Lemon Cloud with Strawberry-Mint Compote

Cloud:

·         Cooking spray 

·         3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 

·         1 tablespoon cornstarch

·         1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 

·         6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

·         2 large egg yolks 

·         4 large egg whites 

·         Dash of salt

Compote:

·         2 cups quartered small strawberries 

·         2 tablespoons sugar 

·         1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1.     To prepare cloud, preheat oven to 350°.

2.     Lightly coat a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar, shaking out excess. Place dish on a baking sheet.

3.     Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Stir in lemon rind, juice, and egg yolks. Place over medium heat; cook for 3 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; immediately scrape mixture into a glass bowl. Cool to room temperature.

4.     Place egg whites and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 30 seconds or until foamy. Increase mixer speed to high. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating just until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Spoon into prepared dish. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Remove from oven, and cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Cover and chill.

5.     To prepare compote, combine strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and mint; toss gently. Cover and chill. Serve with lemon cloud

EASY ROASTED ASPARAGUS
 1 bunch Asparagus
 4 Tablespoons (up To 5 Tablespoons) Olive Oil
Kosher Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

 Preheat oven to 425 degrees. After you wash the asparagus thoroughly, stack a bunch together and lop off the tough/thick bottom an inch or so. Spread out the asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pat it as dry as you can, as you don’t want any water to “steam” the asparagus in the oven. Begin by generously drizzling olive oil all over the asparagus and then sprinkle the asparagus generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast the asparagus for about ten minutes. The secret here is for the oven to be very hot so the asparagus can begin to brown on the outside without overcooking and getting too flimsy. You want the finished asparagus to still have a bite to it. Enjoy!

 Spanish Salad of Oranges, Fennel, Red Onion, and Mint

 • 2 cups thinly sliced red onion (about 1 large)
 • 3 large navel oranges (about 5 pounds)
 • 3 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 1 pound)
 • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 3 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
 • 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
 • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
• 4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
 • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
 • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 Place thinly sliced red onion in a medium bowl; cover with ice water, and soak 15 minutes. Drain well.  Carefully remove rind and white pithy part of rind from oranges; discard rind and pith. Cut each orange in half vertically; remove white pithy core portion, and discard. Cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, reserving about 1/3 cup juice for dressing. Layer red onion, thinly sliced fennel, and orange evenly in a bowl or on a platter, and sprinkle with fresh mint leaves. Combine reserved juice, plain fat-free yogurt, juice concentrate, and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk to combine. Drizzle evenly over salad; serve immediately.

March 17th 2012

Italian Panzanella Salad - Tuscan Bread Salad


Ingredients:

4 cups stale (1 to 3 day-old bread) Italian-style bread, cut into 1/2" cubes*
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 anchovy fillets, diced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup good-quality aged Balsamic Vinegar or red wine vinegar**
2 cups fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced***
1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 cup red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup diced red peppers
1/4 cup diced yellow peppers
1/4 cup Kalamata or Nicoise olives, pitted
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepperto taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes on a large baking sheet in a single layer; dry in oven approximately 10 minutes.

Using a mortar and pestle, mash the capers, garlic and anchovies until you have a smooth paste. Place in a large bowl.

Whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar into the anchovy paste until combined. Add the toasted bread cubes and toss thoroughly. Add tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, red peppers, yellow peppers, olives, basil, coarse salt, and pepper. Toss the ingredients gently to coat; let stand for at least a half-hour

Panzanella can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for several hours. Remove from refrigerator an hour or so before serving and bring to room temperature. Before serving, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

Makes 12 cups. 

 Strawberry Parfaits

• 4 cups sliced strawberries, divided $
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• 1/4 cup granulated sugar $
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• 1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese $
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• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened $
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• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup amaretti cookie crumbs (about 8 cookies)
• 1/2 cup frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

1. Place 2 cups of strawberry slices and granulated sugar in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Set strawberry puree aside.
2. Combine ricotta and next 4 ingredients (ricotta through vanilla) in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Spoon 2 tablespoons cookie crumbs into each of 4 parfait glasses. Top each portion with 2 tablespoons strawberry puree, 1/4 cup strawberry slices, and 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture; repeat the layers. Drizzle the remaining strawberry puree over each serving. Chill for 2 hours. Top each parfait with 2 tablespoons whipped topping and 1 1/2 teaspoons almonds. 

