Hot Potatoes

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
7 small yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as yukon gold
1 cup broccoli florets
2 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons reduced-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled jalapeño chile
Salt and pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
Chili powder, for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until fork-tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan of boiling water, cook the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes; drain. Finely chop the broccoli and place in a medium bowl.

3. Slice 6 potatoes in half. Scoop out half of the flesh from each piece and add to the broccoli. Peel and finely chop the remaining potato and add to the mixture. Add the cheese, 2 tablespoons yogurt and the jalapeño; mash coarsely and season with salt and pepper.

4. Preheat the oven to 425°. Arrange the potato halves cut side down on a baking sheet and lightly coat them with cooking spray; invert and season with salt and pepper. Divide the stuffing among the potato halves. Lightly coat with cooking spray and sprinkle with chili powder. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Garnish with the remaining 1 tablespoon yogurt and more chili powder.

Comments:
A lot of prep work on these ones, and I'm not sure the end result was really worth the effort. It definitely needs more cheese and I couldn't find my chili powder until after I had put them in the oven (stupid Spring cleaning - I can't find anything these days...) so they weren't really "hot" as in spicy at all. Eh.

Poblano Popper Sliders

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 large poblano chiles
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
1 small ripe avocado
1/2 cup sour cream
A handful cilantro, finely chopped
1 fresno or jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
3/4 pound ground beef sirloin
3/4 pound ground pork
1/2 palmful each ground cumin, ground coriander and sweet smoked paprika (about 1 1/2 teaspoons each)
Pinch ground cinnamon
1/3 cup beer, such as Negra Modelo
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
Sliced pepper jack, hot-pepper cheddar or sharp yellow cheddar cheese, folded or cut to top burgers
8 white, potato or whole wheat slider rolls, split

Directions:
1. Preheat the broiler to high. Broil the poblanos (with the oven door ajar to allow steam to escape) to char them all over. Place the chiles in a bowl, cover and let cool. Peel and seed the chiles, then, using a food processor, puree them.

2. Meanwhile, season the red onion rings with half of the lime juice, salt, pepper and a little EVOO to coat. In a second bowl, mash together the avocado, sour cream, cilantro, fresno chile and remaining lime juice; season to taste with salt.

3. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, pureed poblano, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, salt and lots of pepper. Mix in the beer and worcestershire. Form the mixture into eight 3-inch patties (a little thinner in the center and thicker at the edges). Drizzle a little EVOO in a large skillet or nonstick griddle over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook, turning once, for about 7 minutes for medium-rare. Top with the cheese and tent loosely with foil during the last minute or so of cooking.

4. Place the burgers on the roll bottoms. Top with the onions and sauce and set the roll tops in place.

Comments:
These were really good. Not really that spicy, and that's coming from the world's biggest wuss. There's some prep involved with the poblano pepper and sauces, and I ended up skipping the red onion, but I don't think either of us missed it. The one thing I would change is I'd omit the cinnamon. It was too much and I didn't like it against all the other flavors.

Rice, Black Bean, and Corn Salad

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 cup cold cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked corn kernals
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp EVOO
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the rice, corn, bell pepper, celery, beans, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, oil, and salt. Pour over the rice mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until the flavors are blended, at least 1 hour.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 2

Comments:
I really liked this. I had to skip the jalapeno since the ones I had in the fridge jumped the shark on me before I could make this. Adam wasn't too enthused - he thought it was weird that it was cold. I liked the mix of flavors and the crunch the pepper and celery added. Might try it with red pepper too to add some more color contrast. I'd also probably up the ratio of black beans - I love them and there didn't seem to be enough of them.

Jalapeno, Avocado, and Bacon Burgers

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
6 jalapeño chiles
6 slices bacon
3 pounds ground beef chuck
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 avocados, pitted and thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
6 hamburger buns, split

Directions:
1. Preheat a grill to medium and place a cast-iron skillet on top. Add the chiles and cook until softened and the skin is charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover and let cool slightly. Remove and discard the stems, skin and seeds; finely chop the chiles.

2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in the skillet until crisp. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat; chop the bacon.

3. In a large bowl, combine the chopped bacon, the reserved bacon fat, the beef and half of the chiles. Form into 6 patties; season with salt and pepper.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the queso fresco, mayonnaise, buttermilk, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining chiles. Season with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate.

