Pork Cacciatore

The original recipe comes from Weight Watchers. This is my version. I took out the rosemary and changed from yellow to green pepper. I also cut back on the water, and I used the liquid from the canned mushrooms.  So, this sauce is a little thicker. Over all delicious.

Ingredients


12 oz uncooked lean pork tenderloin, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-in chunks
1/2 tsp table salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, divided
3 spray(s) cooking spray, divided
3 small uncooked  potato(es), peeled, cut into 1-in chunks
1 medium uncooked onion(s), halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup(s) water, or more if necessary, divided
1 medium green pepper(s), cut into 1-in chunks
8 oz mushroom(s), halved or quartered lengthwise (about 3 cups)
1 cup(s) home made marinara sauce



Instructions

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat.

Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add pork to skillet, increase heat to medium-high and cook, turning pieces occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes; remove to a plate.

Off heat, coat same skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and 1/2 cup of water; cook, scraping bottom of pan, 1 minute. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Add green pepper, mushrooms,  and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper to skillet; saute over medium-high heat, until vegetables are lightly browned, adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed to prevent sticking, about 7 minutes.



Stir in marinara sauce, pork; bring to a simmer. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables are tender and pork is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

15-Minute Skillet Cassoulet

A French-inspired bean and sausage meal from Weight Watchers.

Ingredients


2 spray(s) cooking spray, or enough to coat skillet
1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
8 oz low-fat sausage(s), smoked variety, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup(s) canned chicken broth
30 oz canned great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 Tbsp canned tomato paste
1/2 cup(s) dried plain breadcrumbs

Instructions

Preheat broiler.

Coat a nonstick ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and heat. Add onion, garlic and kielbasa and sauté until onion is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add thyme, broth, beans and tomato paste; simmer 10 minutes.

Sprinkle bread crumbs over beans. Place skillet under broiler until bread crumbs are browned, about 30 seconds. Yields about 1 3/4 cups per serving.

Pineapple Zucchini Bread.

Ingredients


3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple (juice pack), drained
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cooking oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
Cream cheese or butter, softened (optional)



Directions

1.Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of two 8x4x2-inch loaf pans, four 5-1/2x3x2-inch loaf pans or twelve 3-1/4-inch muffin cups; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2.Drain zucchini in a colander. Press and squeeze very well to remove as much of the excess liquid as possible. In a medium bowl, combine drained zucchini, eggs, pineapple, sugar, oil and vanilla. Add zucchini mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in 3/4 cup of the nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle with remaining nuts.

3.Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 50 to 55 minutes for the 8x4-inch pans; 45 to 50 minutes for the 5 -1/2x3-inch pan; or 25 to 30 minutes for the muffin cups; or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. If you like, serve with cream cheese or butter. Makes 2 loaves (32 slices).

From Midwest Magazine

Best Ever Chicken Salad

I couldn't make up my mind today: whether to to chicken soup or chicken salad. The I looked at the thermomater-- and this is salas weather. Like fer sure.
Too hot for soup. I'll wait till fall.

Ok, bragging -- I love my chicken salad. There's lots of goodies in it. This one goes great with BBQ

1 lb box of macaroni, or other pasta cooked and cooled.
1/2 lb cooked chicken breast, cubed small
2 ribs of celery chopped fine
1/8 cup onion minced
1/2 Tbs minced garlic
1 cup fresh cooked corn
1 diced tomato (optional)
3 tbs chopped bacon
1/2 cup mayo
2 tbs ranch dressing
2 tbs bbq sauce.

Mix all ingredents together. If it seems a little dry add another tablespoon or t wo of mayo. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

The Stuffed Potato

I love baked potatoes Lots of people do. What's great is that you can also stuff them with almost anything. Broccoli, cheese, butter and sour cream, chili... etc.. The other night I stuffed them with chicken, peas and a cream sauce made with a can pf cream of chicken soup, salsa spur cream and a little salsa.

This however is my all time favorite.

2 large baked potatoes
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese
2 oz each ham and turkey
1/2 cooked broccoli
2 tbs green onion
4 tbs sour cream
3 tbs crumble bacon
4 tbs butter
salt and pepper

Split the potatoes in half. add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the remaining ingredients between the potatoes the sour cream.

Place them in the microwave for 45 seconds, or long enough to melt the cheese, and to make sure their hot.

Plate the potatoes add the sour cream and enjoy.

