So my last post was in May. I have two recipes that I made with my sister Erin that still need blogging. I will get to those someday.
The year in summary weight loss - not focusing on the Christmas gain: I lost 13.6 pounds this year! I probably would have gone up by that much at least if I wasn't paying attention to what I ate. I will continue with Weight Watchers in 2011. They have the new PointsPlus program, which is a changeover challenge for me, but I am determined to get on the moving wagon.
I just updated my previous posts with the new PointsPlus values. When they first announced the new program, I was afraid that it would invalidate all of the cooking experimentation that I invested time into this year. Not so, oh doubting one! The company posted an update to their recipes' point values, and it they will serve as an easy supplement to the cookbooks. If I am feeling ambitious, I might even write in the new PointsPlus point values directly into the book... that might get me to open the book again.
I still have two months to peck away at my cookbook challenge. Let's see how many more recipes I can get in before then...
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Pepper Steak Heroes, pg. 106
Almost a month since my last recipe adventure. Seems as though the only time that I contemplate cooking a decent meal is when my family visits. My mother visited this past weekend. I had some peppers to use, and she - like a saint - was able to go grocery shopping for the rest of the ingredients. Love ya, Mom!
The recipe calls for 3 bell peppers, 1 large Spanish onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, beef cube steaks and whole wheat hero rolls. Mom and I prepped the ingredients. The peppers go into the skillet to cook for 3 minutes first. The onions, salt and pepper are added to the peppers and cooked for 8 minutes, and the whole mixture was removed from the skillet. We cooked the steak whole for 2 minutes on each side. I then sliced the steak into strips and put it onto a roll with the pepper and onion mixture.
The only "beef" that I have with steak sandwiches is that once you bite, you have to tear the steak to get a bite. However, the flavor was great. It got a big thumbs up from my husband. I can't remember how many times in a row that he said he liked it (12?), but I got the idea that this meal can go on his I-could-have-it-every-week list. Mom liked it as well, and we discussed the possibility of substituting London Broil for cube steak in the sandwich. Hmmm, the possibilities...
1 serving = 1 sandwich = 6 points
PointsPlus: 8 points
The recipe calls for 3 bell peppers, 1 large Spanish onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, beef cube steaks and whole wheat hero rolls. Mom and I prepped the ingredients. The peppers go into the skillet to cook for 3 minutes first. The onions, salt and pepper are added to the peppers and cooked for 8 minutes, and the whole mixture was removed from the skillet. We cooked the steak whole for 2 minutes on each side. I then sliced the steak into strips and put it onto a roll with the pepper and onion mixture.
The only "beef" that I have with steak sandwiches is that once you bite, you have to tear the steak to get a bite. However, the flavor was great. It got a big thumbs up from my husband. I can't remember how many times in a row that he said he liked it (12?), but I got the idea that this meal can go on his I-could-have-it-every-week list. Mom liked it as well, and we discussed the possibility of substituting London Broil for cube steak in the sandwich. Hmmm, the possibilities...
1 serving = 1 sandwich = 6 points
PointsPlus: 8 points
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Turkey Cutlets with Orange Sauce, page 196
I've been meaning to make this for two weeks. The kids are sick. Joe is sick. And I am coming down with it, too. Perfect time to try a new recipe. No, really, Anna has not been eating well the past few days - mostly liquid nourishment - and I remembered that she has enjoyed these recipes in the past.
Before I forget, I should mention that I substituted chicken cutlets in place of the turkey cutlets (Joe is not a big fan of turkey), and I did not use shallots. Did not know where to look for them in the store. Did not try too hard.
I involved Anna from the outset. She pounded the cutlets, poured the water and the oil into the couscous pot, added green beans to the steamer, zested an orange, and whisked the orange sauce mixture. It was a lot of fun to cook with her! My thanks to Joe for wrangling Jamie in the other room while he was sick as a dog. *smooch from a distance*
After working with several recipes calling for orange sauce, I realized how simple it is to make. Equal parts chicken broth and orange juice, orange zest and corn starch. Of all the recipes, I would have to say that the orange beef and broccoli has been my favorite orange recipe to date. Joe concurs.
1 serving = 1 cutlet and 2 1/2 Tablespoons sauce = 4 points
PointsPlus: still 4 points
Before I forget, I should mention that I substituted chicken cutlets in place of the turkey cutlets (Joe is not a big fan of turkey), and I did not use shallots. Did not know where to look for them in the store. Did not try too hard.
I involved Anna from the outset. She pounded the cutlets, poured the water and the oil into the couscous pot, added green beans to the steamer, zested an orange, and whisked the orange sauce mixture. It was a lot of fun to cook with her! My thanks to Joe for wrangling Jamie in the other room while he was sick as a dog. *smooch from a distance*
After working with several recipes calling for orange sauce, I realized how simple it is to make. Equal parts chicken broth and orange juice, orange zest and corn starch. Of all the recipes, I would have to say that the orange beef and broccoli has been my favorite orange recipe to date. Joe concurs.
1 serving = 1 cutlet and 2 1/2 Tablespoons sauce = 4 points
PointsPlus: still 4 points
Breakfast Bruschetta, page 25
This is a catch-up post. My family came up for a visit at Easter, and we had this for breakfast on the day they left. This recipe was pretty much a Western omlette without the ham (I added cheese) on toast. However, the lesson that I learned with this recipe is that egg beaters are a viable alternative to eggs. The recipe calls for egg beaters only.
