The Banana and Cream Oatmeal Bread didn't use every last blackened banana in my fridge. It's warm, it's Memorial Day -- time for a frosty treat.
Banana Smoothie
1 banana
1/2 c fat free vanilla yogurt
1/2 c skim milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tbs honey (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 to 1 1/2 cups ice
1. Place banana, yogurt, milk, cinnamon, and honey in blender. Blend on liquefy until mixture is smooth.
2. Add ice cubes a few at a time, continuing to blend, until ice is broken up and smoothie is desired consistency.
3. Pour into chilled glasses.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Simply Quick: Cheesy Salsa Chicken and Rice
Wednesday nights are dance nights in my house. I rush from work directly to the studio with Dancing Queen wrestling into tights and a leotard in the backseat. She dances for two hours, and by the time we get home, we need something quick, fast, and simple for dinner.
Due to the fear of becoming McD's best Wednesday night customers ever, I've had to devise a list of Wednesday Night Meals. We have this one when we're feeling a teensy bit Spanish. Ole!
Cheesy Salsa Chicken and Rice
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 jars of your favorite salsa
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper (optional)
1 tsp (or cube) beef bouillon
4 c water
2 c uncooked long grain rice
8 oz reduced fat Mexican cheese blend, shredded
1. Place chicken in 13X9X2 inch baking dish. Pour salsa over chicken. Cover tightly. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together water, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper, red pepper, and beef bouillon.
3. Remove chicken from oven and uncover. Pour in rice. Pour spiced water over chicken, salsa, and rice. Stir carefully to mix salsa into water.
4. Cover pan again. Bake an additional 25-35 minutes, until rice absorbs all water. Uncover. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
5. Makes 6 servings: half a chicken breast and 1 cup of rice.
Due to the fear of becoming McD's best Wednesday night customers ever, I've had to devise a list of Wednesday Night Meals. We have this one when we're feeling a teensy bit Spanish. Ole!
Cheesy Salsa Chicken and Rice
3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 jars of your favorite salsa
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper (optional)
1 tsp (or cube) beef bouillon
4 c water
2 c uncooked long grain rice
8 oz reduced fat Mexican cheese blend, shredded
1. Place chicken in 13X9X2 inch baking dish. Pour salsa over chicken. Cover tightly. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together water, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper, red pepper, and beef bouillon.
3. Remove chicken from oven and uncover. Pour in rice. Pour spiced water over chicken, salsa, and rice. Stir carefully to mix salsa into water.
4. Cover pan again. Bake an additional 25-35 minutes, until rice absorbs all water. Uncover. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
5. Makes 6 servings: half a chicken breast and 1 cup of rice.
Crockpot Magic: Beer BBQ Country Ribs
I love ribs. I hate grilling. I love slow cooking. This recipe accommodates all of that love and hate!
There's nothing better than slow cooked ribs smothered in this tangy sauce served over a bed of rice. Stick to your ribs home comfort cooking!
Beer BBQ Country Ribs
3-4 lbs country style pork ribs
1/4 c spicy brown mustard
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c honey
1/4 c packed brown sugar
2 bottles of your favorite BBQ sauce (I use Jack Daniels)
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz beer (I use Corona -- anything with a strong, smooth taste will work)
6-8 cups prepared rice
1. In bottom of 6 qt crock pot whisk together mustard, soy sauce, honey, and brown sugar. Add onions, garlic, and black pepper. Add BBQ sauce.
2. Add beer, whisking until smooth.
3. Place meat in crockpot, turning with tongs to coat with sauce. Cook on high 4-5 hours.
4. Serve ribs with sauce over prepared rice.
There's nothing better than slow cooked ribs smothered in this tangy sauce served over a bed of rice. Stick to your ribs home comfort cooking!
Beer BBQ Country Ribs
3-4 lbs country style pork ribs
1/4 c spicy brown mustard
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c honey
1/4 c packed brown sugar
2 bottles of your favorite BBQ sauce (I use Jack Daniels)
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper
8 oz beer (I use Corona -- anything with a strong, smooth taste will work)
6-8 cups prepared rice
1. In bottom of 6 qt crock pot whisk together mustard, soy sauce, honey, and brown sugar. Add onions, garlic, and black pepper. Add BBQ sauce.
2. Add beer, whisking until smooth.
3. Place meat in crockpot, turning with tongs to coat with sauce. Cook on high 4-5 hours.
4. Serve ribs with sauce over prepared rice.
Bananas and Cream Oatmeal Bread
It never fails. I'm in the grocery store and Little Buddy begs for bananas. "Mommy I loooooove bananas please please please I promise I'll eat them I need bananas banana are my life oh pllllleeeeeeeeease." I buy them. She forgets about them. I'm left with a bunch of black gooey things decaying in my refrigerator.
What to do? Make bread of course! As a rule, banana bread doesn't go over too well around here. Gamer Boy sniffs it and walks away, Dancing Queen turns up her nose and delcares it "icky," and Little Buddy only eats it when it's hot from the oven. That leaves Darling Boyfriend and me to eat the whole darn loaf.
