Blueberry Lemon Cornmeal Cakes with Lemon Sauce

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Cakes, Desserts, Dressings, Sauces and tagged with Blueberries, cake, dessert, food, lemon sauce, recipe May 24, 2013

Blueberry Lemon Corn Cakes with Lemon Sauce

This recipe makes the cutest little individual cakes, with a creamy lemon sauce poured over them. More cake-like than muffin and not very sweet they are surprisingly sophisticated for your most elegant summer gatherings. The addition of cornmeal to the batter provides some crunchiness and the zesty lemon flavor combines perfectly with the delicate flavor of blueberries.

Slightly crunchy from cornmeal, and studded with blueberries.

This is the dessert I mentioned in yesterday’s post that completed the pork tenderloin meal, but I think these would also be great for an outdoor picnic too. Most people seem to enjoy it when they are served their own perfect little cake, so bake these in small custard cups or ramekins that hold between 5 – 6 ounces. To serve them, turn upside down on a serving plate or shallow dessert dish, and spoon some of the lemon sauce over the top. I particularly enjoy them when they are still somewhat warm; or they could be briefly heated in the microwave before serving.

BLUEBERRY LEMON CORNMEAL CAKES

Yield: makes 8 small cakes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk or nonfat plain yogurt (not Greek)
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried

To Make the cakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Lightly grease eight 5 to 6 -ounce ramekins or baking cups.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the remaining ingredients except the berries, then stir into the dry mixture until just combined. Fold in the blueberries. Divide the batter among the baking dishes/ramekins.

3. Bake the cakes for 24 – 26 minutes, until the centers are firm to the touch. Transfer to a rack to cool.

LEMON SAUCE

This recipe for lemon sauce can be made with either water or half milk. The water version has a brighter lemon flavor; when made with milk it’s a little creamier. That is how I made mine.

YIELD: Makes 1 1/2 cups or about 10 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk 1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg. Gradually stir in the water and milk, then bring to a simmer over low heat until the mixture thickens and becomes translucent. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, lemon zest and juice and serve.

SOURCES: For the cakes: King Arthur Flour Baking Co.

For the sauce: all recipes.com

Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with Dijon mustard, dinner, food, Panko, pork tenderloin, recipe May 23, 2013

Herb-crusted Pork Tenderloin with Roast Vegetables.

After being disappointed in how my pork tenderloins were turning out I was about ready to give up trying to prepare one that was enjoyable, when I came up with the recipe for Pork Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce. Since I first posted that recipe back in February I have found another recipe that we like so well, that I have made it twice already. This one keeps all the meat juices inside, by sealing the outside with a layer of mustard, and a coating of well-seasoned bread crumbs.

I’ve used Parmesan cheese in place of the Romano, and honey-mustard instead of Dijon, and it is great either way. A traditional way to serve it would be with mashed potatoes and a salad. However I like to add a mixture of compatible vegetables into the pan with the pork and roast everything together as a one-pan meal, and then serve a side salad.

Succulent is the best description for this pork tenderloin.

HERB-CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup Panko crumbs
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons grated Romano cheese
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1 ( 1-lb. ) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 450*F Lightly spray a shallow baking dish, large enough to hold the pork.

2. Combine Panko, parsley, cheese, and thyme in a shallow dish. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.

3. Combine Dijon mustard, fennel seeds, and garlic in a small bowl. Rub pork all over with the mustard mixture, then dredge with the crumb mixture, patting to make it adhere.

“Frost” the pork with the mustard mixture, then cover with the seasoned crumbs.

4. Place pork in the prepared pan, and bake at 450* for 25 – 30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160* (slightly pink). Let stand a few minutes before slicing into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Note: To roast vegetables in the pan with the pork, use a deeper baking dish, and lay the vegetable mixture into the dish. An example mixture might be carrots, sweet potatoes, onion, and fennel all cut into chunks that will cook in the same time as the pork.

