Taco Mac & Cheese

When my boys were small, and money was tight, we ate our fair share of "Hamburger Helper" as it got closer to payday. These comfort foods are still a treat now and then, but instead of buying a mix of who knows what chemicals, I make my own from scratch.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbs taco seasoning --- Click on link for recipe.
3/4 cup picante sauce (mild, medium, or hot, according to your preference)

1½ cups milk
¾ cup cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
2 cups grated Mexican 4-cheese blend

1 lb. dry pasta shells (you can use elbow macaroni, penne pasta, or whatever you have on hand)

1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro

Directions:
Cook pasta until al dente and drain.

Cook meat and onions together and drain grease. Stir in taco seasoning and simmer for another minute. Add minced garlic and picante sauce, and cook another minute or two. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt cream cheese and sour cream with milk, then add the grated cheese and stir over low heat until everything is melted.

Add meat and melted cheeses to pasta, mix well, top with cilantro and serve.

Yield: 6 generous servings

Pasta

0

Limoncello de la Casa

In 2008, our daughter Jenny stayed in our Casita for several weeks with some friends. While they were here, they planted a couple of citrus trees and a mango tree as "gifts" for us. One of the citrus trees did not survive, but the other two are having bumper crops this year. The citrus tree that did survive is a lemon tree that goes by several names here in Costa Rica. It is called Limón Real, Limón Limón, Limon Arrugada (wrinkled lemon,) and in Venezuela it is call Limón Francés.

This lemon has a very thick wrinkled skin and an unbelievable amount of juice. I'd have to say, these are about the best tasting lemons I have ever had.

Since we have this bumper crop, I've been coming up with ways to use all these lemons and this time I decided to try my hand at making Limoncello. Oh my!!! This stuff is awesome and so easy to make!

Ingredients:
10-12 large lemons
750 ml bottle of 80-100 proof vodka, or clear rum
1-4 cups of sugar
1-4 cups of water

Directions:

1. Peel the lemons with a potato peeler. Try to only peel the zest from the lemons with a little pith as possible.
2. Pack the lemon zest peels in a quart jar and completely cover with the vodka or rum. Place a lid on the jar to seal it.
3. Infuse the alcohol with the flavor of the lemon by storing the jar in a dark place for 3-4 weeks. The longer you let it sit, the more lemony the Limoncello.
4. Strain the lemon zest out of the alcohol by pouring it through a large coffee filter into a clean pitcher. Discard the zest
5. Make a simple syrup with equal portions of sugar and water. Heat the sugar in the water until the sugar is completely dissolved, and then let the syrup cool completely.
6. Add syrup to taste to the infused alcohol. I found that 1½ cups of syrup is perfect for our taste, but feel free to experiment to get it the way you like it best.
7. Use a funnel to transfer the Limoncello into a clean liter bottle, and store it in the refrigerator for about 4 hours before serving.

Use it as an after dinner treat to cleans the palate, over ice cream, or just for sipping. The Limoncello should keep well in the refrigerator for a couple of months, or up to a year in the freezer.

¡Buen Provecho!

Miscellaneous

0

Pineapple Salsa ~ Salsa Piña (modified from a Cafe Red Onion recipe)

When we lived in Houston, Texas, one of our favorite places to dine was at an upscale Latino restaurant, called the Cafe Red Onion. They have an amazing menu of Latin fusion meals representing the best of Latin American cooking. Like most TexMex restaurants, they too serve chips and salsa when they take your beverage order, but their salsa is probably unlike any salsa you've encountered in the past.

Since we have been here in Costa Rica for almost 4 years now, I was really craving some of Red Onion's salsa, so I began my internet search. I found the Houston Chronicle had actually published the recipe years ago from one of their readers. She got the recipe in a cooking class taught by Cafe Red Onion owner Rafael Galindo.

The key ingredient calls for canned pineapple! Since we live here in the land of abundant fresh pineapple, canned pineapple would never be acceptable. So I set about tweaking the recipe just a bit to take advantage of our fresh ingredients. 

