Placing these in the oven for 10 minutes transforms these from good sandwiches to GREAT sandwiches. All the flavors combine so nicely and the garlic and pepper give it just a little bite. These are definitely in my top 10 sandwiches !
Ham and Provolone Melt
1 serving
357 calories per serving
1 Arnold Sandwich Thin bun
4 slices thin sliced deli ham (Oscar Mayer pre-packaged meats are great)
1 slice low fat provolone cheese
1 T olive oil
½ clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 slice tomato
½ green pepper in thin slices
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mid together garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Place ham, peppers and tomato on bun. Drizzle with garlic and oil mix and top with cheese. Wrap sandwich in foil and bake 10 minutes.
I made just a few variations to Emeril’s original recipe. This is just OUTSTANDING ! The flavor is so big and I like the texture of this so much better than the pureed versions of split pea soup.
Emeril's Ham and Split Pea Soup
6 servings
268 calories per serving
1 pound dried split peas
1 ham bone (leftover from a baked ham meal)
3 T butter
1 c finely chopped onions
¾ c finely chopped celery
½ c finely chopped carrots
2 t minced garlic
1 lb. lean ham cut into small cubes (leftover from baked ham meal)
1 t salt
1 t pepper
¼ t red pepper flakes
8 c water
1 bay leaf
1 t thyme flakes
Even if the package says that no soaking is necessary, soak the peas over night in a large bowl with water at least 2 inches over the peas. Drain and set aside.
Melt butter and cook onion 2-3 minutes. Add celery and carrots and cook another 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in peas, water, ham, and spices. Add in ham bone. Cover and cook 1 hour or until peas are tender. Remove ham bone and bay leaf, leave uncovered and cook another ½ hour to thicken. If it gets too thick, add extra water.
Try serving with some celery and carrot stix on the side. If you use 45 calorie per slice bread, you can really BEEF up on the beef 😉
Cheesesteak
1 serving
320 calories per serving
6 slices shaved and lean deli roast beef
2 rings green bell pepper
2 slices FF Kraft singles
2 slices Marble Rye or bread of your choice (no more than 100 calories per slice)
Pam
ICBINB Spray
Make sandwiches. Spray skillet with Pam and heat. Spray outside of each slice of bread with 5 spritzes of ICBINB Spray. Grill 3 minutes each side.
It doesn’t get much simpler and this is one of those recipes that is really versatile – use any canned fruit or even some apples and you get a great warm, homey dessert in no time.
Fruit Crisp
6 servings
280 calories per serving
2 15 oz. cans peaches in juice, drained
5 graham crackers, coarsely crushed (1 c)
1/3 c flour
3 T brown sugar
½ t cinnamon
¼ c cold margarine or butter, cut up into pieces
2 c low fat vanilla yogurt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spread peaches in a 8 inch square baking dish. Mix crumbs, flour, sugar, cinnamon and then using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mix is the consistency of coarse crumbs then sprinkle them over the peaches and bake 25-30 minutes then cool slightly and serve with yogurt.
I’ve made this with beef and I think I actually prefer it with chicken ! The chicken almost looks like beef since it has all the spicy goodness coating it and the flavor is mellow and deep like a good mole. This is not a REAL mole, but the flavor is definitely similar and once you taste this, you’ll find yourself craving it 🙂
Chicken Mole Stew
6 servings
297 calories per serving
2 T unsweetened cocoa
2 T ground coriander
3 t garlic powder
3 t ground cumin
3 t ancho chile powder
3 t paprika
3 t oregano flakes
¼ t cinnamon
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 c flour
1 T oil
½ c chopped onion
½ c chopped green bell pepper
½ c dry red wine
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 t salt
¼ t pepper
Combine the first 8 ingredients then stir in the chicken and mix well. Remove the chicken and then add flour to the rest of the spices and whisk well. Then add the chicken back and toss. Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium high and add chicken pieces and sauté 5 minutes browning all sides then remove to a plate and keep warm. Add onion and pepper to the pan and cook 6 minutes then stir in the wine and tomatoes (with their liquid), add back in chicken, cover and set heat to low and simmer 1 hour stirring occasionally.
Even my young teenage nephew liked this one ! So it’s kid approved 🙂 Lotsa flavor, lotsa veggies, and a great side to just about anything.
Corn Salad
7 servings
140 calories per serving
Dressing:
¼ c oil
1 T chopped parsley
3 T rice vinegar
1 T soy sauce
½ t crushed red pepper
Salad:
1 lb. frozen corn
¼ c shredded carrots
¼ c sliced radishes
¼ c sliced green onions (green part only)
Combine all dressing ingredients and refrigerate. Bring a pan of water to a boil and cook corn 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool then pat dry and add to all the rest of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours so flavors mix.
