Mixed Salad Annie

Quinoa Salad

2011-05-17T19:55:00.007-04:00

If you've never heard of quinoa it's probably because it doesn't sound like it's spelled. It is pronounced Keen Wa. A whole grain packed full of nutrients and tons of protein, quinoa is perfect for anyone trying to eat a little healthier. It can be substituted in place of pasta or rice in many salad recipes with ease. Quinoa is actually a seed not a pasta, and when it is cooked the outer ring separates from the rest of the grain. It is very bland on it's own, so if eating it plain, you could cook it in low-sodium chicken/vegetable broth for more flavor. One thing to note is that uncooked quinoa has a bitter coating and should be rinsed thoroughly under cold water before cooking.

Quinoa & Vegetable Salad
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 cup uncooked quinoa
½ cup lightly steamed broccoli florets
½ cup lightly steamed green beans
½ jar pickled red beets, quartered
1 medium shallot, minced
1 celery stalk, sliced thin
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
Fresh black pepper and salt, or to taste
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil to taste
Note: You could also use a bottled salad dressing in place of the oil and vinegar, such as Olde Cape Fat-Free Sesame Soy Ginger

Directions

Rinse quinoa under cold water for about 2 minutes. Place in 2 quart saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Allow to cool.

Mix together all the ingredients and your salad is ready!

Baked Stuffed Shrimp

2011-04-23T19:57:00.016-04:00

It's About Time...

Ever since I was a little girl, I always loved baked stuffed shrimp. I can remember going out with my family to eat and always ordering it, no matter what else was on the menu. Most kids would be all about the mac and cheese or the hamburgers and fries, but not I. Those juicy, rich, melt in your mouth stuffed shrimp always won! My love has not changed over the years. Yes I do order many other things on the menu now, but whenever I'm unsure of what to get, I always go right back to my favorite.

Believe it or not, this is the first time I have ever cooked them at home myself. My dad actually had a killer recipe but unfortunately never wrote it down or shared it with anyone before he passed. So I looked on-line and found a few recipes that sounded good; then I combined and tweaked them to my liking. I think the end result turned out great. I did lower the fat in the recipe a bit by halving the butter and subbing part with olive oil, but if you want the full fat effect of that buttery richness, by all means go for it!

Baked Stuffed Shrimp
serves 4-5

40 Ritz crackers (one sleeve, plus 5 more), crushed
1 sleeve Pepperidge Farm Golden Butter crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Dash of pepper
1 1/2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
4 T extra virgin olive oil, divided use
5 T butter, melted, divided use
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Zest from 1/2 lemon
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons
3 T fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 T dry white wine
Approximately 2 T water
20 jumbo shrimp, with tails

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Make a cut along the length of the back of each shrimp and remove peel and vein. Cut just deep enough to open the shrimp to lay flat.
Sauté celery and shallot in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and opaque. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix crushed crackers, garlic powder, parsley and pepper. In a small bowl, blend 4 tablespoons butter, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest and Worcestershire sauce. Add lemon juice and white wine to a 1/2 cup measuring cup; add up to 2 tablespoons of water until full. Mix into the blended butter; add to the the cracker mixture. Add the celery and shallots. Stir until mixture holds together.
Set shrimp backs down in the prepared baking dish. Place heaping tablespoons of the cracker mixture on top of each, pressing with fingers to secure. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of butter over the top of the shrimp.
Bake shrimp 15 to 17 minutes or until they are opaque. Remove from oven and set broiler to low. Place shrimp under broiler for 2-3 minutes or until stuffing is golden brown.
Transfer to a serving platter. Squeeze some lemon on top if desired. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Biscotti

2010-12-26T16:23:00.009-05:00

I found a great blog for baking that I love. It's the Joy of Baking. They do a wonderful job with the recipes and the photos are beautiful. There are so many recipes that I am going to try. The first one I tried was the Gingerbread Biscotti. Read more

What better cookie for the holiday, right? It just screams Christmas and being that is it a biscotti, it packs well, freezes well and will last for several weeks. Every year I send my brother biscotti for Christmas and this year he got these and Banana Pecan Biscotti.

Gingerbread Biscotti Adapted from Joy of Baking

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (can also use pecans or hazelnuts)
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 3/4 cups all unbleached purpose flour
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses (such as Grandma's Molasses)
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil (or canola oil)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure orange extract
3/4 cup raisins

White Chocolate Glaze: (optional)
1/2 cup quality white chocolate chips (such as Ghiardelli)

Preheat oven to 350º F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake walnuts for about 8 minutes or until brown and fragrant.

In a blender or food processor, process 1/2 cup of the rolled oats until finely ground. In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), combine the 1/2 cup of finely ground oats, the remaining 1/2 cup of rolled oats, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, molasses, oil, vanilla extract and orange extract. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients, and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the chopped nuts and raisins and beat just until incorporated.

With a dough scraper or spatula divide the dough in half. Take each half of dough and divide in half again. form each half into a log, about 10 inches long and 2 inches wide. Transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 3 inches apart.

Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and dough springs back when touched. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Transfer the logs to a cutting board and cut into 3/4 inch slices, on the diagonal. Place the biscotti, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Bake for about 4-5 minutes, turn slices over, and bake for another 4-5 minutes or until dry and firm. Remove from oven and let cool.

Can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.

White Chocolate Glaze (optional): Place white chocolate in a small bowl and microwave on 50% power for about 30 seconds. Stir and heat again for another 30 seconds until melted. Continue to stir until the bowl is no longer hot.

Spoon the melted chocolate into a small plastic zip lock bag and cut a small slit in the corner. Drizzle several thin lines of the chocolate over each biscotti. Let the biscotti sit at room temperature until the chocolate has completely dried.

Egg Biscuits

2010-12-17T21:00:00.034-05:00

An Italian Tradition...
The egg biscuit. It is a very simple cookie which has it's roots in the Italian-American culture. It's a favorite with afternoon tea, especially among the older generation of Italian Rhode Islanders. My version is a lactose-free version using lite coconut milk. I actually prefer this recipe to the original.

Egg Biscuits
Recipe by Mixed Salad Annie
lactose free recipe

3 eggs
¾ cup corn oil
4 cups flour, plus more if needed
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup lite coconut milk
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
-------
Confectioners sugar
Lite coconut milk
A few drops of pure vanilla extract
Colored sprinkles

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix sugar, oil, eggs and extracts with beater. Gradually add the dry ingredients alternately with milk. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour. Set on a floured board. Take about a tablespoon of dough and roll into 6 or 7 inch ropes, twisting into ball-shaped knots. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet; bake for 5 minutes and turn pan. Bake for another 4-5 minutes or until light brown on the bottom (approximately 9 to 10 minutes total).

Frost with Confectioners Sugar Icing:
Add coconut milk and a few drops of vanilla extract to confectioners sugar until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Frost each cookie with about a tablespoon of icing. Add colored sprinkles while the icing is wet.

Almond Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites

2010-12-16T19:28:00.004-05:00

A great variation on the chocolate chip cookie. For something a little different and a bit more special, try this cookie made in a mini muffin pan. It is delicious and it will look a little more sophisticated on your holiday cookie tray.

My inspiration for this recipe came from research on using almond flour in baking. I found an awesome website called elanaspantry.com. Elana wrote a cookbook on cooking with almond flour. Elana uses ONLY blanched almond flour in all her recipes and clearly states that her recipes will not work with natural almond meal (ground almonds with skins).

I do want to try some of her recipes because they sound amazing. I just ordered some blanched almond flour online and I can't wait to get it and start baking! But in the meantime, I had recently bought a bag of Trader Joe's almond meal. I figured I would experiment with it and see if I could come up with something tasty. I think I did. The cookies were soft and chewy and had lots of chocolate flavor. And even though there is not a lot of sugar or fat in the recipe, you are not left disappointed after eating these cookies. They are definitely satisfying and best of all, they are low carb. Yay!! We can eat more :) They are also much better for you than regular flour based chocolate chip cookies since almonds contain tons of nutrients, vitamin E and protein. They are also perfect for anyone on a gluten free diet. Just make sure you use gluten free oats!

I plan an experimenting more with almond flour. I want to try making brownies, muffins and maybe even a cake. If anyone has a great recipe using almond flour, I'd love to hear about it.

Almond Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites

adapted from Elana's Pantry

2 ½ cups Trader Joe's almond meal
3/4 cup old fashioned oatmeal, ground fine in blender or food processor
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup grapeseed oil
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (such as Ghiardelli 60% Cocao)

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, ground oatmeal, salt and baking soda
In a medium bowl combine grapeseed oil, maple syrup and vanilla
Stir wet ingredients into the almond/oatmeal flour mixture until thoroughly combined
Fold in chocolate chips
Spoon 2 tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet, press down to flatten
Bake at 350º for 7 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden
Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 20 minutes, then serve

Banana Pecan Biscotti

2010-12-12T00:10:00.007-05:00

This is a great recipe for the holidays. It reminds me of banana bread when it is baking in the oven, which always makes me feel like I am home with mom. I added a little maple flavoring to the recipe because whenever my mom made banana bread when I was living at home, she would always make a maple glaze to put over the top. It was the best part of the bread. In this case though, I opted for a dark chocolate drizzle for the top. Who wouldn't love that?

I adapted a cooking light recipe to create a delicious holiday biscotti perfect for gift giving. I just sent these and gingerbread biscotti to my brother who lives out of state. I will post the gingerbread recipe soon.

Banana Pecan Biscotti
adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 bananas)

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or canola)

1 teaspoon molasses (optional)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon maple flavor extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

2 large eggs

3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Cooking spray

Dark chocolate chips, melted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Combine banana, oil, vanilla, maple, molasses and egg in a medium bowl; stir in flour mixture and pecans (dough will be sticky).

With a dough scraper or spatula divide dough into 4 parts. Scoop dough onto parchment lined baking sheets; shaping dough into 4 (8-inch-long) rolls with wet hands. Flatten to 1/2-inch thickness.

Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 12 (1/2-inch) slices. Place slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 250°; bake 12 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 12 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire racks.

Drizzle with dark chocolate if desired.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2010-10-02T22:02:00.006-04:00

Get Your Chocolate Fix..
and Your Vegetables All In One Bite!

For a final goodbye to Summer, I decided to make my favorite muffin recipe. I made a few revisions to my original recipe and I think they are even better now! I know the combination of chocolate and zucchini sounds a bit suspicious, but trust me, you do not taste the zucchini at all.
The flavor is very chocolatey and the texture is soft and velvety. Very moist as well, due to the zucchini, of course! What more could you ask for in a muffin? Oh, and by the way, they're somewhat low-fat too!

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
by Mixed Salad Annie

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup extra light olive oil (or canola oil)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsps. vanilla
6 oz. container "SO Delicious" Cultured Coconut Milk
2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium, unpeeled, do not squeeze)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375º. Spray non-stick muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper cups.

Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in cocoa and heat for another 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Cream together cocoa butter mixture and sugars in mixing bowl until well combined,
using electric mixer at medium speed. Beat in oil; add coconut milk, then blend in eggs and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients and blend until just combined. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared muffin tins. If you have extra batter

Decrease oven temperature to 350º. Bake 19 - 24 minutes, turning pan halfway through. Muffins are done when toothpick inserted into center of muffins comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Apricot Cake

2010-08-23T23:32:00.008-04:00

It was Mom's birthday this past weekend and of course I baked her a cake. Not just any 'ol cake, but a cake reminiscent of her birth place. Mom was born in Northern Italy, close to Austria. There is a famous cake called the "Sachertorte" that is a specialty in this region. It is a velvety rich chocolate cake with a thin apricot filling and covered in a chocolate ganache.

The original cake was created in Vienna, Austria and the only other place in the world that offers the original cake besides Vienna and Salzberg, is in Bolzano, Italy which is located in northern Italy. The cake I made is VERY loosely based on this idea. The original sachertorte is much more dense and I used a much thicker apricot filling. I also opted for a creamy chocolate frosting that my mom has been making for years. I found a great chocolate cake recipe on Epicurious.com. It turned out very moist and delicious!

Chocolate Apricot Cake
Cake adapted from Bon Appetit-June 2010 by Cindy Mushet

Ingredients

Cake
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
3/4 cup buttermilk*
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

* If you do not have buttermilk on hand, substitute 3/4 cup minus 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar. Mix together and let stand 5-10 minutes. I used lactose-free milk and it turned out great!

Special equipment: 2 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides

Apricot Filling
14 oz. apricot jam
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2-3 fresh apricots, peeled, pitted and sliced (optional)

Creamy Chocolate Frosting
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
1 cup Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For Cake:

Position rack to middle of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; spray rounds.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl; add sugar and whisk to blend. Form a well in the center. Whisk 1 cup water, buttermilk, oil, and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients; beat with hand mixer just to blend. Divide cake batter between prepared pans (about 3 cups each).

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes, turning pans halfway through baking. A great tip from Cindy Mushet: (If cakes form domes, place kitchen towel atop hot cakes, then press gently with palm of hand to level.) Cool completely in pans on cooling racks. Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cover cakes in pans and let stand at room temperature.

For Filling:

Line a 9 inch cake pan with plastic wrap, overlapping on all sides. Add the sliced apricots if using. Set aside.

Add the apricot jam to a microwave safe bowl and heat for about 1 minute or until the jam starts to bubble. Add the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Pour jam mixture into prepared pan and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

Place 1 layer of cake, flat side down, inside the cake pan containing the filling. Carefully place a plate over the top of the cake pan; gently and quickly flip over so that the cake and the filling is centered on the plate. Remove plastic wrap. With a knife, carefully trim the edges of the filling that overhang the cake. Place the second cake layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate as desired.

For Frosting:

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, until creamy and spreadable. Adding small amounts of additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Zucchini Side Dish

2010-07-03T20:05:00.007-04:00

So it's summer and there is plenty of zucchini to go around. If you're growing it, you are probably sick of looking at it. And if your not, you probably have neighbors dropping by with bags full of this summer squash or courgettes. Either way, here is a great recipe that I found online and adapted from Recipe Zaar. It's a very flavorful and fresh way of using up all that zucchini!!

Interesting Side Note: According to Wickipedia.com, in a culinary sense, zucchini is a vegetable. However, from a botanical point of reference, the zucchini is an immature fruit, being the swollen ovary of the female zucchini flower. (Wild, huh?)

Zucchini Side Dish
Adapted from recipezaar.com by Tom Collins

Ingredients
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons olive oil
Fine sea salt
Ground black pepper
1 onion (cut into slices, I used Vadalia)
2 celery stalks (cut on the diagonal 1/8" slices)
4 garlic cloves; chopped
1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms; drained and rinsed
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
6 zucchini (small, or 3 zucchini and 3 summer squash, sliced 1/4 inch thick or less)
Zest and Juice of 1/2 lemon
3-4 tomatoes (diced into 1/2 inch cubes)
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions
1. Melt the butter and oil in a pan large enough to hold the squash
2. Add the onions, celery, salt and pepper. Saute until translucent on medium heat, adding some of the broth or water if it gets too dry and starts to brown.
3. Add the garlic, mushrooms, broth/water and squash
4. Add more salt and pepper to taste
5. Cook on high until broth boils
6. Place a cover on the pan
7. Reduce heat to a simmer
8. Cook until the squash is crisp tender (only about 3-4 minutes), turning the squash over a few times during cooking (Even if it’s over-cooked, it still tastes great; it just won't look as pretty)
9. Remove from the heat and add the tomatoes, lemon juice and zest and parsley
10. Stir and let sit until the tomatoes are just heated -- You don’t want the tomatoes to cook

Summer Ricotta Pie

2010-05-09T19:06:00.009-04:00

This is a lightened up version of the traditional Italian Easter Pie or Ricotta Pie. Adding berries makes it the perfect treat for any spring or summer get together. Mine was for Mother's Day.
Happy Mother's Day Mom!!

Summer Ricotta Pie
adapted from "Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods"

1 pie crust (use your favorite recipe or store bought)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup half and half
1 1/2 cups reduced fat ricotta pie
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons Amaretto or Grand Marnier
1/2 pint (1 cup) fresh berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or a mix

Preheat the oven to 350º. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of the pie-crust dough into a round, 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch diameter glass pie plate. Crimp the edge of the crust with your fingers or a fork.
In a medium bowl, add the eggs and sugar; whisk until well blended. Whisk in the half and half and ricotta. Add the orange zest, lemon juice, vanilla, flour, salt and liquor and whisk well to combine.
Pour the ricotta mixture into the pie crust. Scatter the berries evenly over the surface of the ricotta mixture.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300º. Bake until the center of the pie is just firm to the touch and no longer jiggles when the pan is gently shaken, 50 minutes to one hour. Cool completely on rack before serving.

Ham and Asparagus Frittata

2010-03-19T20:02:00.011-04:00

Asparagus is an elegant and delicious vegetable that pops up in all sorts of appetizers and entrees with the arrival of spring. It is a delightful addition in this tasty Italian omelet called a frittata. It can be served for breakfast, brunch or even dinner!

