Low-fat Cheese Sauce

.


A lovely reader asked for the recipe for the low-fat cheese sauce on my menu and I just happened to have made it last week for lunch to serve over a veggie baked potato. When I first read the recipe it was sort of an "ah-ha" moment because I had never thought to make white sauce without first making a butter roux. Skipping the roux cuts the fat by omitting the butter. The recipe also calls for using reduced-fat cheese.

I would like to play with the recipe a little. The sauce made with reduced-fat cheddar was o.k., but lacking a little zip. A combination of cheese, maybe including a little Parmesan might be better. The original recipe, found in Women Heart's All Heart Family Cookbook, called for soy milk which I don't use, so I subbed 1% milk.

Reduced-Fat Cheese Sauce

olive oil
2 c. low fat milk
2 T. cornstarch
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. reduced-fat cheese
salt

In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together milk and cornstarch. Set aside.



Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour a small amount of oil on a paper towel and wipe the bottom of the pan (or use cooking spray). Add shallot and garlic and cook for a few minutes, until tender. Stir in milk/cornstarch mixture and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Add cheese and cook until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Salt as needed.

Printer version

Peppered Couscous and Cumin Roasted Cauliflower

.



These two dishes are good low-fat sides. I won't bore you with the science of why these are good dishes, but if you want to you can read about red peppers, here, and cauliflower here. They also taste good, which is the criteria for them showing up here. The couscous is kid friendly too. If your kids don't like veggies, cut the pieces of pepper and onion so they are large enough to pick out. My kids ate it all, and I think the peppers are mild enough for most children. The cauliflower they only tolerated, but Doug and I both really liked it.

Peppered Couscous
serves 4-6

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow pepper, finely diced
6 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 c. fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. whole wheat couscous

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the red and yellow peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or until slightly tender. Add scallions and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Let sit 10 minutes until broth is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

Printer version

Cumin Roasted Cauliflower
serves 4-6

1 medium head cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 t. cumin
salt to taste

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Using a paper towel, or your clean hands, coat a baking sheet with 1 T. olive oil. Toss cauliflower florets with 1 T. olive oil in a bowl. Toss with cumin. Place florets on baking sheet and bake in heated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir and cook 5 - 10 minutes longer until browned and tender. Taste and salt as needed.

Printer version

Shown served with Turkey Cutlets with Avocado Salsa

Turkey Cutlets with Avocado Salsa

This dish was really as good as it looks. Doesn't it look good -- all those gorgeous colors together? I told you I was only going to share the heart healthy dishes that I would eat even if I was not watching my fats and cholesterol. This dish would be a keeper even if I could eat anything I wanted. The turkey breast is really just the canvas for the bright, yummy flavors of the salsa. It's tender, cooked quickly in a pan, and kids like it because it has no strong flavors. All my kids liked this which was kind of surprising to me. My high school boy ate three servings because there was plenty.

The recipe called for using turkey cutlets, but they are sort of impractical with a largish family. Instead I bought a package of two turkey tenderloins (the white breast meat, no bones) and sliced it crosswise into smallish cutlets. There was plenty and it was much less expensive than buying several packages of cutlets. I made the salsa as directed, except I used a whole avocado instead of a half. Since I was splitting it among five, I felt justified. Besides, Peach eats enough avocado for two people.

The recipe came from Women Heart's All Heart Family Cookbook. The nutritional information given with the recipe is no longer accurate with the use of the tenderloins and the extra half an avocado, but I will tell you that it had 5 g monounsaturated fat and 1 g. polyunsaturated fat, with a total of 8 g all together -- good numbers for a meat dish. The avocado, tomatoes, scallions and olive oil are all really good for you, too.

Turkey Cutlets and Avocado Salsa
serves 5-6

1 c. grape tomatoes, quartered
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and chopped
4 scallions, chopped
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
juice of half a lime
½ t. ground cumin
2 turkey tenderloins (about 1.5 pounds), cut crosswise
salt and black pepper

In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, avocado, scallions, 1 T. olive oil, lime juice, and cumin. Salt to taste. Set aside.

