Grandmother Rivka’s Gefilte Fish

By Harry {doc} Babad, © Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved.

A recipe from Helene (Babad) Markus and Rivka Babad [deceased]

(Rough Draft Received from Helene on October 18, 2011)

Gefilte fish (/ɡəˈfɪltə fɪʃ/, from Yiddish: געפֿילטע פֿיש, “stuffed fish”) is a poached minced fish dish.

 

Background

More common since the Second World War are the Polish patties, similar to quenelles or fish balls, made from a mixture of ground-deboned fish mostly carp or pike. They are popular in the Ashkenazi Jewish community and are typically eaten on Shabbat and Holidays such as Passover, although it can be consumed throughout the year.Traditionally, carp, pike, mullet, or whitefish were used to make gefilte fish, but more recently other fish with white flesh such as Nile Perch have been used, and there is a pink variation using salmon. There are even vegan variations.

Ingredients require selecting a fish that is preferably at least 3 kilograms (6.6 lb.) in weight. Also required are 1 kilogram (2.2 lb.) of brown cooking onions, 200 milliliters (6.8 US fl. oz.) of vegetable oil (traditionally sunflower oil), salt, pepper, and five eggs.

The fish is deboned and the flesh mixed with ‘fill’ ingredients, including breadcrumbs or matzah meal, and fried onion. Cooking takes as much as 3 hours.

Due to the general poverty of the Jewish population in Eastern Europe, the ‘economic’ recipe for the above also may have included extra ground and soaked matzah meal or bread crumbs creating many more “spare” fish balls. This form of preparation eliminated the need for picking out fish bones at the table, and “stretched” the fish further, so that even poor, but often large, families could enjoy fish on Shabbat.

Variations — Gefilte fish may be slightly sweet or savory.  Preparation of gefilte fish with sugar or black pepper is considered an indicator of whether a Jewish community was Galitzianer (with sugar) or Litvak (with pepper); hence the boundary separating northern from southern East Yiddish has been dubbed “the Gefilte Fish Line”. This is largely attributed to less availability of fresh fish in the inland areas before refrigeration, with the sugar used to ‘mask’ the sometimes less-than-fresh taste of the fish. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gefilte_fish.

 Although a long and somewhat complex cooking process, the end product is well worth the effort – you never go back to commercial again.

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INGREDIENTS

• 4-5 Lb Carp
• Add one large onion, medium chopped
• 7 whole almonds
• 1 stalk celery coarsely cut –or- use celery seed
• 1 tsp salt [ok to use Kosher Salt]
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1-½ Tbs sugar
• 1 Cup water <3 X>
• 7 almonds
• 1 slice dry white bread
• 1 medium onion
  
• 1 – 2 large eggs
• A Dash or more of white pepper
• 1 Tbs sugar
• A Dash salt

DIRECTIONS 

1. Take a 4 – 5 lb. clean-gutted-descaled whole carp that you’ve skinned and boned. Keep these ‘offal’ parts for the jellied broth. In my family, whitefish was added to the carp when carp was too expensive.
2. Grind or chop the carp flesh to medium coarseness. We traditionally used a cast iron hand grinder, which, now to my regret, I tossed when it became too rusty to clean.
3. Add the washed fish bones, head + skin + head into a 4 quart pot to make the fish broth.
   1. Add one large onion, medium chopped
   2. Add 7 whole almonds
   3. Add 1 stalk celery coarsely cut –or- use celery seed
   4. Add 1 tsp salt [ok to use Kosher Salt]
   5. Add 1 tsp pepper
   6. Add 1-½ Tbs sugar
   7. Add 1 Cup water <3 X> and let the broth simmer 1 hour
   8. Pour off liquid and set a side for the broth – Repeat this step twice to extract the gelatin and captured flavors.
   9. With an added cup of fresh water – simmer the skin and bones another hour, pour off liquid and KEEP the broth [Use a total of three cups of water for these three ‘extractions’.]
   10. Strain the liquid and return to the pot – toss the boiled bones and remaining fish stuff.
4. Carp Balls/Klops – prepare these while the broth is boiling. Add to a food processor:
   1. 7 almonds – to be ground
   2. 1 – 2 large eggs
   3. 1 slice dry white bread – to grind
   4. 1 medium onion – to be ground, grated or chopped very fine — Oy Veh!, your poor eyes!
   5. A Dash or more of white pepper
   6. 1 Tbs sugar
   7. A Dash salt
   8. Add all the liquid and dry ingredients together use 2-3 Tbs water, if needed to create a soft dough-like mixture.
   9. Into a large mixing bowl add ground fill mixture and ground carp meat – mix together and put into the refrigerator for the flavors to combine while the bones are being extracted
5. Cooking the Klops:
   1. Heat the 3 Cups of strained liquid to boiling, just a gentle simmer
   2. Add 1lb of baby carrots/or peel and slice large carrots to the broth.
   3. Add fish mixture, which you have hand formed into balls. The mix is very soft so add it with a slotted spoon, to avoid their breaking. Put only a single layer at a time into the liquid
   4. Slow boil/simmer one hour — transfer the cooked gefilte balls to small storage containers.  - And prepare next batch of Carp mix [makes two or three total batches]
   5. Once all the fish is cooked distribute the broth and cooked carrots into the containers + close tightly.

Tips

• The Gefilte Fish will keep 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator, and of course the broth will jell just fine!
• Serve with red horseradish or beet horseradish sauce if you can find it.
• If not link to: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beet-Horseradish-Sauce-109339

 

Recipe Variations, Images and Serving Suggestions

Traditional gefelte fish with horseradish  =>

 

 

 <<= Salmon Gefilte Fish

 

 

Beet Horseradish ‘Sauce’  =>

 

 

 

… And then there’s the Gefilte Fish Cup Cake with Charset -Horseradish icing

May the New Year bring you joy – health – and G-d’s Forgiveness

“L’Shanah Tovah”                Happy New Year

Kosher Split Pea and Turkey Ham Soup

By Harry {doc} Babad, © Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved.

Background

The original recipe used both a ham bone to make ham stock and a diced ham steak for the soup. As years passed, I used a split ham hock for flavor, removing the meat and a bit of the fat for the soup. Note both of this methods required tasting while making the stock, to avoid over adding salt.

In deference to my Kosher keeping friends and my wife who eats no red meant. The recipe evolved to broth and turkey ham. Drastically adapted from, if I remember correctly, Cook’s Illustrated Magazine or something else I read, by me ca. 1970.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 quarts water or Chicken brother {for a Richer Flavor) 
• 3 dried Turkish bay leaves
• 14 oz. yellow or green split peas, rinsed and picked through
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, plus a pinch
• 2-3 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 -3 large garlic cloves, minced or their water-garlic equivalent
• 2 cups new potatoes cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups Turkey ham cut into bite-sized pieces
• salt and medium ground pepper to taste
• ¼ tsp chili flakes, Optional but good!
• Optional Garnishes — Paper thin sliced red onion or even cucumber for serving

DIRECTIONS

Vegetables

1. Sauté, on low heat, the chopped onions, celery and garlic in olive oil {30 minutes} until golden brown or even caramelized, This takes PATIENCE, but the flavor is worth it!
2. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of dried thyme and simmer a few minutes more to bring out the thyme flavor. Set aside.

