Food Glorious Food

A recent Saturday excursion to the Franklin Farmer's Market had me more excited than a sugar addict in a candy store. You know that song...the one that goes food glorious food, well need I say more? It was here that I discovered several local organic farms and was, needless to say, "tickled pink" with delight. Among them was Paradise Produce, a farm that delivers to practically my backyard twice a month. So, of course, I had to give it a try...and blab to all of my friends within a 5-mile radius that they had to try it too!


I pre-ordered my veggies which included a nice assortment of chard, broccoli, squash, zucchini, green beans, Yukon potatoes, carrots and raspberries. A pound of this, a pound of that. Click, click, order complete. When I arrived to pick up my produce, I was astonished by the quality and quantity of my bounty -- richly vibrant in color and superb tasty flavors. Nature's best! And maybe the farmer's pound is more like a baker's dozen for I was loaded to the hilt with food glorious food. From the farmer's garden to my plate. You can't get much better than that.

Now how were two of us going to eat all of this! Well, when in a culinary panic, I always turn to Cooking Light, where I found a recipe perfectly suitable for my produce and my palate! I blanched and froze my leftovers for the week so that I can continue to enjoy them in the weeks to come.

By the way, if you're reading this post, you have to be subjected to my shameless plug, so for more information on Paradise Produce, email paradiseproduce@yahoo.com .

Spring Vegetable Lasagna
from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
8 cups torn Swiss chard (about 3/4 pound)
2 cups chopped yellow squash
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Asiago cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
6 no-boil lasagna noodles (such as Barilla or Vigo)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chard, squash, onion, bell pepper, carrot, and salt; saute 10 minutes or until tender.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds. Add flour, and cook 1 minute. Stir constantly with a whisk. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook until thick (for about 4 minutes). Remove from heat; add 1/4 cup Parmesan. Stir until cheese melts.
Combine ricotta, cottage cheese, 1/2 cup Asiago, and oregano in a bowl.

Spread 2 tablespoons milk mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over milk mixture; top with half of ricotta mixture, half of vegetable mixture, and 1/2 cup milk mixture. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining milk mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Asiago cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes.

Yield 6 servings

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 308(30% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 5.9g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 25.8g; CHOLESTEROL 53mg; CALCIUM 495mg; SODIUM 865mg; FIBER 3.3g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30.8g
Cooking Light, APRIL 2001

Smothered Pork Chops with Thyme

Only having pork tenderloin, I was looking for a quick and easy recipe. Found this in a Cooking Light magazine, but it called for 8 boneless center-cut loin chops. I decided to slice the tenderloin into miniature chops..about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick rounds. Cooked quickly and evenly, and the flavor was superb!

1 c. fat-free, less sodium beef broth, divided
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pork tenderloin sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Cooking Spray
1 c. coarsely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1. Combine 1/4 c. broth, milk, flour, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle one side of each pork chop with paprika and thyme. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of the pork to pan; saute 2 minutes on each side or until pork is done and lightly browned. Remove pork from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining pork (I sprayed with nonstick spray again before adding remaining chops). Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion; saute 4 minutes or until lightly golden. Add remaining 3/4 cup broth; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes. Add milk mixture, stirring with a whisk. Add pork, turning to coat; cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Yield 4-5 servings.

Italian Herbed Shrimp Kebabs

Found this one in the July 2008 Cooking Light magazine. I did not use cilantro (not a big fan), so I added 1/4 fresh oregano and can't imagine it tasting any better! The menu suggested serving with tomato bruschetta (I will include the recipe) and grilled asparagus. The pesto-like marinade would also work well on chicken breasts or scallops.

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 garlic clove
4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil, divided
24 peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices (approx. 20 slices)
Cooking Spray
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
2. Place first 6 ingredients in a blender or a small food processor; add 2 teaspoons oil. Process until smooth. Transfer basil mixture to a medium bowl. Add shrimp to bowl; toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
3. Thread 6 shrimp and 5 zucchini slices alternately on each of 4 (12 inch) skewers. Drizzle kebabs evenly with remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Place kebabs on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done. (*To make sure the zucchini were cooked enough I put them in a bowl in the microwave for 1 minute with a little water, allowed them to lightly steam before grilling.) Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 kebab)

Calories 235; Fat 7.8g; Protein 35.5g; Carb 4.7g; Fiber 1g; Chol 259mg; Iron 4.7mg; Sodium 555mg; Calc 113mg


