See the original recipe, including a printable version, here.
I loved this. It was quick, easy, filling, and delicious. It was a tad spicy for the little geeks, but I think that was because my steak seasoning was too peppery. I bought a different brand and will try it next time. If it's still too spicy, I'll try it with seasoned salt instead. I did forget to put in the mushrooms (I bought them and even got them out, dang it!). I will say you should chop the veggies really small. I grated the carrot, but using a food processor would not be overkill because you really don't want your kids (or husband) to even know the veggies are in there. Also, chop the veggies BEFORE you start to brown the meat, b/c it takes less time to brown ground beef than you think, and it takes more time to mince veggies than you think--but maybe that is just b/c I have a shoulder injury right now.
This will go into the rotation with some experimentation by me to cut down the spicy for the little geeks.
Ingredients: 1.25 lbs lean ground beef sirloin
1 tbsp steak seasoning or seasoned salt
1 carrot, minced
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup red bell pepper (I just used a whole one), minced
4 oz mushrooms, minced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Season ground beef with steak seasoning or seasoned salt and cook the meat until it browns. Add the minced veggies to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and add red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Cook 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste to pan, stir to combine, and cover. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered, an additional 5 minutes.
1/2 cup of the filling is only 3 points plus. I served these on toasted whole wheat hamburger buns that were 4 pts each, for a total of 7 points plus, and it was the perfect amount of filling. In the future, I'd probably opt for a lower point bun or even serve the sauce over spaghetti squash.
Showing posts with label easy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Sam's Casablanca Chicken
I love Facebook. I mean, where else can you find out what happened to that person from high school, get parenting advice from an old college friend, AND get recipes from someone you don't often see "in real life." That's where I got this recipe: a facebook friend posted it with thanks to someone I don't know--presumably a friend of hers.
I held onto it for a while because it doesn't seem all that kid-friendly and I wasn't even sure The Big Geek would eat it. Well, as it turns out the little geeks ate the chicken and the noodles, and TBG and I really enjoyed it. By the time everything cooks you don't even realize there is eggplant in it, and the flavors combine to make something pretty darned tasty. I had prepared myself for a struggle at dinner but it turned out just fine.
The other great thing about this recipe is you make it in the crock pot--perfect for long days, because you come home to a prepared meal and only need to boil some noodles or cook some rice to be ready to eat.
Ingredients:
8 skinless chicken thighs (recipe calls for bone-in but I used boneless as it's what I had and it turned out fine)
1 large eggplant (1.5 lbs), peeled and cubed
3/4 lb plum tomatoes, in 1/2 inch chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup red onions
8 marinated sun-dried tomato halves, drained and cut into strips (dried ones are ok if you can't find the marinated ones--mine came in strips so I guessed on the amount)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 large crushed garlic cloves (or the pre-minced kind if you're lazy like me)
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can rinsed & drained chick peas (aka garbanzo beans)
2 Tbsp peanut butter (I must confess I used more than this)
Trim fat from chicken (mine didn't have much). In crock pot, combine eggplant through red pepper flakes and mix well. It will look as if there isn't enough liquid, but there will be when it's finished cooking. Place chicken on top, bone side up (if bone-in). Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours (or on high 2 1/2-3 hours, but I didn't try this). Stir in chick peas and peanut butter. Let stand 5 min. Serve with chopped peanuts as a garnish if desired (I didn't have any so I skipped this, but it would be tasty).
The recipe suggests serving it over egg noodles, which was good, but I also think it would be good with rice or quinoa. This makes A LOT of food. TBG said he thought the chicken should be shredded and mixed in, which you certainly could do if you wanted. I liked being able to make the little geeks plates of chicken and noodles, NOT touching, that they would actually eat. Neither of them would eat the veggie mixture.
Give it a try. I know it sounds weird, but it really is tasty!
I held onto it for a while because it doesn't seem all that kid-friendly and I wasn't even sure The Big Geek would eat it. Well, as it turns out the little geeks ate the chicken and the noodles, and TBG and I really enjoyed it. By the time everything cooks you don't even realize there is eggplant in it, and the flavors combine to make something pretty darned tasty. I had prepared myself for a struggle at dinner but it turned out just fine.
The other great thing about this recipe is you make it in the crock pot--perfect for long days, because you come home to a prepared meal and only need to boil some noodles or cook some rice to be ready to eat.
Ingredients:
8 skinless chicken thighs (recipe calls for bone-in but I used boneless as it's what I had and it turned out fine)
1 large eggplant (1.5 lbs), peeled and cubed
3/4 lb plum tomatoes, in 1/2 inch chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup red onions
8 marinated sun-dried tomato halves, drained and cut into strips (dried ones are ok if you can't find the marinated ones--mine came in strips so I guessed on the amount)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 large crushed garlic cloves (or the pre-minced kind if you're lazy like me)
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can rinsed & drained chick peas (aka garbanzo beans)
2 Tbsp peanut butter (I must confess I used more than this)
Trim fat from chicken (mine didn't have much). In crock pot, combine eggplant through red pepper flakes and mix well. It will look as if there isn't enough liquid, but there will be when it's finished cooking. Place chicken on top, bone side up (if bone-in). Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours (or on high 2 1/2-3 hours, but I didn't try this). Stir in chick peas and peanut butter. Let stand 5 min. Serve with chopped peanuts as a garnish if desired (I didn't have any so I skipped this, but it would be tasty).
The recipe suggests serving it over egg noodles, which was good, but I also think it would be good with rice or quinoa. This makes A LOT of food. TBG said he thought the chicken should be shredded and mixed in, which you certainly could do if you wanted. I liked being able to make the little geeks plates of chicken and noodles, NOT touching, that they would actually eat. Neither of them would eat the veggie mixture.
Give it a try. I know it sounds weird, but it really is tasty!
Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew
Hey look at that--my semester ended and I came here to post a recipe for the first time since September.
Seriously, folks, we've eaten between then and now, I just haven't had the time or energy to post recipes here. Plus I tend to stick to stuff I know how to make when I'm trying to feed the family and complete assignments.
This is one I probably could have used during the semester as it is SO INCREDIBLY EASY. It's a great filling meal that is both good for you and inexpensive, plus it seriously takes about 15 minutes to prepare.
Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 130oz package chicken sausage links, thinly sliced. Be sure to get a flavor everyone really likes, because this will create a lot of the flavor in the stew. I used sun-dried tomato and artichoke because the store was very limited in options, but The Big Geek doesn't care for artichokes so this probably was not the greatest choice. He ate it anyhow.
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (or the pre-minced kind for those of us who might be lazy)
1 19-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed. (aka white kidney beans)
1 14.5 oz can low-sodium chicken broth (or 14.5 oz of broth you made)
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale
Kosher salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, WITHOUT TURNING, until browned (about 3 min). Turn, add the garlic, and cook for 2 min. more.
Add the beans, broth, and tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook over med-high heat.
Meanwhile, cut out the tough stems and center ribs from the kale leaves and discard. Tear into large pieces.
Add the kale to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper.
Serve with crusty bread!
The little geeks did not have this as one has stomach flu and the other is too busy to sit down and eat. My guess is they would eat the sausage but not much else from this meal. I really liked the flavor, I love that you get the nutrition from the kale, and I LOVE how easy this is to throw together. I'll make this again with a variety of chicken sausage TBG will like.
