Gingersnaps

Gingersnaps are one of my all-time favorite cookies.  I'm a bit particular about how I like them as well - thin but chewy, not crunchy.  Which means that I usually have to make them if I am really craving them - like last night.  Exhausted, with a cold, I coughed my way through a batch and am enjoying them this morning with tea.  These aren't too gingery either.  A good recipe from The Joy of Baking.

3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (105 grams) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (100 grams) white granulated sugar

1/4 cup (60 ml) unsulphured molasses

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour,baking soda, salt, and spices. Add to the butter mixture and mix until well combined. Cover and chill the batter for about 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. or spray with pam or the equivalent 

Place about 1 cup of white granulated sugar in a medium sized bowl. When the dough has chilled sufficiently, roll into 1 inch balls (you may be tempted to make the balls larger but then you will get fat puffy gingersnaps, not bigger ones - keep them smaller and you'll be perfect!). Then roll the balls of dough into the sugar, coating them thoroughly. 

Place on the baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart and, with the bottom of a glass, flatten the cookies slightly. Bake for about 12 - 15 minutes or until the cookies feel dry and firm on top.  (The longer the cookies bake, the more crisp they will be.) Cool on a wire rack. 

 Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Turkey Meatloaf

Turkey Meatloaf recipe from Gourmet, Jan 2003.  Not a highly complicated recipe, just a lot of prep time.  Looks delicious!  I subbed 2 whole eggs and no milk.  I also used planko bread crumbs instead of making from fresh bread.  A chopper will speed the process along quickly!

• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/8-inch dice
• 3/4 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and very finely chopped in a food processor
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs (from 2 slices firm white sandwich bread)
• 1/3 cup 1% milk
• 1 whole large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4 pound ground turkey

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Cook onion and garlic in oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and they are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and 3 tablespoons ketchup, then transfer vegetables to a large bowl and cool. 

Stir together bread crumbs and milk in a small bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in egg and egg white, then add to vegetables. Add turkey and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to vegetable mixture and mix well with your hands. (Mixture will be very moist.)

Form into a 9- by 5-inch oval loaf in a lightly oiled 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan and brush meatloaf evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup. Bake in middle of oven until thermometer inserted into meatloaf registers 170°F, 50 to 55 minutes.

Let meatloaf stand 5 minutes before serving.

Farmer's Pie

Any season is a great season for fresh vegetables!  I adapted the Farmer's Pie recipe from Gourmet and came up with the recipe below.... substitute any of your favorite vegetables or whatever is in season.

For filling:

• 1 1/2 pounds yellow squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped, keeping greens separate
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup petite green peas
• 1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 container baby yellow tomatoes, seeded and drained
• 1 cup of whole baby brussel sprouts
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Havarti or Muenster cheese (4 1/2 ounces)
• 1 cup chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal (not stone-ground)
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

For crust: (my homemade crust recipe for double 9" pie)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup + 2 Tbsp crisco
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup cold water

Preparation

Make filling:

1. Place a heavy baking sheet on middle rack of oven, then preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Toss squash with 1 teaspoon salt, then drain in a colander 30 minutes. Pat squash dry.
3. Cook scallions (except greens) and garlic in oil with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add squash and broccoli, peas and brussel sprouts, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes.
4. Transfer to a large bowl, then toss with cheese, basil, cornmeal, and scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper. 

Make crust and bake pie:  (Do this step earlier - crust will roll better if chilled in frig about an hour, then set out 10-15 mins to warm a tad bit)

• Using pastry blender or 2 knives, blend crisco and salt into flour to roughly pea-size lumps. Add cold water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until dough forms.  Using hands, pack dough loosely.
• Gather dough into a ball and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap. I prefer to 1/2 before chilling.
• Halve dough and roll out 1 piece on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch glass pie plate, leaving overhang. 

• Spread eggs evenly in crust and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add vegetable filling, mounding slightly in middle.
• Roll out remaining dough in same manner and place over filling. Trim, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Press edges of crust together. Fold overhang under and crimp edge all around.
• Brush crust with additional milk, then cut 3 steam vents.

• Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Veggie Slow-cooker Chili

Slow Cooker Chili

2 Tbsp. oil 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup chopped white onion (optional - 1 lb. ground turkey) Red pepper flakes, to taste 1 Tbsp. chili powder 2 1/2 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. oregano 1 bay leaf 28-oz. can diced Mexican-style tomatoes 1 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock 6 oz. tomato paste 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 28 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed 16 oz. pinto beans, drained and rinsed 16 oz. kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic, onion, ground turkey if using, and red pepper flakes until the onion is soft. Add the chili powder and cumin and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
• Place in a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, vanilla and bananas until thoroughly blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon into a greased 9-in.x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-70 minutes or until the bread tests done with a wooden pick. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Warm Totellini Salad

Extra virgin olive oil and two kinds of vinegar make an easy, classic dressing for this pasta-and-vegetable salad. You can also try this with chicken or mushroom tortellini or cheese ravioli.  Comes from Cooking Light.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients
* 2 (9-ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini
* 1 1/2 cups (1 1/2-inch-long) slices fresh asparagus (about 1 pound)
* 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 4 cups trimmed arugula
* 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
* 3/4 cup (3 ounces) pregrated fresh Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
* 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
* 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add asparagus to pasta during last 2 minutes of cook time. Drain.

While pasta cooks, combine vinegars, oil, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pasta mixture, arugula, and remaining ingredients; toss to coat.

"Snow Mix with M&Ms"

otherwise known as white chocolate party mix
easy to fix, quick and the bowl WILL be empty by the end of the day!

1 lb. white chocolate (sometimes I'll use a bit more)
3 c. Rice Chex
3 c. Corn Chex
3 c. Cheerios
2 c. stick pretzels
2 c. dry roasted peanuts
12 oz. pkg. M & M's plain candy (if you're a chocolate fan, go ahead - use more)

 

Slowly melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water.  (If you have bought whit chocolate chips, pour them in a microwavable container and heat for 1 minute at 70% power, stir, continue heating at 30 second intervals / stirring / 70% power until your chips are melted.  Sometimes, you just need to stir them a bit to make them all melt.)  Combine cereals, pretzels, peanuts, and M & M's in a large bowl. Slowly pour chocolate over mixture and stir to evenly coat. Spread the mixture on wax paper and cool. Break into small pieces. Store in air-tight container and refrigerate to keep fresh. Yield 12-14 cups.

Easy Sausage Enchiladas

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 53 minutes
Stand: 5 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1  pound  ground turkey sausage*
• 1/2  cup  chopped onion
• 1  teaspoon  minced garlic
• 1  (7.76-oz.) can tomatillo salsa, divided
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 8  (6-inch) fajita-size corn tortillas**
• 2  cups  (8 oz.) shredded Mexican four-cheese blend, divided
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 2  cups  refrigerated fresh medium-heat tomato salsa
• 1/2  cup  low-sodium chicken broth
• Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 11 to 14 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Remove sausage from skillet using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.

2. Sauté onion and garlic in hot drippings over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in sausage, 1/2 cup tomatillo salsa, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

3. Place 2 tortillas between damp paper towels. Microwave tortillas at HIGH 15 seconds. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas.

4. Spoon about 1/3 cup sausage mixture evenly down center of each softened tortilla, and sprinkle each with 1 Tbsp. cheese; roll tortillas up, and place, seam sides down, in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Lightly coat tops of tortillas with cooking spray.

5. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until tortillas are crisp.

6. Stir together 2 cups tomato salsa, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and remaining tomatillo salsa in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour salsa mixture over tortillas, and top evenly with remaining cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes. Garnish, if desired.

*Ground pork sausage may be substituted.
**8 (6-inch) fajita-size flour tortillas may be substituted, omitting Step 3.

Loved this recipe from Southern Living!  It was easy and tasted so fresh and wonderful!! Served with strawberry spinach salad.

