5:4 take 6! Pork Scaloppini w/ Squash Primavera

This installment of 5:4 was quite a challenge for me! My family does not like squash, and I have only had spaghetti squash once before- with mixed feelings. This dish is not terribly "inspired", but it was wonderful nonetheless! I can't wait to see what the other two chefs came up with! Check 5:4 for their dishes. Catherine- We wish you tons of luck in law school, and miss you already! 5:4 will be one short until your return!

Pork Scaloppini With Spaghetti Squash Primavera P1

1 pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
½ spaghetti squash, cooked and separated into strands
1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 quart tomatoes with Italian seasoning (home-canned)
6 large button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, pressed
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil

In a colander in the sink toss the eggplant with 1 tsp salt, let sit 15 minutes. Rinse well and squeeze the eggplant cubes to extract any extra water.
In a large sauté pan, heat 1 TBSP oil over medium heat until hot. Add in the eggplant, mushrooms, and onions and sauté for 10 minutes until everything has released its moisture. Add in garlic and cook another 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Pour tomatoes into pan, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly. Toss with the squash strands.
Toss the pork with salt and pepper and sauté over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan. Cook about 10 minutes until no longer pink.
I plated this with the pork on the bottom, then the vegetable mixture, then topped it with the toasted pine nuts. Would also be good with a nice dusting of fresh grated Parmesan cheese!

Hens in the Crock Pot

I got a new crockpot a month ago and have only used it once. Awful, huh? Looking thru my crockpot cookbook the other night, I found this recipe. I added carrots, but otherwise did it right as the recipe said (proud of me Danielle?).

Hens in Herb Wine Sauce P1

1 game hen per person
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
5 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
3 tbsp chopped bacon (approx. 2 slices cooked and crumbled)
1 onion sliced
2 tbsp flour (I used soy flour)
salt and pepper

Toss the hens with the flour and S&P. Place the onion slices into the bottom of the crock, and put the hens on top. Mix the broth, wine, thyme, and garlic and pour over the hens. Cook on low for 8 hours.

I added a pound of baby carrots at the beginning(which would make this P2), and a then for the last 30 minutes added a bunch of fresh asparagus. This was excellent with some brown rice!

Grilled Dinner

I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted!
This is what we ate tonight. It was pretty simple, except for the artichokes. Very tasty tho!

Grilled Dinner P1

1 pound sirloin steak
2 fresh artichokes
1 quart water w/ lemon juice or white wine vinegar
broccolini
1 sweet onion, sliced
6 shrooms, sliced
Newman's Own Lite Balsamic Vinagrette

Marinate the steak in some of the vinagrette.
Prepare the 'chokes by peeling the stems and removing the lower several layers of leaves. Cut off the top 1/3 and plunge the artichokes into the acidic water for 10 minutes to prevent browning. Drain and cut them in half. Using a grapefruit spoon (or something sharp like one), remove the fuzzy choke and any purple tipped leaves. Steam them for 10-15 minutes until a knife goes in easily. Remove and toss gently with more of the vinagrette and let marinate. Add the broccolini as well.
Heat the grill over high flames for 10 minutes, then add the steak and veggies. Grill for 3-4 minutes, then flip everything. Grill another 6 minutes or so until meat is desired doneness.
While the meat rests, saute the shrooms and onions until caramelized, then top the steaks with them!

5:4 Challenge Take 5!!

This time the ingredients were:
sausage
peppers
legumes
parsley
tomato sauce
This was something I had thought about since the ingredients were first chosen, and luckily it was as good as I thought it would be! I am curios to see what my fellow chefs came up with for their own dishes! This was so simple and took maybe 20 from start to finish!

Sausage and Peppers with Lentils and CousCous P2

One each green and orange bell peppers, sliced into strips
One onion, cut into wedges and separated
One package Benetino's Cabernet and Asiago Sausages, sliced
One small can Roasted Garlic Seasoned Tomato Sauce
Eight large button mushrooms, sliced
One package Roasted Garlic CousCous, prepared with water and olive oil
One can lentils, drained and rinsed or 1 cup prepared lentils
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Fresh chopped parsley

Heat oil in a large saute pan until hot, then add the veggies. Saute over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes or until they begin to soften slightly. Toss in the sausage and cook another 5 minutes to warm it. Add in the lentils and sauce, cook for another couple minutes to warm. Salt and pepper if desired.
Plate with a scoop of couscous, and sprinkle the top liberally with chopped parsley.

