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Welcome Snow!

Posted by on January 13, 2012

Oh, we are so happy to have snow!  I took Ryan sledding after school and upon our return he needed the traditional cup of hot chocolate with extra mini marshmallows!  So wonderful!

It’s nice to relax for a bit after a very busy cooking week.  I made some things that will definitely be in my regular rotation of meals. I tried this new dish out of Cooking Light Magazine.  It was a bacon and roasted butternut squash pasta bake.  Instead of a traditional white sauce they recommended chicken stock with flour for thickening.  The squash was cut into 1/2″ pieces and roasted in the oven for about 30 minutes.  I used turkey bacon in lieu of pork bacon.  Lastly, the dish was topped with about 3 ounces of gruyere swiss cheese.  I made it ahead and baked it tonight, it was delicious!  The squash added a nice creamy texture to the pasta.  I made it a couple of days ago so all I needed to do was pop it in the oven, I love that!

Gruyere swiss cheese is one of those flavor packed ingredients that a little goes a long way.  It’s my favorite cheese to use next to parmigiano reggiano.

I baked this week too.  I made Cinnamon Streusel Sour Cream Coffeecake.  I did photograph it now I need to write out the recipe for sharing.

Lastly, I love Asian anything.  With the snow coming down it was awesome to have bright and colorful vegetables on hand.  I had red cabbage, green onion, red bell pepper, chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro.  I whipped up a delicious Asian salad that took me all of 5 minutes.  I will share this recipe as well.

Have a wonderful day!

Angie

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Veggie Grilled Cheese or Panini…..

Posted by on January 11, 2012

Here’s a quick and really tasty way to use up your zucchini bake.  Warm a slice of zucchini bake large enough to cover a slice of sourdough bread and warm it in the microwave until very hot.  Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Brush the two pieces of sourdough bread lightly with olive oil.  Make a sandwich using your favorite cheese, I used gruyere swiss, then the warmed zucchini bake.  Toast until the bread is nicely browned.  Walla, a quick and easy lunch or dinner.  Enjoy with Tomato Basil Soup, delish!

I think some roasted red pepper would be a pretty fabulous addition to this sandwich as well.  It’s the perfect opportunity to get creative.  That’s why I love to cook, the possibilities are endless!

Have a great evening!

Angie

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Veggie Lasagna Rolls…..

Posted by on January 7, 2012

I am delighted to share my latest healthy vegetarian recipe!  Why not make ahead for your next dinner party?  Simply pop them into the oven about an hour before you want to serve.  Serve with a nice salad my simple garlic bread.  So good.
The recipe is large, it makes 16 rolls.  One roll will only cost you 5 Weight Watcher’s points, so worth it!  Freeze leftovers for another time or enjoy for lunches during the week.  You will need a batch of marinara sauce or you can use your favorite bottled sauce.

Veggie Lasagna Rolls

1 package lasagna noodles (14-16 pieces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and grated
1 medium yellow squash, trimmed and grated
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
16 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
3-4 cups marinara sauce or your favorite bottled sauce
4 ounces mozzarella cheese

1)  Boil the lasagna noodles according to the package directions, undercooking by 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse.  Carefully lay them out flat until it’s time to use them.  Refrigerate if you’re going to use them later.
2)  Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion and red pepper.  Cook for 5-6 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another minute.  Add the shredded zucchini and the yellow squash.  Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.  Pour into a large bowl to cool.
3)  Once the veggie mixture is cool, add the ricotta cheese and the egg.  Mix well to combine.
4)  Preheat the oven to 350′.  Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray.  (You may need an additional dish)  Spread about 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the pan.
5)  At one end of the lasagna noodle, place about 1/3 cup of the veggie/cheese mixture and carefully roll the noodle completely around the filling.  Place in the baking dish seam side down.  Stuff the rest of the noodles.  Pour additional sauce over the rolled and stuffed noodles.  Top with mozzarella cheese.
6)  Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Makes 16 rolls.

*Extend the baking time by 10-15 minutes if you make them ahead and they’re cold.
**freezes beautifully.
***Use any vegetables you like.  If you use mushrooms, be sure to cook the moisture out of them.

 

Have a healthy day!

Angie

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TGIF!!

Posted by on January 6, 2012

Hello Everyone-

Well, winter break is coming to an end….THANK GOD!  Two teens and a six year old without a schedule for two weeks is just too much for me!

I am in need of a night out so I am going out to dinner with my friend Amy to my favorite Italian restaurant, Cucina Paradiso.    I’m going to have a glass or two of prosecco,  a lovely mixed green salad with toasted walnuts, bleu cheese, and strawberries, and maybe some spicy artichoke pasta.   Meatless and delicious!

One of my goals going forward in the new year is to use less meat/protein in my cooking and eating.  My Aunt Irene recently became  a vegetarian and totally inspired me!   I am not going to become a vegetarian, rather, I will consume many more vegetable/grain/vegetarian entrees while enjoying meats occasionally.  I would be considered a “flexitarian.” 

