Latin Rice

A few weeks ago, I made Low Fat Chicken Enchiladas and also made the Skinnytaste recipe for Latin Rice.  This recipe calls for Sazon, which is a seasoning.  At the store, I looked at it, was shocked at the price tag and turned to the internet to find a make at home version.  I found it here.

Latin Yellow Rice 
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 3/4 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 193.2 • Fat: 2.1 g • Protein: 3.8 g • Carb: 38.8 g • Fiber: 1 g  


Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
• 4 tsp canola oil
• 1 chicken bullion cube
• 5 medium scallions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 4 cups water
• 1 packet Sazón
• 1 tsp salt (or more to taste)

Directions: 

In a medium heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, heat oil on medium heat and sautescallions, cilantro and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and saute another minute. Add rice and saute 2 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Add water, bullion cube and sazón. Taste the water for salt and add more to taste. Let water boil on a high flame stirring once.

As the water boils down and just barely skims the top of the rice, turn the flame to very low and cover 15 minutes. The steam will cook the rice so do not open. After 15 minutes, shut the flame off and let it sit at least 5 more minutes. This will finish cooking the rice without burning the bottom.




Sazon recipe:
Combine 1T of each:  salt, ground black pepper, granulated garlic or garlic powder, dried ground coriander seed, cumin, oregano and paprika.  Mix well and use 1-1/2 t for a packet of Sazon.

BBQ "Beef" and Mashed Potato Pie

Please pardon the horrible cell phone picture, worse than my normal regular camera food photography.

I thought this was really cool because the mashed potatoes used no milk or butter, and my husband didn't even notice.  I made a few modifications, reflected below, but accidentally used too much Dijon mustard, which gave it a little more tang than I'd have liked.

My boys wouldn't try it.  My husband ate it, a little begrudgingly.  But you should try this nonetheless.  I really enjoyed it, even with too much Dijon.  Since I won't be making this for my husband, I think this would be delicious with some kidney beans inside.  Or some green veggies would be good in with the meat too.  Cheese on top!  Garlic!  It seems like a really adaptable recipe, which would really change the flavors.

BBQ Beef and Mashed Potato Pie, No Beef, All Turkey Source:  Adapted from Woman's Day March 2012

2lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" pieces

4T olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1lb ground turkey

2 cans diced tomatoes, drained

1/2c ketchup

2T cider vinegar

1T Dijon mustard

1T molasses

1T Worcestershire sauce

1.  Boil a pot of salted water.  Add potatoes and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.  Reserve a cup of the water, then drain the potatoes and return to the pot.  Mash with 3T oil, 1/4t salt, black pepper, and 2T of the cooking liquid (more if needed!).

2.  Meanwhile, heat 1T oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and some pepper and cook until onions are tender, about 8 minutes.

3.  Heat broiler.  Add turkey to the onion and cook until brown, breaking it up with a spoon, about 5 minutes.  Drain grease.  Add tomatoes, stirring occasionally, and cook for about 4 minutes.  Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk.  Add to the mixture and cook for about 1 minute.

4.  Transfer the beef and onions to a 2qt broiler proof dish and top with mashed potatoes.  Broil until starting to brown, about 4 minutes.

Southwest Chicken Panini

Once upon a time, I was afraid of the panini. No, not to eat the panini; I'd had many and they were delicious. But making the panini seemed so far out of my skill set that I thought they were out of reach. But then I tried to make my first, and it's so darned easy! The first time, I used a strange contraption as a weight on top; this time, I used my cast iron skillet to grill the sandwich and the next smaller sized cast iron skillet as the press. This worked like a CHARM!!

I found this recipe on Annie's Eats, and it seemed like such an easy and fast weeknight meal, that I added it to the list.
Despite having it on the counter, next to the stove, I forgot to add the tomato sauce. It made for a still tasty yet probably less messy sandwich. I was happy for the removed seeds (which I'd never considered doing since... uh, I hadn't thought about it), because it gave delicious chipotle smokiness without the spiciness that sometimes goes along.



Next time, I'll have to make this one as written... with the spices, with the tomato sauce!

