Unexpected issues and out for the weekend.

We have had some unexpected family matters, and haven't been up to cooking since last Friday. I did cook some on Saturday, and will write about it later. We may cook some later this week, and then I will be gone over the weekend and through the middle of next week. So I am sorry if you have been looking for an update or to see what I am cooking/eating. I hope to have life return to normal in the middle of March, and plan to return to posting regularly.

Corn & Fingerling Potato Chowder with Applewood Smoked Bacon

or at least my version of it...

First off Fingerling Potatoes are pretty pricey for what they are, and I didn't have applewood smoked bacon on hand. So I subbed red potatoes for fingerling, and I used low fat bacon instead of applewood. The original recipe appears in The Best of Cooking Light 9, pg 64.
1 serving = 1 C = 5.5g of fat + 2 rolls = 1g fat ea = 7.5g of fat for dinner :)

Flank Steak with Honey Glazed Carrots & Rice

From The Best of Cooking Light 9, pg 28, Roasted Flank Steak with Olive Oil-Herb Rub, 3 oz = 7g of fat.
Cooking Light.com Honey Glazed Carrots, 1/2 C = .02g fat (not worth counting in my book)
a revisited recipe from Cooking Light that I adapted a bit: the original recipe was Herbed Basmati Rice,

My Version:
Nutty Jasmine Rice

Pt 1:
1 t of Olive Oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
warm in non-stick sauce pan

Pt 2:
add 1 C of Jasmine Rice

Saute rice in olive oil until it starts to brown
add 1 C of Chicken Broth
add 1 C of Water

Let come to boil stirring occasionally,
when it boils turn down heat and let simmer for 20 m with lid on.

In separate pan toast almond slivers (1/2 of the small packet)
when toast set aside

Cut up 1/4c of green onion set aside

when rice is cooked turn off heat, add nuts and green onion and stir in
Serve

1/2 c of rice is a serving = about 1-2g of fat

For the first dinner I did good at about 10g of fat. To bad dessert was still a little on the high fat side, brownies and ice cream (reduced fat ice cream).

The brownies are left from our Valentines Day treat. :) They'll be gone soon.

Back to Low Fat = Really Good Dinners

Whiles I can complain about eating low fat, it works quite well for me. I will miss all the fatty-sweets in my life that I shouldn't eat anyway. However, I will scout out and find not as fatty ones. The upside to when my husband I really work hard on eating low fat we spend less on groceries, and we eat better. Sometimes I feel like it is a gourmet dinner every other night -- we eat left overs. We use Cooking Light recipes mostly. When I am not using Cooking Light I will adapt recipes and tone down the fat content. Whiles I will miss the doughnuts, cupcakes, frosting, chocolate chip cookie dough (the low fat version doesn't cut it), candy bars, brownies, and etc.. I will enjoy the great well rounded meals. I will seek out sweets that aren't as fatty, low fat ice cream is a plus, and I can still have sugar. Good thing easter is coming up, Peeps are Fat Free! :)

Sunday Morning Breakfast: Waffles

"and for breakfast I am makin' waffles!" -- Donkey from Shrek

Buttermilk Waffles from "America's Test Kitchen Family Recipes"
they were wonderful.

A Valentines Day Missed

Since I was out of town we didn't have the opportunity to celebrate Valentines Day. To make up for a lost holiday I made out of the Duncan Hines Turtle Brownies. We had them with Ice cream. It was a great way to top off our pizza dinner.

Returned Home to Homemade Pizza

I returned home Friday night and we went out to eat at our favorite Thai place, Tuptim Thai. After I got settled in Saturday night Brian and I made homemade pizza. He had made the crust earlier in the week so it was pretty quick and easy to make.

