Cooking - for a new lifestyle (Our Test Kitchen)

I made this soscuisine.com recipe up the other night. It is supposed to make 4 servings but it actually seems to be enough to feed a small banquet. Hal didn't like it, but Hal doesn't like zucchini or eggplant. I loved it. The recipe won't freeze well and I didn't want it to go to waste, so I took the leftover ratatouille and some red quinoa to Ladies Day Out. All the ladies seemed to enjoy it. So, here goes . . . 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, pressed 1 cup green beans, cut into 2 cm pieces 2 zucchini, diced into 1.5 cm squares 1 eggplant, small, diced into 1.5 cm squares 1 yellow or red pepper, cut into 1.5 cm squares 1 carrot, cut into 1.5 cm squares salt and pepper to taste 300 g firm tofu, cubed 1-1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes 1 tsp Herbs aux Provence 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper Heat oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Saute the crushed garlic and chopped onion, taking care not to burn. Cook 4-5 minutes until the onion ...

I love this recipe because it is sooooo easy. In a large pot: 1 whole green pepper 1 whole onion 1/2 bag mini carrots 4 stalks celery s&p 8 cups water boullion cubes or chicken soup mix Bring to a boil. Puree veggies with soup using an emulsion blender (or blend this after it cools down in a blender), making a slightly thicker soup base. (you can hide lots of veggies in there!) Put back into large pot. Add 4 tbsp of curry powder if you want. If someone doesn't like curry, sprinkle on individual bowls at serving time. Add cooked chicken (boneless/skinless) or leftover chicken/turkey....I plan to try this with sausage removed from the casings and fried up too. Bring to a boil. Add 3 cups of rice to pot. Stir until rice is edible.....THIS WILL HAPPEN! the soup part disappears! I just keep adding water. LOL This dish reheats well in the microwave and warms tummies when it is cold. "Bon Appetit!"

This should have been titled garlic with brussel sprouts. Although not my favourite (I actually LIKE brussel sprouts) this was loved by everyone else. I used 14-16 small brussel sprouts. (although larger ones are easier to work with the smaller taste less bitter) 1 tsp garlic 2 tbsp veg oil leeks or green onions chopped So as usual, you will trim off the bottom and remove the first 2-3 outer leaves. Place in salted water and boil until tender (NOT MUSHY!) Drain and cut in 1/2. In a small pan, place oil and garlic at med/high heat. Toss in onions/leeks. Stir fry for a couple minutes, then add sprouts. Fry only until thouroughly mixed. Then turn off heat. We actually reheated this one and they were VERY well received. Personally I would reduce the garlic to 1/2 tsp. Nice change. "Bon Appetit!"

The idea of this is you can prep everything ahead of time and clean the kitchen. You will only have a few bowls to wash in the end. In a pot boil enough rice for your diners. When rice is done to your taste, rinse quickly in cold water **This will stop further cooking (and cut down on stach and stickiness). Set aside until dinner time. In same pot you cooked rice, on med heat 2 tsp vegetable oil about 1/2 cup of thin soup noodles 1"ish (or broken spaghetti) about 1/2 cup chopped almonds, cashews, pecans or pistachios Essentially you are going to fry these noodles creating vermicelli! Watch carefully and when you start to see colour, remove from heat or you will have VERY well done noodles....) and cool/drain on a paper towel. Set aside until it is dinner time. On a large plate dice up a cheap steak into small cubes **You can use chicken, pork or sausage as well Set aside until it is dinner time In bowl #1 diced carrots, corn, water chestnuts **Any hard core veggies that need extra...

