Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

It's All Giada, All The Time!

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

Roasted Fennel With Parmesan
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

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

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

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

Grilled Eggplant and Squash with Herb Dressing

So Long Summer, It's Been Great!

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

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

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

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

Grilled Vegetables

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

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

Grilled Eggplant Salad

As Yummy As It Looks!

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

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

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

Hearty Scrambled Eggs

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

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

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

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

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

Hearty Scrambled Eggs
from America's Test Kitchen

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

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

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

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

Greek Caponata

Yummy Blend of Flavors!

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

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

Greek Caponata
(Adapted from Giada DiLaurentiis recipe)

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

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

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

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

Updated Stuffed Tomato Recipe

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

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

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

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

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

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

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

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

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

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

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

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Great For Lunch or A Light Dinner

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

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

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

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

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

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

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

The Last Hurrah to Summer!

Imperfect, But Damn Good!

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

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

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

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

Blueberry Pie with Canola Oil Crust

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Melt-In-Your-Mouth Blueberry Cake

If You Like Blueberry Muffins, You'll Love This Blueberry Cake!

It was my mom's birthday recently and I was searching for the perfect cake recipe. I wanted her cake to be special and I wanted it to reflect some of her favorite flavors. One thing I knew for sure is that she loves blueberry muffins and orange juice. So I went on a mission searching online for a blueberry cake recipe with orange essence.

In my search I found out some interesting information on proportions and measurements when making a homemade cake. Here is the website. I think anyone who has ever baked from scratch knows that baking is more of a science than cooking. Everything has to be measured out perfectly and in the correct measuring cups for dry or wet ingredients. Weighing the ingredients is actually the best way to go.

The correct proportions make a huge difference in whether or not the cake is moist or dry, if the cake is light and airy or dense and heavy and if it rises correctly. I found this information extremely helpful because I do like to tinker with ingredients in recipes to customize them to my taste.

The recipe I found for this cake was called Melt In Your Mouth Blueberry Cake. I did make some changes to the recipe with the info that I learned. I also doubled the recipe in order to make a 2 layer-frosted birthday cake. For the frosting I decided to go with cream cheese and flavored it with orange. And it turned out great. In case you're wondering it did melt in your mouth!

My Melt-In-Your-Mouth 2 Layer Blueberry Cake
with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
4 eggs, separated
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup canola/virgin olive oil blend, or one or the other
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour, sifted
1 1/2 tablespoons flour, to coat berries
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350º.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Beat in 1/2 cup of sugar. In another bowl, cream margarine; add salt, vanilla, and remaining sugar gradually. Add egg yolks and beat until creamy. Mix in oil. Sift flour with baking powder. Add alternately to creamed mixture with milk. Fold in beaten egg whites. Coat the blueberries with 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour and then fold into mixture.
Turn into 2 ~ 9" x 2'' high pans. (If you only have 9" x 1 1/2" pans, just fill them 3/4 full and pour the extra batter into a small cake pan or baking dish and enjoy it for yourself).
Bake in 350º oven for 35 minutes turning half way through baking. Cool on racks. Frost with orange cream cheese frosting.

Store in refrigerator. May be frozen.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 0z. package of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter or margerine, softened
3 cups powdered sugar (or more depending on consistency)
1 tablespoon orange juice (or more depending on consistency)
Zest of one orange

Beat cream cheese and butter or margarine in bowl to blend. Beat in powdered sugar alternately in two to three additions with the orange juice and vanilla extract. Add in the orange peel. Chill until firm but spreadable, about 30 minutes, if necessary.

Sit, Lay Down, Roll Over...

Homemade Doggie Biscuits

This is Nico. He is a YorkiePoo. He is really a great dog, but does have some issues. He is pretty much neurotic. Cute as a button, and very smart though.
And picky, picky, picky.