Chicken and Asparagus Sandwich with Spinach and Tomato

This is my redo for the most recent 5:4 challenge. I wasn't pleased with the sauce from the other one! This turned out very delicious, I highly recommend it! I must tell you, this recipe was entirely my hubby Joe's idea! He hates to cook, but "makes" a killer sandwich!

Chicken and Asparagus Sandwich with Spinach and Tomato P2

1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh
2 tbsp Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing
asparagus spears
baby spinach leaves
2 slices multigrain bread
dijon mustard
garlic clove
sliced tomato

Marinate the chicken in the dressing for about 6 hours. Drain chicken and place on broiler pan. Broil 2 inches from heat for 5 minutes, then flip. Add the asparagus to the broiler pan and continue broiling 10 minutes more, turning the asparagus every few minutes.
Toast the bread and rub a cut garlic clove over the warm slices. Spread with dijon mustard.
Slice the chicken into thin slices and layer on the bread with the asparagus, spinach, and tomato slices. Top with the other slice and EAT!!!

5:4 take three- Huevos Rancheros with Cumin-Roasted Cauliflower

Okay, so for the third installment for 5:4, I came up with this breakfast. I have honestly never had heuvos rancheros, so I have no idea how this compares! I know it is served on a tortilla, but I wanted to use cumin and salsa as my extras so I skipped it! I did also add some extra cilantro to the salsa because, well, I LOVE cilantro!!! I have to tell you, this was absolutely delicious!

Huevos Rancheros with Cumin Roasted Cauliflower P1

1 can refried beans (I made homemade ones- boiled the pintos 2 hours, then mashed with some of the cooking liquid and cumin), heated
1 pork tenderloin, very thinly sliced
Cumin
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 head cauliflower, separated into florets
2 eggs per person
Salsa
Sour cream
Cilantro

In a large zipper bag, combine the sliced pork with 1 tsp oil, a good amount of salt and pepper, and cumin to taste. Toss well and marinate in the fridge several hours.
In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tbsp oil, lots of salt and pepper, and about 2 tsp cumin (more if you want it spicy). Pour out into a large baking pan and roast at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well browned and cooked.
Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, adding 1 tsp oil. Stir-fry the pork until done and nicely browned, about 10 minutes.
Fry the eggs as desired- I prefer over-medium.On the plate, place a large dollop of beans on one side and top with some pork. On the pork, place the eggs and top them with salsa, chopped cilantro, and sour cream. On the other side of the plate, put a good amount of cauliflower.

Bacon Tomato Chicken

This is my adaptation of George Stella's Chicken with Bacon, Tomato, and Thyme. This was wonderful served with roasted sweet potato and green beans.

Bacon Tomato Chicken P1

1 BS chicken breast per person
3 slices bacon per breast
2 roma tomatoes, sliced thick
1 Vidalia onion, sliced thick
Salt & Pepper
Ground thyme

Sprinkle the chicken with the salt, pepper, and thyme and place in a roasting pan. Top each breast with sliced tomato and onion, then top them with the bacon slices. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. I sprinkled the top with chopped fresh tomato.

Lava Cake!

These could be my fave dessert on the planet! Who knew you could make them (almost) SB-friendly!? But with a few adjustments, they are just as good as the original. I served mine with a simple Raspberry Coulis and Cool Whip.

Lava Cakes P2

8Tbs Fleishman's Olive Oil Spread
2 tsp. soy flour
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 c. Splenda

Preheat the oven to 450.
While oven is heating, spray 4 4oz molds or small ramekins with cooking spray microwave the butter, be sure to place something over the top, butter pops. While butter is melting Beat together the eggs, yolk and sugar until creamy yellow Take the butter out of the microwave and add the chocolate. Stir until the chips have melted. Pour chocolate into the egg mixture and stir to combine. Add the flour and stir. Pour into prepared dishes. Bake 6-8 minutes until the sides have set but the middle is still soft. Invert on plate, wait 10 seconds, unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold. You may want to run a knife around the inside of the ramekin before inverting it.