The recipe calls for green pepper, onion, carrot, garlic, egg beaters, salt, pepper and whole grain bread (and reduced calorie cheese).
There were generally favorable reviews of the breakfast. It was filling, and that surprised me. A serving is one slice of toast with breakfast bruschetta topping. I would probably make this again.
1 serving = 1 bruschetta = 3 points
PointsPlus: 5 points
The recipe calls for green pepper, onion, carrot, garlic, egg beaters, salt, pepper and whole grain bread (and reduced calorie cheese).
There were generally favorable reviews of the breakfast. It was filling, and that surprised me. A serving is one slice of toast with breakfast bruschetta topping. I would probably make this again.
1 serving = 1 bruschetta = 3 points
PointsPlus: 5 points
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Mixed Mushroom-Roast Beef Pilaf (page 94)
I am not normally a mushroom fan, but this dish was pleasantly surprising. The mushrooms were not overpowering or a strong flavor. This is a meal in the microwave, and it was quick and tasty.
The recipe calls for brown rice, red bell pepper, onion, olive oil, dried thyme, sliced mushrooms, salt, pepper, 1/2 pound lean roast beef.
The rice gets cooked first for seven minutes. I must say that at this point I was worried that 1 cup of uncooked rice would not be enough to balance the dish and meet the promised 4 servings. I had faith and cooked only one cup. It all worked out. They know what they are writing when they put together the recipes - except for the cilantro parts... not a big fan.
While the rice cooked, I prepped the other ingredients. First came the 2-minute cooking of the red pepper, onion, thyme and oil. My mother would be so proud - I used my Tupperware spin chopper to cut down the red pepper and onion. Five turns of the crank and !voila! prepped ingredients.
Next, all of the remaining ingredients, minus the rice and the roast beef, get added to the peppers and onions and nuked for another two minutes. The last step is to mix in the roast beef and rice. For the roast beef, I used deli roast beef cut thicker than cold cut size (I was already there for the turkey for the recipe last weekend). If I were to do it again, which I might, Joe has suggested that the steak from the beef and brocolli recipe might be a good choice. Wonderful idea!
Overall, this was a very pretty dish that yielded a dinner and a lunch for my husband and me. The serving size is generous and filling. For dinner, I paired the dish with a side of green beans. For lunch, the dish stood on its own.
1 serving = generous 1 cup = 4 points
PointsPlus: 5 points
The recipe calls for brown rice, red bell pepper, onion, olive oil, dried thyme, sliced mushrooms, salt, pepper, 1/2 pound lean roast beef.
The rice gets cooked first for seven minutes. I must say that at this point I was worried that 1 cup of uncooked rice would not be enough to balance the dish and meet the promised 4 servings. I had faith and cooked only one cup. It all worked out. They know what they are writing when they put together the recipes - except for the cilantro parts... not a big fan.
While the rice cooked, I prepped the other ingredients. First came the 2-minute cooking of the red pepper, onion, thyme and oil. My mother would be so proud - I used my Tupperware spin chopper to cut down the red pepper and onion. Five turns of the crank and !voila! prepped ingredients.
Next, all of the remaining ingredients, minus the rice and the roast beef, get added to the peppers and onions and nuked for another two minutes. The last step is to mix in the roast beef and rice. For the roast beef, I used deli roast beef cut thicker than cold cut size (I was already there for the turkey for the recipe last weekend). If I were to do it again, which I might, Joe has suggested that the steak from the beef and brocolli recipe might be a good choice. Wonderful idea!
Overall, this was a very pretty dish that yielded a dinner and a lunch for my husband and me. The serving size is generous and filling. For dinner, I paired the dish with a side of green beans. For lunch, the dish stood on its own.
1 serving = generous 1 cup = 4 points
PointsPlus: 5 points
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Turkey Wraps with Lemon-Yogurt Sauce (pg. 46)
A routine has emerged - cooking on the weekend and fending as I can during the week. This weekend almost went by without a recipe, but I bundled up the girls and went shopping for ingredients today. I took a look through the cookbook to see what I might be able to put together during the week. The activity lead to some efficiencies in ingredients. That brings me to my lesson for this entry: When a recipe calls for a tortilla, sometimes it's best to stick to the tortillas.
This recipe calls for tortillas to make a wrap. Another recipe that I chose for this week called for whole wheat pitas, so I decided to use the whole wheat pitas for this recipe as well (ingredient efficiency). The pita bag insists that the product has flax seed in it, and it is very soft. Translation that I discovered: Soft = thin and brittle - not suitable for super stuffing. I would not do the substitution again unless I used a thicker pita.
The yogurt sauce on this was delicious! The sauce is made of plain yogurt, lemon juice, cumin and cayenne (I used Cajun spices instead). I would use it on other sandwiches as well. Joe enjoyed it. He agrees that a tortilla would have been better.
1 serving = 1 wrap and 2 tablespoons sauce = 4 points
PointsPlus: 6 points
This recipe calls for tortillas to make a wrap. Another recipe that I chose for this week called for whole wheat pitas, so I decided to use the whole wheat pitas for this recipe as well (ingredient efficiency). The pita bag insists that the product has flax seed in it, and it is very soft. Translation that I discovered: Soft = thin and brittle - not suitable for super stuffing. I would not do the substitution again unless I used a thicker pita.
