Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocados

From Natalie:

I had been trying for months to get my God mother and a few cousins to my home for lunch.  It seemed, with crazy schedules, it was taking forever to make it happen.  We picked a date and made it work!  We had a wonderful afternoon.  I served this dish for lunch. I had seen a similar dish at a restaurant I had eaten at recently.  I made a few changes and liked this version better.  The girls loved it too!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 granny smith apple
• 4 oz. chopped walnuts
• 1 whole avocado per guest
• mixed greens
• grape tomatoes
• balsamic vinegar
• olive oil
• crazy salt
• ground black pepper
• garlic powder

(My husband, Bill, cooked the chicken for me on the rotisserie on the grill, seasoned with crazy salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder.  It was cooked perfectly!)

Cut off all of the meat from the chicken, dark and white, into cubes.  Add the mayonnaise (I used 1/2 cup of regular and 1/2 cup of Miracle Whip.  Some people don’t like Miracle Whip, but I think it adds a nice flavor).  Cube the apple and add that with the walnuts to the chicken. Toss.

Put the chicken salad into halved avocados. Each guest  should receive two stuffed halves.  The avocados that I used were very ripe so I left the bottom skin on.  If they are a little more firm, you can skin them entirely.

Toss the mixed greens with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and crazy salt.

For the presentation, I halved a couple of grape tomatoes on each plate, put a serving of the greens and placed the stuffed avocados on top.

Chill and serve.  Enjoy, we did!

 

 

 

 

 

Pasta Salad

From Natalie:

A great side for any summer meal!  This pasta salad is really easy and quite delicious.  It also keeps well in the refrigerator if you don’t eat it all at once!

Ingredients:

• 1 Box whole grain pasta (13.25 oz.)
• Grape Tomatoes
• Green Olives
• Cucumber
• Red Onion
• Lite Italian Dressing
• 4 oz. Goat Cheese

Boil the pasta until tender (I like it a little al dente).  Add a little oil and salt to the water for taste and also so it does not get sticky.  Drain the pasta and add a little salad dressing (I used Lite Italian Dressing but you could also use olive oil with balsamic or red wine vinegar).  Toss the dressing with the pasta soon after it is drained so it does not get sticky.  I did not put strict measurements on the vegetables because it is really about individual taste.  I cut in small pieces about 8 grape tomatoes, 1/2 a cucumber, 2 large green olives and 1/3 of a red onion.

Toss again with more dressing and then add the goat cheese.

The pasta will absorb the dressing so you may want to add a little more and toss before you serve.

Enjoy!

Marinated Grilled Vegetables

From Natalie:

Now that the weather is great, we have been grilling a lot!  This is a staple that I will include in many meals, whether it be beef, chicken or seafood.

Ingredients:

• 1 Red Pepper
• 1 Green Pepper
• 2 Stalk of Celery
• 1 Zucchini
• 1 Red Onion
• 1 Vidalia Onion
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• Crazy Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder

Cut the vegetables into chunks.  Place into a bowl and pour the oil and vinegar over them.  Sprinkle with Crazy salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder.  Toss together and put into the refrigerator.  Let the vegetables sit a couple of hours up to overnight.  Stir every few hours so the mixture marinates.

I bought this great covered pan a few years ago at Crate and Barrel.  Drain off the excess marinade and put into the pan (or something like it).  Put on the grill and turn often.  Cook about 20 minutes.  You can also add fresh mushrooms, asparagus and or summer squash. Enjoy!

Tapioca with fresh whipped cream

From Natalie:

This is a nice dessert for the family or for a dinner party.  Light and fresh!

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. tapioca*
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 3/4 cups of milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. confectioners sugar
• 4 strawberries

Combine the sugar, tapioca,milk and egg in a saucepan and let sit for 5 minutes.

Stir  while cooking on medium heat until the mixture boils.  Take off the heat and stir in 2 tsp. of vanilla.  I thought it would be fun to put the pudding into margarita glasses for a great presentation.  Pour into 4 glasses or small bowls.

For the whipped cream, put one cup of heavy cream into a bowl.  Add 1 tbsp. of confectioners sugar  (more if you like it sweeter) and 1 tsp of vanilla.  Beat with a hand mixer until it forms soft peaks.

Put a dollop of cream onto the pudding and garnish glass or bowl with a strawberry.  Serves 4.

Enjoy!

* Tapioca recipe adapted from Kraft Minute Tapioca basic recipe.

Chicken, Broccoli, Pasta with cream sauce

From Natalie:

This is one of my son Jonathan’s favorite meals.  It is very tasty and can be pulled together in about 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Farfalle pasta (14.5oz.)
• 1 crown of broccoli
• 1 jar of Bertolli alfredo sauce
• 1 1/2 lbs. of chicken tenders
• 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
• garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• Canola oil

Beat the egg with 1/4 cup of milk and put into a bowl.  Put 2 cups of seasoned bread crumbs into another bowl.  (I added garlic powder to the breadcrumbs for extra flavor.)  Cut the tenders into bite size pieces.  (I put the pieces of chicken in a zippered plastic bag and hammered  them out to tenderize them.)  Put the chicken into the egg bath and then the breadcrumbs.  Cook in a frying pan with canola oil.

At the same time, steam the whole crown of broccoli.  When it is tender, cut off the tough stalks.

Boil the pasta.

I have to confess I have a double standard when it comes to sauce.  I always make a red sauce from scratch, never do I buy a jar.  I do, however, buy the white sauce in a jar.  For this recipe, I use Bertolli’s alfredo sauce.  It is delicious and enables this recipe to be pulled together quickly.

Put the pasta, broccoli and chicken into a large bowl.  Pour the sauce over everything.  (I don’t even heat the sauce because everything else is hot.) Toss.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Sliders

From Krisann:

This is a easy recipe that you can prepare in the morning and then let it cook all day in the crockpot.  When you get home from work, your house will smell wonderful and your dinner will be well on it way.  I served this with my Southwest Spicy Slaw recipe.  If you don’t have that much time and want to take a shortcut, use the bag of prepared slaw and just add the dressing from the Spicy Slaw recipe.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 3lb boneless pork shoulder, skin and excess fat removed
• 1 onion sliced (or chopped if you want to leave the onion in the sauce)
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups barbecue sauce
• 2 TBLS mustard
• 2 TBLS honey
• 1 TBLS soy sause
• salt and pepper

Trim pork of any excess fat.  Scatter onion over the bottom of crockpot and place pork on top.  Add remaining ingredients, cover and cook on low until very tender, about 8 hours.  Remove meat and let cool.

When cool enough to handle, pull meat into thin shreds, removing all fat and gristle.  Strain the liquid from the crockpot, this is to remove the onions.  Add the liquid back to the crockpot.  Return pulled pork to crockpot.  Add extra barbecue sauce if needed and let cook for an additional hour if desired.

Serve on buns with coleslaw.

Crab Cake & Spicy Mustard Sauce w/ Tomato and Arugula Salad

From Krisann:

These crab cakes make a perfect meal or can be made smaller and served as an appealing appetizer.  Either way I think that you will really enjoy these.  I know that I did.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup chopped red pepper
• 2 TBLS mayonaise
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 – 1 tsp old bay seasoning
• 2 green onions chopped
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1 TBLS Dijon mustard
• 1 1/3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) divided
• 1 lb lump crabmeat, drained
• 2 TBLS olive oil
• 2 TBLS mayonaise
• 2 TBLS reduced fat sour cream
• 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Combine first 8 ingredients.  Add 1/3 cup panko and crab; toss gently.  Shape crab mixture into patties.  Place remaining panko in a shallow dish.  Gently dredge patties in panko.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 TBLS oil to pan.  Add crab cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side.  Remove from pan; keep warm.  Repeat procedure with remaining oil and crab cakes.

Combine 2 TBLS mayonnaise and remaining ingredients; serve with crab cakes.