Tomato and Beef Casserole with Polenta Crust

from Southern Living, April 2009


Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  plain yellow cornmeal
• 1/2  teaspoon  Montreal steak seasoning
• 1  cup  (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1  pound  ground chuck
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 1  medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced (about 2 cups)
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2  (14 1/2-oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes, drained
• 1  (6-oz.) can tomato paste
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bring 3 cups water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in cornmeal; reduce heat to low, and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in steak seasoning and 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Spread cornmeal mixture into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.
You can also buy premade polenta - usually found in the area with cornmeal.  I microwaved mine for about 2 mins, mixed with a little water and smooshed down, then spread on bottom of pan (with cheese and steak seasoning).  I also used an 11x13 glass dish.

2. Brown ground chuck in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain and transfer to a bowl.

3. Sauté onion and zucchini in hot oil in skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in beef, tomatoes, and tomato paste; simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes. Pour beef mixture over cornmeal crust. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
I just used a bit of spray olive oil instead of the left over meat drippings.  Small ways to trim a little - wherever you can!  The mixture will get a little juicier over the course of the 10 minutes.  I also used about a cup of cheese on top since I was using a larger dish.  Just cover the top lightly.

4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle casserole with parsley just before serving.

Italian Beef Casserole With Polenta Crust: Substitute Italian sausage for ground chuck and Italian six-cheese blend for Cheddar cheese. Prepare recipe as directed, sautéing 1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped, with onion in Step 3.

Tomato & Sausage Risotto

Ingredients
Serves 4

* 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, in juice
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed used Jennie-O hot turkey sausage
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 1 cup Arborio rice
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 bunch flat-leaf spinach, (10 to 14 ounces), washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 7 Cups)
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
* 2 tablespoons butter

Directions
1. In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is opaque and onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.
4. Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid).
5. Remove pan from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and butter; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools), and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired.

this is going to be one of our new favorites... delicious!! mmmmmm! It isn't a walk-away and cook dish though, you do have to stir and tend to it every 4-5 minutes while risotto is cooking. well worth it!

Hummus & Spinach Pizza

Ingredients:

* 2 cups of water
* 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato halves (not oil-packed)
* 7 oz. pkg hummus (I used garlic hummus)
* 1 pkg. (14oz) prebaked original Italian pizza crust (12 inch) (I used thin crust)
* 1/4 tsp. dried oregano leaves (I used fresh)
* 1 cup firmly packed spinach leaves, shredded
* 1/2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat water to boiling. In small bowl, pour enough boiling water over dried tomatoes to cover. Let stand about 10 minutes; drain. Cut into thin strips and set aside.
2. In a food processor, place beans and garlic. Cover and process until smooth
3. Place pizza crust on ungreased cookie sheet. Spread beans over pizza crust. Sprinkle with oregano, tomatoes, spinach and cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Spring Risotto with Peas & Zucchini

Ingredients

Serves 6

* 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth I used vegetable broth of course
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 to 2 large zucchini (1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
* 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

1. Heat broth and 2 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan over low heat; keep warm. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until zucchini is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer zucchini to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to a medium-low. Add onion; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Raise heat to medium. Add rice; cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
3. Cook, adding hot broth, 1 cup at a time (stir until almost all liquid is absorbed before adding more), until rice is tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.
4. Add zucchini and peas; cook until peas are bright green, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter and Parmesan. Serve, topped with more Parmesan.

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 cans of kindey beans
1 cans of pinto beans
2 cans of corn
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomatoes and chiles (Rotel)
1 packet taco seasoning (if you are gluten free, stick to McCormick)
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1 lb browned ground turkey or hamburger or chicken

Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, fritos

The Directions:
1. brown meat if you are going to use it
2. drain fat and add to crockpot stoneware insert (the meat. not the fat.)
3. sprinkle seasoning packets on top of meat
4. drain and rinse the beans and add
5. add the ENTIRE contents of the corn and tomato cans
6. stir.

cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5. I think the longer you cook soup, the better, so if you have the time, opt for cooking on low. Stir well, and serve with a handful of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Italian Tomato Tart

Pair this with a crisp green salad, and you have a great meal!

