Recipe(tried): What A Week!

This was a very diverse week and yes we did have scallops two times but in completely different dishes. I have some in the freezer downstairs and want to use them up. Everything this week was absolutely delicious. You won't go wrong trying any of them.


Saturday Night Dinner


* Exported from MasterCook *

Pasta with Scallops, Porcini Mushrooms &Cream

Recipe By : Adapted from From Biba's Italian Kitchen by Biba Caggiano
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Special Pasta Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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Homemade pasta -- prefer. Fettucine
SAUCE
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms -- hydrated*
2 tablespoons unsalted butter -- * see note
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound sea scallops**
1 garlic clove -- minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream***
salt -- to taste
2 tablespoons parsley -- chopped


For the sauce: Strain the porcini mushrooms and reserve the soaking water. Rinse the mushrooms well under cold running water and chop the roughly. Line a strainer with two paper towels and strain the mushroom water into a bowl to get rid of the sandy deposits. Set aside.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the scallops and saute until they are lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and the porcini mushrooms, and stir for about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, the wine, and the cream, and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced by half and has a medium-thick consistency, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off under the skillet.

Meanwhile, for the pasta:bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the fettucine (if using fresh fettucine). Cook, uncovered, over high heat until the pasta is tender but still a bit firm to the bite. Drain the pasta and place it in the skillet with the sauce. stir in the parsley and toss everything quickly over low heat until the pasta and the sauce are well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.

If using dry pasta, like I did, follow package directions and cook untiil al dente. When al dente, remove from pot and put in the skillet and cook the pasta the way Biba says to. Finish the dish the way it says in the previous directions for fresh pasta.

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NOTES : * I used Corman's Light Butter and I sauteed the scallops in the olive oil first. Then I added the Light Butter after they had cooked a little. Package says not to use for sauteeing or frying.

** I didn't have sea scallops so I used bay scallops. That is what I had in the freezer.

*** I didn't use heavy cream. I used light cream and it didn't thicken as well. But the starch in the pasta water that clung to the pasta helped to thicken the pasta dish. I also added a touch of butter which also helped to thicken it a bit. Also added a bit more fat but I felt with all the fat already in the dish, a little more wasn't that bad.
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Sunday Night Dinner - leftovers
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Monday Night Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Corn Tamale Pie

Recipe By : Adapted from So Fat, Low Fat, No Fat by Betty Rohde
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:20
Categories : Vegetarian Days

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 16 ounce car fat free cottage cheese
1 can shoepeg corn -- or 16 oz. pkg frozen
3 green onions -- chopped
4 egg whites -- at room temperature
2 14 ounce can mexican-style stewed tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8" square glass baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend. Mix in the cottage cheese, then the corn and green onions.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold the whites into the cornmeal mixture in two additions.

Transfer the batter to the prepared dish. Bake until the top is golden and feels firm in the center, about 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

While the tamale pie is baking, make a tomato sauce. Boil the stewed tomatoes uncovered in a heavy saucepan until reduced to sauce consistency, about 10 minutes.

Cut the tamale pie into squares and leave in baking dish. Spoon tomato sauce over and serve.

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NOTES : I also added 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced and 1/2 teaspoon homemade mild chili powder for seasoning. I find the recipes in the So Fat...books lack a lot of seasoning and are bland. They leave out the salt because it makes us retain water and you don't want to retain water when dieting but it also makes the recipes bland.

