Stir-Fried Cashew Pork

This recipe made me wonder why we don't make stir fry more often. It's so easy and versatile, and a good way to use up any leftover meat or veggies you have hanging around in the fridge. There's really no need for those icky bottled stir-fry sauces either... you can make your own with just a few ingredients. Expect to see more stir fries in upcoming posts!

This dish features pork tenderloin (tip... it's easier to slice into strips if it's a little bit frozen), cashews, and snow peas in a simple sauce, served over jasmine rice. What did John have to say about it? "Are you going to put this on the blog?? I want to make it again but I don't want to forget about it!". Men have such a special relationship with pork products, don't they?


Stir-Fried Cashew Pork
adapted from America's Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers

Ingredients:
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/3 cup water
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 pork tenderloin (3/4 - 1 lb.), cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 cup snow pea pods
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions:
1. Combine hoisin sauce, water, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. In a large non-stick skillet, heat about 2 tsp. of oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the pork and cook until no longer pink (about 2 minutes); transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 tsp. of oil and remaining pork.

2. Add remaining oil to skillet and heat until shimmering. Cook peas until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the sauce, cashews, and pork to the pan and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

 

Click here for a printable recipe.
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Spaghetti alla Carbonara

I was discussing Belgian beers the other day with some friends, and it got me thinking about some good food pairings.  In the past I've always enjoyed Belgian beers with a nice steak, but I wanted something different.  For those that don't know, Belgian beers are amazing.  They are full bodied, complex beers, often fruity and very aromatic.  A true joy to drink.  Some people love to talk about wine, I love to talk about, and drink, Belgian beers.  In our discussions, we knocked around some ideas about salt crusted fish, spicy seafoods, and anything with lots of bacon.  The thoughts of bacon led me to think of Spaghetti Carbonara!  Oh yeah.  I would get to use my new pasta maker to make fresh spaghetti, and try a new recipe of something that was sure to be delicious.

I had this bottle of Delirium Nocturnum in the fridge just begging to be opened and enjoyed, and I knew it would go perfectly with the salty, bacony, goodness that is the Spaghetti Carbonara.  The Nocturnum is a great example of a fine Belgian strong brown ale.  So many flavors can be detected in it, from apples and berries, to raisins and bittersweet chocolate.  I love it.  I could start a blog on Belgian beers if I wanted to, but there's probably a million of those already.  As if there aren't enough food blogs! :)  Anyway, as usual I turned to the tried and true recipes of Cook's Illustrated's The Complete Book of Pasta & Noodles.  The book is 450+ pages of pretty much every kind of pasta dish and sauce you can imagine.  I use their basic recipe for all the pasta I've made so far (ravioli, spaghetti, and fettuccine), but this was the first time I used a real sauce recipe.

It turned out great, especially with the strong Belgian beer to wash it down.  If you're in the mood for a salty, bacony, pasta dish, this is it!



Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti (I used my homemade spaghetti)
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/4 pound thick cut bacon, diced into 1/4" pieces
1/4 cup dry white wine (or 1/4 cup Belgian beer!)
3 large eggs
1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese (Locatelli)
2 Tbs minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot for cooking the pasta.  Cook until al dente.

2. While the water is boiling, heat the oil and garlic in a skillet over medium heat.  Cook until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes, and discard.  Add the bacon and cook until just beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes.  Add the wine (I used the Belgian beer) and simmer until the alcohol aroma has cooked off, about 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat, cover, and keep warm.

3. Lightly beat the eggs with the cheese and parsley in a large serving bowl.

4. Drain the pasta, leaving it slightly wet, and transfer it to the bowl with the egg mixture.  Immediately toss the pasta with the egg mixture to coat evenly.  Stir in the bacon mixture.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4.

Note (this is in the book, so I guess I should post it here too.):
This recipe contains raw egg.  Because of the threat of salmonella, food safety experts advise against serving raw eggs to the very young, the elderly, and those whose immune systems are compromised.  The rest of us eat them at our own risk.

Download a printable recipe here!
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Crepes!