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Ingredients
Crust:
* 1 (10-ounce) package frozen long-grain brown rice (such as Birds Eye Steamfresh)
* 2 tablespoons commercial pesto
* 1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese
* 1 large egg

Filling:
* 1/2 cup fat-free milk
* 1/2 cup egg substitute
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Dash of ground red pepper
* 1 large egg
* 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
* 1 ounce prosciutto, cut into thin strips (about 1/4 cup)
* 3 small plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare crust, cook the brown rice according to package directions. Combine cooked rice, pesto, Parmesan cheese, and 1 egg; firmly press mixture into the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove dish from oven.

3. Increase oven temperature to 400°.

4. To prepare filling, combine milk and next 5 ingredients (through 1 egg) in a bowl; stir with a whisk.

5. Sprinkle half of mozzarella and half of prosciutto into bottom of prepared crust. Top with half of tomato slices. Repeat procedure with remaining mozzarella, prosciutto, and tomatoes. Pour milk mixture over tomatoes; bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° (do not remove tart from oven); bake an additional 35 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into wedges.

Southwestern Soup

Prep: 15 min., Cook: 45 min.
Yield Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
* 2 garlic cloves, minced (OF COURSE YOU KNOW I DOUBLED THAT!)
* 2 (16-oz.) cans light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes and jalapeños, undrained
* 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes and mild green chiles, undrained
* 1 (14-oz.) can beef broth
* 2 cups frozen yellow and white whole kernel corn
* 1 (1-oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* Toppings: sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro
(WE ALSO ADDED SLICED AVOCADO ON THE SIDE)

Preparation
1. Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink and onion is softened; drain.

2. Stir in kidney beans, next 8 ingredients, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serve with desired toppings.

Could also be done in crockpot - for 4-6 hours.  yum!

Thai Beef Salad

Ingredients

* 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
* 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
* 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
* 1 1/2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
* 2 garlic cloves, peeled
* 1/2 small serrano chile

* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (Since this was a week night meal and not a special ocassion, we used a thin steak instead...)
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon salt

* 2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
* 1 cup grated, seeded, peeled cucumber
* 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
* 1 (12-ounce) package broccoli coleslaw
* 1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained (I used fresh mandarin oranges - 3)

Preparation

Combine first 8 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. (I added a little olive oil to help emulsify.)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak evenly on both sides with pepper and salt. Add steak to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Thinly slice steak.

Combine cabbage and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle slaw mixture with cilantro mixture; toss. Arrange 2 cups slaw mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 3 ounces beef.

Note: This was FANTASTIC! light and crispy and fresh.  Could have had it spicier - it was fine for me. Also thought it would taste great with shrimp.

Ziti with spinach, cherry tomatoes, & gorgonzola sauce

YUMMY new recipe from Cooking Light Sept 08 (trust me, doesn't taste "light") I made a few alterations which are in parenthesis. Can substitute penne or rigatoni (we used rigatoni). We doubled the recipe.

4 oz. uncooked ziti
1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (or more)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (or more)
1 garlic clove, minced (we love fresh garlic, so a bit more)
6 T half-and-half
3 T gorgonzola, crumbled (can use blue cheese)
1 c fresh spinach (or more)

Cook pasta, according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
Heat extra-virgin oive oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add cherry tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper, and minced garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Stir in half-and-half & gorgonzola cheese; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in spinach and pasta; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts, tossing occasionally.

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups.)

Over-the-Top Popcorn

Found this in Southern Living and got to try it out already! Definitely filling - an odd combination of ingredients, but is a definite make again recipe.

Cook 4 bacon slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until crisp.
Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
Coarsely chop bacon.
Pour 1 (1.3 oz) bag popped microwave popcorn into a large bowl.
Toss with bacon, 1/4 c parmesan cheese, 4 tbsp melted butter, and 2 tsp. buttermilk Ranch dressing mix.
Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, and serve immediately.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.
Prep: 10 min. Cook: 10 min.

Note: most popcorn bags are 3 oz. (twice the size called for in recipe) - change other ingredients accordingly.... I added what was called for, tasted, added a little more bacon, a tad more parm and ranch.