The easiest way to chop an avocado: cut avocado in half; pull out the pit. With a knife, make a grid in the avocado by cutting into the flesh perpendicular to the skin, cutting all the way to the skin, but not through.

Then take a spoon and scoop out the flesh, running the spoon between the skin and the flesh.

Season the turkey pieces with the salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet with 1 T. oil and spread oil with a paper towel to coat the pan. Add half of the cutlets and cook, turning once, for 3 minutes, or until browned and no longer pink.


Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining cutlets. Top with the reserved avocado mixture.

Served with Peppered Couscous and Cumin Roasted Cauliflower.

Printer Version



Original recipe can be seen here. Source: Women Heart's All Heart Family Cookbook

Weekly Menu

.

I feel like my life has been taken over by low-fat cooking. I have spent most of my spare moments these past few weeks pouring through heart healthy cookbooks to find recipes that my family will eat and I can eat (i.e., they are low acid dishes). Ultimately, I have decided that cooking is cooking, and if I'm going to plan and cook meals, I might as well plan and cook healthy (heart healthy) meals. So far the meals we have tried have mostly been pretty darned good. It's just going to take a while to establish a repertoire of recipes that fit the bill. I'll probably buy a few of the cookbooks that I have checked out of the library so I won't feel the need to look at every recipe right now. The recipes that I post here will be good recipes. The criteria will be that it has to be a dish I would eat even if I weren't watching my fats. And, of course, there will still be treats because my family loves treats and I just don't think low-fat treats are worth eating.

This week there are some feast days to celebrate, namely Candlemas -- the feast of Saint Brigid of Ireland and the Presentation of Jesus/Purification of Mary.


Saturday
Lunch: we'll probably have no water -- plumber coming
Dinner: Teriyaki Burgers, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, salad

Sunday
Brunch: Egg McMuffins (home style), fruit salad
Dinner: Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Apricot Mop Sauce, Mashed Winter Squash, Pan-Roasted Brussel Sprouts, bread

Monday -- Feast of St. Brigid of Ireland
Lunch: Lunchy Munchy Corndog Muffins
Dinner: Irish Shepherd's Pie baked in Ramekins, Irish Brown Bread
(my link for Shepherd's Pie seems to have been removed -- I'll post it again after Monday; email me, or leave a comment, if you want it before)

Tuesday -- Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas)
Lunch: Pancakes
Dinner: Turkey Meatballs with Pasta Alfredo, tossed salad, Candlemas Crepes

Wednesday
Lunch: Turkey wraps
Dinner: Oven Roasted Chicken, Roasted Potato Salad with Peppers and Parmesan, steamed green beans

Thursday
Lunch: Baked potatoes with steamed veggies and low-fat cheese sauce
Dinner: Chicken Philly Sandwiches (roast extra chicken on Wednesday), Spinach Salad

Friday
Lunch: Tomato Soup and grille cheese sandwiches
Dinner: Shrimp and Corn Chowder, Corn bread

* Tried and true
* New to me

Steak Diane

.



I have so many good recipes to share with you lately, I just hate that I don't have time to share them. I'll keep taking pictures, though, and get recipes up when I can.

This recipe for Steak Diane was a real unexpected treat. I think I've mentioned before that my husband loves beef. His grandpa was a butcher, and owned his own grocery store, and I think my husband grew up eating some pretty good meat. He often asks for steak for dinner, but unless it's a special occasion, he doesn't usually get it. Last week when I was planning my menu, I decided to put some nice steak on Sunday's menu, and he was as excited as a little boy.

I had never made Steak Diane before, so this was a new recipe and a new technique. We usually just throw steak on the grill, but this recipe was actually easier than putting steak on the grill, if you can believe it, and I enjoyed it so much more. The process goes quickly, though, so I recommend having all your sides ready in advance. My Garlic Mashed Potatoes were done, and my asparagus was roasting in the oven -- it was done just as the steak finished. You'll also want to get all of your ingredients together and have them next to the stove. Your steaks are going to be sitting on a platter while you make the sauce, so you want to move fast.