I garnished with some fat free sour cream and some chopped jalapenos and some baby tomatoes. 0 grams of fat per serving.
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Tuesday Night Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Garlicky Beef Enchiladas

Recipe By : Adapted from Farm House Cookbook
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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THE BEEF
1 pound ground beef -- 7% fat
1 whole head garlic -- roasted
1 teapoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
FOR THE SAUCE
2 10 ounce can RO-TEL tomatoes w/chiles -- with juices
6 jalapeno peppers -- stemmed w/seeds
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion -- peeled & diced
4 cloves garlic -- peeled & minced
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 cup cilantro leaves, whole -- gently packed
FOR FINISHING
8 flour tortillas
2 cups low fat cheddar cheese -- shredded
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, whole -- for garnish

FOR THE BEEF: Spray a nonstick pan with some cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. When hot, saute the beef until it loses the pink color. About mid-way, add the roasted garlic, both chili powders and the salt. Cook over medium heat for a few more minutes, making sure that the beef is thoroughly cooked. Take out of the pan and put on paper towels to take out some of the fat. Wipe out the pan. Add a little more spray.

Heat the same pan over medium heat. When hot, saute the onion until soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes*, hot peppers. When the tomatoes have lost some of their body, add the garlic, the vinegar. Let it cook for 5 more minutes. Take off heat. Add cilantro leaves. Let cool a bit. When a little cool, take an immersion blender and puree the sauce. Put in a large bowl and set aside.

FOR FINISHING: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take a tortilla and dip it into the tomato sauce. (If the tomato sauce is too thick, add a little broth or water to thin it out. It shouldn't be too watery, but it should be liquid enough to dip the tortilla into it). Place one-eighth of the beef mixture in the center of the tortilla, then top with a handful of cheese. Roll the tortilla up and place it, seam side down, in an 8-1/2"x14" baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. If all the tortillas don't fit in the dish, use a smaller one to hold the excess.

Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, top with the remaining cheese, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until the cheese has melted and the enchiladas are heated thruogh, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve garnished with cilantro, if desired.

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NOTES : This is a recipe that I adapted. The original recipe called for poaching a chicken and then shredding the meat. I didn't have the time to do this. I had some leftover beef in the freezer. I decided to use it instead. I also had a ton of frozen roasted garlic (yes, it freezes very well).

The original recipe is from a woman named Mary Navrette of the Christopher Ranch in Gilroy, CA - the largest garlic farm in the garlic capital of the world. It is delicious the way she makes it but this came out utterly fantastic with all my changes to the recipe.

Served with:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Creamy Roasted Garlic Rice

Recipe By : Unknown Internet Site
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 heads fresh garlic
olive oil
3 cups cooked brown rice -- warmed
1/4 cup butter -- or margarine, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream -- whipped
salt -- to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rub head of garlic with olive oil, wrap loosely in foil and place on baking sheet. Bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Garlic will be properly roasted when it is lightly browned, soft and smells deliciously sweet.

Squeeze pulp out of skins and stir into warm rice. Add butter, sour cream and heavy cream. Stir to blend.

Season with salt to taste. May be served at room temperature or chilled.

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Wednesday Night Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Rainforest Cafe Rasta Pasta

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 box bow tie pasta -- 8 ounces
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 cup broccoli florets
1 medium red pepper -- roasted
1 cup grilled chicken -- sliced into 1/2" wide pieces
1 cup prepared Alfredo sauce
1/8 cup prepared basil pesto
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Drain well and set aside.

3. In a 10" saute' pan, sautee garlic in olive oil.

4. Add spinach, broccoli, red pepper and grilled chicken; toss to combine.

5. Stir in Alfredo sauce and pesto; simmer an additional 5 minutes.

6. Reheat pasta if necessary under hot running water in a strainer; pour into a pasta bowl.

7. Pour Alfredo sauce mixture over bow ties.

8. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and Parmesan.
Yields 2 servings. Served with breadsticks.
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Thursday Night Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Black Bean Chili with Eggplant

Recipe By : Dean & DeLuca Cookbook by Rosengarten/Dean/DeLuca
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Chilis & Stews

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 1/2 pounds eggplant -- unpeeled, stemmed
-- cut in 1" cubes
salt -- for sprinkling
5 dried New Mexican red chiles**
3 cups water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small red onions -- finely chopped
4 garlic cloves -- minced
1 28 ounce can plum tomatoes -- drained & chopped
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
2 cups cooked black beans
Accompaniments:
shredded white cheddar
red onions -- finely diced
cilantro -- coarsely chopped

Place the eggplant cubes in a strainer and sprinkle generously with salt. Let stand 1 hour and pat dry with paper towels.