Seriously, folks, we've eaten between then and now, I just haven't had the time or energy to post recipes here. Plus I tend to stick to stuff I know how to make when I'm trying to feed the family and complete assignments.
This is one I probably could have used during the semester as it is SO INCREDIBLY EASY. It's a great filling meal that is both good for you and inexpensive, plus it seriously takes about 15 minutes to prepare.
Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 130oz package chicken sausage links, thinly sliced. Be sure to get a flavor everyone really likes, because this will create a lot of the flavor in the stew. I used sun-dried tomato and artichoke because the store was very limited in options, but The Big Geek doesn't care for artichokes so this probably was not the greatest choice. He ate it anyhow.
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (or the pre-minced kind for those of us who might be lazy)
1 19-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed. (aka white kidney beans)
1 14.5 oz can low-sodium chicken broth (or 14.5 oz of broth you made)
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale
Kosher salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, WITHOUT TURNING, until browned (about 3 min). Turn, add the garlic, and cook for 2 min. more.
Add the beans, broth, and tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook over med-high heat.
Meanwhile, cut out the tough stems and center ribs from the kale leaves and discard. Tear into large pieces.
Add the kale to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper.
Serve with crusty bread!
The little geeks did not have this as one has stomach flu and the other is too busy to sit down and eat. My guess is they would eat the sausage but not much else from this meal. I really liked the flavor, I love that you get the nutrition from the kale, and I LOVE how easy this is to throw together. I'll make this again with a variety of chicken sausage TBG will like.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Chicken, Lemon, and Dill with Orzo
This is another dish I tried during our trip to Oklahoma this summer. I've been waiting for it to be cool enough to make for dinner, and since it's currently 71 I'd say we've hit the right time. The recipe is originally from PBS Everyday Food.
This is quick to toss together (although it needs 40 minutes to cook) and has a nice, lemony flavor. If your kids refuse to eat anything "combined," as mine currently do, then just make the chicken a bit larger and serve it as "chicken and rice." They'll never know. :)
The recipe calls for chicken tenderloins, but I had some boneless, skinless thighs I needed to use instead.
Ingredients:
This is quick to toss together (although it needs 40 minutes to cook) and has a nice, lemony flavor. If your kids refuse to eat anything "combined," as mine currently do, then just make the chicken a bit larger and serve it as "chicken and rice." They'll never know. :)
The recipe calls for chicken tenderloins, but I had some boneless, skinless thighs I needed to use instead.
Ingredients:
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth. I used the broth I made from trash and froze in 1 cup portions.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (I left out 1/4 tsp salt and used salted butter)
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 pound chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch pieces (used chicken thighs, left them whole)
1 pound orzo
2 cups crumbled feta (4 ounces)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup grated Parmesan
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepan, bring broth, 3/4 cup water, butter, salt, and pepper to a boil. Spray 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- While the liquid is coming to a boil, combine chicken, orzo, feta, dill, lemon zest and juice in the baking dish. Pour boiling broth mixture over orzo and stir once to incorporate.
- Bake until orzo is tender and cooking liquid is creamy, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats
I found this as a follower of Polly, Julie, and Julia on Facebook (who now blogs here). My first thought was that someone did this accidentally once and realized it was a super happy accident.
My second thought was "hey, an 8 inch square? I'll double this and make a 9 x 13."
People. Learn from my foolishness. Unless you have GIANT pots or bowls in your kitchen, stick with one batch of these at a time. I ended up kind of "kneading" my marshmallow/butter mixture together with the cereal in the 9 x 13 pan while my daughter and dog happily ate whatever fell over the side/onto the floor.
This is such an easy tweak to the classic recipe and is really worth the effort for the depth of flavor.
4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter
10 ounces mini marshmallows (when I doubled the bag had 16 oz and so that's what I used)
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (plus extra for sprinkling)
6 cups Rice Krispy cereal (6 ounces)
Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan. Again, do NOT TRY TO DOUBLE THIS unless you have a SERIOUSLY GIANT POT for the butter/marshmallow, cereal mixing.
In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute. This took longer than I expected, but it really did go from golden to brown quickly. My butter foamed up (perhaps I was stirring too much) around the time it turned brown, so it took me a while to get a good look at it. It smells divine!
As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.
Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan, pressing firmly and evenly into the edges and corners (I use a sheet of wax paper to make this easier, or you can butter or spray your hands with nonstick spray). This will make fairly "tall" squares.
Let cool and then cut into squares. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
These are seriously delicious. The next time you are making rice krispy treats, try this variation and see if your "customers" notice the richer, delicious flavor.
My second thought was "hey, an 8 inch square? I'll double this and make a 9 x 13."
People. Learn from my foolishness. Unless you have GIANT pots or bowls in your kitchen, stick with one batch of these at a time. I ended up kind of "kneading" my marshmallow/butter mixture together with the cereal in the 9 x 13 pan while my daughter and dog happily ate whatever fell over the side/onto the floor.
This is such an easy tweak to the classic recipe and is really worth the effort for the depth of flavor.
4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter
10 ounces mini marshmallows (when I doubled the bag had 16 oz and so that's what I used)
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (plus extra for sprinkling)
6 cups Rice Krispy cereal (6 ounces)
Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square cake pan. Again, do NOT TRY TO DOUBLE THIS unless you have a SERIOUSLY GIANT POT for the butter/marshmallow, cereal mixing.
In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute. This took longer than I expected, but it really did go from golden to brown quickly. My butter foamed up (perhaps I was stirring too much) around the time it turned brown, so it took me a while to get a good look at it. It smells divine!
As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.
Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan, pressing firmly and evenly into the edges and corners (I use a sheet of wax paper to make this easier, or you can butter or spray your hands with nonstick spray). This will make fairly "tall" squares.
Let cool and then cut into squares. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
These are seriously delicious. The next time you are making rice krispy treats, try this variation and see if your "customers" notice the richer, delicious flavor.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Sandra's Beef and Potato Burritos
One of the many delicious meals we had while visiting family in Oklahoma was Beef and Potato Burritos. The filling is SO DARNED GOOD. Seriously. It's amazingly delicious for how simple it is. Plus, by adding potato, you stretch your ground beef/turkey and save money. What's not to love?
The recipe is originally from Everyday Food (the pbs show, not Rachel Rey).
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 large baking potato
2 Tbsp canola oil (or olive oil)
3/4 lb ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
flour tortillas (whatever size/kind you like)
toppings:
sour cream
shredded lettuce
cheese (Monterey jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend, low-fat is fine)
cilantro
lime
1. Peel potato and cut into 1/2 inch dice.
2. In a large (LARGE) skillet or saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (about 6 min). While that cooks, chop the onion and jalapeno.
3. Add beef/turkey, onion, and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until beef/turkey is thoroughly browned, about 4 min. Add tomatoes and juice, cumin, paprika, and salt. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes.
4. Warm tortillas in skillet (or microwave if you're lazy like me). Fill with beef mixture and desired toppings and fold into a burrito.
Enjoy! This makes quite a bit--we probably had enough for 10 small burritos. The original recipe says it makes 4 large (10 inch tortilla) burritos.
The little geeks are not huge fans of this (yet--I predict in about 10 years they both love it). The big geek and I enjoy it a LOT. Leftover filling is also good with Fritos or other corn chips.
The recipe is originally from Everyday Food (the pbs show, not Rachel Rey).