The yogurt sauce on this was delicious! The sauce is made of plain yogurt, lemon juice, cumin and cayenne (I used Cajun spices instead). I would use it on other sandwiches as well. Joe enjoyed it. He agrees that a tortilla would have been better.
1 serving = 1 wrap and 2 tablespoons sauce = 4 points
PointsPlus: 6 points
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Teriyaki Chicken and Snow Pea Stir-Fry (pg. 192)
This was a very pretty dish. The snow peas were crisp, the red peppers were a red that popped to the eye, and the water chestnuts looked like white polka dots. Since starting this challenge, my house has smelled quite tasty when my family visits. I would like to try to extend that to the rest of the days. It will take a bit of planning. As a professional Planner, this is what I am supposed to do. Hmmm... maybe I will figure this out some day.
This dish was a team effort. Erin picked the recipe, Meg lined up the ingredients, I prepped the ingredients, Joe cooked the meal, and Aileen made it possible for us to do this by taking care of Jamie and Anna. Joe says "Yum, please sir, can I have some more?"
Besides being pretty, it was also delicious. I would make it again. I would definitely eat it again.
1 serving = 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture and 1 cup rice)
PointsPlus: 11 points
This dish was a team effort. Erin picked the recipe, Meg lined up the ingredients, I prepped the ingredients, Joe cooked the meal, and Aileen made it possible for us to do this by taking care of Jamie and Anna. Joe says "Yum, please sir, can I have some more?"
Besides being pretty, it was also delicious. I would make it again. I would definitely eat it again.
1 serving = 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture and 1 cup rice)
PointsPlus: 11 points
Morning Chai (pg. 31)
The idea of making chai was so foreign to me - it is something that you buy from a store or from a coffee shop. So it was with eager anticipation that I boiled the water with 5 tea bags, 12 peppercorns, 8 cardamom pods, and a cinnamon stick (which was in the container bought for the first recipe of ithis blog experience). Once it was boiled, we added 1 1/2 cups of vanilla soy milk. The mixture gets poured into 4 cups through a sieve and served. I used a coffee filter for the first cup, but the filter was too fine, and the liquid would not flow through it. Luckily, I had a tea infuser to use - I usually use it for brewing tonsil tamer tea.
The final product was not all that different from regular tea. I think that was because of my inexperience with cardamom. I just learned that the pods, which look like small garlic cloves, contain several seeds. The recipe calls for crushing the pods, and I only did it with a spoon. I just looked on the internet, and I found that the best way to process cardamom is with a mortar and pestle. Got to get me one of those.
This was also a very expensive drink to make. Cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight. $12 a bottle at Wegmans. It will last me a while though, unless I get an Indian cooking cookbook and do a challenge with it. Hmmm. Nope, can't see that happening.
The recipe also suggests that the drink would be tasty over ice. Maybe next time...
1 serving = 1 cup = 1 point
PointsPlus: still 1 point
The final product was not all that different from regular tea. I think that was because of my inexperience with cardamom. I just learned that the pods, which look like small garlic cloves, contain several seeds. The recipe calls for crushing the pods, and I only did it with a spoon. I just looked on the internet, and I found that the best way to process cardamom is with a mortar and pestle. Got to get me one of those.
This was also a very expensive drink to make. Cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight. $12 a bottle at Wegmans. It will last me a while though, unless I get an Indian cooking cookbook and do a challenge with it. Hmmm. Nope, can't see that happening.
The recipe also suggests that the drink would be tasty over ice. Maybe next time...
1 serving = 1 cup = 1 point
PointsPlus: still 1 point
Spinach-Feta Scramble (pg. 15)
A Saturday morning breakfast calls for another recipe. Since I had spinach left over from the wraps, this one seemed like the next logical move.
When I put the ingredients together, I was a little worried. The spinach overwhelmed the bowl. The eggs barely coated the other ingredients. Want some eggs with your spinach? However, when in the pan, the eggs bulked up and the spinach shrank down. Tasty. I was also afraid that the feta would be too strong, but it wasn't. It melted into the mixture nicely.
When I asked my sisters and husband how it went over, they liked it. Meg and Erin put the egg on their toast for a sandwich. They suggested that it would be good as a breakfast wrap with salsa. Great idea! Future breakfast - yum!
This recipe is only meant to make one serving, but it has one egg and three egg whites. Instead of eating all of that by myself, I doubled the recipe, split it four ways (Aileen declined), and served it with toast.
1 serving = 1 plate = 5 points
PointsPlus: 6 points
When I put the ingredients together, I was a little worried. The spinach overwhelmed the bowl. The eggs barely coated the other ingredients. Want some eggs with your spinach? However, when in the pan, the eggs bulked up and the spinach shrank down. Tasty. I was also afraid that the feta would be too strong, but it wasn't. It melted into the mixture nicely.
When I asked my sisters and husband how it went over, they liked it. Meg and Erin put the egg on their toast for a sandwich. They suggested that it would be good as a breakfast wrap with salsa. Great idea! Future breakfast - yum!
This recipe is only meant to make one serving, but it has one egg and three egg whites. Instead of eating all of that by myself, I doubled the recipe, split it four ways (Aileen declined), and served it with toast.
