Vanilla Soft Serve Ice Cream – NO ICE CREAM MAKER NEEDED

March 17, 2010 admin Leave a comment

It is amazing how creamy of a product this turns out considering there is no ice cream maker involved. I’ve made it many times, always with good results. It’s well worth the calories 🙂 If you are lucky enough to know what Carvel ice cream tastes like – – well, this is similar !

12 ½ c servings
299 calories per serving

½ c whole milk
1 T vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 t salt
2 c heavy cream

Stir milk, vanilla, condensed milk and salt in a medium bowl. Beat heavy cream to stiff peaks (but don’t over beat or the cream will begin to break down) and then fold into the milk mix. Folding is just a method to mix things a little gentler than stirring. You just keep inserting a spatula or spoon UNDER the ingredients and left or fold them up on top – keep repeating to fully incorporate the ingredients. Pour into a shallow 1 ½ quart METAL (because it conducts the cold better) bowl and freeze the mix 4 hours, stirring once halfway through.

If you keep this in the freezer for more than a day, it will get very hard and you need to let it sit a few minutes before scooping out servings.

Variations:

Strawberry – omit the milk and vanilla – instead stir in 4 c pureed strawberries and 2 T corn syrup.
Coffee – add 2 T instant coffee to the milk and dissolve , then continue with other steps
Others – add 2 T flavored coffee creamers to the milk mix (Irish Cream tastes GREAT)

Dinner, Italian, Salads, Sides

Anchovy and Bibb Lettuce

March 17, 2010 admin 3 Comments

This is sooooo close to my original Caesar Salad dressing and it is just a fraction of the calorie cost due to the reduction in oil and the removal of the egg yolk. This has that biting garlic and anchovy taste that makes a Caesar salad one of the best things on earth !

4 servings
45 calories per serving

2 anchovy fillets, mashed
2 garlic cloves, mashed
1 ½ t lemon juice
1 T oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 head Bibb lettuce (Boston, Romain or Green Leaf will also do nicely)
½ c packed parsley leaves

Whisk lemon juice, garlic and anchovies. Add in oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Tear lettuce and toss with dressing and parsley. To make the dressing preparation go quicker, drop the garlic and anchovies in a small food processor and process until well minced. Then add lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper and process until frothy and well mixed.

Salads, Sides, Summer, Vegetables

Cucumbers and Onions

March 16, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Cucumbers done in a white vinegar dressing is a dish in many cultures…they are just meant to be paired. At only 20 calories per serving, this zesty side salad is a definite ‘go-to’ recipe of mine !

4 servings
20 calories per serving

2 cucumbers
½ onion, sliced thin (try red onions for their mellower flavor)
½ c white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel the cucumbers and then slice in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds (or use English cucumbers which are pretty much seedless) and then slice very thin. Place in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and let marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour.

Crock pot, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Pork

Ham and Scalloped Potatoes (Crock Pot)

March 16, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Start it in the morning before you leave for work and come home to a great piping hot meal. This is definitely a crowd-pleaser and also makes a great dish when guests are coming – just add a salad on the side and you’re all set !

8 servings
310 calories per serving

1 ½ lb. 98% fat free ham cut into 8 pieces
9 medium potatoes peeled and sliced thinly
1 large onion sliced thinly
½ t salt
½ t pepper
1 c shredded fat free cheddar cheese
1 can low fat cream of celery soup

Layer in this manner:
½ the potatoes
½ the onion
½ the salt and pepper
½ the cheese
½ the ham
½ the potatoes
½ the onion
½ the salt and pepper
½ the cheese
All the soup
½ the ham

Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4 hours.

Chicken, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Lunch, Soups

Chicken and Pasta Soup

March 15, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This soup is prepared a day ahead and refrigerated so that the flavors really mingle. If you want to serve the same day you make it, that works too 🙂

6 servings
265 calories per serving

1/2 c cannellini beans
1 lb. chicken breasts, cubed
6 bay leaves
7 c water
1 onion, halved and sliced
1 carrot, sliced thinly
3 ribs celery, sliced thin
Leaves from the tops of the celery stalks
28 oz. diced tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
2 T minced garlic
½ t onion powder
2 t basil flakes
8 oz. FiberGourmet pasta (short alfredo, elbows or rotini)

In a soup pot combine chicken, bay leaves and water. Bring to a boil. Add onions, carrots, celery, celery leaves, tomatoes, tomato paste, onion powder, garlic and basil. Return to a boil and then lower heat and simmer 1 hour. Add beans and remove bay leaves. Refrigerate overnight. The next day heat the broth and cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and place in soup bowl and ladle soup into each bowl.

Dessert, Kid Friendly

Baked Beignets

March 15, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The best part of this recipe was the espresso dip – so incredibly rich and it very much reminds me very much of a similar dip served in one of my favorite restaurants. I would recommend it for any plain baked good (scone, cookie, etc.) The beignets themselves were a little dry and I would definitely add more water (1/4 c more) and some Splenda (1/4 c) to the dough. But even with them being a bit dry – it was sweet dough with sweet powdered sugar on top and an awesome dipping sauce, so I will definitely try again 🙂

12 servings
260 calories per serving

Beignets:
¼ c warm water
1 package quick rising active dry yeast
¼ c sugar
3 c flour
1 ½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t salt
4 T cold butter, cut up
¾ c low fat buttermilk
1 large egg
¼ c confectioner’s sugar
Pam

Café Dip:
1/3 c sugar
2 T plus 1 t instant espresso powder
1 T plus 1 t cornstarch
2 c whole milk
1 ½ oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