Ham and Asparagus Frittata
By Mixed Salad Annie - Adapted from Cooking Light
2/3 cup chopped lower-sodium ham (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped leeks
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers, patted dry with paper towels
1/2 cup slices asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat broiler.

Scrample egg whites and eggs in a medium bowl; mix in ham, cheese, black pepper and salt.
Heat the olive oil in a 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, roasted peppers, and asparagus; sauté 3-5 minutes. Add egg mixture; reduce heat to medium. Cook, covered, 3 minutes or until almost set. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Wrap handle of pan with foil; broil 3 minutes or until egg is set. Cut into 4 wedges.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-01-02T10:20:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted... I also miss reading all of your posts too! Things have been extremely busy with work and I have been just too exhausted to put anything up. However, I have been trying to keep all my recent recipes in order, so that I can share them with you- better late than never, right?

Some new news is that I have been selling some of my biscotti over the holidays to a local cookie/cake bakery. Some of the flavors - pumpkin, pumpkin chocolate chip, double chocolate almond, triple chocolate, chocolate dipped vanilla, anisette, anise chocolate chip, maple walnut, and cranberry orange walnut (everyone's favorite). I love doing it, but it takes a lot of time, effort, and energy to do. The last being something I haven't had much of lately because my job requires 110% effort during the holiday season.

Another thing I have been lapsing on is taking photos of the food I make :( I am sorry now that I didn't, because you can't see how beautiful these stuffed mushrooms looked... Well, you'll have to take my word for it. And they were delicious too.

The inspiration for my recipe came from Gary's Stuffed Mushrooms- All Recipes.com. I served them for Christmas and everyone LOVED them. I love this recipe because it uses ingredients that most people already have in their pantries. So easy too! (The hardest part is cleaning the mushrooms - I hate it!)

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
by Mixed Salad Annie

3-4 small packages fresh white mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed, chopped and reserved
1 (6 ounce) package chicken flavored dry stuffing mix
1 (8 ounce) package low-fat cream cheese, softened
1 - 6 ounce can crab meat, rinsed and drained of excess water
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 small shallot, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, small diced
salt and pepper to taste

Arrange mushroom caps (bottoms up) on two baking sheets lined with foil and sprayed with oil. Prepare chicken flavored stuffing mix according to package directions. Preheat oven to 375º.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add shallot and red bell pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, mix together reserved chopped mushroom stems, prepared stuffing, cream cheese, crab meat and shallot mixture. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Liberally stuff mushrooms with the mixture. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven, 15 to 20 minutes, or until stuffing is lightly browned.

The Easiest Tiramisu Ever

2009-11-23T20:04:00.009-05:00

Not Traditional, but So What!

If you have ever made tiramisu before than you know it is a little time consuming. It involves making a zabalione which requires a bit of time beating the eggs over low heat in order to ensure that they are safe to eat (no salmonella!). The traditional way to prepare it also requires fresh whipped cream made from scratch- which takes time and not to mention adds more calories. So when I came across this quick, easy and light recipe from Supreme Dairy Farms (located right here in RI!), I knew I had to try it.

The Supreme recipe uses ricotta cheese in place of the mascarpone and no eggs which is not traditional at all for a tiramisu. I would have tried the recipe just as written, but I happened to get a great deal on mascarpone cheese at Whole Foods and it was sitting in the fridge just waiting for a reason to be used! So I obliged.

The other great thing about this recipe is that it can be made ahead and can even be frozen. I actually made this 2 weeks ago and popped it in the freezer. So I am all set to bring it over my brothers house for Thanksgiving, and he is none the wiser. He doesn't need to know that I didn't slave over it like I usually do... (Unless he reads this post, Hi Bro!)
Happy Thanksgiving everyone ;)

The Easiest Tiramisu Ever
adapted from Supreme Ricotta Cheese

24 ladyfingers
3⁄4 cup espresso or strong coffee, cooled
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 -8 3/4 oz container mascarpone cheese
1 cup fat-free or part skim ricotta cheese, well drained
1 -6 oz. container fat-free vanilla yogurt, well drained
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
3 tablespoons amaretto liquor or brandy or coffee liquor
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup cocoa powder or 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 375°, arrange ladyfingers on baking sheet. Bake until toasted, about 5 mins. Mix the teaspoon of sugar with the espresso and dip ladyfingers in it quickly turning to coat each side.

Arrange half of the ladyfingers in a 2 or 2 1⁄2 quart oval or rectangular serving dish.
In a small bowl, mix mascarpone, ricotta, yogurt, sugar and liquor; beat thoroughly until smooth. Spread half of the mixture on the ladyfingers in the serving dish. Sprinkle with half of the chocolate. Repeat layers of ladyfingers, dipped in espresso, mascarpone mixture and chocolate. Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Dust with cocoa powder or fresh grated orange rind before serving.

Butternut Squash and Chicken Pasta

2009-11-02T20:16:00.003-05:00

Golden and Delightful!

This is a delicious and hearty autumn entree. Butternut squash gives this pasta and chicken dish a new and unexpected twist.

Most people think of butternut squash as a side dish served with baked chicken or turkey, but it is the star in this entree. It has a slightly nutty flavor and the smooth and silky texture make this dinner a winner!!!

Butternut Squash and Chicken Pasta
by Mixed Salad Annie
Serves 4

1/2 bag of egg noodle pasta
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, 1 tablespoon reserved for garnish
6 fresh sage leaves, minced and 2 whole sage leaves for garnish
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter, divided
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cooked rotisserie chicken breasts, diced*
1 small/medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced 1 tablespoon reserved for garnish
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon reserved for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a large dutch oven or large saute pan. Add the butternut squash in a single layer and cook without moving for about 5 minutes. Add sugar and stir; cook 4 additional minutes. Add salt, pepper and broth. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes longer or until tender. Remove from pan, making sure to get all the juices and squash from the bottom of the pan; set aside.

In the same now empty pan, over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon butter and tablespoon of oil. Add shallot, sage and nutmeg; cook 1-2 minutes. Add chicken* and the butternut squash and stir to combine.

Remove pan from heat; add cooked pasta, 1/2 cup reserved cooking water, lemon juice, parsley, cheese, 3 tablespoons pine nuts and more salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine, adding additional pasta water if necessary.

Place in a large serving platter and top with reserved tablespoon parsley, reserved pine nuts, reserved parmesan cheese and 2 whole sage leaves.

*If you would like to use raw boneless skinless chicken breast halves in place of the cooked breasts...
After sauteing shallots and sage leaves, add 1 lb. diced boneless skinless chicken breast halves; sauté 5 minutes or until done. Continue with the rest of the recipe.

Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

2009-10-19T20:19:00.014-04:00

I finally made cookies using cinnamon chips. I know it's not a new concept anymore- I feel like I am so behind on keeping up with all the cooking trends. I held off on buying the cinnamon chips because I am a freak when it comes to reading nutrition labels. When I read the label of the supermarket brand of cinnamon chips, I really didn't want to buy them anymore. It had lots of unhealthy ingredients and quite a bit of saturated fat. And I figured I could do without and just make cinnamon cookies the old fashioned way, with plain ol' cinnamon.

But recently I was in a local coffee shop and I saw the most beautiful cinnamon chip scones. And I got the bug to buy them again. So I figured I would ask the baker what kind of chips they use and if they were a premium quality. Sure enough, they were a better quality chip and he offered to sell me a pound. Yay, I was so excited. I smelled cinnamon in my car all day long and made the cookies the next day. My house smelled so wonderful while they were baking. Just for that reason alone, I think you should make these. You won't be disappointed!

Plus they are so easy to make. Here are the logs on the baking sheet before baking...
And here are the biscotti sliced and ready to go back into the oven...I usually only bake my biscotti between 5-8 minutes per side so that they are crispy but slightly soft, rather than break your teeth hard. I find that most people like them better that way. (Although I like the hard biscotti too, cause they're great for dipping in coffee or tea!)
Cinnamon Chip Biscotti
by Mixed Salad Annie

3 large eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup cinnamon chips
1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer or wire whisk. Add sugar and cinnamon; mix well. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into the egg mixture; mix until just combined. Add cinnamon chips, stirring by hand to combine. Dough will be sticky.

Using a rubber spatula, scoop small dollups of the dough out onto a parchment lined baking sheet; forming 2- 16" long rolls. Smooth out the sides and tops of the rolls and leave enough space between each roll for spreading. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over dough.

Bake at 325° for 20-30 minutes or until light golden and top springs back when touched. Let sheet cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Carefully remove the rolls from the baking sheet onto a cutting board.

Cut rolls diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Place each slice- cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 7-10 minutes (depending on how crisp you like your biscotti). Remove from baking sheet; let cool completely on a wire rack. They cookies will crisp up more as they cool.

Peach Frangipane Tart

2009-10-04T20:27:00.007-04:00

Remember the pear tart I made a few weeks ago? Well, if you thought that looked good, you will really love this tart. This is actually exactly how I expected the pear tart to turn out. If you remember, I told you that I had searched the internet for hours to find the perfect recipe and to no avail ended up piecing together a few different recipe ideas. Well this recipe kind of fell into my lap, literally. I was looking at the Providence Journal last week and the food section fell out. I glanced through it and saw my perfect fruit almond tart recipe. I never knew it was called frangipane tart. I guess I would have found it online if I had known.

Don't get me wrong, the pear tart was delicious, but this recipe blows the socks off that one! I love the texture of the almond center. It is moist and tastes perfect with the peaches. It is a little more work because this recipe calls for a crust, but if you buy a pre-made crust or pie shell, you will be all set. Actually, I keep wondering if it needs a crust at all. I will have to try making it again without and see if it holds up. Or you could and let me know how it turns out. :)

Peach Frangipane Tart
Adapted from the Providence Journal/ Los Angeles Times-Kirk McKoy

Pie crust for a 11" tart or 9" pie pan (store bought or see recipe below)
2 1/4 cups almond meal
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
Lemon zest from one small lemon
2 medium peaches, peeled and sliced about 1/8" thick
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon water

Heat oven to 375º. If using a prepared pie shell, proceed to next paragraph. Otherwise, roll the pastry dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch and fit it into a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom or a pie pan, trimming away any excess. Refrigerate until firm.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, mix the ground almonds, sugar, eggs, almond extract, salt, butter and lemon zest to make a smooth paste. Set aside.

Pre-bake the pie shell: Prick the entire bottom and sides of the pie shell with a fork. Place a sheet of foil or parchment paper in the tart shell and fill it with dried beans or baking beads and bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. (Timing will vary depending on the dough. My crust baked for 35 minutes). Remove from the oven and remove the foil and beans.

Spread the almond mixture evenly into the tart shell. Arrange the peach slices concentrically over the top of the almond mixture, pushing them in a bit.

Place the filled shell on a baking sheet and bake until the almond mixture is puffed and golden, 40-45 minutes.

Warm the honey and water in a small saucepan or in the microwave, until fluid. When the tart is done, lightly brush the top with a bit of the honey mixture. Serve at room temperature.
Serves 8.

Cream Cheese Pie Crust
adapted from Cook's Illustrated "No-Fear Pie Crust"
Makes one thin 11' tart shell or 9-inch Pie Shell

The pastry can be pressed into the pie plate and refrigerated for up to 2 days or double-wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month. Once baked and cooled, the shell can be wrapped tightly in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.

1 1/4 Flour
1/4 teaspoon Table Salt
6 Tablespoons Smart Balance Buttery Spread
4 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel- 1/3 less fat), softened but still cool

Lightly coat tart pan or Pyrex pie plate with cooking spray. Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in bowl.

With electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat spread and cream cheese in large bowl, stopping once or twice to scrape down beater and sides of bowl, until completely homogeneous, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture and combine on medium-low until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat until dough begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, gather into ball, and flatten into 6-inch disk. Place in between two large sheets of waxed paper and roll out to about 11-12 inches. Remove top sheet of waxed paper and transfer to greased tart pan or pie plate.

Press dough evenly over bottom of pie plate and up to the top of the sides. Remove any excess dough and patch up any missing pieces with excess. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly prick the entire bottom and sides of the pie shell with a fork. Place a sheet of foil or parchment paper in the tart shell and fill it with dried beans or baking beads and bake until light golden brown, 25-35 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Peanut Butter Biscotti

2009-09-27T16:24:00.006-04:00

Who doesn't love cookies? I know I for one could live on them. I love all kinds of cookies, cake-like, soft and chewy, and for sure- crisp and crunchy. In other words, biscotti. The word biscotti means twice baked in Italian.I learned that word a long time ago when I was a kid from my Italian mama. My mom loves to bake, but doesn't usually make biscotti. She likes to make bars mostly. But she is a big fan of MY biscotti and can't wait to try any new batch that I dream up.
She really enjoyed this last recipe. I asked her what she thought of them and she said "DELIZIOSO!"

Peanut Butter Biscotti
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 1/4 cup unbleached AP flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
2 tablespoons wheat germ (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup plus 1/8 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup molasses
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1 whole egg, plus 2 egg whites
4 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350º. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray.

In a food processor, grind the oatmeal and wheat germ if using, until fine. In a bowl sift together oatmeal mixture, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, peanut butter, molasses and water. Add flour mixture and mix just until ingredients are combined. If mixture is too dry, add an additional teaspoon or two of water. Stir in chips.

Divide the dough in half; place half the dough on one side of the cookie sheet and form into a log about 3 inches wide. Repeat with second half of dough keeping logs about 3 inches apart; flatten slightly. Bake until light brown, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°. Once cool cut log into 3/4-inch thick bars. Place bars, cut side down, back on the cookie sheet and bake for about 10-20 depending on your preference of crunchiness. minutes longer. (Cookies will crisp once cool.)

Ultimate Peanut Butter Fingers

2009-09-15T20:57:00.008-04:00

This recipe is a redesign of my mother's classic Peanut Butter Fingers (Bars). I am always eating way to many of these whenever she makes them. (And she makes them a lot). You just can't resist them. They are everyone's favorite in my family. No matter what party or event they are brought to, they 're always a hit! There is just something about peanut butter and chocolate that just go together. Hmmm, it seems like I've had these flavors before. Two great tastes that taste great together. It would make a great candy. ;)

So you must be wondering why I am redesigning them if they are perfect already. Well, you know me, I'm always trying to lower the fat and reduce the sugar in my baked treats. Mostly because, like I said before, I eat way to many of them. So I try to make them a little less fattening and a little more "healthy" if I can. Plus I just felt like experimenting with the recipe. I also added a cream cheese peanut butter filling. Of course this does add a little more decadence to the recipe but hey I never said I was perfect. ;)

I reduced the butter from 1 stick (8 tablespoons) to 4 tablespoons. I used heart healthy canola oil in place of the other 4 tablespoons of butter. It only has 1 gram of saturated fat per tablespoon as compared with the 7 grams in the butter. For the peanut butter, I only used one tablespoon in the bars themselves but used 1/2 cup in the filling. So that's kind of a wash. I also reduced the sugar by half. And guess what, no one ever noticed. We really don't need all that sugar in our desserts. It is just not necessary. The chocolate topping is a lighter version as well. It has no butter in it compared with my mom's original recipe which has 3 tablespoons. It is very deep in flavor, so if you love dark chocolate, these are for you!

I think they turned out great. But don't take it from me, make them and see for yourself!

Peanut Butter Fingers
by Mixed Salad Annie

4 Tbsp.(1/2 stick) unsalted butter or tub margarine, softened
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup of flour
1 cup of quick oatmeal
1 Tbsp. ground flax seeds (optional)

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Grease a cookie sheet. (Mine is about 12 x 8).

Mix the sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the oil, egg, and peanut butter.
Add baking soda, salt and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and flax seed if using; mix until just combined. Add oatmeal and mix until just combined.

Push dough evenly into cookie sheet with fingers. (Cut a sheet of waxed paper the same size as the cookie sheet and place over the dough. It will be a lot easier to spread the mixture into the pan. Remove waxed paper). Bake around 18 to 20 minutes depending on your oven, until they are light golden brown.

Peanut Butter Filling:
1/2 cup peanut butter, room temperature
8 ounces low-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel Cheese- 1/3 less fat) or fat-free, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, beat together the peanut butter, cream cheese, vanilla and sugar. Mix until the sugar is completely incorporated. Spoon mixture in between 2 sheets of waxed paper (cut the same size as the cookie sheet). Roll out to within 1/2 of the edges. Remove top sheet of waxed paper and place on top of the cooled peanut butter fingers. Carefully remove the top sheet of waxed paper. Refrigerate to chill. Top with chocolate topping.

Bittersweet Chocolate Topping:
adapted from Hershey's
2 bars (2 ounces) unsweetened baking chocolate, broken into pieces
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup of sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Heat water and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar and continuing to stir, bring to a boil. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved and mixture is slightly thickened. Take off heat and stir in extract.