I'm not sure exactly what prompted me to make crepes the other night. Perhaps it was the lonely jar of Nutella in the pantry, calling out for some attention. Maybe I felt like reminiscing about my travels in Paris by recreating one of my favorite French treats.  Or maybe I was craving something sweet but wasn't up for baking anything. Whatever the reason, it was definitely the best idea I had all weekend. I was literally dancing around the kitchen with glee while eating these (those photos have been conveniently left out of this post).

These are easy to make once you get the hang of flipping them (you'll inevitably ruin a few while you figure it out-don't worry, you'll still have plenty of batter left for the good ones). We filled ours with Nutella and strawberry jam, but use whatever you like. Hmm... I think I still have some batter left in the fridge...

Sweet Crepes
adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:
2       large eggs
1     cup milk
6     tablespoons water
1     cup bleached all-purpose flour
1/4     teaspoon table salt
2     tablespoons granulated sugar
1     teaspoon vanilla
3     tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus extra for brushing pan

Instructions:
  
1. Mix all ingredients (except extra melted butter) in food processor or blender until smooth batter is formed, 3 to 4 seconds. Transfer batter to covered container; refrigerate at least 2 hours or, if desired, up to 2 days.

 2. Gently stir batter if ingredients have separated. Heat 6- to 7-inch crepe pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brush pan bottom and sides very lightly with butter, which should sizzle when it hits pan. When butter stops sizzling, pour 2 1/2 tablespoons (you may have to adjust this depending on how big your pan is) batter into pan. Swirl the batter until it coats the bottom of your pan.

3. Cook until mottled brown on bottom, loosening crepe from pan side with table knife or metal icing spatula to check doneness, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip loosened crepe quickly with fingertips or spatula; cook until spotty brown on other side, about 30 seconds longer.

4. Place cooked crepe on plate and repeat cooking process with remaining batter, brushing pan as necessary, every two to three crepes. (Crepes can be double-wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 months.) Spread on your favorite fillings, fold it up (I prefer folding into quarters) and enjoy!!

Download a printable recipe.
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Sichuan Pork Noodles

Here's a winning weeknight recipe for you, from America's Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers. Ground pork is cooked in a slightly spicy sauce and tossed with noodles (we used linguine since we couldn't find the Asian noodles called for in the recipe). The sauce has ginger and chili-garlic sauce for a little bit of spice, and peanut butter to add some depth. This was different, in a really good way, and I know we'll be making it again.

John cooked this, so when I asked him if he had anything to say about it, he replied, "It was awesome. And I liked the peanut butter sauce very much." So there you have it.

Sichuan Pork Noodles
from America's Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers

Ingredients:
1 pound ground pork
3 Tbs. rice vinegar
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. chili-garlic sauce
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup peanut butter
3 Tbs. oyster sauce
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
Salt
1 pound dried Asian noodles or linguine
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Combine pork, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and chili-garlic sauce in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk broth, peanut butter, oyster sauce, remaining vinegar, and remaining soy sauce.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork mixture and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth mixture and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of salt and noodles to boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water, drain noodles, and return to pot. Add sauce and toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Download a printable recipe.
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Turkey Chili

Chili is one of my favorite things to make: it's hearty, comforting, and you can cook your whole dinner in one pot. But perhaps most importantly, it affords you an opportunity to make corn bread.

This is a fairly standard turkey chili recipe, except that you add your ground turkey in two separate batches. The first half is browned along with the onions and pepper. Once you've added your tomatoes and let the chili simmer for about an hour, you drop the rest of the turkey in, in small chunks, and then simmer it some more. This method results in a slow-simmered, yet still chunky, chili.

We don't make our chili too hot around here, but you can add more cayenne and/or red pepper flakes if you're feeling spicy. And don't forget the toppings! This recipe recommends serving your chili with lime wedges (a different but tasty addition). I'm partial to a little bit of cheese, cilantro, and avocado as well.

