Monday, January 30, 2006
Break out beans for the Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is a great opportunity to combine three favorite American traditions: football, friends and food. And when you focus on hearty food, these elements come together with minimal fuss. Chili is a Super Bowl favorite while bean salad and bean dip make terrific sides and snacks. And because they taste good, you’ll score big points with your guests.
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Serve this dip with tortilla chips or raw vegetables.
Bean Dip
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-1/2 teaspoons minced jalapeno pepper, fresh or canned
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoons granulated sugar
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 1-3/4 cups.
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Easy Three-Bean Salad
1 16-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 16-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 cup Italian dressing, regular or reduced fat
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Makes 4 servings.
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Beef and Bean Chili
2 pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2-1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 8-ounce jar salsa
4 tablespoons chili seasoning mix
1 15-ounce can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the ground beef and the onion and sauté until meat is browned and onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain grease, if desired. Add black pepper, garlic salt, tomato sauce, salsa, chili seasoning mix and kidney beans. Mix well, reduce heat to low and simmer until flavors blend, at least 1 hour. Makes 8 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When serving chili, put out bowls of accompaniments such as sour cream, grated cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, minced raw onion, sliced black olives, chopped green chilies or jalapenos, cornbread, tortilla chips, and salsa.
Leftover chili is good on baked potatoes and hot dogs or as a filling for burritos or omelets.
If perishable dips will be left out longer than two hours, place the dip bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice cubes to keep it cold.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Appetizers and Snacks • Main Dishes • (0) Contributions • Permalink
Monday, January 23, 2006
Use frozen shrimp to make quick, low-fat meals
Meat, chicken, fish. Meat, chicken, fish. Sometimes the choices for dinner can get a little dull. For something easy and different, stock your freezer with shrimp and your pantry with pasta and rice. These ingredients are naturally low in fat, it’s easy to create a healthy meal that perks up dinnertime in a way that few foods can.
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Low-Fat Shrimp Scampi
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1 14.5-ounce reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, divided
1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the broth, garlic, lemon-pepper and 3 tablespoons each green onions and parsley. bring to a boil. Add shrimp; cook until shrimp turn pink, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta and place in a serving bowl; top with shrimp mixture and remaining onions and parsley. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 353 calories, 3 grams fat, 45 grams carbohydrates, and 2 grams fiber.
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Low-Fat Sweet and Sour Shrimp
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
1 8-ounce can pineapple tidbits, juice-packed, juice drained but reserved
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1 medium green pepper, cubed
Hot cooked rice
Sauce:
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons white vinegar
Coat a skillet or wok with nonstick cooking spray. Add pineapple, water chestnuts, carrot and green pepper; stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
In a bowl, combine tomato paste, water, pineapple juice, brown sugar and vinegar. Add to the vegetables, along with the shrimp. Stir until thickened and heated through. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings. Per serving, not including rice: 244 calories, 1 gram fat, 33 grams carbohydrates, and 4 grams fiber.
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Pantry Pointers
Treat fresh, uncooked shrimp like you would fresh fish by using it the same day you purchase it. If you aren’t going to use it immediately and want to freeze the shrimp, it usually is best to cook the shrimp first. Although labeled “fresh,” the shrimp may previously have been frozen.
To thaw frozen shrimp, place in the refrigerator. To thaw quickly, place shrimp in a colander and thaw them out under cold running water for five minutes before using.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, January 16, 2006
Make mushrooms the star of your meal
Even smaller groceries stores offer mushrooms in various colors, shapes, and textures these days, but button mushrooms remain one of the most popular varieties. They are found fresh all year long in most areas, and canned mushrooms are available whenever fresh ones aren’t. Fresh button mushrooms are good raw in salads and such, but they are more flavorful when cooked.
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Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1-1/2 pounds button mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup long-grain white rice
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
6 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup whipping cream or half-and-half
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until mushrooms are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add rice, chicken broth, and beef broth to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is very tender, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Puree half of soup in blender until smooth; return to pot. Stir in scallions and cream. Makes 8 servings.