Cooking the Peas

1. Bring the water or broth and bay leaves to a boil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
2. Lower the heat medium-low, then add the split peas, thyme and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour; removing bean froth as it comes to the surface.
4. Uncover the pot and continue to simmer covered for 15 minutes or until the peas are cooked and tender.

Finishing It All Up

1. Add the potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes more.
2. Add the vegetables and ham pieces to the soup, then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
3. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Notes:

• This soup tasted even better reheated the next day, after being refrigerated!
• Another variation is to run the soup through the blender, adding more broth is needed to thin it, refrigerate and serve cold, with a green salad!
• When I’m not cooking Kosher, but using the turkey ham, I use 4 Tbs butter to sautée/caramelize/brown the vegetables instead of olive or canola oil.
• When using a ham hock or ham bone, after cooling just a bit, but before serving, skim any fat off the surface if desired.

Beef Rib and French Onion Soup

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved.

I love French Onion soup and already posted one of my recipes on this site. I recently started adding a beef rib to the soup to add more texture, flavor, make it even more of a comforting side dish. This recipe, like my other french onion soup recipe, is calorie conscious, so please remember that portion sizes are relevant. This dish takes 4 – 5 hours to come together, but it smells wonderful and so letting it simmer 6 – 10 hrs makes the house smell great while enhancing the flavors.

As with my other french onion soup recipe, be sure to hold off adding the bread crumbs and cheese until you are ready to serve. I use one of our mandolins to thin slice the onions, as it is a fast way to consistently thin slice many onions. If you don’t have Vidalia onions, substitute yellow or white onions.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)

• 3 lbs Vidalia Onions (408 cal)
• 2 tbsp butter (204 cal)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (238 cal)
• 2 cloves diced garlic (8 cal)
• 6 oz boneless beef rib (432 cal)
• 6 tsp beef base (or 6 beef bullion cubes) (60 cal)
• 6 cups water (0 cal)
• 1/2 cup cooking sherry (75 cal)
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (22 cal)
• 1 tsp dry thyme (4 cal)
• 2 tbsp flour (103 cal)
• 4 pieces bread (4 * 70 = 280 cal)
• 6 oz grated mozzarella cheese (255 cal)

Calories: 408 + 204 + 238 + 8 + 432 + 60 + 75 + + 22 + 4 + 103 + 280 + 255 = 2089 / 6 servings = 349 cal/svg

DIRECTIONS

1. Put a large dutch oven on the stove and set the burner to medium high (~ 6 1/2). Add 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan.
2. Peel and thin slice 3 lbs of Vidalia onions, then add to the dutch oven. Stir occasionally and cook for 30 – 35 minutes.
3. Add 2 cloves of diced garlic to the onions, stir to blend in and cook for a minute.
4. Add 1/2 cup cooking sherry and 1 tsp thyme to the onions, stir and cook for a minute.
5. Add 2 tbsp flour to the onions, stir, then add 6 tsp of beef base and 6 cups of water.
6. Reduce heat but continue a low boil for 1 1/2 hours – do not cover the dutch oven, as you want to reduce the liquid.
7. Season a 6 oz boneless beef rib with salt and pepper, spray a pan with cooking spray and brown both sides of the rib – it should take about 10 min with the burner set to med-high (~ 6 1/2).
8. Put the rib and 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce in the dutch and cook another 2 – 3 hrs.
9. Toast 2 pieces of bread, cut the toast into small cubes, and set them aside.
10. Fine grade 6 oz of mozzarella cheese, and set it aside.
11. Remove the rib from the soup and cut it into small pieces, then add the pieces back to the dutch oven.
12. Remove the lid from the dutch oven and let simmer 15 – 30 minutes.
13. Ladle 1 cup of the mix into a bowl, then top with 1/6 of the bread crumbs and 1/6 of the cheese and serve.

French Onion Soup

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

I love French Onion soup. It is a hearty, comforting side dish that works well with steak or burgers, and it easy to make. This recipe is calorie conscious, as long as you remember that portion sizes are relevant. This dish takes 4 – 5 hours to come together, but letting it simmer longer (say 10 hrs) really enhances the flavor. It tastes good served fresh and as leftovers – just hold off on the bread crumbs and cheese until you are ready to serve.

While you can slice the onions with a knife, I prefer to use a mandolin, as it is a fast way to thin slice a lot of onions. If you don’t have Vidalia onions, substitute yellow or white onions.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)

• 3 lbs Vidalia Onions (408 cal)
• 2 tbsp butter (204 cal)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (238 cal)
• 2 cloves diced garlic (8 cal)
• 6 tsp beef base (or 6 beef bullion cubes) (60 cal)
• 6 cups water (0 cal)
• 1/2 cup cooking sherry (75 cal)
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (22 cal)
• 1 tsp dry thyme (4 cal)
• 2 tbsp flour (103 cal)
• 4 pieces bread (4 * 70 = 280 cal)
• 6 oz grated mozzarella cheese (255 cal)

Calories: 408 + 204 + 238 + 8 + 60 + 75 + 22 + 4 + 103 + 280 + 255 = 1657 / 6 servings = 277 cal/svg

DIRECTIONS

1. Put a large dutch oven on the stove and set the burner to medium high (~ 6 1/2). Add 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan.
2. Peel and thin slice 3 lbs of Vidalia onions, then add to the dutch oven. Stir occasionally and cook for 30 – 35 minutes.
3. Add 2 cloves of diced garlic to the onions, stir to blend in and cook for a minute.
4. Add 1/2 cup cooking sherry and 1 tsp thyme to the onions, stir and cook for a minute.
5. Add 2 tbsp flour to the onions, stir, then add 6 tsp of beef base and 6 cups of water.
6. Reduce heat but continue a low boil for 1 1/2 hours – do not cover the dutch oven, as you want to reduce the liquid.
7. Add 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce, then continue cooking 2 – 3 hrs.
8. Toast 2 pieces of bread, cut the toast into small cubes, and then set them aside.
9. Fine grade 6 oz of mozzarella cheese, and set it aside.
10. Remove the lid from the dutch oven and let simmer 15 – 30 minutes..
11. Ladle 1 cup of the mix into a bowl, then top with 1/6 of the bread crumbs and 1/6 of the cheese and serve.

Washington Herbert’s Pea-Beef Samosas Dinner

By Harry {doc} Babad, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

This is Joan’s (and my) the favorite Indian dish; it is even better than a black pepper curry or Chicken or Lamb Tandoori. This meal consists of three recipes that are listed sequentially:

• Samosas stuffed with fresh peas and spicy ground meat
• Prune-Plum Chutney
• Indian Cucumber Salad

Background

Back in the mid-1960, when I taught chemistry at Denver University, my family because grinds with one my Indian graduate students and family friend. “Washington “Washie” Herbert. Not only did he introduce us to Indian cooking, both in our kitchen, but by inviting us to attend the dinners of the India-Pakistan Society that were held of the University of Colorado’s Boulder campus. [In those days at least in a university setting the difference between India and Pakistan were not reflected in student relations.

