Beef and Orzo Soup

Jim was really happy tonight, we had beef.  This was a very easy week night dinner.  It serves 4 and we had leftovers.  This was again from Rocco Dispirto’s cookbook.  I know you are thinking, doesn’t she have another cookbook?  I do, 400 +/- and adding, but when I find a winner, I stick with it. 

Ingredients:

2 oz. 100% whole wheat orzo

1 T EVOO

½ medium red onion, cut into small dice

2 celery stalks, cut into small dice

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice

½ # (about 2 cups) sliced cremini mushrooms

Salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, chopped

5 C low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth (I use Wolfgang Puck broth)

1 1# piece lean beef tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat.  (I partially freeze so easier to slice)

¼ C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1.      Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the orzo and cook according to the package directions, drain.

2.      Meanwhile heat a large pot over medium heat.  When hot, add the EVOO, and then add onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms.

3.      Sauté until softened, about 7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes. 

4.      Add the broth and orzo.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat so the soup is simmering. 

5.      Slice the meat into very thin slices.  Add the meat to the soup.  Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve immediately. 

We just added some saltine crackers.   We had been in a meeting all afternoon and then went to the grocery store.  Perfect meal for a busy day.

Soy-Ginger Chicken

Tonight we had a simple dinner of tilapia, nuked sweet potatoes and broccoli.  I had PT and a meeting.  But last night was a super supper.  If you live close to neighbors be careful making this as you may have dinner quests.  This smelled so good while in the oven.  It was very tasty.  It serves 4.  We have some left over for a lunch for Jim tomorrow.  I served it with cooked rice. 

Ingredients: 

1/3 C soy sauce

2 T dark-brown sugar

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2/3 C fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish

1 piece fresh ginger (about 2”), peeled and cut into thin strips

5 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the diagonal (1 C packed)

1T balsamic vinegar

1 t ground coriander

½ t ground pepper

4 chicken drumsticks, skin removed

4 thighs, skin removed

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced crosswise

1 C plus 1T water

1 T cornstarch

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a 5-qt. Dutch oven stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, cilantro, ginger, ½ C scallions, vinegar, coriander, and pepper. 

2.      Add chicken and carrots, toss to coat, then add 1 C water.

3.      Cover pot and transfer to oven; cook until chicken is tender, about 1 ½ hours.  Using a large spoon, skim off fat from surface of cooking liquid. 

4.      In a 2-cup glass measuring cup or small bowl, shish cornstarch with remaining 1 T water.  Ladle 1 C cooking liquid into measuring cup.  Whisk to combine.  Pour into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute.  Stir mixture into pot to combine. 

5.      Serve chicken mixture with rice.  Garnish with cilantro leaves and remaining ½ C scallions. 

Cheese Souffle and Arugula Salad

This is Saturday night dinner.  We went to Cherokee Friday night.  I had been running errands all day and I like to eat there because they know how to cook broccoli.  I always get broccoli as my side dish.  I had chicken.  Unfortunately they don’t do roasted chicken, my favorite.  Today we went to a home show.  I wanted to eat at the Capitol Grille in the Hermitage Hotel as the chef has been nominated for best chef in the mid-west by the James Beard Society.  The dining room was closed, but we could eat in the bar, same chef.   I had a type of Oysters Rockefeller and the best onion bisque on earth.  Jim had chicken fried steak because plain steak does not have enough cholesterol.  After, we stopped in the restrooms.  The men’s room has been restored to its original art deco interior.  No one was in there so I took a peak.  It was fabulous. 

The soufflé for Saturday was from Julia.  If you do not own the Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia, shame on you.  Our salad was from Rocco Dispirito.  I wanted to make it because it had beets in it.  Jim did not want to eat it because it had beets in it.  The tart taste of the salad and the buttery of the soufflé were perfect together. 

Red Beet, Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Salad  Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium red beets (I had pickled beets from the farmers market)   

6 oz. baby arugula

¼ C reduced-fat balsamic vinaigrette, such as Ken’s Light Options (I made my own, 3T EVOO, 1T balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper)

¼ C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 T chopped fresh chives

¼ C chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

1.      If you are not using pickled beets either cook the beets in a microwave or bake them.  Peel and cut into bit-size wedges.