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 large baking potato
2 Tbsp canola oil (or olive oil)
3/4 lb ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
flour tortillas (whatever size/kind you like)
toppings:
sour cream
shredded lettuce
cheese (Monterey jack, cheddar, or Mexican blend, low-fat is fine)
cilantro
lime
1. Peel potato and cut into 1/2 inch dice.
2. In a large (LARGE) skillet or saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add potato and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (about 6 min). While that cooks, chop the onion and jalapeno.
3. Add beef/turkey, onion, and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until beef/turkey is thoroughly browned, about 4 min. Add tomatoes and juice, cumin, paprika, and salt. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes.
4. Warm tortillas in skillet (or microwave if you're lazy like me). Fill with beef mixture and desired toppings and fold into a burrito.
Enjoy! This makes quite a bit--we probably had enough for 10 small burritos. The original recipe says it makes 4 large (10 inch tortilla) burritos.
The little geeks are not huge fans of this (yet--I predict in about 10 years they both love it). The big geek and I enjoy it a LOT. Leftover filling is also good with Fritos or other corn chips.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
No-Bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter, & Oatmeal Cookies
My sister is the master of no-bake cookies, but since she lives in Oklahoma and I live in California, I haven't had these for a while. When I found this recipe on Brown Eyed Baker's blog post of 36 fabulous recipes for summer, I decided to try it out.
I'm glad I did! Quick, easy, and delicious these cookies can probably be made by anyone with a well-stocked pantry without even requiring a trip to the grocery store. I should say that The Little Geek was NOT a fan of them. I have no idea why, unless it is the texture of the oatmeal in the cookies. Clearly, she is insane.
I think my sister puts raisins in hers. If not, I've absolutely had these with raisins in the past. If you enjoy Raisinettes, you'd probably enjoy that addition. I did not include them as the recipe didn't call for them and I knew I was probably the only person in my house who would enjoy them.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (I used unsalted, but salted is fine)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth is probably best, but chunky would also work)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1. Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper.
2. Add butter through cocoa powder to a 4-quart suacepan and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Let boil for one minute, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
5. Stir in the oats.
6. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto wax-paper lined baking sheets.
7. Cool in refrigerator until set (around 30 minutes).
Enjoy!
I plan to make more of Brown Eyed Bakers recipes this weekend, including the strawberry pretzel squares, Italian chicken salad, Fontina-stuffed bacon-wrapped dates, and cucumuber tomato phyllo cups (if I can find phyllo cups--I am NOT making my own), and spicy crock pot pecans. When our tomatoes ripen and I'm looking for ideas for them, I'm making the panzanella. I'll post as I cook.
Tonight: Flank Steak w/ Orange Sauce!
I'm glad I did! Quick, easy, and delicious these cookies can probably be made by anyone with a well-stocked pantry without even requiring a trip to the grocery store. I should say that The Little Geek was NOT a fan of them. I have no idea why, unless it is the texture of the oatmeal in the cookies. Clearly, she is insane.
I think my sister puts raisins in hers. If not, I've absolutely had these with raisins in the past. If you enjoy Raisinettes, you'd probably enjoy that addition. I did not include them as the recipe didn't call for them and I knew I was probably the only person in my house who would enjoy them.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (I used unsalted, but salted is fine)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
4 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth is probably best, but chunky would also work)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1. Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper.
2. Add butter through cocoa powder to a 4-quart suacepan and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Let boil for one minute, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
5. Stir in the oats.
6. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto wax-paper lined baking sheets.
7. Cool in refrigerator until set (around 30 minutes).
Enjoy!
I plan to make more of Brown Eyed Bakers recipes this weekend, including the strawberry pretzel squares, Italian chicken salad, Fontina-stuffed bacon-wrapped dates, and cucumuber tomato phyllo cups (if I can find phyllo cups--I am NOT making my own), and spicy crock pot pecans. When our tomatoes ripen and I'm looking for ideas for them, I'm making the panzanella. I'll post as I cook.
Tonight: Flank Steak w/ Orange Sauce!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Parmesan Chicken Paillards with Cherry Tomato Sauce
I had chicken breasts defrosted the other night and wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them. I went to Cooking Light's website and searched through their chicken recipes until I found this. I had most of the ingredients (or acceptable substitutes), so I decided to try it.
I'm so glad I did! The chicken is moist and flavorful, and the "sauce" (which is really more like a chutney) is delicious. I ate the leftovers for lunch AND dinner the next day (and I had other options for dinner--I just wanted this)!
4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I made 6)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I doubled this part b/c I wanted to press the mixture into both sides instead of just one as originally suggested)
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (see above)
2 tsp olive oil, divided (basically, EVOO for the pan for every 2 breasts you cook)
cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove (my addition, not in original recipe)
1/4 cup fat=free, less sodium chicken broth (I didn't have any homemade and didn't want to open a can for 1/4 cup, so I used white wine instead)
2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Doing this makes the chicken cook faster (it is thinner) and more evenly (it is the same thickness for the entire piece). Don't skip this. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
2. Combine cheese and flour in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 side of each chicken breast in cheese mixture. I decided to dredge both sides because it is delicious.
3. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breast halves, cheese side down. Cook 2-4 minutes each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining oil/chicken. Remove from pan and keep warm.
4. Coat pan with cooking spray (this is what the recipe said to do and so I did it. However, I don't know why I'd do this step now and not before the chicken. Seems to me you should do it both times). Add onion and saute 1 minute. Add garlic (if using) and saute another minute (be sure to cook the onion a total of 2 minutes). Stir in broth/wine and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Add tomatoes, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp pepper, and oregano. Cook 2 minutes.
Serve each chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and enjoy. This is also delicious the next day!
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar (didn't have any, so used balsamic
I'm so glad I did! The chicken is moist and flavorful, and the "sauce" (which is really more like a chutney) is delicious. I ate the leftovers for lunch AND dinner the next day (and I had other options for dinner--I just wanted this)!
4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I made 6)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I doubled this part b/c I wanted to press the mixture into both sides instead of just one as originally suggested)
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (see above)
2 tsp olive oil, divided (basically, EVOO for the pan for every 2 breasts you cook)
cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove (my addition, not in original recipe)
1/4 cup fat=free, less sodium chicken broth (I didn't have any homemade and didn't want to open a can for 1/4 cup, so I used white wine instead)
2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Doing this makes the chicken cook faster (it is thinner) and more evenly (it is the same thickness for the entire piece). Don't skip this. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
2. Combine cheese and flour in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 side of each chicken breast in cheese mixture. I decided to dredge both sides because it is delicious.
3. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breast halves, cheese side down. Cook 2-4 minutes each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining oil/chicken. Remove from pan and keep warm.
4. Coat pan with cooking spray (this is what the recipe said to do and so I did it. However, I don't know why I'd do this step now and not before the chicken. Seems to me you should do it both times). Add onion and saute 1 minute. Add garlic (if using) and saute another minute (be sure to cook the onion a total of 2 minutes). Stir in broth/wine and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Add tomatoes, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp pepper, and oregano. Cook 2 minutes.
Serve each chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and enjoy. This is also delicious the next day!
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar (didn't have any, so used balsamic
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Ropa Vieja
This is another recipe from that magazine my realtor, Bill, sends to my house. I have to say, it's pretty darned tasty. Next time I make it, I'm going to try to cook the beef in the crock pot. Maybe.
