Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Brown Butter

Is there anything better than butter? Yes there is!! Add some soy and balsamic vinegar and redefine butter!! This simple recipe produces an impressive side dish.
To make your asparagus super tender re-hydrate them in a cup of water. Snap off the ends of the asparagus (should easily break off where the end has dried out). Place asparagus in a coffee cup 1/2 filled with cold water. Let sit in cup atleast 20 minutes. We do this every time we cook asparagus and find the results worth the extra effort.

40 asparagus spears, trimmed (approx. 2 pounds)
cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
cracked black pepper (optional)
grated lemon rind (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet; coat asparagus with cooking spray. (I use my pampered chef large rectangular stone pan and it cooks wonderfully!) Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until tender.
3. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle over asparagus, tossing well to coat. Garnish with cracked pepper and rind, if desired. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 5 spears)
Source: Cooking Light Sept '07

Calories 45; Fat 3g; Protein 1.9g; Carb 3.9g; Fiber 1.7g; Chol 8mg; Iron 0.7mg; Sodium 134mg; Calc 18 mg

Couscous Pilaf

I made this dish without the slivered almonds and fresh lemon rind, only because I didn't have any, and it was fabulous!! Found this recipe in my most recent Cooking Light magazine, Jan/Feb 2008.

1 1/2 c. fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 c. uncooked couscous
1/3 c. dried cherries
1/4 c. toasted slivered almonds
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add couscous to broth, cover and remove from heat. Let couscous stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with fork. Stir in cherries, almonds, parsley, olive oil, lemon rind, salt and pepper. Stir well.
Yields 4 servings

Broccoli and Mushroom Casserole

I have had this recipe for so long I can't recall where I found it! Unlike most of my recipes this one couldn't possibly have come from Cooking Light..look at all of those yummy fat laden ingredients!! My hubby loves blue cheese and I only like it "in" stuff, so this recipe has been a hit for the both of us. I recently served it at dinner for friends and they loved it too! This is for you Kerri and Jenn!!

1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1 1/4 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (must use sharp)
1/3 c. blue cheese dressing (go ahead and splurge on the good stuff)
2 eggs, uncooked
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 c. broccoli, peeled stems and head, chopped and *blanched in salt water
12 oz. sliced mushrooms, sauteed in 1 Tablespoon butter
1 pkg. chicken flavored Ramen noodle soup, broken up

*To blanch: steam broccoli until tender-crisp, not wilted. Remove from steamer and submerge into a medium bowl of ice cold water and approx. 2- tablespoons salt (mix salt and water while broccoli is steaming to allow time for the salt to dissolve). This process stops the cooking and keeps you from having very overcooked broccoli in the casserole.
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
1. Sautee the mushrooms in 1 Tablespoon of butter while broccoli is steaming. Careful not to overcook. Set aside.
2. In large bowl combine mayo, yogurt, cheddar, blue cheese, eggs, salt and pepper, and flavor packet from the noodles.
3. Add the blanched broccoli and sauteed mushrooms to the wet mixture. Add the noodles.
4. Place in an 8X8 dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cook covered 45 minutes in 350 degree oven. Remove cover and bake an additional 15 minutes to brown. Cool 10 minutes.
Yields 6-8 servings

Peasant Stew

After posting the comfort food "Spinach and Black Bean Enchilada" I thought it only fair to post a more figure friendly dish. I know the name "Peasant Stew" isn't catchy but it is a wonderful dish for many reasons. Let me count the ways...

1)It is very tasty

2)It is made in a crock pot, need I say more?

