Tomato and Basil Bruschetta or 26 Down.

     Welcome and thank you for checking out my blog, today's dinner is Tomato and Basil Bruschetta.

     Before we go too far I have to clarify that this is an appetizer or snack and not an actual dinner.
     The reason I co-titled this post "26 Down" is to recognise and mark a milestone in this experiment. If you start here and count the number of posts on this blog you will come to a number of 26, if you know that a half a year is 26 weeks you'll quickly realize that I have been posting one dinner every week for the last six months.
     When I started this project all those months ago I really couldn't conceive of reaching the six month mark or even coming up with enough material to carry me through a couple of months. I didn't have a well developed plan and I didn't have a clue what kind of format I wanted to use or what content I was going to be able to come up with. Now six months later I've come up with a format that allows me to post two or three dinners during the first half of the month and crock pot and snack recipes during the last two weeks. A series that I have implemented in the first half of each month is the seasonal posts, if you haven't noticed we are in the middle of grilling season and I am posting a grill recipe during the first half of each month. Other series that I have posted on are the quick and easy series, the restaurant alternative series, and most recently the vegetarian series. As I continue to work on this I am coming up with new ideas that I hope to implement in the next few months.
     So, that is a little information about this blog over the last six months, now let's take a look at a something from the snack series. If you've been following these posts you'll know that I've been putting up a snack recipe during the last week of each month. The inspiration for the snack series came out of a need to bring diet friendly snacks to a Friday night bible study (search: Codename Get Together).
As I tried a few of these snack recipes I realized that they weren't as bland as I thought they would be and I was getting a lot of compliments and requests for the recipes. Tomato and basil bruschetta is generally an appetizer but I've found if I double the recipe appetizers can easily become party snacks. Tomato and basil bruschetta is incredibly easy to make and the name itself is practically a list of the ingredients. You can make and slice your own bread but if you want to keep it quick and simple I recommend that you use pre-sliced Italian bread that can easily be cut into smaller pieces. The problem that I had with the garlic while making a large batch was that rubbing it on the toast became time consuming and tedious, if you are making a normal batch this might not be an issue but if you don't feel that this step is beneficial to the over-all flavor then skip it.
      Let's take a look at today's snack.


                                  Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

Prep time   20 Min.     Cook time   4 Min.     Serves   4

Ingredients

1 medium fresh tomato, ripe or 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. basil, finely chopped

1 tsp lemon zest, grated

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

8 ounces whole-wheat bread, Italian variety, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp black pepper


Instructions

Preheat the broiler.

Combine the tomato, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

Place the bread on the broiler pan and broil 4 inches from the heat, turning once until toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

Rub each bread slice on one side with the garlic, then top each with one generous tablespoon of the tomato mixture. Discard the remaining garlic. Arrange the bruschetta on a platter and sprinkle with the pepper.

This recipe yields 4 servings.


     As I said earlier this is a quick and easy appetizer that is readily upsizeable for parties and get togethers, give it a try with next week's dinner or share it with your friends. If you try this snack check back here and leave a comment to let me know how it worked out.
     Going back to the theme of 26 Down, if there is something that you would like to see in this blog or a food type or subject that you would like addressed please leave a comment and I'll try to make it happen.
     At the beginning of this post I said that I was marking a milestone, something that I didn't mention back then is that the Tuesday that I will be posting this on is also my birthday. So yea!, I'm getting old.


     Next week - Italian Chicken with Potatoes and Peppers or Hold The Pasta.

Mexican-Style Pork and Sweet Potato Stew or The Tour Continues.

     Welcome and thank you for checking out my blog, today's dinner is Mexican-style pork and sweet potato stew.