When Joan and I got married, understand I had been mentoring Mr. Herbert and he because a welcome friend of our family, he father send Joan a gold Wedding Sari. Tucked into the folds of gold silk, were some photos, and a packet of fresh Indian species. The best, but that’s a difference recipe, was black pepper curry powder in two levels heat. Those days, we could not get online and order what we needed online didn’t exist. …Washie and his friends, students and teachers all, got spices from their families.

Therefore, unless you lived in a community with a large community of folks from the Indian Subcontinent, you were at the tail end of a long telephone chase, talking, often, to salespeople who spoke English as a second language. Yes, there were sources of spices in Bon Appetit, and Gourmet Magazines, … and then you took your chances each time you ordered.

One of the dishes Joan and I fell in love with, and despite the longer than our usual food preparation time, was a meat and fresh peas filled samosa, fired and eaten on the spot. As you’ll notice, the Indian students used ketchup to dip their treats sometimes laced with a bit of curry powder, I read somewhere, a likely an Indian cookbook. I really wanted something ‘more interesting, and chutney came to mind. How I got to create my “Plum-Prune Chutney and its origins remain lost in my fun-filled 60’s academic years … my stages, student to assistant professor. But, I was an information junkie in those days too, the days of only a Xerox machine and file cabinet. After all, we were making recipe sheets to go into holiday newsletters; the chutney recipe survived.

Our first Indian cook book, which we still have was called Cooking the Indian Way by Attia and Sita Pasricha Hosain (Spring Books; A book club edition, 1962).

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Samosas

INGREDIENTS

Filling Ingredients

• 1-½ Lb Lean Ground Beef; browned in a skillet, much of the fat drained off (I use a fine mesh wire colander).
• 1 Medium Onion (Chopped medium fine)
• ⅛ to ½ tsp Ground* Ginger [to taste – I like ¼ tsp, Joan less.)]
• ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1/8 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Ground Cumin
• 1/16 tsp Ground Cloves
• ⅛ – ¼ tsp Salt
• ⅛ tsp Chili Flakes {Optional – To Taste for those like me who like them hotter}
• A bit of water for cooking
• 1 – 16 Oz Package of Frozen Peas

All ingredients added added to the sautéed browned ground beef and the mixture simmered until for about 5 minutes the beef is cooked and the peas are tender.

*Note, the fresher the spices the better and richer the flavor. My Friends from India/Pakistan fresh grind their spices.

Samosa Fritter Shells Ingredients

• 3 cups baking or regular flour
• 1 stick margarine or salted butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg white mixed with a little water (pastry shell glue)

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend the flour and the margarine with a pastry blender till the mixture is mealy.  Add the water and the salt and knead the mixture well, until the dough is smooth.
2. Pinch off golf ball size pieces of the dough and roll them out on a well floured board until you have a circle of dough about 1/8 inch thick.  There are a number of ways to fold samosas, ranging from half circle pouches to multi-layered triangles. For this article I’ll use easier pouch method, it’s the one Joan first
3. Cut the circle in half and seal (using egg white mixture) the straight edges together (over-lapping) to make a “cup” for the filling.
4. Fill with the meat and vegetable mixture.  Seal the upper edges together by pinching closed (egg white mixture)
5. Carefully deep fat fry <warning> the Samosas, a few at a time, until they are golden brown.
6. Serve them with catsup {Yes I know! really catsup} and Fresh Prune Chutney.  Perhaps, serves six as a side dish, and 4 was a meal with an Indian style cucumber salad (included bellow), – and are great when eaten cold as a snack.

Simple Variants — Optional Ingredients

1/2 Cup Diced (1 cm) butter ‘n garlic braised peeled potatoes (when the mood strikes)

For a veggie samosa, skip the beef and add more potatoes and also ½ Cup coarsely shredded 2” stands of green cabbage. Also, add ½ Cup medium shredded or coarsely chopped carrots.

Warning! When adding the samosas to the hot oil, the oil filled (½ full only) will ‘boil’ frumiously and some splattering may occur so lean away from the pot. Better yet, I use a screen Chinese Wok Spoon

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Fresh Prune-Plum Chutney

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Brown Sugar, light packed tight
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• ¾ Cup Cider Vinegar
• 1 ½ tsp Hot Crushed Red Pepper
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Mustard Seed
• 2-4 Fat cloves of Garlic (Thinly Sliced)
• ½ Cup Preserved or Candied Ginger (sliced thinly, have fun they’re stick!)
• ¼ Cup Onion (thinly sliced slivers)
• ½ Cup of White Seedless Raisins
• 3-½ Cups of Fresh Italian (German or Hungarian but not Stanley) Prunes (Seeded and cut into quarters – about 26 prunes) Stanley prunes do not work as well since the fruit is not as firm.)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together the sugar and the vinegar in an enamel or stainless steel pot and bring the mixture to a boil.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT THE PRUNES and stir until well mixed.
3. Then stir in the prunes.  The mixture should be simmered over low heat until thickened (about one hour) care being taken not to scorch the chutney, by stirring gently but often.  Spoon the mixture into hot sterilized jars, seal them and store in a dark cool place. Shelf Life about one year.

Yield – 3 Half Pints

Tip! Serve on Samosas, or English Muffins; or to accompany Indian or Southeast Asian food.

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Indian-Style Cucumber Salad

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine   | May 2005

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Indian-Style-Cucumber-Salad-232007

Yield: Makes 4 side-dish servings

Active time: 10 min  Total time: 35 min

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (1-lb) Seedless English or Turkish Cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped) cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• ½ Cup Red Onion thin sliced/slivered
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¾ to 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2-cup whole-milk plain yogurt

DIRECTIONS

1. I prefer to thinly slice the cucumber, like for Greek Tzatziki and for a Viennese gurken salad rather than cutting them into small cubes.
2. Toss cucumber with salt in a bowl, then transfer the salted cucumbers to colander in the sink, and let drain 30 minutes, then pat dry.
3. Toast cumin seeds in a dry small heavy skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and a shade darker, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool on a cutting board, then the crush slightly with a rolling pin; yes crushed NOT ground.
4. Stir cucumber, cumin, and cilantro into yogurt in a bowl.

End Notes

Check out this blog for A Guide to Samosa, an international comfort food accompanied by an article on Chutneys, an international relish form. I’m working on it at time and interest permit, it’s likely to be in August or September.

Check out myApple Pie Samosa Recipe on our Sleeping Cat Blog

Hot Dog Chili

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

As you’ve probably guessed by now, I love spicy food. This is my hot dog chili, which is cooked in a crock pot on high for 5-6 hours. I use 93% lean ground beef to keep the calories down, and NO beans.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ground beef (93% lean – 680 cal)
• 1-14.5 oz can Hunt’s diced tomatoes (87 cal)
• 2 1/2 cups waters
• 1 – 5 oz baked potato (110 cal)
• 2 medium onions diced
• 2 cloves garlic diced (10 cal)
• 2 tbsp Ancho or Chipolte chili powder
• 2 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Total calories: 680 + 87  + 110 + 10 = 877 cal/3 tbsp serving = 40 calories/serving.