Ingredients:
2 tsp salt, plus more as needed
1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
2 lbs flank steak
1/2 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 cups tomato sauce (I used crushed tomatoes)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 cup vino seco (dry white cooking wine)
lime
1/2 cup peas, for garnish (I left these out)
1/4 cup chopped pimentos, for garnish
Cook the steak:
Combine 1 1/2 quarts water (6 cups), 1 tsp of the salt, and the peppercorns in a large pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the steak, and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook for about 2 hours, until the meat is nice and tender.
Make the sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan (LARGE) over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and bell peppers, and saute for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf, pepper, and remaining tsp of salt, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the vino seco, and continue boiling for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer fo r20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and set aside.
Combine:
Drain the flank steak and let it cool to room temperature on a plate lined with apper towels. Shrid the beef into long strips (it should come apart easily). Season the steak with salt and pepper and add it to the tomato mixture. Stir to coat the meat with the sauce.
Cook over medium-low heat for at least 20-30 minutes, to allow the flavors to come together. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Garnish with peas and pimentos before serving.
Serve with rice and enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 tsp salt, plus more as needed
1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
2 lbs flank steak
1/2 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 cups tomato sauce (I used crushed tomatoes)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 cup vino seco (dry white cooking wine)
lime
1/2 cup peas, for garnish (I left these out)
1/4 cup chopped pimentos, for garnish
Cook the steak:
Combine 1 1/2 quarts water (6 cups), 1 tsp of the salt, and the peppercorns in a large pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the steak, and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook for about 2 hours, until the meat is nice and tender.
Make the sauce:
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan (LARGE) over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and bell peppers, and saute for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the tomato sauce, bay leaf, pepper, and remaining tsp of salt, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the vino seco, and continue boiling for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer fo r20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and set aside.
Combine:
Drain the flank steak and let it cool to room temperature on a plate lined with apper towels. Shrid the beef into long strips (it should come apart easily). Season the steak with salt and pepper and add it to the tomato mixture. Stir to coat the meat with the sauce.
Cook over medium-low heat for at least 20-30 minutes, to allow the flavors to come together. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Garnish with peas and pimentos before serving.
Serve with rice and enjoy!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
WW Creamed Spinach
I'm trying to lose a significant amount of weight, and so am trying to cook more healthy food. (Not sure exactly how Crunken Chicken fits into that, but it is delicious, and I use organic ketchup with no HFCS, so hey, it's healthy, right???) I like creamed spinach, but the last time I made it there was quite a bit of cheese in it.
So I decided to try this WW recipe. As a whole, it wasn't bad. I think it could be improved, but we'll discuss that later.
Ingredients:
2 bags washed spinach, steamed, squeezed dry, and chopped
1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup nonfat milk
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 small garlic clove, minced
Combine cottege cheese, milk, parmesan cheese, garlic, and 1/4 the cooked spinach in a food processor and process until creamy (or in a bowl and use an immersion blender, or you could do this in a regular blender). Place remaining spinach in a skillet over medium heat, add blended mixture, and stir. Cook until heated through.
That's it--pretty easy and not bad tasting.
I would change:
1. (not really a change, but) Make sure you press as much water out of the spinach as possible so that this is not watery.
2. Maybe up the cottage cheese a bit or just cut back on the amount of milk. I really think you could just leave the milk out altogether.
3. I probably used 1 1/2 tbsp of parmesan cheese (I just grabbed some I didn't get out a measuring spoon).
That's about it. Most of my changes focus on making this more creamy and less watery. The flavor was really good, though. Be aware that b/c you process some of the spinach with the cheese, this will be brighter green than normal creamed spinach.
So I decided to try this WW recipe. As a whole, it wasn't bad. I think it could be improved, but we'll discuss that later.
Ingredients:
2 bags washed spinach, steamed, squeezed dry, and chopped
1/4 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup nonfat milk
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 small garlic clove, minced
Combine cottege cheese, milk, parmesan cheese, garlic, and 1/4 the cooked spinach in a food processor and process until creamy (or in a bowl and use an immersion blender, or you could do this in a regular blender). Place remaining spinach in a skillet over medium heat, add blended mixture, and stir. Cook until heated through.
That's it--pretty easy and not bad tasting.
I would change:
1. (not really a change, but) Make sure you press as much water out of the spinach as possible so that this is not watery.
2. Maybe up the cottage cheese a bit or just cut back on the amount of milk. I really think you could just leave the milk out altogether.
3. I probably used 1 1/2 tbsp of parmesan cheese (I just grabbed some I didn't get out a measuring spoon).
That's about it. Most of my changes focus on making this more creamy and less watery. The flavor was really good, though. Be aware that b/c you process some of the spinach with the cheese, this will be brighter green than normal creamed spinach.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Pan Bagnat
Have you ever made something and just KNOWN that it was going to be good? That describes this Pan Bagnat recipe, from Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook (1998). It's currently sitting in my fridge, because it's supposed to be left over night, and I can't WAIT to eat it tomorrow.
2 very ripe tomatoes, peeled
1 8-oz loaf day-old French or Italian bread--the crustier, the better
1/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced (white AND green parts)
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp EVOO
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste.
To peel the tomatoes, cut a small X in the bottom of each tomato skin. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and drop in the tomatoes for 10-15 seconds, just until the skin splits. With a slotted spoon, remove tomatoes to a bowl of cold water. Skins should peel off easily (this is just like blanching/peeling peaches).
Halve each peeled tomato horizontally (around the fattest part--if the part where the stem was is the north pole then you are cutting along the equator). With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and pulp. Dice the tomato shells.
Pull out the soft insides of the bread and tear into pea-sized pieces.
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, bread, cheese, parsley, scallions, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper.
Fill the bread loaf with the tomato mixture (you will have to mush it in). Close the bread and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, cut into 4 pieces.
Makes 4 servings, 4 WW pts per serving (222 calories, 6g fat, 3g fiber).
I can't wait for this to be finished! This summer, when tomatoes are ripe, this may become a staple lunch for me (I doubt The Big Geek would view this as a complete meal). As a child I used to get into trouble for using up all the tomatoes making tomato sandwiches--this is the grown-up version of that!
2 very ripe tomatoes, peeled
1 8-oz loaf day-old French or Italian bread--the crustier, the better
1/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced (white AND green parts)
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp EVOO
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste.
To peel the tomatoes, cut a small X in the bottom of each tomato skin. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and drop in the tomatoes for 10-15 seconds, just until the skin splits. With a slotted spoon, remove tomatoes to a bowl of cold water. Skins should peel off easily (this is just like blanching/peeling peaches).
Halve each peeled tomato horizontally (around the fattest part--if the part where the stem was is the north pole then you are cutting along the equator). With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and pulp. Dice the tomato shells.
Pull out the soft insides of the bread and tear into pea-sized pieces.
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, bread, cheese, parsley, scallions, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper.
Fill the bread loaf with the tomato mixture (you will have to mush it in). Close the bread and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, cut into 4 pieces.
Makes 4 servings, 4 WW pts per serving (222 calories, 6g fat, 3g fiber).
I can't wait for this to be finished! This summer, when tomatoes are ripe, this may become a staple lunch for me (I doubt The Big Geek would view this as a complete meal). As a child I used to get into trouble for using up all the tomatoes making tomato sandwiches--this is the grown-up version of that!