Pour over chilled bars. Spread evenly to cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Big, Chewy, n' Sorta Healthy Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-09-06T21:16:00.002-04:00

Loving cookies as I do, I'm always on the look out for a "lighter" cookie recipe. I tend to eat so many when I bake them that I feel I should make them a little, dare I say, "healthy". Ok, I know many of you probably just clicked off my blog, but for those of you that stayed to read on. Thanks :) hahaha

When I read this recipe from Cooks Country, I was intrigued. The idea of using pureed dates to replace some of the fat in the recipe is not a new concept, but interesting since I have used pureed prunes in the past in baking to reduce the fat, but never dates. The idea of browning the butter in order to "mask" the flavor of the dates, was brilliant. I know browned butter is not a new concept, but, I surely never thought of using it to disguise another flavor. And it really does mask the flavors of the dates, just as they claim it would.

So ok, you're probably wondering how why I am calling them "sort of healthy". Well, besides the dates, I used some whole wheat pastry flour, ground flax seeds and walnuts. Flax seeds are a very rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant source of omega-3 fatty acids. There are many benefits that research has shown flax seeds may provide; including, improve heart health, regulate blood pressure, improve the immune system, help rheumatoid arthritis, reduce hot flashes, and fight breast and colon cancers. Walnuts are also a good source of omega-3. Plus, I reduced the sugar in the recipe! And less refined sugar in our diets is always a good thing. Is that healthy enough for you? Hehe!

And by the way, they passed the cookie snob test. All my tasters were totally clueless that they were low-fat and I didn't bother to tell them that there were dates and flax seeds in them. Hey, what they don 't know, won't hurt them! ;)

Big, Chewy, n' Sorta Healthy Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Cook's Country

1 cup water
1/4 cup finely chopped dates (if using pre-chopped dates, use 1 extra tablespoon)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon finely ground flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Bring the water and dates to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until the dates are tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, work the dates through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Scrape the dates remaining in the strainer into the bowl (you should have about 1/4 cup puree. If you are short a little, you can add an equal amount of canola oil to replace the amount of date puree you are missing). Cook the butter in a small stainless steel saucepan over medium heat until nutty brown, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn. The butter should be a golden nutty brown color with dark brown bits at the bottom of the pan. (If it turns completely dark brown it is burnt; discard and start again.) Let cool.

Whisk the flours, baking soda, ground flax seeds and salt together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the melted butter, brown sugar, and date puree together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the chocolate chips, then mix in the remaining chips and walnuts.

Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls, tear the balls in half, and press back together with the torn side up. Lay the cookies jagged side up on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Press the remaining 2 tablespoons of chips evenly over the cookies.

Bake the cookies until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Do not under bake, these cookies will remain chewy when cooked to a light golden brown.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet.

Pear Almond Tart

2009-08-10T17:14:00.016-04:00

Got Pears??
My mom has a pear tree in her yard and this year they are growing like crazy. Some years she doesn't get many but this year she hit the jackpot. They are fairly small, so working with them is a little difficult, but in the end this tart was definitely worth it.

I see a pear tart at my favorite local bakery all the time and it always looks so tempting. It is made with almond paste. I love almonds and have worked with almond paste in the past but have never made my own. But I decided to try since I had just purchased a bag of Trader Joe's almond meal and wanted to use it for something.

I searched the internet for hours looking for a recipe using almond meal to make almond paste. Nada. Well, I think I found one, but it didn't sound right to me, so I made up my own recipe.
For the rest of the tart, my inspiration came from Epicurious and Love n Bake. I didn't want to go through the trouble of making a crust for the tart so I ended up combining some ideas from both recipes and came up with a great easy to make and beautiful tart.

I think it turned out excellent. Actually, I tricked my co-workers to believe it came straight from the bakery because I put it in an empty bakery box I had from some other pastries I had bought the day before. They all thought it was delicious and when I told them I had made it, they didn't believe me!!
I have to say it did look pretty professional. In the photo of the whole tart, I took the photo before adding the apricot glaze, so it looks a little bland. But once I added the glaze, it took on a glossy glow and it perked right up!

I will definitely will be making this again. I hope you give it a try.

Pear Almond Tart

For the Pears...
4 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 lbs of firm pears, about 8 small home grown or 3 medium-size pears (such as Bosc), peeled

For the Torte...
1/3 cup, plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup Almond Paste (recipe below)
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon combined with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

For Topping:
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 teaspoon water

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Generously grease a 10-inch cake or tart pan with butter and sprinkle on 1 Tablespoon of the sugar. Set aside.

For Pears:
Over medium-high heat, bring water, sugar, and lemon juice to boil in large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pears. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes or until the pears are very tender, stirring occasionally. Cool pears in syrup. (This can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate.)

Almond Paste
1 cup almond meal (I used Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 egg white
1 teaspoon almond extract

Pulse almond meal in a food processor or blender. Add in confectioners sugar and process until completely combined. Beat egg white slightly, then slowly add into the almond mixture with the processor running. Add almond extract and pulse several more times.

For the Torte:
Beat the almond paste and 1/3 cup of the sugar in an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and beat on medium high speed until completely incorporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in the eggs. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the flour, baking powder and salt, mixing until just combined.
Pour the batter into the pan, spreading evenly with a spatula.

Stem pears and cut each in half lengthwise; scoop out cores. Cut each half into thin slices. Arrange the pears, in a circular pattern covering the entire surface of the batter, slightly overlapping. Place smaller slices in the center. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake until the batter puffs up, the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 - 35 minutes.

In a small saucepan combine the apricot preserves and water and heat until it becomes translucent and loose. Brush the apricot glaze over the entire top of the pear tart.

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. If desired, add whipped cream or ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Annie's Peanut Butter Power Bars

2009-07-30T22:04:00.018-04:00

Jump-start your day with one of these delicious bars

They are packed with protein from the peanut butter, antioxidants from the berries, B vitamins from whole wheat flour and wheat germ, and heart healthy fats from the walnuts. Although there is a fair amount of butter used in this recipe, I replaced half of the saturated fat in a typical bar with a healthier fat ~ canola oil. So you still get all that buttery flavor with a lot less fat!

The inspriration for these bars came from one of my favorite desserts that my mom makes; her Apricot Bars. They are buttery, crunchy and fruity all in one. In one word they are heavenly.
The only thing is that I end up eating way to many of them whenever she makes a batch. I think I devoured 3/4 of them in one sitting once. NOT GOOD -( 'Er well they were good, but not good for me.) I shutter to think of the calories and saturated fat that I inhaled on that fine day.

So I decided to make a healthy alternative to my Mom's bars. I can't say that they are better than my Mom's recipe, but they certainly were delicious; and healthy too. I could have gone with tub margarine in place of butter, but I think one of the best things about these bars are the buttery taste. As I said above, I did reduce the butter by half and replaced it with canola oil. I am a firm believer in all good things in moderation. (Except of course when Mom puts a plate of those Apricot Bars in front of me!)

Starting with great ingredients is the first step...

Press half of the dough into a parchment or foiled lined bake sheet and then load on the filling!

To make putting on the top layer of dough easier, roll it out in between 2 sheets of waxed paper.

Lift off the top sheet, turn over, place on top of the filling and remove the 2nd sheet of waxed paper.

When the bars are light golden brown, remove from the oven and let cool. Grab the edges of the parchment paper and lift the bars out of the pan. Cut in half and then into equal size bars.

Annie's Peanut Butter Power Bars
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons wheat germ (optional)
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1/4 cup packed natural brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp. either almond or vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
3/4 cup of your favorite preserves (I used Apricot, but often use Raspberry as well)
1 1/2 cups natural peanut butter
1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit (such as Sunsweet Antioxident Blend)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In an electric mixer or large mixing bowl blend together the butter, sugars and oil until creamy.
Add the egg and extract and blend until well combined. Add the wheat germ. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add to the butter mixture slowly until just combined. Gently mix in the walnuts. Reserve half of the mixture (about 1 1/2 cups) and set aside.

Press the mixture onto the bottom of a 8 1/2 x 12 inch (or 9 x 11) baking pan lined with parchment paper or foil. Spread 1/2 of the peanut butter over the mixture evenly. Dot the preserves all over, staying within 1/2 inch from edge. Sprinkle the dried fruit evenly over the top. Dot the remaining peanut butter evenly over the top.

Place reserved mixture between two sheet of waxed paper. Roll the mixture to the size of the pan. Remove the top piece of waxed paper, carefully flip it and place on top of the prepared mixture in the pan. Remove the remaining waxed paper.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely. Grab the edges of the parchment paper and lift the bars out of the pan. Cut in half and then into equal size bars.

Grilled Corn and Edamame Salad

2009-07-23T16:48:00.014-04:00

A Great Summer Salad!

Grilled Fresh Sweet Corn Is The Star Here...
Straight From Confreda Greenhouses and Farm in Cranston... Picked That Same Day!

Accompanied By Some Other Colorful and Healthy Ingredients
Perfect for a light and satisfying lunch.
Packed with nutrition and most importantly, flavor!

Topped Off With Some Tri-Color Torellini~ Makes A Great Hearty Dinner!

This recipe was inspired by my local Stop & Shop market. I often see an Edamame Salad in the prepared food case in the deli section. It caught my eye because it is so colorful. It was pretty easy to deconstruct and make my own with some special touches.

I love making salads like this in the summer. And this one is refreshing and light, yet really is packed with nutritious ingredients. Plus, who can resist fresh sweet corn in the summer? Well there's no need to resist, since it is a good choice in any healthy diet. According to the World's Healthiest Foods Website, corn is a good source of vitamin B1, vitamin B5, folate, dietary fiber, vitamin C, phosphorus and manganese. It is especially good for cardiovascular health due to the great source of folate it supplies. The edamame (soy beans) are also super healthy to eat. They are a great source of protein and contain loads of healthy fats. The red bell pepper contains a huge amount of vitamin C and the black beans add more protein and of course, fiber.
This salad can be served as a light lunch, a side dish with grilled chicken or fish, or served with pasta as a main course entree.

Grilled Corn and Edamame Salad

by Mixed Salad Annie~ Serves 4-6

2 corn ears, silks and outer husks removed (leave a thin layer of husks on)
8 ounces (1/2 of one pound bag) frozen shelled edamame, cooked according to instructions on bag and cooled
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small shallot, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Dash freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint (parsley or basil can be substituted)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Heat a gas grill to medium-high, light a charcoal fire or place indoor stovetop grill over medium high heat.

Place corn directly on grill and cook for around 15 minutes, rolling corn occasionally so all sides get grill marks. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

Pull off charred husks and discard. Stand each ear on its wide end, and using a serrated knife, remove grilled corn kernels from cobs. Add kernels to a large bowl.

Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld together. Serve at room temperature.

Getting His Rhode Island Fix...

2009-07-20T20:32:00.007-04:00

My brother is visiting this week from Washington State. He has been out of Rhode Island for many years but usually visits every year. One of the things that he misses most about the Ocean State (besides me :P) is the abundant seafood available and all the local faire.
So of course we had to get him his fix...
We ending up at Haborside Restaurant in East Greenwich which is right on the waterfront. They are known for there delicious baked stuffed lobsters, aka lobstermania. The stuffing was delicious! He and my mom both had the twin baked lobster special.

We started the dinner with a few appetizers. My brother was like a kid in a candy store. He couldn't decide what to get so he ordered everything. LOL. First the fried calamari, which were absolutely delicious. The crust was light and crunchy, not oily at all. They were cooked to perfection. Then a Rhode Island specialty- Stuffies! For all you out of staters, a stuffie is a Quahog (large clam) that is stuffed with a bread and seafood stuffing. You really can't find these anywhere out of New England.
These actually made my brother giddy...

The quahog is also used to make Rhode Islands famous Clear Broth Chowder (or as most Rhode Islanders would say..."chowda"). You can get red or white chowder in most places but the clear broth chowder is a true Rhode Island tradition. It was very tasty. I could especially taste the fresh herbs in it, mostly thyme I think.

I couldn't decide what to order, so I ended up with a combination plate- the Baked Seafood Platter. It had one baked stuffed sole, which was heavenly, 3 sea scallops, and one lovely baked stuffed shrimp. I really enjoyed it, but enjoyed watching my mom and brother the most.

I'll end by showing you the magnificent view from the restaurant. It was such a beautiful day and the water was so inviting. Well, got to go, my boat ride is waiting...

A Day of Favorites!

2009-07-04T23:13:00.017-04:00

It's summertime in New England and you know what that means. Or maybe you don't... But to me it means eating the regions specialties. Since Rhode Island is known as the Ocean State, that means seafood! You cannot live in this area and not get clam cakes and chowder (aka, chowda) at least once in the summer on the beach. It's obligatory! So my mom and I ended up at Iggy's Doughboys and Chowder House in Warwick. It is located right in Oakland Beach where you can enjoy the beautiful ocean without traveling all the way to South County. We had clam cakes and chowder and fish & chips. It was really good, but since my mom is my spokesperson I'll let her do the talking...

One day during my vacation I brought my mom out for some of her favorite things to eat. So of course that would include lobster. We went to Chelo's on the Waterfront in East Greenwich. They just happened to have a special going on that day; twin lobsters for $29.99. Not bad! And you can see her favorite drink to the left, a dry martini, no ice with a green olive. She usually adds a little water to it to dilute it a bit. There was a live band which were pretty good and we had a great time.

Of course the other summer must have in Rhode Island is homemade ice cream. We all have our favorites, but this time we ended up at an old favorite from years ago. In fact, it had been so long since I'd been that I wasn't even sure if they were still open. But to my delight, the Ice Cream Machine in Cumberland is still churning out some of the areas best ice cream!

It is located on Diamond Hill Rd. right across from Diamond Hill Park.

My mom had her favorite; pistachio.

Isn't she cute?

Hurry Mom get it before it melts!

There's just something about ice cream that brings the kid out in all of us!

It was a warm day and we had to eat pretty quickly because the ice cream was melting all over us! By the way, I had Butter Pecan with chocolate chip topping. They were sold out of my favorite; raspberry chocolate chip frozen yogurt :( But don't worry I enjoyed mine just as much and could have gone for seconds...

I hope you enjoyed this cook free/recipe free post! And I hope you are all enjoying your favorite things this summer!!

Berry Berry Cool Pie ~ Indeed!

2009-07-04T22:39:00.004-04:00

For a quick refreshing treat you have to try this pie!!

I have to admit that when ever I see these recipes for no-bake pies, usually using cool whip and ready crust, I just shake my head and think, why bother? I figured those recipes were for the people who don't know how to cook/bake and they are not that great anyway so why waste my time. If I'm going to make a pie, I'm going to "really" make a pie. Well, I have to say, I finally get it...
I have been so busy lately, that I haven't had time to cook much, let alone bake a pie from scratch. So when I saw this recipe and knew I had all the ingredients on hand (which is another reason why I suppose so many people make these recipes), I figured what the heck.
And to my surprise, it was delicious!!!Another confession is that I even misread the instructions where it says to "freeze" it for 5 hours. I thought it said refrigerate and that's what I did and it was still delicious! I can imagine how great it would have been frozen too...

I did change a few things in the recipe. I already had a open can of sweetened condensed milk in the fridge. I used 1/3 cup in another recipe, so I used the remainder in this pie and believe me it was sweet enough so I'm glad that I used a lesser amount and I would do it again. Even my cool whip was partially used, so don't worry if you don't have a full container, it will still work with some missing!

The lemon zest and almond extract were my additions and I think they added a homemade taste to the pie, so don't leave them out if you can help it.

I hope you give this recipe a try and don't snub your nose at it like I would have done so many times. It really is, as Keebler says, "Berry Easy. Berry Cool. Berry Delicious!"

Berry Berry Cool Pie
recipe adapted from EagleBrand.com, ReadyCrust.com

1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk, minus 1/3 cup
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Juice from one lemon
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 to 2 cups assorted fresh berries (I used blueberries and strawberries)
1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (6 oz.) Keebler® Ready Crust ® Graham Pie Crust

Instructions
1. Mix together sweetened condensed milk, almond extract, lemon zest and lemon juice in large bowl until blended. Stir in berries. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into crust.
2. Freeze (or Refrigerate) 5 hours or until set. If frozen, let stand 30 to 40 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional berries and mint leaves if desired.

Summer Berry Citrus Shortcake

2009-06-22T13:53:00.003-04:00

Lately I've been feeling a little blue with this horrible weather and needed something to remind me that it really is Summer... So what better than a plate full of sweet juicy summer berries over a homemade citrus shortcake.
I went a little "Semi-Homemade" with this one. I had some left over bisquick mix and doctored it up with a tablespoon fresh orange peel, sweetened condensed milk, water and pure vanilla extract.

Instead of maserating the berries in sugar, I opted for a sugar free alternative this time. I just added a 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to the berries and let them soak it in...