Tomato Bruschetta
Grill 4(1 1/2 oz) slices country-style sourdough bread 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Remove bread from grill; rub one side of each bread slice with cut sides of a halved garlic clove. Combine 3/4 cup chopped tomato, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Top each bread slice with about 3 tablespoons of tomato mixture

Summer Corn Chowder

Recently I visited Panera bread and had their Summer Corn Chowder for lunch. It was good, so good that I wanted to find a comparable recipe for my own. After many reviews I visited my dear friend's website, perhaps you've heard of her.... MarthaStewart.com. I know it has 1 1/2 cups of half and half, I know it's nothing but carbs..it's "carbo-licious" as my other good friend Suzanne would say. Especially if you make the Avocado Bruschetta, which I did. By the way, if you are unsure of the Poblano Chile don't be! It adds no heat as long as you don't use the vein or the seeds. It's a very mild pepper, I prefer it over a bell pepper. Also, I did not use the bacon. Instead I coated the pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil and began with step 2.

For the Soup:
1 small onion, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice (1 c.)
2 ribs celery, strings removed, cut into 1/2 inch dice (3/4 c.)
8 sprigs thyme (FYI 1 sprig is not a leaf but an entire stem)
Salt and Pepper
3 cups homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, skimmed of fat
3 ears yellow corn, kernels removed (about 2 1/2 cups)
5 oz. small fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2 in. thick slices (*can be found at Kroger beside the squash)
1 poblano chile, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
For the Garnish:
4 teaspoons bacon, cut into 1/4 inch dice

1. Place bacon in small stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is deep golden brown and all the fat has been rendered, about 4 minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel, and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.
2. Add onions, celery, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste to stockpot; cook over medium-low heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add corn, potatoes, and chile; cook until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard thyme. Add half-and-half, and simmer until soup is hot. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and garnish with the reserved crisp bacon pieces.

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

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

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

Greek Kabobs and Pine Nut-Orzo Salad

This recipe is from Rachael Ray. It is one of our favorites. Fabulous flavors...and easy. It can be made vegetarian by using portobello mushrooms as a substitute for meat.


Ingredients:
Salt
1/2 pound orzo
4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
4 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves stripped and finely chopped
6 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
1/4 cup green olive tapenade
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 lemons, juiced and 1 zested
1/3 plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds firm white flesh fish, halibut or swordfish, cut into 12 (2-inch) chunks
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 12 (2-inch) chunks
Black pepper
Metal skewers
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 cup feta cheese crumbles
8 Greek hot peppers, for garnish
1/4 cup kalamata olives, for garnish
2 tomatoes, diced, for garnish
1/2 cucumber, diced, for garnish

Instructions:
Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high.
Place a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil for the pasta salad. When the water boils, salt it and cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta works, in a small bowl combine the garlic, oregano, rosemary, tapenade, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon lemon zest and the juice of 1 lemon with about 1/3 cup EVOO. Place the fish and chicken in separate shallow dishes or bowls and season with salt and pepper then divide the dressing between the bowls and coat the fish and chicken evenly. Skewer the fish and chicken on metal skewers. Grill the chicken 10 to 12 minutes until firm and juices run clear, and the fish for about 6 to 8 minutes, turning the kabobs frequently.

Drain orzo and combine with pine nuts, onions, parsley, feta crumbles, the juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve the orzo salad with 3 pieces each of chicken and fish along side. Garnish plates with a couple of hot peppers, olives, tomatoes and cucumbers on each plate.

Sweet and Sour Meatball Simmer

This is one of our favorites! (Especially me because it's easy!)
Serve with a steamed vegetable for a complete dinner.
I found this recipe on Kraftfoods.com.

3/4 lb. homemade meatballs or (3/4 of 16-oz. pkg. frozen prepared)
1 medium each red and yellow pepper, cut into chunks
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup Catalina Dressing
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
3/4 tsp. each ground ginger and garlic powder
2 cups brown or white rice, prepared according to package directions

COMBINE all ingredients except rice in large skillet; cover.
Cook on medium heat 10 min. , stirring occasionally.

INCREASE heat to medium-high; uncover. Cook 8 to 10 min.,
or until sauce is thickened and meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally.

SERVE over the hot cooked rice.

Makes 4 servings, 1 cup each
**variation.. can substitute 3 cups frozen vegetables for the peppers. Just add during last 6 min. of the final cooking time.