5. In another bowl, toss the avocados, cilantro, onion and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside.

6. Grill the burgers, flipping once, for about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Just before the burgers are finished cooking, grill the buns until toasted, about 1 minute. Place a burger on each bun bottom, top with some of the avocado salad, drizzle with some of the queso fresco dressing and set a bun top in place.

Comments:
These take some time to assemble and there are a bunch of parts. I skipped the grill completely and did the whole thing inside on the stove (I charred the jalapeno under the broiler since our range is electric.) The burgers are really moist (and huge) and a little spicy for my liking. Adam liked them and the queso sauce. Neither of us really dug the onion/avocado mix. I don't know that I'd make this again in this incarnation, but perhaps a variation.

Apple Pan Chicken

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons dried currants
3 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
1/3 cup apple juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Move the onions to the side, and brown chicken breasts 4 minutes on each side. Top chicken with apples, currants and pine nuts. Pour in apple juice. Season with thyme, parsley, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are cooked and chicken is no longer pink.

Comments:
I left out the pine nuts and used golden raisins instead of currents. Other than that I kept the recipe the same. It was easy to throw together and tasted great. It's got the balance of sweet, spicy, and salty that's almost perfect. We'll definitely have this again.

Pineapple Jerk Chicken and Rice

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeño chile—stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1/2 pineapple, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup jerk marinade, such as Lawry's
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rice, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes; drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook until the onion is browned, 7 minutes; transfer to a bowl.

3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the pan and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pineapple and jerk marinade and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the onion mixture, black beans and cilantro; cook until the beans are heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and serve over the rice.

Comments:
I really liked this. There was heat from the pepper, fresh coolness from the pineapple, fiber from the beans. I left out the cilantro (obviously) and used a dry jerk seasoning instead of a marinade, but it all turned out well and tasted good.

Tapas Meatballs with Orange Glaze

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
MEATBALLS:
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup ketchup
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
3 teaspoons paprika
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
2-1/2 ounces feta cheese, cut into sixteen 1/2-in. cubes

GLAZE:
1 jar (12 ounces) orange marmalade
1/4 cup orange juice
3 green onions, chopped, divided
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.

Divide into 16 portions; flatten. Top each with a cheese cube; form beef mixture around cheese into meatballs. Place on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until no longer pink.

In a small saucepan, heat the marmalade, orange juice, half of the green onions and the jalapeno.

Place meatballs in a serving dish; pour glaze over the top and gently stir to coat. Garnish with remaining green onions.

Comments:
These actually weren't bad. I don't like oranges at all and I didn't mind the glaze that much. Adam didn't like it though. He liked the meatballs, but not the glaze. That doesn't surprise me too much - he's never one for "sauces" much. He suggested skipping the sauce next time and putting the jalapeno in the meatball itself. We'll see...

Spicy Jerk Chicken Kebabs with Bell Peppers and Pineapple

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
8 garlic cloves
3 large shallots, peeled and cut in half
1 (3-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, halved and seeded
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups (1-inch) cubed pineapple (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) pieces red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) pieces green bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add first 3 ingredients to pan; cook for 1 minute or until lightly toasted and fragrant.

Place spices, brown sugar, and next 9 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a blender; process until smooth. Combine spice mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Thread chicken, pineapple, and bell peppers alternately onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Brush reserved marinade onto pineapple and bell peppers. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 8 minutes or until chicken is done.

Comments:
These were very good. They're spicy, but not too spicy. There's definitely some kick from the jalapeno and pepper, but I could handle it. It helps that the pineapple and peppers have such a light, sweet taste to offset the heat. I'd make this again. We're going to look for some more metal skewers though because the wood ones broke in half when I took the stuff off of them. Yikes!

California Bacon Burger

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 strip turkey bacon, halved
1 tbsp egg substitute
1 tbsp breadcrumbs
1/4 pound ground turkey
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp minced jalapeno pepper
3/4 ounce thinly sliced cheddar cheese
1 whole-grain hamburger bun
1 tbsp mayo
tomato slices and thinly sliced red onion to taste

Directions:
Place a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the bacon in the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until crisp. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the egg subsitite and the breadcrumbs. Add the turkey, parsley, Worcestershire, and jalapeno. Mix well. Shape into a patty.

