Easy Elegance: Steak and Spinach Pinwheels

This is yet another of those recipes that earn oohs and aaahs from guests, and yet is so ridiculously easy as to make you almost feel guilty for their admiration (hey -- I said "almost").

Steak and Spinach Pinwheels

2 lb flank steak, cut 2" thick
1/2 c canola oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz frozen spinach, thawed
1 lb turkey bacon, cooked but NOT crisped
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
toothpicks

1. Using a sharp knife. make 1/8" thick cuts into both sides of flank steak in a diamond pattern (in other words make diagonal slashes in one direction, and then another set in the opposite direction).

2. Mix oil, vinegar, peppercorns, and garlic into gallon sized ziploc bag. Add steak. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

3. On a cutting board, pound meat until it is 1 1/2" thick and rectangular. Concentrate on lengthening instead of widening.

4. Top steak with spinach. Arrange bacon slices LENGTHWISE over the spinach. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

5. Starting at a long edge, roll steak jelly-roll style. Secure every 1" along the "seam" with toothpicks.

6. Using a sharp knife, cut meat into slices in between the toothpicks, making sure both sides of your "pinwheel" are flat. You may have to trim the end pieces to achieve this.

7. Arrange on a broiler pan. Broil close to the heat for 4-7 minutes per side, until desired doneness. I prefer mine medium-rare, and do about 5 minutes per side.

8. Remove toothpicks before serving.

I often serve these with a cream sauce made by cooking 4 oz of spinach down in 2 tbs of the drippings from the bottom of the broiler pan and a 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce and then adding 3 generous tbs of corn starch once the spinach is tender. To that I add a pint of fat free half and half and cook over medium high heat until thickened and bubbly.

Lowfat Luxury: Oven Fried Chicken

Who doesn't love tender chicken coated in crispy, golden breading? Fried chicken is as American as...ummm...Starbucks!

Only as much as I love fried chicken and all the fixings that go with it, I don't love noticing it stored in my love handles later!

Here's my lowfat solution:

Oven Fried Chicken

2.5 lbs meaty chicken pieces
1 cup milk
1 tbs vinegar
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper OR tobasco
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
2 to 3 egg whites, beaten

1. In measuring cup, mix milk and vinegar to make sour milk. Allow to stand 5 minutes. Add cayenne or tabasco and black pepper.

2. Place chicken in gallon size ziploc bag. Pour sour milk mixture over chicken and seal bag. Place in refrigerator at least 2 hours.

3. In another gallon sized ziploc bag mix cornmeal, corn flakes, garlic, paprika, and mustard. In a shallow bowl beat egg whites with 1 tbs of water.

4. Dip sour milk marinated chicken in egg white and then drop into bag of coating. Shake. Place in roasting pan or baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining chicken.

5. Sprinkle remaining coating over top of chicken in pan. Spray with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 45 to 75 minutes (depending on cut of chicken), until clear juices run from chicken and coating is crispy.

Crockpot Magic: Asian Chicken

I bought a huge 10 pound bag of chicken leg quarters on sale last week. I put them in the fridge, meannig to separate them into freezer bags later. Whooops...I forgot! Half of them became Oven Fried Chicken; the other half:


Crockpot Asian Chicken

5 lbs chicken (wings, breasts, thighs, drumsticks, leg quarters -- doesn't matter)
2 tbs canola oil
1 bottle soy sauce (I use lite)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 c hot mustard
2 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 onion, sliced and separated into rings


1. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken. Cook 5 min per side to brown. As chicken is browned, transfer to crockpot.

2. Mix remaining ingredients, except onion, in small bowl. Pour over chicken.

3. Arrange onions on top of chicken.

4. Cook on high 4 hours or low 6 hours.

Snickerdoodles

It's rainy and the kids are cranky. Gamer Boy has been sent to his (game free) room at least 4 times today. Dancing Queen has esconced herself on the couch to engage in nonstop whining about the unfairness of life. Little Buddy keeps wailing, "I'm boooooored" every 5 minutes as if cued by some unforseen source. Even the dog looks as though she would like to take a chunk out of my pinkie toe.

I decided that the only answer is fluffy, buttery, cinnamon-sugar topped cookies:

Snickerdoodles

1/2 c light margarine
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1. In large bowl stir margarine, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs and mix until smooth.

2. Add flour and baking powder. Stir until smooth.

3. Mix sugar and cinnamon in pie plate or other shallow dish.

4. Place dough in refrigerator for at least one hour in order to make it easier to handle. Roll into 1-inch balls and then roll in cinnamon sugar. Bake at 375 on ungreasted cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart for 9 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet and allow to cool.

Makes 36 cookies