Tomato and Arugula Salad:

Combine 2 TBLS white wine vinegar, 1 TBLS olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 pint halved grape tomato in a medium bowl.  Add 4 cups arugula, and toss.  (toss salad just before serving so arugula doesn’t wilt).

Two Simple Sauces

From Natalie:

I thought I would share these two sauces.  They are simple, delicious and fresh.  One I have been making for some time, the other is a recipe that I just learned.

 

Shrimp Cocktail Sauce:

I learned this several years ago and have not purchased cocktail sauce since because it is so delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of ketchup (I like organic or all natural (no high fructose corn syrup))
• 1 tablespoon fresh horse radish (you can find this in the refrigerated section of the market, near cream)
• 1 lemon

This recipe really needs to be made to your specific taste and also based on the amount of shrimp you have.  Living in an ocean community, we have our choice of wonderful fish markets.  I order my shrimp and have it all prepared.  It is a little more expensive but it is perfect every time.  For this photo, I had two pounds of shrimp.  I doubled the recipe.  It is approximately a ratio of one cup ketchup to one tablespoon horseradish but you would need to taste it to see if you like it.  Horse radish can be very strong so you need to find the ratio that works for you.  Just mix these two ingredients.

Display the shrimp over a layer of ice and place lemon wedges on the sides.  Squeeze the lemon on the shrimp and then dip in the sauce.  Fantastic!  Enjoy!

 

My other recipe is one that I just learned from Paula Dean.  I often cook while watching cooking shows and Paula’s was on the other day.  This one is a great alternative to hollandaise sauce.

 

Spicy Mustard Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of spicy brown mustard
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream

Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon on top of the brown mustard.  Add the cream.  Beat with hand mixer for about one minute until it gets somewhat firm.

Break (don’t cut) the ends of fresh asparagus.  Steam to desired tenderness.  Put a dollop of the mustard sauce on top.  Really delicious on the steak too!  Enjoy!

Shrimp Mediterranean

From Rita:

Love shrimp??  I do!  Get ready for a wonderfully tasty dish.  In all honesty, I had to stop myself from overeating this and I usually do not have overeating issues.  Proud to say that this is my own creation.  I am so happy to share this yummy dish with all of you.  Note: Please be sure not to overcook the shrimp.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium to large spanish onion or red onion, thinly sliced
• 6 plum tomatoes roughly chopped, if you do not have fresh tomatoes you can used canned whole plum tomatoes and chop.
• 2 Tbls. capers, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 of a 12oz. jar roasted red peppers, patted dry and roughly chopped. or one medium fresh sweet pepper (yellow,red,orange only) thinly sliced
• 2 medium cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 -1/2 cup dry white wine (I used 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano, measure carefully
• 18-20 extra large frozen raw shrimp(16-20 count bag), defrosted, rinsed and patted dry
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet put about 2 Tbls. olive oil over medium heat and swirl around to cover the bottom of pan.  Add the thinly sliced onion and stir frequently till softened.  If you are using fresh sweet pepper you need to put it in at this time.  Once the peppers and onions are softened add the rest of the ingredients, except the shrimp, and bring to a boil.  Drop to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together~ stirring from time to time.  Taste  periodically to salt and pepper the dish.

Add the shrimp and bring heat to medium.  Stay with the pan, turning the shrimp, and pay close attention to their color.  Once they are all bright orange the dish is done.  Remove from heat immediately and serve.

PS:

You can serve this a number of ways:  with slices of prepared Polenta, pan fried in a bit of olive oil till lightly browned,  or over brown rice or with pasta of your choice. If you are watching calories, serve with a large side salad. If  you are not able to eat shellfish, you can substitute with thinly sliced chicken breast,  or 1/2 “slices of pork tenderloin.  Be sure to lightly brown on both sides the chicken or pork so they do not appear steamed in this dish.  Then add to the mixture in the end as you would the shrimp and cook till done.

Delicious “Twist” on Fusilli Pasta

From Natalie:

Last week was my brother’s 50th birthday.  My sister-in law had a beautiful party for him at a local dinner club, complete with fabulous food stations.  My daughter was looking for some plain pasta, which the chef easily accommodated, but the complete pasta dish he made was wonderful and I asked him to walk me through it (he was making it at the station and I watched and questioned as he cooked).  Very easy but with a fresh taste that was really nice. Ingredients:

• 1 pound of fusilli pasta (the chef used the long ones, as did I)
• Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (fresh or jarred)
• Garlic powder
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh feta cheese

Boil the fusilli until tender and put aside.  In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and cook the chopped garlic until brown.  Lower the heat.  Add the spinach and the tomatoes until they get warm but the spinach does not have to be completely soft.  Add the pasta to the frying pan and turn it over in the oil.  Add garlic powder to taste, if desired (I like garlic, so I added more here.)  Put the feta cheese into the mixture and turn around again until it gets warm.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Chicken with a grand flair

From Rita:

I must admit this recipe was given to me by my good friend Flo.  While helping her with something early one morning she happened to mention that she loved this recipe (I re-named it), and that she had not made it for a long time and actually sounded like she missed it.  So I made her dig it out of the archives,  jotted it down and went home and made it right away….are you surprised?  The finish to this dish scared me a bit but I am a gutsy cook and figured ..”what the heck is the worse thing that can happen..it gets thrown out and I learn something from the experience!”  Learning from my experiences is something I have always done.  I try never to look at anything like I failed, but that I am learning all the time and growing from every single experience.  I remember one Friday morning I made three, yes three different things, each of which I did not care for and each of which I promptly put down the garbage disposal!!!!.   So,  know that it happens to all of us at some point…just toss it out and keep on trying.

• 3 Tbls. olive oil
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3 pounds cut up chicken pieces, I removed the skin to save calories.
• 1 -large sweet onion, sliced
• 2 bell peppers cleaned and cut into medium size chunks.  One red, one green. I used red and yellow as I do not love green pepper.
• 1-2  8 oz. box white mushrooms, cleaned and chopped in half
• 6-8 plum tomatoes chunked
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 nip of Grand Marnier

In a large, fairly deep fry pan,  put the oil in and place over medium-high heat.  Wait for oil to heat up a bit.  While waiting wash chicken and dredge through the flour, shaking off any excess.  Cook chicken till golden brown on each side and remove from pan and keep warm.  Add the onion, peppers, mushrooms,tomatoes and chicken broth..bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat, cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring periodically.  Remove the cover, add the chicken back into the pan and cook uncovered for another 30 minutes or so, turning the chicken a couple of times till the chicken is done.  I made sure my chicken pieces were not really large and all about the same size.  Actually I purchased  split breasts and cut them in half sideways.  Once the chicken is done,  pour  the Grand Marnier nip all over the top and stir gently to mix well.  Put cover back on and wait 5 minutes.  Serve with pasta, couscous, brown rice or spaghetti squash if you are really calorie conscious and by all means ENJOY!

Slow Simmered Meat Sauce

From Krisann:

This is a great meat sauce recipe.  The sauce is hearty and comforting.  Best of all the sauce freezes really well.  I usually make a big batch and then enjoy it several times.

Ingredients:

• 1 TBLS olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 (4 ounce) links hot italian sausage, casing removed
• 1/4 lb ground sirloin
• 1/4 lb ground veal
• 1/4 lb ground pork
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
•  1/4 cup no salt added tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can no salt added crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup no salt added tomato sauce
• 1 TBLS chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil
• 3 ounces shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add onion and carrot to pan; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic, sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Place vegetable mixture in a 6 quart slow cooker.  Add sausage, beef, veal and pork to the skillet; sauté 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.  Place meat mixture on a double layer of paper towels; drain.  Add meat mixture to slow cooker.  Stir olives and next 6 ingredients (through tomato sauce) into slow cooker.  Cover and cool on LOW 8 hours.  Stir in oregano.

Serve with pasta, top with basil and cheese.

Skillet Pasta Toss

From Rita:

This recipe cooks quickly.  You can plan to have it for dinner and in no time at all it will be on the table.  Total prep/cook time was about 2o minutes from start to finish.   Perfect to make on a weekend and simply warm again for an afterwork dinner with a large salad or a couple of side veggies.  Sometimes, we think we need to spend a great deal of time with foods, especially those that have an “Italian” flair,  I have found that it is not always true ~ certainly not this time!

