Crunchy Onion Sesame Chicken

I was going through my cabinets recently, clearing out the old stuff and I came across a can of French's French Fried Onions that I had bought to make their green bean casserole for Easter. Well I obviously didn't make the casserole so I took it out and set it on the counter to figure out what I wanted to do with it.

That same day on the food channel, Rachel Ray was making chicken fingers with sesame seeds and dehydrated onion. Perfect! I decided to concoct my own recipe by combining some of her suggestions and some of French's recipe. It turned out pretty darn good!

Crunchy Onion Sesame Chicken

1 1/3 cups French’s® Original French Fried Onions
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Place chicken and buttermilk in a bowl and let stand for 30 minutes to an hour.

Place French Fried Onions into plastic bag. Lightly crush with hands or with rolling pin. Add the sesame seeds and cheese and mix well to combine.

Remove each chicken piece from buttermilk letting the excess run off and coat with onion crumb mixture, pressing firmly to adhere. Place chicken on baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Sprinkle with additional crumbs, if desired.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Great For Lunch or A Light Dinner

I love portobello mushrooms. They are almost like eating steak, and when they are stuffed, it's just heaven. I looked around online for recipes and sort of picked a little from here and there and came up with this fabulous, delicious, rich but not too fattening recipe.
These mushrooms could also be quartered and served as an appetizer.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

4 portobello mushrooms
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 large shallot or 2 small, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup carrot, minced
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt, strained*
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespon butter or margarine
1/3 cup bread crumbs, fresh if possible
1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (2 ounces)
4 strips crisp cooked bacon, crumbled**

Directions
1. Clean mushrooms. Remove and discard stems, using a teaspoon, remove the black, fibrous underside of the mushroom caps and discard. Place mushrooms, cap side down, on a baking pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

2. In a medium saucepan cook the shallot, carrot, and garlic in butter over medium low until tender. Stir in bread crumbs, yogurt, mayo, cheese, and bacon. Spoon crumb mixture into mushroom caps.

3. Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is hot, about 12 to 15 minutes.

*Strain yogurt by placing in a colander lined with paper towels for about 30 minutes. **For an easy way to cook the bacon, line a baking sheet with foil and place the bacon evenly on top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Place bacon strips on paper towel lined plate to dry and absorb excess grease.

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

It's All Giada, All The Time!

I've been on a Giada DiLaurentiis kick lately. Well, I guess I shouldn't say lately, because I use her recipes more than anyone else. I just like a lot of the things she makes I guess. This has to be one of my favorites though. I could have eaten the whole dish all by my self. I will definately be buying more fennel soon!

Roasted Fennel With Parmesan
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 fennel bulbs, cut horizontally into 1/3-inch thick slices, fronds reserved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve.

Grilled Eggplant and Squash with Herb Dressing

So Long Summer, It's Been Great!

I've decided to take advantage of the summer produce as long as I possible can. I picked up some beautiful eggplant, zucchini and summer squash from my local farmers market over the weekend. I wanted to highlight the fresh summer flavors in the simplest way, so I grilled them and made a fresh herb dressing to go over them.

Since I always like to add a little protein to my veggie dishes, I included some cannellini beans and for a little zing, some marianted black and green olives.
I topped it with grated Romano cheese and served it over cous cous, but any medium to small pasta would be fine.

Grilled Eggplant and Squash with Herb Dressing
Herb Dressing
1/4 cup of organic raw apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 small clove garlic, grated on microplane, or minced
1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs, your choice of basil, parsley, rosemary, oregano and thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper

Add the vinegar, honey, garlic, honey, herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix to combine. Add the oil slowly and blend with an emersion blender. (This can also be done in a blender). Blend until oil is combined with vinegar mixture and it becomes slightly thick. Set aside until ready to use.

Grilled Vegetables

2 small/medium sized eggplant, peeled leaving some small stripes for decoration, cut into 1/2" rounds
1 zuccini, peeled leaving some stripes, cut 1/2" thick on the diagonal
1 summer squash, peeled leaving some stripes, cut 1/2" thick on the diagonal
1/4 cup marinated black and green olives, sliced
1/2 cup cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper

Heat grill on medium and spray with non-stick oil spray. Place the eggplant, zucchini and summer squash in a large bowl, add the olive oil and salt and pepper; toss to coat. Place the vegetables on the hot grill and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or to desired tenderness. Remove from grill and place into a bowl. Add the 1/2 of the herb dressing and toss to coat. Serve over cous cous or other pasta and drizzle with more dressing and grated Romano cheese.

Grilled Eggplant Salad

As Yummy As It Looks!

I've been eating a lot of eggplant lately. I guess because it looks so fresh. This recipe is another from Giada DiLaurentiis. It is hearty enough to eat as a main dish. Just serve it with some crusty Italian bread.