In the 50’s meat was considered a luxury.  It wasn’t used as frequently or in the portion sizes people are now consuming.   The appropriate serving size of meat for a woman is about 3 ounces.  Most steaks you order in restaurants start at 8 ounces and go on up to well over 16!  There many creative ways to incorporate flavor into your cooking without mass amounts of protein.

A couple of my favorite ways to incorporate big flavor without a lot of added fat/calories is to use crisp crumbled bacon or parmisano reggiano cheese.    A so called “big bang for your buck.”  The same goes for flavorful cuts of meat.  One can incorporate a 2-3 ounce portion of meat into a veggie loaded stir fry.  Try sauteing shredded veggies and adding to your next meatloaf.   The moisture from the veggies will make the meatloaf incredibly moist and delicious and you’ll have an added bonus serving of veggies.

This week I came up with Veggie Lasagna Rolls.  I used a blend of shredded zucchini and yellow squash, onions, garlic and sweet bell peppers.  I sauteed them in a little olive oil and then mixed in some ricotta cheese.  I cooked lasagna noodles and rolled them around a dollop of the veggie/cheese mixture.  Topped the dish with some homemade marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.  Walla, an incredibly flavorful and satisfying vegetarian dinner.  Gotta share this one!

I seldom look forward to Mondays but happy to be back on a schedule next week!

Have a great weekend!

Angie

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Zucchini Bake…..

Posted by on January 5, 2012

I get bored with vegetables at this time of year.  It can be challenging to come up with different things to do with vegetables that don’t involve a lot of added fat.

I love this dish.  It is actually better the next day.  Make a good amount of it so you can enjoy for lunches during the week.  Serve with simply roasted chicken or fish.

Zucchini Bake

2 lbs. zucchini trimmed and grated by hand or with a food processor
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus additional to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1)   Grate the zucchini and place int a colander.  Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.  Squeeze any excess moisture out of the zucchini.
2)  Coat a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray.   Preheat the oven to 350′.
3)   Add the olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium-high heat.  Once the pan is hot, add chopped onion.  Cook for 7-8 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Add the garlic and cook another minute.  Add the drained zucchini.  Cook for 4-5 minutes.  Add the parsley, basil and pepper.  Taste the mixture.  Add additional salt to your taste if necessary.
4)  Pour the zucchini mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Pour the beaten eggs over the zucchini.  Mix well and smooth out the top.  Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Serve hot or cold.  Cut into squares.  Makes about 12- 3″ squares.  Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Angie

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New Years Day…..

Posted by on January 2, 2012

Hi everyone!

What a great day!  Went to bed after midnight last night so it was nice to relax today.  Got up around 8:30 (that’s sleeping in for me!) and my kitchen was totally clean!  My honey got up before me and cleaned up, so nice!  I made delicious omelettes around 10:00.  I sauteed mushrooms, onions, and yellow peppers.  I stuffed my omelet with the veggies and sharp cheddar cheese, so good!  I had a little fresh fruit and a toasted cinnamon raisin english muffin.  It doesn’t get much better than that!

As I am typing, the smell of BBQ beefis wafting through the air.  I slapped that in the  oven about 2:00 today.  Should be fall apart tender in an hour or so.  I’ll be serving it with whole wheat buns, garlic oven roasted potato wedges and a simple cabbage salad.    Forgot to mention that I’m enjoying a little leftover Moscato…nothing like a little bubbly while on the computer:-)

So, let me tell you about last night.  We had a fire going in the livingroom and a our Christmas tree lit.  The smells in my house were as warm and cozy as the fire.  The appetizers and desserts I served were a hit!  Appetizer parties are my absolute favorite!  I made most everything ahead of time.  I just had to pop them in the oven and serve.  Easy peasy.  I always label my serving platters ahead of time so I don’t have to think about it when I have guests.  I also make  a “cheat sheet” that I tape to my kitchen cabinet.  I’ve forgotten to serve things in the past, huge bummer. 

The crab cakes were dynamite!  I made a lovely roasted red pepper aioli.  I did end up making fried calamari with a quick marinara sauce.  This was incredibly simple.  I dusted the calamari with a blend of flour, dried parsley flakes, salt, and pepper.  Right into the hot oil for one minute.  The parmesan stuffed mushrooms went like wildfire.  I baked them for 20 minutes in a small amount of beef broth in the bottom of the pan.  I also served ham and gruyere swiss cheese in puff pastry with whole grain mustard, savory and delicious.

The grand finale was fabulous.  I served the chilled cinnamon cheesecake squares, fresh berries with mascarpone, and chocolate chip cookies.  It was perfect.  Fresh berries, creamy cheesecake, and a little chocolate.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday!  I’m looking forward to a schedule in my house!

Have a great evening!

Angie

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Happy New Year!

Posted by on December 31, 2011

Hello Everyone-

I am very much looking forward to my small New Years Eve get together this evening.    I’ve been puttering around my house, cleaning, organizing, vacuuming…I think I’m finally ready.