Lately he has an issue with his bum. Not to gross anyone out too much, but he has a little pain when he does #2 and lets out a cry. I brought him to the vet and he said it is most likely an allergy, gave me some antihistamine with cortizone and told me to add pumpkin to his food (so as to ease the process of doing #2).
Luckily he loves the pumpkin. A few weeks ago, I found homemade pumpkin dog cookies at my local farmers market. HE LOVED THEM. To the point of doing tricks that he hates to do, like rolling over. Asking Nico to roll over is like trying to give a sick child cough medicine. He runs just at the command. But just the sight of one of these cookies and he is rolling all over the place.
So I went back to the farmers market and unfortunately the lady that was selling them wasn't there. So I figured, how hard could it be to make dog cookies??? I looked online and found a pumpkin doggie biscotti recipe. He should love it, right? Well, he will eat them but he's not rolling over at the mere sight of them. These are more like a pumpkin toast and hers were more of a cookie texture. I don't understand what the problem is, I tasted them and they are actually pretty darn good. I guess he prefers the cookies. Spoiled brat!

NB:This recipe is for doggie treats. It should not constitute the primary diet of your dog, and is not suitable for cats.

Mom's Famous Pumpkin Biscotti
- From Better Food for Dogs

Makes about 1 lb of Biscotti
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Nonstick baking sheets
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
(not pie filling)
1/4 cup each liquid honey and water
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large egg 1
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

1. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, honey, water, oil, egg and vanilla. Stir in flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda until well incorporated.
2. In the bowl and using hands, knead until dough holds together. Transfer to lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a log. Flatten the logs to make about 4 inches wide.
3. With a fork, poke holes all over the surface of the logs. Place about 4 inches (10 cm) apart on baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until firm. Place pan on a rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
5. With a sharp knife, cut each log into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place, cut side down, about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes longer or until hard. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool completely. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 30 days.

Mini Carrot Muffins

Not Bad For Cake Mix !

Yet another lazy baking experience. I had this Betty Crocker Carrot Cake mix in my cabinet for a while and needed to use it before it expired. (This always seems to be the case whenever I buy boxed mixes). I always end up making things from scratch and then end up with a cabinet full of mixes that I bought on sale!

There was a recipe for The Ultimate Carrot Cake on the box that I used to make these muffins. I decided to make mini muffins only because I just bought this mini muffin pan and wanted to give it a try.

I made these muffins low-fat by substituting applesauce for the oil. The only thing I didn't like about using the applesauce is that it makes the texture of the muffins a little wet, especially on the tops. I decided to remedy this by making frosting! Yeah I know, I said they were low-fat, but what the heck, you take away something and you have to add a little something. Everything equals out in the end.

I also used only the egg whites, but I added coconut oil to replace the yolks. Like I said everything equals out.

I like to freeze muffins for future eating and these were no exception. I filled a storage container with unfrosted muffins for whenever I want to indulge!

The Ultimate Carrot Cake Muffins

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® carrot cake mix
1/2 cup orange juice or water
1/2 cup applesauce
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg whites
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or canola oil if you don’t have coconut oil)

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray a mini muffin pan with baking spray. In large bowl, beat cake mix, orange juice, coconut oil, applesauce, pineapple, orange peel, vanilla and eggs on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in nuts and coconut. Pour into muffin pan, filling to the top.

Bake 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides to loosen muffins; remove from pan to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Spread each muffin with about 1 tablespoon frosting. Store in refrigerator.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1 to 2 teaspoons orange peel, if desired
8 oz package of low-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar (add more or less depending on consistency)
2 tablespoons coconut oil, butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon orange juice or milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and oil (or butter/margarine) in bowl to blend. Beat in powdered sugar alternately in two to three additions with the orange juice and vanilla extract. Add in the orange peel. Chill until firm but spreadable, about 30 minutes, if necessary.

The Ultimate Brownie Cake

Ooey Gooey Goodness!

This was made from a boxed brownie mix-Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix, Chocolate Chunk with mini Hershey's Kisses. I dressed it up a bit by adding a teaspoon of pure almond extract and cooked it in a 6 inch spring cake pan. This size pan made the brownie cake extra thick and as a result, extra gooey inside. I guess it remains a little under cooked in the center, but that's how most people like it.

I topped it with a decadent chocolate frosting. What can I say? I was in chocolate heaven!

Triple Chocolate Brownie Cake

1 Box Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix, Chocolate ChunkBrownie Mix
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Follow directions on the box, adding the extract as well. Bake at 325 degrees in a 6 inch spring cake pan for about an hour and 5 minutes. Check with a wooden tooth pick. When the tooth pick comes out almost clean (just a few wet crumbs on it), it's done. Cool completely and frost if desired.