3)It is great left over as most soups and stews are

4)Oh, it gets even better...for those of you on Weight Watchers...a serving is only 4 points, now that's incredible!!! Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

6 chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds), skinned

1 cup chopped onion

1 (14.5-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes with jalapeño peppers and spices, undrained

1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Preparation:

Combine cumin, salt, and pepper; sprinkle over chicken.
Place chicken in an electric slow cooker; stir in onion, tomatoes, and chiles. Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting for 3 hours. Stir in beans. Cover; cook on high-heat setting 1 hour.
Place 1 chicken thigh in each of 6 soup bowls; ladle 1 1/4 cups stew into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 teaspoons cilantro and 2 teaspoons sour cream.
Yield: 6 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 214(16% from fat); FAT 3.9g (sat 1.4g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 21.5g; CHOLESTEROL 61mg; CALCIUM 85mg; SODIUM 773mg; FIBER 6g; IRON 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.7g
Cooking Light, AUGUST 2002

Black Bean and Spinach Enchilada

I grew up in a large Catholic family, 4 boys and 4 girls. A very tight knit family that ate dinner every night together, no excuses. Food has always been a big part of our lives. While mom put a healthy, cost conscience meal on the table every night Dad cooked a culinary feast every Sunday served at 2 p.m., no excuses. I can mark childhood not through years but through dad’s culinary expressions from his French period to dove and quail season to braised oxtails. Ahhh, I remember his braised ox tails well, they were dripping with sticky gravy and finger licking good, quintessential comfort food. So it is natural, comforting, and a testimony to family dinners during my childhood that all of my brothers and sisters have taken to the kitchen. Speaking of comforting I would like to introduce you to some comfort food. I’d like to take credit for this yummy, comforting delight but the credit goes to Syndy Johnson in Shreveport, Louisiana at the Fairfield Grocery & Market. Now that Fall and fallen and there is a nip in the air this is a perfect recipe for a cool weather day. Make all of it or just the Madeline it is fabulous.

Black Bean and Spinach Enchilada

Ingredients
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 recipe Spinach Madeline (see below)
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 (12-ounce) block Monterey Jack cheese, shredded and divided

Preparation
Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.
Stir together Spinach Madeleine and sour cream until blended.
Spoon about 1/2 cup black bean mixture down center of each tortilla. Top each with 1/3 cup Spinach Madeleine mixture, and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons cheese. Roll up, and place, seam sides down, in 2 lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dishes. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over tops.
Bake, covered, at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Option...Black Bean-Chicken-Spinach Enchiladas: Substitute 1 cup chopped, cooked chicken for 1 can black beans. Proceed as directed.
Yield: Makes 8 servings

Spinach Madeline
Ingredients
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 (8-ounce) loaf pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning

Preparation
Cook spinach according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Whisk in flour until smooth, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
Add cheese, hot sauce, and Creole seasoning; whisk until cheese is melted. Stir in spinach, and cook until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.
Yield: Makes about 8 servings

Get to Pickin' While the Pickin' is Good

Wilson county has a number of orchards and farms where you can pick your own produce. This is a wonderful family activity for this fall. Pick-it-yourself farms in our area include:

Breeden's Orchard - apples - UPDATE October 10, 2007: A visitor reports: "Upon visiting Breeden's this fall we found a sign informing the public that due to the poor crops this year, Breeden's would not be open until next season (2008)"phone: 449-2880 - red and yellow delicious apple picking. 631 Beckwith Road off Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. You also can pick on Sunday from noon to 4:30 p.m. In business since 1974.

Bubba Pratts Farm - Corn, Tomatoes.5000 Trousdale Ferry Pike, Lebanon. Phone: (615) 444-0282. Call for Directions.

Circle S Farms - corn (sweet), cucumbers, melons, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, strawberries, tomatoes, prepicked produce1627 East Old Laguardo Road, Lebanon. Phone: 615-210-8145. Email us at: ptsmith12@hotmail.com Crops are usually available in April, May, July, August, September, October. Open: Strawberries Monday thru Friday 3p.m. til Dark Saturdays 8a.m. till 5p.m. Sun 12p.m. til 5p.m. All other produce by reservation Strawberries May 1st thru June 1st. Other crops as the summer progresses. Payment: Cash, Check.

