Beef Stroganoff

This is one of the recipes my mom has passed down to me. It's a favorite in our house (and was when I was younger too) and one that freezes well. I usually double it so I can freeze some for the next time.

-1 lb. beef tenderloin, cut into fine strips (I always use tenderloin and swear it makes all the difference. However, you can use a cheaper cut of meat if you want.)
-1 stick of margarine
-2 boxes fresh mushrooms, sliced
-½ cup chopped onion
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-Garlic powder to taste
-1 tbsp. tomato sauce or paste
-1 can beef broth
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Flour as needed to thicken
-½ cup sour cream
-Egg noodles

Brown beef in the margarine. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, tomato paste, and broth and bring to a simmer. Whisk a little flour in as needed to thicken sauce (start with a tablespoon and go from there). Cook slowly (covered) for 1-1 ½ hours on stovetop until meat is tender. Stir in sour cream just before serving to make the sauce creamy. Serve over thick buttered egg noodles.

**If you are going to freeze the stroganoff, do so without adding the sour cream. After defrosting and reheating, stir in your sour cream and then serve.

Moroccan Chicken X 2

Grilled Moroccan Chicken - here's a recipe Scott recently came across in a newspaper. It's one we'll be adding to our regular recipe circuit!

-1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
-1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
-1 T EV olive oil
-1 T minced garlic
-1 t sweet paprika
-1 t ground cumin
-1/4 t salt
-1/4 t freshly ground pepper
-1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, cilantro, oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a shallow dish and spread with half the yogurt mixture. Turn the chicken over and spread with the remaining yogurt mixture. (We just dumped the chicken and marinade in a ziploc baggie and squished around until it was covered well). Cover and refrigerate for 6-10 hours.

Preheat a gas grill to high or prep your charcoal fire. Grill the chicken until it's cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

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Thrown-together Couscous

To accompany the grilled chicken, I started with a box of couscous and added in some more ingredients for a little more substance. Turned out pretty good...

-1 box of couscous, such as Near East (I like to use the roasted garlic kind)
-1 tomato, chopped
-1/4 of an English cucumber, chopped
-Mushrooms, sliced
-Feta cheese

Prepare your box of couscous. Put into a bowl and allow to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in a little margarine for a few minutes. Add tomato, cucumber, and mushrooms to couscous. After couscous is room temperature, add in your box of feta cheese and stir to combine all ingredients.

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If you don't have time to marinade and want some Moroccan flavor without as much fuss, this is another good one...

Moroccan Chicken

-1 tsp. cumin
-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
-1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
-1 T. vegetable oil
-1 pkg. (6 oz.) couscous, such as Near East (I used the garlic flavored one)
-1 pkg. (6 oz.) fresh baby spinach

Stir together cumin, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl and then sprinkle over the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium. Add the chicken and cook 10-20 minutes or until done, turning once.

Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to the directions on the package.

When done, transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Then start cooking the baby spinach in the same skillet, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes or until it begins to wilt. Blend it in the cooked couscous. Serve the couscous and spinach as a side dish with the chicken.

Per serving:
-341 calories
-40 g protein
-6 g fat
-33 g carbs
-79 mg calcium
-3 g fiber

Pesto Potato Salad

Thanks to my friend Dori for introducing this dish to me at a dinner party a couple years back. Since then, it has become a staple in our household and is definitely preferred over traditional potato salad (it's probably a little healthier too).

Pesto:
-3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
-2 to 3 cloves garlic, to your taste, peeled
-2/3 cup olive oil
-¼ cup walnut pieces or pine nuts (optional)
-1/8 tsp. salt
-¾ grated Parmesan cheese

In a blender or food processor, process the basil, garlic, olive oil, nuts (if using), and salt until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl and stir the Parmesan. Cover and refrigerate, tightly covered, until using. If you’re not using within several days, freeze the pesto. It will keep for 2 to 3 months.

