Garbanzo Bean Burgers

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Dash crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
6 slices reduced-fat process American cheese product
Dill pickle slices, fat-free mayonnaise and ketchup, optional

Directions:
Place the beans, water and lemon juice in a food processor; cover and process until blended. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, egg and seasonings and mix well. Shape into six patties.

In a large skillet, cook patties in oil in batches for 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Serve on buns with cheese. Top with pickle slices, mayonnaise and ketchup if desired.

Comments:
I have to admit I was kind of surprised when Adam picked this recipe out. He's a MEAT kind of person so it amused me that he'd opt for a burger made of beans. These were pretty easy to make. I think it was overkill with the breadcrumbs though - made the mixture really dry and the burgers didn't stay together too well. They were definitely delicious.

Walnut & Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 (6-ounce) chicken cutlets
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
Rosemary leaves (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Combine buttermilk and mustard in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken to buttermilk mixture, turning to coat.

3. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Combine panko, nuts, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture; discard buttermilk mixture. Dredge chicken in panko mixture.

4. Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Arrange chicken on rack; coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 13 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with rosemary leaves, if desired

Comments:
This was really good. The walnuts in the breading mixture really add a nice texture. I didn't use buttermilk - just added a bit of (white) vinegar to regular milk. I also used my plain homemade breadcrumbs instead of panko. Still turned out wonderfully.

Barbecued Meatballs

From Slow Cooker Magic in Minutes



Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 1/3 cups ketchup, divided
3 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tbsp dried onion flakes
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine ground beef, 1/3 cup ketchup, bread crumbs, egg, onion flakes, garlic salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix lightly but thoroughly; shape into 1-inch meatballs. Place meatballs in two 15 x 10 jelly-roll pans or shallow roasting pans. Bake 18 minutes or until browned. Transfer meatballs to slow cooker.

Mix remaining 1 cup ketchup, sugar, tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and hot pepper sauce in a medium bowl. Pour over meatballs. Cover and cooke on low for 4 hours.

Comments:
These were really good. For someone who doesn't particularly like barbecue, I loved these and plan to include them in the menu at our Christmas party. Just the right balance of sweet and tangy, and the seasonings inside the meatballs themselves is definitely a plus as well.

Weekly Menu 10/30 through 11/5

Saturday 10/30 - Mini Meatloaves Smothered with Onions

Sunday 10/31 - Korean Beef Skewers

Monday 11/1 - Chicken & Veggies (crockpot)

Tuesday 11/2 - Penne with Bacon, Butternut Squash, and Spinach

Wednesday 11/3 - Potato & Red Onion Frittata

Thursday 11/4 - Pan-Fried Chicken with Spicy Dipping Sauce

Friday 11/5 - Crispy Baked Fish Sticks


This Week's Dessert: White Chocolate Strawberry Pie-lets(Biggest Loser recipe)

One-Serving Chocolate Cheesecakes

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/4 cup Grape Nuts cereal, finely crushed into crumbs
1/2 cup fat-free cream cheesem at room temperature
2 tbsp honey
1 large egg white
1/4 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly mist four 3"-wide ovenproof bowls or ramekins with cooking spray. Divide the crumbs among them, spreading in an even layer on the bottoms. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, with an electric mixer fitted with beaters, beat the cream cheese and honey on medium speed until smooth. Add the egg white, yogurt, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed just until smooth. On the lowest speed possible, mix in the cocoa. Spoon the mixture into the prepared bowls or ramekins.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the centers are set. Let stand for 15 minutes to cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, top each serving with a tablespoon of whipped topping. Dust with cocoa.

Comments:
Not inedible, but way too much cocoa and not enough sweetener. Even if you like dark chocolate, which I don't really, this might be too much. It needs something to cut that bitter cocoa powder taste a little more. Probably won't make these again without a lot of doctoring.

Feta Shrimp Skillet

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup white wine, optional
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, wine if desired, oregano, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.

Stir in shrimp and parsley. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove from the heat; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is softened.

Comments:
This was really easy to make and Adam really liked it. Not much else to say since I didn't eat this. Not a shrimp fan.

Parmesan Chicken

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 cup converted long-grain white rice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups milk
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Mix together onion soup mix, milk, cream of mushroom soup, and rice in a medium bowl.

2. Lay chicken breasts in the bottom of a lightly greased slow cooker. Place one tablespoon margarine on each chicken breast and pour soup mixture over all. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

3. Cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours, or on High for 4 to 6 hours.

Comments:
Not sure why this is called "Parmesan chicken" when there's hardly any cheese in it and you can't even taste it. This was not good. Onion overpowered everything. The rice was mushy (went to 8 hours in a 4qt coooker.) Won't make this again.

Apple Upside-Down Cake

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Topping:
Cooking spray
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled Rome apples (about 2 large)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cake:
5.3 ounces cake flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
3 large egg whites

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

2. To prepare topping, combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 3 minutes). Continue cooking for 4 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Immediately pour into prepared cake pan, tipping quickly to coat bottom of pan. Arrange apple slices in concentric circles in pan over the warm caramel. Sprinkle with nuts; set aside.