The rest is all assembly. Cut the shortcakes in half, add a layer of berries, a layer of whipped topping, add the top of the shortcake and more topping and berries.

Summer on a plate... I guess it will do for now!

Spinach and Olive Turkey Burgers

2009-06-01T19:37:00.006-04:00

Beef Up Your Turkey Burgers...

Sometimes you just feel like eating a nice juicy burger, right? Well, I know I do. Although I very rarely do. I stopped eating beef regularly many years ago, so when I crave a burger, I go TURKEY. The only problem is that it lacks the flavor that beef has, so it needs to be "beefed up" a little. :)

I usually just add some grill seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper and it good to go, but I was feeling a little gourmet the other day and decided to go all out and add some other healthy goodies.
How can you go wrong with fresh baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, garlic, and cheese?
Judging by these burgers... YOU CAN'T!

Spinach and Olive Turkey Burgers
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 1/3 pounds ground turkey
3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped black olives
3 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
1/4 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, cut in small dice
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
6 multi-grain english muffins, lightly toasted

Cover a baking sheet with non-stick foil or spray foil lined sheet with cooking spray. Heat broiler on low and adjust oven rack to top.

Blend together turkey, spinach, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, cheese and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Do not over mix. Form mixture into 6 equal size patties, free form or with a burger form.

Broil burgers about 5 minutes on first side and about 4 minutes on second. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register at 170º F.) Transfer burgers to muffins and top with extra spinach leaves if desired. Top with ketchup or mayonnaise.

Chicken, Olives and Artichokes - Hunter Style

2009-05-29T19:57:00.010-04:00

When I decided to make this dish, I was thinking of a chicken cacciatore that I used to get from a local supermarket. They would make it with big chunks of white breast meat, all the colors of bell peppers and lots of whole garlic cloves. It was delicious. Since I was making this for my mom, I decided to leave out the peppers because they don't agree with her.

Because we both love artichokes and olives, I decided to sub them for the peppers. As a matter of fact, my mom makes a chicken and artichoke dish very similar to this, only without the sauce. Since I had a jar of sauce that needed to be used, I whipped this up. It is really good over pasta or you could eat it as is, with a big piece of Italian bread for mopping up the sauce.

Chicken, Olives and Artichokes - Hunter Style
by Mixed Salad Annie Serves 4

3 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into about 1 1/2" chunks
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 jar of black olives, drained and rinsed
1 jar of artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and halved
12 cloves of garlic, (very large ones halved)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 jar marinara sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 sprigs rosemary

Add the flour, garlic powder and paprika to a large ziplock bag. Season the chicken pieces with the salt and pepper and add them to the flour in the bag. Shake the chicken to coat all the pieces. Remove from bag and shake off excess flour and set aside.

Heat one tablespoon of oil and rosemary sprigs on low heat in large dutch oven or large deep skillet for about 5 minutes. Add the olives and artichokes cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan with a slotted spoon to a bowl and add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium/high and add chicken pieces.

Brown the chicken on all sides and de-glaze the pan with the wine. When the wine evaporates, add the chicken broth and sauce. Add the artichoke mixture back to the pan and stir to combine. Lower the heat, and simmer slowly for about 20-25 minutes. Remove and disgard the rosemary sprigs. Serve over pasta or with Italian bread.

Simple and Satisfying!

2009-05-20T20:16:00.005-04:00

Sometimes the simplest things are the best. Like this salad for example. Very basic.

What did it consist of??
Bagged salad mix; romaine, frisse, radicchio and shredded carrots
Petite baby carrots
Grape tomatoes
Rolled and sliced roasted turkey
Sliced American cheese
Chic peas
Croutons
Dressing; extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dried dill weed

THAT'S IT. Toss it all together in a bowl and call it lunch or dinner.
Simple, easy, healthy and so delicious!

Whip one up of your own. You'll be glad you did ;)

Drunken Chicken with Olives over Polenta Squares

2009-05-12T20:43:00.005-04:00

Things have been kind of crazy lately in my little world. Between working and moving my mom into her new apartment, I haven't had much time to cook lately. I've been eating out more often lately and taking home leftovers (which I love by the way), so I don't have many recipes to post or talk about.

Of course, I'm not complaining about eating out, I love it. My sister and I took my mom out for dinner on Mother's Day and I had a really great dinner. It was a chicken and pasta entree with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini and snipped green onions, in a garlic and wine sauce. Ooh la la. It was delicious.

Speaking of chicken in a wine sauce... I did make this drunken chicken with olives over polenta squares a few months back and never posted it. The recipe was inspired by Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia. It was very tasty and I really have to make this again (someday when I can think straight again!). Happy Cooking to all of you!!

Drunken Chicken with Olives over Polenta Squares

1/2 cup pitted green olives, quartered
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary needles
1 teaspoon salt
Coarse black pepper to taste
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Zest and juice of 2 large lemons
3 bone-in chicken breasts, cut in half
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Coarsely chop together the garlic, thyme and rosemary and place in a large zip lock bag.

Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, zest and lemon juice. Add the chicken pieces, zip up bag and shake the bag making sure the marinade covers all of the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade. Set marinade aside and pat chicken dry with thick layer of paper towels. Add the flour to a medium sized paper or plasic bag. Add the chicken and shake until it is evenly coated. Shake off excess flour.

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or sauté pan large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer. Brown the pieces well on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Add the wine and raise the heat to high. Cook for a minute or two. Add the olives and reserved marinade. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook for about 15 minutes. Check for doneness with an instant read thermometor until it reaches at least 165 degrees. Serve the chicken over polenta, potatoes or pasta and top with the olives and pan juices.

Polenta Squares

2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 cup quick-cooking polenta

Bring the water, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until the polenta thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour the polenta into a greased 9 by 9-inch baking pan, spreading so that it is 1/3-inch thick. Cover and let stand at room temperature until set, about 15 minutes.

Fig & Pecan Stuffed Baked Apples

2009-04-22T19:51:00.011-04:00

It's not really the time of year you would think to make baked apples, but that's me, always going against the grain :) Actually the reason I decided to make them is because my mom gave me a bunch of granny smith apples because she knows I eat a lot of fruit.

I tried eating them raw just as a snack, but they were a bit too acidic, which is weird because they usually don't bother me. So I figured I would make a quick snack by stuffing and baking them.

My inspiration for the recipe comes from Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia. Her recipe uses some different ingredients, such as walnuts and apricots, but the technique is basically the same. I watch her every week and she always cooks up something worth trying. And her recipes are usually so simple and quick to prepare.

This recipe is no exception. I whipped these up at 9:00pm one night when I had the hankering for something sweet. The prep is so easy it took just minutes, so I got them ready, popped them in the oven, continued watching a movie and I was already eating them before ten. Plus, the house smelled so delicious before bedtime, perfect for "sweet dreams".

The best part about these apples was the stuffing... All those warm and chewy bits of fig and the delicious cranberries that give a bit of a punch! And my favorite... the toasted pecans! I think I would try anything if there were pecans in it.
Fig & Pecan Stuffed Baked Apples

2 large Granny Smith apples, washed and cored
2 dried figs
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup water (you could also use orange juice or apple juice)

Add the figs and cranberries to a small saucepan of boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Drain, cut the stems off the figs and discard. Chop up the figs into small pieces and place them and the cranberries in a bowl with the peacans. Add the honey and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Divide the mixture in half and stuff it in the cored apples.
Place the apples in a baking dish; add the water and orange zest to the bottom of the dish.
Dot the apples with the butter.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the apples are just soft but not collapsed. Serve warm with some of the pan juices.

Note: This recipe can be doubled very easily... go for it!

Lentils & Turkey Stuffed Peppers

2009-04-16T16:39:00.013-04:00

Stuffed peppers were a staple in my house growing up. We would have them at least twice a month. I always liked them. Although as a kid you don't realize how much you like something until you don't have it anymore. I miss eating them because I really don't make them that often myself, mostly due to the fact that they take a while to prepare. Also, I don't really eat much ground beef anymore either.

So I got to thinking... Why not come up with a quicker version and lighten it up a bit. I decided to use my usual substitute for ground beef - ground turkey of course. Plus I cut the amount in half and added some healthy fiber filled lentils in its place. And instead of using white rice which is not all that healthy, I used brown rice which has more nutrients and fiber.

With all these healthy changes, I had to consider flavor. So I added lots of garlic... But don't worry because I could barely even taste it. Remember, the brown rice is really bland and the turkey is also so lean that it really needs a flavor boost. I think I would even add more next time. :)

Ok now, let me tell the best part of all. The time savers and my two new best friends... Joe and Ben.
That's Trader Joe's lentils and Uncle Ben's ready rice. By using these pre-cooked ingredients, I saved so much time. And they are just as healthy as if I cooked them myself.

So I hope you give these healthier stuffed peppers a try, they won't take all day and you will be happy that you ate such a nutrient rich and satisfying meal.

Also, just a note on pepper shape and size. When I bought the red bell peppers, I wasn't thinking about making stuffed peppers because I would have bought short, wide ones if I had thought about it. Because they were so tall and thin, I had a problem standing them up in my usual baking dish. So I improvised and put them in a oven safe pyrex bowl and placed it on a pizza sheet pan just in case anything dripped or oozed over and out of the peppers. It worked out just fine and it looked kind of cool too!
Turkey and Lentil Stuffed Peppers
by Mixed Salad Annie

4 large green or red bell peppers (about 1 pound)
1/2 pound 93% lean ground turkey
1 bag Uncle Ben's Ready Brown Rice
1/2 bag Trader Joe's fully cooked Black Beluga Lentils, heated according to package instructions
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large chopped shallots or 1 small chopped onion
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for top and passing
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or chicken seasoning (such as McCormick Grill Mates Salt-Free Chicken)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (8-ounce) cans no-salt-added tomato sauce, divided use
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cut tops off bell peppers; discard tops, seeds, and membranes. Steam peppers in a steam basket in a large pot of boiling water for about 7 minutes (until crisp tender) or cook in boiling water 5 minutes; drain and set aside.

Add olive oil, shallot and garlic to a dutch oven or large skillet, sprinkle with a little salt and cook over low heat until softened. Raise heat to medium high and add turkey, stirring to crumble. Cook until liquid evaporates and turkey begins to brown and the bottom of the pan has developed a brown film. Stir in brown rice, lentils, olives, chicken seasoning, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, worcestershire and 1 can tomato sauce. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan and cook around 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Turn off heat and add Romano cheese; stir to combine.

Divide turkey mixture evenly between peppers, and place them in an 8-inch square baking dish or oven safe round bowl; top with remaining can of sauce. Sprinkle each pepper with a little extra grated Romano cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serve with extra Romano cheese.

Ricotta Pie

2009-04-10T22:39:00.015-04:00

Making Traditions Come Alive!

In Rhode Island, and other heavily Italian populated areas, it is tradition on Easter to make and eat rice pies, rice and ricotta pies, also known as pastiera and ricotta pies. Although I am Italian, on my mom's side, she nor I have ever made or even eaten one. Can you believe that? I don't know what took so long but I finally did it. I made a ricotta pie. I have wanted to make one for such a long time and somehow never got to it.

It was so exciting, getting all the ingredients together, trying to figure out which way to go with it. Should I add pineapple, chocolate chips, candied fruit, etc.? I looked at many recipes and and got some ideas from Susan's blog Food Blogga, and also from Emeril. I sort of created my own based on everything I looked at.

Also, it was my first time using a real vanilla bean. YUM!!! So much fun... I will definately be using these again!

I couldn't wait for my mom to try the pie, so I decided to film her first bite...
Here it is.

She's so cute!!! I love her to pieces.

Italian Ricotta Pie
For the dough:

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter; cut into pieces
1 large egg
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

1 1/2 pounds reduced-fat ricotta cheese, drained well
3/4 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 vanilla bean, inside scraped out
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12-15 times or until the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and 2 1/2 tablespoons of water and pulse repeatedly until the mixture forms a ball; adding more water if necessary. Remove the dough from the processor, form a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or place in the freezer while making filling.

Roll the dough out between two sheets of waxed paper to 1/8-inch thick. Fit the dough into a greased spring form pan or a greased 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie pan. If using a spring form pan, pat the dough into the bottom of the pan and up 3/4 of the sides. If using pie plate, trim the edges so that an inch hangs over the sides and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the ricotta cheese, orange zest and vanilla bean scrapings and sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate and pine nuts and stir to combine.

Pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie pan. If using a pie plate crimp the edges decoratively using either your fingers or a fork.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425º; lower temp to 350º and bake for 40 minutes, or until the pastry is light golden brown and the filling is just set (and does not jiggle when moved). If the edges of the pie start to brown, cover them with a piece of aluminum foil wrapped around the pie.

Remove the oven and cool on a wire rack. The pie can be served slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Note: Don't worry too much if you see cracks form on the top of the pie. As it cools, the filling will sink a bit and the crack become less apparent.

Lightened-Up Warm Antipasto Pasta Salad

2009-03-31T19:24:00.010-04:00

I recently watched an episode of America's Test Kitchen where they made an Antipasto Pasta Salad. I loved their technique and how they used the dressing to marinate and cook mushrooms. Although, I didn't use mushrooms in this recipe, since I forgot to buy them, (ugh!), I still want to try their method of cooking them right in the dressing. They made a dressing of red wine vinegar, EV olive oil, mayonnaise, some juice from a jar of pepperonicinis, and spices.

They bring a small amount of this dressing to a simmer in large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the mushrooms until they release their juices and are lightly browned or about 8 minutes. Doesn't that sound delicious? Who would have thought of cooking mushrooms in a dressing? I think I am going to try making mushrooms like this soon, just for a side dish.

Anyway, I lightened up their recipe and decided to make it a warm dish. Since the weather was still sort of cool in the New England area, I wanted something that would warm me up.
But it can easily be served at room temperature or cold as well.

You can use what ever cheese you have on hand and also play around with the meats as well. I chose turkey because it is so light, but even chicken or ham would work here and still be light.

Lightened-Up Warm Antipasto Pasta Salad
Inspired by America's Test Kitchen

4 ounces sliced turkey pepperoni, cut into 1/4" strips
1/2 lb. roasted turkey breast halved and cut into 1/4" strips (I bought one - thick cut slice of Boar's Head Oven Roasted Turkey breast)
7 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon juice from a jar of pepperoncinis (optional)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound campanelle or fusilli, (I recommend Barilla)
3/4 lb. broccoli, cut into small florets and stems peeled and cut into 1/4" thick slices
1/2 avocado, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4" strips
12 ounces roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/4" strips
1 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, mayonnaise, pepperoncini juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer 1/3 cup of dressing to a separate small bowl and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, steam or boil broccoli for about 5-6 minutes, or until crisp tender.
Drain and add the 1/3 cup of reserved dressing to the same pot, bring to a simmer and toss in the broccoli. Cook on low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer to large bowl.

Cook pasta according to package instructions or until al dente. Drain pasta, return to pot, and toss with remaining dressing.

Add turkey, turkey pepperoni, cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers, avocado, parsley, and pasta to broccoli and toss well. Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve at warm or at room temperature. Salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies

2009-03-22T20:03:00.004-04:00

Oooey Gooey Peanut Butter Crunchy Pretzel Goodness!

I don't know about you but I love those peanut butter filled pretzels. I could eat an entire bag in one sitting. My friend JoAnn at work introduced me to them and I never looked back. So when I saw a recipe for Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies over at Veggie Girl's Blog, I just had to try it!
It was perfect timing too, since it was JoAnn's birthday and I wanted to make her a tasty treat.

I have to say that I have never baked using a gluten-free recipe before since I don't have a problem with gluten. But for anyone who does, Veggie Girl can hook you up with some awesome recipes. I can say this with certainty now because I finally got a chance to try one of her creations!

I was kind of wondering how they would turn out, seeing that I'm used to using eggs and butter in a lot of my baked goods. I did change the recipe a bit since I don't have gluten free flour; I used all purpose flour. Also, I didn't have any peanut butter filled pretzels on hand so I followed Veggie Girl's recommendation to use crushed pretzels and peanut butter. All I can say is "HOLY YUM" to quote Veggie Girl ;) They were absolutely fantastic. The texture of the outside was nice and crisp and the inside was moist and chewy. The crushed up pretzels softened a bit inside the batter, but still provided a little crunch. Plus I added some crushed pretzels to the top for more crunchy texture. JoAnn LOVED them.

Thanks Veggie Girl for your creative and yummy recipe.

And next is JoAnn's taste testing video review of the blondies...
Since she chose to remain anonymous, enjoy the voice review!! haha! :)

Peanut Butter-Pretzel Blondies
Adapted from VeggieGirl's Peanut Butter-Pretzel Blondies

6 ounces (1 single container) Vanilla So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt -it's gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free (Veggie Girl's recommendation)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup natural sugar
2 teaspoons Plantation brand of blackstrap molasses (Veggie Girl's recommendation)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 1/2 cups salted pretzels rods, crushed into small pieces (divided use)

Preheat oven to 350°F .
Line an 8"x8" baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix together the yogurt, canola oil, sugar, vanilla extract, and molasses in a large bowl.