Even though the recipe calls for beef tenderloin steaks, you won't spend an arm and a leg on it. The cut should be small -- about 5 oz. each at the most. And because it's the tenderloin, the meat is very lean, and thus low in fat.

The recipe is from Cooking Light and I followed it exactly. I wouldn't change a thing. It's simple and delicious.

Steak Diane

1/2 t. salt, divided
1/4 t. black pepper
6 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (about 1 inch thick)
1 t. butter
1/2 c. finely chopped shallots
1/3 c. water
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 T. dry sherry
2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper evenly over steaks. Add steaks to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Remove from pan; cover and keep warm (if you have something in the oven --put the meat on the stovetop in the back so the heat will keep it warm).

Have ingredients ready when you start. O.k., that's a little more than 1 teaspoon butter. I put all the liquids together in a measuring cup because they all go in the pan at the same time.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add water and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon sauce over steaks, and sprinkle with parsley.

Source: Cooking Light

Printer Version

Nutritional Information from Cooking Light

Calories: 197 (40% from fat)

Fat: 8.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 3.3g,poly 0.3g)

Protein: 24.2g

Carbohydrate: 3.8g

Fiber: 0.1g

Cholesterol: 73mg

Iron: 3.5mg

Sodium: 312mg

Calcium: 18mg

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

.



We are really on a fruit salsa kick at our house. It's amazing the combinations we can come up with and they all taste so good! Until a week ago, they were all spicy fruit salsas -- the kind you eat before or with dinner. But a few weekends ago, I wanted something low fat for dessert and thought a sweet fruit salsa might be yummy. We all thought it was great -- even the kids and a friend Joshua had over. It was plenty sweet for dessert, but no one felt stuffed afterward. I made the salsa up ahead of time, and chilled it, and made the chips just before we ate dessert. (There are a few brands of chips on the market that have a cinnamon variety. If you can find some you can make an easy substitution.)

The combinations of fruit for the salsa are, obviously, limitless. I picked up what looked good at the store.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

1 pint strawberries, cleaned and finely diced
1/2 pint blueberries, briefly chopped in the food processor
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and finely diced
1 cup finely diced cantaloupe
1 pear, peeled and finely diced
1 T. honey (or more as needed)
1 T. lime juice

10 corn tortillas
2 T. canola oil
cinnamon/sugar

Mix fruits together in a bowl. Add honey and lime juice and stir. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut each corn tortilla in quarters (stack them and cut as many as you can at once).
With a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of each chip with oil.
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp.
Serve with salsa.

Printer version

Pinto Bean and Cheese Nachos -- Low Fat

.



Cheese Nachos don't sound like a low-fat treat do they? The way they serve this dish at most restaurants, it's not low-fat at all. But with the right ingredients at home, this can be a really yummy, and filling, and healthy dish-- I served it for dinner and it was really a treat. This recipe will likely make it back to my buffet on Superbowl Sunday. If you're watching your fat grams, you will love having these because you don't feel like you're sacrificing anything.

The first step in building your nachos is choosing low-fat chips. My grocer sells some really good ones near the produce section. I can't think of the brand (in an orange paper sack), but they really are low in fat and they come in both yellow and blue varieties. Finding a low-fat chip is not as hard as you think -- look in the organic foods department of your grocery store if you can't find a low-fat variety in the chips aisle. If all else fails -- bake your own.

The second step is making your own beans -- these are so easy don't even think about buying ready-made. The beans are the bulk of your flavor so you want good ones. And these are really low in fat, so they are better for you.

The other toppings on the nachos are really negotiable. My family likes my salsa, which is so easy to make, but if you have a favorite bottle, go ahead. And the cheese I use is low fat, but if you're not watching your fat grams carefully, go for a nice full-fat sharp cheddar, or even a Mexican Queso Blanco. The guacamole, you may say, is fattening. And you'd be right in some respects. But the fat in avocado is good fat -- monounsaturated -- the kind that can actually improve cholesterol levels. It's also high in potassium and folate, which is good for growing babies (in utero), and for lowering cholesterol. Plus, they are a good source of fiber, so go for the guac!