Grilled Eggplant and Goat Cheese Salad
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
3 tablespoons olive oil
7 Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch wide slices, I used two regular eggplants cut into 1/2 to 3/4" thick slices
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled, I used gorgonzola
1/3 cup basil, thinly sliced, I used 1/2 cup
2 tablespoons chopped mint, I omitted this
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the olive oil over the slices of eggplant and toss to coat. Grill the eggplants until tender and grill marks appear, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. I used cooked them for about 5-6 minutes per side. Place the eggplants side-by-side on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, goat cheese, basil, and mint. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Hearty Scrambled Eggs

Eggs Remind Me Of When I Was A Kid At My Mom's House

This is a great recipe to make on a weeknight because it is fairly simple to make and it is also a comfort food. You just feel good eating this because it is hearty, filling, satisfying and it reminds you of when you were a kid! At least it does for me. I ate a lot of eggs when I was a kid. Scrambled, hard boiled, poached, over easy, omelets, frittatas, bird in the nest, fried with bologna, you name it. I loved them then and I love them now.

This is a recipe from America's Test Kitchen. I was watching one day and just so happened to have the turkey sausage, red pepper and eggs in the fridge. It was perfect timing.

It is an updated version of hearty scrambled eggs for America's Test Kitchen. Their goal was to create a scramble that was hearty but not watery. The secret is to pre-cook the sausage and vegetables and to use half and half (which has less water in it and more fat), instead of milk. By pre-cooking the sausage and veggies you drive out the moisture. And by replacing the milk which may cause watery eggs, with half and half you have a perfect hearty egg scramble.

It sounded great, but I only had milk in the fridge. They suggested that when adding other ingredients to scrambled eggs, the usual 1/2 cup of milk to 8 eggs (or one tablespoon of milk per egg) should be reduced by half. So I reduced the amount in the recipe as they suggested to one tablespoon to two eggs and they were not watery, they turned out great.

Hearty Scrambled Eggs
from America's Test Kitchen

1 teaspoon oil
3 Italian Sausage, removed from casing (I used turkey sausage)
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2" cubes
About 3 scallions, white parts chopped and green parts sliced on the bias for garnish, divided (I used 1 large shallot and no garnish)
12 eggs
6 tablespoons half and half (I used 1% milk)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I used chopped up swiss)

Add oil to 12" skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking up into small pieces, as it cooks for about 2-3 minutes. Add the red pepper and whites of the scallions and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes until softened and sausage is cooked through.

Add eggs, half and half, salt and pepper to a large bowl and beat until combined.
Remove the sausage mixture from the skillet and let cool on a plate.
Wipe out the skillet, add tablespoon of butter and put back on medium heat.

Add the eggs to the skillet and gently push them from side to side, creating big fluffy curds, for about 2-3 minutes. When the eggs are almost cooked through, add the sausage and the cheese. Take off the heat and mix slowly. If it is still a little runny, continue to cook for just a bit. Turn onto plates and garnish with sliced scallions.
Serves 4 to 6

Greek Caponata

Yummy Blend of Flavors!

This is another inspiration form a Giada DiLaurauntiis recipe.
I happened to have most of the ingredients on hand and decided to give it a try. I changed the recipe a bit, as usual.

I added in peppers because I had these gorgeous purple peppers that I picked up at a local farm. I had never seen them before and just had to try them! This recipe seemed like the perfect place for them. I also added chic peas to the mix for some added protein!

Greek Caponata
(Adapted from Giada DiLaurentiis recipe)

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juice
2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds
1 summer squash, cut into 1-inch rounds
1 tomato, cut into wedges
1 medium/large eggplant, cut into 1-inch rounds
2 large shallots, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
1 potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 purple peppers, or whatever color you have
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped fine, or one teaspoon of dried oregano
4 to 6 slices toasted italian bread, optional for main dish (This time I used homemade mini pizza rounds)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour the canned tomatoes into a 3 1/2-quart baking dish and spread to cover the bottom. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (excluding the bread). Toss to coat. Pour the vegetables over the canned tomatoes in an even layer. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the edges of the vegetables are golden, about 30 minutes.

Serve alone as a side, or over toasted bread for a main dish. This could also be used as a filling for calzones! Just a little mozzarella cheese and ooh la la!!

Updated Stuffed Tomato Recipe

What To Do With All Of Those Garden Tomatoes...

I recently came into an ample supply of garden tomatoes. No not from my garden - it pains me too much to even discuss my tomato plants. All I will say is - damn those ground hogs.
My friend Jen gave them to me, so being the frugal cook that I am, I decided to use them as a main dish. I have made stuffed tomatoes in the past and posted them. It was a meatless recipe from Giada DiLaurentiis. This new version is a little heartier, since I added turkey sausage and red bell pepper. I love both versions, but this recipe can be used as a main dish. Just serve 2 tomatoes per person.