WW Parmesan Turkey Meatloaf
I'm trying to lose a lot of weight, a few lbs at a time, and so have gotten out my Jenny Craig and WW cookbooks to try some old favorites and some new things. This meatloaf was one of those things. I tossed it together yesterday, but had to leave before eating it. I assume The Big Geek liked it since half of it was gone when I got home. I had some, cold, for lunch today, and I have to say I thought it was really good. It's easy, you can put it together ahead of time, and the leftovers are yummy.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
4 slices whole wheat bread, made into fine crumbs (a small food processor is great for this)
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 egg white (recipe says lightly beaten, but I just tossed it in and it was fine)
3 Tbsp ketchup (I like Heinz Organic b/c it doesn't contain HFCS)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves, crumbled
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, 4-5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 and spray an 8 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine all other ingredients. When onion is done, allow to cool slightly (so you don't burn yourself) and mix into turkey mixture.
Shape into a loaf and transfer to loaf pan.
Bake 50-60 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Yum!
Next time I may chop up some celery and add it in with the onions--but don't tell The Big Geek. :)
As written, the recipe is 4 pts per serving (makes 8 servings): 181 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g fiber.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
4 slices whole wheat bread, made into fine crumbs (a small food processor is great for this)
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 egg white (recipe says lightly beaten, but I just tossed it in and it was fine)
3 Tbsp ketchup (I like Heinz Organic b/c it doesn't contain HFCS)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves, crumbled
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, 4-5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 and spray an 8 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine all other ingredients. When onion is done, allow to cool slightly (so you don't burn yourself) and mix into turkey mixture.
Shape into a loaf and transfer to loaf pan.
Bake 50-60 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Yum!
Next time I may chop up some celery and add it in with the onions--but don't tell The Big Geek. :)
As written, the recipe is 4 pts per serving (makes 8 servings): 181 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g fiber.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Chicken Cutlets Milanese with Butter Beans and Gnocchi
I think this came from a Rachel Ray magazine. I'm trying to make some of the recipes I have in my no-cookbook recipe stand, and this was on the list, so we had it tonight. I have to say, I thought it was tasty and easy (and fast), which makes for a good weeknight meal in my book. And it was pretty. I even had The Big Geek take a picture, which hardly ever happens around here.
Salt
Pepper
Two 8-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I cooked 3 breasts, but they were from a package so I don't know their individual weights)
2/3 cup instant polenta or cornmeal
3/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (I believe mine was just Parmesan, but I am not positive. I didn't have quite enough grated so I used shredded for the gnocchi.)
Flour, for dredging (about a handful)
1 large egg
2 Tbsp EVOO, plus more for drizzling (add a Tbsp for every additional breast you cook)
12 oz gnocchi pasta
3 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
One 15-oz can butter beans, drained and rinsed
2 springs rosemary, leaves chopped (or some dried rosemary--maybe 1 tsp?)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I forgot to halve them, then thought, "this would be better if the tomatoes were halved")
2 cups arugula leaves
Juice of one lemon
First, fill a large pot with water and put it on the stove to boil.
While that's warming up, place the chicken breasts on a work survace and, slicking with a knife parallel to the chicken, cut in half to make 4 cutlets. Pound the cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.
On a plate (or in a shallow dish, like a pie plate), combine the polenta with half of the cheese. Fill another plate with flour. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with a splash of water. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set up your assembly line: chicken, flour, egg, polenta mixture, clean plate.
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO over medium-high heat.
Dredge each cutlet in the flour, then the egg, then the polenta mixture.
About this time your water is probably boiling. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water (salt the water).
Place 2 cutlets in the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until crisp and golden, 6 to 7 minutes.
Before these are done, your gnocchi will be floating. Drain them into a bowl and return the empty pasta pot to the stove. Place the butter in the pasta pot and melt over low heat.
While that's melting, remove the first cutlets, add another Tbsp of EVOO, and put 2 more cutlets into the skillet.
Stir the butter beans and rosemary into the melted butter. Add the gnocchi adn remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Flip your 2nd batch of cutlets and, when cooked, remove them from the skillet. If you're cooking more, add another Tbsp EVOO and repeat.
In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the arugula, lemon juice, and a drizzle of EVOO. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, place cutlet on plate. Top with the salad and serve butter beans and gnocchi on the side.
Yum!
This would have been good with white wine. Damn, why am I only just thinking of that??
The little geek and baby geek liked the gnocchi and chicken. Actually, so did The Big Geek. He thought the butter beans were "chalky" and he doesn't like cherry tomatoes. I, however, thought the entire thing was delicious. I'm sure we'll have it again, and they can just pick around the butter beans.
Salt
Pepper
Two 8-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I cooked 3 breasts, but they were from a package so I don't know their individual weights)
2/3 cup instant polenta or cornmeal
3/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (I believe mine was just Parmesan, but I am not positive. I didn't have quite enough grated so I used shredded for the gnocchi.)
Flour, for dredging (about a handful)
1 large egg
2 Tbsp EVOO, plus more for drizzling (add a Tbsp for every additional breast you cook)
12 oz gnocchi pasta
3 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
One 15-oz can butter beans, drained and rinsed
2 springs rosemary, leaves chopped (or some dried rosemary--maybe 1 tsp?)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I forgot to halve them, then thought, "this would be better if the tomatoes were halved")
2 cups arugula leaves
Juice of one lemon
First, fill a large pot with water and put it on the stove to boil.
While that's warming up, place the chicken breasts on a work survace and, slicking with a knife parallel to the chicken, cut in half to make 4 cutlets. Pound the cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.
On a plate (or in a shallow dish, like a pie plate), combine the polenta with half of the cheese. Fill another plate with flour. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with a splash of water. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set up your assembly line: chicken, flour, egg, polenta mixture, clean plate.
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO over medium-high heat.
Dredge each cutlet in the flour, then the egg, then the polenta mixture.
About this time your water is probably boiling. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water (salt the water).
Place 2 cutlets in the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until crisp and golden, 6 to 7 minutes.
Before these are done, your gnocchi will be floating. Drain them into a bowl and return the empty pasta pot to the stove. Place the butter in the pasta pot and melt over low heat.
While that's melting, remove the first cutlets, add another Tbsp of EVOO, and put 2 more cutlets into the skillet.
Stir the butter beans and rosemary into the melted butter. Add the gnocchi adn remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Flip your 2nd batch of cutlets and, when cooked, remove them from the skillet. If you're cooking more, add another Tbsp EVOO and repeat.
In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the arugula, lemon juice, and a drizzle of EVOO. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, place cutlet on plate. Top with the salad and serve butter beans and gnocchi on the side.
Yum!
This would have been good with white wine. Damn, why am I only just thinking of that??
The little geek and baby geek liked the gnocchi and chicken. Actually, so did The Big Geek. He thought the butter beans were "chalky" and he doesn't like cherry tomatoes. I, however, thought the entire thing was delicious. I'm sure we'll have it again, and they can just pick around the butter beans.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Baked Ziti with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Smoked Gouda
In an attempt to make up of our night of consuming melted cheese and chocolate for dinner, I decided to go with a Cooking Light recipe tonight. This is quick and easy and could be prepped ahead of time and then popped in the oven about 20-30 minutes before dinner, plus it contains lots of good stuff. Quantities listed are what the recipe says; quantities in parenthesis are what I actually used.