1 serving = 1 plate = 5 points
PointsPlus: 6 points
Friday, March 5, 2010
Gingered Beef and Broccoli (pg. 140)
I was originally thinking of re-making the orange beef and broccoli for my sisters because it was so good. As I was preparing it, I had extra ginger, so I looked for a recipe that would use my remaining ginger. Lo and behold, there is a recipe for gingered beef and broccoli. It is prepared similar to the orange version, and I had the alternate ingredients, so another recipe gets checked off the list.
Instead of frozen broccoli, I used the fresh broccoli that I purchased earlier. When it came time to stir fry the broccoli, I was afraid that there was not enough liquid to cook it (frozen broccoli might have more liquid), so I added a smidge of water. Worked like a dream.
The dish went over well, and everyone - including Anna - ate it. Erin said that adding carrots would make it look snazzy. A good comment. Cooking with ginger makes the house smell sooo good. Joe prefers the orange beef and broccoli, and I would agree. When presented with the choice of the gingered or the orange varieties, the orange beef and broccoli would win every time.
1 serving = 1 1/2 cups = 5 points
PointsPlus: 6 points
Instead of frozen broccoli, I used the fresh broccoli that I purchased earlier. When it came time to stir fry the broccoli, I was afraid that there was not enough liquid to cook it (frozen broccoli might have more liquid), so I added a smidge of water. Worked like a dream.
The dish went over well, and everyone - including Anna - ate it. Erin said that adding carrots would make it look snazzy. A good comment. Cooking with ginger makes the house smell sooo good. Joe prefers the orange beef and broccoli, and I would agree. When presented with the choice of the gingered or the orange varieties, the orange beef and broccoli would win every time.
1 serving = 1 1/2 cups = 5 points
PointsPlus: 6 points
Avocado, Spinach, and Feta Wraps (pg. 45)
My sisters are visiting, which means that I have concentrated cooking time... and a captive audience. For lunch today, we opted for the avocado wrap. Not something that I would typically try - not very experienced with avocado or feta cheese - but it is a recipe, so I must try it.
The recipe calls for spinach tortillas, avocado, salt & pepper, baby spinach, small shredded zucchini, fat-free feta cheese, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The avocado, salt and pepper get mashed together and spread on the tortillas. The rest of the ingredients get piled on, and the whole kit and kaboodle get wrapped up. A serving is 1/2 of a tortilla.
I was a little worried that this green concoction would not be satisfying with only 1/2 of a wrap. Also, I thought that I would not like the taste of green. Surprisingly, it was satisfying. It tasted like green velvet, if velvet was edible. The balsamic vinegar gave it a bite, and I enjoyed the feta cheese flavor.
My sister, Aileen, took a bite and said, "I don't think that this is for me." On clarifying, she said that if her tastebuds were more attuned to healthy food, it wouldn't have been an issue. Green is not for everyone. My sister, Erin, liked it - it was very green. She thinks that the balsamic vinegar could become overwhelming if applied too liberally, but today's amount was good.
I did not even try to get Anna's opinion on this. She had meatballs and a roll.
1 serving = 1/2 wrap = 5 points.
PointsPlus: 6 points
The recipe calls for spinach tortillas, avocado, salt & pepper, baby spinach, small shredded zucchini, fat-free feta cheese, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The avocado, salt and pepper get mashed together and spread on the tortillas. The rest of the ingredients get piled on, and the whole kit and kaboodle get wrapped up. A serving is 1/2 of a tortilla.
I was a little worried that this green concoction would not be satisfying with only 1/2 of a wrap. Also, I thought that I would not like the taste of green. Surprisingly, it was satisfying. It tasted like green velvet, if velvet was edible. The balsamic vinegar gave it a bite, and I enjoyed the feta cheese flavor.
My sister, Aileen, took a bite and said, "I don't think that this is for me." On clarifying, she said that if her tastebuds were more attuned to healthy food, it wouldn't have been an issue. Green is not for everyone. My sister, Erin, liked it - it was very green. She thinks that the balsamic vinegar could become overwhelming if applied too liberally, but today's amount was good.
I did not even try to get Anna's opinion on this. She had meatballs and a roll.
1 serving = 1/2 wrap = 5 points.
PointsPlus: 6 points
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Banana Brown Rice Pudding (pg. 250)
Funny how fast food just isn't as satisfying once you've tasted good home-cooked meals. Wendy's small chili is still a good lunch choice (PointsPlus: 5 points), but open-faced steak sandwiches are so much better. *sigh*
Tonight I made the banana brown rice pudding. I bought the banana when Jen was here, but I had to wait until it ripened. Patience... The cooked brown rice came from the side dish for the orange beef and broccoli, so I am feeling very efficient in my leftovers.
The recipe calls for cooked brown rice, milk, banana, cinnamon, vanilla, and whipped cream (optional). I should explain that I love rice pudding. I grew up with a scrumptious dessert made by my mother's loving hands. How would this compare - especially without sugar as a separate ingredient?
It was simple to follow the recipe. After thickening the milk and rice, I chilled the mixture and, separately, the mashed banana. After catching a recorded episode of The Amazing Race and putting Jamie down, I pulled out the pudding, mixed in the banana, vanilla and cinnamon, and tried it without whipped cream first. The brown rice influence was quite strong. I opted to add the 1/4 cup of Cool Whip. What a difference! It reminded me of drinking herbal tea without sugar and then with sugar - quite a difference. I'm not sure how my husband will react to the prevalence of banana. Hey, if he doesn't like it, more for me... in measured amounts, of course.