Raspberry Coulis P2

One bag frozen raspberries
1/4 cup Splenda

Empty a bag of frozen raspberries into a saucepan and add about 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Strain it, then simmer for another 10 minutes or until it gets syrupy. Add about 1/4 cup sweetener and stir it well. Pour into a small container and chill.
Mine made about 1/2 cup. You really only use maybe 2 tsp per cake!

Rainbow Tuna Salad

I wanted to make something for the challenge with both fresh AND canned tuna. This is what I came up with for the canned- and it's so good!!!

Rainbow Tuna Salad P1

1 large pouch tuna
3 tbsp mayo
Salt & pepper
Bell peppers, any color(s), cut into strips
Endive leaves
Celery stalks
Mushrooms, sliced
1 lime
Olive oil

Mix the tuna and mayo with some pepper to make the tuna mix, if desired stir in some chopped celery.
Assemble on the plate in a spoke-pattern the pepper strips, celery stalks, and endive leaves. Put sliced mushrooms around the middle, and top with a large scoop of tuna mix.
For the dressing, whisk together the juice of the lime with some oil until it emulsifies, then add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a little over the tuna and veggies!

Zesty Tuna Skewers with Sweet and Sour Celery and Brown Rice

I was really stressed thinking about what to do with the celery! I had the rest of the ingredients pretty well planned when we started. The it hit me! It sounds bizarre. but really it was an incredible pairing!

Zesty Tuna Skewers With Sweet and Sour Celery P1

1 pound tuna steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
Bell peppers (any color) cut into large cubes
Mushrooms
2 Limes
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Celery (about 4 large stalks)
2 tbsp Splenda

Preheat your grill over very high heat.
Mix together the juice of one lime, salt and pepper, and 3 tbsp oil.
Thread the tuna onto a skewer, and thread the veggies on another one or two. Sprinkle the tuna well with pepper.
Place the veggie skewers on the grill. Baste them with the lime mixture. Grill over high heat for 5 minutes, and then turn them. Cook another 5 minutes.
Now put the tuna skewers on, and baste them with the lime mixture. Grill over high heat for 3 minutes, turn and cook another 3 minutes. Remove to platter.
Serve on a bed of brown rice and Sweet & Sour Celery!


For the celery:
Slice the celery on the bias into ½ inch thick slices. Sauté them in 1 tbsp olive oil for 3 minutes, stirring almost constantly. Add the juice of the other and Splenda, and stir well to mix. Cook another couple minutes to begin to caramelize the celery.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

This is the sauce I used for the lasagna!

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce P1

4 LBS roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 small eggplant, peeled and chopped
2 small onions, chopped
1 small green pepper, seeded and chopped
4 small carrots, shredded
1 29oz can concentrated crushed tomatoes
3 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the oil in a heavy 4-quart pot. Sauté the veggies and garlic for about 10 minutes to soften them. Then add in the tomatoes and canned tomatoes, stir well. Add the dried herbs and stir.
Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cover. Cook covered for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Uncover and cook another hour on low (barely simmering).
Ladle into freezer containers, or use within 3 days!Makes about 2.5 quarts.

Lasagna!

I made the yummiest lasagna tonight! Paired with a wonderful Fetzer Cab, it was a divine meal!

Lasagna P2

6 WW lasagna noodles, partially cooked
1 15 oz container light ricotta
1 tbsp each dried oregano and basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 egg
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 package shredded Italian cheese
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 quart homemade sauce

Mix together ricotta, egg, spices, parmesan, spinach, and a handful of the shredded cheese. Spread a cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 8 x 11 pan, and top with a layer of noodles. spread some ricotta mix over the noodles, then pour more sauce over that. Sprinkle shredded cheese on this, and repeat the layers.
Bake at 350 for an hour, covering the top with foil if it browns too quickly. Let sit 15 minutes before cutting.

Special THANKS!!!

I just want to say a special THANKS to Laurie. Since updating my Internet Explorer, I have been unable to post any pictures on this or the 5:4 blog. Laurie has been wonderful and has posted all of my pictures for me for the last two weeks! She deserves a great big hug!

Thanks L!!!

Cinnamon Apple "Pudding" Cake

This is so amazingly good! I got the recipe from the Food Network site, then tweaked it to make it SB-friendly. I hope you can try it soon!