Place the patty in the same pan the bacon was in. Cook for about 2 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for another two minutes. Flip the patty, cover it with the cheese, and cook for an additional two minutes, or until the turkey is no longer pink.

Toast the bun. Place the bun bottom on a serving plate. Spread half the mayo onto it. Top with the patty, bacon, tomato, and onion. Spread the remaining mayo over the inside of the top of the bun and flip onto the burger.

Comments:
Seriously, after only three days of cooking solely from this book I'm going crazy with the stupid directions. People who are fat know how to cook. How do you think we got fat? Argh! After this week I'm not going to cook from this book for a long time. That's all I can say right now. It's a great book with good recipes and ideas, but it's written for complete morons. (Almost as bad as that horrible glycemic index cookbook.)

Ok. I feel better now.

What you see in the directions above is what I actually did, which is not what you'll find in the book. These were pretty good for not having any salt or pepper in them. I skipped the turkey bacon and onion on mine and didn't feel deprived. Adam liked it so that's really what matters.

Sausage Breakfast Scramble

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/4 pound ground pork
1/2 tbsp minced red onion
3/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp ground sage
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
pinch salt
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (about half of a medium-sized one)
1/2 tsp seeded, chopped jalapeno pepper (about one small)
8 large egg whites
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pork, red onion, garlic, thyme, sage, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. Mix well.

Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the pork mixture, onion, red and jalapeno peppers. Cook, stirring to break up the pork, until meat is no longer pink.

Add the egg whites. Let cook for a few minutes, until the whites begin to set. Scramble and continue cooking until eggs are done. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Comments:
I modified this recipe quite a bit. First off, this is another recipe that uses a different one as an element - this time it was the sausage that was separate. Also, the original has you microwaving the egg whites. I know I already mentioned my dislike of microwave cooking on chicken. The same goes for eggs. I don't use the microwave to cook things very often aside from frozen veggies or things that are meant to be cooked there - like Lean Cuisines. So I changed the recipe to what I actually did. It looked kind of gross for a little bit since egg whites have a tendency to look like, well, snot. But once they cook up they look and taste just fine.

6-Layer Breakfast Casserole

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
6 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1 package Jimmy Dean Hot Roll Sausage, cooked, crumbled, drained
1/4 cup jalapeno pepper, 1/4 dice
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
4 slices bread, cut in half

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix the eggs and heavy cream in a bowl with the salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, place the sausage, jalapeno pepper, cheese, garlic and cumin. Place 1/3 of the egg mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Place a slice of bread in the dish. Place 1/3 of the sausage mixture on the slice of bread. Repeat layering until last slice of bread is on top. Add the remaining 1/3 of sausage ingredients evenly across the top slice of bread. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

Comments:
First of all, these are not the directions that are found in the magazine. The directions and corresponding picture do not match and I found it very confusing. I ended up using a 1 1/2-quart baking dish and could only fit bread 2 layers high. Also, 15 minutes? Ha. More like 45. The eggs don't set in 15 minutes at such a low heat. After about half an hour I cranked it to 425.

Aside from the crappy directions, this wasn't bad. Nice kick from the jalapenos and sausage.

Carne Asada Taco with Avocado Pico de Gallo

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 medium)
1 (1-pound) skirt steak, trimmed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
Cooking spray
1 cup diced seeded plum tomato
1/4 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon diced seeded jalapeño pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup diced avocado (about 1 medium)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 corn tortillas
Lime wedges (optional)

Directions:
1. Combine 1/4 cup juice and steak in a shallow dish. Sprinkle cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and red pepper over both sides of steak. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 3 hours.

2. Heat grill pan over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Cut steak into 1/2-inch pieces.

3. Combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a bowl. Gently stir in avocado and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

4. Heat tortillas over gas flame 15 seconds on each side or until charred on edges. Divide steak evenly among tortillas. Top with pico de gallo. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Comments:
Adam cooked the meat on the grill outside, our avocado was questionable so I tossed it, but other than that I pretty much stuck to the plan (minus the cilantro, flour tortillas rather than corn.) It was too spicy for me, but Adam loved it. Typical.