1 serving = 2/3 cup pudding w/o whipped cream = 4 pts.
PointsPlus: 6 points
Tonight I made the banana brown rice pudding. I bought the banana when Jen was here, but I had to wait until it ripened. Patience... The cooked brown rice came from the side dish for the orange beef and broccoli, so I am feeling very efficient in my leftovers.
The recipe calls for cooked brown rice, milk, banana, cinnamon, vanilla, and whipped cream (optional). I should explain that I love rice pudding. I grew up with a scrumptious dessert made by my mother's loving hands. How would this compare - especially without sugar as a separate ingredient?
It was simple to follow the recipe. After thickening the milk and rice, I chilled the mixture and, separately, the mashed banana. After catching a recorded episode of The Amazing Race and putting Jamie down, I pulled out the pudding, mixed in the banana, vanilla and cinnamon, and tried it without whipped cream first. The brown rice influence was quite strong. I opted to add the 1/4 cup of Cool Whip. What a difference! It reminded me of drinking herbal tea without sugar and then with sugar - quite a difference. I'm not sure how my husband will react to the prevalence of banana. Hey, if he doesn't like it, more for me... in measured amounts, of course.
1 serving = 2/3 cup pudding w/o whipped cream = 4 pts.
PointsPlus: 6 points
Monday, February 22, 2010
Grilled Ginger Chicken with Peach Salsa (pg. 190)
I went back to work today, and I had a WW meeting tonight, so my sister took over the cooking for me tonight. I will just say that this recipe was quite yummy. 1 serving = 1 cutlet and 1 cup salsa = 4 pts. PointsPlus: 5 points. Yum!
Turning it over to my sister, Jen:
Hello Everybody! Before I get into the recipe I would like to take this time for a quick Public Service Announcement about Peaches. DO NOT EAT MASON JAR PEACHES OVER 1 YEAR OLD!!! We apparently did not know this little tidbit, so when I started looking for Peaches I found a Mason Jar with them from oh let's say 2007.....Stupid Stupid Stupid ....(The first clue was when they automatically changed color the second the seal was broken and they looked kinda...how do I put this...HAIRY!!) I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth for over an hour! DON'T DO IT PEOPLE! ;-)
I had a great time preparing this meal! The Salsa was very easy to make and consisted of Peaches (we used 2 small canned w/ light syrup - drained), Red Onion, Japapeno Pepper, Tomato, Salt and Lemon Juice. I ommited the Cilantro for personal preference (oh and if you don't like hot food don't be afraid of the Jalapeno in this one - it's very subtle). It was a very refreshing Salsa combination - next time I would use less onion. The book says 1 small onion and I think I used a little more than was intended.
The recipe called for Chicken Cutlets but I used Chicken Breasts instead. The cooking time increased to 4 1/5 - 5 min per side. Chicken was marinated with garlic, ginger and oil. I marinated it a little longer - approx 2 hours. We served the chicken with a small portion of brown rice on the side.
This meal was very crisp, light and refreshing yet very filling. It reminded me of the Caribbean. I cannot wait to make this for my husband at home!
I had so much fun cooking with my sister this weekend! I am so proud of her for doing this! She is an Amazing Woman thru and thru. It's nice to see her take chances and accomplish what she didn't think she could do. I love you Sista!! xoxo
___________________________________
Love you, too, Jen!
Turning it over to my sister, Jen:
Hello Everybody! Before I get into the recipe I would like to take this time for a quick Public Service Announcement about Peaches. DO NOT EAT MASON JAR PEACHES OVER 1 YEAR OLD!!! We apparently did not know this little tidbit, so when I started looking for Peaches I found a Mason Jar with them from oh let's say 2007.....Stupid Stupid Stupid ....(The first clue was when they automatically changed color the second the seal was broken and they looked kinda...how do I put this...HAIRY!!) I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth for over an hour! DON'T DO IT PEOPLE! ;-)
I had a great time preparing this meal! The Salsa was very easy to make and consisted of Peaches (we used 2 small canned w/ light syrup - drained), Red Onion, Japapeno Pepper, Tomato, Salt and Lemon Juice. I ommited the Cilantro for personal preference (oh and if you don't like hot food don't be afraid of the Jalapeno in this one - it's very subtle). It was a very refreshing Salsa combination - next time I would use less onion. The book says 1 small onion and I think I used a little more than was intended.
The recipe called for Chicken Cutlets but I used Chicken Breasts instead. The cooking time increased to 4 1/5 - 5 min per side. Chicken was marinated with garlic, ginger and oil. I marinated it a little longer - approx 2 hours. We served the chicken with a small portion of brown rice on the side.
This meal was very crisp, light and refreshing yet very filling. It reminded me of the Caribbean. I cannot wait to make this for my husband at home!
I had so much fun cooking with my sister this weekend! I am so proud of her for doing this! She is an Amazing Woman thru and thru. It's nice to see her take chances and accomplish what she didn't think she could do. I love you Sista!! xoxo
___________________________________
Love you, too, Jen!
Open-Face Garlicky Steak Sandwiches (pg. 100) & Pizza Margherita (pg. 286) & Pumpkin-Cranberry Bread Pudding (pg. 263)
It was a day of cooking on Sunday. I love it when my sister visits!