8 oz uncooked ziti
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper (2 peppers)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomaotes with basil, garlic, and oregano OR 2 cans tomatoes plus Italian seasoning/basil/oregano to taste
4 cups baby spinach (1 bag or approx 12 cups--yes, I know, that seems like a lot, but it wilts and I'm sneaking spinach into my family's diet. It's noticeable, of course, but they don't realize how much of it they're eating)
1 1/4 cups (5 oz) shredded, smoked Gouda cheese, divided. If you don't like the smoke taste you can use regular Gouda, or you can use a different kind of smoked cheese like smoked cheddar, but the smoked Gouda is yummy.
Preheat oven to 375.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil.
Add onion and pepper. Saute 5 minutes. Add garlic to pan, saute 2 minutes or until onion is tender.
Stir in tomatoes (and seasoning if needed) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add spinach, one handful at a time. Cook until spinach wilts and repeat until all desired spinach has been added.
Remove from heat. Add pasta and 1 cup cheese to tomato mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.
Even the Big Geek, who is a huge carnivore, likes this. And, as I said, he has no clue how much spinach he's eating.
Of course, I realized tonight that he also didn't know that ziti was pasta. He acted like he didn't know what I was making when I mentioned the plan for dinner, and then at the table I asked if he remembered having it before.
"Yeah, but you didn't mention the pasta before."
"Ziti IS pasta."
"Oh."
So he learned something, we all had a nice dinner, and everyone ate his or her spinach for the day. :)
8 oz uncooked ziti
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper (2 peppers)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomaotes with basil, garlic, and oregano OR 2 cans tomatoes plus Italian seasoning/basil/oregano to taste
4 cups baby spinach (1 bag or approx 12 cups--yes, I know, that seems like a lot, but it wilts and I'm sneaking spinach into my family's diet. It's noticeable, of course, but they don't realize how much of it they're eating)
1 1/4 cups (5 oz) shredded, smoked Gouda cheese, divided. If you don't like the smoke taste you can use regular Gouda, or you can use a different kind of smoked cheese like smoked cheddar, but the smoked Gouda is yummy.
Preheat oven to 375.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil.
Add onion and pepper. Saute 5 minutes. Add garlic to pan, saute 2 minutes or until onion is tender.
Stir in tomatoes (and seasoning if needed) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add spinach, one handful at a time. Cook until spinach wilts and repeat until all desired spinach has been added.
Remove from heat. Add pasta and 1 cup cheese to tomato mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.
Even the Big Geek, who is a huge carnivore, likes this. And, as I said, he has no clue how much spinach he's eating.
Of course, I realized tonight that he also didn't know that ziti was pasta. He acted like he didn't know what I was making when I mentioned the plan for dinner, and then at the table I asked if he remembered having it before.
"Yeah, but you didn't mention the pasta before."
"Ziti IS pasta."
"Oh."
So he learned something, we all had a nice dinner, and everyone ate his or her spinach for the day. :)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Stovetop Sausage Mac and Cheese
This is a fast, easy, filling recipe that's great for a cold day. It was originally printed in Cooking Light, but I've made a few adjustments (and doubled it, because I like leftovers).
1 package Chicken sausage, chopped. (Package usually contains 4 links--get the flavor you like and adjust other additions to this dish accordingly. As written, any kind if Italian/artichoke/sundried tomato will work.)
2 1/2 cups fat-free milk
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded reduced-fat SHARP cheddar cheese
2/3 cup (about 2 2/3 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz, or 1/2 a package) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
10 cups hot cooked elbow macaronie (about 16 oz uncooked, or 1 box)
Optional (but strongly suggested):
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (not in oil), julienned (if you're lucky, you can find them this way at the store.)
Cook macaroni according to package directions.
While that's cooking, heat a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and saute 4 minutes or until browned.
Combine milk and flour (add 1 Tbsp at a time) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk (or fork). Add milk mixture, spinach, and sundried tomatoes to pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to medium. Stir in cheeses, onion powder, and garlic salt. Cook 3 minutes or until cheeses melt, stirring constantly.
Stir in pasta.
Enjoy!
1 package Chicken sausage, chopped. (Package usually contains 4 links--get the flavor you like and adjust other additions to this dish accordingly. As written, any kind if Italian/artichoke/sundried tomato will work.)
2 1/2 cups fat-free milk
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded reduced-fat SHARP cheddar cheese
2/3 cup (about 2 2/3 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz, or 1/2 a package) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
10 cups hot cooked elbow macaronie (about 16 oz uncooked, or 1 box)
Optional (but strongly suggested):
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (not in oil), julienned (if you're lucky, you can find them this way at the store.)
Cook macaroni according to package directions.
While that's cooking, heat a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and saute 4 minutes or until browned.
Combine milk and flour (add 1 Tbsp at a time) in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk (or fork). Add milk mixture, spinach, and sundried tomatoes to pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to medium. Stir in cheeses, onion powder, and garlic salt. Cook 3 minutes or until cheeses melt, stirring constantly.
Stir in pasta.
Enjoy!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Easy Meatless Manicotti
This dish isn't one I'd serve at a dinner party, but it's a good weeknight meal that couldn't be easier.
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (16 oz) carton fat-free cottage cheese (or low-fat, if you can't find fat-free)
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/4 cup (1 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (8 oz) package manicotti (14 shells)
1 (26 oz) jar fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (or whatever sauce you like)
cooking spray
1 cup water
Pre-heat oven to 375. Spray 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large zip-lock bag, combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella (reserving 1/2 cup of the 2 cups), cottage cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper. Seal the top and mush it around to combine the ingredients.
Pour half the sauce into the bottom of the pan.
Snip of one corner of the bag (not too big a hole), and use the bag like a pastry bag to fill the manicotti. Place them in a single layer over the sauce in the baking dish. You will have exactly enough filling for 14 manicotti, so don't worry about running out.
Top with remaining sauce. Pour 1 cup water into the dish (I like to pour mine into the sauce jar and shake it around first to get all of the sauce out). Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour (or until shells are tender). Let stand 10 minutes before serving (I suggest leaving it covered for 10 minutes, perhaps while your garlic bread toasts, and then uncovering it for another 5-10).
The shells can be a little "al dente" sometimes, but considering that this is the easiest version of Manicotti I've ever seen, who cares? Plus little geeks can help you squish the ingredients in the ziplock, and older little geeks might even like to try filling the shells.
I also like that you put it in the oven and walk away. I use this time to clean my kitchen, usually, but you could do something more fun if you're more creative than me.
Just remember that it takes an hour to bake (plus another 10-15 minutes of "resting") and plan accordingly!
from Cooking Light
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (16 oz) carton fat-free cottage cheese (or low-fat, if you can't find fat-free)
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1/4 cup (1 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (8 oz) package manicotti (14 shells)
1 (26 oz) jar fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (or whatever sauce you like)
cooking spray
1 cup water
Pre-heat oven to 375. Spray 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large zip-lock bag, combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella (reserving 1/2 cup of the 2 cups), cottage cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper. Seal the top and mush it around to combine the ingredients.
Pour half the sauce into the bottom of the pan.
Snip of one corner of the bag (not too big a hole), and use the bag like a pastry bag to fill the manicotti. Place them in a single layer over the sauce in the baking dish. You will have exactly enough filling for 14 manicotti, so don't worry about running out.