 

Kale and Quinoa Pilaf 

 
1. 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 
2. 1/2 cup chopped onion 
3. 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot 
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4. 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 
5. 2 garlic cloves, minced 
6. 2 teaspoons curry powder
7. 1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic
8. 1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
9. 6 cups torn kale
10. 2 cups cooked brown rice 
11. 1 cup cooked quinoa
12. 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
13. 1 tablespoon soy sauce
14. 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
 

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add curry, chili paste, and ginger; sauté 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Serve at room temperature.

Cara Cara Orange Salsa

Courtesy of customer: Beth Hair

2  Cara Cara oranges, zested and juiced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1  Cara Cara orange, peeled, segmented and diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced

1 Tbsp. onion, finely diced

1 tsp. peppers diced

4 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and freshly Ground Pepper to taste

Roasted Cauliflower Risotto

• 1 head cauliflower, florets cut into 1/2-inch pieces, stems chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups short-grain Italian rice (such as arborio or vialone nano)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 ounces Italian fontina cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Toss the cauliflower florets with 1 tablespoon olive oil on a baking sheet. Spread in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Roast on the upper oven rack, 5 minutes. Add the almonds and roast until the cauliflower is tender, about 15 more minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the onion and cauliflower stems and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth, 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt; cover and bring to a boil. Transfer the pot to the lower oven rack and bake until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove the rice from the oven and add the butter, fontina and parsley, stirring vigorously until the risottois creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among bowls and top with the roasted cauliflower and almonds.

For menu week 3-28-11

So Mother Nature is really playing "hardball" with us this year...was all nice and warm and my daffodils and tulips are starting to bloom and then she sent a bunch of cold rain and now SNOW in the forecast for the weekend (just in time for my son Gabriel's first soccer games...I guess I better keep the longjohns out and ready)!

This first recipe sounded really good...as we are always having extra greens on hand in the fridge and soup is still a good option as long as the weather stays chilly!

Creamy Lettuce Soup (courtesy of food network)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
3/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup chopped, about 2 ounces, assorted lettuce (butter, red leaf, green leaf)
2 cups (2 ounces) arugula or spinach leaves
1/4 cup cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Garnish: 2 1/2 ounces goat cheese, sliced


In a medium pot warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender and starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and the stock. Bring the stock to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer, covered, until the potatoes are almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add the arugula and lettuce to the pot and continue simmering, uncovered until the greens are tender, another 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes and greens to a blender. Pour in enough of the stock to cover the vegetables. Add the cream, salt, and pepper.


*Blend the ingredients together until smooth. Be careful to blend slowly at first with a kitchen towel held tight to the top of the blender lid. Blending hot ingredients can cause the lid to blow off. Pour the blended soup back into the pot with the remaining stock. Stir to combine. Cover and keep warm.


Pour the soup into 4 serving bowls. Top each soup with 1/2-ounce sliced goat cheese. Serve immediately.


* When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Stuffed Chicken Divan with a Sherry Dijon Sauce


Cooking spray
2 cups (4 ounces) fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup low-fat evaporated milk
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Preheat the broiler. Mist a shallow rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and run under cold water until cold. Drain well again and squeeze dry in paper towels.

Chop the broccoli and toss in a bowl with the Gruyere and garlic. Insert a paring knife into the thickest part of each chicken breast to make a 3-inch deep pocket. Stuff each chicken breast with equal amounts of the broccoli mixture. Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with oil and thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Put the chicken in the pan and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. If the chicken begins to brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium to finish cooking through. Transfer to the baking dish.

Meanwhile, combine the milk and stock in a small pot, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the sherry and cornstarch until smooth and pour, whisking constantly, into the sauce. Cook until just thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of sauce and place under the broiler. Broil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and then cut each breast in half on an angle. Whisk the mustard into the remaining sauce and spread a few tablespoons on each plate. Top with a halved chicken breast.


Simple Squash Soup: (courtesy of Tinica Mather)

1 butternut squash chopped
3-4 big carrots chopped
1 large yellow onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 box of organic chix or veggie broth (i think it's 4 cups)
season to taste with salt, pepper, and Garam Masala seasoning


Coat bottom of soup pot with olive oil, saute onions and garlic until soft, add chopped squash and carrots and cook until just starting to brown, season to taste, add broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of pan, cover pot and simmer until veggies are mushy, put in food processor and blend until smooth. Top with some cream and cilantro just before serving or eat as is with some crusty bread. yum!