Turkey Chili

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)

1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoons ground coriander

pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch cayenne pepper
1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey
1 (15.5-ounce) can dark red kidney beans , drained and rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes , with juice

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Table salt

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed nonreactive Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add half the turkey; cook, breaking up pieces with wooden spoon, until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Pat remaining 1 pound turkey together into ball, then pinch off teaspoon-sized pieces of meat and stir into chili. Continue to simmer about 40 minutes longer, stirring occasionally (if chili begins to stick to bottom of pot, stir in 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer), until turkey is tender and chili is dark and slightly thickened. Adjust seasoning with additional salt. Serve with lime wedges and condiments if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Download a printable recipe

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Chicken with Israeli Couscous, Spinach, and Feta

I have an unhealthy obsession with feta cheese. Whenever I make salads for John and I, I always top them with a generous sprinkle of the stuff. John never wants to eat as much feta as I give him, so he always lets me finish his (which I greedily gobble up, pretty much licking the bowl for every last glob of salty, cheesy goodness). You'd think I'd just give him less, but I enjoy our arrangement.

But anyways, when I saw this recipe in my new Cooking for Two cookbook, I wanted to try it right away. I love finding non-salad uses for feta. And Israeli couscous just seemed like fun (but you could use orzo if you don't agree).

Needless to say, I loved this. I love the classic Mediterranean flavors of lemon, olive oil, and garlic. The Israeli couscous has an interesting texture, and the feta added a nice punch to it. I know I'm going to want to make this dish again and again.


Chicken with Israeli Couscous, Spinach, and Feta
from Cooking for Two

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 (6 to 8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
3 Tbs. olive oil
3/4 cup Israeli couscous (or orzo)
1 shallot, minced (about 3 Tbs.)
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 Tbs.)
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
6 oz baby spinach (about 6 cups)
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)


Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper; dredge with flour, shaking off the excess.

2. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken until well-browned on the first side, about 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook until the thickest part of the breast registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer (6 to 8 minutes longer). Transfer chicken to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest in the warm oven.

3. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels. Add 1 tbs more oil and the couscous to the skillet; toast over medium heat until light golden (about 2 minutes). Stir in shallot, 2 tsp. of the garlic, 1/4 tsp. of the lemon zest, and 1/8 tsp. of the red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

4. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until liquid is absorbed and couscous is al dente (8 to 10 minutes).

5. Meanwhile, whisk together 1 Tbs. of the lemon juice and remaining olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

6. Stir in the spinach, one handful at a time, into the skillet and cook until wilted (about 5 minutes). Off the heat, stir in the feta and remaining lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide couscous between two plates, top with chicken, drizzle with lemon juice mixture, and serve.

Serves 2 (duh).

Download a printable recipe.
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Italian Sausage Soup

This soup is awesome because:

1. It's quick and easy to make. The only thing that required chopping was the basil, which took all of 20 seconds (I made this on Friday night. Fridays are usually when I have no energy or patience left for cooking, so this was perfect).

2. There's fresh spinach in it, so you don't even feel like you have to have to make a salad to go with this. The only accompaniment you need is crusty bread. Mmm... lazy.

3. It's hearty, healthy, and tasty, without being too heavy.

My only critique of this recipe is that I think they're being a little stingy with the serving size. They say this serves 4, but I think you really get three dinner-sized bowls of soup out of the recipe. If you're really cooking for four, you should increase the amounts.

This is the last of the week's Cooking Light recipes-I hope you've enjoyed them!

Italian Sausage Soup
from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
8 ounces hot or sweet turkey Italian sausage
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
1/2 cup uncooked small shell pasta
2 cups bagged baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions:
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan, and cook about 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain; return to pan.

Add broth, tomatoes, and pasta to pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is done. Remove from heat; stir in spinach until wilted. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and basil.

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, and 1 1/2 teaspoons basil)


Nutrition Info:
CALORIES 216 (30% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 2.6g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.8g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 52mg; CALCIUM 153mg; CARBOHYDRATE 20g; SODIUM 1020mg; PROTEIN 17.4g; FIBER 1.6g


Download a printable recipe.
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Chipotle Pork Soft Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Yes, another recipe from the Cooking Light files.  They definitely got something right here by pairing the spicy pork mixture with the sweet fruit salsa. I made the salsa the day before in order to save myself some time, so I found these to be pretty easy to put together. John and his friend both had seconds, so the dish is certainly man-approved. Warning: eating fresh pineapple in winter will make you yearn for beaches and tropical locales. So much so, that you'll be pouring yourself a rum drink (or two) shortly after dinner. Cheers!