Top with remaining sauce. Pour 1 cup water into the dish (I like to pour mine into the sauce jar and shake it around first to get all of the sauce out). Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour (or until shells are tender). Let stand 10 minutes before serving (I suggest leaving it covered for 10 minutes, perhaps while your garlic bread toasts, and then uncovering it for another 5-10).
The shells can be a little "al dente" sometimes, but considering that this is the easiest version of Manicotti I've ever seen, who cares? Plus little geeks can help you squish the ingredients in the ziplock, and older little geeks might even like to try filling the shells.
I also like that you put it in the oven and walk away. I use this time to clean my kitchen, usually, but you could do something more fun if you're more creative than me.
Just remember that it takes an hour to bake (plus another 10-15 minutes of "resting") and plan accordingly!
from Cooking Light
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Quick & Easy: African Chicken-Peanut Soup
This soup is one of my favorites for many reasons, mostly that it's good, quick, and easy. If you have little geeks, prep the veggies while they nap, then throw together dinner about 20 minutes before you're ready to eat. From the ingredients, you might expect this to be spicy, but the peanut calms it down and makes it easy for all the geeks to enjoy. Baby geeks can have sweet potato chunks. ;)
It should be noted that I rarely (if ever) measure the veggies. I just put them in the pot. I put how many of each veggie I use in parenthesis.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled sweet potato (I like a little more, so I usually do 3 sweet potatoes)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (1 pepper)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (1 large breast)
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 tsp cumin
2 (16-oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
2 (15-oz) cans low-sodium chicken & rice soup (I use Healthy Choice)
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
Place large dutch oven coated with cookign spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add vegetables and saute 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients (through the beans). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add peanut butter, stirring with a whisk, and cook 2 minutes.
Enjoy!
I know it sounds weird, but it's REALLY filling and good--perfect for a fall or winter night.
You can alter the vegetables as suits you (although you really should leave the sweet potato and red bell pepper). I've tossed in a can of corn, extra carrots (in addition to the carrots in the pre-made soup), extra celery--whatever you have that you need to use.
Vegetarian option: throw in some extra sweet potato, use veggie & rice soup and vegetable broth. You could also use tofu in place of the chicken if you like.
Yield: 11 1-cup servings
From Cooking Light
It should be noted that I rarely (if ever) measure the veggies. I just put them in the pot. I put how many of each veggie I use in parenthesis.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled sweet potato (I like a little more, so I usually do 3 sweet potatoes)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (1 pepper)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (1 large breast)
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 tsp cumin
2 (16-oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
2 (15-oz) cans low-sodium chicken & rice soup (I use Healthy Choice)
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
Place large dutch oven coated with cookign spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add vegetables and saute 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients (through the beans). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add peanut butter, stirring with a whisk, and cook 2 minutes.
Enjoy!
I know it sounds weird, but it's REALLY filling and good--perfect for a fall or winter night.
You can alter the vegetables as suits you (although you really should leave the sweet potato and red bell pepper). I've tossed in a can of corn, extra carrots (in addition to the carrots in the pre-made soup), extra celery--whatever you have that you need to use.
Vegetarian option: throw in some extra sweet potato, use veggie & rice soup and vegetable broth. You could also use tofu in place of the chicken if you like.
Yield: 11 1-cup servings
From Cooking Light
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Easy Fall Flavors: Maple Glazed Ham, Spicy Creamed Spinach, and Pumpkin Muffins
I tried this last night for the first time, and I have to say it's really darned easy. I plan to make some adjustments to make it a little healthier, but if you have access to a working stove, you can make this in about 20-30 minutes--faster if you have a 2nd cook.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter (original recipe calls for 2. I think 1 is enough--you really just want the flavor, you don't "need" the butter, so maybe 1/2 tbsp would be plenty, or maybe just butter flavored Pam--I have to experiment.)
24-oz ham steak (I had to buy a hunk of ham and slice it--ham steak would be easier if you can find it), cut into 4 pieces
2 Tbsp maple syrup (REAL syrup only!!!)
2 bags spinach (recipe calls for 1, but I think it needs 2 and then each serving would be fewer calories)
4 oz pepper jack cheese, grated (if you can find low-fat, yay for you--you could also use monterey jack but then it won't be spicy, which may be a bonus for those of you with little geeks)
4 oz Neufchâtel cheese (or regular cream cheese if you don't care about fat)
salt and pepper
First, get all your ingredients ready and place them near the stove. You will be happy you did this later because it will make things easier.
Fill a large skillet with about 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add spinach and cook until the spinach wilts (2-3 minutes, possibly longer for 2 bags). You may need to add one bag at a time if you do 2 bags.
While that cooks, melt the butter in a skillet. Brown ham in the skillet (a couple minutes on each side).
Between ham-turning, drain the spinach in a colander, pressing out extra water. Return to skillet over medium heat and add both cheeses, stirring until melted whenever you aren't flipping pieces of ham. Once cheese is melted, add salt and pepper to taste, stir, cover, and keep warm.
When both sides of ham are browned, drizzle with maple syrup, turning pieces to coat. (You might have to cook the ham in batches and then return it to the skillet for this step, depending on the size of your skillet.)
Serve and enjoy!
If you're going to make this for dinner, I strongly suggest making pumpkin muffins earlier that day. If you use them to sop up the extra sauce in the ham skillet after everyone else is done eating and has left the kitchen, you will not be sorry, and no one will know.
Unless, of course, you post about it in a blog. . .
Anyhow, there are zillions of pumpkin muffin recipes, but this one is the easiest EVER. You probably already know about it, but here it is just in case.
You need:
1 box spice cake mix (if you can't find it, you can use yellow or white and just add some pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon/nutmeg/ground cloves in pinch).
1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
Mix pumpkin and cake mix until well combined. Spoon into prepared muffin tin (spray it with cooking spray or use cupcake liners). Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.
Great for those with egg allergies!
The Big Geek and I enjoyed this. The little geek currently announces she doesn't like everything before she even tastes it, so I don't know if I trust her reaction. She does like the muffins, as does the baby geek.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter (original recipe calls for 2. I think 1 is enough--you really just want the flavor, you don't "need" the butter, so maybe 1/2 tbsp would be plenty, or maybe just butter flavored Pam--I have to experiment.)
24-oz ham steak (I had to buy a hunk of ham and slice it--ham steak would be easier if you can find it), cut into 4 pieces
2 Tbsp maple syrup (REAL syrup only!!!)
2 bags spinach (recipe calls for 1, but I think it needs 2 and then each serving would be fewer calories)
4 oz pepper jack cheese, grated (if you can find low-fat, yay for you--you could also use monterey jack but then it won't be spicy, which may be a bonus for those of you with little geeks)
4 oz Neufchâtel cheese (or regular cream cheese if you don't care about fat)
salt and pepper
First, get all your ingredients ready and place them near the stove. You will be happy you did this later because it will make things easier.
Fill a large skillet with about 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add spinach and cook until the spinach wilts (2-3 minutes, possibly longer for 2 bags). You may need to add one bag at a time if you do 2 bags.
While that cooks, melt the butter in a skillet. Brown ham in the skillet (a couple minutes on each side).
Between ham-turning, drain the spinach in a colander, pressing out extra water. Return to skillet over medium heat and add both cheeses, stirring until melted whenever you aren't flipping pieces of ham. Once cheese is melted, add salt and pepper to taste, stir, cover, and keep warm.
When both sides of ham are browned, drizzle with maple syrup, turning pieces to coat. (You might have to cook the ham in batches and then return it to the skillet for this step, depending on the size of your skillet.)