Add in the flour, baking soda, 1 1/4 cups crushed pretzels and peanut butter. Mix well.

Pour mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of crushed pretzels. Press the pretzels gently into the batter.

Bake for about 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the blondies comes out clean.

Makes 16 blondies.

Light and Crunchy Pepperoni Pan Pizza

2009-03-22T18:01:00.002-04:00

Deep Dish=Delish!

In an effort to keep with my light and healthy theme, I recently adapted a recipe for Pepperoni Pan Pizza from America's Test Kitchen. I know that America's Test Kitchen pain stakingly tests each recipe that they create many times so that we don't have to, but I decided to change it in order to lighten it up a bit.
The technique is all America's Test Kitchen. The ingredients are very similar, only I swapped the pepperoni to turkey pepperoni and used less cheese. I did change a few other things, but for the most part it is basically the same. The result is just what America's Test Kitchen said it would be...A super crispy crust and a tender inside! It was delicious, but don't take my word for it...For a variation add some sliced black olives, as suggested by Amy, one of my taste testers!

Speaking of taste testers, I have added a fun and exiting new dimension to my blog (for this post anyway). Video taste testers. I figured it would give you all the chance to see how light and healthy food can still be delicious. Of course I told my taste testers to remain totally honest and say whatever they think about the food. AND THEY DID. In this post they tasted the lighter version of Pepperoni Pan Pizza for the first time. The first bite they took was on tape, no editing, no prompting, just real time, honest to goodness tasting. Check it out...

Just to fill you in on what happened after the video, my tasters gobbled up 2 more slices of the pizza and raved about how delicious it was. (I should have waited til then to video them, haha). I think by then their rating went to a 9 1/2!
My mom was the third taster and must have told me about 5 times how delicious it was. She will be my video taster in future posts, although she may wear a disguise because she is camera shy (hahaha).

Light and Crunchy Pepperoni Pan Pizza
adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Dough
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 package instant yeast
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 6 tablespoons (for pans)
¾ cups + 2 tablespoons skim milk (200 ml)
Topping
48 slices turkey pepperoni
1 1/3 cups tomato sauce (recipe below)
1 2/3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided equally
Tomato Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 26 oz. can kitchen ready tomatoes (or crushed) I used Pastene Kitchen Ready
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

Heat oven to 200 degrees or lower. Once the oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to each of two non-stick 9-in cake pans; tilt the pans to cover only the bottom with the oil.

For sauce: Add garlic and tablespoon of oil to a cold medium saucepan. Turn on heat to low/simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add in tomato paste and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add in tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir and cook on medium low heat anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour, or until the sauce is thickened. Set aside to cool.

For dough: Add milk to a glass measuring cup and place it in the microwave for around 40 seconds on high. Check temperature with an instant read thermometer. It should be around 100 degrees (but no more than 110º). Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and sugar to the milk.

Add flour, yeast, and salt to stand mixer. Attach dough hook and mix on low speed. Slowly begin to add the milk mixture. Once dough comes together and most of the flour is incorporated, increase speed to medium-low and mix for about about 5 minutes. The dough should be shiny and smooth.

Lightly flour a work surface, kneed the dough 2 to 3 times and shape dough into a ball. Place dough in previously greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the warm oven for about 30 minutes. It should be doubled in size. Remove from oven.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Transfer dough to lightly floured surface, cut in half and gently shape each half into a ball. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 7" round. Gently place dough round onto your fists and move the dough around in a circular motion until each round measures about 9 ½ inches in diameter. The dough should be slightly thinner in the center and thicker around the edges.
Very gently place the rounds into oiled pans, being careful not to get oil on the top. Cover each pan with plastic wrap and set them aside (in a warm place, but not in oven) for about 10-20 minutes.

In the meantime, line a plate with paper towels and place half of the pepperoni in a single layer. Cover the pepperoni with paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove pepperoni, discard paper towels and repeat same process with remaining pepperoni.

Add 2/3 cup sauce on each dough round, being sure to leave a ½ inch border around edges. Add equally divided cheese to each round and top each with 24 slices of pepperoni. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the edges are browned. Let rest in pans for 1 minute. Using a non-stick spatula, transfer pizzas to cutting board. Slice into 8 pieces and devour.

Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes

2009-03-16T21:09:00.003-04:00

For Valentine's Day or Anyday, even St. Patty's Day ...

St. Patrick's day is known for all the traditional fare, such as corned beef and cabbage, beer and green eggs and ham (or is that Dr. Seuss?). And I probably should have done a post on Irish Soda Bread, but I figured any holiday is worthy of these delicious cupcakes! Who wouldn't want to bite into a heavenly strawberry cream cheese filling on any day of the week for that matter? Besides, I made them on Valentine's Day and forgot to post them til now. So now that you know the truth, all I can say is that these cupcakes were really delicious. Not only that, they were a cinch to make.

My inspiration came from a recipe from Giada De Laurentiis for Strawberry and Mascarpone Filled Cupcakes. She used boxed cake mix. Yes, you read right, Giada used boxed cake mix. So I figured if Giada can do it, by golly, so can I. (hehehe) ;)

Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 box French Vanilla cake mix
2 teaspoons pure almond extract
1 (8-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese (neufchatel cheese), room temperature
1 cup fresh strawberries, or 1/2 cup thawed and drained frozen strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Make the cupcakes following the instructions on the box, adding in the 2 teaspoons of almond extract along with other wet ingredients. Bake as directed; let cool and set aside.

Using a immersion blender or food processor, combine the cream cheese, strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and lemon juice. When the mixture is smooth, transfer to a pastry bag. Using a small tip, carefully squeeze the mixture into the top of each cupcake until you see the cupcake form a slight bulge. Do not try to overfill the cupcake because it will burst open. (I learned from experience!) Finish off each cupcake with a small squeeze on the top and sprinkle with colored sugar or sprinkles.

Date Cranberry Orange Crumb Bars

2009-03-01T22:29:00.023-05:00

A Good For You and Easy To Make Bar!

Whole Grain Oats and Wheat Germ Crust...

Delicious & Healthy Date Cranberry Fruit Filling...

Simple and Easy to Prepare...

I Highly Recommend It :)

Date Cranberry Orange Crumb Bars
Adapted from Dole®

1 pkg. (8oz) dole chopped dates
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup dried cranberries, divided
1 Tbls. grated orange peel
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
3/4 cup smart balance buttery spread, melted

Cook dates in water in a small sauce pan for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cranberries and peel.
Combine oats, flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking soda and salt in bowl. Stir in melted spread until combined.
Press 2/3 of oat mixture onto bottom of 8" or 9" square pan.
Spread date filling over crust. Add remaining cranberries into oat mixture and cover the date filling. Press down firmly with spatula. Bake at 375 ºF for 25 minutes or until light brown.

Banana Chocolate Chip Biscotti

2009-03-01T20:31:00.007-05:00

Great Alternative to Banana Bread!

The classic dilemma that every good penny pinching frugal cook faces: What to do with all those over ripe bananas that you bought on sale. Of course banana bread is the first thing to come to mind, but sometimes it's good to challenge the usual way of thinking...

Since cookies are always on my mind, it wasn't a far stretch for me to think; What about Banana Biscotti? So I looked on line and found a recipe from Cooking Light which I changed up a bit. It is a good recipe but I knew it would need some enhancing after reading some of the reviews. The banana extract is essential even after increasing the amount of banana. If you don't have banana extract than I would suggest adding more pure vanilla.

The cookies were really good and actually tasted like you were eating a crunchy version of banana bread. And with only ONE TABLESPOON of oil in the whole recipe there is no need to feel the least bit guilty eating more than one! Good thing for me because the addition of the chocolate chips really make them absolutely addicting!

Note: If you still have ripe bananas left, just peel them, place them in a plastic freezer bag and freeze them. Just take them out of the freezer the night before you plan on using them and thaw them in the fridge. Or you could even keep them frozen and use them for smoothies!

Banana Chocolate Chip Biscotti
adapted from Cooking Light

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup natural cane sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2/3 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon banana extract
1 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract
1 large egg
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Sift flour into a medium bowl. Combine the flour, baking powder, vanilla powder and salt. Combine banana, oil, sugar, banana and vanilla extracts ( if using), and egg in a medium bowl; stir in flour mixture and pecans (dough will be sticky).

While still in bowl, divide dough in half. Spoon each 1/2 of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet; shaping each 1/2 of dough into 2 (8-inch-long) rolls with a rubber spatula. Flatten to 1/2-inch thickness.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 12 (1/2-inch) slices. Place slices, upright, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 300°; bake 30 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire racks.

Roasted Chicken with Dried Plums and Shallots

2009-02-19T15:08:00.002-05:00

Something Different for a Change...

When I read this recipe I thought, oooh that sounds different. And it certainly was different from my usual chicken dishes. I'm sure some of you are cringing right now at the thought of dried plums (better known as prunes) in a chicken dinner. But I'm telling you, it was pretty good. The dried plums gave just a slight sweet note to the vegetable sauce along with a mellow bite from the garlic... And the caramelized fennel, what can I say except, YUM. If you have never tried caramelized fennel, it is time. If you want to try it for the first time I recommend Roasted Fennel with Parmesan from Giada DeLaurentiis. You will become a fennel-ite, like me! :)

Roasted Chicken with Dried Plums and Shallots
adapted from Cooking Light

4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 -2 lb whole chicken breast (about 2 pounds)
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
8 garlic cloves, peeled
4 large shallots, peeled and halved (about 8 ounces)
2 thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 large fennel bulb, cut into 8 wedges
16 pitted dried plums
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon gravy master

Preheat oven to 400o.

Drizzle oil in a small roasting pan or the bottom of a broiler pan. Place pan in oven 5 minutes or until oil is hot. Sprinkle chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken, skin side down, in pan. Arrange garlic, shallots, thyme sprigs, and fennel around chicken; drizzle remaining 2 teaspoons oil over vegetables and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bake at 400o for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Turn chicken over; stir vegetables. Add plums to pan. Bake an additional 25 minutes or until chicken is done (160-165o). Remove chicken and vegetable mixture from pan; discard thyme sprigs. Discard skin. Loosely cover chicken and vegetable mixture; keep warm.

Place pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup broth and wine, stirring to loosen browned bits. Combine flour and remaining 1/4 cup broth, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture to pan; stir until well blended. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute or until slightly thick. Stir in gravy master, chopped thyme, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Serve sauce with the chicken and vegetable mixture.

Reduced-Fat Spinach and Turkey Lasagna

2009-02-15T22:44:00.002-05:00

Low-Fat Doesn't Have to Mean No Flavor!

Sorry about the crappy picture. I bought a new camera and I'm still trying to figure out all the settings! It is the Cannon Power Shot Sd770 IS Elph. I do like it though, it takes awesome videos. The view screen (I don't know the technical term) is really large. It makes it easier to view the picture after you shoot it. But I digress. So on to the lasagna...

I love lasagna, but I don't make it that often. Mostly because it does take a little time to prepare. Also, because it is heavy and usually full of fat. I have made low-fat lasagnas in the past and they came out fine but nothing to rave about.
This one is different. I think I hit on something here. This lasagna was tasty and hearty but not overly filling or fattening. Plus it was a bit easier to make because I used the no-boil lasagna noodles. It saves a lot of time and aggravation. I used tomato sauce on the top and bottom layers of the lasagna. The garlic bechamel sauce dominates the middle layers, so the flavor is more creamy than a traditional lasagna which uses mostly tomato sauce throughout.

It got all thumbs up from the sometimes picky family, so I hope you give it a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the results!

Reduced-Fat Spinach and Turkey Lasagna
by Mixed Salad Annie

12 sheets of Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 (15 ounce) container low-fat ricotta cheese (I recommend
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Italian 3 cheese blend includes mozzarella, provolone and parmesan cheese, divided use (I used Kraft)
3/4 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano cheese, divided use
dash nutmeg
1 package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and squeezed dry
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground turkey, 93% lean
1 leek, washed thoroughly and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
3 cups reduced-fat garlic bechamel sauce, recipe below
1 (26-27 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce or your own

Preheat oven to 375. Cover a baking sheet with foil and set aside a 13x9x2 pan.

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until wilted and translucent but not brown; around 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds to one minute. Raise heat to medium high, add turkey, salt, pepper and cook until no longer pink. Remove from heat and add basil. Drain in a colander and set aside.

In bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese, 3/4 cups of the shredded cheese, 1/4 cup Romano and nutmeg. Set aside.

Prepare bechemel sauce.

Spread 1/2 of the jar of sauce or 1 1/2 cups your own sauce on bottom of pan.
Layer in order, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles (slightly overlap), then 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture, 1/2 of the browned turkey mixture, 1/2 the spinach and 1/2 of the bechamel sauce.

Next layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture, remaining half browned turkey mixture, remaining half of the spinach and remaining 1/2 of the bechamel sauce.

Next layer, 4 uncooked lasagna noodles, remaining 1/2 jar of sauce or another 1 1/2 cups of your own sauce, remaining 3/4 cup shredded cheese and remaining 1/2 cup of Romano cheese.
Spray a sheet of foil with cooking spray. Cover pan with foil and cook for about 1 hour or until bubbling.
Uncover and continue cooking until all the cheese is melted on the top (about 5 minutes).
Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Reduced-Fat Garlic Bechamel Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups fat-free creamer or skim milk
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
pinch to 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a medium saucepan heat creamer/milk until hot but not boiling.

Heat butter, oil and garlic in a medium saucepan until garlic is fragrant. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Cook over medium heat until the flour mixture turns light golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Slowly add milk to flour mixture; whisk until smooth. Add salt. Bring to a boil and cook for around 6-8 minutes, until sauce thickens. Remove the pan from heat and add nutmeg. Set aside.

Turkey Meatloaf

2009-02-01T21:02:00.009-05:00

Needed Garlic...but still good!

I looked on line for a Turkey Meatloaf recipe and ended up making one based on Ina Garten's recipe. I altered it a bit, but for the most part followed most of her ingredients and instructions. One thing it did is cut the recipe in half. Her recipe called for 5 POUNDS of turkey meat. That's one big meatloaf! So I used 2 packages of dark ground turkey which came to 2 1/2 pounds. I also healthied it up a bit by replacing some of the bread crumbs with wheat germ :)

The meatloaf turned out good, only I thought it was missing something... GARLIC. I knew I should have added it, but somehow I thought Ina would have added it if she thought it needed it. So I did'nt. But the next time I make it, you better believe it will have garlic in it. I guess you can't take the Italian out of me, even with something as American as meatloaf :PTurkey Meatloaf
adapted from Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large onion)
1 tablespoon EV olive oil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves ( or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
2 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (I will add a little more next time)
3/8 (6 tablespoons) cup low-sodium chicken broth
2-3 cloves minced garlic (should have used, and I will add next time)
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste (I will add a little more next time)
2 1/2 pounds ground dark turkey meat
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (I used 4c seasoned salt-free which is lactose free)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup
1 talbespoon dijion mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, garlic, olive oil, half the salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, mix the ketshup, mustard and brown sugar; set aside.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, wheat germ, eggs, remaining salt and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and place mixture in a loaf pan to shape. Turn pan upside down on an foil lined sheet pan. Spread the ketchup mixture evenly on top. Bake for 1 hour 20 or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Let stand for at least 10-15 minutes before cutting. Ina suggests putting a pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf to keep the top from cracking.

Oven Barbecue Chicken Breasts

2009-02-01T20:30:00.001-05:00

Dreaming of Summer...

It's only Fevbruary and I've already had it with winter. I am getting sick of all this snow. I really don't mind the cold weather but the snow does start to wear on me after a while. We have already had several major storms and with more in the forecast I can't help thinking of the warm weather. Of course thinking of warm weather often makes me think of summer foods and I started craving some barbecue chicken.

It's a good thing I DVR'd an episode from America's Test Kitchen for Oven Barbecue Chicken. I watched and jotted down all the ingredients and instructions which was kind of a pain but I did not have this recipe in my annuals. I am not displaying the recipe in full, but I will give you a run down on how easy it was.

It is a really good recipe which starts with making your own barbecue sauce. They use the usual ingredients: onion, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, molasses, maple syrup, worchestershire sauce, dijon mustard, chili powder and cheyanne.

The thing I liked about the recipe is that you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Easy. No butterflying, no pounding, no mess!

It's a unique cooking way of cooking the breasts. First you brown them in an oven proof saute pan. Then using the same pan, you add the barbecue sauce and scrape up the brown bits from the browned chicken. This cooks for about 5 minutes, then you return the chicken to the pan and coat with the sauce.

Next, the chicken goes into the oven for about 12-15 minutes and then under the broiler for another 12-13 minutes until it reaches 160 degrees.