Cinnamon Apple “Pudding” Cake P2

Topping:
¾ cup water
¼ cup SF maple syrup (try using flavored ones?)
2 tbsp spread
¾ cup DiabetiSweet Brown Sugar Substitute
Cake:
2 tbsp melted spread
1 cup evaporated skim milk
2 cups WW pastry flour
1/3 cup DiabetiSweet Brown Sugar Substitute
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Granny Smith apples, shredded (not peeled)

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine all of the topping ingredients in a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave until it boils. Remove and cool a bit while mixing the cake.
In a large mixing bowl, stir the flour, sugar substitute, baking powder, and cinnamon. In another small bowl, stir the milk and melted spread together. Stir the wet into the dry until just mixed, and then add the apples.
Pour cake batter into a sprayed 8 x 11 pan, smoothing the top. Gently pour the topping over the cake, but DO NOT STIR.
Bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream!

Tequila Chicken, Refried Black Beans, and Carrot Pepper Salad

Tonight we had a fiesta! The chicken was marinated for the entire day, but was not overly boozed-up. It was perfect! The salad came about from a suggestion from friend Laurie (her blog is here). The beans were simply cooked black beans and canned tomatoes smashed in a pan and "fried" for a few minutes to reheat.

Tequila Chicken P1

1 chicken breast per person
1/2 cup tequila
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 chopped scallions
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Mix all together but cheese in a large zipper bag and marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Preheat grill to high. Grill breasts over high heat uncovered, 5 minutes the first side, then flip and cook 5 minutes more. Top with cheese, turn of the burner underneath, and cover the grill for about 3-5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Serve with pico de gallo and sour cream!

Simple Pico De Gallo P1

1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 minced jalapenos
3 chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
dash lime juice
salt

Mix all together and let sit on the counter at least an hour for flavors to meld.

Carrot Pepper Salad P2

2 cups sliced or shredded carrot
1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp ranch powder

Mix the mayo, milk, and powder together. Toss in the carrots and peppers, and mix well. Refrigerate at least an hour to thicken the dressing.
We think this would be great with halved cherry or grape tomatoes and or cukes added to it!

Smothered Chicken Parmesan "Sandwich" by Catherine

I tried the chicken and eggplant dish my fellow "FourChefs" chef Catherine made. WOW! Even my picky six-year old liked it! I did serve it with noodle, but only becaue the boys in the house would have rioted! Everyone MUST try this! Her blog is here.

Bourbon and Cola Roast w/ Roasted Sweet Potatoes

WOW! All I can say is WOW! This was SO GOOD!

Bourbon And Cola Roast P1

2lb chuck roast
1 can diet cola
3-4 oz bourbon (I used 5!)
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp worchestershire
1 tbsp soy sauce
pinch ground allspice

Mix all together in a bag and marinate in the fridge for several hours.
Preheat the grill with all burners on high.
Sear the meat for 5 minutes on all sides, then tunr the heat down to medium. Continue to cook the meat over medium with the grill covered for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness. Cook until it reaches 135 on a thermometer (for medium rare, 145 for medium). Remove from the grill, place in a pan, and cover with foil to rest for 10 minutes. Then slice thinly and serve!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes P2

one sweet potato per person
olive oil
salt and pepper

Cut the potato into one inch pieces, toss with remaining ingredients. Put in heavy skillet and place over indirect heat on the grill (or roast at 450 for 1 hour). Cover and roast on grill for 45 minutes or until very soft. Top with sour cream!

Four Chefs Challenge Dish

I have been dying to post this for days! Please check the other variations my fellow chefs created at the link at right- Four Chefs!


















Eggplant and Chicken with Pepper Cream Sauce P2

1 Japanese or other small eggplant, sliced ¼ inch thick lengthwise
2 small bell peppers, I used one purple and one green, seeded and chopped
2 ¼ cups milk (it must have some fat, I used whole)
½ cup Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1-cup WW breadcrumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a saucepan, bring the 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, pepper, and the chopped peppers to a simmer, then lower the heat and cover to steep.
In two dishes, place the ¼ cup milk in one and the breadcrumbs in the other. Sprinkle remaining garlic powder into the breadcrumbs, along with some salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. Dip the eggplant into the milk, then the crumbs pushing to coat. Set them aside and repeat with the chicken.
In a heavy sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until hot. Fry the eggplant slices for 3 minutes on the first side, then flip and fry 2 more minutes. Remove them to paper towels to drain. Place the slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese. Place the baking sheet in the oven while you finish.
Wipe out the sauté pan and add remaining oil. Fry the chicken in the same manner, 6 minutes on the first side then flip and cook 5 minutes on the second side. Strain the milk/peppers over the chicken, sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover and simmer for 7-10 minutes or until the chicken is done and the sauce thickens.
Serve over the eggplant slices.
I would recommend peeling the eggplant. I didn’t and it was a bit crispy!