Decadent Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup coconut oil (or butter or margarine)
2/3 cup cocoa (I used Drost)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons milk (Plus more if needed)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt coconut oil. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, stirring until it is of spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Turkey Bolognese Sauce over Polenta Squares

Delicious!!!

I really enjoyed this dish and I think you will too. It is a very loose interpretation of bolognese sauce, since traditionally bolognese is made with meat and uses very little tomato. It also has milk or cream in it, which I didn't use. I just thought it sounded better to call it turkey bolognese sauce than turkey tomato sauce. Don't you think??

This is really easy to make, so don't let the photo deceive you. It is just a little time consuming, due to the chopping, but it is so worth it. The polenta is also easy to make since I used the quick cooking one. If you have never tried polenta, please give it a chance. It is sort of like grits. It definately needs to have a sauce or ragu over it to give it flavor. I made a marsala chicken ragu over polenta another time and it was also really good. It's a nice change of pace if your a little tired of pasta.

Turkey Bolognese Sauce over Polenta Squares

Start by making the
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.

Turkey Bolognese Sauce
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot or small onion, chopped fine
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped fine, optional (I had some so I used it, but you could also use chopped carrot, celery and/or green pepper )
3/4 lb. ground turkey (I used 93% lean)
1 Tbls. tomato paste, optional (I had some in the freezer so I used it)
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 - 28 oz. can Italian whole tomatoes, hard pieces discarded and crushed by hand or blender (I used Muir Glen Organic and pureed them slightly with my hand held blender)
1/2 can water
1o fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Add about 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, red bell pepper and shallot to a cold large skillet and cook on medium low until the veggies soften and become fragrant. Immediately add the ground turkey, turn the heat up to medium high and stir until almost cooked through. Push the turkey to the sides of the skillet and make an open spot in the middle of the pan. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook until it begins to caramelize. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for about a minute. Add the can of tomatoes and 1/2 can full of water. Stir to combine all ingredients. Add the bay leave, whole basil leaves and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover partially. Let simmer for about half an hour on low heat. Remove the whole basil leaves, if desired, and add the chopped basil. Taste to see if more salt and pepper is needed.

To Assemble:
Cut the polenta into 6-8 squares. Arrange the polenta squares on a platter. Spoon the warm Turkey Bolonese Sauce atop the polenta. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese and serve immediately.

Bachelor or not, this is a great salad...

Caramelized Fennel Salad ~
Giada DeLaurentiis thinks this is the perfect salad for single guys!

Personally, I don't think most Bachelors could be bothered caramelizing anything to put on top of a salad. I understand her point being that it is an easy, yet elegant dish that anyone could prepare with minimal effort. And by the way it was easy and quite elegant, but most importantly delicious!

I made a few changes to her Caramelized Pancetta and Fennel Salad recipe. Firstly, I used Canadian bacon in place of the pancetta. I don't buy a lot of pancetta, or bacon for that matter, but I do try to have Canadian bacon on hand for dishes that call for some kind of pork fat product. I like to use the Canadian bacon because it is a lot lower in fat and I feel better about eating it. For this recipe, I cut mine in small pieces before roasting them, but I wouldn't do that the next time I make it. The smaller pieces got a little too hard and chewy, although the flavor was great.

Secondly, I cut down the sugar because I didn't want it to be sweet. And it wasn't, it was just enough to help caramelize everything. And we all know that caramelizing is a good thing. It's where all the flavor comes from. YUM!

Caramelized Fennel Salad
Adapted from Giada DiLaurentiis

1 bulb fennel, halved and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
5 slices Canadian bacon, cut in thirds
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 ounces (about 6 to 7 cups) Romaine lettuce, or mixed salad greens
Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, toss together fennel, Canadian bacon, garlic, brown sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the ingredients on the baking sheet in a single layer. Cook until the Canadian bacon is crisp and the fennel is caramelized, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, place the salad greens, Canadian bacon, and caramelized fennel. Toss the salad with the Red Wine Vinaigrette and serve immediately.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Do You Know The Muffin Man?

