Rotelle & Mushrooms

As found on the side of a pasta box & tested. Makes 5 servings. Remember, mushrooms shrink when cooked.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter

3 cups/8 oz. thinly sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups water

3 chicken/beef bullion cubes

1/2 package/8 oz. Rotelle

1/3 cup grated parmesan

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook 3 minutes or intil tender, stirring frequently. Stir in water and bullion, heat to boiling. Stirr in uncooked pasta and parsley. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed and pasta tastes tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

No-Bake, Sugar-free Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Graham crust
6 oz. sugar-free lemon gelatin
8 oz. reduced fat creme cheese
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. light whipped topping

Directions:

Dissolve gelatin in 1 C. boiling water. Beat creme cheese and vanilla extract until smooth. Add gelatin, then whipped topping. Pour into crust to refrigerate overnight.

Seafood Cakes with Mustard Crema

Makes 4 servings (1 serving = 2 cakes & 4 tsp. sauce)

Ingredients:

1/3 C. light sour cream
6 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 Tbsp. stone-ground mustard
½ tsp. black pepper, divided
7 tsp. canola oil, divided
¼ C. finely chopped red onion
¼ C. finely chopped celery
8 oz. shrimp, peeled, deveined, chopped
8 oz. lump crabmeat
¼ C. gradted resh parmigiano-reggiano cheese
¼ tsp. salt
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Directions:

Combine sour creme, 2 Tbsp. parsley, mustard, and 1/8 tsp. pepper, stirring with a whisk until blended. Set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp. canola oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add onion and celery; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Combine shrimp and crab in a large bowl. Stir in oinion misture, remaining pepper, remaining 1/ C. parlsey, cheese, salt, egg whites, and egg; stir gently. Add panko; stir gently. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions; flatten to ½-inch thick patties.

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 Tbsp. oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully turn over; cook 3 minutes or until done. Servewith sauce.

Source: Cooking Light, October 2009

Chicken with Lemon-Caper Sauce

Makes 4 servings (1 serving = 1 breast half, 1 Tbsp. sauce)

Ingredients:

4 (6 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter
½ C. chicken broth
1/4 C. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. capers, drained
3 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to even thickness using a mallet or skillet. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt & pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish: dredge in flour.

Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes. Turn chicken over. Add broth, juice and capers; reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes, basting chicken occasionally with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley; cook a minute. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Bring sauce to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Serve over chicken.

Source: Cooking Light, Oct 2009

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

6 whole eggs in the shell
2 avocados—peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. minced green onion
2 tsp. minced seeded jalapeno pepper
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1 pinch paprika
½ tsp. salt

Directions:

To taste: 1 dash hot pepper sauce -OR- Worcestershire sauce -OR- Dijon mustard

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, and peel. Slice eggs in half, and remove yolks to a mixing bowl.

In the bowl with the yolks, combine the avocado, cilantro, green onion, and jalapeno. Stir in the lime juice, and season with salt, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Mix well, and fill empty egg white halves. Chill until serving.

Sprinkle with paprika just before serving.

Double Layer Chocolate Pie

Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

1 6-oz. chocolate pie crust
4 oz. softened cream cheese
2 pkg. (4-serving size) chocolate flavor instant pudding & pie filling
8 oz. whipped cream topping, thawed
2 C. + 1 Tbsp. cold milk
1 Tbsp. sugar

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar and 1 Tbsp. milk with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in 1½ cups of whipped topping. Spread on bottom of crust.

In a second bowl, stir pudding mix into remaining milk until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.) Immediately stir in remaining whipped topping. Spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hours.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 C. finely chopped cooked chicken
¼ C. finely chopped celery
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
2 tbsp. sweet pickle relish
¼ tsp. salt
1/3 C. mayonnaise
Dash of black pepper
---
3 tbsp. softened butter
Sandwich bread

Directions:

Combine first seven ingredients. Spread butter, then salad mixture on bread. Chill in covered container until ready to serve.

Swedish Pancakes

Ingredients:

3 eggs
2½ C. milk
1¼ C. flour
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. vanilla, optional
Powdered sugar
Lingonberry jam

Directions:

In a blender, combine all the ingredients above until smooth.

Heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until very hot. Lightly butter the skillet and pour ½ cup of the batter into it. Swirl the pan with batter to expand to a thin layer. Cook until bubbles form and the pancake is golden brown on the bottom, up to 1-1½ minutes. Flip and continue to cook for up to 1 minute. Remove from the frying pan. It should not be necessary to add more butter to the pan for more pancakes.

When finished, fold each pancake into quarters. Top with the traditional dollop of lingonberries or other fruit of your choice and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Eye of Round Steak

Ingredients:

½ C. vegetable oil
½ C. bourbon
7/10 oz. Italian dressing mix
2-3 lbs. eye round beefsteak
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix oil, bourbon, salad dressing mix. Coat beef and marinade overnight.

Remove beef from marinade. Coat in salt & pepper. Roast in oven to desired wellness. Cool, slice thinly to serve.

Spice Rubbed Saute Salmon

Ingredients:

4 6-oz. salmon fillets
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. sweet paprika
¾ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Cayenne

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cross-hatch salmon skin. Mix spices & coat salmon. Sear salmon in skillet with skin-side up for up to 3 minutes. Turn to sear skin side up to 1 minute. Transfer to oven and cook till firm, or up to 4 minutes.

Suggestions:

Serve with spinach.

Garlic Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

2½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, chunked
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp. rosemary leaves
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon, zested & juiced
1 Tbsp. coarse salt & pepper or grill seasoning
½ C. white wine or chicken broth

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

Coat chicken in garlic, rosemary, olive oil, lemon zest and grill seasoning. Roast in oven 20 minutes. Remove to add wine and lemon juice, and return to oven 5 minutes.

Risotto with Dried Mushrooms

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

6-8 C. chicken broth or canned chicken broth
1 oz. dried wild Italian mushrooms (or 1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced)
2 Tbsp. butter, if using fresh mushrooms
5 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2½ C . arborio rice
¾ C. dry white wine
½ C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare chicken broth. Soak dried mushrooms in warm water 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms, saving & straining liquid. Rinse mushrooms under cold running water & squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible. If using fresh mushrooms, saute in 2 tablespoons butter until golden; set aside.

Heat broth in a medium saucepan. Melt 1/4 c. butter in large saucepan. When butter foams, add onion. Saute over medium heat until pale yellow. Add rice and mix well. When rice is coated with butter, add wine. Cook, stirring constantly, until wine has evaporated. Add drained dried mushrooms and reserved mushroom liquid. Stir in 1 or 2 ladles of broth, or enough to cover rice. Stir over medium heat until broth has been absorbed.

Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding broth a little at a time until rice is done, 15 to 20 minutes. Rice should be tender, but firm to the bite. Stir in Parmesan cheese, 1 Tbsp. butter and sauteed fresh mushrooms. Season with salt& pepper.