The recipe is written to serve to a group, but if you are feeding your family each a plate, divide up the ingredients among each plate.

Low-Fat Bean and Cheese Nachos (low fat)

low-fat corn tortilla chips
1 T. canola oil
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, undrained
low fat cheddar cheese (4 - 6 oz.)
1 cup bottled salsa (or my recipe below)
1 c. guacamole (my version below)
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
juice of half a lime
low-fat or fat-free sour cream


Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin, chili powder, and garlic; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add pinto beans, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 10 minutes. Partially mash bean mixture with a potato masher until slightly thick.

Place a layer of chips on a serving plate. Sprinkle with cheese, heavy or light hand depending on your taste. Heat in the microwave until cheese is melted (or in a 450 degree oven if your plate is oven-safe). Spoon bean mixture evenly over tortilla chips. Top with salsa, sour cream and guacamole, or serve those in bowls on the side. Sprinkle with cilantro and squeeze on the lime juice.

~~~~~

Salsa

1 can tomatoes and chilies (like Rotel)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 red or sweet yellow onions, cut in a few big chunks
1/2 lime
salt
Cilantro to taste (optional) (I use about 2 T.)

Place garlic and onion in food processor bowl with metal blade. Pulse until onions are in small bits. Drain about half the juice of the tomatoes and place tomatoes and remaining juice in food processor bowl with garlic and onion (the level of heat in salsa depends on how much juice you add -- more juice = more heat). Squeeze 1/2 lime over tomatoes, add cilantro if desired, and then pulse until tomatoes are in small bits -- do not puree. Salt to taste, pulse a few times, then taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.



~~~~~~


Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
3 heaping tablespoons salsa
3 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lime
salt
Cilantro to taste (optional)

Peel ripe avocados and break into chunks, removing pits; place in a medium bowl. Spoon salsa on top, add garlic, toss in cilantro to taste (if desired) and squeeze lime over the top. Mash with a potato masher, or the back of a fork, until guacamole is creamy, but not pureed (there should still be small chunks). Salt and stir, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Printer version

.

Meatloaf and Mushroom Gravy

.



I often try new recipes for meatloaf, much to the dismay of the young men who live with me (my sons). You see, they hate meatloaf. Or they think they do. They moan and groan on their way to the table. They say "Meatloaf, meatloaf, double beat loaf. I hate meatloaf" (from this movie).

But I enjoy meatloaf and so does the guy who pays the bills. ;-)

Recently, I tried a new recipe with brown gravy, because I think I pinpointed what the boys don't like about most meatloaf -- that red ketchupy stuff on top. I think I might be on to something because this time they ate the meatloaf and they actually seemed to enjoy it. I certainly did and so did dear old dad. The mushroom gravy was delish -- I could have, would have eaten on it bread.

Below are pics of my technique -- I use the trick of placing slices of white bread below my meatloaf to soak up any grease from the meat. It works great and even though I used really low-fat meat, there was still a little grease in the bread. It's a good use for those loaf ends.

Meatloaf and Mushroom Gravy

serves 6

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (for a low-fat meatloaf use very lean meat)
3/4 c. fresh bread crumbs
1/2 c. chili sauce
1 egg
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
4 slices bread

1 c. fresh sliced mushrooms (I used 8 oz. which when sliced is more than 1 cup)
2 T. minced onion
1 T. butter
1 c. beef broth
2 T. water
1 T. cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place 4 slices bread in 13 x 9 pan.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, chili sauce, egg, salt, and freshly ground black pepper; mix well. Shape into a loaf.
Place loaf on bread slices.


Bake for 1 hour, or until done. Cook until internal temperature measures 160 degrees F (70 degrees C); the meat should be well done, with no trace of pink. Remove from oven, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.


While the meatloaf is resting, prepare the gravy. In a medium saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions;



cook and stir until tender.