2.      In a salad bowl, combine all ingredients and toss in the dressing. 

Soufflé Au Fromage

Ingredients:

3T + 1 t butter

3T flour

1 C boiling milk

½ t salt and a pinch

1/8 t pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

4 egg yolks and 5 egg whites

¾ C coarsely grated Swiss or parmesan cheese + 1T

Directions:

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.      Butter the inside of a 6 qt. soufflé bowl and sprinkle with 1T parmesan cheese.

3.      Melt the 3T butter in a saucepan.  Stir in the flour with a wooden spatula and cook over moderate heat until butter and flour foam together for 2 minutes without browning.  Remove from heat; when mixture has stopped bubbling, pour in all the boiling milk at once.  Beat vigorously with a wire whip until blended.  Beat in the seasonings.  Return over moderately high heat and boil, stirring with the wire whip, for 1 minute.  Sauce will be very thick. 

4.      Remove from heat.  Immediately start to separate the eggs.  Drop the white into the egg white copper bowl and the yolk into the center of the hot sauce.  Beat the yolk into the sauce with the wire whip.  Continue in the same manner with the rest of the eggs.  Correct the seasoning. 

5.      Add an extra egg white to the one in the bowl and beat with a pinch of salt until stiff.  Stir in a big spoonful into the sauce.  Stir in all but a T of cheese.  Delicately fold in the rest of the egg whites.  Be careful not to over fold.

6.      Turn the mixture into the prepared mold.  Tap the bottom of the mold lightly on the table, and smooth the surface of the soufflé with the flat of a knife.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese on top. 

7.      Set on a rack in middle level of preheated oven and immediately turn the heat down to 375.  In 30 minutes the soufflé will have puffed about 2” over the rim and the top will be nicely browned.

8.      Serve immediately.  Serves 4.  (We saved a piece and split it for breakfast.  I made some bacon for Jim.)       

Grilled Salmon with Curried Cauliflower

I was informed by a reader that I made a mistake on the chicken and broccoli recipe from a few nights ago.  You will see the correction in much smaller print.  When I corrected it through the blog site it will not come up to the print size I use in the words program.  This recipe comes from the same cookbook, but it just gets an OK.

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

4 (4oz) salmon fillets

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 C fresh cauliflower florets

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 green pepper, cut into large dice

½ medium red onion, cut into large dice

4 t mild curry powder (Penzeys)

1 C low-fat, low sodium chicken broth

2 T currants

½ C Greek yogurt, 2%, I used fat free

2 C cooked brown rice

Directions: 

1.      Heat a grill pan over med-high heat.  When pan is hot, remove from heat and coat it with cooking spray.

2.      Season the salmon fillets on both sides with salt and pepper to taste.  Lay the fillets on the hot grill pan and cook, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Tent with aluminum foil.  (My current stove does not have more than one large burner, so I baked it with Penzeys Trinidad spice.)

3.      Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over med-high heat.  When hot, coat with cooking spray, away for the stove.  Add the cauliflower and sauté till browned, about 4 minutes.

4.      Add garlic, green pepper, onion, curry powder, chicken broth, and currants.  Stir to combine.  Cover and simmer till the vegetables have softened.  Recipe says 5 min, mine took longer.  Season with salt and pepper.

5.      Remove the pan from heat and stir in the yogurt till well incorporated. 

6.      Serve the cauliflower with the salmon and rice. 

For once, I should have added salt.  It needed it.   

Shiitake Hot and Sour Soup

Ming Sung was on the Dr. Oz show.  He said that if you ate this soup you would not get a cold or the flu.  It has to do with the mushrooms.  If I make this soup again I would add soba noodles or rice noodles.  It was delicious.  The lemon really added flavor.  Unless you have Wegman’s or a like market with any mushroom you desire, I recommend you go to an Oriental grocer and buy dried mushrooms.  They are very good reconstituted and less expensive.   Serves 4. 

Ingredients:

1 T grapeseed oil

1 jalapeno, minced with seeds (I buy mine in a jar.  I find them stronger like we bought in CA.)

1 T minced fresh ginger

1 T minced garlic

2 bunches scallions, green and white parts sliced, 2 T greens reserved

1# shiitakes, stem removed and tops ¼” sliced (2 oz dry soaked in hot water)

2 ½ qts. chicken stock (I use Wolfgang Puck)

2T soy sauce

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

1 block silken tofu, cut into ½” cubes

2 C shredded carrots

Fresh pepper

Directions:

1.      To make life easier, before you start, slice and dice everything that you will need as this happens to fast to not be prepared.  So look over the ingredients and start dicing.