Place warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle with yeast and 1 t sugar. Stir and then let stand about 5 minutes or until foamy. In a large bowl stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and rest of the sugar until well combined. With a pastry knife, cut in butter until the mix resembles fine crumbs. With a fork, mix buttermilk and egg into yeast mixture and blend well. Make a hole in the center of the flour mix and pour in the yeast mix. Stir until a dough forms. Lightly flour a work surface and knead dough several times until smooth. Spray the bowl with Pam and place dough in the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let stand in a non-drafty spot for 10 minutes. Spray 2 baking sheets with Pam and punch down dough. Roll the dough with a floured rolling pin to a 9 inch square and cut into 6 strips. Then cut each strip into 6 pieces for a total of 36 pieces. Place on baking sheets about 2 inches from each other. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with Pam and place over the pans while they sit and rise for 20 minutes.

To prepare dip, combine sugar, espresso powder and cornstarch in a pan. Whisk in milk and cook on medium for 8 minutes or until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes then remove from heat and add chocolate and whisk until melted. Cover and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake beignets 12 minutes or until golden brown. While they are still hot toss with confectioner’s sugar. Serve with dip.

FiberGourmet, Italian, Lunch, Soups, Turkey

Meatball Soup

March 14, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is a very quick soup to make, but it tastes as good as soups that simmer for hours.

4 servings
223 calories per serving

12 precooked turkey meatballs ( I use Shady Brook Farms Italian flavor ones)
4 c vegetable broth
2 c water
1/2 c ditalini or orzo (or ¾ c FiberGourmet pasta for the same calories!)
1 14.5 oz. can Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
2 c diced zucchini
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t garlic powder
¼ t crushed red pepper
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, chopped

Bring broth and water to a boil. Cook pasta 4 minutes (if you are using the FiberGourmet pasta, add 2-3 more minutes here as the pasta tends to take longer to cook). Stir in tomatoes, zucchini, salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and meatballs. Bring back to boil, then reduce heat and keep at a low boil 7 minutes or until pasta is tender. Garnish each bowl with chopped parsley and 1 T cheese.

Appetizers, Lunch

Homemade Cheese with Curried Spinach

March 14, 2010 admin 2 Comments

This has the most awesome Middle Eastern flavor ! It was spicy without being too hot and the texture of the cheese really went well with the chopped spinach – – it picked up the spices of the spinach nicely. This was my first time making cheese and it was well worth it. It was a definite ‘2 thumbs up’ from the whole family 🙂

4 servings
302 calories per serving

2 quarts 1 % milk
1/3 c lemon juice
4 t oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t ground coriander
¾ t turmeric
¼ t salt
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 c chicken broth
2 T tomato paste
2 t jalapeno pepper sauce or Asian chili and garlic sauce

Bring milk to a boil (be careful to not let the bottom scorch – be patient and do it on medium or medium high heat rather than cranking it up to high) then remove from heat and add lemon juice. Let stand about 15 minutes so that the curds and whey separate. Line a colander with a doubled piece of cheese cloth, place in the sink, and pour in the milk mix letting the whey drain away. Let sit 20 minutes or so and then pull together the cheesecloth and squeeze gently to remove any more liquid. You can use a light twisting motion and that helps. Then flatten into a disk on a plate and then place a small saucepan on top of it and place an unopened canned good in the pan to create a weight on top of the cheese. I used a large can of crushed tomatoes and it worked great. Do not refrigerate. Let stand 2 hours or until firm enough to cut.

In a large skillet heat 2 t oil and add onion and garlic and cook 7 minutes or until tender and then add the coriander, turmeric and salt. Mix and then add the spinach, broth, tomato paste and pepper sauce. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out skillet. Cut the cheese into ½ inch chunks. Heat 2 t oil in skillet and add the cheese cooking for 4 minutes or until light browned and crusty then gently stir in the spinach and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Here’s a couple more pictures of the cheese making process:

Beef, Crock pot, Dinner, Kid Friendly

10 Layer Beef Hash (Crock Pot)

March 14, 2010 admin 2 Comments

This is a very hearty meal – and like so many crock pot meals, a great way to put something together, be able to run errands for a few hours – – and then come home to a hot cooked meal. This is reminiscent of a stew with the nice mushroom gravy flavor 🙂

8 servings
370 calories per serving

1 ½ lb. lean ground beef
6 medium potatoes thinly sliced
1 medium onion thinly sliced
½ t salt
½ t pepper
15 oz. can of corn, undrained
15 oz. can of peas, undrained
¼ c water
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup.

Brown the meat in a skillet and drain. Layer the ingredients in the crock in this order:
¼ of the potatoes
¼ the onions
¼ the salt and pepper
½ the corn
¼ the potatoes
½ the peas
¼ the potatoes
¼ the onions
¼ the salt and pepper
½ the corn
¼ the potatoes
½ the peas
All the water
All the meat
All the soup

Cover and cook on high 4 hours. Be sure to give each person a serving that contains some of each layer.

Kid Friendly, Sides

Cheesy Bread

March 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is great next to light soups and stews. And all you need is a toaster oven !

1 serving
72 calories per serving

1 slice 45 calories whole wheat bread
10 sprays I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray
Sprinkle of oregano flakes
1/4 t garlic powder
1 T parmesan cheese

Spray bread with butter spray. Sprinkle with oregano, cheese and garlic powder. Place in toaster oven until lightly browned.

400 Calories or Less

Monthly Archives: March 2010