Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Chinese Braised Short Ribs

1 large onion, sliced
4 lbs beef short ribs
lemon pepepr
garlic salt
2 tbs canola oil
2 cups beef broth
1 packet (1.1 oz) beefy onion soup mix
2 cans tomatoes with green pepper, celery and onion
2 tbs five spice powder

1. Add sliced onion to the bottom of a 4-5 qt slow cooker. Season short ribs with lemon pepepr and garlic salt. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown all sides of short ribs. Place into slow cooker on top of onion.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together remaining ingredients. Pour over the top of short ribs. Cover and ocok on low-heat setting for 9-10 hours or high heat setting for 3-4 hours.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Burnt Sugar Cake

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup hot water
3 cups sifted cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter or shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, unbeaten
3 tbs burnt sugar syrup
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

To make burnt sugar syrup, place 1/2 cup sugar in heavy skillet over medium flame. Stir constantly as sugar melts, then becomes dark mahogany color, and smokes noticeably. Remove at once from fire, add very slowly 1/3 cup hot water, and stir until dissolved. Let cool.

In a mixing bowl add flour, baking powder and salt, and mix together. Cream butter thoroughly, add sugar gradually, and cram until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thorougly after each. Then add 3 tbs burnt sugar syrup and blend. Add the flour mixture, althernately with milk, in small amounts, beating until smooth. Add vanilla. Bake in 2 greased 9 inch layer pans at 375' for 25-20 mintues. SPread cake generously with Brunt Sugar Frosting.

Burnt Sugar Frosting

2 egg whites, unbeaten
5 tbs water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
2 tbs burnt sugar syrup

Combine egg whites, sugar, water and corn surup in top of double boiler, beating with egg beater until throroughly mixed. Place over rapidly boiling water, beat constantly with egg beater and cook 7 minutes,or until frosting will stand in peaks. Remove from boiling water; add sugar syrup and beat until thick enough to spread.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Green Beans with Provolone Cheese

1 lb green beans, preferably romano pole beans
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
8 oz provolone cheese, cut into 1/4 inch dice

Cook beans in a large saucepan of boiling salted water 5 mintues; beans will still be crisp. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain well.

In a large frying pan, cook garlic in oilive oil over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn. Add beans to pan and stir to coat with oil. Add water to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, 3-4 mintues, or until crisp tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove pan from heat. Add provolone to hot beans and toss. Serve immediatley.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Spicy Marinated Olives

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp hot pepepr flakes
3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb black olives

In a medium bowl, whisk oil and vinegar to blend. Toss with all ingredients. Marinate in refrigerator at least 24 hours or up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Hamburger Stroganoff

1 bag (12 oz) yolk free egg noodles
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp bottled minced garlic
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 9-oa package frozen french style green beans
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tbs ketchup
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp paprika
1 can (10 3/4 pz) reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
salt and black pepper

Place the noodles in 2 1/2 quarts of alrady boiling unsalted water and cook 5 mintues.

Heat a 12 inch non stick skillet over medium heat.

Add the beef to the skillet, raise the ehat to medium-hgh, and cook, stirring often, turning and breaking up the meat as it begins to brown. Coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Add the garlic and mushrooms. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is crumbled and browned, about 5 mintues. Add the green beatns to the pasta pot, cover the pot to bring it back to a boil, then crack the lid, and cook until the noodles are tender and the beans heated through, about 5 mintues more.

Meanwhile, add the sherry, ketchup, mustard, worcestershire, paprika and mushroom soup to the skillet. Stir well until it is completely incorporated. Lower the heat to simmer the mixture, then add the sour craem and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the soure cream is completely incorporated, about 1 mintued. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain the noodles and toss to evenly distribute the beans. Place some on each of the serving plates. Top with the sauce and serve.

Serves 6.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Lemon Chicken Picatta

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
4 skinless, boneless chekn breast halves
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 lemon
1 tbs butter
1/2 tsp honey

Combine the flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a shallow dish and set aside.

Place the chicen breasts, one at a time, between 2 sheets of wax paper orplastic wrap. Pound the breasts with several whacks of a meat mallet or rolling pin so they are and even 1/2 inch thick. Peel off the paper and cut the breasts in half lenghtwise.

Heat the oil in an extra-deep 12 inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Meanwhile, dip the chicken pieces into the flour mixture to coat on both sides, shaking off any excess. Add the pieces to the skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 2 mintues.

While the chicken cooks, cut the lemon in hlaf. Cut one half into thin slices, and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the other half into a small bowl (picking out any seeds that may fall in) and set aside.

Turn the chiken and saute until lightly browned and cooked through, another 2 mintues. Remove the chicken to a platter.

Add the butter to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. When the butter is melted, remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and honey. Immediately drizzle the lemon mixture over the chicken. Garnish with the reserved lemon slices nad serve.