I Think He Retired... So I Made My Own!

A few weeks ago, I was on The Cookbook Junkies blog and she had made the most delicious looking orange berry muffins. She got the recipe from Dorie (I can't remember her blog name) but I've been there before and enjoyed it.

Anyway, I decided to make a version of that recipe and the low-fat blueberry muffin recipe from America's Test Kitchen that I usually make. Only this time I used 5 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil instead of 4 tablespoons of butter and I added more blueberries. The turned out really good.

Orange Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 cup blueberries*, washed and dried
2 cups plus 1 Tbl. all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites (from large eggs)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tbls. canola oil
5 Tbls. virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
Grated zest and juice of 1 small to medium orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Double wrap the blueberries in freezer bags and freeze for at least an hour or overnight, as frozen ones won't all sink in the batter. Don't take them out until the batter is made and oven is preheated.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, run the sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of orange is strong. Whisk egg whites and brown sugar together until thoroughly combined. Gradually whisk in melted coconut oil and canola oil, then buttermilk, orange juice and vanilla until well blended.

Fold into dry mixture with rubber spatula (a few streaks of flour should remain).
Remove blueberries from freezer and toss with remaining tablespoon flour in small bowl. Gently fold blueberries into batter, being careful not to break berries.
Distribute batter in muffin tin and bake until light golden brown and toothpick or skewer inserted into center of muffin comes out clean, 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Italian Pesto Turkey Burgers

If you want to satisfy a burger craving, this is the answer!

Even though my Italian pesto turkey burgers are actually healthy, you'd hardly even notice. These quarter pounders offer a lighter alternative to the traditional beef patty, but truly pack a punch to your appetite. And even though they are lean, they are so juicy and flavorful.

To make this recipe even quicker and easier, you can use bottled pesto or do what I do ~ Make a batch of pesto without adding the cheese and freeze a portion of it in an ice cube tray. When the pesto is frozen, store it in a plastic freezer bag. When you're ready to use it, just take out a couple of cubes, let them defrost and mix in some grated parmigiano cheese. It also works great for quick pasta dishes, but in this case, add a little pasta water in addition to the cheese, to the pesto before mixing in the pasta. Give it a try!

Italian Pesto Turkey Burgers

1 pound lean ground turkey (I used dark meat, which is about 93% lean)
2 1/2 tablespoons basil pesto, plus more for topping on bun
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg white, beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Regiano cheese, or parmesan in a pinch
1/4 cup bread crumbs, (I used Italian flavored panko breadcrumbs)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 light hamburger buns, toasted lightly on grill

Preheat grill on medium-high heat. (I used a stove top grill and heated it over medium heat)

1. Mix together pesto, egg white, garlic, parmigiano cheese, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. Add the ground turkey and mix until evenly blended. (Do not over work the meat or it will be tough when cooked)
   
2. Form into 4 equal size patties.
3. Grill pesto burgers for about 4-5 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the center. 180 degrees on an instant read thermometer. (Mine were cooked in about 8 minutes total.)
   
4. Place each burger atop a toasted bun, top with a slice of fresh tomato and spread additional pesto on the bun tops.
   

Squash Slaw

A great way to use up extra zucchini and summer squash

I knew I would be making turkey burgers (I'll post them next) this weekend and I was trying to think of a side dish to go with them. Since I had a couple of zucchini and summer squash in the fridge, I thought about making a slaw with them. I had an idea of how I would make it but wanted to browse the internet for ideas. I found a recipe online that sounded really close to what I was going to do and used it as a guide for the measurements.

My revised recipe:

Squash Slaw

2 yellow summer squash
2 zucchini
1 sweet red pepper
1 celery stalk
1 small garlic clove, grated fine (or pressed/minced)
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon "It's a Dilly" by McCormick, or just use dill weed
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon pepper

Shred summer squash and zucchini. Finely chop celery and thinly julienne red pepper. Place in a strainer over a bowl for about 10 minutes. Press down on mixture to release excess juice.
Combine all ingredients and stir. Cover and refrigerate before serving to allow flavors to blend. Serve with slotted spoon.

Frittata Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This was a first for me...