     Last week I tried to take you on a culinary visit to India, today the tour continues with a jaunt south of the border. Most of us know pork and sweet potatoes in the context of Thanksgiving and Christmas day turkey, honey-baked ham, and sweet potatoes bathed in cinnamon and melted marshmallows but this is a vast departure from all you think you know.
     I first discovered this recipe while looking for crock pot dinners to try out on Thursdays. I was looking for something different than the tomato based and chicken based soups, something different and outside the mainstream crock pot recipes. That's when I found Mexican pork and sweet potato stew. I like to try new foods and I like to challenge myself to make foods that I've never made before. Many of the foods that interest me are ethnic and many have combinations of ingredients that I wouldn't come up with on my own.
     At first thought I couldn't imagine how pork and sweet potatoes could work together but as I thought about it I slowly got it. Pork, with the exception of cultures that have dietary restrictions on it , is everywhere. A good percentage of the dinners that I post here are pork based. Pork is easy to transport, easy to raise, and doesn't take up much space; it's a cheap and plentiful source of protein. Sweet potatoes, don't those belong on my plate right between the turkey and the cranberry sauce? Well think about it, don't sweet potatoes come from Central and South America? Wouldn't it make sense that sweet potatoes made their way into Mexican cuisine long before they ended up on our holiday plates? With this new perspective I decided, sure I'll take the proverbial trip south of the border. The worst that could happen is it doesn't work out and I end up ordering a pizza.
     The moment of truth came as I walked through the front door and I was greeted by that thing I  have started to call "the crock pot greeting", that smell that greets you at the door and tells you that something delicious has been cooking in the kitchen all day long. Ten minutes later we were seated at the table with a freshly ladled bowl in front of us. First taste; this is really good, a nice blend of flavors. Second taste; a nice piece of pork, rich, moist and savory. Third taste; a piece of sweet potato soft and delicious, swimming in flavorful liquids. This new dinner was really good and definitely something I could work into my Thursday night rotation.
     I have gone on long enough, let's jump into today's recipe.


                  Mexican-Style Pork and Sweet Potato Stew

Prep time   20 Min.     Cook time   420 Min.     Serves   4

Ingredients

1 small poblano chile

1 pound lean pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 small onion, chopped

14-1/2 ounces canned diced tomatoes, fire-roasted, undrained

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice


Instructions

Turn on a stove top burner and place poblano chile over open flame (use tongs or a long-handled fork to keep fingers away from flame); carefully turn to char on all sides. Place poblano in a plastic or paper bag; close bag and sett aside for 10 minutes to steam. Rub poblano skin off with your hands under cold running water; core, seed and dice poblano. (Note: if you have an electric range, broil poblano on high 3 inches from burner, turning occasionally until charred on all sides. Follow remaining directions above.)

Place pork in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add broth, sweet potato, onion, poblano chile, tomatoes, cumin, salt and pepper; stir well. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. Add lime juice and stir well.

This recipe yields about 1-1/2 cups per serving.

Note: Turn up the heat by stirring in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of your favorite spicy salsa.
          Serve with a spoonful of fat-free sour cream if desired.


     If you are looking to add some new flavors or something with an ethnic flair this dinner is a great place to start. As I said earlier I have put this dinner into my regular Thursday rotation and I have made it a few times, I recently made it for a potluck and it went over very well. As always, if you try this dinner check back here and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out.


     Next week - Tomato and Basil Bruschetta or 26 Down.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken and Red Onion Skewers with Couscous or Passport- Backyard.

     Welcome and thank you for checking out my blog, today's dinner is Grilled Tandoori Chicken and Red Onion Skewers with Couscous.
    