Mixed vegetables in the casserole.

Once in the baking dish I drizzle all over with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and an herb mixture. Toss to coat evenly, add about 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the dish, then place the seasoned pork on top of it all.

Place the pork on top.

When I made this meal just recently, my husband declared it to be “fabulous”. For dessert, I made Blueberry Corn Cakes with Lemon Sauce. Stop back tomorrow when I will be describing how to make that perfect ending to a perfect meal.

A feast, indeed!

SOURCE: Cooking Light

Cauliflower-Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Quick Meals, Soups and tagged with food, Low calorie, low carbohydrate, low fat, recipe, soup, vegetables, vegetarian May 22, 2013

A quick post today featuring a soup that I made this past weekend when I had an abundance of broccoli and cauliflower on hand that needed using up.

Cauliflower-broccoli-cheese soup.

After spending the morning outside spreading mulch and pruning some shrubs, Mr. D. and I were starving and ready for a break. In just about 30 minutes I was able to have this thick, vegetable soup on the table ready for us to devour. If you use frozen vegetables it takes even less time to make. I didn’t realize a “made from scratch” vegetable soup could be ready in such a short time, and be so delicious. It has only 150 calories per serving, and is low in fat and carbohydrates, yet satisfies and is filling. To make it vegetarian, switch out the chicken broth and use vegetable broth instead, and omit the cheese.

CAULIFLOWER-BROCCOLI-CHEESE SOUP

Yield: 4 servings

Total time to make; about 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp. canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb. frozen broccoli and cauliflower or 5 cups fresh, chopped
1/2 cup fat free milk
2 oz. reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper or to taste
1/4 cup seasoned croutons
ground nutmeg for garnish

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat, add onion and cook until just beginning to brown. Add garlic and continue cooking until onions are lightly browned.

2. Add chicken broth, broccoli and cauliflower; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 10 – 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

3. Puree mixture with and immersion blender or a regular blender. Return mixture to saucepan, add milk and heat through.

4. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season with pepper. Sprinkle each serving with nutmeg and garnish with a few seasoned croutons.

Quick to make; filling and nutritious.

Seasoned croutons add a little crunch to an otherwise smooth soup.

Nutritional Profile: 150 calories, 6g. fat. 2g saturated fat, 15 g. carbohydrates, 4g sugars, 8g protein.

SOURCE: found in a circular from my local grocery store

A Girl, A Grill, and a Portobello

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with chopped salad, dinner, food, grilling, portobello mushrooms, recipe, vegan, vegetarian May 21, 2013

Once upon a time there was a girl (me), a grill (ours), and a portobello (mushroom). But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself—-

Now that the weather is getting warmer, I look forward to having dinner outside on the deck. I can smell the smoky aroma of something sizzling on the grill; and I start to salivate just thinking about it. The only glitch in all of this is my somewhat shaky relationship with the grill. I depend on Mr. D. to fire it up and tend to whatever there is cooking on it while I finish the other parts of the meal in the kitchen. I admit I’m a “girly girl” and leave things like barbecue tools, fire starters and oven mitts to the man of the house. As a result we usually grill outside on the weekends or holidays when he is around.

On this day, however, my menu called for grilling portobello mushroom caps along with some vegetables for our meatless evening meal.

Grilled portobellos with Chopped Salad.

Big, meaty portobello caps remind me of hamburgers, so I was excited at the prospect of cooking them on the grill. I thought I could handle that, so I prepped the vegetables and cleaned the mushrooms in anticipation of my big moment(s) at the grill.

With a little smile on my face, thinking about the surprise I had in store, I went out to start the grill. After removing the cover and lifting the lid, I was ready to turn it on—-open the gas tank, rotate the start dial to High, and press the starter button. NOTHING HAPPENED. Try it again, repeat the previous actions. Still nothing. I know there’s gas in the tank. Review the directions in the manual. I seem to be doing everything right. Try one more time. Still nothing. I GIVE UP! I think I need grill starting lessons. Back into the kitchen I go to see how I can salvage a grilled meal not made on the grill.