Menu: Beet and Green Apple Salad Italian-Style Sausage in a Tomato Sauce Potato Puree Beet Greens Sugared Peaches   Beet and Green Apple Salad 3 beets 1 Granny Smith apple 2 tbsp Classic Vinaigrette (recipe below) salt and pepper to taste Prepare the beets:  boil or steam them about 25-30 minutes.  Let the beets cool down a few minutes, then peel them and dice into 1.5 cm pieces.  Place the pieces in a salad bowl.  Cut the apple into 1.5 cm cubes, without peeling them, but removing the core.  Add the apples to the salad bowl.  Pour in the Classic Vinaigrette, then season with salt and pepper.  Toss well, then serve. Makes 2 servings. Classic Vinaigrette Whisk together 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3-1/2 tbsp wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar) and 1 tbsp Dijon mustard. I LOVED THIS SALAD.  HAL DOESN'T LIKE BEETS APPARENTLY.  HE ONLY LIKES BEET RELISH.  FIGURE THAT OUT IF YOU CAN. Italian-Style Sausage in a Tomato Sauce ...

2 servings 210 calories per serving 2/3 cup water 1/8 tsp salt 1 tsp olive oil 2/3 cup coucous 1 tsp butter, unsalted (optional) Pour the water into a saucepan, then bring it to a rolling boil. Add the salt and oil. Remove the saucepan from heat then slowly pour in the couscous while stirring gently. cover for 2 minutes, until the couscous has swelled and all the water is absorbed. Add a little more water if the couscous looks too dry. 1-2 pats of butter can also be added, if you wish. Serve. Hal and I both love couscous. www.soscuisine.com

I've renamed this "Tomato Stew". Delicious. Simple. Very filling. 2 servings 190 calories per serving 7 tbsp green-brown lentils(dried), rinsed and drained 1 cup My Mother's Tomato Sauce (recipe below) salt to taste It is not necessary to soak the lentils in advance. Rinse the lentils and pick out any small stones and debris. Cook them in a saucepan of salted water, about 20-25 minutes until tender but still somewhat al dente. Drain the lentils, discard the liquid and set them aside. Heat My Mother's Tomato Sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the lentils and cook 5-7 minutes, with occasional stirring, until the lentils are fully cooked. Serve with steamed couscous, steamed basmati rice or steamed brown rice. I served it with whole wheat couscous and it was perfect. My Mother's Tomato Sauce makes 2-1/2 cups 1-2/3 cup canned tomatoes (diced or chopped) 1 clove garlic 1/2 onion, finely chopped 1/2 carrot, finely chopped 1/4 stalk celery, finely ch...

Lean hamburg $2.49 for 2 lbs at Price Chopper =$1.25 meat for the meal. Add fries, tomato slices and green onions for a lovely and quick meal. Another lovely recipe from Encyclopedia of Cooking by Mary Margaret McBride . Once again I cut the salt in 1/2 and used Mrs. Dash instead. Hamburger Tuck-ins 1 pound ground beef 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 4 tablespoons finely chopped onion Mix ground beef with salt and pepper. Shape into 8 thin patties. Combine Worcestershire sauce and onion. On each of 4 patties, place 1 tablespoon chopped onion. Top with a second patty and pinch edges together well. Pan fry or broil about 15 minutes, turning once. Serves 4. Le dîner est servi . . .

I've never made potato pancakes before. I've never even seen what they look like before. But I've always wanted to try. And I have a big interest in potato recipes right now because I bought a 10 lb bag of potatoes on sale at Superstore last week $1.49. From Encyclopedia of Cooking by Mary Margaret McBride : Grated Potato Pancakes (Latkes) 6 medium raw potatoes 1 small onion 2 slightly beaten eggs 3 tablespoons flour dash of pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional) Pare and grate raw potatoes and onion. Let stand 10 minutes so that liquid will rise to top. Remove liquid. Stir in eggs. Add other ingredients and blend together. Drop by spoonfuls into a hot well greased skillet. Brown on both sides over moderate heat. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot with applesauce, sugar or sour cream. Serves 6. I drained the potatoes for 10 minutes, but they still kept draining so I had to pour off the liquid several times. I didn't know how thick th...

Taylor and I really enjoyed taste-testing this recipe. I used Unico Scoobi Doo macaroni for a little extra excitement. And it is soooooo simple to make. Macaroni and Beef 6 servings 6 oz elbow macaroni, cooked 1 pound extra-lean ground beef 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 1 cup tomato sauce 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp thyme 1/4 tsp pepper 4 oz (1 cup) reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, grated (I substituted 1/4 cup of homemade pesto for the basil) In large skillet, brown ground beef, onion and bell pepper until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are softened. Add tomato sauce, basil, thyme and pepper, Stir frequently over medium heat until heated through. Remove from heat. Add macaroni; stir to combine. Sprinkle cheese over top. Per Serving: 292.2 calories; 10.3 g fat; 21.3 g protein; 28.3 g carbohydrates; 43 mg cholesterol Le dîner est servi . . .