Tip: You can use any combination of your favorite herbs. If you don't have fresh herbs on hand, or no time to chop them, just use half of the amount of dried herbs instead.
Tomatoes Stuffed with Turkey Sausage and Rice

3 turkey sausage, removed from casing
4 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2" squares
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 ~ 8.8 oz. bag Uncle Ben's Ready Brown Rice
6 ripe but firm large tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup grated Campo Moltobon cheese, or Parmesan

Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a medium saute pan. Add in the turkey sausage, breaking up into small pieces. Add the shallot and 1 clove minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through. Empty into a medium bowl and set aside.

Heat the rice in a medium saute pan with 2 tablespoons water, stirring periodically, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes.(or heat on high in the microwave for 90 seconds). Add to the turkey mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut a 1/2-inch thick slice off the top of each tomato. Squeeze each tomato gently and carefully to get most of the seeds out. With a spoon, scoop the pulp and juice from each tomato into a small bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of the tomato juice and pulp.

Oil the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place the hollowed tomatoes in the prepared dish.

Add the reserved tomato juice and pulp to the reserved rice and turkey mixture. Add all the fresh herbs, cheese, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Combine well.

Spoon the mixture into the hollowed tomatoes, mounding slightly. Sprinkle leftover stuffing on the bottom of the pan. Drizzle entire dish with olive oil. Bake until the rice is heated through, about 20 minutes.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Great For Lunch or A Light Dinner

I love portobello mushrooms. They are almost like eating steak, and when they are stuffed, it's just heaven. I looked around online for recipes and sort of picked a little from here and there and came up with this fabulous, delicious, rich but not too fattening recipe.
These mushrooms could also be quartered and served as an appetizer.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

4 portobello mushrooms
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 large shallot or 2 small, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup carrot, minced
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt, strained*
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespon butter or margarine
1/3 cup bread crumbs, fresh if possible
1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (2 ounces)
4 strips crisp cooked bacon, crumbled**

Directions
1. Clean mushrooms. Remove and discard stems, using a teaspoon, remove the black, fibrous underside of the mushroom caps and discard. Place mushrooms, cap side down, on a baking pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

2. In a medium saucepan cook the shallot, carrot, and garlic in butter over medium low until tender. Stir in bread crumbs, yogurt, mayo, cheese, and bacon. Spoon crumb mixture into mushroom caps.

3. Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is hot, about 12 to 15 minutes.

*Strain yogurt by placing in a colander lined with paper towels for about 30 minutes. **For an easy way to cook the bacon, line a baking sheet with foil and place the bacon evenly on top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Place bacon strips on paper towel lined plate to dry and absorb excess grease.

The Last Hurrah to Summer!

Imperfect, But Damn Good!

Summer is almost over so I had to bake at least one blueberry pie before it was too late to get fresh local blueberries. I used the same recipe that I always use, that is from the back of a tapioca pudding box. It always turns out perfect. The tapioca replaces the need to use flour. It absorbs all the liquid from the blueberries as they cook and creates a thick yummy filling. No runny mess, just the perfect texture I'm looking for.

Since I love pie but hate the fat and calories in the crust, I decided to try something new. I got this crust recipe from a canola oil website. Canola oil has very low saturated fat in it and it has a higher percentage of monounsaturated fat which is the good fat that our bodies need.

I never knew that you could make a crust using canola oil, but now I know you can. It is a little more difficult to work with than traditional pie dough, because it tends to dry out more quickly. but I actually liked the final result. If you are a traditonalist, however, you may not think it is as good as the full fat version. But try it anyway, your heart will thank you!

The website had two different versions of the same recipe and one of them was misprinted. So I sought of combined the two and changed it a little to put my own spin on it.

Blueberry Pie with Canola Oil Crust

4 cups blueberries, washed, dried and picked over for stems and leaves
3/4 to 1 cup sugar, depending on how sweet you like your pie, I use 3/4 cup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind, my addition
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, my addition
1/4 cup tapioca pudding

Mix blueberries, tapioca, sugar lemon rind and lemon juice in bowl. Let stand 15 minutes; fill 9" pie crust with the fruit mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter. Cover with top crust; seal edges by pressing down along the pie rim with a fork.

My tips: Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg. Place pie on a foil lined baking sheet because it will more than likely leak out and spill into the oven.

Bake at 400 degree preheated oven for 45-60 minutes. Cool.

Canola Oil Crust
Yield: 2-9 inch shells (8 slices per shell)

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
3-4 tbsp. ice water

Measure flour and salt in a bowl. Add canola oil. Mix together until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tbsp. at a time, mixing until flour is moistened and dough almost lifts from the side of the bowl. If dough seems dry, 1 or 2 tbsp. of canola oil can be added.

Divide dough into two rounds. Flatten round between two sheets of wax paper. Wipe counter with damp cloth to prevent paper from slipping. Roll pastry to two inches larger than inverted pie plate. Peel off top paper. Place pastry; paper side up in pan. Peel off paper. Ease pastry loosely into plate. Trim edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pan. Fold and roll pastry under, even with the pan; flute edge. Prick bottom and sides thoroughly with a fork.
For the top crust, roll dough in same way. Cut slits after peeling top paper, trim and complete in the usual manner.