Monday, April 30, 2007
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with salsa
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Peubla when the Mexicans defeated the French army. Fortunately, you don’t have to be Mexican to celebrate. While the holiday provides an incentive to have an elaborate Mexican meal, you can enjoy the flavors of the country in simpler ways. Try using a little salsa in your cooking on the fifth of May.
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Salsa Strips
1 8-ounce tube refrigerated crescent rolls
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 cup salsa
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
Minced fresh cilantro, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into four rectangles. Place on greased baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake until golden brown, about 8 to 10 additional minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Cut each into four strips; sprinkle with cilantro if desired. Makes 16 appetizers.
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Spinach Surprise
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 to 1 cup milk
2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside. In a saucepan, sauté onion in butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and salt until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and salsa. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese. Transfer to prepared dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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Salsa Chili
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 16-ounce jar salsa
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 5.5-ounce can tomato juice
Shredded cheddar cheese, diced peppers, sour cream, and sliced green onions, optional
In a saucepan over medium heat, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in salsa, beans, and tomato juice; heat through. If desired, garnish with cheese and peppers and serve with sour cream and onions. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
If you are trying to diet or eat a little healthier, remember that salsa usually is low in calories. And the spices can help take the edge off almost any appetite.
For a quick chip dip, mix 1-1/2 cups salsa with 1 8-ounce package of softened sour cream. For a quick vegetable dip, mix 1-1/2 cups salsa with 2 cups of sour cream.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Appetizers and Snacks • Main Dishes • Side Dishes • (0) Contributions • Permalink
Monday, April 23, 2007
Get big taste from lower fat casseroles
Casseroles are a great choice for a weeknight meal. You can toss everything into the baking dish and then relax while the casserole comes is in the oven.
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Chicken Rice Casserole
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups uncooked instant brown rice
2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil for 4 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, sauté peppers, onion, mushrooms, and garlic until tender. Stir in the rice, broth, corn, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.
Transfer to an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top with chicken. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake until chicken juices run clear, about 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with almonds and parsley. Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 351 calories and 8 grams fat.
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Taco Casserole
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 16-ounce can refried beans
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Optional toppings: chopped lettuce and tomatoes, sliced ripe olives, sour cream and picante sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water. Cook and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes; set aside. Place chips in a greased 8-inch square baking dish. In a bowl, stir refried beans until smooth; spread over chips. Top with beef mixture and cheese. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Top with lettuce, tomatoes and olives and serve with sour cream and picante sauce if desired. Makes 4 servings. Per serving, made with lean beef and reduced-fat cheese and without optional toppings: 405 calories and 12 grams fat.
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Pantry Pointers
To get your casserole in the oven sooner, chop your vegetables ahead of time.
It’s possible to use a pan bigger or smaller than the one required in a casserole recipe. Just remember to check the casserole as the cooking time may be longer or shorter.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, April 16, 2007
Bring rhubarb to breakfast
Rhubarb is a versatile vegetable with a unique taste that makes it a favorite in everything from breakfast to desserts. Just remember, only the stalks are edible, so don’t use the leaves or roots.
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Rhubarb Strawberry Jam
5 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
3 cups granulated sugar
1 3-ounce package strawberry-flavored gelatin
In a large pot, stir together the rhubarb and sugar. Cover; let stand overnight.
Bring the rhubarb and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Boil, stirring constantly, for 12 minutes on low heat. Remove from heat, and stir in dry gelatin mix. Transfer to sterile jars; refrigerate. Makes 3 cups.
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Rhubarb Muffins
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups diced fresh rhubarb
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in rhubarb. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Makes 16 muffins.