Cottage Pie

This is really easy, and only takes about 30 minutes. This is similar to the beef stew and biscuits I remember as a kid.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 package gravy mix

1 pkg frozen mixed veggies

1 medium fresh tomato diced

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp steak seasoning
1 can of biscuits like Grands
1 cup water
2 tbs olive oil

Directions

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the frozen veggies and the diced tomato. Simmer for 5 minutes to take the chill off the veggies. stir in the gravy mix and a cup of water. simmer for another few minutes stirring well so there are no lumps and veggies sure mixed well.

Pour mixture into a 8x8 baking dish.

Top with the biscuits. Brush a little olive oil on the top of the biscuits.

This will give them a nice golden brown on top.

Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or according to the biscuit package.
Cover uncovered for another 5 to 10 so the tops will be browned. 

Serve hot

Chess Pie

My local grocery store was sampling pie yesterday. One of which was chess pie. I was curious what it was, so I looked it up. Found this: 

Chess pie is a dessert characteristic of Southern U.S. cuisine. According to James Beard's American Cookery (1972) chess pie was brought from England originally, and was found in New England as well as Virginia. Recipes vary, but are generally similar in that they call for the preparation of a single crust and a filling composed of eggs, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. What sets chess pie apart from many other custard pies is the addition of corn meal. Some recipes also call for corn syrup, which tends to create a more gelatinous consistency. The pie is then baked. The finished product is often consumed with coffee.

Butter Crust

Since this is, after all, a butter crust, it's imperative that you use good butter. Do not use anything else other than real, salted butter.

1/2 c. salted butter
1 heaping T. white sugar
1 c. flour (unsifted)

Mix the butter and sugar together in a bowl with a spoon. Do not cream! Place the butter and sugar combination on a flat surface and add half a cup of the flour and lightly mix to combine the ingredients. Add the other half of the flour and knead just until a dough begins to form. Do not roll out the dough.

Press the dough into a glass pie dish (you can use metal, but glass performs so much better and cooks more evenly) using your knuckles, so the dough doesn't stick as much. Place in the refrigerator until ready to pour in your pie filling and bake.

Chess Pie

1/2 c. salted butter
2 c. white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract (must be real vanilla extract)
4 eggs
1 T. cornmeal
1/4 c. evaporated milk
1 T. distilled white vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425º. Make sure your butter is at room temperature (if not, you can give it a quick melt in the microwave for 30 seconds). Mix together your butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. You don't need a mixer for this; a wooden spoon or whisk will do perfectly.

Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and then pour into the butter and sugar. Stir to combine, then add in the cornmeal, evaporated milk and vinegar. Stir until smooth (the cornmeal will lump up, so make sure it's well incorporated).

Pour into your unbaked pie crust and then put it into the preheated oven. After ten minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 300º. Bake for an additional 40 minutes. The top will brown significantly, bubble and even crack; these are all good things.

Remove and let cool. The pie will be a tan color on top where the cornmeal has risen and browned. This is what gives chess pie its delicious, slightly crunchy exterior, which gives way to a decadently sweet and creamy center.

The pie can keep unrefrigerated for a day, but once it's cut into, it needs be be kept in the refrigerator. Eat your chess pie with a cup of black coffee or tea to cut the sweetness, and a table full of friends and good conversation.



--- Katharine Shilcutt,  Huston Press Dec 29, 2008

homeade corn chips

Recipe Type: SnackAuthor: Casey BarberPrep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Makes 5-6 dozen crackers.

Ingredients

1 cup Medium-Grind Cornmeal (I like War Eagle Mill, but you have to go to the mill in NW Ark  or order online.)
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 large Egg
1/4 cup (2 oz.) Buttermilk
1/4 cup (2 oz.) Olive Oil


Instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.Whisk the cornmeal, flour, and salt together in a large bowl.

3.Whisk the egg, whey or buttermilk, and oil together in a small bowl, then stir into the dry ingredients to form a moist dough.

4.Cut a sheet of parchment paper and a sheet of waxed paper large enough to cover a standard baking sheet.

5.Turn the dough out onto the sheet of parchment paper and form it into a rough rectangle with your hands. Cover with the sheet of waxed paper and roll into a paper-thin sheet of dough with a rolling pin. If any dough starts to squeeze out from under the waxed paper, gather up the excess, place it back on an exposed corner of the parchment paper, and re-roll until you’ve maximized the space.

6.Peel the waxed paper off the dough and transfer the parchment paper to the baking sheet. Score the dough with a pizza or pastry cutter, marking a grid of 1/2-inch by 1 1/2-inch strips. You don’t have to separate each little cracker; they’ll break apart easily when they’re fully baked.