  
Chipotle Pork Soft Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

from Cooking Light

Salsa:
2 cups minced pineapple
1 cup minced apple
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Tacos:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed

Directions:

To prepare salsa, combine the first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir until well blended. Cover and chill.

To prepare tacos, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes or until pork loses its pink color, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and next 7 ingredients (through chipotles). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is nearly evaporated. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Serve pork mixture with tortillas and salsa.

Yield:  6 servings (serving size: 2 tortillas, 2/3 cup pork mixture, and 1/2 cup salsa)

CALORIES 391 (19% from fat); FAT 8.3g (sat 1.8g,mono 3.6g,poly 2g); IRON 3.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 161mg; CARBOHYDRATE 50.8g; SODIUM 420mg; PROTEIN 29.3g; FIBER 6.9g

Download a printable recipe.

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Homemade Ravioli

 
One of the things I've always wanted to do in the kitchen was to make fresh pasta.  Well for Christmas this year, Bec bought me my very own pasta machine!  Not the silly Ron Popeil machine, although we did buy one for my mom when I was a kid, but a real hand-crank Italian pasta machine.  I've been seeing chefs on PBS make their own pasta since I was a kid and they made it look so easy.  Well, guess what, it IS easy!  2 cups of flour, 3 eggs, 30 seconds in the food processor, and viola!, you have fresh pasta dough.  You have to knead it for a minute or two until it's smooth, then let it rest for at least 15 minutes before you roll it into whatever pasta you want.  This pasta machine (made by Atlas) comes with two "cutters", fettuccine and spaghetti. Of course you can just roll it into thin sheets for lasagna or ravioli or whatever other stuffed pasta you want to make.  I will be tackling tortellini at some point soon.

I've made fettuccine and spaghetti three times now, and am feeling pretty confident handling the dough so I thought I'd give ravioli a try.  It came out so well I decided to blog it instead of wait until I've perfected it, since they came out almost perfect!  You can make a big batch of these and freeze them, they'll be the best frozen ravioli's you've ever had.  I used this recipe below and had leftover pasta dough, next time I make it, I will double the filling recipe.  I think there were 22 ravioli's in this batch, I could have gotten 24 if I rolled out a little more dough though.  So next time I'll be getting close to 50!  Who wants to come over and eat some ravioli?



Pasta Dough (from Cook's Illustrated's The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles)

Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, beaten

Directions:
Pulse the flour in the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade to evenly distribute. Add the eggs; process until the dough forms a rough ball, about 30 seconds. (If the dough resembles small pebbles, add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time; if the dough sticks to the side of the workbowl, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process until the dough forms a rough ball.)

Turn the dough ball and small bits out onto a dry work surface; knead until the dough is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap (or place in a sandwich bag) and set aside for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours to relax.
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Ravioli w/ basic Ricotta filling (also from Cook's Illustrated's The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles)

Ingredients:
1 batch of fresh pasta dough (see above)
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. (Can be covered and refrigerated overnight.)


Cut off about 1/6th of the pasta dough, flatten into a rough disc shape and feed it through the widest setting of your pasta machine. Fold dough into thirds, rotate 90 degrees, and feed through pasta machine again.  Repeat. Next roll through widest setting twice, if the dough is at all sticky, sprinkle with a little flour. Continue feeding dough through center of machine, each time closing the rollers one step.  Continue until you've rolled it through the smallest setting.  You want the sheet to be about 4 inches wide, so trim the edges with a pizza cutter or sharp knife so its a rough rectangle.  Place small balls of filling (about 1 rounded teaspoon) in line on the pasta sheet 1 inch from the bottom, leaving 1 1/4 inches between each ball of filling.

Fold over the top of the pasta and line up with the bottom edge. Seal the bottom and two open sides with your finger. Use a fluted pastry wheel to cut along the two sides and bottom of each ravioli.

Place on a floured cooking sheet until you are ready to cook them.  Use plenty of water to boil your ravioli, do not overcrowd the pot.  If used right away, they only take 2-3 minutes to cook.  You can make large batches and freeze them on cookie sheets, then transfer to freezer bags once frozen, for longer storage.  Just add a minute or two to the cooking time when cooking frozen.  Serve with your favorite tomato sauce!