These burgers didn't make it into the freezer . . . they were lunch . . . and very yummy!!!!! Pizza Burgers Serves 6 1 pound extra-lean ground beef (I think I would have liked bigger burgers so maybe 1-1/2 pounds of ground beef would be better) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp oregano 1/2 cup tomato sauce 1/2 cup muchrooms, thinly sliced 1 tbsp butter 4 oz (1 cup) fat free mozzarella cheese, grated 1 tbsp parsley 6 hamburger buns In skillet over medium-high heat, saute mushroom slices in butter. Remove from heat. In large bowl combine beef, salt, pepper and oregano. Form beef mixutre into six equal patties. Cook patties in non-stick skillet for 3 minutes (or until cooked through). Spread each patty with 1 tbsp tomato sauce and 1 tbsp mushrooms. Divide cheese evenly between patties. Serve sprinkled with parsley in hamburger buns. Per serving: 217.1 calories; 13.1 g fat; 21.0 g protein; 3.5 g carbohydrates; 56 mg cholesterol Le dîner est servi . . .

Remember the good ol' days when ground meat was cheap?? This morning I began the "Ground Beef Mini-Session" from Frozen Assets Lite & Easy by Deborah Taylor-Hough: Meatballs and Sauce, Beef Loaf, Pizza Burgers, Macaroni and Beef, and Tortilla Casserole. My son, Tim, and grandson, Taylor, have been my taste testers today. All the meals have been well received so far. Taylor wanted to take a nap, but he has requested a wake up call when the Tortilla Casserole comes out of the oven so he can taste test it as well . . . LOL. Meatballs and Sauce Serves 6 1 cup dry bread crumbs 3/4 cup skim milk 2 pounds extra lean ground beef 1-1/2 cup grated zucchini 3/4 cup apple juice (or white wine) 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp oregano 32-0z. canned crushed tomatoes 1 cup water. Mix bread crumbs and milk. Let stand 5 minutes. Add beef, zucchini, 2 tbsp apple juice, cheese, tomato paste and 1 tsp oregano. Mix well. Form into 36 equal meatballs. Spray large skillet w...

also from "Frozen Assets Lite & Easy: by Deborah Taylor-Hough I had a tough time picking which recipes to test today. This recipe book is a true gem. 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast 1 tbsp margarine 1 large onion, chopped finely 12 oz mushrooms, sliced 2 tsp cornstarch 1/4 cup reduced-fat chicken broth 3 tbsp sherry 2 tbsp soy sauce 1/8 tsp cayenne 2 cups skim milk 3/4 cup reduced-fat chicken broth 1-1/2 cups couscous cooking spray fresh cilantro springs (optional) Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper. Pound with a meat mallet until 1/4-inch thick. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch wide strips. In medium bowl, stir together cornstarch, 1/4 cup broth, sherry, soy sauce and cayenne. In large skillet or saucepan, melt margarine over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring frequently; remove from heat. Remove onion mixture from skillet; set aside. Spray saucepan with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat;...

1 tsp vegetable oil 2 cups onion, chopped 8 cups reduced-fat chicken broth 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp thyme 1/4 tsp pepper 2 large carrots, sliced thinly 1/2 cup celery, chopped 5 oz. dried wide egg noodles 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cupes (about 2 cups) 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced 1 medium-sized tomato, seeded and chopped 2 tbsp parsley, chopped In large pan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring frequently. Stir in broth, garlic, thyme, pepper, carrots, celery and chicken. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until carrots are barely tender and chicken is no longer pink (less than 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in zucchini, tomato and parsley. Cool. Pour into labeled freezer bag; freeze. To Serve: Thaw. Place in large pan or Dutch oven; add noodles. Heat over medium heat until heated through and noodles are cooked through. Per Serving: 230.3 calories; 2.9 g fat; 33.6 g protein; 29.1 g carbohydrates; 5...