Add beef broth; simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine water and cornstarch in a small cup; stir into broth. Cook and stir for 1 minute, or until thickened. Pour over meatloaf.

recipes: allrecipes

Printer version

Weekly Menu

Armed with a stack of cookbooks, I'm headed to the kitchen for some heart healthy cooking. I've learned a lot this week, about different kinds of fats, good and bad, and the effects of antioxidants and fiber in our diets. It's interesting stuff, really it is. I will try to pass on little tidbits here and there as I pass on good recipes.

Saturday
lunch: Turkey and Cheese Panini, baked chips
dinner: Pizza and Salad Pizza

Sunday
lunch: French Toast cups, turkey sausage, fruit and yogurt
dinner: Steak Diane, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Pan-Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Monday
lunch: Tuna and White Bean Wraps
dinner: Turkey Cutlets with Avocado Salsa, Peppered Couscous, tossed salad

Tuesday
lunch: baked potatoes with veggies and low-fat cheese sauce
dinner: Tortellini soup, bread

Wednesday
lunch: grab a bite out
dinner: Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs, Pan-roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli and carrots

Thursday
lunch: Turkey and salad wraps
dinner: Grilled Brats and Bacon and Onion Potato salad (mom is out)

Friday
lunch: Sunbutter and jam on wheat bread
dinner: Chopped Nicoise Salad, Stoneground Whole Wheat Bread

* Tried and true
* New to me

Lamby Cupcakes

.




Today is the Feast of St. Agnes, whose name means "lamb or victim" in Latin, and "pure" in Greek.

We (I) baked White Cupcakes, and Peach and I decorated them to look like lambs (lambies), a la Martha via Jessica. We used blueberries for eyes (blue-eyed lambies?) and I don't think I got the ears right, but they are fine.

Happy feast day.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, dona nobis pacem.


.

Better Than Everything Cake

.




You've probably heard of this cake. It may have had another name -- maybe "Better than *** Cake" or "Better Than Robert Redford Cake" or "Better Than Almost Anything Cake." You get the idea. But, for as many names as this cake has, there are as many recipes. This one is as easy as pie, but an all-time favorite at my house. When Geoffrey came home over the weekend he asked for it and he doesn't usually like cake.

The reason this recipe is easy is because it's a doctored up box cake. The only complication is grating the chocolate bar, but I do that in the food processor so it's no trouble for me. The reason it's delicious (I think) is also the grated chocolate bars, so don't leave them out. The last few times I have made this cake, I've had a hard time finding the German's Sweet Chocolate. I subbed two and half Hershey's milk chocolate bars and couldn't tell the difference. I also have a hard time finding mini chocolate chips. I use regular chips, but they do tend to clump together and sink toward the bottom of the pan.

The recipe came from a cookbook I put together years ago for our parish school.

Better Than Everything Cake

1 yellow cake mix
1 sm. box instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
½ c. vegetable oil
½ c. water
8 oz. sour cream
1 bar German's sweet chocolate, grated
6 oz. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. pecans (optional)


Grease and flour a bundt pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, water and sour cream.
Beat with mixer until smooth.
Add chocolate and nuts, if desired. Pour batter into pan.
Bake for 55 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.
Cool completely. Frost, glaze, or dust with powdered sugar.

Printer version

Continental Beef and Noodles

This recipe is one I turn to often, and over the holidays when I was feeding my brothers' families, and often out-of-town guests, I turned to this one, that I could easily double and I knew would satisfy the crowds. The taste is homey, and because the meat cooks for a long time, the texture is comforting. Paired with some steamed green beans and homemade bread, it was a simple, but yummy dinner.

This is another recipe from Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer, and though I've never doubled it and frozen half, I think it is an awesome idea!

Continental Beef and Noodles
serves 6

6 T. butter
1 c. minced onion
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2½ lbs. beef stew
8 oz. tomato sauce
2 t. Worchestershire sauce
1 T. sugar
2 t. paprika
2 t. salt
⅛ t. pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
buttered noodles

Melt 2 T. butter in Dutch oven over low heat.
Add onion and mushrooms and saute until tender. Remove from pan.
Add more butter to pan and melt; add beef in several batches, and brown.
Put all beef, mushrooms and onions back in Dutch oven.
Combine tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic. Pour sauce over meat. Cover and cook slowly over low heat for 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Stir occasionally.