     As summer rolls on I'm trying to cook on the grill as much as possible.
As I search for diet recipes online I am seeing a pattern of grilled foods with an ethnic flavor. As a person who has seen most of the world and lives in one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the U.S. I tend to tire quickly of hamburgers and hot dogs so I was glad to see a large variety of grilled foods from around the world. One of the recipes that caught my interest was Tandoori chicken and red onion skewers with couscous. Although I can generally say that I like Indian food I really haven't eaten a lot of it and I surely have never tried to make any. I figured this is my chance to try making something new and grill at the same time.
     One reference for tandoori is a tandoor which is an open air, usually wood or charcoal fired, oven used to cook food in a process very similar to grilling.
Another reference for tandoori is the marinade that the meat is marinaded in.
This marinade is usually a yogurt seasoned with garam, masala, garlic, ginger, cumin, and cayenne or other chili powders. In today's recipe the tandoori marinade is made up of yogurt and per-packaged tandoori seasoning. You can find tandoori seasoning in the ethnic section of your local grocery store, it will be in a paste or sauce form and will probably be labeled as garam tandoori or masala tandoori.
You can use either type of seasoning but I do urge you to marinade it for 7 to 8 hours to get the most flavor out of it.
     Another item in this recipe to consider is couscous. Couscous can be found in the same aisle as rice and dry beans and is cooked in a process similar to cooking rice. Also the cucumber-yogurt mixture is a typical Indian side/condiment combination that counters and compliments the heat of most Indian dishes.
suggest you try it in different combinations with the  chicken, onion, and couscous.
     Now that we've dispelled some of the mystique of Indian cooking let's take a look at today's recipe.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken and Red Onion Skewers with Couscous

Prep time   20 Min.     Cook time   9 Min.     Serves   4

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast,  cut into 32 pieces (about 4 pieces per breast)

1 1/4 cups plain fat-free yogurt, divided

2 tablespoons tandoori spice mix

1/2 cup cucumber, diced

3 tablespoons mint leaves, fresh, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 medium red onion, cut into 16 wedges

2 sprays olive oil cooking spray

2 cups cooked whole wheat couscous, kept warm


Instructions

Put chicken, 1/2 cup of yogurt and spice mix in a resealable plastic food storage bag. Seal bag and turn to mix and coat. Place bag on a plate and refrigerate  for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

To make sauce, in a small bowl stir together remaining 3/4 cup of yogurt, cucumber, mint and salt until blended; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat grill. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread chicken and onion wedges onto 8 metal skewers using 4 pieces of chicken and 2 pieces of onion per skewer. (If using wooden skewers soak them in water 30 minutes before use to prevent burning.) Coat chicken and onions with cooking spray.

Grill skewers, turning often, until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 7 to 9 minutes. Serve skewers over couscous with sauce on the side.

This recipe yields 2 skewers, 1/2 cup of couscous and about 1/4 cup of sauce per serving.


     If you haven't ventured far beyond Italian, Mexican, or Chinese foods this is a great and easy place to start. Another item that you might want to add to this dinner is Naan, a flat bread popular in and around the Indian sub-continent.
naan is torn into pieces which are used to pick up small amounts of chicken, onion and couscous and eaten together ala a finger food approach. So I challenge you to get your ingredients together, prep your grill and take your family on a day-trip to India. If you enjoy this dinner I will be posting another Indian dinner in a couple of months. As always, if you try this dinner, check back here and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out.


     Next week - Mexican-Style Pork and Sweet Potato Stew or The Tour Continues.

Eggplant Parmiagana or Semantics.

     Welcome and thank you for checking out my blog, today's dinner is Eggplant Parmigiana.

     As I mentioned a couple of months ago I have been thinking about posting a few vegetarian dinners, today I am going to follow through in that thought with eggplant parmigiana. I know you might be thinking that it can't be vegetarian because it has cheese in it or whatever other issue you can come up with but with all respect I don't care. Quite often I hear people get into arguments over semantics, this means that they agree on everything except how something should be named. A classic example is the debate over pop and soda, but no matter what name you use it's still the same carbonated beverage. I don't care for semantics and more over I don't care to argue semantics.
     With that said I classify vegetarian as food that doesn't contain meat (including fish) and vegan as foods that don't contain anything animal related. If you are a vegetarian or vegan I don't mean to offend you but if you or a vegetarian or vegan you probably haven't been reading these posts anyway. If this dinner does fall within your dietary restrictions I encourage you to try it. If your family and friends are hesitant to try vegetarian food I say don't tell them until after they try it, if they don't like it order pizzas.
     Now that I've given you my opinion on vegetarian-vegan semantics let's take a look at today's recipe.