Talk about decadent and delicious !! This breakfast dish will give you legendary ‘short order cook’ status ! The bananas and cream cheese make a perfect middle to the grilled raisin bread.
Grilled Banana French Toast
8 servings
206 calories per serving
8 slices 80 calories cinnamon raisin bread
2 medium bananas, in slices
1 c skim milk
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c egg beaters
1/3 c Splenda
3 T flour
2 t vanilla
Powdered sugar (optional)
Pam
Spray skillet with Pam and heat well. Mix milk, cheese, eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla with a mixer until. Take 4 slices of bread and spread with cream cheese then add banana slices and top with the remaining bread. Gently dip into the egg mix and then place on pan and cook 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Cut in half and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
Everyone loves a good tuna casserole. This one tastes great and is way lower in the calorie department than my regular recipe. It gets skinnied up by using a slim milk and broth based sauce rather than a creamier version. The results are great !
Tuna Casserole
6 servings
390 calories per serving
8 oz. whole wheat egg noodles
1 medium onion, chopped finely
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
½ c chicken broth
6 T flour
3 c skim milk
12 oz. can chunk light tuna in water, drained well
1 c frozen peas, thawed
1 c finely shredded parmesan cheese
½ c panko breadcrumbs
Pam
Cook noodles according to package directions. Preheat broiler.
Heat a skillet and spray with Pam. Then cook onions 5 minutes. If they start to dry out, add a tablespoon or so of hot water. Add mushrooms and cook another 3 minutes. Add wine and continue cooking until liquid is evaporated, about 4 minutes then add milk, salt and pepper. Sprinkle peas with flour and mix to coat. Add to mushroom mix with tuna and half of the parm. Stir in the noodles. Place in a baking dish and sprinkle with crumbs and the rest of the parm. Broil 3-4 minutes until bubbly and top is brown.
Sprinkle the casserole with breadcrumbs and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Broil until bubbly and lightly browned on top, 3 to 4 minutes.
You can also prepare this ahead and then sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and cheese last minute, cover and bake at 350 degrees for an hour or so, taking off the cover the last 10 minutes to brown the top.
I bet this gets your kids eating their green beans ! And maybe even asking for more 🙂 Cheese, sauce, stuffing – what’s not to like?!?!
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
14 servings
157 calories per serving
2 16 oz. packages frozen French cut green beans, thawed
1 can low fat cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. Velveeta, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 1/2 c hot water
1/4 c butter
8 oz. stuffing mix (I like Stove Top)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix beans and soup and place in a baking dish then top with cheese. Mix water and butter and melt butter all the way. Stir into stuffing and then spoon that over the casserole. Bake 40 minutes.
I have been searching for a recipe that would turn out my Grandma’s babka, but, alas, I cannot find one that compares. After years of Grandma’s being passed around, something is surely missing as it just does not turn out the right product. This one is close – it has most of the right ingredients and it turns out a really nice tasting babka that is quite traditional (like many of the Polish delis sell), but it is not my Grandma’s babka. Hers was much flatter and less dense – it was drier and airier. It was more a cross between a cake and a bread (she even cooked it in a 9×13 pan rather than a bundt or in bread pans) whereas this one is more the traditional heavier bread. So if you’re looking for a traditional babka recipe, this is a great one to try.
If anyone out there knows of how to get the babka tasting more like I remember, please let me know !!
Polish Babka
20 servings
239 calories per serving
6 c flour
1 t salt
1 package of yeast
½ c warm water
¾ c sugar
1 ½ c skim milk
1 stick unsalted butter
¾ c golden raisins
2 eggs, beaten
1 egg yolk
2 T water
Pam
Soak raisins in some warm water to plump them up a little then drain before adding to dough. Heat milk in a saucepan then add the butter and cook on low until the butter is melted. Pour into a mixing bowl and add sugar and salt and cool for 20 minutes. Mix the yeast and ½ c water and let sit 5 minutes then add it to the milk and sugar mix. Add in the 2 beaten eggs and then gradually add the flour and mix. Then knead the dough ½ hour by hand or 10-12 minutes in a mixer with a dough hook attachment. Add the raisins during the last couple minutes of kneading.
Cover the bowl with a towel and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about one hour. Then punch down, re-cover and let it rise another hour.
Then take dough and place in a 13×9 pan (or in 2 bread pans). Mix the egg yolk and 2 T water and brush onto the top of the bread dough. Spray foil with Pam and cover pan and let rise again until doubled – again, about an hour.
Then uncover and bake at 350 degrees for ½ hour for a 9×13 pan or 45 minutes for a large pan or bread pans. It’s done when you tape on it and it makes a hollow sound. Let cool and then cut into slices.