Serve with buttered noodles.

Printer version

Colorado White Chili

There are probably almost as many recipes for white chili as there are red, and, like its tomato cousin, I think most of them have the same basic ingredients. Mine uses white beans, white corn, green chilies, chicken breast, chicken broth and spices to make a nice, mildly spicy soup-ish type chili. There is no dairy in this recipe, so it's not as high in fat as recipes with cream or milk included, and since it calls for chicken breast meat, there is little meat fat, either.

Sometimes I top it with a spoonful of sour cream when I serve it, but when I made it last week I just spooned on some chopped avocado -- some good monounsaturated fat. We eat it with plain, warm tortillas or tortilla chips.

This dish is not very photogenic, but it makes up for its visual inadequacies in the taste department. My recipe comes from Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer.

Colorado White Chili

1 T. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4.5 oz can diced green chilies
1 T. cumin
2 t. oregano
½ t. ground cayenne pepper
pinch ground cloves
15.5 oz. great northern beans (do not drain)
15.5 oz. white corn (canned or frozen)
2 c. cooked, diced chicken
5 c. chicken broth


In a large pan, combine oil, onion, garlic, and green chilies. Saute until tender, but do not brown. Stir in spices, beans, corn, chopped chicken, and chicken broth. Cook and stir until heated through. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve in bowls with cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips. Garnish with jalapeño slices if desired.

(To freeze: cool completely. Freeze in a freezer bag. Thaw completely. Simmer until heated through.)

Mango Salsa

One night last week, the day we ate White Chicken Chili for dinner, I made a bowl of Mango Salsa to go with our dinner. I've been trying to incorporate more fruit in the children's diet, and since they love salsa, I thought a good way to get them to eat more fruit would be through fruit salsa. They love the combination of fruit and spicy, so I mixed the mango with some avocado, some sweet peppers, some hot pepper and red onion, along with lime juice and cilantro. The jalapeño ended up being a really spicy one, so I didn't eat much, but the guys finished the bowl. The jalapeño was so hot, in fact, it burned my fingers for hours afterward. I fell asleep clutching a cold pack. Dumb move -- wear gloves, or at least plastic bags, on your hands before handling jalapeños. I've chopped jalapeño dozens of times, but it only takes one really hot one to teach you a lesson.

This recipe can be modified to suit your taste. If you don't like spicy foods, leave out the jalapeño, or use half. I wouldn't buy cilantro just for this dish, but use it if you have some on hand or have it in the garden. Make sure you chop every thing in a very fine dice -- remember you're going to eat it on a chip. If you've never sliced a mango before, check out these pictures. I have a few of my own below.

Mango Salsa

1 ripe mango, finely diced **
1/2 cup finely diced red, yellow or orange pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 jalapeno, minced
1 ripe avocado diced
juice of half a lime (about 2 T.)
2 T. minced cilantro
Tortilla chips

Mix all ingredients and chill for about an hour. Serve with tortilla chips.



** Slice off each side of the mango, cutting parallel to the edge of the pit.
With your knife, make a grid by cutting into the flesh perpendicular to the skin.


Turn the skin inside out" and cut parallel to the skin, cutting the flesh away.

Weekly Menu

We had a pretty good week of food at our house. I feel like I had good success with some low-fat cooking (and eating) and our snacking has improved immensely (more on that later). We have a three-day weekend ahead and college boy is coming home on Sunday for the day (the benefit of going to college 20 minutes away). He requested Chicken Fried Steak and my Cheddar Dill Bread. I'm not even going to attempt a low-fat Chicken Fried Steak, so I will abstain and eat sides for dinner, which is not a hardship for me. The rest of the week is a combination of some new and some old.