7.Bake for 18-20 minutes. Transfer the parchment paper to a cooling rack and break the crackers apart as soon as they’re cool enough to touch. Cool completely before serving .

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

No need to drop everything to make a batch of cookies. You can mix and bake four dozen of these in 1 hour


Ingredients


1 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 cups white vanilla baking chips (from 12-oz package)
3/4 cup maraschino cherries without stems, coarsely chopped, well-drained
1 teaspoon oil
24 maraschino cherries, drained, each cut in half


Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate, vanilla and eggs.

2 On low speed, beat in flour, cocoa and baking soda until mixed. Fold in 1 cup of the vanilla baking chips and the cherries. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

3 Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

4 Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, place remaining vanilla baking chips and oil. Microwave on High 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave in 10 second increments, stirring after each time, until melted and smooth. Spoon drop of mixture in center of each cookie; top each with cherry half. Drizzle remaining mixture over cookies

Store these rich chocolaty cookies in a tightly covered container to preserve freshness

© 2012 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved

© 2012 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved

Tortilla bowls

I saw this on Facebook. What a great idea. 

The Urban Farm & Garden

Tortilla Bowls? Easy!
Turn your muffin pan upside down, spray with cooking oil and Bake for 10 min at 375 degrees F or 180 degrees C. Perfect!

Fill with your favorite ingredients and enjoy. 

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Little meat loaves

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats and salt. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf.
4. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

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Creamy Chicken and Broccoli

1 lb Chicken breast

3 bouillon cubes
2 teaspoons Seasoning salt
Dash of Pepper
1/2 cup Sour cream
2 bunches of broccoli, heads only



Pan Fry chicken breasts until browned on the outside. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil add 1 bouillon cube and the broccoli. Cook to desired doneness.

When chicken is cooked through remove from pan to rest.

Deglaze the pan with the some of vegetable water; mash the other 2 bouillon cubes in the pan. Stir to deglaze. Slowly stir in the sour cream. The consistency should be like medium gravy.

Return chicken to the pan to coat with the sauce. Serve the chicken and broccoli together.

Bacon and Egg Deviled Eggs.

What's your favorite picnic food? If you like eggs, these are really good, and so easy. This might be fun project for the kiddos. They can mash and mix the yolks. Enjoy

Ingredients:

3 large Hard Boiled Eggs

1/2 ts Prepared mustard
1 strip of cooked Bacon, crumbled
2 tb Mayo 
1 dash Salt and Pepper
1 ts Paprika
 
 
Directions:
 
Gently boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Rinse them under cool water. Let them sit for a few minutes before peeling.
 
Cut eggs lengthwise into halves. Slip out yolks with the edge of a spoon and mash with a fork. Mix in mayo mustard, bacon and salt and pepper. Fill egg halves with yolk mixture, heaping it up lightly.


Sprinkle each one with paprika.

Penne with Porcini Cream Sauce

Who says you can't live a low carb lifestyle and still have pasta? Atkins makes a low carb pasta and so do a few other brands. Granted Atkins recommends this for the maintenance phase, but you decide. Of course, you could make this with regular pasta too. Enjoy.

Ingredients

2 1/2 Ounce-weights dried porcini mushrooms
1 Cup boiling water
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
10 Ounce-weights white mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 Teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 Teaspoon ground pepper, divided
8 Ounce-weights Atkins Cusiine™ Penne Pasta
1/4 Cup sour cream
1/2 Teaspoon paprika
1/4 Cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Cover porcini with boiling water. Let sit 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over moderate heat, melt butter in olive oil. 

Add white  mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 

Cook until almost dry and mushrooms are tender, about 30 minutes.

Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, finish sauce:

 Remove porcini mushrooms from soaking liquid;  rinse, chop and add to skillet. 

Place a coffee filter in a small strainer and pour mushroom soaking liquid through it.

 Add strained liquid to skillet.

Cook mushroom mixture over high heat until mostly evaporated but still saucy, 

about 5 minutes.

 Stir in sour cream, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 

paprika and parsley.

 Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Toss with pasta and mushrooms, serve immediately.

Chili and Cheese Chops

Sometimes you just feel like being a little spicy. Besides it is good for the sinuses. right? I changed the origanal just a little; instead of separate salsa and green chilies, I add a small can of tomoatoes and green chillies. Something like Rotel. I also added 1/2 a bell pepper and a small onion.

 

This does up the carbs al little, but that's ok, the origanal only has 3.5 grams. By the way this serves 4, if you have some veggies with it.