Southwest Chicken Panini, Source:  Heat Oven to 350 via Annie's Eats

Ingredients
For the filling:
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle in adobo sauce, seeded and minced

*Juice of 1 lime

Directions

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Place the chicken breasts in the pan and cook, turning, until golden brown on both sides and an instant read thermometer inserted in the center reads 160˚ F.  Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool slightly.
  
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil.  Add the onion, garlic, and chipotle to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.  Cube the chicken into bite size pieces and return to the pan with the onion-spice mixture.  Cook until warmed through and well blended.  Off the heat, stir in the lime juice.
  
• Heat a second skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and coat lightly with oil.  Lay out slices of bread for sandwiches, lightly oiling one side of each piece and facing that side outward from the filling.  Assemble sandwiches with some of the chicken mixture, shredded cheese, and chopped cilantro as desired.  Place sandwiches on the heated pan to cook briefly, turning once, until the outside is golden brown and the cheese is melted.  Serve warm.
  

To assemble:
Sliced sourdough bread
Olive oil
Shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro

Meal Plan Monday

Last week's meal plan got a little messed up with my being sick and not feeling like cooking, so some from that list go on this week's list... using up what we have; I like it!

Monday:  Southwest Chicken Panini
Tuesday:  Pulled Pork  (Nothing like Valentine's Day Romance!)
Wednesday:  Crock Pot Mealballs
Thursday:  Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana
Friday:  Baked Chicken and Pastina  (hmmm, I think I've made this before?)
Saturday:  Crab and Avocado Salad
Sunday:  Enchilada Lasagna

Low Fat Chicken Enchiladas

I've had a string of dinner time flops. An every single new recipe I tried went into the trash kind of string. So it was with trepidation that I added a few recipes from Gina's Skinny Taste to the meal plan.

I should probably have had more trepidation about the length of time to make the dish (thought that's more the combination of the enchiladas and the rice), or the number of dishes it made, but definitely not the taste.  It was soo good.  M said he wasn't sure which version of enchiladas he likes better, this one or this one.  I agreed, because this version is smokey and spicy while the other is much more traditional, like what you'd find at your local Mexican chain restaurant.  Both are delicious, but they are very different!  It was a little too much in the spicy department for both of us, so I'm glad we had some sour cream on the side--it was perfectly balanced with it but  too much without it.

Yay for a success!!

Low Fat Chicken Enchiladas Source:  Gina's Skinny Taste
Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce 
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the chicken: 

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

• 8 (7-inch) reduced carb whole wheat flour tortillas 
• 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese
• non-stick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions or cilantro for topping

Directions:

Prepare the suace:  Saute garlic in a medium saucepan with some canola oil (about a teaspoon). Add chipotle chiles, chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the filling:  Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Divide the chicken equally among your enchiladas; roll them and place in the dish with the seam on the bottom.  Top with reserved sauce, followed by shredded cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Makes 8 enchiladas.

Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onion

I can't recall how I stumbled upon this one, but I'm always looking to add more meatless recipes to the repetoire, and have always heard such great things about risotto that I keep on trying. I loved that this recipe offers a different way to make than others do, and it was with high hopes I made this recipe.

Unfortunately, the flavors just...didn't do it for me. The texture, however, was perfect. Rice is so not my thing, or at least, it's not the thing I know how to properly cook, so that tells you something about the cooking method. I hope to try again another time, when inspiration for different flavor combinations strikes.

Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onion Source:  The Kitchn

serves 4 to 61/2 ounce dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
4 yellow onions (about 2 pounds)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
1 cup Arborio or short-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to garnish
Heat the oven to 300°F. Rinse the dried mushrooms lightly, to remove any dust or grit. Place the mushrooms in a ceramic bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Set them aside to steep while you cook the onions.
Chop one of the onions into a fine dice. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 3-quart (or larger) ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until soft and golden. Push the onions to the side of the pot, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add all the sliced cremini mushrooms and let them cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Flip the mushrooms and cook for another five minutes, or until they are quite brown and a crust is developing on the bottom of the pan.
Drain the dried mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Add the mushrooms and rosemary sprig to the pan and sauté briefly, mixing with the onion and the rest of the mushrooms. Add the rice and cook, stirring once or twice, for about 4 minutes, or until the rice begins to turn transparent.
Turn the heat to high and add the white wine, vinegar, broth, and reserved mushroom steeping liquid. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan as you add the liquid to deglaze any yummy mushroomy bits sticking to the pan. Stir in the salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and put it in the oven to bake for 35 minutes.
While the rice is baking, make the caramelized onions. Heat the remaining olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Cut the remaining three onions in half, and then slice them into thin half moons. Add them to the oil and sprinkle liberally with salt. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a dark mahogany brown. Let them go as long as you can; I usually cook mine for at least 30 minutes.
When the risotto has finished baking, let it stand uncovered for 5 minutes before serving. Dish it up and top each bowl with a spoonful of caramelized onions, a little extra pepper, and, if desired, a scoop of sour cream, whipped mascarpone, or whipped Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese.
(Adapted from Not Your Mother's Casseroles, Harvard Common Press)

Meal Plan Monday

Long time, no post.  Lots of duds followed by old favorites in the past few weeks.  My fingers are crossed for lots of successes this week!


Monday:  Low Fat Chicken Enchiladas with Latin Yellow Rice
Tuesday:  Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo
Wednesday:  Pineapple Glazed Chicken from Cook's Illustrated Best 30 Minute Recipes (linked recipe looks the same...)
Thursday:  Southwest Chicken Panini
Friday:  Pulled Pork
Saturday:  Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
Sunday:  Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onions


Have a great week!  :)






Bonus:  Lunch Club next week-- Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

Honey Chicken Stir Fry

Tonight's dinner was supposed to be something yummy sounding from Cook's Country. There were issues. My husband suggested we have chicken stir fry, so I went online and came across this recipe. After reading through the reviews, I decided to make some of the modifications suggested and came up with this version:

Honey chicken Stir Fry adapted from Caroline Sperry via Allrecipes

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3 garlic clove, minced
4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend
Hot cooked rice

Directions
Combine garlic, honey, chili sauce, soy sauce, orange juice and ginger in a large bowl. Add cubed chicken and marinate for 20 minutes. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat two teaspoons oil until just smoking. Add the chicken and marinade. Cook and stir until chicken is lightly browned and juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.
In the same pan, stir-fry the vegetables in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes or until heated through. Return chicken to the pan; mix well. Serve over rice.


I always struggle to make rice properly, so turned to the internet for help and found these directions. For the first time ever, rice (that wasn't Minute Rice) came out PERFECTLY!

How to Cook Rice by Steve Pavlina
Put brown rice and water together in a pot with a lid. Use the ratio of 1.5 cups water to 1 cup rice. I normally make 3c rice with 4.5c water for a single batch.
Set the heat to maximum, and bring the rice/water to a boil uncovered. Then put the lid on the pot, and reduce the heat to low/simmer. If your lid has a steam valve, keep it closed. Let the rice simmer for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat, and let the rice sit in the covered pot for another 10 minutes. It’s OK if you let the rice sit longer than 10 minutes (20 or 30 minutes is fine too), but don’t let it go any less. I prefer my rice to be slightly chewy, not mushy, so I usually remove the lid after 10 minutes.
Eat and enjoy. Be careful when you remove the lid, since a lot of steam may escape when you do.

Family Cookbook Deal

Here's a special deal I was given for my readers from the Family CookBook Project.  This is an easy way to collaborate online to create a collection of all your favorite family recipes.  Let me know how yours turns out!

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

What a mouthful!  In my meal planning for the week, I used Giada's Family Dinners.  When I saw this, I added it to the shopping list immediately (c'mon, not only is marsala one of M's favorites, but I had everything but the mascarpone!) and it did not disappoint.  Another big hit for the whole family, this came together easily and was incredibly delicious.  It had many of your typical marsala flavors, but the mustard definitely added something different, interesting, and delicious to the mix.

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce Source:  Giada's Family Dinners by Giada Di Laurentiis via FoodNetwork.com

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish
• 12 ounces dried fettuccine

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

Tortellini with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Ahh, Giada.  I love her cookbooks.  Her recipes are usually quite good, when I can get past how overwhelming they sometimes seem.