Saturday
Lunch: Skyline chili
Dinner: Pizza, pepperoni, sausage/mushroom, and a Fontina, Caramelized Onion and Pancetta pizza

Sunday
Lunch:
Dinner: Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed potatoes, Bacon Corn, Sauteed Summer Squash, Cheddar Dill Bread, Better than everything Cake

Monday
Lunch: leftover pizza
Dinner: Chipotle Burgers with slaw, Sweet Potato Fries, Fruit Dip

Tuesday
Lunch: baked potatoes
Dinner: Cream of Potato Soup, King Arthur Simple Rustic Loaf

Wednesday
Lunch: chili dogs
Dinner: Cuban Crock Pot Pork, Black beans and rice

Thursday -- Feast of St. Agnes
Lunch: quesadillas
Dinner: Grilled Chicken MTB Sandwiches, tossed salad, Lamb cupcakes

Friday
Lunch: pancakes
Dinner: Spaghetti with Marinara (Pasta with peas for me), bread, salad

* Tried and true
* New to me

Eggnog Cheesecake

Whoops! I lied. I had one more little recipe from the holidays to share -- the pictures were on my camera and I was reminded when I uploaded. Maybe you have some leftover eggnog in your fridge that you can use up on a yummy cheesecake. I have a whole quart in my fridge -- that's a lot of cheesecake!



The idea for the recipe came from a Better Homes and Gardens magazine, but I made a few changes. First of all -- no candied kumquats for my gang, and second -- I changed the crust to a gingersnap crust which was just perfect in my opinion. Oh, I also omitted most of the alcohol except for a little spiced rum. The recipe is a simple one and everyone at my house on New Year's Day thought it was great (all except my brother who hates eggnog -- I don't get it!). Note: I used low-fat cream cheese and my cheese cake was soft. It was still plenty firm, but if you like a really firm cheesecake be sure to use full-fat cream cheese.

Eggnog Cheesecake

5 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/2 c. gingersnap crumbs
1 T. granulated sugar
pinch salt

3 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. eggnog
1 T. pure vanilla extract
1 T. spiced rum


Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Butter a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter; set aside.

In a bowl, combine gingersnap crumbs, butter, sugar and salt and stir to combine (I crushed mine in the processor and then added the other ingredients). Press crumb mixture on bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan, using a juice glass to press firmly.



Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

In a mixer bowl, whip cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar until combined. Add eggs, mixing until creamy, scraping down sides several time. Add eggnog, vanilla, and rum, mixing until combined. Do not whip longer than necessary.

Gently pour filling into baked crust (cheesecake mixture will fill the pan beyond the crust -- that's o.k.). Sprinkle with a light dusting of nutmeg (freshly grated if possible).


Bake 45 minutes or until sides are slightly puffed (the center will be soft). Turn off oven and leave the door ajar. Let cheesecake stand in oven 1 hour.

Transfer to wire rack; cool 15 minutes. Using a small thin knife, loosen sides of cheesecake from sides of springform pan. Cool 30 minutes. Remove sides from pan, cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Belly-Warming (and Heart Healthy) Chicken Stew

This week I had Turkey Stew on my menu, a recipe I found at Simply Recipes. I intended to make it with a turkey tenderloin, which I thought were on sale at Giant Eagle. But, when I got to the store, I saw that the only tenderloins that were on sale were the flavored ones. Bleh. They are loaded with salt and sometimes sugar and I wouldn't take one if they were free. Honestly. So, I changed my plan and decided to make a Chicken Stew with the bone-in chicken breasts that were on sale.

I'm glad I changed my plan because this stew was delicious, low in fat, and I don't think I'd make it any different. I altered the recipe a little bit because I had bread baking in the oven at 400 degrees F and the stew was supposed to cook at 300 degrees. I normally make stew on top of the stove, however, so I just left it on the stovetop. The recipe below reflects my changes both in ingredients and technique. The original recipe can be found here.

I couldn't have picked a better day to prepare this meal. The snow was whipping by my kitchen window, but inside I was warm and toasty and totally enjoying the smell of my bubbly Chicken Stew.

PS All my kids ate this stew and my teenager came back for thirds.