But it won't be the last! I make the same kind of frittata every week and usually I just throw in leftover veggies, some fresh herbs and cheese. When I was making this frittata, somehow I forgot the cheese. I can't image how I could forget cheese, I mean cheese just makes everything taste better.

Well anyway, I figured why not put the cheese on top and then I thought about a grilled cheese. It just all made sense...So I buttered some bread, threw on some swiss cheese, layered on the frittata, added sliced tomato and cooked each side in a skillet until golden brown. It was a thing of joy!

Fresh Corn Salad

Quick & Easy Summer Meal For One

The best way to enjoy the tastes of summer is in salads. Fresh corn on the cob is delicious anyway you eat it, but throw in some cannellini beans for protein, fresh chopped garden tomatoes, kalamata and green olives for zest, fresh lime juice for zing, fresh garden herbs and now you've got a healthy and delicious meal for one.

It's so easy...
Just boil 1 corn the cob for 10 minutes in water with a little salt and sugar covering the corn half way. Drain and set aside. When cool, cut off the kernels and place in a medium bowl.

Add
2 tablespoons of drained and rinsed cannellini beans
1/2 garden tomato (chopped)
3 sliced kalamata olives
3 sliced green olives
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh assorted fresh herbs (parsley, basil, thyme, etc.)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.

Add a dash of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, mix and your done!

Fresh Pesto

Basil Right From The Garden...

My friend Jen's Garden that is. Since she had an abundance of basil, she gave me a big bag full.
I love the smell of fresh basil.

In my opinion, the best way to use fresh basil is to make pesto. It can be used in so many ways, but I decided to make a pasta dish with it.

It was simple, just ditallini pasta, chopped tomato, sliced black and green olives, steamed broccoli florets, steamed sliced carrots and steamed chopped green beans. Cook the pasta, drain, but add a little pasta water to the pesto to make a quick sauce, then toss all ingredients together. Delicious!!

Here is a pesto recipe from Giada DeLaurentiis with some revisions that I made.

Pesto

2 c. packed fresh basil leaves (I used 4 cups)
1/4 cup fresh parsley (This was my addition-I like the combination, plus the parsley helps the pesto retain it's vibrant green color)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (light roast nuts in small skillet until lightly toasted and fragrant)
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
about 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (For the best flavor, use freshly grated Parmigiano Regiano)

In blender, (I used 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.

Dulse

This is a delicacy in Eastern Canada.
It is Canadian Seaweed...aka Dulse.

I think it stinks, both literally and figuratively.

My coworker "Bert" is from Canada and mentioned that he and his whole family love this stuff. He says you can get it at any convenience store in Canada. Last week his sister in-law came to visit and she brought some with her. He was bragging about how great it was to the whole staff. We all couldn't understand what the big deal was.

So low and behold, yesterday morning he presented a ziplock bag which he had stashed in his pocket. Within it contained the beloved "Dulse". I was the first to experience it being the unofficial "office cook".

I had never seen Bert so excited. It was like a child was let loose in the Willie Wonker's Chocolate Factory. He slowly pulled out a piece of the crimson stained seaweed and revealed it to me.

My first instinct was to smell it of course. I took one whiff and nearly lost my all natural grain cereal and soy milk breakfast. It was repulsive. It smelled like he just picked it up off the dirty filth ridden beach shore. Of course, he assured me that during the harvesting, it goes through a cleaning process and was perfectly safe to eat. I had another opinion.

Because I was so reluctant to try it, he immediately tore off a piece and popped it his mouth, chewed it for about 10 seconds and swallowed it down. I noticed when he was tearing it, that it was really "elasticy". I guess that's why he didn't chew it for long.

I'm still laughing just thinking about his demonstration. He really thought it would entice me to try a piece. I had to pass.

Question: Bert would like to know if anyone else has tried dulse and enjoyed it?

Fresh Fruit

This was supposed to be a Napoleon dessert...

But I burned the layers-oops! I had a recipe using phyllo dough to create layers of crisp phyllo, yogurt, cream, blueberries and raspberries. Each layer of phyllo had butter flavored cooking spray and cinnamon sugar sprinkled on the top. I over baked them and they tasted burned and bitter. So I went to plan B.