2.      In a stockpot over medium-high heat, add oil and swirl to coat the bottom. 

3.      Add jalapeno, ginger, garlic and scallions.  Sauté until aromatic, about a minute.

4.      Add shiitakes and sauté 2 minutes, until softened.  Reconstituted dry take a little longer. 

5.      Add stock and soy sauce, bring to a simmer and reduce by 20%., about 2 cups down. 

6.      Add lemon juice, zest, tofu, and carrots.  Cook gently for 2 moren minutes to heat tofu through.  Season with pepper.

Dr. OZ morning Smoothie

Last night we went to a Mexican dinner in the Gulch, in Nashville.  It is very hard to find a restaurant open after 3:00 on a Sunday in this area.  Cantina Laredo is a small chain that calls themselves gourmet Mexican.  We visited the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum earlier in the day.  It was quite fun and I enjoyed it.    

We ended the visit this morning with a Dr. OZ smoothie and Wolferman’s scones. 

Ingredients:

½ C pomegranate juice

½ banana

½ C yogurt

5 frozen strawberries

Directions:

1.      Put all in a blender and blend until smooth.  The above makes one serving.  You can do two servings at a time in the blender. 

This was a good fast thing to make for guests leaving early for a driving trip. 

Dutch Baby

Sunday morning we had what Williams-Sonoma called a Dutch Baby.  I’ve had these before, but never made one.  It is easy and the results are a visual sensation.  With this I made lots of extra bacon and scrambled eggs with farm fresh eggs that Pam brought us. Serves 4-6. 

Ingredients:

3 eggs

¾ C all-purpose flour

¾ C milk

¼ t vanilla extract

4T unsalted butter

Extras for serving

Syrup:

2 bacon slices, diced

½ C maple syrup

Heavy cream for whipping

¼ C confectioners’ sugar for dusting.

Directions:

1.      Place the first 4 ingredients in the blender.  Blend and scrap sides until it is fully combined. 

2.      Put an 11” French skillet or ovenproof sauté pan in a cold oven.  Preheat oven to 475 degrees. 

3.      Whip the cream with ¼ C powdered sugar and a dash of vanilla. 

4.      When the oven is heated, put the butter in the skillet and return it to the oven until the butter melts and browns, 2-3 minutes.  Carefully pour batter into the hot skillet.  Bake until Dutch baby is lightly browned and sides have risen, 17-19 minutes. 

5.      Meanwhile in a small skillet cook the bacon until crisp.  Transfer the bacon to drain and discard the grease.  Return the bacon to the skillet and add the maple syrup.  Simmer on medium heat of 20 seconds.

6.      Remove the skillet from the oven; let cool for 3-4 minutes.  Cut into wedges: dust with confectioners’ sugar.  Serve immediately with whipped cream and bacon syrup.    

I did not see that the syrup and whipped cream added anything.  Just warm the syrup of your choice and serve. 

Ny Strip Steaks with dried Mushrom Rub,Cheese Grits Slouffle and Sauteed Brussels Sprounts with Apples and Bacon

Jim’s brother was visiting for the weekend.  Jim wanted a steak meal to go with the wines he wanted to serve.  I made the whole meal out of my Basic to Brilliant, Y’all cookbook.  So the first recipe is how you take the basic NY Strip Steak from basic to brilliant. 

Ingredients:

6 (6-8 oz) boneless NY strip steaks Jim had them cut 1 ½” thick

1 oz dried mushrooms

1 sprig rosemary

Directions:

1.      Put the dried mushrooms and the rosemary in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Puree until finely ground. 

2.      Transfer to a shallow plate and coat both sides of the steak

3.      Jim cooked them on the grille.

I can’t tell you whether this made a difference or not, as my steak was overdone so I would not eat it.  His cousin was here at dinner also and she will not eat meat until it is well done, so the grilling did not go well.

To go with the steaks I chose to make Cheese Grits Soufflé and Brussels sprouts.  The grits is a recipe that according to the author she learned while apprenticing with Nathalie Dupree.  This is easy and you can make ahead and bake while the company is snacking on appetizers.  This is a very generous 8 servings. 