I had never cooked steak before this experiment. It is usually for my husband to work with a steak on the grill, but this cookbook is stretching my limits.
We spent an afternoon walking through a winter wonderland in Mendon Ponds Park, and we came home hungry. The steak sandwich picture looked scrumptious, so we went with it. A serving is one slice of hearty bread topped with garlic spread, steak, and a tomato/cucumber/jalepeno pepper salsa. The one ingredient that we eliminated was the cilantro - not a fan. The salsa marinates in an apple cider vinegar, and I would honestly cut the 3 tablespoons of vinegar in half to 1.5 tablespoons. It was too strong with 3 tablespoons, but we were able to drain some of it off before serving the dish. It helped. We served the sandwiches with a small side of Sun Chips. 1 serving = 6 pts.
PointsPlus: 7 points
The meat was moist and seasoned properly. The topping was crisp and refreshing. I would have toasted the bread a little more. According to my sister and husband, it was the perfect lunch. I agree.
For dinner, we made the pizza margherita, which is a thin-crust pizza without sauce. It has tomatoes, garlic, mozz cheese, basil, oregano and olive oil. My sister put the pizza together while I worked on the pumpkin bread pudding. Her comment on the pizza: "that's a lot of cheese." The pizza was tasty, and it had me thinking about summer ingredients. The pizza recipe is in the "Need A Snack" section of the book. To make it a dinner, we coupled it with a side salad, and that did the trick. Anna's verdict: Yum. 1 serving = 1/6 of a pizza = 3 pts.
PointsPlus: 5 points
For dessert, we decided to try the pumpkin-cranberry bread pudding. It was a teensy bit labor intensive (many minutes whisking half and half over the stove), but the smell was beyond expectation. It worked out that we prepped this while making dinner - the whole mixture needed to set for 20 minutes before it could be cooked. We kept out the pecans because of allergies in the family, but I would include them in my pudding next time. The pudding is cooked in 12 individual cups in a hot bath. Pecans can be customized in each cup. We added whipped cream on top, and it cut the consistency of the pudding quite nicely. I'd have it again. 1 serving = 5 pts.
PointPlus: 6 points
I had never cooked steak before this experiment. It is usually for my husband to work with a steak on the grill, but this cookbook is stretching my limits.
We spent an afternoon walking through a winter wonderland in Mendon Ponds Park, and we came home hungry. The steak sandwich picture looked scrumptious, so we went with it. A serving is one slice of hearty bread topped with garlic spread, steak, and a tomato/cucumber/jalepeno pepper salsa. The one ingredient that we eliminated was the cilantro - not a fan. The salsa marinates in an apple cider vinegar, and I would honestly cut the 3 tablespoons of vinegar in half to 1.5 tablespoons. It was too strong with 3 tablespoons, but we were able to drain some of it off before serving the dish. It helped. We served the sandwiches with a small side of Sun Chips. 1 serving = 6 pts.
PointsPlus: 7 points
The meat was moist and seasoned properly. The topping was crisp and refreshing. I would have toasted the bread a little more. According to my sister and husband, it was the perfect lunch. I agree.
For dinner, we made the pizza margherita, which is a thin-crust pizza without sauce. It has tomatoes, garlic, mozz cheese, basil, oregano and olive oil. My sister put the pizza together while I worked on the pumpkin bread pudding. Her comment on the pizza: "that's a lot of cheese." The pizza was tasty, and it had me thinking about summer ingredients. The pizza recipe is in the "Need A Snack" section of the book. To make it a dinner, we coupled it with a side salad, and that did the trick. Anna's verdict: Yum. 1 serving = 1/6 of a pizza = 3 pts.
PointsPlus: 5 points
For dessert, we decided to try the pumpkin-cranberry bread pudding. It was a teensy bit labor intensive (many minutes whisking half and half over the stove), but the smell was beyond expectation. It worked out that we prepped this while making dinner - the whole mixture needed to set for 20 minutes before it could be cooked. We kept out the pecans because of allergies in the family, but I would include them in my pudding next time. The pudding is cooked in 12 individual cups in a hot bath. Pecans can be customized in each cup. We added whipped cream on top, and it cut the consistency of the pudding quite nicely. I'd have it again. 1 serving = 5 pts.
PointPlus: 6 points
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Orange Beef and Broccoli (pg. 179)
We chose orange beef and broccoli for tonight. All fresh ingredients, including some that I have not worked with before: ginger and orange zest.
Jen and I worked on cooking the dish together. We got into a rhythm, and cranked out the meal in style. We paired it with brown rice, and it was a pretty dish with a lovely orange flavor on the tongue. The ginger was mild and a delicious addition. It looked like what we get at a Chinese restaurant. Next time, I am bringing fortune cookies.
Fresh ginger looks very ugly, but it smells sooooo good.
Anna's verdict on the meal = a keeper. I haven't cooked this much continuously since we moved into this place. Good times.
PointsPlus: 6 points
Jen and I worked on cooking the dish together. We got into a rhythm, and cranked out the meal in style. We paired it with brown rice, and it was a pretty dish with a lovely orange flavor on the tongue. The ginger was mild and a delicious addition. It looked like what we get at a Chinese restaurant. Next time, I am bringing fortune cookies.