Serve and enjoy!
If you're going to make this for dinner, I strongly suggest making pumpkin muffins earlier that day. If you use them to sop up the extra sauce in the ham skillet after everyone else is done eating and has left the kitchen, you will not be sorry, and no one will know.
Unless, of course, you post about it in a blog. . .
Anyhow, there are zillions of pumpkin muffin recipes, but this one is the easiest EVER. You probably already know about it, but here it is just in case.
You need:
1 box spice cake mix (if you can't find it, you can use yellow or white and just add some pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon/nutmeg/ground cloves in pinch).
1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
Mix pumpkin and cake mix until well combined. Spoon into prepared muffin tin (spray it with cooking spray or use cupcake liners). Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.
Great for those with egg allergies!
The Big Geek and I enjoyed this. The little geek currently announces she doesn't like everything before she even tastes it, so I don't know if I trust her reaction. She does like the muffins, as does the baby geek.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Christina's Easy Cheesy Garlic & Rice
My friend Christina shared this recipe, and I've made it twice so far. This is my adapted version, which is a big hit with all the geeks and is so easy that I'll probably make it often, even though it's not exactly diet-friendly. I did what I could to move it that direction. :)
1 jar Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan sauce (I've also used a store brand, which was ok)
1 can petite diced tomatoes, NOT drained
1 can chicken broth
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken (original recipe calls for 1 can, but I like using leftovers)
1 cup uncooked brown rice (original recipe calls for long grain)
2 cups shredded 2% Italian-blend cheese (or full-fat)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes covered. Remove from oven, uncover, stir, and cook for an additonal 10-15 minutes (brown rice takes longer--sample some when you take it out and decide how long it needs at that point). If you want to be "fancy" you can save about 1/4 cup of the cheese and sprinkle it on the top at that point, or just sprinkle some additional parmesan or something.
The original recipe said to cook "until the top is brown and bubbly," but mine never got to that point (perhaps b/c of the 2% cheese). The first time I made it it cooked for absurdly long before I finally just tasted it and decided it was actually done.
This has to be the easiest casserole ever, and it takes about 5 minutes to throw together and then you can just walk away from it for 45 minutes. AWESOME for those nights when you just.can't.do.anything.else. Add a salad and you're good, and the leftovers are yummy the next day. Plus you can use up some leftover chicken.
1 jar Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan sauce (I've also used a store brand, which was ok)
1 can petite diced tomatoes, NOT drained
1 can chicken broth
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken (original recipe calls for 1 can, but I like using leftovers)
1 cup uncooked brown rice (original recipe calls for long grain)
2 cups shredded 2% Italian-blend cheese (or full-fat)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes covered. Remove from oven, uncover, stir, and cook for an additonal 10-15 minutes (brown rice takes longer--sample some when you take it out and decide how long it needs at that point). If you want to be "fancy" you can save about 1/4 cup of the cheese and sprinkle it on the top at that point, or just sprinkle some additional parmesan or something.
The original recipe said to cook "until the top is brown and bubbly," but mine never got to that point (perhaps b/c of the 2% cheese). The first time I made it it cooked for absurdly long before I finally just tasted it and decided it was actually done.
This has to be the easiest casserole ever, and it takes about 5 minutes to throw together and then you can just walk away from it for 45 minutes. AWESOME for those nights when you just.can't.do.anything.else. Add a salad and you're good, and the leftovers are yummy the next day. Plus you can use up some leftover chicken.
Horeseradish Beef Strudel
This was easier than I thought it would be, and you could prepare the filling in advance and toss it together at the last minute. It worked out well for me tonight because I could assemble them while The Big Geek did baths, then put the baby geek to bed while they cooked, and then come out for dinner with The Big and little geeks.
TAKE THE PUFF PASTRY OUT OF THE FREEZER TO THAW about 40 minutes before you start cooking. If you're like me and forget anyhow, you can try what I did and stick it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it seems thawed enough to roll out.
I believe this came from a Rachel Rey magazine.
1 lb baking potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 2-3)
2 Tbsp butter (you could use evoo if you wanted)
1 small-medium onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 cup sour cream (light is fine)
2-3 Tbsp prepared horseradish
salt and pepper
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, beaten with a splash of water
Preheat the oven to 400. While it's heating, add the potatoes to a large saucepan and add enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil adn cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, then mash in a large bowl.
While the potatoes are cooking, melt butter (or heat oil) in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Transfer onions to mashed potatoes (or bowl for potatoes if they aren't done yet). Add the beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up, over medium-high heat until barely pink, about 5 minutes. Stir the beef, sour cream, and horseradish into the mashed potatoes and onion, season with salt and pepper.
On a floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out 1 sheet puff pastry into an 11 x 15 rectangle. Spread half of the meat mixture in the center, covering 2/3 of the surface and leaving a 1-inch border along the long ends. Fold in the borders on the long ends and, beginning from a short end, roll up to enclose. Or you can do what I did and leave slightly more pastry on the edges, fold the sides up to enclose, and then roll up the ends.
Transfer, seam side down, onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
I thought this was pretty good, although it could have used more horseradish for my taste. Next time I may make one (for the small geeks) and then add more horseradish to taste to the rest of the filling to make one for The Big Geek and myself.
The Big Geek dipped his in A-1 (I give up). The little geek ate a few bites and then had salad and leftover mac 'n cheese from lunch. I'm betting the baby geek would have eaten it--we'll find out tomorrow as I've got an entire "strudel" left.
Probably not that healthy, but not awful and very quick/easy.
TAKE THE PUFF PASTRY OUT OF THE FREEZER TO THAW about 40 minutes before you start cooking. If you're like me and forget anyhow, you can try what I did and stick it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it seems thawed enough to roll out.
I believe this came from a Rachel Rey magazine.
1 lb baking potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 2-3)
2 Tbsp butter (you could use evoo if you wanted)
1 small-medium onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 cup sour cream (light is fine)
2-3 Tbsp prepared horseradish
salt and pepper
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, beaten with a splash of water
Preheat the oven to 400. While it's heating, add the potatoes to a large saucepan and add enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil adn cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, then mash in a large bowl.
While the potatoes are cooking, melt butter (or heat oil) in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Transfer onions to mashed potatoes (or bowl for potatoes if they aren't done yet). Add the beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up, over medium-high heat until barely pink, about 5 minutes. Stir the beef, sour cream, and horseradish into the mashed potatoes and onion, season with salt and pepper.
On a floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out 1 sheet puff pastry into an 11 x 15 rectangle. Spread half of the meat mixture in the center, covering 2/3 of the surface and leaving a 1-inch border along the long ends. Fold in the borders on the long ends and, beginning from a short end, roll up to enclose. Or you can do what I did and leave slightly more pastry on the edges, fold the sides up to enclose, and then roll up the ends.
Transfer, seam side down, onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Brush with the beaten egg. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
I thought this was pretty good, although it could have used more horseradish for my taste. Next time I may make one (for the small geeks) and then add more horseradish to taste to the rest of the filling to make one for The Big Geek and myself.
The Big Geek dipped his in A-1 (I give up). The little geek ate a few bites and then had salad and leftover mac 'n cheese from lunch. I'm betting the baby geek would have eaten it--we'll find out tomorrow as I've got an entire "strudel" left.
Probably not that healthy, but not awful and very quick/easy.
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