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces of uncooked pasta (use elbows, bow ties, fusilli, or linguine. White or whole grain)
• 8 ounces regular or hot Italian turkey sausages with casing removed
• 2 cans(14.5 oz)diced Italian style diced tomatoes, do not drain
• 1- 8 0unce can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup prepared basil pesto. If you do not have the basil pesto add some fresh chopped basil(1/4 cup, loosely packed) or add 1 Tbls. of dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook your pasta according to package directions ~ el dente.  Cook the sausage in a large skillet over med.-high heat till crumbled and lightly browned.  Stir in remaining ingredients in with sausage and combine well.   Drain your pasta well and add to sausage mixture and toss again to finish the dish.  Top lightly with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Please remember that freshly grated cheese is ALWAYS the best choice.  You will find that you will use less cheese and be happier.  By the way you will save many, many calories and that is always a good thing.  It is a win-win no matter how you look at it!  Don’t forget the  salad and or veggies.  Mangia’

CLASSIC FRENCH ONION SOUP

From a tiny BEACH kitchen:

French Onion Soup is one of my favs to order in a restaurant.  It always seemed to be a treat with a pound of cheese melted down the sides of the crock, and a roll (carbs!) floating in the broth.  It never occurred to me that I could make it better, and lighter, at home.  This recipe changed my mind.

If you have a food processor, use it.  Slicing the onions will take no time at all.  Please don’t pile a bag of shredded low fat cheese on top of this soup.  It won’t do it justice.  Buy a block of Gruyere and shred it yourself.  A small amount of Gruyere melted on top of a thin piece of toasted sourdough or french bread is all you need to experience a fantastic full, rich flavor with less calories.  The bread holds up the cheese so it doesn’t sink to the bottom.

I love wine but wasn’t sure what kind of wine to use in this recipe.  Well, that’s what Google is for.   The drier the wine, the less sugar in it, the less sweet ~ but with more alcohol.  Not to worry, the alcohol evaporates when cooking.  Long story short, want a good flavor?  Put in a good wine: a chardonnay or sauvignon blanc ~ and remember to pour yourself a glass. Slainte!

~Sheryl

INGREDIENTS

• 8 large red or yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• Olive oil
• teaspoon of sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups of beef stock
• 1/2 cup of dry white wine
• 1-2 bay leafs
• 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 8 slices of toasted French, or crusty,  bread
• 1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Romano cheese

In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 20 minutes. Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the caramelization.

Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 2 hours.  Discard the bay leaf.

To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish.  Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately- or the bread will begin to soak up the broth.

Traditional Almond Biscotti

From Natalie:

As I mentioned in my bio, my aunt Marie is the author of 2 cookbooks and writes a recipe column in the local newspaper.  She is really a wonderful cook and this is her recipe.  This cookie is one of my childhood favorites. Except for the almond extract, you probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen today! Aunt Marie ran it a few weeks ago and with her permission, here it is:  

Ingredients:

• 2  1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons pure almond extract.

Optional Glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioners suger
• 1 tablespoon milk
• decorative colored candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (or parchment paper). Put the eggs and sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth.  Add oil, almond extract and mix well.  Add flour, baking powder, sale and mix. Place mixture on a board and knead.  If the mixture is wet, add flour so you can work with it. Break into two pieces.  Make into two rolls and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Slice while they are still hot into 1 inch pieces and put back into the oven for 8-10 minutes until they get toasty.   These are delicious plain but if you want to add a little more sweetness top with glaze.  Take the confectioners sugar and add milk a little at a time.  Too much milk and the glaze is too thin.  Brush onto cookie with a pastry trust and top with colored candies.  Enjoy!

Herbed Deviled Eggs

From Krisann:

I am a big fan of hard boiled eggs.  I especially like deviled eggs and usually use a traditional recipe.  Recently, I was looking for a new deviled egg recipe and found this one.  Wow, these little eggs have a lot of  flavor.  Try them  for your next gathering.

Ingredients:

• 12 hard cooked eggs
• 4 TBLS minced chives
• 4 TBLS plain yogurt
• 4 TBLS mayonnaise
• 2 TBLS chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 TBLS fresh parsley
• 2 tsps chopped dill
• 2 1/2 tsps dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 tsps hot and sweet mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

If mixture is too dry add more mayonnaise/mustard.  Cut eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks and set whites aside.  In a small bowl, mash yolks.  Sir in remaining ingredients.  Pipe or stuff into egg whites.  Refrigerate until serving.

Hearty Fish Stew

From Rita:

I really enjoy most all fishes in just about any way that they have ever been made.  This is a stew, and you can tell by looking at it, it is quite a healthy option compared to those creamy, buttery, milky fish CHOWDERS we find in most restaurants.  It comes together very quickly and is really tasty and who would complain about that.  I love that fast and delicious cooking as it gives me time to make more wonderful recipes!!!   Being in my kitchen is where I feel the most at home.  Funny .. I remember my mother being very much the same in her kitchen.  I guess the apple doesn’t really fall very far from the tree.  I know I fell right under hers… and am so happy for it.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  KALEE’ O’REXEE..(Greek for enjoy this meal.)

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups potato cut into small cubes
•  2 Tbls. canola or olive oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced bell peppers, I used all red only,  but you may use red and green
• 2 cups carrots chopped into small pieces ( or use bagged matchstick carrots)
• 1 medium spanish or red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, Italian style (with basil, oregano,garlic)
• 1-8oz. can tomato sauce
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound of any fresh white fish of your choice, cut into fairly large chunks.  Do not cut too small as the fish will simple fall apart and disappear in the stew.  I used cod fish.
• dried red pepper flakes (optional)

Put oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat.  Add potatoes, pepper strips , onions and carrots.  Cook about 7 minutes or till tender stirring occasionally.

Add all other ingredients except the fish.  Increase the heat to med.-high and bring to a boil.  Cover and drop heat to a simmer.  Cook for another 5-6 minutes to meld those flavors.  Remove the cover.  Then gently add the fish and stir just a bit .  Do not over stir.  Add red pepper flakes here if using.  Wait about 5-6 minutes more and ladle into your favorite bowl. It is wonderful as it is but FYI …I did grate a tiny bit of fresh parmesan on top and thought it was yummy.  I thought even a bit of crumbled feta would work if you wanted to change it up!  Enjoy.

Elegant Tomato Soup

From Krisann:

This is a delicious tomato soup.  I have to give credit to my sister Kim for this one.   She served this soup with crostini in small bowls as an appetizer.  The presentation was beautiful!  I served it recently at an appetizer party that I hosted, it was well received.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• medium onion, chopped
• 2 28 ounce cans whole tomatoes
• 1 TBLS brown sugar
• 3 large slice of good sandwich bread (crust removed and torn into 1 inch pieces)
• Chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chives
• Focaccia Rolls (or some other type of bread, you will make crostini’s to be served with the soup)
• Pecorino Romano cheese (shredded)

Pesto Ingredients:

• basil 1 bunch, about 2 cups(washed and dried)
• 3 medium size cloves of garlic
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan-reggiano or romano cheese
• 1/8 cup sugar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor.  (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil).  Add the garlic, pulse a few more times.  Slowly add the olive oil an a constant stream while the food processor is on.  Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.  Add the grated cheese and sugar and pulse again until blended.  Add the salt and pepper to taste.  This will make more pesto than you need for this recipe.  You can use the remaining pesto for something else or freeze it.

Heat oil, sauté onion and garlic until tender 5 to 10 minutes,  Add tomatoes and mash with a potato masher.  Stir in sugar and bread; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until bread break down about 5 minutes.  Transfer half to food processor or blender and puree.  Add 1 TBLS oil and puree until smooth 2 to 3 minutes.  Repeat with remaining soup.  Stir in chic broth as much as you think you need (this will effect the consistency).  Add 1-2 TBLS pesto while cooking.