Serves 4

Friday, March 20, 2009

Creamy Tuna Melt

2 large ribs of celery, diced
1 small onion, chopped
cooking oil spray
1 large can (12 oz) white tuna packed in water
1 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
1 tbs lemon juice from frozen concentrate
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 english muffins
1 cup (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Place the broiler rack in the position nearest the heating element and turn on the broiler.

Dice the celery, peel and chop the onion. Spray a 12 inch nonstick skillet with the cooking oil spray and place it over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until the onion is tender, about 2 minutes.

Drain the tuna and add it to the skillet along with the cottage cheese, maynnaise, lemon juice, and garlic powder. Stir well to combine and break up the tuna chunks. Cook just long enough to warm the ingredients, 2-3 mintues, stirring frequently. Remove th epan from the heat and set aside.

Spray a 13x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking oil spray. Split the english muffins in half and place the halves, split side up, side by side inthe baking dish. Spread the tuna mixture evenly over the muffins and sprinkle with the cheese. Broil until the cheese melts, 2-3 mintues. Serve

Makes 6 servings

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Veal parmigiana

1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbs cracker crumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 veal cutlets, about 1 lb
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1 medium onion, minced
1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/8 tsp pepepr
1/8 tsp oregano

Beat egg and salt in shallow dish. Combine cracker crumbs and parmesan cheese on waxed paper square. Place each veal cutlet between 2 pieces of waxed paper and pound with smooth surfaced meat mallet until 1/4 inch thick. Dip veal in egg, then in cracker crumbs, and set aside. Preheat 9 inch microwave browning dish 7 minutes on High, adding vegatable oil after preheating. Brown 2 veal cutlets at a time as follows: lay cutlets on dish, cover with waxed paper, and cook on High 1 1/2 -2 minutes. Turn and cook on High 1- 1 1/2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Brown second 2 cutlets in same manner. Then, arrange all 4 cutlets in browning dish. Add vermouth, sprinkle onion over meat, top with cheese, then sauce and season with pepper oregano. Cook, covered on BAKE (level 60) for 10 mintues, or until sauce is hot and cheese melted

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Roasted Red Peppers

8 medium size sweet red peppers (2 1/2 lb)
1 cup olive or salad oil
/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp salt
3 small garlic cloves
3 anchovy fillets

Preheat oven to 450'.
Wash red peppers and drain well.
Place peppers on cookie sheet; bake about 20 minutes, or until skin of peppers becomes blistered and charred. With tongs, turn peppers every 5 mintues.
Place hot peppers in a large kettle; cover kettle, and let stand 15 mintues.
Peel off charred skin with sharp knife. Cut each pepper into fourths. Remove ribs and seeds, and cut out any dark spots.
In a large bowl, cobine olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Add peppers and toss lightly to coat with oil mixture.
Pack pepepr micture and anchovy fillets into a 1 quart jar; cap. Refrigerate several hours or over night

Serve as an appetizer or in a tossed salad.

Makes 12 servings.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Beef and Chorizo Chili

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1/2 lbs chorizo sausage, casings removed, meat cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 medium size onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1-4 tbs chili powder
1 tsp each dry oregano leaves and ground cumin
1 can (14 1/2 oz) disced otmatoes in purree
1 can (l lb) tomato sauce
4 -6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce or corn chips
about 2/3 cup each shredded jack cheese and sharp cheddar cheese

Crumble beef into a 3-4 quart microwave safe casserole; add chorizo. Microwave,uncovered, on High for 8-10 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink, stirring every 3 mintues. Spoon off and discard all but 2 tbs of the drippings. Stirn in onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 3-5 minutes or until onion is soft, stirring after 2 mintues.

Stir in tomatoes, undrained beans, and tomato sauce. Cover and microwave on High for 12-15 minutes or until chili is bubbly all over, stirring every 4 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 3-5 mintues.

Line individual bowls with lettuce and top with chili. Sprinkle with jack and cheddar cheese.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Beef Pot Roast

1 12-oz frozen onions
1 8 oz bag frozen carrot slices
1 beef chuck roast (4 lbs) rinsed and patted dry
salt and pepper
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 packet (1 oz) onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup steak sauce

1. Add frozen onions and carrots to the bottom of a 4-5 quart slow cooker.

2. Season roast with salt and pepepr. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chuck roast on all sides, then place into slow cooker on top of onions and carrots.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together cream of celery soup, onion soup mix, beef broth and steak sauce. Pour over top of roast.

4. Cover slow cooker and cook on low-heat setting for 8-9 hours or high heat setting for 3-4 hours.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Orange Smoothie

1 can (16 oz) frozen orange juice concentrate
1 packet (1 oz) sugar free, fat free vanilla pudding mix
1 container (4 oz) orange cream yogurt
1 cup low-fat milk
3 cups ice cubes

1. Combine orange juice concentrate, pudding mix, yogurt, milk and ice cubes in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Divide between 2 glasses.