Prosciutto Pizza

pt 1:
Roll out crust on to pan

pt 2:
3 t of Olive Oil with minced garlic (brown slightly), drizzle over pizza dough, and spread out
Saute Green Pell Peppers Ring, set aside (1 bell pepper)
Saute 1/4 of onion with 2T of sugar until soft and brown, set aside
Saute to warm slightly prosciutto (less than 1/4 lb)

pt 3: Over Olive Oil assemble pizza
We used jarred pasta sauce (Bertolli Vineyard Marinara with Burgundy Wine), and put on to our liking
Place Green Pepper Rings around
Place Caramelized Onion around
Place Prosciutto around
Top with 1-1/4 C of Cheese (5 servings) we used Sargento Mozzarella & Provolone pre-shredded cheese

I like a cheesy saucy pizza but we are trying to limit our fat intake and so we measured out the cheese and were cautions of making sure we didn't over do it with the cheese (which is easy to do). This worked out well for our 16in pizza.

Bake at 450deg for 17m

Out of the Kansas and the Kitchen

I will be out of town on real life work related business. I am going to Warm Sunny Florida, and gladly escaping the dreary snowy Kansas. I won't be back for about a week.. so it could easily be way after Valentines Day before you hear from me. Whiles my husband will be around, I don't know that I expect him to post anything about his experimental cooking. He dose cook, and is quite good. So, I am sure he will eat well whiles I am gone, but will miss me all the same.

Spaghetti

Tonight I made my husbands favorite meal. SPAGHETTI! I would love to say here is my recipe for Spaghetti sauce, but I never quite make it the same way. There are a few things I always do the same, the rest is just how it goes.


Pt 1:
Boil Water
Cook Noodles

Pt 2:
Heat up 1 t of Olive Oil in the Skillet (sometimes I go up to a Tablespoon)
add 1-2t of garlic (for ease I use the kind in a jar)
1/2 Onion Chopped Up
1 med Bell Pepper Chopped Up (or use the Onion Bell Pepper Freezer Mix)
Saute until soft
1-2 T of Italian Seasoning
Pepper and Salt to taste.


Pt 3:
Add Hamburger (1lb or less)
Brown

Pt 4:
Add
1 can of Tomato Paste Italian Season Blend
until it is fully incorporated
1 can of Tomato Sauce

Now tonight's version:
In Pt 2:
3 Stalks of Celery
1/4 c of Beef Broth (let it cook off mostly before adding beef)
If you skillet is hot this will help cook the onion/bell pepper and "steam it"

Pt 4
After emptying the Tomato Sauce into the beef mixture, I swish out the sauce stuck on the inside, by filling up the can about 1/2 way with Beef Broth. Then I added to beef mixture.

Serve over spaghetti.

Sorry no photos, I was to hungry, it was a long day, and seemed like forever until I had dinner.

Not-Tuna Chicken Noodle Casserole in a Skillet

I originally read this recipe in Rachel Rays Magazine, and I didn't care for the original so I changed it to.. Not Tuna Chicken Noodle Casserole...

Part 1:
1lb of egg noodles
bring water to a boil and cook until soft.

Part 2:
1-2 t of Olive Oil (or EVOO)
1/2 of med onion diced
saute in large non-stick skillet 2-3 min until onion softens
2 t of minced garlic
3 Stalks of celery, cut up
saute in with onion until celery is soften
then add 1 lg can of Tyson Chicken (12.5 oz) shred it up out of the cubes.
then add 2 C of Green Peas (frozen works)
let them heat up, scoot to one side of skillet.

melt
2 T of Butter
then add
2 T of flour
after incorporated and cooked for 1m
add
1/2 C of Broth + 1 1/2 C of Milk
Slowly, and whisk together,
blend in with other ingredients in skillet
on med heat
when it starts to boil incorporate noodles, and mix well.
Heat through and serve.

Kansas City Lunch

Brian and I went to Kansas City in the early afternoon, prior to our supper club. Had some truck problems, a little lunch, and some shopping. We had lunch at one of our new fav spots "Noodles & Co." I have left overs, it was a good lunch stop, and can be a different experience each time you go.

Cooking Light Supper Club

Last night was our night in KC at the Supper Club we belong to, I signed up to make Texas Sheet Cake, some of the other dishes were Herbed Basamiti Rice (we used Jasmine), Cornflake Crusted Halibut, Yukon Gold Potato Biscuits, and a salad. It was all very good food, and a nice evening.