Fresh ginger looks very ugly, but it smells sooooo good.
Anna's verdict on the meal = a keeper. I haven't cooked this much continuously since we moved into this place. Good times.
PointsPlus: 6 points
Corn and Green Chile Frittata (pg. 12) and Cinnamon S'mores (pg. 264)
My sister, Jen, is visiting this weekend. She is great in the kitchen, so I knew that this would be an opportunity to cook some recipes. So the first night, we decided to make the frittata with s'mores for dessert.
I have never made a frittata before. The idea that an egg concoction can be in a skillet for 15 minutes without being stirred and not get scorched was baffling to me before last night. The recipe calls for eggs, corn, mild green chiles, milk, thyme, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce and cherry tomatoes. Everything but the tomatoes gets whisked together and poured into a medium skillet. The tomatoes get sprinkled on top, and the whole bit is covered and left for 15 minutes on medium heat.
We had it with buttered light wheat toast. The meal was delicious! The egg was, to quote my sister and husband, "fluffy, non-gooey yet solid." I think that it would make a great brunch meal as well.
Anna, my 2 1/2 year old, liked the dish. That says a lot. I would make it again.
The recipe makes four servings (1/4 of the fritatta), and each serving is 4 points.
PointsPlus: still 4 points
For dessert, I made oven s'mores. It makes 8 s'mores and uses fluff and chocolate chips. It cooks in the oven at 425 degrees for 8 minutes. As a winter dessert, it was quite satisfying. The s'mores tasted like the real thing without the singed arm hair. 3 points per s'more.
PointsPlus: still 3 points
Three recipes down, 197 to go...
I have never made a frittata before. The idea that an egg concoction can be in a skillet for 15 minutes without being stirred and not get scorched was baffling to me before last night. The recipe calls for eggs, corn, mild green chiles, milk, thyme, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce and cherry tomatoes. Everything but the tomatoes gets whisked together and poured into a medium skillet. The tomatoes get sprinkled on top, and the whole bit is covered and left for 15 minutes on medium heat.
We had it with buttered light wheat toast. The meal was delicious! The egg was, to quote my sister and husband, "fluffy, non-gooey yet solid." I think that it would make a great brunch meal as well.
Anna, my 2 1/2 year old, liked the dish. That says a lot. I would make it again.
The recipe makes four servings (1/4 of the fritatta), and each serving is 4 points.
PointsPlus: still 4 points
For dessert, I made oven s'mores. It makes 8 s'mores and uses fluff and chocolate chips. It cooks in the oven at 425 degrees for 8 minutes. As a winter dessert, it was quite satisfying. The s'mores tasted like the real thing without the singed arm hair. 3 points per s'more.
PointsPlus: still 3 points
Three recipes down, 197 to go...
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Moroccan-Style Chicken (pg. 87)
My first foray into the book challenged my preconceived notion that I would never cook a recipe with "Moroccan" in the title. Looking at the ingredients, it all seemed so intriguing:
Chicken, cumin, salt, cinnamon stick, carrots, red onion, garlic cloves, yellow squash, petite diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, chick peas, and raisins. I cheated and did not include the chick peas. I knew that my husband was not a fan, and I made the executive decision that it would not ruin the dish to omit them.
My husband prepped the chicken by cutting it into bite-size pieces while I worked on the rest. That saved time. (The recipe indicates 20 min prep and 10 min cook time.) On a side note, it is very difficult to coordinate recipe reading, food prep and cooking while tending to sick children. I'm happy that we had two sets of hands working on both the food and the kids.
On another side note, when the recipe calls for a 3-qt casserole dish, they really mean a 3-qt casserole dish. I only have a 2.5 qt casserole dish that would fit in the microwave. I am surprised that I did not have overflow of ingredients - it was touchy at times.
The dish cooks in stages. First, the onions, garlic, and carrots for softening. Then the squash, tomatoes and chicken, cinammon stick and broth. Lastly the raisins. I must admit that I was a bit nervous about cooking chicken in the microwave. I cooked it for two minutes longer than the recipe called for just in case.
The smell of the chicken was heavenly through the house.
And I tried couscous for the first time as well. I can honestly say that I don't think that I would ever cook couscous on a whim. I am glad that the recipe called for it. I Love Couscous!!!
I was still nervous about the chicken being cooked through. My rule of thumb on when chicken is done is that there is no pink. Well, when chicken is cooked in veggie broth with lots of additional ingredients, it is difficult to tell if there is pink in the middle. My second rule of thumb is that the chicken is firm throughout. Not the case here - very tender chicken. Very nervous diner. But we rolled with it and enjoyed the myriad of flavors. The recipe says that it serves 4. We got six meals out of it and two small meals for my 2 1/2 year old, Anna. We told her it was Rainbow Chicken and Stars. A big hit.
Points: 7 pts for the chicken (1 cup chicken and 1 cup veggies). 2 pts for the couscous.
Points Plus: 9 points for the chicken. Not sure on the couscous.
Verdict: Would make it again. Might cook the chicken a bit beforehand to see what that does to the texture.
Chicken, cumin, salt, cinnamon stick, carrots, red onion, garlic cloves, yellow squash, petite diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, chick peas, and raisins. I cheated and did not include the chick peas. I knew that my husband was not a fan, and I made the executive decision that it would not ruin the dish to omit them.