We served this salsa to dinner guests last night and received rave reviews. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 large fresh pineapple cut into chunks, with juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup cilantro leaves, with the woody stems removed
Juice of 1 juicy lime
1 fresh Jalapeño pepper seeded (more, or less to taste)
Salt to taste
1 packet of Splenda (optional)

Directions:
Combine 1/2 the pineapples and all the other ingredients, except the salt and Splenda, in a blender or food processor. Pulse the blender until the cilantro and Jalapeño is well chopped and mixed with the pineapple. Empty contents of blender into a bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 of the pineapple to the blender and pulse just until you have small chunks/tidbits. Add this to the bowl with the other ingredients, Mix well. Season to taste with salt, and with Splenda if the pineapple needs additional sweetness. Serve with chips.

¡Buen Provecho!

Snacks

0

Slow Cooker Pork Roast

I came up with a simple new recipe for Sunday's Pork Roast dinner, using honey and balsamic vinegar. The meat came out wonderfully rich and flavorful, and perfectly fork tender. I put this on to cook on high, at 7 AM, and it was ready to serve by 1 PM. This recipe will definitely go on my "make it again" list. 

Ingredients:
4 pound boneless pork roast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon all purpose steak rub
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup of honey
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup of chicken stock

Directions:
Grease the slow cooker with a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Thoroughly coat pork with steak rub and place it in the slow cooker with the fat side up. Mix all of the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour this mixture over the pork, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4-6 hours. The roast is ready when the meat shreds apart easily.

Serve with a side of rice, or potatoes, and steamed broccoli.

Pork

1

Potatoes Au Gratin - Vertical Hasselback Style

These potatoes are just about the very best "Potatoes Au Gratin" ever! This is not my original recipe, but I have modified it a bit, and made it my own. I reduced the amount of cream, and I also use cheeses and herbs that are readily available to us in Costa Rica. Russet potatoes are not an option here, so I use white, yellow, and red potatoes. Every time I wanted to make these I had to search for the original recipe on the internet again, and then try to remember how I modified it. It was time to add my recipe here, where I can find it when I need it, and so can you!

Ingredients

• 3 ounces finely grated Manchego, Sharp White Cheddar, Gruyère or Comté cheese
• 2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1 cup, or 250ml, of heavy cream
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon of whatever fresh herbs you have on hand, like thyme, rosemary, parsley, and basil, roughly chopped (You can also use a mix of dried herbs, buy only use 2 teaspoons)
• Coarse ground salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ to 2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8th-inch thick on a mandolin slicer (3 to 4 medium size potatoes, the longer & thinner the better) I use a mix of red and white potatoes. Rinse the potatoes with cold water to release some of the starch and thoroughly drain.
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter (I find a deep dish casserole, oval or rectangular, works best). Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Combine cheeses in a large bowl. Transfer 1/3 of cheese mixture to a separate bowl and set aside. Add cream, garlic, and herbs to cheese mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add potato slices and toss with hands until every slice is coated with cream mixture. Separate every slice so the cream mixture evenly coats them them.
2. Pick up a handful of potatoes, make a neat stack, and lay them on end in the casserole dish with the edges vertical. Stack the potato slices like this from the outside perimeter, working your way to the center until all potatoes have been added. The potatoes need to be very tightly packed. If necessary, slice an additional potato, coat with cream mixture, and add the slices to the casserole (this is why longer & thinner potatoes work best, because you get more slices). Pour excess cream/cheese mixture evenly over potatoes until the mixture comes half way up the sides of the casserole. You may not need all excess liquid.

3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake about 30 minutes more, until the top is a light golden brown. Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Return the potatoes to the oven and bake until they are deep golden brown and crispy on top. This could take another 30 minutes, or so. Let the potatoes rest for a few minutes before serving.