Preheat over to 400. Cut the focaccia rolls into sticks, place on a cookie sheet, spray with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and shredded pecorino romano cheese.  Cook for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on a cooling rack.

Mix a couple of TBLS of pesto with olive oil (this will make a pesto oil).  Pour the pesto oil into a squeeze bottle.

Serve the soup, with a circular squirt of the pesto oil and a crostini.

Chinese Meatballs

From Rita:

If you love Chinese food, you will enjoy these tasty little bites which are perfect to bring to a party where they can be served at room temperature.  I like these meatballs served warmed/or hot, with toothpicks, and a bowl of WARM soy sauce for dipping.  These meatballs are simple to make.   All chinese food lovers~ ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 1/2 tsp. Chinese 5 spice
• 1 Tbls. minced fresh ginger ( or 1 -1 1/2tsp. dried)
• 1/4 cup minced scallions
• 1 tsp.sesame oil
• 2 Tbls. regular bread crumbs
• 1 egg yolk only
• Cup of soy sauce, for dipping

Mix all ingredients together.  Combine to make small meatballs – about the size of a quarter.  In a large fry pan, pour just enough canola oil to skim coat the bottom, or spray heavy fry pan with canola spray.  Heat over medium-high to cook meatballs.  Turn until brown on all sides.  After cooking, place on paper towels to absorb oil.  Serve with the warm soy sauce for dipping.  Also consider serving them with duck sauce and or hot mustard or blend the two for a little sweet and hot  taste.

LOBSTER SALAD

From a tiny BEACH kitchen: 

This wonderful lobster salad recipe comes from my Dad, John Hoss.  He serves it with crackers for an elegant appetizer.  Or simply tucks the lobster salad into a warm, toasted hot dog bun.  Hot or cold, lobster salad sandwiches are best served with Cape Cod potato chips.

I had the 2 beauties pictured above cooked at Brant Rock Fish Market.  I simply shucked the lobsters in my kitchen.  Yes, you can buy lobster meat already shucked – just bring your wallet – it costs a fortune!   Shucking a lobster  is really not all that hard.  However, I’ve been doing it all my life and so am probably biased.

For you virgin shuckers out there, simply follow the pictures below.

~ Sheryl

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 “chic” lobsters (weighing 1 pound each)
• 1 TBSP Hellman mayonnaise
• salt and pepper
• Flatbread crackers or 2 hot dog buns

Shuck lobsters.  Dice into bite size pieces.  Combine with mayo.  Use just enough mayo to hold it all together.  You don’t want the lobster meat dripping with mayo.  Add fresh cracked pepper and salt.  Serve warm or chilled.  As Barefoot Contessa says, “How easy is THAT?”

Whole Cooked Lobster:

Getting the sweet lobster meat onto your fork may seem like a daunting challenge to some. There are 2 solutions to this; you can buy already shucked fresh lobster meat, or once you have cooked your lobster you can follow these simple steps:

Claws: Remove the lobster claws by twisting them from the body. Using a nutcracker, seafood shell cracker or pliers, crack the shells of the claws, and pull out the meat. Don’t forget to push the meat from the knuckles – some feel this is the sweetest part of the lobster.

Tail: Arch the back of the lobster until it cracks or twist the tail to separate it from the lobster’s body. Break off the tail flippers, insert a fork, and push the tail meat out in one large piece. Peel back the thin piece covering the tail and remove the anal cord.

Body: Unhinge the back shell from the lobster’s body. You’ll see a green area (called the “tomalley”) that is considered a delicacy by some, and the coral-colored “roe” which is also edible.

.

Crack the lobster’s body by pulling it apart sideways. Lobster meat can be found in the four pockets where the larger legs attach. There is also a small bit of meat in each of the walking legs.

***

CHICKEN BROCOLLI & ZITI

From a tiny BEACH kitchen:

.

You can have a great dinner on the table any night in just 20 minutes.   Use whole wheat pasta if you prefer.  The broccoli is sautéed – so it has a slight crunch.   A hint of  lemon adds terrific flavor to the sauce.  And the leftovers are perfect to bring to work the next day.       ~Sheryl

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb chicken, cubed
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 lemon slices
• 1 cup broccoli (use fresh or frozen), or more!
• 1 1/2 cups half and half cream
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 lb ziti pasta, cooked
• 2 TBSP olive oil or butter

.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

1. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large heavy bottom skillet.
   Add chicken cook over medium heat until browned on all sides.
   Add broccoli, sauté  for about 3 minutes.
   Add lemon slices, sauté for 2 minutes.
   Add garlic, cook until fragrant (about  a minute).
   Add chicken broth.  Scrape bits off bottom of pan.
   Add in cream.  Cook until pan boils.
   Lower heat and reduce to thicken sauce a little bit.
   Off heat.  Stir in cooked pasta.
   Serve on a decorated platter.
   Grate Parmesan Reggiano cheese on top.  (Yes, it is expensive, but worth EVERY penny.  A little goes a long way.)

RITA’S LATEST UPDATE

Hello everyone.  It has been 12 weeks or so since I began my new knee journey and I am happy to say that all went well. I am moving around nicely and with very little discomfort.  I thank you all for your cards, good thoughts and prayers as I am sure they were a part of the end result.

Today’s update is both sad and exciting at the same time.  I have decided to retire from being a weight loss leader and am happy to say, through much soul searching, that I have decided to do something I have wanted to do for quite some time.

I would like to introduce to you my newest idea in which I will be “THE COACHING COOK.” I will be taking very small groups of 5 only for a class into my home for cooking lessons, discussions and more.   If you are truly interested in more information on the classes please do not respond to the blog,  but to the following e-mail:

thecoachingcook@gmail.com.

I have set this up so that our food blog will remain as it should.  I would love to hear from you so please feel free to e-mail me at thecoachingcook@gamil.com.  I guarantee that it will be a fun, and a great learning experience for everyone.  All you need to bring is your favorite coffee or tea mug and sit and enjoy.

Thanks so much for all your support through the years.

Rita Pappaconstantinou

Chili- for the BIG GAME!

 From Natalie:

Bill had made a plans to have his buddy, Matt, over to watch the “big game”,  The AFC Conference,  The New England Patriots verses the Baltimore Ravens.  He asked if I would make my chili and he would add snacks and pizza to the menu.  This is my version, a little different than most chili’s.  I really like garbonzo beans better than the traditional kidney beans, so that is how this one is made.  This chili is really not difficult to make but the longer it simmers the better.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef
• 1 can garbonzo beans (also called ceci beans or chick peas)
• 8 oz. of salsa (I like Newman’s Own-Mild, but others will work fine, including fresh salsa)
• 1 can of tomato sauce (if you don’t have any salsa, you can use 2 cans of tomato sauce)
•  1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
• 1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Sour cream and shredded cheese, if desired

Brown the beef in a pot with garlic powder.  Drain off the fat.  Add the sauce, beans and salsa.  Sprinkle in the cumin, coriander, red pepper and more garlic powder.  The measurements of the spices are approximate, add more or less according to your own personal taste.   Let simmer on medium heat.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheese.  Enjoy!

The chili was a success as was our team! Go Pats!

Fritatta

From Krisann:

I have recently been making Fritatta’s every week, I make a large one and enjoy the leftovers for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This is a very versatile dish which you can create with whatever ingredients you enjoy.  I love having foods in my fridge that I can grab on the go.

Ingredients:

• 12 eggs (beaten)
• 1  sweet  onion (caramelized)
• 1 pepper
• chicken sausage (any type, I used jalapeno)
• package baby spinach
• 1/2 lb feta, chopped or crumbled (as you probably know I will only use the Feta from the Greek store)
• 2 vine ripe tomatoes
• olive oil
• sugar

I make this in a large saute pan so that I have leftovers.  You can alter your ingredients to make a smaller fritatta.   Saute sliced onions, with olive oil.  After a few minutes, sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar over the onions.   Stir constantly over a medium heat.  The onions are caramelized when they are soft and have a light brown color.  Set onions aside in a bowl.  Add a little more olive oil if needed and saute the sliced peppers.  Add cooked peppers to the onions.  Add the sliced sausage to the saute pan cook until lightly browned.  Add to onion and pepper mixture.  Add some olive oil to the saute pan and saute the baby spinach, add some salt and pepper and cook until the spinach is cooked (this will cook quickly and will reduce in size).  Add the spinach to the other cooked ingredients.