Ingredients:

5 C whole milk

1C unsalted butter

1 C stone-ground grits

1 t fine sea salt

¼ t cayenne pepper

4 C grated sharp white Cheddar cheese (1#)

1 T  Dijon mustard

1/8 t ground mace

6 large eggs, separated

Directions:

1.      Preheat the oven if immediately baking to 350 degrees.  Generously butter a 9x 13 ovenproof baking dish. 

2.      Bring the milk to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir in the grits and return to a boil.  Season with the salt and cayenne pepper.  Decrease the heat to low and simmer until creamy and thick but still loose and saucy, 45-60 minutes.

3.      Remove from the heat and stir in cheese, butter, mustard and mace.  Cool slightly.

4.      Lightly beat the egg yolks in a small bowl.  Stir a little of the grits into the yolks to heat them slightly, then add the yolks to the grits mixture and combine thoroughly. 

5.      In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium speed until foamy.  Whip until stiff peaks form, 2-3 minutes. 

6.      Add about ¼ of the beaten egg whites to the grits mixture and stir until well mixed.  Pour this lightened mixture over the remaining whites and fold them together as gently as possible.   (You can make the soufflé several hours ahead to this point, cover and set aside or in the refrigerator.  If refrigerated, return to room temperature before baking.) 

7.      Pour into the prepared baking dish.  Bake the soufflé until it is puffed and lightly browned, 40-45 minutes.  Serve Immediately.

Brussels sprouts are not only my favorite vegetable, but when serving grilled steak they are an anti-cancer agent.  Jim is not as fond of the sprout so I look for different recipes.  This recipe serves 4-6.  I was afraid it would not be enough, but we had leftovers.

Ingredients:

1# Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise

2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons

1 Vidalia onion, chopped

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼” dice

Leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme, chopped.  (I used dried, abut ½ t)

1 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1.      Either boil the sprouts fin water for 5 minutes or cook them in the microwave.  I did mine in the microwave for 3 minutes in ¼ C water.

2.      In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5-7 minutes. 

3.      Decrease the heat to medium; add onion and sauté until translucent, 3-5 minutes.  Add the apple and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple is golden brown, about 3 minutes. 

4.      Add the sprouts and toss to combine.  Cook until tender about 5 minutes. 

I guess the meal went well.  Jim went on and on and on about his wines.  I kind of turned off.  The wines were a French 1982 Chateau Lynch Bages and a California, 1982 Cabernet Sauvignon from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.  We finished our “once in a lifetime” wine experience with an Elk Cove Vineyards Gewurztraminer to accompany my Grape Cake that I blogged about earlier this month.  The appetizers were very simple, cheese, pate and crackers.   

Ginger Sweet Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

This is a light version of a Chinese stir fry.  We really liked it.  This recipe is again from Rocco

Dispirito’s cookbook.  It serves 4 and we even have a little left over for lunch.

Ingredients:

4 C fresh broccoli florets

¼ C water

2 t canola oil

1# skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into medium size chunks

Salt and pepper
1" knob of fresh ginger, cut into disks and smashed with the side of a large chef's knife

¼ C sugar-free apricot preserves, such as Smucker’s

¼ C low-sodium soy sauce

2 T chopped fresh cilantro

½ t garlic-chili sauce

2 C cooked brown rice

Directions:

1.      Place the broccoli in a microwave-safe dish.  Add the water and cover.  Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

2.      Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat.  When hot, add 1 t oil and the chicken.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes per side.  I kept tossing like a stir-fry.   

3.      Move the chicken to the side and add 1t oil.  Add the ginger to the oil and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

4.      Add the apricot preserves and the soy sauce.  Stir together and bring to a simmer.

5.      Drain the broccoli and add to the pan.  Toss together and add the cilantro and garlic-chili sauce. 

6.      Serve immediately with brown rice. 

Honey-Mustard Pork Chops and Red Cabbage with Ginger

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and we were at Jim’s cousin’s house for a catered dinner.  The day before, we had this simple dinner from the Weight Watcher’s cookbook.  The pork was very good; cabbage, OK.  They both serve 4. 