Serves:  4 to 6

Total time: 15 minutes of prep work, plus 1½ hours baking

Side Dish

2

Chicken Enchiladas

Today we had a craving for some good old Tex-Mex, so I found some of my homemade enchilada sauce and whipped up some Chicken Enchilada for lunch.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts cut into thick strips
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green, red or yellow sweet pepper, diced
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded &  minced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup of canned/frozen corn kernels, drained
¾ cup grated cheddar cheese
¾ cup grated mild white cheese
12 8 inch flour tortillas
1½ cups enchilada sauce (store bought, or go to this link for my homemade red enchilada sauce)
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. This part can be done ahead of time, and stored in the refrigerator a few day in advance of assembling the enchiladas. Season the chicken with the salt pepper and cumin.  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and add the chicken to the hot oil. Sauté the chicken until thoroughly cooked and nicely browned. Set the chicken aside until it cools.  When the chicken is cool, shred it into thin strips.
2. Prepare the filling. Sauté the onion and sweet peppers over medium heat in the remaining olive oil until translucent.  Add the garlic and jalapeño pepper and stir for another minute.  Add the diced tomatoes and the corn. 
3. Lightly grease a large 15-inch x 10-inch x 2-inch rectangular baking/casserole dish.  Pour about ½ cup of enchilada sauce in the dish.  Dip each of the tortillas in the sauce and stack them on a dinner plate.
4. Assemble the enchiladas.  Place about 2 tablespoons of shredded chicken in a tortilla and top it with a heaping tablespoons of the onions, peppers, tomato & corn mixture.  Add a little of the cheeses and roll the tortilla so that it is about an inch in diameter.  Place it in the baking dish with the open seam to the bottom.  Continue with the remaining tortillas.  You should be able to get 10 enchiladas vertically, with 2 at the top horizontally.
5. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining filling, enchilada sauce and cheese.
6. Bake for 30 minutes until all the cheese is melted.  

Serving suggestions:  Top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Tex Mex

0

Spicy Carrot Soup - Sopa de Zanahoria

I'm always coming up with new recipes using vegetable and spices to excite the taste buds. You'll find this quick and easy recipe very tasty! John, my wonderful husband that doesn't like vegetables, said I have to add this to the "Make it again" category. Wow, it's so exciting when I stumble upon ingredients that really please him! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:
1½ Tablespoon Butter
1 whole Onion, Diced
3 cloves of Garlic, Minced
4 cups Carrots, Diced
4–5 cups Chicken Broth (I make my own. If you use pre-packaged, low sodium is best)
2 teaspoons Cumin
½ teaspoons Coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoons ground Cloves
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 tablespoons Honey
1½ teaspoon Key Lime or Lemon Zest
1 tablespoon Key Lime or Lemon Juice (We can't get lemons in Costa Rica, so I always use the little limón criolla)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
¾ cups Sour Cream or Mild Cheese (grated)
3 Tablespoons chopped Cilantro or Chive (garnish)

Directions:
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté them until they are translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more. Add carrots and broth and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat to a slow simmer and cook until the carrots are tender; about 20 minutes.

Remove the soup from heat and use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend soup until smooth. When using a regular blender, you may have to do it in small batches, because hot liquids will spill over the top of a full blender jar. Stir in all the spices, honey, key lime zest, juice, salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream or grated cheese. Sprinkle with a little cilantro or chive.

¡Buen Provecho!

Vegetable

0

King Ranch Chicken

King Ranch Chicken is usually made with creamy canned soups and several cups of cheese.  This is a recipe I found in the "Eating Well" magazine, that I modified to reduce the amount of fat and sodium.   This version still brings all the spicy Tex-Mex flavor goodness we crave. Try experimenting with add additional fresh chopped vegetables like, spinach, squash, corn stripped from the cob, celery, and mushrooms.  Don't be surprised if you have everyone coming back for seconds.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup 2% or non-fat milk

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup non-fat plain yogurt or light cream cheese
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 4 ounce can of diced green chilies, drained

(You could substitute the diced tomatoes and chilies above for Ro~tel diced tomatoes and chilies, but you'll need 1½ cans, since Ro~tel only comes in a 10 ounce size)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley

1 ½ teaspoon chili powder, or more, according to taste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 ½  teaspoons canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 red or green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

10 corn tortillas, cut in quarters

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium sauce pan, heat broth until simmering.  Add milk and flour to a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Gradually add the milk and flour to the broth and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes, until thickened and smooth.  Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the yogurt (or cream cheese), rotel tomatoes & chiles, cilantro (or parsley), chili powder, oregano and cumin.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.

Line the bottom of a shallow 3-quart baking dish with half the tortilla quarters. Top with half the chicken and half the onion mixture. Spoon half of the sauce evenly over the top. Repeat layers with remaining tortillas, chicken, onion mixture and sauce. Top with the Cheddar cheese, Bake until bubbly, and the cheese starts to brown, about to 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves 8

Tex Mex

0

Hollandaise Sauce - à la Julie Child

Eggs Benedict!