Grill Roasted Chicken and all the fixin's!

I roasted this chicken on the grill tonight. Sorry I didn't get a pic of it before I cut into it- the guys were hungry! I threw some applewood chips in my little grill-top smoker box and they flavored it quite well! The green beans are from my garden. I sauteed them with some onions, then threw on some red wine vinegar and Stevia Plus. Toss and they're done! This went very well with a nice Pinot Noir.

"Roasted" Chicken P1

one roasting chicken, about 5 pounds
Applewood chips
olive oil

Preheat grill to about 350 degrees.
Rinse the chicken and pat dry. I have an upright roasting rack, so I placed mine on that. Rub with the oil and season if desired.
Turn off the center burner on your grill, if you have a three burner grill! If not, turn off one side and just use the off side. Place chicken on or off your roaster on the unlit side. Throw some smoke chips onto the lit side. Close the grill and cook for about 30 minutes. Turn the chicken, and cook for another 30-45 minutes or until it reads 165 degrees.
Remove to a platter and let sit for 15 minutes.

Chinese Night!

Tonight we had Chinese night for dinner- Sweet and Sour Pork and Chicken, Brown Rice, and Eggrolls. Everything was delicious!Yes, the eggrolls and meat were fried, but I measured the oil after it cooled and I was only "missing" about 1/4 cup- and you know most of that had to end up on the newspaper and paper towels! Besides, it's not going to kill us to do this once a month...

Sweet & Sour Pork and Chicken P2

6 cups cubed boneless skinless chicken thigh and pork sirloin- smaller than 1 inch cubes
2 TBSP soy sauce
5 TBSP arrowroot powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar substitute
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 bell pepper, cubed
1 carrot, sliced thin
oil for frying

Mix meats, soy sauce, 3 TBSP arrowroot, and baking soda together well. Marinate in the fridge for 2 hours.
In a small saucepan mix juice, vinegar, sugar substitute, ketchup, and water. Bring this to a boil, then turn down to low, cover to keep warm.
Heat 2 inches oil in a wok or heavy skillet. When hot add in the meat a little at a time, cooking in batches. Make sure to separate the pieces so they don't stick together! Cook the meat about 5 minutes or until it is deep brown and cooked through. Drain the meat on paper towels or newspaper.
When all the meat is done, remove all but 2 TBSP oil from the pan and heat again. Add in the peppers and carrots, sand stirfry for a minute or two. Toss the meat back in the pan.
Mix the remaining 2 TBSP arrowroot with 2 TBSP water and pour it into the sauce mixture. Pour the sauce over the meat and veggies and bring back to a boil. Mix thorouhgly and serve! Serves 4


Eggrolls P2

one bag cole slaw mix
2 TBSP oyster sauce
2 TBSP lite teriyaki sauce
4 mushrooms, finely chopped
8 eggrolls wrappers
2 TBSP water in a small bowl
oil for frying

In a skillet, heat 1 TBSP oil over medium heat. Add in slaw mix and shrooms. Stirfry for about 10 minutes or until the veggies have given all their liquid and it has evaporated. Then stir in the sauces, mixing well. Remove to a bowl and cool.
When cooled, place one wrapper on work surface in a diamond shape and wet the top tip and sides. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop filling onto the middle of the wrapper. Bring the bottom up over the filling, pulling firmly. Roll half way, then tuck in each side over the middle. Finish rolling to the top. Set aside and filling remaining wrappers.
Heat 2 inches oil in a heavy skillet or wok to pretty hot! Carefully place an eggroll into the hot oil, followed by another one (fry two at a time). Fry 3 minutes on the first side, then turn over and fry 2 more minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels or newspaper. Serves 4