So if you too are sick of winter, put up the heat, throw on some shorts and start cooking all your favorite summer recipes! ;)

Almond Horn Cookies

2009-01-21T20:11:00.009-05:00

You Haven't Lived Until You Try One of These!

Almond horns are one of the loveliest cookies ever. And I don't use the word lovely too often. Something has to be pretty special for me to refer to it as lovely. So if you have never had an almond horn before, make sure you do so very soon.

You might be wondering why I feel these cookies are worthy of such accolades.

There are several reasons...
1. The texture. They are soft and pliable and melt in your mouth.
2. The almond flavor. Since almonds are one of my favorite nuts, I can't resist the pure unadulterated almond flavor.
3. The crunch. Not only do I love the soft chewy almond center of the cookie, but I also adore the crunch of the sliced almonds covering the outside of the cookie.
4. The chocolate, of course. It makes an amazing cookie-superb.

In closing, you may have to search far and high for one of these treasures, since not every bakery carries them. So I suggest making your own. Be prepared to spend a little extra on this cookie recipe, since it is primarily made with almond paste which is fairly expensive. With that said, it is one of the easiest cookie recipes to make and the outcome will be well worth your time. Believe me.

Almond Horns

recipe by LovenBake.com

1 can (10 oz.) Love'n Bake ™ Almond Paste
¾ cup (5 ½ oz.) cups sugar
1 whole egg
Sliced natural almonds, as needed
½ cup apricot jam
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, melted, optional

Preheat oven to 375º F degrees. On slow speed in a mixer with paddle attachment, mix the Love'n Bake ™ Almond Paste with the sugar. Gradually add the egg to create a smooth paste. Mix until well blended. Spread the sliced natural almonds out on a large plate. Scoop a scant ¼ cup of the dough and roll it in the almonds, forming each piece into a 3-inch log.(note: you will only get 9-10 cookies at this size, so I suggest making them 1/2 the size). Curve into a crescent shape and position on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned, for about 12 to 15 minutes.(Bake for 6-8 minutes for 1/2 size) While the cookies are baking, heat the apricot jam in a small pan or in the microwave oven until it is spreadable. Set aside. Remove the cookies from the oven then immediately brush each cookie with the melted jam. Cool the cookies on a wire rack then dip the ends into the melted chocolate if using.

Butternut Fennel Fettuccine

2009-01-16T19:39:00.005-05:00

One For The Bookmark...

I made this a few weeks ago for a Sunday dinner and it was really delicious. As mild as the butter squash is, it really had a great flavor and added a new dimension to a basic vegetable pasta dish.

I adapted a marinade from one of Ina Garden's pasta salad recipes. The lemon juice in the marinade really helped bring out all the flavors in this dish. I also loved the crunch and nutty flavor from the pecans. And since this is the main protein in the recipe - the more the better!

You should try this one, it is simple to make and really satisfying!

It's even pretty before cooking...
Butternut Squash and Fennel Fettuccine
by Mixed Salad Annie

3 lb. butternut squash (1-inch) cubed & peeled
1 large leek, halved lengthwise, 3/4" slices, washed thoroughly
1 fennel bulb (or 2 small), top and bottom removed, halved lengthwise, 1/4" slices, washed thoroughly, (reserve fronds)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb. uncooked fettuccine
1/2 cup whole pecans, toasted
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Dressing:
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
dash black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds

Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine.

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a jelly roll pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Combine the squash, fennel, leeks, oil, salt and pepper in a very large bowl; toss well (reserve bowl). Transfer to the pan and bake at 4oo° for 25-30 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

While the squash mixture bakes, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Place cooked pasta in reserved bowl. Add dressing; toss well. Transfer the squash mixture to the bowl containing the pasta along with all the accumlated juices; toss to combine. Top with pecans, sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Christmas Dessert...

2009-01-04T21:10:00.003-05:00

Cherry Cheesecake for the Holiday...
So Apropos!

In keeping with my "healthier eating theme", I decided to go with a light New York style cheesecake. And who would know how to make the "best" light NY style cheesecake? America's Test Kitchen of course!
I do not own the America's Test Kitchens Best Light Recipe cookbook, but I did see this recipe on their tv show on PBS. I usually save the shows that I like on my DVR so that I can go back and watch them over when I want to make something, but this time no such luck. I had to search the internet for the recipe and finally found it.
I don't feel right to post the original recipe since I don't own the cookbook (even though you can find it just like I did) but I will tell you about some revisions that I made.
If you are a fan of America's Test Kitchen, you are probably wondering why I would make revisions to a very well tested recipe.

Well there were 3 simple reasons...

1. I do not own a 9" springform pan which the recipe calls for. I have a 10" pan and I was afraid that if I followed the recipe exactly and used the wrong size pan, something was bound to go wrong.
2. I decided to make this at the last minute and didn't have time to make their version of yogurt cheese which takes 10-12 hours.
3. I wanted to flavor the cheesecake with my own personal touches.

So here are my revisions:

1. Since I was using a 10" springform pan, I increased the amounts in the ingredients for the crust. I used...
11 1/4 whole graham crackers (and I used honey graham)
5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Also the size of the pan affected the cooking time. It was done in 1 hour and 15 minutes.

2. For the yogurt cheese I used...
12 ounces Greek yogurt and strained it for 3 1/2 - 4 hours
and then measured out 8 ounces or 1 cup

3. For the flavorings I used...
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 can cherry pie topping~ to which I added 2 tablespoons amaretto liquor and 2 teaspoons almond extract

By the way, the cheesecake turned out really well, everyone loved it and I will definately use this recipe again!
P.S. I could email the recipe if it was an emergency ;P

Homemade Gifts

2008-12-28T22:06:00.004-05:00

Chocolate Covered Pretzels...
they look easier to make than they are.

I found these cute containers at the Christmas Tree Shop. I usually find something there every year. I filled them with milk and dark chocolate covered pretzel nuggets. Not the easiest pretzel to cover. Because they are so small it was difficult get them out of the chocolate and to let them drip after dipping.

I filled these ornaments and small holiday trays with large sour dough pretzels dipped in dark chocolate. These were a little easier to manage.

Oh did I tell you that my first batch all turned gray?? Yeah, what a nightmare. I guess it had something to do with not tempering the chocolate. I have never tempered chocolate before and never really had a problem. I think I just left the chocolate on the heat (in the double boiler) too long. So anyway, I had to unwrap everything and start all over again. What a back ache~ literally! My back is killing me and this disaster didn't help.

Oh well, at least they turned out nice in the end! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!

Penne with Roasted Eggplant, Peppers and Olives

2008-12-21T22:27:00.006-05:00

Really Tasty Pasta Dish!

I know it doesn't look like much, but this was a really flavorful dish. Roasting the vegetables is the trick. It brings out the sweetness and creates a yummy sauce from all the juices.

My inspiration for this recipe came from Ina Garden's recipe Orzo with Roasted Vegetables.
I used the same dressing and it really gives the pasta a nice zing!

With the holiday fast approaching things have been pretty hectic lately. Between nursing a back ache and now trying to get over a cold, it has been a real challenge to get anything done. I did manage to bake my usual cookie marathon. I made so many cookies, bars and brownies that my head is still spinning. I spent all day Saturday from 9:30am to 9:30pm decorating and packaging them all. Now I have to figure out how to deliver all of them in the mist of all these snow storms. I got over a foot of snow in my neck of the woods.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday!
Happy cooking and baking!

Penne with Roasted Eggplant, Peppers and Olives

1 medium/large eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
2 red bell peppers, 1-inch diced
1 large leek, ends cut off, cut vertically, 3/4 inch sliced and washed thoroughly
2 cups black olives, pitted and left whole
3 medium shallots, quartered
8 garlic cloves, left whole
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne or your favorite pasta shape
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, leeks, shallots, olives and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 45 minutes, until browned, turning once halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid; drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. If the pasta is a little dry add some of the cooking liquid. Add the pignolis, Pecorino, and parsley. Taste for seasoning and serve. May also be served at room temperature.

Cinnamon Breakfast Biscotti

2008-12-15T09:17:00.008-05:00

Breakfast Anyone?

I have been craving anything with cinnamon lately. It must be the crisp December air. Cold weather always makes me think of all the warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, etc. So it got me thinking of cinnamon cookies. Of course cookies are always on my mind, so this was not a far reach. ;) I was going to make snickerdoodles since I have never made them before, but I decided to go with biscotti at the last minute.

Biscotti are like a guilt free cookie to me. Because there is not a lot of fat used in most biscotti recipes, I feel like I can eat more of them. I made this recipe on an even healthier note. I used a lot less sugar than in a traditional biscotti. It also has lots of heart healthy whole grains in it. Since these biscotti are not overly sweet, they are perfect for breakfast or even a late night snack!

Cinnamon Breakfast Biscotti
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 tablespoons wheat germ
3/4 cup natural sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large egg whites and 1 whole large egg
2 tablespoons tub margarine, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; set aside.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, mixing with a whisk. With an electric mixer combine eggs, margarine, and vanilla on low speed. Add to flour mixture, mixing just until moist.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for about 1 minute. Shape dough into 2 16-inch-long rolls. Place rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; flatten slightly and square off ends. Sprinkle reserved cinnamon sugar over dough; pushing down lightly with fingers.

Bake at 325° for 20 minutes. Place rolls on a cutting board; let cool 10 minutes. Cut each roll diagonally into (1/2-inch) slices. Place cookies on their sides back onto the baking sheet. Bake at 325° for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet; let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Apricot-Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

2008-12-08T22:02:00.009-05:00

A Classic with a Twist...

When ever you are unsure of what type of cookie to make for a party or to give to someone for a gift, stick with the classics. The thumb print cookie is surely that. They are pretty easy to make and everyone seems to love them. You can fill it with any jam or preserves you like, but apricot and raspberry are tried and true.
I added a surprise element to these cookies by drizzling them with chocolate. I love the way chocolate and apricots or even raspberry taste together. It also dresses them up a bit for the holidays! But you could omit it or even use white chocolate if you want.

Even though my blog is usually healthy versions of classic recipes, this one was a little hard to change without altering the flavor. So I kept half the butter and used a healthier (non-hydrogenated) margarine to replace the other 1/2 cup of butter. So I did replace some of the saturated fat. Oh well, it's the holidays, not every recipe can be healthy. So just eat in moderation! I'll try, but no promises ;)

Apricot-Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup tub margarine (such as smart balance), softened
3 /4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, separated
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or almond extract)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup apricot jam/preserves (or raspberry)
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Beat butter, margarine and sugar on medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla; beat well.

Add combined flour and salt to butter mixture and beat until just blended. Lightly beat egg whites in a small bowl. Set aside. Put chopped walnuts in another small bowl.

Form rounded teaspoons of dough into balls; dipping each ball in beaten egg white, then roll in the chopped walnuts. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheets. Press thumb or the back of a 1/2 teaspoon gently into center of each ball, to make an indention; fill each cookie with about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon preserves.

Bake at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown. Let cookies cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets before moving to wire racks to cool completely.

With a spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over cooled cookies. Let dry and store in airtight container.

Stuffed Zucchini and Bell Peppers

2008-11-30T19:21:00.005-05:00

Hearty and Satisfying!

If you like meatloaf and you like stuffed peppers, than you will love this recipe. It is very different from the stuffed peppers that I was brought up eating. My mom used to make stuffed peppers with ground beef (or sometimes ground turkey), onion, garlic, rice and tomato sauce. And of course I followed suit, making them pretty much the same way.

In this recipe you actually make a meatloaf filling and stuff the peppers and zucchini with it. No rice at all. It is really good. The other thing I like about this recipe is that if someone in the family doesn't like peppers, they can eat the stuffed zucchini instead. The only thing I might change the next time I make them is to lightly saute the shallots (or in the original recipe, onion) before adding it to the meat mixture. It had a little bit of a raw bite to it. But other than that, I enjoyed them thoroughly.

Stuffed Zucchini and Bell Peppers
adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

1 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 large egg
3 tablespoons ketchup
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup dried seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/4 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
2 zucchini, ends removed, halved lengthwise and crosswise
2 short bell peppers (any color), halved and seeded
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Carefully scrape out the seeds and inner flesh from the zucchini with a melon baller or spoon, leaving 1/8-inch-thick shells, making sure not to cut through the skin.

Lightly drizzle the olive oil into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Whisk the shallot, parsley, egg, ketchup, garlic, salt, pepper, cheese and bread crumbs in a large bowl to blend. Mix in the turkey and combine with your hands.

Fill the zucchini and pepper halves with the turkey mixture, dividing equally and mounding slightly. Arrange the stuffed vegetables in the baking dish. Pour the marinara sauce over the stuffed vegetables.

Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown and a thermometer inserted into the filling registers 165 degrees F, about 40-50 minutes. Transfer the stuffed vegetables to a platter and serve.

Cream Cheese Cookies

2008-11-09T21:17:00.008-05:00

Candy Corn, Bleh.
Candy Corn on a Cream Cheese Cookie...
Yes In Deedy!!

I could take or leave candy corn. I have never really cared for it too much. But I feel compelled to buy it every fall for some reason. It just seems like the right thing to do. I kind of liken it to buying lemonade in the summer. It just wouldn't be summer without a lemonade. Although I really like lemonade... but I don't really like candy corn. Well you get the point. At least I hope so! ;0)

So anyway I had left over candy corn and needed to find a palatable way to eat it. So I decided to make cream cheese cookies. Makes sense to me. I would eat just about anything if cream cheese was involved. But in keeping with my "healthy" eating theme, I had to find a way to cut the fat and calories without cutting out the flavor...

I think I succeeded! These cookies were simply delicious. And if you don't have candy corn, no worries, they work well with a variety of toppings and or additions. I also made some with chocolate chips and almonds, even better!

By the way, I owed a friend of mine a thank you for a favor, so I wrapped up a few of these cookies (as pictured above) and they were a hit!

I think these cookies would be perfect on a festive plate set out for Santa, so I sent the recipe over to Susan at Food Blogga who is hosting a Food Blog(ga) event called Eat Christmas Cookies, Season 2. So if you're thinking about making cookies for Christmas, check it out. You'll find some great recipes of Christmas Cookies From Around The World!

Cream Cheese Cookies

by Mixed Salad Annie

8 oz. pkg 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup tub margarine or butter, softened
1/8 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon fat-free creamer or milk
1 1/2 tablespoons pure almond extract
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/3 cup candy corn, chocolate chips or almond slices

Heat oven to 350 F

Blend cream cheese, butter, oil and milk with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and almond extract; mix well.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder & salt. Add to cream cheese mixture; stir until blended and smooth.

Drop dough from a tablespoon or cookie scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Top with candy corn, chocolate chips or sliced almonds.

Bake 10 to 11 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet and transfer to wire rack.

Savory Butternut Squash Lasagna

2008-11-09T15:44:00.011-05:00

A Whole New Way to Look at Butternut Squash!

Lately I have been into winter squash. Especially pumpkin and as of late, butternut squash. When most people think of butternut squash they usually think of a sweet dish that's made with sugar and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. For me, I prefer sweetened squash as a dessert not as a meal.
I recently made a delicious baked squash gratin by Giada DiLaurentiis that I haven't made since last year. It is layers of butternut squash, basil pesto and grated cheese. In my opinion it takes butternut squash to a whole new dimension. Giada also makes a Butternut Squash Lasagna with similar flavors. It was the inspiration for my Savory Butternut Squash Lasagna. I made mine low-fat and it was absolutely delicious. So I can imagine what the full fat version would taste like. This would make a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner, or even the main entree if you are a vegetarian.Savory Butternut Squash Lasagna (Reduced Fat)
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into small cubes
1 large leek, halved lengthwise, sliced, washed and dried or large onion halved and sliced, both are optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fat-free or reduced-fat ricotta, I recommend Calabro brand which is all natural and contains nothing but cheese and starters
1/4 teaspoon, plus a pinch nutmeg, divided
2 whole garlic cloves, smashed with the back of your knife
1/4 cup butter, don't substitute here it really makes the whole dish work!
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups fat-free creamer or skim milk
1/3 cup pesto sauce
14 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Italian four cheese blend or mozzarella cheese
1 1/4 cups cup grated Parmesan

Preheat to 375 degrees F. and adjust the rack to the center of the oven.

Toss leeks, olive oil and salt and pepper in a bowl. Place leeks on a foil lined bake sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until softened and lightly browned, stirring half way through. Set aside.

Set a steamer basket in a large pot and fill with a small amount of water making sure not to touch the bottom of the basket. Add the squash and steam over medium high heat until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes*. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, dash of pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and ricotta cheese. Transfer the squash mixture to a food processor (let cool slightly) and blend until smooth and creamy or use a hand held blender and blend right in the same pan.
Add the butter and garlic to a large saucepan over low heat. Cook for about 3 minutes until garlic is very fragrant. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the creamer/milk, turn the heat up to medium/high and continue whisking until smooth and mixture comes to a boil. Continue whisking, reduce the heat to medium/low and allow the sauce to simmer and slightly thicken, about 5 minutes. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt, dash of pepper and pinch of nutmeg. Strain out garlic and set aside.