 

Ingredients:

 

1 Teaspoon canola oil

14 Ounce-weights pork chops
1/4 Cup salsa
2 1/4 Ounce-weights diced green chilies, canned
1 Teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons cream cheese



Directions

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper. Brown chops about 2 minutes per side.

Combine salsa, chilies and cumin in a bowl. Pour mixture over chops. Reduce heat to low, cover skillet and simmer chops 5 minutes or until cooked through.

Mix cheeses in a bowl. Divide cheese mixture over chops, cover and cook 1 minute, just until cheese melts.



 

 

The Omlete

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie

Yes, have your pie and eat it too. The recipe was featured on Blaine's Low Carb Kitchen. Try it tell me what you think. 

One suggestion, try Splenda for baking.

Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cup macadamia nuts - chopped
2 tbsp. low carb sweetener
2 tbsp. soy flour
1 egg white

Lime Simple Syrup:
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup low carb sweetener
Rind of one lime (approximately 2 tbsp.)

Filling:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1/2 c. low carb sweetener
2 eggs - separated
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Crust Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In food processor grind macadamia nuts, add low carb sweetener, soy flour and egg white and continue to mix. Grease pie plate and press nut mixture with hands into pie plate forming a crust from bottom of plate up to the sides. Blind bake in oven for 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Syrup Preparation:
Heat water and low carb sweetener in sauté pan over medium heat. Add zest and continue to cook about 2 minutes. Strain and reserve zest and syrup in separate bowls.

Filling Preparation:
Heat in sauté pan lime simple syrup and remove from heat. Add gelatin to syrup and let soften about 1 minute. Stir in lime juice, 1/4 cup low carb sweetener and 2 egg yolks. Stir over low heat until mixture thickens about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. In mixer beat egg whites and 2 tbsp. of low carb sweetener until stiff. Transfer whites to a large bowl. Clean out mixing bowl and in mixer whip cream, vanilla and remaining 2 tbsp. of low carb sweetener until whipped. Fold whipped cream mixture into egg whites. Add lime filling and fold with other mixture. Spoon mixture into the prepared crust and chill for 2 hours. Remove pie from refrigerator and garnish top with lime zest. Top with whipped cream (optional).

Yields 8 servings - approximately 6 net carbs per serving

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Coconut-Cashew Chocolate Truffles

mmm Truffles, and oh look they are sugar free. Woo Hoo.

Ingredients

3/4 Cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons granular sugar substitute (sucralose)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
7 Ounce-weights Hershey's® sugar-free chocolate
3 Ounce-weights unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup unsweetened dried coconut, divided
1/2 Cup unsalted cashews, very finely chopped

• 
  

     Directions



Combine cream, sugar substitute and butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Place chopped
 chocolate in a medium bowl; pour hot cream mixture over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes.

Stir chocolate mixture gently until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in extract and 1/2 cup of the
 coconut. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring occasionally (Truffles will be easier to
 form if the mixture is not too stiff).

Toast the remaining 1/2 cup coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until lightly
browned; transfer to a bowl and cool.Roll the chocolate mixture into 32 balls about the size of large marbles.

Roll half of the balls in cashews and half in toasted coconut. Place in an airtight container between layers of wax paper. Can refrigerate  up to one week.

Get more Delicious sugar free recipes at Atkins.com

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French Silk Dream

Once upon a time, in a dream far away... there was pie. I like pie... who doesn't. Wait it wasn't a dream it was IHOP on Colorado Blvd in Denver.  That would be International House of Pies. Oh my they had everything. Oh French Silk... Chocolate clouds, dreamy creamy...
A girl, a pie, Soul Train playing on the TV... what I wonderful dream....

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

• 30 chocolate wafers, (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons chopped pitted dates
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 
  

FILLING

• 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• 8 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons dried egg whites, (see Ingredient Note), reconstituted according to package directions
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray.
2. To prepare crust: Combine chocolate wafers and dates in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add water and oil and process until moistened. Press into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan.
3. Bake until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. To prepare filling & garnish: Combine coffee and water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top and set aside to soften.
5. Whisk egg, milk, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Add the reserved gelatin mixture; stir until dissolved. Add chocolate and vanilla, stirring until melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
6. Beat reconstituted egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 5 tablespoons brown sugar, beating until the meringue is smooth and glossy.
7. Whisk one-fourth of the meringue into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the remaining meringue and fold in with a whisk. Spoon the filling into the crust and chill, uncovered, until set, about 3 hours.

From EatingWell:  September/October 2008, October 1997, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)