6 oz bow tie pasta, uncooked 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped 1 cup onion, chopped 1 small zucchini, sliced 1 small red pepper, cut into thin strips 2 tsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips 1/2 cup frozen peas 1 tsp salt 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning 1/8 cup Parmesan chees In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and chicken slices; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion, zucchini, red pepper, frozen peas, salt and Italian seasoning. Cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes. Cool. Place into labeled freezer bags. Freezer. To Serve: Thaw chicken mixture. Cook bow-tie pasta according to package directions. Heat chicken mixture in large skillet over medium heat until heated through. Toss together pasta and chicken mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Per Serving: 197.7 calories; 3.1 g fat; 13.0 g protein; 29.6 g carbohydrates; 19 mg cholesterol. Changes I made: After adding the veg...

I went shopping this afternoon and purchased everything I needed to cook and freeze FIVE entrees: Old-Fashioned Chicken and Rice Chicken Vegetable Skillet Chicken Pasta Italiano Chicken Noodle Soup Mushroom Chicken Couscous Chicken Vegetable Skillet from "Frozen Assets Lite & Easty" by Deborah Taylor-Hough 6 tsp olive oil 1 pound potatoes, sliced thin 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes 3 tbsp butter or margarine 1 cup onion, chopped 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped 1 cup carrot, sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 (15-oz) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes 3 tbsp fresh parley, chopped 1/2 tsp thyme 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add potatoes and chicken; cook until chicken is no longer pink, stirring constantly. Transfer mixture to another container and set aside. Using same skillet, melt butter and stir in onion, green pepper, carrot slices and garlic; cook over high heat until just barely tender. Add potato...

from "Frozen Assets Lite & Easy" by Deborah Taylor-Hough 2-1/2 cups canned fat-free chicken broth 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces 1-1/2 cups long-grain rice, uncooked 1 cup onions, chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 small red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips 1 (6-oz) jar sliced mushrooms, undrained 1 tsp pountry seasonings In large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring broth to a boil. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well and return to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover tightly and cook 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and rice is tender. Cool. Place into labeled freezer bags; freeze. To serve, thaw. Place into large skillt; heat over medium heat until heated through. Per Serving: 301.9 calories; 1.7 g fat; 30.2 g protein; 43.3 g carbohydrates; 53 mg cholesterol. Quick and easy and tastes delicious. Le dîner est servi . . .

Okay so I actually made this for work, but when I sent over a sample to my official taste-tester around the corner, she literally yelled at me on the computer to post the recipe! So, Deb, here it is: Loaded Baked Potato Soup 1 Tbsp. butter 1/4 cup chopped white onion 1 tbsp chopped garlic (from a jar is fine) 14 ounces chicken stock 1 cup plus 1/4 cup milk, cream, or some combination of the two (use cream! It makes it sooo yummy) salt and pepper to taste (go heavy on pepper, it makes it!) 2-3 large baking potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks 8 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 3 green onions, diced 1/4 cup sour cream Directions; Melt butter in small saucepan. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until crisp but tender. Add broth, milk or cream, and about 2/3 of the chopped potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Slightly mush up the potatoes with the back of a spoon. Reduce the heat and simmer until potatoes are ve...

So, I was trying to decide what to make for lunch that wouldn't require a trip to the grocery store, so I settled on ada[ting a recipe for macaroni and cheese found in my book choice for this week, The Complete Guide to Country Cooking , from the kitchens of America's Best Cooks, Taste of Home. My changes basically made it a new dish altogether. I'll give you the recipe first, then my review: Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese 7 ounces (2 cups) macaroni 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1/4 all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp salt pinch of pepper 2 cups of milk 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese paprika, optional Directions: Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, slat and pepper; cook until bubbly. Gradually add milk; cook and stir until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted. Drain macaroni; add to cheese sauce and stir to coat. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Yield: 4 servings. Things I changed: I didn...