Simmer the chiles and the 3 cups of water in a large saucepan for 20 minutes. Puree the chiles and their liquid, in batches, in blender until very smooth. Force the puree through a fine sieve and discard teh solids.

MY LOWER FAT CHANGE:
Preheat a 375 degree oven. Spread the eggplant cubes out on a baking sheet sprayed with some cooking spray. Spray a little on top of the eggplant cubes too. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Then turn the cubes over and roast for another 10 minutes.

Bake to original recipe:
Heat oil in a large, heavy Dutch oven over moderately high heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring, until slightly golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove eggplant and drain on paper towels.* Set aside. Wipe out the dutch oven and then put the onions and garlic in. Saute, spraying a little more non-stick cooking spray (take the pot off the heat first and away from the stove top). Stir and cook for another 4 minutes.

Add tomatoes, ground coriander, cumin, bay leaf, eggplant, and chili puree, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add beans, and simmer over moderate heat for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove the bay leaf. Place in bowls and top with cheese, onions and cilantro.

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Suggested Wine: Mexican beer (Dos Equus)
Serving Ideas : over white rice

NOTES : * This and the rest of the directions in this paragraph are my own adaptation to lower the fat content of this recipe. The directions go back to the original in the next paragraph.

** The recipe calls for 15 New Mexican red chiles. I didn't have. I also thought that was quite too many for my family. So, even though New Mexicans aren't that hot, I used what I had and used quite a few less. I used 2 pasillas and 1 ancho. I feel it could have used one or two more of the anchos. It was delicious even this way but it could have used more heat.
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Friday Nights Dinner

* Exported from MasterCook *

Prawns in Chile-Bean Sauce

Recipe By : Hot & Spicy Southest Asian Dishes by DeWitt/Wilan/Stock
Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Stir-Fries

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 pound prawns or large shrimp -- shelled & deveined*
1 clove garlic -- crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger -- finely ground
2 teaspoons dry sherry -- or rice wine
2 thai chiles -- seeded & chopped
1 serrano or jalapeno pepper -- seeded & chopped
1 tablespoon fermented black beans -- soaked
1 teaspoon chinese chili paste -- or more to taste
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil -- or canola oil
Green onion tops -- for garnish

Place the prawns in a bowl and mix in the garlic and the salt. Add the ginger and sherry, mix well, and allow to marinate while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Place the chiles in a bowl. Rinse the black beans and drain, then crush or chop them finely and place in the bowl with the chiles. Add the chile paste and hoisin sauce. Set aside.

Next, pour the oil into a heated wok. Stir-fry the chile mixture for 2 minutes, then moev it to the side of the wok and add the prawns. Fry the prawns over high heat until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Move the prawns to one side and add a little more oil, about half a tablespoon. return the chile-black bean mixture to the oil and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then mix the prawns into the sauce and fry for a few seconds until coated with the black bean mixture. Garnish with green onion tops and serve at once.

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Serving Ideas : White rice

NOTES : Heat scale: medium

* I used bay scallops instead of prawns and it was delicious. Just stir-fry them for 1 minute then remove them and follow the rest of the directions. Add them in when it says to and stir for just a moment. Bay scallops cook very quickly and can get over-cooked.

I used canola oil instead of peanut oil because my son is allergic to peanuts. I used chile paste instead of chili sauce as most people can only find the heinz version and it is definitely not the same.

Remember to soak the fermented black beans for awhile to soak out some of the salt. If you put them in without soaking them, the dish will be too salty. Believe me - I know from where I speak. I've done it.

Serve with white rice and other oriental-style dishes.
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