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Rhubarb Bread
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together milk, lemon juice and vanilla; let stand for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together 1-1/2 cups brown sugar, oil and egg. Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda, stir into sugar mixture alternately with the milk mixture just until combined. Fold in rhubarb and nuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
In a small bowl, combine toping ingredients. Sprinkle this mixture over the unbaked loaves. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Makes 20 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Store rhubarb in the refrigerator in plastic wrap, unwashed, for up to one week. When ready to use, wash rhubarb in cold water, then cut off the top and bottom of the stalk.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Monday, April 09, 2007
Combine healthy blueberries with soy
Blueberries have a lot of antioxidants that may make them guard against a variety of diseases and ailments and also may help reduce your risk for some forms of cancer. Whether you eat fresh, frozen, or dried blueberries you will enjoy these benefits. Soymilk also may be beneficial to your health but some people shy away from it because they are not sure how it will taste. Since blueberries have a lot of flavor, combining them might tempt even picky eaters to try soymilk and receive a nutritional punch.
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Blueberry Yogurt Parfaits
2 6-ounce containers soy vanilla or blueberry yogurt
1 cup fresh blueberries
2/3 cups low-fat granola
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Split one container of yogurt into each of 2 parfait glasses or small bowls. Top each serving with 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/3 cup granola. Repeat with remaining yogurt and 1/4 cup blueberries. Top each with 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts. Makes 2 servings. Recipe courtesy Silk Soymilk. For more information, visit http://www.silksoymilk.com.
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Blueberry-Orange-Vanilla Smoothie
1-1/2 cups vanilla soymilk
1 banana, sliced into 1-inch pieces and frozen
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tablespoon honey
In a blender, combine the soymilk, banana, blueberries, orange juice concentrate, and honey. Blend until smooth and creamy. Makes 2 servings. Recipe courtesy Silk Soymilk. For more information, visit http://www.silksoymilk.com.
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Lemon Pudding with Blueberries
1 3.125-ounce package lemon instant pudding
1 cup vanilla soymilk
1 cup skim milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
In a large bowl mix soy milk and skim milk; add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk or electric mixer at low speed for 2 minutes. Pour into dishes; refrigerate. Pudding will be soft-set and ready to serve in 5 minutes. For firmer set, refrigerate 30 minutes. Garnish each serving with 1/4 cup blueberries. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
In most recipes, you can substitute soymilk for regular milk. And like regular milk, you will want to be careful not to scorch it by boiling it at too high of a temperature or by not stirring it when cooking it.
One 10-ounce package of frozen blueberries equals 1-1/2 cups and 1 pint fresh blueberries equals 2 cups.
When using frozen blueberries in baked goods, do not thaw them first. Thawing them only causes them to turn your baked goods blue. However, if the berries have a lot of ice on them, you can run them under water briefly and drain before using.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
Appetizers and Snacks • Beverages • Desserts and Treats • (0) Contributions • Permalink
Monday, April 02, 2007
Have lamb for Easter
Traditional Easter dinners usually revolve around baked ham or leg of lamb. When it comes to deciding between the two, cooks often choose ham because many assume a leg of lamb is difficult to roast. But all leg of lamb needs are a few seasonings and a meat thermometer.
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Leg of Lamb with Gravy
1 3-pound leg of lamb
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to broil. Cut five slits in the meat; insert garlic. Combine salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic powder; rub over meat. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Broil 5 to 6 inches from the heat until browned; turn and brown the other side.
Turn oven to 350 degrees. Add 1/2 cup water to pan. Cover and bake for 25 minutes per pound. For best results, cook until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees for medium or 170 degrees for well-done.
Remove to carving board and keep warm. Pour pan drippings into a large measuring cup, scraping brown bits. Skim fat; reserving 1/4 cup in a saucepan; add flour. Add water to drippings to equals 2 cups; add all at once to flour mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 to 2 additional minutes. Slice lamb and serve with gravy. Makes 6 servings.
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Rosemary Leg of Lamb
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 pounds whole leg of lamb
1 teaspoon coarse salt or to taste
In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, rosemary, ground black pepper, lemon zest, and garlic. Mix well and apply to the lamb. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place lamb on a rack in a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt to taste. Bake for 20 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees, cover with foil, and roast for 55 to 60 more minutes or to desired doneness. For best results, cook until a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees for medium or 170 degrees for well-done. Let meat rest for about 10 minutes before carving. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
Since the structure of a leg of lamb is similar to a ham, you can carve a leg of lamb as you would a baked ham.
The Practical Pantry ©2007 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com