3. To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir with a whisk.

4. Combine 2/3 cup sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla to sugar mixture; beat until combined. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.

5. Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl. Beat egg whites with mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form using clean, dry beaters. Gently fold egg whites into batter. Spread batter over apples. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack in pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges of cake with a knife; invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Comments:
This cake is pretty easy to make. My caramel didn't turn out so great - not sure what happened there, but it worked. Kind of. You can see it crystallized and glumped together on the bottom of the pan (which is then the top of the cake.) Altogether, a good use of apples. The cake part is pretty good as well.

And of course it's really good with ice cream and caramel sauce too!

Weekly Menu 10/23 through 10/30

Saturday 10/23 - Feta Shrimp Skillet

Sunday 10/24 - Grilled Pork Sliders with Honey BBQ Sauce

Monday 10/25 - BBQ Meatballs (Slow Cooker Magic)

Tuesday 10/26 - Walnut & Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken

Wednesday 10/27 - Leftovers

Thursday 10/28 - Garbanzo Bean Burgers

Friday 10/29 - Turkey Nachos


This Week's Dessert: Individual Chocolate Cheesecakes (Biggest Loser recipe)

Chicken-Broccoli Couscous

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
3 cups chicken broth
One 10-ounce box couscous
1 onion, finely chopped
1 head broccoli, broken into small florets
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a work surface, let cool, then shred; reserve the skillet.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring 2 cups chicken broth and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a boil; season with salt and pepper. Add the couscous, cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

3. In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and the remaining 1 cup chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, raisins, parsley and couscous; season with salt and pepper. Toss with the almonds before serving.

Comments:
I cooked the chicken on my George Foreman because I forgot to take it out of the freezer the night before. Whoops. Other than that I followed the recipe. It was pretty good - I even ate the raisins. I did use golden raisins though so maybe that's why they didn't gross me out.

BLT Pasta Bake

From Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats, recipe #36



Ingredients:
1 lb macaroni
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
2 large leeks, trimmed of roots and dark green tops
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock
3 1/2 cups gruyere cheese, grated
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

Directions:
Place a pot of water on to boil for the pasta, once boiling add some salt and the pasta and cook until al dente.

Heat large skillet over medium heat, add the EVOO and chopped bacon and cook until crisp.

While bacon is cooking, split leeks in half lengthwise and slice thinly into half moons. Clean cut leeks thoroughly, drain, and dry. Add leeks to pan with bacon, season with salt and pepper; cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the flour, cayenne, and paprika and whisk together until the roux bubbles; cook one minute more. Whisk in milk and stock and raise the heat a little. Bring sauce to a quick boil and simmer to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in 3 cups of the grated cheese and the mustard. Set aside.

Add the cherry tomatoes to the leeks and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
Preheat broiler.

Combine leek mixture, cheese sauce, and pasta; salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to baking dish, combine remaining 1/2 cheese with bread crumbs and top pasta. Place under broiler until cheese melts and crumbs are brown.

Comments:
This is really good, although I managed to burn the top under the broiler a little. Ok a lot. But it was salvagable. This recipes makes a whole lotta pasta so I threw the leftovers in the freezer. They should defrost well.

Weekly Menu 10/16 through 10/22

Saturday 10/16 - BLT Pasta Bake (got bumped)

Sunday 10/17 - Adam's making ribs in the roaster - and invited his grandma and parents over for dinner.

Monday 10/18 - Parmesan Chicken

Tuesday 10/19 - Adam's on his own - Martha's monthly IMA meeting

Wednesday 10/20 - Leftovers

Thursday 10/21 - Mini Cheeseburgers

Friday 10/22 - Scalloped Potatoes with Ham


This Week's Dessert: Apple Upside-Down Cake

Red Rice with Chorizo

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1-1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1-1/2 cups red salsa
2 cups thawed frozen corn
One 15-ounce can sliced large black olives
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. In a heavy medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat. Stir in 1-1/2 cups water and the salsa and bring to a boil, stirring once or twice. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

2. Fluff the rice and stir in the corn. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the olives and cilantro.

Comments:
I swapped some black beans for the olives because, while Adam claims to "hate" beans, he "hates" beans a whole lot less than he hates olives. I also left out the cilantro. It took about 25 or 30 minutes for my rice to cook completely, but other than that the recipe worked well. Nice flavors. Adam's comment (I mean aside from the "eww, beans" one) was "needs more chorizo." So there you go.

Chocolate Chip Tiramisu Cheesecake

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 7-ounce package crisp Italian-style ladyfingers, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup marscapone cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips
Boiling water

Directions:
1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with foil and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Using a food processor, grind the ladyfingers into fine crumbs. Add the butter and espresso and pulse until incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press to form a crust halfway up the side of the pan. Bake until set, 8 to 10 minutes; let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 325°.