Fortunately I have a grill pan and, although on the small side, I was able to make use of it to cook the various components for our dinner. Where everything was slated to go on the grill at one time, using the grill pan I cooked it in stages and then put it all together for what turned out to be a very nice dinner . A salad of grilled vegetables and beans tops portobellos smothered in cheese.

This was the happy ending!

This is a meal that is low in calories (312), fat (20g), and carbohydrates (25). I think the meal would have been a little more tasty if it had been cooked on the grill because of the flavoring the vegetables would have absorbed, but we enjoyed it just the same. The directions I give here are the ones that go with the recipe for grilling outside, but the pictures show how I improvised. LOL!

GRILLED PORTOBELLOS WITH CHOPPED SALAD

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients for a meatless meal on the grill.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lemon juice
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, or 2 tsp. dried dill
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 large portobello mushroom caps, gills removed
1 15 oz. can small white beans, rinsed and drained
2 small bell peppers, quartered and seeded
1 medium red onion cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup shredded cheese, such as cheddar, fontina, or swiss

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to medium high.

2. Combine lemon juice, oil, dill, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Prepare the dressing.

Add mushroom caps and turn to coat. Remove the mushrooms from the bowl. Add white beans; stir to coat.

3. Place mushroom caps gill-side up on the grill with peppers, onion and zucchini. Using a grill pan to contain all the vegetables, with the exception of the mushroom caps, keeps them from falling through the grates. Grill the vegetables, turning once or twice, until they start to char and soften; About 8 minutes for the mushrooms and 6 minutes for the rest.

Roasting peppers and onions smell sooo good!

Grill the zucchini to get some nice grill marks.

Portobello mushroom caps on the grill.

4. Turn the mushrooms gill-side up again. Fill each one with 1/4 cup cheese and grill until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute more.

Fill the mushroom caps with cheese and let it melt.

5. Chop peppers, onion and zucchini and add to the bowl with the beans; toss to combine.

Chop the veggies and add to the beans and dressing.

Top each mushroom with about 1 cup of the grilled salad. Oh, Yum! this was sooo good.

All’s well that ends well.

P.S. This post would have been more aptly named “Along Came a Spider”, because on investigation Mr. D. found a spider’s nest in the gas line that blocked the flow of gas to the starter button. Defeated by a spider. Dang!

SOURCE: EATING WELL

Chicken Piccata

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with chicken, dinner, food, Italian cuisine, lemon, linguine, recipe, spinach May 20, 2013

Chicken Piccata

The series of posts Eat Out at Home continues with this recipe for Chicken Piccata, a dish readily found in most any Italian restaurant. Since I had a package of chicken cutlets to use I was torn between making Chicken Parmesan or Chicken Piccata. Somehow the Parmesan recipe seemed a little heavy and more suited to cold weather, so this one won out, since the light lemony sauce of this recipe seems to go with spring.

This recipe is quite simple to make and takes very little time. It requires only basic cooking skills, so even if you’re a newcomer in the kitchen, you will be successful. Preparing the chicken cutlets ahead of time is a time saver. You can pound them out and dredge in flour in advance, then refrigerate them till its time to cook the meal. Because cutlets are lean and cook in just a few minutes, they produce very little drippings to use in a sauce, so dredging in flour first, then cooking them will help them to brown and the flour acts as an emulsifier to slightly thicken the sauce. The addition of lemon, white wine, chicken broth and capers creates the classic piccata flavors. Knowing how to make this dish assures you of success when serving guests, since many people know about this entree, but are unaware of how easy it is to make.

A common way to serve chicken piccata is with pasta. Linguine is a good choice as it will get coated by the sauce. In my version I added some baby spinach to my nearly cooked pasta in the last minute of cooking, just so it got a little wilted . Drain the pasta/spinach combo, place in a large bowl or serving dish and place the chicken cutlets with their sauce poured over the top. Molto Delicioso!