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown the ground beef on the stove, and then drain.
2. Turn the crock pot on to High, then add the ground beef.
3. Dice and add the onions and garlic to the crock pot, then add the diced tomatoes. Do NOT drain the tomatoes.
4. Grate the baked potato (smallest possible), then add the bits to the crock pot.
5. Add the 2 1/2 cups of water to the crock pot.
6. Add 2 tbsp Ancho or Chipolte chili, 2 tbsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper to the crock pot.
7. Stir the mix and let it cook 5 hours.
8. Remove the lid, stir one last time, then add 1 tsp of crushed red peppers and let it cook (uncovered) another hour.

Tip! I love chili cheese burgers and prefer this recipe over my chili with beans recipe. For this burger, I wait until I flip the burger, then add fresh onions, 2 tbsp chili, and a pinch of cheddar cheese, then cover and wait for the cheese to melt.

Tip! For a great low calorie hot dog, use 2 tbsp of this chili with a 100 calorie bun, onions, mustard, relish, and a 40 calorie Hebrew Nation hot dog.

Low Cal Lemon Chicken and Rice

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

One of my favorite dishes when eating out at local Chinese restaurants is lemon chicken, but we wanted a lower calorie version we could enjoy at home so this is my low calorie version of this dish. This recipe is fast, easy, low calorie, and tasty.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

• 2 – 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (360 cal)
• 1 cup rice (408 cal)
• 1/2 onion (33 cal)
• 2 chicken bullion cubes (20 calories)
• 4 tbsp lemon juice (12 cal)
• 2 tbsp powered sugar (62 cal)
• 2 tbsp Splenda
• 2 cups water (1/4 c for the sauce, 1 3/4 c for the rice)

Total calories: 360 + 408 + 33 + 20 + 12 + 62 = 895 cal/ 4 servings = 224 calories/serving.

DIRECTIONS

1. Dice the onion, then add 1 3/4 cups water to a pan and put it on a burner set to medium. Bring the water to a boil, then add the rice, diced onions, and chicken bullion to the water. After the water resumes boiling, turn the heat down to low, cover, then let simmer 20 minutes.
2. Cut the chicken breasts into small chunks. The easiest method is to slice the breast into 2 or 3 strips, then cut each slice into thin pieces (cut across the grain of the meat to make it more tender).
3. Spray a pan with non-stick spray and cook the chicken until it is done – it will no longer be pink and only clear juices flow from each piece. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside for now.
4. Add the lemon juice, powdered sugar, and Splenda to a small pan and put it on a burner set to medium low. Bring to a gentle boil, then add 1/4 cup water to the sauce. Bring it back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer uncovered.
5. When the rice is finished, add the chunks of chicken and lemon sauce to it and blend together. Serve 1/4 of the contents per person.

Easy Pot Roast

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

I’m all for any recipe that saves money and calories, and I love pot roast. Sometime we make a meal that is just enough for four calorie conscious servings so I use chuck steaks, which are smaller than chuck roasts but still a fine cut of meat. We find 1lb chuck steaks on sale at Super Target at least once a month, so we pick up a few 1lb chuck steaks, each costing around $2.00 and freeze all but the one we use for this meal.

This dish is very easy to prepare with standard kitchen utensils, however a mandolin slicer makes it easier and faster to prepare. Be aware that mandolins can be dangerous – the edges are very sharp – so we only use a mandolin with a handle to grasp the items being sliced.

My favorite sides for this dish is green beans or peas and a nice salad.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Chuck Steak (880 cal)
• 2 lb Russet Potatoes (660 cal)
• 1 Onion (67 cal)
• 2 Beef Bullion Cubes
• 1 Tbsp butter (102 cal)
• 1 Tbsp dried Rosemary
• Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

Total calories: 880 + 660 + 67 + 102 = 1729/4 = 425 cal/serving

DIRECTIONS (Serves 4)

1. Thin slice (using a knife or mandolin) 1 lb of the potatoes, then use them to line the bottom of a crock pot with the slices.
2. Sprinkle kosher salt and pepper on the potatoes.
3. Thin slice 1/2 of the onion, then use it to cover the potatoes in the crock pot.
4. Add 1 1/2 cups water to the crock pot and turn it on to High.
5. Add both bullion cubes to the water in the crock pot.
6. Thin slice the remaining 1 lb of potatoes and add them to the top of the other veggies in the crock pot.
7. Sprinkle the potatoes with kosher salt and pepper.
8. Thin slice the remaining onion and add to the top of the potatoes in the crock pot.
9. Sprinkle the tablespoon of Rosemary evenly over the top of the onions.
10. Put the 1 lb chuck steak in the crock pot on top of the veggies.
11. Dice up the butter and place it on top of the chuck steak (that tip came from Julia Child’s excellent book ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’).
12. Cook 3 hrs and it should be done – using thin slices and a steak that is thinner than a roast helps speed up cooking time.
13. Divide into 4 equal portions and serve.

Chinese Chicken Salad

By Harry {doc} Babad, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

To a Chef in Richland <Doc Sez: I hate bad restaurant food.>.

I’m one of the individuals who were at the recent Society Board Meeting on Tuesday, August 19^th at your hotel’s restaurant and wanted to send you some feedback.

The good news is that almost everything both catered at meetings, or in the main restaurant itself has been very tasty — good to eat and well served.

However, and alas, I ordered the Chinese or Oriental salad and had a significant problem with it. The dressing was nothing at all oriental and it was too bland. The salad fixing were crisp as were the oriental noodles, but the dressing seemed to be a cross between a diluted Hollandaise w/o the lemon or a strange variant of mayonnaise dressing I’d not tasted before.

However, I do an extensive amount of cooking, and blog occasionally on food so deem myself to be a knowledgeable amateur. Some history and a simple dressing for the salad that is easy to fix, and store for anyone who might be interested.

According to references on Google, and my own eating experiences, Chinese Chicken Salad, as its name suggests, is a salad with chicken flavoured with Chinese ‘style’ ingredients seasonings, popular in the United States.

The Chinese influence comes from common Chinese-themed ingredients. Though many variations exist, common features of most salads described as “Chinese chicken” contain leaf lettuce, at times bok choy, chicken, and use of ginger and dark sesame oil in the dressing, mixed with crispy pieces of deep-fried noodles.

Other recipe variants may contain (added} a combination of:

• Water chestnuts
• Bamboo shoots
• Peanuts
• Sliced Toasted Almonds
• Snow Peas or baby peas if you must
• Celery
• Cabbage or Chinese (Napa) cabbage
• Mandarin orange slices
• Green Onions (Scallions)
• Chinese Broccoli <Gai Lan>

Chinese Chicken Salad may have originated from Pan-Asian cuisine pioneers, such as Wolfgang Puck, rather than having actual roots in actual Chinese cuisine, since salad is a dish of Western origins.

