Friday, February 1, 2008

Keep the Fun and Cut the Fat Soups!

COMING UP MONDAY--LOSE THE CALORIES AND KEEP THE FUN.
SEVERAL HEALTHY SOUPS.



CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

Recipe ingredients
2 slices bacon
1 lb. chicken breast meat, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large potato, diced
2 cups frozen cut corn
2 cans (16 oz each) fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
4 oz Velveeta, diced
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
Recipe directions
In a dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan. Add chicken, onion, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until tender, then add potatoes. Stir in the broth and bring to boil. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in the corn. Blend the flour and milk in a bowl then gradually stir it into the pot. Increase heat to medium and cook until thickend, stirring constantly. Add cheese and stir until melted and well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6 servings
Calories : 298


PORK AND ZUCCHINI SOUP
INGREDIENTS
• 4 pork chops
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
• 1/8 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Place flour in a resealable plastic bag. Add pork cubes. Seal bag and shake to coat. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium high heat. Add pork and brown in oil for about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
2. In a 5 to 8 quart soup pot, heat remaining teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and bell pepper. Saute for just a few minutes until tender, but not browned.
3. Add reserved pork, zucchini, sun-dried tomato bits, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Heat until almost boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Serving Size: 1 cup

162 Calories per serving

SOUTH OF THE BORDER SOUP

Recipe ingredients
3 cans vegetable broth
16 oz salsa
1 can black beans, canned
5 oz. tiny pasta shells
1 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup cilantro
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
Recipe directions
Heat broth to boiling in a dutch oven. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer about 8 to 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender.

6 servings
Calories : 247


TURKEY MEATBALL SOUP
Ingredients:
For the Meatballs:
1 pound ground turkey breast or lean ground beef
3/4 cup Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
3 Tablespoons barbecue sauce 3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
For the Soup:
1 can (49 ounces) reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1/4 cup pasta
1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables (do not thaw)
Directions:
Heat broiler. Lightly spray rack of broiler pan with no-stick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine meatball ingredients; mix lightly but thoroughly. Roll mix into balls. Arrange meatballs on broiler pan. Broil meatballs 6 to 8 inches from heat about 6 minutes or until cooked through, turning once. While meatballs cook, bring chicken broth to a boil in 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pasta and frozen vegetables; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 8 minutes or until vegetables and pasta are tender. Add meatballs and cook 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Serves 6
Calories 200

WHITE BEAN, KALE AND SAUSAGE SOUP

4 cups coarsely sliced kale leaves (center ribs removed)
½ cup chopped onion (about 1 medium
4 ½ cups water
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
½ teaspoon salt
6 precooked all-beef sausage links (about 4 ounces), cut into fourths
2 medium parsnips, cut into ½ -inch cubes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or great northern beans, drained


Mix all ingredients in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until kale and parsnips are tender.



6 servings
Calories : 275

Cornflake Encrusted Chicken Tenders (Aired January 21st)

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound boneless chicken breast
1 cup flour
3 cups cornflakes
3 eggs, lightly beaten in a separate bowl
¼ cup milk

1 quart vegetable oil

Dipping Sauce:
Hot Sauce to taste
1 stick butter

PREPARATION:
Cut chicken breast into strips.
Put flour into bowl and season with salt & pepper. Lightly beat eggs in a separate bowl. Next, place cornflakes into a separate bowl for coating.
Dredge in flour, then dip into eggs. Next, place chicken into cornflakes, pressing lightly to help cornflakes adhere to the chicken.
Preheat oil in skillet over medium high heat or in fryer. When oil is hot, carefully place coated chicken in pan. Fry for 3 minutes, or until GBD- Golden, Brown, & Delicious!
For dipping sauce, combine hot sauce with 1 stick of butter. Place in microwave to melt, then stir. Serve with chicken and enjoy!

Friday, January 25, 2008

SHRIMP QUESADILLA



Cilantro Pesto Shrimp Quesadilla:

INGREDIENTS:
12 shrimp, raw, but peeled and de-veined
6 6-inch tortillas
½ pound of shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 bunches cilantro
½ cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
PREPARATION:
For Pesto:
Pick & clean cilantro. Place in food processor. Pulse 3 times, to chop up cilantro. Add parmesan cheese, then puree. Add lemon juice & olive oil and puree until smooth. Put into a container and set aside.
For Quesadilla:
Take the 6 tortillas and lay them out. Evenly divide Monterey jack cheese onto four of the tortillas, saving 2 tortillas for the tops. Use three quarters of the pesto to spread on top of the 4 tortillas with cheese. Season with salt & pepper, then place one tortilla on top of the other, then the remaining tortilla without cheese on top, for 3 layers. You will have (2) 3-layered quesadillas.
Take shrimp, season with salt & pepper to taste. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in sauté pan on high. When pan is very hot, add shrimp and cook 3-4 minutes until pink. Remove from heat, and set to the side.
Lightly brush quesadillas with olive oil. Place in pre-heated 500 degree oven for 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and cut each quesadillas into 6 pieces. Put a small dollop of the remaining cilantro pesto to each slice and place 1 cooked shrimp on top of the pesto.
These are sure to be a touchdown for the Superbowl!