This wasn't one that overwhelmed; it just looked good.  Everyone loved it in my house, and the leftover sauce (in the book, but not on the website) was excellent in the Crock Pot Lasagna I made that day.  Deliciousness!!  You really have to try the tomato sauce Giada listed in her book; it's incredible.


Tortellini with Creamy Tomato Sauce Source:  Giada's Family Dinners by Giada Di Laurentiis via FoodNetwork.com

• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds spinach ravioli or tortelloni
• 1 cup purchased marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add about 1/4 cup olive oil to the water to help prevent pasta from sticking. Add the ravioli and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain the ravioli, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Toss the ravioli with the remaining oil to coat.

Meanwhile, bring the marinara sauce to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking often. Whisk in the ricotta and enough reserved cooking water to thin the sauce to desired consistency. For a thicker sauce, use less pasta water; for a thinner sauce, add more water. Return the sauce to a simmer. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon 3 tablespoons of sauce over the bottom of each of 6 bowls. Arrange the ravioli over the sauce.Drizzle the remaining sauce over the ravioli. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and the basil, and serve.

Quick Marinara Sauce, from Giada's Family Dinners by Giada Di Laurentiis

2 – 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes in juice
1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed
½ c. good quality olive oil
2 small onions, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. sugar
1 Parmesan rind (if you can find it; ask the ladies in the cheese department if they have some stashed away – optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In a blender, puree the tomatoes with their juice and the basil until almost smooth.  Set the tomato puree aside.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté until very tender, about 12 minutes.  Stir in the tomato puree, oregano, sugar and optional Parmesan rind.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Decrease the heat to medium and continue simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes (I usually let mine go about an hour).  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.  Discard Parmesan rind.
The sauce can be made 1 day ahead.  If storing for future use, cool, then cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Meatless Monday--Tempeh Tacos

I'm often nervous serving my family, my husband in particular, healthful food.  Not that he doesn't want to eat well; he absolutely does.  He's not one, however, to give up anything in taste to save a few calories, be better to the planet, etc.  So, I was really nervous serving something I'd never heard of before (Tempeh), but since the source is a very trusted one (Cook's Illustrated), I figured it was a good place to start.

As soon as he put it in his mouth, he gave a kinda grunt of it being good.  After he told me he really liked it, I told him that it was "pretty good for meat free, huh?"  I then told him what tempeh is--and the five grain tempeh I bought includes soybeans, brown rice, millet, barley, and rye--and after talking about the nutrition information, we concluded that not only was this a tasty dish that took only about 20 minutes to put together, but that it's a reasonably healthful one as well.  I told him the worst stuff on our plates were the cheese and sour cream.

I went to the "fancy" grocery store because I thought I wouldn't find tempeh, but when I was at our regular grocery store, I discovered they carry it as well, right next to their soy products in the produce section.  I assume it's not nearly as hard to find as I anticipated.

Try this.  You'll like it.  You won't miss the meat at all.

I didn't have any tomato sauce, so used 8oz of regular old jarred marinara sauce.

Tempeh Tacos Source:  America's Test Kitchen Light and Healthy 2011 via Indy.com

Serves 6 (2 tacos each)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 (8-ounce) packages low-fat, five-grain tempeh crumbled into 1/4-inch pieces
1 (8-ounce) can plain tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper
12 store-bought taco shells, warmed
1. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until simmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, garlic and oregano until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add tempeh to skillet; cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, broth and brown sugar. Bring to simmer; cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Off the heat, stir in cilantro and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide filling evenly among the taco shells and serve.

Cook's Illustrated Recommended Tools

If you've been reading this at all, you're aware my love for America's Test Kitchen.  Their recipes are nearly always foolproof (I can only think of one recipe that wasn't to our liking), and my first purchase of their work gave me confidence in the kitchen so that baking was no longer something I couldn't do.  The recipes in their Best 30 Minute Recipe cookbook actually take 30 minutes or less.

The Test Kitchen folks are known for their rigorous testing of recipes, but also give lots of recommendations on products.  They consider not only how well a product performs, but also how affordable the product is.  It seems they're a truly a real home cook's best friend, particularly if that home cook is just starting out.