Here’s my final menu:

Crab cakes with roasted red pepper aioli-I bought a 1 lb. can of crab claw meat from Whole Foods..OMG, so good!
Fried calamari with marinara dipping sauce-This is pretty quick, only about a minute in the oil.  Serving with fresh lemon wedges.
Assorted olives and baguette-Straight foward, salty and delicious!
Parmesan and garlic stuffed mushrooms-These bake in a little beef broth for about 20 minutes.
Ham and gruyere swiss cheese in puff pastry.  Already baked, just needs a little warming and cut into squares.  Sort of an updated grilled cheese!

And for dessert….

Berries and mascarpone cream
Cinnamon streusel cheesecake squares
Chocolate chip cookies

I look forward to another year of cooking and experimenting with you!

Have a Happy New Year!

Angie

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New Year’s Soiree….

Posted by on December 29, 2011

Looking forward to a simple cocktail/appetizer party on Saturday.  As always, I obsess over what I’ll be serving.  (in a good way!)  In my experience I’ve found that most people really go for hot appetizers.  I think it’s nice to offer a couple of cold items  so that there’s something available between hot apps.  Olives are nice.  I like to offer some vegetables as well so that my guests have a healthy option.  I love the look of blanched broccoli on a vegetable tray.  *Blanching will make the broccoli very bright green and will make it less bitter.  Serve fresh cut veggies with my Light Bleu Cheese Dip.  No one will know it’s light, so good!

Another thing to consider is whether your guests will mostly be standing and mingling.  Always a good idea to serve items that are bite size and easy to eat.  Be sure to have plenty of cocktail napkins on hand as well.  If guests are a little shy about going up to an appetizer table, circulate them yourself or enlist another guest to do so.  This will put everyone at ease.

Here’s what I’m thinking…

Appetizers:

1)  Fried Calamari with Fresh Marinara Sauce (the sauce can be made ahead)  Not sure about this one….like to have most everything done ahead of time! 
2)  Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli (make ahead, just warm in oven)
3)  Black Forest Ham and Gruyere Puff Pastry Squares (Ina Garten) great at room temperature (make ahead, serve at room temperature or warm in oven for a few minutes)
4)  Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms (make ahead, warm in oven)
5)  Proscuitto Wrapped Breadsticks with Boursin and Arugula (cold) (make ahead)

Desserts:

Mini Cheesecake Bites with Fresh Raspberry Sauce (make ahead)
Something Chocolate…not sure what….
Fresh Berries with Mascarpone Cream-beautiful, simple, and festive.  (make ahead)

I have time before my gig, so I’ll be changing things around a bit.  Will let you know my final menu.

Have a nice evening-

Angie

*to blanch broccoli, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the cut broccoli to the water and set the timer for 1 minute.  Drain and immediately plunge the  hot broccoli into a bowl of ice water.   Once the broccoli is cool, drain well.  Enjoy!

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Christmas Concert, Kringle, & Dinner Rolls…..

Posted by on December 24, 2011

The Christmas concert at school was so cute!  It was fun to watch and very exciting too that it was the last day of school.  Ahhhhh, winter break.  No jumping out of bed, making lunches, getting breakfast, getting dressed and off to school.  Nice.

What was on the agenda our first day without school???

Baking, of course!  Ryan is very good at rolling, cutting and placing the cookies on the sheet.  I mixed the dough earlier in the week.  We baked all the cookie dough, whew!

Last night I mixed dough for Kringle.  (check out the step by step instruction)   I love making it because the dough is prepared the night before and simply rolled out, filled with cream cheese and fruit filling, shaped, and baked.  No second rising required.  It is so delicious and stays very fresh for 2-3 days unlike many other yeast type breads/rolls.

Lastly, since I loved the Challah bread so much, I thought I’d make a triple batch and shape them into rolls for Christmas Eve dinner at my  sister in law’s house….

The triple batch made about 75 rolls.  My house smells amazing!

Merry Christmas!

Angie

 

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School Holiday Party….

Posted by on December 20, 2011

It is at this time every year I get a little bummed out that I can’t bake for Ryan’s school holiday party.  I waver back and forth between buying something and trying to figure out how I can actually do some baking, even when it’s not allowed.  Believe me, I totally understand why it’s not allowed.  I can’t imagine how scary it would be to send your kids out into the world with the worry that they might be exposed to an allergen that could make them sick or worse.

I guess I feel like the kiddies are missing out on good old fashioned iced Christmas cookies.  Well guess what?  This is all they know so they aren’t missing a thing!  They will enjoy every bit of the holiday party, with all the “allowed” treats.  Besides,  we can always do plenty of baking at home for our families, right?

I went to Jewel to find perfectly acceptable cookies for our class.  I have no confidence in my cookie choices as they all were made in plants that process peanuts and tree nuts…geeze!  I can’t imagine choosing something that might make a classmate ill…..I have great respect for those Mom’s who have kids with allergies.   You have a big job and I totally appreciate what you go through.

I settled on oreos and chocolate mouse reindeer peeps.  It’s all good.

Have a great day-

Angie

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