This is an easy Hollandaise Sauce blender recipe from Julia Child. I modified it a bit for the ingredients available here in Costa Rica.

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks

1½ tablespoons Limón Criollo juice (or less, to taste.) This is the small creole lime found everywhere in Costa Rica. It resembles the Key Limes of Florida.

1 stick of very hot, melted butter

Salt and Cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:
Blend the egg yolks with the limón criollo juice. Drizzle in the hot butter with blender running. The hot butter cooks the yolks and produces a very fine, thick sauce. If you have one, I recommend you use an immersion blender in a mason jar, so that the sauce doesn't cool too fast in the large blender jar. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

Very simple, quick, and absolutely Delicious!!

Thank you Julia!!!

Sauce

0

Homemade Chocolate Banana Ice Cream

This is a quick and easy, no-cook recipe.  It's a great way to use up all your overripe bananas.  Whenever we have overripe bananas, I peel and freeze them on cookie sheet.  Once they are frozen I store them in an airtight plastic bag until needed.

Ingredients:
5 large bananas, or 10 small
1 can sweetened condensed milk (395 grams or 14 ounces)
1/4 cup whole milk (60 milliliter or 2 ounces)
3/4 cup cocoa powder (180 milliliter or 6 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped nuts, walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions:
Peel and slice bananas in a large bowl.  Mash the bananas into a puree. Stir in the milks and mix well.  Gradually add the cocoa powder until well blended.  Transfer the mixture to ice cream maker bowl and freeze according to manufacturer instructions.  If you are adding nuts, you should add them when the ice cream is soft set so they can be evenly distributed.

Yield:  About a quart

MakeItAgain

0

Carrot Cake

Today, we were invited for coffee at the home one of my dearest friends in Costa Rica.  I decided to make this Carrot Cake for her as a surprise.  It was an over-the-top hit with everyone going back for seconds.

Update - 14-Aug-2012:  We've been invited to spend Costa Rica's Mother's Day tomorrow with friends and I volunteered to bring dessert.  

This recipe calls for an apple, but since they are so expensive in Costa Rica, we don't buy them very often.  Mango, on the other hand is always available in abundance.  I substituted one cup of puréed mango for the apple.  This is so good, I may never use apple again.

Ingredients:
CAKE:

• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 4 whole Eggs (or 2 large eggs and 3 egg whites)
• 2 cups Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 2 cups Grated Carrots
• 1 medium Apple, peeled and grated (or 1 cup of puréed mango)

ICING:

• ½ cup (1 stick) Butter, Softened
• 1 cup (1- 8 oz package) Cream Cheese
• 1 pound Powdered/Confectioner’s Sugar
• 2½ teaspoons Vanilla
• 1 cup of Pecans, or Walnuts, Finely Chopped

Directions:
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Blend the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add it to the first mixture and combine. Then, add carrots and apple, and mix well.  Pour batter into a greased and floured pan (bundt, sheet cake, 9 x 13 pyrex) and bake at 350° F until done, 25 (sheet cake) to 50 (Bundt pan) minutes, depending on the pan you use.

Cool completely.

Icing:
In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla and blend. Fold in the nuts.

Spread on cooled carrot cake.

Serve, enjoy the over-the-top oral sensation and repeat as needed.

MakeItAgain

0

Mango Coconut Bread Pudding

Ingredients
FOR BREAD PUDDING:
3 whole Eggs
3 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
2 Tablespoons Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup Coconut Milk
2 cups Half-'n-half, or Milk
2 cups Raw or "Turbinado" Sugar
2 cups Fresh Mango, Diced
1 pound Sourdough Bread, 1" Cubed
_____
FOR RUM SAUCE
½ cup Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 whole Egg
3 Tablespoons Rum, or To Taste

Instructions
Preheat oven to 325° degrees F.

In a large bowl beat 3 eggs, add 3 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons vanilla, 1 cup of coconut milk, and 2 cups half and half, or milk. Slowly add 2 cups raw sugar, mixing until it is all dissolved. Add diced mango and bread cubes, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate about an hour so the bread can soak up the custard mixture. Grease a 9x13x2" baking disk with butter or margarine. Pour in the bread mixture and bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

For rum sauce:
In a small saucepan, cream the butter with the brown sugar. Add vanilla, stir in the egg, then add the rum. Stir constantly over low heat for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. An immersion blender works well for this step. Serve warm over individual servings of pudding.