Pork chops

Ingredients:

¼ C Dijon mustard

4 t honey

1 t cider vinegar

¼ t black pepper

4 (5oz) bone-in loin pork chops about 1” thick (mine were thicker, no bone)

Directions:

1.      To make marinade, stir together all ingredients except pork in a cup.

2.      Transfer marinade to large zip-close plastic bag; add pork.  Squeeze out air and seal bag; turn to coat meat.  Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.  (I marinated first thing in the am)

3.      Preheat broiler or grille.

4.      Remove chops from bag; discard marinade.  Place chops on the grille and cook about 6 minutes per side.

Cabbage

Ingredients:

2 t EVOO

½ red onion, thinly sliced

2 T minced peeled fresh ginger

4 C thinly sliced red cabbage

2/3 C reduced-sodium chicken broth

Directions:

1.      Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. 

2.      Add onion and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

3.      Stir in cabbage and broth.

4.      Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. 

Scallops Fra Diavolo with Linguine / Grilled Garlic Bread

I really wanted scallops today and I did not want to go to the store to buy any ingredients, so I scoured my cookbooks and came up with this recipe.  This was in The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook,  I just bought at Costco.   Looking it over, the calories were quite high, but I worked on it and reduced  by half.  I will write the original recipe and in parentheses give you the version I made.  Jim and I both thought my version was delicious.  Jim had two huge servings and we have a lunch portion left over.  So, even the reduced version serves 4. 

Ingredients:

1# spaghetti ( I used ½# whole wheat spaghetti)

Salt

1# large scallops

6 T EVOO (I used 3)

1 t red pepper flakes, or to taste

¼ C cognac or brandy (I used 2T)  If you use the 1/4C, tie back your hair, roll up your sleeves, turn off the exhaust fan, have a high ceiling.  Make sure all burners are off and light with a very long match. 

12 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 oz can) diced tomatoes, DRAINED   (I used a 15 oz can)

1 C dry white wine

½ t sugar (I used Splenda)

¼ C minced fresh parsley

Directions:

1.      Bring 4 qts. water to a boil in a large pot.  Add pasta and 1 T salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente.  Reserve ½ C cooking water, then drain pasta and return to pot.  I have a Calphalon pasta pot.  I love it.  I cook the pasta, and pull it out with the insert and leave the insert resting out of the water, but over it.  When it is time to serve the pasta, I dip it back in the water, pull it out and it is warm and adds a little pasta water to the dish. 

2.      Meanwhile, toss the scallops with 2 (1) T of EVOO, ½ t red pepper flakes, and ¾ (1/2) t salt.

3.      Heat a 12” skillet over high heat.  Add the scallops, spread into even layer, and cook, without stirring, until bottoms of scallops turn spotty brown, about 30 seconds.

4.      Off heat, flip the scallops then add cognac and let warm through, about 5 seconds.

5.      Wave lit match over pan until cognac ignites, then shake pan to distribute flames. 

6.      When flames subside, transfer scallops to a bowl and set aside.  Cool skillet slightly, about 3 minutes. 

7.      Heat 3 (1 ½) T EVOO and three quarters of garlic in now-empty skillet over low heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic foams and is stick and straw-colored, about 10 minutes.  (Mine took less and never foamed.)

8.      Stir in tomatoes, wine, sugar (Splenda), ¾ (1/2) salt, and remaining ½ t pepper flakes, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes.  

9.      Stir in scallops along with any accumulated juices, parsley, and remaining garlic into sauce. 

10.  Simmer until scallops have heated through, about 1 minute. 

11.  Off heat, stir in remaining 1 (1/2) T EVOO. 

12.   Add the sauce to the pasta and toss to combine. 

You can also make this recipe with shrimp.  With this I served the Grilled Garlic Bread from Cooking Light Mix & Match low-calorie Cookbook.    

Ingredients:

1T EVOO

4 (1-oz) slices French bread

1 garlic clove, halved

Directions:

My stove in this rental house is severely lacking in size and large size burners so I had to use the broiler and couldn’t get cute grille marks. 

1.      Heat a grill pan over medium heat. 

2.      Brush EVOO evenly over bread slices on each side. 

3.      Add bread to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. 

4.      Rub 1 side of each bread slice with cut sides of halved garlic clove. 

Jim served a great Italian white wine.  It is a 2007 Ribolla Gialla, DOC Zuc di Volvpe.  We got it in VA from the Opera House Gourmet.  It stood up to 12 cloves of garlic and was really good.