However, many “non-Western” world cultures also have salads of various sorts as part of their traditional cuisines. The pleasing combination of ingredients have given Chinese chicken salad widespread popularity, thus establishing it on many restaurant menus, including the fast food establishment Wendy’s and the exclusive Spago in Beverly Hills.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned style or freshly ground)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup Oriental (dark) sesame oil
• 1/8 Tsp Ginger powder to your taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, dark sesame oil, powdered ginger, and sugar in a food processor, blending until smooth.
2. Pour just enough dressing over the salad to moisten well and mix with your hands to blend.

>^.^< For a better look at ingredients and technique — checkout http://www.averagebetty.com/recipes/chinese-chicken-salad-recipe/

PS: I got no response from the Chef!

Samosa Style Fried Apple Pies

By Harry {doc} Babad, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

Background

My brain was just truckin’ along a while ago back and in popped thought of an Indian style, Americanized version of a deep fried, unglazed  Dutch apple pie. It worked out well. …Enjoy!

At that time I wondered about creating a samosa shell’s function not just from traditional flour and water based pastry ingredients.

How about using perhaps from other international dishes, use the pastry shell ingredients used to wrap and seal rich filling ingredients. There are of coarse the flakey-rich shells found in traditional ‘Greco-Turkish filo sheets of Greek desert fame.

Moving further afield I thought about the option of using the Asian noodle ‘batter’ based eggroll wrappers instead of pasty-flour shells. That led to thoughts of the dough combinations used for making pot sticker or dim sum. A flip-flop of my thoughts, responding to my usual spider-web logic, my thoughts, like a distracted compass, wondered what a puff pastry wrapped and deep fried sweet desert might taste like.  Not, my reader, making the connection?  Think beef or lamb Wellington, and using a filling of fruit and nuts and perhaps a sweet vegetable. Wellington. Mincemeat, specifically the rich and full flavored Crosse & Blackwell’s mincemeat for the filling could be another great variation.

The flavors in the recipe that follows is more tugged-n-pulled by thoughts of a raisons added spiced apple pie, but you can give such dishes a more distinct Indian accent and still maintain its savory sweet tastes.

Ingredients

For the filling 1 20 oz. can of quality apple pie filling (check the sugar content) ¼ tsp grated orange or lemon peel Sugar — to taste Additional cinnamon – Optional ¼ Cup of golden raisins ⅛ tsp grated fresh ginger – Optional

For the pastry ½ pound of sifted Flour 2 Tbs of clarified butter 1 tsp Salt 1/2 cup Water

 

Directions

Filling

Mix all the filling ingredient together folding the gently to avoid squnched apples. Let sit, covered refrigerated for an hour, if you like to better develop the flavors

Pastry

• Blend the clarified butter into sieved flour and salt.
• Add enough water to make soft, pliable dough. Knead thoroughly until the dough comes clean off the board.
• Cover and keep it aside at least for 1/2 an hour.
• Divide the dough into 12 equal ball shaped portions, but do not over handle the dough. Roll out the dough balls into 4″ diameter circles. Cut each circles into half. Taking each half circle of dough, form a hollow cone.
• Fill each cone with the prepared filling being careful to keep the cone mouth dry and clean. My wife says a pastry bag does this better than my table soon; she’s right.
• Wet along the open mouth of the cone and seal. The finished ‘samosa’ is triangular in shape.
• Heat the oil until very hot (400° F) and gently slide in a few triangles of filled dough at a time. A wok style Chinese wire spoon is great for this purpose; indeed cooking the samosas in a wok is cleaner then in a deep saucepan — less splatter and mess.
• Fry till golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and drain excess oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar and serve hot.

Variations to Consider

Spicing It Up — Sweet Indian and fusion fruit samosas’ could contain, according to my goggling, spices such as: curry, a garam masala mix, turmeric, cardamom, and even perhaps cumin or white pepper. A touch of these <⅛ tsp or less> can can augment the cinnamon I’m used to using, but use them lightly to not over whelm the sweet-savory tongue-lingering taste you want in this fruit pastry. On the other hand, I’m not likely to go full hot and spicy by adding chili’s in any of their forms.

Fruits — Apples, strawberries, pears, rehydrated dried fruit, raisons & nuts, figs (but not dates-my personal judgment.) Some of these varieties have deep ethnic roots and names. Google Sweet Samosas and explore.

You can a find completely different style samosa. Sweet Strawberry Samoa at the Spices and Bites blog http://www.spicesbites.com/bsi-entry-sweet-strawberry-samosas/

Holy Molé – Mexico’s Tasty Molé Sauce

By Harry {doc} Babad, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

Background

The old adage, waste not, want not unfortunately doesn’t hold for one of my favorite Mexican sauced dishes – Molé, hot and spicy chocolate tasting meats. Alas, to create a proper molé, you take a pot full of ingredients, each specifically prepared and pre-cooked just right (ground-chopped-deseeded, roasted, sautéed, or even streamed and then add them to a vary large stock pot in chicken or other broth and cook them down to a rich colorful sauce. Strain away all the solids and you end up with a cup or three of pure flavor.

No you don’t want to use a commercial sauce… there may be a few great ones out there, but you could not prove it by me. If any of you readers have found a great commercial sauce please on pass the details, I’ll try it out and do a ‘tear and compare’, against the closest made from scratch recipe I own; posting the results.

According to Wikipedia — Molé (Spanish pronunciation: [‘molé]) (Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl mulli or molli, “sauce” or “concoction”) is the generic name for a number of sauces used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces. Outside of Mexico, it often refers to a specific sauce, which is known in Spanish by the more specific name molé poblano. In contemporary Mexico, the term is used for a number of sauces, some quite dissimilar to one another, including black, red, yellow, Colorado, green, Almendrado, and Pipián. The sauce is most popular in the central and southern regions of the country with those from Puebla and Oaxaca the best known, but 60% of the molé eaten in the country comes from San Pedro Atocpan near Mexico City. The popularity of the sauce, especially at major celebrations, is such that 99% of all Mexicans have tried at least one version of it.

But alas — with the growth of the Mexican middle class, especially in the major urban areas of Mexico City and Guadalajara, molé is considered déclassé; peasant food. So it’s up to us Yankee’s to keep tradition alive!

Folks Just a bit of a rant — I do get upset my the Yanqui habit of dropping accent marks — It’s Molé nota  mole, a yard critter that eats my bulbs.

 

Katie Jocannon’s Molé Poblano ingredients	Chillies on Sale in Houston/Scoville-Scale Posted
Black Molé Asada Sauce	Oaxacan Black Sauce (Molé Negro)

Okay, why this blog entry? Well my co-blogger and cooking site host Mike Hubbartt up loaded two fine example recipes for molé sauce and I had the one we’ve been using on occasions, duplicating the gift from our Denver based, 45 years ago, Hispanic ironing lady.

About

The recipes discussed in this article will discuss are those that contain, in all but one recipe used for ingredients comparisons that magic ‘mojo’ — chocolate.