Somehow, though -- when I set this moist, oatmeal laced bread down on my table, I come back to find my brood arguing over who gets to lick the crumbs from the plate. This stuff tastes like Quaker bananas and cream oatmeal!
Bananas and Cream Oatmeal Bread
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 c rolled oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 bananas, pureed
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c skim milk
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbs powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbs milk
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9 inch square pan with cooking spray.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and oil. Add pureed bananas. Stir in cinnamon and vanilla extract. Add all at once to dry ingredients and stir until combined.
4. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove from oven.
5. In small bowl combine powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Pour over hot bread and spread with back of spoon or butter knife.
6. Allow bread to cool 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan. Allow to cool an additional 20 or more minutes before serving. Store wrapped in foil or plastic.
VARIATIONS: substitute 1 c strawberry, peach, blueberry, apple, or other fruit puree for the bananas.
What to do? Make bread of course! As a rule, banana bread doesn't go over too well around here. Gamer Boy sniffs it and walks away, Dancing Queen turns up her nose and delcares it "icky," and Little Buddy only eats it when it's hot from the oven. That leaves Darling Boyfriend and me to eat the whole darn loaf.
Somehow, though -- when I set this moist, oatmeal laced bread down on my table, I come back to find my brood arguing over who gets to lick the crumbs from the plate. This stuff tastes like Quaker bananas and cream oatmeal!
Bananas and Cream Oatmeal Bread
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 c rolled oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 bananas, pureed
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c skim milk
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbs powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbs milk
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9 inch square pan with cooking spray.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and oil. Add pureed bananas. Stir in cinnamon and vanilla extract. Add all at once to dry ingredients and stir until combined.
4. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove from oven.
5. In small bowl combine powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Pour over hot bread and spread with back of spoon or butter knife.
6. Allow bread to cool 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan. Allow to cool an additional 20 or more minutes before serving. Store wrapped in foil or plastic.
VARIATIONS: substitute 1 c strawberry, peach, blueberry, apple, or other fruit puree for the bananas.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Easy Elegance: Honey Garlic Chicken and Oniony Roast Potatoes
Every woman needs an arsenal of recipes good enough to serve to other people...you know, the ones that raise her up to the level of Martha Stewart Homemaking Master.
My chicken recipe is just that: deliciously impressive, but deceptively simple. Nothing make a crowd gasp with delight more than the sight of golden-brown chicken served on a bed of crisp herbed potatoes. They'll never guess you sat at the table downing a caramel macchiato while it all practically cooked itself.
Honey Garlic Chicken and Oniony Roast Potatoes
2.5-3 lbs meaty chicken pieces (leg quarters, thighs, drumsticks, breasts -- doesn't matter)
2 egg whites
1 tbs honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 c dry white wine (or if you're feeding kiddos, water works, too)
4-5 lbs potatoes, skin on, cut into bite-sized pieces (red, russet, white, yukon -- doesn't matter)
1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
1 tsp Rosemary
1 tsp paprika
black pepper
2 tbs olive oil
1. Arrange chicken in roasting pan. In bowl whisk together egg whites, honey, garlic, pepper, and wine or water. Use pastry brush to baste chicken with 1/3 of egg white mixture. Cover pan (if you don't have a cover, tent with aluminum foil).
2. Arrange potatoes on baking sheet or in baking pan. Top with onions, sprinkle with Rosemary, paprika, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil; stir to coat.
3. Bake, together, at 375 degrees. Every 20 minutes, baste chicken with egg white mixture and stir potatoes. If chicken is not quite done through at the one hour mark, baste with pan drippings every 15 minutes.
4. When chicken is done, remove from oven. Let stand, covered. Increase oven to 425. Bake potatoes an additional 15-20 minutes, until they pierce easily with fork and are slightly crisp.
5. Arrange potatoes on large platter. Top with chicken. If desired, garnish platter with parsley sprigs or lemon wedges.
My chicken recipe is just that: deliciously impressive, but deceptively simple. Nothing make a crowd gasp with delight more than the sight of golden-brown chicken served on a bed of crisp herbed potatoes. They'll never guess you sat at the table downing a caramel macchiato while it all practically cooked itself.
Honey Garlic Chicken and Oniony Roast Potatoes
2.5-3 lbs meaty chicken pieces (leg quarters, thighs, drumsticks, breasts -- doesn't matter)
2 egg whites
1 tbs honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 c dry white wine (or if you're feeding kiddos, water works, too)
4-5 lbs potatoes, skin on, cut into bite-sized pieces (red, russet, white, yukon -- doesn't matter)
1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
1 tsp Rosemary
1 tsp paprika
black pepper
2 tbs olive oil
1. Arrange chicken in roasting pan. In bowl whisk together egg whites, honey, garlic, pepper, and wine or water. Use pastry brush to baste chicken with 1/3 of egg white mixture. Cover pan (if you don't have a cover, tent with aluminum foil).
2. Arrange potatoes on baking sheet or in baking pan. Top with onions, sprinkle with Rosemary, paprika, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil; stir to coat.
3. Bake, together, at 375 degrees. Every 20 minutes, baste chicken with egg white mixture and stir potatoes. If chicken is not quite done through at the one hour mark, baste with pan drippings every 15 minutes.