Salad:
-2 ½ lbs. red skinned potatoes (7 medium-size ones), scrubbed
-Salt
-1 lemon, halved
-¾ prepared pesto
-Freshly ground
-Black pepper to taste
-1 pint cherry tomatoes
-4 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to moderately low, and simmer, covered, until potatoes are just tender (check with the tip of a paring knife), 20 to 25 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces (peeling the potatoes, if desired) and spread the pieces on a baking sheet. Squeeze lemon juice over the pieces. Let cool. When the potatoes have cooled, transfer to a medium-size bowl. Add about two thirds of the pesto and toss well to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow serving dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight. When ready to serve, halve the tomatoes and scatter them over the top. Top with the cheese, then dot the top with the remaining pesto. Toss gently, then serve.

From the kitchen of Dori Spaulding.

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Here's my quick "CHEATER VERSION" of it...I know, I know, could I be any lazier...

-2 ½ lbs. new potatoes, halved or quartered
-1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 packet of McCormick's pesto seasoning
-6 oz. container feta cheese
-Olive oil

Boil pre-cut potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and let sit out to cool. Empty pesto packet into a tupperware container (about 10 cup container) or a large bowl, add 3-5 tablespoons olive oil to the seasoning and mix to create a paste/sauce. Once potatoes are completely cooled, put potatoes, tomatoes, and feta into the tupperware container. Seal with the lid and give it a gentle shimmy and shake until all the ingredients are coated with pesto. Drizzle with additional olive oil if needed and shake again. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Scott's Famous Buttermillk Pancakes

I am not the breakfast cooker in this family, but thought I'd share Scott's yummy pancake recipe.

-2 cups all-purpose flour
-2 t baking powder
-1 t baking soda
-1/2 t salt
-3 T sugar
-2 large eggs, lightly beaten
-3 cups buttermilk
-4 T unsalted butter, melted plus 1/2 t for the griddle

Heat griddle to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 T butter, whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps.

Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Brush griddle with butter or some bacon grease. Wipe off excess.

Using about 1/2 cup of batter, pour pancake batter onto griddle about 2 inches apart from one another. When pancakes have bubbled on top and are slightly dry around the edges (about 2 1/2 minutes) flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

Enjoy!

Freezer Meal Ideas

With a baby due in just 7 weeks, I'd like to get some freezer meals made over the next month or so. I'll do my typical lasagna, chicken chili, and beef stroganoff because I know they freeze well, but I'm looking for some other ideas too. If you have a recipe that freezes well (and isn't too complicated for my non-Betty Crocker cooking self), please e-mail me the recipe or post it in the comments section.

THANKS!

Turkey Enchiladas

-12 ounces turkey from the deli, chopped
-1 can (8.75 ounce) corn, drained
-1 container (8 ounce) reduced-fat sour cream
-1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese
-2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
-10 (6 inch) corn tortillas (I used 6 large whole wheat tortillas instead)
-1 can (10 ounce) enchilada sauce
-1 cup mild salsa
**We must just love black beans around here! I also added in 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9"X13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine turkey, corn, sour cream, half the cheese, and half the cilantro (and beans if you want them). Microwave tortillas on a microwave-safe dish for about 30 seconds to soften them.

Place about 1/3 cup (more if you are using the large tortillas) turkey mixture on each tortilla and roll up tightly. Arrange in prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. In a bowl, stir enchilada sauce with salsa; pour over tortillas to cover. Top with remaining cheese and bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese melts and enchiladas are heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

Per serving:
-445 calories
-34 g protein
-42 g carbs
-16 g total fat (7 g saturated)
-6 g fiber
-98 mg cholesterol
-725 mg sodium

Artery Clogging Potato Casserole

This recipe is by no means waistline friendly. However, it is still one of our favorites (especially Scott's). Scott will eat this stuff for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next couple days until it's gone! I had to make it for his birthday dinner today. This casserole is the perfect mate to the grilled flank steak that I posted a recipe for way back on 9 July 06. It seems we never make one without the other.

