Pepper Muffins

June 14, 2010 admin Leave a comment

These make a great side to just about any dish. They are simple to put together, they cook up on no time and they disappear fast ! If you want to zest them up more, try adding some sauteed onions or garlic along with the peppers.

12 servings
118 calories per serving

¼ c chopped green bell pepper
¼ c chopped red bell pepper
¼ c chopped yellow bell pepper
2 T butter
2 c flour
2 T sugar
2 ½ t baking powder
½ t salt
½ t basil flakes
¼ t cayenne pepper
¼ t garlic powder
¼ c egg beaters
1 c skim milk
Pam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute pepper in butter until tender and set aside. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, basil, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and salt. Mix egg and milk and stir into the dry ingredients until moist then fold in peppers. Spray muffin cups with Pam and fill 2/3 full then cook 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin cups.

Food Buzz Daily Special

Salt and Pepper Mills

June 14, 2010 admin Leave a comment

As part of FoodBuzz Daily Specials, I’ll be making a some special posts over the next couple of weeks that relate to a specific topic. Today’s special is about Salt and Pepper Mills.

Salt and Pepper mills come in all shapes and sizes….they are made out of all sorts of materials, some are manual while some are electric, and prices really vary.

For years I used only ground black pepper and Morton’s salt out of the box – I never ventured beyond that. But a few years ago I got interested in using sea salt and I got a mill just for that. Then I decided to use different peppercorns and got some mills for those. And my collection has grown quite a bit.

For some recipes, there is nothing like the taste of sea salt. For some, nothing as great as Kosher salt – there truly is a difference.

And the same goes for peppers – different peppercorns definitely yield different flavors and it’s great to have a few on hand. I even have a mill to freshly grind red pepper flakes.

Grab one next time you’re out – I bet you get addicted like me 🙂

Kid Friendly, Summer

Root Beet Float Pops

June 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

These really taste like you are sipping a root beer float – but they also cool you off on a hot summer day.

6 servings (6 oz. pops)
67 calories per serving

12 oz. diet root beer, very cold (so it foams less)
6 maraschino cherries, stems removed
1 ¼ c lite vanilla ice cream, left out for 10-15 minutes so it gets melty and easy to work with

Pour an inch worth of root beer in each mold spooning off any foam that develops then drop in a cherry. Freeze one hour. Divide ice cream amount molds and freeze for an hour. Add the rest of the root beer spooning off any foam, insert sticks and freeze at least 5 hours.

Asian, Salads, Sides, Vegetables

Korean Bean Sprout Salad

June 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Serve next to just about anything !

6 servings
68 calories per serving

1 lb. fresh bean sprouts
1 T sesame seeds, toasted
1 T sesame oil
2 T soy sauce
1 1/2 T finely chopped scallions
1 1/2 T sugar
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1 t salt

Place sprouts in boiling salt water for 3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Chill at least ½ hour.

To toast sesame seeds, just stir fry them for a few minutes in a hot skillet.

Dessert, Fruit, Kid Friendly, Summer

Peach Cobbler

June 12, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Definitely serve this one warm with some vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream – it’s a great dessert that bakes up quickly and tastes so homey.

8 servings
190 calories per serving

5 c sliced frozen peaches
1/3 c maple syrup
1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
2 T MINUTE Tapioca
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 c Bisquick
2 T sugar
¼ – 1/2 c milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix peaches with syrup, brown sugar, tapioca, lemon juice and cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil then pour into 9 inch square baking pan. Stir Bisquick, sugar and milk until soft dough forms then drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto hot fruit. Optionally sprinkle with a little more cinnamon then bake 28 – 30 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

Italian, Lunch, Sandwiches

Grilled Provolone and Peppers

June 11, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Any grilled cheese sandwich is a winner in my book and this one is no exception – and here the sweet roasted peppers are a nice contrast to the provolone.

2 servings
200 calories per serving

4 slices 45 calorie bread (Pepperidge Farm Light Multi Grain)
4 slices low fat provolone (sliced thin)
2 roasted red bell peppers, drained, rinsed and dried – and cut into strips
Pam
ICBINB Spray

Make sandwiches and spray the outsides with the butter flavored spray. Heat a skillet to medium high and spray with Pam. Cook each side 2-3 minute or until browned and the cheese is all melted.

Beef, Dinner, Summer, Tex Mex

Grilled Chili Rubbed Sirloin

June 11, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Flavorful with or without the sauce ! Grilled London Broil is one of my favorites, but sometimes it lacks flavor because it is a lean cut. This recipe puts all the flavor back in…and then some !

4 servings
160 calories per serving

1 lb. boneless sirloin steak
1 ½ T chili seasoning (or a mix of chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder)
¼ t pepper
Pam
½ c water
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 t instant coffee
1 ½ t Worcestershire sauce
¼ t salt

Sprinkle meat with chili seasoning (go heavier on the seasoning if you wish – it adds miniscule amounts of calories) and pepper and then spray with Pam. Use short little sprays so you don’t blow the dry ingredients off the meat. This makes a nice spicy ‘paste’ and keeps the meat from sticking to the grill. Heat grill and cook meat 6-10 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Alternately heat a skillet and cook steak 6-10 minutes or until desired doneness. Remove from grill or pan and tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Combine water, vinegar, coffee and Worcestershire and add to small pan and cook until reduced to ¼ c (about 5 minutes). Slice steak thinly and drizzle with sauce.

Dinner, Pork

Braised Pork in Cream Sauce

June 11, 2010 admin Leave a comment

What a GREAT sauce this makes ! I think it would be equally as good on chicken or even steak. You definitely have to give this one a try for a nice change to pork chops – these are definitely NOT boring, old pork chops. Try serving with Roasted Brussel Sprouts.

6 servings
200 calories per serving

6 4 oz. boneless pork chops
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
¾ c beef broth
1 T barbecue sauce
1/3 c fat free evaporated milk
1/3 c fat free sour cream
3 T flour
Pam

Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper and cooked in a heated skillet sprayed with Pam. Cover and cook 3 minutes on each side. Combine ½ c broth and the barbecue sauce and pour over the chops and cover the pan, reduce heat to medium low and cook 10 minutes. Remove pork chops and keep warm. Combine ¼ c broth, milk, sour cream and flour and mix with a whisk. Pour into skillet and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes and thick. Pour over chops and serve.

Snacks

Parmesan Pretzels and Popcorn

June 10, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The flavor here was subtle, but definitely enough to make it a nice change up from eating just plain pretzels or popcorn. I like it best when it was fresh out of the oven and still warm 🙂

6 servings
170 calories per serving

2 T grated parmesan cheese
½ t basil flakes
½ t parsley flakes
3 c mini pretzel twists
3 c air popped popcorn
Pam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine spices and mix well. Mix pretzels and popcorn and spread in an ungreased 15×10 baking sheet. Spray mix with Pam (pretty heavily) and sprinkle with cheese mix. Do not stir and bake 6 minutes or until hot.

Dinner, Italian, Sides, Snacks

Parmesan Crisps

June 10, 2010 admin Leave a comment

These are a GREAT addition to salads, as a side to Italian flavored dishes, etc. 2 ingredients + quick fry method = savory side in next to no time !

10 servings
56 calories per serving (1 serving = 4 crisps)

1 c grated parmesan cheese
1 t flour

Combine cheese and flour. Heat a non stick skillet to medium high heat. Spoon a thin layer of cheese into a 1 inch circle in hot pan. Repeat with as many as will fit in the skillet without touching. When they begin to sizzle and bottom is golden, flip over and cook until the next side is golden. Work in batches and finish up all the cheese and flour. This will go very quickly.