Spray a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Place 3 1/2 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash mixture over the lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 of the pesto over the squash mixture and sprinkle 1/3 of the leeks over the top. Add 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the top and arrange the next layer of noodles. Add another 1/3 of the squash mixture, 1/3 of the pesto, 1/3 of the leeks and 1/4 of each cheese. Add 1/2 cup of the sauce over the top of the noodles and repeat layering 1 more time. Top the last layer of noodles with the remaining sauce, 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and 1/2 cup of parmesan.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the sauce bubbles and the top is browned, about 15-20 minutes longer. Let the lasagna rest for 20-30 minutes before serving.

*You could also roast the butternut squash along with the leeks/onions, just add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a bit more sea salt and pepper and bake; mix a few times until soft and light brown, approx. 45 minutes.

Dipalicous Chocolate-Caramel Covered Apples

2008-11-05T20:33:00.006-05:00

It's Apple Time!

What could be better than a nice crisp apple in Autumn?
A chocolate covered crisp apple, that's what! If you have never tried one, make sure you put it on your things to do before you die list. Hahahha! Seriously though, these things are fabulous. And they make great gifts too. I made these for my brother's and my nieces and nephew's birthdays. They also make great hostess gifts for Halloween parties and Thanksgiving.

Gourmet apples of this caliber ;) usually sell anywhere from $10 to $20 bucks in a gourmet shop. And I guess I can see why. Not that they are hard to make, but it is very time consuming and a little messy. You gotta love doing it. Which I do. So for me, it is so worth the trouble! YUM...

I made these once last year and I used Granny Smith apples which is what most recipes call for. This time I used Mutzu apples because I saw a show on the food network that talked about how this variety was the best to use for dipping. It is not supposed to turn brown when it is cut. I haven't tried one myself so I can't tell you if it is true. When my brother eats his I will have to get the verdict from him and I'll let you all know. Either that or I will have to cut into one that's in my fridge if I don't end up giving it away. We'll see how strong my will power is. :P

Here is the recipe.

More Pumpkin Seeds

2008-10-31T21:26:00.010-04:00

Happy Pumpkins Make Yummy Seeds

For something a little different, try sweet flavored pumpkin seeds. I used ground vanilla powder (a new product I just bought). But if you don't have it on hand you could use cinnamon which works just as well.

Sweet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds from medium pumpkin, around 1 cup
Canola oil spray
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, or more, to taste
1 teaspoon ground vanilla powder or cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with oil. Add the seeds to the baking sheet and spray lightly with oil. Sprinkle with salt, sugar and vanilla powder or cinnamon.

Cook for 15 minutes, stir and reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Cook for an additional 30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T11:13:00.004-04:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
YUM!!! Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Recipe - go here

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies AND Bars

2008-10-26T21:29:00.009-04:00

Pumpkin...

The Reason For the Season!

Every Fall I think we all go a little pumpkin crazy. And why not? It is delicious and healthy for you too. Pumpkin is a member of the winter squash family and it is known to be an excellent source of essential vitamins and nutrients. For starters it contains copious amounts of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene). It is also a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese. And just to mention a few more; it's a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin-vitamin B3 and pantothenic acid. For more information on the health benefits visit The World's Healthiest Foods.

It is also very versatile. It can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. IT'S ALL GOOD! I decided to go with the sweet. This recipe is enough for a batch of cookies and bars. I made both. You could make one or the other but I liked the variation. I took the cookies to work to share and ate most of the bars myself for a nighttime snack!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies AND Bars
by Mixed Salad Annie

2 cups AP flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (optional)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup tub margarine
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup, plus 2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar (you could increase this up to 1 cup if you want them sweeter)
3 tablespoons molasses
1 egg
1 egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips or a combination
1 cup raisins

Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and two cookie sheets with parchment or spray with cooking spray. Cream together butter and sugars, until light and fluffy.
Combine flour, oats, ground flax seeds, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt; set aside.
Add egg, egg white and vanilla; mix well.
Alternately add dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well between each addition. Add nuts and mix to combine.

Divide batter and place half in a separate large bowl. Stir chips in one bowl and raisins in the other.

Fill the 13 x 9 inch baking pan with the raisin batter and smooth to even it out. Set aside.

For each cookie, drop a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet leaving an inch between each cookie.

For cookies bake at 350 degrees F for 9-12 minutes; check at 9 minutes (it's better to under bake than over bake or they will be dry).
For bars bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out with a few crumbs on it.

Braised Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage

2008-10-20T19:56:00.004-04:00

Simple and Sweet!

Sometimes I just like to eat simply and cook simply. Just a few ingredients and an easy recipe is perfect for dinner after a busy day. I don't know about you, but I really don't feel like cooking anything too complicated when I get home from work. But I do like to sit down to a hearty and healthy meal. It just makes you feel better after a hectic and stressful day. This recipe was inspired by Rachel Ray. It is a great technique of braising using only 6 ingredients. That I can handle!

Braised Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage
Adapted from Rachel Ray

1 pound fresh chicken sausage
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large leek, sliced and washed
1/4 cup dry white wine

Put all ingredients in a medium/large high sided saute pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook until broth has evaporated and a glaze has formed. Turn sausages after 10 minutes and continue cooking. Remove sausage and leeks and place in a serving dish; cover with foil. Add 1/4 cup dry white wine to the pan, scrap up browned bits and cook for about 3-5 minutes until reduced. Pour over sausage and leeks and serve.

Pistachio Meringue Cookies

2008-10-12T20:25:00.001-04:00

The Easiest Cookie I Have Ever Made!

With only 4 to 5 ingredients, how can you go wrong? Lately my inspiration for cooking has been do to having something that needed to be used before it expired. Not the most creative way to start a recipe but it seems to be working. In this case it was PISTACHIOS.

If you are a pistachio lover as I am, you're probably thinking that your bag of pistachios would never last in the house that long to even get close to an expiration date. Mine normally would'nt either, but I bought 2 large bags a few months ago and threw one of them in the back of a cabinet and forgot about it. It was like I hit the lottery when I happened upon it. So I started thinking of all the possibilities of what to do with this treasure as I pain stakingly shelled each beautiful green nut. After two broken nails and bits of shell under the others, I decided on cookies. Maybe a meringue for a change. So I started looking on line for inspiration and found this amazing recipe. Apparently it is of Syrian Jewish origin. I got the recipe from Off The Broiler who in turn found it in a 2004 article on JewishSF.com.

Whether you are Jewish or not, I am not, you will love these cookies! I did make a few alterations to the original recipe which only had 3 ingredients. I added almond extract and Nutella hazelnut spread. So I guess in my case they are Jewish/Italian Cookies! LOL...
Pistachio Meringue Cookies
1 1/2 cups shelled Pistachio nuts
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Nutella hazel nut spread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the pistachios in a food processor and blend until finely ground. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed with an electric hand-held mixer, until peaks start to form. Slowly add sugar to the egg whites and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add almond extract and continue beating for about 30 seconds. Add the ground pistachios and fold in with a spatula or wooden spoon, until fully incorporated.

With a cookie scoop or tablespoon, place the pistachio dough on a greased baking sheet (or line with parchment paper), leaving 1 inch between each cookie. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool 30 minutes before removing from the sheet or cookies may break.

Now the fun part, spread some Nutella on the tops of some of the cookies and top with a pistachio nut. Or, spread Nutella on the bottom of two cookies and press together to form pistachio meringue nutella sandwich. Enjoy. I know I did!

Eggplant and Tomato Tart

2008-10-06T19:27:00.003-04:00

Beautiful, Delicious but...
Slightly Flawed

This tart was inspired by a recipe from Cooking Light. First I have to say, the topping was phenomenal. The flavors were just fantastic! All of the fresh veggies and herbs were complimented by the flavorful cheeses. It was a like a party where everyone got along, right in your mouth.

In the CL recipe a cracker-like crust was the base for the tart. It didn't seem too complicated, actually it was very easy to make, but I thought I would be different and make a fillo crust since I had some in the freezer.

BIG MISTAKE. Of course the outer edges look golden and beautiful, but the underneath was soft and soggy. I should have known better. I mean it was edible, but I was disappointed that you couldn't pick up a piece and take a bite like a pizza. :( So If you want to make this recipe, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to use a fillo crust, but if you're like me and prefer a crunchy crust, use one of your own tried and true crust recipes.

Eggplant and Tomato Tart

Crust:

16 - 20 sheets of fillo
Butter flavored cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut a half circle through 16-20 sheets of fillo, 1" larger than the tart pan. Overlap the 1/2 circle sheets in the center to form a full circle to fit the pan (the fillo circle should be large enough to go completely up the sides of the pan), spraying each layer with cooking spray as you go along.

Bake empty tart shell for about 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Filling:

1 large or 2 medium eggplants (about 1 lb), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
2 garden tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded scamorza or mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tablespoons grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
Butter flavored cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°.
Arrange eggplant on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels; brush eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on 2 baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Stack eggplant slices on a plate; cover with plastic wrap. Let eggplant stand to steam while preparing next ingredients.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil, oregano, parsley, and mint. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons scamorza on bottom of baked crust. Layer eggplant and tomatoes in crust, sprinkling evenly with garlic-herb mixture; sprinkle with remaining scamorza and Romano cheese. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into 4 large wedges.

Strawberry Limoncello Delight

2008-09-28T15:00:00.003-04:00

No Time? Try this No Bake...
No Brainer

Sometimes you just want a decedent dessert that you don't have to work too hard for. And this was my time. I wanted something a little different from the usual (but easy) strawberries over angel food cake.

Liquor always seems appropriate in these cases. It just makes anything seem gourmet when you add a little boose to it. LOL!

I guess you could use any of your favorite liquors here, but the limoncello really worked well. By marinating the strawberries in it, they take on a great lemony flavor. By adding it to the water and sugar (simple syrup), it mellowed out a little and sweetened up just enough.

Strawberry Limoncello Delight

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
50 ml limoncello,(one nip bottle), divided
1 - 15 0z store bought angel food cake
Lite Cool Whip or light whipped cream
1lb strawberries - sliced

Place the strawberries in a bowl and pour half of the limoncello over them. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight for the flavors to infuse.

Place 1/4 cup sugar, remaining limoncello and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

Cut cake into individual slices and place on dessert plates or small bowls. Brush the lemon syrup all over the tops of the slices, allowing the syrup to absorb. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.

Dollup some cool whip or spray some whipped cream over the cake, add some of the strawberries, more of the cool whip or whipped cream and finally top off with more strawberries.

Garnish with one more small dollup or cool whip or spray of whipped cream.

Pesto Now or Pesto Later

2008-09-22T19:47:00.002-04:00

Lovely Arrangement With a Beautiful Scent...

Basil Herb Arrangements. I like the sound of that. I should start up my own business sending them out for birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. Ok maybe not those special occasions but how about for get well bouquets. I mean basil does have medicinal properties.

I'm sad because it is the end of the season for garden basil or any other herb for that matter. So you know what that means... Get your food processors and blenders out because we're making PESTO! And enough to last well into the winter months.

With this recipe you can enjoy it now or bring a little summer back into the kitchen by storing it away in the freezer. Either way, you will feel like you just received a get well bouquet, only this one really will make you feel great. And, you can eat it!

Pesto Now or Pesto Later

4 c. packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup toasted walnuts (roast nuts in 325 degree oven until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 10 minutes)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
about 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese (For the best flavor, use freshly grated cheese)

In a food processor pulse basil, nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper until finely chopped. Gradually add enough oil to form a smooth, thick consistency (while blender is running). Transfer to bowl and add cheese*. Season with more salt and pepper as necessary. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

*Note: If you don't plan on using the whole batch right away, put some aside and do not add the cheese. Spoon the pesto without the cheese into an ice cube try and freeze. (The cheese tends to break down in the freezer). When frozen, transfer the pesto cubes to a freezer bag. When you are ready to use them, just thaw them in the refrigerator and then add the cheese. If you choose to use one or two cubes at a time, just a tablespoon of cheese per cube or to your own taste.

Apple Cobbler & Crisp

2008-09-14T17:21:00.003-04:00

It's Apple Season...
Cobbler or Crisp? Why not both.

I love apple pie but I very rarely make pie crust. I leave that to my Mom. Instead I like to make apple cobbler or apple crisp, both are quicker and easier to make than a pie crust, and in my opinion a little healthier too.

Cobblers are so named for the cobbled look of the crust when it's cooked. It usually consists of flour, sugar, eggs and butter; similar to a biscuit topping. This time I added toasted walnuts and I loved it.

Crisps are more of a crunchy or "crispy" topping usually made up of butter, flour, oatmeal and sometimes nuts. The inspiration for my crisp came from Susan over at Food Blogga. She has a great recipe for a Triple Berry Rhubarb Crisp. Susan has a knack for making the most delicious recipes without over loading them with too much butter and/or sugar. I changed her crisp topping recipe a little by adding organic unsweetened coconut (because I am alergic to the sulfites in the sweetened coconut) and flax seeds to healthy it up a little bit more. I also used toasted walnuts instead of almonds because I had them on hand.
Since I was making a cobbler and not an apple pie, I had to make sure my apples weren't plied too high in the pie plate so the topping wouldn't just slide off. I used just enough apples to fill the pie plate for my cobbler and then I filled a small casserole dish with the remaining apples and topped it with my crisp topping mixture. So in the end I had the best of both worlds!

Apple Cobbler & Crisp

8-10 peeled and sliced Apples (I used 5 macintoch and 5 golden variety)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons tapioka

Cobbler Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 tablespoons butter or margarine (softened)
1 large egg and 1 egg white (beaten)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Crisp Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/8 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 teaspoons flax seeds
1/8 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons Smart Balance Buttery Spread or butter

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees.

In a very large bowl, mix the apples and lemon juice. Add the sugar, cinnamon, apple pie spice and tapioka. Set aside for about 10 minutes.

To prepare topping, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and eggs.
Grease a pie plate with butter or margarine and fill with enough apple mixture so that it is even with the top of the pie plate. Spoon cobbler topping over fruit.

Add the remaining apples to a small greased casserole dish and top with the crisp topping.

Bake cobbler and crisp until topping is lightly golden and apple mixture is bubbling, about 35-45 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

Fairy Tale Vegetable Casserole

2008-09-07T09:18:00.001-04:00

Eat Your Vegetables...And Live Happily Ever After

I finally made it to my local farmers market this year. I know pretty sad, huh. I don't know what took me so long. I actually do love shopping at the local farms, stands and farmers markets for garden fresh produce. It is more of an experience, than a shopping trip. You get to see and smell all the fabulous fruits and vegetables bursting with color at their absolute freshest state!

You also get to learn about produce that you've never had before, like the fairy tale eggplant. These beautiful mini purple and white eggplant caught my eye right away. And what a perfect name for them. They are so fun and whimsical that they could be in a "fairy tale". There were several "regular shoppers" of the farmers market ready to give out their recipes using this little gem. They all sounded great, but the one I liked the sound of, involved steaming the eggplant along with zucchini, summer squash, garden tomatoes, and fresh herbs together and then baking it all in a casserole with cheese. YUM! I came up with my own healthy version and it was fantastic!

Fairy Tale Vegetable Casserole
by Mixed Salad Annie

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 fairy tale eggplant, 1/2 inch thick crosswise slices
1 medium zucchini, 1/2 inch thick crosswise slices
1 small summer squash, 1/2 inch thick crosswise slices
1 large garden tomato, diced
1 can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and quartered, Optional
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped and divided
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 small bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Place a heavy pan or dutch oven over medium heat; add the oil, shallot and garlic. Stir and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant, squash, zucchini, artichokes, tomatoes, 6 tablespoons basil, 3 tablespoons parsley, pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Stir to combine; cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are softened, about 10-13 minutes.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and add the vegetable mixture. Top with the breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Spray the top lightly with cooking spray and place baking dish in oven. Bake for about 10 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Sprinkle the remaining basil and parsley on top and serve.

Chick Pea Salad

2008-09-02T10:06:00.004-04:00

Great For a Light Lunch!

I have been bringing salads to work for lunch for about a year now. Usually it's a classic salad with romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, black and green olives, croutons, and chic peas. I make my own dressing with organic raw apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and a lemon dill seasoning. It is so refreshing and extremely good for you. I am really surprised that I haven't gotten sick of eating salad everyday yet.

This past week I changed things up a bit, however. Not because I didn't want my usual salad, but because I forgot the romaine this week. Also, my friend and avid gardener extraordinaire, Jen, has been supplying me with fresh cucumbers and tomatoes from her garden. So I decided to feature the cucumbers and tomatoes along with my usual protein packed chick peas. I pretty much just adapted the recipe on the back of the Goya Chick Pea can. It turned out delicious, light and refreshing!