-2 lbs. frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
-1 stick margarine, melted (for casserole)
-1 can cream of mushroom soup
-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
-1 pint sour cream
-1 small onion, chopped
-Salt and pepper to taste
-2 cups crushed cornflakes
-1 stick margarine, melted (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients (except cornflakes and last stick of margarine) and mix well. Pour into a greased 9"X13" pan. Mix crushed cornflakes with melted margarine and then spread on top of the potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes (30 minutes covered with foil and then 30 minutes uncovered) or until hot. Enjoy!

Baked Chicken and Penne

This is one of the best baked pasta dishes I've had in a while. It's a Weight Watchers recipe, but it is packed with flavor! It was a hit with the whole fam. Preparation takes about an hour from start to finish.

-1/2 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4" strips
-1 onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 (28 ounce) can low sodium crushed tomatoes
-1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
-1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
-2 cups penne or ziti
-2/3 cup non-fat ricotta cheese (I use the full fat good stuff!)
-1/3 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese (I use a heck of a lot more)
-2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray (I just use a drizzle of olive oil); heat skillet. Add the chicken and cook, turning as needed until lightly browned, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet (after spraying more nonstick spray if that's what you used), stirring as needed until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and pepper (I also add in some fresh chopped basil and a can of mushrooms, drained). Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring as needed until the mixture is thickened slightly, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and then mix with the ricotta cheese.

Pour half of the tomato mixture into a 9"X13" baking pan, layer with the pasta mixture, the chicken, and then the remaining tomato mixture. Sprinkle with the cheeses (I used a lot more mozzarella than the recipe called for because we LOVE cheese!). Bake until hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes.

I don't believe in non-fat anything and typically don't use low sodium products so the "per serving stats" below are without any of my substitutions/additions.

Per Serving:
-381 calories
-5 g total fat
-2 g saturated fat
-40 mg cholesterol
-209 mg sodium
-52 g total carbs
-3 g dietary fiber
-31 g protein
-371 mg calcium
-7 Weight Watchers points

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I tried this one for the first time last night. So easy!

-2-3 cups cooked shredded chicken (I was lazy last night and just threw in some canned chicken - 2 cans, drained)
-2 cans chicken broth (low sodium)
-2 cups instant white rice (I used brown)
-1 jar of salsa con queso
-1 can of cream of chicken condensed soup (low sodium/fat free)
-1 cup of corn
-1/2 cup milk
-1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
-Baked tortillas (I served with tortilla chips)
-Sour cream
-**I felt a little guilty about all that processed cheese so I also added a can of black beans, drained and rinsed

Combine the first seven ingredients in a slow cooker - set on high for quick cooking, low for a slower simmer. Stir every 20 minutes to "marry" ingredients.
When just about done (approx. 1 hour on high; 2 hours on low) - add the shredded cheese; stir until thoroughly melted. Serve warm with crushed tortillas and a dollop of sour cream on top (scallions optional).

From the kitchen of Kelley Midagliotti

Blueberry Scones

This is my favorite scone recipe...I need to dig out my scone pan and get baking. So, so yummy!

-2/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt (I use buttermilk)
-1 large egg
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-4 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 t baking soda
-1/4 t salt
-8 T cold, unsalted butter
-1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I use frozen blueberries instead)
-1/2 cup sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a scone pan with cooking spray (or just coat a cookie sheet with spray). Beat egg with buttermilk and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add butter, cuting with a pastry blender or rubbing with your fingers (I use my fingers) until mixture looks granular. Lightly stir in cranberries/blueberries and sugar. Stir in buttermilk mixture with a fork until a soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 5 times. (I do this on some wax paper because blueberries will stain your countertop!). Separate dough into eight equal pieces and press into scone pan. If you don't have a scone pan form into 8 triangle scone shaped pieces and place on baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until medium brown. Let cool 20 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and cool completely. SCRUMMY!