Okay, so later in this article I compare ingredients for five of the most flavorful molé recipes I’ve found.  But as you can the list you can see; the ingredient types fall into several defined groupings, beyond the use of a dark chocolate.  Also, as an aside — molé sauces work on many kinds of enchiladas, tacos… or slathered over your favorite grill recipe. Remember, that fruity or tomato-y salsa and mole don’t mix and buffalo spiced or soy spiced clashes with chillies. Just used the simplest of grilling spices as a setting for your mole sauces.

• Chocolate
• Vegetables and an occasional fruit (Not chilies)
• Chiles and Peppers
• Herbs and Spices
• Nuts and Seeds
• Breads, Stock and all the Rest.

 

A Few Molé Recipes Ingredients Compared by Category

Chocolate

Closet Cooking	FoodNetwork – Molé Negro	Vannie Ryanes Chicken Molé	Molé, Puebla Style	Mark Miller’s Green Molé
Chocolate Mexican (chopped)	Chocolate Mexican	Baking chocolate, unsweetened	Chocolate Mexican	No Chocolate, it’s green after all!

 

Vegetables and an Occasional Fruit (Not chilies)

Closet Cooking	FoodNetwork – Molé Negro	Vannie Ryanes Chicken Molé	Molé, Puebla Style	Mark Miller’s Green Molé
Banana (sliced)	Plantains (chopped)
Dried apricots (pitted)
Dried prunes (pitted)
Garlic Cloves (finely chopped)	Garlic Cloves (roasted)	Garlic cloves, finely minced	Garlic cloves, roasted
Onion (finely chopped)	Onion (Roasted)	Onions, chopped		Onions, white
Raisins Golden	Raisins Small		Raisins
	Tomatillo (chopped) or Mexican green tomatoes		Tomatillos
Tomatoes (finely chopped)	Tomatoes (finely chopped)	Canned diced tomatoes

 

Chilies and Peppers

Closet Cooking		FoodNetwork – Molé Negro	Vannie Ryanes Chicken Molé		Molé, Puebla Style	Mark Miller’s Green Molé
Ancho chilies		Ancho chilies			Ancho chilies
Black pepper (ground)					Pepper Corns
		Cascabel or Rattle chiles
			Canned green chilies, chopped – Type unnamed		Seeds form the chiles, toasted
Guajillo chiles		Guajillo or Mirasol chilies
						Jalapeno peppers
					Mulato chiles
					Pasilla chiles
						Poblano peppers
						Serrano pepper

 

Herbs and Spices <Also see seeds>

Closet Cooking	FoodNetwork – Molé Negro	Vannie Ryanes Chicken Molé	Molé, Puebla Style	Mark Miller’s Green Molé
		Chili powder <Pick the heat>
Cinnamon (ground)	Cinnamon (Stick)		Cinnamon (Stick) Mexican
	Cloves	Cloves	Cloves, Roasted
	Cumin (Ground)
				Greens: Romaine lettuce, Cilantro, Hojo santa (or 1 medium bunch of Tarragon)
Oregano Dry Leaves (crushed)
P	Peppercorns	Pepper to taste	Peppercorns
S		Sugar	Sugar
Salt to taste	Salt to taste	Salt to taste	Salt
Ta		Tabasco sauce
Th	Thyme

 

Nuts and Seeds

Closet Cooking	FoodNetwork – Molé Negro	Vannie Ryanes Chicken Molé	Molé, Puebla Style	Mark Miller’s Green Molé
	Almonds blanched		Almonds Whole blanched
			Anise seeds, toasted
			Coriander seeds, toasted
				Pepita seeds, dry roasted (like Sunflower Seeds but from Squash)
Peanuts (Dry-roasted)	Peanuts (Shelled)
			Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds	Sesame seeds		Sesame seeds, toasted
	Walnuts

 

Breads, Stock and all the Rest.

Closet Cooking	FoodNetwork – Molé Negro	Vannie Ryanes Chicken Molé	Molé, Puebla Style	Mark Miller’s Green Molé
	Telera roll or 4 slices White bread		Stale French rolls
Chicken stock	Chicken stock	Chicken broth (salt free)	Chicken broth (salt free	Chicken stock
Corn or Vegetable Oil	Corn Oil and Crisco		Vegetable Oil
		Flour, Unsifted
	Tortillas, corn		Tortillas, corn

Check out the added referenced recipes – there’s lot’s more ingredient alternatives to play with.

A Summary

Mole sauce is a part of traditional Mexican cuisine and used to make stews with chicken, turkey, pork, or beef. Anglos have added shrimp to the mix of proteins. Dark chocolate blends well with savory Mexican spices to bring out a rich flavor.

 

Chicken Red Molé — I use both dark meat & breasts {Grilled Turkey Drumsticks too!}	Molé over Grilled Shrimp
Green Mole Sauce – No chocolate!	Precooked Ingredients – Add stock and cook to create the sauce, adding the chocolate when needed.

 

The word mole comes from molli, the Aztec word for sauce. Moles often feature a variety of chili peppers (for the heat) and other ingredients that often, but not always, includes chocolate.

In Mexico, mole sauce is most commonly served with poultry and prepared in hundreds of ways. Ingredients can include cloves, coconut, peppercorns, peanut butter, raisins, tomatillos, bananas, and tortillas.

Mole sauce ingredients were traditionally prepare on a metate, a stone with a flat or concave surface on which grain, nuts, seeds, etc. could be ground. Modern cooks combine the ingredients in a blender or a food mill.

Check out Mike Hubbartt’s Molé recipes at the Sleeping Cat Blog — Mike more closely follows the KISS rule than I do and is more concerned about a healthy and flavorful dish – I’m on enough meds for cholesterol, and diabetes, that I’m less picky – after all Mike still a young man  – I’m 74 and a bit long of tooth. Uno Problemo — Mike, who is Todd Lockwood? The only Tom Lockwood I could Google is a Sci-Fi Fantasy artist named Todd Lockwood, who is deemed of high repute. ANSWER: Yes, Todd is a well-known and respected fantasy artist I have the pleasure of knowing for many years. I also own 2 of Todd’s paintings, which are impressive.

• Todd’s Two Mole Sauce Recipes                  http://mikeh2010.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/todds-two-mole-sauce-recipes/
• Todd’s Chicken with Peanut Mole Sauce      http://mikeh2010.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/todds-chicken-with-peanut-mole-sauce/

APPENDICES

Recipe List Comparisons References

• A Molé Sauce <Closet Cooking Blog>

  http://closetcooking.blogspot.com/2007/06/mole-sauce.html

• FoodNetwork – Molé Negro
  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/40-a-day/mole-negro-or-dark-mole-recipe/index.html
• Vannie Ryanes Chicken Molé <Bella on Line>
  http://www.bellaonline.com/ArticlesP/art31162.asp
• Molé, Puebla Style
  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/238185
• Mark Miller’s Green Molé
  http://monogram.com/see_whats_cooking/

 

Other Great Molé Recipes

• Chicken In Oazacan Black Mole Recipe <iFoodTV> http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/chicken-in-oazacan-black-mole