Chick Pea Salad

1 15.5 oz can of Goya Low Sodium Chick Peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup red pepper, sliced in 1 inch strips
1 small shallot, chopped
1 medium cucumber, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed and cut into half moons
1/4 cup mixed kalamata and green manzanilla olives, sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1/3 cup organic raw apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon lemon-dill seasoning

Toss all ingredients together and refrigerate until chilled and flavors combine.
Serves 5 - 6

Blueberry Orange Sponge Cake with Blueberry "Pie" Filling

2008-08-27T19:53:00.012-04:00

Living on Sponge Cake...

As you all may recall, I made a peppermint chocolate chip sponge cake for my sister's birthday a few weeks ago. Everyone loved it, including me, so I decided to make another one for my Mom's birthday. I had adapted a recipe I got from Ciao Italia's Mary Ann Esposito.

This time I went with her original flavoring of orange, but added blueberries (my Mom's favorite). I also made a blueberry "pie" filling for the center. The reason I call it blueberry "pie" filling is because it is basically all the ingredients I use for my blueberry pies. The frosting couldn't be easier~ low-fat cool whip!

Blueberry Orange Sponge Cake

Cake recipe adapted from Mary Ann Esposito

5 large eggs at room temperature, separated
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint of fresh blueberries

Blueberry "Pie" Filling
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 pint of fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon tapioka pudding

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and mix well and let stand for 15 minutes. Place saucepan over medium heat. Break up blueberries with a fork and stir until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool; transfer mixture to a small bowl and refrigerate until cold and thickened.

Preheat the oven to 350F
Use a stand or hand mixer to beat the egg whites until foamy; beat in half of the sugar, two tablespoons at a time, until soft glossy peaks form. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon colored, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, orange peel, orange juice, vanilla extract, and salt.

Sift the flour over the whites. Add the yolk mixture and gently fold in with a spatula without deflating the batter. Fold in half of the blueberries. Scoop 1/2 the batter into a (un-greased)
9 x 3 inch tube pan. Sprinkle half of the remaining blueberries evenly over the batter and top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle the rest of the blueberries on the batter and smooth with a spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles and settle the batter so it is even.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a cake skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert cake pan over the neck of a bottle or, if the pan has prongs, invert it on a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Loosen cake all around the inside of the pan and around the tube with a butter knife. Gently shake cake out. If the cake is stuck on the bottom, gently insert a flexible spatula along the sides of the pan and slide under all sides of the cake to loosen. Remove from pan and set aside.

Cut the cake into two layers.

Place one layer on a cake stand and spread all of the blueberry "pie" filling over the layer. Place the other layer on top and spread a layer of cool whip on top. Spread more cool whip all over the sides and smooth.

Garnish the top with fresh blueberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into wedges.

Orange-Maple Glazed Baby Carrots

2008-08-24T22:58:00.003-04:00

Always a Hit!

If you need a side dish to wow guests or to bring to a function, this is it. I mean who doesn't love carrots? Ok, mom I know you don't, but everyone else does. This is also the perfect dish to get your kids to eat their veggies. The carrots are slightly sweetened and the warm spiciness from the cinnamon is so comforting.
Now that fall is quickly approaching, it just seemed an appropriate dish to make, to sort of get used to the idea of the cooler weather coming. Plus, it goes well with all those cool weather roasts (especially Ham) that we'll be making sooner than we think...
Ok now that I've totally depressed everyone talking about fall and the end of summer, here is the recipe... :P

Orange-Maple Glazed Baby Carrots

3 (1-pound) bags baby carrots
1/2 stick unsalted butter (4 tbls.)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon orange rind
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint (optional)

Steam baby carrots for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. Set aside.
Place other ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce becomes thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the carrots and mix to coat evenly. Transfer to a serving platter and top with fresh mint.

Peppermint Patty Sponge Cake

2008-08-16T09:22:00.017-04:00

When You Care Enough to Only Bake The Best..

So it's that time of year again when I have to wrack my brain to think of something different and delicious for the special people in my life with late summer and early fall birthdays. I like to make up themes for the birthday cakes that best represent the birthday person. Since my sister has always liked peppermint patties, I decided to go with the peppermint theme this year.

Of course it would have been easy to just use some peppermint extract in the cake and frosting, and call it a day, but that wouldn't be special, now would it? Only fresh mint picked straight from the garden seemed fitting enough for such a special day. So that's exactly what I did. I made a peppermint simple syrup which I used in the cake and in the frosting. A sprig of mint was even part of the garnish.

The inspiration for the type of cake came from Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia. On a recent episode she made a delicious looking sponge cake with citrus and raspberry whipped cream frosting. I loved the idea of the sponge cake since it is light and airy, perfect for the summer months. So I decided to re-create the cake with a peppermint-chocolate combo. It turned out really yummy, everyone including sis, loved it.

I always like to try a sample of a new recipe before presenting it, so I just scooped out a little batter to make a few mini cup cakes.
(She'll never know!)

Peppermint Patty Sponge Cake

5 large eggs at room temperature, separated
1 cup sugar minus 3 tablespoons, divided
3 tablespoons peppermint simple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup sifted unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
chopped mint leaves from simple syrup
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Peppermint Simple Syrup

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 cups peppermint leaves, stems removed

Bring the water to a boil; add the peppermint leaves. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the sugar until it's dissolved. Return to the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the peppermint leaves from the liquid and set them aside to cool and chop for use in the cake. Place the simple syrup in the fridge to cool.

12 Minute Peppermint Frosting

3 egg whites
1/4 cup cold water
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup peppermint simple syrup
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
Dash of salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted for drizzle
2 peppermint patties, preferably Newman's Own Organic
Mint leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350F
Use a stand or hand mixer to beat the egg whites until foamy; beat in half of the sugar, two tablespoons at a time, until soft glossy peaks form. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon colored, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, peppermint simple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir in the peppermint leaves.

Sift the flour over the whites. Add the yolk mixture and gently fold in with a spatula without deflating the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips. Scoop the batter into a (un-greased) 9 x 3 inch tube pan. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles and settle the batter so it is even.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a cake skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert cake pan over the neck of a bottle or, if the pan has prongs, invert it on a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Loosen cake all around the inside of the pan and around the tube with a butter knife. Gently shake cake out. Set aside.

For Frosting: Place the egg whites, sugar, peppermint simple syrup, water, cream of tartar and salt into a medium size-mixing bowl. Set bowl over a pot of simmering water; do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water. Begin beating with a hand mixer set to low speed. Beat for 1 minute; increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until frosting is stiff and holds soft peaks (about 10 minutes). Set aside to cool.

Cut the cake into two layers.

Place one layer on a cake stand and spread 1/3 of the frosting over the layer. Place the other layer on top and spread another 1/3 of the frosting. Spread the remaining frosting all over the sides and smooth.

Garnish the top with the melted semi-sweet chocolate chips and add mint leaves and mint patties for decoration. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into wedges.

Green Bean and Red Roasted Pepper Salad

2008-08-10T21:32:00.007-04:00

Great for a crowd!

As I mentioned in my last post, I had a luau a 2 weekends ago and I made quite a few things to bring with me. This was one of them. You really can't go wrong with green beans. I think most people like them and with the addition of black olives, red roasted peppers and a great basil red wine vinaigrette, it was a hit.

Disposable aluminum pans like the one in the photo are really great for stuff like this. They even come with plastic covers to fit. You can even cook in them too!

P.S. Don't forget to save yourself a small plate before packing it up to go or you may not even get to try it!

Green Bean and Red Roasted Pepper Salad

2 lbs. fresh green beans, washed, ends trimmed and snapped in half
2 cans black olives, sliced in half lengthwise
1 - 15 oz. jar red roasted peppers, sliced in thin strips

Basil Red Wine Vinaigrette:

1 1/2 cups fresh basil, stems removed
1/2 cup fresh parsley, stems removed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil

Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth; set aside.
Steam green beans for about 5-7 minutes or until crisp tender. Plunge in ice water to stop cooking; drain and place in large bowl. Add the olives, peppers and vinaigrette; stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least one hour to let all the flavors blend. Serve at room temperature.
Best if made a day ahead.

Zucchini Appetizer

2008-08-03T17:11:00.002-04:00

Yummy Appetizer!

A friend of mine had a luau party last weekend and I wanted to bring something everyone would like, but was also easy to make. As luck would have it, a recipe sort of fell into my lap a few days before the luau. I got it from a wonderful farm and country store in Hope, RI, called Confreda Greenhouses and Farms. They grow their own fresh produce and sell it all in their country store front. I got "just picked" corn and zucchini. Yum!

The recipe is simple and very delicious. I adapted it a bit. It is sort of like a quiche, only no crust to worry about and a whole lot tastier.

Zucchini Bites

3 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 4 small or 1 1/2- 2 medium)
1 cup Biscuit baking mix
1/2 cup chopped vidalia onion
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
3 tbls. fresh Italian parsley, minced
1/4 cup fresh Italian basil, minced
1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced or 1/2 tsp. dried
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 eggs beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2 pan with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread mixture evenly in pan. Bake for around 22-25 minutes. Turn on broiler and brown the top for about 2 minutes until golden. Cut into
2 x 1 inch pieces. Makes about 4 dozen.

Three Bean Salad

2008-07-27T20:27:00.006-04:00

Sweet, Tangy and a Little Squeaky!

I love fresh green beans and I'm always on the lookout for a new way to prepare them. Although this recipe is not a new concept, it's new for me. I have never made three bean salad, nor have I ever even eaten a homemade version. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I've only had the one that comes in a jar. I don't buy it too often because it's not very nutritious and has way too many chemicals.
Have you ever noticed that the beans in this type of salad become squeaky when you bite into them? I wonder what makes this happen. It doesn't bother me, as a matter of fact it kind of adds to the playfulness of this recipe. Since it is sweet and a little tangy, so why not squeaky!

Three Bean Salad
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 medium cloves garlic, grated on microplane or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon sea salt
Ground black pepper
8 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch-long pieces
8 ounces yellow wax beans, cut into 1-inch-long pieces
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans , rinsed and drained
1 medium/large shallot, chopped medium dice
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Heat vinegar, sugar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste in small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large nonreactive bowl and cool to room temperature.
2. Steam green and yellow beans in water with 1 tablespoon salt added to it; cook until crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with ice water. When beans are done, immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking process; let sit until chilled, about 2 minutes. Drain well.
3. Add green and yellow beans, kidney beans, shallot, and parsley to vinegar mixture; toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. (Salad can be covered and refrigerated up to 4 days.)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2008-07-22T20:00:00.004-04:00

Hate Zucchini?
No problem. Have a piece, I promise
you won't taste it.

This is my favorite kind of recipe. The kind that allows you to "hide" something healthy like vegetables, in this case zucchini, in something seemingly unhealthy like a double chocolate loaf. If just the thought of zucchini with chocolate makes you shiver, fear not, you will absolutely not taste the zucchini. In fact, just forget it's even in there and enjoy a nice piece of double chocolate loaf.

You might remember the Chocolate Zucchini Muffins that I posted a while ago, well this is basically the same recipe with just a few minor changes. Sometimes it's just easier to make a loaf than muffins. By the way, you could even add some walnuts for an added crunch and a boost of omega 3!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
by Mixed Salad Annie

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1/3 cup tub margarine or butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsps. vanilla
3/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt
2 cups grated zucchini
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees or 325 degrees for glass pans. Spray loaf pans with cooking spray and dust by sifting a tablespoon of cocoa over the pans. Shake pans to evenly cover.

Melt the margarine or butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and heat until fragrant, stirring constantly about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Cream together cocoa butter mixture and sugars in mixing bowl until light and fluffy,
using electric mixer at medium speed. Beat in oil; add yogurt, then blend in eggs and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients and blend until just combined. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes.

Grilled Chicken Fingers with Dipping Sauce

2008-07-20T20:16:00.008-04:00

Finger Dipping Good!

Finally! I finally got my blog header up. Hope you like it. It was really hard to decide what to put up for a photo, because it will ultimately define you...
That is why it was empty for so long. I couldn't decide how to define my blog. Is it healthy food, lightened up desserts, lower-fat entrees, quick and easy dinners? Or a little of all of those things?

So I thought maybe I should put up a bunch of different photos of all different things. But then I thought it would probably just confuse people and look like a hodge podge. So I decided on the fresh veggies. They're colorful, healthy, low-fat, quick to prepare and truly represent healthy eating! I'm still tweaking it, so be patient, better things are yet to come.

Speaking of better things, let me tell you about these chicken fingers and "chimchurri inspired" marinade and dipping sauce. Very easy to prepare, very health conscious, and super delicious. The marinade is very similar to a chimichurri marinade. I included a few different herbs and I used my signature leek instead of an onion. And for the sauce, I added low-fat sour cream. Very luscious!

Grilled Chicken Fingers with Dipping Sauce
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 pound chicken tenders, cut in half
Leaves from 2-3 sprigs fresh oregano
Leaves from 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
Leaves from 1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 fresh sage leave, torn into several pieces
1 cup Italian parsley
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 of medium leek, chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or grated on microplane
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice from half a fresh lemon
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
3/4 cup low-fat sour cream

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

In a food processor or using a hand held immersion blender combine parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, paprika, leek, garlic, lemon juice and vinegar. Pulse until everything is thoroughly combined.

Continue pulsing and slowly add in all of the olive oil.

Place chicken tenders in a shallow dish and add half of the marinade. Mix to completely cover chicken pieces. May be refrigerated overnight if desired.

Add the sour cream to the reserved marinade and mix well. Transfer to a small dipping bowl. Set aside.

Place the chicken pieces on the pre-heated grill and cook 3-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with reserved dipping sauce.

"Mock" Berry Tiramisu

2008-07-16T20:44:00.012-04:00

No Bake, No Fuss, and there will be...
No Leftovers!

Tiramisu is a delicious Italian dessert made with zabaglione which is a light custard consisting of egg yolks, mascarpone cheese and a bit of sweet liquor, usually sweet marsala wine. Italian cookies called lady fingers are dipped in espresso and layered with the zabaglione and it is usually topped off with cocoa powder. In Italian tiramisu means "pick me up". Great name!

Let me start by saying that there is no replacement for the original tiramisu. But this is a super easy, low-fat and delicious summer dessert that mimics the Italian classic. It's quick to prepare and serves as a lower calorie alternative to a traditional tiramisu. And I think it will definately pick you up!

I am sending this over to Susan at Food Blogga who is hosting Sugar High Fridays this month for Jennifer of the Domestic Goddess, the creator of the SHF. Check it out for the most outrageously delicious berry concoctions.
"Mock" Berry Tiramisu
by Mixed Salad Annie

One 8 ounce package of Neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese), room temperature

1 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons Amaretto liquor, or your favorite sweet liquor
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup cold Teeccino Herbal Coffee, or cold strong black coffee
24 Lady Finger Cookies
Powdered sugar

Mix the cream cheese to soften just until smooth and then fold in the yogurt and Amaretto.

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the wrap to extend over the sides. In a wide, flat bowl, whisk the teeccino/coffee with the sugar.

Dip 8 cookies into the teeccino/coffee one at a time, and arrange 4 in a single layer and another 4 in a single layer, on the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon one third of the cream cheese mixture over the cookies to cover. Top with strawberries, reserving a few for the garnish. Repeat the dipping and layering of the next 8 cookies and cream cheese mixture, topping this layer with the blueberries.
Dip the remaining 8 cookies in the teeccino/coffee and arrange on the top. Evenly spoon on remaining cream cheese mixture. (The top layer will extend a little above the pan sides). Cover with the plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to one day.
Unwrap the plastic and invert the tiramisu onto a platter and remove the plastic. Top with remaining strawberries and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Sugar Snap Peas with Broccoli, Leeks and Grape Tomatoes

2008-07-13T20:42:00.004-04:00

Fresh and Flavorful!

I was looking for green beans in the market yesterday and they looked terrible. They had brown spots all over them and very limp. Change of plans...

I did find these great sugar snap peas and some fresh broccoli, so I thought I would try something a little different. Different for me that is.

I had a leek in the fridge and some grape tomatoes, so I decided to use everything. Why not?

It turned out great. The veggies were tender with just a slight crispiness and the leeks, garlic, lemon and fresh herbs really woke everything up!

Sugar Snap Peas with Broccoli, Leeks and Grape Tomatoes
By Mixed Salad Annie

8 oz package sugar snap peas, ends and strings removed if needed
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 leek, cut lengthwise, washed, dried and sliced in half circles
1 cup grape tomatoes
Sea Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh basil, thinly sliced

Steam the sugar snap peas and broccoli in a steamer basket over boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and salt; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the sugar snap peas, broccoli, tomatoes, and more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until heated through. Squeeze the lemon over the veggies and add in the chives and basil. Serves 3-4.