Chicken with its sauce poured over pasta with spinach.

CHICKEN PICCATA

Makes 4 servings. Increase all quantities accordingly to make more servings.

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise and pounded into cutlets. (I was able to purchase a package of 4 chicken cutlets ready for use at the supermarket.)
salt and pepper
Chicken cutlets, white wine, lemon, garlic and capers produce the classic flavors of this dish.
all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. drained capers
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
fresh lemon slices
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

1. Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour. Add oil to a sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat.

2. Saute cutlets 2 – 3 minutes on one side. Turn cutlets oven and cook the other side, covered, 1 – 2 minutes. Transfer cutlets to a warmed platter and keep warm. Pour off any fat from the pan.

Browning the cutlets.

3. Deglaze the pan with wine and add minced garlic. Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with wine and garlic.

4. Add broth, lemon juice, and capers. Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side for 1 minute. Transfer cutlets to serving dish.

5. Finish sauce with butter and lemons. Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets.

Finishing the sauce with butter and lemons.

6. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Chicken Piccata served with pasta and spinach.

SOURCE: CUISINE at Home

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Squares

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Desserts and tagged with baking, bars and squares, Cheesecake, chocolate chip, dessert, food, mascarpone cheese, recipe May 17, 2013

Chocolate chip cheesecake squares.

Did I hear someone say “cheesecake”?. Oh, that was me! Yes, well, I fell off the wagon, and I mean big time! But you will remember it was my birthday and Mother’s Day all in the same weekend. So that was my excuse for treating myself and, of course, anyone else who was around to some sinfully rich and oh-so-good chocolate chip cheesecake squares WITH toffee cookie crumb crust. Try saying that three times fast. I could eat one faster than I can say it, and I bet you could, too.

An elegant, creamy, smooth dessert.

There are so many recipes for cheesecake bars and squares out there, that you could pick any one that you like, but I particularly like this one because it not only includes cream cheese, but also mascarpone. And when you combine those two you can’t expect anything but perfection.

The most commonly used ingredient for making a crust is graham cracker crumbs, but Mr. D. has an allergy to graham crackers, so in their place I usually use shortbread cookies crushed into crumbs. In making these bars I would have done the same except when I was shopping for groceries I spied these cookies called Toffee Sandies by Keebler. Since I’ve always loved pecan sandies, I thought these would make an interesting crust instead.

The cookies I used.

Cheesecake is a dessert that is very forgiving in that you can add many different flavorings, use all kinds of toppings, change the crust, and bake in a variety of pans. It still comes out creamy and delicious. So you really can’t go wrong. If you need a dessert that everyone will love, give this stellar creation a try.

The hint of orange is such a good companion flavor to chocolate.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE BARS WITH TOFFEE COOKIE CRUST

Servings: 9

Ingredients:

For the crust

1 1/2 cups toffee sandies—fine crumbs
5 Tablespoons butter, melted
Cream cheese, mascarpone, chocolate chips and orange zest provide the flavor

For the filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened ( 1/3 less fat variety, OK )
8 oz. mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup semisweet (or your choice) chocolate chips
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

1. Place the toffee sandies in a food processor bowl and pulse to fine crumbs; place in a mixing bowl.

2. Add melted butter and mix well.

3. Press crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9 x 9 inch pan. I made one and a half times the recipe, thus you see a larger pan.

Cookie crumb crust in the pan.

4. Bake crust for 10 – 12 minutes at 325*F.

5. Allow to cool while you make the filling.

Filling:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cheeses, sugar, zest and vanilla until smooth.

2. Add eggs one at a time, beat on low speed just until combined.

3. Fold in chocolate chips

4. Pour over crust and smooth with an offset spatula

Going into the oven.