Dewey Acres - Pollenless Sunflowers and Zinnias.365A N. Greenhill Rd. , Mt. Juliet. Phone: 615 758-8846. Email us at: deweyacres@comcast.net Directions: 40 E or W to Hermitage Exit. R on Andrew Jackson Pkwy. R on Lebanon Rd. L on N. Greenhill Rd. 3/10 mile on Left. Second house in drive. Crops are usually available in July, August, but the 2007 sunflower crop is a bit late and will be available from late August into October. Open: Call for hours and crop availability. Closed on Sundays. Payment: Cash, only. Email to request available colors of flowers!

Kelley's Berry Farm - Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries.50 Riverview Lane, Castalian Springs. Phone: (615) 633-1426 or (615) 374-3050. Call for directions.

S & S Berry Farm - Blackberries.4515 Central Pike, Hermitage. Phone: (615) 758-9041. Call for directions.

The Perfect Autumn Salad: Baby Spinach Salad with Caramelized Onions and Apples

This is *the* perfect salad for autumn. I added grilled chicken, marinated in Dijon and balsamic vinegar, for a satisfying dinner and had a rosemary roll on the side.

BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND APPLES
From Whole Gourmet Natural Cooking
Yield: 4 Servings

CURRIED APPLES AND ONIONS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced thin
1 apple, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder

DRESSING
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons walnut oil (or use more olive oil)

CANDIED PECANS OR WALNUTS
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup

SALAD
4 handfuls of baby spinach
2 ounces goat feta


Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and apple. Saute for 2-3 minutes, turn down the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 35-45 minutes, until the onions have released their natural sugars and begun to caramelize. They should be a nice caramel color.

In the meantime, prepare the dressing and candied pecans. For the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small dish. Let the dressing sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

For the pecans, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Place the pecans in the pan, stirring and flipping constantly, until the pecans are lightly toasted, about 8 minutes—watch out, they burn fast at the end.

Add the spices and salt; mix about 30 seconds to toast the spices. Turn the heat to low and add the maple syrup. Stir constantly, cooking until the mixture has thickened and is very sticky, about two minutes. Remove to a plate and cool completely.

Place a handful of spinach onto four salad plates. Drizzle with the dressing. Place 1/4 of the warmed caramelized onions over each of the plates of spinach and top with the candied pecans and feta. Give each a grinding of fresh black pepper. Serve while the onions are still warm.
©2006 Copyright Alison Anton - All rights reserved. Whole Gourmet Natural Cooking

Wine and Food Pairing

Not sure what type of wine to pair with your dinner? Check out this food and wine pairing chart on The Food Network.

photo: flickr

Roasted Red Peppers

You too can have the smell of fresh roasted peppers wafting through your own kitchen. Roasting peppers at home is easy, and takes less than ten minutes. They can be roasted on a gas stovetop flame, under a broiler or on a barbecue.



Instructions:

Turn the heat source to high. Wash and dry the peppers.

With a pair of tongs or long fork, place the whole peppers directly on or under the heat source and gently turn them until they are blackened and blistered. This takes several minutes on each side. Try to get all the nooks and crannies to blacken.

Place the peppers in a bowl and cover for about 30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. With your fingers, gently peel off the blackened skins. If they are hot peppers, use plastic gloves and be very careful not to get any of the pepper juices on your hands or in your eyes. Resist the temptation to peel the peppers under water or rinse them off, as you will lose the flavorful juices.

Slice them in half and remove the seeds. Slice thin for salads and appetizers, mince for a garnish, or puree for dips and dollops.

Instructions from Alison Anton's Whole Gourmet Natural Cooking blog.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Goodies

Happy autumn! Got pumpkins on your mind? Try these two recipes!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin
1 1/2 cups canola oil
3 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips



Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tins or use paper liners.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, and mix in sugar, pumpkin, and oil.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Blend in the egg and pumpkin mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips. Transfer to the muffin pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans, and cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.