So, this is a shout out to all the products rated with a "Highly Recommend" by America's Test Kitchen.  Most of these are recent recommendations, coming from my year and three month subscription to Cook's Country magazine.  So, without further adieu, here's the list.  Clicking on the picture will (*should*) take you to the listing of the product.

Rimmed Baking Sheet

ATK recommends this as their go-to rimmed baking sheet in the Feb/March 2012 magazine.  They say it deals well with high heat and is incredibly versatile; they use it not only as one would typically use a jelly pan, but that it's even more handy because it can be used for other applications with a cooling rack inside it.

Cookie Jars


Also recommended in the Feb/March 2012 magazine, ATK liked the OXO cookie jar because of its tight seal and relative ease for cleaning.  They do warn that the lid is difficult to clean (but how often do you really need to clean the lid for your cookie jar?  Err, maybe I'm just gross....)

Cake Carrier

ATK rated this in their Dec/Jan 2011 magazine.  They liked the "comfortable handles" and locking system as well as its ability to collapse for storage.  Further, this product can carry not only cakes, but also cupcakes.  Reviewers on amazon, to some extent, complain that the handle is not well made and that they have dropped cakes by holding it only by the handle (to which there were many responses that you should NEVER trust a handle on its own for a cake without supporting it by the bottom).  Another reviewer's response was that he/she thinks CI is "deplorable" and doesn't know why anyone trusts them.  I don't know; I like them (obviously!)

Slow Cooker

Also in their Dec/Jan 2011 issue, Cook's Country recommends the Crock Pot Touchscreen Slow Cooker.  They like the 6qt size, its keep warm setting, and a power light.  Further, the crock is dishwasher safe (!!) and has its own handles to easily remove it from the base using potholders.

Spider Skimmers

In Feb/Mar 2011, Cook's Country tested spider skimmers.  This 13cm skimmer was their pick because of its ease of use and cleaning as well as the angled handle and deep basket.

Muffins Tins
In the Feb/Mar 2011 issue, Cook's Country didn't rank any muffin tin as "Highly Recommended," but they did rate several as "Recommended."

• First, Wilton Avanti Everglide.  They like its wide rims and ease of gripping, even with thick oven mitts, its durability, and its nonstick coating.  They also commented on its "acceptably even--though not stellar" browning and its low price.
• Next, the Norpro Nonstick 12-Muffin Cupcake Pan, which got high marks for its relatively even browning and easy release, but got low marks for construction.  It has but one extended rim, which oddly enough is on a long side.  CC says it was hard to hold.
• The Anolon Advanced Bakeware 12-Cup Muffin Pan had "good 'grab-ability,'" silicone handles, and a raised lip, but is more expensive than the others listed and also got the same rating in browning as the Wilton.
• Finally, Bonjour Commercial Nonstick Bakeware 12-Cup Muffin Pan got high marks for its cupcake performance, but its rating was lowered because blueberry muffins clung to the pan and of its "not generous" handles.  It also has the same price as the Anolon.

So there you have it; some of the best rated cooking equipment from the folks at America's Test Kitchen!

Overnight Egg Casserole

When it comes to breakfast, many of us just grab and go.  Fast is the name of the game, but we know that fast generally results in the hungry monster making an appearance at 9 (oh wait, is that just me?).  Something that can be made ahead and baked  while doing other things or fully cooked and heated in the microwave is a perfect solution.  I've recently learned that protein helps keep that monster at bay by making us feel fuller longer, so I've been looking for ways to incorporate "The incredible, Edible Egg" into my morning routine.

This meal, made for our Breakfast for Dinner New Year's Eve party, is a perfect solution.  It combines carbs in the potatoes with protein in the ham and eggs, plus is adaptable enough that one could easily add some veggies--broccoli seems the perfect fit here.

I made it yesterday morning, baked it around dinner time, and it was really good.  This morning, I warmed it in the microwave, and it was still just as good.  So the only time you'd need in your manic Monday morning is to slop it on a plate, nuke it for 30 seconds, and eat it.  It's not the most grab and go of breakfasts, but it still is really fast.

A little secret; it made me so happy to have a use for my leftover Christmas ham!!

Overnight Egg Casserole Source:  Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious March/April 2006.  Online here.