MakeItAgain

0

Potato & Chorizo Casserole with Jalapeños

This is one of my favorite casseroles because it's one dish, fast to put together, and a real crowd pleaser.  The Jalapeños enhance the flavor the sausage and potatoes without overpowering them with spice.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of potatoes
1½ pounds of chorizo (or other favorite spicy sausage) 
1 medium red onion
1 medium yellow onion
1 - 5½ ounce can of pickled "Malher* Chili Jalapeño" halves in brine (Depending on your tolerance for hot and spicy, you may want to try this the first time with just a ½ can and work your way up.)
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Wash potatoes and cut up into 1 to 2 inch chunks. Slice onion into ½ inch slices and then quarter each slice. Slice the chorizo into 1 inch chunks. Toss everything with seasoning salt in olive oil and place in a baking dish. Pour the brine from the Jalapeño over the potatoes and onions. Remove any stems on the Jalapeño halves and slice each half in thin strips lengthwise and toss them with the chorizo, potatoes & onions. Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove cover, top with cheese and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are done and cheese is toasted. Serve

* The Malher brand of Jalapeño chili peppers are found everywhere in Costa Rica, but they are hard to find in the States. These peppers are milder Jalapeños than what you'll find in most of the grocery stores Stateside. This particular brand will enhance the flavor of any food and not over power it. If you can't find the Malher brand, you will need to adjust the amount of brine and Jalapeños to suit your taste.

Sausage

0

Corny Jalapeño Skillet Corn Bread

Lately I've been hungry for some good old fashioned corn bread.  Before we moved to Costa Rica, I would cheat and make Corny Jalapeño Corn Bread in my cast iron skillet with 2 boxes of Jiffy Corn Bread Mix, some Jalapeño peppers and canned corn.  Guess what.... there is no Jiffy Corn Bread Mix on the grocery store shelves in Costa Rica.  I searched for recipes on the internet and finally found a couple of recipes I could use as a base.  I cobbled them together and this is the final recipe I came up with.  John loves it, says it's the best yet, and I'm happy to share it with you.

Ingredients: (makes 1 large 9”-10” skillet)

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1+1/3 cups cornmeal, preferably stone-ground (you can use Polenta in Costa Rica)
• 1 or 2 fresh Jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely minced. (If you use pickled Jalapeños you will need more, and they should be finely chopped)
• 1 cup canned corn kernels
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1+1/4 cups milk (a little bit more or less; enough to make cake like batter)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted or any good cooking oil

A cast iron skillet (if you do not have one, use a thick bottomed oven proof skillet

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.

In a bowl, sift the all purpose flour with baking powder, black pepper and salt. Stir in the cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, butter, honey and eggs. Add the melted butter and stir just until blended. Add the corn and jalapeño peppers.

Gradually stir in the dry flour mixture.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the cast iron skillet and heat the skillet over the stove top or in the oven until the oil shimmers and is really hot. Remove skillet from the stove top or the oven and pour the batter into the hot skillet. When the batter is added to the hot skillet, it will sizzle loudly.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 25-35 minutes, or until the center springs back when gently pressed and a toothpick comes out clean. The cornbread should be golden brown and crispy on the edges.

Cooking Time: Approx. 30 minutes

Side Dish

1

Tita's Chicken Picatta *WP*

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless breast
1/2 cup white flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 tbsp capers
1 cup chicken broth

Directions:
Flavor the flour with the salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper and lemon zest in a large shallow dish.

Remove any visible fat from the chicken and divide each breast into 2 equal portions. Pound each piece into a thin cutlet. Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flavored flour and shake off all the excess. Heat the oil* to medium-high in a large non-stick skillet. Brown the chicken cutlets on both sides.

While the chicken is browning, add 1 tablespoon of the leftover flavored flour to the chicken broth and whisk until there are no lumps. Heat the broth in the microwave or a sauce pan.

Once the chicken is browned on both sides, transfer cutlets to a plate. Add the warm broth to the hot skillet and gently scrape up anything stuck to the skillet. Bring the broth to a boil over medium heat and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the lemon juice and capers and stir. Once the sauce has thickened, add the chicken cutlets back in and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 8-10 minutes.