5. Bake at 325 *F for 35 – 40 minutes or until center is just set and top begins to brown.

Out of the oven–only the edges are browned, but the filling is “set”.

6. Remove pan from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes

7. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.

You will want more than one of these!

SOURCE: adapted from A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis

Pad Thai

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with dinner, food, Pad Thai, quick meal, recipe, Shrimp, Thai cuisine, vegetarian May 16, 2013

Pad Thai with Shrimp

Recently I was in the mood for some Thai cooking so I decided to make this dish that I had seen made on the Food Network; Sandra Lee’s Money Saving Meals. It is extremely easy to make and quite tasty, coming very close in flavor to what I have eaten at a Thai restaurant located near us. It is the kind of recipe that is very flexible, leaving you lots of room for additions and substitutions. For example instead of the shrimp you could use chicken or tofu, add green peas for some additional vegetables and color, use thin spaghetti instead of rice noodles, and add peanut butter to the sauce if you like more peanut flavor or leave it out completely. The spice level can also be adjusted by using more or less chile sauce.

This meal could be completely vegetarian by using tofu, and vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth called for. Although the recipe’s yield is for four servings, my husband and I ate all of it at one sitting. It was so good, in fact, we devoured it. I really like this recipe for its versatility and I am sure I will be making it again.

Recipe: PAD THAI

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 (8-ounce) package rice noodles
Having everything prepped in advance means this dish goes together in a snap. (Pretend you see 2 eggs here!)
2 Tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
1 Tablespoon chile sauce
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 carrot, grated
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped, for garnish ( I did not use these.)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and turn off the heat. Add the rice noodles and let them soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain.

2. In a wok or large saute pan, over high heat, add 1 Tablespoon oil. When it is hot, add the eggs and cook until they are firm. Remove them from the pan and let them cool a bit. Roughly chop them and set aside.

3. in the same pan, add the shrimp and sauté just until pink and cooked through. Set aide with the egg.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chile sauce, lime juice, garlic, and broth. Set aside.

4. Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil to the pan along with the carrots, scallions, and bean sprouts and stir fry 1 minute.

Stir fry vegetables, then add noodles, shrimp and egg.

Stir frying the vegetables.

Add the reserved eggs, shrimp, noodles and sauce, stirring to coat everything completely.

Add noodles, shrimp, eggs, and sauce.

Cook for another minute or so to warm everything through. Serve garnished with peanuts and cilantro.

A delicious and very enjoyable meal.

SOURCE: Sanda Lee’s Thrifty Thai, Food Network

Eggplant Parmesan

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with dinner, eggplant, food, Marinara sauce, recipe, vegetarian May 15, 2013

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant, (aubergine in French, melanzane, in Italian), is a vegetable that I am not overly fond of, and therefore don’t cook it very often. However there is one dish that I really like and that is eggplant parmesan. This can be a lengthy dish to prepare what with slicing and breading, then cooking the eggplant before you even begin to put the remaining ingredients with it and baking it. In addition, eggplant has the ability to absorb large amounts of oil that it is cooked in, another reason why I seldom make it.

Eggplant Parmesan and pasta.

When I happened upon this recipe for EP.Parmesan I really took notice because the eggplant is baked after having been dredged in flour, egg, and panko. There is no oil involved for the eggplant to soak up, and the baked slices come out fork tender with a crisp outer crust. Then you layer them in a baking dish with sauce and cheese, bake it up, and eat it knowing you have made a dish that is low in fat ( 9 g. total; 5 g. saturated), yet still very tasty and healthy for you.

This casserole make 6 generous servings, and if you have any left over you might try warming it up, and serving it in a crispy hard roll for a great sandwich.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Yield 6 generous servings

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Aubergines from http://www.usda.gov/oc/photo/98c0468.jpg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
2 egg whites, lightly beaten with a little water (or use egg substitute, i.e., Egg Beaters)
1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
1 3/4 lbs. eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 cups marinara sauce, plus more if serving with pasta
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 cups reduced-fat shredded mozzarella
10 – 12 large basil leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 package spaghetti, cooked according to pkg. directions (optional)

1. Heat oven to 375*F. Using a large baking sheet, line with parchment paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place flour, egg whites and panko in separate shallow dishes. Dredge eggplant slices in flour, dip in egg, and coat with panko. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake at 375* for 40 – 45 minutes until easily pierced with a fork.