I had some Vanilla Cinnamon Biscotti in the freezer that I thawed out. I used maple flavored low-fat organic yogurt (Wallaby brand~ it is sooo good!), light whipped cream and amaretto liquor.
I think it turned out great. Yeah for plan B!

Plan B Yogurt Surprise

1/3 cup maple flavored yogurt (or your favorite flavor store brand)
1/3 cup light whipped cream
2/3 cup each of blueberries and raspberries
1 tablespoon amaretto liquor
4 vanilla cinnamon biscotti (or your favorite flavor store brand)

In a small bowl, mix the amaretto into the yogurt and fold in the whipped cream. Place mixture in the freezer for about an hour. Place one scoop of the yogurt mixture into a dessert dish and top with berries. Place the biscotti along the side and add another tablespoon of whipped cream if desired.
Serves 4 (or less if your like me)

Sirloin Burger with Tomato-Corn Salsa

Go Bunless!

I have made history with this post. This is the first time I have ever posted a hamburger! I know, crazy isn't it? Well it is a lot healthier than your average burger. It is 93% lean naturally raised beef sirloin. Plus, I broiled mine instead of frying. (I don't own a grill.)

Since it was kind of heafty for me (it was a little over a quarter pound), I decided to skip the bun and top it with salsa instead. I altered a recipe that I found on the food network website from Sara Moulton for Turkey Burgers with Tomato-Corn Salsa. The salsa was pretty good. My sirloin burger was too!

By the way I served it with the Baked Sweet Potato Fries that I posted a while back.

Sirloin Burgers with Tomato Corn Salsa

Salsa:
12 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped (I used 1 large organic field tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
1/2 cup cooked fresh corn or thawed frozen corn kernels (I used fresh)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I used my own grown Italian parsley)
2 teaspoons olive oil
Additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Burgers:
4 - 1/4 pound 93% lean sirloin burgers
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon grill seasoning
Dash of kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To make the salsa: Toss the tomatoes with the salt and drain in a colander for 15 minutes. Combine the tomatoes, corn, lime juice, garlic, cilantro/parsley, and olive oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.

To make the burgers: Preheat the oven broiler. Season the burgers with the the grill seasoning and salt and pepper. Spray a foil lined baking sheet with the cooking spray and place the burgers on it. Cook for about 3 minutes per side for medium well or to your liking.

Top with salsa and serve immediately.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

A New Spin On Chicken Parm!

First I have to say that this chicken was so fantastic that you don't even notice that it is baked and not fried. Honest.

My inspiration came from Giada DeLaurentiis' Crunchy Parmesan Chicken which I love. She uses buttermilk as a marinade/first coating before dipping the chicken into a parmesan-breadcrumb mixture. It tenderizes and also keeps the chicken moist while it bakes at a very high temperature of 500 degrees.

My spin on this dish is to use chicken cutlets in place of the tenders and swap out the buttermilk for fat-free plain yogurt. The result: Oh my. So Good!

Baked Chicken Parmesan

4 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fat-free plain yogurt (If it is too thick add 1 tablespoon milk or water)
4 boneless skinless chicken cutlets
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups plus 1/8 cup divided, freshly grated Parmesan
3/4 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over each of 2 heavy large lined baking sheets. Place the yogurt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

Stir the 1 1/4 cups of Parmesan and bread crumbs in a pie dish. Remove the chicken from the yogurt (shaking to remove excess) and dredge them in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the chicken and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes.(Flip them half way through cooking for even browning).

Add about 1 tablespoon sauce and about 1 tablespoon of mozzarella on top of each cutlet. Sprinkle each cutlet evenly with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve with pasta if desired.

Product Review...the good, the bad and the ugly!

Go Ahead, Eat it....

I found a new frozen yogurt that I love- Stonyfield After Dark Chocolate Frozen Yogurt. I love it because it tastes good and it's FAT FREE!! Plus it's organic- produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones or toxic pesticides and fertilizers. Yeah!!

It will definately meet your chocolate craving needs without the post chocolate guilt. The cone was even good for me too. It is a natural brand without any preservatives or artificial junk. I can't remember the name right now but I'll post it in the comments if you want to know.