Set your oven to broil.  Lightly spray your saute pan with olive oil.  Over med low heat add your cooked ingredients back to the saute pan and mix the ingredients so that they are spread equally in the saute pan.  Add the beaten eggs, sprinkle feta cheese  evenly over the eggs and top with sliced tomatoes.  Add some salt and cracked pepper.  The fritatta should cook on the stove top until the eggs set and are somewhat firm.  Place the saute pan under the broiler to brown the top (place the saute pan in the oven on the second level away from the broiler and make sure that the handle is not under the broiler).  Let the fritatta sit on the counter for a few minutes before you slice.

CHICKEN POT PIE ~ The real thing.

From a tiny BEACH kitchen:

Bon Appetit Magazine published this chicken pot pie recipe years ago.  It is a hearty classic perfect for a winter’s night.  Each pie is six generous servings and the recipe makes TWO pies.    I “cheat” and use Pillsbury pie crusts – no one has ever complained.    If you don’t have a crowd for dinner, the pie filling does freeze well in a ziploc bag for another time.

Disclaimer:  This pie is a labor of love … and time.  You will be hanging out in your kitchen for a bit so put on some good music and pour a glass of wine.  For veggies, I like to use potatoes, carrots, broccoli and peas~ and small round onions if I have some in the freezer.  Frozen veggies are easy to toss in if you don’t have them fresh.

Most of the “cooking” for the chicken pot pie filling is done in a large heavy pot on top of the stove in the chicken broth.    Each individual item is cooked in the broth separately and removed to a large bowl.  (Hence the good music and drink- this is a process.)  The veggies are cooked “crisp”, not mushy.  The broth reduces to 2 cups and is then used to make the cream sauce with FRESH thyme, butter, onion, milk and flour.  I emphasize fresh thyme.  It smells wonderful as it all bakes together.  I always add extra Thyme.

For the  dough, the bottom crust is baked for ten minutes prior to filling.  Pre-baking the bottom pie shells will keep the pie crusty and helps to keep the “pie” slice together when serving.

The filling and thyme sauce are then combined and heaped onto the bottom pie crusts.  I beat an egg and brush the top of the pie to brown it up before putting it into a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Each pie makes 6 generous servings.   A scoop of cranberry sauce served alongside is yummy if you have some in the pantry.     ~Sheryl

INGREDIENTS:

• 48 oz Chicken Stock plus 2 cups water
• 2 pounds boneless chicken breast
• 3 potatoes, cut into 1″ cubes
• 6 carrots, diced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 2 cups broccoli
• 1 cup of peas
• 6 TBSP Butter
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 6 TBSP flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 TBSP fresh thyme
• 2 boxes of pie crusts

1. Boil Chicken stock and water in large pot on stove.  Add chicken breasts.   Boil 10 minutes.  Remove.  Cut into 1″ pieces.  Reserve in large bowl.
2. Add potatoes to pot.  Boil 10 minutes. Remove.  Add to large bowl.
3. Add carrots to pot. Boil 10 minutes. Remove.  Add to large bowl.
4. Add broccoli to pot.  Boil 5 minutes. Remove.  Add to large bowl.
5. Add peas to pot.  Boil 3 minutes.  Remove.  Add to large bowl.
6. Reserve remaining liquid.  Approximately 2 cups.

Preheat oven and bake bottom pie crusts according to package directions.

In the large pot you were using, melt 6 TBSP butter.   Saute onions 8 minutes.  Add flour, whisking in after each tablespoon is added.  Stir until golden.

Whisk in remaining stock mixture (approx 2 cups).  Whisk in thyme.  Whisk in 2 cups milk.  Stir to thicken.

Pour sauce over chicken and veggies in large bowl.  Stir well. Add salt and pepper.   Pour 1/2 of ingredients into each pie crust.  Top with pie crust.  Brush with milk or beaten egg.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes – or until top is golden and ingredients are bubbly.

Rita’s “Mock” Caesar dressing

From Rita:

This is one of the best dressings I make ~ and I love a really good Caesar salad .  I have shared this recipe with many friends with nothing but rave reviews from everyone that has stepped up and made it!

Be sure not to omit any of the ingredients because you may have not used them before (like the anchovy paste).  It is essential to stay with the ingredients I have given you to make it the best it can be!!  Serves 6.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
• 1/3 cup low fat mayo ( I used Hellman’s made with olive oil)
• 3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced very fine
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
• canned anchovies,  (I like the rolled anchovy with a caper in the center) optional
• croutons, optional
• 2-3 romaine hearts, rinsed and chopped into bite size pieces.  (Note: Spin very dry.  No one should be without a salad spinner if you are a salad lover)

Simply place all ingredients into a mini electric chopper.   Chop on high one minute.  Viola!   Use dressing sparingly.

Hearty Chicken Soup

From Natalie: Winter has finally arrived in the northeast and it is time for some hot soup!  My father-in-law had been craving chicken soup so I thought I would indulge him.  I had roasted an 8 pound chicken for a dinner party with my cousin Jean and her boyfriend Doug and had plenty left over for a terrific soup.

Ingredients:

• I had roasted the chicken topped with Crazy salt, pepper and garlic powder.  After dinner I took all the remaining chicken off the bones, about 1 pound.
• Minor’s chicken base (I find it at BJ’s Wholesale Club)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice (This was also leftover from dinner.  I had cooked this with chicken broth instead of water.)
• 1 cup raw baby carrots
• 3 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 can of corn
• 1 can of white beans
• 1 package of frozen peas (10 oz. package)
• 1 cup of Orzo (small pasta)

The directions on the Minor’s chicken base says 1 Tablespoon with 1 quart of boiling water.  I love this base but it is a little salty, so you may want to start light and add more to taste.  I boiled about 3 quarts of water and added about 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of Minor’s chicken base.  Dissolve the base in the water. (The rice, also having been cooked with the chicken base, added even more taste, so I went light on the base.)

Put the chicken and all the vegetables in the pot (as you can see, I used some fresh, some canned and some frozen vegetables.  They all work fine.  The fresh vegetables went into the pot raw.  I did cook the frozen peas and then added them to the pot.)

Add the rice and Orzo (if you are really watching the carbs, you can use just one of these).  I added the Orzo uncooked and it cooked while the soup simmered.

Simmer for about 1 hour.  Serve with warm rolls for a hearty meal. Enjoy!

Any Veggie QUICHE’

From Rita:

I have always loved quiche.  As many of you know, quiche can be very high in calories but does not need to be.  I made this one off the cuff with no particular recipe by choosing various foods I thought would work well together and be healthy and tasty.  The best part about quiche… it’s  simple to make.  This can be served for breakfast with a slice of toasted whole grain bread, for lunch with a side salad, or for dinner with a bunch of assorted veggies.  I love lots of different roasted veggies with mine no matter what time of the day it is.   You decide, after all it is your plate.  Be sure to make it beautiful to maximize the eating experience!  I do that by adding lots of color to my plate.  Make one and see for yourself.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 -16 ounce curd of light or fat free cottage cheese ….a better brand like Hood is richer and less watery)
• 3 cups organic baby kale, chopped well…or use baby spinach or chopped broccoli or another vegetable that you prefer
• 1/4-1/2 cup full fat feta cheese, crumbled…or your favorite.  The amount here depends on how cheesy you’d like the quiche’..I used 1/4 cup
• 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• 1 vine ripe or plum tomato, thinly sliced

Pre-heat the oven to 375′.   Spray a 10″ across pie plate really well.  That means to spray the sides so not to have any sticking and or difficulty removing it when finished.   Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Transfer to pie plate.  Shake the pie plate to level off the ingredients or use a rubber spatula.  Arrange the tomato slices on top.  You could make a flower out of the tomatoes or just scatter them as I did.  Bake for  approximately 1 hour or until set/cooked in the middle.  Press on the center and it should bounce back easily.  Remember it will continue to cook a bit after it is removed from the oven.