Eggplant slices breaded and already baked.

3. Spread 1 cup of sauce over the bottom of a 13 x 9 – inch baking dish. Place half the eggplant slices over sauce and season with 1/8 tsp. each of the salt and pepper.

A layer of sauce in the bottom of the dish, then eggplant, then more sauce.

Layer with 1 cup of sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and the basil, roughly torn into pieces.

Sprinkle with grated mozzarella and chopped basil.

Repeat layering with remaining eggplant, salt, pepper, sauce and mozzarella.

Next layer of eggplant in place, to be covered with more sauce and cheese.

4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the Parmesan over top and loosely tent with foil. Bake at 375* for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

All hot and melty with cheese.

5. If desired serve with cooked spaghetti, remaining Parmesan and additional sauce.

Serve with pasta for a hearty, meatless meal.

SOURCE: Family Circle.com/healthyfamilydinners

Very Berry Strawberry Cookies

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Carolyn's Originals and tagged with baking, cookies, cream cheese, dessert, food, freeze-dried strawberries, recipe May 14, 2013

Very Berry Strawberry Cookies

This is the time of year when strawberries are reappearing at the market and they look so beautiful; red, ripe and juicy. They never fail to get my creative juices flowing. The native berries that grow here where I live have not ripened yet (usually not till the end of May), so until those are available I will use the California-grown berries available at the market.

However, I have found from past experience that baking with strawberries does not produce a true, vivid strawberry flavor. They are so much more enjoyable in their natural state, luscious and juicy with just a little sugar on them. So for baking I have been exploring ways to get a true strawberry flavor. I think I have found the answer, and it happened quite by accident. One morning I was eating Special K cereal with Red Berries and was struck by how strong the berry flavor was. These freeze-dried strawberries had the color and flavor I have been looking for. So I searched the dried fruits section of the supermarket and there I found bags of freeze-dried strawberries.

Freeze dried strawberries can be pulverized into powder.

Bingo! I was on to something. Reasoning that if I could crush or pulverize those freeze dried berries and mix the powder into the dough, I could get the strong flavor I wanted. I love to experiment, so I was excited to give this a try. The results, I’m happy to tell you, were quite good. Using a recipe I had for a basic sugar cookie that also uses some cream cheese, and adding the strawberry powder to the dough, I got a tender cookie with a pretty pink color and real strawberry flavor. They are just great on their own, but you know what? You can also mix this strawberry powder into cream cheese frosting and make sandwich cookies for a double-whammy of strawberry goodness. (Notice that I’m not mentioning calories here!) Ok, Ok, let’s be reasonable. Let’s enjoy these cookies with a dish of strawberry ice cream instead!!!

The perfect accompaniment to Very Strawberry ice cream.

VERY BERRY STRAWBERRY COOKIES

Yield: Makes about 4 1/2 dozen 2″ cookies, or 27 sandwich cookies

For the Cookies:

1 cup ( 2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup ( 4 ounces) cream cheese at room temperature. Reduced fat version is OK.
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup strawberry powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg
3 cups flour, I used half white whole wheat flour;

For the Filling:

1/2 cup cream cheese (4-ounces)
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 Tablespoons strawberry powder
1 Tablespoon strawberry jam
milk or cream as needed for spreading consistency

To make the cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 375*F. Lightly grease two baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Begin by crushing the dry strawberries. I used a mortar and pestle and was able to get a fine powder with little or no lumps. If you have difficulty getting it smooth, you can always sift the powder to remove any lumps. Measure 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons if making the filling.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese, salt and baking powder, strawberry powder and sugars.