Download a printable recipe here!
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Baked Potato Soup

Oh, Monday-After-a-Long-Weekend, how I hate you. You bring nothing but bitter cold weather, the beginnings of a sinus infection, and numerous trivial annoyances at the office. And yet you suddenly ceased to bother me after I had a bowl of this amazing baked potato soup from Cooking Light.

It's honestly absurd that something this good could be considered "light." Bake your potatoes the night before, and this comes together for a quick weeknight meal. Make this soon, and don't skip the bacon... it adds the perfect salty crunchiness, in the way that only bacon can.

Ingredients:
4  baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2/3  cup  all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)
6  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
1  cup  (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided
1  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1  cup  reduced-fat sour cream
3/4  cup  chopped green onions, divided
6  bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Cracked black pepper (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups soup, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon)

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 329 (30% from fat)
Fat: 10.8g (sat 5.9g,mono 3.5g, poly 0.7g)
Protein: 13.6g
Carbohydrate: 44.5g
Fiber: 2.8g
Cholesterol: 38mg
Iron: 1.1mg
Sodium: 587mg
Calcium: 407mg


Download a printable recipe.
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Cincinnati Turkey Chili

So here we go with the first of several Cooking Light recipes to help us all get off to a good start this new year. I'd never had this kind of chili before, but I like the idea of serving chili over spaghetti. I also have a special fondness for cinnamon in savory dishes. As a special treat, John whipped up some homemade spaghetti while I went to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients. He just got his pasta maker a week ago, and he's already got the whole pasta-making thing down to a science.

John and I both enjoyed this... it's a warm and comforting meal for a cold winter day. It's not hot at all, so add more chili powder if you want a little more kick. We served ours with corn muffins... yum.

Cincinnati Turkey Chili
from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
4 ounces uncooked spaghetti
Cooking spray
8 ounces lean ground turkey
1 1/2 cups prechopped onion, divided
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped semisweet chocolate
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; set aside.

2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add turkey; cook 3 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add 1 cup onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in chili powder and next 5 ingredients (through allspice); cook 1 minute. Add broth, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate and salt. Serve chili over spaghetti; top with remaining 1/2 cup onion and cheese.

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup spaghetti, 1 1/2 cups chili, 2 tablespoons onion, and 3 tablespoons cheese)

And in case you keep track of this sort of thing, here's the nutrition info:

CALORIES 408 ; FAT 13.8g (sat 6.6g,mono 4.3g,poly 1.7g); CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 237mg; CARBOHYDRATE 47.4g; SODIUM 765mg; PROTEIN 24.5g; FIBER 7.9g; IRON 3.7mg

Download a printable recipe.
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Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

Happy New Year! I thought I'd get in an indulgent recipe before I go on my upcoming Cooking Light blogging streak.

I finally got my dream appliance, a Kitchen Aid mixer, for Christmas (thanks Mom and Dad!). So now I have no excuse to not make decadent baked goods, right? I found the recipe for these cupcakes in another one of my Christmas gifts: a Barefoot Contessa Cookbook from John's mom (Ina Garten's cookbooks are so beautiful, by the way... I want to try just about every recipe in them).

The only change I made was making mini cupcakes instead of regular-sized ones. I served them up at our New Year's party last night, so I wanted them to be bite-sized. If you go the mini cupcake route, try baking them for 12-15 minutes (and it will make about 4 dozen of them!).

The results? Everyone loved these. Personally, I thought the cake part was perfectly good, but the real star here was the peanut butter frosting. Luckily, when I was done frosting all of my cupcakes, I had plenty left over to pipe straight into my face. Don't judge, you know you'd do it too.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing
from Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ingredients:
    12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
     2/3 cup granulated sugar
     2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
     2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
     2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
     1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
     1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
     2 tablespoons brewed coffee
     1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
     1 cup good cocoa powder
     1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
     1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
     Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing, recipe follows
     Chopped salted peanuts, to decorate, optional

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired.

Makes 16 cupcakes.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing:

     1 cup confectioners' sugar
     1 cup creamy peanut butter
     5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
     3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
     1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
     1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Isn't she beautiful??

Download a printable recipe.
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