Recipes

Low Fat Pumpkin Pie

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 (14 ounce) can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell
Directions In a large mixing bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; beat just until smooth.
Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F;
bake 25-30 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a
wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

RECIPE: TEX MEX TOMATO SOUP

Ingredients

4 pints grape tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper

2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon honey

1 ripe Hass avocado

1/4 cup plain reduced fat greek yogurt

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, packed 1 cup

1/2 teaspoon ancho chilli powder

1 1/2 cups lightly crushed baked tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450*. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and  place the tomatoes on top. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until the skin begins to split and blister, or about 15 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes and any juices to a food processor. Add 1 cup chicken broth and process until coarsely pureed, or about 10 seconds. Force the mixture through a fine sieve over a medium saucepan; discard the pulp. Add the honey and 1 cup chicken broth to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash the avocado (after peeling); stir in the yogurt and season with salt and pepper. Place the cheese in a medium bowl and sprinkle the chilli powder on top. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the avocado cream, cheese and tortilla chips. Serves 4.

RECIPE: Healthy Grilled French Onion Pizza

6 slices thick-cut bacon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 pound prepared whole wheat pizza dough
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded monterey jack cheese
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 small plum tomatoes, sliced

RECIPE  Grilled Summer Corn and Chipotle Chowder

6 ears corn
Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 potatoes, such as yukon gold, cut into small cubes
2 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
One 32-ounce container (4 cups) vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
Lime wedges, chopped flat- leaf parsley, finely chopped scallions and  your favorite cheese for garnish

Preheat a grill or broiler. Grill or broil the ears of corn until charred, 7 to 8 minutes (cover the grill to give the corn a smoky flavor). Scrape the kernels from the cob.   While the corn is charring, in a soup pot, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate. Add the onion, potatoes, celery and garlic to the pot. Add the bay leaf and thyme, season with salt and pepper, cover the pot and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.   Using a food processor, puree the chipotle chiles. Stir into the vegetables, then stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and keep warm. Rinse the food processor bowl. Add one-third of the corn kernels to the food processor, pour in 2 cups of the soup and puree. Pour the mixture into the remaining soup and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the remaining corn kernels, the cream and reserved bacon and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve the chowder in bowls with the lime wedges, parsley, scallions and lots of cheese.

Grilled Salmon Steak with Pineapple and Corn

Ingredients:

 4 ears corn, husked

 Four 1-inch-thick slices peeled fresh pineapple

 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

 Juice of 1/2 lime (about 2 teaspoons)

 1 teaspoon sugar

 Salt

 Four 1 1/2-inch-thick salmon steaks (about 3 pounds)

 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

 1 tablespoon chopped red onion

 

Directions:

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the corn, covered, turning every 2 minutes, until browned, about 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Grill the pineapple slices until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop; place in a medium bowl. Cut the corn kernels from the cob and add to the pineapple.

 In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chipotle, vinegar, lime juice and sugar; season with salt. Brush the salmon steaks with 2 tablespoons chipotle vinaigrette. Grill the salmon, turning once, for 8 minutes for medium-rare.

 Stir the cilantro and onion into the grilled corn and pineapple. Stir in the remaining vinaigrette and serve with the salmon.

 Servings: 4

RECIPE - CHICKEN PAELLA

(What is a paella? It is a saffron flavored dish with Spanish origins, typically prepared in a special two-handled pan. This recipe, however, can be prepared with an oven-proof skillet.)

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 6 large chicken thighs with skin and bones, excess skin and fat trimmed (about 2 1/2 pounds)

• 4 ounces 1/4-inch-thick slices fully cooked smoked Spanish chorizo

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth

• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

• 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers from jar

• 2 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 8 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix white wine and saffron threads in small measuring cup; set aside. Combine salt, smoked paprika, and black pepper in small bowl; rub spice mixture all over chicken thighs. Heat heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and sauté until fat begins to render and sausage browns, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer chorizo to large plate. Add olive oil to skillet. Add chicken thighs to skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate with chorizo.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add long-grain rice and stir to coat. Add wine-saffron mixture and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add chicken broth, tomatoes with juice, and roasted red peppers. Bring to simmer. Stir in browned chorizo. Place chicken thighs, skin side up, atop mixture in skillet. Cover skillet tightly with foil, then cover skillet with lid. Bake paella until rice is almost tender, about 25 minutes.

Transfer chicken to plate. Stir rice; season to taste with salt and pepper. Scatter snap peas over. Return chicken to skillet, nestling into rice. Cover with foil and lid. Bake until snap peas are crisp-tender, rice is tender, and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes longer.

Boursin and Prosciutto Chicken Roulades

Servings: 4 as an entree, 8 as appetizers

4 - 6 ounce boneless and skinless chicken breasts 

8 ounces Boursin cheese 

4 thin slices Prosciutto (cured Italian ham)   

1 tsp Kosher or sea salt 

1/4 tsp ground black pepper 

1/2 tsp ground or rubbed sage 

4 Tbls olive oil

Trim any fat or breast bone gristle. Pound or butterfly chicken breast to create even thickness. Season chicken with salt, pepper and sage while cooking. Spread 2 ounces of Boursin on chicken staying an inch away from edges. Place Prosciutto slice over cheese, roll up breast (jelly roll fashion) and place seam side down on greased or sprayed baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with extra salt, pepper and sage mixture. Bake at 375* degrees for approximately 12-15 minutes or until interior registers 150* F. Let rest about ten minutes, slice into 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange slices on a quarter cup of Creole sauce (recipe below).

Creole Sauce

1 large onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 green bell peppers, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbls olive oil (not Extra Virgin)

1 tsp cajun seasoning

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

3 Tbls all purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth

2 cans diced tomatoes

3 Tbls worchestershire sauce

salt to taste

Saute onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in olive oil for about three minutes until just softened. Add seasonings and flour and cook about three more minutes. Add stock, tomatoes and worchestershire and bring to a boil. Drop to simmer and cook for about twenty minutes. Have ready right after Roulades are complete.

Distinctive Crab Cakes

Servings: 9 - 4 ounce cakes

1 lb. lump or jumbo lump crabmeat

3 Tbls. butter

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 Tbls. dry rubbed or ground sage

2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbls. dijon mustard

1 Tbls. worchestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. hot sauce

Saute chopped celery and onion in butter until softened, not browned. Add seasonings and cook one minute more. Add crabmeat and cooked vegetable and spice mixture to mixing bowl and gently combine with bread crumbs, mayonnaise, dijon, worchestershire sauce and hot sauce. Bread crumbs will soften and absorb any excess moisture. Form crab cake mixture into three ounce portions and form into cakes about three inches in diameter and one and half inches thick. Cook with olive oil or melted butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat until browned on each side. Serve with dill-dijon sauce.

Dill-Dijon Sauce

 1/2 tsp. hot sauce

1 Tbls. lemon juice 

2 Tbls. worchestershire sauce 

1/4 cup dijon mustard 

1 cup mayonnaise 

1 Tbls. dry dill weed (or 2 Tbls Fresh, if available)

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Blend all ingredients well and chill prior to frying crab cakes. Use to drizzle crab cakes.