Mixing up the cream cheese, butter, sugars and strawberry powder.

4. Once the mixture is nice and light and fluffy, beat in the egg and then mix in the flour.

5. Scoop by the tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each cookie into a 2″ circle with the bottom of a glass dipped into sugar.

Drop by tablespoon onto baking sheet and flatten into 2-inch circles.

Bake for 14 – 16 minutes, until barely golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Makes about 54 cookies.

To make the filling:

1. Beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Add the strawberry jam, and blend into the cream cheese. Add the sugar and strawberry powder gradually along with small amounts of milk or cream to achieve a spreading consistency.

2. Generously frost the bottom side of one cookie and top with another to make a tasty sandwich. Makes about 27 sandwich cookies.

These are not going to last long.

You can never have too much of a very good thing!

SOURCE; a Carolyn Original based on a modified recipe for sugar cookies from Taste of Home

French Onion Steaks

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with dinner entree, food, French Onion Soup, ground beef, recipe May 13, 2013

French onion Salisbury steak.

Years ago, when real steaks were out of the question because of their cost, Salisbury steak was a classic dish made with ground beef, and “fancied” up with a flavorful gravy and given an impressive name. This was, of course, before my memory, but my parents talked about Salisbury Steak dinners, frozen and packaged as TV dinners. I don’t know if these dinners even still exist, perhaps not—they were awful, I hear. Please don’t tell Swanson I said so! : – )

Anyway, I came across this recipe in a rather old issue of Cook’s Illustrated that pairs the classic Salisbury Steak with another classic, French Onion Soup, giving that old recipe a new spin. It even includes a crouton and melted cheese.

Dredging the lightly seasoned steak burgers in flour enhances browning and also gives body to the onion sauce. Stove-top braising keeps the ground-beef patties moist and tender. Sweet onions, like Vidalia give a milder flavor to the French onion sauce. For a bolder taste, use yellow onions which are available year round. If you are not an onion fan, I think this dish will win you over.

FRENCH ONION SALISBURY STEAK

SERVINGS: Makes 4 steaks

For the steaks:

1 1/4 lb. ground chuck ( 80 – 85% lean)
French onion Salisbury steak.
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. minced scallions
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp, black pepper
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

For the sauce:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Cups sliced onions ( 2 large onions)
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Cheese Toasts ( recipe below)
minced fresh parsley for garnish
Shredded Parmesan

1. Combine ground beef, 1/4 cup parsley, scallions, salt and pepper. Divide into four even portions and shape each into 3/4 – 1 – inch thick oval patties.

Form beef into 4 oval-shaped patties.

2. Place 2 Tbsp. four in a shallow dish; dredge each patty in flour. Remove and save 1 tsp. flour.

Dredge each patty in flour.

3. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add patties and sauté 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Brown well on each side.

Set aside while you make the onion sauce.

4. Add onions and sugar to pan; saute 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; saute until paste begins to brown, 1 minute. Sprinkle mixture with reserved flour; cook 1 minute. Stir in broth, wine, salt and thyme.

Saute onions, garlic, tomato paste and thyme.

5. Return meat to pan, bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.

Return beef patties to the pan and continue cooking in the sauce.

Serve steaks on Cheese Toasts with onion sauce ladled over. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

CHEESE TOASTS

4 slices Italian baguette, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
pinch of paprika
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400*F. Lightly spray a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Place bread slices on baking sheet.

Combine butter, garlic, and paprika; spread on one side of each slice of bread. Combine cheeses and sprinkle evenly over butter.

Top each bread slice with seasoned butter and cheeses.

Bake until bread is crisp and cheese is melted, 10 – 15 minutes.

Cheese toasts. Make extra to eat out of hand along with the meal.

French onion Salisbury Steak, served with spinach and strawberry salad.

SOURCE: Cooks Illustrated

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