• Chicken Or Turkey Mole Poblano Ii Recipe <iFoodTV>  http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/chicken_or_turkey_mole_poblano_ii
• Chicken With Peanut Mole Sauce <iFoodTV> http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/chicken-with-peanut-mole-sauce
• Cranberry Molé Sauce <Eating Well Magazine> http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/eating-well/cranberry-mole-recipe/index.html
• Mexican Mole – Whole Chicken <Recipes for the Family> http://recipesforthefamily.com/mole/
• Mexican Style Tempura with a Chili Chocolate Sauce <Food Network>
  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-next-food-network-star/mexican-style-tempura-with-a-chili-chocolate-sauce-recipe/index.html
• Molé Brisket of Beef <Your Meat Tooth Blog> http://yourmeattooth.com/2010/03/mole-beef/
• Mole Negro Oaxaqueno: Oaxacan Black Mole <Food Network>
  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-specials/mole-negro-oaxaqueno-oaxacan-black-mole-recipe/index.html
• Oaxacan Black Mole: Mole Negro Emeril <Food Network>
  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/oaxacan-black-mole-mole-negro-recipe/index.html

 

General References:

Capsicum and Chilli Peppers, Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper

 

Nuestro Gourmet (in Spanish)
http://www.nuestrogourmet.com/2007/07/18/receta-mole-negro/

 

Easy Mole Sauce (and what to do with it) <Je Mange la Villé Blog
http://www.jemangelaville.com/2010/04/05/easy-mole-sauce-and-things-to-do-with-it/

Shepard’s Pie

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

I love hearty rich meals in the winter and one of my personal favorites is Shepard’s Pie, which is a meal into itself. This dish has meat, potatoes, corn, green beans, tomatoes, gravy – it is a little work to prepare, but the flavor is good and it tastes as good as left overs. The only thing I like to use as a side with this dish is bread or dinner rolls.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Russet Potatoes (330 cal)
• 3 Beef Bullion Cubes
• 1 tbsp butter (102 cal)
• 1/4 cup skim milk (22 cal)
• 1 lb 93% ground beef (680 cal)
• 1 cup diced onions (67 cal)
• 1 can Green Giant Green Beans (70 cal)
• 1 can Green Giant Niblets Corn (350 cal)
• 14.5 oz Diced Tomatoes (175 cal)
• 1-12oz jar Beef Gravy (180 cal)
• 1 Tbsp Thyme
• Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

Total calories: 330 + 102 + 22 + 680 + 67 + 70 + 350 + 175 + 180 = 1976/4 = 494 cal/serving

DIRECTIONS (Serves 4)

1. Fill a pan with 3 cups of water, add 3 beef bullion cubes, and put the pan on the stove with a burner set to medium high (6).
2. Peel and cut up the potatoes, then add them to the pan and cook for 20 minutes.
   NOTE: The potatoes will finish after the ground beef, so jump to step 6 for the rest of the process for the potatoes.
3. Use another skillet to brown the ground beef to a skillet. Sprinkle the beef with kosher salt and pepper while it is cooking.
4. Put a 5 qt dutch oven to a burner set to medium (5) on the stove, remove the meat from the skillet and put it in the dutch oven.
5. Add the onions, green beans, corn, diced tomatoes, gravy, and thyme to the dutch oven. Stir to mix and cook for 10 minutes.
6. While the mix cooks, finish the potatoes. Drain the water from the potatoes, add 1 tbsp butter and 1/4 cup skim milk and mash the potatoes.
7. When the meat mix and mashed potatoes are ready, it’s time to assemble the dish.
8. Set the oven to broil.
9. Spray a 9″ x 16″ square oven-safe pan with non-stick spray, and pour in the meat mix.
10. Put the mashed potatoes on the top of the meat mix – I use a spoon to spread it as evenly as possible.
11. Put the pan in the oven and broil for 10 minutes. Remove and serve 1/4 of the dish for each person.

Tips: A little smoked paprika on the top of the mashed potatoes adds color and a nice smoky taste. This tastes fine without additional seasoning, although A1 sauce or Tabasco sauce adds a nice kick.

Buffalo Turkey Wraps

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

I love hot spicy food, and I like to find more uses for left over turkey than for sandwiches or salads. This is my take on a spicy, tasty, calorie-conscious turkey wrap that brings the heat. This is a spicy recipe, so experiment with the ingredients to set the heat level to you own preference.  My Garlic Mashed Potatoes pairs well with this dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz diced turkey (352 cal)
• 2 wraps (200 cal)
• Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce to taste (0 cal)
• Crushed red peppers to taste (0 cal)
• Cayenne pepper to taste (0 cal)
• Lettuce (optional)
• Diced Onions (optional)

Total calories: 352 + 200 = 552/2 = 276 cal/serving

DIRECTIONS (Serves 2)

1. Dice the turkey into small, bite size chunks.
2. Put the turkey on a microwave-safe plate and cook in a microwave for 30 seconds.
3. Drizzle the turkey with the Franks hot sauce, sprinkle the cayenne pepper and crushed red peppers, and then return the plate to the microwave and cook another 30 seconds.
4. Put 1/2 of the turkey in each wrap. Top with some shredded lettuce or diced onions for more texture in the wrap.
5. Fold the wrap and enjoy.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

I love hot spicy food, and one of my favorite wraps from a local restaurant is a Buffalo Chicken Wrap, but it is not cheap. I decided to try to make something comperable that was spicy, tasty, calorie-conscious, and didn’t leave a deep hole in my wallet each time I have it. I will be honest – this is a spicy recipe – not as hot as many places make it, but I usually have a bit if sweat on my forehead after I have one, so experiment with the ingredients to set the heat level to you own preference.  My Garlic Mashed Potatoes pairs well with this dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb chicken breasts (440 cal)
• 2 wraps (200 cal)
• Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce to taste (0 cal)
• Crushed red peppers to taste (0 cal)
• Cayenne pepper to taste (0 cal)
• Lettuce (optional)
• Diced Onions (optional)

Total calories: 440 + 200 = 640/2 = 320 cal/serving

DIRECTIONS (Serves 2)

1. Preheat a burner on the stove to medium (~5), then place a skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil in the pan.
2. Slice the chicken breasts into slices, then add them to the skillet and cook until done. I like to add some cayenne powder to the meat while it is cooking.
3. Put the cooked chicken into a medium-size mixing bowl, then drizzle with the Franks hot sauce. Sprinkle the cayenne pepper and crushed red peppers over the chicken, then toss (or use a spoon) to mix up the ingredients.
4. Put 1/2 of the chicken in each wrap. Top with some shredded lettuce or diced onions for more texture in the wrap.
5. Fold the wrap and enjoy.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

I tried Chicken Cordon Bleu and Chicken Kiev from a local restaurant many years ago – I loved both of them, but had stayed away from both the past 5 yrs because of the huge number of calories in both dishes. I decided I wanted to have a go at making a more calorie-conscious version of cordon bleu and this low calorie take on this tasty yet simple main course. My Basil-Pesto Mashed Potatoes pairs well with this dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb chicken breasts (440 cal)
• 3 oz sliced ham (160 cal)
• 2 slices low fat Swiss cheese (100 cal)
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (50 cal)
• 1 tsp egg substitute
• 6 toothpicks
• kosher salt to taste