One serving = 4 ounces of chicken.

* Note: It is important to use a canola or peanut oil because olive oil will burn at high temperatures.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info:
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 229.1
Total Fat: 8.8 g
Cholesterol: 69.7 mg
Sodium: 965.5 mg
Total Carbs: 8.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.7 g
Protein: 28.5 g

WP

0

Herb-Roasted Potatos & Onions *WP*

All content copyright @ by Patricia Wegner 2013

Ingredients:
1 large red onions
1 large yellow onion
2 medium to large red potatoes
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
½ tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
½ tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a bowl.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and quarter each half. Place these in the bowl with the onions.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions and potatoes to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions and potatoes once during cooking. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Season to taste and serve warm temperature.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info:
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 151.3
Total Fat: 7.3 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 329.9 mg
Total Carbs: 19.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g
Protein: 2.4 g

WP

0

Grilled Ahi Tuna w/Teriyaki & Sesame Seeds *WP*

Ingredients

8 oz Ahi Tuna Steak
1 tbs canola oil
1 tbs sesame seeds
2 tbs sugar free teriyaki sause (Seal Sama with Splenda)

Directions

Bring the tuna steak to room temperature on a covered plate. Once it's at room temperature, set the panini grill on high. Toast the sesame seeds in a small non-stick fry pan on high heat until golden and set aside. Brush both sides of the tuna with canola oil and place it on the hot grill for about 3 minutes. Remove the tuna from the grill and gently coat both sides with the sesame seeds. Pour 2 tablespoons of the sugar free teriyaki on top. Delicious served over a bed of rice or sauteed spinach with garlic.

Number of Servings: 2

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 10.2g
• Carbohydrates: 2.1g
• Calories: 222.7
• Protein: 29.8g

WP

0

Panini Grilled Barbecue Beef Sandwich *WP*

Ingredients:
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Light Olive Oil
1/4 chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet peppers (red green or yellow)
1 garlic clove - minced
8 ounces precooked chopped beef brisket (without sauce)
1/2 cup yellow sweet corn (canned, fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
8 thin slices of whole wheat sourdough bread

Directions:
Sauté onion & peppers in a skillet on medium until onions are clear. Add the garlic and cook an another minute or two. Add the meat, corn & barbecue sauce. Cover and bring everything to a simmer on low for 5 minutes.

Divide mixture into 4 portions. Spread mixture on a slice of bread and top it with another slice. Place the sandwich on a hot Panini grill until the bread is toasted on each side.

Make 4 sandwiches

Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 307 Calories; 17g Fat (49.1% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 404mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

WP

0

Baked Tilapia wtih Capers *WP*

This simple recipe was a big hit the first time I served it to John. It has now become one of our favorites. It goes well with spicy baked fries and a cucumber salad.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra light virgin olive oil
2 - 4 oz tilapia filets
1.5 tbsp drained capers
2 tbsp Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 slice whole wheat sourdough bread
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a food processor combine bread, lemon zest, and cheese. Pulse until almost uniform in texture. Continue pulsing while drizzling in one tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside.

Season fish with salt and pepper. Place 2 fillets in a single layer on a buttered 9 by 12-inch casserole. In a small saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of buttery spread and add the lemon juice and capers. Pour butter mixture over fish, and sprinkle tops with bread crumb mixture. Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.

Number of Servings: 2

Nutritional Information: Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 264 Calories; 22g Fat (71.5% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 18mg Cholesterol; 379mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

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Cucumber Dill & Onion Salad *WP*

This is a refreshing summer salad, very low in calories

Ingredients:
1 Large Cucumber (with peel)
1/2 Medium Red Onion, Fresh
1 Tablespoon Salt - don't worry, it will be rinsed
3 Tablespoons Plain Nonfat Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons Fresh Dill Weed finely minced
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar

Directions:
Slice the cucumber and onion into very thin slices. I find a mandolin slicer works best. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt and refrigerate for a half hour. While it's chilling mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. When the cucumbers a thoroughly chilled, rinse the salt off with cold water. The salt will draw out the moisture out of the cucumbers and make them very crisp. Toss the cucumbers and onions with the dressing and serve.

Makes 4 1-cup servings.

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