Trim roots and stem; rub off skins. Cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges.

Bring juice and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan; cook ten minutes or until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Pour in a medium bowl and cool slightly. Add shallots, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Whisk. Gradually add oil and whisk.

Combine lettuce, watercress, and radicchio. Sprinkle lettuce mixture with remaining salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Arrange about 1 cup of lettuce mixture on 4 salad plates. Divide beets evenly among salads, and drizzle dressing on each salad. Sprinkle each salad with about 1 tablespoon of cheese.

Nutritional information: 127 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 253 mg of sodium.

Herb Roasted Beef and Potatoes
yield 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons chopped thyme, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (8 oz) beef shoulder tenderloin (also called petite tender), trimmed
• cooking spray
• 1 (20 oz) package refrigerated potato wedges (like Simply Potatoes)

Preheat broiler

Combine 1 tablespoon of thyme, rosemary, parsley, 1 tablespoon of oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic; rub evenly over both sides of beef. Place beef on rack of broiler pan coated with cooking spray; place rack on pan.

Combine potatoes, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper; Toss. Arrange potato mixture on pan around beef. Broil 7 minutes. turn beef over. Broil 7 more minutes, or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from oven. Place beef on cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Stir potatoes and sprinkle with remaining thyme. Cut beef across the grain into thin slices and serve with potatoes.

Nutritional information for 3 oz beef and 3/4 cup potatoes: 318 calories, 14 grams fat, 788 mg sodium

Browned Butter Brussels Sprouts

• 1 lb trimmed, halved brussels sprouts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Steam brussels sprouts 5 minutes, or until crisp tender. Drain well.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; cook until butter browns. Add Brussels sprouts. Cook 6 minutes, or until tender, stirring frequently.

Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper.

German Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup 1% low fat milk
• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 oz dark chocolate chips
• 4 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1/4 cup flaked sweet coconut, toasted
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Combine 1st three ingredients in a heavy saucepan; let stand 2 minutes. Cook over medium high heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge, but do not boil.

Remove from heat and add chocolate. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until chocolate melts.

Pour chocolate mixture into a medium bowl; cover and chill 30 minutes until set. Gently fold in whipped topping. Spoon 2/3 cup of mousse into dessert bowls. Cover and chill 2 hours. Top each with 1 1/2 teaspoons of coconut and 1 1/2 teaspoons pecans.

Makes 8 servings.

Chicken with Homemade BBQ Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Corn and Candied Cranberries in Brandy

Dinner at the table......as I have said a million times, we make great effort for us all to eat at the same time. I believe it's good for kids, so when they are here, D strives to get home from work at a decent hour to make that possible for us to do.

Being how we have been trying to limit our red meats and eat more lean meats, or no meat at all, that usually means that we have to get creative in cooking. I mean, really....just how many ways can you cook chicken?? Besides that, we've virtually cut out table salt from our cooking, and high sodium canned goods. This means more time in preparation with fresh food, but all in all I like it a lot and am quite proud of being able to make something tasty that is also fairly healthy as well as help my husband control his high blood pressure.

Tonight, however, we have the kiddos and that means that I must cook at least some of the old favorites, which tend to be the same ol', same ol'. (The other evening, however, we ate a completely gluten-free meal cooked by D's daughter who has Celiac and it was a refreshing change from the same old meal....but that is to be shared later!) As a matter of fact, I do believe this entire meal is naturally gluten-free as well.

I was out of commercial BBQ sauce, which I usually use when I cook BBQ chicken for the kids. I also had a bag of fresh cranberries that I bought for some purpose that I can't now recall, and I have yet to go grocery shopping for this pay period. That means I must make do with what we have around, and it must be palatable to my picky eaters as well!! We have little prepared food, which means i had to have ingredients to cook!

Potatoes and corn.....a given. I will not include the recipe for the corn, as it was just cooked according to package directions. The mashed potatoes I mix with whipping cream and butter for extra creaminess. Yes, yes I know......it's higher in fat than is ideal, although for 5 lbs of potatoes I only use 1/2 stick of butter and about 1/2 cup of whipping cream. That's the one splurge I continue to make. Mashed potatoes. I've tried various ways to cook them without the butter, and with skim milk, etc etc. Creamy Mashed Potatoes are Manna, is all I can say. The recipe is healthier than most, with very limited salt and butter, and still tastes pretty good......so that's my compromise!

I decided to make my own BBQ sauce tonight, and it was surprisingly simple. My 6 yr old even helped mix the ingredients. The cranberries...well, what can you say? It's not really an everyday staple for most, but I adore fresh cranberries. the kids won't eat them, thus it will be an adult treat. Cranberries are so healthy. They have tons more antioxidants than blueberries, which is known for its high levels of antioxidants. These are cancer fighting foods, folks. Certain antioxidants in cranberries, called proanthocyanidins, also help to hinder certain bad bacteria in the body! Good things, cranberries. Add some sugar and it's all good.

Trivia Fact: The freshest cranberries bounce. After I learned this little fact, I did indeed test it out with my own cranberries. I will tell you that they were quite fresh indeed. :)

Dinner Tonight is

Chicken with Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Corn
Candied Cranberries in Brandy Sauce
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Chicken in Homemade BBQ Sauce

• 4 chicken breasts, or 12 chicken tenderloins

Sauce

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place chicken in a shallow baking dish and place in oven.

Mix sauce ingredients and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. After chicken has cooked for 1/2 hour, remove and drain juices. Add BBQ sauce and cook, covered, for another 30 minutes.

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

• 5-lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 stick of margarine
• salt/pepper to taste if you desire
  

Boil mashed potatoes in large pot until tender. Drain. Add potatoes back to pot and put back on burner for about 30 seconds. Take off burner and add margarine and whipping cream. Beat on high speed with mixer until mashed and fluffy. Add more whipping cream while mixing, a little at a time, if needed.



Candied Cranberries in Brandy Sauce

• 1 lb fresh cranberries
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup of brandy

Heat oven to 350. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Rinse cranberries and place in baking dish. Sprinkle with the sugar and cover tightly. Cook for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and let cool. Stir in brandy and sprinkle with additional sugar. Let dry and serve.