We all ended up eating it like little kids -- mashing all the vegetables in the broth in the bottom of the bowl.

Belly-Warming Chicken Stew
Serves 6 to 8

2 T. olive oil
3 bone-in chicken breasts, skin intact
1 medium-large yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 quart vegetable stock
2 medium carrots, peeled, 1/4 inch slices
2-3 medium turnips, peeled, 1/2 inch cubes
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered (I used Idaho)
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. dried basil
1/4 t. dried tarragon
salt and black pepper
Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a Dutch oven on the stove top.
Wash and pat dry chicken breasts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.
Place chicken pieces, skin side down, in oil and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.



If your pot is not large enough for pieces to lie flat, you may need to brown in batches. In the last 3 minutes of browning of the last batch, add the onions and celery.





Add the stock. Bring to a simmer, lower heat, cover and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, until chicken is done.

When chicken is done, add the rest of the vegetables, and the herbs. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes until vegetables are almost fork tender.
Remove chicken pieces and pull meat from the bones. Break meat into large pieces -- not bite-size.



Return meat to pot and cook, uncovered, until vegetables are very tender, but not mushy (no al dente in this recipe -- you want them nice and soft).



Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Printer version.

Big Batch Oatmeal Cookies

Way back in mid-December, I made up care packages for my two favorite seminarians at the Josephinum up the road from us. One is my son's best friend from high school, who is in his second year of college, and the other is the deacon at our church, who is in his last year of theology school. They are both the most wonderful young men and I wanted to deliver a package for their finals week. I was running short on time, so I ended up only making one batch of cookies and filling the package with store-bought goodies like Fiddle Faddle, Goldfish cracker, mini candy bars and apples.

Both men were so appreciative and I was so happy to please them. The cookies were my standard oatmeal cookie, with dried cherry bits and chocolate chips. They were yummy. This recipe, as the name implies, makes a huge batch. I can barely mix it in my Kitchen Aid. I often split it up and put different add-ins in each part, or leave some plain. Or sometimes I just halve the recipe -- my kids don't eat homemade cookies two days after they are baked. Yes, they are brats.

I don't know how many cookies this makes, and it depends on how big you make them, but if I had to guess I'd say 7 dozen.

Big Batch Oatmeal Cookies

2 c. shortening
2 c. brown sugar
2 c. white sugar
4 eggs
2 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
2 ½ c. flour
6 c. oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream shortening with sugars. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients. Add chocolate chips, raisins, coconut or nuts to taste, if desired.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 14 minutes.

White Balsamic Salad

This recipe is the last one from Christmas. I served this salad on Christmas Eve with Baked Ziti and Roasted Vegetable Lasagna, but I've prepared it many times before and it goes well with so many dishes, from pizza, to grilled meat, to sandwiches. The recipe below is loosely based on the salad that used to be on the menu at CPK, but I modify the ingredients to suit our tastes. CPK used arugula and romaine, but I pretty much stick to romaine, sometimes adding some red leaf lettuce to dress it up. On Christmas Eve, I couldn't find the head of red cabbage I had bought (later that night I found it in a bag with some candy for the stockings -- whoops!) so I left it out. I do like it better with the cabbage -- mostly for the crunch and color.

The dressing is surprisingly spicy -- from the garlic. If you don't like a strong garlic flavor, halve the amount, you'll still have a very tasty dressing. I have a hard time finding White Balsamic Vinegar in any local grocery stores, but I find it a Trader Joe's if you have one of those nearby.

I made this up ahead of time, so the picture is before I dressed it. It looks so pretty in my Santa salad bowl.

White Balsamic Salad

1/2 c. white balsamic vinegar
1 c. olive oil (I use a mixture of EVOO and lighter tasting olive oil -- about 1:1)
1 T. minced garlic
1/4 t. herbes de provence
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. finely grated lemon peel
1/8 t. pepper
2 heads romaine (or a mixture of romaine and another lettuce)
2 c. shredded red cabbage
6 roma tomatoes
6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
12 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped

Combine dressing ingredients. Toss with salad ingredients and serve immediately.