Ingredients

• 4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Salsa, optional

Directions

• In a greased 8-in. square baking dish, layer the hash browns, ham, chilies and cheeses. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and pepper; pour over the casserole. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5-10 minutes. Serve with salsa if desired. Yield: 9 servings.

Bacon and Cheese Strata

Continuing the Breakfast for Dinner we had for New Year's Eve, I also made this Bacon and Cheese Strata from Delish.com.  I ended up not having a 9x12 pan, so made it in two 8x8 pans; this meant I had one for NYE and one for today! 

It looked so pretty when it came out of the oven.

and was really delicious too.  The Dijon mustard was a really interesting twist, and it was cheesey and gooey and so yum.  So easy to put it together, and so tasty too!

Bacon and Cheese Strata Source:  Delish.com

• 6 slice(s) bacon
• 2 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard
• 12 slice(s) firm white bread
• 6 ounce(s) Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 9 large eggs
• 3 cup(s) whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground black pepper

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Directions

1. Lay strips of bacon on a foil lined baking sheet so that they don't overlap.  Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees.  Let cool and coarsely crumble bacon.
2. Meanwhile, grease 13" by 9" ceramic or glass baking dish.
3. Spread mustard on 1 side of each bread slice. Arrange 6 bread slices, mustard side up, in bottom of baking dish, cutting slices to fit if necessary. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Top with all but 2 tablespoons crumbled bacon, then remaining bread slices, mustard side up.
4. In large bowl, with wire whisk, beat eggs, milk, salt, and pepper until blended. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread slices; press bread down to help it absorb egg mixture. If necessary, spoon egg mixture over any uncoated bread. Top with remaining cheese and bacon. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake strata 40 minutes or until puffed and golden and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday--Tempeh Taco (Cook's Illustrated Light and Healthy)
Tuesday--Clear out the fridge night
Wednesday--Mac and Cheese (Cook's Illustrated) with Artichoke and Pea Gratin
Thursday--Cajun Stuffed Peppers
Friday--Crock Pot Lasagna
Saturday--Chicken Marsala with Mustard and Mascarpone
Sunday--Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Have a great week!

Syrupy Banana French Toast

We had some friends over for a very low key New Year's Eve gathering.  We've done this since 2007 when our first son was born, and invited others interested in a low key, bring along the kids, night.  On the evite, I asked everyone what their preference for dinner was--Mexican or Breakfast?  Breakfast was the winner, and so I turned to the internet to find make ahead breakfast dishes that would be kid friendly and delicious.  I came across Good Housekeeping's recipe site Delish and found many recipes that seemed perfect.

First up is the all around favorite, Syrupy Banana French Toast.  This was so easy and so yummy.  I put it together on Saturday morning and it was ready to go for dinnertime.  The brown sugar and butter "crust" caramelized so that it didn't even need the addition of syrup.  I used a French baguette, which meant that the 1" slices of bread were way too much for this dish; next time I'll either use thinner slices of baguette or a loaf of French bread.

I toyed with the idea of throwing in some chocolate chips, because banana chocolate chip pancakes are so yummy, but instead made the recipe as written.  One note is that this does not reheat well.  We tried to have it this morning for breakfast and found it was pretty disgusting.

Yummmmmmmm

Syrupy Banana French Toast Source:  Delish.com

• 6 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cup(s) packed brown sugar
• 5 large ripe bananas, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1  (12-ounce) long loaf French or Italian bread, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cup(s) milk
• 2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup(s) sliced almonds or coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

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Directions

1. In microwave-safe small bowl, heat butter in microwave oven on High 1 minute or until melted. Stir sugar into butter until moistened. With fingertips, press sugar mixture onto bottom of 13-inch by 9-inch glass baking dish. (It's okay if mixture does not cover bottom.) Spread fresh or dried fruit over sugar mixture; top with bread slices, cut sides down.
2. In medium bowl, with whisk, beat eggs; whisk in milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Slowly pour milk mixture over bread; press bread down to absorb egg mixture. Sprinkle with nuts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap from baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 45 to 50 minutes or until bread is golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
   
   Note: If you don't have bananas, substitute 3 to 4 very ripe pears or peaches (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced; or 1 cup dried cherries, cranberries, or raisins.