Team BeachPeach

Congratulations to the Beachpeaches on their website reaching twenty thousand hits!  They are great gals and deserve all the success in the world.  Don’t forget to follow the team as its training progresses.

 

 

BEEF TENDERLOIN & Horseradish Sauce

Happy New Year!

From a tiny BEACH kitchen:

New Year’s Eve is our favorite night to stay home.   The following dinner entree post was my contribution to the 2012 kick off meal.  We cooked the tenderloin in the oven, but this could have just as easily been done on a grille.  The accompanying horseradish sauce was a big hit!- as was the ’96 Chateau Souverain from Alexander Valley ~ thanks to Brian and Ellen Russo.  Friends relaxing in front of a roaring fire with Dan and Amy playing guitar and fiddle in our living room made it a special night to remember.

Ingredients:

Mustard Horseradish Sauce:

• 3/4 cup good mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• Kosher salt

Simply mix well and refrigerate up to a day ahead of serving.  This sauce is also wonderful served on a roast beef sandwich with crusty bread, arugula, tomato and thinly sliced red onion.

For the BEEF:

• 2 to 3 pounds fillet of beef, trimmed and tied
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Place the beef on a baking sheet and pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Mix the unsalted butter and mustard together in a small bowl and spread the mixture over the beef with your hands. Sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for exactly 15 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 375 and cook beef to 140 degrees for medium rare or 150 degrees for medium.  An instant read thermometer is perfect for this.

Remove the beef from the oven, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. Remove the strings and slice the fillet thickly.

Note: This recipe was adapted from Barefoot Contessa, one of my favorite Food TV chefs.

~Sheryl

Simple, Yummy ~ PASTA FAGIOLI

From Rita:

As most of you know I am a bean lover and eat them whenever I can as my source of protein and also because they keep satisfied for long periods of time.  This soup has a much different flavor than the Italian bean soup I have posted earlier.  I actually saw the recipe in a food magazine but adjusted it a bit to make it more flavorful.  It worked out beautifully and with winter on its way, this is definitely a comfort soup!   Please note:  If you are not a bean eater, because of the texture, simply, puree the beans in a little broth until very smooth and add to recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 1/2 cups small pasta( tiny bow ties)
• 2  15oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed
•  1  14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes in juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook until it begins to soften.  Add garlic and cook about 1 minute.  Add broth and pasta and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer till pasta is tender.  Stir in the beans and tomatoes and cook until heated through.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley.  Serve topped with parmesan.

Meatless Stuffed Peppers

From Rita:

These are so quick, easy and tasty that you will be pleasantly surprised.  You can make them ahead of time and then bake them off later.  I am enjoying many meatless meals these days and feel better than ever.  There must be something to the vegetarian concept of eating.  Top with some fat free greek yogurt or low fat sour cream.  The cold of the topping and the heat of the  pepper or tomato really work well together…or eat them plain. Try a meatless meal and see how good you feel!

INGREDIENTS:

Stuffing:

• 1 -15 oz. can black beans,  rinse and drain well
• 2 cups cooked brown rice  (I use Trader Joe’s cooked brown rice)
• 1 jar of salsa
• 1- 6 oz. bag of baby spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese

Stuff ingredients into:

• 3 large peppers - your choice of color.  Clean all seeds and white pith
• 3 large tomatoes tops cut off and the cavities cleaned thoroughly

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. and stuff the peppers and tomatoes.  Put in a pan where they will fit fairly tightly.  Be sure to add about an inch of water to the pan so they will not burn on the bottom.  Bake at 400′ for 1 hour or until the peppers are fork tender.  I simply use a long handled fork or knife and stick it in the side of the pepper — it should be nice and soft.  Viola .. you are ready to dine.

Fun Holiday Desserts!

From Natalie:

It’s been a busy couple of months but I am back and baking this time!  Krisann is definitely the baker of the crew but these two desserts are easy and really delicious so I thought I would post them.  You may want to try them for your holiday gathering, I did!

Ingredients:  Shortbread

(Adapted from http:familyfun.go,com/recipes/shortbread-cookies)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix the ingredients together with your hands into a dough.  Divide into two sections. Put each half into an ungreased cake pan.  Flatten out and decorate with a fork as shown below:

One you have completed the decorative marks take a sharp knife and cut into wedges.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the edges start to turn brown.  Re-cut the wedges and let cool for about 30 minutes.  Then move carefully to a cooling rack.

Delicious warm with a cup of tea!  Enjoy!

Adorable Santa Hat Brownies:

We were looking for something fun to make for a little friendly competition at work and my colleague Emily found a recipe for these adorable “Santa Hats” online.  She found it on another wordpress site (daisyt13) but I changed the recipe somewhat.

Ingredients:

• A batch of your favorite brownies
• 1 pound of strawberries
• 1 stick of butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and cheese until creamy.  Add the vanilla.  Add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time until the whole mixture is a creamy frosting. 

I used a mini cupcake tin for the brownies. With a pastry bag and a round decorating tip, make a circle of the frosting on top of the brownie.  Trim the strawberries so the top is flat.  Place the strawberry upside down on top of the ring of frosting.  Using the decorating tip, top off the strawberry with a frosting “pom-pom” for Santa’s hat. 

Really adorable on your holiday dessert table!

Wishing  all of you and your families a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season and a Wonderful New Year!

White Beans w/ Garlic & Organic Baby Kale

From Rita:

Here I am with another tasty, meatless meal that I concocted as a result of wanting to eat more healthy greens with pasta or assorted veggies.  I thought….how can I make them as a complete meal?  Protein of some kind was needed and what better source to use but beans. They are full of fiber which helps sustain us from meal to meal.  I have loved white beans since I was a kid and decided that the combination would  be perfect.  It was!  You can put this over pasta, or a combo of steamed veggies like zucchini, summer squash,and chopped tomatoes to keep it lean and the white carbs at bay.

Be sure to have the fresh parmesan close by as it is what will make this dish complete.  Please know that cheeses you buy already grated, though easier to use, have lost much of their flavor.   A tip for having cheese at hand at all times is to buy it by the block.  Simply wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store it in a large zip lock with a  hand held grater in the bag.  When you are ready to use it,  load the grater with a small piece and grate away.  I actually put the grater on the dinner table on a lovely plate so my guests can use as much as they wish.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Tbls. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic finely minced
• 2 cans cannellini beans rinsed and drained well
• 1 can chicken broth
• 4-6 cups organic baby kale greens

Place a large non-stick fry pan over medium-high heat.   Add the oil and garlic and saute’ 1-2 minutes until you begin to smell the aroma of the garlic.  Add the beans and the broth.  Simmer a few minutes until it is heated through.  5  minutes.

Add the kale and move it around with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to get it moistened with the beans and broth.

Because it is a baby kale it will cook rather quickly….2-3 minutes, much like spinach.

.

Mac and Cheese

From Krisann:

This recipe is definately one that you will add to your favorite comfort foods.  I broke this recipe out at the request of my son who was home from college for the Thanksgiving weekend, I doubled the recipe and we are still enjoying it.  I must say that it tastes even better leftover.  I hope that you enjoy this one as much as my family does.

Ingredients:

• Kosher Salt
• Vegetable Oil
• 1 lb elbow macaroni of cavatappi
• 1 qt milk (I use skim)
• 8 TBLS (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup flour
• 12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)
• 8 ounces extra sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 4 small fresh tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water.  Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes.  Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it.  Melt 6 TBLS of butter in a  large (4-quart) pot and add the flour.  Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.  While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute of two more, until thickend and smooth.  Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 TBLS salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Add the cooked macaroni and stir well.  Pour in a 3-quart baking dish.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top.  Melt the remaining 2 TBLS of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on top.