4. When chicken is done, remove from oven. Let stand, covered. Increase oven to 425. Bake potatoes an additional 15-20 minutes, until they pierce easily with fork and are slightly crisp.
5. Arrange potatoes on large platter. Top with chicken. If desired, garnish platter with parsley sprigs or lemon wedges.
Low Fat Luxury: Spinach and Mushroom Fettucini Alfredo
One day last week I was in the mood for something smothered in cream. However...lately it's been getting a weeeee bit difficult to fit into my favorite pants. I don't need the jaws of life to zip them or anything -- no, haven't reached that obstacle yet. But I do need to take it easy on the calories (and fat, and sugar, and triple servings). Obviously, cream was only going to add to my problems.
What do do?!! Load my dinner with veggies, use low-fat or non-fat ingredients, and grab the whole grain pasta of course. Monte bene! Go ahead: indulge. Party in your mouth, not on your hips!
Spinach and Mushroom Fettucini Alfredo
1/2 c low sodium chicken broth OR 1/4 c light margarine
1 lb sliced portobella mushrooms
1 bunch fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp basil
1/8 tsp black pepper
3 tbs corn starch
1 quart fat free half and half cream
8 oz shredded Parmesan
16 oz whole grain fettucini (or other type of pasta you desire), cooked according to package directions
1. In large stock pot heat chicken broth OR margarine over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, spinach, garlic, basil, and pepper. Cook and stir until spinach is soft and mushrooms have reduced. Break large pieces of spinach up with spoon.
2. Add corn starch and stir until smooth.
3. Slowly pour in fat free half and half. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to boiling over medium high heat.
4. Add Parmesan. Remove from heat. Stir until smooth.
5. Serve over cooked pasta.
What do do?!! Load my dinner with veggies, use low-fat or non-fat ingredients, and grab the whole grain pasta of course. Monte bene! Go ahead: indulge. Party in your mouth, not on your hips!
Spinach and Mushroom Fettucini Alfredo
1/2 c low sodium chicken broth OR 1/4 c light margarine
1 lb sliced portobella mushrooms
1 bunch fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp basil
1/8 tsp black pepper
3 tbs corn starch
1 quart fat free half and half cream
8 oz shredded Parmesan
16 oz whole grain fettucini (or other type of pasta you desire), cooked according to package directions
1. In large stock pot heat chicken broth OR margarine over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, spinach, garlic, basil, and pepper. Cook and stir until spinach is soft and mushrooms have reduced. Break large pieces of spinach up with spoon.
2. Add corn starch and stir until smooth.
3. Slowly pour in fat free half and half. Stirring constantly, bring mixture to boiling over medium high heat.
4. Add Parmesan. Remove from heat. Stir until smooth.
5. Serve over cooked pasta.
Crockpot Magic: Chunky Beef Stew
My crockpot is my best friend. There's absolutely nothing like throwing some ingredients into it at 7 AM and coming home to the enticing smell of my perfectly prepared dinner, hot and waiting for me.
I'll admit it: Chunky Beef Stew started out as pot roast. I thew a London Broil into the crockpot expecting to come home to...well...a solid roast but instead the meat had separated into tantalizing chunks of moist meaty indulgence. Better than that, the drippings I had planned to make into gravy had become perfect beef stew stock. I toasted some bread, heaped the mixture into bowls, and declared it stew night. Darling Boyfriend and the munchkins declared it Deeee-licious!
Sooo I present to you the first in my Crockpot Magic series:
Chunky Beef Stew
2-3 lb London Broil, fat trimmed
4-5 lbs red potatoes, quartered with skin ON
8 oz baby carrots
1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 1/2-3 cups beef broth
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1. Place roast in bottom of crockpot. Arrange potatoes and carrots around it. Cover with onion rings. Sprinkle with garlic and black pepper.
2. In large measuring cup mix beef broth, Worcestershire, and red wine vinegar. Pour over top of meat, potatoes, and carrots.
3. Cook on low 8-12 hours. Stir before serving to integrate meat into rest of stew.
I'll admit it: Chunky Beef Stew started out as pot roast. I thew a London Broil into the crockpot expecting to come home to...well...a solid roast but instead the meat had separated into tantalizing chunks of moist meaty indulgence. Better than that, the drippings I had planned to make into gravy had become perfect beef stew stock. I toasted some bread, heaped the mixture into bowls, and declared it stew night. Darling Boyfriend and the munchkins declared it Deeee-licious!
Sooo I present to you the first in my Crockpot Magic series:
Chunky Beef Stew
2-3 lb London Broil, fat trimmed
4-5 lbs red potatoes, quartered with skin ON
8 oz baby carrots
1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 1/2-3 cups beef broth
1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1. Place roast in bottom of crockpot. Arrange potatoes and carrots around it. Cover with onion rings. Sprinkle with garlic and black pepper.
2. In large measuring cup mix beef broth, Worcestershire, and red wine vinegar. Pour over top of meat, potatoes, and carrots.
3. Cook on low 8-12 hours. Stir before serving to integrate meat into rest of stew.
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