3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar at high speed until smooth. Beat in the mascarpone, vanilla and salt. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

4. Set the springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour the mascarpone-chocolate chip mixture into the baked crust, then place the roasting pan in the oven. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the top is golden and the center is set but still jiggly, about 1 hour. Let cool in the water bath for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for 6 hours or up to 2 days. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. In a small, heatproof bowl, melt the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips in the microwave at low power, stirring until smooth. Transfer the chocolate to a resealable plastic bag. Snip a hole in the corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the cake.

Comments:
A little time-consuming, but worth it in the end. This really does taste a lot like a traditional tiramisu. But it also tastes like a traditional cheesecake at the same time. Interesting combination. The coffee in the crust is a little strong for my tastes so I might decrease that if I make this again. Other than that, great recipe.

Steak Burritos

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 beef flank steaks (about 1 pound each)
2 envelopes taco seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 tablespoon white vinegar
10 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1-1/2 cups chopped seeded plum tomatoes
3/4 cup sour cream

Directions:
Cut steaks in half; rub with taco seasoning. Place in a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Top with onion, chilies and vinegar.

Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove steaks and cool slightly; shred meat with two forks. Return to slow cooker; heat through.

Spoon about 1/2 cup meat mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with cheese, tomato and sour cream. Fold ends and sides over filling.

Comments:
These were easy and pretty good. Not sure I'd make them again - the taco seasoning was kind of overpowering and I halved the recipe and didn't even use one whole envelope. I might just stick with an onion soup kind of base instead.

Weekly Menu 10/9 through 10/15

Saturday 10/9 - We spent the day up in Door County and had some fish we picked up in Ellison Bay. I even ate a little of it!

Sunday 10/10 - Adam's cooking brats on the grill

Monday 10/11 - BBQ Meatballs (Slow Cooker Magic)

Tuesday 10/12 - Red Rice with Chorizo

Wednesday 10/13 - Leftovers

Thursday 10/14 - Chicken-Broccoli Couscous

Friday 10/15 - BLT Pasta Bake

Weekly Dessert: Chocolate Chip Tiramisu Cheesecake

Spinach Salad with Feta and Mandarin Oranges

From The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook, but I got it as part of the Wellness emails they send out at work.



Ingredients:
14 c loosely packed spinach leaves, stems removed
10.5 oz can unsweetened mandarin oranges in juice, drained
1.5 oz finely crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1/2 c red onion slivers
6 Tbs light balsamic vinaigrette
1 lb grilled chicken strips

Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, oranges, feta, and onion. Pour the vinaigrette over the mixture and toss. Divide into 4 serving dishes and top with chicken.

Comments:
14 cups just looks wrong, but that's what it says. I used about half of a large bag of baby spinach and it made enough for two people. I also skipped the dressing, mostly because I discovered the bottle I had in the fridge had expired. In January. Whoops. I don't think it really even needed dressing anyway - the juice from the oranges keeps everything moist and full of flavor.

As everyone knows, I can't stand oranges, but mandarin oranges are ok for some reason. I can't explain it...

Turkey Strudel

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
7 tablespoons butter
2 onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 pounds ground dark-meat turkey
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted and finely chopped
8 ounces baby spinach
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
9 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cardamom and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the pine nuts.

2. Return the skillet to high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain, squeezing out the excess liquid. Chop the spinach and add to the turkey mixture; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the egg.

3. In a microwave, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, lay out a sheet of phyllo and brush with some melted butter. Place another sheet on top and brush with more butter. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and butter.

4. Mound the turkey mixture lengthwise into the center of the phyllo. Fold the short ends over the filling and brush with butter. Fold a long end over the filling, then roll up to enclose. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Halve the roll crosswise, then cut each half diagonally.

Comments:
I used puff pastry instead of phyllo as usual and it turned out fine. I also left out the butter completely, cooking the onions in olive oil and the turkey in its own fat. Overall, good flavor. Not spectacular.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
6 cups miniature pretzels, chopped

Directions:
1. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and peanut butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined; stir in the peanuts.

3. Place the pretzels in a bowl. Using a 1 1/2-inch-diameter cookie scoop and working in batches, drop a few balls of dough in the bowl and toss to coat. Place the cookies on the prepared pans. Bake, rotating the pans after 10 minutes, until golden but still soft to the touch, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before transferring to racks to cool.

Comments:
These were easy to make but I'm not sure I'd repeat them. The first batch I made as written - rolling the dough in the pretzels. The bottoms burned. The second batch I just sprinkled some pretzels on the top of the cookies and that worked a little better. They all still turned out kind of dry. If I'd try a peanut butter-pretzel mash-up again I might stick with my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe and add some pretzels to the dough.

Weekly Menu 10/2 through 10/8

Saturday 10/2 - French Onion Soup Mac & Cheese

Sunday 10/3 - Panzanella & Sausage Salad (got bumped)

Monday 10/4 - Steak Burritos

Tuesday 10/5 - Pizza

Wednesday 10/6 - Leftovers

Thursday 10/7 - Stacked BLT Salad

Friday 10/8 - Spaghetti with Spicy Turkey Meat Sauce

Weekly Dessert: Taking a hiatus - still have cookies from last week!