                                     Eggplant Parmigiana

Prep time   15 Min.     Cook time   35 Min.     Serves   4

Ingredients

1 spray cooking spray

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs, Italian-style

1 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 medium eggplant

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1-1/2 cups canned tomato sauce

1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded


Instructions

Preheat oven to 350f. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.

Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a medium-size bowl; set aside. Remove skin from eggplant and trim of ends; slice eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Dip eggplant into egg whites and then into bread crumb mixture. Bake eggplant on a nonstick cookie sheet until lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once.

Place a layer of eggplant on bottom of prepared baking dish, then add 1/3 of tomato sauce and 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers in the same order. Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, about 10 minutes more. slice into 4 pieces and serve.

This recipe yields 4 servings.


     I don't have a lot of vegetarian recipes in my repertoire but of the ones I do this one is very popular among my family and friends. I like to serve it over whole-wheat capellini. If you try this dinner, check back here and let me know how it turned out.


     Next week - Grilled Tandoori Chicken and Red Onion Skewers with Couscous or Passport- Backyard.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus or Simply Delicious.

     Welcome and thank you for checking out my blog, today's dinner is Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus.

     This recipe is part of my snack series and not an actual dinner. As a snack or appetizer prosciutto-wrapped asparagus is a classic example of the simple and delicious food that I like so much. There are only three ingredients; prosciutto, low fat cream cheese, ans asparagus. The beauty of this snack is the way the ingredients work together. Prosciutto, cream cheese, and asparagus are each vary different flavors and textures but when combined they become more than the sum of their parts. Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham that is thinly sliced and served uncooked, as usual for an Italian artisan meat it is full of flavor and delicious.
Cream cheese is self-explanatory, it tastes great in everything. If you don't believe me try mixing a small amount into a bowl of chili. Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables, I like the flavor and I like the versatility of it.
     The things to consider when making this are first the prosciutto, it is paper thin and tears easily. The way to avoid tearing the prosciutto is to use cream cheese that is at room temperature and has been softened so that it spreads easily. Second, the asparagus, canned asparagus won't work in this recipe because it is too soft and flexible. You should use fresh asparagus that has the woody ends trimmed off and has been blanched. This will give you asparagus that has a firm snap, a delicious taste, and is easy to work with. The third thing to consider when making this snack is the cost. Prosciutto is an expensive item and may deter you from making this recipe but I encourage you to make it at least once.
I'm a little apprehensive to mention it but the double batch of prosciutto-wrapped asparagus in the picture above will run you about $50.
     So now that we've gone over the basics, let's look at today's recipe.

                          Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus


Prep time   10 Min.     Cook time   5 Min.     Serves   20

Ingredients

1/2 tsp salt, for cooking water

1 pound uncooked asparagus, thick spears, ends trimmed (about 20 per bunch)

12 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced into 20 pieces

1/4 cup low fat cream cheese

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/8 tsp black pepper


Instructions

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Fill a large stock pot with water; stir in salt. Set over high heat; bring to a rolling boil. Blanch asparagus just until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes depending on asparagus thickness. Drain; immediately plunge asparagus into ice bath. Let asparagus chill 3 to 5 minutes; place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet to dry.

Lightly spread a dab of cream cheese down center of each prosciutto rectangle; place asparagus stalks across narrow bottom end of prosciutto at a slight angle. Gently wrap prosciutto around asparagus so it covers stalks. Place asparagus on a serving platter; sprinkle with vinegar and season with several grinds of black pepper just before serving.

This recipe yields 1 asparagus per serving.


     This is a wonderfully easy snack that will have all of your friends talking and asking you for the recipe. This snack can be prepared up to a day before serving. Simply cover with a damp paper towel and wrap in plastic wrap.
Garnish with vinegar and pepper just before serving. If you try this recipe come back here and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out.


     Next week - Eggplant Parmigiana or Semantics.