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Sweet Potato Stuffed Butterflied Shrimp

6 ea shrimp, 16-20, peeled & deveined, patted dry
3 oz sweet potato mix (see recipe)
1 oz BBQ cocktail sauce (see recipe)

Sweet Potato Mix
15 ox sweet mash (see recipe)
1.75 ox panko
2 oz pecans, crushed & toasted
1 ½ oz brown sugar
To taste – salt and pepper

Pickled Vegetable Nest
1/8 oz jicama – cut on nester
1/8 oz beets – cut on nester
1/8 oz carrots – cut on nester
½ t scallions – small dice
To taste – salt and pepper
1 oz citrus vinaigrette

• Mix all ingredients together, let sit for 2 minutes – hold for service

To stuff shrimp
• With the dry shrimp, stuff with ½ oz of stuffing (sweet potato mix)
• Season with salt and pepper
• Freeze overnight

To flour the shrimp
• Remove the stuffed shrimp from the freezer and continue to bread – flour, egg wash, panko, refreeze for service

Thai Curry Mussels

12-14 ea mussels, cleaned and trimmed
1 t lemongrass – small dice
1 t ginger, minced
1 t garlic, minced
1 t red curry paste
1 oz coconut milk
1 oz white wine
1 oz cocoa lopez
1 oz butter, whole, cold
¼ oz Asian pear – small dice
1 ea crostini (see recipe)
½ oz peach butter (see recipe)
½ t cilantro, minced (for garnish)
2 t peanut oil

Procedure
• Heat sauté pan and add oil
• Add lemongrass, garlic, ginger, curry paste and sauté
• When caramelized, add mussels and white wine, toss in pan a couple of times
• Add cocoa lopez, coconut milk, pears, butter, scallions
• Reduce to consistency
• Add lime, taste, season, serve

• Crostini goes in the middle of the mussels sticking upward and cilantro is sprinkled on top

Greek Salad with Crispy Asparagus

1 head romaine, washed & rough chopped, dried
5 ea cucumber – sliced
5 ea grape tomatoes
2 ea pepperoncini
5 ea greek olives
3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 oz shredded carrots
6 ea asparagus spears (see recipe)
1/8 oz red onion, julienne
3 oz asiago – Italian dressing (see recipe)
½ ea egg, hard boiled
1/8 oz alfalfa sprouts

Asparagus Spears
6 ea asparagus spears, peeled
1 oz flour
To taste – salt and pepper
1 oz egg wash
¾ oz panko

• Season asparagus spears, hold them by the flower part
• With one hand, dip the seasoned asparagus in flour, then in egg wash, then in panko
• Reserve in freezer till service

For the dressing
2 c Italian dressing
2 c asiago dressing

• Mix together well, reserve for service

To assemble salad
• Add all ingredients in bowl except feta, sprouts, carrots, crispy asparagus
• Mix well and place on plate to see all the ingredients, placing sprouts on top
• Fry asparagus and place around coming to a point in the middle
• Crumble feta around and carrots - serve

Minestrone Soup

1 lb Vidalia Onions – diced small
1 lb Leeks – diced small
1 lb Carrots – diced small
1 lb Celery – diced small
2 ¼ cup Minced Garlic
1 bx Frozen Spinach – thawed
1 lb Squash – diced small
1 lb Zuchinni – diced small
2 ½ lb Yukon Gold Potatoes – diced small
1 bx Didilini
1 ea Sachet (see below)
1 bg Baby Lima Beans – thawed
1 oz Fresh Rosemary – minced
1 oz Fresh Sage – minced
1 cn Chick Peas – drained
2 cn #10 Tomato Strips
3 G Vegetable Stock (see below)
1 ½ oz Basil – chiffonade

Vegetable Stock
15 ea Corn Cobs
15 ea Tomatoes – quartered
1 lb Celery – rough chop
1 lb Carrots – rough chop
1 lb Onions – rough chop
1 lb Leeks – rough chop
1 ea Sachet (see below)

*Any vegetable scraps (mushrooms, onion peels, carrot peels