Total calories: 440 + 160 + 100 + 55 = 750/2 = 375 cal/serving

DIRECTIONS (Serves 2)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, then spray a oven-safe pan with non-stick spray and set it aside.
2. Butterfly cut 2 – 8 oz chicken breasts and open both of them – you are going to stuff them with goodies.
3. Place 1/2 of the ham on 1/2 of each breast. You can dice, slice, or use whole pieces of ham as you prefer.
4. Tear the slices of cheese into bite sized pieces and cover the ham.
5. Dab the egg substitute along the edges of both breasts, then close the breasts.
6. Dab any remaining egg substitute over the top of both chicken breasts, then sprinkle them with kosher salt.
7. Sprinkle 3/4 of the Panko bread crumbs on the top of both breasts.
8. Insert 3 toothpicks into the top of each breast – this pins them shut.
9. Sprinkle the remaining Panko crumbs on the both of the baking pan in an area of approximately the size of each breast. This helps prevent loose bread crumbs from falling off the top of the chicken.
10. Put both breasts in the pan and put in the oven and bake for ~30 minutes. Smaller breasts take less time to cook than larger breasts, so use a meat thermometer to verify the meat is cooked to the proper temperature.
11. Remove the toothpicks, then serve and enjoy.

Julie’s Fave Green Beans

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

We both love green beans, however my wife really enjoys a green bean casserole, so this is my fast and simple low calorie pseudo version for her.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 3)

• 1 can Green Giant Green Beans (60 calories)
• 2 tbsp French’s French Fries Onions (45 cal)
• Kosher salt to taste

Total calories: 60 + 45 = 105/3 = 35 calories/serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Open and drain a can of green beans.
2. Add 1/2 of the green beans to a microwave-safe container, add a pinch of the salt and 1 tablespoon of the fried onions to the beans.
3. Add the rest of the green beans to the container, add another pinch of salt to the beans, cover, then cook in a microwave 2 1/2 minutes.
4. Remove and uncover the beans, add the remaining fried onions and cover again and let sit 2 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2011, All Rights Reserved.

Potatoes rock, but sometimes you need more choices than baked or fried potatoes. I love garlic mashed potatoes , and these are as good as my Basil-Pesto Mashed Potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs potatoes (880 cal)
• 4 chicken bullion cubes or 4 teaspoons chicken base (added to water to make chicken stock – 40 cal)
• Enough water to cover the potatoes in the pan
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon butter (102 cal)
• 1/2 cup skim milk (43 cal)

Total calories: 880 + 40 + 102 + 43 = 1065/6 = 178 cal/serving

DIRECTIONS (Serves 6)

1. Set a burner to high, then fill a large pan with water, add 1 teaspoon salt and the bullion cubes or chicken base, then put on a burner.
2. Peel the potatoes, then cut them into quarters if they are small to medium-sized, or more pieces if the potatoes are large.
3. Peel and dice the garlic cloves, then add to the pan.
4. Wait for the water to boil, then CAREFULLY add the potato chunks to the water. Hot water can cause serious burns, so ask for help if you need it.
5. Let the potatoes boil for 35 minutes, then remove them from the hot burner. Turn down the burner to it’s lowest setting.
6. CAREFULLY drain the water, then set down.
7. Add the butter and 1/2 cup skim milk to the potatoes, then mash the potatoes. Now enjoy.

Fairly reasonable on calories and easy to make and use as a leftover side dish that works well with pork, chicken or beef main courses. And it is very, very tasty.

Disclaimer: Don’t try this or any other recipe on this site if you do not cook. Working with a hot stove and hot water can be dangerous and you try this and any recipe at your own risk. Be sure to store any leftovers in a place where food spoilage is not an issue.

Tender Boneless Beef Ribs

By Mike Hubbartt, © Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved.

I love ribs. Who doesn’t? I’ve met people that don’t like chocolate, don’t like sweets, don’t like potatoes, but I’ve yet to meet someone that does not like ribs. My take on beef ribs stays within my tradition of watching calories by watching portion sizes. This recipe is easy, the food is tasty, and it uses portion size to keep it a feasible food even for dieters.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

• 1 lb boneless beef ribs (approximately 4 ribs, 220 c/4 0z = 880 cal)
• 8 tbsp BBQ sauce (45 cal/2 tbsp = 180 cal total)
• Mike’s Sweet Heat Rib Rub
• 1 beef bullion cube
• water

Calories: 1152 + 180 = 1060/2 servings = 530 cal/serving.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the over to 250 degrees.
2. Apply the rib rub to both sides of the ribs.
3. Slice a large onion into thin slices. Layer them across the bottom of a oven-safe container.
4. Lay the ribs on top of the onions.
5. Add 1 beef bullion cube to the container.
6. Add enough water to have 1/4″ evenly distributed across the container. Do NOT overfill, or add enough water to cover the ribs.
7. Cover the container with aluminum foil and put into the over for 3 hours.
8. Remove the aluminum foil and flip the ribs.
9. Add 1 tbsn BBQ sauce to each rib.
10. Return the container (without the aluminum foil) back in the oven and let it cook another hour.
11. Remove the container, flip the ribs with BBQ sauce sides down. Now coat each rib with 1 tbsn BBQ sauce and serve.

Tip! Use a little liquid smoke or smoky paprika to give the ribs that nice smoked flavor.

Todd’s Two Mole Sauce Recipes

By Todd Lockwood, © Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved.

Mexican Mole Sauce Recipe 1

“This is a good version to make with ingredients you can keep on hand. Serve with a rotisserie chicken or your own cooked chicken to give it an entirely different flavor. Rice and/or tortillas plus salad greens, sliced avocado, and chopped tomatoes round out a simple but special meal.”  Original recipe yield: 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 1/8 tablespoon dried minced garlic
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion until tender.
   
2. Mix in cocoa powder, cumin, cilantro, and garlic.
   
3. Stir in the tomato soup and green chile peppers.
   
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.
   
5. Transfer to a gravy boat or pour directly over food to serve.

Mole Sauce Recipe 2

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (Hershey Special Dark, it has a sweetness that mellows the sauce)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium low heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon.
3. Cover and cook until onion is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
4. Mix in chili powder and flour, stir for 3 minutes.
5. Gradually whisk in chicken broth.
6. Increase heat to medium high.
7. Boil until reduced, about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Whisk in chocolate; season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Todd’s Chicken with Peanut Mole Sauce

By Todd Lockwood, © Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. chicken thighs or breasts (skinned)
• 4 cups water
• 1 med. carrot
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 sm. onion
• Dash pepper
• 3 slices bread (white)
• 4 tbsp. peanut butter
• 3/4 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1 clove garlic

Directions

1. Place first six ingredients in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
   
2. Remove chicken from the sauce pan, and then de-bone the chicken and place the chicken pieces in a 2 quart casserole.
3. Strain fat from the broth. Put 2 cups in blender container and add rest of ingredients. Blend until smooth.
4. Turn into a sauce pan and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
   
5. Pour over chicken in casserole and bake covered at 350 degrees 30 minutes or until heated through.
6. Use leftover broth to cook with rice. Serve mole over rice.