Rita’s Greek Meatloaf

From Rita:

I was invited to compete in a meatloaf contest at our yacht club.   Growing up in a Greek home with a YiaYia (aka: grandmother), as well as a mother who only cooked mostly Greek cuisine,  meatloaf was NEVER made.. really and truly NEVER! Not being sure about how to  make a meatloaf,  I decided to take the flavors that I loved best and create my own meatloaf recipe.  I must say it came out tasty and I actually placed in the top 3–  I was elated!  You can also use this same recipe to form patty’s to make Greek burgers.  Either way, you will WOW your friends with a flavor I can guarantee they will love.

• 1 pound ground beef (85% variety)
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 medium onion finely minced
• 15 pitted Kalamata olives, finely chopped ( supermarket olive bar)
• 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• 2 level tablespoons dried oregano ( rub the dry leaves in the palms of your hands before dropping into the bowl to awaken the flavor)
• 2 level tablespoons dried granulated garlic powder( not garlic salt)
• 1 teaspoon salt ( do not overdo as the Feta will add salt to the meatloaf)
• 1 tablespoon pepper ( freshly ground is best)
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1/2-3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1  15 oz. can unseasoned petite diced tomatoes, drained really well

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Do not mix it to death,  just enough to bring it all together evenly.

Lay a long piece of foil on a counter and rub olive oil on it.   Pour the mixture on the foil. (See below)  Here is where you will form the loaf.   It goes into the oven to cook through – about 50 minutes.  Remove.   Let meat rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Italian White Bean Soup

From Rita:

White beans have become one of my favorite foods.  They can make great dips, soups, and salad toppings.  They are a great source of clean protein and because of their fiber content beans are known to sustain us for long periods of time without feeling hungry.  The are nutrient rich as are many beans (excluding baked beans.. . too high in sugar).

Maybe it is time for you  to give beans a place on your menus at home ?  You can use the canned varieties or buy dry in bags and soak in plenty of cold water overnight.. changing the water at least once in the process.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 medium cloves “fresh” garlic
• 3  19 oz. cans white cannellini  beans rinsed and drained well
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 6 “plum” tomatoes roughly chopped ( about quarter size)
• 3/4 cup “fresh” basil leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Place a soup pot over medium heat and pour in the oil.  Let it warm up and put in the garlic. Stay at the stove and move the garlic around the pan until you smell it’s aromas.  This will not take more than 1 minute.  Then put in the beans and the broth.

Immediately take out 3 cups and put into your food processor or blender and puree’ until smooth and put directly back into the soup pot.  Stir well, bring to a boil, and drop to a simmer.

Set the timer for 5 minutes and put in the tomatoes and basil.  DO NOT change the heat.  Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Do not cook too long as you do not want the tomatoes to break down, but to soften only.  The finished soup has great texture and superb flavor.  Be sure to top it with some freshly grated Romano or Parmesan, whichever you prefer.  I use Romano to provide all the flavor one would need.    MANGIA!

Team Beach Peach: Philly Marathon ’12

Visit our newest page at BeachPeach!

From John Kelley:

Eating well is only one piece of the living-well puzzle. Being active is another.  On the newest page, follow us – as members of the Beach Peach family attempt their first marathon!

Over the next year, we hope that seeing four “newbz” reach new goals they didn’t previously think possible could also help to motivate our subscribers to remain active and maybe do things they never thought possible.

Please check out our newest tab:  ”Team Beach Peach: Philly Marathon ’12″ as we begin to update you on our progress and share some of the fun along the way.

If you are inspired to join us in the training (on any level), please let Coach John know.

jkelle01@gmail.com

 The Beachpeach family welcomes new teammates to the Philadelphia Marathon challenge.

RITA UPDATE

Good day everyone:

Just a message to you all to say I am progressing much better and the seriously painful days are behind me now.  I am so happy to be able to sit fairly comfortably at the computer and send an update.  I again thank you all for the cards and messages on the blog that inspire me more than you know.

I will begin my outside physical therapy this week and am looking forward to being able to drive again.  We take so much for granted in our lives, like driving a car, until it is taken away from us and then OMG! you are totally dependent on another person/persons to do things for you that you have always done on your own.  So regaining that ability means the world to me.

To get to the supermarket and pick and choose my own foods is also very special.  I could easily be  personal shopper as I take much pride in what is going into my cart. Examining every piece of fruit and every veggie to be sure they are fresh is important for all of us to consider doing.  Every box of salad greens, every bundle of kale, collards, or an anise bulb is picture perfect or I do not purchase it.

Be choosy…you are worth it.

I want to wish you all a wonderful, happy, healthy holiday season.  Eat only what you love and be sure to not to overdo!  Keep your eye on the prize.  Be well and be safe.  Miss you all.   Rita Pappaconstantinou

Pork Chops with Vinegar Peppers

From Rita:

This dish came to me from my significant other of 23 years.  David’s Italian heritage is what this dish is all about and it is the easiest, most wonderfully delicious dish that you could whip up for a quick dinner any night of the week!

I serve it with a Caprese salad (see MIXED GRILLE DINNER) and some fresh raviolis with a simple marinara sauce both of which you can purchase at your local supermarkets.

Of course, you can make your own sauce. I can recommend the traditional marinara sauce at Trader Joe’s to which I add a few italian spices and a drop of dry red wine to it to make it even tastier.  It all works to make the quickest, easiest , yummy dinner.   We hope you enjoy this dish as it is one of our longtime favorites.  Thank you, David.

• Package of one inch or thicker boneless pork chops, or bone-in
• 1 jar of Pastene Vinegar Peppers
• olive oil ( not extra virgin)
• salt & pepper
• garlic powder

Put the oil in a large fry pan and set over high heat.  Let the pan heat up really well and add the chops and the peppers ( as many as you like).  You should hear them sizzle.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Stay at the stove and be sure to let them brown well before turning.  You also will turn the pepper pieces at this point. Once they are turned reduce the heat to medium-high.  Add a drizzle of the juice from the jar of peppers to the pan.

You may re-sprinkle the pan with  more garlic powder if you wish.

Continue cooking until you have the desired doneness.  Personally I like them to be slightly pink in the middle so they remain juicy.

You can plate them with any sides you wish.  I like to keep the Italian theme going and it has always won the hearts of those who have dined with us!   Manja

A personal thank you from Rita:

Hello Everyone,

I must say it seems like a very long time that I have not been able to be at the computer and reach out to you all.  It is the 17th day of my recovery and all seems to be going along on target. Slow and steady wins the race every time as you all know  from being with me in your weight loss journeys.   My recovery is much the same in the fact that I need to have the very same patience I have asked you all to have along the way at one point or another.  It is not easy, but it will be worth it.

My physical therapist works me hard.  She is a great gal with much experience in her field.   Exercise is required to make a total comeback from this kind of surgery.  I have kept up with my exercises even on the days she is not with me.  Sometimes I have to push myself through them and I now understand this is MY PART of the recovery process.  Nobody can do this for me -but me! Much like each of you has to step up and do your part to get healthy and well to reach your weight loss goals.

“Stay the course everyone and work hard and know in the end you will always come up a winner.  Focus, focus, focus on what needs to be done for whatever it is you want.  Remember never take your eye off the prize.  Our overall health and well being are all we need in order to achieve everything we wish for ourselves.”

Thanks for all the cards and well wishes.  They truly mean a great deal to me and keep me going as I look forward to David bringing in the mail each day.  By the way he has been a great nurse during my recovery process.  As you all know,  David has had some practice!

Miss you all.  Be well and be safe.

Rita Pappaconstantinou

OLD FASHIONED BEEF STEW

From a tiny BEACH kitchen:

Here is another classic crockpot recipe…… I don’t have a picture of the finished dish.  Oops!  We ate it all before I realized I didn’t get the finished shot- the stew was THAT GOOD!   (Use your imagination.)