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For best results, check steaks with a meat thermometer. For medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees; for medium, 160 degrees; and for well done, 170 degrees.
Steak and Mushrooms
2 boneless beef sirloin or round steaks (about 5 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 8-ounce package button mushrooms, sliced
Rub both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add steaks and cook until meat reaches desired doneness. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, sauté mushrooms until tender; serve with steaks. Makes 2 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
When purchasing a package of button mushrooms, choose ones without visible moisture inside the package.
When purchasing loose button mushrooms, select mushrooms that are dry, are not bruised, and have closed caps. If the caps are open and the gills underneath exposed, they will not keep as long. Store in a paper bag in the refrigerator.
There is some disagreement as to whether or not water can be used to clean mushrooms. Common cleaning instructions involve brushing mushrooms or wiping them with a damp cloth or paper towel. But the amount of water mushrooms absorb is minimal, so you can clean them by putting them in a bowl of water and swishing them around until the dirt comes off. Rinse and pat dry before using.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, January 09, 2006
Skip the ricotta for these lasagna recipes
Traditional lasagna usually is made with ricotta cheese, but some people don’t care for the taste and texture of ricotta. When it comes to lasagna, a good substitute for ricotta is plain cottage cheese. This milder cheese has a smoother texture and is less sweet than ricotta.
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Easy Lasagna
1 16-ounce package cottage cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 pound lasagna noodles, uncooked
16 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 28-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1-1/2 cups hot water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cottage cheese, egg, and parsley. Set aside. Brown ground beef and drain off fat. Add spaghetti sauce and mushrooms and heat slowly.
Put about 1-1/2 cups meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Layer 1/3 of the noodles, 1/3 of the meat sauce, 1/3 of the cottage cheese mixture, 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 of the parmesan cheese. Repeat until all of the ingredients are used, ending with parmesan cheese on top.
Add hot water. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until noodles are tender and a crust forms on top, about 45 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
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Traditional Baked Lasagna
8 ounces uncooked lasagna noodles
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 32-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 16-ounce package cottage cheese
16 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté ground beef, onions, and garlic salt until meat is brown. Drain excess fat, add spaghetti sauce to beef mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch glass baking pan. Line bottom of pan with 3 lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 of sauce mixture over noodles. Layer 1/3 of the cottage cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella over the cottage cheese. Repeat this layering process until all ingredients are used. Bake for one hour. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Cottage cheese may be stored in the refrigerator for up to seven days after the sell by date marked on the package. Once opened, store cottage cheese in the refrigerator for up to one week or until the sell by date marked on the package, whichever comes first.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, January 02, 2006
Some resolutions may require more fruits and vegetables
The new year always brings with it a sense of renewal, making many of us look back at our bad habits and make an honest effort to change them. One resolution that often gets made is to eat more fruits and vegetables, especially since we all know that eating a minimum of five servings a day can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other diseases. One piece of fruit, 3/4 cup (6 ounces) 100% fruit juice, 1/2 cup chopped vegetables, one cup leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup peas or beans, and 1/4 cup dried fruit each count as a serving.
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Black Bean Vegetable Soup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable stock
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 8.75-ounce can whole kernel corn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes
In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, and carrots, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add stock, 1 can of the beans, corn, and pepper; bring to boil.
Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, puree together tomatoes and remaining can of beans; add to pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are tender. Makes 8 servings.
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Pasta and Walnut Fruit Salad
8 ounces uncooked shells or rotini pasta
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 11-ounce can juice-packed mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1 apple, chopped
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. In a small bowl, blend yogurt, honey and orange juice concentrate. In a large bowl, combine pasta and remaining ingredients. Add yogurt mixture; toss to coat. Cover and chill thoroughly. Makes 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
For flavor and nutrition, add fruit to pancakes and cereal and vegetables to pizza and sandwiches. Add apples, raisins, or pineapple chunks to salads.
Drink your fruit by combining fresh or frozen berries with ice and yogurt in a blender to create a quick smoothie.
Keep low-fat dips and clean, cut-up vegetables in the refrigerator and a bowl of fruit on the counter for easy, healthy snacks.
The Practical Pantry ©2006 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com