My husband prepped the chicken by cutting it into bite-size pieces while I worked on the rest. That saved time. (The recipe indicates 20 min prep and 10 min cook time.) On a side note, it is very difficult to coordinate recipe reading, food prep and cooking while tending to sick children. I'm happy that we had two sets of hands working on both the food and the kids.
On another side note, when the recipe calls for a 3-qt casserole dish, they really mean a 3-qt casserole dish. I only have a 2.5 qt casserole dish that would fit in the microwave. I am surprised that I did not have overflow of ingredients - it was touchy at times.
The dish cooks in stages. First, the onions, garlic, and carrots for softening. Then the squash, tomatoes and chicken, cinammon stick and broth. Lastly the raisins. I must admit that I was a bit nervous about cooking chicken in the microwave. I cooked it for two minutes longer than the recipe called for just in case.
The smell of the chicken was heavenly through the house.
And I tried couscous for the first time as well. I can honestly say that I don't think that I would ever cook couscous on a whim. I am glad that the recipe called for it. I Love Couscous!!!
I was still nervous about the chicken being cooked through. My rule of thumb on when chicken is done is that there is no pink. Well, when chicken is cooked in veggie broth with lots of additional ingredients, it is difficult to tell if there is pink in the middle. My second rule of thumb is that the chicken is firm throughout. Not the case here - very tender chicken. Very nervous diner. But we rolled with it and enjoyed the myriad of flavors. The recipe says that it serves 4. We got six meals out of it and two small meals for my 2 1/2 year old, Anna. We told her it was Rainbow Chicken and Stars. A big hit.
Points: 7 pts for the chicken (1 cup chicken and 1 cup veggies). 2 pts for the couscous.
Points Plus: 9 points for the chicken. Not sure on the couscous.
Verdict: Would make it again. Might cook the chicken a bit beforehand to see what that does to the texture.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
A different start than anticipated...
Well, my two girls are sick with sore throats and coughs. Not the best circumstances for testing new recipes - I had cereal for dinner tonight (BTW, my husband was a saint and stayed with the girls today. Took them both to the doctor and the pharmacy and lived to speak of it! Brilliant!!).
Yesterday, I implemented a recipe from dwlz.com: Chicken Stroganoff (Crockpot method). I have a crockpot, and I wanted an excuse to use it before the weather moves beyond comfort food.
I had some frozen chicken and some fat free sour cream to use, so I threw it into the crockpot with an envelope of onion soup mix and a can of low fat cream of mushroom soup. Seven hours later on low, and it was done. The dish serves 6, and it is 4 pts. per serving plus points for the macaroni.
The chicken was very tender - no knife necessary. My husband cooked some hi-fiber elbow macaroni to accompany the dish, and the dish looked and smelled great. Imagine my surprise when the taste did not quite live up to my visual and olefactory expectations. The first bite made me think of tuna casserole. Very salty. I should have expected it given the ingredients, but it was still a slow acceptance of the truth - leftovers would have to be endured instead of savored.
I had the leftovers today for lunch, and the extra day did nothing to mellow out the salt. Oh well, at least I am cooking...
Yesterday, I implemented a recipe from dwlz.com: Chicken Stroganoff (Crockpot method). I have a crockpot, and I wanted an excuse to use it before the weather moves beyond comfort food.
I had some frozen chicken and some fat free sour cream to use, so I threw it into the crockpot with an envelope of onion soup mix and a can of low fat cream of mushroom soup. Seven hours later on low, and it was done. The dish serves 6, and it is 4 pts. per serving plus points for the macaroni.
The chicken was very tender - no knife necessary. My husband cooked some hi-fiber elbow macaroni to accompany the dish, and the dish looked and smelled great. Imagine my surprise when the taste did not quite live up to my visual and olefactory expectations. The first bite made me think of tuna casserole. Very salty. I should have expected it given the ingredients, but it was still a slow acceptance of the truth - leftovers would have to be endured instead of savored.
I had the leftovers today for lunch, and the extra day did nothing to mellow out the salt. Oh well, at least I am cooking...
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Start of a new year with a new challenge
Having watched (and loved) the movie "Julie and Julia," I am inspired. I recently joined Weight Watchers (again) just after Christmas. Baby #2 -Jamie - is now 5 months old, and I was running out of excuses for eating everything I could get my hands on. Back to the tried and true lifestyle choice of the big WW.
Needing a boost, I bought the Weight Watchers Momentum Cookbook at the last meeting. In order to actually crack it open and use it, I have devised this challenge: 200 recipes in 1 year. That's a lot less demanding than going through the thick volume of Julia Child's French cooking tome.
This is also my first time entering the blogosphere. Two challenges at once... we'll see where this adventure takes us.
Oh, and I didn't start the challenge with a recipe. Leftover pizza was on the menu tonight. 18 points and loving it. Hey, I had water with it...
Needing a boost, I bought the Weight Watchers Momentum Cookbook at the last meeting. In order to actually crack it open and use it, I have devised this challenge: 200 recipes in 1 year. That's a lot less demanding than going through the thick volume of Julia Child's French cooking tome.
This is also my first time entering the blogosphere. Two challenges at once... we'll see where this adventure takes us.
Oh, and I didn't start the challenge with a recipe. Leftover pizza was on the menu tonight. 18 points and loving it. Hey, I had water with it...
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