I did, however, take a shot of the actual beef stew recipe I have been using forever.    The recipe booklet came out of the crockpot box many years ago.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• 4 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cup beef broth
• bay leaf
• 1/4 cup flour
• paprika
• salt and pepper

Roasted Eggplant served over Spaghetti Squash

From Rita:

Just looking at this dish sitting in a roasting pan ready to go in the oven will make your mouth water.  All fresh veggies and a little Feta cheese makes this a special one.  I totally enjoyed it and hope you all do as well.

(Because I am  trying to not eat many white carbs these days, I opted to use spaghetti squash as the base and freely topped it with the finished product.)

I must say, this recipe  began as needing to use up some very ripe tomatoes and an eggplant.  I had to use it or loose it!  What a lovely combination of flavors  that I will not soon forget.  

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large eggplant, cubed, skin left on (or two medium eggplants)
• 1 large Vidalia onion,  thinly sliced
• 4 very ripe tomatoes
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a large bowl except the Feta cheese.  Toss well and place in a 9″x13″ roasting pan.  Sprinkle with Feta and bake at 375′ for about 45-50 minutes.  

 

Spaghetti squash: 

 

This can be cooked in the microwave.  Depending on the size,  it could take up to 30 minutes. I generally poke  a hole with a sharp knife in the squash so it does not explode!  Cut it open very carefully, lengthwise.  

 

It is steaming hot so use oven mitts in this step.  Remove the seeds with a spoon, or fork, trying not to drag the strings of squash with them.  Once it is void of seeds you can then use the tines of a fork to scratch the squash out of the skin.

 

 

 

Serve the roasted veggies right over the speghetti (squash).

 

BROCCOLI with Parmigiano Reggiano

From a tiny BEACH kitchen:

Who doesn’t love cheesy broccoli?  This recipe does not drip with processed cheese but instead teases you with crisp bites of Parmigiano Reggiano roasted right onto the broccoli.  Just a hint of crushed red pepper flakes and garlic are used to round out the flavors.  Always a favorite dish my house, this recipe served 8 people at our Beachpeach Celebration Dinner.   ~ Sheryl

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 heads fresh broccoli. cut the broccoli off the stems and cut each floret in half
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano shavings (use a peeler and shave it off the wedge)
• 3 TBSP Extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with olive oil.  

Steam broccoli until bright green, just cooked but still crunchy.  You do not want “mushy” broccoli.  About 4 minutes. 

Put broccoli in baking dish.  Add all other ingredients to baking dish and stir well to coat evenly. 

Bake 8 minutes to melt cheese.  Keep warm until ready to serve.

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Roasted Cauliflower

From Rita:

I got this recipe from an old friend many years ago and have never stopped making it as the combination of flavors is fab.  It takes little time to prepare-  which I love.  This could be prepped ahead of time if necessary and put in a large zip lock bag, refrigerated and baked later.  

We hope you all enjoy this as a new side dish to accompany any meal.  I used some of the leftovers and made an egg white and feta scramble one weekend morning and I loved it. You may also make a warm veggie wrap and add bit of goat cheese when the veggies are warm and let it melt in.  I use many leftovers so many different ways and it always becomes a treat to eat!  Those of us who love food will really will love this one!

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1 large red onion
• 2 tablespoons jarred garlic
• 1 big handful chopped flat leaf parsley ( not curly)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl being sure to get everything coated nicely.  Put into a roasting pan and roast at 400′ for about 45 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender.  Be sure to flip over a couple of times so nothing gets charred in the oven during the cooking process.

 

 

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Hello from Rita

Rita is home and feeling great! 

If you would like to keep in touch with Rita during her recovery, please send her a note at:

Rita Pappaconstantinou  PO BOX 595, Brant Rock, MA 02020.    She would love to hear from you! 

BON APPETIT ~ ROASTED DOMINO POTATOES

From a tiny BEACH kitchen:

This fantastic recipe was found in the October 2011 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.   In your pantry,  you probably have the few ingredients you’ll need to make this dish.  Take special care in the cutting of the potatoes for a beautiful presentation.  If you have a mandolin use it carefully.  The bay leaves give off a wonderful aroma as they are baking.  This recipe served 8 people at our Beachpeach Celebration dinner.    Very easy to make and elegant to serve.   ~ Sheryl

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 or 6 Idaho Potatoes
• 6 TBSP Butter
• Bay Leafs
• Kosher Salt

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.   Use a heavy 13×9 baking dish or heavy sheet pan with sides.   Melt 2 TBSP butter.  Pour into baking dish.  

Cut off sides of potatoes to form a square and slice 1/8″ thick.  ( A mandolin works wonderful for this if you have one.) Keep potatoes in stacks.  Slide stacks of potatoes into the baking dish as you would “dominoes”.  

Tuck bay leaves randomly among the potatoes…the more the merrier. 

Melt the remaining 4 TBSP butter and pour over entire dish. 

Sprinkle with kosher salt (you want to see the salt crystals). 

Bake  approximately 40 minutes or until edges are “crispy”.  

Serve casually in baking dish or carefully move potatoes to a platter, keeping the potatoes in a “domino” position.

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Roasted Pork with Apple Cranberry Sauce

From Natalie:

Krisann made this dish for Bill and I a few years ago and it was fabulous!  She shared the recipe so I could make it for our celebration.  I was surprised that it was so easy because it really comes out delicious and the presentation is quite impressive.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. boneless pork roast (This recipe calls for a roast this size, however, I made a roast that was 5 lbs. so I tripled the recipe.)
• 2 Red Delicious apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 cup of Craisins (dried cranberries)
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays)
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• Crazy salt
• Ground pepper
• Garlic powder

Put the roast in a roasting pan and coat with Crazy salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Cook at 325 degrees for 20 minutes per pound.  (Meat thermometer should read 165 degrees in the center.)

In a medium saucepan, add the apples, craisins, barbecue sauce, brown sugar and 1/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often.  The sauce should be slightly thickened.

Put the pork on a serving platter.  Slice roast and pour sauce over the top.  Enjoy!

(This recipe was adapted from Weight Watchers Simply the Best cookbook)

 

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Applesauce

From Natalie:

Fall is a great time for fresh apples, whether you pick them yourself at a local farm or buy them ”just picked” from the market, they are delicious.  Apple pie, applesauce and apple crisp are three of my son’s favorites.  When I make applesauce, I make a big batch so he can have his fill! (This recipe makes enough for a party, like our celebration, and some for the week ahead.)

Ingredients:

• 12 Macintosh apples: peeled, cored and cut in large chunks
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• Water

Put the peeled and cut apples into a large sauce pan with 2 cups of water.  Put on medium/high heat.  As the apples are getting hot, add the sugar and cinnamon.  Let the mixture come to a boil and reduce heat.  Let cook about 20 minutes.  Take off heat and stir with a whisk.  The apples should be tender enough to break apart.  If you like it sweeter or with more cinnamon, add more, to taste.

Serve warm or cold.  Also great over vanilla ice cream!  Enjoy!

Antipasto Salad

From Rita:

This antipasto salad could be a meal in itself.  Many times I have happily sat down to an antipasto platter! For the celebration dinner, I prepared this a little differently.  This recipe will serves 8 generously.

• 3  Romaine hearts chopped
• 8 ounces salami cut into small cubes ( ask the deli man to cut you a thick slice)
• 24 pitted Kalamata olives, halved ( supermarket olive bar)
• 24 large pitted green olives, halved (supermarket olive bar)
• 8 ounces provolone cheese, sliced into srtips
• 1 large jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained well
• 1 16oz. jar marinated assorted veggies, drained well and roughly chopped
• 1 120z. jar roasted red peppers,drained,  patted dry, and roughly chopped

Your dressing could be your favorite bottled Italian or you could make your own by using extra virgin olive oil with balsamic vinegar or with red wine vinegar.  Equal parts will work to keep it simple.   Do not dress the salad until you are ready to serve so it remains crisp.

 

 

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