Crock Pot Greek-Style Meatballs and Artichokes or They Do Exist.

     Welcome and thank you for checking out my blog, today's dinner is Crock Pot Greek-Style Meatballs and Artichokes.

     I want to thank you for sticking with me through the last couple of weeks.
It has been very difficult for Ellen and I to adjust to not having Stuart around but the pain is slowly giving way to happy memories. Thank you to all of you who offered your kind words and support, we really appreciate your encouragement.
     Greek style meatballs is one of my Thursday crock pot dinners.
The interesting thing about this recipe is that although I am a big fan of Greek food I have not only never had Greek meatballs, I have never heard of them before I found this recipe. My original thought was that Greek meatballs didn't really exist, they were only a new creation from someones kitchen and the best name they could come up with was Greek-style meatballs. Imagine the expression on my face when I did an internet search and found out that yes, they really do exist. So they do exist and in Greek they are called Keftedes, they have many regional variations and they can be served as an appetizer or as a main course. The biggest differences that I could find between Greek meatballs and Italian or Swedish meatballs are the spices and the sauce. The spices used to make them tend to be a little bitter and the sauce is more like a wine sauce than a tomato based or brown sauce.
The taste is different than what most people would expect from meatballs but like most Greek food it is definitely worth trying. The pairing of Greek meatballs with artichokes and potatoes make a great combination of flavors and textures.
The one thing that you really should be aware of before you start cooking is that artichokes can become mushy if cooked too long. The way to avoid this is by waiting until the last hour to put the artichokes in the crock pot. I don't mix them in but instead I put them on top of the other food and let them steam cook for the last hour.
     Now that you have some background on Greek-style meatballs let's jump into the recipe.

             Crock Pot Greek-Style Meatballs and Artichokes


Prep time   20 Min.     Cook time   360 Min.     Serves   6

Ingredients

cooking spray

1 pound uncooked ground turkey breast

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground sage

8 small new potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled

9 ounces frozen artichoke hearts

1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice


Instructions

Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray.

Season turkey with salt and sage; shape into 1-inch balls. Add turkey to skillet and brown on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove and place in a crock pot.

Add potatoes, oregano, pepper, and broth; cover and cook on high heat for 5 to 6 hours.

Place the frozen artichokes on top of the other ingredients in the crock pot during the last hour of cooking.

About 15 minutes before serving, spoon cornstarch into a cup. Add 1 tablespoon of the crock pot liquid and lemon juice; stir well. Stir into crock pot, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes more.

This recipe yields about 1-2/3 cups per serving.


     This dinner is a great way to break up the monotony on tomato based crock pot recipes and add some new flavors to your cooking repertoire. As always, if you try this dinner check back here and let me know how it turned out.


     Next week - Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus or Simply Delicious.

Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken or Not Today.

     Ladies and gentlemen, my best friend passed away yesterday and I just don't have it in me to write. I'm sorry, hopefully I will get back on track next week.
For now here is this week's dinner.

                                Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken

 Serves   4

Ingredients

cooking spray

1/4 cup chopped green onions

8 ounces presliced mushrooms

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup (2oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp black pepper, divided

4 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350f.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onions and mushrooms; saut'e 10 minutes. Stir in thyme and garlic. Cool 10 minutes; stir in cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Cut a slit through thichest portion of each breast halve to form a pocket. Stuff each with 1/4 cup mushroom mixture. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Place eggs in a shallow dish. place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.Dredge chicken in flour. Dip chicken in eggs; dredge in breadcrumbs.

Heat oil on skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Place pan in oven. Bake at 350f. for 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165f.

This recipe yields 1 stuffed breast half per serving.


     The most important thing about food is sharing it with family, friends, and loved ones. Make sure you take time to enjoy your food and loved ones together.
Thank you for bearing with me during this difficult time.

                                                                Stuart Little Lancaster
                                            27 Jan. 2000                                 6 Jul. 2012


     Next week - Crock Pot Greek-Style Meatballs and Artichokes or They Do Exist.